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10 Ways to Overcome Artist’s Block & Develop Your Style.
Pop the kettle on and grab a notebook. Here’s a list of 10 ways to overcome Artist’s Block and develop your signature style!
Finding a creative style to get you into that artistic flow can be challenging. With so many different processes, styles, media and tools out there it can be hard to find a starting point. That pause can build up our frustrations. We want to start, but that uncertainty of how to start gives rise to our inner imposter. That voice which tells us ‘Why start on anything, when you aren’t really an artist?’ ‘Why bother when someone else has probably already done the same subject matter?.’
The truth is that styles are not found, they are developed. What makes you unique as an artist, is YOU. You come to the blank page with your own set of unique experiences, history, culture, thoughts and ideas. Draw inspiration from the world around you, whilst expressing your own unique fabulous self.
So put the kettle on, grab a notepad to jot down ideas and enjoy these Top 10 tips on how to overcome a creative artist’s block.
If you find this list useful, we’d LOVE if you shared with us! We can be found on Facebook here, and on Instagram here..
Scroll Down For These 10 steps to overcome artist’s block:
Want to become more playful with your practice? - Experiment.
How to overcome artist block whilst developing your style - Conclusion
1: Remove The Pressure.
It’s okay to not feel creative all the time. 330 million of our cells renew over night, which means you physically not the same person you were yesterday, so give yourself a break. Allow yourself some self-care time to Netflix and chill, do some yoga, go for a walk, read a book, see a friend, or watch the world go by with a cuppa.
Rome was not built in a day and the greatest thinkers of our time have often had break throughs whilst giving themselves some time out. Albert Einstein famously wrote in ‘Seven Brief Lessons on Physics’ “You don’t get anywhere by not ‘wasting’ time.”
Decadent Young Woman After The Dance, Ramon Casas, 1899, oil painting, 46.5 x 56 cm, Courtesy Of: https://www.wikiart.org/en/ramon-casas/68bc12880c76d4e30657d96ffecbbeba-1899/
2: Research Artists.
Go to an Art Gallery, make a Pinterest Board, visit your local library or book shop.
Make a note of Artists work which catches your eye and why. What is it you like about their work? What style do they work in? What’s the subject matter? Are there any memories it reminds you of? Is there a theme which appeals to you?
Use these questions to start to unravel what it is you like from an art work, what it is you want to say and what it is you want to put out into the world.
Artists throughout history have been inspired by what other creatives have done before them. Pop Artist, Roy Lichtenstein famously drew inspiration from Vincent Van Gogh’s 1889 painting ‘Bedroom In Arles’, creating his own unique take on it in 1992 ‘Bedroom at Arles’. As long as you accredit those who came before, there’s nothing wrong with being inspired.
Bedroom At Arles, Roy Lichtenstein, 1992, oil and Magna on canvas, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedroom_at_Arles
3: What Makes You, You?
What is it that YOU are interested in? What ideas, theories, ideologies or philosophies are important to you? What hobbies do you enjoy doing? What are the symbols or imagery involved that you can draw inspiration from?
If you’re working with subject matter that you are passionate about you are more likely to want to create something around it.
Somerset based artist, Emma Dibben loves nature, from visiting the coast to growing her own fruit and veg in her allotment. After studying illustration, she started to create studies using her grown produce with Watercolour Paint. Emma has now made her career by illustrating everything from ‘The Waitrose Essential’ Range to Cook Books.
Emma Dibben, https://www.emmadibben.com/
4: Reference Images.
Start taking photos of objects, people (with their permission) or environments which inspire you. Capture a still life with objects which symbolise that thing or idea you’re interested in. Arrange a photoshoot with a model, or go to an event and request permission to take photographs.
You can play around with editing the images on your device or computer - change the colour, increase contrasts, brightness, or add filters until you come up with an image you want to work with.
Famous artists such as: Degas, Picasso, Gaugin, Lautrec, Cezanne, and Van Gogh have all used photographs as reference images for their work. Edgar Degas famously used images from Ballet Classes to create his beautiful paintings.
Edgar Degas, Blue Dancers, 1899, Courtesy of: https://www.wikiart.org/en/edgar-degas/blue-dancers
5: Experiment.
Play with creating work using your reference images in different styles and different media each time. Experiment by cropping into your work, or merging different images together.
Enjoy the freedom to experiment and play without having any expectation of what it will look like as a final piece. This time is for you to explore and enjoy the process.
