10 Tips That Every Artist Needs To Hear

Being an artist in a world full of critics can be

extremely difficult. Especially if you're a beginner artist or a person who isn't very confident in their artistic ability. But don't worry. You're not alone. There are many other artists in the world who face similar challenges and experience low points in their creativity. These tips should help any artist get through their low points regardless of what their specific talent is. Whether you're a photographer (like me) or an aspiring tattoo artist, singer, dancer, a fashion designer, etc. It doesn't matter what your art is. You should find this article helpful!

1.) Artists don't compete. We create.

A lot of times, we look on social media, and we come across artist's accounts that have 15.1 Million followers and seem so popular, and inside, it makes us wonder "how can I compare to that?" So much self-doubt comes with being an artist, because there are so many of us. We feel like we have to constantly compete in order to stay relevant. I'm here to tell you, we don't. I personally enjoy collaboration projects and features because it gives us artists the chance to feed off of each other's talent and energy and to fight against the expected norm of us competing for exposure, and down talking each other's work. So if a person wants to collaborate, do it. We have to stick together and build each other up. Everything doesn't have to be a competition. It can be a collaborative effort.

2.) Always support talent, over popularity.

Never overlook the artist that you've never heard of before, or the one whose social media platform isn't the largest. Talent doesn't always equal popularity and popularity doesn't always equal talent. There are so many underrated, as well as overrated artists out here, so the only true way to form an opinion on someone's work is to see it for yourself. Really check a person out. Don't just form an opinion based on what everyone is saying about an artist because you'll possibly either end up disappointed or misinformed.

3.) You will NOT be able to please every person.

I cannot stress this enough. Haters are going to hate. Sometimes, people may criticize your work, just because it's you. On the inside, they might LOVE your work, but they're not fond of you, so they're going to attack a part of you that is fragile, which is your art. Other times, people might really just not be pleased with your work. What can you do? Keep making art, and keep growing. Never let the opinions of other people discourage you to make you stop doing what you love to do. Never give up and never fold.

4.) There's beauty in the struggle.

Believe this phrase. As an artist, you're going to experience some bumps in the road. You're going to have days where you feel like giving up. You're going to have sleepless nights, where you're up until 3 AM or 4 AM, perfecting your already perfect masterpiece. You're going to deal with people who may not have good intentions. As an artist you have to be prepared to face different kinds of struggles, but understand that, in the end, it will all be worth it. In the end, you will have something to be proud of. In the end, you will have something to call yours, which a lot of people don't have. In the end, you're going to feel so good about what you've just created, that all of the tears, sleepless nights, and whatever else you may have faced, will not matter.

5.) Don't undercut or underestimate yourself.

This is something that I've struggled with myself. And to this day, it's still a challenge. You must know your value. Know that you're an amazing artist and your rates and prices should match accordingly. Don't let anyone tell you that you're too expensive and your skills aren't good enough to charge a certain price. Because a lot of times, people fail to realize that some artists ONLY depend on the money that they make from their art. People don't understand that some people actually do draw for a living or take pictures for a living, so they'll try to undercut you, and get a discounted price, but you, as an artist, have to be fair to yourself.

6.) If you keep thinking about an idea, just go ahead and do it.

Please, just do it! A lot of times, the only thing that holds an artist back from pursuing an idea or a project is their own self-doubt. For example, when I started out in photography, I always wanted to start my own website/blog, do travel journals, and make connections with other photographers and artists. However, I was always so scared to showcase my talent and put myself out there. Literally, the only thing that kept me from doing this sooner, is me. Please don't be like me. Be better than that. Reach out to that girl you've been dying to do a collaboration with, or that guy who you know would make an awesome model for a photography project you're thinking of. The ONLY thing that can hold you back is you.

7.) Don't allow other people to forecast their fears onto you.

People love to tell the next person why they can't or shouldn't do something. They love to highlight all of the bad things that could potentially happen. The only reason people do this is because they're scared to follow their own dreams. But don't ever let them talk you out of following yours. Don't let people tell you what yo and cannot do. Listen to advice that people may offer. But don't let that advice discourage you from taking a chance that may change your life forever.

8.) Find out what inspires you and keep it close.

As an artist, inspiration is one of the key elements to producing good results. So many different things in the world can inspire us, so sometimes finding the right thing that keeps you going, can be hard. However, it can be the silliest thing that sparks our creativity. For me, beautiful sunsets inspire me. I love those images with reddish and orangish skies that reflect off of the water, so when I travel to different places, or I'm scrolling on Instagram and see this, it always makes me feel good on the inside and pushes me to start thinking about projects I could potentially do around this scenery.

9.) Remain consistent and active within your art

I get it. We get lazy, we become busy with other areas of our lives. However, it is important to remain consistent and active within your artistic field. Network daily, practice your art on a regular basis, and just keep your skills tight. Don't ever get too distracted to the point where your focus has completely shifted away from your talent. Your art should be a part of who you are and should remain constant in your life.

10.) HAVE FUN!!!

This one basically speaks for itself, but understand that while business does need to be taken care of when you're trying to run any establishment, you still need to love what you do. You still need to have fun with your art. When you can turn your passion into your career and still manage to love it as much as you did when you first started, then you have truly won in life. Consider yourself lucky.