Why the F am I so F-in' lazy?

[KarylGilbertson]

Hey guys,

I'm facing a bit of a quandary. I got out of art school a couple years ago, and I have been working full-time at a sign shop as a graphic designer ever since. The problem is, ever since high school I have hoped and dreamed for a job in the gaming industry. I love art, and I love video games, and I have LOVED the atmosphere any time I've had the opportunity to tour a studio.

My major in art school was concept art, with a minor in illustration. I've applied to a few companies and haven't received any offers. This isn't exactly surprising, my skills could use a lot of improvement. The big issue I have is, whenever I get home from work, I feel so tired and drained that all I want to do is sit on the couch and relax and/or play videogames. I am not working towards my goal AT ALL, and I can't seem to find the energy to draw and/or paint on a regular basis.

My question is, if I want this so bad, why the f**k am I so f**king lazy? I can't think of a more perfect job, but I'm not doing a damn thing to work towards it. Shouldn't I have more ambition? More drive? Do any of you folks run into the same problems, and if so, how do you deal with them?

What can I do to jump start my creative drive? (I am already going to unplug the Xbox for a while to remove that distraction)

[Aalandriel]

Not to jump on a high horse with all the health fanatics out there. But if you come home from work and feel too exhausted to be creative, chances are that either your diet or your exercise level is wrong.

It may sound strange, but I've had times in my life where my work have been more draining - or rather felt more draining - than others. And I always end up realizing it's either because I've gotten no exercise or I've been living off pizza, burgers and similar food for too long.

If you really want to be better at your art, you have to work for it. And sometimes it require that you make less than obvious changes to your life.

[George Abraham]

I know how you feel, I have been kinda busy lately so weekends was out and I'm a morning person myself who never really cope with getting up real early.

I think my head is a sundial or something.

My best advice would be to go to bed early then work the next night. Sometimes as with me, the problem is that you got out of bed not really wound up and tuned all the way. You need to get good nights sleep once or twice a week then you will have plenty of nights where you can cruise till late still being very much alive and creative. Sometimes I feel energetic but when I try doing some art studies etc, It’s obviously not the case, that’s when my body decided to make you run the whole day on only three cylinders to save fuel. You need them all firing. Your resources needs to be availlable. Work you do everyday become habit so your body sometimes just run the stuff you need.

Sometimes it's the opposite you feel tired and hesitant but the moment the pencil touches the paper it all changes, you start dreaming into creative process.

You also have low energy process and high energy process, rendering detail and stuff that you havn't really mastered yet, chows up massive amount's of energy. Stuff that you have done for long comes at a lower rate, like driving a car.

You could split stuff up and do low energy stuff when you are tired and high energy stuff when you have the juice for it. Rythm, flow, composition, emotional and creative stuff are actually really low energy stuff and you don't need much but going into technical aspects of rendering something in a spectacular or even logical and mathematical way needs allot. Learning new things happens best at times when you have all your antennae available. Remember your first driving lesson or drivers test and the amount of energy you devoured in such a short space of time?

Also tiredness impair judgment just as with driving you make more mistakes when you draw tired but that's more like zombie tired. If you still have the energy to be able to have a fun vibe and spirit you can most probably entice yourself into creating works.

[Arshes Nei]

I don't know why, but just reading the title said it all. Too lazy to figure it out for yourself

[HugeHarHar]

I recommend stashing your gaming system(s), maybe even unplugging your internet. There's several threads on this topic, and some amazing advice from Jason Manley about getting the go in your system. Being drained from work definitely makes it difficult to be motivated, but you just make it where your "relaxing" time is art, and not gaming or the net or tv or whatever.

Now I'm not saying I follow this completely, and most anyone else doesn't either. but try and limit those activities to at most 30 minutes or an hour.

[KarylGilbertson]

Thanks for the constructive input.

I will definitely look at my diet & exercise level... Also, as I said, the xbox is getting disconnected and I think I might hang a sign on the door to that room: "Have you made any art yet?" haha

Also, HugeHarHar: I found that quote from Jason Manley, wicked wicked stuff that is very humbling. Thanks for recommending it!

[Bowlin]

Maybe if you look at it differently. To play games it takes "some" amount of focus and drive to play and actually get anywhere. You don't try playing games you don't like. With art work, the same way, but you have to have some ideas of what you'd actually like to see being made. It's not work, it's FUN to try and make this idea that you have into a painting.

[Atreides]

Unplug it for a while?

Just sell the whole thing, console, tv, everything. Or better yet take it out the back and smash it with a big metal stake. Trust me, it's life changing. You haven't lived till you've destroyed something expensive that you don't need. You won't miss it after a couple of months and not only will you have your time back but you'll notice an increase in your mental processes.

Honestly, I can't believe people actually have the moronic things in their houses at all.

And exercise

= joy

[KarylGilbertson]

@Bowlin: Thanks for the comment, it's an interesting way to think about it

@Atreides: Sage advice my friend, I must say you kind of sound like the late great Tyler Durden. lol