Feeling lost creatively: Part II

Image via Unsplash

As mentioned in my Part I of this little journal entry, I’ve been feeling in a bit of a rough patch lately when it comes to my painting style and what direction to go. I kind of just spilled out my thoughts in Part I, and in this part I want to list some actions I’m going to be taking so far to address the issue. Also – while I was in the researching stage for how to tackle this creative block, I was able to get some help and inspiration from this article by my favorite Illustrator Nicole Cicak. She has wonderful content covering a wide range of problems artists deal with.

1. Limit my exposure to other artists & social media

This is something I don’t think I have EVER done. I have always scrolled through references on Pinterest or Instagram when I am creating so that I can get inspired or pull different technique ideas from different works of art, rather than going into it blindly. But in order to see results, I am open to trying a new approach. I think our constant need to compare ourselves to other artists can become unhealthy and create unrealistic expectations for our work, so I am excited to try this approach. I also think it will be good to see what comes naturally without any external influences.

2. Just PLAY

I think this is an excellent idea for me because I have never been one who sketches much. I expect so much of myself right off the bat, and often tend to go right into the full painting. In order to focus on the art of play, I am going to avoid creating full paintings and instead experiment with different techniques to see the things that I like.

3. Focus on color

As a Graphic Designer by day, I often have to use online tools such as Adobe Color and Coolers which are awesome tools for creating color palettes, especially when you are stuck or need some inspiration. I think it would be nice to incorporate this practice into my process of painting illustrations, in order to provide myself some stability. It may also help me discover some new color combinations I never thought I would love in my paintings. Starting with a minimal palette first (such as a monochromatic or analogous color scheme) might be helpful since it forces you to focus on the subject and may be less overwhelming – I think once some techniques are down, that would be a good opportunity to introduce more colors.

4. Writing

I’ve already kind of started doing this since I’m writing this journal entry, but I think writing in a personal hand written art diary or typing up a blog like this can be really therapeutic and provide some answers along the way. I like to think of journaling as a form of meditation. Whether it’s for yourself or to share with others, I think writing can be a great tool to finding some progress.

5. Experiment with patterns

I think playing with patterns could be a great way to discover new styles I like in my work. Creating patterns will force me to focus on color schemes and other elements such as line-work and texture, without paying too much attention to subject matter.

Hoping that shifting my focus on these new strategies will put me on a better track to where I want to be. If you have been going through anything similar and have other routines that you practice, I would love to hear!