I never really gave much thought to writing prompts. I tend to have a surfeit of ideas floating around in my head and saved in a long list, plus bits of prose that I want to return to one day. I suspect that many writers function in the same way, storing and saving story seeds and sprouts that they hope, eventually, will grow into mature works.
It wasn’t until I stumbled upon The Face Project (the link is to the original contest so you can see all the paintings) and its writing challenge that I thought to look for inspiration in artwork. That’s not to say I have never been inspired by art, but that I never was inspired to write a story based upon artwork. The faces that Tamar Chatterjee painted for that publication were so detailed and evocative, coupled with the negative space around them that forms an enigmatical shroud over parts of the face, it was easy to craft short pieces that reflected what I saw there. You can read two of those on my Writing page, and eventually read the third when the publication is released.
After that experience, I began looking around for some other paintings and images that would inspire ideas that I could craft into stories. I had some success, but not much. Still, I found a few images that roused ideas for stories that were added to my ever-lengthening list of starters and half-formed ideas.
The work of one artist inspired me to craft a fully formed novella (currently in first draft form) with just a single image. I utilized the image directly in the opening of the story, and let it evolve naturally from there. The artist is Odilon Redon. I find his style perfect for inspiration; his figures and scenes are just realistic enough to inspire, but without an over-emphasis on detail so the writer has a lot of room to spread their wings. And, as it turns out, the opposite is also true.
Redon was inspired by and completed works based upon the words of different writers. Included in these works is a series of six lithographs influenced by the words and works of Edgar Allen Poe. These black and white lithographs were created in 1882, and the stark, surreal and subtly creepy compositions encapsulate and evoke the gothic horror and mystery that Poe mastered.
The flow of creativity has no fixed direction. I encourage you to move beyond modern prompts that rely on photography and intensely detailed imagery. Look for artwork that gives you vacant spaces to explore, empty nooks to peer into, and hazy figures yearning for a more vibrant life.
Included here is one of those lithographs that I found engaging. I hope it inspires you not only to write, but to search out new artists to enjoy. You can find much more of Redon’s work here.
