5 Ways to Find Painting Inspiration
Stuck on what to paint? Discover 5 ways to find painting inspiration using your own photos, nature, reference images, Pinterest, and AI.
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Have you ever sat down to paint, pulled out all your supplies, and then thought… Okay. Now what am I going to paint?
You’re definitely not alone! One of the questions I’ve gotten over and over through the years is, “How do you come up with your own ideas?” And I think sometimes we assume artists just walk around with all these amazing painting ideas magically popping into their heads. That’s not really how it works.
Most of my paintings begin long before I ever pick up a paintbrush. I’m constantly noticing things, taking pictures, saving ideas, looking at colors, studying compositions, and collecting little pieces of inspiration.
Sometimes I’ll start with one of my own photographs. Sometimes I’ll see a color combination or composition that sparks an idea. I might set up a still life, look through inspiration I’ve saved, or even use AI to help me visualize an idea that’s already floating around in my head.
The important thing is that I’m not waiting for inspiration to magically show up. I’m learning to look for it. And the more you practice doing that, the more you’ll start seeing painting possibilities everywhere!
So, if you’ve been staring at that blank canvas wondering what in the world to paint, here are five places I’d start.
Paint Inspiration Source #1: Photos You’ve Taken Yourself
Your own camera roll may be one of the BEST places to find painting inspiration, and I’m not talking about professional photography.
You don’t need the perfect lighting, the perfect composition or some amazing camera. I take pictures because something catches my eye. Maybe it’s a doorway while I’m traveling. A flower in the yard. A mountain view. An interesting building. A lake. A table setting. The way the light is hitting something.
It doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to paint that exact photograph. I’m just collecting possibilities.
I’ve created paintings from photographs I’ve taken while traveling, including photos from Lake Tahoe, Jamaica, and Greece. Like in the Lake Tahoe paintings above, you can see where I took two photos (one at sunset and one at dusk) of the same view to create two equally beautiful paintings. That’s where you get to make the fun artistic decisions. I decided to slightly change the colors to create a completely different mood.
A great thing to keep in mind is that a reference photo is a starting point. It doesn’t have to be the finish line.
Paint Inspiration Source #2: Look for Inspiration in Real Life
Sometimes you don’t need to search for inspiration at all. You just need to start paying attention to what’s already around you. For example, one winter morning I noticed a beautiful cardinal on my windowsill. I snapped a quick photo and then created the cardinal painting you see above.
Nature is obviously full of ideas… flowers, trees, skies, landscapes, animals, changing seasons. But, don’t stop there! You could also get inspiration from interesting architecture, home decor, flowers at the grocery store, color combinations you notice while shopping, objects around your house, vacation spots, seasonal decorations, and your garden or backyard. I’ve even taken pictures of things I’ve spotted in stores because there was something about them that inspired me!
You can also create your own inspiration by setting up a simple still life. Grab some flowers and put them in a vase. Add a couple of objects you love. Move things around. Change the lighting. Take some pictures. Now you’ve created your OWN reference!
That’s one of the things you can begin doing… Training your eye to recognize possibilities everywhere.
Paint Inspiration Source #3: Find Reference Photos You Have Permission to Use
What if you know you want to paint a field of flowers or a beautiful mountain scene…but you don’t have a photograph of one? That’s when a reference-photo website can be really helpful.
One resource I recommend is Unsplash, where you can search through a huge library of photographs. As seen in the screenshot above, you can search for something broad like “florals” or get more specific depending on what you’re looking for.
But here’s something I want you to remember: You don’t have to find the PERFECT photo. Maybe you love the flowers in one image but not the background. Maybe another photo has the lighting you love. Maybe you like the angle of an object in one picture and the colors from something completely different. That’s okay!
You’re gathering information and ideas that can eventually help you create something of your own.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Always pay attention to the licensing and usage rights for any image you use as a reference. Just because an image appears online doesn’t automatically mean you’re free to copy it into a painting, especially if you plan to sell your finished artwork. This is especially true for Pinterest and so many people assume they can use what they find there to paint from but if you are copying directly from a photo, you must have permission from that artist or photographer or you infringe on copyrights and can be sued. That is why I recommend Unsplash if you are wanting to go directly from a photo.
