How to Stay in Your 'Creative Zone' (or Get Back Into It When You Feel Uninspired)

We all feel more inspired on certain days, and less so on others, right? Feeling inspired to create is NOT a constant every day.

The inspiration to create has a schedule of its own, and can come and go in waves, unexpectedly at times. Thinking you need to be crazy inspired every day is a mistake that will only hurt yourself.

Feeling stuck or not feeling inspired at times is something many (if not all) artists experience one way or the other throughout their creative life.  This is often called a "creative block". And having one is ok.

There is no need to force inspiration or creativity. It's ok if we take a little break from painting if we don't feel like it on a certain day (in fact a little break can help to recharge).  Often, the desire to paint is there but we're looking for some elements to give us that creative momentum to get going.

Here are some simple ways and habits to get us artists into an inspired creative flow:

1. [this first one is kinda obvious but…] Looking at other artists' work for visual inspiration

Seeing other artists beautiful work or watching their creative process is definitely a big inspiration. Many artists (new or seasoned) enjoy looking at others' work to be inspired. It's one of my inspirational resources as well. That's really how everything started. I was browsing through many beautiful photos of artwork on various websites or social media platforms, such as Instagram. And I couldn't wait to try creating some colourful abstract works of my own. And today, seeing an artist create something beautiful still gets my creative juices going and reminds me how much I love to paint and how badly I want to get back into the studio, like right now.

Whether you see artwork on the Internet or better yet in person at a gallery or add a show, looking at beautiful compositions, colour combinations, various textures etc. of many paintings is a sure way to fire up your inspiration and passion.  When I see artwork at an art show or gallery (specially if it is contemporary abstract art in my case) I get butterflies in my tummy and just can't wait to paint.

Looking at art can give us so many ideas and create great excitement. And looking at others' artwork for inspiration is not about copying the composition of another artwork  (the exception is if you're in a class and learning through a certain composition the instructor demonstrates you). But it's about being inspired by perhaps the color themes, the mood of the work (i.e.  how lively someone's work is, or how calm it is etc.), or the sense of depth in the work, or how certain materials are used for an interesting effect in the art.  And yet very often it can even just be the fact that you know that someone had fun creating something beautiful and you simply want to have that experience and that joy of creating too. How often have you just looked at an artist’s messy studio space, and wanted to start painting right in that moment? 

2. Reading about artists’ thoughts and stories (the person and the story behind the art)

Inspiration from other artists doesn't just come by looking at their artwork or creative process. There can also be so much inspiration when you read about their story such as, why they love creating, how they started, what inspires them, their challenges etc. I love to read about the thoughts and feelings of artists as that in itself can often create a strong connection to my own creativity and why I love to create, which can be an instant boost to get painting.

There are many cases for me where perhaps someone's art itself does not struck me very much in terms of visual inspiration, but the artist's thoughts and stories can. So, don't just look at artist inspiration in a visual sense alone, but go deeper into the reasons why artists do what they do. It can connect very deeply at times and just hit the spot to get your inspiration going.

3. Looking at the colors and shapes of beautiful photography

The visual cues for our artistic inspiration doesn't have to just come from the work of other fine artists. Photographers do a wonderful job every day to capture stunning images that can very well translate into visual inspiration for an abstract painter (and there is an endless source of inspiring photos you can simply find on Google, Pinterest, or any stock photo website). Whether it is the color palette you can get inspired through a photo, or the shapes, or flow, or sense of composition - photos can be a strong source of inspiration for your next painting. They certainly are for me and l love to save photos that offer me inspiration (so I can look at them later when I need it). Not every pretty photo is an inspiration for me obviously. There has to be either a structure or color combination that I feel can almost translate into an "abstract" way for me. It's not about the subject in a photo but more about the colors, shapes, or sense of depth (if your work is abstract).

I look at a photo beyond the subject (as I don't paint realism) and connect to the color harmony in it, how to the colors catch my eye, or how the shapes and colors create a sense of flow or composition - which then sparks some ideas of what colors or shapes I could use for an upcoming painting. I personally find that floral photography and certain nature photos stimulate my inspiration very often. But again, it's not so much about the subject, but more about what color combinations or visual vibes YOU enjoy in that moment, which could be through glimpses into nature, places, fabrics, or everyday objects and scenes.

4. Taking care of your wellbeing - body, mind, and soul

Taking care of yourself might not be one of the things that comes to your mind when thinking about resources for artistic inspiration. For me it's a very big one, and I am committed to this one as it helps me in my creativity. I feel that I am the most inspired and in my most creative flow when I am really feeling that I am taking good care of my wellbeing, whether it is an outdoor walk, eating consciously, consuming some inspirational content, and sleeping well. Because this works for me in my creative life  (and I know it is a practice of many happily creative and successful people in any industry - not just art), I really want to suggest that you make wellbeing a priority too, regardless of what your creative process is. Self care is not a luxury, it is a pre-requisite for creating what you love and for putting out your best work.

5. The habit of listening to (or reading) inspiring content

Now this one is actually directly related to the previous point about wellbeing of your mind & soul. But for me it deserves to be a point on its own. Feeding our minds with inspiring content and stories is such an important part of staying inspired as a human being (and it doesn’t have to be “art” related). When you are feeling curious and in a stage of learning, you often feel much more alive and hopeful and excited for life. And regardless if you are an artist creating paintings, or a creative in any other field, if you are inspired at your very core, and you are excited about learning and life, whatever work you are producing, you will have so much more energy and excitement and creativity to pour into your work. So taking care of our intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth is a major component of feeling inspired just even as a human being. And whatever you create in life will therefore be rubbing off of that energy you are carrying through your days and your life. No, this does not mean that you need to be happy and at peace every day. That's absolutely not what I mean.

