From the article: 3 Reasons a Creative Block is Hard to Beat (But Not Impossible)
What do you do to beat a creative block? Share your tips and read what other artists have suggested. How Do You Beat a Block?
Music and Burnt Sienna
- When I"m going through a block, I'll put on some music that really has a beat to it. Then I'll take burnt sienna with a lot of water, a big hake brush and just smack the canvas to the beat of the music... after a couple of minutes, I'll look at the canvas and start to see shapes and 9 out of 10 times, that breaks my block
- —artbynature
Stock up on Ideas
- Just like surviving in the wilderness, during plentiful times, you still stock up when resources are scarce. Keep a drawing/ doodlepad with you at all times. I have bouts of what I call 'artistic mania' in which idea after idea floods my mind and I get them down on paper before it fleeds. In times of artist's block, I tend to go back to those doodles/ bursts of inspirations and thumb through them. That is usually enough to inspire a painting/ piece of art.
- —Guest Hungry Artist
Just go crazy
- Take brushes and go crazy or do some nice backgrounds - you'll want to put something on them later. Take any project that you might be interested in, not just painting. Also, I try to take a look at art that interests me, for inspiration and encouragement. Go to shop for new brushes, canvases, paint, paper -- anything that looks brand new, or try some new media. And new styles you've never tried before. A great quote: "Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it" by Salvador Dali. So try your best at being you without chasing perfection.
- —Guest apelsinuke
ATC's
- I started making Artist Trading Cards about two months ago. They are 2 1/2'' X 3 1/2". One can do them in any medium one chooses. ATCs are for trading; one does not sell or give them away. The outcome of this exercise is that I have many 'thumb-nail' pieces to work from.
- —Guest Letty
Do It Anyway!
- Paint anyway, that is the secret! Paint anything and paint regularly. You might think you will not be creating a masterpiece; that's okay. Painting repeatedly will get you there. Having a journal also with your personal thoughts, ideas, pictures of what you are interested in, your dreams in words and in pictures. When I have a block; I force myself to think ideas of painting and I start painting and keep painting daily. Another way is to go to your favorite museum - one that is closest to your style/type of painting.
- —Guest monique simoneau
Fake it Till You Make It
- I have not painted all winter. The holidays got away from me, then the kids were home for a break, then snow days, then I got busy with college classes, then the art studio filled up with clutter from mediocre spring cleaning of the rest of the house. Then I realized that I was just very blue. I have to get in a better mood and fast. Tonight, I cleaned the art studio and wiped down tables. I am still not in the mood to paint which is why I need to paint. If the weather cooperates, I am taking a canvas outside in the sun and starting with spray painting to break up the white with my eyes closed. I am faking it till I make it. Just get back into the rhythm.
- —DawnMarie77
recover your passion
- I have been painting for 3 years and got used to feeling "flat" after a good painting or project. What helps me is doing studies or little projects, eg."how to paint hands, feet etc." without trying to make it a"piece" , it helps me relax and I soon find out what I want to do next. Or, if you are going through a stressful time in your life, why not paint the place you'd rather be? A tropical island, a quite garden, on top of a mountain? Nobody needs to know. It's for you.
- —Guest ANR tries art
keep a list: don't get blocked
- I keep a creative notebook with me at all times.Aanytime I get even the smallest idea I write it in my book. My notebook is not only about painting. I never get blocked because if I don't have a new painting started by the time I am almost finished with the current painting, I check my book for whatever idea interests me the most. If none of my ideas interest me especially, I could just pick the first one on the list (this never happens).
- —Guest carole aka bitsy
you are painting
- You are painting, but you just don't know it. Just because you are not in your studio holdind your brush doesn't mean you are not painting. Your brain is working, preparing for the time when you will continue with the next step in painting--- picking up the brushes. I'm new at painting, but I have been stained-glassing for many years. Every few years, I just stop cold, dropping the glass cutter where it may sit for many years. During those times, I find no beauty or interest in stained glass. All creative people need a hiatus like plants and trees in winter. This is your winter. Don't force it. Spring will once again come. When it does, there will come a flood of artistic product. Good luck.
