((Sorry I realise there's another post like this on the front page of general discussion, but I really need to get this out :O)
So basically recently I've been finding it really hard to find inspiration or motivation to draw. Usually I draw 24/7 like constantly, but recently I haven't been feeling like drawing- this is really worrying since I love art and want to do it for my job! I'm just terrified that maybe I'm losing passion for it, but I've spent my whole life drawing and wanting to be an artist, I'm so scared that I'll never enjoy drawing again. Is this just artists' block or have I permanently stopped enjoying art? :(
((Sorry I realise there's another post like this on the front page of general discussion, but I really need to get this out :O)
So basically recently I've been finding it really hard to find inspiration or motivation to draw. Usually I draw 24/7 like constantly, but recently I haven't been feeling like drawing- this is really worrying since I love art and want to do it for my job! I'm just terrified that maybe I'm losing passion for it, but I've spent my whole life drawing and wanting to be an artist, I'm so scared that I'll never enjoy drawing again. Is this just artists' block or have I permanently stopped enjoying art? :(
hi
@
ConeyIsland Dude same! I went through something like this... for like, 8 months??? But I'm back into it. It may take a while and it may seem like the end, but it's not. You'll find your groove again through something.
Id suggest checking out Art Amino. It motivates me a lot to draw, or open up requests. Even if you don't want to do requests, sometimes it makes you want to draw again.
@
ConeyIsland Dude same! I went through something like this... for like, 8 months??? But I'm back into it. It may take a while and it may seem like the end, but it's not. You'll find your groove again through something.
Id suggest checking out Art Amino. It motivates me a lot to draw, or open up requests. Even if you don't want to do requests, sometimes it makes you want to draw again.
@
ConeyIsland
You're probably going through a rough patch of art block. It happens to every artist: im just surprised that no one really talks about it ever.
Being an artist does not equate to drawing all the time. I promise you, I've gone through really bad art blocks where I literally did not draw for almost a whole year. Yes- no drawing whatsoever. How did i get it back? Well, I had been feeling the urge to draw, so I popped up my sketchbook around 8-9pm in my bed and just drew
If you think it's just like a funk- you can still draw, but try not being concerned with "oh this looks so bad" and just keep drawing. My biggest advice to all artists is: FINISH THINGS. Seriously, art isnt too worth much if you dont finish it. If you can't seem like you want to finish it, try a new technique. Never done salted water color paintings? Now you wiill. Have fun with it. Experiment. Never done ink paintings before? Now you will. For digital art- never done lineless? Chibi? Soft cell shading? Cell shading? Color theory? All that good stuff.
Take time to draw things you havent before. For example, draw a lobster. Now look up an example of a lobster, then draw it. You will notice how much more attentive and "accurate" of a lobster you will get.
And this is one that most would hate to hear- but experiment with math in art. I promise you there are a lot of concepts in art that are based around math. The more you understand them and utilize them, the "better" your art becomes (the "better" is rather relative, but it does USUALLY help tie pieces together)
Hope you can get out of your slump soon!
@
ConeyIsland
You're probably going through a rough patch of art block. It happens to every artist: im just surprised that no one really talks about it ever.
Being an artist does not equate to drawing all the time. I promise you, I've gone through really bad art blocks where I literally did not draw for almost a whole year. Yes- no drawing whatsoever. How did i get it back? Well, I had been feeling the urge to draw, so I popped up my sketchbook around 8-9pm in my bed and just drew
If you think it's just like a funk- you can still draw, but try not being concerned with "oh this looks so bad" and just keep drawing. My biggest advice to all artists is: FINISH THINGS. Seriously, art isnt too worth much if you dont finish it. If you can't seem like you want to finish it, try a new technique. Never done salted water color paintings? Now you wiill. Have fun with it. Experiment. Never done ink paintings before? Now you will. For digital art- never done lineless? Chibi? Soft cell shading? Cell shading? Color theory? All that good stuff.
Take time to draw things you havent before. For example, draw a lobster. Now look up an example of a lobster, then draw it. You will notice how much more attentive and "accurate" of a lobster you will get.
