The noise, the pollution, the crowds, the inspiration? Yes, the city is a massive wealth of inspiration. From the lines of the tall buildings to the graffiti marking those same buildings. The colors, the textures, the sounds, the people, the cars, buses and cabs. I could go on and on, the urban jungles are just teeming with inspiration. For someone who is very inspired by nature, the city can offer up lots of new ideas. I have recently been creating different skyline pendants and a new series of "City" Art Cards. I am lucky in that I am right between Baltimore and Wash D.C., so when I need some city inspiration, I don't have far to go. As I always say, you don't have to be literal in your inspiration. You don't have to go out and create a skyline of buildings, just remember to look carefully at the shapes, colors, sounds, textures, the juxtaposition of architecture (An old church next to a modern building or an abandoned row house next to a brand new billboard) the advertisements, the street signs, and street names and of course the diverse people can all stir up inspiration.
Finally the overall feel of the city, the hustle and bustle, the general feeling of urgency can also be used as inspiration in your art pieces. If you can't get to a city or would like to see what other cities have to offer, there are tons and tons of amazing City photos on Flickr that can be very inspiring (again be inspired, don't copy or steal art or photos!) The photo at the top of the blog, title Yellow Cabs, was taken by b-tina on Flickr. Here are some Flickr groups which showcase city photos; Cities of the World , Old City , Big City Nights and City Roof. Check out how some of these Etsy artists below and in my Etsy mini on the sidebar that have been inspired by the city (click on the photo to see more work by the artist):
Take some time to visit and explore the city this week. If you live in a city, open your eyes to the things you see everyday and take little notice of. Try to look at your city with new eyes and you may find things you never knew were there. Also don't forget to take advantage of the height of the city. Go up in a tall building and look down to get a bird's eye view of the city and pay close attention to the patterns created by the buildings, roads and cars. If you don't live near a city, browse through Flickr or plan a trip. You really don't want to miss out on the inspiration that can be found in the city!
Remember, if you are inspired to create something from one of the Be Inspired features, please send a picture and description to my e-mail, blockpartypress@yahoo.com and I may feature you on my blog. The piece must be inspired by the Be Inspired post and cannot be an item created prior to the posting. If your Be Inspired piece is featured, I will send you a free pendant from my Etsy shop (I will choose the pendant and it will be a surprise).
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