Getting back into painting

[skra75]

Hello fellow artists.

Lately I have been working insanely hard at my job, then at home I'm giving 100% to the point of near exhaustion.
I stumbled upon some old sketches I used to have posted on my then Myspace account many years ago and flipped through them, and it got me thinking about painting and drawing for myself again.

My trouble is, by the time I"m done I"m completely wiped out and don't have any creative drive left bc I use it up at my work.

Any other artist types have this problem? If so, how do you get your drive to paint back?

even the act of sitting down at my painting/drawing desk seems intimidating. I think the only times I've been able to work is when I am struggling with some awful, chaotic, or painful time in my life. The rest of the time I am on cruise control.

Any advice? thx.

[silence7]

Wow, this couldn't have come to me in a more perfect time.

I haven't painted in years, working as an IT grunt, I've spent the last 10 years or so working exclusively on the computer. Doing tech support, and also designing company websites, as well as my own personal websites, you may have seen them, maybe not...

Recently my Father had a pacemaker installed, I went with him for three days at the hospital about 70 miles from his house. It was fairly traumatic, but I played the tough Son part, and bucked up and looked strong, I was actually pretty worried. All turned out well, and now he's the Bionic Man! (That was my Awful, Chaotic, Painful moment)

A few weeks ago I cleared out a corner in my living room, set up my easel, got out my paints and started working on a portrait of my Father from memory.

It's been fairly rough so far. I've always been the type of painter who sets out with an idea, then it just explodes from there, and every line has to be perfect or I'm not happy. But over the years just sketching, not painting, I've found a looser style where everything does NOT have to be perfect, and I'm now applying that to my painting. When you stand 8 feet back everything looks great. Up close, not so much. But when you sit in front of a canvas for hours, you forget that 99% of the people will be looking at it from feet away and never notice little weirdness's.

So I've set myself free a bit by being looser with my style, and it feels great.

I spend hours a day in Photoshop, and there is nothing in Photoshop or any other program that can ever compare to putting a brush to the canvas, having paint on your hands, your shirt. It's just one of those things. It's like the difference between playing Gran Turismo on the Playstation, or Driving a Ferrari.



==============

On to the subject at hand. Gaining your creative juices back....

There are other reason's to paint, and I would recommend a few things to at least get you thinking not about work, but other things.

(lb)Go Hiking! Take a camera with you. Even if you don't paint flowers, just being out in nature gets your mind off of work and just makes you feel alive, which in turn will make you feel creative.

(lb)Go to a gallery that features the type of art that you like/love. If that's not an option, visit the website's of artists' you admire. Watch some Bob Ross YouTube videos, I'm not a landscape painter, but that guy is so awesome, and positive, some of it might rub off.

(lb)Go to a concert. Music makes you feel energized, and happy.

(lb)Drink, it will loosen you up. ;)


Good Luck!

[Drederick Tatum]

just find what inspires you and focus on that. worked for me (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VvU_LbWnAO4/SnBuC71wDdI/AAAAAAAACyo/grbx8SEhQwQ/s400/obama-painting3.jpg).

[nodanaonlyzuul]

I just started back up again too after a long hiatus. I noticed I only create when I am stressed, sad, or something is bothering me and I haven't had any of those emotions in a long time.

And as you saw in the other thread, there's a rough period going on right now so I am starting again. That's the only time I find the energy to do any art work.

Unfortunately I don't have any good advice on keeping the energy for it going for times when you are NOT struggling with something in life. If you figure it out though, let me know...

[Dorothy Wood]

I don't really know how to paint or anything, but I have the same problem with finding inspiration when I'm generally content.

You have to just kinda force yourself. Or just start searching for images online by date. like random images tagged with color names or dates.

Movies always inspire me too...but not always directly.

Currently, my boyfriend and I are collaborating on a web comic. I'll draw something and then he'll add the text. we haven't done anything with it yet...still waiting for the perfect name. I want to pimp it out to the max so we can maybe actually go somewhere with it.

I made an online blog/sketchbook thing awhile back
( http://tinyportrait.wordpress.com/)when I was single and sad and had a lot of time on my hands, but I haven't been able to keep up with it. So far collaboration has definitely been inspiring, and the only thing that's really kept me drawing.

[skra75]

thanks for the advice all, especially Drederick Tatum - I have to find what inspires me!

OK - so I don't feel as alone now knowing that I cannot seem to get inspired as everything seems to be fairly even-keel in my life. Everyday drudery isn't especially a fountain of creative energy.

As I sit here with a light vodka buzz, I am thinking how often a business trip gives me just enough chaos factor to look at things from a new angle.

Now I need to wait for a crisis to happen in China or LA so I can fly out. The likelyhood of this happening is 30%. :(