exercises to get out of a mega frustrating creative block

[keyth]

anybody got any....i'm going nuts over here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Travis_Bourbeau]

Not sure what your block is is it character related or just in general are you having trouble coming up with ideas or just siting down and working ?


A few general task could be simply organising your work area and cleaning up taking a day off go look at books at a bookstore (if its possible) go outside your particiular style or likes /culture I often find browsing some korean sites in which i cant read but only see the pics of other artist can help etc


Look at sports uniforms football, hockey goalie polo player scuba diver etc for pieces that catch your eye and try to recreate them


Re engineer stuff like elavators on the outside of building or that travel up hills bridges that fold etc



one thing im finding to actauly help alot is to make myself do the boring stuff i always thought i hated when in reality they are giving me the biggest gains in my level of skill for example i always thought why the hell paint a basket of fruit thats so god damn boring ! but after you do it and try ohter things like cars i find that my understanding of reflection /texture has improved a ton it motivates me to do more and put what i learned to use






I have probaly not helped you at all but maybe something in there will have an effect to boost you a lil , least i hope so good luck



Trav

[The_Dude_Abidin]

heres an interesting thing to do, go to four or five people and get them to name something, anything, first thing that comes to mind and dont get any ideas. Then take three or more and incoporate them all into the same picture somehow. It'll get ya thinking.


The Dude

[The_Dude_Abidin]

I meant dont give the people any ideas, so all there ideas are different, i cant type

The dude

[PhilHolland]

Yeah I hate that too.
Something I do kinda religiously now is:
1. Clean off your drafting table/drawing area.
I've noticed that I get really apprehensive and
tend to hold back when I work in a confined or
uncomfortable area.

2. Grab a sketchbook and pencil/pen and put them
in your hand that you don't use for drawing.

3. Now, with sketchbook in hand, go walk around.
Sometimes I hike, sometimes I go to the beach.
One time I ended up behind a Ralph's grocery
store and saw some weird wood palettes mixed
with rotting lettuce that helped me design some
alien plantation.

The important thing to do here is to have the
sketchbook nearby so when you have a spark of
imagination you have a way to document it.

Other things I recommend.....

Get more sleep!
Don't get distracted.
Eat better. (For me just eat more regularly)
Have fun with some friends.
See a movie that you saw when you were much younger.

Then get a bucket, about 4 feet worth of chain,
a water bottle, a padlock, then lock yourself to
your drawing table and don't leave till you "really
need to go".

I hope some of this helps. Best of luck. You've
definetly got the talent to fight your way through this.

Phil

[Android]

I think you need to take your subconsious out for a test drive/

this will do the trick

http://www.sagewisdom.org/

I highly recomend the liquid extract.

worked 4 me!

[Grooveholmes]

:evilbat:

Hehheheheh

<Shhhhh> I tried that salvia stuff once. We ..uh... smoked it. I wasn't too sure of the outcome and effects though.

For some reading material/inspiration and a look at your place in the world as an artist I highly reccommend you check out this book The Power of Myth (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385418868/qid=1040083322/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-2675001-1675158?v=glance&s=books) It will definately get the creative juices flowing.

[The_Dude_Abidin]

I would try coming up with my own own ideas on my own. But then thats just my thing.


The_dude

[Theo]

Go to google or altavista and use the image search engine for anything that might currently turn you on. DEFINATELY works for me. Usually I just search for big roaring engines, tanks, bombs, weapons, heavy stuff, tractors, industrial compounds, oily metallic objects. even rust.

Just looking at pics like that fills my head with weird ideas. Then all ya gotta do is sit down and enjoy the ride with your sketchpad.

:chug:

Goodluck!

-Theo

[I.was.ink]

I do the same thing Theo suggested all the time. Sometimes as a break inbetween painting, or drawing. Try out http://www.fotosearch.com

u don't get high qualit pics, but u get a HUGE variety of pics for anything u'r looking for, and if u wish, u can order a c.d with the pics in high res. right off the site.

