Ah, inspiration where art thou my muse?
Some/Most people are never inspired to create something truly original, it is a really tough gig. For example, take my street act: While the details are original and unique, the basic idea of how it works was based on
studying French street raconteurs.
Here in the UK, I frequently get other members of the street community haranguing me with the idea that I must wrap myself in a blanket and sit outside a supermarket with sign saying "feed me". When asked why? They reply: "Because that is what everyone does."
On the other hand, Gypsies [the major organised crime group] not only constantly try to take over my pitch, but are also trying very hard to copy my act. Of course, because they don't really have the English language skills to understand the subtle nuances, it doesn't really work for them. But, believe me, it is very annoying!
Similarly, forty years ago, when I was playing the guitar up in
Rose Street, I would invest a fair amount of time and money learning new material. There was a fellow busker nicknamed the "Poison Dwarf", who was absolutely convinced that there was some kind of 'angle' or 'trick' to making money. As a result, if he saw me playing a song and making money from it,the next day he he would be on that pitch playing a very poorly rendered version of that same song.
I tried to explain to him once that, not only did I buy the sheet music and spend a couple of weeks rehearsing the song before unveiling it, but also that I chose my pitch so that I could see a hundred yards up and down the road, and would aim a song at a particular target. As a result, all he was succeeding in doing was ruining a good pitch. Of course, because he was convinced that, irrespective of who was passing, all he need to do was play a quickly hacked version of the same song, this went right over his head.
I could tell you literally hundreds of similar anecdotes involving artists, writers, buskers ... But, the point I am trying to make is that good art comes from the soul. So, if it was me, what I would do is:
- Start off with several big sheets of cardboard and experiment with different background colours.
- Without gluing, try arranging your sensors either in patterns or to form 2d sculptors.
- Search for inspiration by reading about the sensors, diabetes and anything related
- Experiment some more
When you have something you are happy with, swap the coloured cardboard for painted hardboard and complete your masterpiece.
Edit
After thinking about what I have written above, it occurs to me the point I am trying to make may not be entirely obvious: If you look at great artists like Van Gough, Dada, Banksy ..... etc. On the surface, to a layman, their art often appears to lack the fundamentals of projection and perspective we associate with, for example, the Renaissance Masters like Titian, Michael Angelo, da Vinci ... etc. It is only when you look deeper that you realise that the former truly are masters with a similar skill set to the latter.
In my case, while I know and understand the mathematical principles behind projection and perspective, they are not really relevant. As an Asperger, I study people and use my observations in my street art. Is it inspired? Enough people think so, that I managed to fund a lifestyle most people can only dream about. On the other hand, some people (who, in my opinion, have no soul) never get past the surface to see what is really going on.
I do not know your background or what skills you have, but, whatever they are, you have to use them
all. Research and study your subject and let it all out into what you create.
