Are you having trouble finding inspiration to draw? The reality is that beyond the desire or intentions that an artist may have to start working on a new idea, there are times when the inspiration to draw just seems to vanish from our body.
But, don’t worry! This is very common. Many times, the lack of motivation and inspiration to draw can be due to multiple factors, such as the stress of the day or even tiredness. However, many beginner artists can fall into frustration and several may even decide to walk away from art altogether for not finding meaning in their future drawings.
As SP wants to continue promoting art and advising beginner artists, in today’s article, we will tell you the best tips to recover your inspiration to draw so you can activate your creative skills before starting to work on a new work.
And you, are you ready to find new sources of inspiration for drawing? don’t miss any detail!
why don’t I have inspiration to draw?
Although the objective of this guide is to teach you how to recover your inspiration to draw, the first thing you should identify is why your motivation is gone. There are several factors that can influence to a greater or lesser extent for an artist to lose the inspiration to draw, so here we will show you some of them. Pay attention!
Fear
It is very common for this feeling of fear to appear in artists, especially in the younger ones. This fear can have different causes, one of them is the fear of dedicating too much time to drawing instead of doing another activity that is more beneficial. Likewise, another fear is to feel that your ideas for drawing are not so good and that there is the possibility of being rejected by others.
On the other hand, if you are an artist with a trajectory, it does not mean that you are free of this feeling, since it can still influence your inspiration to draw, especially when trying to generate income with your works of art.
Confusion
Not knowing which path you are following can generate a certain lack of inspiration to draw and to perform any activity. Normally, when there is a guide or a model to follow, the human being can act as if he were on “autopilot”, without worries and with a direct line of what to do.
However, in the art world, many times artists seek to create their own styles that are innovative. This means that they will have to create their own path, which makes it difficult to get inspiration to draw in an easier way. Let’s continue learning about other factors that influence the lack of inspiration to draw.
Doubts about your talent
Unlike the previous point, in this case, the problem is in putting into action the drawing ideas you have in mind. While having an idea to realize can be counted as part of the inspiration to draw, that idea will not be useful if you don’t know how to carry it out.
One of the main reasons why great artistic projects are not executed is because of the constant fear of not achieving the expected results. However, no success is achieved without getting out of your comfort zone, so the key to this point is to dare and not limit your inspiration to draw.
New and more attractive hobbies
Whether it’s drawing or any other activity, it demands a certain amount of time per day and per week. As you know, hobbies are extra activities to the responsibilities of each individual, such as studying and working. Thus, most people can only afford the time to do one or maximum two leisure activities.
Then, many artists may start to lose motivation to draw because they start dedicating more time to other activities. In these cases, the main thing is for the person to establish priorities and, if drawing is still important to you, you can take a look at the tips to regain inspiration for art that we will show below.
let’s continue learning the causes of lack of inspiration for drawing!
Fatigue
Although drawing can be a fun and relaxing activity, the truth is that it still demands some energy and concentration, so if you’ve had a difficult week or you’re simply feeling overwhelmed, you’re probably starting to perceive some problems finding inspiration to draw.
The only solution to this is to take a break, either from drawing or from your different activities. Once you feel like getting back on track, we’re sure that inspiration for amazing drawings will no longer be a problem for you.
Extreme perfectionism
Artists are considered to be very perfectionist people with all their works. It’s very hard to find cartoonists who are conformists with their artwork. While that can be good for constantly setting goals and becoming better and better, the reality is that extreme perfectionism can lead you to fall into a prolonged block by not knowing what new projects to pursue.
In this way, your inspiration to draw can be affected by setting high quality standards, so you can try to make your goals more progressive and not fall into constant self-criticism that demotivates you.
Falling into an exhausting routine
Last but not least, it is worth mentioning that falling into a routine can lead you to have problems when finding a new inspiration to draw. Many people enjoy drawing because it is an escape from their day-to-day responsibilities, however, when this task becomes something you must do out of obligation, you can become exhausted.
how do you find the inspiration to draw?
art is your passion but sometimes you don’t know what to draw? At SP we know that creative blocks are very common among artists and that sometimes this can cause a lot of stress and frustration.
Inspiration is a state in which we feel mentally and emotionally stimulated to perform an activity. When we are inspired we can reach a higher level of creativity and have amazing results that in a normal state you would not be able to achieve. However, becoming inspired can take some effort.
Don’t spend hours thinking what can I draw anymore. Follow these tips so you can find inspiration to draw very easily.
