Guest Post: My Inspiration

My Inspiration

 by Kathy Barbro

www.artprojectsforkids.org

Prior to becoming an art teacher, I worked in the field of graphic design. That experience was immensely helpful as I was able to master the tools I needed to create my own teaching aids and it also introduced me to a wealth of online visual libraries. Three sites I use most often are:

www.gettyone.com

www.shutterstock.com

www.istockphoto.com

I love to search the pages of illustrations on these sites to find the inspiration for new project ideas. I usually have a subject in mind and scroll through the thumbnail images looking for simple drawings that I think will translate well for young artists.

I found the above image (left) while searching for winter themes. My Water Color Resist Snowflakes project (right), was inspired by that first painting I saw at Getty Images.

The overlapping pine trees in this Getty One illustration (left) led to my Abstract Tree Project (right).

I just came across this image that I will use for an upcoming project. Students in the 3rd and 4th grade are ready to learn about perspective. Making a snowman with this exaggerated point of view would probably be fun to do while illustrating this principle.

Thank you Jessica, for letting me sit in and post and Art of Education today – I hope your readers find my tips helpful. Have a creative day everyone!

Thank you, Kathy, for posting such a neat concept. I know art teachers obtain ideas from a variety of places, and another one to have up our sleeves is fabulous!  Be sure to visit Kathy’s blog, Art Projects for Kids! 

What is your #1 source for inspiration for your art projects?