Are you a Professional Artist Wanna be - How to be

Are you a Professional Artist wanna be? Maybe technically, you are a hobby Artist, it doesn't matter. You really have to start thinking of yourself as a Professional. Why? There are a number of reasons. How about!

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IMPROVE YOUR CRAFT

No matter the level of the artist there are always new things to try or improve upon. When your income is not dependent on art, there is no urgency to improve your skills or to make changes to your work that will make it more marketable.

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PAINT EVERY DAY

The number one thing you can do to improve your skill is to paint every day. It's easy to put painting aside when your not dependent on the income. I know that it is not always possible, not even for me. For me , the business side of art often get in the way. If you have a real job, or maybe kids, life gets in the way. Still, if you don't make it a priority your skills will remain the same indefinitely.

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TRY NEW THINGS

I have done juried art show for many years. It is interesting to watch all the other artist through the years. There are some artist who's work hasn't changed one Iota in 20 years. Then there is a group of more spirited, adventurous artist, who are always trying to fix the broken wagon. I fall in that category,I am never satisfied.

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As I am going to Art shows this years I am noticing a lot of artist with entirely new bodies of work. Some are adding a different twist to their work. Some have changed their work entirely.

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When the economy falls apart and sales are slow. I always think, if I just do this differently my paintings will sell better. This struggle, and the changes that I have made, haven't always produced immediate sales. But this process has always improved my skills, and eventually the sale have come.

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PRICING YOUR WORK

What should you charge for a painting. Well, until you start thinking of yourself as a Professional, you will never have the backbone to raise your prices, so it's a moot point.
No one else is going to see real value in your work, if you don't.

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IMPROVE YOUR TONE

I have found that when a hobby artist talks about their work, they present their self in a couple different ways.
1. The apologist: The are constantly apologizing for their prices, offering sales, and just presenting a overall tone that cheapens their work.
2.The diversionist: They don't have confidence in their work, so instead of talking about their work. They talk about their feelings. How they feel when they paint. How the painting makes them feel when they look at it.
3. The aloof artist: You are not really aloof. You just appear to be, because you are afraid to talk to people, so you say nothing.

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THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG

Do you think that when your skill level gets to a certain point, your paintings will start magically selling, when you are coming across as an Amateur. Because you are not a Professional at this point, you don't have the pressure of the market bearing upon you. So it is critical that you start thinking of yourself as a Professional. Make it a priority to improve yourself in all these areas, because they are all inter- related. If you act like a Professional Artist, people will believe you are. More importantly, you will start to believe.