Techniques for battling art block

[mud]

Anyone have any experience? Severely depressed due to life stuff rn and would love to just create. Anyone got any personal experiences to share overcoming it?

 

[Andrew]

I've found that whenever I hit a point where I can't come up with any ideas I have to shake myself out of it somehow and that's typically by doing something very jarring. A few months ago I got into painting some lil wooden signs and began to connect the dots with how my style of design composition carries across mediums , which was really encouraging all in all.

If you have any interest in photography I'd say to just go on a few walks and focus only on the camera (this is difficult but doable regardless if your only available camera is your phone). That's my usual short-term solution, gets the mind going.

 

[ethos]

There's a lot of good quotes from artists about not waiting around for inspiration, that "work comes from work." Meaning just starting to make marks/designs/images and then evaluate from there is a great practice of working through any creative block...

...but that's not always the easiest to hear. I tell my students "don't try to be original, try to be good" which boils down to don't worry about being super creative, just focus on skill. When I'm in a block I usually try following a new, somewhat challenging tutorial step-for-step - it shakes the block and gets me in a habit of just making.

 

[GhostSnacks]

Reading old magazines or design books helps me tremendously when it comes to art block

 

[Mukky]

I've found that whenever I hit a point where I can't come up with any ideas I have to shake myself out of it somehow and that's typically by doing something very jarring. A few months ago I got into painting some lil wooden signs and began to connect the dots with how my style of design composition carries across mediums , which was really encouraging all in all.

If you have any interest in photography I'd say to just go on a few walks and focus only on the camera (this is difficult but doable regardless if your only available camera is your phone). That's my usual short-term solution, gets the mind going.

Agreed here, I put my creative energy into something I've either never done before or haven't touched in a while. Photography is a great one, it's cheap (your phone camera will do the job 90% of cases!) and easy to learn the basics of. I'll spend like a month getting invested in photography and not only does that get my creative juices flowing in a new way, it gives me heaps of assets to take into my other designs when I get back into the groove ^^

 

[Sonachine69]

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I wanted to share my thoughts as I'm feeling like this myself. Maybe some people will find it helpful :')

Everybody has their own approach to work and creativity and I guess the reasons for creative block can be different too, but here are a few things that helped me in various situations. I don't know if there is a difference between creative burnout and art block but yeah:

1. Sometimes, you should stop taking things too seriously, you should stop forcing and tearing yourself apart in trying to step up in your art game every time you make something.
   
   When you are too strict and work with a constant feeling of duty, It can turn your creative process into hell. While doing your best is great, you should always prioritize yourself. Your art progress shouldn't always go up and up constantly, embrace your plateaus, and let yourself have fun even in your flop era, and it will benefit you, I'm sure.
   
   
2. Remember what drives you, and what drove you to start making art in the first place.
   
   My first year of messing with 3DCG art was easily the most productive one, and the most fun too. I never planned too much and I was making things that interested me, not influenced by overthinking, comparing to other people, or other stuff. I was making things that genuinely made me happy. It was goofy as hell, but I was insanely passionate about it, and I couldn't stop. I bet that you have things that make you like that too. When you are a little more skilled and already have enough following, you can feel a sense of obligation to make your art resonate with people around you, but you are free to experiment however you want, and such authenticity will be rewarded, for sure. Go back to your happy place, find something that you love deeply, and let it elevate you!
   
   
3. Sometimes, It's just too bad or too late, and you need to rest and heal.
   
   You are an artist, of course, but on top of that, you are a human being with different life situations. Sometimes, you can't, or don't want to do art. You may have something going on at the moment or you just not feeling it - that's okay. The best thing that you can do in this situation is to not treat it like it's the end of you, and that you are not an artist after all. Treat it like the opportunity to do something else, go touch some grass, indulge in your hobbies, and enjoy your vacation without feeling of regret or guilt. Like with everything in this life, to produce, you need to consume, so go binge-watch some anime and be happy about it. When you are burned out, your mental health is a complete mess and you feel that you can't ignore it - you shouldn't ignore it, take it seriously. When you break your leg you can't just walk it off, you need to let it heal. It means that you need to stop messing with it, forcing it to work again - you can make it so much worse. So take your time to heal yourself without shame or despair, you will come back twice as powerful as you were before >:)
   
   
   
   
   
   Please, treat yourself right, and always prioritize your health first. Fuck the "tortured artist" stereotype, be a happy, ass kicking artist, love yourself, and never shame yourself for it. Cheers