Creative Funk

Anyone else ever fall into a really odd place where you can't seen to do anything creative? It's not that I've got a lack of ideas, it's the actual PROCESS of doing...dang near anything creative.

I know what I want/need to do but then in sitting down to do it...it's like hitting a brick wall.

Anyone else ever get this?

Todd

I feel your pain. I've been suffering from that for the last 6 months or so. The ideas kept coming, I just couldn't sit down and get them out on paper.

I tried forcing it, but it didn't produce anything good. So I took a break for a while. Focused on reading, went through my old comics, etc. I eventually started getting the itch again, and was able to get back into it.


TL

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Anyone else ever fall into a really odd place where you can't seen to do anything creative? It's not that I've got a lack of ideas, it's the actual PROCESS of doing...dang near anything creative.

I know what I want/need to do but then in sitting down to do it...it's like hitting a brick wall.

Anyone else ever get this?

Todd

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All the time.

You should do what I do and make a lego image of my main, Light-speed!

Seriously, I have a list of about 14 renders to do, and I look at the list every day and just kind of sigh to myself because the volume of work is intimidating. Sometimes I think I take on too much. In fact, when I'm working from dawn til midnight every single day... and I look out the window and see my kids enjoying the last days of Summer... and I'm not out there with them - yeah, I work too much.

I need sun.

I run into this often, mostly when I'm doing the coloring part of pieces. And it happens when I have really good ideas; just never gets down on paper.

In literature it's called "writer's block". Never heard the term for the artist equivolent, but it's essentially the same thing. I'd imagine the solution would/should basically the same; routine.

In psychology, they call it behavior modification. Kind of like setting up a bedtime routine for children and insomniacs. It's a series of steps/habits you follow everytime you plan to do something. Over time, the physical behavior will condition your brain pre-pare for the activity you're attempting "to modify."

Try to always work at the same time and at the same location. Even if you don't have an actual project to work on, still dedicate the "time slot." Other activities can be as simple as sharpening your pencils, inventoring you equipment. Maybe start out by drawing somethig simple every single time, (like say Mickey Mouse). Include activities not necessarily related to the work at hand, like brushing your hair, or brewing tea. The actual activity is irrelevent. What matters is consistency. Do it the same every single time. Eventually, you brain will be gradually stimulated into thinking "IT's CREATIVITY TIME"

I forgot to add, when all else fails, remember the old riddle:

How do you eat an elephant?

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I need sun.

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Meh. Sun is overrated. We never get it here and Wisconsin and we do just fine.

What you need to do is put your kids to work rendering for you. Family business! They apparently have a lot of free time, and you're never too young to learn a trade!

That's why my one year old does all our laundry.


TL

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All the time.

You should do what I do and make a lego image of my main, Light-speed!

Seriously, I have a list of about 14 renders to do, and I look at the list every day and just kind of sigh to myself because the volume of work is intimidating. Sometimes I think I take on too much. In fact, when I'm working from dawn til midnight every single day... and I look out the window and see my kids enjoying the last days of Summer... and I'm not out there with them - yeah, I work too much.

I need sun.

[/ QUOTE ]

My friend we are in the same boat...lol!

Constantly.

Worse, I tend to go from 'lack of creativity' to 'general lethargy' and back, before I finally hit a creative spike and just roll out with the drive to once again indulge in my creative vices (writing, mostly).

Hope things clear up, though! Maybe a short reprieve (holiday, vacation, etc.) wouldn't be far out of call? >.> Sometimes, just getting away from the medium for a day or two can do wonders.

EDIT: Amusingly, I'm getting away from a number of writing projects I have lined up... by... posting on an internet forum. I suck at this 'stop writing' thing!

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I forgot to add, when all else fails, remember the old riddle:

How do you eat an elephant?

[/ QUOTE ]

You unhinge your jaw and swallow that [censored] whole.

I get this from time to time while writing my stories and bios and all for my characters. I'll have a general idea of what I want to write, like an outline of ideas, but sometimes the detailed explanations that sound correct I won't be able to think of. Other times the ideas will flow freely.
I know that my own self-pressure to just get them done to help out current commissions doesn't help. That just makes me feel more rushed and more prone to come up with something and it ends up feel more forced and not quite how I want to be if I didn't feel so much on a deadline.
The only solution that works consistently is to work on something I know I've got something that I can get some writing on, and then then go back to whatever was blocking me later, in the hope that some ideas will have come to me by then. It happens sometimes that way. Work on one thing and whether you're struggling with that or not, sometimes an idea with light bulb for something completely different. Other times, just brainstorming and trying to take the idea and play with it works, sort of half forcing yourself to get creative. When this fails the only route to go is to take break and focus your thoughts somewhere else, as sometimes that usual solution while doing something else thing will pop into play.
This works for me in writing anyway, hopefully this could work in similar ways for drawings? heh

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I forgot to add, when all else fails, remember the old riddle:

How do you eat an elephant?

