Quote - One of the awful side effects when being an artist is the occasional artistic block that we get sometimes when we're not sure what to do next with our artistic abilities. So what do you do to break this awful side effect? The reason I'm asking this question is because I am having one right now so any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

James

hehe, I'm the Queen of mental blockage!!! LOL

I usually ask here for some ideas. I browse free sites and stores looking at items to get inspired. I browse through magazines. Other art galleries to see the trends etc.

I can't just take a concept and create something.  For some reason before I can create something I need to have an entire finished mental picture in my head of what I want to make, complete with light angles, shadows, colours, placement of items ... everything. 

Once I have that vision in my head, it's just a matter of transferring / recreating what I "see" mentally to some tangible medium that others can see.

The same with my writing. When I write short stories the story is already together in my head so when I sit down to type it it's like taking dictation.  If that finished story isn't in my head when I sit down to write, nothing will pull the words from my head to the keyboard.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi