by J.M.Lueders, BA, MFA
You can get inspiration from many places. If you feel desperately frustrated and in the middle of an artistic block, you might want to consider some of the following tips.
First, before you try any of these suggestions, try to take good care of yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually. If you are hungry, sleepy, depressed or overwhelmed; eat something healthy or take a nap or go for a walk, get sunshine and fresh air, or connect with God. It is hard to be receptive or creative when you do not feel well. So the first tip is to be kind to yourself and treat yourself well.
Second, make sure your environment is a place of inspiration. My little art studio is small, but it is full of things that inspire me. I have a comfortable chair, good lighting, excellent table, lots of pencils and materials, inspirational quotes and posted Bible verses, and a computer to play music and audiobooks while I work. Ask yourself, how can you change your external environment to make it cozy and comfortable.
Third, I keep a sketchbook beside my arm chair, in my bag, near my desk, and I even have a small pocket sized one when I take walks. You never know when you will get an idea. Have you invested in keeping and using a sketchbook often? It might be worth it to help when you get that stuck feeling.
Fourth, I keep a physical and digital folder with ideas and inspirational references. It is full of images torn out of magazines, bird feathers, favorite color wheel, photos of poses, notes to help me remember how to do various processes (from paper making to printmaking to how to marble paper). I also have notes from interviews with other artists. I even have old pieces of wall paper, full of texture and great color combinations.
Fifth, I like to keep a journal. When I pray and ask God to inspire me, He often will speak through images, dreams, the Bible, and sometimes will give me whole entire projects at once. I pray about these dreams and images to confirm His direction and inspiration. So, this tip would be to keep a journal, listen to God, and to be prayerful for the believing artist.
Lastly, if nothing seems to spark your creativity, than look around and see what you can be doing in the meantime. I know you might not want to hear this last suggestion, but maybe it is time to get away for the day. Go read a book or make a wonderful dinner for your sweetheart. Dare I suggest, doing a good spring cleaning of your art studio or maybe it is time to go do a kindness for someone else and get your mind off of yourself and your artistic block. I know there is a myth that all artist are suppose to eat, drink, sleep art 24 hours a day, but that is unrealistic. Taking a break is sometimes all that is needed to return with a fresh perspective.
I thank you for dropping by and reading my little blog. I hope it was informative for you. If you have a suggested topic please leave your suggestion below or just email me. Until next time, hope you have a blessed and creative day!
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