what i'm inspired by lately (music, movies, and more) 🩸🏰🩷🖤✈️📸🏒 (Patreon)

hello dear patrons! 。.:☆*:･'(*⌒―⌒*)))

in 2024, I want to make a habit of regularly sharing the things that are inspiring me. on any given day I can be found browsing the internet and exploring my surroundings in hopes of finding something that piques my curiosity. I've long thought of art as conversation with life and the art I make as participating in that conversation. art is a reflection of what we're curious or have too much to say about. I think it's why artists revisit the same subjects over and over again, in attempts to get closer to explaining why something brings them to life. I know that's why I have a handful of subjects that have repeatedly shown up in my art throughout the years. I'm not done talking about them, because there's always something new to discover, a different angle from which I can glean observations and understanding.

I love collaging in my journal and wanted to try putting together a digital collage of what's been inspiring me lately. from top to bottom, left to right:

🎵 music 📻

music is a constant in my life. it's always had a strong effect on my emotions and imagination and, as a result, the art I make. I've been making a concerted effort to listen to music that is new (to me) to disrupt my autopilot tendencies and open myself to new ideas. each of these songs has a vastly different mood, yet all have the ability to awaken exciting imagery in my mind. 

🖤 fashion 🩷

I've been revisiting my tastes from middle school (2007-2008) with this one. at that time, my interests in gothic lolita fashion, scene/emo music and fashion, and j-rock + visual kei all cross-pollinated and built off one another. the resurgence in these subcultures in recent years has brought me back to those old interests. I did some sketches of bou and his iconic outfits in my most recent sketchdump. the gothic lolita bible was a magazine I was obsessed with, filled with art, fashion catalogues, and photoshoots dedicated to the genre. at one point I was lucky enough to get my hands on an issue and would regularly leaf through the spreads to admire the clothing. 

📸 photography 🖼️

photography is an interest that goes in and out for me. at this present moment, I'm in an 'in' phase and have been studying photos that inspire me as a way to learn what makes a photo appealing. I've been practicing taking photos on my phone using the advice from this video by The Photographic Eye to train my mind to see my surroundings differently. it's been really fun, all of a sudden I'm seeing potential photos everywhere! 

🎞️ movies 🩸🏰

poor things and saltburn are both visually stunning movies with exciting stories. movies as a category are something I have great admiration for based on time and scale alone. so much collaborative thought, effort, and energy go into making a movie, the fact that any movie ever gets made astounds me. if you're in the mood for some weird cinema, I highly recommend both! 

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what have you been inspired by lately? I always love hearing about what other people are excited about at the moment. the world is truly filled with so many cool things!