This is something I wrote for a few friends of mine who were constantly complaining about art block but I'm sure it can pertain to all things that require creativity.
There is no such thing as art block. What people often refer to as art block are actually signs of improvement. “Everything I’m doing sucks today/this week/this month” etc., etc... Sound like you? Well let me tell you this. That is not art block. You have finally reached the peak of your current knowledge and possible skill level that derives from that knowledge. Everything starts to look terrible because it is terrible! It is a good thing that you are skilled enough to recognize your mistakes. “But then, why can’t I draw if I’ve improved so much?” You know damned well why. It is time to study. Most people who get art block quit temporarily until they “regain their skills”. In actuality, they are letting their skills settle back into their original state. That state of mind where you cannot recognize the mistakes you have been making all along and think you are doing fine or decent when in reality you just are starting back where you left off before this so called “art block”. You should, instead of quitting during the supposed block, power through it. Gesture draw, read anatomy and colour theory books, experiment with new styles, browse through inspirational art. The worst thing you can possibly do during this period of time is take a prolonged break. Well, of course, unless your goal is to revert back to your previous skill level, by all means go ahead and quit. Just don’t expect sympathy when you are complaining about the plateau that is your art skill when you know damned well you need to practice and study even during the rough times. You as an artist should know this and know it well; art takes time and patience. Art block is just a poor excuse not to do your best.
This is somewhat true if you're in a mental block, i.e. trapped by your own habitual processes and way of doing things. After a while you're just limiting yourself so much that no new ideas can form. With this agree that the best thing to do in this situation indulge yourself in your creatie practice. Listen to music, play around with new styles, take past ideas and make something new of them or just research. But it has to be a natural process; the way your describing it sounds very forced. I don't think you should 'power through it', rather rediscover your passion and your thirst for new and creative ideas. However there's other factors that can cause creative block that require different approaches. Things such as social or economic barriers, where you have to make sacrifices with how you use your time and spend your money. It can even stem from personal problems. These have to be dealt with in a different way. But yeah, good post all in all. I agree people all to often see creative block as impassable barrier rather than a challenge on their creativity.
I never thought of it this way, thanks. I'm at a position in my life musically where I am in need of some new knowledge. I find myself not wanting to make music as much anymore, and it's probably because I don't have new skill sets. I really enjoyed this post, thanks.