What To Do When YOUR BRAIN Won't Let You Draw

Summary

In this candid video, the artist candidly discusses the struggle of wanting to draw but not feeling inspired. They explore various methods to overcome this creative block, such as doodling, drawing familiar subjects, and the 'Blob Challenge'. The video emphasizes the importance of not forcing creativity and suggests that sometimes, simply starting the process can lead to enjoyment. The artist also shares personal experiences, including the impact of mental health and stress on creativity, and how community support can inspire artistic expression.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The video discusses the struggle of knowing what to draw when lacking inspiration, emphasizing that simple lists of things to draw may not be the solution.
• 🖌️ The speaker shares personal strategies for overcoming the creative block, such as doodling, drawing something they love, and engaging in art challenges.
• 🤔 The video acknowledges the complexity of the issue, suggesting that it's not just about picking up a pencil but dealing with mental and emotional barriers.
• 🔄 The speaker admits to experiencing a lack of inspiration for a long time, which has affected their art and content creation.
• 🌐 The video is sponsored by Squarespace, which offers website templates and tools for creating and selling online.
• 👥 The importance of community is highlighted, as surrounding oneself with like-minded artistic people can help overcome the reluctance to create art.
• 🎭 The video suggests that sometimes forcing oneself to start a piece of art can eventually lead to enjoyment and completion of the work.
• 🌱 The concept of 'comfort art' is introduced as a therapeutic way to create even when not feeling inspired, which can lead to satisfaction and joy.
• 🔄 The speaker reflects on the idea that sometimes the process of creating art can be more important than the final product, especially when it brings enjoyment.
• 💭 The video concludes with the speaker expressing a renewed inspiration for their comic 'Sketch Scouts', despite the ongoing struggle with other forms of art.
• 📢 The speaker invites viewers to share their own experiences and tips in the comments, fostering a supportive community for artists.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is about overcoming the creative block and finding ways to draw when one doesn't feel inspired.

What is the purpose of the 'Blob challenge' mentioned in the video?

The 'Blob challenge' is a creative exercise where one takes a random blob of a shape and draws over it to see what they can envision, as a way to spark creativity.

What is the artist's personal approach to drawing when they don't feel like it?

The artist's personal approach is to doodle, which helps them to push through the initial reluctance and eventually enjoy the process of drawing.

What is the significance of 'Comfort art' in the artist's creative process?

Comfort art refers to certain styles or subjects that the artist turns to when they are not feeling creative. These pieces are almost therapeutic and help the artist to create something even when they don't want to.

Why does the artist mention 'sketch Scouts' in the video?

The artist mentions 'sketch Scouts' as an example of a project they are currently passionate about, which contrasts with their struggle to draw other types of art.

What does the artist suggest as a way to overcome the feeling of not wanting to draw?

The artist suggests forcing oneself to start drawing, surrounding oneself with like-minded artistic people, and creating comfort art as ways to overcome the feeling of not wanting to draw.

How does the artist describe the experience of streaming art on Twitch?

The artist describes streaming art on Twitch as a helpful experience, where the community's encouragement and interaction can inspire them to create art even when they are not initially in the mood.

What is the artist's opinion on the idea that 'real artists' should draw every day regardless of their feelings?

The artist disagrees with this notion, stating that everyone is different and that forcing oneself to draw when they don't want to can be counterproductive and cause stress.

What is the role of Squarespace in the video?

Squarespace is the sponsor of the video, and the artist thanks them for their support. Squarespace is a platform for creating websites, which the artist uses for their own website.

What is the artist's advice for those who are struggling with their art?

The artist advises to be patient with oneself, to try different approaches like doodling or comfort art, and to seek support and inspiration from others, such as through streaming or engaging with a community.

How does the artist feel about their own doodles in the video?

The artist admits that they initially did not want to draw the doodles, but by the end of the video, they actually liked most of them and found the process enjoyable.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Overcoming Artistic Blocks

The first paragraph introduces the video, sponsored by Squarespace, and discusses the common dilemma of not knowing what to draw. The speaker acknowledges the complexity of the issue and rejects the idea of simple solutions like numbered lists. Instead, they share personal experiences and thoughts on the mental challenges of creativity, including the pressure to produce art daily and the importance of individual differences in artistic motivation. The speaker also touches on their own struggles with inspiration and the difficulty of starting a creative process.