Do other activities before starting to draw
When you feel that you no longer have motivation to draw, something you can do is to do different activities that clear your mind and lift your spirits, such as going to the movies, listening to music, dancing, practicing some sport or going for a walk.
Being locked in a room will not help you to recover the inspiration to draw, rather you should go out and explore to have new sources of information that can give you more ideas for your artwork.
Listen to music to get inspired to draw
Music is a fundamental part of our life, it accompanies us wherever we go and influences our emotions. If you are looking for inspiration to draw, you can start by listening to those songs that provoke strong emotions over you: joy, sadness, nostalgia, etc. From that, you can get ideas of what to draw according to your mood. On the internet you can find many playlists of songs to get inspired from different genres, from classical to electronic music.
Another trick to recover inspiration for drawing is to start sketching whatever the lyrics of a song say. It’s a somewhat strange strategy; however, it’s very effective if you’re wondering what to draw when you don’t know what to draw. If you find the lyrics too abstract, you can try writing down everything this song conveys to you on a sentimental level, and then create your own representation.
And you, do you plan to try this musical strategy to regain artistic inspiration?
Look for images to inspire you to draw
If your mind is blank, you can do some research on the internet to find themes to draw or pictures to inspire you. Then, you can make a collage with all the images, photos or drawings that appeal to you to always have them at your fingertips whenever you need inspiration to draw.
On pages like Pinterest or Tumblr you can find many motivational images to draw and you can also publish your own creations so that people from different parts of the world can appreciate your art.
Use different media to draw
When you don’t find something to draw or you just don’t feel as motivated as before, what you need is to try new things that can challenge you as an artist. Instead of continuing to draw using pencil and paper, you can try using other tools such as watercolors, acrylics, oils, etc.
Watch movies about art
Watching movies related to art is a good way to get inspired. There are many successful movies that take place in an artistic context. Here are some movies that can give you more inspiration to draw:
“Frida” – Julie Taymor
“The Danish Girl” – Tom Hooper
“The Girl with the Pearl Earring” – Peter Webber
“Midnight in Paris” – Woody Allen
“Letters to Van Gogh” – Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman
Carry a sketchbook at all times.
We know it’s no easy task to have inspiration come at any given moment, but with this strategy you’ll be saving creative sketching ideas for the moment when you really need them.
Image: Pexels
Do meditation
According to the Psychology and Mind blog, meditation influences the functioning of the brain, helps us to have a greater ability to concentrate, improves memory and allows us to be at peace with ourselves. That is why meditation is a good practice that one should do if you are looking for inspiration.
Research the works of great artists
If you don’t know how to get inspiration, what you can do is to look for more information related to the activity you want to do. For example, if you are having trouble drawing a landscape , you can research the work of other artists who specialized in landscapes. According to the Psychology and Mind blog, the new associations we make are based on prior knowledge.
Do creative exercises
Getting inspired can be a bit difficult, sometimes creative blocks appear that prevent us from generating new and original ideas. Fortunately, there are several creative exercises that are characterized by putting us in situations where we are forced to use all our ingenuity and let our imagination fly.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is an effective way to be inspired. This ancient practice serves to increase concentration and efficiency in all your daily activities. Mindfulness will allow you to have a higher level of awareness of where you are and what you are doing.
Image: Pexels
Search for suggestions or challenges on the internet
The internet can be a great source of inspiration for drawing, as you can find many ideas of themes to draw. On pages like Pinterest, Tumblr or Instagram you can find many drawing challenges where they give you a list of
different things to draw when you are bored. These challenges are also useful to get out of your comfort zone and practice your drawing techniques, as you will be forced to draw complicated things or things you never drew before.
Source: Pinterest
Drawing places, people or objects that are around you
Sometimes the inspiration to draw can be closer than you think. Surely around you you can find something to draw, such as a person, an object or any detail that catches your eye. You can also challenge yourself by picking any random object and try to replicate it, so you can learn how to draw whatever comes your way. By doing this exercise you will be able to improve your concentration as you will have to pay close attention to details, light and colors so that your drawing can be as accurate as possible.
Try to imitate other artists or try new styles
When you are in the “I don’t know what to draw” conundrum, what you can do is try to copy a drawing from an artist you like. You can pick one of your favorite artists and try to imitate their style and techniques. It’s a way to challenge yourself and learn from the great masters.
