Are you an artist struggling to find the right words to convey the deeper meaning behind your art? Look no further. In this comprehensive guide, we will empower you with the tools you need to master the art of self-expression through writing an effective artist statement.

Crafting an artist statement is an essential skill for any artist looking to exhibit their work, apply for grants, or simply engage with their audience on a deeper level. But it’s not just about putting words on paper; it’s about creating a powerful narrative that complements and enhances your artistic vision.

Throughout this guide, we will dive into the key elements of a compelling artist statement, including how to articulate your inspiration, convey your artistic process, and communicate your unique perspective.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out on your artistic journey, this guide will empower you to confidently express your artistic vision and captivate your audience with an artist statement that truly reflects who you are as an artist.

What is an artist statement?

An artist statement is a written description that provides insight into an artist’s work and creative process. It serves as a bridge between the artist and the audience, offering a glimpse into the inspiration, ideas, and concepts behind the artwork. Think of it as a personal introduction to your art that allows viewers to connect with your work on a deeper level.

An effective artist statement should be concise, clear, and authentic. It should capture the essence of your artistic vision and provide context for your work. Whether you’re a painter, sculptor, photographer, or any other type of artist, mastering the art of writing an artist statement is crucial for establishing your identity as an artist and connecting with your audience.

Why is an artist statement important?

An artist statement plays a vital role in the art world for several reasons.

Firstly, it provides a deeper understanding of your work, allowing viewers to engage with your art on a more meaningful level. It gives them a glimpse into your thought process, the emotions you aim to evoke, and the themes you explore in your artwork.

Secondly, an artist statement is often required when submitting your work for exhibitions, grants, or residencies. It helps curators, jurors, and potential buyers understand your artistic intentions and evaluate the relevance and quality of your work.

Lastly, an artist statement serves as a marketing tool. It can be used on your website, social media profiles, and promotional materials to communicate your unique artistic voice and attract potential buyers, collectors, and collaborators.

Components of an effective artist statement

Crafting an effective artist statement involves several key components that work together to create a compelling narrative. Let’s explore each of these components in more detail:

Understanding your artistic vision
Before you begin writing your artist statement, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your artistic vision. What themes, ideas, or emotions do you explore in your work? What drives your creativity? Take some time to reflect on your art and identify the core elements that define your artistic voice.

Your artist statement should reflect this vision and provide insight into the motivations and inspirations behind your work. Whether you draw inspiration from nature, personal experiences, or social issues, your statement should convey your unique perspective and capture the essence of your artistic journey.

Identifying your target audience
Knowing your target audience is essential when crafting an artist statement. Who are you trying to reach with your art? Are you targeting art enthusiasts, collectors, or a specific demographic? Understanding your audience will help you tailor your statement to resonate with them and create a connection.

Consider the language, tone, and level of detail that will resonate with your target audience. If your art is more conceptual, you may need to explain your ideas in a more abstract and philosophical manner. On the other hand, if your art is more accessible, you can use a more straightforward and relatable language.

Crafting a compelling narrative
An artist statement is not just a collection of facts about your work; it’s a storytelling tool that engages and captivates your audience. Start by introducing yourself and your art in a concise and intriguing manner. Grab the reader’s attention and make them curious to learn more about your artistic journey.

Next, dive into the core concepts and themes of your work. Explain how your art explores these ideas and why they are important to you. Share personal anecdotes, experiences, or influences that have shaped your artistic vision. Use vivid language and imagery to paint a picture in the reader’s mind.

Incorporating keywords and SEO techniques in your artist statement
In today’s digital age, it’s essential to optimize your artist statement for search engines to ensure it reaches a wider audience. Identify relevant keywords and phrases that are commonly used in your art field and incorporate them naturally into your statement. This will improve your chances of appearing in search results when people are looking for artists or artwork similar to yours.

Showcasing your uniqueness and artistic voice

One of the primary goals of an artist statement is to showcase your uniqueness and artistic voice. What sets you apart from other artists? How do you approach your craft differently? Highlight the aspects of your work that make it distinct and memorable.

Share your artistic process, techniques, or materials that contribute to the creation of your artwork. Explain how you experiment, take risks, or challenge traditional norms in your artistic practice. This will help your audience understand your creative choices and appreciate the thought and effort that goes into your work.

Once you have drafted your artist statement, it’s important to edit and refine it to ensure clarity and coherence. Read through your statement several times, checking for grammar and spelling errors. Ensure that each sentence contributes to the overall flow and narrative of the statement.

