Have you decided to become an artist and pursue it as a career? Or are you looking to take art as a serious hobby and hone your imaginative skills? It might seem daunting as you do not know exactly where to start and how to develop your creativity effectively.
You can become the successful artist you have always aspired to be with the right strategies and initiatives. As a beginner, it is innate to feel overwhelmed by the various scopes and genres. To make your journey to the world of art smoother, here is a compilation of effective tips for becoming a phenomenal artist.
Practice Makes Perfect
With continued effort and practice, you can improve your drawing, painting, and sketching skills. Being an artist is not easy at all. You need to draw or paint every day. With constant practice, your art style will become more refined, and your efficiency will also increase to a large extent.
Whatever art style you follow, carry a sketchbook and pencil everywhere you go. Draw as frequently as you can. A simple paper and pencil can be the perfect tool to overcome the artist block and get your creative juices flowing. Paper and pencil are easily accessible and can be carried anywhere.
You can also get some references from art-themed online sites. For instance, if you reflect with “a simple yet sophisticated” art style, you can follow an insightful minimalist art blog.
You do not necessarily have to be confined to the medium of graphite and paper. You can still get a burst of inspiration with chalk and draw on any hard or rough surface like the bark of a tree, a wall of an abandoned building, or even on the pavement. Do not forget to take pictures and keep a tab of your unconventional art prompts. By taking and browsing through the pictures, you can keep track of your progress.
Be Self-Disciplined
Regardless of the genre of the art you follow or the medium you work on, you need to practice every day regularly. Discipline is key to becoming a successful artist. Being self-disciplined and motivated is quite difficult initially, but once you establish a proper routine, you will get the hang of it after some time.
Art is also about embracing imperfections and broadening your views. Once you stop obsessing over every aspect of the art to be perfect, it will be easier to keep up with the daily regime. This will also help you stay motivated and look forward to the new masterpiece you will create on the first day.
Start slowly and take your time when you make the first art attempt. If you are struggling to find any inspiration, start with etching still life. You can practice getting the dimensions, sizing, and other features right by drawing random objects near you.
Furthermore, when you start realizing that your sketchbook is getting filled by your art attempts, it will keep you driven. You might even surprise yourself when looking back at your past artwork; it could even give you the inspiration you need for your future art pieces.
Be Realistic and Accept It’s a Lot of Work
It is no secret that being an artist is quite a struggle. It requires a lot of work. However, some people do not grasp the weight of the responsibilities of being an artist. Simply going to an art class once a week or signing up for a daylong workshop will not just cut it. You can not expect collectors and gallery representatives shortly after participating in a few workshops.
Of course, getting supplementary aid will help and boost your work. Being enrolled in a great art class can fuel your passion. But you still need to practice and refine your skills every day. Your goals should be aimed towards perfecting your art, not towards fame and publicity. Having clout will be of no good use; it will instead increase the risk of being distracted by the meaningless and vain features of life.
Keep a Day or Part Time Job
It would help if you also kept in mind that talented artists do not get proper support since the general public is not used to their work and has no idea what effort goes behind it. Art supplies can be costly, and so to sustain, you might want to get a day job. Having a job that pays reduces the stress and helps you continue your art.
Juggling with a job and then practicing on your sketches can be overwhelming but is manageable when you form a routine. It is good to expose it to the world to make your work known. You can have a social media account where you can upload your work.
This helps you establish a presence and will also draw in potential customers. When someone buys your masterpiece, you will be more motivated as you will feel more appreciated. It will also benefit your finances.
Consider All the Costs
It is wise to keep records of both your expenses and income. It is best to keep all the receipts so that you can keep track of all your expenditures. The number of resources and time you spend on your art piece will help you determine the right selling price.
The expenses can be balanced against the income tax when you can sell the artwork you slaved on. When determining your pricing, try to get a precise estimation of what it costs you to make and exhibit your art. You also need to assess the marketplace and see what other artists of your level are charging.
You need to be impartial and realistic regarding your skill and artistry level. More established and popular artists have a costlier price tag because they have accomplished getting their work known and appreciated. They too had initially set lower and affordable rates when they started.
For easy calculation, take into account the money you spent on the materials, medium, and other resources like the electricity bill. Then add in more money that accounts for your efforts and time. The total amount with an addition of a reasonable estimated profit should be your selling price.
Final Words
Being an artist and making it your career can be challenging but not impossible. You can still have a passionate and successful art career when you can make the most out of your arts and crafts hobby, and it can be a side hustle. With a proper routine and constant practice, you can be an exceptionally talented artist one day.
