How to work through a creative rut as an artist- 5 tips
In my lifetime of creating art and my 5 year of business I have become good friends with the “creative rut.” Those dry seasons as an artist when the creativity feels harder to come by or your ideas just feel not in alignment with some part of yourself. When I feel like I’m creatively stuck I found these 5 tips helpful to get the juices flowing and find new inspiration.
First have some grace for yourself, over the years I’ve learned that when I start to feel unsatisfied with my artwork or when the creative inspiration feels harder and harder to find… it’s often a sign that I’m in a season of growth, personal and with my work because WHO you are as a person directly affects how your art flows from you. So I try and carve out some time for reflection and journaling. Some sort of outlet that helps clear my head and start to begin processing what is going on internally. I find meditation, yoga, walking in nature, free writing really helpful.
I think starting with looking inward and evaluating about what is going on is the perfect start to get out of a creative rut because you get space to reflect and see what is working for you in this season and what isn’t.
A few questions I like to ask myself are…
Am I trying to just repeat what has worked for me and my art in the past? Is this satisfying or draining?
What am I noticing in the world around me? What is sparking my interest?
What has my thought life been like? Are there things that are consuming me and taking from my creative energy?
Working with these prompts are often really enlightening to see where I’m at as an individual human. It’s the foundation to unpacking a why I feel stuck creatively.
Ok, now the good stuff, the pen to paper, paint to canvas kind of stuff
These five things have been really helpful to play with when I feel stuck on a painting or series of work. They help shake off the dust and stir up new moments of inspiration.
5 tips to get out of a creative rut:
get creative using a different medium
For example if I’m currently working with my paints, I’ll switch things up and play around with sketching with charcoal or watercolors to get my head and heart into more of a “play” state. This automatically takes the pressure off of the “work” and allows natural flow of your creativity.
change your surroundings
Have you been inside for an extended period of time, then switch it up and go for a quick walk or take a weekend hike, pick something that gets your body moving and takes your focus away from feeling “stuck” in your current work.
take pictures
I know this might seem like a weird one since it seems we’re always on our phones and we’re trying to get away from them. So if this is you grab a real physical camera or a disposable one (do they even sell those anymore??) Or if you’re still friends with your phone, grab it and go about your day like normal. But this time I want you to slow down a bit and start noticing. See what catches your eye and then snap a picture. Is it the colors of the houses on the block? The fresh spring buds, the way the elderly couple is holding hands? Whatever is jumping out at you, capture it (these pictures will give you insight into what is inspiring you!
create something everyday
Set a timer for a period of time and just create. This might seem overwhelming, but in reality it’s a small tool to begin practicing being creative. This tip is especially good if you feel like you haven’t been able to create in a while. It lets you shake things up without the pressure of it being perfect.
Look back at your artwork
If I’m feeling stuck on a particular painting I find it really helpful to look back at my past work. So often people start searching outward to find inspiration but as an artist this robs you of your own creative voice (a rant for another day). So take a peak at anything you’ve created in the past. Does anything jump out at you? Is it the composition, the colors, the textures, the way you feel when you look at it? Then see if you can incorporate elements of what is inspiring from your past art into what you are currently working on.
I hope these tips help you keep motivated and inspired.
Remember that feeling like this is a natural thing and will come up many more times in your creative journey. Having a few things to pull from with help you feel encouraged and empowered to keep exploring your own unique creativity.