How do you beat artist's block?
polycounter lvl 13
It's like writer's block, but it hits you right when you're trying to put together portfolio stuff for a job opening you're positive you can get if you could just get your brain into gear...
I'm nearly tearing my hair out right now, want to put a brick through a window or something. I know how to make this stuff, but it's like my creative thought process is chained down somewhere between "sleep" and "go". :poly127:
ARGGGGGGGGGGGG
I'm nearly tearing my hair out right now, want to put a brick through a window or something. I know how to make this stuff, but it's like my creative thought process is chained down somewhere between "sleep" and "go". :poly127:
ARGGGGGGGGGGGG
Replies
You honestly dont have anything you want to create? Or do you have trouble finding sources that inspire you? if you answer yes to either youre lying.
edited in tried and tested links so i dont come off as a complete cunt (although i still am);
[ame]
http://fuckyeahconceptart.tumblr.com/
http://coolvibe.com/
http://conceptartworld.com/
http://www.labluna.blogspot.com/
http://calumalexanderwatt.blogspot.com/
This.
The ultimate block is just before you've started, it's silly when you think of it, the biggest hurdle of actually getting something done is to draw that first line or add that first primitive.
http://christianpearce.blogspot.com/2011/01/contemplationbot.html
The first one happens when you put undue pressure on yourself before starting a piece. You say to yourself 'this is going to be the BEST thing I've ever done' and immediately there can be a pressure that makes you overly aware and very hesitant of the things you would normally do without a problem. In this case I would say that it's best to just approach whatever work you're doing as something educational and enjoyable. Treat each piece as an exercise you hope to learn from rather than the something that will be the front page of your portfolio. Also, don't put pressure on yourself to get everything done straight away. Don't have any expecations about how long you will work for or how successful it will be. Just say to yourself 'right, I'm going to sit down and draw/sculpt/paint/model etc. for 10 minutes and if I'm enjoying it I'll keep going.' That way you're not setting yourself up for possible disappointment before you've started.
The other type of block, relating to a lack of inspiration, is more easily conquered, I think. I'd recommend just immersing yourself in lots of interesting books, films, experiences etc. Don't try and force ideas to come either. Just let things happen subconsciously, and once an idea starts to form, try and iterate on that idea purely on a thinking level to start with. Once you have a concept that seems interesting and worthwhile, then you can start working on thumbnails/rough models or whatever. The more you focus on building up a mental library of reference and visualizing the early stages of an idea, the more easily you will be able to get into a creative mindset.
It's not that. It's plenty possible to have tons of ideas in your head, but to lose them when you go to actually start them. For me it's a combination of two things. I've come up with tons of ideas out walking or driving home, or watching a movie, or what have you - but then when I go to paint it, it's totally gone. I can remember the general idea, but the specifics of what made it what it was in my head have already gone. Say I'm watching a really cool movie, or playing a game, and I see a quick shot of some neatly lit hallway and in my head I change the color scheme and envision a cool character walking down it or something, to make for what would really be a wicked painting.
Well then I go later to paint it and I'm left with nothing but...
"Ok, it was a hallway, and I remember a few of the colors...but...what did the walls look like? Shit. What should they look like? ...any doors, frames, or wallpaper? I'm not sure. And the character I was going to have standing in the hall, now that I think about it, it was just a vague silhouette my mind sort of filled in the blanks for. I can't just paint that...what's he wearing, what colors are his clothes? Shit. God fucking damnit."
And I know by that point that if I tried to continue on with just that, it would totally suck. I'd be flailing around in the dark. But maybe I spend an hour going through the possibilities and rolling around the ideas to see if I can come up with something, at least.
And by the time that hour's over...
Blank screen. Shit you not, happens all the time. My mind just gets so caught up in trying to use it's creative juices to at least have a halfway decent plan or envisioned result, and the other half of it realizes how stupid it is to even move forward without that.
For me, at least, I know what it is. Simple lack of experience (and resulting mental knowledge base), and that inward fear of failure that pretty much crushes any creative process ever.
For me the fix if generally two things - Rooster's advice of not starting with a blank screen or canvas or what have you, is super solid advice. It's much easier to turn something into something else than to just start with white, or gray, or whatever. Even if you wind up erasing or redoing the random crap you're putting down or throwing together, it's about getting your mind jumpstarted and it can really help when compared to starting blank.
The other thing if pretty simple, I just assume what I'm going to work on may very well not wind up how I'd planned, and then I try really hard to not let that bother me. It's the sort of thing that'll get better as I myself am more experienced, failure and reworking's part of the lifestyle.
I also have picked up a variety of habits I assume other artist's do all the time. I try to bring a sketchbook or camera with me just about anywhere, to jot down and briefly try to capture whatever idea it was I had. Then later I'll maybe scan in that incredibly loose sketch or whatever, put on some music to help try and bring some of those feelings back, and then start with the planning and ground work.
