We've all been there.
One day you sit yourself down and think "This is the day that I create something AMAZING!"
And nothing happens.
It's like your brain has buggered off on holiday, leaving your hands with no clue with themselves. You try a few scribbles but nothing turns out right. It's like you have lost your artistic ability over night.
That's it. You're finished! Sell all your art materials because you cannot art for shit anymore!
Right, calm down, take a few breath's, have a cheb* if you need to, it's ok. What you're suffering from is called "Burnout" It's when your brain has used up a lot of energy and is finding it hard to be creative. It can be caused by a number of things like stress, medical issues, tiredness, mood. All sorts of reasons. I usually suffer from it if I'm feeling run down or have just finished a really complex piece. The good news is that it's not permanent and it will pass, but it can be frustrating to deal with.
There are a few ways that you can try to break yourself out of Burnout. I'm not Doctor, but I do deal with Burnout a LOT, so I'd like to share a few tiny things that I got to when Burnout strikes!
1. Scribble it out
Pick up a pen, pencil, paint brush, stylus or whatever you have near you, open a page in your sketchbook, and go NUTS!
Scribble all over the page. Throw a massive tantrum on there! Slap paint
and ink all over the place!
This may seem like a waste of materials, but honestly, doing this can help you loosen up your hands and your brain. It helps to get out the "Bad Art" and it's fun t
o let go every now and then, especially when you are feeling backed up with e
motions or frustrated.
2. Observe, Research, Practice
I know, I know, this was your art
teacher's solution to EVERYTHING, and it's boring as heck!
This is why you need to think about WHAT you like and what inspires you to make art.
Browse through some art books or pop on social media and look through the galleries of artists who inspire you. Think about what it is that draws you to them.
Is it their style? The subject matter?
The tools that they use? Or the colour pallette?
Then try to incorporate some of your favourite things into your own practice.
3. Get out of your comfort zone
We all have an art material that is our go-to thing. Our signature tool that gives our art work life. You know it inside out and love it to death, but Burn Out is here and everything you try to do is just not working out.
This is a PERFECT time to try something new. Try a new art material, something that you've never used before. Have a go at tackling some subject matter that you have struggled with or a different art style or paper.
Getting out of your comfort zone every now and then will help you grow and learn new things. Yes it's scary, but what do you have to lose?
4. Get some exercise
Given our current situation (I'm talking about the little round boi doing the rounds around the world right now....) this one can be more difficult at times, but I promise you, 20 mins is all you need.
Getting your body moving or getting some fresh air is a great way to shake out the cobwebs (so to speak) and get your brain motivated.
Now, I know that lockdown means that a lot of us aren't able to leave our homes or go outside, so there are other ways to get moving. My personal favourite is popping on YouTube and doing a quick HIIT session or yoga, then rewarding myself with a bath or shower afterwards.
5. Take some YOU time
It's important that you listen to your body and your brain. Sometimes you just need to try something different and to step away for a while, and that's ok. You're not a machine! You can't just switch yourself off and on again, you need more than that.
I know it can sometimes seem scary to not draw or paint for a while. I mean, I have read a few articles where some artists are advocates for drawing every single day, while others disagree completely. Personally, I'm a draw-nearly-everyday kind of artist. I tried the draw every day thing, but sometimes you physically can't do that, so doodling on post-it notes and keeping a Lunchtime Sketchbook works really well for me. It's just a matter of figuring out what works well for you!
The fact is, that everyone will suffer from Burnout once in a while, and it's ok. You'll get your mojo back as long as you keep your spark burning, and remember what you love about being creative in the first place.
- Nem x x x
*Yorkshire term for "cry"
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