Once in a while, we all get in a rut. If you’re looking for cures for artists when boredom strikes, then keep reading.
Everybody experiences demotivation and lack of inspiration once in a while. And sometimes, it makes you uneasy when you feel stuck and you don’t know what to do to cure that boredom. Having experienced artistic slump and boredom so many times, I’ve come up with a list of 10 cures for artists when boredom strikes. See if these tips can help you out.
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10 Cures for Artists When Boredom Strikes
Create Vision Boards
In this season of boredom, you may be looking for a way to hold yourself accountable to still do something productive. Or at least do something that will inspire you to be productive. No matter what goals you have in mind, whether it’s to take care of your mental health or improve your familial relationships, creating vision boards can aid to make you feel more centered and put together.
Not sure how to make one? Here’s a helpful and detailed guide: How To Make a Vision Board.
Try Something New in the Medium You’re Most Comfortable With
Sometimes, when we are so fixated on doing the things we’re used to, we get bored of the repetition. To combat this boredom, try to learn something new. Maybe a new technique or a trick you never tried before.
Are you most comfortable with watercolors? Or maybe colored pencils? Maybe you love sketching more? Whatever medium you mostly use, learn a new technique or complete drawing exercises that will keep your hand and mind busy. You can even try mixing your favorite mediums. Be wild, be experimental. Your imagination is your limit.
Read on more ways to blend colored pencils.
Try A New Medium
If trying something new with the medium you’re always using isn’t working, you can use a new medium you’re not very familiar with. Think outside of the box. Say, for example, you’re used to painting and drawing on paper, why not try making digital art, or vice versa? Or designing tattoos? Maybe you’ll discover something you like as you try new things.
Do Something Creative Other Than Making Art
Being creative doesn’t only mean making art. There are other things you can do to unleash your creativity like reading or writing or even gardening.
Reading books will widen your knowledge and your vocabulary. Writing stories or even journaling can help you express your thoughts. You can also try blogging if old-school writing doesn’t work for you.
Blogging involves a lot of creativity. You create content, take and edit photos, layout your website, and maybe do some graphic designing.
Other creative things you can do are sewing, knitting, candle-making, and more. By doing stuff other than arts, you may find yourself having inspirations that will rekindle your love for the arts.
Learn A Musical Instrument
Another creative outlet you can try is diving into music. Whether you listen to music or play an instrument, being connected with something intangible does wonderful things to your heart and soul.
Learning a new musical instrument is easier today because you only have to scour the internet for tutorials. Try learning the guitar or the piano, or maybe even a kalimba like my sister did!
Learn How To Cook or Bake
If you are not musically inclined, maybe you can try getting acquainted with the kitchen. Learn how to cook your favorite dishes or learn how to bake cupcakes and cookies. Cooking or baking is therapeutic and the methodic preparation of ingredients clears the noise in my mind almost all the time, it’s wonderful.
Take Photos
Another cure for artists when boredom strikes is to take photos. Do you have a penchant for composing a photograph? Go out on a photo walk and just take photos of things that catch your interest. It doesn’t have to be mind-blowing. Don’t pressure yourself and just take random photos.
Exercise (Maybe Yoga?)
Sometimes, when our minds are not in the mood to work, we have to do things to distract them from worrying and overthinking. As artists, we know we have to create in order to be productive. But what happens when our artistic mind is bored and is in a slump? One thing you can do is to get physical.
Try exercising. You can take a walk around your neighborhood. You can try jogging or jumping rope or maybe even yoga. I enjoy dancing, so when artistic boredom strikes, I go to Youtube and look for a simple dance routine to follow. It’s magic.
Take A Vacation
When all else fails, maybe it’s time for a change of scenery. You don’t have to travel far if you don’t want to, you just have to take some time away from the familiar space your always working in. Take a break for maybe a day or two so that you can unwind and refresh your bored system.
Take time off creating art. Put your art supplies away and just relax. Do something fun!
Remember Your ‘Why’
Sometimes, a good way to motivate yourself again is to go back to the reason why you actually started what you’re doing. And this works for every aspect of life. Thinking and reflecting about your ‘why’ is one of the cures for artists when boredom strikes because it reconnects you to that flame that made you passionate about creating art.
Final Thoughts
And these are our takes on the cures for artists when boredom strikes. These may not all work for you, but at least you know how and where to start when you actually find yourself in a slump.
Slumps may take days or weeks, but you’ll always get out of them when you have the will and know where to start. Good luck!
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