Take a break, draw for yourself, and change your diet. Really. The food you eat can bring on depression.

Nonsense! *hic*

I eat six quarter-pounders a day *hic* and never excersize and I feel great! *hic*

Those aren't hiccups. *Hic* They're heart attacks.

*hic*

Righty-o, King of Town!

Actually, my diet HAS been changing, what with having to get food at work instead of home. So I've been getting a more interesting diet. I admit, I DO feel better when I'm at work, but I wonder if it's just because I'm not at home...

Watch the preservatives you take in and don't starve yourself. That would be the simple diet to follow.

the best thing is to take a step back and do something for your self

When is the last time you did something completely random that is different from what you normally do and makes you feel good? Like going to a park and taking a nap in the sun or grabbing 5 random friends and playing Cranium. And lots of salad with as many different veggies as you can put in it is good Helps me out when I'm depressed. I have no ideal why.

I bought a bike and went out riding for the first time in many many many many years, just a couple weeks ago. I also dislike raw vegetables.

I'm very sorry to hear that. The only advice I could give has already been posted. Take a break, and take your time. If people get pissy about getting their art, simply offer them a refund, and explain that your mental health is simply most important for you right now. I also hate psychologists, so I understand where you're coming from. They're so.. impersonal. Just take your time, and, just so you know, my address might change some time in June.

You're the one I was doing the picture for from Rainfurrest? The sketchbook piece?

No, I ordered a pendant and necklace.

Hey, it happens to all of us, just put the pieces away for awhile, get away from your table and go hang out with friends. If a few days rest doesn't help, try drawing from life, but nothing super epic, just easy excercises to make you do something without straining the creative process, and it helps a lot, at least I've found. :3

I'm going add in ditch the car and ride a bicycle to work when ever you can. Amazing how much that helps. It's worth it even if it's several miles away. Hope you get out of it soon.

I work 30 minutes away by vehicle, and I'm pathetically out of shape. I do, however, have a new bike and will hopefully someday be in shape to try and ride it down there.

*hugs* You just get better.

*hugs back* Thanks hon

This is going to sound completely lame, but please at least consider it.

You get what you expect. Currently, you get up in the morning and expect to have Artist's Block, and so you do. You expect to be unable to draw anything, and you are correct. Now, if you continue to do what you've always done, you will continue to get what you've always gotten. You gotta change something, yeah? Change your expectations. Get up in the morning, and expect, truely expect, to draw something awesome. Or even just expect to draw something. Once you believe it, your perceptions will change and you'll get some art done.

Think of it this way: It's mind over body. When you watch a horror film, your palms get sweaty and your heart races, even though it's all just a movie. This is the same idea, just more positive.

Hope that helps at least a little. :)

Now that don't sound lame at all.

I think maybe I'll try that at some point when I'm not wandering in a sea of grey. :P Yay, I'm waxing poetic, but that's really what it feels like sometimes. Like everything has lost its color, and I'm confused and lost, and I'm drowning. Well, not quite drowning, but it's hard to stay afloat and keep breathing.

I think there is no non-emo way I can answer this. Trying and failing. Trying again and failing. Abort.

It's not so much an expectation as it is this wave of apathy and loathing that I get when I decide to work on art, or even think about working on it. There's been times where I tell myself, "I have this day off, my roomie is spending the entire day in a WoW raid, there's nothing good on TV, I have no other obligations, so I will work on this half-finished picture that only needs a little more coloring, that shouldn't be hard..." And then it is. It's suddenly the hardest thing in the world to think about the actual process of picking up the paper and markers, laying down strokes of color, and just getting it done.

Not to sound redundant, but this is the time to try it, honestly. Wake up and expect anything but a sea of grey. Expect some color! Ultimately, all you're trying to change are your own perceptions. In fact, go to bed thinking about what you want to see when you wake up -- hold that thought in your mind as you fall asleep, and your subconscious will work on it for you.

While I'm not a great artist I'd like to offer some insight on what came to mind when I read your story. While some will say get out, go away from art for a while, I would say do the exact opposite. Rather than run away from art, check out other people, you may never know what someone else's work will spark your own ideas, something completely different and new from anything else you've ever thought about. Throw down the sketchbook, literally and figuratively if you like, immerse yourself, don't draw if you don't want to, only draw when something cool comes to mind, some kind of exhilaration. Your art is incredibly varied, so many different emotions. Why do you do art? To improve, to do a piece unlike any other you've done before? To portray a part of your life happening right now? Sadness, happiness, disappointment, anger, passion, a bit here and there.

