The question is a bit silly honestly :D Because every human can relate to this. This can either mean that it's time to think more about your health/mental health, or that your creative hygiene needs some tuning. It's okay to take pause in drawing completely too. Only you can figure out what's the actual reason behind "not feeling like drawing". It can be anything from the quality of the media you consume to just plain low iron levels.
My previous hiatus was like year long. It was hard, I forgot what do I want to draw, then I forgot WHY do I draw at all. Before that I drew rarely too, like once a month, because of the full time job. Then I got uh.. inspired? Nah I'm not sure how to name it, but it just kinda struck me. I decided to have a routine and I've been drawing every day for 656 days now.
Yep! Sure it's not a widely known name for a thing (though I saw it mentioned online few times) but that's how I like to call this approach in my head.
First and foremost it's about having a routine. Drawing only when you feel like it rarely works in a long run. The appetite comes with eating! More than often I sit down to draw just because it's time to draw, and I don't really want to and kinda tired and my mood is meh, but then it's been 1h of drawing already and my mood got so much better because of that drawing session.
Also it's important to make sure you are regularly filling your creative well, and that you are filling it with high quality experiences - inspiring art/music, great fictional stories, real life experiences too.
Writing down ideas is also important. Weird dream? Write it down. Cool building you saw? Take a photo and do a study of it later. The whole book idea? Write it down even if it's cringe, you never know what you might need, or how one idea could turn into another.
Also it's about not bullying yourself. Really tired and can't continue to work on that big art piece today? Well don't, just draw a study, or a colorful doodle. Make the bar low, but have the bar.
alright, thanks for this!!! im thinking of getting serious with art (like learning the fundamentals and all that) because i feel unhappy with what i've put out and i feel stuck,,
Go for it! But remember it's a marathon, you need a manageable pace and lots of patience. The learning never stops, there's always more things you can get better at. So just enjoy the ride, and don't forget to draw silly self-indulgent stuff too!
If people are overly negative towards something I draw, I will be down for a few days but I always snap back to it.
Although it hasn't happened in a long time since I stopped posting in a specific art learning sub.. ANYWAY.
There are other days I might be unmotivated due to a lack of ideas of what exactly to draw or not having a clear idea of how to execute a drawing.
In either case Time spent doing nothing will cure unmotivation or lack of ideas.
Of course, I think most everyone gets burned out at some time or another. I mean, you wouldn’t want to eat your favourite food every day for months on end, same with art- eventually you need a break.
Don’t feel guilty, step away, take a break, go do something else completely different (I like to get out in nature or take a little trip somewhere) Your mind will tell you when it’s time to get back to it.
Yeah, my longest hiatus was 8 years, my latest 1 year, but I learned other stuff meanwhile. I am going through burnout right now and working hard to be able to do a single thing that I think is worth it is haaaard
I feel you! When I have a huge wall of personal shit and anxiety in front of me it sucks the motivation and creativity right out of me. The funny thing is, drawing or painting etc used to be the best coping skills I had for such things. I guess all you can do is try to come up with some end goals for you and your art. What do you want to do with it? Commissions kind of give me a reason to continue. If you're making money from your art you kind of have to keep up with stuff. I know it's hard tho when you just feel blah. I hope you get back into your groove soon. ❤️
absolutely. but I can’t find the dang graph.
when you go through bouts of not drawing, live your life! you’ll find that inspiration when you’re out and experiencing life!
you’re art will thrive again and you’ll have a pocketful of stories.
I'm currently burnt out and more depressed than at any previous point in my life. I've noticed it's had a strong negative effect on my motivation and my ability to do creative things.
I expect it'll get better if or when my situation improves.
Could be that you'll be feeling back to normal in terms of creative motivation if you're able to resolve the personal problems you're having, though that's often easier said than done.
I only dabble in art a little bit as a hobby, I can imagine that the stakes are higher if it's a source of income.
There's a good chance that your current state of mental exhaustion is temporary, so hopefully you'll be able to have the kind of motivation you're used to again sometime soon.
