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You ever feel like drawing, but can’t decide what to draw?

Salutations, art friend ;3

Ever pull out a blank piece of paper and just stare at it? Maybe you didn’t even get that far - and stared into the void of your soul instead?

Well, don't worry, you're not alone. I see you.

Every artist hits that wall where nothing feels exciting, and motivation seems impossible to find.

In my experience, this struggle comes from three main sources…

Just draw something - anything.

If you are stuck in your head, unable to decide what to draw, it is time to relax and let go.

Not every drawing needs to be meaningful. Not every session has to produce something impressive. Doodling for the sake of doodling is perfectly valid.

I know the feeling. Sometimes when you sit down to draw, you end up drawing the same thing every time. It feels stale. It feels predictable. You start questioning yourself… “Why do I always make this THING?” I personally have the habit of just drawing a human face which I slowly add more and more wrinkles to.

But here is the real question, “Are you here to create, or are you here to judge yourself for how you create?"

If you want to get unstuck, try dropping the pressure. Give yourself permission to create something completely "pointless". The more you allow yourself to make things without expectations, the easier it becomes to become and stay inspired.

Even random scribbles and shapes will continue to train your hand-mind connection so you can draw more confident lines in the future.

There is value in every line.

Artists sometimes forget that creativity needs fuel.

If you are not feeling inspired, ask yourself - when was the last time you took in something new?

Think of it like running while dehydrated. If you tried to go for a jog after not drinking water for three days, how well would that go? Probably not great. You'd probably get a nasty headache, pass out, then wake up in a hospital. Your body needs water to run.

Or think of it this way, a fire can’t keep burning without new wood. Your artistic “fire” needs more creative “wood”. Get it?

If you are feeling creatively drained, try this:

The more you engage with the world, the more likely you are to suddenly think, “Oh, I want to play with that idea!”

Perfectionism is a creativity killer.

Sometimes, art block does not come from a lack of ideas - it comes from fear and mindset issues about the ideas you want to explore.

You start to doubt yourself before you even begin, because you're obsessing over the result. You convince yourself the piece will not turn out how you want or everyone will hate it, so you just avoid creating altogether. No drawing means no disappointment.

But the truth is, you have to let go of the idea that every piece needs to be great.

A trick that helped me break out of this cycle? Set a timer for 30-60 minutes, try to draw something good, when the timer goes off stop and rip up the paper, then throw it in the garbage (or compost cuz you love mother earth).

This forced me to literally let go of the need to make something “good” and just create for the sake of creating. After doing it enough times, I stopped hesitating and just started making.

Another trick someone shared with me that's a little less visceral? Use bad materials to make art. It’s guaranteed to look terrible no matter what.

If you are feeling blocked, grab the cheapest paper you can find and a basic pen (or even crayons). No fancy sketchbook, no expensive tools, no endless digital distraction, no pencil to erase - hopefully just flow. The idea is crappier the materials, the less expectation you will put on yourself to fully take advantage of your tools.

And, as always, the less the expectations, the easier it is to just start.

Stop making with a result in mind. Make for making’s sake.

If you are struggling to find motivation, remember this:

The more you embrace the process without expectations, the more inspiration will come naturally.

Get out there. Get making. Trust the process.

The rest will come.

A thousand years of peace and love upon you,
Brosatsu