Sometimes I think I don’t really know whether to push through an art block or to go do something else and come back again. The eternal question, isn’t it?

Recently though, I’ve come to think of art blocks as being two types. (For me anyway.) One type of art block is when, no matter what I draw, everything just feels frustrating. My arm’s not behaving, my brain can’t string two lines together and the entire process just feels like misery.

Type 2 is when I do want to draw- but it feels as if I don’t know how to draw anymore, or like I don’t have any idea on what to begin with.

In the past, I didn’t think it was a big difference, but I think it’s actually important to differentiate the two, because they require the opposite approach from each other. With the first type of art block, it’s better to step away and give yourself a break. Go listen to some music, watch a visually interesting movie, read some books. Consume, find some inspiration, or just take a break completely without thinking about artmaking at all.

With the second one, I think it’s better to push past it. Let yourself make bad art, because otherwise you fall into the trap of never letting yourself play with art. (I’m mostly talking about me, but if it applies to you, theennnn. /shrug)

I did this back in 2016 for a Pokemon zine I was really excited about at first, but which I felt stressed about more and more. This was definitely Type 2 artblock.

Honestly I wasn’t happy at all, but I mean, deadlines were deadlines, and the people compiling the zine needed time to do that too, so I just pushed through it and made this in a pretty short time.

And I think it’s a lesson to myself, because when I see it again today, it’s actually not that bad. I could do better, sure, but the core of it is pretty okay 🙂 And it has a lot of ideas I can take into my future art.