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| I love this image by Kevin Lucius |
Lately I have been feeling quite uninspired.
Well, that's not quite it. I get inspired ALL the time! It's just that when I try to turn that inspiration into something tangible, it seems to disappear.
Well, that's not quite it. I get inspired ALL the time! It's just that when I try to turn that inspiration into something tangible, it seems to disappear.
When I am uninspired I tend to go online and look at amazing blogs or pinterest boards or instagram feeds, and so many times I see something wonderful and think "I feel so inspired I'm going to draw/write/create something!"
Then I sit down and BAM! I'm blank.
I feel depressed. I feel stuck. And so I go check out Facebook. Or Twitter. Or I do some accounts or packaging so that I still feel like I'm being useful in my business. But creating something new doesn't happen.
Then I sit down and BAM! I'm blank.
I feel depressed. I feel stuck. And so I go check out Facebook. Or Twitter. Or I do some accounts or packaging so that I still feel like I'm being useful in my business. But creating something new doesn't happen.
This cycle is depressing me a little lately so I thought today I would write about it and come up with a few ideas for defeating this slump I'm in to see if I can't just kick this feeling in the butt! So here we go!
Idea No. 1
GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!!!!
I know how much this helps, but usually when I decide I need to get out of the house I take Benny up the hill to the park and have a run around with him. Undoubtedly, this always makes me feel better, but when I come back home, the same feeling of being uninspired tends to engulf me.
So this time, I think I need to take this further. How about getting out of the house and staying out for a while and even working outside for a while? Writing or drawing in a cafe or on a park bench or in a funky bar with a glass of champagne! Sounds like a slump buster to me!
So Idea No. 1 is go work in a new environment to stimulate myself while removing distractions!
Idea No. 2
TRY A NEW MEDIUM!
I'm an illustrator. And so naturally, I love to draw and want to draw. But sometimes I just don't like my drawings. It's not that they are bad, they just lack the inspiration that I like to see in my work. And others' work! There's nothing worse than an artist who appears to be churning out paintings for the sake of it and I don't want to become that kind of illustrator if I can help it.
So maybe, to spice up my creative muscles, I need to try something completely different. I've always liked lino cuts and I'm fascinated by quilting. But do I ever do these two things? No.
So Idea No. 2 is try something new and stretch those creative muscles!
Idea No. 3
LEARN A NEW SKILL!
I recently got a Wacom tablet to aid my digital drawing experience and I love it! However, I'm not very good at it. I love it for it's possibilities and because I don't have to subject myself to mouse-cramp when I work digitally, however I also feel frustrated when using it because I can't quite make it do what I want it to do.
I think it's time to stop trying to create sellable art with it and go back to basics. Become a student. Experiment for a while. I can't afford the time or money to go back to school but luckily we live in a digital age where you can study just about anything online. I recently discovered Lynda.com and they have some great courses and you only pay $25 a month for access to the entire collection!
So Idea No. 3 is go back to basics and learn new skills!
How do you defeat the creative blues when they get you? I'd love to hear your thoughts and tips in the comments!
Jen x
i keep an 'inspiration journal' - well two actually - a digital one on my desktop where i save links and files that i like and have randomly come across and a physical one that i cut and paste into it and scribble on.
ReplyDeletecut and pasting still rejuvenates me!
Cutting and pasting is great! I use Evernote to save links and things I stumble across, so I guess that's kind of like an online journal too.
DeleteI go through this exact same thing. These are some awesome tips too, I especially love "learn a new skill". Somehow, accomplishing something usually helps me feel more confident and collected when it comes to my other projects.
ReplyDelete<3
Normally I don't do nothing, on purpose. I'm too stuborn, so I tend to be in the same place a long of time trying to get out of it. Then I raise my arms, I give up, I depress, and then I start crying that I don't know I to draw (which it's somehow true... but I like to draw that's why I try everytime). Then I forget, I do something else, and somehow , one day my inspiration come along and it's like my hands just draw alone. It's a little bit tip number 2 mixed with number one: I get out, I forgot what I was trying to do, learn or do something new, and then something come along.
ReplyDeleteKisses
Sofia G
I'm totally with you on these. I think my thing lately is doing creative projects. I need to do stuff for myself. Not to sell. Not for a customer. For me.
ReplyDeleteOne of the easiest ways for me to get stuck in an unmotivated creative slump, is to try to create work that sells. Well, work I think will sell on Etsy. Best way to break away from a slump for me is to remember why I started photographing, what I like about it, and not worry what the sales are or if it even gets listed. Awesomely honest post Jen. I think we can all get this way when our artwork becomes business as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen, I just found your blog and it's already making me happy. I just started my own blog on some of these creative fixes and particularly like mindfulness, or the simplicity of paying attention as a way of getting unstuck. Sometimes you need to think less, not more! Just make and enjoy the making. Thanks for your words!
ReplyDelete