How to Draw: Fantasy

Info: Creative Block

(Aka: How to create when you don't feel like creating anymore)

Creative block sucks. 

I don't think there are better words to describe it than that. 

If you do any creative pursuit long enough, it's quite possible you'll run across it. In fact, I would say you will. Maybe not with as much intensity as some people, but because creativity is so personal, it's easy to wrap yourself up with it. 

It can feel like you'll never draw well again. It can feel like your artwork is worthless. It can feel like no matter what you do, you'll never be where you want to be or do what you want to do. It can be staring at a blank page for hours, drawing and quickly erasing line after line. It can be starting twenty drawings and finishing none of them, then beating yourself up because you haven't drawn 'enough'. It can be disinterest and feeling like none of your work inspires you the way it used to. It can feel like your work no longer represents who you are. It can feel like you've lost the sense of who you are. Who are you, without your creativity?

You. Are. Not. Alone. 

No matter if your block isn't nearly as bad as some of the things I've described, or if it's worse, edging on burnout. 

You are not alone. 

And it's okay to struggle. 

But, I also know that you're going to get through this. 

Note: Just so you know, all of this is going to be from my personal experience. Take it with a grain of salt, and try to be conscious that I have my own values and opinions. I may believe many different things from you. That's okay! I appreciate the diversity of the human spectrum, and I believe that no matter what, at the end of the day we're in this together. 

However, I've been in and out of the 'block' rodeo a couple times, and there are some valuable things I've learned from it along the way. 

I've realized that for myself, blocks usually come along when my mind is trying to tell me something and it's not getting through to me. If it's waited long enough, it just decides, "Alright. Clearly my efforts aren't working. Maybe if I stop this girl from creating stuff, she'll pay attention to me." 

And my brain is right!

So, ask yourself the question: What are you struggling with right now? It's okay to be real with yourself. Maybe you weren't even aware that something had gotten to you. Take a bit to think about it. You can comment here if you'd like to share a piece of yourself with the world; I think others will benefit from hearing your stories. 

~

One cause I've found for my block is my self-esteem/self consciousness. 

Most specifically, this causes block when I tie my self-worth to whatever work I create. Then, if my often highly-critical inner self decides my work isn't good enough, my self worth goes spiraling downward rapidly. I go from thinking that whatever art/story I'm working on has too many flaws, to thinking that I should just stop creating anyways, to wondering at big questions like meaning and purpose. It can be hard to reign it in, but it IS possible.  

The best antidote I've found to this is learning to cultivate self-love. It's a HARD process, and you may not get there right away, but if this is what you're struggling with know that it WILL get better. And once you decide to love yourself unconditionally... whoa. It makes a difference. Some days will always be hard, but you'll find yourself having more and more bright days. The funny thing is, when you love yourself, you put up with a lot less b.s. that your brain tries to convince you of. Granted, it can feel kinda silly to love the parts of you that are wild and weird. It can feel incredibly strange to love the parts of you that you didn't even realize existed. And it's even harder to love the parts of yourself that you don't think highly of. But I think it's worth it.