Ask the Artist: Creativity & Inspo

Ask the Artist: Creativity & Inspo

September 20, 2023

Creativity is one of those things that is uncontrollable, intangible, and amazing things that makes our Indieverse such a fantastically colorful place. It is hard for the non-makers among us to imagine how they put colors and finishes together in such a unique way again and again. It was time to see if they would spill their secrets, and these are their (sometimes cryptic) answers! 

This question was supplied by a member of the PPUBST group. 


Does it get harder to come up with original colors as time goes on?


Anya of Lucky 13 Lacquer
Yes! Sometimes I'll be trying to figure out inspiration & polish design and come up with a great idea only to realize it's similar to something I made before. Now of course "they're not the same, they're similar!" applies so in the end sometimes sibling and cousin polishes are created...


Adrienne of Monarch Lacquer
No, the colors and combinations of various effect pigments are endless. Not to mention new effect possibilities are always coming out! Often similar but NEVER same!


Sometimes yes. There are so many amazing and creative makers and and we all want that something that is unique and often end up [copying] something that may have already been done and not know it until later. Sometimes though you do get something that isn't quite like anything else.
Yes and no. I tend to hit creative blocks at certain times of the year but usually by tooling around with ingredients or giving myself a break [to] move past it. If I really get stumped, I’ll make a few polishes and do comparisons of my previous creations. As with any creative process there are moments when it all blurs together. If I know something is similar, not the same, to a recent release I’ll set it aside and come back to it.


Sacha Junique of Jior Couture
Sometimes


Stacey of Atomic Polish
Yes. I've had a ton of trouble these past few months. Especially when I come up with an amazing color only to realize it looks like a color another brand has released prior. Then back to the drawing board I go.


After 11+ years in business and participating in PPU since August 2017, I don't think it does. I enjoy finding inspiration from anywhere and challenging myself to make the polish match as best I can.


Judita of Adored Colors
Sometimes…lol


I do think it can become [more] difficult to come up with a truly unique shade, but I like to play with weird combos and things I haven't seen before. Sometimes I feel like I get creative blocks when making shades, or I can't get the shade just right for what I'm looking for. If I take a break and come back when I'm feeling it, things just flow. As I grow and create my shades my ideas change and develop. There's constant new inspiration and combinations I want to try. When I get the right one I just know and the shade is born. Colour combinations and finishes are endless and I love the journey of creating new shades. II'm my favorite part of the whole process.


Mary of MTK Design
not so much. Especially, when new ingredients come out. It feels inspiring. Like, so many possibilities! It's really fun to take a single ingredient, like a shifting shimmer, and apply different treatments. What does it look like [with] liquid colorant, or in a thermal, etc. The possibilities are endless.


Janet of MJ Lacquer
Not really, because I can think of many ways to modify and showcase one polish color.


Sometimes


Cassie of Lemming Lacquer
I don't think it gets harder to come up with original colors as time goes on. In my mind I flip through base colors that match the inspiration followed by colors of finishes--flakes, shimmers, magnetics, etc.--and end with any accents I want to include. There's always some new weird combination of colors or ingredients I want to try and sometimes they work out to be something beautiful.


Absolutely, it sure is! I find it exciting to see what other special effects elements I can add to the color it showcase how truly unique a nail polish can be. It could be using contrasting colors or ingredients that create fun effects, utilizing color theory to creating a polish that tells the story of the inspiration either through words or a visual media.


Personally, Dear Reader, I couldn't begin to come up with polish shades as unique and fun as the members of PPU. Which answer is your favorite?