To become an artist you need talent, practice, and perseverance. Art can be both a passionate hobby and an enticing career. Becoming an artist like Robert Lyn Nelson’s work is not about following a single direction. Many roadblocks and turns can come in the path. Outcomes also can vary from person to person. Every artist practices art a bit differently. However, some of them are lucky enough and know what they are doing right away.
To become a professional artist, you have to exhibit at different art fairs throughout the year. For solo or group shows, apply to different galleries and establish primary acknowledgment through online websites. Before becoming an established artist, you can teach community education art classes or at universities to supplement your art income. Moreover, you can do art assignments as a children’s book illustrator for different companies or individuals on a contractual basis. Some artists also do graphic arts for some extra income. One such place is paint by numbers Australia.
However, everyone does not want to become a professional artist. Some of the artists just love to create and want to share creative excellence with everyone else. Whatever the intention, there is always a way forward for everyone.
Keep Practicing Until You Become Perfect
To become an artist, you have to start with something obvious—art. Before making any art, you have to be passionate about the work. It should be something you feel interested in or you feel happy when you are doing on your own. Art is not something you can plan in your head and start a career instantly. Just daydreaming about it will not bring any good. You have to practice art on a regular basis.
To initiate the plan, first make a schedule and follow it regularly. It will be helpful both for your mental health and career. Furthermore, do not expect that each of your pieces of art will become exceptional and everyone will want to buy them. A good work of art requires both time and patience. So, do not crowd your mind daydreaming about how fine an artist you are going to become in the future. Just keep doing a little more every day and be happy with what you can make without any help.
Keep a Sketchbook or Journal
If you do not get a chance to paint every day, you can note down your unique ideas and then create something when you have the chance. There will be some days when you may feel you are not in a mood for creating and feel demotivated. For those gloomy days, your sketchbook will help you to organize your thoughts together.
Deciding your work style or genre will help you to understand who you are as an artist. To develop a unique work style, you have to spend plenty of time with your work. Moreover, when you are done with a piece of work, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Does that piece of work mean anything to you?
- What made you choose the materials for the work?
- Does that piece of work teach anything about yourself?
Make a Workspace or Studio
To be more productive you should create a space to work peacefully without any interruption. That space can be a room, bedroom, or garage of your house. You also can rent an actual studio to do your work.
Share Your Work and Create a Follower Base
Initially, it may seem like nobody is interested in your art at all. However, do not get worried about it. You should remember, selling art is almost like selling your thoughts as a creator and artist. You can share your thoughts or ideas on any social media you like. Share your work there and let the world know what you have to offer. Each piece of art has something interesting that someone can relate to.
Initially, you have to choose an online platform to share work on. For the first few months or years, the growth will be slow but you have to try consistently.
You Do Not Need Professional Art Supplies to Become a Professional Artist
To create something exceptional, you do not always need the good stuff. Many artists want to start their work with expensive and professional art supplies, as they assume it will increase their work value. If you are not skilled enough, then buying a bunch of professional and expensive materials may be a waste of money. Furthermore, expensive supplies may interrupt your flexibility and you may feel less comfortable using them frequently.
Create a Platform with Necessary Details
This generation is dependent on the internet in many ways. They prefer to know about anything through social platforms. So, you should create an online profile through which people can learn about you and your work more easily.
In your online profile you should add:
- A little about yourself
- What type of work you prefer to do
- If your art is available for sale or not
- If you display your work in galleries or not
- Your contact details
Try to Sell Your Artwork Online
Selling art without leaving the studio is the ultimate goal of any professional artist. When you are selling or offering something online, you should not make it complicated. You should keep it simple so that everyone can reach you easily. The payment method and product options should be understandable and easily accessible.
You should always refresh your listed art with new artworks. If you are participating in any group or solo exhibition, upload the details of your show on the website. You also can share the details of your upcoming artwork on your online page. In short, you have to stay connected with your followers and have to try constantly to increase the number.
To connect with your potential customers or followers you always should participate in local art events. Furthermore, those events will help you to connect more with your own community. Building good relationships with fellow artists will also help you become a professional artist.
However, in the initial years of your career, you may feel you are doing a lot of work but the reward is awfully small. You have to accept that reward does not come easily for a creative profession. It will take an immense amount of patience, time, and a huge amount of optimism.
