How to deal with artistic block?

Question

I have recently graduated from art college. I have an exhibition coming up and a studio to work in so I'm pretty set up to make work. However I just can't seem to get going, my mind is just blank. This has happened before, and generally if i sat in my space for long enough , or went to a few shows something would spark in my head, but this approach just doesn't seem to be working and I'm getting very frustrated. Any advice?

Answer 1

Take time out, go out with friends/family, talk to them about your work; sit in the park, talk to the stranger next to you; take the bus/tube, observe people; that always brings back motivation and generates ideas.

Bring a notebook.

If you can, take a few days/weeks to have a break away from home - different scenery often helps relax the mind and enables you to recharge your batteries... You've just graduated and deserve a break, congratulations!!





Best wishes with your exhibition.

Answer 2

Do something different from your normal activities. Travel to a different area and see life in a different environment. I enjoy Newport, Rhode Island and the American Castles situated there. Visit the Marina and see the yachts or the rich and famous. If you are on the East Coast, Boston is a wonderful city to see, with the 400 year old buildings on the Harvard Campus. There is much history there to take in. The Old North Church, The Boston Commons, Faneuil Hall, The Art Museums. Most of all, relax!! Work is still work, and you may need time away to refresh yourself! I love New York City. So much to see, so little time to see it all.

Answer 3

I guess the only thing I could say here is think along the lines of a watched kettle never boils, ie by thinking about it too much you are preventing your creativity from within.

Try and find something menial, but enjoyable to do, listent to music, go to the pub (for a social drink not to get bladdered LOL) a walk, sit in the park, chat with friends, anything to take your mind off the fact you cant think of anything. If that makes sense.

You need something to take your mind off it, to almost distract you long enough to forget about it, but realise when your inspiration kicks back in.

I get it with writers block all the time, the same things never works twice, unfortunately.

Answer 4

I don't know what kind of art you make or what your process is, but I would suggest stop "thinking" about the work and just make things, collages, drawings, little paintings of objects in your studio. It doesn't really matter as long as your hands are busy. If you get the activity going, very often ideas are generated out of it. Then you can start directing that activity into a group of works you find conceptually interesting. You can't force ideas. But you can get your hands dirty.

Answer 5

Pack an over-night bag and go on a mini-vacation somewhere that inspires you depending on the location you are at, or, your personal preference this will vary greatly.....or do the exact opposite instead of seeking inspiration where you you normally would go somewhere where you never thought inspiration to be...Like volunteer at a nursing home, soup kitchen, woman's shelter, humane society.....drive down any road for an hour get out at a pathetically small town and force yourself to get out and explore. Purchase something, talk to some one, I think anyone of those things could help unlock your inner muse!!! Even if it doesn't look at all the good uplifting things you did to make the world a better place!!!

Answer 6

'the artists way' by julia cameron (i think)

any way she suggests morning pages - every morning when you wake up for about 10 mins write straight. Don't think about what you are writing , just write. Write about whatever comes to your head, in your case it might be about how you can't think of what art to create or some such thing. this will help you get rid of the gremlins telling you you can't do it.


She also reccommeneds artists dates where you spend time alone doing things you really enjoy, perhaps a walk on the beach, or picnicing at a park. Doing these things will inspire you.
Good Luck :)

Answer 7

I hate this I get it a lot especially when im pressured to get something done, what I do is go to a room pickl up my guitar and bang a few tunes out or sit down with my favourite Floyd album on and chill and eventually they start to come again the thoughts, inspirations and ideas.

Good luck its a horrible place to be.

Answer 8

whenever I get blank I resort to music to help me along. Or try to find inspiration in other peoples art. or just do a common thing with writers block. if you're in to painting take a canvas and start jotting away. You can even call it a work of art by itself if you say you really got into jackson pollock.

Answer 9

i see someone suggested getting stoned..well, thats great, but youll forget everything within moments of the ideas surfacing...

you need inspiration, and you wont find it in a bong. you need to see things, whats the title? whats the brief?

write it down..and examine the words.. break it down and identify feelings, emotions, expectations, connected with this word, and the do another list of words generated by the fist list...and discuss it, over a joint, or a bottle or two of plonk..generate ideas, braiinstorm, waffle on and write it down...

im a photgrapher with over 30 years of doing exactly this, generating ideas and generating layouts and ideas..and its not easy..creative drought...

i also write stories, and song lyrics for my band of dodgy jammers, anythng can trigger a scribble,a melody, and series of ranndom words picked up on the end of someone elses conversation... and for many years i stared at blank pages, suffering, getting frustrated and so pished off..

and i realised in that state, youre worse than useless..get up, put your best hat on and go out, amongst the people, the scenery and the places, and see what your missing.breathe it in, touch it.

and recharged and bursting with ideas, scribbles and enthusiasm, put paint to canvas... and be creative...

dont push..let it happen.

Answer 10

Get in to your car and go to the ocean walk barefoot in the water just at the edge. Pick up some sand and try to contemplate what the sand feels like. Watch the birds fly and drop to the water. Keep walking all the way to the rock at free Zuma...........now sit and listen and close your eyes what do you hear/
Go back to your studio now work .........................