Creative Block!

[UNKN0WN_D3M0N]

In the past year, I've moved three times, someone very close to me passed away, and my fiancee of 7 year left me and is already dating someone else a week after the break up. In short, I'm stressed. Art has always been my outlet, but lately when I try to draw, I can't think of anything anymore. Normally, I can just draw without thinking to much of it, but now I'm just blank and when I force it, I end up disappointed in my work. I no longer have motivation in my ceramics, and I haven't painted in what feels like months. I try writing poetry to mix it up but its all depressing as hell. Its making me more and more frustrated with myself.

Has anyone else been in this kinda slump? And what do you to pull yourself out of the funk?  

[Amandelie]

I'm sorry for your loss, best wishes for your health and happiness.

In tough times..I don't know..it's always a lot of ups and downs, it's never easy. While I have not dealt with a break up like that...I don't even want to imagine it...the loss of loved ones is always hard, whether they are gone or just moving in a different direction.

You just try to find something to distract you..or just push through it.

Nowadays I seem to drift in and out, I think lately I've been doing good, but when I reflect on it like now, it's really tough. When someone says something casually it hits me hard.

I took up crocheting again, I'm learning to sew...you said you enjoy ceramics? Maybe other hands on crafts would help you. Make a Pinterest and find new ideas if you haven't already. Plan something and envision how it will look when it's done. You don't have to do it, just think about it..maybe you will get the urge to do it. If not, that's ok I suppose. It's never easy, I haven't painted regularly for quite some time, I picked up my tablet for the first time this year only days ago.

I hope that you will find inspiration or will to do something, if not it is always simple as looking at what others have done and maybe that will encourage you to continue with your art some time.

Simple doodles also help. Draw some boxes or print them even and say that all you have to do is make something inside that small box, it should be easy.  

[III_of_Wands]

Start small? I bring a notebook with me when my family goes fishing; I'm a glorified accessory( haul stuff, talk fishing, just sit there all pretty like, etc.)

I get an idea, I write it down. If I like it later, I attempt it. I can take pictures with my phone; Last picture was a surf/sailing guy and today I came up with a zombie infested world using it. I'd support doodling as well; or even starting your own challenge like 'dictionary dice roll'; draw what results from your last roll'. It'd be tedious at first, but you might come to like it.  

[UNKN0WN_D3M0N]

III_of_Wands

Start small? I bring a notebook with me when my family goes fishing; I'm a glorified accessory( haul stuff, talk fishing, just sit there all pretty like, etc.)

I get an idea, I write it down. If I like it later, I attempt it. I can take pictures with my phone; Last picture was a surf/sailing guy and today I came up with a zombie infested world using it. I'd support doodling as well; or even starting your own challenge like 'dictionary dice roll'; draw what results from your last roll'. It'd be tedious at first, but you might come to like it.

I've never heard of "dictionary dice roll". Mind elaborating a bit for me?  

[III_of_Wands]

Pick up a dictionary, pick a letter, roll a die? *Letter A, rolled a 12, draw something using the 12th word* I've seen a few varieties but the only one that comes to mind would be on deviantart. You combine three words (Africa, furry, Chicago, for example) but I don't know the link.

Depending on your method, and if you have a dictionary/thesaurus (I primarily use paper and pencil. No need for online methods if I can help it.), you might find it useful. Alternatively, if the 100 artist challenge was ideal, you could look up writing challenges. There's a word list(one word per chapter.), and writers have to use it in some fashion, but you could draw something inspired by the word.