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Self-Starter Kit: 5 Tips for Self-Taught Creatives

5 TIps for the Self-Taught Artist

Here at Thalo we have an abundance of ideas, tips, tricks and more to help artists in their day-to-day operations as they become more established in their skills. Being a self-taught artist can be difficult, and we wanted to offer some introductory hints as to how to navigate the self-taught artist lifestyle! 

1.) Practice! 

This is the most important thing! Be sure to do what you love and do it often. Wether it's drawing in a sketchbook before going to bed every night or chipping away at a painting before going to work, be sure you are staying active and honing your craft. Buy a drawing pad and fill it with work. Fill every page. They don't (and prefereably shouldn't) have to be masterpieces, but should be full of ideas, studies and concepts! Making without a goal helps you develop just as much as working towards a goal.

 

2.) Learn!  

This is a pretty broad concept, but learning helps you grow, so be sure to take in ideas, information and advice from as many sources as possible. Nowadays, finding artist resources can be almost overwhelming. Not only find new ways to think, but new ways to produce artwork. Study artists, breakdown new art styles and apply them to your skillset. 

 

3.) Connect with an Audience 

A great way to get awareness of your work is to share it with an audience. Posting on social media can be a great way to show people your art, invite discussion and gauge interest in the work you are producing! You can read more on audience building by check out our "Social Media and The Artist" series here, here and here. 

 

4.) Find a Mentor 

Finding a mentor doesn't have to be as archaic or oldschool a practice as you may think! You can find artist whose work and business practices you admire and follow them. Find out how they price their work, find out how they stay active, and find out where they draw their inspirations from. It doesn't necessarily have to be an artist you know, although that can be more helpful. If you don't know anybody, that is okay. Going online and finding one of the several artists who are sharing their tips and tricks online is a valid option! 

 

5.) Find a community 

This shouldn't be confused with "finding an audience" (but we wouldn't blame you if you did). Finding a community is paramount in developing your artwork in a public forum. Having a group of like-minded peers can help inspire, encourage, challenge and temper your work so you don't feel like you are going it alone. This can be a tricky process, but a rewarding one if you find a group that is trustworthy, honest and communicative about getting better at their craft. 

 

 

Bonus Tip: If it makes you happy, keep going! 

Working on art should make you happy and be a stress reliever, not a source of your stress!  

 

We hope this is helpful for you, and stay tuned to thalo for more tips, tricks, hacks and ideas to help you get the most out of your creative endeavors.Do you have any words of wisdom or tips that we didn't discuss? Let us know in the comments! 

 

You can also follow us at the following places: 

Instagram: @thaloart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thaloArt/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thalo