[/ QUOTE ]

You unhinge your jaw and swallow that [censored] whole.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not the generally accepted answer but if your could video tape your attempts at such a solution you could obliterate all previous YouTube DL records.

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I forgot to add, when all else fails, remember the old riddle:

How do you eat an elephant?

[/ QUOTE ]



You unhinge your jaw and swallow that [censored] whole.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not the generally accepted answer but if your could video tape your attempts at such a solution you could obliterate all previous YouTube DL records.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wonder if they taste like chicken?

As far as creative funks go. All the time. For me, it really stems from wanting to do more than my skillset is capable of.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I forgot to add, when all else fails, remember the old riddle:

How do you eat an elephant?

[/ QUOTE ]

You unhinge your jaw and swallow that [censored] whole.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong. That's how the elephant eats you.

I just wait. It comes eventually. In a creative spike now, so ha ha ha!

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You should do what I do and make a lego image of my main, Light-speed!

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LOL thanks....add one more thing to the list

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Interesting advice Des. I'll ponder it for a bit.

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In a creative spike now, so ha ha ha! :P

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You're evil.

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Thanks for all the great replies and advice folks. I'll take them to heart.

For tonight, it looks like break time. Time to take our 5 year old to his first movie tonight "Clone Wars".

That should definitely provide a new and unexpected experience

Watch a movie, and have lots of buttered popcorn and soda.

If you're not more creative afterward, you'll at least be more content.

I second the movie, also the buying of comics, or just going to a really good store gets the creative juices flowing... or a decent book store.

I had this problem recently when my wife had knee surgery, I just shut down all things creative to take care and focus on her. And while that helped her, I found myself meandering every time I sat down to even try to draw... or play COH, in fact the odd thing of playing WoW inspired me again to draw, because I found I was a little burnt out on the hero subject matter.

Now I find if I supplement my brain with images of Fantasy, my first love, then I can put some of that into the hero work. It's hard to keep your rhythm when so many things get in the way. I hate being sick, or laid out physically and even that throws you off, cause you want to be creative, it's just you can't focus through the stress.

I find getting up early and the big breakfast thing to be a big help too... and to have something to reward you at the end of a work day, like a cool DVD, some COH/WoW/AoC game time, and let's not forget the ever faithful glancing at porn! Okay well at least some very attractive wimmens so you can use them for inspiration in your next commission.

"Honey I need to look at those nekid girls for RESEARCH!"
"Uh huh"
"Seriously, you are STIFLING my creativity!"
"Uh huh"
"I don't bother you when you try to work, this is my process, I need boobies!"
"Uh huh"
"Would you believe Alex sent me that as a joke?"
"Uh huh"
"No really honey, he's sick, he wants me draw nekid women with blue skin and huge hamhock thighs!"
"Uh huh..."

LJ

LOL. Ok, I definately have to try that

...for research of course.

That must be why my wife has all those websites bookmarked...

Huh...I didn't know she was an artist.....


TL

...I wonder if I can use this same excuse for writing.

Hmm.

EDIT: On second thought, that may just prompt my SO to ask my just what kind of stuff I'm writing that requires that kind of research. >_>

use the excuse that yer browsing various pron sites to make sure you're not using a trademarked name.

*waits and pauses* What? It happened to me.. could happen to other people.. ok maybe not.

Nothing beats being able to write things like Playboys off as legitimate work research.

Oddly, my husband doesn't have problems with my looking at scantily clad females.

Music is what does it for me. Even if I don't feel like listening to something, I know if I play certain albums it will work whether I had wanted to hear it or not.

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You should do what I do and make a lego image of my buddy,TA!

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Fixed that for ya Doug!

Hehehehe, nice one TA.

OMG how I now need a lobotomy to remove the past two hours of "Clone Wars" from my memory.

If you're between the ages of 5 and 10 then knock yourself out. However, if you're any older, have an IQ above 70, or are a Star Wars fan RUN AWAY as far and as fast as you can.

I rank it up there with the "Droids" animated TV show or the Christmas special.

Todd