Suffering Badly from Creative Block

Whalebones

Hey Polycounters,

As you can probably guess from the title, I'm suffering from a creative block. Booked myself about 9 days off of work so I can get to work on my portfolio and start applying for artist positions, but I just haven't got any 'umph' in me, my creative mind is dull, it needs sharpening and I just can't quite figure out how to get back into the swing of it. It's been ages (read as several months ) since I actually was able to just sit down and do some work and now I have got the ability to actually do some work, I am struggling.

If anyone has some words of inspiration or some helpful words of wisdom to get me out of my slump it would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers all!

Alemja

I watched a stream that Anthony Jones (aka RobotPencil) held recently and he talked about artist's block, pretty much saying that it happens when you exhaust your visual library and have no new ideas. https://www.twitch.tv/robotpencil/v/56602497
I think there is some truth in this, and the solution would be to go out and learn new things. Go on a hike, visit a museum, learn about some different cultures, look up how complex mechanical objects work. It would also help to have a very specific goal, "make an environment" or "work on my portfolio" are too broad, you won't know where to start. However, "Create a stylized jungle environment based on ancient Aztec ruins using pbr, and put in unreal" is far more specific; you know what kind of reference to grab, you can do research on it and maybe try new tools like substance designer/painter.

Best of luck!

Add3r

I feel that once I started playing games again much more, constantly keeping up to date with new tech and content being created throughout the games industry, and browsing sites like Artstation/Polycount has really started to inspire me again in short bursts.  Can use these short bursts of inspiration and drive to get ideas and push yourself to start projects and get a footing on where you are going with your art.

From then on, it's all about the dedication and discipline.  With the discipline, comes inspiration as what you are creating starts to get really cool as it develops and you will get excited about it.  That, for me anyway, is the repetitive cycle.... but it works.  I have been the most productive post-work since I started my AAA games career.  The trick is just to find things to be excited about, with it comes the creativity and burning desire to create art.  If you are really struggling to get going, then just completely step away from art for a bit.  Play games, pick up a new hobby (maybe even just other mediums of art such as photography, model building, etc), explore.  My personal twist on my usual workflow and post-work rituals has been to stream my art creation time on Twitch.  Getting a small audience involved has been super inspirational, fun, and a good intro to teaching in some aspects.  

Tons of inspirational/drive/motivational threads on Polycount.

RN

Cool suggestion to never run out of things to do: every time you are inspired by something or have an idea or dream for a project, write it down in a document -- write it as a concise pitch about the thing, like you're writing it for someone else that has no idea what it is. You can also add rough sketches if the visual information is essential to the idea.
Write all your ideas for projects on that same document, so it becomes a list.

Keep that list (all its pages) safe somewhere, and pick it up when you find yourself in moments like these.
Reading your pitches, if you wrote them just right, will bring back a small amount of the enthusiasm you had when you first thought of them. It's not much, but it's better than nothing and it's enough for you to start working.

Essentially, you are making a reserve of projects that you're willing to work on when you have the time. As time passes you add some projects to the list and consume some others, as you produce them.
Right now you don't have a list ready, so you will have to start building one first.

Whalebones

Thanks for all the helpful tips and ideas guys!

@Alemja - I'm now watching the stream whilst I play around with ZBrush for a bit =] I definitely see where you're coming from, need to get out and stretch the creative muscles maybe.

@Add3r - That's not a bad idea, using a Twitch stream, I'm going to look into that! Yeah I have been thinking maybe I need to find something else to do. I gotten bored of playing games at the moment, I look at my library and I kinda' go 'meh'. Some other medium might be just what I need.

@RN - I do tend to carry around a notepad and sketchbook with me in my backpack, just never get around to using it whilst I'm working (retail sucks) =[ I'm going to try and make an effort to make this list of ideas though, need to flex the grey matter first though