Travel has always been one of the better sources of inspiration for artists.
I recall my experience with Italy as a new tourist.
Though the sights and gelato were a great touch, I must say, they weren’t the best part of the trip.
What truly took me aback was how each and every building of Florence can be seen as a free collage with recolors and paintings all over it.
This is one of the best sources of incorporating into art that travel that is to use it inclusion into your lifework.
Such experiences transform into artistic forms, be it painting or writing, which has been the case for many, especially during their travels.
Van Gough’s bright tones or Hemingway’s colorful writing is a prime example one should consider.
Travel, in a sense, gives people complex perspectives over subjects allowing them to thinking of losses and despairs in a new light.
But the real question is: how can travels be the solution to an endless cycle of creativity?
By blending into the people of a new place and relying on the experiences that they offer us—new sights become less of a focus, and in return, one’s work does too.
In this guide you will get a peek into how travel can help you change your perspective as an artist.
So, together let’s go into the discussion of how travel can increase your creativity!
Relationship between travel and creativity
Widening your visual space
Traveling to different countries emotes different emotions due to the customs, buildings and nature present there.
It feels as if you are seeing the world through fresh new eyes.
For instance, when I was on the cliffs in Santorini, the Alluring white architectural structures complemented the deep blue of sea making it look even more captivating and powerful.
That shade of vivid blue made it look impressive together with the golden sun hitting the walls which directed my creativity towards designing further.
From vivid cerulean sky to bright sun drenched walls, it shifted my point of view and impacted why art would consider using those colors.
A vivid color set may be influenced by a recent excursion to Morocco.
The colorful warmth of red, orange, and earthy neutral colors from the desert are different from anything I have experienced before.
A que tip performed well for me in those times saying “Get a clip of this! the world seemed to speak”
By traveling to different countries you allow yourself to be inspired for new artwork that could shape your thoughts and ideas.
Embracing foreign nations
Another great advantage of looking at traveling as art inspiration is cultural interaction.
Allow me to explain, as it is hard to believe. For me, Japan was a completely indescribably amazing place for a week.
Interacting with the people, their civilizations and their values prompts you to come up with different ways of approaching things.
As for me, I got deeply engrossed into how origami is crafted.
Each fold was a lesson in patience and mechanics, teaching me to treasure the beauty of simplicity.
Be it a writer, he may eloquently paint the sights of a noisy market in Marrakech, or capture a serene Japanese tea ceremony.
This is what we call experiential learning, these experiences deepen the stories you tell and give them more life.
You’re not merely a bystander, but a factor in the social exchange that enhances your productivity.
Getting Out of Your Safe Space.
Every time you get out of the house, whether it is for work or to travel, it forces you out of your comfort zone.
I remember I was even a bit worried before I went on my first independent hiking trip to the Andes.
Yet the other pace and outlook on life did open up to me other ideas which I never for a moment thought of having.
Every time you step into a new environment, be it a new country, a new city, a new area, everything feels different the sounds, the scents, the people and even the atmosphere itself.
Importantly, photographers often note that there are so many different environments that they place themselves in. The lighting changes, the location changes, the subjects all become different and usually it sharpens their skills.
When everything changes you are forced to think creatively and improvise.
Every new destination is an opportunity ready to be looked through your eyes.
Those instances when you start to doubt yourself can actually result in the most exceptional creative realizations.
Carving Out Time for Some Peace and Reflection
Travel is said to give sufficient peace to artists when they seek solace in order to find inspiration.
I, for example, go to deserted locations, such as quiet beaches or out of the way cafés when tourists are scarce during my trips.
Being in an unknown country affords freedom to concentrate and work on the creative parts without any interruptions.
It is in these quiet periods when the ideas start coming.
I have spent numerous days in the gardens of Versailles writing for many hours as the scenery influenced the direction of my thoughts.
That silence gives people a chance to relate to their inner self and get better comprehension over the masterpieces they have created.
To my surprise, a few decors has all that was needed to obtain a different perspective of my work and reignite the desire to make something new.
Travel seems not just to be the movement across the globe but the travel within yourself.