Of course. But I would say I get more depressed than burned out. When I was younger, my family used to compliment my art. I remember being enthusiastic about showing it to them.
But as I grew older, they just stopped showing any form of support, saying art was a waste of time, that I was selfish for investing time in it.
Eventually, I started drawing secretly, without showing anyone in my family what I did. While I don't get much support for it in my social circle, I still find peace in my art. But at times, I just feel like all of this is for nothing, that there's no point. In times like this, everything just feels so empty.
And yet, I know that I am always meant to go back to my pen and paper. They're both my salvation and my prison cell.
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I am trying to make a fantasy comic. I have a 19 plot points I have to story board, refine and start drawing. I’ve never made a comic this big before. I’ve done one or two chapters but this is bigger and more professionally done. I got in an art block so bad drawing literally felt like I was standing at the edge of a cliff and there was a big gap between the art I have made and the art I want to make. And it felt like I was just standing there unable to make that jump. It took a few weeks of being busy with working full time or taking care of my wife, toddler, home projects. But at some point I had to make the jump and draw. Even if it was bad art. We have to not be afraid to make bad art or the good art won’t follow. So far I have 6 pages of story boarding I’ve recently done. Sometimes it’s just start drawing and the motivation will follow. Sometimes you just need a break. Music can help get my head and my heart in the right space. But I hope you do well in life and find peace and passion.
Like all the time. I've been drawing a picture for 2 weeks and I haven't touched it since Monday. I'll probably do some today but it's hard to get back into it when I've stepped away
No, i pivot quiet often. If i feel like im getting burnt out, i learn something new(not just "art"). Things tend to bleed over onto each other and keeps me inspired and motivated.
If it’s your income and you live in a demanding area, yes, burnout is huge. There’s that fine line of doing it for enjoyment and for profit. If in a funk, sometimes it’s good to either walk away or make something little just to get your groove back. Either way, keep making art!!
I'm a raving manic depressive so I get burnt out due to depression. But I can't imagine every feeling truly creatively burnt out the way the question implies... unless I got really old and too generally infirm to do anything much...
It's not a hobby for me, so I just have to push through the burnout the best I can when it comes around, and it does come around.
When you have your future and money on the line, you push through it. You have to.
Yes i have lost motivation to do real art because i kept getting criticized by some of my family that im making a mess etc. so i shifted to digital atm
of course. burnout and demotivation is a natural thing that everyone experiences at some point. the best thing you can do is take a break for a bit, that might help. :)
I'm way past burnt out, I draw and don't know why I do it. In context I am a hobbyist that started focusing on it at 16, I'm 37 now. I have little confidence/esteem in what I do, I run a maze of failure looking for happiness, I think I'm depressed?, I still do it, I complain hate my stuff, I feel new negative emotions everyday, I got into this because I envy others and how much fun they have, I just never have this fun or I see it every so many years. I'm doing a pic now someone commissioned, I'm going to refuse payment, I can't understand why I'm even doing it I'm so numb. I think I actually disassociate? Because I don't feel like me sometimes?
I feel so mentally exhausted and doubtful of my ability that I can't paint anything anymore. It sucks. I want to paint. But I just stare at the paper and maybe make some halfhearted scribbles. I feel like I'm losing to my depression.
The question is a bit silly honestly :D Because every human can relate to this. This can either mean that it's time to think more about your health/mental health, or that your creative hygiene needs some tuning. It's okay to take pause in drawing completely too. Only you can figure out what's the actual reason behind "not feeling like drawing". It can be anything from the quality of the media you consume to just plain low iron levels. My previous hiatus was like year long. It was hard, I forgot what do I want to draw, then I forgot WHY do I draw at all. Before that I drew rarely too, like once a month, because of the full time job. Then I got uh.. inspired? Nah I'm not sure how to name it, but it just kinda struck me. I decided to have a routine and I've been drawing every day for 656 days now.
creative hygiene?
