The Five Steps to Becoming an Artist
'There will never be the ‘perfect’ moment to start'
- Leigh Suzie Art -
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Get a space.
Find a space solely dedicated to your craft. It should be a place that you can put down your work and go right back to it without barriers such as it being put away or moved.
Your space could be a desk in the corner or an entire studio. Put boundaries around the space.
Start telling your housemates or family that the Harry Potter cupboard under the stairs is now your ‘studio’ (and it is not to be used as storage). They will start calling it that too.
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Find your style
Can’t find your style?
Look through your old visual art sketchbooks from high school … there will be clues.
Take classes, attend workshops or watch YouTube tutorials.
The more you try the better.
I attended a workshop where we used a palette knifes to paint … that was the first and last time I used a palette knife. It wasn't for me but I still gained knowledge.
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Experiment with your medium with the goal of having fun.
Try everything until you find your 'fun' medium or mediums.
Yes, even if it is palette knife painting.
Hyper realistic art might impress people on Tik Tok and get you a lot of views on Insta, but you might find it tedious. If you find something tedious you will likely give up.
Paint or draw with a medium and subject that you enjoy … you are going to be doing this for a long time.
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Get good at what you do … AKA practice.
You are not expected to be Van Gough, nor should you be. Van Gough was not even Van Gough when he first started.
Whatever your style –graffiti, stencils, naïve drawings or fingerpainting … Embrace it, Practice it and Amplify it.
It doesn’t matter what you create. Aim to have a style that people will recognise straight away … Oh that’s (Leigh Suzie or Banksy etc).
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Show off
Find somewhere to display your work. There are so many avenues for this. There are local and national art shows, competitions, galleries, homewares stores or art markets. You may want to become a famous artist or just create artwork for above your bed or art for a kid's room.
Get onto socials – I recommend Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok. You can use Etsy to sell your artwork.
Remember - becoming an artist is not a sprint, it is a process. If you enjoy the journey, you are already successful - Leigh Suzie Art
'Courage is starting despite the fear of imperfection.
Experience is knowing perfection was never the goal'- Leigh Suzie Art -