So yeah, take a slight step back from the art table and instead surround yourself in the work of others, even if it may seem painful. You might surprise yourself even when you feel down right now. There may be one random thing that will act as a sort of inspiration, no matter how small it is. I think we all would like to see a happy K'sharra. Tigers ftw.

I watch a LOT of really talented artists here on FA. I check the submissions often. I also browse some other sites and collect a lot of inspiring and beautiful work to make me feel inspired to reach that level. But lately, I've been looking at submissions and disliking them. Some of my favorite artists, I dismiss their stuff as crap. It's almost like I'm feeling like not only my art isn't good enough, but no one's is. I don't know why.

I see what you mean, it might be because life can be very hectic at times and since you recently got a new job (congratulations by the way), it seems the pressure/anxiety/stress might have been building up and now that you have the new job all that pent-up pressure and whatnot might still be lingering. But then again, you've said this has happened before so I can't even begin to imagine the frustration you must be experiencing because of all of this.

You said the job was going well and that it was cool, chillax people and that it's fun. It might simply be to take some more time, let everything take its course and all that jazz before even thinking about heading back to the drawing table. So take it one day at a time for now, I hope you find that you'll slowly find yourself with the itch to draw again. Until the next time, or rather, submission eh?

Waaay back in the day I'd got for weeks without drawing a damn thing, but I was just caught up in other aspects of life. When I got more serious about art, and made a point to sit down and do it when I could be doing other things, well, thats when I first really noticed what art block was, as up until then, I really didn't.

Art block for me mostly comes from distractions in life, which simply lead to me not wanting to sit still for that long. I can break out of that, but it takes a bit of doing. Some music that moves and a place where I can hole away alone and get into it. Or sometimes just throwing in movies I've seen a bazillion times but still enjoy and curl up on the couch with my sketchbook and just sketch what comes to mind.

I've had only a couple _serious_ art blocks in my life that I have noticed without question. Both were events related and depression related. But each was a little different. With the first, I'd still draw from time to time but I felt no want to be social with the artwork online. The second time, I only wished I was capable of venting to paper the things I was going through, but I had a major block there. I won't get into those details here, but I'll go into how I got through it. Maybe it'll help.

I rode it out. I know I'm an artist and that I want to be, and enjoy, doing art. I gave in and accepted the art-less fate for a little while. I'd try from time to time to see if anything would happen and eventually it did. When it did, it was like someone opened the floodgates. I don't know when or how whatever heavy thing was blanketing my abilities had moved on, but it had. Time may have been all that was needed. I had to let go of my safety net of being an artist in order to come out on the other side. Now that I'm there, a lot of things feel a lot different.

I'm refunding commissions as well. Almost done with that. The more refunded the better I feel and the more wanting I am to get art and related projects for myself done. I haven't felt this free with my work in a very long time. Sure, some days I just screw up everything I try and put to paper, but you know what? Thats okay. We have days like that.

I don't know if this means anything but, for me, in the big blocks, there was always a reason for it. If there is a reason for it in your life, tackle that, and your art progressions are likely to follow you on the up swing. In any event, I do hope you'll be friends with your muse again. :)

Yeah... there's a reason but there's not much I can do about it. Right now I'm just doing my best to make it from day to day. Thank you.

Do something different. I rotate between writing, drawing, working on Lionel model trains, and various other things. Lotta times, one item inspires me to do something else...

Hope yer feeling better soon!

Well, I tried sewing for a while... Then painting... Right now I'm in the "doing something different by not being creative in ANY way" phase, I guess. XD

Then it's high time you picked up some Lionel trains and played choo-choo for awhile. Works for me. :)

I wonder, since your comment on my journal of the same topic, if you picked up anything useful from that?

I apologize as this comment is very short, it's very late, and I'll get back to you, but the short version is this:

Instead of trying to imagine what to do with your art, imagine what you would do WITHOUT it. Like, totally stopped drawing. Or, totally forgot. Then, and only then, what would you draw first? What would you want to get down so badly on line and form? That, is why you draw. To show others how you see things, maybe, or to inspire others with your ideas perhaps.

