Looking for how to get motivated to draw? 11 Inspirational Ways to Get Your Creativity Flowing!

Last Updated on February 2, 2023 by Dee

Wondering how to get motivated to draw? If you are an artist or know one that needs some motivation to draw, this blog post is for you!

Drawing is a skill we all need to work on every day. In order to get better at drawing and just feeling like more of an artist-sona (personality), here are 11 ways I’ve found that help me stay motivated.

Motivation is a funny thing because often we only get motivated through doing something!

Here is a great article on Verywellmind about the science behind motivation.

11 Inspiring Ways to Get Your Creativity Flowing (How to get motivated to draw!)

How to get motivated to draw: 11 Inspiring Ways

Draw what you know.

Start with what you know! If you happen to be excellent at drawing eyes… draw some eyes (even if you have drawn over a million eyes in your lifetime!).

If you draw something you know it is going to be easy for you. You’ll know what color it should be, how thick each line is, and what each part of the shape should look like!

Drawing what you know builds confidence and helps you your creative thinking rolling!

What do you like?

If there is a subject matter or style you love… Draw it! If you are really into manga, draw some manga characters!

Set a small goal to draw every day for 30 days.

It can be anything you want, really! It looks like a doodle, an animal, or even a half-finished drawing of your favorite character!

If your goal is to draw every single day for 30 days it will become a part of habit (and because you are adding to the habit each day) by the time you reach 30 days of drawing it should become a routine.

Find inspiration in nature and the world around you.

When you’re out and about, grab a pen or pencil and start sketching on anything you find interesting.

Look for patterns in nature… trees are really fun (or flowers). Describe what you see! This will help keep your creative juices flowing!

Draw what you love.

What do you love? Draw! It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, just start drawing and let the creative juices flow.

Fear is one of the biggest reasons we don’t start drawing in the first place! Just draw – don’t worry if it’s good or not, just start drawing!

Try drawing with your non-dominant hand.

[Related Article: Upside Down Drawing and Other Drawing Exercises]

It will be a little difficult because it’s not a natural position, but you are creating new neural pathways! This is an amazing exercise for your brain!

Draw from imagination instead of copying an image or photograph.

This is very hard for many people because it’s actually drawing from your memory. You cannot just look at an image and draw it… you have to know what the object looks like in your imagination first!

If you try to copy a photo you will not be able to get all of the details right, but if you draw from your imagination you should be able to get the details in the image right.

Draw a specific object like an apple, teacup, or a person. If you have a special someone that loves what you draw – they will love a gifted drawing from you!

It’s just another excuse to draw for them… and they’ll think of it as your way of showing them how much you love them!

Draw what you’re feeling in the moment.

If you’re feeling sad, draw how you feel. If you’re frustrated, draw what is frustrating you.

Drawing from your feelings will help keep the creative juices flowing and it’s a great way to express yourself!

Use different kinds of lines, line direction, texture, shapes, and colors to convey what you are feeling!

Draw a character from your favorite television show or book.

If you love Anime, draw a Japanese Character! If you love Manga, draw a manga character!

If you have seen the anime/manga enough times to know what everyone looks like just close your eyes and start drawing.

When you open up again… it may surprise you how well (or not) it came out! You may see some things that you like, some things that don’t work and other things you want to change!

This will help keep the creative juices flowing and it’s a great way to strengthen your drawing skills!

Doodle!

Your doodles do not have to look like anything, but it can be a good way to express yourself and get your creativity flowing.

Just let the pen or pencil (or crayon even) flow out of your hand, all over the page… whatever you see just start drawing.

Just draw whatever comes to mind without any rules!

Use unconventional drawing tools.

Look in your kitchen cupboard for strange and interesting art supplies… think coffee, tea bags, food coloring, sunflower oil!

Get creative and make your own paintbrushes from different types of materials – leaves, feathers, paper towels… even fly swatters!

Crumpled-up pieces of paper can be used for texture and different kinds of papers can add lots of interest to a drawing. The list is endless.

Don’t be afraid to get messy!!

Turn on some music and draw while listening.

Music is a great inspiration for art! I often find it helps my mind to turn off so that I can just let go and make art.

Try listening to music without vocals. Instrumentals are great for concentrating on your art project!

This is a fun technique if you want to experiment with different kinds of line patterns.

Instead of drawing all the lines and shapes just draw 5 or 10 at random and then use another color marker, or even watercolor paint – in each small area

Other Frequently Asked Questions About Drawing Motivation…

How do I get motivated to draw every day?

