How to Find Inspiration When You Don’t Feel Like Drawing
Every artist, no matter how passionate or talented, faces moments when the pencil just won’t move. You sit down, sketchbook open, ready to draw—and then… nothing. The ideas feel flat, your motivation is gone, and the blank page stares back like it’s mocking you. It’s frustrating, but it’s also completely normal. Creativity ebbs and flows, and even the best artists hit dry spells.
The good news? Inspiration isn’t something that just happens to you. It’s something you can cultivate. When you don’t feel like drawing, that’s often a signal—not that you’re out of ideas forever, but that you need to shift how you approach your art. Here are some ways to reignite your creative spark and fall in love with drawing again.
1. Accept That You’re in a Creative Lull
First things first: stop beating yourself up for not feeling inspired. Every artist goes through periods of low motivation. Creativity isn’t a constant state—it’s more like a rhythm, with highs and lows. When you try to force yourself to create during a low point, you often end up feeling even more frustrated.
Instead, give yourself permission to rest. Sometimes, what you really need is a mental reset. Go for a walk, read a book, or just step away from your sketchbook for a day or two. Inspiration often sneaks in when you’re not actively chasing it.
2. Revisit Old Sketchbooks
One of the best ways to spark new ideas is to look back at your older drawings. Flip through your sketchbooks and pay attention to what you were exploring before. You might rediscover a character, a pose, or a style that still excites you but that you never fully developed.
Old sketches can remind you of how far you’ve come—and how much fun drawing used to be when you weren’t overthinking it. Sometimes, revisiting your artistic roots helps you reconnect with why you started drawing in the first place.
3. Change Your Environment
If you’ve been drawing in the same place every day, your surroundings might be contributing to your creative block. Our environments play a huge role in how we feel. Try changing things up—draw in a café, at the park, or even in a different room in your house.
If you prefer digital drawing, switch your setup’s mood: play music, add some soft lighting, or rearrange your workspace. A small change in scenery can help refresh your perspective and bring new energy to your work.
4. Try a Different Medium
Sometimes, a lack of inspiration comes from boredom. If you’ve been doing the same type of drawing for a while—say, pencil sketches or digital portraits—try experimenting with something completely new. Pick up watercolors, charcoal, or digital painting software you’ve never used before.
You don’t have to be good at it. The point is to play, explore, and let yourself make messy, imperfect art. When you allow yourself to experiment, you shift your mindset from producing to discovering, and that’s where real inspiration lives.
5. Draw Something Completely Random
One of the simplest tricks to overcome creative stagnation is to draw without thinking. Set a timer for 10 minutes and draw whatever comes to mind, no matter how silly or strange it seems. You could even use a random word generator or drawing prompt site to give you a quick starting point—like “a dragon drinking coffee” or “a cat astronaut.”
When you stop worrying about making something “good,” you open the door to spontaneity and fun. And often, that playful energy is exactly what reignites your creative drive.
6. Consume Other Forms of Art
Inspiration doesn’t always come from drawing itself. It can come from music, movies, literature, photography, or even fashion. Watch a visually stunning film, listen to a new genre of music, or visit an art gallery. Sometimes, seeing how other creators express emotion or tell stories can spark your imagination in unexpected ways.
You might, for example, see a color palette in a movie that makes you want to try a new piece, or a book character that inspires a sketch. Artistic inspiration often comes from connecting different forms of creativity together.
7. Collaborate or Share Your Work
Art can be isolating when you’re always working alone. Sometimes, you just need a bit of community energy to lift you up. Try joining an online art challenge, like Inktober or Sketchtember, or share your work on platforms like Instagram, Reddit’s r/SketchDaily, or art-focused Discord servers.
When you see what other artists are creating—and how they also struggle with motivation—it reminds you that you’re not alone. You might even find encouragement, feedback, or new ideas that reignite your spark.
8. Create Without a Goal
A lot of creative burnout comes from pressure—wanting to make something perfect or post-worthy. But drawing doesn’t always have to have a purpose. Try doodling for the sake of doodling. Let go of expectations and focus on the act of creation rather than the outcome.
Give yourself small, low-stakes goals like filling a single page with random lines, shapes, or abstract designs. When the pressure to be “productive” disappears, you’ll find it easier to enjoy the process again.
9. Draw From Life
If your imagination feels dry, turn to the real world for inspiration. Go outside and sketch what you see—people, buildings, plants, or even your coffee cup. Observational drawing can help you see beauty in everyday objects, and it’s a great way to practice your fundamentals at the same time.
Life drawing helps you slow down, pay attention, and reconnect with the physical world—something that can be incredibly grounding when you’re feeling creatively stuck.
10. Remember Why You Draw
When all else fails, take a step back and ask yourself why you draw in the first place. Is it to relax? To express yourself? To tell stories? Sometimes, losing sight of your motivation can make art feel like a chore rather than a joy.
Reconnecting with your “why” can reignite your passion. You don’t need to make something perfect—you just need to remember what drawing means to you.
Final Thoughts
Inspiration isn’t a magical force that appears out of nowhere—it’s something you nurture through curiosity, rest, and experimentation. When you don’t feel like drawing, that’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re not an artist; it just means you’re human.
The trick is to stay open—to let yourself explore, to try new things, and to give yourself grace when the ideas don’t flow. Because when you stop chasing inspiration and start enjoying the process again, you’ll find that the spark was never really gone—it was just waiting for you to breathe life back into it.