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Having trouble coming up with something to draw? No worries - while you'll eventually learn how to start from a tiny seed of a thought and gradually nurture it into a complex concept to explore through design and illustration, it's perfectly fine not to be there just yet.
For now though, here's an idea that might interest you.
Summer Fun
Nerf. Supersoaker. That weird, wet, Slip'n Slide thing that has to have resulted in countless childhood injuries and lawsuits. In the 90s, these were the bedrock of summer fun.
Or at least, that's what TV marketing told me! The few times I had enough friends to play with water guns, it didn't really live up to all the hype. 15 minutes of mediocre enjoyment, followed by an eternity of everything being a little damp. But that's nothing new - advertisements are all about showing you what could be, not what is!
No matter - you're an adult now, and by a questionable series of life choices, you find yourself employed in the marketing department of a toy company. It is your responsibility to capture, distill, package, and sell some good old fashioned summer fun. Design a toy that will make children put aside their video games and rush outdoors. You can focus on the inner-workings and problem solving of the toy itself, or on the branding and packaging instead.
And remember! Injuries are the legal department's problem, not yours.
The Art of Brom
Here we're getting into the subjective - Gerald Brom is one of my favourite artists (and a pretty fantastic novelist!). That said, if I recommended art books just for the beautiful images contained therein, my list of recommendations would be miles long.
The reason this book is close to my heart is because of its introduction, where Brom goes explains in detail just how he went from being an army brat to one of the most highly respected dark fantasy artists in the world today. I believe that one's work is flavoured by their life's experiences, and discovering the roots from which other artists hail can help give one perspective on their own beginnings, and perhaps their eventual destination as well.