# How do you stay motivated?



## Kahurple (May 27, 2013)

I love to draw. I've been doing it since I was a wee thing. 

I didn't get serious with art until about a few years ago. I bought books on art basics (color, composition, anatomy, etc) and started studying and drawing from life. 

Lurking in art forums, I've read that doing said life drawing or from my head everyday (provided I utilize what I've observed) will see an improvement in art skills. BUT, and here's the thing, I haven't been able to draw everyday for a while, and I fear stagnation.

So for all of you out there in Internetland, what do you do to get yourself to draw everyday? 

If you don't draw, but do other artistic things, feel free to chime in!


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## Faux (May 31, 2012)

I've broken out of some major lapses in writing simply by coming up with unimportant but interesting tasks. I have a tendency to psych myself out until things are in motion.


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## Cael (Jan 23, 2013)

Generally an absorbing story of some kind, a movie, good video game, novel, or something an elder has told me is what motivates me the best. I see each as a piece of art on it's own and often like to reflect my own perspective of it or branch off of thoughts that observing it has given me. Fairly often as well I will try to visualize what I'm feeling, although I have tendencies to do this with darker, more negative emotions, since this style is one that I prefer to see and practice.


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## RandomNote (Apr 10, 2013)

If somethings interesting enough then ill get motivated.


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## Kahurple (May 27, 2013)

I think I should just doodle something everyday. Doesn't have to pretty, just something that loosens me up and reminds me that "Hey, this is supposed to be relaxing and fun!"

Sometimes I think I focus too hard, and I have to catch myself. Gotta learn to step away sometimes.


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## jessnic (May 13, 2013)

Another thing you could do is for each friend/family member's birthday/holiday (father's day is coming up!!), make yourself draw/paint/whatever the card instead of buying one. That'll keep you creative at least about once a month.  Plus! It's a lot cuter/more personal!


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## Faux (May 31, 2012)

Kahurple said:


> I think I should just doodle something everyday. Doesn't have to pretty, just something that loosens me up and reminds me that "Hey, this is supposed to be relaxing and fun!"
> 
> Sometimes I think I focus too hard, and I have to catch myself. Gotta learn to step away sometimes.


If nothing else you'll have a lot of doodles to look back over a few months from now, and seeing any improvement at all will be encouraging.


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## Kahurple (May 27, 2013)

Faux said:


> If nothing else you'll have a lot of doodles to look back over a few months from now, and seeing any improvement at all will be encouraging.


I've done that too. Sometimes I look back and my stuff now is better than something I did a month ago. I'll show other people just to make sure that I'm not tooting my horn or anything, and they seem to like my sketches good enough.

They do say artists are their worst critics after all.


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## Faux (May 31, 2012)

Kahurple said:


> I've done that too. Sometimes I look back and my stuff now is better than something I did a month ago. I'll show other people just to make sure that I'm not tooting my horn or anything, and they seem to like my sketches good enough.
> 
> They do say artists are their worst critics after all.


Yeah. Things tend to be warped by time and memory, so it's a real record of work done. I don't know if artists can do this, but I've often gone back and found scraps or abandoned ideas I want to update or pick up again. After a few years of exposure to the world you'll have new tools and perspectives to apply to creative works.

Writers are probably their own worst critic, too. I constantly press my test readers for problem areas, especially when it comes to characterization and flow. I'm almost obsessively concise, though, to the point where I worry about having enough downtime. I express everything through action and interaction. I'm a little envious of a friend of mine who seems to be a natural when it comes to making interesting rest scenes.


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## prokesye (Jun 9, 2013)

Cael said:


> Generally an absorbing story of some kind, a movie, good video game, novel, or something an elder has told me is what motivates me the best.


What Cael said here would be one of the primary reasons why I would take up drawing again if I haven't drawn or created something in a while.


Something else that drives me, at least, would be having large tasks to complete- then, someone, I find time to draw because I find the task daunting, however I wouldn't recommend this path, since not only is it a nuisance but also, probably, a majority of people would prefer to do the work, rather then mess around, heh.


But, overall, if you're ever stuck on what to draw, what I tend to do is go back to sketches or pictures I've drawn in the past, whether its a couple of months ago to a couple of years ago. There, I'd redraw whatever the sketch is to see if there is any improvements. It could be an unfinished sketch, a facial sketch landscape sketch etc cetera. This is the easiest way to gain some confidence in your work, especially if you've either been drawing for a while and are stuck in a runt or you haven't drawn in a while- you either notice the changes you've made and try to improve on those observations, or try to draw said sketch at different angles, different strokes, different techniques etc cetera. if the time-line is too close together to have made substantial change within such time.


