The Dreaded ‘Art Block’
When creativity feels like pushing a boulder up a mountain
Pictured Above - A personal piece that you have probably seen before since I have started and stopped working on it more times than I can count in the span of a year. She remains on my ‘to do’ list, and I will return to her when I can.
First off, encountering creative blocks and resistance is normal. No one can create all day every day their entire life without hitting snags.
Second, that resistance is probably trying to tell you something, and if you stubbornly try to push past it or repeatedly throw yourself against that wall without taking a moment to assess your situation, you’re gonna have a bad time.
I am speaking from my own experience, of course.
Resistance will come in and out of your life, and it will have many forms. Sometimes it will present as more of a subconscious thing, like sabotaging yourself by spending too much time on social media and not nearly enough time creating. At the end of the day you have little to show for your time, and you feel mentally and emotionally drained. Other times, it might be a sure sign that something you are doing is not working for you and your approach should be re-examined. Or, perhaps you just aren’t prepared for that door to open yet. Maybe that door isn’t meant for you at all.
I’d like to help you learn from my past mistakes on this one. To be an artist, no matter your creative discipline, is to work with passion. We put heart and soul into everything we do, even the mundane stuff. It is hard to accept when your passion isn’t enough, let alone your tenacity, work ethic, and drive. I know for myself I will get hung up on ‘needing to get it done’, or ‘but it worked before!’, and I’ll forget that I’m also human and what I need most right now is a damn break.
Modern society associates productivity with worth.
Aside from the fact that I don’t feel humans should be valued based on how much they can produce in a day, (especially when they are expected to function at max productivity 100% of the time while receiving only minimal support and resources), you can’t measure creativity this way. Stamping out machined pieces in a factory is something you can quantify with productivity. Sorting orders, transcribing documents, adding up numbers, delivering prompt customer service emails, these are tangible things you can count at the end of the day and say “Yes, we’ve met our quota.”
Making art is different, and while you absolutely can count your paintings at the end of the day, creating quantity does not necessarily equate quality. You are not a robot. Everything you work on requires a certain amount of passion, finesse, ingenuity, etc.. Each piece costs a little portion of your heart and soul. While I definitely believe the place where our creativity comes from has the capacity to produce infinitely over time, I also know that energy expelled is energy that needs replenished.
Eventually, you’ll find yourself running on empty and your only option will be to allow yourself to rest so you can recharge.
Then, there are the days where it seems nothing is going right. Your computer is stuck on updates. Your printer randomly stops working half way through a project. You can’t find a specific paint even though you bought extra and now every art store is sold out of it. Every time you sit down to work, a new distraction pops up, and you’re just ready to scream and rage quit everything.
When it feels like you are trying to push a boulder up a mountain, this is usually a sign that it is time to pause what you are doing and take a step back. Instead of trying to break down your obstacles with force, look for another path around them.
At the very least, you might see something you can improve on for the future, like a more organized work space or remembering to update your computer on Friday evenings instead of Monday mornings.
It is exceedingly difficult to take a break when we have deadlines and the expectations of others breathing down our neck, but it is absolutely necessary. Typically, I’ve found that the more I struggle and fight with this type of situation, the bigger the pit I dig for myself. It is OK to ask for help. Can the deadline be extended? Do I really need to finish this project right now? Can I ask a friend to help me out with this, or can I hire some short term help? It might seem impossible, especially if you consider yourself a small fry and money is tight. But you also won’t know what is possible unless you ask.
The most important lesson I have learned from working on contract and commission work is the power of communication. Deadlines especially are most flexible when all parties are informed.
And if you ever feel taken advantage of or generally abused by a client, for the love of all that is good in the world, do not work with them again.
Last, is probably the hardest block to contend with. You just aren’t ready for the next step, or the path you’ve chosen simply isn’t meant for you. Not only does this require us to confront our ego and accept the soul crushing disappointment that follows, it can mean starting over from scratch.
When you have put all your time, energy, and love into a particular dream, it really sucks to watch it fall to pieces.
It is also necessary in order for you to grow.
In 2017 I finally realized I’d spent my entire creative career, (going all the way back to graduating high school in 2002!), focusing on something I did not enjoy, and even worse, I’d burned myself out in the process. It wasn’t the art, it was who I was creating the art for. Most commercial artists like myself, (i.e. artists for hire,) survive on commission and contract work. Many are content with this and it is a model they can prosper from. I discovered that it just wasn’t meant for me.
A combination of undercharging for my work and being in a desperate position financially meant that I was taking on too much. I found myself resenting projects instead of looking forward to them. I was so stressed out that the idea of returning to a mindless day job was starting to sound appealing, and that’s when I knew I was in trouble.
Pictured Above - Thumbnail work from Gatchaman Origins. I started writing the script for Origins toward the end of 2017 and have been working on the project on and off ever since. I’ve barely had a chance to touch it between 2020 and 2021. I haven’t given up! But I have had to take repeated breaks and constantly assess the way I am doing things. Funny enough, this fan project is responsible for pulling me out of my burnout and giving me the motivation to change how I approach my business.
Four years later and I still have backlogged commission work I am doing my best to slog through. I have recently started to dip my toes back into some contract art, but only a minimal amount, and only when it interests me. Future commission work from me will be exceedingly sparse and 100% dependent on how much I feel I will enjoy it. I say ‘no’ to projects far more than I say ‘yes’, and this will continue indefinitely. It does indeed come with a sacrifice.
The good news is, I was already headed in a new direction, I just didn’t know it.
My Etsy store, and the new shop that will be opening up here on The Realm of sAm shortly, are both based around art that I have already created. I am hopeful that I will be able to support myself entirely on existing art, which will in turn afford me the time to work on new art for myself. Then I can add those new pieces into my shop with fine art prints and merchandise for my fans and collectors, thus continuing the cycle.
And if that doesn’t work, I’ll reassess my situation and try something else.
A quick recap:
Creative resistance is normal and all creatives will deal with it at one point or another.
Your resistance is trying to tell you something. Do you need a break? Is it time for a new approach? Do you even want the goal you are chasing, or are you pursuing someone else’s ideals?
It’s ok to ask for help! And it is important that you do. Hiding from a stressful project helps no one, but open communication benefits everyone.
If the person you are creating for has unreasonable expectations or is simply a pain to deal with, never work with them again. If that person is also you, it’s time to reassess your own expectations.
Sometimes what we think we want is not meant for us. If we can let go of it, then we can make room for something we didn’t realize we actually needed.
Just because it didn’t work out doesn’t make you a failure. It is ok to let go of dreams that are no longer making you happy.
The last thought I want to leave you with is that you don’t need to monetize your creativity in order to be a ‘true artist’. Whether you pursue art as a hobby or as a career makes no difference to your validity as a creative.
What matters is that you actively enjoy what you do, and that it brings meaning to your existence.
Anything else is just a bonus.
– sAm
