No mood for art?

[Klaustasya]

Since our new flatmate came in, i've been kinda busy with real life social stuff. It's fun! Finally i got the chance to talk with some people. The problem is that we spend so much time talking that we all end up being not in the mood for studying, or in my case, for drawing.
And you know, it's a bit frustrating when this happens because you're really trying to draw everyday but you end up being either tired or not in the mood for it.
Also i can't focus on my art when i'm surrounded by close people....what can i do? The whole issue is more about "not being in the mood because the envoirment is overally so-so" (including other places out of our house)

[ZombieOwl]

It's tricky to do when you're pooped, but it's important to discipline yourself and make a little bit of time everyday to work on your drawing(or anything else you're trying to accomplish).

Get yourself a personal work space, separate from a common area (Mine is my bedroom). If you're sharing rooms, or space is tight, find that "third place"(the place between work and home); maybe it's a public library, a study room, a cafe.

I think it's important to treat yourself well and have a personal space with no distractions to get things done. Try your best to make the time

[Rhonder]

I struggled with this this past summer. I had started working on my comic in April, was pretty steady through May. Then summer hit and for a variety of reasons (mostly social, similar to your scenario it sounds like) I ended up going on like a 3 month hiatus from drawing lol... I had intended to launch my comic in June or July and that got pushed back to October when all was said and done.

All-in-all I don't think it's inherently bad to take breaks like that now and then (as long as this isn't your job xD;; For me drawing is a hobby) so I didn't stress too much. I just dusted myself off in September and got back to work.

As for the actual mechanics of how to get work done, pretty much re: what @ZombieOwl said. In general I can't get any work done in the common areas of my house due to distractions, people and otherwise, so I have to set up a work station in my room to get anything done ever, and usually just throw headphones on, and focus.

[escente]

I had the same problem after moving into a house with some really close friends this year! I end up making dinner/ binging Netflix/ playing video games in the evening when I should actually be drawing.

However, I don't think it's a bad thing! Friendships are important, and one should invest time and effort into maintaining them

There's always a trade-off between maintaining relationships and personal achievement, and it's up to you to decide what's the right balance.

I've realised after some years on Tapas that a true friend in real life is worth more than 100 000 subscribers. I wouldn't push my friends away for the sake of "updating on time" for my readers, but I would sometimes shut my door firmly so I can have some alone time with my imagination.

[wekanian]

Ah, having no mood for art is a bummer.

I had a few burn outs from drawing before so I rarely force myself to draw when I am not in the mood because I want to do something else (like watching, playing games, socializing, etc), even if it means sacrificing the time to draw. Me feeling happy and healthy feels more important.

HOWEVER, there is always a lingering guilt for not drawing following the schedule I set for myself. So I draw tiny bit of a panel just to make me feel like I did what I've got to do. Then I continue doing whatever I want.

[amortelito]

I often have to remind myself that I am not a machine, I want to produce art all the time and I end up tired of working. I think your situation is normal and it's okay to have a break, if your livelihood doesn't depend on a daily production, then enjoy your social life! Having life experience is also good for art, it can inspire you to make new stuff. Being in front of a blank page all the time eventually becomes uninspiring.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Trying to juggle everything can be tough. Especially since I'm married (9 years this summer!) And I have DnD once a week. Plus my normal job. And my side job doing graphic design...ANNNNND, trying to learn how to write and record music. Jeez that's a lot of stuff, but I still manage to make myself sit down and do my comic.
I really just had to find something to give up, and that was video games. Every couple of weeks I will not do any comic art just to recharge though.

[Memai]

OOF this is a mood! I have a day job in the creative industry, that doesn't guarantee a set time for work; there are days where I can consistently get home at a certain time, and days where I'm staying back late and working overtime.

However! There's a little good and bad to everything everyone's said here:

• It's important to grow outside of art. In order to make better work, it's important to get out there and live as much of your life as possible. It doesn't always have to be art, but a great conversation can lead you down some pretty inspiring paths.

• That being said, don't be too hard on yourself! Give yourself some time to take a little break from art. I find that, personally, when I take a couple days off, I usually come back to art feeling so much better and with a clearer mind.

• Suggestions of finding a separate space to do your work (a room in the apartment, or a cafe you can chill at) is invaluable. Having a space made special for your work/art purposes can do wonders for your psyche-- it immediately puts you in the mood to create!

• One other tip is to try and loosely plan out your week (or the next 3 days). That way you can give yourself permission to have days for socializing, and days where you can focus on making art. Say you have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday free, use Monday and Tuesday as working days and Wednesday as a break (or whatever works best for you)

That way, when you do have other commitments, like big holidays, projects, etc. you can block and plan those days out and know what to anticipate in the coming days (so you don't feel guilty about not having the mood or energy to draw).

Hopefully you find your mojo again! Take care! <3

[Klaustasya]

Thank you for the tips! They all look very useful