Being a professional artist can be a very fulfilling career for an individual with the creativity, drive and passion to see their visions become reality. There are many steps that one must take in order to become a professional artist. The following is just a short list of some of the most important steps that you need to take in order to successfully become a professional artist:
1. Do not give up on your artistic dreams. If you have always wanted to be an artist, then you should never give up until you have made your dream a reality. As long as you are working hard and doing all that you can do to make yourself the best artist possible, then you will be on your way to achieving success as a professional artist.
2. Be prepared for financial failure at times. Becoming a successful artist takes time and dedication, so it is not likely that you will achieve success overnight. You will most likely spend years working hard as an artist before you actually make any money from your work; therefore, it is important that you do not get discouraged if at first you do not see any monetary results from your efforts as an artist.
3. Always have someone who believes in you and supports your artistic endeavors by giving constructive criticism when necessary so that you can improve as an artist
How to become a professional artist:
1) Pick your medium. If you are an aspiring artist, then you know what you have a passion for. You have probably been drawing or painting or sculpting in this medium since you were young. If this is the case, then by all means keep doing it! You will be great.
2) Get your art education. If you are serious about wanting to be a professional artist, then go to art school! Spend at least 4 years at a good college getting your degree. Make sure that the art program is reputable and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.
3) Get your MFA (Master’s Degree). If you want to be taken seriously as an artist, then get your MFA from a prestigious university such as Columbia or Yale (or some other Ivy League School). Don’t just settle for a BA in studio art – go for the gold! People will take you more seriously if you have your MFA and even if they don’t recognize the name of the school, they will at least notice that it has “MA” after it, so that should impress them enough to take you seriously. Also make sure that whatever type of art you decide to focus on will allow you to
Artists are often asked, “Where do I begin?” or “What should I do to get my art out there for people to see?” This is the first in a planned series of blog posts that will attempt to answer these questions and address the most common concerns facing beginning artists.
I will try to be as specific as possible with the details but please understand that this is not meant to be prescriptive. My goal is simply to provide a clear, simple guide that addresses the most fundamental questions and problems facing artists who are just getting started.
Towards that end, below you will find five steps laid out in order of importance. I will explain each step individually in future posts accompanied by examples and links to relevant articles and resources. If you have any questions or need help with any part of this process, feel free to contact me directly. For more information about the author please visit www.theartofdaniellesen.com
The idea of butterfly art began in the summer of 2012 when I was given a large number of butterfly pictures by a friend. I had recently graduated college and was not sure what career to pursue, so I decided to try my hand at art. The butterflies were perfect for this endeavor because they could be worked on throughout the day. Initially I thought this would be a fun hobby, but it quickly became apparent that what I was doing was an art form and required more time than I had originally imagined. As time went on, my work became more complex and detailed.
This blog and the butterfly art are now finished. I do plan to continue creating artwork, however this artwork will not be related to butterflies or caterpillars.
The butterfly art has received positive feedback from many people over the last year, but there have been criticisms as well. There is one common criticism about my work that gets repeated often enough that it merits addressing here:
“Your paintings are fantastic! They look like real butterflies! I can’t believe you did them from memory.”
This is a very common misconception about my work, but the truth is that the vast majority of my paintings are not done from memory. This misconception is understandable though because there are many butterflies in my paintings which are copied
1.Find your niche. There’s no formula to this but you need to figure out what sets your work apart from the rest and how you can fit into a niche that is already established or on the brink of becoming so. You can help this process by attending art shows or exhibitions, artist talks and/or opening nights in order to network with other artists in your field and gather inspiration.
You should also keep up to date with what’s going on in your local arts community, especially if you’re working in an urban area. These tips should help you find your niche:
a) Look at the subject matter of successful works of art that are similar to yours. What do they have in common?
b) Look at the style or technique used by successful works of art that are similar to yours. What do they have in common?
c) Look at how these artists are promoting their work, such as using social media platforms, visiting galleries and museums etc. What are they doing?
d) Do you have a unique approach to your work that sets it apart from others in your field? If so, don’t be afraid to stand behind it! If you’re not sure that what makes your work unique is enough, try finding other artists whose work
Art is not a competition. To think so is to miss the point of art. Art is communication, a conversation between the artist and the observer. Art is an expression of feelings and ideas, not something to be compared against others.
The most important thing to remember about art is that it’s supposed to be fun. If you’re not having fun while you’re making your art, then you’re doing something wrong. Put down that pencil or stop composing that song and do something else instead.
Art should be personal; it should come from within you and reflect your true self. But this doesn’t mean the work you produce should be obscure or ambiguous or hard to understand. Art can be messy, but it should also be clear and have depth.
Art should have meaning. Art can communicate ideas beyond whatever story or scene was put on the canvas, although obviously there’s nothing wrong with telling a story through your art as well (as long as it works).
Art isn’t just for showing off how good you are at drawing or playing an instrument or whatever your talent happens to be; it’s also for conveying emotion and communicating with others, which means if you’re going to show off how good you are at drawing or playing an instrument, it had better