Consider seeking feedback from trusted peers, mentors, or professionals in the art industry. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement. Remember, the goal is to create a concise and impactful statement that effectively communicates your artistic vision.

A well-crafted artist statement demonstrates attention to detail and professionalism, so take the time to polish your statement before sharing it with the world.

The post Mastering the Art of Self-Expression: A Guide to Crafting an Effective Artist Statement appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

Here are 10 effective tips to become a better artist.

As we start 2022 most of us have new things we want to do. We start off on the right track with resolutions, but as time passes what we resolve to do diminishes. For artists it’s especially important to make resolutions that will keep you on the track to creating more art which will increase your skills as an artist.

First, let’s dispel any myths that there are quick and easy ways to become a good artist. Developing art skills is an investment in time, observation and resolve.

1. Improve Time Management Skills
If you don’t have time to work on your craft, how can you get better? How efficiently you spend your working hours directly affects how much time you have to spend doing the activities you enjoy. Write to-do lists every day, tune into your most productive and energetic times of the day. Work to stay focused by avoiding the distractions that you’re prone to. Turn your phone off!

2. Appreciate More
Obviously, creating art comes from a place within. Taking time to tune into the good (and the bad) in your life is important. Observe the small things. Practice mindfulness in the moment. When you slow your critical thinking down you can tune into the fleeting moments.  Moments that you can capture what you see, feel and express on a deeper level. Everyday demands can make it a challenge to see in ‘slow motion’, however as you practice doing this you will notice the things around you in a new way.

3. Get Organized

Organization can be a challenge for a visual person. As a visual person, I like to see all the stuff on my desk that I have to work with. Reducing clutter helps with clarity. Each day I resolve to organize small sections of my workstations. We’ll see how it goes!

4. Put Time for Art on the Calendar
We only get better with practice and sometimes making the time to practice art is a challenge. Make it a priority to create new art and work on current art in 2022. Even if it’s just a few hours a week you will make progress. And don’t forget about the therapeutic benefits of lowering anxiety and stress!

5. Draw, Sketch… Draw, Sketch… Repeat!
Drawing is the foundation to all art and a skill that is based on practice and observation. As you learn how to draw, work on increasing your skills with sketching and exploration. Basic shapes, line, values, expressive lines and capturing ‘feeling’ of what you are expressing. Even the best of artists continue to draw and sketch. Take your sketchbook to work, in between meetings or wherever; get out your sketchbook and express your thoughts.

6. Take Time to Share & Encourage
As art can be a solitary activity it may be time to reach out and social media is a perfect avenue.  Visit other artists fan pages to show support and encouragement. Plan social media into your calendar and share the progress of your work.

7. Be prepared – always be ready to capture your ideas!
While out and about and inspiration strikes, be sure and capture it! Keep the sketchbook with you. Or at the very least, snap pictures of what catches your eye. Keeping an ongoing source of inspiring images that you can refer back to when needed. As your image files increase consider Dropbox or Google Drive which are great tools for storage and can be accessed at any time.

8. Practice, Practice… Practice!
As we mentioned earlier, there is not a quick and easy fix to becoming a better artist. Besides, if there was, would that be fun? The reward of being a good artist is that you have achieved a level of skill that you have worked for.

Even if it comes ‘easy’ to you, the gift of being an artist is one that never gets old or tiring. You can keep working on it and enjoying the personal satisfaction that comes from your creativity, skill and experience.

9. Teach Others
Stepping out of your comfort zone as you become a better artist to teach others can be unnerving. After all, perhaps you are your own worse critic. Does this fear of teaching hold you back? If you’ve attained any level of art skill it might be time for you to show others how you got good at your craft! YouTube videos and even in person workshops can be very rewarding. As you get better, consider teaching and encouraging other artists! Share the art love!

10. Your Mindset – Don’t Compare
As artists we are sometimes critical of our work. Comparison as it is said, “…is the thief of joy.” As you develop your own style and trust your vision your work becomes more meaningful.

In 2022, may you enjoy more time and inspiration as you create art!
– Christina Rosepapa

The post New Year’s Resolution – Become a Better Artist appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

Not to be underestimated in the creative process is the space in which you create your work. Space is everything and aesthetics should not be underestimated. When you work in your creative space you should feel at peace, harmonious, motivated. Even if your space is a small corner in a room, you can make it yours!

