Stuck in an Artistic Rut?

3 Tips to Get Unstuck

It happens to the best of us.

Have you ever been stuck in an artistic rut? I believe all artists have experienced it at one time or another. I certainly have. It’s that moment when you lose all motivation to create. You may have half-finished projects on your table, but lose all steam to finish them. It’s that moment when you look at your work and just think…blah.

In most cases, a short break away from your easel or drawing table might do the trick. This is an opportune time to go for a walk or a coffee break. Maybe you can run an important errand or two. You might even take the opportunity to go to the gym and burn off some steam. But what if that doesn’t work? What if you come back to it and would still rather pull your eyelashes out one at a time?

An artistic rut allowed to go unchecked can very likely attract the artistic reaper.

Left unchecked, you might go weeks or even months without creating. Not creating for an artist is like a slow, pitiful death. That creative fire just slowly dwindles until it dies down to a very small burning ember. So what do you do? Do you do nothing and essentially snuff the ember out? Or do you take matters into your own hands and stoke the flame until it burns brightly once more?

If this sounds hauntingly familiar, don’t worry! There are a few options for when you find yourself stuck in an artistic rut and they’re all relatively painless. No electroshock therapy. No super expensive remedies. And for the most part, you can do them from the comfort of your own home. Seriously. I promise.

So without further ado, my three favorite tips to getting unstuck…

1. Work on two to three projects at once. I do this frequently, even with commissions. If I allow myself enough time for each and my clients aren’t in a huge rush, I can use this option. This one really helps me out. Even if I’m gung-ho about my commissions in the beginning, it’s not unusual to burn out part way through. I just need a break, but I don’t want to stop drawing, so I’ll switch to one of the other projects. However, I won’t take on more than three at a time because then things start getting out of hand with my attention divided between too many things going on at once.
2. Feel free to experiment! Try experimenting with new supplies, new styles, new genres, etc. If you usually work in black and white, try your hand at color. If you usually use pencils, try using paint. Try mixing media. By trying new things, you’re stimulating that creative part of your brain to work in ways that it’s never had to before. This not only opens up new avenues for you, but also adds new toys to your artist’s toolbox!
3. Immerse yourself in other artists’ work. I love #3 because it always gets me unstuck and ready to blaze new trails. Go to galleries and museums of all sorts. Search YouTube channels for all types of artists. They often have how-to videos, live screen videos with Q&A chats, time lapse videos, and some even have video tours of their studios. I’ve even found “day in the life” type videos for some of my favorite artists. For me, the art doesn’t even have to be similar to my own. I am really interested in just about every type of art. My art is realistic animal portraits in pencil, but I can sit there and watch an oil painter doing landscapes or people portraits, or a comic book artist penciling panels, or a storyboard artist sketching out scenes for the next Pixar or Disney movie. I’ll even sit and watch transportation design and product design artists doing their thing. That creative energy is just contagious!

So the next time you feel stuck in an artistic rut, try these tips out. If you have a tip that I didn’t mention, comment and let me know what works for you. Sharing is caring after all!

Also, I’m open for topic suggestions. Just leave a note in the comments and I’ll certainly do my best to address it. And if you like what you’re reading, please subscribe!