10 skills you need to become a better artist - here they are -ready for you to put them into action! As an artist you are constantly balancing producing art and running a business. There are a lot of skills you need to be a successful artist. Here are my list of 10 skills to become a better artist below!

Skill #1 Confidence

It is easy to think that everything has been done before, that you will never “make it” as an artist and that you are just wasting your time and money. You might even feel like you are not qualified enough or that you shouldn’t even apply to an exhibition because you probably won’t get in. It’s important to have confidence and faith in your artwork and in yourself as an artist. If you aren’t confident you will not want to put your art out there. You will not want to share it and you won’t receive art opportunities or money for your art.

Skill# 2 Time Management

You need to be able to balance your time with making art and completing admin tasks like updating your website and social media, answering emails, updating photos, buying supplies, applying to artist calls and more. If you aren’t making art then you are not enjoying the reason why you wanted to become an artist in the first place. It is also hard to grow as an artist if you aren’t making any new work!

Skill #3 Patience

I don’t think it’s possible to wake up one morning and all of a sudden you’re a famous artist and making money without having to do anything. It takes time and it takes work to happen! Artists face a lot of rejections and disappointments in the art world. Just remember that your time will come!

10 Skills You Need to Become a Better Artist - pin this image to save it for later!

Skill #4 Consistency

In order to be good at anything it takes consistency. Consistent applications, social media posts, art making, etc. If you aren’t putting in the time and the consistent effort it will take longer to become a successful artist!

Skill# 5 Ongoing Learning

I am a teacher and I love learning. You can learn through YouTube (check out my painting channel), through books, courses and more. Brush up on learning new art techniques or business strategies to make your art business more successful!

Skill# 6 Risk Taking

You have to be able to fail and to learn from it. Try new materials, take a chance and step outside of your comfort zone. If you always do the same thing you can become stuck or bored and that’s not good either.

Skill #7 Writing and Communication

You have to be able to talk and write about your art. When you apply for grants or exhibitions often you need to write about your art clearly and concisely. When talking to people it could always lead into a networking opportunity further down the line. It’s important to know what to say when speaking about your art and share it proudly.

Skill #8 Money Mindset

This relates to confidence but if you have issues with money it will be hard to make money as an artist. If you believe in the starving artist narrative then good luck trying to make consistent sales with your art! You need to start believing that you can make money with your art and that you can make as much as you want!

Stack of books to have ongoing learning as an artist to improve your skills as an artist

Skill #9 Creativity

You need creative ideas to be able to make something exciting and something that stands out. In the world of social media going viral can help your art. But if you are making art that looks like everyone else’s you won’t stand out. Be creative and do something different that is unique to you!

Skill #10 Marketing and Business Strategy

In order to make sales you need to share what you are doing. You need to have a plan if you are launching a new piece of art or an art collection. You can’t just post about it once. It’s good to learn more about marketing and business if you are new to it!

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I hope you found these skills to be helpful! Connect with me on social media for more great tips!

Quit feeling like a starving artist today by working on your artist mindset. Mindset work is an ongoing process but I want to help you quit feeling like a starving artist because I know it doesn’t feel good and it sucks to feel that way! Quitting to feel like a starving artist when you have been feeling that way for a long time is a very difficult task and it won’t be a quick and easy fix! Just remember we all start from somewhere. This idea that a contemporary artist can’t support themselves through their art is frustrating and this “starving artist” story has been around for A LONG TIME! But let’s get rid of it for once and for all! Okay?…

Quit saving your money in a piggy bank like this and stop feeling like a starving artist

I’m sure you’ve heard this before…

“You can’t make money doing something you love”
“You will never make it as an artist”
“You can’t make money as an artist”
“Why don’t you get a real job?”
“Only dead artists make money!”

Are you done feeling small? Hiding your art? Feeling like a failure?

The starving artist is a narrative that is drilled into our brains.

Enough is enough!

The number one trick to being a successful artist is working on your mindset. I believe this is true with any entrepreneur - you need to have a positive and healthy mindset. This is ongoing work that takes time and involves you to change how you think about things, how you see things and who you choose to listen to.

