When your art practice begins to slip away from you, it’s easy to feel uninspired and unmotivated. Maybe you feel blocked, or maybe life just got in the way, or it doesn’t bring you joy anymore. How do you know if its time to pause, adapt or quit?
It’s a great time to be an artist
It’s never been easier to be an artist, and be seen. Art supplies are readily available. Courses and tutorials are easy to come by and not just for the wealthy or elite. The internet and a wealth of free platforms means anyone can draw, paint, sketch and share.
Anyone can have a go at making visual art, and probably should. Yet many of us are putting down our brushes and moving on. What stops us making art and how do you know if it’s time to quit?
The highs and lows of making art
Making art can give us a sense of satisfaction and flow that we don’t get anywhere else. Huge communities are built around creative practice and friendships are forged. We collect art supplies and online courses.
But its easy to get dismayed if you make art. Social media feeds the human need for comparison, not to mention the tension of follower numbers and engagement. We might feel it’s a bit pointless after hearing more devastating news from our streets or from around the world.
But we do and we love it, until we don’t.
This article will look at what might have changed for us, how we can figure out our next move and each section has some questions and journaling prompts if you find that helpful.
Journal prompts:
- What has been the greatest benefit to you when making your art?
- What feels hard about making your art right now?
Time, energy and capacity
To do anything at all we need resources. This might be physical or mental energy, time, emotional capacity or money. We also use physical tools, space and materials.
If there is a gap in those resources, tasks can become harder than we would like. Illness can floor us. Responsibilities from work or family can call us away. The rising cost of supplies adds pressure to our budgets.
Even with a creative mind, some obstacles are going to slow us down, cause us to change direction or stop us from doing what we want to.
Journal prompts:
- Do you have the resources you need to create the art you want to?
- What do you really need and what is nice to have?
- What excuses do you make for not making something?
Creativity and feeling blocked
Not all artists feel like creating all the time and some experience a creative block, a period of feeling stuck and uninspired. If you recognise your creative block, you can take steps to feel better and get creating again.
Creative block requires us to show up even if we don’t feel like it. But there are obstacles that cannot be resolved by pushing through. Depression, anxiety, grief and illness have a profound impact on our ability to do lots of things, including make art.
We should acknowledge the rewards of effort, but rest is not a luxury that we must earn, it is essential to our health. Taking care of your health is necessary, after that, understanding what is holding you back is helpful. This article on creative block looks at what might be might be going on for you, based on my own experiences.
Journal prompts:
- Describe things that have inspired your art in the past.
- What is inspiring you lately in your life? Is this related to your art or something different?
- When was the last time you tried something new? In your art? In your life?
Shiny new things
Are you chasing the latest shiny thing? Is some new idea, material or technique tempting you away from your project? This can be tricky. Artists are by nature curious and attracted to beautiful things so when a new shiny thing comes along it’s easy for us to follow it with wide eyes, hope and desire. It’s time to decide if the shiny thing is helpful or not.
Capacity and overwhelm
If you are already struggling with capacity, don’t go down the rabbit hole yet. Save it for later. Pop notes in a journal, sketchbook or Pinterest board but avoid overwhelming yourself. Give yourself some room.
Procrastination
Shiny new things can be beautiful procrastinations if you’re struggling to finish a project. Sometimes the shiny thing might seem like a more comfortable place to go if you’re in the messy middle with something but it’s worth it to keep going. Then go and play with the new shiny thing when you’re done. Let it be your motivation.
Boredom
If you are bored or stuck with your practice and looking for ways to reinvent yourself or your work, then go for it. Incorporate new ideas into what you already do and add new energy. It’s not quitting, you’re developing.
The magic solution
If the shiny thing is looking so good that it promises to solve all your problems, it’s probably too good to be true. Maybe not. But probably. You are really looking for an easier way through because things are hard right now. I get it. Maybe a new start is exactly what you need. But think carefully before you jump. Are you running away from something? Or towards something?
Journal prompts:
- Where are you feeling stuck right now?
- Describe the last shiny thing that got your attention. What inspired you and why?
- Write about a time when a new shiny thing became significant or went nowhere, what happened?
Desire and motivation
When the desire to create is gone, something else is going on. This might be temporary or maybe the flame has gone out and it’s time to move on.
Journaling is not for everyone but it’s really worth finding out what’s at the bottom of this. Try answering the questions below. This article on discovering your core creative values might be useful too.
Get back to basics and remember why you started in the first place. If these things don’t apply anymore, explore what other reasons you might have to continue. You might want to consider what you have to gain by stopping too.
Journal prompts:
- Why does making art matter to you?
- What would you miss or gain if you stopped?
Obstacles and responsibilities
If the obstacles you face can’t be moved or shifted, sometimes we have to accept that its time to take a break. Family commitments or poor health will affect your capacity. Acknowledge it and focus on what you can do, even if its not art.
If the obstacles could be moved but you are not motivated to do that, then you have a different issue. Inspiration is fickle, it comes and goes but motivation has to be steady and reliable. It’s helpful to have a way to be motivated through the tough times and usually this comes in the form of your why. Money is generally not a good motivator. Meaning and purpose are stronger.
If your why is missing or has changed then reevaluate your plan.
Journal prompts:
- List the obstacles you are facing to making your art.
- Identify the things you cannot change.
- List the things that you have control over and do/don’t want to change.
Should you quit your art?
You’ve looked at your resources, you’ve considered if the obstacles can be shifted. You’ve maybe reflected on your physical and mental health and your personal capacity.
If the obstacles are immovable or you don’t have the capacity or the desire to move them, be kind to yourself.
When your health needs your attention and art needs to be put on hold for a while, step back or change your practice to something more suitable.
If you are blocked and lacking inspiration, in this case it’s a good plan to just show up. Keep going. Austin Kleon has a great little book called this, it’s worth a look if you’re stuck.
When you lack motivation, focus on your why and your creative values. Know why it matters to you, or if it doesn’t matter to you anymore. If it’s the latter, maybe it’s time to let yourself off the hook.
Permission to pause, change or quit
Humans like to feel safe and often that means stability and sameness. You might need to give yourself permission to change, to step back or yes, even to quit. This can be the hardest thing to do. Change is inevitable and if we haven’t chosen the change, in my experience, it’s even harder.
Most of all, know that it’s ok to end something, you haven’t failed, you tried something new, you learned something. Just because you took up painting or drawing doesn’t mean you have to do it forever. Go and take care of your family or focus on your job or your health or try crochet or poetry instead. It’s ok to be and do something else.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
