I think in this day & age, too many people get caught up in creating “content” instead of creating “art” and making money from it. Utilize social media but don’t lose sight in what it is you’re wanting to actually do.
You maybe right however some artist are fully depend on RUclips for paying their bills. Not everyone has lots of savings to feed themselves even without needing to create contents. Tbh there's no right or wrong way to do certain things until and unless an artist is not exploiting others!
@@makizenin1840 totally get what you're saying and you're right. I understand and respect the artists who rely on RUclips and TikTok even but I was speaking of artists who get swept up into that without it being their goal. Artists who want to make art and have clients but without planning, think that they have to follow a social media formula of creating content and then lose sight of creating art and the ways of making money in a way that isn't tied to social media or digital platforms
@@EBrown-cr1gr I totally understand your Point of view and I'm even agreed with it however in today's world, social media has actually became quite important for any person who's planning to start a business whether it's an artist who wanna take commissions, sell their artworks through Instagram, tik tok OR a content creator on RUclips, Instagram who wants to be both famous and make money from the contents they produce! Soical Media is just a tool for us to get what we want. If an artist truly wants to make lots of money from their art then they gotta work on building a community on Instagram, youtube or whatever platform that suits them in order to take commissions, sell their artworks and can even launch their art courses on skillshare and social media can really help to bring that audience to various other platforms!! I mean it's much better and fulfilled to earn money from a Job that you love Rather than a Job where you are suffering everyday! But again I totally understand that social media isn't for everyone and it can be very exhausting to produce art contents all the time which eventually leads to burnout. In this case I would rather get a good paying full-time job and make art just as a hobby!
I definitely did that for a while but it can be nice. Pumping out easy little paintings that people you know can afford can make a profit. Timing yourself and charging by the time and making "cheap" art that you only spend an hour on is nice. Making art for that takes a long time is only lucrative every once and a while.
It’s true, but it’s a shame that nowadays (because of so much competition in the internet), so many people (especially companies) count your social media followers before they even look at your art…if you want a career in art that is. But of course, yes, your love of art and finding your creative style should be your priority. 🤍🤍
I feel a bit sad watching this, it's an awesome breakdown and really helpful. Sometimes I wonder about progress, I'm nearing retirement having spent 35 years as a pro photographer working with clients like Roll Royce, British Airways, Lexus, Range Rover etc. I reconnected with the guy who gave me my first job, I asked him why, because honestly, if he hadn't perhaps I'd still be an engineer. His answer, ' I kinda liked you and thought we'd have a fun shoot' - that simple. It just feels really tough to be an artist / photographer now. Boy .. you need to think of everything. I hope it all works out for the folk watching, because it's a wonderful way of earning a living. PS Your No4 advice is first rate .. really good advice.
Was the first job a freelance job / client or was it your first employer as a full time direct employee? In any event thanks for sharing in your original comment.
@@LilyGazou This, this is exactly it. It's a really strange feeling to look at your life's work as commercial photographer and be completely ok to 'delete' the lot. Especially after caring so much about it, valuing what you were doing, being professional. The only work I care about or recognize as having any worth is the handful of 'personal' projects I did. If I had my time again I'd be an artist in the old fashioned sense of the word.
@@punkisinthedetails1470 I always worked as a freelance, self employed. I was lucky, I got a bunch of agents, in London, LA, NYC etc .. but let's not get into those guys .. that's a whole new can of worms ; )
@@johnhigginson5079 agreed. So many photographers I work with are burned out. They don’t even take cameras on vacation or think of using them on a weekend for fun.
This is one of the channels that gave me the courage to start my RUclips channel 6 months ago about self development. Now I have 345 subs and > 100 hours of watch time. I know it’s not comparable with others but I’m still proud I started because I’ve been learning so many lessons that I couldn’t have learned without getting started in the 1st place.
Has someone who started out with a dream and basically put it on hold for the better part of 20 years only to come back now in my 50s to try and restart what I wanted to do originally, I think it's never too late. I will agree that the market is definitely all kinds of different now than it was when I graduated art school but sometimes you just have to do the work and the rest will come
So many of us went to art school, and life got in the way. Cezanne, my favorite, only got going in his 50s when he had an inheritance. Go for it, all the best!
Yep, I always wanted to be a comic book artist. I´m starting profissionally now at 50 years old, and things are going well. It´s really never too late.
