When we look through a creative community as immense as DeviantArt, we cannot help being overwhelmed by the incredible amount of products being submitted daily. When we look closer at these submissions, we see that a lot of these artworks look alike. Similar themes, similar techniques. It could raise the question if a single artist will ever be able to create something that is truly unique.

Some things will always be unique in their own right. The light on a beach that is never the same, the uniqueness of a fractal based on random variables, yes, those things can be called unique in their own right. But when we look at their artistic value, they are very far from unique. Most sunsets radiate the same feelings of romantic melancholy and fractals are always inspired by chaos. True uniqueness is rare when you are able to compare your work of art with 25,815,552 others.

Perhaps we should take a look at earlier periods of art. Artists have formed collectives and groups for a long time. Like-minded spirits huddled together to break through the conventional and be the avant-garde of their time. But none of these collectives ever exceeded a hundred members or so. Only now, in this day and age where millions of people can be connected and drawn to the same place, we see the results of a true collective mind. The similarity of submissions in this collective can be caused by two reasons: Either an inside or an outside influence.

By an inside influence, I mean the power of the collective subconsciousness that compels us to understand the same values and symbols. This has often been a way to explain the similarities in cultures before the Internet and logosphere existed. Cultures had similar symbols or ideas simply because they were embedded in their mind.

An outside influence would be the best way to describe the sociological dynamics of inspiration. When you see something, you'll be influenced by it. Seeing a cloud will make you think of a cloud. If then asked to draw something, you'll probably draw a cloud.

So can you break loose from the collective inspiration and create something new? Not here. You'll have to turn yourself away from what you see. Turn inwards and look there for inspiration. You may find out, when you come back into the community to show your work, that others have seen the same thing. But that is not really so bad. In fact, I am often thrilled to see when people had the same idea as me. I can talk to them, review our work and sharpen our minds on each other. That is what the community is for: no longer to create something new, but to find answers about ourselves and our works. To find understanding.