ive found that drawing on post-it notes does the trick! that way, it doesnt have to look good, you dont need to put in a lot of effort, and it doesnt even need to go in your sketchbook. if the doodle turns out alright, get another post-it note and work on the design - ease yourself into making a bigger or better drawing :]
Receipt paper is my go-to for scrap paper doodles. It's not a sketchbook, so the stress of wasting a page is minimal, and anything I like I can copy into an actual sketchbook later!
Doodling and thumbnails are great warm up!!! You can even sort of plan what may be something you'll do for the future. Or just doodle. It's like exercising the brain.
I do this all the time with spiral notebooks because my brain associates them as not as good as an actual sketchbook. No clue why their both basically serving the same purpose for me.
"i dont know why i have to force myself to do it in the first place when i know i WANT to do it" That my friends, is the most adhd thing ive ever heard in my life (Doesn't have to be an ADHD thing tho just a very common struggle within ADHD brains)
That is the most normal thing I've ever heard in my life. That's how a majority of people think about less important stuff like hobbies. I don't get why some people think every single trait of theirs is because of a disorder and not because they're just humans with human traits.
@@snailarson there's a sliiight difference... I can absolutely see where you're coming from, but for neurotypical people, it's just a decision. You would think "I want to do this thing, but should I?" And you can either decide to do it or not. With someone who has ADHD, it's something that you have to LITERALLY FORCE yourself to do or it is not happening. Especially creative things like art, sometimes you just can't bring yourself to pick up the pencil no matter how badly you want to. This is why it sounded to me like ADHD, Ive just experienced it many times in that way But of course, everyone's experiences are different! That's just how I interpreted it :)
i think you've inadvertently hit on some serious adhd tips!! the feeling you're describing with 'i want to but i can't get myself to/my brain doesn't want to' is very very similar to executive dysfunction, which is a maaaajor adhd thing. and a lot of what you've said here is really similar to advice for that! brute forcing it works sometimes (and tbh i've found that with adhd i've really only started being able to brute force it now that i'm medicated, but obviously ymmv everyone's brain is weird and different) but you also touched on body doubling/parallel play with the whole streaming thing, sometimes it helps to just be in the presence of other people, even if you're not doing the same stuff. the only advice i've personality found helpful that you didn't cover here was ease of access! this might be where the split is for people with adhd vs people without, but i feel like it can be helpful for anyone. it's basically just the concept of taking any obstacles between you and what you want/need to do and reducing them as much as possible. for doing laundry, this moght look like skipping a hamper wnd putting dirty clothes straight into the washer, for keeping tidy it might mean realizing where you tend to accumulate trash and just putting a trash can there, and for art it might mean keeping multiple sketchbooks so you can have one on hand wherever you are, or incorporating a small doodle into your signature/dating papers/other mundane things just as a way to get your brain moving without needing to think about it. anyways, loved the video and i'm obsessed with the colors on those plant doodles, i just wanted to chime in with some added context/experience!!
Fabulous comment! One other piece of advice I've seen is to associate the activity you "don't" want to do with something else. Lighting a certain candle while you draw, wearing a 'drawing hat,' playing a specific playlist that's exclusive to drawing, etc. You make the association when it's easier to do that thing, so that when it gets harder, you can give your brain a nudge in the right direction. Kind of like how they say your bed should only be for sleeping if you struggle with insomnia, and if you can't sleep, don't lay in bed on your phone.
@@HuntingSunder definitely!! this also sort of ties into habit stacking, which is another form of reducing task friction! usually it means taking something you already find yourself doing habitually (eating breakfast, brushing your teeth, showering, sitting in a certain place when you get home from work/school, basically anything you're able to do consistently without necessarily thinking about it) and tagging something else onto it. for example, you might work on building a specific transition from breakfast -> a creative practice by keeping a sketchbook where you eat and/or starting to draw the things you eat for breakfast each morning. This technically works the same as setting timers or alarms, but honestly as someone who struggles with pda (pathological demand avoidance, definitely an autistic trait but i think it might also be tied to adhd? not sure off the top of my head) a timer popping up to tell me to do something i already wanted to do is more likely to be annoying than anything else lol. Also!! (sorry to post another essay of a comment but i have many thoughts about this) i've found that using media that comes consistently at certain intervals to sort of 'paywall' undesirable or difficult tasks has been really helpful. it's best for things that don't technically need to be at those exact intervals, but stuff like 'i know this podcast usually comes out once a week, so i'm deciding that i'm not "allowed" to watch it until i've set up my calendar for the week' has been suuuper helpful for me. it seems at face value like it might just create a negative association with the media, which i guess for some it might, but honestly i find that i get more excited to watch/listen to 'paywalled' things because it comes with the added emotional boost of having completed a task AND acts as a built-in reward system!
My problem is I can’t imagine what to draw anymore. When I was a kid I’d get an image in my head and try to put it on paper and it just doesn’t happen anymore. Now I just doodle and make sketches and never make proper finished pieces
@@illustratedhope My problem is I am settled down, I want to draw, sometimes I even know what I want to draw but I just can't imagine things anymore. It's like my imagination died as I became an adult
Wait, as in “can’t imagine any image” or “can’t make anything interesting”? You should look up aphantasia Orrrr go look up references and edit them together, or warm up with a draw-with-me video maybe
This is the exact experience I have with my ADHD, thanks to executive dysfunction. It effects most things for me, but art is a big one. I want to draw, but sometimes I just can't start! It really is comforting every time I see that an artist whose work I enjoy can relate to that experience! I appreciate you sharing, and I might as well say that you're not alone in it! It can be so frustrating, but the times I can overcome it always feel nice. Body doubling helps me! If someone is also around me working on something, it helps me start! Much love! 💜
Recently inspired by TheStarFishFace, I started sketching w/ highlighters. I like playing w/ the chunky and pointed tips to get either a silhouette or defined lines and then going over them w/ pen or liner. It’s been a lot of fun!
yea. ive been feeling that. im actually a huge procrastinator and get stuck on a lot of things, more than drawing. this is just what i needed. it kinda goes beyond drawing, i think. not for everything, but being an adult has taught me that sometimes you gotta force yourself to do things. for some of us like me, it becomes more often than not to force things to work. but, at the end of the day, things work out, even if it's not the best way it could have gone, it works.
