How to break through an art block - Let your past self inspire your present

We all hit that wall sometimes—the moment you sit down to draw and your brain suddenly decides to evaporate. No ideas, no spark, just… nothing. It’s frustrating, especially when you want to create but everything feels forced.

One of my favorite ways to ease myself out of that stuck feeling is surprisingly simple: I flip through my old sketchbooks!

There’s something comforting about seeing your past marks on paper—the messy studies, the half-finished pieces, the drawings you forgot you made. Your sketchbook is more than a pile of drawings; it’s a record of who you were (and sometimes still are), how you thought, and how far you’ve come. And honestly, there’s no better inspiration than realizing that you have always been quietly growing.

Personally, if I still can’t think of anything, I just copy myself. Draw the same thing over again.

Connect with yourself and boost your mood

Your sketchbook is a safe space where you can be completely yourself. It's a place to explore your thoughts and ideas without judgment.

That’s why revisiting your sketchbooks feels so grounding—it reminds you that creativity isn’t something you summon out of thin air. It’s something you’ve always had, even on the days it feels distant. Sometimes you just need to reconnect with the version of you who was doodling freely without overthinking.

If you’re stuck today, try sitting with your past work for a few minutes. Let those old sketches whisper ideas. Let them remind you that new inspiration doesn’t always have to come from somewhere else (like Pinterest); it can come from your own hands, your own history.

And if all you do is smile at a page you forgot you drew? That’s already a step out of the block.