30 Prompts to Ignite Creativity

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Whether you are a visual artist, writer, fashion designer, makeup artist, musician, performing artist, or anything in-between–we could all use some healthy doses of inspiration every so often. Use the following prompts as a jumping-off point for escaping your creative rut and into a new land entirely of your own design.

  1. Think of a color. What is the first color that comes to mind? Why do you think that is?
  2. Think of a sound. What is the first sound that comes to mind? Why do you think that is?
  3. Think of a place. What is the first place that comes to mind? Why do you think that is?
  4. Think of a person. What is the first person that comes to mind? Why do you think that is?
  5. Is there a certain topic or life-changing event that you are afraid of addressing in your work? Why do you think you are afraid of addressing it?
  6. Imagine you are in a bookstore. What is the first section you go to, and why?
  7. Think of someone who inspires you. What qualities do they possess?
  8. You have three objects to choose from: a rock, a spoon, and a pencil. Which one do you choose, and why?
  9. You have three colors to choose from for an item of clothing: yellow, blue, and red. Which one do you choose, and why?
  10. Describe your ideal living space.
  11. Describe your ideal society.
  12. If you were a plant, what would you look like?
  13. If you were a mythological creature, what would you look like?
  14. If you were to start a podcast, what would the subject be and why?
  15. Describe the object closest to you. What does it feel like? Smell like? Look like?
  16. Describe your favorite possession. Why is it your favorite?
  17. Describe the last time you felt moved by something. Why do you think you were so moved by it?
  18. Describe a day in the life of your alter-ego.
  19. Look at the most recent picture taken on your phone/computer/camera. How does it make you feel?
  20. You are in the middle of a field. What do you see? What do your surroundings look like?
  21. You are in the museum of your dreams. What kinds of things does this particular museum showcase?
  22. You are given the option to choose from either a fully-funded vacation to anywhere in the world, or a full ride to any school of your choosing. Which one would you choose, and why?
  23. What does your ideal backyard look like?
  24. You are given the opportunity to design your own chair. What does it look like? What kind of features does it have?
  25. You have suddenly found yourself owning a mysterious mythological creature as a pet. What does it look like?
  26. You hear the voice of someone calling you. Who is it? Why are they calling you?
  27. You stumble across a fork in the road. One path looks rocky and less-traveled, and the other one looks smooth and frequently traveled. Which path do you go down and why? What do you see on this path?
  28. You have been gifted a tapestry by someone well-known to be able to foresee the future through their woven work. What is on your tapestry?
  29. You have been given the choice to live somewhere where it is either eternally spring or eternally fall. Which one do you choose, and what does life look like there?
  30. You have been gifted magic paint that transforms into the color of your mood. How do you use it? What objects do you paint with it?

Need more prompts? Check out brainsparker and Wreck this Journal. You can also check out our guide to keeping your creative energy flowing here.

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