1)Stop calling it a "roadblock" think of it as a problem or obstacle. You can solve a problem. You can overcome an obstacle. But when you're driving and you hit a roadblock you're screwed. And when you keep telling yourself that you're creatively screwed, then you are SCREWED.

2) Maybe your art should be the truth about finding yourself. The theme of identity. The truth that you feel like someone else. You might try to write a story about teenage angst, a lot of identity issues there. Or maybe a guy who has amnesia and is trying to figure out who he is. There's truth in the struggle and the frustration because a lot of people have felt this way before, but when you put it in fiction or genre fiction, then you could add aliens and assassins and heighten up the emotional level and dazzle people with visuals. Check out "Battle Royal" (I heard the sequel sucked) -- its basically dealing with the problems and relationships in high school, but by putting these high school students on an island and telling them to murder each other, the emotions become greater and exaggerated. Friendships become life-long bonds, mild distrust becomes hate.

But also another thing you have to remember when creating, and to paraphrase Brad Bird "If you want to make good shit, eat well." Meaning, surround yourself with quality people who inspire you, who you can learn from in some way, if its in your social circles or work or school (around how old are you?), just by being around good artists can improve you, read good books, watch good movies.

Although, a counter argument about reading good books and watching good movies is advice from Ray Bradbury. He says to watch bad movies because good movies, you don't know why its good because so many things went right it just becomes magic. When you watch bad movies, you know exactly what you hated about it and you know what to avoid or improve one.

Labels: blog, Lessons in Cartooning