Feeling Blue? Painting it Out
Over the last few months, my creative inspiration has ebbed and flowed more than any other time in my life. Just like many of you, there are so many internal and external factors I can point to that stop me from ‘showing’ up to do the work that I love.
Many of those triggers are genuinely real, but others are excuses I tell myself as an easy out to not do my work.
Do you tell yourself anything similar?
I’m too tired. I’m stressed. I have too much to do. I don’t know what to do. I am out of ideas. I have too many ideas. I’m grieving. I’ve lost touch with who I am and what I want to do.
My struggle with grief is probably the biggest factor in what is causing my flow to be disrupted (temporarily). With that said, over the years I’ve developed some coping mechanisms as a creative to combat these struggles, and quite frankly, many of them are excuses.
I hope by sharing this list, you find a few ideas to help you if you are feeling less than inspired to create whatever type of art it is that you do.
Ten Tips to Overcome Creative Blocks
1. Try something different than your normal creative pursuit. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut when we are doing the same thing day after day. It’s helpful to try something totally new or medium you enjoy but don’t do as often as you like. For me, that practice includes art journaling. The lack of pressure when I’m playing in my journal is freeing. That feeling often will translate to opening back up my inspirational voice again.
2. Start a daily writing practice. This is a new addition to my ‘toolbox’ of tasks I do every morning when I get up. I’ve had so much going on in my mind, it feels like a constant buzz of conversation that can be deafening and in turn, paralyzing to my regular work. Much like the idea of “Morning Pages” introduced by Julia Cameron, daily writing in a journal helps to release that inner dialogue dancing in your head. I find myself more grounded and ready to face the challenge of the day since I started writing daily.
3. Sleep. I know you know how important getting a solid 6-8 hours of sleep is to your overall well-being. Easier said than done, though isn’t it? I found it helpful to establish a night-time routine so that my body and mind prepare themselves to relax and get some rest. Maybe your routine could include changing your clothes into your nighttime dress by a certain time, grabbing a cup of tea, turn off your phone, grab a book to read, take a long bath, practice deep breathing, or some other form of meditation-any one of these things or a combination of other rituals that ring true to you can help reset your clock and help you achieve a more relaxed state of mind so you can sleep more soundly.
4. Draw inspiration from nature. Connecting to nature is a wonderful way to fill your well with inspiration. But even if you can’t go for a hike in the woods or a kayak ride down the river, just get out of the house and become an observer on a simple walk around your town. Observe the paint peeling on an old building. Study the formation of bark on a tree. Notice the different shapes and colors of the leaves on a tree. Look at buildings or houses and notice the variations between the old and new in your area. Smell the flowers, notice their color and patterns of growth. Look down and see the cracks in the sidewalk and delight in the texture that has evolved over years of wear and tear. It’ll refresh your mind and help to add to your library of ideas you can put into your creative endeavors.
5. Find inspiration from fellow artists, from past and present. As you are looking at art you admire, really seek to understand what it is that you find compelling about their art. Is it their epic use of patterns and color combination? Are you intrigued by the texture achieved and wonder how is that possible? Are you drawn in by the emotion the work evokes in you? Maybe there’s a rawness to the work you wish you could emulate or a looseness that you are struggling to find in your style. By critically thinking of the how and whys you are fascinated by your art mentors will help you identify what elements might try to incorporate in your own art. Not copy mind you, but pull inspiration from those you admire and put your own spin on it.
6. Try a 30-day challenge. It doesn’t have to be something organized although there are plenty of challenges available to join in with (or create your own). Try something that isn’t going to cause you a lot of stress to do and get yourself prepared so that you are ready with the surfaces and tools you will need to fulfill your mission. Set some limitations so that you have boundaries to keep you focused. Maybe it is drawing faces on a 6x6 sheet of paper using only a blue ballpoint pen. Another idea- mini collages using some of the three thousand gelli print papers you already have. Perhaps your challenge is to create using a new color each week on a certain small size surface. Whatever it is, have fun and stay flexible. If you miss a day, it’s not the end of the world. The idea is to keep moving forward and to help ease any creative struggle you may be having.
7. Stop the excuses. As gentle as I want you to be with yourself, I know for me, my excuses can get the best of me and many are not valid. The fact of the matter is, if we only created when we were inspired to create, not that much would get done. The act of showing up is a huge step in getting past any block you may have. Be gentle but firm with yourself. If it’s important to you to create, then get out of your own way.
8. Find joy in the process. Bring forth that inner child of yours and remember how to just play. Exploring your craft and trying new things without fear of failing is part of the fun. The learning process is never-ending, so the more you can just relax and have fun in the pursuit of mastery. There is much joy to be found in learning and being open to possibilities.
9. Do something that doesn’t require finishing. Create backgrounds. Organize collage papers. Declutter your space. Find supplies you haven’t used before and test them out. Just get into your space and touch things. Be curious. Don’t pressure yourself to finish anything, just explore and do whatever it is that you can to get you into a good headspace. When you are ready to have a longer creative session, you will either have a place to begin or fewer distractions to overcome.
10. Be kind to yourself. Struggling with keeping inspiration always is nothing new for artists of all kinds, across all generations. Treat yourself with the compassion you would show another person in a similar situation. Know that sometimes the answer is a true break. One that you just walk away for a short time and come back refreshed, ready to create with unbridled passion.
I hope a few of these items help you to navigate your creative blocks as much as they have helped me. Until next time, know you are not alone in your journey. I’m right there with you.
New Work in the Shop:
If any of these pieces showcased here today are calling your name, I’m happy to say all have been listed in my Etsy shop. Part of my commitment to myself and my followers is to do a better job keeping my shop updated with my new work.
It feels good to say that I have 13 new listings to showcase from the last couple of weeks!
Stop by the shop by going HERE.
While I have you here, I wanted to be sure don’t miss out on two big sales I’m having over on my new workshop site. We’ve recently re-released Podtastic and Grunge Ink as self-study courses at new low prices! For a limited time, you can get an even bigger discount.
Podtastic: Was $85-now $55
SALE through 1/31/2021 $49
Grunge Ink: Was $85-Now $65
Sale through 1/31/2021 $55
