A year ago, I started drawing again after a five year gap. I had initially stopped because I was told my art sucked. Getting back into the grove was painful the first few months, but once I made a point of practicing often, I have now made more progress in a few months than what I done during the previous decade.
damn... its been 5 years for me as well, nearing on 6. i used to love my art despite it not looking "as good" as other artists in my class. but now i feel like im way too hard on myself. one step at a time, im slowly gaining my interest again
I've gone 2-3 years without drawing. I would have times where I would feel like drawing again, only to either stare at a blank page and decide against it or have an idea, not know how to do it, and stopping there. I think part of it is burnout. I'm probably one of the easiest people to cause burnout for, and considering I drew non-stop for 2 weeks straight when I got my first graphics tablet 2-3 years ago, I guess it makes a little sense why I stopped. I do wish I could go back, though. I have so many ideas, and I even wrote a book series (that had mostly drawings and dialogue so closer to a comic, I guess) that started when I was about 9 years old and continued until I graduated high school. I really want to bring more life into those stories and improve my art, but the burnout just kills me anytime I try.
Literally same, I got a tablet and just didn't stop for weeks. The worst was when some of my work started selling, because I just started pouring all my time into making more of that. Burned the whole way out, haven't drawn in like or 4 years. It happens. We'll get back at it eventually
Same here. When I got alcohol markers, I drew nonstop. A couple weeks ago I submitted a cover design for my yearbook (it got on the back cover) and that was the first time I enjoyed drawing in awhile. I also have a comic idea that I wanna work on, but it’s hard to work on it bc trying to execute it is no easy feat. I wish u luck on ur comic tho!
The athlete analogy made me realize that I also need to find marathons to run. Lately I've been feeling like I have no reason to draw, making it really hard to get back into the groove. Hopefully I'll find what it is that drives me to create again.
I'm definitely with you on that. I've taken breaks I'm not happy with and haven't posted my work at all as I don't use social media. But now I'm just setting a goal for 2023 to start an account and upload a small goal of at least once a month
As Frieren once said "I'm asking about the present." Yes it might have been years since last time I drawing with passion, and I've lost the motivation. The more time passes, the more i regret not getting good at drawing with lots of "if only" statement. But that's just a block(?) in my mind. After reading Frieren manga up until she meets Sein, the "I'm asking about the present." Stuck in my head. Now, I'm asking myself "I want to draw again. It's too late now but im asking about the present. Do I want to draw?" Yes I do.
The way you just outed me with the anxiety. Its honestly been so scary to hold a pencil but i really wanna get back into my hobby because i used to genuinely enjoy drawing. I wanna feel that way again.
Woah! It's so great to hear that you'd like to give it another shot! :D be gentle with yourself however the results turn out and try to take enjoyment in the process. Welcome back to the "currently working artist club"... or something XD Best of luck to you :)
I'm so glad I found this video! I used to draw constantly as a kid, and even studied art in college but once I graduated, I got away from drawing. Over the years I would attempt to start drawing again, not like what I did, toss the sketchbook aside and not make another attempt for at least a year. This has been the pattern for the last 20+ years for me. A few years ago, I started creating zentangles. I made some nice stuff but wanted to get back to the level I was years ago. Now I am starting the process of devoting myself more seriously to this pursuit. I've dusted off some old drawing books, took out a half-used sketchpad, and am trying to get back into it. Your steps and advice really gave me the encouragement and motivation I need to really dig in and apply myself. Thanks!
Finally! Something to fight my artblock after dealing with stressful times with school! Still not finished with the finals, but the timing is still impeccable.
I just recently got back in the groove working on my webcomic after taking an approximately 1 month break. It started out by trying to learn how to use Blender to speed up my workflow, but then I started playing Stardew Valley again, and a month got away from me. What you say about an on-ramp is definitely true. I found that I couldn't just make myself jump back into a multi-hour marathon work session. I had to do a couple of 1/2 - 1 hour work sessions to get myself back up to speed. I just focused on getting in 3 drawing sessions a week, no matter how long they were. After four or five of these I was fully "ramped up," so to speak.
This is good all-around life advice. I've 'taken a break' from a lot of good habits due to the (ongoing) stress of the last few years. sleep, diet, exercise meditation/prayer and yes, my art. I've been struggling to get them all back. I've realized now that I've been beating myself down for not instantly switching everything back on, as if it didn't take me months, -years, to establish those habits in the first place.
The longest time I took was around 3 years. I was just so burned out, and drawing had become a consistent stress, I just had to walk away. I would on occasion get the drive to draw again, and would draw one or two things. But then the burnout and stress would return, and I had to quit again. Returning to drawing has been an interesting experience. I wasn't sure what I was going to do. But I decided that I would focus on one thing that I love drawing, and that is cute dragon creatures. And that focus has helped to keep me grounded and happy with drawing again. And my creativity, and skill has blossomed due to that. I have always wanted to use my art for some kind of work/business but was to unfocused to figure out what I wanted to really do. Now I know. And I am happy. I even started a RUclips to share my are process, and just have fun. I find watching myself make art, inspiring. Maybe a little self indulgent, but hey, it helps to keep me going when I am starting to feel down on myself, and my art.
I just recently discovered you but watching this video has helped. The longest I went was probably... 2 years? I went to school for Animation and the teachers were really harsh on the students and it was a very stressful environment. I just lost my will to be creative. It took a long time for me to want to draw again. Thanks for these great tips!
Thanks, my longest break without drawing was almost 4 months, I think. It was recently. When I got back into it I drew the weirdest stuff imaginable... I felt so anxious and I still do a little bit. I just had NO IDEA what to put on paper and lost the passion... It's also refreshing to see a youtuber in the art community, that is not being so serious or sarcastic with themselves or their viewers... Not going to name anyone. I'm probably wrong and just very sensitive...
After crashing and burning pretty hard two times in a row with studying the Fine Arts in 2008 and Game Design after that, I haven't really been able to produce anything at all since 2014. I'm really struggling to go at it again since art used to help me so much in life, so I really needed to watch this video. Thank you for all of the advice and encouraging words!
About 6 months ago I had surgery due to a volleyball injury on my right wrist, so I was forced into a break from art. In a month I start college as a graphic design & illustration major and I’m just starting to draw again. I should’ve started maybe 2 months ago when I was cleared but I’ve been psyching myself out because I’ve been scared that I would be bad at drawing. And at the moment I kind of am which makes me more scared. This video was super helpful and I will be for sure trying these strategies. Thank you so much😭
I stopped drawing for a year because I transfered online and recently, im enrolled back into an AP art class and im out of it. I felt like i lost my skill and I keep trying to make masterpieces because im a perfectionsist and its been so stressful, im glad i watched this.
In the past, I've found that my biggest art improvements tend to come after taking a break. I find it frees up my brain to consider new ways of doing things. Some things that have helped me: 1) keep in touch with creativity however you can, even if you can't act on anything right away, 2) draw something you've never drawn before when you come back; you can't tell if it's bad if you have nothing to compare it to, and 3) focus on re-establishing a routine and regaining momentum before attempting anything ambitious
The longest break I had was probably about a year due to extreme working conditions with my job, an injury, and overall poor mental health. To get back into it, I opened up commissions that started at $1 and subsequently went up by a dollar per customer. It was a big game for my customers and it resulted in an absolutely ridiculous amount of pieces in a short amount of time - I wound up doing 101 pieces in about 3 months' time and it's one of the largest growth periods in art I've ever had. Thank you so much for your videos - I share them with my community all the time!
As an artist that's been in an awful state of artblock, but also an athlete, the first analogy really hit different. I've gotten myself through hitting slumps (I play a bat/ball sport) that have lasted weeks if not over a month. I can do this too.
Blessed above us! I haven't drawn since the Covid lockdowns. I ised to draw so much. I loved it. But whenever I try again, I just hate it... I'm not as good as I used to be...
