Do Artists Get Bored? Dealing With Creative Boredom
Artist and entrepreneur Kerwin Blackburn explores the challenge of getting bored as an artist or creative, with practical tips to tackle this
Creating art and pursuing dreams of becoming an artist or creative can be an intrinsically fulfilling – and at times exciting – journey. It will also contain its share of both up and down moments. But in between the highs and lows of any artistic pursuit is an unexciting middle ground that can derail our progress as much as any crushing setback: getting bored.
All artists will at some point face the challenge of creative boredom. As a UK artist who has been building my solo art business, ‘By Kerwin’, from scratch over the last few years, I can certainly testify to this.
If you’ve ever heard tales of how history’s great artists, painters and sculptors spent decades honing their craft and sometimes years perfecting a single work of art, you may have wondered what this process felt like. Even in the modern day, with our fast-moving social technologies, how do artists have the patience to lock themselves away at work for long stints of time?
The reality is art, like any career or type of work, requires consistency, routine and repetition. This often comes at the expense of variety – and therefore produces feelings of boredom with the familiar. Discipline is often required to persist in this routine and ignore more exciting distractions.
In between the ups and downs, this blog dives into the boring middle ground of the artistic journey, exploring the emotional side of pursuing dreams and building a successful art career. Join me as I uncover the truth about creative boredom and discuss practical tips to not just endure it, but thrive in the world of art.
Let’s unravel the realities of being an artist and find ways to keep the passion alive.
Boredom: The Less Talked-About Side of The Creative Journey
Embarking on an artistic journey is a voyage filled with passion, expression, and the relentless pursuit of creativity. For artists, the canvas is not merely a surface; it is a realm where emotions, dreams, and visions converge. However, amidst the thrill of harnessing creative ideas and your imagination as an artist, there exists a subtle companion: creative boredom.
The reality is art, like any career or type of work, requires consistency, routine and repetition. This often comes at the expense of variety – and therefore produces feelings of boredom with the familiar. Discipline is often required to persist in this routine and ignore more exciting distractions.
What Is Creative Boredom?
Creative boredom, a paradoxical facet of the artistic journey, sneaks in when the initial excitement wanes, and the artist has to contend with the monotony that achieving their dreams requires. It’s may be the nagging feeling that the well of inspiration is running dry or the thrill of creation has momentarily eluded us.
Or it may feel like vacant overwhelm with the reality of the extent of the work required to then get our art out into, and seen, in the world.
Creative boredom is a bit like when the excitement of creating fades, and you’re left feeling a bit stuck or uninspired. It’s that moment when the artistic spark seems to take a break. Artists may often become so engrossed in their art or work that they simply become bored of it.
This blog ventures into the heart of this phenomenon, exploring the highs and lows of the creative journey. But before we go further, let’s first take a step back and consider what exactly is boredom.
What Is Boredom and Why Do We Feel It?
Boredom is a nuanced emotion that can arise from various factors, both internal and external. On a neurochemical level, the brain plays a crucial role in our experience of boredom. The brain’s reward system, governed by neurotransmitters like dopamine, thrives on novelty and stimulation. When engaged in a repetitive or mundane task, the release of dopamine diminishes, contributing to a sense of monotony.
Evolutionary psychology suggests that humans are hardwired to seek out novelty and change. Our ancestors benefitted from exploring new environments, adapting to different challenges, and discovering novel resources that would contribute to their survival. Consequently, this inclination for novelty-seeking has become ingrained in our biology.
In modern times, however, the juxtaposition of our evolutionary wiring with routine tasks or prolonged monotony can trigger boredom. It’s a reminder that our brains are designed to crave variety and new experiences, a concept that resonates deeply in the artistic journey where the pursuit of novelty often fuels inspiration and creativity.
The Reality of Creative Boredom
Navigating the artistic journey is not always a seamless flow of inspiration; it often involves confronting the reality of creative boredom.
In my own ‘By Kerwin’ artistic journey, there are moments during painting that feel like an endless slog to simply get the paint on the canvas in all the right places. With my striking pop art portrait paintings taking around 50 hours each (or as I estimate, up to 150-200 with the more intricate pieces, such as Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix), there is a necessary and unavoidable amount of labour required.
