Stuck in Art Block?

Art block, art block, art block. People talk this a lot, but what do they mean? It stops you from making art? That sounds… scary. What exactly stops you? Do you have art block? Can you escape art block? Why do we have it?

Heya! I’m Kanjon, and no, this isn’t the Q&A segment, but that’s still coming soon. Today we’re actually going to talk about art block itself! I’ve mentioned art block in just a couple videos before, but haven’t gone into too much detail. I tend to focus on the things that keep you going, not the things that can stop you! But this is an important topic and I am a bit overdue. Art block is something that can be different for everyone. For some, it’s a sudden stop where nothing seems like the right thing to be drawing. For others, it’s a slow burnout that might last weeks! But I do wanna give you ways to help defeat it. This video’s gonna have one sent in by a good friend, who – (crash!) – Eigen? How’d you get in here?

Hello everyone!  You may know me from the dance events at cons, but did you know I also draw? It’s a rare thing for me with all the running around I do, but I have been drawing art since elementary school. And I have one simple trick on how to get over art block.  One simple trick that I’ve been saying for years: Just draw a block!… literally just draw a block that has the words “art block” on it. Bonus trick!  Draw your character interacting with this art block in some way, shape, or form. You could be looking at it, holding it, listening to it, licking it, don’t question it just draw you doing something! Turn your brain off, head empty, pen to paper, or… stylus to tablet? Our brains are billions of neurons firing off electrical signals in a complex network. I’ve found that this little exercise is a great way to start getting that mental momentum going. I know I’m being purely anecdotal, and also not original!  I learned this trick many years ago, but I don’t know where I got it from… but I know it works!  You should try it next time you’re experiencing art block.

Uhh… Eigen? You should tell them.

Oh, sorry. So one other thing I want to mention, did you know this little trick is transferable to other creative skills? For example, dancing! If you feel like you’ve hit a creative block with dancing, throw on a random song and start dancing while interacting with an invisible box! Hold it, move it around, carry it on one hand, set it on the ground and step up onto it, just start moving! I remember the Dragon’s Dojo workshop at FWA 2023 where myself and a couple other dancers did a session where we were just passing off this invisible box to each other, and we just felt creatively energetic after that. This little idea of concepting works for both making choreo routines and freestyle dance.

Definitely had people mention to me that a lot of these art tricks work well for any kind of skill or creative hobby. Woodworking, electronics, 3D modeling. I can see how that would work for dance too. You better not be trying to trick me into a new hobby…

Art block is one of those things that can feel pretty different for everyone, so don’t stress yourself trying to figure out if what you’re going through is “art block” in the same way you hear about it. If there’s something stopping you from making art, even when you want to, it’s worth fixing and trying things out to get past it.

Though it is important to recognize when you’re experiencing art block as opposed to feeling burnout. While burnout can feel similar to art block, it tends to persist on longer timescales and requires different methods to get through. And really, getting past burnout deserves its own video.

For now, spend some time with that creative hobby, whether it’s art, dancing, modeling, music-making, or otherwise. If you feel fine and creative today, go have fun with it. If you’re a little stuck, maybe try this block trick. Chase that passion – see ya!