...like you just don't care? I mean about creating. I am in some sort of slump. I don't like what I am doing, and don't seem to have any fresh ideas. You go look at the gallery for inspiration, and realize you don't want to be influenced and copy others ideas, but even there things seems stale. Is it me? Or is some of the luster disappearing? So you stop looking. Art has been so prominant in my life...I was always doing something. Now I sit down and just start projects that leave me bored. ( or that is as close to the feeling as I can come!) Is this like writers block? Do YOU ever get this sustained angst? Or is it lack of will to do anything and post it? Any advice is nice. sigh
HuggerZ!
Ariana

This is writers block (imo). I get it, I'd bet most people do. Yes, sometimes it lasts longer than normal.

Myself, I need to seek out new ways to be inspired. A new way to get that old inspirational "fix". Instead of thumbing through more new art online, I go see different kinds of art at small galleries or a museum. Sometimes its just watching the street artists on Venice Beach making art on canvas with spray paint.

Variety. For me, that helps.

Yep... everybody goes trhough that.

It is also akin to burnout. Just step back. Do something completely different (exercise, read, meet people, visit places....) ... all that will help your mind rest and get fresh ideas from exposure to the unexpected.

When that happens...sometimes I'll dig up that tutorial I've been meaning to do that teaches me a new technique or approach.(You know we all have some of those that we downloaded with all intent to do once a block of time presented itself)

Many times...that newfound knowledge sparks a "Ahh Haaaa moment where you think "Hey...I wonder if I could use this approach to do make this..or that.

It may even spark an interest in revisiting one of the many un-finished projects I abandoned because I got stuck somewhere .( we all have those layin around too)

Or...."Write" a tutorial that you think others may find useful.

Knowledge...almost always inspires in one way or another.

Another thing I'll do is start organizing my drives...I almost always come across something that I thought was long gone.

Play with Plug-ins

Or...simply go for a drive or a walk.

8 )

Tom

YOu feel like that too? I was beginning to think I was the only one. I have found I am bored and creativity has taken a leave of absence

I have been there lately...so I got into old images once forgotten and found some worth keeping. Still, with other pressures at hand, it is easy to get a "block".   Tom has made some good suggestions..and these still keep you in touch.  Then again, going for a walk is almost always a good idea.        TomDart.

**ThanX everyone! I did come to a certain conclusion...I have been working so hard on creating items of  "Size" (*i.e.>Poster) that I forgot that some of the art I own by others, is actually on a smaller scale than I have been working in! Part of the block is filling a large space with interest as opposed to quality. Plus getting involved with CafePress, and other enities that just irk you with their "you can only do it this way" mindset. Today I went out for a long walk (*ThanX for that, sometimes all I look at is this screen!) and it occured to me that little details are more exciting than grand vistas sometimes! *sigh... I am at that point where I am good, but the time to be greater is just ahead...out of grasp at this minute, soon to change at any given! **

**I have a few questions for each of you....

Agent Smith (Kirk!, with the flowing locks! Tres Cool)
I see that you work in Bryce...I would like to work on some things imported from Poser...
but want just a sky only back, can you IM me so as to not go off topic and just point me to the feature? I got Bryce5/6. BTW...Surrealism, very nice!*

*agiel beatiful gallery!
I am still trying to learn how to get the vista's and angles of POV that you do. When I try to angle the focal plane, I overload the program because I am a bit inept at smooth transitioning, you know what I am talking of? Mainly escape the sky/land straight on angle...when I post at the Vue (Vue Esprit5) can you look for me and help out on learning how to get there?

Tom
I have 3 tut refferal's you answered me with..I got some basic stuff understood...but I promise to revisit those and see if there is more I can teach myself! ;)

*KayJay (Jerry)
I wanted to ask...you have a soft quality to your poser renders that I would much like to understand.... Is it done in post work or with the gaussian setting to give the difussed look??? SkoolDaze does it too...I cannot tell..but I get too sharp a focus with the settings I use...I am self taught and came upon these by way of experimentation. Can you also IM me sometime?

*Finally!!!
Tom! I just got my digital SLR, a Nikon D50, with both the 18-55, and the 55-200! But even tho I shot SLR/Film for years (13 years back!)...this darn thing is not like picking up the old N6006/N8008! But look for pics to come soon! I actually have a "good eye"!!! :)

*Again, I want to thank you all for not laughing at my slump... I draw constantly, but darned if I can get it to transfer into Poser! LOL! (my chosen program) The only way to accomplish that is by learning to model....I got Shade and Hexagon, plus Carrara...Program rich time poor! LOL!
Have a good one..
HuggerZ!
Ariana

I've been in one myself.  I know what I want to do I just can't get into doing it.  I feel very ADD right now. 

For the past month, I haven't fired up any of my programs.  The reason is really twofold....
1, my hard drive died.  And my box with my backup cd's are...well, they were mistaken for garbage.  So, gone. 
So, ti's taken me THIS long to just download and install my stuff from DAZ, LOL.

The other part is....I haven't had any creative ammo to work with lately, lol.  I can open Poser, D|S, Bryce, Carrara....and nothin'.  My brain stops.  I have caught myself staring at the screen for upwards of 15 minutes.
And, then, I am saved by the wonderfulness of gaming. 
Even if it ends up that I only play neopets for an hour, LMAO.

