INSPIRATION VS IMITATION
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April 20, 2024
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How did your creative journey start? We bet it started with something along the lines of seeing a brilliant artist start something revolutionary in said-field or admiring the works of those who came before you. Didn’t we all start by chasing a muse?
The creative road is paved with influences. We ooh and ahh about the works of others, their styles and techniques seeping into our own creative subconsciousness- even if we may not realize it. But the line between drawing inspiration and resorting to imitation can be blurry. How do we harness the power of inspiration to surge our own originality and not fall into imitation?
Contrary to popular belief, imitation can be a valuable tool in the early stages of creative development. By copying the works of masters for our own personal trial and error, we learn their techniques and gain a deeper understanding of the craft. If you’re a budding musician, you master the instrument by mimicking guitar solos, or if you’re a writer, you could hone your skills by emulating the sentence structure of a favorite author.
However, imitation becomes a dead end when it replaces originality and lasts longer than your learning stage. Simply copying an existing work offers no room for personal growth- besides the ethical and artistic integrity it fails. For your sake, it stifles the development of your unique voice and perspective, which we could argue that the world needs.
Inspiration, on the other hand, is all about igniting the flame of creativity. It's about taking the raw essence of something that resonates with you and using it as a springboard for your own ideas. It's like sparking a match, igniting a chain reaction in your mind that then leads you down unexpected paths and your own fire.
How to actually implement that, you may ask? Don't just copy the style, delve deeper. Ask yourself the following question: what emotions or ideas does the work evoke?
How can you use your personal experiences or vision to capture it in your own way?
It’s important to remember that inspiration can come from various sources, not just your field, and that can enable you to explore what it actually means to be inspired, rather than copying. Painters can be inspired by singers, singers can be inspired by sculptors, sculptors can be inspired by poets, poets can be inspired by dancers and so on and so forth.
Use the inspiration as a starting point, then twist it, bend it, and make it your own.
The key lies in striking a balance. To use imitation as a learning tool and use inspiration as a catalyst, not a means to an end. By drawing from diverse influences and injecting your one-of-a-kind perspective, you'll forge your own creative language and become like those you admire.