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Posted by Kitsu on 01-06-2016 at 13:07:

Need some help

For about two months now, I've had this horrible art block. I haven't had any real ideas and, even if I have something close to an idea, I'm unable to draw it. I've also been unable to write the past few weeks and have written myself into corners that I can't get out of. This is really putting me in a bad funk that I need to get out of ASAP.

This is where the help part comes in... If anyone has any advice or ideas, I'd greatly appreciate it. Or if you have any random things to say. I may find some inspiration in it.

I'm really pretty desperate... Smash

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Posted by KT1972 on 01-06-2016 at 13:44:

Ah, this is something that happens to us all from time to time - I'm going through the same thing at the moment with my Bradbury's Jar story.

My advice is to forget about it, and find something else that needs your attention. I'm often surprised how my muse will suddenly come up with ideas when I'm in the middle of doing something mundane.

Another thing is to keep a notebook and pen/pencil close by so when inspiration does strike, you can make notes/do a quick sketch before you have time to forget.

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Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope. - HELEN KELLER

Posted by ChrisW on 01-06-2016 at 20:09:

KT's advice is good. Sometimes the best thing to do is do other things! Going for a walk is often recommended. Or going into nature.

I'm really enjoying playing with this site in class mode:

http://artists.pixelovely.com

The class mode basically shows you images for very short periods of time and then longer and longer, so you'll start with "gesture" drawings where you try to capture the essence of what you're seeing and then expand to more and more detail. I find it takes a lot of the "I dunno what to do" out of the equation, and sometimes it inspires me to want to try specific other things afterwards.

Another thing to do is to look for art/drawing/writing challenges. There's a number of challenge threads on this site, for example, where art or writing could be the result. And there's lots all over the Internet. The Bradbury's Jar threads here are all about giving you a word or phrase to use however you want (art or writing). Some people try to write long stories using the prompts for each scene and others like to write little one-off things. There's no 1 or right way to do it! And there's no such thing as being late. Smile

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Posted by ElectricWhite on 01-06-2016 at 21:00:

Sometimes reading something that isn't related to what you're working on might help. Or watching something extremely stupid on TV will get the muses up and running. (You'd be shocked what I've come up with after watching a "Finding Bigfoot" marathon!)

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“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." --Ray Bradbury

Posted by Becky Rock on 02-06-2016 at 01:29:

I currently have 6 books that I'm writing. I jump back and forth if I get stuck. I also have at least 20 or more fanfics I've been working on.

If jumping round to different fics doesn't work, I'll read something unrelated. Or watch some funny videos.

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Posted by Springie on 02-06-2016 at 02:35:

Chris already said it- but I agree, the Bradbury's Jar threads could be very inspiring! Really- going through any threads around here could inspire you. Feel free to add to any old threads you are interested in!

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Posted by Kitsu on 02-06-2016 at 12:54:

Thanks, guys! These ideas are great! peace

And thanks, Chris, I'll check out that site, it sounds really interesting! I have a feeling that may be a good thing to bookmark for when I'm in a slump. Wink

I think being on here and talking to all of you has helped also. Yesterday my writing block lifted a bit, so it's at least something. And I'm going to check out the challenge threads. That may be just the thing to get me all the way out of my slump.

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Posted by mylari on 02-06-2016 at 15:07:

Hi Kitsu,

There have been some great ideas tossed around so far. I've found there are two things that work best for me (for writing at least). First, since I play in 3 different fandoms, I switch to one of the others - sometimes those characters are feeling chattier and that gets things moving again. The other is to just put myself into the mindset of a specific character while I am doing my everyday things - like if I'm at work and updating a spreadsheet, I might think about how Ken feels having to do paperwork, or what kind of forms Joe might get asked/forced to fill out and the things he might write in them. Sometimes it just puts an image in my head that turns into a story. I have a fic in one of my other fandoms that started because I just had a picture of 2 of the characters glaring at each other in my head and I needed to figure out why. I started writing out a description of their face off and the rest just fell into place as I though about what one might have done to set the other off.

I'm in a drawing slump of sorts of my own right now, but it's mostly a lack of time and then a lack of energy/putting too much pressure on myself when I do have time.

Good luck getting the juices flowing again!

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Find me on the web at Mylari's Anime Website

Posted by Kitsu on 03-06-2016 at 16:23:

Thanks, mylari, those are some great ideas! I really like the idea of thinking how my characters would feel if they were doing the tasks I'm doing at the time. That would bring some interesting scenarios to mind!
Sometimes I read back on what I already have in the comic I'm working on and it helps me get to a point where I can continue. I do that in my writing, too. But when it comes to just plain drawings... Well, I come up empty. But I have a feeling that, with all these great ideas, I should be drawing again in no time!

And just because it came up and I love sailboats... boat hahaha!

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Posted by KT1972 on 03-06-2016 at 22:22:

And thank you, Kitsu for posting this thread, because by taking my own, and some of the others, advice I've finally got over my own block! Smile

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Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope. - HELEN KELLER

Posted by ElectricWhite on 03-06-2016 at 23:06:

Hooray, KT! woohoo

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“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." --Ray Bradbury

Posted by Kitsu on 04-06-2016 at 11:00:

That's awesome KT! Glad this helped you, too! Animeflower

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Posted by msannomalley on 04-06-2016 at 16:56:

I'm kind of lucky in that when I go through blocks, I have school to distract me (I'm going for my bachelor's degree in psychology). By the time the semester is over, I find that I want to write anything other than research papers. Smile

Lately, I've been taking pictures. I have a really good camera on my cell phone and I've been playing around with that. I would love to get a proper DSLR camera some day, but until then, I am using what I have.

Here's a picture of one of the flowers on my balcony.

https://goo.gl/photos/2j9nDW5rbsXAnFum8

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Posted by Springie on 04-06-2016 at 17:40:

Beautiful, msann!

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There is no problem that cannot be solved with time, patience, and a judicious amount of high explosives.

Posted by ChrisW on 04-06-2016 at 20:49:

Lovely pic Msann. Smile

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Posted by Kitsu on 06-06-2016 at 12:34:

Beautiful, Msann! What kind of flower is that?

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Posted by Kitsu on 21-06-2016 at 00:25:

My art block is still ongoing (I'm sorry to say) so if anyone has funny stories or anything you think may spark something, fire away. I'd really appreciate it.

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Posted by ChrisW on 21-06-2016 at 00:44:

How about some prompts?

An Eagle and a Condor walk into a bar
What's that smell?
Swans just wanna have fun
Do owls molt?
Swallows play chicken

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Posted by Kitsu on 23-06-2016 at 16:41:

Oooh, those are good prompts! Thanks Chris! Smile

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Posted by ChrisW on 23-06-2016 at 19:53:

I get a lot of weird ideas from shows like "Untold stories of the ER" and "Sex sent me to the ER" too. Smile

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