05:01

🎨 Strategies for Artistic Inspiration

In the second paragraph, the speaker delves into their personal strategies for dealing with the lack of desire to create art. They mention forcing oneself to start, the benefits of surrounding oneself with artistic peers, and the therapeutic nature of 'comfort art.' The speaker emphasizes that there is no one-size-fits-all solution and that it's important to find what works best for the individual. They also highlight the importance of enjoying the process of creation, regardless of the outcome, and the potential for unexpected inspiration from casual interactions.

10:03

🌟 Embracing Artistic Journeys

The final paragraph wraps up the video with a reflection on the shared experience of being an artist and the challenges of maintaining creativity. The speaker expresses hope that the video can foster a sense of community and support among viewers. They also share their current obsession with their comic 'Sketch Scouts,' which stands in contrast to their general lack of focus on other art forms. The speaker concludes by reiterating their gratitude to Squarespace for the sponsorship and thanks the viewers for watching, leaving the audience with a sense of camaraderie and understanding in the artistic journey.

Keywords

💡Squarespace

Squarespace is a website building platform that provides users with tools to create and manage their own websites. In the video's context, it is the sponsor of the video, and the creator is promoting its services as a solution for those who need a website but lack the skills to build one from scratch. The mention of Squarespace highlights the video's commercial aspect and the creator's reliance on such partnerships.

💡Doodle

Doodling refers to the act of making simple, often abstract drawings while a person's attention is otherwise occupied. In the video, doodling is presented as a method to overcome creative blocks or the lack of desire to draw. The script mentions doodling as an activity that can lead to more focused and enjoyable art creation, suggesting that it serves as an entry point to the creative process.

💡Inspiration

Inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. The video discusses the struggle of finding inspiration when one doesn't know what to draw. The concept is central to the video's theme, as the creator explores different strategies to ignite the desire to create art, such as doodling and surrounding oneself with artistic individuals.

💡Blob Challenge

The Blob Challenge is a creative exercise mentioned in the video where one takes a random blob of a shape and attempts to draw over it to see what forms. It is an example of a technique to overcome the lack of a clear idea of what to draw, by providing a starting point that encourages the viewer to engage with their imagination.

💡Mental Health

Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. In the script, the creator touches upon the idea that not wanting to draw can sometimes be related to mental health issues, stress, or other personal matters. This concept is woven into the narrative to acknowledge that the creative process can be influenced by one's mental state.

💡Artistic People

Artistic people are those who engage in activities that involve creativity and self-expression, such as painting, drawing, or writing. The video suggests that being around like-minded artistic individuals can help inspire and motivate one to create art, especially when they are not feeling particularly creative themselves.

💡Comfort Art

Comfort art refers to a style or type of artwork that an artist turns to when they are not feeling inspired or are seeking a sense of ease in their creative process. The creator mentions comfort art as a strategy for dealing with the reluctance to create, describing it as almost therapeutic and a way to enjoy the act of creation even when not at one's best.

💡Sketch Scouts

Sketch Scouts is a comic project that the creator is deeply passionate about, as mentioned in the video. It serves as an example of a project that the creator is so invested in that it becomes a source of inspiration and motivation, contrasting with the general theme of the video about struggling to find the desire to draw.

💡Product Design

Product design involves the process of creating the aesthetic and functional elements of a product. In the context of the video, the creator mentions how doodling can sometimes lead to the creation of product designs, such as stickers, in their shop. This illustrates the idea that even seemingly aimless creative activities can result in tangible and marketable outcomes.

💡Creative Blocks

A creative block is a term used to describe a situation where an individual is unable to produce new ideas or work in a creative capacity. The video discusses various ways to overcome creative blocks, such as doodling and engaging with a community of artists, emphasizing the importance of finding personal strategies to deal with these obstacles.

💡Therapeutic

Therapeutic refers to the healing or soothing effects of an activity or process. In the video, the creator describes certain types of art as being therapeutic, indicating that the act of creating can have a positive impact on one's emotional well-being, even when not producing their best work.

Highlights

The video discusses the challenge of not knowing what to draw while still wanting to create art.

The video is sponsored by Squarespace, a platform for creating websites.

The creator shares personal experiences with the struggle of initiating art when feeling unmotivated.

A list of suggestions is provided for those unsure of what to draw, including doodling and drawing favorite characters.

The Blob challenge is introduced as a method to inspire creativity by drawing over a random shape.