Gentlemen, I did a dedication to you all!
HuggerZ!
Ariana

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1377547

I'm in a slump myself since I lost my computer and all my MAX files. I've replaced a lot of them, and when i have time and energy I can download most of the rest, save many many I made myself which causes me a great deal of sadness. Plus I'm stuck with not a great computer and the guy who built it went and died on me, so he can't fix it. Plus there's my whole illness thing which isn't very good lately and is what's hanging me up more than anything else.

One thing I do is make textures. I have almost a gig of textures waiting for me to work on them. Mostly old worn walls and rust and stuff. I love making textures.

What I've been doing the last few weeks is going through a lot of stuff in my photo database. I look at thousands of photos looking for inspiration. I download reference photos. It may be as simple as a broken chair against a beat up old wall, but something in it will inspire me. I have this real thing with ancient deteriorated walls like you find all over europe. It has to do with a Japanese concept I've been working with lately called sabi. Finding beauty in the patina of great age.

If I get REALLY stuck, I pick a movie i like a lot and try to duplicate a scene from the movie.

Wow! bonestructure! I love the idea of the ancient walls! I am sorry to hear about the puter and files! :( Plus being under the weather too. Maybe this post will help you too...I was so down when I wrote it. But I got some inspiration and good advice here...so maybe it can lift your spirits also.
HuggerZ!
Ariana

It's not a slump.  It's not a block.  It's akin to a field lying fallow and it's part of the normal cycle of creativity, just like normal respiration, breathing in and breathing out.  It doesn't mean that nothing is going on when we are not in a fever of production with external proof of ourselves every day and hour.  Sometimes we are actually gestating quetly, without activity and that blank feeling is actually part of the creative state. Accepting it is important.

Creativity has seasons of development and dormancy just like the phsyical world.  I used to mistake that apparent dormancy for depression and assume that nothing was happening but that was just a problem of vanity/narcissism on my part, an inability to let myself sit and be receptive and even accept some moments of . . .gasp . . .boredom . . .so that something new might come into the empty space.

I now embrace those blank spaces I used to consider "down" periods and just sit with my thumb in my mouth, staring into the middle distance as long as necessary stroking my dogs or some such thing. . . and I find they are inevitably followed by the most amazing reawakenings and powerful, prolific, productive periods.

I call these period Lying Fallow.  All fertile fields need fallow periods for a full harvest.

Yoda Jaguarwoman LOL

jaguarwoman, you make a good point here.  As a professional jeweler by trade, there are times when the "design" simply does not happen.  Why? Looking back I can say either I pushed to much to make it happen or simply needed a break.  Unfortuantely, in that work, the timelines are often much too short and that is not appreciated for what it is by employers.    To jerk something out of the air when the air is quite rarified is difficult.  

In photography or other art forms beyond the call of my work, time is often there to truly allow rest and regrowth.  In those times, ideas can spring to life and be muddled over in thought, kept or dismissed.  No pressure.  Time to refresh is needed.

I totally agree with what you said: "Sometimes we are actually gestating quetly, without activity and that blank feeling is actually part of the creative state. Accepting it is important."

Good point indeed.     TomDart.

I have slumps all the time, before i used to force myself to be creative and inspirational.... now i just take time out and just go and do something i've have done for a while - be it read, go for a walk - just take a different kind of journey....

Sometimes you just need to take a break...... and indulge your inner child.... go do something fun - jump on a trampoline for example.. be free.

That's it....Hey Ariana

Make a trampoline.

8 )

Thanks for the Dedication image.

Tom

i'd agree with Tom's first answer, pull out some tutorial and give it a go, i don't do poser tuts but do do Photoshop tuts, some of the stuff in "Advanced Photoshop" magazine is awesome and works really well with poser renders, but i'm the other way round i keep meaning to do Photoshop tuts but keep playing with poser all the time (can't stop "fiddling" with V4 at the mo) i've got so many Photoshop tuts to catch up with, but when you do, you will be surprised that maybe just half an hour later you've learnt a really cool technique, you didn't know before, and the results of that new technique might inspire your next render to which you can apply you new skills.

*ThanX again! Sage words Jaguar Woman! The problem is I do go thru spurts! I do my writting that way all the time, and never think twice about that! I can go for sometimes almost a year. Then Bang! I sit down thinking I will do something say, like laundry, and the line will form, and next the whole verse complete is there without any effort at all! Somehow I am not so forgiving to myself when it involves poser... Do you know why? It is because "everyone" (you know the ones!) since I started to use this program last January, says it doesn't require thought, talent or effort! But I honestly try to think out the look, 'texture' and mood of a pic.  You know in a lot of ways this medium is better/faster/easier than painting or drawing freehand. Then in other ways it is bad! Cause I can add the details I need at a moments notice in 2D, but not so in 3D! So in many ways it is harder. I feel better that I took some of the great advice and took a break. I am very like Vince3, I intend to do PS, Byce, Vue...but keep doing poser! There is something about certain programs...it is like a drug or food! It satifies a deep craving.....and you can't put it away long enough to savor it fresh! LOL! I should get a trampoline! I can see it now, me on the trampoline...with a laptop!
HuggerZ!
Ariana  

I'm currently slipping into a slump now myself. I've got plenty of ideas, just not the patience to carry them through, got other stuff to worry about.

But it happens, sometimes i've kept away from renderosity and poser for months then come back to pick where I left off.

Sometimes you just gotta recharge the creative juices...