I am fortunate, however, that I discovered and settled on my unique, Jackson Pollock-infused pop art portrait style early on in my By Kerwin journey. Many artists get stuck at the initial ideation phase – whereas I’m grateful to know I have a style that works (and sells), so I can trust that enduring the hours at my canvas will be worth it.
Different Sources of Creative Boredom
Artists commonly find themselves at the crossroads of monotony due to various reasons. The repetition of techniques, the pressure and responsibility of admin, marketing and deadlines, or the constant quest for perfection can all contribute to a sense of creative stagnation.
And because building an artistic business or career isn’t a school project, this feeling is often not just a momentary lapse. Creative boredom can have a lasting impact on one’s emotional and mental well-being. Boredom is an essential part of the process that should be accepted and embraced.
My Experiences While Building By Kerwin
Being an artist with a commercial background and who has graduated in economics from business school, I am fortunate to be able to embrace and enjoy the process of building an actual business, ‘By Kerwin’, around the actual paintings I do. But I do get frustrated when I’m in a flow of creativity and I have to cut this short and divvy up my time to do some of the more boring but necessary administration or marketing work.
And although the most natural (and fun) part of building my art business is the actual painting part, I can only devote a limited proportion of my time to this if I’m going to get the marketing of my work done and to achieve the commercial goals I want to.
And this marketing work can get very repetitive – frequent social media posts (on multiple platforms), and endless blogging to improve my online reach (at the time of writing this post I’m closing in on 100 topical blog posts after 12 months of blogging, after which the focus is on the next 100, and the 100 after that).
Learning to Embrace Boredom
A philosophical perspective of boredom that I’ve internalised is that it’s a great barrier to entry. I believe I got this idea from my favourite author, Ryan Holiday, who has written how boredom – and being able to persevere and create through it – is the qualifier that makes those capable of succeeding unique and primed for success.
After all, many people can do the excitement of the initial start-up creation phase, but fewer can demonstrate the discipline to see the process through once the early motivation subsides and boredom sets in. Steven Pressfield, in his iconic book ‘The War of Art’, also discusses similar themes, and how artists need to love boredom to succeed.
Facing Creative Boredom The Moment It Arrives
Nevertheless, while adopting this longer-term perspective helps, creative boredom and the sensations that come with it must still be acknowledged in the present when they arrive.
The frustration of not being able to translate the vivid images in your mind onto the canvas, coupled with the drudge of all the business admin required on top of the actual art and the fear of artistic burnout, adds a layer of complexity to the artist’s journey.
The toll it takes on motivation and self-esteem can be profound, as the very essence of creativity seems momentarily elusive. Acknowledging and addressing this reality is an essential part of the artistic process.
The carrot to entice us as creatives, the pot at the end of the rainbow, however, is that the rewards will be great when they come. Mastering any skill as a result of navigating the boredom phase is also intrinsically hugely fulfilling, too, and allows you to do greater things.
Navigating the Challenges of Creative Boredom
Chasing artistic dreams is more than just creating; it involves a rollercoaster of emotions. The journey has its thrilling highs and tough lows, like navigating a constantly changing landscape. When you throw in building an art business and career, it adds a bunch of challenges that can mess with the artist’s mindset.
I’ve found that there’s a less talked-about middle ground, too – and that is one of boredom.
Digging into the psychology of chasing artistic dreams shows how passion clashes with external pressures – dealing with the art market, meeting client expectations, the never-ending quest for recognition and the uncertainty of a freelance lifestyle. Aside from moments of stress, which are hopefully circumstantial for a creative and not chronic, doing the actual necessary and routine work away from the joy of creating can lead to much boredom.
By Kerwin Reflections
I’ve also found one peculiar facet of this ‘middle-ground’ phase is when I’m doing so much groundwork of my art business, such as dozens of expertly-written blog posts, without receiving much external feedback at all (good or bad!). This is simply a necessary phase of the process for many aspiring creatives – until the magic ‘tipping point’ is reached and all of the prior compounded effort brings in the desired rewards.
Understanding and learning to tackle or embrace the boredom experienced on this journey is crucial. It will not only shape an artist’s career but also have a big impact on their mental and emotional well-being. In the next section, we’ll unravel how the passion for art meets the challenges of building a successful and fulfilling career.
