What exactly is an Art Block? Is it even a real thing? I have read that some people think that there is no such thing - and that it is all down to a simple lack of motivation. I disagree. Now that I have experienced an Art Block, I can guarantee that yes, it is very much, definitely real! And it is awful - it is frustrating, depressing and when it is your passion, soul-destroying. An Art Block has nothing to do with not knowing what to draw, as subject matter is absolutely endless (especially when there is a list of upcoming commissions and wildlife pieces to get through!) It is more a lack of inspiration, creativity and ability to focus. It affects everyone differently, whether its a lack of productivity, strained artistic ability or you simply just can't concentrate - and it can be caused by absolutely anything! Personally mine was brought on by stress and lasted almost the whole of March. The fact that I was dwelling on the stress meant that my mind was not fully on my work, as I was stressing so much about the (non Art-related) stressful thing. So this meant that I couldn't concentrate on the work I was doing and therefore the quality of my work was lacking. Realising this, I became even more stressed and so suddenly I had the non Art-related stress PLUS Art-related stress! Far from ideal! I found myself getting irritable, impatient and I just couldn't seem to get the piece I was working on to look even close to how I wanted it to. Suddenly, every time I sat at my desk and picked up a pencil, my heart rate increased, I got clammy hands and I just full on didn't want to be there. So I walked away. I procrastinated, I worried, I avoided the studio as much as I could, and just basically buried my head in the sand for a few days. This was the worst possible way I could have reacted to the situation, because somehow a few days turned into a few weeks.. But with some research, self-care and fresh inspiration, it finally started to pass. Here is my list of techniques that REALLY WORKED at shifting my Art Block! PLEASE NOTE: Yes, this Blog post talks about an Art Block, but I have since used some of these techniques to deal with everyday stresses and strains. So really, these methods can be applied to everyday life. 1. When you realise that you are in an Art Block, don't panic! Hmm. Definitely easier said than done. But seriously. DO NOT PANIC. All that panicking will do is make you really tense and make things ten times worse. And if you are anything like me, all the parts of your brain that help you to think sensibly will shut down and you will convince yourself that you are not capable of ever overcoming the Art Block (oh, the joys of being an over-thinker). 2. Stop punishing yourself, and just go with the flow. WHAT?? I don't have time for that! Uh, yes you do. Because believe me, if you don't go with the flow you will lose a lot more time when your Art Block proceeds to escalate out of control. I panicked and punished myself, but as soon as I stopped punishing myself and accepted it for what it was, I calmed down, started to see sense, and it started to pass. So.. Acknowledge the Art Block (remember - don't panic!), then accept that there is a reason for it, identify the reason if you can it and then gently help yourself to work through it. 3. Get out of the house and clear your head. Grab a nice day, get away from the studio, get out of the house and go for a walk. Take the dog, or a bike and get out into Nature for an hour or two. Find a nice view to enjoy and gently bring yourself back down to earth. Take a tasty snack, listen to the birds, take in the smell of the trees and feel the ground beneath your feet. Nurture all of your senses and enjoy the moment. 4. Do something else creative. Having an Art Block can make you feel like your creative flame is fizzling out, so instead of blowing it out by just giving up, why not just move the candle? Let it burn brightly in another way, maybe get the kids involved. Do some gardening, crafting, or try a small up-cycling project. For example, seeing as it is Spring, I let four-year-old Studio Mascot #1 choose some flower seeds and we planted them. As well as this we planted flowers in pots, swept the yard, tidied up outside the house and hung some fairy lights around the front door, making it look pretty. Then we admired our work and rewarded ourselves with some cake to mark our little creative achievement. 5. Have a re-jig in the Studio. Even if you are half-way through a piece of Artwork, put your pencils / paints away, clear your desk, file away any papers, get rid of any rubbish and scrappy bits of paper. Have a clear out of the drawers, throw out broken pencils and any other clutter. Heck, put the Artwork away and get it out of sight if this helps. Move your desk and filing cabinet if you want to. Then polish your desk. Then walk away. Then come back the next day and prop up one of your proudest pieces on the desk. Look at it for a few minutes, feel again that sense of pride and achievement that you felt when you first completed it. Then walk away again. Come back the following day to a clean, clear desk with that piece of work staring straight at you. Feel that sense of pride and accomplishment again, and throw in some self-confidence. Treat it as a fresh start. Then when you are ready, get that Art Block-associated piece of work back out again and look at it with fresh eyes and a fresh mind. You can absolutely do this. 6. Beat procrastination with organisation, using a planner or a journal. I wasted so many days avoiding the studio and found myself procrastinating, pottering around the house feeling busy but getting nothing done. Also, quite a lot of time was spent sulking and wallowing in feelings of misery and failure. Pathetic. One day I woke up and decided it was time to dig out my planner and take back control of my time. I spent a few days using it to plan what I would do and when I would do it, and before I knew it I had spent those few days getting loads done, as well as spending loads of time with the Studio Mascot's. Amazing! It can be done! That organised, in-control feeling really helped to set my frame of mind straight to feel like I could tackle the drawing board again. 