Paint Inspiration Source #4: Use Pinterest for Ideas, NOT for Copying
I love looking for inspiration there. Pinterest can be such a great tool because you can begin seeing patterns in the things you’re drawn to.
Maybe you keep saving the same color combination, loose florals, interesting backgrounds, certain compositions, texture, specific subjects, or a particular style or feeling. Pay attention to that! Those little patterns can tell you a lot about what you’re naturally drawn to as an artist.
But this part is really important: Pinterest is for inspiration, not for finding someone’s photograph or artwork and copying it.
A great way to use Pinterest as inspiration and not as a source to be copied is to instead of looking at one Pinterest image and thinking, I’m going to paint that, start asking: What do I actually like about this? Is it the color palette? The composition? The subject? The texture? The loose brushstrokes? The way several elements are arranged?
You may pull an idea from one place, another idea from somewhere else, add something from your own photograph and eventually create something completely different. I’ve created paintings this way myself by combining inspiration from Pinterest with other ideas and turning all of those pieces into one new painting. That’s a completely different creative process than simply copying one image.
Therefore, Pinterest can be an amazing place to spark an idea and discover what you’re drawn to, but let it be inspiration, not something you copy. Remember, the goal isn’t to recreate someone else’s photograph or artwork. It’s to use what inspires you as a jumping-off point for creating something that feels like you.
Paint Inspiration Source #5: Use AI as a Creative Jumping-Off Point
AI has also become another tool I sometimes use in the inspiration and planning process. And notice I said “tool.” I’m still making the creative decisions. Sometimes I have an idea in my head, but I can’t find a photograph that shows exactly what I’m imagining.
AI can help me visualize it. For example, when I was working on my Doorway to Greece painting, I had photographs and knew the general scene I wanted to create, but I wanted to change the color and shape of the doorway. You can see in the image above how I used AI to combine two of my family photos with a photo of a blue door I loved to help me visualize the composition. And you know what? It actually did a really good job!
Sometimes it gives you something, and you’re like, “What in the world was THAT?” It’s definitely not perfect every time. But it can give you a jumping-off point. That’s how I like to think about it.
You might use AI to:
- Explore a composition
- Change the angle of something
- Visualize several ideas together
- Experiment with a setting
- See an idea that’s difficult to find in a photograph
Then YOU take it from there. Think of AI as another tool in your creative toolbox, not something that does the creating for you. It can help you work through an idea, try different possibilities, or finally see something you’ve been picturing in your head. But you’re still the artist! You get to decide what you keep, what you change, what colors you use, and how that inspiration ultimately becomes your painting.
Final Thoughts: Inspiration Is Everywhere
The biggest thing I want you to remember is that you don’t have to sit around and wait for inspiration to magically strike. You can go looking for it!
Take pictures of things that catch your eye. Pay attention to the colors and details around you. Create your own still lifes. Find reference photos you have permission to use. Use Pinterest to collect ideas and AI to help you explore something you’ve been picturing in your head.
And as you start finding inspiration, save it! Create a system that works for you, whether that’s folders on your phone, Pinterest boards, or your own inspiration library. The method isn’t as important as having somewhere to keep those ideas so you can find them again when you’re ready to paint.
The more you practice looking for inspiration, the more you’ll start seeing painting possibilities everywhere. And before long, instead of sitting down and thinking, “I don’t know what to paint,” you may find yourself thinking, “How am I ever going to paint ALL of these ideas?” And that’s a pretty fun problem to have.
Creating an original painting doesn’t start when your brush touches the canvas. It starts with an idea.
Ready to Create Your Own Original Paintings?
If you’re ready to go deeper, this is exactly where we begin inside Inside the Art Studio™. I walk you through my own creative process, from gathering and organizing inspiration to building compositions, choosing colors and eventually turning those ideas into original artwork that’s uniquely yours.
Because you don’t need another painting to copy! I want to teach you how to take all those ideas you’re collecting and confidently turn them into something of your own. Click here to learn more about Inside the Art Studio™.
I’d love to see what you create! Post a picture and share what you learned on The Social Easel Facebook Page!
Stay creative and happy painting!
