Five Simple Tips to Overcome Artist's Block.

All artists during sometime or the other in their career face what is termed as an 'Artist's Block'. What is an Artist's Block? it is the feeling when however much you sit to make a painting you are not able to do it.Either the motivation level is low or the environment is very busy and other demands for the mind are more hence the artist is unable to focus on work and thus faced with a mental block. You sit for hours and think with the colours spread out and many images for ideas and a blank canvas but you don't get any ideas.
Tip one RELAX you are not out to win a race. It happens with all artists and after keeping away the materials for some time this relaxation helps. Tip two GET NEW EXPERIENCES go out to a garden, visit family, or just take a pleasant drive towards the seaside. I am sure your mind will be refreshed. Tip three SEARCH FOR NEW IDEAS shuffle and shuttle in your drawers, old magazines, pictures and greetings for inspiration. Tip Four CONTACT ARTIST FRIENDS yes being in company of like minded individuals helps to get new ideas and looking at their art and discussing about their works opens up your mind. Tip five JUST GET UP AND GET GOING well take the brush and attack the canvas!

Blue Dream the Young Guitarist Razarts

White Lillies in Glass vase Rizwana A

The Eye, razarts

This year had been the longest period of artists block in my whole career. I have literally shivering hands whenever I took hold of the brush. The blank canvas was removed , prepared all materials and arranged and many times went back to its place empty. And then the simple approach of attacking the canvas did the trick. Just do some abstract and fill the canvas , like this I got an under painting and base for another artwork and this also helped me to loosen up a bit!
All the Best from Rizwana!
www.razarts.com

Artist - Care of brushes.

Cleaning of brushes has created a lot of problems for me. I have lost many good brushes due to not being able to clean them properly. After lots of trial and error methods and sacrificing a good number of beautiful brushes I have come up with some important tips for cleaning and maintenance of brushes.
1)Very very important always keep brushes for oil paints and water colour separate. Never use them alternatively as oil paint brushes have to be cleaned using turpentine or other solvent whereas water colours can be washed with plain water.

Reiki symbol large calligraphy abstract Art in progress

2) Store brushes with hair side up to keep the brush hair neat. Keeping the end part down in a box or container that is tall enough for the sizes of brushes you use takes care of the hair as well as it is easy to take out whichever brush is required.
3) Always wash brushes thoroughly after every use to remove all residues of colour. When colours remain on the brushes, whichever type of colour, water or oil it makes the bristles hard and is difficult to use later on. This may also result in your poor brush losing hair and being bald!
4) Keep clean soft clothes to wipe bristles of hair. Rough materials used may damage the hair and eventually death of the brush!
5) Keep brushes away from window where there is always heavy blast of air or wind blowing continuously as this will result in brush hair being scattered or turned in one direction with the pressure of the wind.
6) Wipe the tips of the brushes carefully. I have done this  and believe me till now all my brushes would become fat headed and would lose the tip due to pressure applied during wiping.
7) For water colour as well as oil paints sometimes give your brushes some pampering. Try cleaning them once in a while with soft liquid soap to remove all the dirt that is left over or stuck up on them. Dry them and keep them clean.
Brushes are the most important tool of an artist. Take care of them and love them.

Have a Great Day from Rizwana!

Healing artist India.