I haven’t drawn for fun and finished a piece besides sketching in like two years because I got so creatively burnt out from school. I did AP art my last year of highschool and that was difficult and then I started graphic design college classes. I started drawing again yesterday so this is great timing lol
The last full finished piece I done was November 2019 (2 years and a few months), (not just because of the past 2 years) but because by that point I had a dramatic realization/Epiphany of what my work was missing. This meant rethinking how I approached my work from the ground up which took time (doing non- practical artwork). But hopefully armed with my new tools, resources and mindset i can make a quick comeback not just returning where i was, but even sore past, all in less time.
I went 2 years from terrible mental health, I felt so bad since all my friends that I would draw with seemed to have much more talent then me, so I got jealous and started to draw again. Which just made me feel worse until this
I haven't been drawing as much for the past 2 months since school has me on the 24/7 homework grind, now things are (kind of) easing up to give me time to draw again. This video came at exactly the right time.
I stopped drawing as much as I used to after the pandemic during my sophomore year of highschool, mostly due to burnout. I was also working on a comic that was seeming to go nowhere so whenever I picked up my tablet pen or my pencil, I got guilty for not spending time on the comic. So for three years, I stopped drawing and now I’ve graduated high school! I’m going to an art college so I’m deciding to brush up on my drawing skills a little before I go there in the fall
5 years was my longest time, still working a bit to get back at it. but now witha more relaxed aproach instead of obsesing. this and other videos helped a lot!
I would say it's been about a year since I was consistently drawing or even doodling. Life got really messy for a bit, and on top of that I bought a house all by myself, so I just haven't had the energy or time to draw with everything that's been happening. I'm not quite at the point where I'd say I'm drawing consistently again, but I at least have the energy to doodle and just enjoy putting ideas on the page. I bet it's going to feel even better when I get that first full illustration out, at my own pace.
Over the past year I have been more off and on about my drawing. This time last year I got an iPad Air and have been getting use to drawing on it, which wasn't too difficult. Though at some point last year I just stopped drawing. I wanted to draw but just didn't have the motivation and life was sort of busy as well. I did find myself watching videos that help me to get an idea of thing Is could try in my own art. I found when I did draw something and used some new techniques that it was helping me improve. I know at this point it is about me setting aside time to draw. This video gave me some ideas to try and I am grateful for it. Thank you.
since the start of quarantine to now. i drew consistently (at least once a week) for about 5 years prior, so getting over the hurdle of starting again is quite a lot, but this video definitely has helped me shift my perspective!!
I'm now thinking about returning to drawing after a 10 year + absence from drawing. My school teacher at one point stopped me from drawing in free time and I never really went back to it. I am now realising how much I missed it and am trying to get into it properly. Knowing me though I hold myself to far too high of a standard and will put much too much pressure on myself to be good, even though I haven't drawn seriously in over 10 years! Wish me luck!
Hi, so for me it's been nearly 4 or 5 years since I last drew. I studied animation and illustration at university and got so burnt out that I haven't drawn really since Today I listened to a song I hadn't heard since uni and I had a flood of emotions of the passion I had from back then, so I've decided to pick up a pencil. But then the analysis paralysis hit me and I didn't draw anything. Because draw what? This is why I found this video, and I'm so happy I did, thank you. Your mindset shift helped me, and give me permission to let myself be messy and rusty. And I liked your Nintendo prompt idea, I'm gonna go draw some game fan art to get me back into it :)
Gasp- Brookes played us all along- Fr tho the reminder that it’s okay to have bad drawings is super helpful. I’m always telling my art friends this but I totally forget to listen to it myself, good to have you back!
To answer the end question, I hadn't drawn anything since high school (12-16), and I picked up the pencil again just last year. I was 33. Then I put it down again for Christmas, and I've struggled picking it up again... Thing is... and this is not me blowing my own trumpet or stroking my own ego... I'm good. Everyone that's seen my drawings has been impressed and complimentary level good, so I don't want to let myself down by drawing something sub-par, even though that's what you're supposed to do in order to improve. I think I need to watch this video a few times, and then have a long, proper think about things....
I have recently begun drawing again after more than 15 years without. Drawing was always a huge part of my life, but I ended up dropping it due to life situations. It has been a big challenge. While I still have a very solid grasp of the fundamentals, my skills at drawing are quite terrible. After about 6 months I have managed to get back to around where I was way back in jr high. While I might get frustrated at times, I am fully aware of how much work is required, and thus am able to keep moving forward. I did pick up 3D modeling several years ago, so have kept up with some creative projects at least. There are a few pieces of advice that I would like to add: Draw every day. That is how habits are formed and skills are improved. Every day you don't draw will make it easier to go the next day without drawing until you stop completely. At least for a few months until it is habit. It doesn't have to be a lot, just put pencil to paper for a while. Do drawing exercises. It was mentioned in the video, but I feel it is extremely important. Practice drawing lines, circles, shapes, etc. It is great for a warmup, and it helps build up muscle memory and eye-hand coordination. It also helps you get tons of terrible lines and circles out of the way and get you to making good ones quicker. If I don't know what to draw, this is what I do. I've discovered that once you start, ideas of what to draw will start coming to you. Learn your strengths and work on improving your weaknesses. Leaning on what you are good at can take you a long way, but working on your weaknesses is how you will improve. And remember: everyone starts at zero. All it takes to get better is time and effort.
was feeling overwhelmed for a so long time then I took a break that actually never ended sincE idk maybe 1 year? and I forgot how to start again so thnx a lot for this vid, was exactly wut I needed to go back on track
Its been over a yeras since i stopped drawing! It has been something i loved since i was a child but havnt been consistent over the years :( and i kinda am sad cause i regret not doing it cause y now i would have known a oot. But as you said I AM NOT gonna beat my self up and i amjust focusing on what can i implement. You gave me some pretty good advices so thankksss
In my freshman year of highschool I got really swamped with school work and decided to take a bit of time off from drawing lets just say that turned into a year off. I would sometimes get hit of insperation or watch somthing and say to myself I want to draw that but then the moment I'd start I'd get mad and beat myself up. "This doesn't look how you want it to look", "Why can't I do what I want to", "Everyone around you does it so much better than you", "You have not improved at all in two years." Then one October day I heard these words "Your beating yourself up about a sketch oversomthing that isn't done yet of course it's going to look bad." So after that I decided to draw fanart somthing simple that was little presure and when I finished I was so happy with the final product that I ran down stairs to show off what I had made. Only after admiting that I was my own enemy did was I able to actually create again. So if your struggling with your art right now just remember you that you can pull through and show the world what you have to offer.
I'm trying to come back now from what is almost a yearlong break. I was working full-time as a freelance artist for 5+ years, juggling contracts and clients but I was working in a way that was incredibly hurtful for my mental health. The contract ended suddenly with my main client, and I was so burnt out that I switched careers. I have hardly touched a brush since 2022, only making something here and there but I'm still "stuck". My hand is so rusty that it feels strange to draw anything. I needed the time to reset my brain and recover from burnoug. I'm trying to break it down now; I'm not still fully mentally "fixed" but I'm hoping that cracking open some paint again (without the stress of clients/sales) will help. Thank you for this video! I'm currently trying to doodle my way back into the swing of things.
I haven't drawn anything over 2 YEARS due to lack of time/planning, procrastination, and most importantly, self doubt, hops it's not too late to get back to drawing again.
its been four years since i last drew i hope i can back into to drawing think my fear of anatomy is one of the reasons i got burnt out and took a break
All of this is awesome advice! 👏✨ I just recently started drawing again about a month ago after taking a 4 month break due to burnout. It was so hard to get back into drawing because I was afraid of burning myself out again. 😥 But the mindset that helped me get back into it was focusing on consistency rather than if the drawings looked good or not. I specifically wanted to get back into using my sketchbook again so I set a goal to finish my current sketchbook by the end of March. By setting a QUANTITY based goal rather than a quality based goal, I've been able to say "It's okay that I don’t love a lot of these drawings but I'm proud of myself for putting forth the effort and I’m one page closer to my goal!' I’m actually having fun drawing again most days, and even on days that are frustrating, I’ve learned to lower my expectations and show myself some compassion ☺️
I think that the longest I've gone without drawing is at least a year, and I came back to drawing during my art class and I really enjoyed it, and I started to draw on my own, including making a new character design using both the things I learned from art class and the things I learned from these videos.