The importance of studying and drawing objects around you for practice is emphasized.

The video acknowledges that the provided list might not be inspiring for everyone, including the creator.

The creator admits to experiencing a lack of inspiration to create art, which is reflected in their recent videos.

A discussion on the pressure to create art every day, even when not feeling inspired, is presented.

The video suggests that sometimes forcing oneself to start drawing can lead to enjoyment and completion of the artwork.

Surrounding oneself with artistic people, like streaming on Twitch, can help overcome the reluctance to draw.

The creator finds comfort in creating 'comfort art,' which are simple and familiar styles that help initiate the drawing process.

The video concludes by sharing the creator's current obsession with their comic 'Sketch Scouts' and the desire to work on it constantly.

The creator hopes the video can provide support and shared experiences for fellow artists struggling with motivation.

A final thank you is given to Squarespace for sponsoring the video, and an invitation for viewers to check out the creator's comic.

The video ends on a positive note, with the creator feeling inspired to work on their comic despite previous struggles with motivation.

Transcripts

this video is brought to you by

Squarespace need a website and don't

know how to make one make it with

Squarespace if you clicked on this video

maybe you're asking yourself what do you

draw when you don't want to draw but you

want to draw this seems like a very

simple question but man oh man is it

more complicated than telling yourself

what to draw and then drawing it so

welcome to yet another yapping video

where I doodle and talk about art this

video is not going to be a numbered list

of things you can draw if you don't know

what to draw because let's be honest

that isn't a solution watch here's the

list number one doodle random things

feeling inspired yet probably not number

two draw something you know you love for

example I love cats so if I never know

what to draw I'll just draw some cats

maybe you like f art draw your favorite

characters the less thinking the better

and if something is already designed

it's easier on the old Noggin to just

draw something you know you love number

three The Blob challenge take a blob of

a shape and draw over it what do you see

number four studies for example figure

studies objects around you draw what you

see get some studying in there now do

you feel any more inspired to pick up

your pencil and draw you want to draw

but did that make your brain really want

to draw probably not to be honest it's

not inspiring to me either in fact that

was more of a I don't know what to draw

list not so much of a I don't want to

draw list which is totally different

when I can't get myself to draw but I

want to draw it's not as simple as

picking up my pencil and drawing it's a

brain thing now whether that's a mental

health thing a stress thing something on

your mind thing maybe you're just hungry

sometimes your brain just doesn't want

to draw and you know what there's going

to be some snoody people out there who

say just draw if you are a real artist

then you're going to draw every day and

you're going to pick up your pencil and

you're just going to draw and you know

what be quiet everything's different for

everybody and I don't listen to you life

is too short and I'm just trying to be

happy and that mentality does not make

me happy I've been experiencing that for

um years now at this point you can

definitely tell in my videos how I

haven't been feeling super inspired to

create art it's really sad for me

personally to look back at some of my

videos and just think yeah I really I

really pushed through that one because I

had to pay the bills but also because I

wanted to draw and I didn't want to draw

but I wanted to get myself to draw

sometimes I even start a video not

wanting to work on the video but as I

really get into it I'm so into it so

maybe it's just an issue of picking up

the pencil and starting to draw and

really pushing through that you just got

a start to start issue but it's really

really hard to get through that just

starting phase and for me personally

this is my job so even though it is a I

have to pay the bills so I need to make

art situation I also just on my days off

what am I going to do I I want to do art

in my free time because that's what I

like to do so it's not even like a I

have to do this but I really want to do

this and what else am I going to do I've

literally got nothing else I love making

art but my brain won't cooperate so what

do I do when I can't get my brain to do

art well personally as I said that easy

list isn't so easy when you don't want

to do it so I just doodle like I said

sometimes you just have to push through

that initial my brain doesn't want to

draw but I know once I start drawing

I'll enjoy it so I just have to push

through it and to be honest sometimes I

try not to even force myself to do it if

my brain doesn't want to do it because I

do find that it does make it worse and

stresses my myself out which doesn't

help however sometimes I just really

want to draw and I'm in a position where

I have nothing else to do but draw for

example if I'm traveling maybe I'm at a

coffee shop with someone so what else is

there to do doodle so to finally answer

the question what do I personally do

when I want to draw but I don't want to

draw did I already answer it I think

I've already said it I already I just

doodle I doodle that's what I do okay

but for those of you that love lists and

you want a more concrete answer I think

I can come up with the list of a few

things that I do to help myself draw

when my brain won't let me draw but

first I want to give a huge thank you to

Squarespace for sponsoring this video

because without Squarespace I wouldn't

have a website do you want a website and

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domain thank you so much to Squarespace