I'm not a visual artist, but I am a writer. And I find a lot to relate to in this! Sometimes I have to just start putting words on a page. And also, I find that writing a few haikus about random topics usually kickstarts me a bit more - comfort art via words ;) Thanks for sharing this very extremely incredibly relatable video.
I sat and watched this with my 5 year old nephew, and the whole way through, all he said was,' she's a really good artist!! Look at that! Isn't she really good!!' I'm so happy I can sit and share your videos with him. Thank you ❤
Thank you Kasey!! I've had bad art block for over a year. It's been really frustrating. I have so many ideas, but like in many other areas of my life, haven't had the mental energy to follow through. I think it's also because I'm feeling very stagnant in my art. I basically only do portraits which take me daaaaaaaaays to finish, so it seems like a giant task, and in the end, I still feel like it's not good enough because everything is so posed and stiff. I've been wanting to loosen up, doodle more, and experiment with different styles, but am always worried I'll hate it and get frustrated with myself. I guess it's my own self criticism that prevents me from picking up my pencil most of the time.
I try to go experience something new when I'm in this space. Do a new activity, go to an art gallery of museum, visit a new town! I get back, refreshed, with my brain's creative bank account filled up a little more. You can't withdraw creativity from an empty bank account ;)
I’ve been feeling so low lately because of exactly this, but I was able to do some doodling whilst watching this video and that made me feel a bit better so thank you!!
Pretty accurately describes the ADHD (specifically executive dysfunction) experience and mentions being hyper fixated on working on Sketch scouts?! Very relatable! For real brains suck! ✌❤🐀
When I'm not feeling like i want to draw, I color instead. Then I get inspiration to draw something. I also try the book drawing on the right side of the brain which challenges your brain to draw something upside down or mirrored. It makes you think outside the box. With chronic illness I'm not always in the mood to draw but if just want to doodle something i usually draw something that's lying next to me like a mug or a pen. Its something simple to draw like drawing what you know.
Sometimes using permanent or permanent-ish mediums to sketch with helps A LOT. I find that my sketching is more fluid when I use pens because I’m not too worried about the art looking GOOD. And ironically, when I can have that level of detachment and just let go, my art seems to turn out better. Colored pencils are fun to sketch with too!
Funnily enough I feel the opposite. For me it's easier to let loose and just draw digitally, where everything can be irreversibly removed in a few clicks.
One of the reasons I get like this is because U want to make something colorful with a lot to process and focus on, but I don’t want to draw it. Like I want to color, but not draw something to color in just want to not think and make pretty. So I get a coloring book and any supply I want to use and I don’t think about if color are cohesive or anything I just put pretty color in a spot on the page. Sometimes I’ll work on a page for a year or so and I find it really helps.
omg, that's actually such a smart solution.... I get like this a lot recently, with "I want to color things, but not figure out all those shapes that I need to color", and it never occurred to me to just... literally pick up something to color for myself and move on finally I guess maybe because I'm mostly a digital artist, so I never thought what'd be the point of that But thanks to you I'm on my way to find some pages to color and hopefully rest easy 💙
My brain wants to draw all the time, but as a busy-handed dishwasher, my fingers are not interested in doodling, coloring or anything like that when I have free time. It stiiiinks.
I love your doodles so much! 🥰 I also get frustrated with myself because I want to draw ✍️ but once I’m holding the pencil, my brain just goes blank. Finally I’ve found a rhythm of drawing or doodling something small, silly and cute almost every day, I don’t stressed it if I miss a day, because when I come back and actually do it, then I find myself so inspired that I draw even more of what I expected. Thank you for the content, I always enjoy your doodling!
This is the first video ive ever found that even remotely answers this thing I never thought id find an answer for. The closest thing I have for a work around, it doesnt always work either, I get mac when I feel like this so I need a page or section of my page just for angry scribbles. If its just a corner of my page then that helps with the perfectionism breaking in the oage thing. If I still cant start from there i might fill the page with scribbles just to get the feelings out or I leave it there. Ive never been much of a doodler since I rely on reference so much so for me they take a lot of effort
I've been struggling with this a lot lately. Sitting down to draw and everything starts to look the same or I've somehow lost the ability to draw. It's gotten really hard to tap into the "drawing mojo" on command. It seems to come at inopportune times. Like, when it's late and I need to go to bed, I'll pick up a pencil and suddenly get motivated to draw.
Doodling and thumbnails are great warm up!!! You can even sort of plan what may be something you'll do for the future. Or just doodle. It's like exercising the brain.
I've found this out too! In fact, I started to think of pages with a few scribbly thumbnails almost as my support group. Just perusing a row of little crooked trees, folks with mismatched limbs, houses that could never pass inspection, etc. calms me immediately. Seriously, the imperfections (NEVER "mistakes") are the best part. I love my little imperfect people, and after a few minutes getting reacquainted I'm eagerly scribbling some new friends for them. Or houses or cars or whatever (Just typing out this comment made me realize, in my mind I call it "Scribbleworld" and spending 10-20 minutes making thumbnails is "visiting". Whoa, insight!)
