What You Need to Know Before Becoming a Professional Artist

in #art7 years ago

Hi Everybody !

During the last year I had the great opportunity to create a group of study with a bunch of artists from all around the globe. Very little group yet very strong with a purpose.

This wasn't only an opportunity to learn better arts and be a better artists and better version of myself but also an opportunity to breakdown what is going on with most of people that attempt to be professional artists, but don't have what is needed.


1. The struggle.

Let's keep it simple...

...Every single one of us is a potential artist...

Which doesn't mean that everyone should be an artist or that everyone wants to be an artist. Yet for those that aim to be a professional and elite artists but haven't started yet with their path I got few words to share with you.

What you need is pretty simple, and these are not my words but Marco Bucci ones, a great artist with a great philosophy: Hard work.

Yet by saying hard work I am not saying anything that you don't know already. Right?

Wrong.

Hard work means that you will every day get up from your bed, practice and find things that you lack and could get better at. And it doesn't end there. Actually you just got started: now it's time work on those weaknesses and become strong on them.

Some times it takes weeks to overcome a little single obstacle (as I shown you before) and this is where the hard part really starts.

The hard part means that since the day you decide to become an artists you will work hard day after day, everyday, for weeks, months, years and decades. No joke.

So this is where most of people just fail. They do work hard for a day, a week, maybe two. But then they just quit, because they cannot keep the rhythm.

Therefor if you are willing to become an artist, an elite one, you must know that this comes with a lot of sacrifice and effort. Constantly.


2. The Ego Issue.

Another of the things I realized last year is that in my eight years in the industry of arts I have fed my ego so much that it became a gargantuan beast all over the years. And something as big and strongly rooted as this is really, really hard to fix.


But with the pass of the months and after half year of constant attacking myself and my ego system I could get rid of it.

The result was to recognize myself as a piece of crap completely non-worthy. And this is why it was so useful, because I could empty my cup to re-fill it with new concepts and knowledge. Not to say that feeling that i knew nothing allowed me to go back to the foundations of the drawing and arts in general, which is something i always missed

If you want to get to another level and face it strongly and without that much struggle, then the ego is the first thing you should get rid of.


3. The Excuse Maker.

...or The Liar.

Most of people that joined to our study group and were kicked used to find always pretty clever (and some times very stupid and non-sense) excuses. They used to often lie about what they would do and make promises that later on weren't done.

I like to think about this as the Liar Syndrome, because they are not even aware of it, but they constantly lie to others in order to lie to themselves. They don't understand how much struggle and how much frustration it takes to get to this point as an artist, so they don't make their mind or work on their habits.

My advice to all those who are struggling with self-delusion is to get a good pair of balls and eggs and face reality, because nothing will get better, it will always hurt, it will always be hard, and facing ourselves is really hard sometimes. Mostly at the beginning.

But it get's better with time, as anything you do... you, as a human, are a machine prepared for adaptation of almost any kind. Practice enough your "getting out" of your comfort zone and facing your own problems, and you will become an expert in the matter.

Thanks a lot for your support and I see you in the next one!



(All the images are my own creation and therefore I own their rights)


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I always try to listen to the ideas of my fellow followers to improve my posts and to give something back to the community... therefor: What would you like the next posts to be about? What should I talk about? What kind of painting? Would you like some tutorials about arts, about cooking? Maybe some fresh gaming broadcast? I would love to know!

I apologize if I don't reply to your message. Sometimes I can't find enough time for it. But you can be sure that I will read it!

Bye!

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Great Post! Really easy to understand! You're a really good artist yourself :)

The Ego issue is a serious one, when going about a new work you need to carry it out like it's your first. Forget about the name and reputation that you've earned because name and glory isn't enough to uphold a terrible work.

Interesting, the life of an artist is not easy, you can spend your whole life fighting for recognition, for the famous battling against criticism, I think that confidence and security at work can be a good way. Regards.

I do not pretend to be an artist but your post is very interesting @anritco! thanks for sharing the information.

Nice art work.
Nice advice.
You are a true artisan.

Well said...i have tried and failed. Great points!

well the problem itselft its not just work hard, but i will say its better WORK smart, and i mean really work smart. Fundamentals are in my opinion the really thing to master. Basics shoul be the most important thing to master, since how to use the pen till how to make a line and then perspective and then everything else. in my experience ofcourse, finding free art resources on internet´because im broke and cant affout pay art resources online, there are page like draw a box till some youtube chanles like alphonse dunn can really be helpfully

This is so good

Creo que para alcanzar ser un artista profesional se necesita de mucha constancia y sobre todo de disciplina y constante investigación. Pues, ciertamente muchas personas quieren convertirse en artistas y en la practica, aplican del síndrome del mentiroso del cual hablas. Excelente publicación amigo, creo que son cosas que hay que tener presentes en el ámbito artístico.!

That's true for any creative endeavor; in or out of the arts.
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Joe
@joe.nobel
science fiction, fantasy, erotica

I always considered myself to be an artist but I never really achieved close to what I envisioned. So I turned to 3D and filmmaking later. But the thirst of not being a good illustrator will always be there.

Your works motivate me to draw more and more.

Good to know, but my hands are both left :D I can't draw even an anmial. Your drawings look amazing! :))

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Thank you for an interesting post! May prosperity and happiness be part of your life!

Thank you for your tips! I'm an aspiring artist btw.
This post will help me :D I'm going to start following your posts from now on!

It shows that you are well determined to achieve what you want, not quitting because of some petty struggles.

One can say that you have got extreme talent by having one look at your drawings.

What do you say, what does it takes to continuously re-invent yourself as an artist?

Could it be an idea for your next post?

BTW, do you believe that you are a successful artist?

Great post my friend really enjoyed it 👍

This was very helpful, I needed it.

nice post, you're an inspiration to get over step one!

great trip hope your? day is. always: fun, good luck I support you, if there is time please; help me,post..$

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Oh, this is actually awesome! Please keep the hard work guys!