How long do you think you can take a break before it becomes a problem?

8:58 PM, Sunday April 3rd 2022

I'm starting to get depressed again, I don't think I can do this consistently.

But I don't want to take a long break and then need to start over again because I stopped being able to do anything. Any thoughts? What's the longest break you've taken?

2 users agree
11:31 PM, Sunday April 3rd 2022

Longest break I've taken is probably about 2.5 months? It took me about a week, I think, to get back into it.

Warming up is always a part of drawing. There's kind of an equation to it. The longer your break is, the more you have to warm up. You're always gonna have to do it to some extent.

The length of your break I suppose shouldn't be any longer than the span of time you've been at work drawing. For example if I've been drawing for two weeks, and I decide to stop, I have to get myself going again after those two weeks--preferably sooner, but I'll take as long as I need.

2 users agree
11:34 PM, Sunday April 3rd 2022

There have been times when I take a break for a month, and although when I come back I feel like I shouldn't have stopped doing it for so long, overall I haven't had to redo any progress I made and I've been able to get the hang of it without problem.

I can't say for certain whether or not you might need to redo some progress you made after a 2 month break, although the 250 box challenge did take me 2 months and I wasn't focusing on any other lessons in that time, but I didn't forget enough to have to redo anything.

If you're not doing the 50% rule, then perhaps doing that could help you feel a bit better, although I don't know your specific situation. Just remember that your mental health comes first, and you'll get a lot more out of the course if you're feeling good about it. If you need to take a break longer than 2 months, that's okay. DrawABox will be here when you get back.

0 users agree
6:14 AM, Monday April 4th 2022

I have a few thoughts, but first I need to ask some clarification. If by depressed you mean actual Depression, please seek the care that you need and don't concern yourself with Drawabox. If you mean it in the more casual use of the word meaning discouraged, then I have a suggestion.

You say that you don't think you can do this consistently. It sounds like you are putting too much pressure on yourself to produce a certain amount of work. You have just started this process and it is a marathon not a sprint. You might have had a rush of excitement when you started and now it is starting to be clear how long this process is going to take and it seems overwhelming. What you might want to do is tell yourself that you will do a minimum amount each day. And when I say minimum, I would make it so small it almost seems silly. "I will draw a single ellipse everyday" or "I will draw for at least 1 minute each day". You make yourself do that bare minimum everyday. If you do it and that is all you do that day, great, you met your goal. I think you will find that more often than not you will do more than the minimum, but if you don't, its fine. The idea is that you will never actually stop and the habit of drawing will grow. This is just to get you through those tough days when you are just not feeling it. Other days, you will be drawing just like you were at the beginning. I do this myself and it has helped me make steady progress over the past months. It might be something for you to try.

0 users agree
9:21 PM, Monday April 4th 2022

I recently came back from a two month break. While I was "taking a break," I did try to stay inspired. I looked at artist on twitter, I reminded myself to do quick train ride sketches, and I went to the art store to get some material to study color theory as a side project. Then after I felt like I had fought with trying to stay productive enough, I was able to really work in the 50/50 rule to my life. This a brief idea of my life from Feb 22-April 22. I too battle with depression and I'm not on meds with ADHD. Today, I feel ready to begin, and I feel like the first two months were a trial haha. I've only know about this website since January 2022

Taking a break is okay! Stay focused on what you want to personally achieve, even if it isn't consistent yet.

Hope this advice helps, this is all I have from my experience so far.

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