For me I pretty much just attribute it to a lack of experience. I don't yet have the life experience to have good solid habits that help encourage rather than restrict my art, and I lack the artistic experience to always be able to effectively do what I want to do. No choice though but to just keep trying, try to be smart about things, and to be eager to learn from your failures rather than try to avoid them outright.
I think im pretty simple as its either i want to paint or i dont want to
That's a wonderful sentiment, but when you know the only reason people will want to hire you is the outcome...well, the outcome becomes very relevant. The act of doing may be the most important when it comes to practice, but without that end result you still won't get very far.
Besides, let's face it. There's a lot of people who put a lot of effort into art of various sorts, and never succeed at making a career out of it. Ever. Sad fact, but it's true.
Point being...
Fear of failure is reasonable. Obviously you push through it best you can and it won't concern everyone depending on who they are and where they are in life, but it's still a very reasonable thing to feel.
You can't lose what you're already pissing away.
this should be all you really need.
[ame]
Something I just found today and want to practice.
Actually depending on how you look at it, that might be when fear of failure is most reasonable - because it sure is a lot more likely, heh.
Hitting up Ctrl-Paint for when you need a quickie is the best idea I would say. Honestly, can't say how many times it's forced to get of my mental butt and start working.
I'm not a machine...
Anyway. Usually when I struggle I either do some fast and loose 2D or 3D sketching. Just go crazy don't start with an idea just let it flow out. Alchemy is good for that. ZBrush (especially ZSketching) for 3D.
or I look back at older projects I've failed to finish and have a look at how I might improve them just so that my mind isn't on the next big thing.
If all else fails I take a few days off. No need to stress in front of a blank screen.
when modeling doesnt work, texturing and coding works better (and other 1:2 combinations)
There is some great advice in there. Thanks for the link.
write or draw, etc. Try new methods, mess with different stuff. I drew a pretty okay picture with crayon the other day, but it gave me the motivation to draw more.
For me it's a matter of picking myself up off the floor and not being lazy as hell
If all else fails, i watch a movie. or tv, and just doodle while that goes on in the background. usually gets my mind off of drawing enough to actually draw.
Draw on inanimate objects besides paper and cavases. The unique shape and surface is a limitation that turns into a blessing. I had a great run drawing on beer bottles, beer cans and empty fifths of jameson with paint markers when I was bored, then I brought the markers to a bar one night and did it sitting by myself. Within 15 minutes I had a girl talking to me and now several bars in the area have painted bottles and cans decorating their walls.
Try working tiny, and huge. A friend of mine started drawing and painting on little wood blocks a while back, like 1"x1" up to 3"x3". Super fast and easy, the ideas just poured out. Or grab some spraypaint, and a few bedsheets from goodwill, or some plywood or cardboard from a nearby alley. Hang that shit up in your backyard and go nuts.
Pick up cool pieces of driftwood at the beach and buy some fine metal wire to twist around them to make sculptures.
And remember, it doesn't have to look good. And it probably won't. But fuck it. Don't put any more pressure on yourself than you have to, it just makes it harder to make art. The more you do it, the better you'll get, so dont sweat the bad days. Even if you only produce shit work that day, you've gotten a little more experience with the medium, and your next piece will be that much better.
Anyway hope that helps... those were some things that injected new life into my art farting. Cheers.
This is game art, do what works, that's all anyone wants to see. Make simple structures, generic foliage stuff.
The devil's in the details, do stuff that's been done, but do it better than others have done it. Spend a ton of time cleaning up textures and putting the correct types of grunge in the right places.
If it helps, stop thinking about this stuff as "art". It's a craft, work on getting better at your craft, once you can do hand painted textures, high poly modeling, and work well with photo source, you should be able to attack any project in the respective area with no problem, it's just going through the motions.
If you aren't competent in one of these core areas yet, get competent. Stop thinking of these as projects and more as studies. Spend a few days making a single hand painted wood texture from scratch. Once you can do that well, you can do a whole scene no problem. It's when you think about both at the same time, getting competent and doing the whole seen at the same time that the doubt sets in and you're blocked. Stop thinking as though the next project is going to catapult you to where you want to be, start thinking that the next few projects will. It's a lot like that video that was linked eariler.
this explains exactly how I felt when writers block reared its ugly head. The pressure you put on yourself when you feel the work has to be amazing can really hinder you. I find looking through CGhubs editors choice awards inspires me loads, checking out the artists other work and their favourites. 2d stuff usually helps me more
just draw for a bit. this was pointed out many times.
sometimes if you feel like shit and nothing is works just stop for a bit and do something else. just the fact that you say to yourself I'm going to chill for a sec lets off some presure that is in your mind and will let you take another shot at it in a few minuets.
You know, for some reason knowing this explains a lot.
this is so touchy
And if I don't have a decent concept hashed out in pretty good detail in front of me, where the hell am I suppose to start breaking it down and blocking it out in 3d...?
I think I just need to spend more time with my sketchbook and my Wacom...