The greatest external difficulties in the creative process

[wolflu66]

Please share some of the external difficulties you've encountered while drawing or writing.

That is to say, not issues like lack of inspiration or insufficient artistic skills, but rather problems like worrying about rent, having an outdated computer, and so on. And whether you have any methods to deal with these issues.

My own biggest problem is that I'm very sensitive to noise. Unfortunately, my upstairs neighbors are always moving things around loudly or stomping heavily. This really drives me crazy and makes it impossible for me to focus on creating.
Although I've gone up to communicate with them, the effect has been limited.

Another issue is that two years ago, my doctor informed me that I have mild glaucoma, although different doctors have differing opinions, with some believing I haven't reached the level of glaucoma yet. But in any case, I can no longer overuse my eyes like I used to. This is also quite depressing for me.

[Red_Dog]

Mine is a problem that likely plagues every artist.
Eventually your back starts to hurt. Or your neck. One time my shoulder started hurting for no real reason, but that might be because I slept on it wrong.
When that happens I have a conundrum. I either keep drawing and be productive, but risk making the back problems worse or pause my productivity to let my muscles heal and feel bad about it the whole time.

I have problems with noise as well, but to a far lesser extent when I'm drawing with one exception...
While I'm drawing I like to play either video essays, reviews (on any form of media) or lets plays. Basically anything to listen too. Sometimes I listen to the same song over and over and over again. For whatever reason doing that helps me stay focused on the drawing.
I tend to need something to help me stay focused. It may be some mental problem that's causing that, but I ain't a psychiatrist.
I've also now memories the lyrics to several songs.

My drawing pad once broke and I had to get a new one, but to be fair that one was years old.

Anyways that's all I could think of off the top of my head.

[TnrOfficial]

The biggest one for me is trying to balance my job and working on my two series, since I usually get off so late I can only get a few pages done and those few pages will become one page depending on how exhausted I feel after work (depending on how much detail that page has of course). Other than that, having to share a room with a little sibling who's constantly yelling and gaming can be VERY stressful.

[vapidink]

Well, there was like a week or two last year where I couldn't write or draw because my laptop died. Apart from that, time is an issue. I have a lot of series to work on and never enough time. Also, distractions. Music helps, especially instrumental OSTs--my favs are FF soundtracks--and I also like to work at night while everyone is sleeping. So yeah, writing has turned me into a vampire.

[annuskabriar]

Disability. I have all the time in the world, since I can't work and am not currently in school, but disability gets in the way a lot with the creative process. both psych and medical.

[TnrOfficial]

Oh I definitely felt the laptop one, the battery on my laptop that I used for years to draw my series had died and I completely destroyed my mental state. Thankfully though I bought a drawing tablet for my pc and have been feeling much better

[vapidink]

I mourned that laptop. I had it for ages and don't have a desktop, so yeah, I was very sad that week. But at least CSP works better on my current one since it's not like a thousand years old!

[Shanny8]

I either keep drawing and be productive, but risk making the back problems worse or pause my productivity to let my muscles heal and feel bad about it the whole time.

REST. I had pains in my forearms by the end of 2016, took a couple of months away then started back working on stuffs in Feb of 2017...by August of 2017 the pain was back- not only in my forearms, but in my left elbow, shoulders, and upper back...I took another couple of months away and then slowly paced myself to a finish. I took off 4 months and built up a buffer on the next chapter, but burned through it coz a page I was working on took a LONG time...finally by 2019, the back pains and issues mounted up til I had to take extended time away- every time I raised my arms at my desk, they would hurt.

Long story short- I ended up taking a couple of years away from doing art period. It helped...I still have issues, but they're not as excruciating as they were between 2017 and 2019; I've mostly been working on standalone pieces, so once I finish a piece I take a couple days to a week to relax before starting the next.

There is a low key fear for me that if I start back working on pages I'll start messing myself up again, so I told myself that I wasn't going to publish/post any pages until I finish a majority of the chapter; that way I'm not pressuring myself into unhealthy work habits that make my arms and back even worse than before.