And this is one that most would hate to hear- but experiment with math in art. I promise you there are a lot of concepts in art that are based around math. The more you understand them and utilize them, the "better" your art becomes (the "better" is rather relative, but it does USUALLY help tie pieces together)
Hope you can get out of your slump soon!
I'm more a hobbyist artist than anything, but when my inspiration gets low, I'll typically stop worrying about doing what's good/popular and switch to doing what's easy/fun. For me, that's producing pages and pages of nonsensical monster species! Sometimes I'll roll up a location, diet, lifespan, stuff like that. Then your brain goes through the trouble of coming up with a shape, and if you don't at least jot it down, it's like you're doing yourself a disservice :P
I'm more a hobbyist artist than anything, but when my inspiration gets low, I'll typically stop worrying about doing what's good/popular and switch to doing what's easy/fun. For me, that's producing pages and pages of nonsensical monster species! Sometimes I'll roll up a location, diet, lifespan, stuff like that. Then your brain goes through the trouble of coming up with a shape, and if you don't at least jot it down, it's like you're doing yourself a disservice :P
I can understand as well, except it's Writer's Block. I have been always passionate about writing my entire life.
I can understand as well, except it's Writer's Block. I have been always passionate about writing my entire life.
Yeah, I've been going through art block for months now :'((
The artistic drive will come back someday, even if it takes a bit.
Yeah, I've been going through art block for months now :'((
The artistic drive will come back someday, even if it takes a bit.
Renard(e) || Pronouns; iel or they
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(Autistic, so I'm super sorry if I say weird things at times!)
@
ConeyIsland
I absolutely hate not having art block. However, to cure me of that I have started a 30 day challenge which gives be one thing to draw everyday and I have found it really helpful! so there's an option.
@
ConeyIsland
I absolutely hate not having art block. However, to cure me of that I have started a 30 day challenge which gives be one thing to draw everyday and I have found it really helpful! so there's an option.
I’ve been spotted. :0
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ConeyIsland
I think your problem is that you want art to be your job, and because of that you're looking at your art from a "professional" perspective instead of a hobby perspective. Writers tend to go through this after they've finished their first book, while visual artists can have it creep up at any time. So if it makes you feel better, it's a totally normal thing :)
I recommend going through all of your old art, as far back as you can, and remember why you were excited about each piece. If you can find some really old stuff, try redrawing it so you can see how much you've improved!
@
ConeyIsland
I think your problem is that you want art to be your job, and because of that you're looking at your art from a "professional" perspective instead of a hobby perspective. Writers tend to go through this after they've finished their first book, while visual artists can have it creep up at any time. So if it makes you feel better, it's a totally normal thing :)
I recommend going through all of your old art, as far back as you can, and remember why you were excited about each piece. If you can find some really old stuff, try redrawing it so you can see how much you've improved!
@ConeyIsland
[quote name="AttackTheMap" date=2017-05-06 16:11:20]
I think your problem is that you want art to be your job, and because of that you're looking at your art from a "professional" perspective instead of a hobby perspective.
[/quote]
I absolutely agree with @AttackTheMap 's thought here. When you judge your art with an unbiased and objective eye for professional evaluation, you're taking the spirit of creation out of whatever you made. While you're working, it's not so much about having fun and just seeing where the piece takes you; it's about perfection and mastering the craft so it's worthy of someone else's attention and finances (by your subjective understanding).
At least, that's how it's been for me, and I can only vouch for what I've experienced.
If this is what you're going through, the professional critiquing of yourself and that mindset as you work, then this could be killing your initial passion. I'd found with each commission and client I'd take on that I'd have a little less fun, a little less energy, less passion, etc. because it wasn't about self-release anymore. It became another extension of myself in the form of pleasing others, and I already have enough of that with my retail career. If this is you, then a career in art may not be compatible with your personality.
What's most important is understanding, truly understanding, where the joy in your art comes from. If you're losing it as you're trying to gear yourself towards professional grade, then that may not be the direction you are emotionally capable of taking.
