Have I lost my creativity?!?

Is it art block or something more sinister?

Do you feel, as I do, that there are no ideas swirling in the maelstrom of your mind? No matter how often pinterest is opened, closed or refreshed, nothing ever gets off the ground. Maybe it’s an art supply or materials issue, so you keep adding to cart in hopes of filling that void, but unboxing your “gifts” only brings a flicker of joy, gone too soon. Sketchbooks, canvases, paper lay barren and you don’t have the energy anymore. What happened? You were so full of ideas, bursting at the seams, and now, just a shell. Discarded and empty.

This is where I’m at. This uncomfortable limbo of wanting to be “inspired” or at the very least motivated, but falling short. No time for a daily creative habit and too tired to be productive on the weekends. I only ever get halfway though R&R, idly resting but never beyond. I’ve often pondered this predicament -generally while driving to work- and I’m not entirely sure where to begin, but I think I’ve narrowed this down to two parts, working as an almost insurmountable dynamic duo.

Part One – Fear of Unoriginality

In the world of social media, “content creation”, algorithms and trying to hit the internet jackpot, it seems everybody wants to be the next big thing. Witty edits or shocking headlines are vying for our attention and often the best way to catch someone’s eyes to is be bigger and bolder. This exposes us to all sorts of weird and wonderful things that leave us yearning for more. But instead of wanting to try something as a result of that inspiration, we are trapped between using it as a reference or making a rip-off. Everyone wants produce things that are as unique as themselves but sometimes we must realise that trying to be one of a kind is stunting our growth. If we all learnt the alphabet in different ways, it would take us much longer to learn how to read and write.

It’s the homogeneity, the sameness that helps us learn and once we’ve got the basics down, we can add our own personal touch, think like handwriting. Rather than trying to be unique, try to let the uniqueness manifest itself naturally. Often apprentices of Renaissance masters would copy, stroke for stroke, the work of their teachers and it still proves to be an effective means to learning the art, it didn’t have to be original to serve a purpose and it doesn’t have to be original now if you are honing the skill. So fear not about using the same reference image as 70,000 other people and instead focus on what you can glean from the experience of it all.

Part Two – Doubt in One’s Ability

For me, this part is the one that drives it home. I’m worried that the work of my hands will never live up to the potential masterpiece in my mind, and as such, it’s easier to not try. Stop dreaming about elaborate pieces so that you never have to deal with the idea of not executing it perfectly, nipping the problem at the bud. Or so I thought. The problem here is that my consumption of art and media hasn’t decreased, which means that my standards haven’t fundamentally decreased, and eventually the ideas that I would have had normally get drowned out in my head, as they could never compare to what I see and experience everyday.

The solution seems twofold, first is confidence in one’s ability, at the very least, enough to get started on the piece. Perhaps doing a set of low quality thumbnails to get the juices flowing or some sketches to boost confidence may be the way to go. Alternatively, retrospection on your past works could be enough of a kick in the pants to get going. For those who prefer a more technical, methodical approach it may be going back to the basics of the art form, practising musical scales or drawing simple shapes that makes you believe – even if for a short time, that your dusty, forgotten idea is achievable and can become something more than just an idea.

The second is to stop comparison – easier said than done, I know. I don’t want to the one constantly pointing the finger at social media (I’m addicted to it myself!) but in this day and age, social media is the most accessible means of experiencing creativity. With 12 year old prodigies, professionals and everyone in between posting online, it is hard to look at your own achievements when they can appear to be overshadowed in every way. But one thing I must remind myself (and also you) is that most people only really share the best possible parts of themselves online. Who knows how many attempts it took for that amazing creator to get that shot or brush stroke? Creativity is not linear or consistent or even on the same timescale for everyone, and stepping back to view your progress as wholly incomparable to others is a real eye opener. It’s unrealistic to expect everyone to live in the same circumstances as you do, and as such try not compare yourself to anyone else except yourself.

So, coming back to the ominous title – have I lost my creativity? Perhaps, not lost fully but definitely gone astray, bolted off like a dog off the leash. I think we have some avenues, mentioned prior to look for it and lead it back to path and hopefully entice it back with some creative treats (woof).