Week 1 - Jacqueline M - Inspiration is Everywhere

As a lighting designer, I can find inspiration literally anywhere: scrolling through my social media pages, in the television or movies I watch, and even just looking outside of my front window. I think the strongest source of inspiration for me is by watching others work and create. This ranges between other lighting designers to painters to social media influencers. I know the last one seems a bit weird, but their entire job is to promote a specific aesthetic and brand. In a way, is that not what we are doing as lighting designers for a production on a stage? There is a theme or a story that the director wants us to tell, and our job as the designer is to make that come to life. 

Personally, I am an incredibly visual person. When I first start to read a play or book, my mind's eye starts to consider the location of this place. Sometimes it is a full picture, but most of the time it is more of an idea, a feeling, or just colors. For instance, when I first read the play Eurydice, I immediately imagined the world on Earth as being dull and lifeless, and the underworld being extremely vibrant and contrasted. To be honest, I didn't have a clearer idea than just that: dull and lifeless vs colorful and vibrant. Finding research images really helped me solidify what my idea was for the concept of this design. I have attached a few photos below that helped me solidify my concept. 

Overall, I personally believe that inspiration for art can be found literally anywhere. I think the challenge really comes from trying to decide how to translate that inspiration into art.