How to get past “Artist Block”

Artist block .. its that moment where your staring at a blank page .. art tool in hand and nothing comes to mind. You want to draw but you can’t …. Writers bitch about this all the time, but who says writers get to suffer alone. I have a few tips that might help get past that blank sheet of paper

• Keep notes and save it for later …  sometimes ideas flow like a river.  You have more ideas then time. or like me these ideas come to you when you cannot pick up a pencil and start drawing.  Like a meeting , Driving , having a long boring conversations.  I use a program called Evernote.  It allows me to make a note of these ideas when they strike (I just have to remember his is a resource)

• Draw something else.!! Instead of working on your current project .. draw your cat or try out a new drawing technique. Start a painting if you draw .. or draw something if you normally paint … perhaps a potters wheel has been sitting around waiting for attention. This noodling and keep your skills sharp while your ideas are dull.
• See what someone else has done. I love Deviant art for this. The website is filled with creative people. It is very hard to not get inspired. for you comic book artists out there perhaps this is the excuse to go get that latest graphic novel by your favorite artist.
• Watch/Read movies/books on similar topics. I’m currently reading the “Lost World”
• Sex …. This is one place where the married folk have an advantage (And if you don’t find being married an advantage perhaps its time to talk about how you can improve your relationship… I am one of the lucky ones) . I always seem to be more creative afterward.
• Talk to someone about the topic. If your ideas are running dry perhaps someone else can provide that creative spark.
• Blog about what your doing …. see
• Walk away !  you might be trying too hard .. I find that this is very powerful for me. Most of the time I go for a walk to the local mall.. People watching will often trigger an idea.
• Side projects .. you know that idea you had .. that one you did not start because you were in the middle of this project! Well devote some time to start it, but remember to come back to finish this project!

I would love to get some feedback on these ideas or if you have a good way to get past your artist block!

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