Throughout history, artists have always kept sketchbooks to experiment with different ideas and create small studies which would later translate into their masterpieces, Frida Kahlo didn’t just write in her diary, she also drew in it, using the drawings later for her iconic paintings.
Frida Kahlo, Diary Pages, https://www.fridakahlo.org/
6: Refine.
Look back through the body of work you have created with experimentation. Which were your favourites? What medium was your favourite way of working?
Using your favourite pieces, sketch out three alternative designs.
Henri Matisse created two still life paintings between 1904 and 1905. The compositions are identical, but the styles are completely different. While the Still Life with Purro I is more classical, the second Still Life with Purro II, is more typical of the style with Matisse became known for.
Henri Matisse, Still Life With a Purro (II), 1904 - 1905, https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/5-masterpieces-with-multiple-versions/
7: Create.
Select your favourite design from your refined ideas above and create it on a larger scale! Remember that this is still one part of the process into developing your style - it does not have to be your final piece.
Lucian Freud painted over 5o self-portraits over his lifetime as a way to explore the medium of painting and composition.
Lucian Freud, Reflection (Self-portrait), 1985., Oil on canvas. 55.9 x 55.3 cm. Private Collection. On loan to the Irish Museum of Modern Art, IMMA Collection: Freud Project 2016-2021 © The Lucian Freud Archive / Bridgeman Images..
Courtesy of: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/lucian-freud-self-portraits
8: Self-Assessment.
Back in my days of school teaching, we encouraged students to learn how to self assess and reflect on their work and development.
Start by writing down three things you feel have gone well with your piece. What are the elements of it you like or are proud of? Which bits did you most enjoy doing? Are there any parts you feel you have improved on? Finally, write down two ‘Even Better Ifs’. What do you want to improve upon for next time? What are the areas you think you could change? Is there a different colour palette or alternative composition you would like to try?
Most importantly, don’t be too hard on yourself at this stage. Some days, creativity flows easier than other days as we bring our personal emotions and the days events with us to the canvas. Each work we create is an opportunity to learn and get excited about the next piece.
Despite all of Vincent Van Gogh’s mental health problems and constant peer criticism, over his 10 years as an artist, he created almost 900 paintings, and a further 1,100 works on paper – which means a new artwork every 36 hours (on average). Keep reviewing, exploring, reflecting and assessing - You got this!
Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night, Oil on Canvas, Saint-Rémy, France: June, 1889, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York, United States of America, North America.
Courtesy of: https://www.vangoghgallery.com/
9: Peer Review.
Just as important as your own self assessment, ask someone else for their opinion! Variety is the spice of life and the more ideas or thoughts you can collect, the larger your inspiration pool. Ask someone you trust, a fellow artist, or Get In Touch with me. You need not ask for criticism, instead ask them what they like about the piece and what emotions, thoughts or memories it evokes for them. Discover and explore what your work means for others and see if it aligns with your own ideas. Use this as an opportunity to see your work through another’s eyes and remove subjectivity.
Throughout history, artists have aligned themselves to particular groups or movements of like-minded creatives to help inspire each other and review their work. One of the most famous of these groups was The Pre-Rapheelite Brotherhood in the late 19th Century. A group which consisted of English painters, poets and critics, with notable creatives: William Holman Hunt, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Evert Millais & later-on William Morris and John William Waterhouse. Their manifesto was:
To have genuine ideas to express;
To study Nature attentively, so as to know how to express them;
To sympathise with what is direct and serious and heartfelt in previous art, to the exclusion of what is conventional and self-parading and learned by rote.
Most indispensable of all, to produce thoroughly good pictures and statues.
Latham, David, Haunted Texts: Studies in Pre-Raphaelitism in Honour of William E. Fredeman, William Evan Fredeman, David Latham, eds, 2003, University of Toronto Press, ISBN 0802036627, 9780802036629, google books. Page 11-12.
John Everett Millais, “Ophelia,” (detail) ca. 1851 (Photo: Google Art Project Public Domain).
Courtesy of: https://mymodernmet.com/pre-raphaelite-brotherhood/
10: Keep Going!
Having completed all the above steps, keep creating. Be open to changing direction and exploring avenues of thought. If none of the above has worked, then attend a local art class so you can remove subjectivity and focus on improving your skillset.
