New to this forum, and hoping to spark a curious convo: Has anyone chosen to treat their hobby of Art as a source of income/employment as an entrepreneur? If so, has this felt worthwhile, or is it a regret? And finally, why did you do it?
Hi Georgia,
I have just done a little post with one of my latest doodles ( in progress) , along with one of my doodles which I have had printed onto various fashion accessories. I'm still in the very early stages of learning how to create my own website in which I hope to sell my designs. Many years ago, I had hopes of learning Art and design in Fashion, but my life went in a very different direction with Marriage, Children, Construction Business & Grandchildren etc. all taking precedence. However , in my spare time I have always tried to keep up with my Art and over the past few years I have been able to concentrate a little more on my Drawings & doodling which I love doing. This year has been extraordinary and unprecedented for the whole globe and during our first Lockdown, I found I had more time to play around in my Garden studio and decided to have a try at turning some of my doodles into designs for Printing on Fabrics and other products..... there are so many great printing companies around nowadays so I took advantage of having small samples printed first onto Fabrics, then more recently fashion accessories for Women. I am now creating my own website which is another 'learning' process, but I have to say I am really enjoying the whole process. I really hope my passion for creating colourful designs shows through in my work and it's never too late to learn something new. All the best, Helen Kitchen ( HK House of doodles ).
Jumping into a career as a ‘professional’ artist is fraught with challenges. You are basically turning a talent that you’ve nurtured and developed from childhood and monetising it. Art itself is a subjective thing - some people will like and appreciate what you have to offer, while others will see your art as a frivolous endeavour, not worth the enormous time and expense you’ve put into it. You are basically exposing your soul. You can also fall into a trap and chase what you think will be popular with the public, but in doing so, you will lose the magic that you were able to bring to your creations. In short, doing art will become just another job.
My only regret is that I wasn’t brave enough to jump in with both feet from the time I left art school. Most of my career has been spent in one office job or another. Chasing the paycheque. Transitioning into being an artist has presented new challenges—creating your own brand and website, creating an online store, promoting yourself while ignoring the trolls/haters, and most importantly, creating new works and trying to stay relevant.
Challenging? Absolutely! I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I don't think pursuing your artistic passions can cause any regrets if you do it with smart decisions. Obviously most people have to make an income so don't just quit your day job and decide you'll be an artist. If you do it in stages and make a good plan to become a career artist I think that is the best way. I listen to the podcast Clean Break and the artist Matt Gondek details how he went from freelance illustration artist/designer to making it as a career artist. He goes into the details of the art and business of the art field. He is a pop-deconstructionist and interviews low-brow or graffiti style artists most of the time but I think the information he shares could be applied to most artists. A lot of what he says is: keep working at your craft, keep sharing it, talk with other people and go to events (kind of hard to do this year obviously), ie be a part of the community (Doodle Addicts!), find your voice and keep you eye open for opportunities. Personally as a graphic designer by day and doodle addict by night I also wonder if being an artist became my full time job would it become a job and lose some of the joy? I think the answer to this question is yes and no and you'll just have to experience it and work your way through it. It'll be like marriage, you found your love but you still have to keep working at it daily and there are good days and bad days. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Hi Georgia, I am new here as well. To your inquiry, I have not tried it yet but feel like I may have to dive into it soon since it isn't looking like there is much hope of my industry bouncing back, also I have been getting through this pandemic nightmare by making art and I am quickly running out of room to hold it all.
Trying to squeeze dollars out of my art has never worked. It has produced smallish amounts of money, but the best of my art is more meaningful to me than the money I get for it. It seems to me that the way to make money at art is most often the way of compromise and trading the deep wells of possible creation for some formulaic representations that represent a need or desire for money, not love, wisdom or true inner vision. At the same time, rarely, someone who paints wonderfully excellent art may command very good prices. So long as they are willing to continue being true to themselves, ie. true to their own incentives and sensibilities they may both earn enough money and be sincerely creative. It did not happen to me, though.
