Overcoming Creative Block…
Those days that you hit the dreaded… creative block. As you are staring at your sketchbook page, twirling your pencil, just not feeling the creative flow, you think about closing the book and giving up for the day. Nothing is coming out that way you hope, and your ideas are just not that great.
Just as a writers suffer from writer’s block, I believe many creatives, if not all, hit a creative block more often than you think. I’m not going to be the one to sit here and say that you “must” always push through it in that very moment! While there are times that you do just need to work through some uncertainty while you are working, there are some times where it is just not your day. So, take a deep breath. It’s okay to have off days (I’m speaking to the ones who are super hard on themselves, like me). Hitting that creative stump may not mean that you are out of ideas. We are surrounded by inspiration. Although, it may just mean that you are in transition from one level of creativity to the next one. The creative process is a growth process. When those walls come, maybe it just means that you are moving ahead and this moment is a breakthrough moment. I want to share three simple tips that have helped me overcome the creative stump, that I continue to use in my creative process!
The first thing to do, is to STEP BACK. You might be saying, “Kayla, what do you mean?” Get up from your chair, step away from staring at that blank page and physically leave the area. Physically moving away from being hyper-fixated on what you’re working on creates space, not only physically, but mentally as well. Having physical and mental space from your work is important because it allows for new inspiration, ideas, or simply a change of perspective, which leads to the next step.
Number two: LOOK AROUND. There are a number of ways to inspire new ideas or find some direction by learning from our environment and allowing those ideas to flow. Jumping online and observing art from other artists can be really helpful. Do you need some interesting objects to practice drawing for the day that might be conveniently scattered in your home? Taking yourself to your local park to be surrounded in nature can lead you to observing some interesting plants, landscapes, and wildlife. One of my favorite things to do is visit local art galleries and be submerged in art from local artists, which helps me to learn from different styles, colors, and concepts. It also fills up my creative little soul. Do you have any local antique shops, bookstores, or coffee shops that you enjoy? Never underestimate a change in atmosphere! You can always make a new friend by asking a stranger, “What would you like to see more of in the art world?” These are just a few external ideas that have helped me. But there are also times that we need to look internally, which can be intimidating. Asking questions as to why these creative stumps are affecting us, and what it might be stemming from can lead us to finding solutions. Many times, I think that we have limiting beliefs about our work and ourselves, which can stop our progress and cause us to operate our of fear. You know what I’m talking about. The damaging voices of, “Well, I’m just not good enough,” or “What’s the point, this won’t go anywhere.” Maybe you have been affected by what others have said about you or your work. It’s important to honor your feelings and have compassion on yourself when it’s needed. But also, how on earth are thoughts like these going to get you anywhere in your journey? You may not feel good enough right now, but as you keep going, practicing and trying new things, you WILL BE, and your confidence will continue to grow. I believe this journey is more about proving to yourself just how well you can do. So, continue to let go of limiting beliefs and invite words of truth to reshape your perspective on who you are as an artist.
We have created the necessary space, physically and mentally, to allow for newness to inspire us. We have informed our minds and creative spirits with new media, a new atmosphere, and completed some necessary inner work. Now that we have so much to draw from, the last step is to get back into that studio of yours, whether that just your kitchen table, your bedroom, wherever you work from, and experiment! As you can see in the title photo, I enjoy collage when I’m feeling uninspired. I love being able to draw from all different kinds of paper, fabrics, books, and put it together to craft a story, or just make a mess. I also sketched a photo of a mushroom I took when visiting the mountains in Georgia and used watercolor to make it pop! If you don’t feel ready to officially work on that prepped canvas, take some time to be messy and experiment on paper or with different mediums to see just how you surprise yourself. Allow yourself to enjoy the fact that you have the opportunity to make something really cool today. You might just shock yourself with what you can do!
