Make Comics Not Excuses

First of all… What the crap is artist or writer’s block?  I mean, I understand what it is, but how do you get it?  How do you run out of things to say, or draw?

From now on, I’m going to refer to this as artist’s block as most of the excuses I hear are about art. But they apply to writer’s block as well. (i just don’t want to keep writing “Artists or writer’s block”)

So let me get this straight you want to draw something, but you don’t know what to draw, so you’re going to just draw nothing…. That makes no sense.  It’s like saying “I’m really hungry, but i don’t know what I want to eat, so I’m just not going to eat anything.”  That doesn’t happen.  What happens is you say “I’m really hungry, I don’t know what I want to eat, so I’ll eat anything I can find.”  And that’s how you have to approach your drawing.

If you want to draw, but you don’t know what you want to draw, then draw ANYTHING. It doesn’t matter what, just anything you can find.  I know exactly what your thinking right now “well if i don’t know what I want to draw, how am I going to draw it.”  And my answer is that you’re missing the point.

If you honestly don’t know what you want to draw, then find something.  And i don’t mean this in some sort of vague metaphor, or symbolic meaning.  I mean literally.  Find something.  Anything. Your desk, your chair, your computer, your mouse,  the hallway, the stairs, your kitchen, the trees outside, your pets, your action figures, etc, etc, etc. LITERALLY ANYTHING

“But Shono,” you reply because you just feel like arguing with me instead of drawing, “all those things are boring.”

Well yes, compared to other things you may read in your comics, drawing your shoes are rather boring.  However, how else are you going to learn how to draw shoes?  If you are suffering from “artist’s block”  then use that time to practice drawing every day things.  Things you need to know how to draw, but you might not ever think about practicing. You’ll be utterly surprised how often every day things like chairs and silverware come up in a comic book script.  If you want to be great comic book artist, you need to be great at drawing EVERYTHING.  So if you’re suffering Artist’s block,  Then draw anything you see around you, ’cause sooner or later, you’ll need to know how to draw that thing you choose.  Even if its not the most fun or exciting thing, it sure beats starving to death. (see that was the vague metaphor.)

Hmmm… that was fast.  Usually it takes me longer to yell at you and inspire you to draw.  I’m going to use this time for a little editorial on why I think this myth of “Artists block” exists.  This is your disclaimer:  My opinions are mine and based off of my observations.  Since I haven’t observed all people in existence they can’t possibly apply to all people all people in existence.  So if what I’m about to say doesn’t apply to you or doesn’t represent you, it’s because I haven’t met you so you can ignore it.  If it does apply to you, I hope it helps!

I think this concept of “Artist’s block” comes from the ill-conceived notion that art has to be Art with a capitol “A.”  This idea that every time your pencil touches the paper to create, you need to be creating something profound and meaningful, and amazing.  Something you’ll show the world and the world will go “WOW look at that awesomeness.”  And when you can’t think of anything that is that profound or amazing, you claim to have “artist’s block” and refuse to create.

But the fact is that if this is how you’re thinking, you have it backwards.  The Capitol “A” Art comes from you sitting around and drawing things that mean nothing.  Just drawing anything because you can.  Drawing trees outside or your hallway isn’t really amazingly prfound stuff.  But they improve your art skills.  And you never know how by chance a terrible sketch of a shoe you did might spark an idea that will lead to the “Capitol “A” Art”.

That’s why I said in the beginning that I don’t understand how people get artists block.  There are SO MANY THINGS to draw in this world.  I refuse to to believe that you can have some sort of block from letting you draw it.  For you writers, if you’re trying to write a story and you just don’t know where to go with it.  Write something else.  Write a blog, a poem, another story, anything else.  What you write could (and probably will) spark an idea for where to take the first story.

It doesn’t have to be good.  It can be the worse thing you’ve ever drawn.  But as long as you’re doing it, thats the key.

So please when your starving to create, but can’t decide what to make.  Don’t just go hungry.  Just raid the pantry and get whatever you can find.  It might not be anything special, but it’s better than starving.  Plus it might give you a great idea for later down the road.

So Stop starving, and stop making excuses and start making comics!

Tomorrow will be a sketch dump per usual.

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And if you love my artwork don’t forget to pick up my comics!

And remember. Make Comics! Not Excuses!