Art block. Does it exist?

[Radioactive Rose]

I was on YouTube, and I am subscribed to Baylee Jae. She's a wonderful artist!But she made a video about art block and.. She said that it doesn't exist. She said that it's only used as an excuse to not make artwork. She also said that if you don't overcome this, then you don't like art as much as you think you do. Something like that. I wish I could link the video but she deleted it because of the arguing and hate in the comments. There were a ton of dislikes.. The ratio was.. Wow.Anyways, I don't know if I agree or disagree with her.A lot of people said that she is only saying it doesn't exist because she never experienced it. Seeing as she's a professional, people lashed out on that fact.What do you think? What are your thought and opinions? Do you agree? Disagree? Why?What is YOUR definition of art block?(Also, i think it's the same for writers block.)
 


Please be respectful when discussing this!

 

[_Line 213]

I feel like I'd need to hear this statement within the context of her video / wider argument in order to properly speak to it, because even though I may not know who this person is, something gives me the feeling that they didn't make their argument within the context of absolutes.


If she's saying that there are absolutely no points in time in which someone will feel like they don't want to draw, that seems very silly, seeing as a mental unwillingness to do anything can be possible for any amount of factors.

 

[Dusky]

Art block, defined as an utter inability to create, does not exist.


You can go through periods where you don't have the drive or inspiration, of course. But those are not things that keep you from working, only things that make it more difficult. If you don't create, you are not an artist. It's as simple as that.


Any occupation, really, has the equivalent.


@Grey, back me up here.

 

[_Line 213]

Art block, defined as an utter inability to create, does not exist.


You can go through periods where you don't have the drive or inspiration, of course. But those are not things that keep you from working, only things that make it more difficult. If you don't create, you are not an artist. It's as simple as that.


Any occupation, really, has the equivalent.


@Grey, back me up here.

I think this leaves out the elephant in the room, that being extreme levels of apathy caused by severe mental illnesses (which is a larger problem that I wouldn't really categorize as "art block," but nonetheless exists as an inability to "do" in general), but other than that, I mostly agree.

 

[Dusky]

(which is a larger problem that I wouldn't really categorize as "art block," but nonetheless exists as an inability to "do" in general)

Believe me, I'm aware of the trials and tribulations of mental illness. XD Been there, done that.


But, like you, I don't think that quite falls under the purview of art block.

 

[_Line 213]

Believe me, I'm aware of the trials and tribulations of mental illness. XD Been there, done that.


But, like you, I don't think that quite falls under the purview of art block.

It was going to come up anyway, so I thought I'd address it outright.

 

[Radioactive Rose]

Omg. People responded unlike people on another site. xD thanks.


Anyways, what about not knowing what to draw? I literally have the drive to draw but i end up sitting with a blank piece of paper for hours. Sometimes I have ideas but I find it hard to put on paper. Do I just have to practice?


Also, in the comments of the video, people actually compared art block to mental illness. Sorry again i couldn't link the video. I wish she didn't delete it.

 

[_Line 213]

Omg. People responded unlike people on another site. xD thanks.


Anyways, what about not knowing what to draw? I literally have the drive to draw but i end up sitting with a blank piece of paper for hours. Sometimes I have ideas but I find it hard to put on paper. Do I just have to practice?


Also, in the comments of the video, people actually compared art block to mental illness. Sorry again i couldn't link the video. I wish she didn't delete it.

That explains why I couldn't find it. I looked up and down, but I only saw responses without any real context. So, like I said, I don't really think I can address her specific argument, because it seems like I'll never know exactly what she said.


"Directionlessness" is something that I've lately been finding is cured by either observation, or through assignment. If you don't know what to draw, it's because you're experiencing a combination of a lack of stated task, and a touch of apathy (one often causes the other).


Whether or not this is classified as "art block" depends on who you ask; if I wanted to take the easy (but not necessarily wrong) way out, I would say that regardless of what you call it, the feeling of "having difficulty drawing to the point where finishing or starting something seems like an insurmountable task" is something that large groups of people agree exists and struggle with. You can label it whatever you want. You can label any of the things that people call art block whatever you want. They still exist as concepts, and likely aren't going away any time soon.


