Every artist at some point in time goes through art block. Yes… even I suffer the inevitable creative slump. It sucks! You often feel a mess and completely behind on all the work you want to do. Having been a full-time artist for a while now I have found that there are different kinds of art block. More precisely, there are 4 common kind of creative block that hit me every now and then. But, I have developed ways to work around them and get back on track. If your suffering from a creative rut then you may be dealing with one of the 4 kinds of artist block!
The first type of art block is mental or creative! This is where you struggle to come up with ideas of what to draw or paint. This can be really frustrating especially when you are pumped to do something proactive in your work. Watch my video on ways to spark your creativity again here and get back to creating like nothing ever happened!
The second type of art block is productivity! This is the kind of art block that I go through occasionally. Where you simply have all these ideas running through your head, but absolutely no energy to do them. It’s like your body wants to shut down and take a giant nap when it comes to your art. The struggle is very real. This kind of creative slump can take time to work through and I find that focusing my energy of something else productive such as writing can be a big help. Watch my video on burn out here.
The third kind is emotional! If you have ever had any kind of emotional pain or suffered from depression, then this can be a big productivity killer! Working through your emotions can take a lot of energy itself, let alone trying to be creative and productive at the same time. Sometimes its best to just take a break!
The final creative block is being overwhelmed! Have you ever just had so many ideas, so much to do, so much to keep up with that you end up just sitting there all day thinking about it, rather then doing something. I have and its not fun. You end up feeling behind on all aspects of your work and regular life. You might just want to take a nap or play some video games instead of taking on the work load. Feeling overwhelmed can make you paralyzed with confusion and uncertainty.
As much as these creative blocks suck, there are ways to work around them! I find that planning and making a schedule is one of the best ways to not feel overwhelmed. If you want some ideas on planning, then take a look at my planning video. It also helps me to prioritize and view some things differently. Another great way to get over art block is to take care of yourself and develop good habits. Take regular breaks, treat yourself, and step away from your work every now and then. You’ll find yourself coming back to it with a refreshed mind. Also, don’t try to take on too much! We artists always want to push ourselves with more work and do more for everyone, but it can quickly burn us out. Say no to certain things to ease the load!
Charlotte Jordan 