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Do you ever get "blank canvas" syndrome? You know, when nothing inspires you to paint?
Luckily, I rarely have this problem. Let me first explain why I think that is, then I'll unpack the problem and offer some solutions you can try.
I paint representational landscapes, which means I paint what I see. And I'm blessed to live where there are landscapes that inspire me. (I will literally never be able to paint all the ideas I've collected over the years.)
But that wasn't always the case.
Trust me, when I'm tired of painting some "thing" or subject, I'm going to move on to something else. (I'll likely not paint any more crowd scenes or urban architectural scenes! Been there. Done that. Ugh!)
Here's the thing, though. If you're happy doing whatever you do, that's great. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
But beware of stagnation.
With that comes frustration, boredom, and eventual artistic apathy.
Yes, I know. Doing something different can be scary because it's not comfortable. I used to ask a friend of mine why, if he was so tired of doing the same art – successfully, profitably, though not particularly artistically – why not make a change?
His answer: "Comfort in the rut."
If you're in the same boat, and you're tired of what you've been doing and don't feel the creative spark anymore...
It may be time for a change.
But "how?" – I hear you asking.
Let me offer you a few practical ideas.
1. Change your location
​This is one of the easiest changes. It does require some effort and maybe some expense. For example, if you've been painting the green locations of South Carolina and aren't finding it as engaging anymore, perhaps you should plan a trip to Arizona, or West Texas. A very different location presents the artist with a plethora of possibilities. If you're tired of painting rural subjects, maybe it's time to visit the city. Or vice versa. If you always paint indoors, try outside en plein air. Switching locations can bring you a whole new outlook and perhaps some inspired ideas.
2. Change your perspective ​
This kind of ties into the location idea. I know when I first came back to fine art painting, I realized I'd been painting landscapes with little elevation change. So going to Central Texas (where there's the structure of small mountains, rolling hills, and a complete change of texture) opened up a whole new vein of creative possibilities. I literally was looking at things differently because it was literally different. So if you've been painting a lot of mountain scenes you might consider a trip to the coast. If you've been painting the wide-open spaces of the great Southwest, look for smaller, intimate scenes to paint. This is a wonderful way to find inspiration, but it may take some investigating.
3. Change your frame of mind​
Let's say you're tired of painting soft tonal landscapes. Maybe a change to a harsher urban environment would suit to stir your creative juices. An edgier approach to art requires a real shifting of gears. It's not for everyone. The reverse of this is true, too. If you've been painting social art, or art with deep meanings, it can wear on you, especially if it doesn't suit your personality type. So try something less edgy. Honestly, art does not have to have "a message" to be art.
4. Change your technique
This one is fun and challenging. If all you've known is brushwork, you might try painting with a palette knife. Or vice versa. Or if all you paint is crisp, hyper-detail, you could try a more impressionistic approach. Perhaps a soft tonal technique would open a whole new world of inspiration. You get the idea.
5. Change your media
This last one may be one of the scariest, but also one of the most fun. I can relate to this because I've been there, done that, too. I started in oils. And went on to acrylics, gouache, egg tempera, watercolor, pencil, charcoal, ink… all to come back to oils. All of these "shifts" were fun and I learned a lot about each – their strengths and weaknesses. And ultimately, I learned what media I enjoy most. You may discover whole new vistas of possibilities. You may discover a gold mine of inspiration just by changing media. Or you may learn something from a different media that you can incorporate into your art, transforming it into something different and wonderful.
It takes time to try different things, to see what kindles your fire, and (importantly) what doesn't.
Through that exploration, you'll find your inspiration.
All that being said, there are endless possibilities...
So take the step and go get inspired.
Enjoy the journey!
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p.s. 🎉 We're working on a little surprise to celebrate a BIG milestone. 🎉 So stay tuned and watch for my email on Friday! It might just be the inspiration you need!
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