Do you ever have those days that slowly turn into weeks without a drop of inspiration or willingness to create? I do. Sometimes I can go for 3 weeks at a time without any original ideas; a block that lingers only to ruin any creative streak that I ever had, to wipe the slate clean of any motivation before shoving current commissions under my bed as my imagination hibernates. I hate those kind of days (weeks, months, so on).
However, long creative dry-spells often lead me into huge flashes of motivation to draw with ideas flowing from all kinds of places. Recently I rediscovered an old book that I made when I was around seven years old about a teddy I used to have. The book was based on him and his 'adventures': strawberry picking, moving house, pie baking, visiting friends and having everything in his house stolen.
However, long creative dry-spells often lead me into huge flashes of motivation to draw with ideas flowing from all kinds of places. Recently I rediscovered an old book that I made when I was around seven years old about a teddy I used to have. The book was based on him and his 'adventures': strawberry picking, moving house, pie baking, visiting friends and having everything in his house stolen.
It's little finds like these that pull me out of a slump and wake me up to the reasons I want to be an artist. For the life of me I can't remember who or what made me want to write or illustrate those stories, but I know that if I could go back and tell my younger self where I am now (studying for a degree in illustration, published and being paid for artwork) she'd be over the moon. I know that there's still a very, very long road ahead of me and that I'm only a fraction of the way in what I know, to what there's left to learn but if I keep practicing and pushing through the creative blocks, everything I have worked for will reward me.
According to the 10,000 hour concept, it takes approximately 10,000 hours to be the best you can be at something. By the time you are 18 you will have lived for 157,785 hours, by the time you're 36 you will have lived for 315,569 hours and so on. If this concept is true and I have been practicing for less than a tenth of my life then full potential hasn't been reached and there are countless hours left for me to make the most of. This is another thing that inspires me and motivates me. Not to be better than everyone else, although it would be a bonus, but to be better than the person/artist I was yesterday- this goes for any profession.
"The elite don’t just work harder than everybody else. At some point the elites fall in love with practice to the point where they want to do little else. The elites are in love with what they do, and at some point it no longer feels like work."
So there is a good and a bad side to mental blocks, don't feel bad if you can't create or get motivated. You might find your work is better after your mind has had a break, time to process new things before it hits you and you make/write/draw something that you're proud of. Take the free time you have to look at other artists, cultures, writers and everything around you and you might find yourself planting ideas in your head ready to grow and flourish.
On a similar note, I recently went to see Slash perform at the Leeds First Direct Arena. It was a treat to my boyfriend for his 20th and we got right to the front! We travelled so much (him more than me) but it was so worth it. Crazy gig and a shower of confetti to end it. This week has been a huge contrast though as I've began to work on another project, been on a couple of quiet walks, for meals etc. All of these trips and experiences though some bigger than others have got me inspired (photos below.) What gets you inspired? Do you get creative blocks too?
According to the 10,000 hour concept, it takes approximately 10,000 hours to be the best you can be at something. By the time you are 18 you will have lived for 157,785 hours, by the time you're 36 you will have lived for 315,569 hours and so on. If this concept is true and I have been practicing for less than a tenth of my life then full potential hasn't been reached and there are countless hours left for me to make the most of. This is another thing that inspires me and motivates me. Not to be better than everyone else, although it would be a bonus, but to be better than the person/artist I was yesterday- this goes for any profession.
"The elite don’t just work harder than everybody else. At some point the elites fall in love with practice to the point where they want to do little else. The elites are in love with what they do, and at some point it no longer feels like work."
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| 'Alchemy' papercut |
On a similar note, I recently went to see Slash perform at the Leeds First Direct Arena. It was a treat to my boyfriend for his 20th and we got right to the front! We travelled so much (him more than me) but it was so worth it. Crazy gig and a shower of confetti to end it. This week has been a huge contrast though as I've began to work on another project, been on a couple of quiet walks, for meals etc. All of these trips and experiences though some bigger than others have got me inspired (photos below.) What gets you inspired? Do you get creative blocks too?
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