Have you ever been so inspired by a work of art that you stand in front of it for several minutes or even close to an hour? Were you amazed by an artist’s style and brushstrokes? Did you ever go home that day and not even remember the name of that artist? Or think about a piece of art months later but not remember its title or creator?

I have had this problem too often. I walk through museums, find a new artist I love and can’t look up their work because I can’t seem to remember their name. One day while looking over at my friend while we were at a museum, I saw that she was writing down something. She explained later that she wrote down the names of the artists whose art styles she liked. Later she would go home and look up more paintings, photographs, or sculptures the artist created.

On my next trip to an art museum, I started getting into the habit of writing down the name of artists I really enjoyed during my visit. Instead of only looking at each painting or sculpture, the plate crediting each artist was another thing I payed attention to. Each painting wasn’t just a pretty picture, but a piece of art that an artist created and a gateway to other pieces that I would also enjoy.

It is very important to keep a list of artists that spark your interest. You can always go back to that list when you need some work to look at for inspiration. With this list you can also look up artists names that you may not have heard of before and look deeper into their work. Everyone has a few artists that are their favorites, but sometimes it is interesting when you find an artist you’ve never heard of before, and by writing down their name for later you may realize that their work is something you usually don’t look at.

Keep a list of artists that spark your interest

All you need is a writing utensil and scrap paper (it can even be a museum map). I usually keep a pencil and scrap of paper with me at all times just in case I’m inspired at any time of the day. You can even put the name in your phone. Whenever you find something you want to look more into, just jot down the name and you can continue on your way.

Looking at other artists works can serve as great inspiration. Some of the artists I tend to look at are Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, as well as others, and a few different art styles like woodblock printing and Greco-Roman sculptures. Whenever I hit a wall creatively, I go through my list of artists and look at some of their pieces to inspire me on the piece I may be working on. It’s always a great idea to have a goal to reach, or a role model that you want to become some day to keep you going.

Featured Image by: Pixabay

Here is just a short list of artists I’ve encountered on my way through museums