Practical Tips for Thriving Amidst Boredom as a Creative
Although intellectually we can understand that boredom is a natural and necessary part of the creative journey, this doesn’t stop of our biological hardwiring, as discussed above, from wanting to avoid the sensation. A few practical tips for alleviating some of the boredom – and helping to bring back a natural, feel-good inner spark, are discussed below.
A. Embrace Change and Experimentation
In the ever-evolving landscape of creativity, embracing change and experimentation can be a powerful antidote to creative boredom. Consider venturing beyond your creative comfort zone, whether it’s trying new mediums, exploring different styles, or diving into uncharted subject matters. By stepping into the unknown, artists often unearth a renewed sense of excitement and passion.
However, note that while rekindling creativity lies in embracing the unfamiliar, too much artistic experimentation can prevent you from effectively building your own niche and producing high-quality work in any one medium. Don’t confuse experimentation with avoiding boredom by abandoning your chosen craft altogether.
One of my favourite books about creativity and focus is ‘Essentialism’ by Greg McKeown. The crux of this book is that focused effort in one direction (or in this case, artistic medium), will bring greater rewards than dabbling in different directions.
B. Establish a Routine with Variety
While routine provides stability, injecting variety into it can be the key to keeping things interesting. Discuss the importance of maintaining a balanced routine that incorporates different aspects of the artistic process.
One good thing about building my business of By Kerwin around my actual painting is that there is always a good mixture of tasks to do. In addition to hours of drawing and painting, I can get stuck into technical tasks such as coding or improving my website, editing photos, drafting social media posts, writing blog posts, or planning a new exhibition. Using both the left and right-hand sides of my brain helps keep a natural balance in my schedule.
By infusing variety into daily practices, artists can break the monotony, fostering a dynamic and engaging environment that stimulates creativity.
C. Connect with a Creative Community
Isolation often fuels boredom, making connection a potent remedy. Networking with fellow artists, whether locally or through online communities, can provide new sources of inspiration and ideas, and the good neurochemical discussed earlier.
Engaging with others who share similar passions provides a platform for sharing experiences, ideas, and insights. This exchange not only introduces fresh perspectives but also cultivates a supportive environment, offering solace during moments of creative lulls.
D. Set Realistic Goals and Celebrate Achievements
Establishing realistic goals is pivotal in maintaining motivation and combating creative boredom. Artists should set achievable milestones, breaking down larger objectives into manageable tasks and timelines. And creatives should absolutely make a habit of celebrating even small victories along the way.
Recognising accomplishments, no matter how modest, contributes to a positive mindset, reinforcing the sense of progress and instilling a renewed enthusiasm for the artistic journey.
Reflections from my By Kerwin Art Business Journey
I’ll admit, this is something that has been challenging to me on my By Kerwin journey. The more I’ve learned about the landscape of building an online art business and understood the sheer volume of work and repetition required, the more the small, individual accomplishments have blurred into the next thing on my ‘to-do’ list.
One habit that is important for me to maintain is to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. By shifting my reference point back to when I was younger (and having my own business was just a dream), I’m able to recognise just how far I’ve come. Reflecting on my art business journey in this way often provides me a renewed sense of achievement – and subsequently motivation to continue building the next blocks of my By Kerwin journey.
Conclusion
In the rollercoaster of artistic pursuits, the highs and lows are balanced with a more stable and enduring middle ground: creative boredom is a challenge every artist encounters. Getting bored is a state that can derail our progress just as much as any crushing, stressful setback. Remember, the journey to realising your artistic dreams and build a thriving career is a marathon and not a sprint.
Embrace the path, doing your best to find joy in every phase and setback of your journey; for it shapes your unique artistic narrative. But don’t forget that some feelings – such as boredom – don’t need to be overcome, simply endured.
As we navigate through the peculiar challenge of creative boredom, let’s build a supportive community where the collective wisdom of diverse artistic journeys can inspire and uplift each other on this ever-evolving creative expedition.
How do you cope with boredom in your creative or artistic journey? Get in touch – I’d love to your thoughts. Explore my range of music icon pop art paintings and shop prints in my online shop at www.bykerwin.com. Fast worldwide delivery.
Explore my other posts about how I’ve built my art business in my blog section here.
My full range of Jackson Pollock-inspired acrylic paintings can be viewed at www.bykerwin.com – the originals and prints of these are available to purchase, with worldwide delivery. You can follow my art progress on Instagram and Facebook.
