I am 23 years old and I've been doing art through my whole life ever since I could remember. I love doing art and it helps me be focused, calm and concentrate. I've taken art classes to elementary to college, I've done drawing, painting, ink, etc. at the moment I'm doing my tattoo apprenticeship. I really enjoy what I'm doing and I see myself doing it as my career. My problem is I have the lack of motivation and style for the longest no matter how hard I try. Everytime I try to do some drawings or art, I space out and lose my motivation in not knowing what to draw and lack of not doing it. I notice how I will only do it if someone ask me. But I can't do it on my own. Also I don't have my own style, I feel like I enjoy trying new different styles that I just don't feel like in staying on one. What can I do to be motivated and have the energy to do art again? Do I really need to focus on one style? I would really appreciate for any advice or suggestions!
Hey, this is a great question.
I will try to give my perspective on this.
Motivation:
Motivation is something that feels amazing and it is great when it is there, but it is not something you want to rely on, If you want to make this your living. This is for anything in your life for that matter
What you should rely on is Habit. I have drawn for 3 years now, and I have only missed around 10-15 days of drawing. And this is not because I have or had Motivation all the time, but because I made it a priority. I told myself that this art thing is worth the effort and time.
So first step, have a WHY, its important. So you can remind yourself of why this struggle is worth it to you, and it will be hard work at times. For me it was to get a hobby at first, and now 3 years later, its to make it my living.
So to make a Habit, someone smarter than me told me, that it only takes 7 min a day, and it did. I drew 7min or more if an fancied every day, the 7 min made me overcome the many periods of no Motivation and there will be alot. But your why and the 7 min will really help you overcome this lack of motivaton most days.
For me 3 years later i cant stop, unless i have drawn for atleast 3 hours. This is my new 7 min, wich sounds insane to me tbh. Habit trumps everything, and tbh my periode of no motivation are so rare now in comparison to when I started.
What to draw:
What do you want to work with? What subjects do you like? Animals, people, Landscape, abstract, things.?
Then go find out what you need to learn, perspective, forms, anatomy, color and light. The most important thing is to draw what you like and want to work with. Try to have fun with theory and own stuff (i am bad at prioritzing the my own stuff). 😊
Let's say you like to draw people, and then for a week some landscapes, go do that. Art should be explorative and you will always learn something right. Dont be a slave to what you think you should be doing, but dont skip it either, kinda paradoxical 😅
One Style: what a load of bullshit we tell new young artists. Again, try alot things, explore, have fun, draw in the style that exites you right now, this way you find out what you like. Or dont like for that matter. Dont Rush it, someday you will have found what you like and how you draw. But until then, you dont need to search for it. It will come.😊
Sorry for the rant, I hope it helps.
The best thing to do: Don't push yourself.
Take things slow. Don't feel disheartened if one day you draw, and the next, you can't draw.
You have a limit; remember that. And you will progressively get better; on one hand, its nice to know that things will get better, but on the other, it is painful to go through the long process of consistently drawing again.
It will take a long time, and you will hate it. But it will happen. So just hold on and eventually you will have something going on.
I'm speaking from experience. I was depressed and just had no energy to do anything. Including drawing.
One day, I'd get myself to draw, but then for months after getting myself to draw, I wouldn't draw.
This went on, but eventually I got myself to draw a bit more progressively.
The one catch is that it took too painfully long, but it did happen. And I am still getting myself to draw more now.
But again, remember that it takes PAINFULLY long. So don't hate yourself for taking a long time to develop a habit of drawing or even get yourself to draw in the first place. It's normal.
Yenaonorbit
3 days ago.