If you look through the work of many of the greats, their style and subject matter changes throughout the years. From Matisse’s wheelchair confinement forcing him to explore collage, to Picasso’s change of direction from traditional paintings leading to co-found The Cubists.
Let your ideas wander and don’t feel confined to any particular thing. Creativity is a true expression of your own unique self through a celebration of you finding creative flow from whatever it is which sparks you joy or intrigue.
At the beginning of every online class, I remind students of the following quote:
”Inspiration exists but it has to find your working.’ - Pablo Picasso
Le Rêve, Pablo Picasso, 1932, oil painting (130 × 97 cm).
Courtesy of: https://www.pablopicasso.org
Conclusion:
These are key steps taught to artists in educational institutions to help broaden horizons and inspire creativity. I hope these pointers help spark imaginations to break through the creative block and get you working. Remember that creativity is not found, it is developed through exploration, experimentation and dedication.
Please don’t forget to email me your work, or tag Brushstrokes Courses via Facebook or Instagram.
Happy creating!
- Laura
Looking to improve your art skills? Join our mailing list! We love helping artists grow and create their own masterpieces.
Guest Blog - ‘Changing Your Creative Direction’
Thinking of changing or developing your artistic practice? Artist and former Brushstrokes Courses’ student, Steven Trevillion shares his experience on changing his direction as an abstract painter to a portrait artist following on from our 2021 Beginners Portrait Course.
Thinking of changing or developing your artistic practice? Artist and former Brushstrokes Courses’ student, Steven Trevillion shares his experience on changing his direction as an abstract painter to a portrait artist following on from our 2021 Beginners Portrait Course.
Written By: Steven Trevillion, March 2022.
It was just after Christmas 2020 that everything changed for me. Until then, if anyone had asked, I would have said that I was an abstract artist working mainly with collage and mixed media through processes dictated largely through random events.
Starting with large-scale abstract paintings I had spent the last ten years slowly developing my own vision and approach to art. Over that time there had been changes but they could all be seen as logical developments from what had gone before. While my art had never been wildly popular, I had had some modest success with group and solo exhibitions in both London and Cumbria (where I moved in 2016), and the work had sold steadily if not in any great quantity.
New Worlds Old News, Steven Trevillion, 2013, acrylic and collage on wood, 61 x 91cm.
Why things changed so suddenly I still do not know. What I do know is that the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns caused my creative juices to dry up. I found I could not motivate myself to do any more of my mixed media work, even though I had just had a successful solo exhibition at a local gallery.
In order to make something (anything!) happen I decided to try something new. I thought that if I took myself completely out of my comfort zone, I might start to be able to work again. It was in this spirit that I decided to do Laura’s online portraiture course. But the whole experience did much more for me than that.
William Dafoe - Week 3, Vincent Van Gogh Task for Brushstrokes Courses ‘2021 Beginners Portrait Course’, Steven Trevillion, 2021, Watercolour Pencils on Paper.
Laura turned out to be an inspiring teacher. I enjoyed the whole process of starting again as a beginner, and to my surprise I discovered that I was starting to really enjoy both the online sessions and Laura’s ‘homework’. Soon I began to realise I was making significant progress in this new world of portrait painting.
I spent more and more time in the studio trying to put into practice what I had learnt and gradually began to find my own way of working. I followed up the ‘beginners’ course with a series of online tutorials which helped me to develop a specific oil portrait through the various stages that Laura helped me to identify.
Portrait, Steven Trevillion, 2021, Acrylic on board, 60 x 40 cm
After that, I began to work on my own across a range of different media and I have not looked back. I have just completed a large self-portrait which I think is my best work so far and I intend to go on to do more like this in the future.
What continues to fascinate me about portraiture is the possibility it offers of engaging in a prolonged meditation on what it means to be a unique human being, an experience which I try to communicate to anyone looking at the finished artwork.
Self-Portrait, Steven Trevillion, 2022, oil paint on canvas, 70 x 80 cm.
It is always hard to draw lessons from one person’s experience relevant to other people, but if I was going to draw one it would be that you can always change what you do. It is never too late.
Steven Trevillion
To find out more about Steven Trevillion, see more of his artwork or keep up-to-date with his work & exhibitions, use the link below to visit his website:
10 Fun Things To Draw In Your House - Our Favourite Pencil + Paper Exercises
You don’t have to leave your home to find inspiration! Here’s a list of our favourite things to draw around your place.
