Get Motivated!

Sometimes it’s difficult to have a creative side gig when you have a full-time job. Working 9-5, being a home owner and taking care of myself and my kitty cat Sam, it’s sometimes tough for me to get motivated to work on my hobbies. It may also be negative thoughts getting in the way of your creativity. Thoughts like “I’m not good enough”, “there are others that draw better than me” or “I’m way too busy” can keep us from doing what we truly enjoy.

I have my days where I am very motivated to draw, but most of the time happens while I am at work. So how do I keep up with being creative while working a stressful job 8:30 to 5 job and keeping up with being an adult? I’m gonna list them here.

Create an Inspiring Space

Back when I lived with my parents, I only had my bedroom but I filled a corner of it with artwork I created and artwork from other artist friends. Since I moved out, I have a den that is used as my art studio. Sometimes looking at other artists workspaces will give you some ideas and inspiration. You can also check out my other blog 5 Steps to Make Your Own Creative Space.

Put Together an Inspiration Book

I have my favorite art works in a binder and I occasionally bring this out when I am feeling crummy. When I look back at the work that I was proud of, I start to feel a little better. I begin to think “I’m not such a bad artist after all!”

Just Gotta Do It

Sometimes the hardest part is getting started. Even if you sit there and draw a face, at least you are doing something! Do you need to improve your anatomy, perspective, etc.? Work on it! There are plenty of tutorials online or go to the bookstore/library. But don’t just read, practice drawing!

Go Back to Your Old/Unfinished Art

I have lots of artwork that I have re-drawn or that I have not finished. Luckily, I have a lot that I pencilled in a long time ago, so just erase my mistakes or just continue to ink/color. It’s okay to finish old artwork!

Get Involved with Inktober

I will say that this past October was the first Inktober I got myself involved in. At first I did great, but started to get burned out half-way through. After skipping a few days, I made up for it and posted the days I missed. I felt like I should have given up since I didn’t do it every single day. I am very glad I pushed myself to keep going, because I had completed 31 drawings! There are plenty of weekly or monthly events with the same idea, so I would definitely look into these. And if you are a little late or skip a day or two, don’t beat yourself up!

Get Cozy

I grab myself a cup of coffee or tea, get under a blanket on my favorite chair or at my art desk with some Jazz or Bossa Nova music. When I get a free Saturday to do this, I can spend a whole day drawing!

Clean Up

When I am feeling unmotivated, it usually is because I feel like I have too much going on. Clutter in the house can make me feel overwhelmed and guilty. If I do not feel like drawing after coming home from work, I at least try to keep up with keeping things in order (laundry/dishes/mail/bills) that way I can focus on art stuff on the weekend.

Get Yourself Some New Art Supplies (If you can afford to)

Even if you buy a couple of new Copic markers… or even just a new pen for inking! I don’t know about some people, but I get excited to try out new markers and/or pens I buy.

Surround Yourself with People who Motivate You

I have a couple of friends who yell at me when I don’t draw. Even if there are people in my life that do not support my hobbies, my friends will definitely be there to give me all the reasons why I need to draw. Even better if you have friends you bounce ideas around with.

Look at Other Art to Get Motivated

Sometimes it helps to look at someone else’s art. Go to an art gallery. For me, I get motivated by going to anime/comic conventions to look at everyone’s creations and network with like-minded artists. I get so many ideas that as soon as I get home, I get to work.

It’s not easy to  get motivated and stay motivated, but these help me in my down times. I feel that the more I draw and the more I create, the more I accomplish. The more I accomplish, the more confidence I have in myself.

If any of these have helped you, please let me know below and share this with your friends!