7 Surefire Ways to Get Over Art Block

7 Surefire ways to get over your creative art block! Whether you’re a professional or a hobbyist creative block can cripple us all. Creative block is usually caused by one of two things. Either – A. You have an overabundance of ideas and you don’t know which idea is best or where to start. OR – B. You feel as though you don’t have any ideas and your creativity has dried up.

If you fall into category A. Then you need to start getting those ideas out of your head. Write them down in a list and start from the top and create them – bring them into the world. You’ll quickly see which ideas have legs and which ones you can throw out. Just start.

If you fall into category B. Then there are so many ways to get over art block. Here are some of the surefire ways to get over your creative slump:

1. Get out of your head and into your body
   Go for a walk, a run – workout! Get your blood pumping and your heart racing. Whatever it is that gets your blood flowing, do it for an hour.
2. Do something creative that isn’t your craft
   If you’re a painter then cook a meal from scratch. If you’re a chef, plunk around on your instrument of choice and try to craft an original tune. The point is to do something creative that isn’t your job.
3. Phone a friend
   Call someone you like and have a conversation with them. Ask them questions about their life, their day, or what they’re working on. So many creative ideas are sparked from a rich conversation with a loved one.
4. Revisit your core values
   Why do you create the creative work you do? What are your core reasons for creation? If you don’t know them, I suggest you find them. If you know them, revisit those values and take stock of other areas within your values that you can explore.
5. Revisit your previous work
   Looking at your previous creations often sparks ideas of new angles, new materials, and new perspectives of previous themes that you left unexplored. Retread your trails and go deeper.
6. Do the unexpected
   Try the things you hate. Create work you think you will loathe. Use colors, textures, and ideas that cause you to recoil. Push yourself to make things that you hate. You might find ingredients for something that you love in the process.
7. Give it time
   If all else fails leave your creative work for at least 24 hours. Engage in leisure activity. Fill your mind with a great book, music you love, thoughts that are new to you and revisit your work after new ideas have washed over you.

If you’ve been creating for a long time, you might be able to feel your creativity starting to dry up in the middle of creation. The “what’s next?” questions start coming. Preemptively get ahead of feeling blocked by taking a break and practicing one of these tricks. By not letting yourself get blocked in the first place, the creative process can flow more easily and feels less discouraging when you run into blockages.

Feeling creatively blocked can feel discouraging, it can be tempting to practice negative self-talk by telling yourself things like, “I’m not a creative person,” or “This is stupid why am I even creating.” Don’t let yourself go down these trails of thought. Get ahead of discouragement and art block by taking a break while you’re ahead.

If none of that cures your creative art block, then I am out of ideas my friend! Those are tried and true solutions that have worked for me for years and I hope they can serve you. If you found this post helpful share it with your creative friend! How do you get over your creative art block? Tell me below!

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