What inspires you to be creative?

[Lochlan]

So as you may or may not have seen there were some request to start a new area for tattoo designs (thanks for the feedback!) so the LST Team decided to add a new tab obviously titled "Tattoo Designs" as you are here. But no one seems to be writing anything so I figured I would make an intro to our new tab and try to throw some gasoline and an M-80 on the fire to get it burning!

Please do not let the title of the tab limit your writing, pictures, ideas, creative muses, etc to tattoo designs but let it be any art. What, who is your muse for a piece and how do you decide what genre/format to do it in?

We see hundreds/thousands of dragons, tigers, skulls, roses, nautical, script, girls faces, daggers, yada yada art yet it continues to be done. There is nothing wrong with any of the above as I always enjoy seeing each artist or tattooers flavor added to it. For all you "foodies" out there think of the various spices or flavors chefs try over and over to make their own unique meal. Their own unique burger, grilled cheese, salad, you get the picture!

Oh yeah if you have art or flash or tattoo machines or what have yous post some info with a link under the "Vendor Marketplace" as that are is pretty silent as well and we hope will generate some new business for you!!

On with the bag of M-80s, lets do this.........

I think the best roses are done by Tim Hendricks and would love to hear how he came to how they are now???

[Jake]

Ugh Tim's Roses are insane. I love the hands he did I attached a picture of...

As far as inspiration goes- my writing is often influenced by humanity and often the general lack thereof.

My visual arts can be influenced from something I see walking down the street, a play off of someone else's idea that I throw my own twist on, or simply from practicing a new technique.

PS - I know the link has been dropped somewhere else in the forum but it's totally worth reposting so here is the link to Tim's blog that you should check out!

Edited September 28, 2010 by Jake
linked blog

[Dean Schubert]

First off , I believe the desire to create is innate in most every human. As a tattooer I'm constantly blown away by a continuous stream of amazing work. Seeing all the great work inspires me to keep pushing!

[Lochlan]

I agree with you both one hundred percent. Often times it is just being patient for me and patient with myself when creating. But the biggest influence is music, lyrics, poems, etc. I have always been obsessed with words hence so many tattooed on me as well as my psychology focus on linguistics. They can be played with skillfully and unskillfully and dissected and yadayada which is why they are endless and great inspirations, for me.

[Lochlan]

Here's a link to a similar thread.

[ibradley]

Being around other artists helps me. It helps to see different approaches and techniques that you can pick and choose from as your style evolves.

[The Hyena]

Twin Peaks. Tom Waits. New England in the Fall.

[MsRad]

printmaking. seriously, it always completely inspires me.