Thank you, I recently just got a drawing pad, and yet I haven't even touched it. Haven't drawn in almost 3 years and haven't had motivation because once I started drawing it just looked so bad. But I'm going to try again, I won't give up this time and I'll hone my skills. I'll keep an open mind and remember that my art will not be perfect and there will be ups and downs, like everything in life.
im currently at my 4th month of not drawing/finishing a piece. my main issue is that i seek public praise and i always try to force myself to draw stuff thats popular, or things that other people like or will praise me for. i never really feel like drawing it and it makes me breaks even longer. i have even considered not doing art professionally like ive dreamed of since i was 7 years old. going to try to get back into it though slowly and surely
I used to take pride in being a workaholic with art, that I wouldn't go more then 3 days without drawing, that lead to constant burn out. thinking at the time if I just worked harder I could get the carrier I wanted. but it not just art or hard work that gets you a career.. As of today I been on and off now for 3 years now barley able to create. Its a learning curve to learn how to work in a way that docent create burn out or pressure I cant possibly keep up with. Mostly trying to bring back the love and fun of creating I lost sight of. I lost sight in what I wanted to do. I want to be a story teller with art, to transport people to fantasy worlds. The hole reason I wanted to get into the industry in the fist place was to work on something big I couldn't accomplish alone.
Saw this a bit late but as an art student who didn't pursue art from a young age I find it hard to find any artistic flow since from the start I've been introduced to all the technical stuff,, lately I've found it hard to pick up any wip projects and in the midst of freaking out I found out I work more comfortably with something out of my comfort zone! (if that makes sense) I would scribble on napkins, try new brushes and settings on CSP and so on... The trick was to not place any pressure on the end result and just focus on the process -- I'll definitely get back to your tips the next time I struggle with this! Great points my dude!! :D
I've been on an On-Off break for many years now after burning too bright and subsequently crashing face first back to earth. I had a modest following and truly enjoyed the happiness and laughter my work and comics brought to people. But my own mental health issues, life, and situations eventually led me to this road. Most days I can't even lift my pen to draw. Other days I figure giving up because "Hey, maybe it's not meant for me..." But I'm very happy to have found this video! I definitely need to work on the whole catastrophizing mentality. It's been very difficult to combat! But taking it slow and easy sounds much more manageable than rushing in like I usually do. Thank you for the great video and encouragement! Me and many people really appreciate it. 💪💜
In 2019 I would go months weeks or months without an actual drawing, so in 2020 I decide to attempt drawing everyday. Was tough at first, but eventually it has just become a habbit for me. Doing a silly little doodle a day does a help a lot.
Longest break I'm still trying to break out of. Drawing used to be my way of relaxing but I ended up moving to Indiana and by the time I escaped the state again I was so stressed out and mentally a wreck that I had stopped drawing and writing and was having trouble just speaking out loud to some of my friends without bordering on a panic attack. Getting better now, but it is a slow process and my creativity is still suffering. Three years of being shot at, screamed at, guilted at, verbally abused, and listening to people talking openly about violence against the government and people like me... yeah. I think I needed to hear this video. Sorry about the venting, thank you for the video.
Last school semester, I took an art class because I enjoy it and wanted to get better. But, after the semester ended, I didn't really see a reason for me to draw, I wasn't really happy with most of the work I had done in the class and lost a lot of passion, so I stoped doing projects. I would doodle and sketch but I wouldn't finish any projects. I have been taking this semester to think about what I really want to focus on with my art. This video has inspired me to try and get back into it. Thank you.
Honestly needed this, haven't been drawing much in the last few days and what I have has been looking preeeeeety bad. Might sketch my OC's face or do more meme drawings with other's characters for fun.
These suggestions will help me a lot, since I've been a lot of time without drawing, the last point is the most important for me, since my most weakness with art is that I attemp to draw realistic when I had no teacher to teach me realism, so I end making an in between cartoon-realistic art that I don't like, so I must try and focus on making my art more cartoon-ish (I have no money for a teacher)
I think it has been over a year of not drawing. I was really into it at one time and want to hop back in. Hopefully I'll pick it back up soon and with the right mentality. It's going to feel rusty, it's going to feel awkward, but I'll get back to where I was. Haven't seen one of your videos in a long time. Thanks for this one! :)
I stopped drawing for about a year and a half. Drawing was my comfort hobby in a way, since I had a girlfriend and I thought things were great I didn't need it anymore... Then she cheated on me and my whole life fell apart, I'm going to get back to drawing and I'm going to make it a career so I never have to feel this way again. Comfort 100% of the time from now on!
I said about 3 years ago, and I would love to draw all the time, but once I got a job in the field after high school didn't have the time for it 😢 but i am getting back into but I didn't know how but your video help me out I have dram to create my own characters hell i have a book for what kinds of series I help to create. So you have a new subscriber
ever since covid hit,my mental got hit as well as lost interest in anything but taken art classes through out middle and high school. none of the works meant much to me since i did them just for a grade so while i did alot of art, i didnt practice many of the things i needed to grow as an artist. its been about 4 years now and i realize i want to get back into art. although i have made many attempts of trying to get back into art and just using an excuse of ill do it later or ill do it tommorow since it was late but never actully started it and i found it really frustrating. ill try to begin my journey back into art in feb since it is the only thing i can see myself do for the rest of my life and maybe earn some money off of it. ive always been an art kid but havent really practiced much in my life. hopefully i can get to a point where im comforabtle with my art since right now i despise some of the work im making even the ones im turning in to my ap art class. i even have a sketch book i started in freshmen year 4 years ago that is not even a quarter way done. thank you for the video! :)
Another reason to take a break from drawing is to get new ideas and things to draw about. Some of the best ideas I had were when I was not drawing or even in my house, but taking long walks around my town just watching the world go by. Anyway this was another great video Brookes Eggleston and I can not wait to see what you talk about next.
I spent somewhere between several months and a few years before knuckling down and making a resolution to draw every single day for 2021. About midway through the year, I felt comfortable enough to begin working on my "White Whale" project that I've had in the back of my mind and noodling away at for over a decade. Not only did I succeed in drawing every day, but I also finished the thumbnail and the first draft. Yesterday I finished editing and have begun the final draft. God 55 pages is so many...
It’s been on and off drawing for years. I get back to it here and there but not fully. Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of inspired artworks that people have done and it encourage me to start at it again but I get mentally frustrated when I try to draw again because I’m not as good as I was when I was doing art, don’t have the great perspective of putting something on a paper. It really effective me and I appreciate your video, helpful tips I just need to take it a step at a time not rush into it
Currently about to go back to art school after I had to work all summer- and essentially not drawing for 3 months. Was really struggling with being rusty and imposter syndrome but this video helps a lot!
january-february 2021 was a grueling one for my art journey. Here in the UK we had a third lockdown and my routine - and in turn my art output - was ruined. I did a few drawings in January to be fair, one which I was really happy with and still sort of am, but my god February I did like one sketch and the rest I just felt so depressed each time I stared at a canvas. March I changed from my display tablet to my old wacom intuos just to mix things up. For a drawing or two I definitely was creating again but eh. I really couldn't pinpoint why I felt so burnt out other than the lockdown. But the week I came back to school not long after, having a chat with my art teacher opened my eyes to the fact that for the past year, since I began drawing, 99% of my work was just cartoon furry stuff. Mixing it up and going a complete different direction for a few days REALLY helped me enjoy art again, I went from cartoon digital drawings to ink and wash, doing alot of sketches of Silent Hill given my obsession with it at the time. It was something so different to what I usually did, and it opened me up to a lot of new art, and even made me enjoy drawing furries again. And most importantly, if it weren't for those Silent Hill sketches, I don't think I would have started my current project that is my passion. If you want to reach the mountain's peak, don't use the same old worn out tools. The might even break before you begin.
