Art Block Got You? Read a Book!

I always get super pumped when I buy new art materials. I lay everything out: art pad, pencils, watercolors, markers, erasers sharpeners, etc. I'm ready to create my next masterpiece... and then... I have an art block (T.T) I know different artists have different ways to help get their creative cogs turning, but the thing I find that especially helps me is reading something off a favorite book! :) Ever since my parents gave me my first picture books, I have been enchanted with book illustrations. As I got older, and my books contained more text and less drawings, I would imagine the scenes and characters in my head and brought them to life myself on any scrap of paper I could lay my hands on.

Since I finish reading books faster than I complete art projects, I never run out of ideas! Here is an excerpt from Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling and a quick sketch it inspired (done during a particularly uninteresting class when I was still in high school :)).

‘What’s in the box?’ he asked, pointing at it.
‘Funny you should ask,’ said Hermione, with a nasty look at Ron. She took off the lid, and showed them the contents.
Inside were about fifty badges, all of different colours, but all bearing the same letters: S.P.E.W.
‘“Spew”?’ said Harry, picking up a badge and looking at it. ‘What’s this about?’
‘Not spew,’ said Hermione impatiently. ‘It’s S – P – E – W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.’
‘Never heard of it,’ said Ron.
‘Well, of course you haven’t,’ said Hermione briskly, ‘I’ve only just started it.’
‘Yeah?’ said Ron in mild surprise. ‘How many members have you got?’
‘Well – if you two join – three,’ said Hermione.
‘And you think we want to walk around wearing badges saying “spew”, do you?’ said Ron.