Introduction
If you are reading this blog, chances are you are experiencing some art block. If you aren’t, and have no idea what art block is, it’s essentially a loss of motivation and/or inspiration to create, which can be frustrating for an artist. It’s a very common thing in the art world and unfortunately it happens to everyone at some point, and sometimes frequently. Sometimes it can overlap with Blank Canvas Syndrome, which I will delve deeper into in my next blog post. Luckily, art block is not permanent, and given the right strategies you can overcome the dreaded art block and return to your creativity.
Understanding Art Block
Definition and Symptoms
Some say that art block is when you are experiencing a lack of motivation, but I believe it can be when motivation, inspiration, or sometimes both run dry. Occasionally it can appear in the middle of a piece when you aren’t sure how to proceed, don’t know what to work on next, or it can manifest after pushing yourself too much to create.
Some common signs of art block include:
Feeling creatively exhausted
Making excuses to not create
No ideas
No inspiration
Feeling down
Possible Causes:
Burnout
Perfectionism
Lack of inspiration or motivation
External pressures and stress
The best way to overcome art block quickly, is to figure out why you are experiencing art block,then try the best fitting strategies below.
Strategies for Overcoming Art Block
1. Embrace a Creative Routine
Establishing a regular schedule can help you get used to having to create during that time,
similar to a working a job with a schedule. If you struggle with starting a new routine, it can
helpful to treat it like a new habit, set specific days, and track when you actually sit down and create, even if it is for 5 minutes. Setting a small-time limit can make it less intimidating, and easier to accomplish. If you continue after the 5 minutes, that’s great! If not, then you at least committed to 5 minutes, and it didn’t take up too much of your time.
Some artists find that having a separate workspace can help separate art from everything else, and easier to focus on and get in the mood for. That’s part of the reason why some artists have art studios solely for creating their art. Your creative space doesn’t have to be a studio that you rent, it can simply be a desk where you only create art. It can also tie into the routine, where at a set time of day you go to your creative space for 5 minutes. It creates a connection in your brain that this is the place where you get to be creative, and that connection grows stronger every time you do it.
2. Experiment with New Mediums and Techniques
Sometimes art block is just a matter of getting bored. Trying out different styles or materials can spark some interest, allowing you to experiment. A bonus is that you may find that you like the way a certain medium or technique looks and decide to incorporate it more into your future art.
Engaging with mixed media and unconventional methods can spark some inspiration as well as out of the box thinking. Both can lead to a change in creative methods that can have an impact on how you approach art in the future, or evoke some motivation to try something new, whether that’s a new piece in the new medium or trying to replicate the look of it in your usual medium.
On the other hand, sometimes it is perfection that is creating an art block. In this case, trying out a new medium or technique can be a great way to lower expectations and explore art for the sake of exploring. Some artists have a designated sketchbook for trying out new mediums and techniques, and for the pieces of art that may never see the light of day. Having that separate sketchbook lessens the pressure of having a pretty sketchbook, and lowers one's expectations,leading to less of a need for perfectionism.
3. Set Small, Achievable Goals
If you find yourself in an art block after doing numerous art studies, it may be time for you to adjust your goals. Instead of only doing studies, try to add in a piece that incorporates a couple recent studies together. Not only will It give you some time to create something you want to, it can also reinforce what you learned, and put it into practice.
If you find yourself in the opposite situation, where you almost never do any studies, then try adding some into your routine that focuses on different elements in your art piece. Perhaps it’s a light study, or an object that you’ve never drawn before.
Whichever way you decide to incorporate a balance of studies, and art pieces, it can be
beneficial to break up your overarching goal into manageable steps. In between the different stages of a piece, perhaps you take a break from it by studying an element that will help you in the next step. This could look like drawing a knight, and after you have determined your rough concept and pose, you take some time to study different type of armor, different pieces that make up the armor, and then apply it to your piece. Depending on your process you might include rendering armor in the studies, or just getting the base shapes down first then after incorporating it into your artwork, you then do some rendering studies, and apply that to your piece as well. Over time, you will figure out which is your preference, and you’ll also be improving your skills as an artist. As you complete each step, you’ll gain that sense of accomplishment, and feel motivated to keep going.