Sometimes on our art journeys, the problem isn’t a willingness to practice - it’s not knowing what subjects to use for inspiration. Since you can’t always head to the mountains, set up a spot for drawing in the middle of the city, or get your siblings to sit still a while, we’ve prepared a list of subjects that can be found in your own home. These subjects each come with unique challenges, which will push your artistic skills a little further. For each, we’ve also included an artist who’s a great example, and some tips to really help you hone your craft.
So get out your paper, find a nice spot to work from, and challenge yourself with these 10 ideas that most of us can practice drawing without even leaving our homes.
Oh, and if you draw something from this list, we’d LOVE if you shared with us! We can be found on Facebook at this link, and on Instagram at this link.
Looking to improve your art skills? Join our mailing list! We love helping artists grow and create their own masterpieces.
Scroll Down For These 10 Fun Things You Can Draw At Home:
A Reflective Surface
A Natural Form
Something Fluffy
A Texture You Find Interesting
Your Lovely Self
Liquid In A Glass Container
A Favourite Fruit or Vegetable
A Repeated Pattern
Your Favourite Corner
Someone Else's Art You Love
Drawing Idea 1: A Reflective Surface.
Dig out your Christmas Baubles, or examine your bathroom taps! Reflective surfaces are a fantastic way to practise capturing how light hits and reflects off a surface. It forces your eye to look at those areas of different tones as shapes.
Example of reflective surfaces art:
Artist Jeff Koons has made his living out of playing with reflective surfaces and engaging the viewer in public spaces with the mirror-like sheen to encourage social interaction around his work.
Tip for drawing reflective surfaces:
Start off by outlining the shape of the object that you are drawing. Before you apply tone, mark out where the light reflects off the surface to help remind you to leave these white, or as your lightest value. Mark in the darkest areas of tone and the mid-range to guide you then shade in your tonal values.
Jeff Koons, http://www.jeffkoons.com/
Drawing Idea 2: Any Natural Form.
Which is your favourite houseplant? Is there a flower in your garden that you particularly love? Is there a bouquet you treat yourself too in your home?
Try a close-up study of a flower or leaf to observe how nature creates patterns, textures and colour pairings. With a natural form you play more with the contrast of tone, as no outline on any plant will ever be ‘perfect.’
Example of natural forms in art:
Georgia O’Keeffe spent her career painting close-up images of flowers. Her aim was to stop people from running around in their busy lives and get the viewer to be able to examine the beauty of the natural world around them.
Tip for drawing natural forms:
Don’t get too hung up on the ‘perfect’ outline, as none exists in the natural world. Sketch out the basic shapes and then apply a full range of tonal values. Experiment with mark-making to create texture to give your work greater depth.
Georgia O’Keeffe, https://www.georgiaokeeffe.net/
Drawing Idea 3: Something Fluffy.
Do you own a fluffy coat, a floofy pet, a furry cushion or toy? Practicing drawing fur helps you learn how to clump together fur or hair.
Example of furry texture in art:
Celebrity Portrait and Animal Portrait Artist, Ben Jeffery is an expert at clumping fur together and using both highlights and shadows to create realistic floof.
Tip for drawing fur:
Try shading in an area and using your eraser follow the direction of the hair to create realistic highlights. Then add tone to the top or bottom of the clump to create realistic furry form.
Ben Jeffery, http://www.benfjeffery.com/
Drawing Idea 4: A Texture You Find Interesting.
Pick out something knitted, the bark of a tree, or wood grain to experiment with how to use mark-making to create a textured surface.
Example of texture in art:
Artist Richard Long is known for his outdoor sculptures using natural forms, but he has also created a series of drawings by layering paper over textures and rubbing with a crayon or pencil to create these richly textured drawings.
Tip for drawing texture:
Place your paper over textured surfaces to create a rubbing and then draw on top to further accentuate the grain, or play with mark-making.
Richard Long, http://www.richardlong.org/
Drawing Idea 5: Your Lovely Self!
Working from a photograph or a mirror, have a go at a self-portrait! If you’re nervous about this, then start off by drawing your eye, nose or lips first to practice first. Artists throughout the centuries have used self-portraits as a way to practice and home in their technique.
Example of self-portraits in art:
Artist Frida Kahlo, created around 55 self-portraits as a way to express the internal physical and mental suffering she experienced throughout her life.
