I just don't feel like it anymore...

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My special talent all my life has been drawing. I can perfect all my favourite cartoons from memory and draw realistic images of people, aliens, animals, robots etc. This was all I would ever do as a child, just sit for hours and draw. But as I have gotten older I have become less interested in it. In fact right now, I just don't feel like doing it at all. I have no ideas on what to amazing creature or machine to design, and I don't have the feeling and passion to do it like I did as a child.

I have spent the entire year, when outside of college, just playing my Xbox and the PC, wasting away the hours, burning my eyes (from the screen), sitting on Facebook doing nothing, sitting on here and doing nothing... I have been in a really bad depression for the last few years. I think this was caused by the stresses of school exams, me failing them because I wasn't given enough support, my cat tragically being run over, realising what I had become, that I was never going to be like the normal people, being separated from my friends and all the people I knew well, when I went to college.

I am taking medication now though, and I haven't felt sad or broken down into tears in a while, so it's looking good . But is it the depression and all the events that have happened in my life the past few years that have caused me to go off my drawing passion almost completely? I do it at college when I am bored, but since going into the Christmas break, although going out in the snow with my friends on saturday , all I have done is play World of Warcraft, Facebook and watch TV.

I am a natural born artist, and I don't want to lose this interest forever. How can I get that feeling back, do what I once loved, and stop wasting my time on video games? Or am I doomed to a massive lack of interest??

I think this happens to a lot of people. Speaking for myself I know all things come in waves. I may not mess with programming for a couple years then I fall back into it a little at a time until I am chugging caffiene and coding like a lunatic. Then I pass out of it again. I would recommend a sketch pad. Just play around like you used to when you started. That can get the juices flowing. If it doesnt click don't sweat it.

Perhaps become a part of a community where you can get feedback and encouragement (like deviantart)? Or create a blog?

Or make a career out of it somehow? T-shirt designs, logo illustration, etc. etc.

In other words try getting your art out there where others can enjoy it and give you positive feedback, perhaps even financial reward.

ditto to IMCarnochan. Don't press is the best approach.

You are not doomed. You do sound overwhelmed. I shut down when I am overwhelmed and lose all my creativity until I am rested.

I know a man who was a successful illustrator the last I knew, and he had put his first portfolio together and had begun showing it around at about your age. Someone else I know got into a really nice graphic-arts position in about the same way. With your level of talent and your desire to keep sharing it, I would guess it yet holds for you a very respectable future.

Maybe if you were wasting your time on a inspiring game like ICO.

or maybe this can inspire you to draw. http://chibiniko.deviantart.com/gallery/72234

How about looking at works by artist you have never really paid mind to before? Maybe the new input can create a spark that will help you to rediscover/develop your talent further. Even if a certain style or artist does not suit your personal taste, you might still be able to learn something from him/her/it.

If you have need an idea where to start, I'd recommend Pablo Picasso. He worked his way through lots of different styles and and it's quite interesting how his paintings and drawings changed all through his (very long and very productive) life.

Simonono,

The most famous cartoonist in Australia is a total nut job named Michael Leunig http://www.leunig.com.au/cartoons/
Also his sister Mary.

I mean, seriously, the guy is a whack job but enough people relate to his cartoons that he makes a good living.

Try finding inspiration off of DeviantART or some other art website? They can bring the juice into you!