Guide to Become a Professional Artist for Not Much Money

Who wants to be a starving artist?  Well, no one I can think of. The art world is exploding today, especially with the advent of the Internet.  There are numerous ways to take advantage of that explosion, whether you're a hobbyist or dream of making your living off of art.


There are several myths surrounding art careers, the first of which is that artists are born talented.  There may have been a few artists in history who had such perfect hand/eye coordination that art came easily, but most professional artists have studied their craft over a number of years.  Most of the great artists of Renaissance fame participated in apprenticeships that lasted for decades.  In fact, the Greek term for artist is "techne", directly translating to "master of a craft".  The Greeks did not hold artists in the high regard we do today because they saw artists as technicians, masters of a set of skills, not divinely inspired beings.  To a degree, the Greek perspective is valid, there is a set of techniques that anybody can learn which will produce decent art.  As far as inspiration goes, is freely available to any human who looks for it.  Techniques can be learned either by investing in an expensive education, or by the much cheaper alternative of studying a lot of books.


The next object to be solved is the availability of art materials.  Throughout history, art materials have never been less expensive than they are today.  If money is really limited, choose an art form that doesn't require as much investment.  Such art forms include Conte crayons, pastels, colored pencils, and charcoal.  All you really need is a reputable online supplier of art supplies and artist grade custom sized papers.  Other art forms get more expensive, but even the most expensive is no more than a few hundred dollars outlay to get started with.Once you find all of the books and art supplies you need, practice, practice, and practice some more.  No one learns to draw, paint, or sculpt overnight.  No one is born knowing how to draw, paint or sculpt.  Keep trying new things until you learn how to get the effects you want.  If you are determined you will see your art abilities growing by leaps and bounds. 


On to the next and last step!  Relentless self-promotion is a must.  To be a professional artist, you must advertise your art where people can see.  There are many places on the web to show your finished pieces for free or relatively cheaply, but you must also show family, friends, and anyone who will sit still long enough.  Get involved in your local art community and show them too.  One of the best methods that artist friends of mine use is placing a suitable work of art on personalized backpacks or other usable items for their own use and for sale.  Remember, you're a visual artist.  Show, don't tell.  There are several sites that will allow you to market your work in an online shop.  ETSY is one such, DeviantArt is another. ETSY is an online shop for all things handmade, while DeviantArt has the added benefit of a prints account, where not only can you sell your original work but also market prints, so one popular artwork can continue to earn money for quite some time.  Ebay has listings for original small works of art that can sell for quite a bit if they appeal to two or more people.    Let your work speak for itself, and you will find those who must have it.  Good luck, and may your art career skyrocket! 


Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Always be looking to improve your skills. Artists never, ever stop learning.
• Ruthlessly root out any sense of false modesty or embarrassment. Let your work shine. If you're going to be an artist, you have to have an artist-sized ego that can stand up to critique.
• Your work is not going to be everyone's preference. That's not a flaw in your work, it's a function of various human preferences.