Staying Focused and Motivated

[PrettyKitty13]

Hey everyone!

I was wondering, what are some ways you may stay focused and motivated when creating art?
How does that change in certain situations? For example, let's say you have x amount of commissions to finish and your queue has gotten too large to handle? What about when you're working on a piece, and suddenly you lose interest? How do you sprint back into your work mode?

For staying motivated, I like to take walks. Getting holed up in my room gets stale most of the time.
I also like attending local art shows if any are in town. Talking to people and watching others work is always a creativity booster. And sometimes, it's great to take a quick break and do something else.

Focus? Aah, 'm working on that...

So tell me, what are some ways you like to keep that creativity flowing?

 

[psychonautic]

The majority of my ideas come from music. Movies and other art sometimes work too. Getting paid beforehand is generally the best motivation for commissions(never understood how people can take years to even start, I flip out if I don't finish within a few days). For personal stuff I definitely have trouble finishing if I take more than 8 hours. If I completely burn out, I'll play some pretty video games until I feel better.

As for focus, I usually get distracted by reading things online, so the best way to counter it is to occupy my mind with something I have to pay attention to, be it an interesting radio podcast or mundane talk show.

 

[redhusky]

It varies, usually when I am taking part in a group art activity is when I get my best work and flow. But the only cure for the "I don't feel like it's" it to simple put pen to paper even if you are just drawing circles.

 

[rjbartrop]

As far as commissions go, you have to treat it like a job, because of course, that's what it is. Personally, not having to explain to the landlord why the rent is late is a powerful motivator.

I know, taking the money is easy, and actually making the art can be hard, which is how so many artists get in over their head. The slot system is a good way to enforce discipline, saying you just aren't going to take any more commissions until you've finished up x amount of the ones you already have. The sooner you can whittle down that pile, the sooner you can take in more income.

 

[Helios276]

I usually listen to music , read a book ( rarely) , or watch a movie to get my creative flow going.