Artist block, the dreaded little monster that threatens every artists. 

It’s well known, but what exactly is it?

Artist block is the stifling feeling of demotivation, disinterest, lack of creativity and drives that artists feel at some point or another. Like it’s name, it’s a figurative mental block that hinders the creation of art. But worry not, it’s normal. You’re not less of an artist or a bad one if you experience this block. 

So how to overcome it? Here are the ways that I found helped me overcome art block.

KEEP GOING 

I always think of Dory’s famous line; “just keep swimming” so I just keep painting. This is best for those times when I lack motivation to even pick up a paintbrush or pencil. So from personal experience, the best way to get of that slump is to just keep doing it, even if I hate the end result. This is merely meant to stimulate mind and muscles and not to create a masterpiece, but sometimes you could be pleasantly surprised. 

SEARCH FOR INSPIRATION 

Finding new inspiration is an excellent way to get through artist block. Inspiration sparks creativity which can rekindle the motivation to work on art. Depending on your area of art, there are many ways to find new inspiration. Admiring other artist’s work helps me find inspiration.

TRY SOMETHING NEW

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Sometimes you need to break out of your mold or comfort zone in order to overcome the art block. You could experiment with a new art style, follow an art tutorial or try something new in another aspect in life. I find that when I’m in a rut when it comes to art, baking helps fuel me to overcome it! So try new things, it could just get the right chemicals brewing in your brain to make the creative juice you need!

FRESHEN UP

The physical state of the body can greatly affect the mental state. So when you’re feeling mentally drained to do art, utilizes your physical state to help you. There are many ways to do this, but I find exercise to be the best! A quick jog around the blog or a 30 min gym session followed by a resfreshing shower makes me feeling pumped and ready to do anything! But that’s my way of freshening up, for you it could be burning scented candles and meditating or it could even be as simple as drinking an energy drink. 

REMIND YOURSELF 

Remind yourself why you do art. I think this is very important. Reassessing why you do what you do can help you find the key to spark your interest again. Make a list of reasons why you do art, or print a motivational quote and hang it in your studio as a quick reminder for whenever you feel yourself slipping into a slump.

RELAX AND ENJOY

This is the number one way to overcome artist block, just relax and enjoy. Don’t stress about the artist block, it’s something that comes and goes. So just take a deep breath, brew yourself a cup of tea or coffee and get back to enjoying your art. Art blocks may hinder your creativity and motivation but it doesn’t take away your enjoyment of art. So just keep enjoying your art and the pesky art block will leave you be!