6 to 7 years. I wanted to get a career as an artist (comics and illustrations) but opted to study something else because back then things like Patreon or something like that, so as I was studying marketing and customer service, I kind of ended up drawing completely... Then I met my partner who drew as a hobby and they pushed me to get back to drawing. Now I have been drawing for almost 4 years, but I have had really "dry" months lately.
I've fallen out of drawing many times in the past 15+ years. I've yet to make a profession out of it, and it's something I do well when my mind isn't distracted with anxiety and stress. I have little will to draw at the moment, and I'm trying to change that. I have to remind myself that this is normal. I have so many ideas, but little drive. Thank you for creating this video, I will be looking into more of your material.
This is exactly the kind of video I needed at the moment. I went on a 1 year art hiatus because of national and SAT exams, but when I was done with them I was having a hard time drawing again. I decided to make my drawings less detailed than they used to be in terms of coloring technique (unless I was drawing a fully rendered art piece) and I was able to enjoy art again, and I even moved to a new account because I wanted to start over and let go off everything. It was the best decision I made and I'm finally at peace. Thank you for making this video!
I wasn't expecting being told not to do all nighters at 7:21 am after staying up all night. Lol. Also, I think the longest I've went without drawing was maybe 4ish months when I was catastrophizing. It was awful. My hand felt all wobbly and it took forever to get my linework back to where it used to be.
Love to see Professor Layton art!! This will be a very helpful video for my drawing discord server! We've had a lot of issues with new artists coming in with a lot of self-doubt issues that never seem to even pick up a pencil. Thank you for the advise we can offer them to hopefully get them on their feet!
I took multiple years off from drawing and came back to it in 2020. It was so satisfying to return, and I returned in a different medium, switching from digital to watercolor.
Thank you for this - some of it was stuff I needed to hear, so yay for YT's algorithm throwing it at me. I'm on a 10 year gap right now, initially from complete mental burnout, then extended because of dominant hand injury. The hand is back to maybe 85%, the brain continues to flail around uselessly, and then every time I get an idea for art it gets buried under the "it's just going to be crap, why bother" thing. So thanks - I needed to hear the bits about getting the bad drawings out and not expecting it to be perfect right off the bat.
Just got a ramdom burst of motivation after not drawing for about half a year. I felt like i lost a part of myself rhat i had been so set on being part of me. It ruined me to realize i had no motivation for art anymore. I think im finally ready to get back into it, only like a new begining. I want to start making art in new ways and drawing in ways i didnt do before, as to not get anxious or demotivated again. Drawing for FUN
This video was just the best, like, it really helped, because I see my problens in this video... but not with drawing... with wrigthing! I onestly think that those tips can work really well with art AND with other stuff. What this video helped me with, was in what to work on, in my case I am going to do some short texts first, and then go back to my main story! But not just that, I saw that this video was very personal too, YOU had to take a brake, and Im glad you shared your knolege from that time for us now, and mainly in the most recent videos, you are saing that you are having fun drawing, and im happy for you! Kepp the forge burning!
this showed up in my recs, like the universe knew i've had the creative itch but i haven't drawn since the start of the pandemic. idk where i fall cuz idek how to draw for fun anymore. I would draw, and go 'damn this is bad' I know i'll never get better if i don't keep being bad and learn from it, but it also doesn't feel fun.
6 years on and off after having a baby, drawing was my life and only skill and after having a baby I had to stop, now I'm no longer good at the only thing I was good at but I enjoyed your video and I'll try out some of your tips 😊
Needed this video. I've been on a break for almost a year now since I landed a job and decided that drawing would remain a hobby. Just haven't had the same drive to get back into it that I had back when I strived to become better and eventually a professional. But I'm not gonna think too hard about it. If the mood strikes again I'll pick it up like I never left.
Somewhere around 8 years. My mental health has gone on a rollercoaster but it's a bit more stable now and very much on the rebound. The urge to draw never really went away. I just couldn't finish anything? At a certain point all I could do was draw a couple of lines and then get too depressed to do anything else. Now that I am healthier, I have been randomly doodling and I'm getting the urge to do more on impulse. It's starting to almost feel like it used to. This video helps a lot. Thank you!
Sheez, that thing about sleeping properly....I've been sleeping terribly (4-7 hours) for a couple years because of the feeling of wanting to do more stuff at home after work. My stress and anxiety is def through the roof these days, I'm trying to get better at it...
Great timing! Just got done with dinner and I told myself it's time to get back animating, sat down and this was in my recommended. I was lucky enough to score a temp animator position with my reel after a whole year of not animating and the anxiety of returning and utterly failing to get my skill back in these two months before it begins thus not being brought on after the temp situation has been eating away at me.
I really can't thank the algorhythm enough for helping me find this channel; I draw basically for fun, as a self taught art lover, but I never really cared about realism and instead loved the unique drawings of videogames, cartoons, comics and so on. I recently understood what I REALLY want to draw and what I want to get good at, so this channel is really a blessing for me now, thanks for being clear, funny, and for putting your knowledge on youtube for us.
I'm currently taking a break from making my most recent collection. I just havent felt inspired. I'm halfway done and Idk where to go with the second half. But i'm kinda feeling that itch to get back to it. I feel like your "try something fun" tip might help. And to answer your comment question, I stopped drawing for some years after college. Then i found colored pencils and fell in love, after only having used graphite.
It has been 6 months since I’ve drawn something really important to me. To return to drawing is a bit challenging, but I work a little bit each weekend.
i just took a 1 month break( and a few extra days) from art because of my mental state and serious burnout, during that time i tried focus on myself and tried doing things that gave me enjoyment. during the break i realized that I'm still at the same level i was last year just more confident and more speedy. I'm not sure with my art style and if it's something i should find i just draw what i like.(which is Animated shows) I'm not the most hard working individual and wont lie if i said that i only draw an hour a day and really half-ass it but I'm really gonna try this year to push myself and be a better artist because it's give me enjoyment and don't see myself liking anything else Also loved the video :)
My longest break has been almost a year now and it really has been a struggle getting back into it. Thanks a lot for this though cause this really did help my mindset a lot.
A year ago, I started drawing again after a five year gap. I had initially stopped because I was told my art sucked. Getting back into the grove was painful the first few months, but once I made a point of practicing often, I have now made more progress in a few months than what I done during the previous decade.
That's really encouraging to hear. Best of luck to you on your creative ventures!!
Yeah, "you're not good enough" is damn effective at killing passion.
damn... its been 5 years for me as well, nearing on 6. i used to love my art despite it not looking "as good" as other artists in my class. but now i feel like im way too hard on myself.
one step at a time, im slowly gaining my interest again
Awesome 😎 would love to see some of your art! Just made a video talking about when I use to draw on my channel I’m trying to get my mojo back!
I've gone 2-3 years without drawing. I would have times where I would feel like drawing again, only to either stare at a blank page and decide against it or have an idea, not know how to do it, and stopping there. I think part of it is burnout. I'm probably one of the easiest people to cause burnout for, and considering I drew non-stop for 2 weeks straight when I got my first graphics tablet 2-3 years ago, I guess it makes a little sense why I stopped. I do wish I could go back, though. I have so many ideas, and I even wrote a book series (that had mostly drawings and dialogue so closer to a comic, I guess) that started when I was about 9 years old and continued until I graduated high school. I really want to bring more life into those stories and improve my art, but the burnout just kills me anytime I try.
