Artists, whether your a painter, sculptor or designer, all need inspiration. Some also use photos and pictures to work from. Keeping all of your scrap together can be tricky, but it is important in order to find inspiration and keep focused.
I recently discovered Pinterest and am now officially hooked. Pinning all the pictures from websites I visit is an easy way to visually collect ideas. With this unique website I am able to categorize my pictures into "boards" that can be anything from "ideas for a new painting" to "faces in dim lighting". Whatever I need or may find useful in the future finds its way onto pinterest.
Organizing Your Pins For Each Art Project
Pinterest lets you "pin" a picture into one of your boards. This is the main organizational feature for you to use and is enough for basic groups. I may make a board for a new painting of children and then I would pin all the pictures I might use onto that board. Easy enough, and often all you need.
However, once you have been pinning for a while you build up quite a collection of pictures. Many of my projects overlap for subject matter, such as faces or hands. You can pin a picture onto more than one board. Simply bring up that pin and then select the "repin" selection. This way you can add your older pins to newer boards.
As well, you may find it easier to create general boards for pictures you use often, such as hands and feet. It depends on what kind of subjects you prefer in your art, and what you would use often.
Art Concepts and Inspiration
Before I begin a piece of art, whether it is a painting or sculpture or even a photoshoot, I like to collect concept pieces that help me understand the mood and idea behind my piece. If I decide to create a drawing of a circus, then I may collect pins that show the kind of mood I'm looking for, such as a dark and mysterious circus. Even though I might not actually use any of these pictures as scrap for my final piece, they are useful to keep me focused on how I want the final piece to feel.
Exploring Styles and Mediums of Other Artists
My favorite board is one where I collect pictures of other artist's artwork that I admire. Especially art done in mediums or styles that are different than my own. When I want to branch out and try something new, I can take a look at this board to find an example as a starting point. I add to this board all the time as new artists pop up in blogs and articles I'm looking at.
Color Boards
Color schemes are another way to create boards, and very useful. Pin pictures that include mainly certain hues, or color schemes that you may want to use in art pieces. Or just pin pictures full of colors that catch your eye. It is a pin board full of swatches! If you're anything like me, just looking at it will get you excited for your newest project.
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