[Fipse]

I personally always found it the best way to do something completely different (got this blocks sometimes in my work, too) - the creativity will flow again. Go out, meet people, drink a lot of beer, hit people with sticks over the head, sew some clothes ... these are things that are helping me. I suppose you´ve got to find your own distractions. Don´t get bogged ...

Hope this is helping and good luck

Fipse

[killersquirrelz]

At risk of sounding like an echo....

I tend to do the same as cerreto_

Books are great for the imagination. I don't know about everyone else, but sitting down with a good book generates all kinds of fantastic imagery in my head.

Doing exercises like cerreto_ suggested not only help you fill in your weak areas, but also supresses that part of your brain that's running in circles trying think of something. You'll probably find that a burst of creativity follows.

You might also try doing something left brained like playing music, solving a puzzle/game, math or programming if you're into it, etc... Basically giving your creative side a bit of a breather. Hell, just get out and get some fresh air.

If none of this works try boiling a frog in ketchup while singing showtunes. If that doesn't do it, nothing will.

[AmadorL]

I regularly check the site and I try to look at all the new post and read what seems interesting or what I think might help me become a descent artist and further. I find this thread to be one of the most interesting and important to me. I have similar problem and have found this to be interesting.

I have been gathering many things like: Computer, software, Wacom Intous, markers, pens, and so on so that when I actually say now, now I want to site down and get to it I have everything I need except and excuse for not drawing. I have also taken art classes and will continue to take them. Eventually I will post some of my work for C/C..

Thanks to everyone who replied to this post I will definitely print and save in my gathered art material info binder.

:chug:
Amador
________
cheap volcano vaporizer (http://vaporizers.net/volcano-vaporizer)

[keyth]

I too would like to thank everyone for relplying to this post. I think I just try to focus on this stuff so much everyday...drawing, trying to get more color peices into my portfolio, trying to come up with environments, wondering if I should take the SPOD thing back up, trying to paint textures for models, trying to MAKE models......whew!!!...talk about a recipe for mega breakdown. But i guess that's what comes with the territory.

Once again thank you sooooo much for replying. I just got away from my table for a while, hung out with some friends.

for those that provided links to sites...i'm gonna check'em now.

thanks again people.....so nice:p


PS. Thanks sooo very much for your last statement Mr. Holland. Sometimes hearing somebody(especially a pro) give you a little nod can really get you going. :chug:

[benzo]

i know how you feel....now that i'm on break and my routine has changed, i feel a lot more free and creative. change your routine, or get drunk, or read narcissus and goldmund by herman hesse; do something different.... example: last weekend i went to the circus:beer:

[N3W8I3]

I dunno if this will help, so many good ideas before me!
well i now try to get at least an hour of drawing in every day.. quite often i do more (when i get carried away)
When you can't think of anything to put onto the page just try jumping onto random subjects...(use a search engine looking for images or just go out and study anything and everything). the important thing is to keep a routine going. Daily self portraits are one thing that really helps.
You will gradually feel like drawing is becoming a chore ... but i think after a while you realise that you get more work done and finished pieces are easier to achieve. This is where you stop thinking it is a chore and look proudly at youre results.
well the point of this is that your creative mind starts (after a bit of time and effort) to workalong with your practical mind... thus helping you to conceptualise straight onto the page, with a more practised effort.:chug:

[andrielle]

:evilbat:

Hehheheheh

<Shhhhh> I tried that salvia stuff once. We ..uh... smoked it. I wasn't too sure of the outcome and effects though.

For some reading material/inspiration and a look at your place in the world as an artist I highly reccommend you check out this book The Power of Myth (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385418868/qid=1040083322/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-2675001-1675158?v=glance&s=books) It will definately get the creative juices flowing.



hey guys, check out this site I just found: www.salviasociety.org I heard about it on Fox News last night. The guy who owns it was talking how he's trying to stop legislation in different states from banning the herb. I hope he succeeds, meanwhile they just banned it in my State (Minnesota)