Real Life Cases Of Artists Who Have Drawn Inspiration From Travel
Vincent Van Gogh and the Sun-Touched Landscapes of Arles
Whenever I think about the life of Vincent Van Gogh, I cannot stop envisioning him painting in the sun-drenched fields of the Arles region of France, with his easel propped against a backdrop of sunflowers and wheat as golden as the sun itself.
This period was not just a period spent there but rather a phase that dramatically altered his progress as an artist.
The sunlight of Arles wasn’t just light, it was a burst of color that assisted his to his greatly needed creativity.
One can more or less feel the heat his paintings radiate can’t they?
Pieces such as Sunflowers and The Yellow House illustrate the impact of the surroundings on his painting style and the colors that he used.
He used to have frequent correspondence with his brother Theo, in which he often marveled at the spectacular beauty of the countryside.
Such works Van Gogh expressed are the memories taking him back to that uniquely stimulating nature he found in Arles.
Picture yourself in a field today, surrounded by the colors and textures of the earth that which Van Gogh once used to paint.
It is a reminder of the fact that nature can indeed be an artist’s inspiration, and in this example waiting to be found in one’s environment.
Ernest Hemingway and the Complexity of Cuba
Moving on to Cuban literature, it’s hard to overlook the fact that Ernest Hemingway has written some of the finest short stories Cuba has to offer. The very thought of visiting Cuba prompted Ernest Hemingway to write.
He wasn’t just a tourist; he embraced the island’s unique landscape.
How can anyone ever think that Hemingway didn’t inhabit Cuba? That’s part of the deeper narrative he weaves in.
The islands comedic warmth, the bustling Havana streets, and the music’s beat; combine beautifully alongside his storytelling.
Its clear to see that in The Old Man and the Sea, the sea itself serves as homage to the various textures and colours present in the islands that Hemingway deeply adored.
In For Whom the Bell Tolls, the mood set around the time of the Spanish Civil War act as a setting as well as inspiration. Travel can be saw how it simply allows burst of writing inspirations to emerge.
This brings me to a question that’s baffled me for a while now. How does a single place serve as a catalyst for change?
To him, Cuba was much more than just a place; it served as the main source of his writing inspiration.
Georgia O’Keeffe and the Southwestern United States Georgia O’Keeffe, who once traveled the Ameican southwest, is an artist and her experience shows us the importance of travel to art. After moving to New Mexico, Georgia O Keeffe came across a landscape that complimented her artistic ideation and vision to the fullest. Low desert painting and flower painting where her trademarks, she was inspired by the desert sky agglomerations and color switching that occurred vividly color. The southwest is embodied in her works in the most intimate way, yet it is also in a way all encompassing O’Keeffe describes it. I remember once being in Ghost Ranch, in which she spent almost all of her time there and being pulled to it as she would have been. It’s an excellent spot where the light interacts, where the earth meets the sky. For O’Keeffe, New Mexico served not only as a setting but was equally important to the development of her artistic work. In a way, O’Keeffe emphasized that the last position for her was important since it opened her up in an unexpected manner. Keep a Travel Journal One of the best ways to reinterpret or try to recall inspirations gained while traveling is by maintaining a travel journal.
During my trip to Italy last summer, I, without shame or shyness, would note down my thoughts about my favorite gelato flavors while also creating sketches to accompany them.
Recording experiences is great because it preserves inspiration as it happens so that you can revisit it later when the time for the creation itself arrives.
Even the small gestures such as photographs, notes and sketches all make your journal a sprawling world of ideas.
I have a habit of looking through my journal to look for snippets from the past to create new content.
They serve as a reminder of those special and sometimes beautifully brief moments that easily fade away into the ocean of memories.
Make Things on the Move
An additional piece of advice? Don’t put off working on your art until you return home.
Even if it’s just a rough sketch or simple note, do not hesitate to spend some time on your trip for those initial ideas.
Once, while sitting in a café in Paris, I began to people watch, among other things, and would quickly sketch down the scene in front of me.
Sometimes those unplanned ideas can carry real and powerful creative energy, and they are an integral part of your artistic experience.
Make sure to pack your sketchbook because there is no need to feel embarrassed about creating things in public.