Literally same, I got a tablet and just didn't stop for weeks. The worst was when some of my work started selling, because I just started pouring all my time into making more of that. Burned the whole way out, haven't drawn in like or 4 years. It happens. We'll get back at it eventually
Same here. When I got alcohol markers, I drew nonstop. A couple weeks ago I submitted a cover design for my yearbook (it got on the back cover) and that was the first time I enjoyed drawing in awhile. I also have a comic idea that I wanna work on, but it’s hard to work on it bc trying to execute it is no easy feat. I wish u luck on ur comic tho!
I took a 3 year break because i was too depressed to continue but now i hope to get back on track
The athlete analogy made me realize that I also need to find marathons to run. Lately I've been feeling like I have no reason to draw, making it really hard to get back into the groove. Hopefully I'll find what it is that drives me to create again.
Agreed :)
@@ZippyVirus wtf !! Zippy Real !!
Perfect timing! I definitely need to hear some advice about this. I haven't drawn or posted anything for too long!
I'm really glad, I hope that this helps!
I'm definitely with you on that. I've taken breaks I'm not happy with and haven't posted my work at all as I don't use social media.
But now I'm just setting a goal for 2023 to start an account and upload a small goal of at least once a month
As Frieren once said "I'm asking about the present."
Yes it might have been years since last time I drawing with passion, and I've lost the motivation. The more time passes, the more i regret not getting good at drawing with lots of "if only" statement.
But that's just a block(?) in my mind. After reading Frieren manga up until she meets Sein, the "I'm asking about the present." Stuck in my head.
Now, I'm asking myself "I want to draw again. It's too late now but im asking about the present. Do I want to draw?"
Yes I do.
The way you just outed me with the anxiety. Its honestly been so scary to hold a pencil but i really wanna get back into my hobby because i used to genuinely enjoy drawing. I wanna feel that way again.
Great timing because I have not draw anything in 5 years !!! Time to get back to drawing !
Woah! It's so great to hear that you'd like to give it another shot! :D be gentle with yourself however the results turn out and try to take enjoyment in the process. Welcome back to the "currently working artist club"... or something XD Best of luck to you :)
@@artistryunicorn928 thanks
I'm so glad I found this video! I used to draw constantly as a kid, and even studied art in college but once I graduated, I got away from drawing. Over the years I would attempt to start drawing again, not like what I did, toss the sketchbook aside and not make another attempt for at least a year. This has been the pattern for the last 20+ years for me. A few years ago, I started creating zentangles. I made some nice stuff but wanted to get back to the level I was years ago. Now I am starting the process of devoting myself more seriously to this pursuit. I've dusted off some old drawing books, took out a half-used sketchpad, and am trying to get back into it. Your steps and advice really gave me the encouragement and motivation I need to really dig in and apply myself. Thanks!
Finally! Something to fight my artblock after dealing with stressful times with school! Still not finished with the finals, but the timing is still impeccable.
Great to hear!
I just recently got back in the groove working on my webcomic after taking an approximately 1 month break. It started out by trying to learn how to use Blender to speed up my workflow, but then I started playing Stardew Valley again, and a month got away from me. What you say about an on-ramp is definitely true. I found that I couldn't just make myself jump back into a multi-hour marathon work session. I had to do a couple of 1/2 - 1 hour work sessions to get myself back up to speed. I just focused on getting in 3 drawing sessions a week, no matter how long they were. After four or five of these I was fully "ramped up," so to speak.
Woah! congrats on getting back into it! And I'm happy that you've been able to successfully ramp back into things. What's your webcomic about?
This is good all-around life advice. I've 'taken a break' from a lot of good habits due to the (ongoing) stress of the last few years. sleep, diet, exercise meditation/prayer and yes, my art. I've been struggling to get them all back.
I've realized now that I've been beating myself down for not instantly switching everything back on, as if it didn't take me months, -years, to establish those habits in the first place.
The longest time I took was around 3 years. I was just so burned out, and drawing had become a consistent stress, I just had to walk away. I would on occasion get the drive to draw again, and would draw one or two things. But then the burnout and stress would return, and I had to quit again.
Returning to drawing has been an interesting experience. I wasn't sure what I was going to do. But I decided that I would focus on one thing that I love drawing, and that is cute dragon creatures. And that focus has helped to keep me grounded and happy with drawing again. And my creativity, and skill has blossomed due to that.
I have always wanted to use my art for some kind of work/business but was to unfocused to figure out what I wanted to really do. Now I know. And I am happy.
I even started a RUclips to share my are process, and just have fun.
I find watching myself make art, inspiring. Maybe a little self indulgent, but hey, it helps to keep me going when I am starting to feel down on myself, and my art.
I just recently discovered you but watching this video has helped. The longest I went was probably... 2 years? I went to school for Animation and the teachers were really harsh on the students and it was a very stressful environment. I just lost my will to be creative. It took a long time for me to want to draw again. Thanks for these great tips!
Thanks, my longest break without drawing was almost 4 months, I think. It was recently. When I got back into it I drew the weirdest stuff imaginable... I felt so anxious and I still do a little bit. I just had NO IDEA what to put on paper and lost the passion...
It's also refreshing to see a youtuber in the art community, that is not being so serious or sarcastic with themselves or their viewers... Not going to name anyone. I'm probably wrong and just very sensitive...
👀 you’re very welcome!
IM IN THE SAME SITUATION NNNN
After crashing and burning pretty hard two times in a row with studying the Fine Arts in 2008 and Game Design after that, I haven't really been able to produce anything at all since 2014. I'm really struggling to go at it again since art used to help me so much in life, so I really needed to watch this video. Thank you for all of the advice and encouraging words!
About 6 months ago I had surgery due to a volleyball injury on my right wrist, so I was forced into a break from art. In a month I start college as a graphic design & illustration major and I’m just starting to draw again. I should’ve started maybe 2 months ago when I was cleared but I’ve been psyching myself out because I’ve been scared that I would be bad at drawing. And at the moment I kind of am which makes me more scared. This video was super helpful and I will be for sure trying these strategies. Thank you so much😭
I stopped drawing for a year because I transfered online and recently, im enrolled back into an AP art class and im out of it. I felt like i lost my skill and I keep trying to make masterpieces because im a perfectionsist and its been so stressful, im glad i watched this.
In the past, I've found that my biggest art improvements tend to come after taking a break. I find it frees up my brain to consider new ways of doing things. Some things that have helped me: 1) keep in touch with creativity however you can, even if you can't act on anything right away, 2) draw something you've never drawn before when you come back; you can't tell if it's bad if you have nothing to compare it to, and 3) focus on re-establishing a routine and regaining momentum before attempting anything ambitious
Absolutely! Like a rest day from the gym!
I'm coming off a drawing break myself so this is definitely good to hear!! The mentality stuff is the hardest for sure 😅
The longest break I had was probably about a year due to extreme working conditions with my job, an injury, and overall poor mental health. To get back into it, I opened up commissions that started at $1 and subsequently went up by a dollar per customer. It was a big game for my customers and it resulted in an absolutely ridiculous amount of pieces in a short amount of time - I wound up doing 101 pieces in about 3 months' time and it's one of the largest growth periods in art I've ever had.
Thank you so much for your videos - I share them with my community all the time!
As an artist that's been in an awful state of artblock, but also an athlete, the first analogy really hit different. I've gotten myself through hitting slumps (I play a bat/ball sport) that have lasted weeks if not over a month. I can do this too.
Blessed above us! I haven't drawn since the Covid lockdowns. I ised to draw so much. I loved it. But whenever I try again, I just hate it... I'm not as good as I used to be...
I can say the first tips are true. Stoped drawing for 2 years came back better than ever.
I haven’t drawn for fun and finished a piece besides sketching in like two years because I got so creatively burnt out from school. I did AP art my last year of highschool and that was difficult and then I started graphic design college classes. I started drawing again yesterday so this is great timing lol
The last full finished piece I done was November 2019 (2 years and a few months), (not just because of the past 2 years) but because by that point I had a dramatic realization/Epiphany of what my work was missing.
