burn out or reaction to stress and tiredness or both
I have an on going struggle with art- something I am slowly getting around- I just need to find out what process suits me the best. I am doing illustration in college. It is very stressful. My workload has halved this year as I am splitting first year into two years so I only have half the workload that the rest of the class do. Yet I still am feeling the stress, am behind on projects and struggling to meet deadlines.
Altogether we have three to four projects for each module. I put so much into the first few projects that even in November when there was no real pressure I felt the strain of having to try and do it all over again when I had very little energy. I'm pretty sure I burnt myself out because my confidence in my artwork dropped and I was finding it hard to want to put mark to paper. There is so much I am trying to make myself understand at the one time. It's mostly all I can think about. Now I am really feeling the strain as I only have six weeks left and have a lot of projects to get done in those six weeks. It is vital I find a way to keep myself going even if I have burnt myself out. Is there any advise from fellow artists about how they deal with their art if they are burnt out and just need a break from it but can't get one yet? I find I actually need to break from art completely quite often.
By the way does anyone else work really, really slow? I find it takes me a long time to work through the process and I'm not sure if my aspergers has anything to do with it or it's just me and my low confidence.
I work really slow due to anxiety. In fact, in my first year of college, I failed half of my classes because I didn't turn in the work. It was too anxious, couldn't organize my thoughts, too perfectionistic. It always takes me longer to complete tasks than it takes other people. I definitely think it is an AS thing. I don't know exactly what a psychiatrist would call it though. Good idea taking half the course load. That really helped me a lot when I was in college. Do you get accommodations or counseling at your school?
Ye I do get learning support. The college has been really supportive but there is a cut off point where they can't accept any work after that date. I havn't said anything yet but I probably should. It's my anxiety that slows me down too but I don't think it is the only reason I am really slow. I have tried to work quicker but it just doesn't happen.
Everything you have said describes me exactly. It's reassuring to hear I'm not the only one as I really thought I was. Still have a lot to learn about this aspergers thing.