Other than that, often for me life gets in the way- like either work at my day job is really exhausting and I come home and cant work or something takes me out of my focus zone...recently, my tablet died(a Huion tablet that I had for only 4 years) so that was frustrating coz I spent 2 weeks trying diagnose/analyze and fix the problem- til I realized it couldnt be fixed...so I had to buy a new tablet; now I'm trying to get used to said tablet while trying to get out a new piece.

[Red_Dog]

Don't worry. I do take breaks when my body tells me too.
I'm just saying that when I do basically this meme happens to me:

[jwabeasley]

I have a full time job, a second part time job, and a large family to take care of - so my main limiter is TIME!

I wish I could devote a full 40 hours a week to this, or failing that, at least a consistent 20. But take today - I worked all day, came home, cooked dinner, and had to do family/kid stuff all evening until after midnight. No comic work today!

Unfortunately comics have to be in the 'hobby' time slot for me. I could sure do with an extra 24 hours a day somehow.

[yaziroburrows]

A crappy chair and no laptop T^T

i hate writing on my phone, but my current chair hurts both my butt and back after like an hour. so I have to constantly get up, even if I'm in a flow state because it literally hurts to keep sitting.

I used to have a laptop (Macbook Air), but it decided it didn't want to charge anymore

[AmysGames]

1. Wrist pain is one that's been creeping up on me lately. I got a wrist brace that helps, but sometimes you just gotta stop drawing and take a break, which can be frustrating because of...

2. Time! Drawing a comic takes so much of my free time that sometimes it feels like I barely have time for anything else. I miss my buffer, man.

[Lensing]

My biggest difficulties when making comics are doubt, overthinking and perfectionism.
I don´t have those problems when I´m making music and I have not found a solution.
I do have a different vision for comics and music and that´s probably the reason.
The comic vision requires a skill level that I haven´t reached yet and I reached the
skill level that is required for the music that I´m playing.

Distraction number one is the internet / social media but I managed that with limited
time online + only use this forum + very limited time on facebook & instagram.

My biggest problem when making music are uncooperative/not fitting band members.
Difficult, unclear decision, leadership things

[wolflu66]

It seems that health problems are indeed the greatest enemy for many creators.

There was a period when I dedicated all my time to drawing. Apart from work, after returning home, except for eating and sleeping, I was always drawing, which led to my body shape becoming distorted.

For the sake of my health, I controlled this behavior and forced myself to spend some time exercising every day.

[kyupol]

My over 50 hours a week job. Welding and sandblasting is a physical job so oftentimes when it's time to work on ADB, I'm mentally tired.

But hey... That keeps my mind in the back seat.

[Leyelle]

I'm so sorry to hear about your eye troubles, I hope there is something that can be done to cure/reverse it?

As for me, I share the tools that I use for writing with my family so I don't always have access to them. I'm also a teen still living with my parents atm, and often my writing isn't really considered very important and I have to deal with the limitations imposed by that. I'm not allowed to work full time but atm writing is the only job I'm really qualified for because I haven't had an opportunity to get my GED yet, which most jobs require. And that forces me to be a dependant. My mom still considers my writing a hobby though I've been doing it professionally since I was 15 and she calls the money I make from my hard work being "gifted money" which is also pretty frustrating. Writing is the only way I can make money atm, but it's regularly put on the back burner when there is something else they'd rather have me do though I have deadlines to meet for magazines and such

[wolflu66]

Glaucoma is basically irreversible; all I can do is try my best to prevent it from worsening.

It seems like many parents are like that, haha. I hope you’ll achieve even greater success in your creative work soon and that it brings you more income.

[Shanny8]

For the sake of my health, I controlled this behavior and forced myself to spend some time exercising every day.

This. I now exercise at least once a week for about an hour...I'm trying to increase it to 2 evenings a week. I'll take breaks during drawing sessions & stretch or allow my mind to do other things; I try not to hyperfocus on it. I'll go replenish my snacks or get more water if I need to- bathroom breaks, something to not keep me sitting in the chair for more than 4 hours consistently.

[Leyelle]

Thank you, fingers crossed.

If it's basically irreversible does that mean there is some hope?

[wolflu66]

Regarding glaucoma, we can only look forward to more advanced medical technologies in the future~ Haha

Current medical technology can effectively control glaucoma, but still cannot completely cure this disease