What do I Paint Today?? That is probably the most frequent question artists ask themselves on a daily basis. Painting ideas can elusive. And it has as much to do about luck as it is about creativity.

The artistic mind is like a camera which records imaginary images and stores the pixels in the subconscious. These ‘images’ are initiated not only from direct vision. Our minds conjure up pictures when our four other senses are stirred. Often we associate perceived senses with experiences and memories, which we can ‘see’ as a visual in our minds.

The Artist’s Block

There will be days or weeks when I, myself, suffer from a stagnant feeling of having ‘no idea’. The instinctive thing to do is to sit in front of the empty canvas and mope.

The best thing to do during these dry spells is to look at anything else but the blank canvas. The blank space is like darkness, contributing to no image in the imagination.

Here are some things one can do to get painting ideas and snap out of the artist’s block:

Listen to Music.

Turn on the radio, go to a record store, check out new bands on iTunes or YouTube. We all have an opinion on what genre of music we like. This is my favorite motivation to paint.

Watch a movie.

Movies are art in itself. Cinematography , especially from good producers can give good ideas in atmosphere, color and lighting.

Read a Novel.

Even fiction in the form of short stories are great inspiration for paintings. Art, to some artists is a channel for story telling. If u have a story to tell, you may have a painting idea. I personally love audio books. It is a great way to paint and read a novel a simultaneously. I also get great inspirations from a good story told.

Visit and Art Museum.

It is about letting other people’s art inspire you. It could be a gallery, real or online.

Meditation and Self Hypnosis.

We can surprise ourselves just by being silent. The unconscious mind is rich in creative resource. This resource is kept in bolt by the content and’noise that we face in our daily activities. I have learned a simple way to learn to meditate through self hypnosis.

Here a download which I have found very useful for unlocking the ability to create art in abundance:

Creativity Booster

– Self hypnosis and

Inner Artist

-Self Hypnosis downloads.

Getting an Artist’s block is normal. Being inspired with ideas is almost a skill. The best thing to do is to venture out of the studio, enjoy life and let the world inspire you.