Work often equals burnout often.

Artistic burnouts are inevitable. Maybe it's just part of the process sometimes. Some artists think these burnouts are career ending.

They're not.

I find that the more you take on commissions and deal with larger amounts of money in exchange for your art-the more likely burnouts will occur and you have to constantly refine your ideas to keep going.

The situations can change, the reasons for a burnout can change, but the feeling of nothingness during a burnout remains universally the same.

Constant stress and health issues for four weeks straight, led to my crash and burn moment the other day. Some things are unavoidable, and all I can do is try to learn from each scenario and do better next time. SOMETIMES there's nothing to learn, sometimes the circumstances are entirely out of your control (extended family issues, partners, kids, pets, environment, trauma to name a few) In those cases, you can only weather the storm and keep your head above the water as much as possible.

I very much need to draw for myself after grinding out a bunch of commissions. I need to have open creative freedom for art for myself, in order to be ready to take on the next commission. I have so many ideas I want to put to paper.

There's a whole lot going on in this sketch. I want to finish it, I have had it planned more or less for months.

But I'm exhausted, mentally and physically. And body-things ache from being sick. So my mind can't concentrate and I haven't hit the drawing flow part yet, as the annoying pain I feel keeps grounding me. So it becomes harder to finish the art. Usually I’d have this done in a matter of hours.

I acknowledge I'm working through a burnout, a depression of sorts, and I take my time drawing a bit slower. I am forcing my way through but not in a rush. It's more keeping up with my daily drawing routine.

New media helps too. It helps to get inspired, the inspiration sometimes carries you to finishing the art. Despite how you feel.

And sleep. Omg just sleeeeeep. I spent the last 8 months existing on 4-6 hours of sleep a night. Yes-all the projects get completed but the constant lack of sleep doesn't help my anxiety. So I'm telling myself to rest, and I have a nap, instead of trying to crank out another drawing when I'm not feeling it.

Soundwave is ballllling. Blaster and Roseanna are smiling for the camera.

I got the image completed after all. It took a few more days, with lots of rest for my body and the pains are not so intense anymore. So win-win all around.

Want to talk about your artistic burnout & your coping ideas? Comment below, I’ll read and respond 🦇.