Practical Considerations for a Perfect Art/Creative Studio

Organize

Consider whether your space lends to creativity.
Your environment has a huge impact on your creativity, and if it’s dusty, cluttered, or dark and depressing, it will affect how well your mind works, how your ideas flow. Surround yourself in your favorite colors; clear the clutter and organize. Include artwork, family photos, those comfortable things you love. For a practical guide to setting up an art studio at home, check out these helpful tips..

You’ll be surprised at how creating an environment you’re happy in sparks new ideas.

Unplug from Technology

Put technology aside – at least for a little while.
Laptops, tablets, cell phones – most of us are immersed in digital technology, and it can be a drain on your brain. You need downtime. The creative process is slowed when your brain is constantly “plugged in,” so give it a break! And yes, this means no Facebook or Twitter, either.

A Quiet Spot

Quiet please and NO interruptions. I don’t know many artists that can work and get in the zone around chaos and noise. Most artists thrive in their own quiet space. If you have a family at home try setting boundaries. When the door is closed… no interruptions. If you don’t have a door and have a dedicated space make a pact with your family that when you’re there, it’s off limits for a period of time.

Good Lighting

The power of light. Of course you know how important lighting is in your artwork. But take a good look at your environment. Do you have good natural light? If you don’t have windows or good lighting try using standard incandescent light bulbs with full spectrum lighting.  Full spectrum does just what it says and provides the full spectrum of sunlight to mimic natural light helping you to see the true nature of your colors. We recommend the amazing OttLite, the perfect lamp for your desk, craft table, or home office. With an adjustable shade, the SlimLine is designed to perfectly deliver OttLite Natural Daylight Illumination exactly where it’s needed. Delivering a low heat, low glare illumination, this lamp will help you do what you love, longer.

Of course there are the other elements such as great music, a comfortable chair and all your supplies at your fingertips!

Try some of these things yourself, and see if it helps remove those mental blocks and get your creative juices flowing again!

The post How to Create Your Ideal Artist Space appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

It’s one of the most exciting and anticipated times in life when an artist finally goes pro. Having your work displayed in a gallery (or galleries) is the ultimate dream of most artists! However, it’s important that you write an artists’ statement if you really want to reach your ultimate level of success. When people look at and admire your work, they’re curious about the “real” person who’s behind it. Those who love art know that those who create these works are talented and creative – but they want to know more.

So, what is an artist’s statement? In a nutshell, it is a brief, relevant, compelling statement that offers answers to the questions those who admire your art likely have, such as your philosophy, what materials you use when creating your artistic works, how you learned to oil paint, craft charcoal drawings, or whether your talent comes naturally, etc.

Briefly reveal your passion for art, what inspires you, what your artistic works mean to you.

How to make your Artist Statement effective?

As an artist, you may adhere to the belief that you don’t need an artist’s statement, that those who look at your art will develop their own ideas about who you are, will take away their own experiences. While this is true, people want facts.

Think of it this way: If you were at the gallery 24/7, every time someone admired your work or considered buying it, they would be excited and filled with questions to ask you.

An effective artist statement provides answers to questions those browsing your paintings, pictures, or other works would otherwise ask you if you were present. If your work is part of a series you will want to identify this. If your work expresses ideas, culture, relevant topics, you will want to briefly introduce these. Avoid being too wordy and try to use adjectives.

Always keep in mind to use simple language that is easy to understand for a reader on any level. Use everyday, ordinary language, not fancy art terms that no one but you and other artists would understand. You don’t have to be a prolific writer. Three – Four paragraphs with three to five sentences each will usually suffice; and when it comes to the information, don’t spell out every detail – shorter entices the reader to want to learn more. Oh – and always write your artist’s statement in first person, infusing it with your own individual perspective.

For instance:
Paragraph one: 2 sentences about who you are;
Paragraph two: Overview of your artistic style, vision or dream;
Paragraph three: Specifics about the type of work that you are showing. You may also want a sentence or so about your process
Summary: Engage your audience with a personalized message or a thank you for viewing your work.

Other than an artist’s statement being required to showcase your creative works in most galleries, think of it as a bridge between yourself and potential customers.

When people have a clear understanding of what inspires you, your passion for your work, and how you became interested in learning or expanding your talent, it simply gives them that many more reasons to crave those beautiful, distinctive, or even odd works of art that are uniquely yours!

The post How to Write an Artist Statement, and Why It’s Essential to Write One That’s Effective appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

Does this statement or thought hold you back?