Was just talking to a friend about this yesterday! We are both artists and struggling to keep up with the seemingly essential and demanding work of social media upkeep. Your insights provided some reassurance for the steps I've been consider taking, thanks a bunch!
I just made a $4500 sale yesterday. I do not post on social media. In 2022 I made $45k. Social media when I used it 8hrz a day made me exactly zero dollars. Do the math.
Thank you for countering the "starving artist" stereotype. It's a cruel stereotype that probably caught on because selfish people don't think artists work very hard and they want it for free or very little money. It's getting better, but this is still strong.
@@patriarchyenjoyer69 both create art. Both are careers. Many art pieces sell for millions of dollars but why do you never hear of artist having that same level of success as musicians?
@@jdos5643 Because musicians are performance artists. They sell shows and a social experience. Also, music is an easier taste to acquire for most people as opposed to art. Everyone appreciates music, but not everyone finds value in a painting, even if they should.
It's a little scary how this video showed up in my list to watch. I've been struggling with staying at a job. I've been telling myself, the reason why is because I'm no longer creative. I'm not doing the things I love AND am skilled at. So as I've spent the last few days battling my decision, your video came up. Everything was very helpful for me to hear right now. Thank you.
Yes, the starving artist trope needs to die. Artists need to be more savvy about wearing both hats-I do art and I sell my work-social media is part of my networking system. Success to me means doing my art full time and being able to pay my bills and eat-I used social media to launch my career, and still keep a light foot in it- I enjoyed your video. Subscribing.
The art world is classist enough without killing off that trope. De-glorifying it, absolutely. Showing what it’s actually like to maybe bounce between financial successes and the realities of the trope? Yeah. Getting rid of it would just be sweeping it under the rug that there’s way more factors involved with being a poor artist than just “not understanding commerce.”
@@Dizzydollie7 exactly. if your work is inherently not the type of work that social media platforms like to showcase, if you don't have access to the resources that allow you to promote your works consistently, your options are to keep doing your best and maybe never become successful, or pull back and have a day job and do the art you want to make, on the side. these are both outside the "starving artist loser vs successful money-maker artist" binary.
This came at the perfect time. I quit my corporate marketing job not long ago to pursue freelance copy writing full-time. I was only able to do this thanks to a good amount of savings and some low costs of living at the moment. A few weeks in, I've been relying only on Upwork with the hope that I could get some consistent work there before branching out to other streams. But that's clearly shaping up to not be the best approach. Competition is high, so this video reaffirmed that I need to start seeking revenue elsewhere and now, not later. My long-term dream is to maintain my copywriting work but also incorporate revenue from other creative mediums, including photography. Still going to build a social media presence, but it's a good reminder that it's not the single most important thing to do when starting a full time creative business.
ah, i remember you sharing some of your journey in previous comments! glad to hear it's at least working out. Upwork can be a very hard slog, but yes, like you're mentioning, branching out and having multiple streams running concurrently is the best strat. then eventually you can modulate your levels of effort with each one! continue to hustle hard! all the best and good luck :)
@@patkay it's very cool that you not only interact with your audience, but also remember their stories enough. Shows that you are genuinely interested in helping out your community. Earned much respect today, thanks for all that you do. Good luck!
I loved the long form video. There are no shortcuts to what I want to build, learned that the hard way. “Complete control of your platform” is what resonated with me the most, social media is a tool, clicks n likes won’t pay your bills. Thanks again.
What you’ve explained so well in thorough detail is essentially what I’ve just begun to learn myself, albeit through hitting a lot of dead ends for the last 7 years, that social media following does not equal=$. Monetizing your skills and connecting with patrons does. Thank you 🙏🏻
I'm a photographer for 9 years or more. Started to get more income only in 2020...2020 was a superb year. 2021 2022, two years with only budget refusals. Compannies and clients love my work, they discover my work but prefer professional photographers with name in the market. ITs such a struggle you cant imagine. They want the best for the cheapest price.
Great run down, thank you. After painting and drawing for years, I'm just getting started marketing myself and my art. I've run my own business for decades so I understand the business side of things and it's confidence building to realize that many artists lack that and thus the "starving artist". I have made a clear plan for myself starting with a website (thank you, squarespace) and building an email list. I also have ideas to market locally. I'm going to come back and watch this whenever I feel frustrated! Thank you for some great, usable content!
