In this lesson, we will continue to develop our skills
in gathering references and inspiration by stepping away from the screen
and exploring the world around us.
Of course, the easiest and the most practical way to find inspiration is online.
But I find that stepping away from the screen can be just as beneficial.
Next time you're out for a walk,
try looking up at the tops of the buildings, trees and ceilings.
You might be surprised by what you see.
You might find something unique or something new.
The next time you feel stuck,
step outside,
look up and capture the moment with your camera or sketchpad.
You never know what kind of inspiration you might find.
Visit a gallery,
a library,
a park,
a beach,
a train station,
and keep an eye out for unique and unexpected things or situations.
Capture them in any way that you can,
whether it's through recording a video,
making a sketch,
taking a photo, or even recording a sound.
But don't just limit yourself to the obvious.
Try looking in places where you wouldn't naturally.
Go outside and look up doesn't just mean literally looking up.
It also means exploring new things beyond your usual fields of expertise.
For example,
take a trip to a gallery and look at the sculptures.
Observe the physical and tangible art.
Try to understand the thought process and story behind the piece.
This can be a great way to find inspiration and to broaden your perspective.
This helps because there's a distance between the real physical sculpture
and the 3D digital model you want to create.
And that forces you to exercise your imagination more than if your inspiration
was from an already created digital 3D image.
It gives you space to create something more unexpected.
In this lesson,
we've explored how to gather inspiration
by stepping away from the screen and looking up.
We've seen how visiting galleries and other unexpected places can broaden your perspective and lead to new and unique ideas.
In the next lesson,
we'll continue developing our skills by applying these references and learning how to use them effectively in our work.