I need hel i haveing artistic block I mean when it comes to drawing, sketching, painting.

[paulinetaylor2015]

Iv got a full set of water colours alot of acrylic paints 2 pots of artist gresso primer iv had for a long time 2 month and I dont whant them to go hard on me or out of date. can paints go out of date or hard if kept top long? I am good but I neven know what fo creat, useally I see creat on sl and creat on paper but Im not shure what to do.

[Amethyst Jetaime]

Yes those things can get hard or go bad if they aren't used.  How fast depends on how you take care of them, how you store them, if you opened them at all, and the quality they are. 

As far as telling you what to paint, as an artist you should come up with that yourself.  You have to find your own inspiration to do your best work.  If you can't do that  you aren't really an artist, just an illustrator.  Art is a way to communicate YOUR thoughts and ideas, not someone else's.  An illustration is communicating other people's ideas.

One trick I use is to carry a small sketch book with me and when I see something interesting, no matter how small, I quickly and roughly sketch it just enough to remind me of the mental picture I have in my head of it.  I'll sometimes just job down a good description too.  I also keep a 'color' book where I paste in swatches of colors I like such as paint samples, photos I see, pieces of fabric, colors I mix up from different kinds of paints or pastels, or just about anything that will fit in it.  When I need inspiration, I look through these books.  They rarely let me down.

[Codex Alpha]

#1: No matter what your art, hobby or activity you want to do, it must be on hand and ready to go.

This means that if you are music enthusiast, that keyboard/piano/DAW must be set up in the corner and ready to go at a moments notice. The guitar cable is plugged in. The speakers are on standby. That amp is out of the closet and ready to be played through.

If you are an illustrator, painter your easel is up and ready to go. Your paints are out and ready to go (of course with the caps on). The pencils and crayons are there in the tray to grab at a moment's notice. There is a canvas up, or paper to draw on.

Nothing is packed away. If your spouse makes you clean up your stuff, dump  your spouse and marry the hobby equipment instead. Nothing must stop or distract you.

 

#2: You must do it every day, come hell or high water, good and bad, brilliant and garbage.

You will not paint a masterpiece, you will not create your opus, etc without doing anything towards it. Whether it be a new technique, following a tutorial, doing random stuff.. DO something.

As I have always said. Want to do art? Do art. Want to make music? Make music, make noise, make crap. Just do it.

Not every day will be inspiring. This is why you must paint something, sing something, play something, write something - It may be crap, but you must get through crap to get to the gold.

 

#3 Screw everyone else, they're subjective

Don't worry about what others think about your art, they're too subjective or have ulterior motives to flatter or degrade your art. If you want feedback go to a professional for the honest truth. Hoard your stuff and show noone if you have to.

 

#4 Proper sleep, get some exercise like walking, eat what's good for you.

Bad sleep? Don't exercise? Don't eat well? This is not good for a brain that wants to be high-functioning, creative and alive.

Go for a walk, go to work for 4 hours a day, eat foods your body loves and gives you energy back.

 

Most of all, in all of these points, just do it. Mental blocks rarely exist. If I have a mental block regarding music, 3D, drawing, painting, or w/e, then I'll just go replicate something, learn a technique, watch a tutorial, etc.

Oh did I say. Just do it? And don't let anyone or anything stand in your way.

[Tamara Artis]

Hi Cam, I sent you a notecard with a list of Second Life Art Galleries that offer free space to artists. Good luck