So how do you work on your mindset to stop feeling like a starving artist? Read my 10 steps to quit feeling like a starving artist below!

Quit Feeling Like a Starving Artist - by following these tips!

Step 1:

You need to start thinking and feeling positive and successful in order to start believing. If you feel negative, like a failure, constantly thinking about how you don’t have art sales or exhibitions then that is the kind of energy you will attract. If you think negative, you feel negative and you believe those negative thoughts to be true and that this is your reality. Thinking negatively becomes harder to change. So when you start thinking or feeling negatively about your art or your ability as an artist it is important to change those thoughts/feelings immediately.

Step 2:

Be grateful. When you are talented and creative it is easy to take those abilities for granted. It is important to be grateful for your art talents, your business, your artwork and really remember why you became an artist in the first place. When you are passionate and excited you will keep at it and you will encounter your success.

10 steps to quit feeling like a starving artist. Click the image to pin it.

Step 3:

Stick with it. It’s so easy to give up and say why bother? And I think that’s the difference between a successful artist and non-successful artist. As an artist you face a lot of rejection and a lot of criticism. It’s easy and normal to feel defeated. But your perseverance is what will pull you through!

Step 4:

Consistency is key! Being a successful artist is about showing up consistently. Post consistently to social media like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. Share photos of your art- finished pieces, detail shots and work in progress. Start an email list and share an email to your members every week or every other! Create consistent routines for you like posting to social media every other day, one blog post a week, one email to your list every other week and then stick to those routines. When you follow a schedule for posting content you are seen as reliable and people can count on you when they have a question or will come when they are ready to buy. They will look forward to hearing from you when you establish a consistent schedule!

desktop with office supplies to plan how to stop feeling like a starving artist

Step 5:

Invest in yourself. As an artist you will need certain supplies. You need to invest in yourself and treat your art as a business in order to be successful. It’ s good to have a website where people can view your art and purchase it. You will need good clear photos of your work. Whether you have a camera and a tripod or you hire a photographer- great quality images are a must! You also probably need programs like Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop to edit and resize your images. You will need to spend money on art supplies, and materials you need for your practice. If you make videos for example you may need to invest in a better computer. Keep your receipts and speak to your accountant at the beginning of the year if you have any questions!

Step 6:

Reminders, affirmations and lists of achievements. Part of thinking positively and feeling positively is being reminded of what is possible. It’s helpful to post sticky notes with positive affirmations like, “ I am a successful artist” or “People love my work and are happy to pay for it.” These affirmations serve as visual reminders that can help build your confidence which will make it easier for you to feel and believe. When you feel confident it is easier for you to put yourself out there- to apply to exhibitions or to share your art and ask for a sale.

Step 7:

Know your worth. As an artist we are often promised exposure instead of money. While exposure is important you need to know when to say no. If you sell art on your website you need to consider your skills and expertise on the decisions you make for pricing your art. You can read more tips about pricing your art here!

Step 8:

Know what makes you different. It can seem like there is a sea of artists. But it’s important to stay in your own lane. Focus on what makes you different or unique. Don’t copy someone’s art because it’s popular. Create and find your own style. Make art about what feels right to you. This is difficult and it will take time.

Office supplies and goals sheet to plan how to stop feeling like a starving artist.

Step 9:

Practice and experiment. See your art practice as a journey. You won’t get overnight success. You need to practice and give yourself permission to experiment and test to see what works. You are allowed to change and grow. Remember that.

Step 10:

Get support and ask for help. Being an artist requires you to be many things like a writer, photographer, public speaker, marketer, social media expert, copywriter and more! Don’t expect to be perfect at everything and ask for help with someone with more expertise. Maybe you need to do research, read a book or invest in an online course. It’s also important to get support from friends and family. Ask people to like and comment on your posts. Invite people to look at your website. You don’t know what will happen if you never ask or put yourself out there.

Too often as artists we are trapped in our heads or are constantly comparing ourselves to other artists. It’s important to follow these steps to help change your mindset from being a starving artist to a thriving artist! Sometimes it helps just to start making art or to keep making art consistently. If you have been feeling uninspired lately - click here to read some tips that will help!

Jar of coins. Stop saving pennies and become a thriving artist