These days, the obvious answers to that question is usually Pinterest or YouTube or such. The Internet is full of ideas. But I always feel somehow like I’m cheating when I use those resources. But they are legit resources–when used properly. And don’t forget the library and books! Real, physical, words-on-a-page, hold-in-your-hand BOOKS!!
Ideas can come from anywhere. A lot of mine are a form of problem solving. Something I want to make, but don’t have all the proper tools or supplies for, may result in making my own tools or coming up with a different but useable component. This, in turn, sometimes leads to a more interesting final product. (And something that is uniquely mine!)
And sometimes, it’s a learning experience about what NOT to use. It’s experimentation, observation, and a willingness to improvise.
If I hold something in my hand and study it-a piece of trash or recycling-I try to picture it as something else, what else it could be useful for, what I could make with it. The empty cardboard paper towel roll becomes a way to send some artwork to a friend. A scrap of metal j-channel hammered and bent into shape becomes a magnetic holder for my tubes of paint. A scrap of wood with drilled holes becomes a way to hold handmade beads for varnishing. A found fragment of textured floor mat becomes a stamp for embellishing painted papers.
Ideas are everywhere. You just have to be open to them, and willing to experiment.
These pictures show a particular idea that worked for me. I was tired of sticking toothpicks into an egg carton to hold my beads. It was flimsy and annoying. The holes drilled in a scrap piece of wood work much better. I have to admit, though, THAT was a LOT of drilling!
Just keep looking, keep experimenting, keep trying. The ideas will follow!
-Armanda