Lately something I've been doing when I really want to draw but have no idea what is making small comics of scenes from books or fanfics that I really liked, like just a one or two pages comic with just the one impactful scene. There's something about "This is something I already really like" + "The whole scene is already planned out, I already saw it in my mind while reading" + "It''s a project small enough it won't take multiple days, but big enough to get properly invested" + "It looks super cool once it's done" that just scratches that itch in the most rewarding way possible
ohh thats a good idea edit had another thought ! doing them based on real life happenings is also great if you dont read, i did one a long while ago and rlly liked it
been struggling with this for years and its gotten so bad that i only make one finished piece every few years, my last one was two years ago in 2022 and all i have are have-finished sketches that i keep deleting
i bought a 10 dollar sketchbook from target to break out of the fear of drawing in my nicer books. it holds up rather well to the mediums i use and i feel like im getting back to how i use to feel when drawing. free and unrestrained.
Love this video and your message! The last piece I shared wasn't my best, but I think it's important to show people it's okay to make "not your best" and experiment.
Thank you so much! I've been wanting to get into making art for a while now and I just haven't been able to. I thought that the feelings I was feeling were just a sign that art wasn't for me, despite that I still had the urge to draw something. You're video perfectly described what my mind was going through and just the fact others can feel this same way inspired me to just push through a silly doodle for myself. I really like the plant and cat doodles you made btw! they look beautiful!
One of my favourite things to do is make a animal that doesn’t exist, and make it as if it was in a survival setting like, for example how would were it lives affect how mast it moves etc… this is probably something my brain has made up due to me loving animals so much, as a little addition: my creativity has not suffered art block… (yet)
I found your channel 5 years ago when I was 12 years old, you really inspired my art and boosted my creativity. I’m so glad I was able to rediscover your channel, this time with a lot more improvement and knowledge and found appreciation for art. Thank you for inspiring younger me to keep drawing :)
This is such a good video! So good, in fact, that I might have watched it 3 or 4 times within 24 hours instead of actually drawing... Another tip I heard is to have different spaces to do different things. I.e. have a special drawing table instead of just drawing at the dinner table or your desk that also has your PC. That way your brain knows it's drawing time, not doomscrolling or snack time.
I RELATE TO THIS SO SO MUCH Litterky that's what I say too, I wanna draw so bad but I genuinely just can't and don't want to but I also want to It's a never ending struggle 😂
5 minutes before watching this, I opened my drawing app(got inspired by a GinjaNinjaOWO video), made a blank canvas, drew a rough sketch of a character, decided it was bad, then quit the program. nice timing👍👍👍
Dammit Kasey! You know what you need to do and that is get back to the Prompt Book videos! I will say in my humble opinion some of your best ideas and series have come from that book. Your ideas that you conjured up to fill those pages! Ants, Bugs, Cactus, for just 3 that easily came to my mind! DO you need more I bet you can figure out more if you look OR just go to the BOOK! I just think you are fighting this idea, as it worked once what if it does not work this time? What will you do?? You will create something! So just go back and draw it out! I believe in you and your abilities. Now go get busy young Lady! Sketch Scouts are waiting . . . .
I have adhd and anything productive I’ve done has usually been in lieu of something else that needed to be done (but wasn’t as “fun”). This is especially helpful for getting myself to make art. Like if I’m supposed to be listening to a lecture and taking notes I’m doodling since I learn the same thing in homework or the day before or after (lots of repetition in school, for better or worse). Or I’m supposed to be watching the news with my family so now reading and homework is more interesting. 😂 I could sit around while someone watches a show/movie/youtube video I don’t care for I can go off and do some dishes instead. Whichever thing it is I’m allowed to avoid can be good background noise, and it’s very easy to find content these days I have no active interest in. I can put on a comedian I don’t think is funny, a cartoon I’ve already watched, sports in general, foreign tv (some stream their channels free), and the list goes on and on. Also, if you have my kind of brain, occupying the senses you aren’t actively using lets you more easily shift focus on the ones that are free. I’ve found parallel play or accountability to be the best way to work on anything but someone else’s time isn’t always an option for me.
I find that when I have artist’s block, I usually can just turn to a different form of creative expression, such as writing, and I’m usually pretty good at it. If I focus on writing for a bit until I get writer’s block, then go back to drawing, I find that I don’t have artist’s block anymore. I understand that there are some people who just can’t do that, but that’s what works for me.
Yeah. This. This started me down a rabbit hole of videos about it. Usually it's just roundabout ways to recommend "Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain" though. But I understand this feeling. For years I treated art as a tool to learn to use; over a decade of experience.. and I've only gotten worse. I don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything when I follow a tutorial/lesson, and feel lost without that tutorial/lesson. Anxiety shuts me down thoroughly and is my default way of thinking. My current train of thought: I need to learn to enjoy it first, then add technical skills to that.. so far I've spent several days ruminating on this thought and going nowhere while looking at a sketchbook and feeling disappointed in myself. At the very least, item 3 really caught my attention. Not sure how to apply it.
This just summed up my current motivation. It's like- I want to draw. I know all sorts of things I could draw. Things I could do. But it's like. No motivation to do the idea because it doesn't look good in the end. But that's because my art is improving, I've reached a point where I need to do more studies and such, but there's no motivation or like, fresh ideas. And I think it's just burnout. It's been like this for an entire year. I think I need a break from the internet. It's Social Media's fault. I need to leave for a while. For a, like, mental health break. So I can recover from my burnout and lack of motivation to draw. I do sketch everyday. But I want to draw more. I will take this advise. And I will take this little rant. And do something with it.
sometimes i'll just open a new canvas and just start drawing geometric patterns. like plaid, spirals, rhombus grids, etc. the first step is always the hardest, so i just draw those as a sort of "first step" to build momentum.
it sounds counterproductive but drawing something you don't like or don't care about can help. like, not necessarily something you actively dislike but something you don't want to get better at. idk how to explain this... i guess it just makes the things you do like to draw more enjoyable or rewarding?? it helps me with writing too
I draw my ocs lore or practice character designs I have to work on in markers without any pencil lineart. The no pencils makes it so I can't undo any mistakes and I have to go with my initial idea. Sometimes that dont work, so I have an oc that is super colorful and fun without much logic to him. It's against my style so it gets me to draw something fun. And the colors help me feel like a lil kid again which help my brain have fun with drawing
I've needed to hear someone talk about this issue aswell, and this is going to sound weird, but it feels nice?? thta someone also struggles with this problem?? anyway, just, knowing that you're not alone almost makes is somewhat easier to deal with it. Thank you for this video
I struggle so much with wanting to do something but i just dont do it? It confuses me so much because i wake up and think "aw cool i have this whole day to create and game" and then i just get stuck and dont start anything :(
hey, just wanna say, so its easier to say, the difference is motivation vs inspiration. inspiration, obviously being "i know what i want to draw" or having a concept in mind, while motivation is having the energy or literal feel to draw, and drawing without motive can be as painful as forcing yourself to eat when full.