There is a famous saying – “Motivation from Activation” – essentially this means that by actually doing something (no matter how small it is) it creates motivation to keep going!

Set yourself small (even tiny) goals each day that you can easily achieve! Your brain will start sending out chemicals that will make you feel good and as you achieve more of your goals… it makes achieving even more that much easier!

It can be anything from just drawing for 3 minutes, to drawing only a part of an artwork every day – these small goals are very easy to achieve and do not require a lot of time investment.

How do I find the motivation to draw something?

If you are struggling to find the motivation to draw something, it’s a good idea to ask yourself why? Are you afraid of failing? Afraid of making mistakes? Are you bored with the way you have been drawing?

Drawing is such a freeing experience – if you are working hard to draw something it may mean that you are trying too hard or getting hung up about details.

Focusing on the process of putting lines and shapes on paper is much more important than obsessing over how the finished product looks!

How do I get inspired to draw again?

Many of us, at some point in our lives, will get stuck or lose motivation. The trick to overcoming this is to just keep drawing!

Don’t expect your artwork to look good right away. You won’t be able to draw every day and create a masterpiece immediately – but it is important to keep trying (even if you have very bad drawings).

If you force yourself to draw, regardless of how much time you have and how your work looks – it will create momentum that can get you back on track.

How do I stay motivated to make art?

Staying motivated is a lifelong battle!

The key to staying motivated is to continue creating, regardless of how it looks and what other people are saying.

We all have bad days – there will be times when you really don’t feel like doing anything creative but pushing yourself to draw just one thing will give you the motivation you need to

Where do I start if I want to draw?

To start drawing, simply get a pen or pencil and paper.

There is no right way to do it – just grab some medium that feels good to you (the process of actually drawing will be what inspires you!)

Then experiment and have fun!

You can also read my article on How to Start Drawing and Conquer Creative Block!

Why do I not want to draw anymore?

If you are trying too hard to draw something, it can be discouraging. You need to find a happy medium where your skills are being challenged…but you are still having fun!

If you stop having fun drawing then that is a good sign to change things up a bit!

The way around this is to focus on the process of drawing – and not how the finished piece looks!

Experiment with different types of mediums – different kinds of lines and patterns. Try some still-life drawings or drawing from a picture in a magazine!

How long should I draw each day?

You don’t need to set a time limit for yourself.

Try just starting with 3 minutes of drawing each day – and slowly build up from there!

Why do I suck at drawing?

Part of learning to draw is accepting that you may suck at first. Don’t get frustrated if you are not good.

You need to train your brain and hand how to do things! Spend time drawing whatever you want – don’t try too hard to create something specific. If something doesn’t come out right, just keep practicing it

If you are in the right mental space, then you can sign up for an online drawing course that looks fun!

Can I learn to draw if I have no talent?

Nobody has no talent!

The only way to draw is through practice. There are no shortcuts or magical tricks that will make you better – all you can do is practice and learn!

How can I draw more quickly?

To get yourself to draw more quickly don’t focus too much on the final product, but rather on the process.

Explore using line and quick pencil strokes to create form and shadow. You will get faster the more you practice!

Many people think that they need to memorize how an object or animal looks before they can draw it – but this isn’t true.

Your drawings don’t have to be perfect! The most important thing is just to keep practicing and having fun.

Other Ways to Keep you Inspired to Draw…

Create an Art Journal to Draw In

Create an art journal that will serve as a personal diary, sketchbook, and portfolio all in one place.

As you practice keep your journal nearby so you can jot down ideas, thoughts, and drawings that inspire you.

Be sure to store the art journal safely! I recommend getting a large envelope or folder to keep it flat when not in use.

Focus on the creative ideas that flow into your head

Write down all of the thoughts you have to inspire yourself… no matter how silly or weird they may seem. Never dismiss a thought! If it inspires you, write it down – journal your thoughts and feelings so that when you

Create a list of everything you want to draw.

This could be a huge list or as simple as your favorite subject matter. Make sure each item on the list is something you are interested in and enjoy drawing.

Have a goal to complete one thing every day for 30 days (or 1 month).

For example, if you want to learn how to draw people then select a few pictures of faces from magazines or books.

Then choose one person and focus on drawing them for 30 days!

You can take breaks during the month if things get overwhelming, but try to keep your momentum going.

Don’t give up too easily – even when you think you suck at drawing!

Conclusion

The next time you’re feeling uninspired or unmotivated, try using one of these techniques. Who knows? You might find out that drawing is the perfect way to get your creative juices flowing and make an art project come together in a snap!