A Sketch A Day Keeps Artist's Block Away

Me, Myself & Art

by Courtney Hatcher

The Importance of Sketching Everyday Part 2

Artist's Block is an obstacle that every artist faces at one point or another.

It doesn't matter what kind of art you make (painting, drawing, music, choreography, sculpture, poetry, etc).  All artists deal with it.  It is a problem.

It doesn't matter what phase of your career you are in or the frequency with which you create art.  Artist's Block is something that we all deal with.  It happens and it sucks but there are things we can do to help alleviate and lessen the occurrence of Artist's Block.

One of the most important tools an artist has at their disposal during bouts of Artist's Block is their sketchbook.

When you are feeling blocked taking a little time to sketch or doodle can be the most effective way to get back on track.

Artist's Block doesn't just happen when you are coming up with ideas, it can happen at any point throughout the creative process.  There are three points during my process that I notice I am plagued with Artist's Block more so than any other times.  Right smack in the middle of a project, during my conceptualization process, and before I've even decided to start the new project.

Sketching is one of the best techniques I've encountered to fight Artist's Block whenever it may strike.

Organic Shape Study 9 by C. G. Hatcher

Feeling Stuck in the Middle of a Project

Sometimes I get to a certain point in a project when I know I'm not finished but I can't quite put my finger on what is needed to complete the piece.  When this happens taking some space away from the project is just what I need.

Stepping away from the piece of art that has me creatively stumped allows me to clear my head and when I come back it will be with fresh eyes. 

Occasionally the act of just leaving the room and doing something else for a little while is all I need to be refreshed and feel ready to work again.

Simply stepping away doesn't always work though.

​There are times when I just get stuck.

Simple as that.

Whether the composition is off or I'm not feeling the theme come through in the colors or textures.  Something just isn't clicking.  I know if I keep working on it when I'm in this blocked mindset that I'll just make it worse.  And there's nothing I hate more than wasting paint by creating layers that I know I'm just going to hide later.

My paintings have a sense of looseness and improvisation to them.  

However, they are created with deliberation.

Every layer, color, stroke, shape, etc., is well thought out and intentional.  Sometimes I make happy mistakes but keeping them in the final piece is also a deliberate choice.

So when I get stuck at any point of the painting it can turn into a conceptual nightmare for me.  I get into my own head and over think it, which always leads to sad mistakes if I force myself to paint through the block.

There are a few things I do to pull myself out of the funk of Artist's Block.  

Honestly, my favorite thing to do when I'm feeling stuck is to go outside and take a walk around my neighborhood or in the park.

Unfortunately, living in Michigan that is not always an option.

When the weather is nice here it is breathtaking!  On the flip side the weather in Michigan spends a lot of time being super cold, rainy and gloomy.  When it's 40° and raining a walk isn't the best option.  I've had pneumonia enough times to know better!

At times like these (December through April!), when I can't go for a walk, the best way to find some new inspiration and to work through my Artist's Block is to sketch.

Sitting down somewhere quiet with my sketchbook and pencils always works.  It doesn't matter what I draw, or how long I spend doing it.  It always clears my head.

Walking and sketching do the same thing for me.  They clear my head, pushing all the millions of little things I have to do out of the way and let me live in the moment.

Organic Shape Study 2 by C. G. Hatcher

When you sketch you allow your brain to stay active while at the same time allowing your focus to wander and work through problems that you may have been carrying around.

Sketching is not always a "Eureka!" moment, but it never fails that when I go back to my painting after having spent some time sketching that I always see what I need to do to move forward with the artwork.

Blocked At Concept

Jolts of Artist's Block will hit me during my conceptualization process well before I ever even put paint onto the canvas!

Feeling blocked when I'm developing my theme is more common for me than getting stuck while I'm actually painting.

For my personal process and artistic style most of my work happens before I even set up my easel! 

​I spend a significant amount of time brainstorming and analyzing my theme before I begin painting.

With my art I express the depth of an individual's emotional journey while also reflecting a greater universal connection.  The micro sensation I am exploring can make demonstrating the larger connection more difficult.