I feel the 'doodling things that relate to the conversation" We were talking about the armor of the Spirit in Bible study the other day so I drew one of my Rain World characters wearing centipede armor
I struggle with this so much!! It’s especially frustrating when I have stuff I need to draw like commissions. Honestly though it’s frustrating in general cause I have so much art I want to make but my is just like “yes, no, yes” every single time T^T
When I want to art but don't want to art I come watch art videos. My ADHD definitely works with and against me at times. Watching other do art makes it easier to brute force my way through sometimes.
I've been doodling most of the time with pens on random paper so I don't feel pressured to make it perfect and just have fun. I usually brute force myself when it is for a class art project or commissions.
I do this with everything - I'm doing it now Ways I personally fight it: -Wait it out/wait till random motivation hits you in the middle of the night/morning - Watch other people make art - Get up/walk around or light exercise
Yes. As an artist and another human being among billions of others, I would say brains are both frustrating and necessary and can interchange its use. And my mode of doodling is just making random shapes and squiggles, getting the garbage out before it can be repurposed.
I want to draw, doodle, etc. n I think i may have adhd tbh, diagnosed a.d.d as a kid and i show signs of adhd. I have had so much creatuve blick in the last frw years too. I lack inspiration and when i do have it i overthink, cant focus, spend more time "prepping" or organizing, then draw and i go duhhhhh 😐💨 I like to doodle to help focus. I also like to zentangle. I think just doodles may be a way to do stuff. I want to try specific stuff, get fustrated and such. Get an idea in my head on paper, or make it 3d to sculpt, etc. Perhaps doodle in the theme, but no set idea.
Hi hellooo, kaseyyy I've been a long time fan of yours since 2017 and I would like to ask if you like tried this brand named? Languo gelpens? I thought it would be cool if you make a video about it! The pens are extremely underrated and it is one of my favorite pens whenever I do traditional art Just a suggestion btw! No force!
yes , drawing hasn't been giving me a rewarding feeling at all lately.. I can almost only do it if it's for a client, because then I know I at least do it for some money 😅 I feel like I've moved towards other hobbies but also REALLY don't want to give up on drawing
Ah yes, executive dysfunction at its finest. My way of dealing with it is usually to do a different creative hobby. I have like twelve million different things I do, from drawing to bookbinding, leatherwork, crochet, cross stitch, quilting, writing, etc. If I can't get myself to do one thing, I can probably get myself to do another. For drawing specifically though, I've found that doing a collage on the page before any drawing helps tremendously with getting the juices going by eliminating the blank page. Sometimes I'll just collage on a bunch of pages in my sketchbook at a time to be drawn on later. This technique ended a two year long art block on drawing for me so I hope it helps someone else
I measure my abilities in spoons if I don't have the spoons I don't do it, for my add it's an exercise in frustration. Most artistic minds need downtime to recharge and process. If feeling creative but not wanting to draw maybe pick up a different medium to be artistic through
ive found that drawing on post-it notes does the trick! that way, it doesnt have to look good, you dont need to put in a lot of effort, and it doesnt even need to go in your sketchbook. if the doodle turns out alright, get another post-it note and work on the design - ease yourself into making a bigger or better drawing :]
my post-it drawings are always amazing 😂
Receipt paper is my go-to for scrap paper doodles. It's not a sketchbook, so the stress of wasting a page is minimal, and anything I like I can copy into an actual sketchbook later!
Doodling and thumbnails are great warm up!!!
You can even sort of plan what may be something you'll do for the future.
Or just doodle. It's like exercising the brain.
My post it notes drawings done with a crappy biro are always great haha
I do this all the time with spiral notebooks because my brain associates them as not as good as an actual sketchbook. No clue why their both basically serving the same purpose for me.
"i dont know why i have to force myself to do it in the first place when i know i WANT to do it"
That my friends, is the most adhd thing ive ever heard in my life
(Doesn't have to be an ADHD thing tho just a very common struggle within ADHD brains)
😭
Describes my social anxiety to a T! 😂
As someone with ADHD ×3, I concur with this statement
That is the most normal thing I've ever heard in my life. That's how a majority of people think about less important stuff like hobbies. I don't get why some people think every single trait of theirs is because of a disorder and not because they're just humans with human traits.