4. Seek Inspiration from Various Sources
Exploring other artists' work can be a great way to find inspiration, especially with all the fun art challenges out there now a days. But it can be a double-edged sword too. If you aren’t careful, it can lead to comparing yourself against other artists, and that can put a lot of pressure on yourself, creating a more intense art-block. My suggestion is to only look enough to be inspired and to stop before you start making comparisons. If you do find yourself starting to compare your art to theirs, stop immediately and instead go look at your beginning artwork and see how far you’ve come as an artist! Seeing the improvement can motivate you to keep creating, because the more you create, the better your skills will be.
Alternatively, you can also go spend some time in a new environment. Whether it’s traveling, or just taking a walk in a local park, getting out of your normal spaces can pull you out of an inspiration rut. Check out my blog post, Art Adventures: Tips for Creating Art While Traveling, for more helpful information for creating art elsewhere.
Engaging in a different hobby or art form can be a great change of pace to inspire you as well. It can act as a nice refresher, or even give you some new ideas for some art. My favorite go to is reading, as most of my pieces are inspired by all the different fantasy books I read. A scene or character may inspire me to create something similar. Some people, who enjoy listening to music, use it as inspiration for a character or a scene as well.
5. Practice Self-Care and Stress Management
When art block is caused by stress or pressure, it can be a good idea to take a step back and
focus on your wellbeing. I have a whole blog about self-care for artists with different ways you can practice self-care, that can also be great ways to de-stress. When you return to your art, you’ll have a fresh perspective and hopefully some new inspiration and motivation too.
Taking breaks to stretch, get water, and walk around is important while creating art, but it can also be beneficial on a bigger scale. If all your time is spent on creating art, it’s about time you take a break. Overworking yourself is inevitable and will lead to burn out. You deserve to take time for yourself, your friends and family, and other activities as well. Creating a healthy balance is key when it comes to avoiding burnout.
6. Connect with the Artistic Community
You are not alone in experiencing art block. Don’t be afraid to connect with your art community to find inspiration, vent, or just be in a space with other creatives who have been through it just like you are. Whether it’s local or online, art communities can be a great way to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of art challenges online these day, and many online art groups have daily prompts, weekly challenges, or monthly challenges. You may even connect with someone and decide to make a project together than you both are excited and inspired about. Sometimes all it takes is a workshop, a collaborative project, or a challenge to get yourself out of an art block.
7. Reflect and Reevaluate Your Artistic Goals
Unfortunately, sometimes art block can be caused by becoming bored, or unhappy with your work. Take some time to assess your current goals and expectations. If they are way too ambitious, it’s time to set smaller, more achievable goals. But if it no longer aligns with your current wants it may be time to redirect and try something completely different.
I experienced some of this in college. I was one of the top students in my drawing class and was skilled with realism, but I was getting bored. My art started feeling unfinished, and I wasn’t happy with the little progress I was making. At the same time, I was studying animation, and creating realistic drawings did not align with that. That is when I really started trying to figure out a more semi-realistic, or abstract realistic style like that of animations. I was terrible at it, but it gave me a new goal and motivation to work towards it.
Tools and Resources
Online Resources
Art or Writing Prompt Generators
Apps and Tools
Creativity Cards
Sketchbook- Sketch This Challenge
The Brainstormer
Arty Games
Conclusion
Art block is one of the worst things for a creative to experience, but with the right strategies you can overcome it sooner than you think. Taking some time to figure out the root cause of your art block can be a game changer when trying the different strategies to inspire, motivate, and perhaps even re-evaluate. No matter how bad your art block is, eventually it will go away. It may take some time, which is why it is important to stay persistent with the strategies above, rather than forcing yourself to create.
What strategies do you use to overcome art block? Do you do something different? Share your most effective strategies and tips in the comments!
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encourage them to try out some of the strategies above.
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