Let me just give an example about myself. There are days where I wake up very peaceful and just happy. But then there are also days where I could be going through some difficult times, maybe some emotional challenges, or things that just bother me, and some days I'm just feeling down for no apparent reason. But what I do every day, whether I am happy or deflated, is to listen to (or read) something that inspires me . And I often do this on my daily walk (which by the way is one of my daily rituals as I do believe in the amazing health and mind benefits of a daily walk). So on my walks I typically try to listen to inspirational content, and this could be a five minute podcast, it could be a 50 minute podcast, or the other thing I love are audiobooks that have an inspiring content, or a good story, that adds to my personal journey of growth. The great thing is you can listen to these anytime, whether it's during a walk, while you cook, clean the kitchen, or while having a tea in your favorite spot…. or even while painting.

6. Listening to music (and it doesn't always have to be “joyful”)

We all probably know or heard that music is something many artists use, especially as they paint or shortly before they paint (to get into the mood). And most likely, you love that too. Music (we love) definitely raises our vibration and energy and there is no question that music is a very strong inspiration when it comes to creativity. By listening to music we enjoy, we can put ourselves into a very lifted, emotional, inspired, creative, joyful, or passionate state. Music often wants to make us move and express ourselves - and that's a great formula for getting ready to paint! Sometimes the music we're listening to can actually also be very emotional and in a way it could even be sad for us. And some people can find that very moving too because it taps into their deepest emotions and desires, and sometimes it can tap into our pain too, that perhaps we kept locked inside. And feeling your feelings is being human. Feeling (whether it's joy, excitement, or sadness) is part of who we are. And that can be a very strong trigger for letting yourself out, letting your passion come out, letting your creative self come out, without any judgment, without any fear, without holding back. I can certainly say from experience, that upbeat music can definitely move me and help me feel super creative, but there are times where I do like to listen to some emotional music that makes me feel sad, makes me even cry, and yet brings out a massive flow of love, passion and boldness out on the canvas as well.

Music is a very known and well used inspiration trigger, so I'm not going to go much further into this one as we all probably already benefit from this one. Just keep playing that music that makes you feel alive, makes your true self come out, and makes you want to create without boundaries. And even if it's just playing there to keep you company as you create, to be your friend on your journey, that is priceless too!

7. [this point is not a DO, but a DON'T] Don’t compare yourself to others

This is a very important one. Please do not think that your work is not enough or not as good as someone else's. This type of thinking will hinder your creativity and it will not help you be your best. There is no need to compare yourself to others, ever. And comparing really does not make sense, because everyone is on a different journey and on their own path. Those you compare yourself to may have started years before you did and you may not know that. Or they may just have had much more time than you to fool around with their craft until they came to this stage. They may also have had very different challenges on their way to get here and not a smooth ride as it may seem from the outside. Or they may just operate very differently than you in terms of how they think, feel, and visually express. Your strengths and instincts may be different. Being different is good. The most powerful thing is to stay focused on ‘your own’ path, and only compare yourself and your progress to ‘your own’ state a year ago, or two years ago (seeing your own progress can in fact be very inspiring). And I say this with full compassion as I have been there and done that where in the past I fell into the trap of comparing myself and feeling "not enough", and soon discovered how liberating it is when you realize there is no meaningful reason to compare yourself to others, but so many good reasons to focus on yourself and keep evolving your own craft, and celebrating your differences. After all, we all are unique.

8. And lastly, just let the materials and process inspire you

At the end of the day, there will be many times where none of the above, nor any any external or internal triggers may really hit the spot when in comes to inspiration. And often all it takes is often just to start playing with your materials. Maybe organizing your paints and canvases, or cleaning the stuck dried paint from your paint bottle caps. Maybe just deciding to do a small practice piece… and as you apply some of those beautiful colors on the surface, your creative energy suddenly starts to kick in. Maybe just painting the edges (sides) of a canvas painting that was already mostly finished. And maybe you will take an accidental glance at that other painting you started two weeks ago, and suddenly feel the urge to continue on it. Or the feeling of the smooth blank canvases that you’re stacking against the wall might suddenly call you for putting a few fresh layers on a white canvas, not a big painting session, but just a few layers… just to get it started.

More than often doing any of these things can actually really stimulate our creative senses and desire to create and keep going. So you can get just inspired by being in your creative surrounding and by just looking your own art. If you do get inspired wonderful, and if not that's also ok. In the end you may just have cleaned up and organized your space a little for the day, and that will surely help you get into the creative zone another day.

Just remember…

In the end…there will be periods in which we are un-inspired or what we create will not seem to work well.  And it's ok! 

Every day doesn't have to be great.  But we just do our best.  And we have to respect our own path on our creative journey and stay focused on our own progress. Progress itself is the biggest motivator - so pay attention to how far you have come over the last year. It's not about being uplifted or amazingly inspired all the time. It's about giving it your best shot every day, big or small, staying on course in taking care of yourself, and progressively learning and growing as a person. And when you establish the right habits of lifting your mind to a more joyful and peaceful level, anything and everything that you do in life will be an extension of you as the "most inspired version of you".

Life's biggest or most fulfilling accomplishments are often not created through big leaps and sudden bursts of inspiration flowing in, but rather through the daily small habits and rituals we create. — Deniz

Live inspired my friends…