Art block

[mysterionz]

Let’s start a thread dealing how us artists deal with art block. I need some help overcoming it sometimes, myself.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

Doing something else that is not art related. Art is not to be forced, if you feel like doing art, do it. If you feel like not doing it, then dont.

Doing art for a living can destroy all the special vibe of doing art. Many artists have become burned and left that part of themselves. If you are blocked, just do something else.

My 2 cents.

 

[Rodafina]

Doing something else.

Do you mean another kind of art, or do you mean something that is not art?

 

[Atrapa Almas]

Do you mean another kind of art, or do you mean something that is not art?

I extended my answer.

 

[Rodafina]

I agree with @Atrapa Almas that doing something different is good. Creativity is just like energy… some things in life cause us to spend it, and other things in life help us restore it.

I would absolutely avoid putting pressure on oneself to create when they are not in the mood, unless there is some specific purpose or an impending deadline. But, in my experience it is a terrible way to make authentic art.

Finding those things which recharge your creativity though will likely solve the problem and leave you feeling like you just want to make art again. For me, it’s walking in nature, seeing the patterns there, or driving around listening to music, or very often reading comic books or other art books that I love.

 

[Misery]

Yeah, just dont try to force it, I'd say.

Though you could sit down and just sorta start scribbling, and see if you start to get an idea as you go? I dunno, I do that sometimes.

Doing art for a living can destroy all the special vibe of doing art. Many artists have become burned and left that part of themselves.

Oh geez, yeah, I could never do that.

I'd go mad within a week. I dont know how anyone manages to do that for a lengthy period of time.

 

[Slime_Punk]

I know my left-brained shenanigans isn't for everybody, but I always find that when I continue learning more, my creative blocks just melt away. I know (and know of) lots of artists who shun the technical side of what they do, but by embracing it I get a completely oppositional perspective on it and somehow end up using it to my advantage every time.

Also, it's really fun and useful for me to make something 'bad' on purpose, because sometimes we get locked into our grove and it gets harder to stray out of the patterns we've created for ourselves. You tend to find more happy-accidents along the way when you're open to making something that nobody would really want to see or listen to, in a judgement-free zone. Thanks to everyone who has used it so far, my Art Remix Thread has kind of become the judgement-free art jamming station I always wanted in my life, and I use it whenever I can't jam with people IRL.

Another fun trick is to start streaming or recording a video of the process. This added pressure can sometimes trigger a 'flow-state' and really ramp up the process once the perceived stage freight goes away.

I might not be a very good artist with the many things I try to do, but I've always felt that the ritual of doing it is was matters the most and not the outcome, and fostering and nurturing this mindset of openness has really helped me to keep on creating everyday no matter what.

Forcing it and overworking yourself are obviously just as bad, never do that, but if you want to consistently create when you'd like to at at your highest level, it's 100% possible no matter what others say!

 

[Raggamuffin]

I go on hiatus.
'tis what it is.
Can't be forced.
Should be embraced.

Ed

 

[Luca]

I struggle with art block on a somewhat frequent basis as well. It ebbs and flows.
I often end up finding inspiration in completely random things, like something I see in a picture or a video, or in a store, or even something as simple as seeing a specific color or pattern, or a thought about something unrelated. Anything can be made into art.

But I agree with the others, don't try to force it. That's why I don't do art for a living, and I very rarely take commissions.
Being an artist can be hard. But once you find inspiration, just go with it

 

[Lupine]

Yeah, just dont try to force it, I'd say.

Though you could sit down and just sorta start scribbling, and see if you start to get an idea as you go? I dunno, I do that sometimes.



Oh geez, yeah, I could never do that.

I'd go mad within a week. I dont know how anyone manages to do that for a lengthy period of time.

Yeah me too, I find it helps. Seeing something, anything materializing in front of me feeds me with an idea, which I feed onto the paper, which feeds me with more ideas, and so on. I have to sketch very quickly; if I move too slow my mind gets hung up. The problem is, when a painting or something nears completion I start slowing down as I refine details. It takes me forever to finish something!

About doing art for a living (or trying), yeah I made that mistake. I realize now that drawing and painting for me were coping mechanisms, not a means of livelihood. I'm still burned out; I no longer paint (with traditional mediums anyway) and I have no desire to create or showcase my work. I still sketch to cope, and I occasionally do fanart which I find comforting; It reminds of when I was a kid and drew purely for fun, not for notoriety or money.

 

[Mr. Stevens]

Let’s start a thread dealing how us artists deal with art block. I need some help overcoming it sometimes, myself.

I tend to create things every day, and the flow of ideas is fairly constant. Of course, this is not throughout every day, since you need rest from that. But, I need to create daily or I get antsy and irritated. If there is ever a genuine block to this, then it is from stress, anxiety, or depression. I need to accept that I just can't do what I want that day, because I need something else (rest). Or maybe I need to examine things in my life which aren't working, and cause prolonged stress, anxiety, and depression.

I don't know if that helps.