@@snailarson there's a sliiight difference... I can absolutely see where you're coming from, but for neurotypical people, it's just a decision. You would think "I want to do this thing, but should I?" And you can either decide to do it or not. With someone who has ADHD, it's something that you have to LITERALLY FORCE yourself to do or it is not happening. Especially creative things like art, sometimes you just can't bring yourself to pick up the pencil no matter how badly you want to. This is why it sounded to me like ADHD, Ive just experienced it many times in that way
But of course, everyone's experiences are different! That's just how I interpreted it :)
As someone with ADHD with an ADHD brain that doesn’t want to do things, I appreciate this video
i think you've inadvertently hit on some serious adhd tips!! the feeling you're describing with 'i want to but i can't get myself to/my brain doesn't want to' is very very similar to executive dysfunction, which is a maaaajor adhd thing. and a lot of what you've said here is really similar to advice for that! brute forcing it works sometimes (and tbh i've found that with adhd i've really only started being able to brute force it now that i'm medicated, but obviously ymmv everyone's brain is weird and different) but you also touched on body doubling/parallel play with the whole streaming thing, sometimes it helps to just be in the presence of other people, even if you're not doing the same stuff. the only advice i've personality found helpful that you didn't cover here was ease of access! this might be where the split is for people with adhd vs people without, but i feel like it can be helpful for anyone. it's basically just the concept of taking any obstacles between you and what you want/need to do and reducing them as much as possible. for doing laundry, this moght look like skipping a hamper wnd putting dirty clothes straight into the washer, for keeping tidy it might mean realizing where you tend to accumulate trash and just putting a trash can there, and for art it might mean keeping multiple sketchbooks so you can have one on hand wherever you are, or incorporating a small doodle into your signature/dating papers/other mundane things just as a way to get your brain moving without needing to think about it. anyways, loved the video and i'm obsessed with the colors on those plant doodles, i just wanted to chime in with some added context/experience!!
Fabulous comment! One other piece of advice I've seen is to associate the activity you "don't" want to do with something else. Lighting a certain candle while you draw, wearing a 'drawing hat,' playing a specific playlist that's exclusive to drawing, etc. You make the association when it's easier to do that thing, so that when it gets harder, you can give your brain a nudge in the right direction.
Kind of like how they say your bed should only be for sleeping if you struggle with insomnia, and if you can't sleep, don't lay in bed on your phone.
@@HuntingSunder definitely!! this also sort of ties into habit stacking, which is another form of reducing task friction! usually it means taking something you already find yourself doing habitually (eating breakfast, brushing your teeth, showering, sitting in a certain place when you get home from work/school, basically anything you're able to do consistently without necessarily thinking about it) and tagging something else onto it. for example, you might work on building a specific transition from breakfast -> a creative practice by keeping a sketchbook where you eat and/or starting to draw the things you eat for breakfast each morning. This technically works the same as setting timers or alarms, but honestly as someone who struggles with pda (pathological demand avoidance, definitely an autistic trait but i think it might also be tied to adhd? not sure off the top of my head) a timer popping up to tell me to do something i already wanted to do is more likely to be annoying than anything else lol.
Also!! (sorry to post another essay of a comment but i have many thoughts about this) i've found that using media that comes consistently at certain intervals to sort of 'paywall' undesirable or difficult tasks has been really helpful. it's best for things that don't technically need to be at those exact intervals, but stuff like 'i know this podcast usually comes out once a week, so i'm deciding that i'm not "allowed" to watch it until i've set up my calendar for the week' has been suuuper helpful for me. it seems at face value like it might just create a negative association with the media, which i guess for some it might, but honestly i find that i get more excited to watch/listen to 'paywalled' things because it comes with the added emotional boost of having completed a task AND acts as a built-in reward system!
My problem is I can’t imagine what to draw anymore. When I was a kid I’d get an image in my head and try to put it on paper and it just doesn’t happen anymore. Now I just doodle and make sketches and never make proper finished pieces
And that’s okay, take art at your own pace
This is where I am too, I never settle down and let my brain imagine anymore
@@illustratedhope My problem is I am settled down, I want to draw, sometimes I even know what I want to draw but I just can't imagine things anymore. It's like my imagination died as I became an adult
Wait, as in “can’t imagine any image” or “can’t make anything interesting”? You should look up aphantasia
Orrrr go look up references and edit them together, or warm up with a draw-with-me video maybe
iv had to tell my self so many times that references are fine to use :) if i cant get the full picture into my head or not at all i use references
1:06 4. AR-
This is the exact experience I have with my ADHD, thanks to executive dysfunction. It effects most things for me, but art is a big one. I want to draw, but sometimes I just can't start! It really is comforting every time I see that an artist whose work I enjoy can relate to that experience!
I appreciate you sharing, and I might as well say that you're not alone in it! It can be so frustrating, but the times I can overcome it always feel nice.
Body doubling helps me! If someone is also around me working on something, it helps me start! Much love! 💜
Recently inspired by TheStarFishFace, I started sketching w/ highlighters. I like playing w/ the chunky and pointed tips to get either a silhouette or defined lines and then going over them w/ pen or liner. It’s been a lot of fun!
yea. ive been feeling that. im actually a huge procrastinator and get stuck on a lot of things, more than drawing. this is just what i needed. it kinda goes beyond drawing, i think. not for everything, but being an adult has taught me that sometimes you gotta force yourself to do things. for some of us like me, it becomes more often than not to force things to work. but, at the end of the day, things work out, even if it's not the best way it could have gone, it works.
I'm not a visual artist, but I am a writer. And I find a lot to relate to in this! Sometimes I have to just start putting words on a page. And also, I find that writing a few haikus about random topics usually kickstarts me a bit more - comfort art via words ;) Thanks for sharing this very extremely incredibly relatable video.
I sat and watched this with my 5 year old nephew, and the whole way through, all he said was,' she's a really good artist!! Look at that! Isn't she really good!!'
I'm so happy I can sit and share your videos with him. Thank you ❤
Thank you Kasey!! I've had bad art block for over a year. It's been really frustrating. I have so many ideas, but like in many other areas of my life, haven't had the mental energy to follow through. I think it's also because I'm feeling very stagnant in my art. I basically only do portraits which take me daaaaaaaaays to finish, so it seems like a giant task, and in the end, I still feel like it's not good enough because everything is so posed and stiff. I've been wanting to loosen up, doodle more, and experiment with different styles, but am always worried I'll hate it and get frustrated with myself. I guess it's my own self criticism that prevents me from picking up my pencil most of the time.