Again, those are just my thoughts, and even after realizing these things for myself, I still have yet to work myself back out of the miserable rut of objectively critiquing and adjusting my works and re-associating the process with happiness and satisfying release. I guess what I'm trying to say by this is that the creation of art and your own personal processes behind it must be deeply delved in to, as well as analyzed from a distance. Have you noticed continual strings of unhappiness with your art while working on a specific series of projects? Has it happened when working for clients? Has it happened because of your own expectations for yourself? Do your parents or friends have anything to say about your apparent lack of passion for this thing you've loved? The reasons behind your block will be unique to you, and you will need to look back and reflect in order to find the triggers for your personal experience in this situation.
@
ConeyIsland
AttackTheMap wrote on 2017-05-06:
I think your problem is that you want art to be your job, and because of that you're looking at your art from a "professional" perspective instead of a hobby perspective.
I absolutely agree with @
AttackTheMap 's thought here. When you judge your art with an unbiased and objective eye for professional evaluation, you're taking the spirit of creation out of whatever you made. While you're working, it's not so much about having fun and just seeing where the piece takes you; it's about perfection and mastering the craft so it's worthy of someone else's attention and finances (by your subjective understanding).
At least, that's how it's been for me, and I can only vouch for what I've experienced.
If this is what you're going through, the professional critiquing of yourself and that mindset as you work, then this could be killing your initial passion. I'd found with each commission and client I'd take on that I'd have a little less fun, a little less energy, less passion, etc. because it wasn't about self-release anymore. It became another extension of myself in the form of pleasing others, and I already have enough of that with my retail career. If this is you, then a career in art may not be compatible with your personality.
What's most important is understanding, truly understanding, where the joy in your art comes from. If you're losing it as you're trying to gear yourself towards professional grade, then that may not be the direction you are emotionally capable of taking.
Again, those are just my thoughts, and even after realizing these things for myself, I still have yet to work myself back out of the miserable rut of objectively critiquing and adjusting my works and re-associating the process with happiness and satisfying release. I guess what I'm trying to say by this is that the creation of art and your own personal processes behind it must be deeply delved in to, as well as analyzed from a distance. Have you noticed continual strings of unhappiness with your art while working on a specific series of projects? Has it happened when working for clients? Has it happened because of your own expectations for yourself? Do your parents or friends have anything to say about your apparent lack of passion for this thing you've loved? The reasons behind your block will be unique to you, and you will need to look back and reflect in order to find the triggers for your personal experience in this situation.
Thank you all so much for the replies! They've all been really useful!
@
Digsie
Thank you so much for your reply! That unfortunately describes me pretty well, I used to enjoy doing commissions but now they tire me out and I don't find them enjoyable. I go through patches of inspiration where I enjoy drawing, but then sink right back into not being inspired/motivated.
I wish it was as easy as just not wanting to get into an art career, but honestly somehow I can't see myself in any other career- I love art so much.
I think you guys are probably right that I'm viewing it too professionally, it's probably because I often see a lot of artists and stuff that are way younger and more talented etc,,, and I compare myself so much, which I finds either encourages me to get better and work hard, or makes me feel like my art is worthless and makes me lose passion.
It's definitely a tricky prob lem, but once again thank you all for the help!
Thank you all so much for the replies! They've all been really useful!
@
Digsie
Thank you so much for your reply! That unfortunately describes me pretty well, I used to enjoy doing commissions but now they tire me out and I don't find them enjoyable. I go through patches of inspiration where I enjoy drawing, but then sink right back into not being inspired/motivated.
I wish it was as easy as just not wanting to get into an art career, but honestly somehow I can't see myself in any other career- I love art so much.
I think you guys are probably right that I'm viewing it too professionally, it's probably because I often see a lot of artists and stuff that are way younger and more talented etc,,, and I compare myself so much, which I finds either encourages me to get better and work hard, or makes me feel like my art is worthless and makes me lose passion.
It's definitely a tricky prob lem, but once again thank you all for the help!
hi
+3 FR time 
