Being an artist, whether you are a painter, a sculptor, a singer
or a photographer, there can be days where you hit a blind wall when it comes
to creating art. Whatever you try to do, you are not able to find inspiration
or cook up the motivation to create anything. And there will be days where you
find it excruciatingly difficult to create something.
So, what is artist's block? It occurs when an artist feels
incapable of creating art because they have difficulty tapping into their
creativity. It is an abstract term for when your motivation well has run dry
and you can't come up with any ideas. For example, you may be in the middle of
a painting and suddenly you feel stuck, you're not sure how to proceed with
the painting. It can be a pretty overwhelming feeling and it can last for
hours, days, weeks or months and even years. What you must understand is that,
it doesn't mean you are not good enough to paint. It happens to the best of us
and through this article we look at ways to overcome this obstacle.
To begin with, let's look at what causes Artist's block. It is
very real, but how it manifests in an individual's life will vary from person
to person. For example, the following may help you identify if you are
experiencing this phenomenon.
Next is to understand the reasons behind this;
Self Doubt
Self doubt can be detrimental to your physical and mental health.
Internal, negative thoughts keep one from moving forward. It is necessary
to remember that, these moments shall pass and it is completely normal to
develop these feelings. What is important is to take baby steps to overcome the
obstacles.
Fear of judgment
The fear of being judged for your work comes from directly
comparing yourself to other artists and their skill levels. Believe me, it is
easy to get into this mindset and feel overwhelmed by what you see online. It
is necessary to work on what motivates you, not the rest of the world! The
sooner you stop comparing yourself, the easier it will be to change your
mindset. All great artists, were once like you, but it is with time and
practice that they achieved their goals.
Lack of skill
Practice makes perfect, that is fundamental. As long as you keep
working on areas which you lack a skill, you will become better. Confidence
comes with practice and repetition. If you find yourself feeling creatively
blocked because you are not sure how to draw something, it is perfectly ok.
Take 5 to 10 mins of the day to practice it. You will get better. For motivation,
look back at your previous work to see how you have improved.
Exhaustion
When you are feeling a creative block, take a step back to check
how you are feeling. How has the week been, have you been taking enough rest,
eating healthy? Is there a stress factor which is worrying you? If your mind is
occupied with a concern, then it is not surprising that you will struggle to
create art. Taking care of your physical and mental well-being is something
which is overlooked yet very important.
Now let's look at how to overcome the artist's block
Take a break
Forcing yourself to engage in an activity that is not bringing you
joy is not going to do any good. So it is always better to step away from art
for a period of time. During this period, you can take up any other action which you enjoy, be it spending time outdoors, listening to music, practicing
yoga etc. A brief pause will help you recharge your creativity! Make sure the
break is not too long!
Find drawing prompts
If you are finding it difficult to come up with topics of
inspiration, make a list of prompts! Ask friends or family to give you ideas,
write them down and whenever you are ready to make art, consult your list!
Study your favorite artists
If you have art books, go through them and bookmark the pages
which stand out to you. The point of this exercise is to become aware of the
artistic elements or techniques which you are drawn to, naturally. By doing so,
you're likely to discover new techniques or ideas which you may want to
experiment within your own creatives.
There is no one correct way to overcome artist's block and
thankfully, studies have shown that creative activities including painting,
drawing and coloring can positively impact your health. For this reason and
many more, overcoming this obstacle is very important!