You're a very good artist, K'sharra, and I think a few key suggestions could help you come over this, if you're up for them, I can give it a go. But Arphalia's comment is very true. They can be mood related and pressure/time/project related. So sit back, take a deep breath, and dive into crazy, miscellaneous thoughts of characters and situations and things you've never drawn, never seen, but would like to see, and start rapidly sketching them out. I would almost pay you to do this, and to see the results.

I'm confident I can provide something that will help you, so I won't stop commenting and suggesting til I do. And til you get out of this. *hugs* All the best.
-FK

*hugs* Thank you

Hehe, I have NO job and art block. XD

I need to draw! *cries*

good luck girl

Thank you

*hugs* It can be hard to be creative when you're behind in other work. The stress will weigh you down. Sometimes you just need a break to get started again, so I hope you find one.

Keep the loathing of psychologists... better depressed than depressed, poor and medicated. Depressed you can get over - psychologists you can't... that's first-hand experience talking, so take it from me.

I haven't churned out any decent new creative works for over 6 months now. I know this stuff happens when I'm busy with school or work, and since I'm always busy with school and work, I never accepted any story commissions - it's just too much for me to handle when the muse is not willing. Best I can do is hope to get back to it on my own eventually, but with the pressure on it will never happen.

"Better depressed than depressed, poor and medicated..."

That's just... perfect. XD My sentiments exactly, but in a much more clever way than I would ever have thought to put it!

Considering how much I've discussed the topic lately, I've pretty much weeded out the less-clever responses.

On a related note, I may just be dropping my writing and all participation here entirely for 3-4 years... bigger things afoot, and I can't afford to let my social life stand in the way, however anti-social that sounds, it's the truth.

A block can be tough, and you've got my smpathies; usually when I get one I focus on other things for a while and come back to it. If that doesn't help then I try to get push myself.

Personally, I respond well to deadlines, so I try to write 500 words a day. Art might not allow a metric that simple though, but maybe the work looks insurmountable because you're looking at the whole thing at once -- smaller, achievable goals might help. Right now I'm saying "I will not watch MST3k's Starfighters until I get Technofox 08 up to 1000 words."

I hope the new job is going well.

Eh, the deadline thing isn't working for me very well. The new job is, though. It's my happy time, when I get to be around cool people and play with cool stuff and be active and get away from the pressing matters of life for a while.

It's good that your job is working out. Getting money into the house is and should be a major priority.

I can sympathize because I've always had a bitter love/hate relationship with writing. Sometimes I'll "give it a rest for a day" and suddenly, bang, it's a week later and I haven't written a damn word. Then I have to go back to deadlines.

Or even just saying "I will spend one hour writing every day." It's agony to keep focused, it's almost impossible not to get distracted, but then it's four days later and I'm back in the groove, and remembering why I love writing so much.

We're here for you if you need anything at all!

Thank you *hugs*

alot of people gave good advice here, so it's hard for me to add to that. I will say, however, that I would like to see you come out of this and draw again, because you are very good at it and I appreciate every piece you share with us on here.

Argon speaks the words of the all-wise. Your stuff is great, and I hope to see more of it.

I'm going to have to agree with the "draw for yourself" comments. It seems to have helped someone else I know here on FA.  charrio was having bad art block for awhile. Couldn't seem to draw anything, until he decided to draw something strictly for himself. He's now uploaded two peices in the last couple days, after a month or two *at least* of nothing at all.

I've tried the drawing for myself thing. I have a piece (in my Scraps folder if you wanna see the sketch) of a dragon with a little cat that I was drawing for myself, because I liked the idea. I haven't been able to touch it. I worked on a piece that I haven't yet uploaded, but I've just hit a wall and can't seem to finish it. I have things I want to do for myself, but... I just can't seem to do it. Even when I block out the thought of having to catch up on commissions, even when I work on something that used to be inspired and used to be so vivid in my mind, it's all dead.

It is true that some artists go on hiatus for years before they come up with anything new.

Maybe it's time for you to take a vacation from the world of art. Not trying to be rude, but the harder you think about something, the more stubborn you mind can become.

Art coming from a talented artist such as yourself should flow naturally, like second nature. Shouldn't be something to be forced out, ya know?

*belated* hugs back

If you don't mind my asking, what sort of thing makes you want to draw? What's usually happening when you sort of blink and think, "Man, I have got to get that on paper?"

I ask because I think your work is remarkably exciting and beautiful, and that it conveys feelings.