As you grow as an artist, you will soon find that you want to try out different techniques and new materials. Despite many technological advances, artists’ materials have changed little over the centuries. Nowadays, most materials are easier to use and there is a wider range of pigments available, but essentially, the way we use them remains virtually unchanged.
The french version of Northern Mannerism.
Not sure if there is supposed to be a static answer for this, but many artists develop form through inspiration that they see. Many forms of art that we use in the modern age derive from other forms that have been around for centuries. Other artists use nature as a form of inspiration.