I try to go experience something new when I'm in this space. Do a new activity, go to an art gallery of museum, visit a new town! I get back, refreshed, with my brain's creative bank account filled up a little more. You can't withdraw creativity from an empty bank account ;)
Same! Something new always sparks that creative fire 😊
Genuinely exactly what I needed 😭
I’ve been feeling so low lately because of exactly this, but I was able to do some doodling whilst watching this video and that made me feel a bit better so thank you!!
Pretty accurately describes the ADHD (specifically executive dysfunction) experience and mentions being hyper fixated on working on Sketch scouts?!
Very relatable!
For real brains suck! ✌❤🐀
When I'm not feeling like i want to draw, I color instead. Then I get inspiration to draw something.
I also try the book drawing on the right side of the brain which challenges your brain to draw something upside down or mirrored. It makes you think outside the box.
With chronic illness I'm not always in the mood to draw but if just want to doodle something i usually draw something that's lying next to me like a mug or a pen. Its something simple to draw like drawing what you know.
Sometimes using permanent or permanent-ish mediums to sketch with helps A LOT. I find that my sketching is more fluid when I use pens because I’m not too worried about the art looking GOOD. And ironically, when I can have that level of detachment and just let go, my art seems to turn out better. Colored pencils are fun to sketch with too!
Funnily enough I feel the opposite. For me it's easier to let loose and just draw digitally, where everything can be irreversibly removed in a few clicks.
One of the reasons I get like this is because U want to make something colorful with a lot to process and focus on, but I don’t want to draw it. Like I want to color, but not draw something to color in just want to not think and make pretty. So I get a coloring book and any supply I want to use and I don’t think about if color are cohesive or anything I just put pretty color in a spot on the page. Sometimes I’ll work on a page for a year or so and I find it really helps.
omg, that's actually such a smart solution....
I get like this a lot recently, with "I want to color things, but not figure out all those shapes that I need to color", and it never occurred to me to just... literally pick up something to color for myself and move on finally
I guess maybe because I'm mostly a digital artist, so I never thought what'd be the point of that
But thanks to you I'm on my way to find some pages to color and hopefully rest easy
💙
my favourite tip is number 4, Ar
My brain wants to draw all the time, but as a busy-handed dishwasher, my fingers are not interested in doodling, coloring or anything like that when I have free time. It stiiiinks.
That's so cool. I've been playing Strange Horticulture recently and you've just inspired me to draw some cool plants and mushrooms. Thank you.
I'm a painter, and when I'm burnt out I switch to my sketchbook and draw. Eventually I get the energy/inspiration back to paint.
I always love how transparent you are and love all your videos no matter what it is
I love your doodles so much! 🥰 I also get frustrated with myself because I want to draw ✍️ but once I’m holding the pencil, my brain just goes blank. Finally I’ve found a rhythm of drawing or doodling something small, silly and cute almost every day, I don’t stressed it if I miss a day, because when I come back and actually do it, then I find myself so inspired that I draw even more of what I expected.
Thank you for the content, I always enjoy your doodling!
You are so funny Casey 😂😆🙌 And spot on! Not enough artists are as communicative about this subject. You rock!
This is the first video ive ever found that even remotely answers this thing I never thought id find an answer for. The closest thing I have for a work around, it doesnt always work either, I get mac when I feel like this so I need a page or section of my page just for angry scribbles. If its just a corner of my page then that helps with the perfectionism breaking in the oage thing. If I still cant start from there i might fill the page with scribbles just to get the feelings out or I leave it there. Ive never been much of a doodler since I rely on reference so much so for me they take a lot of effort
Thank you for this, I'm currently experiencing this as well.
I always love watching your videos Kasey. You are such a chill person and hearing you talk about any topic would be soothing.
I've been struggling with this a lot lately. Sitting down to draw and everything starts to look the same or I've somehow lost the ability to draw. It's gotten really hard to tap into the "drawing mojo" on command. It seems to come at inopportune times. Like, when it's late and I need to go to bed, I'll pick up a pencil and suddenly get motivated to draw.
Doodling and thumbnails are great warm up!!!
You can even sort of plan what may be something you'll do for the future.
Or just doodle. It's like exercising the brain.
I've found this out too!
In fact, I started to think of pages with a few scribbly thumbnails almost as my support group. Just perusing a row of little crooked trees, folks with mismatched limbs, houses that could never pass inspection, etc. calms me immediately.
Seriously, the imperfections (NEVER "mistakes") are the best part.
I love my little imperfect people, and after a few minutes getting reacquainted I'm eagerly scribbling some new friends for them. Or houses or cars or whatever
(Just typing out this comment made me realize, in my mind I call it "Scribbleworld" and spending 10-20 minutes making thumbnails is "visiting". Whoa, insight!)
@@JamesJoy-yc8vs Yess!! Just a quick doodle and brain exercise😊✌🏼
Lately something I've been doing when I really want to draw but have no idea what is making small comics of scenes from books or fanfics that I really liked, like just a one or two pages comic with just the one impactful scene. There's something about "This is something I already really like" + "The whole scene is already planned out, I already saw it in my mind while reading" + "It''s a project small enough it won't take multiple days, but big enough to get properly invested" + "It looks super cool once it's done" that just scratches that itch in the most rewarding way possible
ohh thats a good idea
edit had another thought ! doing them based on real life happenings is also great if you dont read, i did one a long while ago and rlly liked it
I can't stand doing a drawing livestream, feels performative and my anxiety goes through the roof
The video title literally is what I've been feeling for the past month or so.
Thank you for the video and the sketches!
been struggling with this for years and its gotten so bad that i only make one finished piece every few years, my last one was two years ago in 2022 and all i have are have-finished sketches that i keep deleting
i bought a 10 dollar sketchbook from target to break out of the fear of drawing in my nicer books. it holds up rather well to the mediums i use and i feel like im getting back to how i use to feel when drawing. free and unrestrained.
this video came out at the perfect time, thank you kasey!!
cats are always so fun to draw, they're a lot easier to get somewhat right than dogs too! 😂
These cats and plants doodles are so cute! I'm excited to read more sketch scouts!
