Have you ever felt like you’ve been staring at your own artwork for too long, and what you thought was a masterpiece now looks as though it might as well be tossed in the trash? It’s a common feeling, and that’s because unfortunately, artists face the same “block” that writers do. However, there are proven remedies for artist’s block — one of which we’re going to guide you through today.
Reverse Utensils
One of the best ways to get artistically inspired again is to indulge in a new creative mechanism by which you produce your artwork. Working on paper or canvas can often trick you into thinking you need to create a perfect finished result, where as working in a sketchbook is the perfect generator for exploration and creativity. Try a sketchbook. Find a size that works for.
Size Matters!
If you are used to creating average size pieces of artwork, try to use a big sketchbook. If you are used to creating big designs, try to use a teeny-tiny sketchbook. This will push you outside of your comfort zone and eventually allow you to create new ideas.
Flipping Mediums
Next, you will need one medium you have never worked with before or have only worked with a few times.
Find An Artist Whose Style Is Different From Yours
Try to limit yourself to only one whose style interests you.
Don't Reinvent The Wheel
Next, it’s time to begin one page where you will put:
- 1 artist
- research their techniques
- In your sketchbook, write about their techniques
- Print out examples you can reference
- Paste a few print outs of their work in your sketchbook
- Begin recreating their works on the next pages of your sketchbook
Yes, you read that right: copy their work!
We recommend beginning the project by copying their work exactly. After that, you can keep creating versions that are more so your own style. This will help give you a flow of ideas and feel relaxed when experimenting.
There's Beauty In Something Unfinished
As you progress in your sketchbook, keep altering each version you make as you add in your new medium of choice.
Probably the best part of this project, though is that once you have re-spun your own creative wheel, you can put it away and then pull it out at a later time to start wherever you finished off.
It’s a project that doesn’t have a finish-line or a due date, so it never has to be perfect — just creative.
By: Amaya Oswald