Becoming An Artist
With a little bit of patience and proper training, anyone can learn to paint, sculpture, photograph, etc. because having a talent alone is not enough to become a successful artist. But on the other hand, there are lots of good artists but only a few exceptional ones and this is where the talent plays the key role because it distinguishes the finest works of art from mediocrity.
To become an artist and actually make a living from your artworks, it is crucial to work hard on improving your techniques to elevate your artistic skills to the highest level. Inform yourself about quality art training programmes which meet your level of artistic skills and which will help you develop your talent to perfection if you want your artistic activities to become more than just a hobby or/and an additional source of income. It may be true that Vincent can Gogh did not receive any formal art education but really, how many Vincent can Gogh’s do you know?
The next important step is to practice, practice and practice. The more you will practice the better artist you will become. It does not matter whether you are satisfied with your works or not as long as they enable you to develop your technique and your artistic skills. Be sure, however, not to take the fun away and do not drive yourself too hard. You are making artworks not postcards.
While improving your skills and techniques, focus on creating your own style because copying other artists and their techniques will not elevate you to excellence. Remember that you need to be better from all self-proclaimed artist and mediocrities. Do not be afraid to break “the rules“ because only the most innovative, creating and daring artists achieve a success on both national and international level. Believe in yourself and in your talent but not expect an immediate success because novelties are not accepted by the public. An artists lives from the sales of his or her artworks which means that they must thrill the public. Art is not intended for itself, however, beware of temptation of creating works to “court“ the public because it will not enable you to grow artistically nor to leave a mark in art history.
In the end, go out there with your works whenever you can. No one will come knocking your door asking if you have been creating artworks recently. Contact as many art gallery owners as possible, apply to the art contests and try to find ways to present your works to relevant people. But for a start, anything that makes your artworks visible is helpful even a street sale because you never know when relevant people will come by searching for new talents. Be patient and have faith in yourself because the success often comes when you expect it the least. If you have the talent and if you work hard on improving your skills and techniques, there is no way not to succeed.