When I say I'm an Artist, People automatically assume I'm extremely poor.
Well, they are right.. Right now. Because I'm still building up my businesses. I feel like with the new opportunities these days; Artists can be just as whether. As others.
But How?
Maybe art is just a hobby right now, Maybe your hoping that one day you'll catch a "break." All the sudden the money will flow in, You can quit your job and paint all day.
I thought that would happen to me. So I worked my job and continued building up my art skills... waiting for that day.
It never came..
The problem with people, Is they expect things to work like "magic." TO be fair, the news and such paints us a picture that success works that way.
"19 Year old makes five figures..."
"People in their twenties start massive business etc."
It makes us feel like failures sometimes.
We crave that same level of success.
Yeah, I can't deny it SOME people get incredibly lucky.
But you can make yourself LUCKY too.
Keep your eyes open for opportunities
When I was stuck at my job. I was hoping one day to become an artist. I was doing everything that seemed right. Going to college, While building up my art skills.
One day my coworker shared an article about Adult Coloring on her Facebook.
I remember almost having a heart attack when I saw it.
Oh my gosh. I could make a coloring book!
I immediately started drawing every chance I got. Before work, I'd draw pages in my coloring book. After work, I'd draw.
After a lot of hard work learning formatting and such. I had my first coloring book...
I'm so proud of it... To this day.
Animal Forest
I was in tears when people bought it. Someone is buying my art! SOMEONE WANTS TO COLOR MY ART!!!
No, I didn't sell a million copies, I did make around 1,000 off this one. And it motivated me to publish more. Some of my coloring books totally failed, Because I honestly rushed them. But this gave me the confidence to do something I never imagined I would do. I became a published Illustrator.
I eventually was able to quit my job.. But as my sales started to dry from coloring books. I had to move to another thing, WHILE CONTINUING MY COLORING BOOK PRODUCTION.
That's Merchandise.
Part of being a successful artist is adapting.
Before all of this, I tried to get my name out there. I entered in every art show I could. I painted and drew until I was passing out from exhaustion. It didn't work.
I couldn't seem to get "noticed."
I even tried to sell my original pieces on Etsy and Ebay, NO such luck.
Being an artist seemed like a dead end path.
But what I wasn't looking at, was WHAT are people buying?
If people become obsessed with posters.
You should consider making posters!
If people want new rugs... Make new rugs.
Find A Niche
I'm not saying you'll be automatically successful if you do whats trending. But also finding the right niche is important too.
One of the biggest mistakes I made with coloring books, Was I did coloring books all over the place. Mandalas, Animals, Swear words. I didn't stick with one niche. Which I am now geared towards a niche, And I'm about to start publishing my newer books.
Learn Business Skills
If your goal is to just be a freelancer. And do art for other businesses. You may not need as many business skills. But if your goal is to build your own art business and make that extra money. You'll need business skills.
I read all kinds of books to help change the way I thought about the world. Here are just SOME OF THEM.
Choose yourself By James Altucher
The Choose Yourself Guide To Wealth
Books by Steve Scott.. A read a lot of them. He has so many; I'll just put his author page LOL.
The Idea Machine
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth
This hardly makes a dent in what I read that year. I probably read over 100 books. I would sometimes read 2 books a day. And I was spending a TON of money on Kindle books. haha. It was worth every penny, and I started to see that I could have a life that I never even imagined possible.
It's important to keep exploring and keep learning. These days our computers have given us a massive advantage in getting what we want out of life. Use the tools that you can find!
Thank you @elyaque for the awesome Badges!
Well, you definitely seem to be heading in the right direction... you have something a lot of artists do not (I say this as someone who has a small art gallery and fine crafts outlet), which is an understanding of the need to be both creative/artistic and business/marketing. We get SO many artists walk in here with talent and art... but no concept of what goes between "creating" and getting something into a willing and interested buyer's hands.
So congratulations! You're already ahead of the game...
Wow really? That is amazing ehhehe :) Thats a huge compliment considering your someone with an art gallery and fine crafts outlet.
It's so true! Artists should also learn a bit of business hehe :)
The business/marketing is actually more important than the art if you want to survive.
Just as in life in general adapting is a big part of the equation for success!
So true! It always is like that. Great comment.
meep
Meep
meep
Thank you for the ideas and resources, as a starving artist myself; I need all the help I can get.
Beautiful work,.:)
Aww thank you!!! Good luck, If there is anything I can help with let me know.
Definitely a most important convo for the modern artist. As an independent musician myself, many a ppl have told me "you basically have to become an expert in marketing.." The only issue I have with this type of thinking is: I didn't choose to become a musician, study music for 10+ years and hone my compositional craft so that I could become a marketer right... It's kind of a catch 22. I agree that you have a strong point and it works for some ppl. I realize that some may also look at my viewpoint and think, well that's the reality of the modern artist suck it up lol. Should it be...? I've always found that shifting my focus to the undesirable (in this case business and dealing with club owners or industry ppl or making contracts for film/tv/licensing etc) directly affects my ability to concentrate on continually creating good quality art, as well as my love for it.
Yeah your art is also some kind of special & good.... every house-wife thinks nowadays her art should be worth something. You clearly see it on Steemit - lol, post a expensive street art or so.... you will see that the patic-crap will get tripple of votes :-)
Aww thank you!!