for spons answering this video let's get

on to that list okay so there's not any

one magical cure that is going to get

your brain to let you draw but there are

a few things that I do that I find help

I guess look if I can help you in any

way by listing off these things then

great I've done my job if not I wish you

the best so number one at the end of the

day I think it's impossible to force it

but I have been lucky in that forcing it

has helped some sometimes in the past I

mentioned earlier that when I work on

videos sometimes I just don't want to do

art or currently I am so obsessed with

working on my comic sketch Scouts that I

don't want to do anything else so what

do I do when I want or have to draw well

I force it sometimes just jumping into

an art piece or sketching ideas does

eventually lead into me enjoying the art

and wanting to do it I don't know why I

have to force myself to do it to begin

with when I want to do it but brains

sure are silly in that way like I know I

usually enjoy it if I start it so why

don't I just start it you know the more

I talk about this the more I feel like

I'm just telling you guys I have anxiety

or something anyway moving on to number

two sometimes surrounding yourself with

like-minded artistic people helps I

personally don't have many friends in

person but I do find that streaming art

on Twitch when I'm not in the mood to

stream art does help there have

definitely been streams where I started

off super a bummer like how do you guys

even stay in my chat and hang out with

me but you guys encourage me to do art I

start to Doodle and next thing you know

I'm creating a piece that I like and I

really appreciate having you guys around

to encourage me to try my chat is full

of all sorts of wonderful people who

have ideas silly things to say

conversations and sometimes I just

doodle with them and get into it with

the Good Vibes we bounce ideas back and

forth Just say stupid things silly

things funny things and eventually I

doodle something that I like one minute

we're talking about a serious topic

about how our day went and someone says

something stupid maybe someone makes a

typo a troll comes in it gives us a

funny and silly idea next thing you know

I'm actually enjoying drawing something

related to the conversation and what do

you know I've even turned Doodles where

I was just doodling just to doodle into

actual stickers or product designs in my

shop so you never know if you force it

when you really put away the expectation

of actually creating good art sometimes

you can create something you never know

and number three the biggest one for me

is Comfort art there's a few styles of

art I resort to when my brain isn't

cooperating I've got my worm paintings

word Art Fields of grass you might be

familiar with these pieces of mine I've

done them in videos on streams I've

posted them one thing you might notice

is that they are all very similar

looking but they get me to create

something even when I don't want to

they're almost therapeutic and even if

I'm not creating my best work it makes

me happy just to make something and

honestly sometimes that's all I need I

just need to create something anything

even if it's not my best work and let's

be honest my next piece is not always

going to be my best work as long as I'm

enjoying the process I feel like I've

achieved what I wanted with my art bonus

points if I like the finished product

and even more bonus points if others

enjoy it as well so what did we learn

today if anything sometimes our brains

don't want to create art and I want to

say and that's okay but honestly it's

not okay brains suck but we do what we

got to do and what are we doing I don't

know hope you enjoyed my doodles I'm

just doodling because I don't know what

to draw I am a living example of what

I'm talking about you know what I want

to be drawing right now my comic sketch

Scouts you should check it out Link in

the description I do want to wrap up

this video by saying I hope that the

general consensus of this video isn't

super negative I'm actually super duper

inspired to work on my comic right now

and I can't stop working on it and when

I'm not working on it I'm thinking about

it oh my God I even had a dream about

sketch Scouts last night I'm obsessed

that being said as you can tell when it

comes to literally any other form of art

at the moment I can't get my brain to

focus this video isn't supposed to be a

complaint but more of a shared

experience as an artist and hopefully we

can give each other tips and support in

the comments you know just yapping your

ear off hopefully you've learned a way

to cope with your brain maybe you were

drawing while listening and just like I

talked about in this video I did not

want to draw these Doodles that you see

in the video but you know what I

actually like most of them I think

they're very fun and I enjoyed making

them Brute Force baby okay okay once

again a huge thank you to Squarespace

for sponsoring this strange video and

thank you so much for watching I'll see

you guys in the next one bye

[Music]