Being an artist isn’t easy. Art isn’t something you can just decide to do and be great at overnight; to be an artist, you have to be dedicated, a hard worker, and commit to a plan for success. Art is such a wide field, though, that it’s no surprise that people don’t know where to start once they decide to go on this path. Here are a few steps to consider when starting your career as an artist. 

Skills

It takes time and effort to hone your skills as an artist, no matter your medium. If you’re choosing to go down this career path, chances are you’re already a creative person, but it takes more than creativity to succeed in the art world. Many artists are self-taught, either through determination or natural talent, but there’s no one way to learn art. You can take a few courses, with or without attending art school, to learn the technical side of your medium.

Practicing on your own will give you more experience in your craft while letting you develop your own style of work. Going to museums, galleries, and art shows will expose you to other artists, letting you study other people’s work and give you ideas for your own. Finally, seeking out constructive criticism will help you grow and develop as you’re told what is and isn’t working for your project.

Studio

You should have a studio for your art where you can work on and store your pieces of art. This will include new pieces, old pieces, and your materials. Your studio should be private so that you can stay productive and focused on the task at hand; without privacy, your mind is likely to wander and distract you from your work. If you don’t have somewhere at home that you can convert into a studio, consider renting one elsewhere. 

Your studio should be large with a great ventilation system since some mediums will create fumes, dust and use harmful chemicals. It should have windows as well that can open and close to let a breeze and an ample amount of light into the room. You’ll want to work with as much light as possible, whether that be from windows or multiple bright lamps. Make sure your old work is stored safely, too; sun exposure and moisture can easily destroy your stored work. 

Brand

You need to put in the effort to make yourself known, which means you’ll become your own public relations specialist to spread your brand to the world. No matter how much talent you have, no one will know who you are if you don’t get your name out there. Enter yourself into art competitions, sell your work at craft shows, hand out business cards, take your work to galleries, and network with other artists. Be active on social media, or start a blog and share your progress on it regularly. Respond to readers if they leave a comment; fill your social media profiles out completely. Whether the world knows you or not is completely up to you.