This meant rethinking how I approached my work from the ground up which took time (doing non- practical artwork).
But hopefully armed with my new tools, resources and mindset i can make a quick comeback not just returning where i was, but even sore past, all in less time.
I went 2 years from terrible mental health, I felt so bad since all my friends that I would draw with seemed to have much more talent then me, so I got jealous and started to draw again. Which just made me feel worse until this
I haven't been drawing as much for the past 2 months since school has me on the 24/7 homework grind, now things are (kind of) easing up to give me time to draw again. This video came at exactly the right time.
I stopped drawing as much as I used to after the pandemic during my sophomore year of highschool, mostly due to burnout. I was also working on a comic that was seeming to go nowhere so whenever I picked up my tablet pen or my pencil, I got guilty for not spending time on the comic. So for three years, I stopped drawing and now I’ve graduated high school! I’m going to an art college so I’m deciding to brush up on my drawing skills a little before I go there in the fall
5 years was my longest time, still working a bit to get back at it. but now witha more relaxed aproach instead of obsesing. this and other videos helped a lot!
I would say it's been about a year since I was consistently drawing or even doodling. Life got really messy for a bit, and on top of that I bought a house all by myself, so I just haven't had the energy or time to draw with everything that's been happening. I'm not quite at the point where I'd say I'm drawing consistently again, but I at least have the energy to doodle and just enjoy putting ideas on the page. I bet it's going to feel even better when I get that first full illustration out, at my own pace.
Over the past year I have been more off and on about my drawing. This time last year I got an iPad Air and have been getting use to drawing on it, which wasn't too difficult. Though at some point last year I just stopped drawing. I wanted to draw but just didn't have the motivation and life was sort of busy as well. I did find myself watching videos that help me to get an idea of thing Is could try in my own art. I found when I did draw something and used some new techniques that it was helping me improve. I know at this point it is about me setting aside time to draw. This video gave me some ideas to try and I am grateful for it. Thank you.
since the start of quarantine to now. i drew consistently (at least once a week) for about 5 years prior, so getting over the hurdle of starting again is quite a lot, but this video definitely has helped me shift my perspective!!
I'm now thinking about returning to drawing after a 10 year + absence from drawing. My school teacher at one point stopped me from drawing in free time and I never really went back to it. I am now realising how much I missed it and am trying to get into it properly. Knowing me though I hold myself to far too high of a standard and will put much too much pressure on myself to be good, even though I haven't drawn seriously in over 10 years! Wish me luck!
Hi, so for me it's been nearly 4 or 5 years since I last drew. I studied animation and illustration at university and got so burnt out that I haven't drawn really since
Today I listened to a song I hadn't heard since uni and I had a flood of emotions of the passion I had from back then, so I've decided to pick up a pencil.
But then the analysis paralysis hit me and I didn't draw anything. Because draw what?
This is why I found this video, and I'm so happy I did, thank you. Your mindset shift helped me, and give me permission to let myself be messy and rusty. And I liked your Nintendo prompt idea, I'm gonna go draw some game fan art to get me back into it :)
Gasp- Brookes played us all along-
Fr tho the reminder that it’s okay to have bad drawings is super helpful. I’m always telling my art friends this but I totally forget to listen to it myself, good to have you back!
Thank you so much! You saw RIGHT through my ruse
To answer the end question, I hadn't drawn anything since high school (12-16), and I picked up the pencil again just last year. I was 33. Then I put it down again for Christmas, and I've struggled picking it up again...
Thing is... and this is not me blowing my own trumpet or stroking my own ego... I'm good. Everyone that's seen my drawings has been impressed and complimentary level good, so I don't want to let myself down by drawing something sub-par, even though that's what you're supposed to do in order to improve.
I think I need to watch this video a few times, and then have a long, proper think about things....
I have recently begun drawing again after more than 15 years without. Drawing was always a huge part of my life, but I ended up dropping it due to life situations. It has been a big challenge. While I still have a very solid grasp of the fundamentals, my skills at drawing are quite terrible. After about 6 months I have managed to get back to around where I was way back in jr high. While I might get frustrated at times, I am fully aware of how much work is required, and thus am able to keep moving forward. I did pick up 3D modeling several years ago, so have kept up with some creative projects at least. There are a few pieces of advice that I would like to add:
Draw every day. That is how habits are formed and skills are improved. Every day you don't draw will make it easier to go the next day without drawing until you stop completely. At least for a few months until it is habit. It doesn't have to be a lot, just put pencil to paper for a while.
Do drawing exercises. It was mentioned in the video, but I feel it is extremely important. Practice drawing lines, circles, shapes, etc. It is great for a warmup, and it helps build up muscle memory and eye-hand coordination. It also helps you get tons of terrible lines and circles out of the way and get you to making good ones quicker. If I don't know what to draw, this is what I do. I've discovered that once you start, ideas of what to draw will start coming to you.
Learn your strengths and work on improving your weaknesses. Leaning on what you are good at can take you a long way, but working on your weaknesses is how you will improve.
And remember: everyone starts at zero. All it takes to get better is time and effort.
was feeling overwhelmed for a so long time then I took a break that actually never ended sincE idk maybe 1 year?
and I forgot how to start again so thnx a lot for this vid, was exactly wut I needed to go back on track
Its been over a yeras since i stopped drawing! It has been something i loved since i was a child but havnt been consistent over the years :( and i kinda am sad cause i regret not doing it cause y now i would have known a oot. But as you said I AM NOT gonna beat my self up and i amjust focusing on what can i implement. You gave me some pretty good advices so thankksss
In my freshman year of highschool I got really swamped with school work and decided to take a bit of time off from drawing lets just say that turned into a year off. I would sometimes get hit of insperation or watch somthing and say to myself I want to draw that but then the moment I'd start I'd get mad and beat myself up. "This doesn't look how you want it to look", "Why can't I do what I want to", "Everyone around you does it so much better than you", "You have not improved at all in two years."
Then one October day I heard these words "Your beating yourself up about a sketch oversomthing that isn't done yet of course it's going to look bad." So after that I decided to draw fanart somthing simple that was little presure and when I finished I was so happy with the final product that I ran down stairs to show off what I had made. Only after admiting that I was my own enemy did was I able to actually create again. So if your struggling with your art right now just remember you that you can pull through and show the world what you have to offer.
I haven't draw since a year half or two !!! Finally !!!
I'm trying to come back now from what is almost a yearlong break. I was working full-time as a freelance artist for 5+ years, juggling contracts and clients but I was working in a way that was incredibly hurtful for my mental health. The contract ended suddenly with my main client, and I was so burnt out that I switched careers. I have hardly touched a brush since 2022, only making something here and there but I'm still "stuck". My hand is so rusty that it feels strange to draw anything. I needed the time to reset my brain and recover from burnoug. I'm trying to break it down now; I'm not still fully mentally "fixed" but I'm hoping that cracking open some paint again (without the stress of clients/sales) will help. Thank you for this video! I'm currently trying to doodle my way back into the swing of things.
Saving this video for when I quit my part time job or schools ends, been hard to have the time to draw
I haven't drawn anything over 2 YEARS due to lack of time/planning, procrastination, and most importantly, self doubt, hops it's not too late to get back to drawing again.
its been four years since i last drew i hope i can back into to drawing think my fear of anatomy is one of the reasons i got burnt out and took a break
All of this is awesome advice! 👏✨ I just recently started drawing again about a month ago after taking a 4 month break due to burnout. It was so hard to get back into drawing because I was afraid of burning myself out again. 😥 But the mindset that helped me get back into it was focusing on consistency rather than if the drawings looked good or not. I specifically wanted to get back into using my sketchbook again so I set a goal to finish my current sketchbook by the end of March. By setting a QUANTITY based goal rather than a quality based goal, I've been able to say "It's okay that I don’t love a lot of these drawings but I'm proud of myself for putting forth the effort and I’m one page closer to my goal!' I’m actually having fun drawing again most days, and even on days that are frustrating, I’ve learned to lower my expectations and show myself some compassion ☺️
That’s awesome, Erika! I hope you can have a more balanced practice going forward, that burnout is no joke!