Live in the Moment
Talk to locals, go to museums, go to festivals – the best way to experience a new place is to immerse yourself in the culture of the new place.
The more experience you have, the greater material you’ll get to work with in a creative sense.
One of my favorite things to do is to wander around local markets, talk to vendors and feel the atmosphere around me.
These events and activities can help you brainstorm new ideas and develop concepts in ways you may not anticipate.
A case in point: In Mexico, I practiced traditional art of making hand woven textiles which later influenced my artistic works.
So, enjoying the local culture of a place can be a great source of ideas and enable you to perceive the world in new ways.
Give Yourself Time to Think After Traveling
Once you’ve traveled, reserve some time to think about the impressions and knowledge you received during your voyage.
When traveling is over, I would go and grab my journal because I had a great deal of notes and sketches to look through.
This particular meditation can assist you in converting your travels into some form of work.
What caught your attention?
What feelings did that evoke?
Such steps enable you to filter your experiences, so that they may later be used for the next work of art.
FAQs
How do I retain my graphic design creative flow when I travel?
From my experience, remaining creative while traveling requires a conscious effort to connect with one’s surrounding environment. For instance, a creative detox goes a long way in inspiring creativity. Case in point, when I travel to Kyoto, I ensure I visit local temples and gardens as a form of architectural inspiration. Usually, I walk through the landscape and the cherry blossoms and intricately built structures spark the creative floodgates in my mind and I am ready to sketch.
Keeping journals is also quite effective and I encourage it. Whether you are writing an entry in your travel journal, taking pictures or doing quickies sketches, these moments are worthy of documentation for the inspiration will go on to stir creativity within you.
Moreover, working on small self-directed creative projects can be incredibly rewarding, and further enhances the enjoyment of a trip. Whenever I travel, I pack a small sketchbook and spare some time every day to do some artwork during slow hours like lunch, breaks, etc. These moments spiced with creativity only add to the overall experience and help keep my creative side alive.
Is it essential for me to go long distances in pursuit of artistic motivation?
Actually its a myth! It’s a common notion that inspires is to be done through great expeditions which is not the case. Quite a number of my innovative ideas I have come across while standing in my backyard. Some time ago, I went for a small nature walk, to a small park next to my house that I had yet to visit. The light from the sun coming through the leaves of the trees and the voices of children playing gave me plenty of new ideas for a new painting.
It wouldn’t hurt to take a quick drive towards the nearest city during the weekends. All you have to do is step outside your comfort zone and get a little adventurous which will grant you a fresh insight of the world. Going to a park or a cafe can also change your perspective dramatically, such changes in the environment can also spark creativity. Therefore, don’t be hesitant in visiting the areas that you haven’t gone to before, one never knows where one can find creativity!
How can I continue being an artist while traveling?
While being on the go, finding time for being an artist can be challenging and tricky, however, it can be achieved with proper planning. To illustrate this, I often dedicate a portion of my trip to consideration and artistic activity. In my case, very early mornings are usually ideal for these sessions. I enjoy the tranquility that comes from the sun and the rest of the world gradually starting to emerge while I sip my coffee, journal, or sketch.
Another excellent time can be late at night, especially after a busy day of exploration. After supper, I frequently set aside time to relax and turn my ideas into art – this aids in the completion of sorting everything in my brain. I explore as much as I want, but make sure to fit in these art sessions to get the best out of travelling.
I suggest setting aside some time in your schedule to be open to uncontemplated ideas. If a bright idea comes to your attention, then begin to pursue it. Striving for that equilibrium will ensure that you fully enjoy your travels while still pursuing your artistic endeavors.
Conclusion
Thinking about using travel for artistic pursuits is probably the best way to rekindle your creativity. Be it sights, cultures or silence, there are innumerable ways to help create art: travel is one of them! As you travel, and think, you will be able to unpack your hidden creative capabilities. So, get your backpack, your diary and set off for your new creative journey without any further delay.
I am sure that the great pieces of art which you grant witness during your trips will be very excited to see, so please don’t hold back. Never forget that every travel is meant for not only tourism but to also travel internally so forgive your world travels. Enjoy traveling!
