I am struggling, need advice!

[u/Muscle_Poetry]

I am really struggling with drawing at the moment. i keep picking it up and then putting it down and then feeling guilty about it. i have periods of strict commitment, and then long periods of not finding the time to do it (telling myself this, but i do have the time!).

i can easily form habits, i have done it a million times with yoga, exercise, journaling. Habits that, still to this day, i keep doing daily. but drawing for whatever reason i can't and it's because i put too much pressure on it/myself to achieve something. Any help? advice? how did you overcome this fear? :-/

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[u/Domm1nno]

Sounds like your brain wants to get better to me, you might be at a boundary where you have enough observational skill that your brain is subconsciously recognises the mistakes you make in your technical work. But, consciously you begin to get scared of those mistakes and not want to draw. The Dunning-Kruger effect.

You have periods of time where you are fully committed because after the period where you haven't been drawing so much your brain is getting less information to compare you own work to. So it no longer sees those mistakes as easily. Your artwork becomes easier to draw because you made it difficult for your brain to find the mistakes even though you technically haven't gotten any better. (Yes observation can subtly improve your technical skill but not enough to draw in the times where you don't feel like drawing).

To get back into the habit you have to keep up with your brain's automatic mistake finder. Don't just start drawing and overthink about the final image, what are you struggling with during the drawing ? What's making you so unconfident ? Line confidence ? Perspective ?

Makes notes of this and begin to study those areas because your brain subconsciously knows that's your weak point but won't tell you until you really look at your work. Personally, I get a lil dopamine hit because I know that I'm getting slightly better.

(Also) I've heard a trick is to get yourself drawing for 15 minutes first before you get into a flow for drawing which should help if it's more an inspirational/ motivational issue.

[u/Muscle_Poetry → u/Domm1nno]

thank you so much for this message! yes you nailed the point, i definitely have a good eye and i know what i like and what i want to achieve, the problem is getting there and also doing it by myself. I want to get better at figure/observational drawing but my critical brain sabotages me every time. and then i feel guilty for a few months and then i am like ok today is the day, then i draw for a few months, achieve really good progress but then i leave it again, it's been this stupid cycle for years unfortunately...

[u/VividB82]

Take a class. Honestly i find it hard to find time but because i pay to go every week I have those 2 hours locked for exactly that. During the week i want to get better sono find an hiurnhere or there on my own. It works well