Unlocking Painter’s Block
H-Dart.com Stephanie Huye/Alaine DiBenedetto
Most artists experience the dreaded seize up of the flow, times when the zone simply vanishes and creative juices have all evaporated. What the hell do you do when it happens to you? The best way to deal with the frustration and angst is to find the root cause, then go into attack mode and blow those fuckin’ blocks up! One of the following issues might be keeping your oil paint unopened and your canvas blank:
Trauma: Has something triggered you to the point you can’t find your footing? Has a major stressor like death, divorce, illness, or tragedy entered the scene? Are you overwhelmed or emotionally distraught?
Change in Circumstances: Dealing with geographical relocation, loss of a job, having children or stepchildren, health issues? Something that makes it difficult to “find” time to create?
Fear: What is making you fearful? Is it your painting environment? A situational fear? Fear of failure or fear of success?
Finances: Has your budget taken a hit making it hard to justify art supply purchases?
Inner Demons: So many issues fall here. A nasty inner critic? Perfectionism? Self-deprivation due to feeling a lack of control in some area? The voice of a former professor tearing you down?
Start by acknowledging you’re blocked and that it’s time to get back to your art. A reasonable break is okay, but when you get the feeling that you’ve forgotten basic techniques (“I don’t know if I can draw anymore!”) then you have to start searching for keys to unlock your creativity. Try something radical—Use your non-dominant hand, work with your eyes closed or lying down or standing up. Dig back through old sketchbooks and repurpose a piece that catches your eye. Use an unfamiliar surface: newspapers, cardboard, photos, junk wallpaper, digital art, or even paper plates.
When Huye hits a block, “I keep my other routines as normal as possible, especially my workouts and daily walking mileage. Both release stress and let me know I’m meeting my goals in another important part of my life. Also, getting outdoors clears the mind and often something spectacular pops into view that I will photograph and paint later!”
Something else to try is good old delayed gratification. If I do two sketches today, I can take a nap, eat sushi, Netflix binge, or whatever motivates you. However, if you DON’T reach your goal, you have to be strong enough to pass on the reward. Along those lines, start by sharing your goal with another artist or painting partner. This will keep you accountable and on the right path. Also, if you work outdoors or in a studio, change to an indoor location (or vice versa). This might free your mind from subconscious things holding you back. If you’re able, maybe a short out of town trip will supply some inspiration.
“I forced myself out of the yoga pants and back into my paint clothes, even if it was just to smoke a cigar and drink coffee. This was my first step to unblocking—to once again identified myself as an artist.” DiBenedetto added, “Then I donated a commission to a cause I love. That meant a deadline and a commitment, which broke the the block.”
Stephanie finds visiting museums a way to unlock. “Art you admire often challenges you to see things in a different way, and it drives you to learn a new technique. You can also go through a book of work by artists you admire. This often sparks you back to life.”
A few more “keys” that might be helpful: tell your inner critic/old professor to STFU. Don’t sabotage yourself. You know you’re good and your art is spectacular, so don’t listen. And you DO have time and/or money for your art—stop making excuses because the old cliche’ is true: where there’s a will, there IS a way. Try unusual tools—sticks, rocks, or a whole new medium (clay, ink, 3-D items, crayons, food color). Give yourself permission to try anything at all, and watch your creativity explode! Just don’t wait too long to find your “keys”. Get back in the groove and sketch! Paint! Sculpt! Do whatever it is that sets your artist’s soul free.
