If you have always considered yourself to be a creative individual, you may have the dream of turning your art hobby into a professional career. However, making this transition can prove more difficult than one might expect – especially if you’re unsure of the necessary steps to make it a reality.
There are several objectives that need to be met in order to succeed as a professional artist, and with this comes a vast amount of hard work and commitment.
In this guide, we’re going to take a look at some of the key steps to bear in mind when it comes to turning your art hobby into a fully-fledged career:
1. Go to art school
If you’re confident that art is a career you’d like to pursue in the near future, applying for art school would be an advisable route. You can browse for institutions that cater to your interests or the specializations you wish to learn in your local area; however, you can also train in art from the comfort of your own home. Visual Arts Passage is an institution that is 100% online-based and offers custom courses that both improve your skills and give you a competitive edge by allowing you to create a professional portfolio to help stand out from the crowd when the time comes to break out into the industry.
2. Be persistent
Being self-employed takes a great deal of motivation and focus, as breaking into any new industry can seem near enough impossible in the early days. You may also find you’re working all hours around your current employment just to build your reputation as a semi-professional artist. This is where persistence and dedication come into play. Famous creatives didn’t succeed simply by chance – they worked tirelessly at their craft for many years before being discovered, and you’ll likely have to do the same.
3. Get critical feedback
While you may have asked your loved ones for their thoughts on your work, it’s important to remember that those closest to you will likely be biased. Though you may not wish to hear negative comments, getting some critical feedback on your work will help improve and develop your skill as an artist and also allow you to get an idea of what the industry is looking for. Make a note of both the positive and negative comments and in time, these opinions will hopefully shape your progress as a professional artist.
4. Choose your niche
As is the case in many other creative industries, standing out from your competitors all depends on having a unique selling point that makes you different. While you may be the best artist in your city, it can be tough to turn your art hobby into a paid profession unless you catch the attention of your audience. Carry out research by looking at books, attending exhibitions, and analyzing pieces that have inspired you – this will help you determine what your artistic forte may be and how you can develop it.