Artists need to be careful of burnout. We are particularly vulnerable to it and it can bring even the most experienced artists to a complete standstill. Or worse, cause us to retire from painting altogether.
I had a nasty case of it not long ago. I was out of it for about a week. No writing, painting, or even fishing. And you know something is wrong with me if I don’t want to paint or fish.
I was expecting it, given the recent birth of our first child, Elora. But I was caught off guard by how bad it was.
What helped the most was having a great support team around me. I also made sure to avoid any dramatic actions. My younger self would act on every negative thought and impulse, but this only caused long-lasting damage. Now, I just try to ride out periods of burnout.
One thing’s for sure, it’s much more effective to avoid burnout all together than to try and claw your way out of it. So let this email be a reminder to take a break if you need. It might be the most productive thing you can do in the long term.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
drawpaintacademy.com