Another great spot on video. These no nonsense videos are EXACTLY what new photographers need. Thank you for continuing to share your light and knowledge with the world Pat. Your influence has and will continue to change lives for the better.
you are actually one of the first persons, that I've listened to, that doesn't spit poison all over us, for the desire to make a living off of or artistic talent...thank you!!..
I have been painting for 10 years and just a couple of months ago my skills in art really got elevated. I've reached a level where I feel confident to another level about sharing my art. It really hit me why and what I am supposed to do to make it as an artist. For me it's all about breaking down the process. Idea - 100s of iPad and sketchbook drawings - canvas choice - canvas prep - painting - painting Finnish - pictures - videos - upload to ig, Tumblr, Pinterest, twitter, Facebook and RUclips - Targeted paid marketing
As a cartoonist, much of what you say is applicable. Taking complete responsibility for one's career sounds good. Publishing however is a team effort. I would focus on the quality of my work, and let someone else deal with marketing. I do know however you were talking about photography, for the most part.
Up until I watched this video, I'd been dependent on social media to do well as a full-time artist. I'm an abstract artist and also a graphic designer (my main source of income is from my graphic design services that I provide for clients and that isn't bad...it could be better but I enjoy painting more and I want to turn that into my full-time) I started to go into art business but my initial thought was to grow my social media following and hopefully that'll translate into sales. That has been almost impossible! I've not made any sales at all and Instagram isn't helping. Just last month, I decided to focus on RUclips instead but I still felt that there had to be a better way to do my art business without the necessary large following on social media. It has been a giant headache for me so this video is everything I need. Thank you for taking the time to record it. I am eager to apply some of these tips you've shared. I can't wait to turn things around.
The timing of this video is just dead on. I actually made the mistake of entering too soon with subpar work few years back. Currently have reached the average work quality that the market has thankfully 😅. It was definitely hard. These guides for the next steps is a huge help for me to improve. Thanks a lot!
honestly, i've seen so many people jump in too early and get extremely demoralised in the process, causing them to completely disengage from the hobby altogether instead of pushing in the right places. life lessons that i hope more people learn about!
This and the video you did a year ago are great for many reasons but one basic: you make clear how REALLY DOABLE this journey is IF you have become really good at something. Very inspiring, thank you!
Amazing video! I love your approach to lifestyle design and making your passion a business. The statement that a social media following is not necessary to go full-time and the share of ad revenue vs. revenue generated from your following really helped. That took a lot of pressure of my shoulders because I was wondering if anybody would buy my product without a following.
I am a landscape artist and it helped me to hear the 3 things that are important-mostly I feel galvanized now to treat my art as a vehicle for income! I was relieved to hear that this can b done without social media but I will use it as one of my platforms to show my work! Ty
0:48 Building an audience 3:30 4:00 6:00 Step 2 7:16 portfolio don’t put all eggs in one basket 9:22 added skills. Might be where MMA helps 9:49 diff hats 10:11-10:58 11:26
Well done Pat. This is such a serious consideration for creatives. Know your customer, your niche, market, what ever it is. Be brave; be bold; be confident. This can be quite a challenge for those creatives who are introverts; as many are. Whatever you create, in my opinion, be true to yourself. If it is important to you; do it. There is no better time than now.
What impacted me the most in your commentary, is the permission to not do social media and still be a productive creative. As a baby senior citizen who is retired from creating hair art, I am returning to my roots (punny ha!) of painterly paintings…been gathering supplies and working on pieces daily, and now have enrolled in a course to reach excellence. But that’s not enough. Got to market as well and is how I found you :) Well, didn’t you use social media in hair, you ask? Heck no! No time! Busy busting butt behind the chair and I couldn’t work any harder than I already was, plus my life was on display enough as it was. Word of mouth was my ticket then and I will follow your advice on marketing my art on platforms that are about the product, rather than me. Whew! So relieved about that! Thank you!
You're a super orator Pat, you keep the audiences attention throughout and explain things extremely well. You're a very good teacher and thank you for this episode.