You can also try to copy drawings with a completely different style than you usually do. You can try kawaii drawings, comics, manga, children’s illustration, etc. Knowing new forms of artistic expression can give you the inspiration to draw that you needed.
Start doodling on the blank paper
If you’re having trouble finding something to draw, start doodling on the blank paper. Draw lines, figures, characters and little by little more ideas will start to come to mind. Remember that the blank sheet of paper does not provide much inspiration for drawing.
Source: Canva
List of drawing ideas
need ideas to combat the lack of inspiration to draw? Here’s a list of things to draw when you don’t know what to draw.
Draw yourself as a superhero
Draw the view from your bedroom window
Draw a character from your favorite book
Draw an alternate cover from your favorite book or movie
Combine different species of animals and create your own mythological creature
Draw the car of your dreams
Draw your own flag
Draw any object but without lifting the pencil
Draw a close-up of your eye
Draw an object and put a face
Draw your favorite animal as a baby
Drawing Inspiration Themes
Although you already have a good amount of tips to recover your inspiration to draw, many times the lack of ideas can still be a problem to start drawing again .
That’s why here are a few unconventional topics related to current events that can serve as good ideas of things to draw. let’s see!
Professions
You can find good references to draw in interesting professions, especially those that have a lot of very specific details, such as astronauts inside a spaceship or cooks in a restaurant. No doubt, it’s a basic subject, but it can help you discover new facets of life.
Modern sports
Other interesting subjects to draw again are sports. Normally, drawing people doing physical activity helps you to improve your anatomical drawing. Also, with the new fame that extreme sports have been acquiring, we are sure that they will serve to recover your inspiration to draw.
Modern transportation
Whether they are subway trains or giant airplanes, means of transportation have always been good ideas for easy drawings. And now, with all the technological advances that exist, drawing a car inside or the control cabin of a train can be a new and very fun experience.
what are you waiting for to start making a list of things to draw? cheer up!
Spiritual Movements
Many artists have found in spirituality a way to reflect their art in a more pure and direct way. If you are one of those people who believe in spirituality and in the energy of human beings, drawing related things can help you to not only regain inspiration to draw, but also to connect with yourself.
Technology and media
The new revolution of social media and technology in general has made day-to-day experiences very different from what they were years ago. Also, scientific advances are becoming more and more significant and supportive of human beings. A good alternative if you feel you have lost the inspiration to draw is to try to reflect in your works this new digital and scientific evolution of recent years .
Fashion and personal styles
Last but not least, one of the themes that can bring you more inspiration to draw are the new fashions and styles in trend today, from the classic gothic style that has come back into fashion, to the vintage touch that today have acquired all the outfits. Replicating these new fashions in your drawings can give you new ideas.
Drawing tips you should know
Now that you know how to get your drawing inspiration back, we will show you some drawing tips you can follow to improve your artistic skills with a few simple steps:
Learn to observe
Before you start drawing any object, first you have to carefully observe all the details and elements it has. If you don’t have something to draw and you are doing everything from your imagination, it is also important that you can observe your progress to detect possible flaws.
Draw every day
One way of how to have inspiration to draw easily, is starting to draw more often. This way you will feel more motivated since it will become a habit in your life and you will be able to develop your talent even more. Remember that practice makes perfect.
Get well informed about the materials you can use
If you want to draw like a professional, at some point you will have to leave the classic number 2 pencil and change it for a more appropriate tool. There are different types of pencils that, depending on their degree of hardness, have different tonalities and can help you make more impressive illustrations. While the materials don’t make the artist, having the right equipment can give you more motivation to draw.
Source: Artefeed
Practice drawing lines and geometric figures
It is said that any image is composed of lines and geometric figures. That is why a very useful drawing exercise is to draw parallel lines as straight as possible. You can also practice drawing geometric figures such as circles, rhombuses, squares, etc. These drawing tips will definitely improve your artistic skills.
Source: Artefeed
Practice shading
If you want to learn how to draw anything, you have to start playing with the intensity and direction of light. Mastering the grayscale to achieve perfect shading will allow you to give more depth to your drawings and make them look more realistic.
Source: Artefeed
we hope today’s article has been useful for you! We know that all these tips to recover your inspiration to draw will help you to create wonderful works. Remember that you shouldn’t avoid getting frustrated or discouraged if at some point you have trouble finding motivation to draw.
If you are looking for how to get inspired to draw, you definitely need to take these tips into account. The key is to be persistent and find the right tools to capture your original drawing ideas on paper (or screen).