Keeping Your Eyes Creatively Fed: A Lesson for Staying Motivated as an Artist

Let’s talk about what it really means to stay motivated as an artist. This isn’t just about

pushing through a creative block or finding inspiration in a pinch, it’s about cultivating a

habit that fuels your creativity consistently.

Here’s the core idea: As an artist, you need to keep your eyes creatively fed.

Now, what does that mean? It’s not about copying what you see. It’s not about

scrolling through endless images hoping for a spark. It’s about giving your mind the

nourishment it needs to keep its creative gears turning, what I like to call “the color

wheels of the mind.”

Why Your Eyes Need Feeding

Think of your creativity like a fire. What happens if you don’t add wood to it? It burns

out. In the same way, your artistic drive can dwindle if you’re not fueling it with visual

input. The world around you is full of textures, colors, patterns, and forms that can feed

your imagination.

But, and this is important, you’re not looking for material to copy. You’re looking for

material to inspire.

Imagine standing in front of a beautiful sunset. The way the colors blend, the soft

gradients, the contrast between light and shadow, it’s all feeding your subconscious.

You’re not thinking, I need to paint this exact sunset. Instead, you’re absorbing the

essence of it: the harmony, the feeling, the way nature plays with light.

That’s what I mean by feeding your eyes. You’re giving your mind ingredients it can

mix, reshape, and transform into something uniquely yours.

The Color Wheels of the Mind

Let’s dig into this metaphor of the “color wheels of the mind.” A color wheel isn’t static,

it’s designed to show relationships, contrasts, and harmonies. When your mind is

actively “fed” with new visuals, those wheels start spinning. They create connections

between what you’ve seen before and what you’re experiencing now.

But if you stop feeding them, those wheels slow down. Creativity can feel stagnant,

even forced. So, your job as an artist is to keep those wheels turning by exposing

yourself to fresh visual input.

How to Feed Your Eyes Intentionally

Now, here’s the part that takes discipline. It’s not enough to simply look at things, you

have to observe. Let me break that down:

1. Be intentional.

Mindless scrolling on social media won’t cut it. Sure, you might see a lot of visuals, but

they’re fleeting. Instead, seek out moments of focused observation. Go to a museum.

Take a walk and notice how the light filters through the trees. Watch how water ripples

in a fountain.

2. Diversity is key.

Don’t just stick to one style or medium. If you’re a painter, look at photography. If

you’re a graphic designer, watch a dance performance. Creativity thrives on cross-

pollination, mixing influences from different fields.

3. Engage with what you see.

Ask questions: Why does this piece move me? How did the artist use contrast? What

story is being told here? The more you engage with the visuals around you, the more

they’ll feed your creative mind.

Avoiding Mimicry

Here’s a trap many artists fall into: they see something they like, and they try to

replicate it. But that’s not what this is about. Your goal isn’t to mimic; it’s to take

inspiration and let it transform into something original.

Think of it like cooking. You’re not copying someone else’s recipe, you’re taking the

ingredients and creating your own dish.

Balancing Input and Output

Now, here’s another key point: feeding your eyes is just one part of the process. You

also need to create. If you spend all your time consuming visuals but never translating

that into your own work, you’ll feel stuck.

It’s about balance. Take in enough to stay inspired, but leave room for your own ideas

to take shape.

Your Homework

To put this into practice, here’s an exercise for you:

1. Spend 30 minutes today observing something around you. It could be the

way shadows fall in your room, the details of a painting, or even the packaging design

on your favorite snack.

2. Write down or sketch what you notice; colors, patterns, feelings, or ideas

that come to mind.

3. Then, create something inspired by that observation. It doesn’t have to be

literal, just let your imagination guide you.

Closing Thoughts

Remember, keeping your eyes creatively fed isn’t just a technique, it’s a habit. It’s a

way of living as an artist, always open to the beauty and inspiration around you. When

you approach the world with this mindset, you’ll find that your creative motivation

doesn’t run out, it grows.

As a way to help you take this lesson beyond words, I’ve created a Spotify playlist

inspired by the themes we’ve explored today. It’s as diverse as art itself, featuring

music from a wide range of genres and emotions. To fully nourish our creative senses,

we must expose them to diverse places, ideas, and sounds. This playlist is designed to

be a journey, one that feeds your imagination, stirs your emotions, and keeps the color

wheels of your mind in motion. I invite you to listen, reflect, and let it spark new

inspiration in your creative process.

Here are some books, songs, and albums that can support and inspire the theory of

“Keeping Your Eyes Creatively Fed” by immersing the mind in fresh perspectives and

fueling creativity. Each selection offers either direct inspiration for creative practices or

embodies themes of exploration, mindfulness, and artistic expression.