# Fear of the paper.



## lostfoxeh (Jan 12, 2011)

When ever I am starting a new image I always have this "paper fear". Does anyone else get this? What do you do to break through it? I don't work digital very much, but do digital artist get I guess blank screen fear.


For me it is mostly only when working with dry medium or watercolor. When using acrylic I don't worry and just do it. That is mostly cause acrylic covers layers better when needed.

What I do to get over my "fear" is grab printer paper or notebook paper and scribble concepts of what I want. They are so messy no one other than I can tell what it is. Then I will start working from that until I have a clear picture. Once that is done then I will pull out some better paper. 

What do you guys do to get over that first stroke of a new artwork.


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## Jw (Jan 12, 2011)

Close my eyes 

No seriously, I got this too. The best way to break it is to just go ahead and do it. Obviously, when I draw anything seriously, I start off with some thumbnails or full sized sketches on top of the gesture drawings I lay down. Then, I just have my sketch copy, figure out a good starting point, and begin. I know that's not a satisfying answer, but having things planned out helps a lot. 

Plus, I like working with 2-4H pencils and laying some ghost lines. Strangely, I don't freak with ghost lines like I do with legitimate lines, so that might be a solution too.

Digital isn't as likely to get this because of the magical "undo" function. Part of mine is that I'm so cheap and I think "gee, bristol board isn't cheap and I'm running low" or , in the past it was "I don't have a backup canvas!", but eventually I get over it.


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## lostfoxeh (Jan 12, 2011)

Yeah I hear that about material supply. When working with canvas I just keep a bottle of gesso near by if I ever want to completely redo it.


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## Monster. (Jan 12, 2011)

I get like this; well, I mean, I do digital art, but after I've done the lineart and locked it, I get kinda nervous about starting to color. I think you just have to do it and get it over with.


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## Tewin Follow (Jan 12, 2011)

I don't think I fully understand what the exact problem is.
Is it seeing a huge, blank canvas and knowing you have to interact with it?


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## Jw (Jan 12, 2011)

Harebelle said:


> I don't think I fully understand what the exact problem is.
> Is it seeing a huge, blank canvas and knowing you have to interact with it?


 
It's a weird kind of panic thinking "I'm gonna mess this up" during any part of the project. It can happen with shading, coloring, or starting out-- it's just a random, useless fear.


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## Monster. (Jan 12, 2011)

jwmcd2 said:


> it's just a random, useless fear.


 
Then why worry?


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## lostfoxeh (Jan 12, 2011)

Good question. Guess it is the aspect of possible failure.


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## Monster. (Jan 12, 2011)

lostfoxeh said:


> Good question. Guess it is the aspect of possible failure.


 
Ah, well; it's a learning experience, no?


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## Tewin Follow (Jan 12, 2011)

jwmcd2 said:


> It's a weird kind of panic thinking "I'm gonna mess this up" during any part of the project. It can happen with shading, coloring, or starting out-- it's just a random, useless fear.


 
Oh, okay thanks.
I did used to worry about using a pen to outline pencil drawings, back when I didn't have fancy pens.

Now I just keep it to a bog standard pencil. x3


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## Jw (Jan 12, 2011)

Miss Haha said:


> Then why worry?


 Why fear death?

If we're gonna get philosophical about it, then let's figure out why we fear anything, haha. It's useless considering you are going to mess up at some point, just as death is worrisome because everyone will experience it. But really, it's just a tinge of fear you feel, something that gets your mind going in some ways. Thankfully, it's really easy to overcome. 

I wish I didn't have it, but I think in a lot of ways it at least gets me to think about my projects before I start.


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## Icky (Jan 12, 2011)

Aaaaah

I get this a lot, I'm super motivated, have an awesome pic in my head, and then I don't know where to start.


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## Monster. (Jan 12, 2011)

jwmcd2 said:


> Why fear death?
> 
> If we're gonna get philosophical about it, then let's figure out why we fear anything, haha. It's useless considering you are going to mess up at some point, just as death is worrisome because everyone will experience it. But really, it's just a tinge of fear you feel, something that gets your mind going in some ways. Thankfully, it's really easy to overcome.
> 
> I wish I didn't have it, but I think in a lot of ways it at least gets me to think about my projects before I start.


 
I wasn't getting philosophical. ._. I was asking why worry about making a mistake if it's "random and useless"??? If it's random and useless, ignore it and just get to coloring. There's no point worrying about useless things.


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## Jw (Jan 12, 2011)

Icky said:


> Aaaaah
> 
> I get this a lot, I'm super motivated, have an awesome pic in my head, and then I don't know where to start.



Oh crap, that reminded me of one of the ways to get started in that case. I close my eyes and try to draw out what I imagine on a scrap piece of paper for a little bit. Sometimes, that helps me override that kind of fear pretty easily. You really can figure out composition and get it out of your head very easily in that way. The, of course, you can start to polish it up in some more sketches, then you'll feel ready for the final paper. 

