What to draw when you don't know what to draw.
The true power behind my Curious Cabins.
You want to create art: draw, paint, sculpt, write. There’s a familiar itch, but no clear subject in mind. I’m pretty sure almost every artist knows that feeling. Some call it White Paper Syndrome, others call it a Block. Personally, I just think it’s a normal phase that hits from time to time. But the real question is: how do we deal with it?
Hey everyone!
Today, I originally just wanted to share some new isometric houses from my Curious Cabins series with you. While thinking about how to start writing this post, I realized it connects to a bigger topic I’ve been thinking about: how to keep going when inspiration runs dry.
I just finished No. 54 of these houses, 20 of them were made by artists I invited to join, and it’s become a pretty large and varied art collection by now!
As I was sketching this newest one, it struck me that I always return to Curious Cabins in a specific kind of moment: when I’ve hit, well..that White Paper Syndrome. When I feel a little empty after finishing another project. When the creative part of my brain runs in idle mode cause it lacks of inspiration or just needs a break.
Finishing the really long to-do list related to our Mirrored Dreams book (which you can order here to get me busy again for shipping it over) left me without a commercial or personal project to jump into right after. I enjoy that kind of downtime, they allow me to play videogames or take longer bike rides guilt-free. However, you bet that after a while this urge to create returns, without something specific to do.
That’s where a series like Curious Cabins really helps me. I instantly know what to do, I feel at home in these kinds of illustrations, it’s a familiar world. Isometric buildings are a subject I always enjoy working with, and I only need to get some interesting references up my screen, and I start scribbling the next house:
Having a personal fallback subject can be such a gift. I think it’s part of why many iconic artists have ongoing themes or series they become known for. It gives your creative mind a place to return to.
When you take a minute to sit down and think about your fallback subjects, what comes to mind? I think we all have one or two, maybe just subconsciously. What’s your Curious Cabins? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to read about them!
To wrap up today’s bit, I’d like to present the very recent Curious Cabin to you. This one was special: a commission from one of my art collectors. He asked me to take inspiration from his family estate in France, and maybe include something in reference to a Japanese artist who once lived there.
I love the Curious Cabins series for the opportunity to combine unexpected elements, and this was perfect for it! I decided to mix some of the characteristic parts from the estate with oil painting gear and Koi fish (which the artist liked to paint). Here’s the result:, Cabin No. 54: Koi!
I plan to make a couple more of these, and then ultimately turn them into a book. Probably some time 2026, we’ll see! Whenever I’m out of ideas for what to create next 😉
Thanks for reading my letter today, hope you’re all having a great month of May, and see you soon!
The simplest solution to a ‘block’ or the ‘white paper syndrome’ as you call it. My curious cabins are animal/bird skulls because of my school zoology lab books and sometimes filling my brother’s anatomy notebook while he was in med school
Love this! I need to sit down and think about what my curious cabins are. I think I tell myself I can't draw the same thing all the time but if I had something to go to when feeling blocked it might really help my become unstuck.