It’s … it’s been a year or so. I was very mentally in the dumps. BUT I LIVE!!!!
I think that the longest I've gone without drawing is at least a year, and I came back to drawing during my art class and I really enjoyed it, and I started to draw on my own, including making a new character design using both the things I learned from art class and the things I learned from these videos.
Thank you, I recently just got a drawing pad, and yet I haven't even touched it. Haven't drawn in almost 3 years and haven't had motivation because once I started drawing it just looked so bad. But I'm going to try again, I won't give up this time and I'll hone my skills. I'll keep an open mind and remember that my art will not be perfect and there will be ups and downs, like everything in life.
im currently at my 4th month of not drawing/finishing a piece. my main issue is that i seek public praise and i always try to force myself to draw stuff thats popular, or things that other people like or will praise me for. i never really feel like drawing it and it makes me breaks even longer. i have even considered not doing art professionally like ive dreamed of since i was 7 years old. going to try to get back into it though slowly and surely
I used to take pride in being a workaholic with art, that I wouldn't go more then 3 days without drawing, that lead to constant burn out. thinking at the time if I just worked harder I could get the carrier I wanted. but it not just art or hard work that gets you a career..
As of today I been on and off now for 3 years now barley able to create. Its a learning curve to learn how to work in a way that docent create burn out or pressure I cant possibly keep up with.
Mostly trying to bring back the love and fun of creating I lost sight of. I lost sight in what I wanted to do.
I want to be a story teller with art, to transport people to fantasy worlds. The hole reason I wanted to get into the industry in the fist place was to work on something big I couldn't accomplish alone.
I did it. I watched this so many times this year. And 3 days ago this popped back into my life and it struck. I love art again!!!
I was just getting off my break lol. Thanks for the advice!
It's been since last August, I hope to start drawing again and actually draw for me, not because I feel like I have too.
you are right here. I tend to forget this. Should just draw for myself not for others.
Saw this a bit late but as an art student who didn't pursue art from a young age I find it hard to find any artistic flow since from the start I've been introduced to all the technical stuff,, lately I've found it hard to pick up any wip projects and in the midst of freaking out I found out I work more comfortably with something out of my comfort zone! (if that makes sense) I would scribble on napkins, try new brushes and settings on CSP and so on... The trick was to not place any pressure on the end result and just focus on the process -- I'll definitely get back to your tips the next time I struggle with this! Great points my dude!! :D
I've been on an On-Off break for many years now after burning too bright and subsequently crashing face first back to earth. I had a modest following and truly enjoyed the happiness and laughter my work and comics brought to people. But my own mental health issues, life, and situations eventually led me to this road. Most days I can't even lift my pen to draw. Other days I figure giving up because "Hey, maybe it's not meant for me..." But I'm very happy to have found this video! I definitely need to work on the whole catastrophizing mentality. It's been very difficult to combat! But taking it slow and easy sounds much more manageable than rushing in like I usually do.
Thank you for the great video and encouragement! Me and many people really appreciate it. 💪💜
In 2019 I would go months weeks or months without an actual drawing, so in 2020 I decide to attempt drawing everyday. Was tough at first, but eventually it has just become a habbit for me.
Doing a silly little doodle a day does a help a lot.
Longest break I'm still trying to break out of. Drawing used to be my way of relaxing but I ended up moving to Indiana and by the time I escaped the state again I was so stressed out and mentally a wreck that I had stopped drawing and writing and was having trouble just speaking out loud to some of my friends without bordering on a panic attack. Getting better now, but it is a slow process and my creativity is still suffering. Three years of being shot at, screamed at, guilted at, verbally abused, and listening to people talking openly about violence against the government and people like me... yeah.
I think I needed to hear this video.
Sorry about the venting, thank you for the video.
Last school semester, I took an art class because I enjoy it and wanted to get better. But, after the semester ended, I didn't really see a reason for me to draw, I wasn't really happy with most of the work I had done in the class and lost a lot of passion, so I stoped doing projects. I would doodle and sketch but I wouldn't finish any projects. I have been taking this semester to think about what I really want to focus on with my art. This video has inspired me to try and get back into it. Thank you.
Honestly needed this, haven't been drawing much in the last few days and what I have has been looking preeeeeety bad. Might sketch my OC's face or do more meme drawings with other's characters for fun.
These suggestions will help me a lot, since I've been a lot of time without drawing, the last point is the most important for me, since my most weakness with art is that I attemp to draw realistic when I had no teacher to teach me realism, so I end making an in between cartoon-realistic art that I don't like, so I must try and focus on making my art more cartoon-ish (I have no money for a teacher)
I think it has been over a year of not drawing. I was really into it at one time and want to hop back in. Hopefully I'll pick it back up soon and with the right mentality. It's going to feel rusty, it's going to feel awkward, but I'll get back to where I was. Haven't seen one of your videos in a long time. Thanks for this one! :)
I stopped drawing for about a year and a half.
Drawing was my comfort hobby in a way, since I had a girlfriend and I thought things were great I didn't need it anymore...
Then she cheated on me and my whole life fell apart, I'm going to get back to drawing and I'm going to make it a career so I never have to feel this way again. Comfort 100% of the time from now on!
I said about 3 years ago, and I would love to draw all the time, but once I got a job in the field after high school didn't have the time for it 😢 but i am getting back into but I didn't know how but your video help me out I have dram to create my own characters hell i have a book for what kinds of series I help to create. So you have a new subscriber
ever since covid hit,my mental got hit as well as lost interest in anything but taken art classes through out middle and high school. none of the works meant much to me since i did them just for a grade so while i did alot of art, i didnt practice many of the things i needed to grow as an artist. its been about 4 years now and i realize i want to get back into art. although i have made many attempts of trying to get back into art and just using an excuse of ill do it later or ill do it tommorow since it was late but never actully started it and i found it really frustrating. ill try to begin my journey back into art in feb since it is the only thing i can see myself do for the rest of my life and maybe earn some money off of it. ive always been an art kid but havent really practiced much in my life. hopefully i can get to a point where im comforabtle with my art since right now i despise some of the work im making even the ones im turning in to my ap art class. i even have a sketch book i started in freshmen year 4 years ago that is not even a quarter way done. thank you for the video! :)
Another reason to take a break from drawing is to get new ideas and things to draw about. Some of the best ideas I had were when I was not drawing or even in my house, but taking long walks around my town just watching the world go by. Anyway this was another great video Brookes Eggleston and I can not wait to see what you talk about next.
I spent somewhere between several months and a few years before knuckling down and making a resolution to draw every single day for 2021. About midway through the year, I felt comfortable enough to begin working on my "White Whale" project that I've had in the back of my mind and noodling away at for over a decade. Not only did I succeed in drawing every day, but I also finished the thumbnail and the first draft. Yesterday I finished editing and have begun the final draft. God 55 pages is so many...
I SO NEED THIS, i've been feeling exhausted the entire time but i do wanna draw lol
It’s been on and off drawing for years. I get back to it here and there but not fully. Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of inspired artworks that people have done and it encourage me to start at it again but I get mentally frustrated when I try to draw again because I’m not as good as I was when I was doing art, don’t have the great perspective of putting something on a paper. It really effective me and I appreciate your video, helpful tips I just need to take it a step at a time not rush into it
Currently about to go back to art school after I had to work all summer- and essentially not drawing for 3 months. Was really struggling with being rusty and imposter syndrome but this video helps a lot!
january-february 2021 was a grueling one for my art journey. Here in the UK we had a third lockdown and my routine - and in turn my art output - was ruined. I did a few drawings in January to be fair, one which I was really happy with and still sort of am, but my god February I did like one sketch and the rest I just felt so depressed each time I stared at a canvas.
