Learn to understand style and storytelling by recreating (not copying) the art that inspires you—using only your phone.
I want to share one of my favorite creative exercises with you today. It's simple, it's powerful, and honestly, it's one of the fastest ways to grow creatively. The concept? Recreate things you love. Not copy—recreate. There's a huge difference, and that distinction is everything.
This challenge is about studying inspiration and actually doing something with it. Instead of endlessly scrolling through reference folders or saving pins you'll never look at again, you're going to pick something that moves you and learn from it by making your own version using only your phone.
This exercise removes creative blocks. Instead of starting at a blank page, I'm learning directly from things that I already feel inspired by or things that I already love.
Start by choosing one piece of content that inspires you. It can be a movie scene, an album cover, a photograph, a music video, or even a social media post that made you stop scrolling. The key is to pick something that feels achievable. Don't go crazy here—don't pick a whole movie. Pick a portrait, a simple cinematic shot, or a short storytelling moment.
Once you've selected your reference, spend a few minutes really analyzing it. This step is crucial. Ask yourself: What mood does it create? What colors stand out? How is the lighting used? What emotion does it give you?
Understanding why you love something and what makes you feel a certain way is the foundation of developing your creative voice.
Now simplify what you see. You are not recreating the whole production—that's very important. You're recreating the feeling using simple tools.
Look at things like lighting direction, framing and composition, color palette, body language, or subject placement. Write down or mentally note two or three elements that feel the most important from that piece of art you selected. This helps you focus on what actually matters rather than getting overwhelmed by trying to replicate everything.
Here's the fun part. Use whatever you have around you—natural light from a window, lamps, objects, textures, different locations in your home or outside. You can even use your dog if that works for the shot.
Try to match the mood rather than the exact look. Whatever the original made you feel, you want to recreate that feeling. Move your camera closer or further away. Experiment with angles. Play with shadows and light.
Give yourself permission to experiment and fail a little bit. This is the big part—fail. This is where learning usually happens. You'll discover things about composition, light, and emotion that no tutorial could ever teach you.
Once you capture your version, place it next to the reference. Here's what's critical: do not judge it as good or bad. That's not the point.
Instead, ask yourself: What worked? What feels different? What surprised you the most?
This step helps you understand creative decisions much better than just watching tutorials. You're learning by doing, by feeling the difference between what you intended and what you created.
After recreating it once, change one element. Think to yourself: "I would have done that differently." Maybe change the color mood, the emotion, the framing, or add movement.
This is usually where your personal style starts to appear. You're not just copying anymore—you're interpreting, adjusting, making creative decisions based on your own preferences and instincts.
Most artists grow by studying and re-interpreting work they already admire. It is one of the most natural ways to build your creative voice.
I love this exercise because it removes creative blocks in a way few other exercises do. Honestly, it makes me realize more about myself than other exercises. Instead of staring at a blank canvas wondering what to create, you're learning directly from things that already move you, that already speak to you on some level.
If you try this challenge, save both your reference and your recreation. Reflect on what you learned from the process. You might discover new techniques, new styles, or even new ideas for future projects.
Have fun with this. Enjoy it. This isn't about perfection—it's about understanding why certain creative choices resonate with you and starting to make those choices yourself. Good luck.
