Turn It Upside Down

May 13, 2025


If your artwork is starting to feel stuck—like you're painting the same thing over and over again with the same techniques and outcomes—it might be time to turn your world upside down. Not just metaphorically, but maybe even literally.

One of the most underrated creative tools is shifting perspective. Take your current piece, turn it upside down, and really look at it. What do you notice that you didn’t before? This small, strange act forces your brain to stop running on autopilot. It interrupts the familiar and helps you see shapes, balance, and composition without the filter of habit. It’s not about solving the piece, but waking yourself up to new ways of seeing it.

That same principle can be applied to your overall creative process. Artists, like anyone else, develop routines and comfort zones. Certain brushes, palettes, subject matter—they become reliable tools, but they can also quietly limit us. If your work is feeling repetitive, ask yourself: what do I keep doing simply because it’s easy or familiar? And then—what would happen if I did the opposite?

Try switching mediums. Work in black and white if you usually rely on color. Let go of detail and go abstract. Paint with your non-dominant hand. Sketch while standing, on the floor, outside, in the dark. Don’t aim for perfection—aim for surprise.

Feeling stuck can also mean you’re too close to your work to really see it. Stepping back, both physically and mentally, is often what makes the difference. Leave the studio. Take a break. Look at other art, or better yet, look at things that have nothing to do with art. Come back and look at your work as if you’re a stranger. What does it say now?

Sometimes we just need a jolt—something to shake us awake. If your creative voice feels muted or flat, maybe it’s not about changing the subject, but changing the vantage point. Paint from emotion instead of observation. Tell a story you’ve never told. Let discomfort be your guide. Because when you’re uncomfortable, you’re paying attention—and that’s where growth lives.

So turn the canvas upside down. Turn your habits inside out. Get lost in the process, and let yourself discover something new—not just in your art, but in how you see. Creativity doesn't always come from control. Sometimes it starts by letting go.

When things feel redundant, it's not a sign to stop. It's a sign to turn things upside down.