Yep! Sure it's not a widely known name for a thing (though I saw it mentioned online few times) but that's how I like to call this approach in my head. First and foremost it's about having a routine. Drawing only when you feel like it rarely works in a long run. The appetite comes with eating! More than often I sit down to draw just because it's time to draw, and I don't really want to and kinda tired and my mood is meh, but then it's been 1h of drawing already and my mood got so much better because of that drawing session. Also it's important to make sure you are regularly filling your creative well, and that you are filling it with high quality experiences - inspiring art/music, great fictional stories, real life experiences too. Writing down ideas is also important. Weird dream? Write it down. Cool building you saw? Take a photo and do a study of it later. The whole book idea? Write it down even if it's cringe, you never know what you might need, or how one idea could turn into another. Also it's about not bullying yourself. Really tired and can't continue to work on that big art piece today? Well don't, just draw a study, or a colorful doodle. Make the bar low, but have the bar.
alright, thanks for this!!! im thinking of getting serious with art (like learning the fundamentals and all that) because i feel unhappy with what i've put out and i feel stuck,,
Go for it! But remember it's a marathon, you need a manageable pace and lots of patience. The learning never stops, there's always more things you can get better at. So just enjoy the ride, and don't forget to draw silly self-indulgent stuff too!
If people are overly negative towards something I draw, I will be down for a few days but I always snap back to it. Although it hasn't happened in a long time since I stopped posting in a specific art learning sub.. ANYWAY. There are other days I might be unmotivated due to a lack of ideas of what exactly to draw or not having a clear idea of how to execute a drawing. In either case Time spent doing nothing will cure unmotivation or lack of ideas.
Which art learning sub? so i can avoid
[удалено]
can you link please i cant find it
One time a reddit user criticized my art without me asking for criticism and I started doubting myself as an artist for days.
I feel this way when I can't get commissions, that is, almost always 🥲 The only reason I haven't quit art is because of hope
Of course, I think most everyone gets burned out at some time or another. I mean, you wouldn’t want to eat your favourite food every day for months on end, same with art- eventually you need a break. Don’t feel guilty, step away, take a break, go do something else completely different (I like to get out in nature or take a little trip somewhere) Your mind will tell you when it’s time to get back to it.
This is awesome answer!
Yeah, my longest hiatus was 8 years, my latest 1 year, but I learned other stuff meanwhile. I am going through burnout right now and working hard to be able to do a single thing that I think is worth it is haaaard
That's me right now. I haven't used my studio much in the last two years.
Sometimes I wonder. Do I make art because I'm depressed or am I depressed because I make art 🤔
Yeah... I wonder too.
I feel you! When I have a huge wall of personal shit and anxiety in front of me it sucks the motivation and creativity right out of me. The funny thing is, drawing or painting etc used to be the best coping skills I had for such things. I guess all you can do is try to come up with some end goals for you and your art. What do you want to do with it? Commissions kind of give me a reason to continue. If you're making money from your art you kind of have to keep up with stuff. I know it's hard tho when you just feel blah. I hope you get back into your groove soon. ❤️
absolutely. but I can’t find the dang graph. when you go through bouts of not drawing, live your life! you’ll find that inspiration when you’re out and experiencing life! you’re art will thrive again and you’ll have a pocketful of stories.
I'm currently burnt out and more depressed than at any previous point in my life. I've noticed it's had a strong negative effect on my motivation and my ability to do creative things. I expect it'll get better if or when my situation improves. Could be that you'll be feeling back to normal in terms of creative motivation if you're able to resolve the personal problems you're having, though that's often easier said than done. I only dabble in art a little bit as a hobby, I can imagine that the stakes are higher if it's a source of income.
For me, art isn’t a source of income. It’s mainly just a hobby atm.
There's a good chance that your current state of mental exhaustion is temporary, so hopefully you'll be able to have the kind of motivation you're used to again sometime soon.
