A career in something you’re passionate about means every day at work can feel like an opportunity for self-satisfaction and personal growth. If you love being creative and artistic, then you may have considered a career in art before today and asked whether it was an opportunity for someone like you. The good news for would-be professional artists, is there are a multiple of fantastic ways to monetize your skills today.
Everything from hand-drawn designs on Etsy to print-on-demand selling and custom art websites give you an opportunity to sell to people all over the world. You can even get hired by professional companies as an in-house artist for their branding and marketing campaigns. However, there are some important things to know before you jump in.
A Degree Does Help
While experience can go a long way in the art world, along with a strong portfolio, a degree can help you to unlock opportunities that other artists simply can’t access. With a degree, you can prove yourself to potential companies who might be willing to hire an up-and-coming artist to join their team. A degree also helps you to attract potential clients as a freelancer or business owner. Getting a degree might seem like a complex task, but with access to various forms of funding like Earnest student loans, you can find the cash you need and start your degree in no time. There’s even the option to learn online for some people.
Greatness Takes Time
The road to success for a lot of professionals can be very long, but for an artist, it often feels particularly complex. It takes a lifetime to build your craft, and there’s likely to be a lot of tears and headaches along the way. People can be cruel and unconstructive in the art world, and you’ll need to make sure you can achieve a positive mindset and that you are patient enough to move past it. If you really want to succeed in this complex space, you’ll need to focus on consistently working on your craft, looking for new opportunities, and building your network, so you can get your work in front of as many people as possible.
Running Your Own Business Could Be Your Best Bet
Finally, while there are traditional hiring opportunities out there for artists, most find they get better opportunities in the freelance route. Today, countless platforms exist for different kinds of artists to offer their services with everything from custom portraits, to animation and logos. Running your own business could be the best way to make sure you’re constantly earning a source of income from different clients. However, there are pros and cons of being a small business owner, so this also means you’ll need to tackle the challenges that come with it, from learning how to market yourself, to making sure you keep an accurate inventory at all times. Becoming a professional artist won’t always be an easy road, but it could be worth it if it means you get to start a career in something you truly care about.
*Featured art by Vaughn Lowery
