Battling Against Artist's Block

Artist's Block. Oh, the terror. You're in a happy, creative mood, but then, as soon as you open up your sketchbook, pencil in hand, your mind goes blank. No matter how hard you try, you can't come up with a single thing to draw. It happens to the best of us. Sometimes, it's not that you can't think of anything to draw. Every once in a while I fall into the "I want to have something new in my sketchbook, but I just don't feel like drawing" doldrums.

Well, I have come up with a list of things to do when evil Artist's Block strikes.

1- Look at other peoples' art. Art museums are a great place to do that.  My family went to a few the other day, and I have tons of new ideas. Pinterest is also full of art in various forms. It encourages and inspires me to see what others are capable of creating. If they can do it, how hard can it be? Eheh. Art takes effort. But seeing how other people have poured themselves into it can be quite refreshing. However, often I need to remember not to compare myself or my own art to others.

2- Take a walk or go somewhere new. Fresh air does wonderful things to you, as do new places and sights. Walks are good ways to unwind and have a time to just think. Seeing new things can spark your imagination and lead to lots of new ideas.

3- Ask people for ideas. Seriously. Walking into the next room and asking a family member isn’t so hard. You can ask your friends too. I recommend doing art swaps. Find a fellow artist, and each of you request a specific drawing from the other. Then you draw what the other requested. It’s quite simple, and a great way to encourage friends in art as well.

4- Do something abstract and scribble a bit. Just grab a paintbrush and spread color over a blank piece of paper. Take your pencil and drag it in random directions all across your page. For one, it’s therapeutic, and you might even get something cool looking out of it.

5- Take time to notice the colors, lines, and shapes of everyday life. Train your artist’s eye, observe things. Look closer at things than you normally do. Just enjoy the things you see.

If you have any more ideas on how to overcome Artist’s Block, please leave a comment! :)

~Alexandra S. Grey