I think what you were looking for was “What to do when you want to WANT to draw”
Love this video and your message! The last piece I shared wasn't my best, but I think it's important to show people it's okay to make "not your best" and experiment.
Thank you so much! I've been wanting to get into making art for a while now and I just haven't been able to. I thought that the feelings I was feeling were just a sign that art wasn't for me, despite that I still had the urge to draw something. You're video perfectly described what my mind was going through and just the fact others can feel this same way inspired me to just push through a silly doodle for myself. I really like the plant and cat doodles you made btw! they look beautiful!
Negative? Are u kidding? Inspired and relatable. Great energy. Thank you 💛💫💚
Yesssss! I think I'll force it today as well because my brain is mean. I love a good doodle stream/youtube vid. 👏👏
I have my own fancomic for my favorite game, and lately I've been struggling with getting it going again. I appreciate this video a lot!
One of my favourite things to do is make a animal that doesn’t exist, and make it as if it was in a survival setting like, for example how would were it lives affect how mast it moves etc… this is probably something my brain has made up due to me loving animals so much, as a little addition: my creativity has not suffered art block… (yet)
I loved all these doodles! Especially the cats and the pink bubbly flower!
I also have trouble starting to draw even when I want to. DX
I found your channel 5 years ago when I was 12 years old, you really inspired my art and boosted my creativity. I’m so glad I was able to rediscover your channel, this time with a lot more improvement and knowledge and found appreciation for art. Thank you for inspiring younger me to keep drawing :)
This is such a good video! So good, in fact, that I might have watched it 3 or 4 times within 24 hours instead of actually drawing...
Another tip I heard is to have different spaces to do different things. I.e. have a special drawing table instead of just drawing at the dinner table or your desk that also has your PC.
That way your brain knows it's drawing time, not doomscrolling or snack time.
I RELATE TO THIS SO SO MUCH
Litterky that's what I say too, I wanna draw so bad but I genuinely just can't and don't want to but I also want to
It's a never ending struggle 😂
5 minutes before watching this, I opened my drawing app(got inspired by a GinjaNinjaOWO video), made a blank canvas, drew a rough sketch of a character, decided it was bad, then quit the program.
nice timing👍👍👍
Dammit Kasey! You know what you need to do and that is get back to the Prompt Book videos! I will say in my humble opinion some of your best ideas and series have come from that book. Your ideas that you conjured up to fill those pages! Ants, Bugs, Cactus, for just 3 that easily came to my mind! DO you need more I bet you can figure out more if you look OR just go to the BOOK! I just think you are fighting this idea, as it worked once what if it does not work this time? What will you do?? You will create something! So just go back and draw it out! I believe in you and your abilities. Now go get busy young Lady! Sketch Scouts are waiting . . . .
I have adhd and anything productive I’ve done has usually been in lieu of something else that needed to be done (but wasn’t as “fun”). This is especially helpful for getting myself to make art. Like if I’m supposed to be listening to a lecture and taking notes I’m doodling since I learn the same thing in homework or the day before or after (lots of repetition in school, for better or worse). Or I’m supposed to be watching the news with my family so now reading and homework is more interesting. 😂
I could sit around while someone watches a show/movie/youtube video I don’t care for I can go off and do some dishes instead. Whichever thing it is I’m allowed to avoid can be good background noise, and it’s very easy to find content these days I have no active interest in. I can put on a comedian I don’t think is funny, a cartoon I’ve already watched, sports in general, foreign tv (some stream their channels free), and the list goes on and on.
Also, if you have my kind of brain, occupying the senses you aren’t actively using lets you more easily shift focus on the ones that are free.
I’ve found parallel play or accountability to be the best way to work on anything but someone else’s time isn’t always an option for me.
I find that when I have artist’s block, I usually can just turn to a different form of creative expression, such as writing, and I’m usually pretty good at it. If I focus on writing for a bit until I get writer’s block, then go back to drawing, I find that I don’t have artist’s block anymore.
I understand that there are some people who just can’t do that, but that’s what works for me.
Yeah. This. This started me down a rabbit hole of videos about it. Usually it's just roundabout ways to recommend "Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain" though. But I understand this feeling.
For years I treated art as a tool to learn to use; over a decade of experience.. and I've only gotten worse. I don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything when I follow a tutorial/lesson, and feel lost without that tutorial/lesson. Anxiety shuts me down thoroughly and is my default way of thinking. My current train of thought: I need to learn to enjoy it first, then add technical skills to that.. so far I've spent several days ruminating on this thought and going nowhere while looking at a sketchbook and feeling disappointed in myself.
At the very least, item 3 really caught my attention. Not sure how to apply it.
You need to try another attempt on your own after the tutorial, that way you actually learn it into your brain
Just wanted to say your drawings are beautiful and made me smile 😊
I draw good on everything that isn’t a sketchbook or normal piece of paper. Sticky notes and card stock mostly, but other things work too
This just summed up my current motivation. It's like- I want to draw. I know all sorts of things I could draw. Things I could do. But it's like. No motivation to do the idea because it doesn't look good in the end. But that's because my art is improving, I've reached a point where I need to do more studies and such, but there's no motivation or like, fresh ideas. And I think it's just burnout. It's been like this for an entire year. I think I need a break from the internet. It's Social Media's fault. I need to leave for a while. For a, like, mental health break. So I can recover from my burnout and lack of motivation to draw. I do sketch everyday. But I want to draw more. I will take this advise. And I will take this little rant. And do something with it.
I love the second flower doodles, they are very cute
wow i just realized i really needed this video!