Tip for self-portraits:
Use a mirror or print out a photograph of yourself looking straight on to the camera. If using a print-out use the grid method to help you plot our your proportions. Always start with drawing out the feature SUPER LIGHTLY with a pencil so you can easily erase mistakes, before starting on building up tonal values.
Frida Kahlo, https://www.fridakahlo.org/
Drawing Idea 6: Liquid in a Glass Container
This is another great way to practice drawing reflective surfaces. Select your favourite cocktail, bottle of booze, or even a bottle of olive oil to practice capturing light hitting the surface of something liquid.
Example of liquid in art:
Check out contemporary artist Muhammed Arslan’s sketch of liquid being poured into a glass and how he captures the bubbles. Recreate this by taking a photograph of someone pouring out liquid and work from the photograph.
Tip for drawing liquid in a glass:
As with the reflective surface, start by very lightly sketching out the outline of the glass and the water. If working from a photograph use the grid method to plot out the proportions. Then mark out the different areas and shapes of the different tonal values to use as a guide before you start shading in.
Muhammed Arslan, https://www.saatchiart.com/arrssllaann2601
Drawing Idea 7: Your Favourite Fruit or Veg.
Avocados, Aubergines (oi oi), Apples, Peppers, you name it, it has been drawn! Drawing fruit is a fab way to practice your tone, whether in coloured pencil, or sketching pencil.
Example of fruit and vegetables in art:
Artist, Giuseppe Arcimboldo used the studies he made of fruit and veg to create surrealist portraits.
Tip for fruit and vegetables:
As the shapes are relatively easy to be able to form your outlines, you can focus on blending your tones. Try using colouring pencils and start by marking out where the light hits the surface to remind you to keep it light. Lay down small amounts blues in the darkest areas to create shadow before shading and blending pencil on top.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo, https://www.giuseppe-arcimboldo.org/
Drawing Idea 8: A Repeated Pattern.
What repeated patterns have you got kicking around your home? Bed sheets, Clothing, Curtains, or wrapping paper can all contain repeated patterns.
Example of repeated pattern in art:
William Morris used pattern and natural forms to inspire his work and is now recognised as one of the world’s most iconic designers.
Tip for repeated patterns:
Use a viewfinder to isolate a section of pattern and have a go at drawing it to practice your observational skills. Outline first lightly and then either shade in with sketching pencils, or with colouring pencils.
William Morris, https://williammorrissociety.org/
Drawing Idea 9: Your Favourite Corner.
We all have them. That corner on your desk with your favourite houseplant or ornament, your record player, where you like to curl up and read, or perhaps even where you lie your head down to sleep! This is a fab way to practice perspective drawing whilst capturing that corner which makes you feel most at home.
Example of interiors in art:
Van Gogh drew inspiration from his everyday views and produced at least a painting a day in the ten years he practiced art. His ‘Bedroom in Arles’ is one of the most famous paintings ever.
Tip for drawing interiors:
With perspective drawings, start off by plotting out horizon lines and vanishing points to help you work out the angles. Use the negative space as well as the positive objects to help you get the proportions and the outlines correct. Start off by drawing very very lightly, so you can correct your angles and proportions as much as needed without damaging or staining the paper.
Vincent Van Gogh, https://www.vangoghgallery.com/
Drawing Idea 10: Someone Else’s Art You Love.
Do you have a favourite painting or print hanging on your wall? A favourite album cover, or that beloved Vinyl Cover you have stored away? Artists throughout time have practised and learnt by re-creating the masters that came before them. It’s a great way to be able to refine your technique by working out how those who have come before managed to create those pieces which inspire you.
Example of appropriation art:
Andy Warhol used appropriated photographs of celebrities and drew influence from companies advertising products to create his iconic style.
Tip for appropriation:
When creating an Artist Study, take the time to really look at the image. If a painting or drawing, work out what media was used and how the artist layered the colours and textures. If working from a print or photograph use the grid method to help you get the outlines and proportions in first before applying tonal values.
Andy Warhol, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/andy-warhol-2121
Conclusion:
Basically, these are all different examples to get you drawing! The only way to improve your skill set and build your confidence is just to have a go and study different objects. I promise you that after drawing these 10 things you will notice a visible improvement in your skills and as a result, benefit your mental approach to just ‘giving it a go,’ Please don’t forget to email me your drawings, or tag Brushstrokes Courses via Facebook or Instagram.
Happy drawing, and I look forward to seeing what you create!
- Laura