Being inspiring

I've been thinking a lot about inspiration lately. How can I not? It's in everything I do. It worries me sometimes that a lot of what I create might be seen as nothing more than a refined version of something that's already been done before. I often wonder if this makes me unoriginal as both an artist and a designer. I try not to let this thought get to me, and I suspect it's something that all artists struggle with from time to time. I've come to the conclusion that it's perfectly acceptable (and inevitable) to draw ideas from other artists as long as you make your creation entirely your own. I challenged myself to do just that over the summer after feeling inspired by the mixed media creations of Nikki Farquharson, a talented graphic artist who's work I stumbled upon while browsing through the design category on pinterest (a frequent pastime of mine). I recommend you look at her portfolio, because it's truly incredible (Click here to see it).  I found a picture of myself to attempt to recreate in her style. I particularly enjoyed this project because it required my drawing skills, something I hadn't had a chance put to use in a while. My version of a Farquharson portrait is a mix of photography, drawings, and work on Photoshop and Illustrator to edit both the aforementioned mediums respectively. The result is pictured below:

I still have moments where I doubt my own creativity from time to time, but I think it's important to keep reminding myself that not only is it acceptable to draw inspiration from others, but it's encouraged. I really wish I could contact Nikki Farquharson somehow and let her know how talented I think she is and how I admire her work so much that I made my own version of it. I can't imagine that she wouldn't enjoy knowing how appreciated I think her contributions to design are. If there was ever someone out there who felt that way about my work, I would want to know about it. I hope I can create something amazing enough to inspire someone else one of these days, and I'll never stop trying.