10:13 HOW DID SHE KNOW??? I very much was drawing while listening :)
Wow, this video was very informational.Ty 😊
I LOVE your art style! Its so lively and gives off such a welcoming vibe, it just makes want to draw a lot more! Do you have any art tips?
sometimes i'll just open a new canvas and just start drawing geometric patterns. like plaid, spirals, rhombus grids, etc.
the first step is always the hardest, so i just draw those as a sort of "first step" to build momentum.
it sounds counterproductive but drawing something you don't like or don't care about can help. like, not necessarily something you actively dislike but something you don't want to get better at. idk how to explain this... i guess it just makes the things you do like to draw more enjoyable or rewarding?? it helps me with writing too
This video was posted on the perfect timing omg I needed this
I've watched a ton of these videos and this is the first one that actually got me drawing!! Thank you ❤
I draw my ocs lore or practice character designs I have to work on in markers without any pencil lineart. The no pencils makes it so I can't undo any mistakes and I have to go with my initial idea. Sometimes that dont work, so I have an oc that is super colorful and fun without much logic to him. It's against my style so it gets me to draw something fun. And the colors help me feel like a lil kid again which help my brain have fun with drawing
Well, this video helped me get inspired to draw after a shift at work. So thanks. :) appreciate you tons
I've needed to hear someone talk about this issue aswell, and this is going to sound weird, but it feels nice?? thta someone also struggles with this problem?? anyway, just, knowing that you're not alone almost makes is somewhat easier to deal with it. Thank you for this video
I struggle so much with wanting to do something but i just dont do it? It confuses me so much because i wake up and think "aw cool i have this whole day to create and game" and then i just get stuck and dont start anything :(
Thank you for this video, Kasey, needed it today
hey, just wanna say, so its easier to say, the difference is motivation vs inspiration. inspiration, obviously being "i know what i want to draw" or having a concept in mind, while motivation is having the energy or literal feel to draw, and drawing without motive can be as painful as forcing yourself to eat when full.
When I'm feeling uninspired, I often find the way to trick my brain is to draw about the lack of inspiration. Just put those feelings down in some way
I feel the 'doodling things that relate to the conversation"
We were talking about the armor of the Spirit in Bible study the other day so I drew one of my Rain World characters wearing centipede armor
When this happens to me, I’ll draw shapes, which is usually circles 😂
🤔 maybe these could be useful for a sketchbook with just black and white doodles
I find myself needing to target my creative energy towards something else like crafts in order for me to get back in the “mood” to draw ✍️
I struggle with this so much!! It’s especially frustrating when I have stuff I need to draw like commissions.
Honestly though it’s frustrating in general cause I have so much art I want to make but my is just like “yes, no, yes” every single time T^T
Great video....but also I want merch of these cats so bad
When I want to art but don't want to art I come watch art videos. My ADHD definitely works with and against me at times. Watching other do art makes it easier to brute force my way through sometimes.
I have never felt more seen in my life
I've been doodling most of the time with pens on random paper so I don't feel pressured to make it perfect and just have fun. I usually brute force myself when it is for a class art project or commissions.
I do this with everything - I'm doing it now
Ways I personally fight it:
-Wait it out/wait till random motivation hits you in the middle of the night/morning
- Watch other people make art
- Get up/walk around or light exercise
You should animate a cat!!🐈
Yes. As an artist and another human being among billions of others, I would say brains are both frustrating and necessary and can interchange its use. And my mode of doodling is just making random shapes and squiggles, getting the garbage out before it can be repurposed.
You accidentally drew my cat in the intro!! The red tabby w the shorter tail
I want to draw, doodle, etc. n
I think i may have adhd tbh, diagnosed a.d.d as a kid and i show signs of adhd.
I have had so much creatuve blick in the last frw years too. I lack inspiration and when i do have it i overthink, cant focus, spend more time "prepping" or organizing, then draw and i go duhhhhh 😐💨
I like to doodle to help focus. I also like to zentangle.
I think just doodles may be a way to do stuff.
I want to try specific stuff, get fustrated and such. Get an idea in my head on paper, or make it 3d to sculpt, etc. Perhaps doodle in the theme, but no set idea.
Well if that didn't help me get started, and you know what, I was drawing during the whole darn video; yep it helped. Thanks KC
I draw my own characters and when I can’t draw a new design I just draw my main dude multiple times in a row.
when you want to draw but the ADHD is ADHDing and so nothing happens for a month
Hey guess what? You inspire me! Please keep making videos, I really need you .
Wow. You get it
I am currently drawing cars. i have decided to choose an object to draw/sketch, repeatedly, until i am able to draw it without a reference.
Hi hellooo, kaseyyy
I've been a long time fan of yours since 2017 and I would like to ask if you like tried this brand named? Languo gelpens? I thought it would be cool if you make a video about it! The pens are extremely underrated and it is one of my favorite pens whenever I do traditional art
Just a suggestion btw! No force!
This is a great video I loved it :)
yes , drawing hasn't been giving me a rewarding feeling at all lately.. I can almost only do it if it's for a client, because then I know I at least do it for some money 😅 I feel like I've moved towards other hobbies but also REALLY don't want to give up on drawing
Ah yes, executive dysfunction at its finest. My way of dealing with it is usually to do a different creative hobby. I have like twelve million different things I do, from drawing to bookbinding, leatherwork, crochet, cross stitch, quilting, writing, etc. If I can't get myself to do one thing, I can probably get myself to do another.
For drawing specifically though, I've found that doing a collage on the page before any drawing helps tremendously with getting the juices going by eliminating the blank page. Sometimes I'll just collage on a bunch of pages in my sketchbook at a time to be drawn on later. This technique ended a two year long art block on drawing for me so I hope it helps someone else
Garden people???? Maybe a few with a story???
I measure my abilities in spoons if I don't have the spoons I don't do it, for my add it's an exercise in frustration. Most artistic minds need downtime to recharge and process. If feeling creative but not wanting to draw maybe pick up a different medium to be artistic through