The world of independent art has modified. It used to be extremely difficult for independent artists to find venues to showcase their work, and paths to real profits were limited. You might reach buyers through galleries, and perhaps tackle a contract with an agency, but if you happen to had no contacts within the art world, that was all.
The web has modified all the things for the independent artist. Now you possibly can promote your work on social media totally free, run your personal online gallery, create from anywhere on this planet and use third-party platforms to sell to a wide and willing audience.
Because the world transitions to a more distant work-friendly model, increasingly more persons are leaving traditional jobs to pursue their passions and earn money on their very own terms. As an independent artist, you could have the identical opportunities. It can take courage and a lot of labor, but with online venues, becoming a successful independent artist is more accessible than ever before.
Who’s an independent artist and what does he do?
By definition, an independent artist is someone who creates art for clients in exchange for money. A contract artist doesn’t work for a larger organization – he’s self-employed, which suggests he can tackle projects that interest him, set his own hours, and lift wages as he sees fit.
Sounds pretty good, right?
It is great, but it’s essential to enter the freelance industry along with your eyes wide open. Just as an independent artist is in a position to make his own decisions about when, how and with whom he works, he’s answerable for every aspect of his business. Which means marketing, accounting, personnel, project management, and more.
All of that is manageable with the proper tools and the proper mindset.
4 steps to becoming an independent artist
Becoming an independent artist doesn’t occur overnight. Listed here are some steps you must take to start your latest profession path.
1. Perfect your skills
The world of independent art is competitive. There are tens of 1000’s of artists in every possible area of interest, and a few of the jobs you apply for will tackle seasoned professionals. This implies you have to have the talent to back up your claims as an independent artist. Take classes, connect with mentors, and tackle every project possible to really hone your craft.
2. Construct a portfolio
No person hires an independent artist without first seeing samples of his work and elegance. Your portfolio should be digitized in order that it is straightforward to find online, it should feature your best work, and it should be targeted to the precise industry you wish to work in. While student projects can be a great place to begin, it’s all the time higher to have a few published articles to your credit.
To attain this, contact local businesses and offer a one-time project without charge, ask non-profit organizations if you happen to can volunteer, or work for family and friends to establish yourself as a skilled. Every great point you create in your portfolio is an investment in you and your online business.
UPDATE: Our latest favorite freelancing tool, Hectic, is now completely out SLOW for limited time. 🎉 Offers, CRM, invoicing, calendar, customer portal and way more. Join for FREE, no catches or hidden fees.
3. Do it legally
Remember what I said about managing every a part of your online business? An independent artist cannot just create art, he must be an entrepreneur. To start, you would like to consider the legal and business details. It is sensible to meet with an accountant or bookkeeping service and seek advice on how to properly register as a business.
This shouldn’t be all the time required and relies on the state you reside in, but most freelancers file as an LLC or small corporation. It’s best to also consider establishing a separate checking account and line of credit specific to your online business. Separating your personal and business funds reduces liability, helps you track expenses, and if you’re ready to turn out to be more, it greatly simplifies scaling.
4. Pass the word
While there are various ways to get a job as a freelance artist (we’ll cover them in a moment), the quickest route to paid commissions or services is often inside your personal network. Post in your social media channels, chat with family and friends, and be happy to call any contact in your industry.
In the present working climate, many firms are on the lookout for freelancers to fill their needs, so likelihood is someone you realize will find you a job that matches your talent.
Where to find jobs for freelance artists
As an independent artist, you would like clients. One of the simplest ways to start is to contact your personal network, but how do you discover more, higher and better paying jobs? Listed here are just a few ways to find work as a freelance artist.
Job Ads
Identical to in every other industry, jobs for an independent artist appear on various online marketplaces. Upwork is a popular site for freelancers, and there are others like Fiverr, SolidGigs, and gurus.
Don’t dismiss more traditional job sites like Indeed, SimplyHired, and even LinkedIn. While most of those posts may be more business oriented, posts from independent artists are all the time advertised as well.
Roach
When you get your first client, the toughest part is over. Really.
Do an incredible job for this client then ask for online reviews and suggestions. Some independent artists even offer discounts to existing clients for attracting latest ones.
Word of mouth remains to be essentially the most powerful form of promoting.
Online Marketplaces.
When you don’t desire to work for corporate clients, you may as well sell your work on a third-party platform. Etsy is clearly a giant on this category, but Artsy, ArtSpace, Saatchi Art, Artfinder, Graffiti Street, U Gallery, and others are also great ways to distribute your creations.
Just don’t neglect the business side of things. It is common for an independent artist to post work on these platforms but get frustrated when sales are nil. The issue shouldn’t be necessarily the graphics or the platform. The issue is that with these online galleries you might be your personal agent and folks forget that. You wish to spread the word, post on other channels, collaborate with other artists, and do whatever you possibly can to drive traffic back to your gallery.
4 Suggestions to Succeed as an Independent Artist
It’s widely believed that the majority artists fail. While it’s true that making a living as an artist is commonly harder than other industries, the concept it cannot be done or that it’s so rare you mustn’t even try is outdated considering.
To present yourself the perfect probability, listed here are some tips about how to stand out as an independent artist.
1. Find everlasting employment
It’s tempting to dive into the world of art and leave all the things else behind. In some cases, fully committing to your online business is the perfect strategy, but when you could have mouths to feed and rent to pay, it may make sense to keep your day job and work as a freelance artist on the side. Many artists find a lot of achievement in side gigs.
2. Create passive income channels
Selling artwork online is an art form in itself, but when done right, it can be the important thing to achieving that elusive success as an independent artist. When you can start selling when you sleep, you’ll need more time to create latest projects and find clients without worrying about where the cash comes from.
You possibly can achieve this by creating online courses, selling T-shirt designs, creating stock images, etc. Search for every opportunity to turn your artwork into passive income.
3. Set goals
In any profession path, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut and lose productivity. To avoid this, set yourself each day, weekly, monthly and yearly goals and follow them. It will probably be helpful to have a mentor or coach to whom you might be accountable.
Be certain your goals are specific, achievable, and can lead you within the direction you wish to go. Smart goals provide help to create more and higher art, and that all the time leads to more success.
4. Don’t compare
While having something to aspire to is significant as an independent artist, if you happen to get caught comparing your path and work to another person’s, you are likely to fail. Your journey is exclusive. Your style is exclusive. Your goals are unique. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, give attention to yourself and the things you possibly can do to move forward.
Start your independent art profession today
Opportunities for an independent artist are growing, not shrinking. When you are captivated with your art, you possibly can be an independent artist. It is so easy.
Biggest obstacle to success? It’s fear.
There are such a lot of individuals who want to be independent artists, but as an alternative of making amazing things, showing them to the world and reclaiming amazing things, they sit around terrified and keep their work to themselves.
With online platforms, social media channels, and an countless demand for content, it’s time to turn out to be an independent artist.
All you would like to do is start.
Keep the conversation going…
Over 10,000 of us are chatting each day in our free Facebook group and we would love to see you there. Join us!