Transcript:
Panel 1:
Narration: I have been a student at the School of the Art Institute for nearly four years now. I have a lot of takeaways.
We see a panel of a person with square glasses and messy hair (Nat). They are sketching on a drawing pad, and an arrow points at them which reads “About to graduate.”
Panel 2:
Narration: I’ve done the whole routine. I’ve spent weeks with nothing but an iPad, half-finished sketches, Red Bulls, and a dream (of sorts). I’ve scrambled at 2 a.m. before a final critique. I’ve watched 85 episodes of “Smosh Reads Reddit Stories.” (In one semester!)
In the panel a laptop sits on a table with a Red Bull beside it. There are two smaller panels that show vignettes of unfinished art projects. Nat is between the vignettes, looking stressed.
Narration: So, yeah. I’ve experienced my fair share of what you might call ARTISTIC
BURNOUT.
Panel 3:
Narration: These are the times when it feels hard to create anything, even if art usually brings me joy.
The narration is written on a piece of notebook paper beside a mechanical pencil and erasers.
Panel 4:
Narration: According to the Cambridge Dictionary, burnout is defined as a state of “extreme tiredness or mental or physical illness caused by working too hard or trying to do too much.”
We see a student in front of their painting with barely any strokes, looking resigned. Another student thinks, “Yikes,” as he looks at his own pottery pieces.
Panel 5:
An image of a student sitting blankly, their friend beside them passed out on the floor.
Narration: The effects of burnout can feel personal to our complex and emotional relationships with art. Burnout can worsen or intensify mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or ADHD. As stated by the American Psychological Association, burnout has even been recognized as a “legitimate occupational phenomenon with significant health implications.
Panel 6:
Narration: Despite it being an isolating feeling, it is common among many artists, especially in a schooling environment.
We see an almost abstracted depiction of people holding hands.
Panel 7:
Quote: “I’ve definitely felt burnout every semester, and it freaking sucks!! But I remind myself every time that it’s part of the process… like an internal alarm system or something.”
-Laurelou Doyonnas (Bfa 2026)
We see a portrait of the student, Laurelou, who has red hair and a star in the corner of their eye.
A large text bubble with scalloped edges reads, “WHAT DO WE DO?”
Panel 8:
A shot of a student reading on the ground in a library – surrounded by books. He says, “Woah… I’m like, inspired.”
Narration: Engage in media that excites you.
Panel 9:
We see a person holding up sheets of paper, saying, “I’m gonna make 15 hand-illustrated screen prints in two weeks! Yep!”
Narration: Be realistic about goals.
Panel 10:
There are two people holding hand-in-hand outside as they walk, looking excited. One of them says, “Wow! I forgot what outside looked like!”
Narration: Hey, bud, look after yourself.
Narration: You don’t have to outrun burnout, and you definitely don’t have to “win” against it. It shows up, it lingers, and then, eventually, it passes. What matters is that you keep coming back to your work, even if it looks different than what you imagined. Even if you have to take time for yourself. (I know this is incredibly difficult to do. You’re a busy student, after all!”
Panel 11:
We see Nat again, who explains, “Art isn’t always about output, and that’s okay!”
SFX: BRINGG!
Panel 12:
Nat suddenly has a banana phone, holding it up to their ear. They say, “Huh? Oh? Right now?”
Panel 13:
They put down the banana phone. Saying, “Sorry, yeah, I gotta go.”
Panel 14:
Shot of Nat walking away from the audience, wearing a grad cap. The banana phone can be seen abandoned on the floor. Nat says, “CYA!!”