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## Jehneefur (Jun 18, 2013)

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. (ecclesiastes 4:4)

So true


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## TyDavis (Mar 8, 2013)

I think about how awesome it would be to see one of my old asshole classmates when I'm 25, and it turns out the ended up being a drug dealer, while I have my college degree in the other seat.


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## uncertain (May 26, 2012)

Kahurple said:


> I love to draw. I've been doing it since I was a wee thing.
> 
> I didn't get serious with art until about a few years ago. I bought books on art basics (color, composition, anatomy, etc) and started studying and drawing from life.
> 
> ...


I think it starts to get pointless and boring when you draw everyday for the sake of drawing everyday. You should feel free not to draw everyday, or go do something else. Sometimes I do it everyday, sometimes I don't.

You can try coming up with some projects which would contain, say, 5 pieces of drawing or art, and do something related to the 5 pieces of art. Try to spin and evolve the whole thing. In this way, one project will lead to another. It doesn't have to be 5, it can be one only, or three, whatever.

Doing other things might inspire your drawing.


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## John Coltrane (May 11, 2013)

Kahurple said:


> I love to draw. I've been doing it since I was a wee thing.
> 
> I didn't get serious with art until about a few years ago. I bought books on art basics (color, composition, anatomy, etc) and started studying and drawing from life.
> 
> ...



Mix it up, draw some nude models, whatever you've to do make it more interesting. I'm a musician, I've to learn things that are either technically challenging or just fun and interesting to play in order to avoid stagnation. Show your work or play or whatever you call it to people, it can reinforce the idea that what you're doing is worthwhile. The question of how to stay motivated will drop away once you begin working on something enjoyable!

Also, maybe think about going to some exhibitions. Or getting a biography of an artist whose style you particularly enjoy, that can be very inspiring. Even better if you've got an exhibition of your own to work towards!

Also, this is relevant.
http://rcrosing.home.xs4all.nl/images/ch_lm_panic.gif


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## bluhorizon (Sep 17, 2012)

I don't like drawing anymore like in the past but when I did:

-- I looked at stuff that I felt was better than mine. It made me want to strive for improvement.
-- Taking breaks. I don't draw but I use to and everyone knew it. Now that I don't, it bothers me when my family feels the need to bring it up, even though I've made it clear I'm not feeling it. I MIGHT go back but I'm not worried if I don't. Sometimes you need a break and just don't want to draw everyday. Art takes time. 
-- Keep it fun and enjoyable. Find new things to draw or just do some simple doodling. It can come easier when you aren't forcing it.
-- Get inspired by something. Look at other forms of art. Or try a new one


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## Toru Okada (May 10, 2011)

Kahurple said:


> I haven't been able to draw everyday for a while, and I fear stagnation.


Why not?

I'm a drawer but I also don't do it every day. Drawing does take discipline. And so, I'm not going to give you any advice because I fail to take it myself.

To contradict that, keep lurking those art forums. Conceptart.org is a great resource to observe and get ideas and inspiration juice going.


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## smolio (Mar 7, 2013)

I find that music plays a HUGE part in keeping me going through a piece. Especially when the mood of the music "fits" what I'm working on. 

I don't know how many people feel this, but music paints a vivid music video in my mind. I can imagine scenes and images moving in synchronization to musical cues. And that often translates to whatever blank canvas I have in front of me. It's my quick fix for inspiration and motivation.

So if you're big on music I would suggest checking out some game soundtracks--they tend to be excellent at providing all sorts of variable moods through instrumentation, style, melody, etc and a bonus for being lyricless.


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## Kahurple (May 27, 2013)

Wallmaster said:


> Why not?
> 
> I'm a drawer but I also don't do it every day. Drawing does take discipline. And so, I'm not going to give you any advice because I fail to take it myself.
> 
> To contradict that, keep lurking those art forums. Conceptart.org is a great resource to observe and get ideas and inspiration juice going.


Since I've made this post, I've been doodling and/or studying anatomy most days. That and checking out tips and tutorials peppered throughout the Internet. 

I used to lurk around on Conceptart a while back. The sketchbooks are inspirational. I thought about posting there, but these guys (and girls) are pros. They're a bit intimidating, but who better to learn from than the pros, right? 

I've started looking at animals; Lord knows I don't draw enough of 'em. Bovine and birds are quite fun, as are deep sea animals. Pausing YouTube videos for poses is great too.


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