Tips for when you've lost the motivation to create new paintings or drawings

[@travisnobleart]

Having a folder on my phone with images of all my favorite art pieces is super motivating. It reminds me what I would like to aspire to and gives me joy surverying all of the possibilities.

[@Lachri]

That's a great tip!

[@brendalarue4690]

Brilliant! Sketching is my favorite way to keep going in the face of despair 😜. Spending a few minutes just moving graphite around with no pressure to "get it right" helps get my head in the right place, which in my opinion is way more important than getting the brushstrokes just right (whatever that is!). We are our worst critics, which means we have the power to muzzle that voice-- it'll take years, so best start now! 🤩

[@jcortese3300]

Your second point about scheduling is so true. You don't get inspired, then sit down and work. You sit down and work, and then you get inspired.

[@Lachri]

Now I need to go get inspired and pack up your painting to ship tomorrow! lol

[@ybe7011]

Thank you for the permission to trace in order to fix bad habits. Why they don't tell you that this is ok in art school I'll never know! So many stigmas broken here.

[@taliykat3712]

I allow myself to draw anything for a short time doodle, zentangle, or just learn a new subject. I end up learning something that I want to apply to a more serious artwork and it helps me shift my thinking with creativity.

[@rgrdesigns]

You are spot on with your tips. I'm at a similar place to the artist example... I think resistance to going to my art table is the worst. Thanks for your encouragement. ❤

[@Lachri]

Glad I could help :)

[@Cascada200]

A night and day difference for me was time put in. My colored pencil drawings before would be 15-20 hours and did NOT look good, but eventually with experience. Now after 80+ hours on colored Pencil work, HUGE difference. I enjoy the slow process. Morning coffee with a pencil is my inner peace.

[@crisalidathomassie1811]

I paint small paintings for gifting. It gives me the practice I need. If I like it enough, I’m thinking in painting bigger for myself. When I feel burnt out, I watch other artists and usually I learn something new, which gives me the motivation I need. My weaknesses are edges against backgrounds and painting white objects. I have decided to paint only white objects for practice. Nothing complicated. Thanks so much for this video! Great source of information and one hundred percent of inspiration. You are the best! Blessings and take care.❤❤❤

[@leecornelius7159]

I sometimes paint a practice canvas on a smaller canvas if I haven't painted that subject before. It helps me learn how to paint a new subject, I make notes on what I don't like and what to do differently, and I'll paint it again on a larger canvas for the final piece.

[@Lachri]

Good tip!

[@marikothecheetah9342]

Agreed! I even practice scaling, from small to big because with each scaling I can do it quicklier, no matter the format, as I already did the drawing of the whole object or theme before.

[@Randomluck]

The gift idea is a good recommendation. I was struggling with burn out last year, but a birthday gift for a friend really helped motivate me to put paint on canvas and get back into the rhythm.

[@Lachri]

That's awesome!

[@marieleahy2729]

This is the best motivation I’ve heard in a very long time. I so needed these very practical tips. Thank you.

[@Lachri]

So happy to hear you found the tips helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@wallygrandpa]

One way to trace without guilt is to draw freehand and then trace over the drawing to see where you went wrong

[@mermaidglow6998]

"I'm waiting for inspiration" it sounds so "artistic" right? Everything changed for me when I learned that William Bouguereau would get up in the morning and just painted, without even thinking about it because it was his job. Spent his 8 hours painting, most of the time multiple pieces at the same time. It was his job so he was just being responsible. So now, I just "show up" and paint. The night before painting I leave things ready the canvas/paper, source pictures or still life, even mix colors in my Sta-Wet palette, so I don't waste time the next day. Inspiration or muses will never appear on thin air on their own, they show after I show up.

[@Lachri]

Exactly!!

[@ImperfectlyLaura]

Something I found helpful was shifting from tracing the lines of the subject in my reference, and drawing the shapes over it. Then I could really visually see what needed to be more of a triangle or an oval or a circle in the initial drawing stages before going straight into the details of shading and coloring and whatnot. Hopefully I explained that well enough in text that it makes sense. Now I see the shapes almost immediately when looking at a reference, before any marks on the paper and it helps so much to be able to do that!

[@shemaymeb]

Interesting, I’m going to try this because I trace and go into coloring. Just started to learn about how to use inktense pencils. Still don’t quite know what I’m doing but this technique you talk about I think is helpful.

[@linnetkazemi7616]

This is a really interesting tip!! Thanks for sharing it! I’m going to do that too!

