Throughout some years working with game design, I have always found myself in the need to seek new sources of inspiration, whether for a personal or professional job. One of the best ways to increase your creativity is to collect images and references from other artists on a daily basis. Every year I create a reference folder on my computer, collect everything I like and that can inspire me in future projects. The first page of your browser must be a portal for artists' works, that is, there is no escape, daily I am bombarded with images and magnificent works, which only contribute to my creativity and perfectionism.
One of the websites I recommend is ArtStation and CGSociety, both are an excellent source of inspiration.
I believe that this is the minimum. Watching movies, being extremely curious, playing different types of games, drawing, writing a story, watching documentaries about the universe, mysteries, in short, all this contributes to having more and more references in our minds. Get inspired and use your creativity to create new projects.
Actually I find this to be the reason for "loosing" creativity. People end up copy-pasting instead of being creative. References are good "when" you have an idea and need to find a suitable way to do it. Starting with references though is a sure-path to non-creativity.
I second this :)
yes but if you only rely on your own thoughts, you are actually limiting your potential to grow, and you can't grow from your own thought process, only by seeing the results of thought processes of others
essentially everything any human is and knows, is a collection of their experiences from the external world, nothing comes out of your own mind on it's own, it's only that the unique combination of what you've experienced externally can bring you to a new outcome
I agree! When I commented was agreeing with the second sentence of previous comment - The middle ground.
I also do what this articles says. Naturally, not out of necessity but that's ok. I keep references of games, movies, music and other media that has meant something to me. I do not use them has a starting point unless a boss would tell me to.
thanks, I agree with your message :)