How to Enjoy Making Art Again

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A blank sheet of paper. You struggle to lift your pencil off the ground, taunted by the endless, white void. But when you finally start drawing, the eraser takes over. That line isn’t straight enough, that circle is uneven, that eye is horrendous. Your paper wrinkles from the meticulous erasing and grows into a shapeless, disheveled mess. Why did you even try in the first place?

For me, this scenario occurs more often than I’d like. No matter the medium, it seems as if everything I try to create is irreversibly flawed. I spiral down into a hole of perfectionism and forget that art is meant to be enjoyed. Art, at its core, is a form of self-expression. Creating should be free spirited, not constricted by your inner critic. Here are four tips that can help you enjoy making art again.

1. REMEMBER YOUR WHY

Think back on why you create art in the first place. Has it been a love since childhood? Is it to improve your technical skills? Is it simply a hobby to pass the time? You can write down your answer in a journal, and look back at it whenever you need some reassurance. If you can’t remember your “why”, that’s okay too. Ruminate on how art makes you feel, and appreciate that it’s there whenever you need. This can help you re-center on your artistic journey, while remembering how far you’ve come.

2. EXPERIMENT WITH A NEW MEDIUM

Sometimes it helps to shake things up. If there’s a main medium you work with, take a pause and try something new. If you primarily watercolor, try ink drawing. If you like graphite, try sculpting instead. You might surprise yourself from the enjoyment of a fresh start!

3. DRAW FROM LIFE

Drawing from life is, quite literally, drawing what you see. This is commonly done at cafes or public spaces, where rough sketches are created of candid environments. You can use people, items, or landscapes as your subject. These drawings don’t need to be polished, they just need to capture the atmosphere. Drawing the “real world” helps ground you in reality. When used as a visual journal, it becomes a way to capture special moments, held forever in the contents of your sketchbook.

4. REFRESH YOUR WORKSPACE

If you’re in an art slump, changing your environment can activate creativity in a new light. Your art is influenced by the surrounding environment, which guides your artistic flow. For example, a messy desk may cause unnecessary stress and negatively impact your artwork. So, try to create a workspace that feels comfortable and true to yourself. Clean your desk, use ambient lighting, light a candle, add a couple decorations, or even move to a new environment.

Also, remember to manage your inner critic. Not every sketch has to be perfect, so stop looking at your work with a judgmental eye. Practice makes improvement; everyone progresses at their own pace, follows their own path. Good luck!

Credit to @sakanazakana for cover art