5 Ways to Beat Art Block — Krystan-Grace Art

What Is Art Block?

Art Block is one of the things we all fear as creatives, and unfortunately it affects us all at some point. It can feel like needing to make art but not being able to, or not feeling like you want to make art at all. It can be incredibly infuriating to suffer with Art Block but there are ways to beat it!

Overcoming Art Block

Art Block can be scary and frustrating when it happens to you, but there are things you can do to help you make some amazing art again. Here are some of the ways in which I deal with it.

1) Stop Beating Yourself Up.
You have an amazing brain. I know this because if you’re reading this blog, you’re a creative , and creative’s have brains that can look at the world and make art out of it - that’s amazing.

“Time allows us to reset, get inspired and process”

The number one piece of advice I can offer you when dealing with Art Block is to listen to your brain and not beat yourself up because you’re struggling to make art. Time away from creating, or time spent doing other hobbies is a really important part of preventing and healing Art Block. This time allows us to reset, get inspired and process.

2) One Minute Sketches.
I often find when I’m feeling blocked that doing sketch exercises can help. I suffer from really bad Imposter Syndrome and this can fuel my Art Block at times. When I’m under pressure to make art, my brain simply says “Nope” and voila...art block.

I’m sure you know the feeling! Sketch exercises (like 1-minute sketches) allow me to make art without having the pressure of it having to be an amazing final piece.

Sketches are explorations, so they never need to be perfect. If anything, they’re better when they’re not perfect! I usually surprise my Imposter Syndrome with some really cool little sketches and then *bam*, Art Block takes a hit.

3) Set a Base.
This is a trick I heard from an artist a while back: they said that a blank canvas can be incredibly intimidating... so fill it before you start working.

We all know that feeling of looking at a blank canvas/piece of paper and feeling lost in its vast emptiness. This trick helps us to fill the emptiness with stuff that doesn't need any thought (a base colour, lots of texture etc.) and the surface becomes a lot less intimidating. We can begin to feel inspired and ready to make new art.

4) Learn About New Artists/Creatives.
One of the best things you can do when you’re suffering with Art Block and feeling uninspired is to find that inspiration through looking and learning about other artists’/creatives’ work.

”Ask how they manage Art Block”

When we learn about other creatives’ practices, we often feel validated in our fears/blocks, as we ALL suffer with the same things. (Trust me, you are not alone!) Heck, if you find a contemporary Artist's work you love, why not even try messaging them to ask how they manage Art Block? If you’re not feeling confident enough to message an artist, YouTube has a great array of interviews/podcasts and documentaries on artists to help get you inspired, or you can even pop to a local museum/gallery.

5) Try Something New.
Maybe your Art Block isn’t being caused by a need to rest or find inspiration. Art Block can also be the start of a new movement within your practice.

I know I’ve been through times where I felt SO inspired but hated all the work I was creating and I couldn't figure out why, so I avoided making any work and felt blocked. These periods in my art practice were usually followed by an expansion of my skills, a change in my style or a brand-new project blossoming.

If you’re feeling inspired, but don’t want to make art you feel comfortable with, try creating something totally out of your comfort zone. Get messy with your paints, try charcoal portraits or go as big and as small as you can! You never know if this block is your creative mind saying “Okay, I’m done with that chapter… let’s try something new!”

These are just some of the ways in which I personally deal with Art Block. There are thousands of different ways and no wrong ways.

The most important thing to remember is to listen to yourself and what YOU need. That could look like taking a week off, going for a short walk, researching new artists or even staring at a blank canvas for hours until inspiration hits. Pop me a comment below with your favourite art block cures! I’d simply love to learn about more.

Stay Creative! Krystan-Grace Art