7. Stop taking life so seriously. Often, all those responsibilities can overwhelm us, and we start taking life far too seriously, which is why problems can sometimes get way out of hand. But it doesn't always have to be like this! Play crazy with the kids, talk nonsense with them and make weird noises. Play like a dog with the dog. Be daft, be silly, dance like a weirdo. LAUGH. HAVE FUN. BE WEIRD. WEIRD IS GOOD. Be the weirdest you can possibly be (even if it is behind closed doors where no one can see your secret weirdness!) Loosening up, laughing and getting rid of that tension will really help you to stop taking the Art Block so seriously. 8. Embrace the mistakes and struggles. Learn from them. When you are ready to face Art again and are feeling calmer and more lever-headed about the whole Art Block thing, think about the struggles and mistakes. What went wrong? Why? What can you learn from them? How can you apply this to future projects? 9. Search for new Artists and get inspired. Browse for Artists whose work you haven't seen yet. Maybe search for an Artist in a different area of creativity. If you paint, search for a sculptor. If you draw, search for a jewellery maker. Go to a local Art Gallery. Sources of inspiration don't have to come only from Artist's in your particular creative niche. Maybe take this new inspiration and use it to try something new. 10. Remember you are human. Look after yourself. Stop punishing yourself and give yourself a break. You are entitled to a rest, to some time out. Relax, treat yourself, love yourself. Don't block or try to bury your feelings. Acknowledge them, embrace them, feel them and let them pass. They won't last forever.
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So I had a little gap in between other pieces, and I decided to try something a bit different and here is the result! It was initially supposed to be a simple 'colour pop' drawing, with just the one Tulip in colour and the rest in graphite, and a young Badger because I think they are adorable. But then I was chatting to Studio Mascot #1 and she came out with the most beautiful quote. She described the scenario of one person making another person sad, and she said they were "taking their colours away". My heart just melted. And I suddenly felt inspired to incorporate that into this drawing. I thought it might be interesting if I added some colour to the parts of the Badger that were closest to the Tulip, creating the idea that the Tulip is giving the Badger 'colour' (or hope, life, happiness, vitality.. whatever works for you). Badgers are so often associated with being pests or carrying diseases, and are overlooked as beautiful members of our wildlife community. I chose to draw a young Badger to portray the innocence and curiosity we have in childhood, which is lost as we become adults. As well as this, I chose Tulips as a symbol of the beauty of Nature, which very often gets ignored and taken for granted (and worst of all - destroyed) in this modern world where devices and gadgets dominate our lives. This could just as easily apply to people. We spend so much time looking at screens that we sometimes forget to look at each other. So the message is this - If ever you feel lost, or alone, remember who you are. Love and life are always there, you just need to open your eyes and see them. And when you do see them - hold onto them and nurture them. Follow the progressive journey of this piece at my Blog Post "Shades of Life" Creation Process Welcome to my first Blog post!
I love reading blogs - especially Art blogs. I feel so inspired by people who are really passionate about what they do, and want to share that passion with the world. Art is such a beautifully diverse subject, and every single Artist (whatever their skill-level) has something wonderful and unique to offer. As Evoke Fine Art has grown, I have wanted to start a blog so that I could share my own special creative journey. However, any previous attempts have quickly fizzled out due to lack of post ideas and lack of confidence (I struggle a lot with self-doubt). I am still a little nervous about this blog, but after doing lots of research and planning I have lots of posts lined up, which I hope you will find useful and enjoyable. I will be sharing the processes used to create my Artwork and behind-the-scenes Studio sneak-peeks. Also, you will learn about where I find my inspiration and the immense effect it has on my work (and also my life!) Often, I am asked by clients how on earth I manage to get any work done whilst also caring for my two small children, and keeping the house tidy. The truth is, self-discipline and some pretty questionable multi-tasking (more on that later). Even while I write this simple Welcome post, I have a 13-month-old throwing cereal at me, a 3-year-old loudly singing (and very elaborately dancing) along to the Frozen soundtrack, and a dog on each foot. I can't wait to share with you some of the comical stories from my life as a work at home mum (as well as some seriously crucial coping mechanisms and organisation tips, which I'm sure all busy parents will find helpful!) I hope you will enjoy my blog, and I look forward to any comments or questions you may have. |
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