Getting Back in to the grove from keep burn out/depression?

zombiexm

I was wondering if anyone ever experienced burn out / deep depression (losing a parent) and not doing any art for a few months...

I have been trying to get back into the grove of making environments but just cant get that "Umpth" behind me.

Any suggestions? To think everyones work here, and on the hangout have been getting me inspired just to go meh.

thanks

Joao Sapiro

dont take me wrong man, but i think you should seek counseling, an online forum isnt where you will learn to cope with loss . good luck, hope things turn out better for you, that sucks

NanoTurtle

After struggling with similar issues, getting counseling is the best thing you can do. It'll take time but it's worth it in the end.
As for game art, in my case it was one of the few things that I had even a bit of motivation for.
Good Luck.

JamesArk

+1 for what Joao and NanoTurtle said.

In terms of getting back into art, try to find something you really want to make(massive concept folder: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1848949&postcount=1) or come up with something that will be really fun to do, even if it's just a quick study of a prop or making a simple texture or something.

Start turning the wheels slowly and try to just work consistently, even if it's not for very long each day or week. Eventually you'll get back on top.

shaderfx

Counseling is really good advice.

If you really cannot afford that, start by trying to find some self-help books.

Also make sure you try to find a few things outside of art you like to do. Can be small stuff, like going for a walk, fishing, sports whatever gets you out and about. Even if that is the last thing you may feel like doing.

Trying to find balance in your life may help restore some of your drive to do art.

lotet

Usually when Im getting out from depression, I cant just start right away, even if I feel "fine".

start doing art right away isnt the answer (Even if its a project I would normal love to work on).

I suggest letting your brain rest for a while. relax, dont stress it, take some time of, take a vacation if you can.
Art is usually the last thing for me, first you need to fix all the other things, sleeping, eating, getting into routines again.


take a look at this thing:
art is on the very top of the pyramid. get all the other stuff sorted out first Counseling is probably a great way to fix those.




good luck man!

StephenVyas

I went through something similar.
My dad was diagnosed with the big C back in 2007. I quit everything, sold my house, moved over a couple cities to be there for him. At that time, I had little to no interest in animating anymore.

What helped me to keep positive was taking care of myself the best that I knew how. Which involved going back to the gym, eating right, relying on friends around me to talk it out. The energy gained from eating right and working out was key for me.
Counciling isn't a bad idea as some have said.-For me I relied on a friend with a lot of life experienced that I chatted with.
Also going back to what made life .. life to me. My parents always wanted me to live life to the fullest & keep doing what I love, I didn't want to let them down. I started getting back into animating shortly after I realized that. It takes time.. but in time that groove does come back

crazyfool

I had this over Xmas when we lost my father in law and it rocked me hard. He completely changed in 6 months from this hulking South African that everyone looked upto, but that's brain cancer for you. It does come back eventually and if you don't want counselling then you gotta self medicate. You gotta tell yourself you are ok and believe it, even though most of the time you would rather everything would just stop and give you 5 minutes. It's different for everyone but I think I just had enough of being sad, and one day something snapped and my drive was back. In fact my drive was stronger than ever, I chose to make him proud and look after his family the best I can. There's still dark days but I know he's up there smiling down, even though I'm 100% atheist, I know he's there.

These really helped me, I would literally just listen to them over and over while working

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJWIRyUAur8"]Eric Thomas - Focus - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9-Lwpgfd1E"]Rudimental - "Not Giving In" ft. John Newman & Alex Clare [Official Video] - YouTube[/ame]

zombiexm

Thank you for all the members of polycount that posted to this topic.
I will take everyone's advice to heart, and will slowly get back into art.
Thank you to the poster above for the videos.

Mask_Salesman

I know that more often than not it is a solitary battle and that everything else in the world disappears. But remember that others are still there ready to support you, even if you don't accept them till after you've won the second round. It was still a comfort to remind myself that they are there, even tho I didn't acknowledge it for a while.

Although this is a different angle of the same state, I found drive in wanting to prove the world wrong, that I could do more than just bounce back, but succeed more than others despite it.

Mstankow

Find some trees. And walk between them.

Also, professional help is way better help than asking people on the internet.

ExcessiveZero

I don't think depression is fundamentally wrong especially in such circumstance, if its crippling you long term sure seek help so you can go on to live the enriched life the loved one you lost im sure would of wished for you.

but theres nothing at all fundamentally wrong with losing your creative drive, I can tell my best work because all the passion is there, if you lose a loved one, I would think you abnormal if you didn't feel low, there is no description of the feeling of such loss, many of these people is what helped complete you as a person, and without them you most likely feel that piece is forever altered.

but I tend to think its best to honour them by carrying that piece, in how they influenced you and how they changed you, and in some small sense by doing this, I feel it allows them to live on with me.

Grieving is a difficult process indeed, and I have no doubt your creative drive will come back once you have had time to mourn such a heavy loss.

Skamberin

Struck by major clinical depression back in 2010, it had been working itself up over a while, with it came a slew of other problems. I completely fell out of anything relating to art, 3D, design or whatever, stopped enjoying games too.

Then I started therapy and got some meds, and per their suggestion I didn't force anything relating to these interests, but was told to let it come along on its own accord, and so I did.

4 years later and I'm slowly getting back into things. I only meddle with it when I genuinely want too, I don't force anything, but I keep myself up to date on it in some way every day (reading PolyCount for instance or watching art galleries and the like).

So my best advice is don't force yourself into anything, let it come along on it's own and focus on healing yourself first, by any means you can get your hands on.

Next to that, just play loose with it, check art blogs or galleries now and then, it might inspire you and make you feel like doing something, if it does, give it a try, if you still feel shit about it, take a break.

Better to spend your time nursing wounds than growing to hate what you loved because of constant pain.