“When I am good enough I will…”

• Do more artwork
• Show my artwork to other’s
• Participate in an art show
• Send my artwork to a contest
• Go to art school

Self-doubt is one of the dark places for artists. The inner critic takes over and tells you “who do you think you are?”. “Look at your work compared to THEIR work, they are better, stop now”, “insert your critical comment here”.

It may never feel like the right time to jump in 100% and be vulnerable. You have to take the risk, stop listening to your inner critic and give yourself permission to go new places with your art, even if you don’t feel ready. I don’t think any creative person ever feels truly ready to step out and be seen.

Stepping out can feel so vulnerable when art is so personal.

Will you give me permission? As a child did you show your work to a parent or peer and look for validation? “You’re a good artist”, “Wow, you’re talented”, “You should become an artist.”

It’s time to stop asking for permission. Give yourself permission and you will be empowered.

Beyond Judgement. As you let go of self doubt, comparisons and approval seeking, you can move beyond the feelings of judgement. Self-judgement, self-doubt and the fear of not being good enough are deep pits that keep creativity stifled.

The What Ifs. But what if no one likes my work? What if they judge me? What if they gossip? What if I’m rejected?

We need to face the worry head on. Stop focusing on the fear and focus the process of doing the work and the self-discovery it brings.

If you’re doing what truly makes you happy the reward will be so much more than the fear of what if.

What if you go to new places as an artist and new doors open to adventures you’ve never dreamed of? It’s all worth it.

Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished?
Yes; work never begun.
–Christina Rossetti

The post Does fear hold you back? appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

Sometimes it’s the expectation and pressure we put on ourselves to ‘make’ something great right then and there and other times it’s perhaps a season. Inspiration isn’t found, the creative energy is lost.

How do you get rid of the artist block? Here are a few tips that may help:

1. Work on one idea at a time. When artists are flooded with ideas it becomes difficult to focus and complete a project. As an artist you have lots of ideas and visuals floating around in your imagination. Write them all down… and then commit to ONE. Start it and see it through.

2. Get outside of your schedule. To be inspired you need fresh inspiration. Take the needed time to explore the things you enjoy. More importantly as you explore don’t put pressure on yourself to ‘come up with an idea”. Just be in the moment. However, do carry a sketch book if inspiration strikes!

3. Take care of yourself! Seems basic, however it’s easy to neglect your body, emotional and spiritual needs. Take time to exercise. Take a nap, yes, hard to let it all go when your deep in a project however a cat nap can really help energize your creative flow.

4. Let of of fear. Most artists are perfectionists and are their own worst critic. The “what if” scenario can play over and over in your mind when you feel insecure about your work. The root is fear. Let it go. Do your best to make the art that is relevant to you and stand behind it. Others will too.

What do you do when you have artist block?

The post Overcoming Artist Block – Tips to Stay Inspired and Keep the Inspiration Flowing appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

Self Taught Artists: Here are some essential tips for keeping your skills – and your life – in order:

Make sure you’ve chosen the right niche. You’re pretty sure you want to become an artist, and you’ve already taken steps toward that end. Ask yourself a few questions to make sure this what you’re passionate about. Is it something you’ll be happy to continue learning about, and will you enjoy your work as much five years from now as you do today? Those who experience the most success are truly passionate about what they do.

Decide where your art workspace will be. Should you have a home studio, or one located away from home? Depending on your lifestyle and your budget, there are advantages of both. For instance, if you have two or three small children at home, it won’t be an atmosphere that’s conducive to getting much accomplished! However, if you’re on a tight budget there is much to be said for working at home – no overhead, gas for the car, or expense for a fast-food lunch. Know your personal preferences, and how well you can ignore distractions at home.

Set goals. It’s essential that stay motivated and focused. Keep in mind that not only do you have to meet your own expectations and needs, but those of your family. Schedule your time so that it works out best for your own unique situation – and set small goals, so that you will enjoy the experience of accomplishing something.

Organization is key. Because you are your own boss, you have the luxury of sleeping late every now and then or going to your daughter’s dance recital at 3 in the afternoon. Therefore because you are not on a strict schedule, you must stay organized. Keep a planner and organize the next day’s work the night before. Set regular break times for yourself so that you don’t “burn out” and will stay energized. For many budding artists (and even seasoned ones) it’s best to start your day with the most difficult task, so that you can look forward to the rest of your workday without dread.