[@Sunny_Now_and_Then]

Besides painting I like to garden and to embroider. If I feel uncreative in the one I was doing yeterday I do one of the others or - and some will say this is bad - I go and play a video game. But it does help my eye/hand coordination so that the next time I draw I do better capturing what I see in my mind. All ofthose things let my imagination either shift gear or rest and the coming day I usually find that creative flow again. If I don't, I'll stick with whatever I did the day before another day or two. Keeping pressure off is the key.

[@1sacoyle]

I'm in that slump right now. Nothing is getting me excited to paint, but I am beginning to get the urge to paint something (anything) and that's a good sign that I'm back on track again.

[@Lachri]

I'm glad to hear you're getting that urge again! Get to the easel!! :D

[@1sacoyle]

@@Lachri Weather is warming up here in NJ finally and I want to spend more time with my horse. However we are also getting more rain which should keep me in the house to paint.🐎🐴🌂

[@iamvevee]

You inspire me. Thank you so much for making this video!

[@Lachri]

I'm glad you liked it! :D

[@purelightlove8888]

Awesome tips! What I do to motivate myself is I look on “Pinterest” for ✨inspirational ideas, say I want to draw a mermaid, I just finished one & I took 3 screenshots of aspects I really Loved, and wa-la the finished product was wonderful I worked on it off & on for 2 weeks leaving it out in my living space so I could look at it from a distance giving me more ideas as well… Hope this helps … 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌎

[@Lachri]

Great tips!

[@purelightlove8888]

@@Lachri Many Thanks ✨

[@evelyndominguez4757]

Great advice! Thank you

[@Lachri]

Glad you liked it 🙂

[@kabella22wagner30]

Thank thank! Such great advice❤

[@marikothecheetah9342]

Tracing. I bought my new graphic tablet with a display specifically for this reason. I couldn't get the hang of a particular set of solids (yeah, going hard on basics) and I traced the photo BUT I used all the construction principles while doing it. Next day I did a freehand sketch in my notebook, like it was nothing, whereas few days earlier I was erasing holes in the paper while sketching the object.. Tracing consciously helps you train your hand-eye coordination and you learn particular moves while drawing something. Tracing is great as a learning tool. I would also add on the motivation thing - try a different medium. I finally got to watercolours and I love them, but since they are quite4 messy I use watercolour markers and it's an interesting experience. As for the schedule - yes, totally agree. I would also add that if you feel stuck and unmotivated go to your comfort zone, draw/paint what you really love and are never bored of and then do something more demanding. When I need to learn German and I'd rather study Japanese, I do a quick review of vocabulary in Japanese, and go back to German and it's way easier then.

[@ramizshould]

Thank you ma am your advice is great you know.

[@Lachri]

Thanks :)

[@ramizshould]

@@Lachri Welcome cheers.

[@leecornelius7159]

I have painted several WWII planes for my husband, my son, my father-in-law, and, yes, I wanted to paint something else besides airplanes. I'm working on a night forest painting with a full moon right now. I thought it'd be easy, but it's harder than I thought it'd be. So, I'm going to finish this, I'm making notes, and I'm going to paint it AGAIN! I do that sometimes.

[@Lachri]

I had a student that would paint the same thing over and over. It worked really well for her!

[@leecornelius7159]

@@Lachri I do that, but also, if I do something well the first time, especially if it is a time-consuming piece, I don't want to do it again, lol...

[@joykruczay]

I find it helpful to first draw the subject, then trace it. The two are compared to see where the proportions may be in error. Also, drawing anything at all from life sharpens observation skills.

[@sigriston]

Your advice is always awesome. Painting stuff for someone is such a great way to get yourself out of a rut! Well, it worked for me in the past at least… Also, you play videogames? That’s awesome 😺

[@Lachri]

Not that much, just WoW and hogwarts :P

[@lovelife02]

I loved ❤this❤

[@Lachri]

Thank you :)

[@kimberlyrivard6945]

I take photos and review them for fun ideas to paint. Carry a small sketchbook . Doodle when you are waiting to be called in to your appointment.

[@Lachri]

Good tips!!

[@carrollwilson5169]

Great video. I’d love to see your schedule for inspiration 😊

[@Lachri]

Maybe if I remember I can pull it up during a livestream. It's pretty boring lol.

[@nicola.p]

My cleaning gets done when I get text from someone 'Are you in, popping over in 30 mins' I get more of my house cleaned in that 30 min panic time than in the previous 2 weeks combined 😂

[@Lachri]

LOL!!!