I think that another big part of it depends on how one considers the idea of "inability." Are you unable to draw at one point, only for that feeling to fade, letting you draw again, or must you be unable to draw forever in order for the word "inability" to be usable in this context? Where is the line drawn? This isn't really something that has an objective answer, as is the case with probably this entire topic.

 

[yonmita rae]

I can see why the youtuber had a backlash like that, arguing opinions with opinions is gonna end in a mess. 


I agree with @_Line 213 last statement wholely. In my opinion, in the end "art block" would be in the eye of the beholder, it's what an individual would make of it. It can be an excuse, explained as releasing someone from the obligation of something, or it can a person being stagnant in the process of practicing or making their works as a whole. Personally, I feel it to be an individual and a universal thing understood but it can't be defined exclusively, it would be an opinion, I wouldn't dispute one person's opinion of an "art block", because it may be expressed differently then something I assume.

 

[Scythn]

Check out this response Jazza made about the topic. I think he has a little better way of explaining what Baylee Jae meant..


You can find a few other response type videos on youtube. Most of the artists agree with Baylee Jae's concept, but not necessarily the delivery.

 

[The Mechanist]

Art block is the inability to create art, alright it does exist if you can't use your arms legs are any other extremities, but that's just the technical way to go about it. 


I believe for the definitive term then yes it doesn't exist, but if art block means the inability to create art then wouldn't writers block mean the same thing? The inability to write? Yet we as an rp group, most of us acknowledge the existence of writers block, we feel it when we are having trouble writing. Yet we don't see it as an inability to write, rather the interpretations feel more like it's actual word, a mental obstacle that impededes (like a how a road block impedes a driver from moving forward) our ability to write. It doesn't mean we can't write, it simply means we are having trouble writing or don't know what to write, or just lack the motivation to write. The same could be applied to art, I being an artist myself experiences art block not in the definitive sense but in my own interpretation that corresponds with writers block. I feel a mental obstacle that impedes my ability to draw, whether I'm having trouble coming up with an idea to put on paper, whether I don't know what to draw, or if I just don't feel like drawing. It doesn't mean i don't like art, it just means I don't feel like doing it. So personally I believe art block exists in a different interpreted form that matches that if writers block.

 

[Dusky]

Art block is the inability to create art, alright it does exist if you can't use your arms legs are any other extremities, but that's just the technical way to go about it. 


I believe for the definitive term then yes it doesn't exist, but if art block means the inability to create art then wouldn't writers block mean the same thing? The inability to write? Yet we as an rp group, most of us acknowledge the existence of writers block, we feel it when we are having trouble writing. Yet we don't see it as an inability to write, rather the interpretations feel more like it's actual word, a mental obstacle that impededes (like a how a road block impedes a driver from moving forward) our ability to write. It doesn't mean we can't write, it simply means we are having trouble writing or don't know what to write, or just lack the motivation to write. The same could be applied to art, I being an artist myself experiences art block not in the definitive sense but in my own interpretation that corresponds with writers block. I feel a mental obstacle that impedes my ability to draw, whether I'm having trouble coming up with an idea to put on paper, whether I don't know what to draw, or if I just don't feel like drawing. It doesn't mean i don't like art, it just means I don't feel like doing it. So personally I believe art block exists in a different interpreted form that matches that if writers block.

See... I don't believe in writer's block, either. XD The written word is an art form, so I sort of include it when talking of art block. Even if you are experiencing those issues, you are still able to push through. It won't be your best work, but perfection is an illusion and first drafts are rarely any good. Writing shit is better than not writing!


So yeah, if you define art block as a difficulty with creating, then it certainly exists. But a lot of people say something like, "I'm an artist! Also I haven't made anything in three months because of art block!" No. That is not how it works. If you go months without making something, it's because you don't want it to be part of your life all that much. You're complacent with it at best.


But yeah, if the definition of art block isn't objective, then this conversation is a little moot. Now, if we wanted to discuss what the most accurate interpretation of the phrase is...


And yes, obviously if you do not have any physical faculties with which to draw, you are unable to draw. I don't think people would call that art block, though.


Mental illness is a whooooooole different rabbit hole that affects a person's ability to enjoy things they once loved. In that sense it's causally related to art block, but I don't think it's right to call the inability to create "art block" when it's really a symptom of a very serious illness.