Well, maybe that's not the best way of putting it - I have plenty of ideas, all the time, but I never draw anything above doodles on my lecture notes nowadays. I have a tonne of things to do, like finishing a handful of paintings, a badge, a bag, a plushie... But all I do is lounge around on the internet. I don't even read much nowadays, let alone sit down and draw for an hour or two like I used to.

I think the main reasons are:

1. I don't feel like I'm good enough, like I wouldn't be able to pull off the ideas I have. And once I put something down on paper, it's usually completely out of my head; I don't want to waste good ideas on bad artwork. But since I don't draw anything, of course I don't get better! It's a vicious cycle and I don't know how to get out.

2. I don't have the time and equipment. I'm in university now, I don't have the time to spare or the money to buy all of the stuff I need to make halfway decent art. But you can't make anything worthwhile with cheapo felt-tips, 50p sketchbook paper and brushes that fray or bend as soon as you breathe on them.

3. My small room is awful for art. I only have one table which is horribly dirty and dominated by my laptop and stacks of papers. To be able to draw anything I'd need to haul all of that off somewhere else where it won't get in the way, and by the time that's done my enthusiasm/attention span has usually vanished. Also the light is awful here, with just one dim light directly behind me and my anglepoise lamp.

4. My tablet is messed up. I installed it all myself and I think I did something wrong since for months the driver hasn't been working and it won't recognise that it's plugged in when it is. Well, it did recognise it for a time - long enough for me to edit the setting to something completely stupid that I now can't change. I uninstalled everything weeks ago but I haven't gotten around to putting it back in so now it won't work. I can't get a new one because it's only a year old and Grandpa spent £120 on this thing... Not to mention it's technically not broken - I'm just a moron.

5. I don't like being told what to do. I'm really, really bad at taking advice, especially if I get the impression (which is easily done, since I have low self esteem and I'm kinda touchy) that the other person is implying that I'm just being lazy or it's all my fault. It's probably true, but hey... I'm also autistic, which makes the very metaphorical language that most advice takes very confusing to me. "A kick in the pants or a slap in the face is horrible and painful, why are they saying it like it's a good thing?"

I keep promising myself I'll do more artwork over the winter break buuuut I probably won't.

I really don't know how to respond to this, But I totally know where you are coming from. this is what i should be working on this is what I drew today instead. derp.

My issue is stemming from being completely and utterly exhausted.

Have you considered removing the computer from your life for a period of time? Thats what I do when I have 4-5 projects on the table (I have two atm) and until im back down to only have one or two unfinished things, No computer.

edit: im going to type up a response to each of your points, so sit tight. I got this now.

Yeah, it guess it came out more... complaints-forum-y than I'd intended it to be. >___>

That sounds like a good idea. Not until I've finished my essays, of course. I'll probably go to Dad's after Christmas, he has no internet so that should be good. (Why did Keith have to make his website so addictive?! I spend hours looking for nothing but TC items and working on pet profiles when I should be writing essays on miscarriages of justice or genocide or mass rape or whatever...)

EDIT: That lil' critter is adorable, though. The last thing I drew was this: Cudash

Thats okay. Its about art stuff so, it kind of goes here! Yes maybe do that, my significant other is doing it this week and hes realizing how horribly addicted he is to his computer.

Point responses, im at work so they suck.

1. This is a problem most artist types have-- Im not good enough/i suck/i cannot do this. The best thing I can say here is, tell yourself, i can try, and if I fail, I can do it better later on. Art isn't being good enough, art is learning to get better and accept where you are now as only a stop on the journey.

2. Im lucky enough to have access to my massive collection of art supplies at any time because of how I store them. I would say just work on upping your drawing game, use pencils. Always avalible. Maybe invest in a few moleskine books.

3. Use pillows and draw on your knees (if this makes sense) (you need a hard back sketchbook to do this, but this is honestly how i draw everything that isnt for commish)

4. have you tried putting it in other ports? My wacom wont work in my main port. gotta be in the side one.

5. This you have to change. Taking critique is a huge part of developing as an artist. And developing as a person.

edit:

ermgh. I dig your pokemon fusion, the mane detail is really impressive.

And thank you! My friend asked me to draw what our conversation brought to mind, and uh, that came out.

