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  • Finding Inspiration

    Among the challenges that talented people face is knowing when to grasp or how to ignite sparks of creative genius.

    Inspiration is an integral component of the creative process. Highly talented people are unable to work effectively without an opportunity to collaborate with other creatives. They have the same pressures and deadlines to meet requirements as other business professions, but they cannot work in the same manner, and are quite often misunderstood.

    “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

    –Thomas Edison
    Inspiration at Linda's Web Studio
    Inspiration
    creative writing process
    Creative Practice

    Edison believed it takes 99% perspiration to achieve any results in progress. If we added time for contemplation or peer critique as an inspiration factor, would it increase that opposing 1%? Or, should collaboration be added to the perspiration equation? Is collaboration perspiration? Is it wasted energy according to some? Other professionals may not understand the necessity of meaningful critique. Inspiration and perspiration both require heat. And both produce a cooling flow to strengthen one’s grip.

    Time to collaborate:

    For creative individuals; it’s not as cut and dry as showing up at the office, or an online meeting to output those enormous documents each week. That is artless. Creative teams need to understand what is meaningful. Artists need to bounce ideas and connect in meaningful critiques with peers. Time is needed for research or to muse and observe the world around them. Innovative techniques develop from this flow. Musing should not be confused with squandering. As the Psalmist so poignantly wrote: “As I was musing the fire burned.” At times, we all need a refocus for the spark to ignite. Our genius is not always channeled by following a ninety-nine percent rule of perspiration. So, we should include reflection and collaboration into that percent.

    “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”

    –Ben Franklin

    We practice the art of creativity at and away from our office. It’s not necessarily squandering to muse. Creatives need to connect in meaningful ways to ignite the sparks. That is how some process the creative genius.

    While musing

    Non-creatives do not see compositions forming. Creatives focus on detail and are inspired by the things they observe. A painting of a ships bow, dimly appearing through a misty fog can spark an idea. The image of low tide and the recession of waves, with the foghorn and seagulls; incite smells or sounds. In musing a fire burns. Their tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

    Balance and focus:

    When creatives refocus, they apply art fundamentals in newly, diverse ways. Whether symmetrical or asymmetrical, and with a center of focus there is movement in how and what they create. With the appropriate use of color, line, shape, value, and texture, combined with a nicely moving composition; they can create a masterpiece.

    In conclusion:

    If you need to be inspired but cannot collaborate, try something new. Muse. Read Haiku. The rhythmic lines will inspire you to create. They are not headlines of disparaging news. Creativity lies in the labyrinth of poetry’s’ rhythmic mora. Take time to write. Be creative. Redecorate. Line your windows with geranium, lavender, or violet. Stand up and move around. Refocus. The artist’s perspiration flows from inspiration, and both produce a flow of energy. Go with that flow.