Your motifs/resources/means of inspiration

[RaBee]

This should be a fine spot for this, I hope. Since this is where a few of our artists like to mope.
For this thread, I'd like to know what person(s)and ideals that you hold in high regard and gives credit to for inspiring you to make advances in your current field of art that you've chosen. Please excuse how pretensions this may come off as. I'd like to be typing this stuff all cozy like at my own home; but alas, do not have the means[read: money] to equip myself with such luxury. So, I have to do it in a lab. Spare me.

First off, I won't make too many clickables for my means of inspiration, as not to make this thread hyperlink happy and what not. I mostly ask for in depth resources that you have picked up on your road to personal enlightenment n' junk. Basically what artist(s), or referneces, do you give credit for in giving you your current torch in the field of artistry that you have chosen. And I don't want this to be ruled only as 'the drawing-type-of-art' either.
Writers can feel welcome to voice. As can any other expressionisms that's out there that I don't have the intelligence to recall right now.

This thread could be a working progress, so I'll pass on making further rules to set and just jump in as is.

Currently, I'm attempting my own freelanced comic(I make it sound so attractive). Original story(from what I know, anyway), large cast, the works.
I look at it as a stepping stone on where I'd like to see myself in a few years. I'll will strucre my story telling, improve my overall concept of art, remind me of my limitation, set personal goals, cure world wide hunger, blah blah blah, etc.
It will make me a better artist, basically.

But the overall process of How To Do This eludes me. I always look at my work and KNOW that I need improvements, and the main stickler from me is not knowing where to start. I have no formal education on drawing, and I'm afraid of taking classes on such a field for fear of losing my prow ness (I'm also lazy. That doesn't help) but I need to learn the basics, the rudimentary. This is what I'm sure of. And from there I can add on my own flair more easily, without the fear of being conditioned.
...Ugh, enough of this. I'll get to the point of the thread already.

Doug TenNapel(know for Earthworm Jim)~ I suck at coloring. I'm almost bored by it. Naturally I mean no offense to all that do use color. But for me, it's just a mess of work. I simply don't have the pactince for it, ...which surprises the Hell out of me, frankly. So when I stumbled on to Doug's site (thanks to a link from TNL, I might add), I found that Doug didn't lose a lot of his impact through his work, although most of it was minus the hue. He used solely inking in his stuff, and makes large exaggerations on shadings to make for an easier response from his readers. Hopefully, some day, I hope to have my level of inking meet his standers.

David Hopkins(known for 'Jack' at pholph.com*edit-not work safe*)~David Hopkins is an anthropomorphic artist, and I like him.
There, I said it. Throw what ever fit or rant you what to in my direction, I don't care. This man optimismes my views on what and enthralling, exciting, and all around good comic should be and I hold him in the highest regard for that, so there. David is wonderful and holding his readers interest in his stories and characters, although it's mostly because there's a good chance that they'll get the axe in the next panel, but still!, he features a very poetic ideal in all his written; at being unbridle. At shocking and scaring his readers. At vulnerably. He simply does not hold back of far his stories can(and in most cases, will) go. And it isn't won over with fantasmic art, either. There's more to go over on his art than I am currently willing to wax over, sadly. You'd truly have to read his stuff first hand to know just what I'm getting at (not that I'm trying to tempt you, or anything ).

Whew!, that's more gush that even I can handle! I don't know how I survived.
But anyway, there are MANY more people that I can go on about, but my senses are starting to fail me. It's cold in here, too. Just leave a lil' insight over who it is and why do you blame/curse/stalk them over making you do the things that you do.

[Eirikur]

Annie Lebowitz- Really knows how to capture the human body in amazing shots. She'll show every emotion imaginable in just a couple of photos. I love her.

Cindy Sherman- Untitled Film Stills is the most amazing art piece I have ever seen. Over 17 years in the making, and every shot just as memorable as the last. Definently one of the most influential photographers alive today.

Bjork- I've never seen someone be able to express themselves through so many different mediums of art. Singing, writing, painting, photography, scultuping. She does everything so amazingly well, it's astounding. I hate to sound like a fanboy, but she is one of the few people I consider to be a true artist.

[Satsuki]

I smoke a cigar then I draw the first thing I think about. That's art, right there.

[Fe 26]

I smoke a cigar then I draw the first thing I think about. That's art, right there.

[Drewbacca]

http://www.salon.com/people/obit/1999/05/19/kalman/ - I like this guy, although he's one ugly man.

[RaBee]

I smoke a cigar then I draw the first thing I think about. That's art, right there.

And please don't think that I would contend with your logic.

I don't mean to ask/force you to dig up all the references that supports your current craft. In reality, I too think that 'you're your own best artist'.
If anything, I sort of wanted folks to spotlight any fellows that have similar ideals that you share on art.
But to your credit, you've got a lot of respect for your work, 'cause those things are pricey.

[rezo]

http://www.japro.com/mizuki/ <-- favorite artist currently.

[RaBee]

"First off, I won't make too many clickables for my means of inspiration, as not to make this thread hyperlink happy and what not."

Eh, screw it.

http://www.spankedassassin.com/ I don't know much about him personally, but still find his work truly awe-inspiring. It's mostly for his level of detail and content in his art. Though his frames may be jam packed with enviroment, it doesn't feel cluttered because the everything is so rich and accurate.

[Rocca]

I draw whenever I have a break at the College, I'm trying to get back into it. I find a nice ambiance is best to being inspired, I try to draw/write at the park on Campus and just let the pen do the talking.

[Bacon McShig]

There are two that I really admire for their fashion design, Kosuke Fujishima (Oh My Goddess) and Tite Kubo (Bleach). In both examples, the characters are never wearing the same thing from one situation to the next (casual wear-wise, anyway), but the clothes are always very stylish and varied while always perfectly and naturally fitting the character.

As far as my biggest inspiration to draw, it is, unfortunately, a cross of boredom and a forbidding situation. I always drew during class in HS. Following that pattern, now most of my drawing is done at work, trying to sneak it in when nobody's watching. I very rarely draw on a responsibility-free weekend, though I really want to, I just can't work it up.