I have lost my creativity

@Gettingbettertoday

Sometimes we can just draw when we least expect and a sometimes we cant Im sure if you find something that inspires you, You would be able to draeww or think of something Idk ur sititoution 

~Love,Mae

@Gettingbettertoday what about a different type of art?? Is there anything you'd like to do? like a Woodburn pen, or a scroll saw to cut out thin wood designs? Candle making? Pottery? 

@Tinywhisper11

Yes! So many different options you could be amazing at!!

@Maeeeeebae999 precisely ❤ 

@Tinywhisper11

I do blacksmithing now which has a crafting element but most of what we do is not decretive just functional. 

@Gettingbettertoday Sorry to hear friend. I definitely understand. I'm a writer. Lately I've had some health issues plus family drama and it really harms my creative lifestyle. Sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and do other things until creativity returns.

@WellsFiction

It has been about 5 years.

@Gettingbettertoday Give it another five years. You'll get there :)

@WellsFiction

That will take into my 60's. I guess  don't need it to survive. 

@Gettingbettertoday  I hear you very clearly.  It helps to find a new baseline.  Zero expectations with pen & paper/air drawing (like air guitar but with an invisible pencil).  Draw a straight line, random doodles.  Afterwards just rip the paper up or crush it into a ball, throw it into the air, play tennis with it.  Keep it simple.  Slowly, line by line, your brain will begin to recover creativity - even if it wasn't what it once was, it'll improve.  It's like having a muscle that's wasted away.  Easy does it, steady as you go.

@cal1860 Excellent advice.

@cal1860

I didn't say I no longer can draw. My hands work as well as needed. 

What I am missing is the ability to come up with and develop concepts as well as no longer reaching my flow state. 

Perhaps you haven't lost it. Personally, I was a graphic design major eons ago. I quit school before I graduated because I didn't feel that I was good enough.

I stopped drawing and even tore up my old pictures. I don't recall how many years I didn't do it. But then I started drawing again at my job at the time to keep me from being bored. The workload was erratic (there were days where I had absolutely nothing to do. Sort of wish it was that way now instead of being constantly overwhelmed) so I took a Steno pad and started looking for pictures. I also used the back of copy paper. I didn't have the best supplies, but I worked with what I had. This one was done in 2018 or 2019. 

This one was done in 2022. I got better supplies.

I mentioned that I did pictures to someone on the Book of Faces and they were interested and wanted to see some of my efforts. I was hesitant to show anything of mine (I had received some harsh comments before) and this person was impressed. This got me to trying to do at least one picture a day. It didn't really matter what it was; so long as I did something a day. I don't consider myself an artist, but people seem to enjoy what I do. 

When I do pictures, I tend not to think of anything. I don't even really think about the colors I'm going to use. I just start in. I do a lot of erasing sometimes before I put the ink down but I don't force anything. The few times when I can see beforehand that something isn't going to come out the way I'd like, I get a new piece of paper and try a different pose.

I know this response is a little long, but I really did not think that I would do pictures again yet the site where I upload them has over two thousand. 

@Gettingbettertoday I hear that.

Have gone through a couple dry spells myself, though they weren't as long as yours. You could try working in a different medium, as others here have suggested. I've taken that approach, & so far it has worked for me. I drew pictures for almost all my life & painted in inks for the last few years, but lately I've felt burned out on that so I've been making small items out of polymer clay. Maybe it'll work for you too?

You could try to start again slowly...the operative word being slowly. When trying to start one's internal motor--for anything, not just creativity--it is best to not have expectations.

Be patient with yourself! Take baby steps. That's a really cool drawing and that artist is still within you. Maybe start by allowing yourself to doodle or even color while you watch TV. I'm sure you will find your creativity again- I did!!