The process of how art appreciation inspires artistic creation

Abstract

Through art appreciation, viewers are sometimes inspired to express or implement creative ideas. Such an experience is thought to be important for art learning. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire to examine how art appreciation promotes creative inspiration in non-experts. We hypothesized that: (a) individual experience with art-related activities and self-evaluation of artistic expression affect creative inspiration, mediated by the method of appreciation of artworks; and (b) the type of artworks affects creative inspiration, mediated by the method of appreciation of artworks. The participants were 373 adults, who were not art professionals (179 women, age: M = 45.02, SD = 13.45, range: 20-69 years). The data were analyzed using structured equation modeling for the two hypotheses. The two hypotheses were mostly supported, suggesting that self-evaluation of artistic expression and the type of artworks (especially classical works of art) influence creative inspiration, mediated by the method of appreciation of artworks. However, experience with art-related activities has no significant direct effect on the inspiration to create something.