5 Ways to Overcome Artist's Block

How do you make art when you are feeling stuck and uninspired?

Artist’s block is a crippling lack of inspiration and most artists experience this problem from time to time. I know I do!
Let's look at a few things that commonly cause this creative crisis and go over some possible solutions to help us get back on track.

Are You:
Frozen by Perfectionism?
Feeling unworthy of your best art supplies?
Unable to complete anything you start?
Staring at piles of blank paper and empty sketchbooks?
Don't know what to draw?
Feel like an imposter or just don't feel like a real artist?


Solution #1 - Go Draw on Some Trash.
I know that sounds crazy. But if you warm up by drawing on recycled materials from the bin that you would never ever sell, it can relieve the pressure to produce something of value every time you put a pencil to paper. It also helps with being afraid of ruining that gorgeous new sketchbook you picked up 6 months ago and haven't even opened. I mean, how can you possibly ruin something that's already garbage? You can't.
We want every drawing we do to be perfect, and that is not only not going to happen, but it's terrible for our mental state. It's totally normal to want to succeed, but if we let perfectionism stop us from even trying, we are certain to find failure.
So go dig into that recycling pail and draw something dumb on the back of your utility bill. Then at least you are drawing and you've jumped that first hurdle.

  Solution #2 - Draw in Ink.
Can't seem to ever call an artwork finished? Try chucking that pencil and drawing in indelible ink for a day. No corrections, no safety net! 
I know that is a terrifying thought, but if you leave me alone with a pencil I will draw and redraw and correct and erase until I have made a hole in the damn paper.
When you can't erase or paint over something you have to kind of just deal with your mistakes and incorporate them into the artwork. This makes it much easier to finish something, because at some point there just isn't any more you can do to it except call it finished and move on to a new drawing.
It may be imperfect, but hey, you just finished something!

 Solution #3 - Make a DIY Sketchbook/Journal.
Ok, I'm not talking about binding some beautiful book here. I'm talking about taking some cheap sketch paper or even printer paper and stapling it together to create a place that you can plot out ideas, rough drawings and notes that are meant to be a springboard, not an art project. You don't have to show it to anyone and you can chuck it when you are finished with it if you want to, no regrets.

 Solution #4 - Pick a Theme.
Coming up with a meaningful idea to draw is hard! We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to pick the perfect subject, to make something of substance on demand.
If the assignment is to "draw anything you want", all the possibilities can be totally overwhelming. There is no problem to solve, no parameters to help narrow your focus. I find choosing a theme and then brainstorming within those constraints really helps to give me direction when I don't know what to draw.
Still stuck? There is a great book by Bert Dodson called Keys to Drawing With Imagination that is chock full of exercises you can use to find a springboard to inspiration.

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  Solution #5 - Learn Something New.
Try schooling yourself. Studying new techniques or styles of expression is a great way to get out of an artistic rut. For me, reading about how something is done and looking at examples of the process gets me excited to try out a fresh approach. Thank goodness we don't live in a vacuum! There are plenty of artists to inspire awe and envy, and you can use that as a catalyst to motivate you to create.

Finally, if you are feeling like you are an imposter or that you aren't truly an artist, the only solution I have found to help tackle this fear is to just keep on drawing. I felt like a fraud because I wasn't proud of the work I was producing, and that feeling didn't let up until I practiced enough to stop being embarrassed about my art.
Try to go easy on yourself though, because we never stop learning, and that is one of the most exciting things abut being an artist.

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