Of course. But I would say I get more depressed than burned out. When I was younger, my family used to compliment my art. I remember being enthusiastic about showing it to them. But as I grew older, they just stopped showing any form of support, saying art was a waste of time, that I was selfish for investing time in it. Eventually, I started drawing secretly, without showing anyone in my family what I did. While I don't get much support for it in my social circle, I still find peace in my art. But at times, I just feel like all of this is for nothing, that there's no point. In times like this, everything just feels so empty. And yet, I know that I am always meant to go back to my pen and paper. They're both my salvation and my prison cell.
Thank you for posting in r/ArtistLounge! Please check out our [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtistLounge/wiki/faq/) and [FAQ Links pages](https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtistLounge/wiki/faqlinks/) for lots of helpful advice. To access our megathread collections, please check out the drop down lists in the top menu on PC or the side-bar on mobile. If you have any questions, concerns, or feature requests please feel free to message the mods and they will help you as soon as they can. I am a bot, beep boop, if I did something wrong please report this comment. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ArtistLounge) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I haven't touched my tablet in a month and u dont even miss it...it sucks
Just on repetition. There are plenty of personal projects I’d love to do if someone could just pay me for them.
I am trying to make a fantasy comic. I have a 19 plot points I have to story board, refine and start drawing. I’ve never made a comic this big before. I’ve done one or two chapters but this is bigger and more professionally done. I got in an art block so bad drawing literally felt like I was standing at the edge of a cliff and there was a big gap between the art I have made and the art I want to make. And it felt like I was just standing there unable to make that jump. It took a few weeks of being busy with working full time or taking care of my wife, toddler, home projects. But at some point I had to make the jump and draw. Even if it was bad art. We have to not be afraid to make bad art or the good art won’t follow. So far I have 6 pages of story boarding I’ve recently done. Sometimes it’s just start drawing and the motivation will follow. Sometimes you just need a break. Music can help get my head and my heart in the right space. But I hope you do well in life and find peace and passion.
Like all the time. I've been drawing a picture for 2 weeks and I haven't touched it since Monday. I'll probably do some today but it's hard to get back into it when I've stepped away
No, i pivot quiet often. If i feel like im getting burnt out, i learn something new(not just "art"). Things tend to bleed over onto each other and keeps me inspired and motivated.
Yup. Usually means it's time to work on a different piece or go take an extended break for an indefinite amount of time
I beat burn-out and unmotivatioj with discipline. I've been drawing at least 3 hours in the evening everyday.
Rn I am after making several art fight attacks within the first couple of days the event started
If it’s your income and you live in a demanding area, yes, burnout is huge. There’s that fine line of doing it for enjoyment and for profit. If in a funk, sometimes it’s good to either walk away or make something little just to get your groove back. Either way, keep making art!!
I'm a raving manic depressive so I get burnt out due to depression. But I can't imagine every feeling truly creatively burnt out the way the question implies... unless I got really old and too generally infirm to do anything much...
I’m in that funk right now. I’ve been ill for two months, and I just don’t feel like it.
It's not a hobby for me, so I just have to push through the burnout the best I can when it comes around, and it does come around. When you have your future and money on the line, you push through it. You have to.
Yes i have lost motivation to do real art because i kept getting criticized by some of my family that im making a mess etc. so i shifted to digital atm
Sometimes burned out, sometimes unmotivated, but i've always come back to continue my artwork.
of course. burnout and demotivation is a natural thing that everyone experiences at some point. the best thing you can do is take a break for a bit, that might help. :)
I'm way past burnt out, I draw and don't know why I do it. In context I am a hobbyist that started focusing on it at 16, I'm 37 now. I have little confidence/esteem in what I do, I run a maze of failure looking for happiness, I think I'm depressed?, I still do it, I complain hate my stuff, I feel new negative emotions everyday, I got into this because I envy others and how much fun they have, I just never have this fun or I see it every so many years. I'm doing a pic now someone commissioned, I'm going to refuse payment, I can't understand why I'm even doing it I'm so numb. I think I actually disassociate? Because I don't feel like me sometimes?
I feel so mentally exhausted and doubtful of my ability that I can't paint anything anymore. It sucks. I want to paint. But I just stare at the paper and maybe make some halfhearted scribbles. I feel like I'm losing to my depression.