Life as an artist is not an easy one. There are countless stories – both in popular culture and everyday life – of struggling artists who have to scrape a living doing odd jobs to pay the bills and keep their dreams alive, but how true are they?
Well, in many cases, this is simply the reality, given that art is an incredibly ‘hit or miss’ industry which is awash with more failures than it is success stories.
However, this does not mean that you should shelve your dreams of artistic stardom or change career paths before you have even started.
In fact, the current age offers as many chances for a lucrative artistic career as at any point in history, thanks to the rise of social media and NFTs, which empower rising artists to cultivate their own audiences and take control over exhibit sales.
This is what you need to know about whether becoming an artist is a viable career choice:
You may have to adapt your skills to source a consistent income
There is no point beating around the bush – pursuing a career as an artist is difficult. It is highly unlikely that you will enjoy a linear career progression, due to the steep odds of success as a standalone artist.
Despite this, you can potentially turn your hand to several different occupations that can pay the bills while you hone your art.
For example, you could train as a tattoo artist – which will give you a creative outlet and allow you to improve your drawing skills – while standing more than a fighting chance of earning a good living.
If you do decide to branch out as a tattoo artist, then you will need to buy your own equipment – such as tattoo needles, machines and ink. Remember to budget for this if you are seriously considering tattoo artistry as a temporary career move.
Social media can increase your customer base quickly
In the pre-social media age, it was incredibly difficult to raise your professional profile as an artist. Unless you exhibited in local galleries, guest-starred on a TV chat show or were picked up by the press, your chances of building momentum were slim.
Thankfully, it is now possible to quickly cultivate a responsive audience of potential buyers thanks to the power of social media. While it is far from easy to build a strong audience on social channels, these platforms give you the perfect opportunity to showcase your talents.
Learn more about innovative ways to sell your art
If social media has transformed an artist’s ability to create a recognisable public profile, then the way that art is viewed, bought and owned is on the verge of a breakthrough, too.
The mind-bending world of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) opens the door to a new age of digital art. It is now possible to break ownership down into fragments, meaning fans of your art can essentially own a ‘share’ of your best piece.
This is already transforming the market and allows any artist to take full control over their art.
Not only this, but artists can form online communities which can take an active role in creating the art itself. This makes it possible for smaller artists to grow reliable income streams from die-hard fans.
