How did you use your own unique ideas in your work?

This piece is titled "Snurtle" because I drew a Snail, with a Turtle shell. I feel like this is a unique idea because personally, I have never heard of such a thing until i did it myself.

Did you use a source for inspiration, then combine it with your own ideas to make it original?

Originally with this project, I was considering doing a cartoon character...two characters popped into my mind...TMNT and Gary the Snail. Then I looked up and saw that my fellow classmate had combined a Seal and a Sloth, so in a way I would say that he was apart of my inspiration.