- —Guest eaa7@comcast.net
How Do You Beat a Block?
- Yes it is hard to get the enthusiasm back again. For me I turned to Mother Nature, zooming in to flowers and looking at Fibonacci patterns(you can google him) Or it could be bark or leaves or water that you look closely at. Try painting only a tiny part of what you see, zooming in over and over. Do not worry about using all your oil up and the expense of it. There are water soluble oils available now and you can lift it off just as in watercolour if you make a mistake, they dry very quickly too like acrylics. They do not need thinners and wash off hands and clothes in soap and water. Artisan do a good type. Much cheaper than traditional oil. When you paint divide your paper in half and paint two for one. Buy 3 colours Red, Blue, Yellow. You can make more: Blue with Yellow to make Green, Red with Yellow to make Orange, Red with Blue to make Red Purple, Blue Purple. Keep colours to a minimum. Brushes = large round, a small round and a rigger. Paint for yourself! Have fun!
- —Guest Francis
Jump Right In !
- Twyla Tharp in her excellent book, "The Creative Habit" Learn It and Use It For Life points out you have to make creativity a habit. For some time now I have had time to paint but I have not been as productive as I should be. I have decided to fight the resistance and just do something- whether it is making a color chart, quick sketches whatever. I recently found a full French easel in the dumpster! Although I usually work from memory and observation I decided to leave my comfort zone and instead of paper & pencils go outside & paint. I do not think that you should wait for the "urge" to return because believe me you will find more than enough excuses & diversions to keep you from painting. I was given some good advice - just paint! I was getting caught up in all sorts of concerns and what ifs. I have found that one action will lead to another. If not you will keep spinning your wheels and your painting will stagnate. I know that is not easy. Sometimes you have to just do!
- —NJART73
Beating a Block
- I clean up and organize my studio. Then I set up a still life and look at it, rearrange it then look at it some more. I tone a canvas, then the next day I squeeze out paint, and start painting. Somehow, the cleaning and organizing part clears my mind and I can focus and enjoy painting in my studio. Taking time to set up my still life also helps because I try to do alot of problem solving in the setup itself before I even start to paint. That makes me look forward to painting the picture!
- —Hart4art
Four?
- When I first started painting, someone told me: "paint one hundred paintings and maybe then you'll know a little bit about painting". I gave each one a title and wrote them down on a numbered list. ONE AT A TIME! And that's what you need to do. If you wait for passion or inspiration, you'll just be wasting time. So you've painted four paintings. Give them titles, and write them down on lines one through four. Then go paint number five. You'd better get started, you've got quite a ways to go.
- —coopkja
To overcome a block
- If I waited for an inspiration to paint, I'd never do it. Sometimes, I have to pull myself away from the plethora of life's activities and distractions, and make myself get started. Soon after starting, I "get into it," and the more I get into the painting, the more "inspired" I become. It's like so many other things, like exercise, walking, etc. Much resistance to getting started, and much satisfaction afterwards. Not easy or comfortable to do, but very worthwhile. Just one way to deal with your "block", which I call "resistance." And p.s. It's nice to receive praise, but in my opinion, best to forget about it shortly after, keep your painting activities private, and just do your thing. It's the "doing" that's important and primary. What follows is not. Cheers, and Good Luck.
- —Guest Fran Zak
How do you beat a block?
- Change mediums. Look for coupons good at local art/craft stores and use them to buy a set of watercolor paints or acrylics and a pad of 140# watercolor paper. Just play and don't try so hard. Enjoy the freedom of doing it "your way". If you aren't happy with the results cut it up into shapes and when you have a bag of colorful scraps, donate them to an elementary school for art collages. Be a kid again, paint for the fun of it!
- —Guest Mary Ellen
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