For some artists out there — particularly the ones that are still finding their feet in the industry — there are few things worse than running out of inspiration. When everything starts to feel like a chore and you can’t seem to find the drive through inspiration, it can be so challenging to bounce back.
That said, it’s important to take note that inspiration is just one of the many things that drives your creative side. Here are some things you can do when inspiration leaves you.
Letting go of your dependence on inspiration
There are some artists who absolutely refuse to do anything related to their passions if they are not inspired. While that might work for a small percentage of people, most artists will have a challenging time learning anything new if they wait for inspiration to come ringing before trying anything else.
First and foremost, letting go of a dependence on inspiration is the key to finding success. If you get discouraged because a written or drawn work doesn’t pan out the way you want, it’s not up to inspiration to fix. Inspiration is the kind of thing that’s lovely to have, but it is not at all necessary for success.
How to act without inspiration
Let’s say for example, you’re having a challenging time figuring out what to paint next. While inspiration is great to push you through the many aspects of creating a piece of art, there’s also quite a bit of catharsis at simply flying by the seat of your pants. Draw the first thing that comes to mind, and see if you can keep drawing. A rough sketch is always fun, and it could very well slowly build the motivation to turn something seemingly random into a work you can be proud of.
Practice makes perfect
Inspiration is not needed when it comes to practice. Practice is something you do on a regular basis, and if you were inspired every single time it’s fantastic, but it’s also quite unlikely. There will be times when you don’t feel like it, and it’s during those moments when it’s most important to keep up a routine with practice.
Build pieces without the need for epiphanies
Those eureka moments should be considered as few and far in-between, and could very well be the moments that lead to your greatest works. However, always relying on those moments is not going to get you anywhere. If you can’t take advantage of the moments when you aren’t feeling particularly inspired, you will likely end up being stunted when it comes to your skill as an artist.
Trying to improve as an artist in every field means honing your craft. Hard work is the key to success, and very little else matches it. Even something like inspiration only acts as drive, and it still relies on your overall skill to get the job done. When it comes to making improvements, inspiration can take a backseat, allowing you to improve your skill through repetition.
Photo Attribution:
1st and featured image from https://pixabay.com/photos/painting-artist-artist-painting-1081808/
2nd image from https://practicemakesperfect.cambridge.org/