Sometimes, when I get too tangled up in my theme, or I can't decide the best way to marry it to a composition or colors, I get completely stuck.

When this happens I have to go back to, or reconnect with, my initial inspiration, which is usually something simple.  For instance, the texture of bark on a particularly old tree I saw while on a walk in the park, the movement of a reflection beneath the surface of recently disturbed water, or even the person who cut me off in traffic experiencing instant karma by being immediately stopped at a red light.  These sorts of simple, often mundane, experiences almost always act as the starting point of my thought process.

From there I begin to analyze what it is about that simple experience or observation that reflects a heightened abstract emotion or sensation and how it relates to whatever I may be going through at the time.

To reconnect with these inspirations and begin to brainstorm new ways to go about expressing them visually I always rely on my sketchbook.

With all of these ideas flooding my brain the best thing I can do is dump them all onto paper.  I just start doodling. 

I let my mind sort of relax into the drawing, using whichever shapes, lines and colors that feel good in the moment. 

By doing this I am allowing my brain the break it needs to work through all of my self-imposed confusion.  I am also experimenting with my compositions without wasting my expensive painting materials.

Sometimes my concept comes together after sketching for only a few minutes.  Once I'm focused on the sketch the ideas just start to flow out of me.

Other times it might take working through multiple pages in my sketchbook before I'm pleased with my thought process.

Either way, utilizing sketching when I'm blocked always helps me work out my concept if I find myself experiencing Artist's Block.

Blocked Before I Begin

The last, and most frustrating, point in my process where I experience Artist's Block is before I even decide to begin a new project.

Sometimes I feel blocked before I have a new concept in mind.

As an artist there should be nothing more enjoyable than getting my supplies out and making art.

The ugly truth is, sometimes it feels hard to do that much.

There are times in my life, usually when I'm exhausted on some level or overwhelmed by stress, that making art seems like the hardest thing in the world.  Even though it's the one thing that would probably help alleviate the stress and exhaustion the most.

When this happens to me I start to feel extremely guilty and ashamed of myself.  I'm an artist.  What's wrong with me that I don't feel like making art?  Shouldn't it be easy and fun all the time?

The answer is no.

It's not always easy.  Sometimes showing up and being creative is hard.  In life we always want things to be simple and pleasant.  The reality is that some of the most rewarding things in life are difficult and take hard work to achieve.  Art is no different.

Organic Shape Study 1 by C. G. Hatcher

When I'm going through one of these periods where deciding to start is like moving a mountain I have to forcefully remind myself that there's nothing wrong with me. 

Sometimes other aspects of my life get in the way and make everything more difficult.  It doesn't mean I'm wrong, or a bad artist.  It's simply a signal from my body and my brain that I need to slow down and practice some self-care.

When we are feeling lazy, or stressed, or emotionally overwhelmed it's super important to remember to be kind to ourselves.  Speaking from experience, beating yourself up never helps.

I find when I'm in this situation that taking it slow is the only way forward.  It is important that I make the effort, but when I'm feeling this kind of total block throwing myself head first into a big project will not end well.

That is why sketching is so important.

When I can't find the energy or the inspiration to drag myself into the studio to start a painting I know I can grab my sketchbook, sit in a comfy chair, and draw for a little while.  The more I convince myself to sketch the more I let go of all the mental blocks that are holding me back from my bigger projects.

Sometimes beginning is the hardest part.  

Maintaining a habit of sketching will help jump-start you and lead you into the bigger projects. 

Just a Little Sketching Everyday...

Artist's Block can strike at any time.  

No matter which point of the creative process you are in when it hits sketching will help you get back on track.

Remember, be kind to yourself and accept that stress will take it's toll on your creativity.

Just know that a little bit of sketching everyday will help when you are feeling stuck.

As long as you have a surface to doodle on you will be able to beat the Block!

Don't Miss...

If you haven't read Part One of this series, me-myself-art-activate-your-creativity.html, check it out today!  In it I share how you can use sketching to activate you creativity!

©Courtney Hatcher All Rights Reserved.  The use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission from the artist is obtained.
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