March I changed from my display tablet to my old wacom intuos just to mix things up. For a drawing or two I definitely was creating again but eh. I really couldn't pinpoint why I felt so burnt out other than the lockdown.
But the week I came back to school not long after, having a chat with my art teacher opened my eyes to the fact that for the past year, since I began drawing, 99% of my work was just cartoon furry stuff. Mixing it up and going a complete different direction for a few days REALLY helped me enjoy art again, I went from cartoon digital drawings to ink and wash, doing alot of sketches of Silent Hill given my obsession with it at the time. It was something so different to what I usually did, and it opened me up to a lot of new art, and even made me enjoy drawing furries again. And most importantly, if it weren't for those Silent Hill sketches, I don't think I would have started my current project that is my passion.
If you want to reach the mountain's peak, don't use the same old worn out tools. The might even break before you begin.
6 to 7 years.
I wanted to get a career as an artist (comics and illustrations) but opted to study something else because back then things like Patreon or something like that, so as I was studying marketing and customer service, I kind of ended up drawing completely...
Then I met my partner who drew as a hobby and they pushed me to get back to drawing. Now I have been drawing for almost 4 years, but I have had really "dry" months lately.
I've fallen out of drawing many times in the past 15+ years. I've yet to make a profession out of it, and it's something I do well when my mind isn't distracted with anxiety and stress. I have little will to draw at the moment, and I'm trying to change that. I have to remind myself that this is normal. I have so many ideas, but little drive. Thank you for creating this video, I will be looking into more of your material.
This is exactly the kind of video I needed at the moment. I went on a 1 year art hiatus because of national and SAT exams, but when I was done with them I was having a hard time drawing again. I decided to make my drawings less detailed than they used to be in terms of coloring technique (unless I was drawing a fully rendered art piece) and I was able to enjoy art again, and I even moved to a new account because I wanted to start over and let go off everything. It was the best decision I made and I'm finally at peace.
Thank you for making this video!
I wasn't expecting being told not to do all nighters at 7:21 am after staying up all night. Lol.
Also, I think the longest I've went without drawing was maybe 4ish months when I was catastrophizing. It was awful. My hand felt all wobbly and it took forever to get my linework back to where it used to be.
Love to see Professor Layton art!! This will be a very helpful video for my drawing discord server! We've had a lot of issues with new artists coming in with a lot of self-doubt issues that never seem to even pick up a pencil. Thank you for the advise we can offer them to hopefully get them on their feet!
I'm finally trying to get back to creating after almost five years of being too stressed and demotivated to do any creative work
I took multiple years off from drawing and came back to it in 2020. It was so satisfying to return, and I returned in a different medium, switching from digital to watercolor.
Thank you for this - some of it was stuff I needed to hear, so yay for YT's algorithm throwing it at me. I'm on a 10 year gap right now, initially from complete mental burnout, then extended because of dominant hand injury. The hand is back to maybe 85%, the brain continues to flail around uselessly, and then every time I get an idea for art it gets buried under the "it's just going to be crap, why bother" thing. So thanks - I needed to hear the bits about getting the bad drawings out and not expecting it to be perfect right off the bat.
Oh wow, this video came out the same day I decided to get back into drawing XD
Just got a ramdom burst of motivation after not drawing for about half a year. I felt like i lost a part of myself rhat i had been so set on being part of me. It ruined me to realize i had no motivation for art anymore. I think im finally ready to get back into it, only like a new begining. I want to start making art in new ways and drawing in ways i didnt do before, as to not get anxious or demotivated again. Drawing for FUN
I stopped drawing for 3 years and i felt like ive just wasted time not improving. Now im trying to get back and enjoy doing it.
This video was just the best, like, it really helped, because I see my problens in this video... but not with drawing... with wrigthing! I onestly think that those tips can work really well with art AND with other stuff. What this video helped me with, was in what to work on, in my case I am going to do some short texts first, and then go back to my main story! But not just that, I saw that this video was very personal too, YOU had to take a brake, and Im glad you shared your knolege from that time for us now, and mainly in the most recent videos, you are saing that you are having fun drawing, and im happy for you! Kepp the forge burning!
Im so glad! Unless a tip is specific, like that pressure curve one, most are really more about creativity in general- lots of overlap!
this showed up in my recs, like the universe knew i've had the creative itch but i haven't drawn since the start of the pandemic.
idk where i fall cuz idek how to draw for fun anymore. I would draw, and go 'damn this is bad'
I know i'll never get better if i don't keep being bad and learn from it, but it also doesn't feel fun.
6 years on and off after having a baby, drawing was my life and only skill and after having a baby I had to stop, now I'm no longer good at the only thing I was good at but I enjoyed your video and I'll try out some of your tips 😊
Needed this video. I've been on a break for almost a year now since I landed a job and decided that drawing would remain a hobby. Just haven't had the same drive to get back into it that I had back when I strived to become better and eventually a professional. But I'm not gonna think too hard about it. If the mood strikes again I'll pick it up like I never left.
Somewhere around 8 years. My mental health has gone on a rollercoaster but it's a bit more stable now and very much on the rebound. The urge to draw never really went away. I just couldn't finish anything? At a certain point all I could do was draw a couple of lines and then get too depressed to do anything else. Now that I am healthier, I have been randomly doodling and I'm getting the urge to do more on impulse. It's starting to almost feel like it used to. This video helps a lot. Thank you!
6-8 months due to work. It was more a stress reliever once I started to draw.
Sheez, that thing about sleeping properly....I've been sleeping terribly (4-7 hours) for a couple years because of the feeling of wanting to do more stuff at home after work. My stress and anxiety is def through the roof these days, I'm trying to get better at it...
Great timing! Just got done with dinner and I told myself it's time to get back animating, sat down and this was in my recommended. I was lucky enough to score a temp animator position with my reel after a whole year of not animating and the anxiety of returning and utterly failing to get my skill back in these two months before it begins thus not being brought on after the temp situation has been eating away at me.
I really can't thank the algorhythm enough for helping me find this channel; I draw basically for fun, as a self taught art lover, but I never really cared about realism and instead loved the unique drawings of videogames, cartoons, comics and so on. I recently understood what I REALLY want to draw and what I want to get good at, so this channel is really a blessing for me now, thanks for being clear, funny, and for putting your knowledge on youtube for us.
OMG I SCREAMED WHEN I NOTICED U WERE DRAWING SAMUS!!! She's one of my top 3 fictional protagonists ever next to Linkand 2B from Nier
I'm currently taking a break from making my most recent collection. I just havent felt inspired. I'm halfway done and Idk where to go with the second half. But i'm kinda feeling that itch to get back to it. I feel like your "try something fun" tip might help.
And to answer your comment question, I stopped drawing for some years after college. Then i found colored pencils and fell in love, after only having used graphite.
6 months to a year. Its not bad its just given me a lot to look at and be curious about.
It has been 6 months since I’ve drawn something really important to me.
To return to drawing is a bit challenging, but I work a little bit each weekend.
i just took a 1 month break( and a few extra days) from art because of my mental state and serious burnout, during that time i tried focus on myself and tried doing things that gave me enjoyment. during the break i realized that I'm still at the same level i was last year just more confident and more speedy. I'm not sure with my art style and if it's something i should find i just draw what i like.(which is Animated shows) I'm not the most hard working individual and wont lie if i said that i only draw an hour a day and really half-ass it but I'm really gonna try this year to push myself and be a better artist because it's give me enjoyment and don't see myself liking anything else
Also loved the video :)
I’m convinced that he can sense his subscribers problems from across the screen, like this is the exact problem I’m have Right Now
My longest break has been almost a year now and it really has been a struggle getting back into it. Thanks a lot for this though cause this really did help my mindset a lot.