There are lots of other things new artists should do to begin their careers on the right foot; build a website, fill it with your work, engage in social media, stay current in your skills – and on and on. But this is enough to keep you busy for a while! Essentially, make sure you have all of your ideas lined out and a stable foundation before you jump out there and start advertising your services. A well-organized and thoughtful artist is a successful artists.

The post Budding Tips For The Self Taught Artist appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

Here are 5 productivity tips that will ensure the time you are working will end in amazing results!

Indulge yourself by playing more. After all, the point of entrepreneurship is to spend more time doing what you want to do, isn’t it? Don’t let “real life” slip through the cracks in your effort to complete your to-do list, which never ends. When you are truly happy, you work better – it’s as simple as that. Take time to enjoy a picnic with your family, even go to the beach for the weekend.

Take lots of breaks. Self-taught individuals are often driven – sometimes too much so. Even when you aren’t working, your mind is still going. When you start to feel overloaded, your productivity suffers. Take a break every 45 minutes, stretch, enjoy a cup of coffee.

Consider how your environment affects productivity. The space you occupy affects mood; a cluttered office isn’t the best place to be productive. When you do work in your home office, make sure it’s clean and uncluttered. You will focus better! If the majority of your work is done on a computer, the beach of even a park is a great place to enjoy the outdoors and give you a different perspective. Sounds and scents can also affect how your mind works, so consider some soft instrumental music and a candle or incense in a favorite scent.

Get less connected. In a day when Facebook and Twitter can consume half a day’s time before you know it, sometimes it’s important to get disconnected. Social media can be a huge distraction when you’re trying to get things done. What to do? If you don’t use the internet in your work, stay off of it. If you do, consider a tool like StayFocused which essentially blocks sites like Facebook and others that may be distracting from your browser.

Get plenty of sleep! Nearly every self-taught entrepreneur has been guilty of burning the candle at both ends, but this can seriously disrupt your productivity and the quality of your work. A lack of sleep may not affect you too much for a brief time, but eventually it will affect your perception, motivation, judgment and mood according to a study performed by Harvard Medical School. Think of a time schedule that will work best for you to get in eight hours a day, whether it’s 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. or midnight to 8 a.m. Since you set your own schedule, your 8 hours can be anytime that works best for you!

Those days that have been productive leave you feeling good about your work and fulfilled at the end of the day. Now you know how to be even more productive!

The post Self-Employed Artists Need to Recharge, Too – 5 Surprising Productivity Tips appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

First, who is showing and how do you decide?
In the beginning stages of deciding to have an art show it usually starts with a group of artists that you meet or know and have expressed an interest. The artists typically have been working on art projects for some time and are skilled in their medium.

Second, a commitment from the artists to participate in an art show and a willingness to collaborate with other artists.

Third, a commitment to the group, the time and expense that it takes to put on a professional art show.

While this is general, I’ve broken this down into smaller steps.

You have an interested group of visual artists that are confident and ready to show their work in a gallery setting to the public. The artist has a collection of work that will be framed, presented and if desired sold (though many of us did not want to sell our work). This is a big first step.

Set a date to discuss the details. Ongoing meetings revolving the show and details will help keep everyone motivated and moving forward.
Planning is important – plan in advance, it’s best to have at least 3 months to plan for the show.

Based on the participants, assign each show participant with a task towards the show. Putting on a professional art show takes time, details and expense. To start we had a entry fee that would cover the cost of putting on the show. We had 2 fee structures; one for those that just wanted to show and another lesser cost for those that wanted to show and would take on one of the tasks towards the cost of the show.

Tasks include:

• Food Planning
• Decorating
• Working with vendors
• General planning
• Planning the space and all that goes along with it
• Marketing: Website, social media, printing of announcements
• And much more

Estimating costs. The costs of show will involve the rental of the gallery space, marketing and printing costs, food at the show, insurance (we needed insurance for the day), tables, tablecloth’s, decorations such as flowers, serving platters, etc…. don’t forget to plan for the smaller things like how hardware to hang the work, lighting, signage at the show and outside of the show.

Promotion – web, social media. For our group we have a website, social media presence and printed postcards for the event.

Theme – We had a group theme. For this show it was “Generations.” Each artist did a piece of work relating to the theme and their interpretations. From the artwork, we printed greeting card packets that we sold at the show. We had 10 different cards that were printed, packaged and sold. The sales of the cards went to our group charity that we selected in advance.

