Artist’s block; this is one of the things that you don’t want to experience as an artist. But somehow, it could happen to anyone at some point. This is when you feel stuck and no matter how much you try to, your creative juices are not just flowing. You stare at your canvass for a long time, but unable to even start something and if you do, there’s just no way that you can finish it.
What if you experience this so called creative block? Is there something that you can do to bring back creativity? The good news is that there are things that you can try to help overcome artist’s block.
Take a break
This situation could happen because you’re burnt out. If you’ve been working so hard for a long time, you’re stressed out or pressured, this could affect your productivity and creativity. Ask yourself, when was the last time you took a time off from work? Or when was the last time you relaxed?
Maybe it’s all you need to free your mind of all that’s weighing you down and start those creative juices flowing again. Furthermore, when you’re stressed or under pressure, you no longer feel that what you’re doing is fun. It’s important that you’re having fun at what you do to create beautiful results. Your vacation doesn’t need to take months or years. A three day to a week vacation could be enough to bring back the old you.
Try other mediums
Doing the same thing over and over again can also be one of the reasons why you may experience artist’s block. Even when you enjoy what you do, if it becomes a routine day in, day out; you may also feel stuck at some point. Try using other mediums to break the cycle, as well as to learn new techniques. For instance, if you’re using brushes, try using charcoal or pencil for a change. It’s a simple thing, but it could be what you just need to start creating artworks again.
Copy the works of your favorite artists
Can’t start your very own artwork at the moment? Try drawing or painting some of the works of your favorite artists. This may give you the inspiration you’re looking for, plus, you still get to practice your skills. Study their works and you may learn some new techniques that you may apply on your own art.
Walk around
If you’ve been spending lots of hours in your studio or art room; go out, breathe some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine. Walk around the neighborhood or go to a place with beautiful sceneries like a garden or a park. Sketch what you see in the surroundings like the plants, trees, flowers, as well s the people around you. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Just let your hands do the work and you might just find yourself creating wonderful drawings again.
Exercise or meditate
Sweat it out. Run or hit the gym. This is not just good for your health, but it’s also an effective way to relieve stress, which can help you think clearly. Meditation can also help achieve the same result. It will make you feel relaxed and it will also clear your mind of all your worries. By doing so, it can help you focus more on your art.
Read and watch movies
Reading books, as well as watching movies can take you to different places that you’ve never been before, get to know various people and experience situations that may inspire you with your work. Who knows, one of the scenes or characters in the story may spark a new idea that you can use to start working on a project.
Just start stroking
Not sure what you’re going to do? Stroke some lines or shapes on your canvass and see where it goes from there. Sometimes, all you need is to break the ice and everything will fall into places again. Just like some writers; there are times that they also experience writer’s block. The most difficult part is often writing the first few sentences. But after that, it would just flow naturally as they usually write.
What works for one person may not work for another. The next time you experience creative block, try these tips and see which works for you.
1st and Featured image By Fondationrogersomville (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
2nd image By G.dallorto (Own work) [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons
