Get Inspired: 5 Great Films About Artists

When you are searching the world for your next bit of inspiration, don't let the celluloid world pass you by. There is a wealth of films about art and artists available, and these are our top picks for inspirational films about artists. Perhaps they can help inspire your next work.

Basquiat (1996)
Basquiat is the story of a young street artist living in a cardboard box in New York City's Thompkins Square Park, who is discover by Andy Warhol (played by the phenomenal David Bowie) and his meteoric rise.

Pollock (2000)
Ed Harris was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of the passionately obsessed Jackson Pollock. This film delves into Pollock's short but illustrious career as one of the next great American painters, and focuses on his relationship to fellow painter Lee Krasner, played exquisitely by Marcia Gay Harden, who won an Oscar for her role in the film.

Frida (2002)
When it comes to the artist as a human being, few films are more moving in their portrayal than Frida. Her personal work, brought to life by her trials and challenges, and then lauded by an adoring public, are set nicely into the story of her life and her love affair with the famous painter Diego Rivera.

My Left Foot (1989)
Another Oscar-winning film, My Left Foot tells the story of Christy Brown, played by the remarkable Daniel Day-Lewis, and Brown's life as an artist and writer with cerebral palsy who has no control over his body other than his left foot. A truly inspirational movie, and this one might encourage you to take a very different approach to your artwork - maybe even using another body part to create.

Seraphine (2008)
A stunning portrayal of the life of French painter Seraphine de Senlis, a cleaning lady who is accidentally discovered in her forties. The film is a quiet study of the life of Seraphine, with beautiful cinematography that could inspire any visual artist.