One of our goals was to have an art show that would also raise awareness not only for us as artists, but also a charity that we wanted to support.

Our goal – artists empowering each other and the community.

The space – finding the right gallery space isn’t easy. We wanted a professional gallery space that would rent for 2 days. The day before the show we really needed the time to set up the art displays and get everything in order. For securing the right gallery space and getting it on the calendar plan for at least a couple month or more depending on the popularity of the location. Once you have your preferred space you will have to go through an application process.

The display – we’re artists. Expect that all the displays will be professional, creative and perfect… of course!

Food – Hors d’oeuvres. For any gallery showing you need hors d’oeuvres to go with it. Plan for foods that aren’t messy and easy to serve.

Style: dress and name tags – in our show we had a ‘dress’ policy. Why not?! Wear black and white, have a name tag so that visitors can identify the artists (we all had small name tag canvases that we customized). Be distinguishable as the artists at the event.

Promote! Our promotions were set up through our website, social media, postcards, email marketing and direct invite.

Taking it to the next level – Beyond an art show
We decide to make our art show a fundraiser. We selected a charity to raise awareness for and to raise funds for. As a group we created art card packets that were sold at the show. All proceeds went to our charity.

We also had a raffle and had a variety of sponsors who donated towards the raffle. For their donation, they were listed on all of our signage and marketing. Raffle tickets were sold at the art show and all proceeds went to charity.

After the show
At the shows, we have a sign in sheet for our visitors. Using this sheet we invite the same people back via email marketing.

For our sponsors we make sure to recognize them with handwritten thank-you notes.

During the show, we have many artists who are interested in showing with us next year, we be sure to add them to the list to notify them on the upcoming show and the first meeting.

The post Ready to show? Tips to Put on a Successful Art Gallery Show appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

Dictionary:
Natural aptitude or skill.
“he possesses more talent than any other player”

a few synonyms:
flair, gift, knack, technique, skill, artistry

Wikipedia
“Talent means the skill that someone has quite naturally to do something that is hard. Someone who has talent is able to do something without trying hard. It is an ability that someone is born with. It is a high degree of ability or of aptitudes. Someone who has talent is talented:”

“If someone has talent they still have to work very hard if they want to be very good at something. Some people become quite good at something even if they do not have much talent, but if they are willing to work very hard at the skill. Some people “waste their talent” (they have talent but do not work hard at it, they do not “use their talent”).”

And another:
“Talent is being able to manipulate one’s skills. Almost 85% of art-making is skill-based.”

So is there artistic talent? Is it all skill based? Or does talent transcends the skill?

Artistic talent is vision.

It’s the seeing before it becomes the tangible. It’s intuition expressed visually. And really no amount of practice will tap into the ability to ‘see’. However with artistic talent as the foundation of the skill, the sky is the limit!

Now the Problems

Underestimated. The problem with talent for the artist with vision is this. They underestimate this gift for vision; doesn’t everyone see from the imagination?

Doesn’t everyone see the shapes and faces in objects?

Just like the musician who can ‘hear’ the music before it’s composed, an artist can see the image before it’s made.

Implementation. So many visions, ideas and things to make. This is a problem. When there are so many ideas and no ‘strategy’ for implementation it becomes a hindrance. Nothing gets done.

Talent is enough. For the artist that has embraced their talent they can sometimes get into the mindset that the talent is enough. If they make it, the buyers will come. They make it, it looks awesome, they sit back… and nothing happens. Talent isn’t enough if you don’t know how to market yourself.

They compare. Vision and talent is a singular path. This is what makes your work unique. Popular culture and trends are all based on the same ideas re-purposed. Stay true to your vision and resist comparisons.

They wait. “When I’m inspired or in the mood I’ll make this.” If you’re in a business that is also related to your talent you need self discipline. You can’t wait for the mood to strike. You have to train yourself to produce on demand.

Undervalued. What is it about the art and design field that creates the ongoing struggle of value and worth? It seems as this field grows in history it becomes more undervalued. The Internet helps artists get the word out and provides a presence for artists to show their work and it also creates more competition from those that desperately give their work away. The more professional artists and designers undervalue and give their work and talent away, the more it hurts the entire industry.

How can the problem of talent be solved? Take these statements above and turn them around.

1. Implement your vision
2. Stay awake, sharp and be proactive
3. Stop Comparing
4. Be Self Disciplined
5. Charge your worth. Recognize your unique vision.

What do you think?

The post The Problem with Talent appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.