Love your contributions.... I am an art collector mostly colleting street art support the young & unknown. I posted a few street art here too on steemit but it seems there is not the mass of people honor such art here ;-)
(hehe)
Wow, you're a terrific inspiration. I am a fiber artist and had a couple of lucrative years under my belt. When my market drifted apart, I took a 9-5 to make ends meet. Always felt like a sell out, but after reading your post I am revisiting and redirecting my creativity. Thanks so much for your amazing energy!
I'm 3 days behind on reading this, but I can really use it right now.
HIGHLY rEsteemed! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much :) hehehee I get behind too hahahah
You seem to be doing just fine on steemit. Define starving again please. ;-)
I am! I'm doing well these days, But I keep most of my Steem inside my account, Even though on the outside I may be struggling financially. Hehe.
Definitely not starving here on Steemit! lol
upvoted
@shayne
Heheh yes! Not on Steemit! Right now I am very grateful for the things that I have! I am struggling a little bit outside of Steemt! But I am solving the problem hehe.
Very nice article!!
And
Occasionally eat something
LoL
Thank you!
OMG ! Nice joke hehehehe
Poor is a state of mind not the amount of fiat you got. :D
Heheh Agreed :)
I know the feeling... Never found it harder to make money than as an Artist/Photographer.
If you notice Art post on Steemit don't do as well as Tech and Crypto posts most of the time sadly. Art is not appreciated as it used to be sadly. But the needs to change on here of they want to bring more creatives and Artist who product quality content.
Because not only do creative put time in to creating a post but the actual work creating the art they talk about in the post.
For example there is often a mentality... of "Dude all you did was post a picture that took like a minute"
But the don't understand that hours of work planning, setting up, tearing down, shooting, retouching, etc... it took to make that picture.
Stick with it and good luck with your coloring books! :)
I agree!
It takes a lot to make money, And I think photographers have it even more difficult. Because at least with my drawing, people can see that it actually took more time, Where as photographers are often assumed to have taken 5 seconds.
I agree... These days photography is devalued. Regardless if how much time goes into. Only people used to dealing with and paying top level photographer expect to pay for quality photography.
congratulations Lin. I have walked that path in the last 30 years :)
Thank you!!! Congradulations on your success :) It's nice to hear that other people can do it too.
Great post and i think this applies to anyone who is trying to succeed. Saying "yes" to more opportunities is probably my top tip. Like the guy who painted facebook's first office and was paid in stocks instead of cash. He's now worth $200 million: http://www.businessinsider.sg/graffiti-artist-painted-facebooks-first-office-now-worth-200-million-2015-6/?r=UK&IR=T#X3Jwth9uWbLCmsC0.97
Wow! Thanks for sharing such a great article! saying yes is definitely important. Some opportunities will be more worthwhile than others. WE all said yes to Steemit! ANd I thin it will pay off in the long run.
Definitely! I'm sure it will :)
That art he did is gorgeous! Wow!
Excellent article. Good for you for following your dreams! Being a self-employed professional photographer I know exactly what you and other artists/photographers/creators go through.
A few years ago I wrote a couple of books to help artists/photographers with their marketing, to get the clients that they want to have.
You have inspired me to start posting the chapters of my books as articles here. The fundamentals of great marketing have not changed, so I trust that this will help everyone who wants to pursue art as a professional career!
Finally, as I like to say, keep creating you magic! Dan
I've worked with many art mediums Daniel. Currently I create assemblages and other ephemeral works and photograph them. I hope to have a collection of images soon that can be reproduced as prints and greeting cards.
At one time I was painting on silk and successfully marketed my work in Australia through various craft outlets and galleries. However I suffered two MAJOR set-backs when I sent my work to France and then the US ~ And realized that something was telling me to simply stop everything, till my energy was flowing again.
It was sometime before I started 'making art' again ~ But nothing goes away and I've found that all I've assimilated in art, can now flow into everything I chose to do.
I sincerely hope you do publish some of the chapters of your book as articles here, as I for one really need a professional brush-up about current on and offline marketing. 🙏
Wow! You are so talented. I am going to look out for your books. Are they still available (in live in Brazil..!)?
They should be :) On the amazon website :) Thank you so much.
It's all about income streams and maximizing the number of opporunities
agree 100% on that one.
:)
Helpful post ...
follow you :)
Looking for future advise :
Thank you o much.
I am beginner in arts.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Follow
... Great Day ...
No problem :) Thank you! I'll check out your stuff as well.
great read, perseverance is key, I've been making art for about 25 years, 15 dedicated to it, and it's only in the last couple of years it has started paying off, I'm following you, thanks.
Thank you!! Sometimes it takes a while sadly! You definitely put your time in! I hope you can really make money off of it.
you post inspire me!
Great ideas @kaylinart
Thank you :)
I agree that in order to earn an income as an artist, one has to be very open minded, to see the opportunities that are being presented to you.
The underlying energy of 'creativity' in one art form ~ Can be tapped into and adapted to any number of other art forms. But for me it's still a question of priorities.
Do you keep doing work that you have a passion for and perhaps have spent years developed skills in? Or adapt to a market, producing something else that may provide a better income (in the short term anyway) knowing you are compromising your art? 🌀 🌀 🌀