Doesn't work midway through a project, though D:




Miss Haha said:


> I wasn't getting philosophical. ._. I was asking why worry about making a mistake if it's "random and useless"??? If it's random and useless, ignore it and just get to coloring. There's no point worrying about useless things.


 
Hahaha, I was just kidding. Sorry if I offended you. Really, fear is not something you can control. You suppress it long enough, and it eventually will leave you alone. Like you said, just marching forward is the best way to avoid it. That's all I was meaning. In that same sense, people really shouldn't fear death or worry about it, but they do. Just an oddity of the human mind and an urge to worry about something you can't control. 

I have a round-about way of saying stuff sometimes :|


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## lostfoxeh (Jan 12, 2011)

Also it just happens. It isn't planned and doesn't help anything, but it happens. Not exactly sure of the why, but it happens.


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## Monster. (Jan 12, 2011)

jwmcd2 said:


> Hahaha, I was just kidding. Sorry if I offended you. Really, fear is not something you can control. You suppress it long enough, and it eventually will leave you alone. Like you said, just marching forward is the best way to avoid it. That's all I was meaning. In that same sense, people really shouldn't fear death or worry about it, but they do. Just an oddity of the human mind and an urge to worry about something you can't control.
> 
> I have a round-about way of saying stuff sometimes :|


 I wasn't offended, I was just freaked out because I thought you were completely serious. xD But I disagree; I believe fear can be controlled.



lostfoxeh said:


> Also it just happens. It isn't planned and  doesn't help anything, but it happens. Not exactly sure of the why, but  it happens.


 
yes, it does happen, and it's normal, I would think.


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## lostfoxeh (Jan 12, 2011)

So back on topic. What do other people do to get ready for a new work?


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## Kit H. Ruppell (Jan 12, 2011)

Stab it with the pencil until you're sure it's dead.
On a serious note, I gather my materials only when I have an image in mind.


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## Zydala (Jan 12, 2011)

Miss Haha said:


> But I disagree; I believe fear can be controlled.


 
Sure, that's why there's this thread, right? Is to ask how :]


On topic, I get it really bad. I don't remember the last time I actually finished a project that wasn't for school. I'm trying to fix that this year; it's my important new years resolution.


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## Monster. (Jan 12, 2011)

Zydala said:


> Sure, that's why there's this thread, right? Is to ask how :]


 
I dunno if it's easy to "explain"? It's just my opinion, though; not everyone is able to.


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## Zydala (Jan 12, 2011)

Miss Haha said:


> I dunno if it's easy to "explain"? It's just my opinion, though; not everyone is able to.


 
Yeah but just like art block, sometimes hearing the ways people cope with things like that can give you ideas and help a bit


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## Monster. (Jan 12, 2011)

Zydala said:


> Yeah but just like art block, sometimes hearing the ways people cope with things like that can give you ideas and help a bit


 
Well, for an art block, I just do a lot of doodling. I draw a circle and just go from there.


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## Jw (Jan 12, 2011)

Miss Haha said:


> I wasn't offended, I was just freaked out because I thought you were completely serious. xD But I disagree; I believe fear can be controlled.
> 
> yes, it does happen, and it's normal, I would think.


 
Oh good-- accidental drama never actually happened  . 

And, I agree with your statement too. You can control it in the sense of managing it. But for some reason it's impossible (for me at least) to prevent it all together. And I bet any artist that is being 100% truthful would say they had a version of this at one point of their life. Then again, I could be forcing words into people's mouths




Zydala said:


> Yeah but just like art block, sometimes hearing the ways people cope with things like that can give you ideas and help a bit


 
I've always heard the thing of "draw yourself breaking the art block". Personally, I just sink into a nice, comfy couch, listen to a good playlist of music, and start to let my mind wander. I think of "music videos" that match up with the music and that helps kickstart my imagination.

Looking at art always helps too. Recently the "Girl with a Pearl Earring" painting has inspired me to draw some female figures and practice on light-manipulation.


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## Arshes Nei (Jan 12, 2011)

There's a book by Harley Brown "Eternal Truth for Every Artist"

Basically people get a fear of white paper. 
There are several ways to solve it

Traditional and Digital
Just make one big random mark on the paper and start working - it can't even hurt to do several. It's no longer blank so you gotta work with what you got.

More for Digital
Use a different color than white.
Digitally this is easy by filling the canvas with some neutral color like grey
Traditionally, using something like newsprint or colored paper helps. However, you can't always do this for any medium.


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## Hissora (Jan 15, 2011)

I don't have fear of paper but sometimes when I don't feel like getting my sketchbook out and I grab my tablet I'll just sit there for like a half hour dumb. Totally sucks. Thats probably why I usually do a sketch first in pencil, scan then digitally finish it.


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