How to act when you get stuck in your work?

Every artist knows the moment when creativity seems to stop. The canvas or paper remains empty, the material works against you, or your own ideas suddenly seem meaningless. Getting stuck is part of being an artist - it is the interim moment in which old forms no longer work, but the new has not yet presented itself. Yet it is precisely this stagnation that can be fruitful. We list a few tips. 

1. Don't force anything

Sometimes not-doing is the most radical thing you can do. Allow yourself t d without pressure to perform. Silence, walking or just not doing anything can create space for something to arise naturally (also read the essay 'The usefulness of rest'). 

2. Change materials or techniques

A different medium can provide a new entry point. Try something outside your comfort zone: draw with your non-dominant hand, work with clay if you are a painter, or experiment with digital forms. New techniques break old patterns. 

3. Allow chance to participate

Limit yourself with a rule or, on the contrary, allow chaos: work with leftover material, react to what you happen to find. The unforeseen is often the gateway to innovation. 

4. Find an interlocutor

A good conversation with a fellow artist, curator or friend can tilt your outlook. Someone who asks through or responds honestly helps you see what you yourself are overlooking. 

5. Look back on old work

Sometimes the future lies in the past. Browse through sketchbooks or old photos of your work. What worked well then? Where was the energy? Your past intuition may indicate a forgotten direction. 

6. Use your doubt as material

Instead of fighting your uncertainty, you can examine it. What is this doubt trying to tell you? Perhaps something is chafing at the very core of your new work. 

7. Redefine what "work" means

Creativity is not always visualizing. Reading, thinking, observing, cleaning up, dreaming: it's all part of the process. You are still an artist even if you don't produce anything for a while. 

In short: getting stuck is not a failure, but an invitation to change

In this context, also listen to our podcast series It can also be different. On tipping points in artistic practice.. In each episode, an artist talks about major or minor changes in their professional practice.