I must say, I disagree with this! Not every picture needs to be done on cardstock with the best pencils you can afford. Honestly, when it comes to practice the best thing you can do is grab that stack of newsprint or even printer paper and doodle for a while with a mechanical pencil, or a ballpoint pen. Maybe you're aiming to create something huge and detailed, but personally I really enjoy just sketching away with the cheapest materials possible.

But this'll also help you with problem number 1. I mean, it must be really difficult to draw if you feel like you have to produce a full-fledged work each time. Or if you sit in front of a canvas with your good oil paints and think 'I HAVE to make something good if I'm using this stuff.' Cheap materials take away the pressure. I find if I buy a nice Moleskine or a set of copics I can't bring myself to use them.

Basically what I'm saying is, if you embrace problem , it'll help you a great deal with problem . You won't feel the pressure to create something fantastic on 50p paper, so you'll be able to focus on practicing and improving your work until you feel you can do those nice art supplies justice.

I wish I could help with the environment thing. I KNOW how hard it is to get anything done when the atmosphere just isn't right. I sit there and think well I can't draw with my room like this but by the time I clean stuff up I don't feel like drawing anymore. It's pretty fleeting. So I can't really help but I do understand. And oh my god, I get distracted so badly by subeta too. I should be finishing a really short paper for an English class but I'm working on the hoarding achievement for an hour instead. I can't help there, all I can do is wish you luck! |D

I understand where you're coming from all too well. I just graduated from college with my art degree, and what did I do afterwards? Stopped doing art, went into that terrible cycle of not believing in myself, or why anyone should pay me a living wage for what I do cause there has to be someone else out there that can work better than I can right? Well, all these thoughts do nothing. Thinking does nothing. So I guess the best thing I can tell you is, stop thinking about it, and start doing, because when you're gone from this planet, what you actually do, will be your footprint left behind. Do you want to waste your life thinking about the details of the quality of the marker? You'll get through your block, I hope it gets easier for you! Artists are at their best when they can let their subconscious take over, just let it flow. :}

I totally feel you on and 3. My environment is uninspiring and I just don't feel like I'm good at drawing anymore. Sometimes I'm so art-blocked that I feel like I shouldn't be an artist anymore . It sucks XP But recently I've been getting out of it. What's been helping me was finding new music, going to the store and buying inspiring/fun jewelry, knicknacks, etc. and going on a tumblr blog called stuck with art block (or something). The blog has some pretty useful links that got me drawing immediately.

By the way, you shouldn't let not being able to afford expensive art material stop you from drawing. I've found that even the cheapest mechanical pencil works out better for me than some of the more expensive pencils that I've bought :)

Anyway, I hope things get easier for you!

i totally know what you mean. i want to draw, oh god i really do but then its like i open up photoshop or sai, and then my brain will just turn off. and when i do try to draw, it just doesn't come out like i want it to.

rage mode engaged!

heh i never really come on subeta, but just saw this and felt like typing a lil' something.

Art will always be a rollercoaster of inspiration. You can have weeks of not drawing a single thing, and then it starts to creep back and you feel put down because you dont seem to have the time. my most recent bout of this, i'd finished uni, and was being forced to get money, some kind of job. any job, and i hated it. one day i just took a shitty sketchbook (Actually was about 50p) and i bought a pack of mechanical pencils for like £1. And i drew on the busride to work experience (waitressing with no tips, no payment whatsoever, for 2 months solid. had to do it or else says the government, fff)

but! i digress. for the longest time i felt that my art needed to look good, as if i showed it to someone they needed to be blown away. i think over the years of uni, i /forgot/ that drawing can actually be for me, and anything you do mounts up to your collective experience. drawing a doodle, anything really, just something silly! it all counts. if i could fill up my 50p sketchbook with crappy lil' doodles and abstract things while i eat, i'd be actually proud of myself. just a little.

if you felt you weren't good enough, if you felt you couldn't take critique. you wouldn't post here. ;p posting your thread says you still have hope in you somewhere, still /want/ to get somewhere with it. and as long as you have that, you'll succeed. no pressure. roll with it and have fun for once, cause i know that i fretted about my own stuff for far too long and compared myself to other people. the world just cant work that way~

you can do it :3

/me skips off to wherever she came from before