I have a friend who is very attached to her art as I am to mine. However, she has found a way to make prints of her paintings and made a contract with a gallery to sell her work. Not the original but copies. That gives me hope to sell, just not my originals because they are my babies.
once in a blue moon i make some money but thatis once in a blue moon. so it is painful soo i dunno wut to say really it is lost place and cold place and it is difficult since traditonal art is less needed in this world than before
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7 Comments
Helen KITCHEN (@Hellykay1)
Hi Georgia, I have just done a little post with one of my latest doodles ( in progress) , along with one of my doodles which I have had printed onto various fashion accessories. I'm still in the very early stages of learning how to create my own website in which I hope to sell my designs. Many years ago, I had hopes of learning Art and design in Fashion, but my life went in a very different direction with Marriage, Children, Construction Business & Grandchildren etc. all taking precedence. However , in my spare time I have always tried to keep up with my Art and over the past few years I have been able to concentrate a little more on my Drawings & doodling which I love doing. This year has been extraordinary and unprecedented for the whole globe and during our first Lockdown, I found I had more time to play around in my Garden studio and decided to have a try at turning some of my doodles into designs for Printing on Fabrics and other products..... there are so many great printing companies around nowadays so I took advantage of having small samples printed first onto Fabrics, then more recently fashion accessories for Women. I am now creating my own website which is another 'learning' process, but I have to say I am really enjoying the whole process. I really hope my passion for creating colourful designs shows through in my work and it's never too late to learn something new. All the best, Helen Kitchen ( HK House of doodles ).
Joer_B (@JoerB)
Jumping into a career as a ‘professional’ artist is fraught with challenges. You are basically turning a talent that you’ve nurtured and developed from childhood and monetising it. Art itself is a subjective thing - some people will like and appreciate what you have to offer, while others will see your art as a frivolous endeavour, not worth the enormous time and expense you’ve put into it. You are basically exposing your soul. You can also fall into a trap and chase what you think will be popular with the public, but in doing so, you will lose the magic that you were able to bring to your creations. In short, doing art will become just another job. My only regret is that I wasn’t brave enough to jump in with both feet from the time I left art school. Most of my career has been spent in one office job or another. Chasing the paycheque. Transitioning into being an artist has presented new challenges—creating your own brand and website, creating an online store, promoting yourself while ignoring the trolls/haters, and most importantly, creating new works and trying to stay relevant. Challenging? Absolutely! I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Richard Koehler (@richko)
I don't think pursuing your artistic passions can cause any regrets if you do it with smart decisions. Obviously most people have to make an income so don't just quit your day job and decide you'll be an artist. If you do it in stages and make a good plan to become a career artist I think that is the best way. I listen to the podcast Clean Break and the artist Matt Gondek details how he went from freelance illustration artist/designer to making it as a career artist. He goes into the details of the art and business of the art field. He is a pop-deconstructionist and interviews low-brow or graffiti style artists most of the time but I think the information he shares could be applied to most artists. A lot of what he says is: keep working at your craft, keep sharing it, talk with other people and go to events (kind of hard to do this year obviously), ie be a part of the community (Doodle Addicts!), find your voice and keep you eye open for opportunities. Personally as a graphic designer by day and doodle addict by night I also wonder if being an artist became my full time job would it become a job and lose some of the joy? I think the answer to this question is yes and no and you'll just have to experience it and work your way through it. It'll be like marriage, you found your love but you still have to keep working at it daily and there are good days and bad days. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Shannon (@Shansi)
Hi Georgia, I am new here as well. To your inquiry, I have not tried it yet but feel like I may have to dive into it soon since it isn't looking like there is much hope of my industry bouncing back, also I have been getting through this pandemic nightmare by making art and I am quickly running out of room to hold it all.
David Wilson (@David50Wilson)
Trying to squeeze dollars out of my art has never worked. It has produced smallish amounts of money, but the best of my art is more meaningful to me than the money I get for it. It seems to me that the way to make money at art is most often the way of compromise and trading the deep wells of possible creation for some formulaic representations that represent a need or desire for money, not love, wisdom or true inner vision. At the same time, rarely, someone who paints wonderfully excellent art may command very good prices. So long as they are willing to continue being true to themselves, ie. true to their own incentives and sensibilities they may both earn enough money and be sincerely creative. It did not happen to me, though.
Tina Marie (@BLESSED13)
I have a friend who is very attached to her art as I am to mine. However, she has found a way to make prints of her paintings and made a contract with a gallery to sell her work. Not the original but copies. That gives me hope to sell, just not my originals because they are my babies.
Sneezy (@sneezywheezy)
once in a blue moon i make some money but thatis once in a blue moon. so it is painful soo i dunno wut to say really it is lost place and cold place and it is difficult since traditonal art is less needed in this world than before