Can one get to a point where there is nothing to paint? I feel that way. Maybe it's that I'm not inspired to paint anything right now. I looked through my photos. I looked online at others' works. Nada.
Oh, well, time to pick up a good book for a while and let my painting brain rest, I guess.
When you get in a non-painting mood, what do you do? Do you panic or let it ride itself out? How do you get out of it if it has lasted a week or a month (not that mine ever last more than a day or two so I'm not worried yet).
The empty house across the street has a yard knee-high in grass and some lovely irises blooming (which I may just go over and cut and bring home to paint - is that stealing?).
11 comments:
It will pass - may take a day, a week, or? Mine was almost 2 years. Now I can't stop. So keep enjoying life, and it'll be evident when know that you need to paint. Painting while waiting for that desire is a great idea tooo.......
I dont know what you do when you donot paint. will you let me know? been a week for me. and no you are not stealing the iris, they are lovely, take em! my sister just gave me a big pot full, and they are scented!
Two years? Sandy, don't scare me that way! I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have any desire to paint for 2 years!!
Today, Dawn, I just watched movies I'd taped, including a sweet movie of Beatrix Potter and her art (Miss Potter). All day today I thought "I should be at the gym," but I'm going every other day and that's plenty. Perhaps I'm getting addicted to working out?? Can that be? haha
Sounds like you are going through a quiet time. Perhaps in the background of your mind, your brain is sorting and pondering new directions for you. Doesn't that sound exciting!
Congrats on the new grandson too! He looks so adorable in your painting and no doubt he is even more adorable in person.
We probably all go in spurts - I'll do a series, thinking that will take a long time, but then when that series is over I have to rethink everything. Your hollyhocks were lovely - perhaps you can do another poured painting - of the irises across the street! And trying to do your grandson is a big job, maybe you were too hard on yourself? Sometimes it's fun to just look through art books - got any "Splash" books? - to get inspiration or just to enjoy some beautiful paintings. Or you could just draw - which you are getting very good at! It will come, don't push it!
Yeah, just resting the old noodle, I guess :)
Deb, I wasn't too hard on myself over the baby Devlin portrait - I liked it! haha
Ann, you're right, we all need resting periods.
I just got 2 new watercolor books today from NorthLight that should get me going :)
Worry not - it passes. One trick that works for me is to go into my studio and do "administrative" work, like put some order in my art supplies or reorganize my brushes and paints. It usually gets me in the mood. Another thing is to meet with fellow artists and look at their work - which many times inspire me to rush back home and paint.
If neither of these work (which also happens), I have learned to stop fighting it. This is part of the artistic process, kind alike taking a step back before making a big leap forward.
Thanks, Nava :) For me not to paint for 2-3 days is a drought - so I do worry after the 3rd or 4th day BUT cleaning up the art room is definitely something I could be doing :)
Hi Rhonda, I loved reading all the replies to this one!
For me, two to three weeks is time to worry. ;o) I usually find that when it happens, something is bothering me, even though it isn't something to do with painting. When I sit down and seriously start to figure out what it is, then I find that the drought usually will pass. I just have to be aware of what it is that is causing it.
Hope you're back at it now!!!
Deb
Deb, for some reason your comments are coming through twice so I deleted one.
Post a Comment