[@ascricco987]

Lol, me too! The best cleaning/home repairs are done (and completed) when out of town company announces their plans to visit on the weekend 🤦‍♀️

[@joyfulldj]

I did something people would call me nuts for doing. I recently bought the polychromos cause I could not affort the derwent set of 72 the light fast. I knew I would love them. And so I did and now I own the derwent lightfast too; you might think lady what is wrong with you. But I have fibromyalgia; I spent tons on a soft pencil bc the strain on my hands pencils take is ridiculous; back to the lightfast; being more opaque and by some crazy derwent secret these blendout in half the time it took my polychromo's to blend; those I now use for detailing. If you have chronic pain and not have the money for derwent i can imagine; use one of those deskwarmers and see what you think; it will bring back joy in painting bc it will reduce pain on your hands I promiss. Dont let pain be reason to stop art; what a heat mat does it will do the blending for you. Wich works miracles if you are sensitive to smells of solvents. As for that; I use zest it dont get the citrus one get the neutral one it is as good as odorless; I tried most bc I get headaches from solvents. Just a few tips. PS: Safety warning; always always check if mat is turned on or off you dont want to start a fire caused by your art supplies, there are several tutorials who test heat mats for pencils; if you have memory problems set the timer on your phone if you use heated stuff; never let them on unsupervised and around children. That is not kid stuff. It is grownup art stuff :P

[@joyfulldj]

As for back and neck complaints; there are several table easles available from different brands. Are you bed bound due to health: You have laptop serving tables for in bed with a table easle like compartment. For your eyesight use one of them hardwear store daylight lamps, dont use the expensive ones they do just the same. Hope these tips will help some of you to create again. Love from me.

[@lindathornton7591]

I gave up. Felt like it just did it to validate myself. Like it gave me some sort of relevance. It was never good enough or right enough or original enough. It makes me sad to admit it to myself.

[@MikeCarlstrom]

When you say tracing, how specifically. Tracing paper? Lucida ? Projector image? Grid? Something else?

[@Lachri]

Usually tracing paper and transfer paper but I also like digital projectors.

[@DazzlingAction]

Sis out here getting attacked by a paint brush for miss handling. heh

[@devernepersonal3636]

My lost motivation is from AI art. AI music literally just took Paul McCartney - New (2013) and took Pauls voice from his beatles days and put it over the song and added john lennon into part of it and people like that more, even though it is fake. the second we have to put labels like human-made or AI-made, then art is dead. That and the vision in my head never comes out right anyway. It just doesn't seem like you could be a successful or highly famous artist anymore. AI probably wont get rid of most jobs or take over the world, but the effect it will have on the art world is not good. In my dreams this entire multiverse of realities through billions of paintings comes out of me (not that that would be realistic to achieve anyway) but with AI it wouldn't even matter. I think the only way someone could motivate me now is to prove that our art (not just mine, but yours lachri, and everyone elses) has a purpose and still matters to people and can do things for people despite AI being here.

[@Lachri]

This is exactly why I've spoken out against artists making all the doom and gloom end of the world type videos about AI. It discourages other artists for no real reason. Ai will never kill art. Nothing will kill art. Humans have a natural desire to create. It's our greatest purpose. We make things. Pre-AI art very few got "famous" with art. It's not really something most will reach but that doesn't slow people down. We still create. People created art on cave walls since the beginning of time with no concept of famous. Now, people value human-made work. Someone who wants a print/poster of something is not the same person who is going to invest in the money original art costs. I don't even consider AI art as competition. At most, it's inspiration for cool ideas I might want to incorporate into my own work. An artist who creates for the purpose of fame is not creating for a reason that will be sustainable because fame isn't likely for any of us. I don't expect anyone to know who I am or what I painted in 70 years, but that doesn't take away the joy I get from the act of creation. Unfortunately, the artists who are creating for the purpose of fame don't usually keep creating as long as the rest of us do. It's just too discouraging to try and paint for that reason. I hope you can re-evaluate why you create and get back to the easel. Your work has value, and that value doesn't need to come from fame. This is the same advice I would have given Pre-AI.

[@ascricco987]

I agree with you. People love art done by real artists, just like people love custom made woodcrafts from skilled woodworkers. You can buy a planter from Walmart for half as much as my husband sells them, but people buy his 😊 I think there’s a certain romance and appreciation people have with artists and trades of craft in general…I don’t think that will ever change ❤