If I borrow for inspiration, am I a bad artist?

Creativity—its a mysterious thing. As a graphic designer and amateur photographer, I’ve spent a significant part of my life struggling with how sporadic creative inspiration can be. I’ve had to admit that I can’t control it at will. Maybe this is old news, but for me, it was a surprising realization. Most of us in the creative arts have at some point stared at a blank sheet or screen wondering why nothing was spilling out of our imaginations. Aren’t we supposed to be the professionals? Why is it such an incredible feat to come up with something original? Now, either I’ve expertly deluded myself into thinking I have any creative talent at all (possible), or I’m misunderstanding a key aspect of the creative process.

In my estimation, the number of truly, ultimately creative individuals in all of history can probably be counted on both hands. Their talent was so great that we would expect one of these geniuses to be able to birth a masterpiece while locked in a white-walled room sans outside influence. This ability to seemingly bring “something from nothing” is proof of at least one thing differentiating the masters from those of us lower on the creative continuum—appreciation and reverence for inspiration.

When I’m faced with a blank slate (a new website, brochure or book cover), my creative process often goes something like this:

1. Stare at the screen for 20-30 minutes, hoping the design will magically appear
2. Give up
3. Visit a few websites showing the latest trends and examples
4. Meld the best elements from the examples to create a “new” piece that fits the client’s requirements

I can tell you from experience, this process is definitely not unique in the creative arts industry. Is it stealing? Some might think so. Yet even the most talented artists will readily admit being influenced by others in their realm of work. So where do we draw the line? When does looking for inspiration become shameless copying?

Some quick research into the classical works shows us that even the most revered composers were guilty of borrowing for inspiration. A passage in Handel’s Messiah, for example, was strongly influenced by Fuga a Quattro Voci, a piece written years prior by Arcangelo Corelli. Many of Bach’s chorals were harmonizations of existing Lutheran hymns. Interestingly, we give Bach most of the credit for these hymns, not because we think he was the original composer, but because of how exquisitely he pieced together the alto, tenor, and bass parts. We stand in awe of masters like Handel and Bach not because they never borrowed from existing pieces or from their contemporaries, but because of the perfection with which they fit together each element in their compositions.

And this is precisely my point. Great artists don’t necessarily borrow less often. Their skill lies in the beautiful perfection they’re able to create with the elements they have, whether original or taken from others. What results is something that often appears new and different—something great—even if it isn’t purely unique. The reality is (as Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:9), “...It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.” With this realization, my focus has begun to change. When I’m working on a design project, instead of worrying that what I’m creating may be similar to what someone else has already done, I try to focus on taking the best elements and combining them in the most beautiful and effective way.

So don’t be afraid of looking for a little inspiration outside of your blank canvas or screen. Its ok! You’re not committing a crime by appreciating and borrowing a little from another’s work (as long as you’re not violating copyrights or trademarks, of course). Just make sure you take the next step and add your own touch. To be a great artist requires more than just combining pieces from everyone else’s ideas. Like a master composer, you have to figure out how to combine the elements together into something greater than the sum of the parts. Something that seems new and different. Something inspired.

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