ITAP Lecture 2: Development of Creative Thought and Structure in Illustration and Graphic Art (Principle 5: Managing creative environment)

This principle is really important to understand. The environment we work in an huge factor affecting our creativity. Different people are interested in different things, collections and hobbies. For an artist, it is really important to keep themselves inspired and having a inspiring environment is a key to the success. Many people work in different ways so having a place which would suit their working needs will keep them going. It is good to change the furniture etc around in order to figure out new ways of keeping yourself inspired.


Even some artists include their work place in their work. This is an example of work of an artist called Piyali Sen Dasgupta.
He shows here the way his own workplace looks like, which can be an inspirational piece for other people. This is a contemporary piece called “Artist Workplace” which has been drawn in year 2000. I think such a work can tell us quite a lot about an artist, show the way they work “behind the scenes”, some of the work may seem perfect but the environment they work in definitively isn’t perfect, just needs to suit an individual needs.

I was looking throughout the web for some more inspirational pieces and I actually came across an article about a part of gallery being turned into an artist workplace, which allowed the visitors to see artist working and seeing how his environments suits him.

Niels Ellmoos was an artist who gave a Gatakers Artspace’ visitors, in Maryborough, opportunity to see the way he works in.

Looking at other artists I started to wonder how I can manage my own environment to make sure it is suitable for me to work it. I have some factors which stop me from creating a perfect place, due to having to live with my parents. However I am slowly improving on what my room looks like, as I am still learning I haven’t figured out a way I like to work in best. I am sure this will come over time. So far best move I did towards creating my own environment was to change my walls colour and get a corkboard. Having one of my favourite colour surrounding me makes me feel cosy and focused. Also the corkboard helps me to be more organised and remember all the tasks I need to do. As a photographer I don't need many materials, which is that’s why I am going to set a computer in my room.

I never try to keep my workplace tidy, because during work I produce I will always leave a mess, and to be honest I seem to know where everything is then. If I tidy up it doesn’t seem as personal and interesting. I think we shouldn’t judge people on what their environment is, as it should suit only them personally.


In the lecture collections have been mentioned. This helps to use sorting and organising skills. I collect business cards, where I look at their designs and shapes. It’s quite interesting to see how people advertise themselves. When collecting things it makes you feel passionate about something and this is what I am about photography. I have lots of old photographs which are important to me hung and set around my room, so whenever I feel down or out of inspiration I look at them and try to bring back some memories. Sometimes I might have done something interesting which would be an idea for a project.