Hi Pat, Your video is so brilliantly crafted. The information and the simplicity with which you have made this video, gave me exactly what I was looking for. The intro starts with "The best artists are the ones who can successfully blend art and commerce together." You really have touched the heart of the topic and connected all the points that is required to move into that direction. Thank you for putting this video out, pure value :)
I'm currently at the end of step 1 (I guess 😆) and this video will help me a lot. I work full time as an archivist but I've just finished my photography course. I'm getting some clients now and then, usually for portfolio, but some are starting to ask about pricing. I believe until the next year I'll have to get a website up (step 2). Super fan of your work and your channel, Pat! ❤️ From Brazil
Even if it is just for your portfolio you shouldn't ever work for free. Charge them something, even if it is just a few bucks an hour. People need to realize even if it isn't much, your time is worth something.
« The best artists » don’t equal to successful artists ! A lot of successful artists are selling crap just because they have a strong marketing presence and strategy.
6:17 I dont agree. Failing is so important. I think it’s vital that people watch these sort of videos with the intention of drawing tips and inspiration rather than reading it like an instruction manual. Please always remind yourself that any and everyone who’s ever made a “how to” video, first learned ~how to~ on their own without ever having one. They failed more than once to perfect their craft and there is no way around that part of life, if success is what you want. Do what you feel comfortable doing, fail; then, do what you feel uncomfortable doing. There are no shortcuts.
Finally got myself some time to watch this video in full. I am currently transitioning from being a salaried tech worker (which I'm not at the moment) to a full-time creative entrepreneur because, well, for me approaching 50 there are not many choices left, my actual career degree is on creative arts and illustration, and it pays to be wise about your actions and decisions. I ended up agreeing with most of what you were saying. It's all (okay, mostly) about you projecting enough value for others to part with their money in exchange for what you offer - and little else, honestly. I haven't gone yet full time into gung-ho marketing as I have been able to and rather decided to afford myself some time to build things to offer, but come next year I will need to meet the pedal to the metal and want to be as prepared as I possibly can. Many many thanks for sharing this.
I feel like the starving artist trope is more of a condition put upon artists by a society that doesn’t value their work or the arts, in general. A lot of the greats weren’t financially successful in their lifetimes, not that that should be glamorized.. it’s just a redundant factoid professors and teachers bring up but I find never delve into why that’s so. Some great tips tho, thank you for your perspective
Very good and useful advice, Pat, thanks! I would add a little tip for free lancers: Are the jobs you are taking putting your skills to use/practice? Sometimes, you get clients that want to cut corners by purchasing libraries of assets - turning you into a drag-and-drop machine. Easy job, but at the expense of your evolution - not a good trade-off.
Strife to become decent in many fields and grow your knowledge in workflow pipelines rather than being a one trick pony that has no clue how anything works in a production. Being decent with a wide range of knowledge is good enough, if you can take a step back and accept harsh feedback and instructions, you did it. That's the sweet spot where you can grow and be respected in a team field of artists. Really great content!
It all is valuable info. That’s keepin’ it real. Very practical, straight-up and realistic. Thank you. What helped is the confirmation I’m on the right track but too far yet from getting to my goal of a sustainable income. Plus another reminder that in this independent artist path, income fluctuates and to accept and embrace that reality. It’s just different but still feasible lifestyle as opposed to my prior corporate IT career which had start money but made me dead inside. I think the trade off is well worth it. Best to you 🙏
Great video as always. Comes at a great time. A lot of us.. myself very much included.. believe that we need social media to become successful. As a result we put all our energy into this. It feels like a ful time job on top of my full time job. Constatly chasing the alogrithm and having the goal posts moved along the way. Which in turn pulls us away from what we want to be doing anyway. Ive come to realise that if I had put all my effort into other avenues I'd probably be way ahead of where I am right now (which is nowhere lol). But making work for instagram is demorlising at times. Can spend ages making a reel and no one even sees it.
and then even if they do see it and you go viral, you get a few followers, then what? when it comes down to it, the answer most people will have will come down to some kind of avenue of "i'll make money from my following", but why not skip straight to the end anyway without all the bs? 😂 hope the video helped!
@@patkay to be honest Ive had some reels with 8000 views (not exactly viral but based on my 2000 followers quite good).. and not one new follower. Where as I've had photos with a few thousand views and got 100s of new followers. Feel like reels most people just scroll past them. Unless you are an educator which I'm not at the level to be yet. I don't feel like the format is suited to stills and those who make and appreciate them at all.
Thank you for being so honest about using ads to get sales. I have seen a lot of social media course teachers do the same themselves but never mentions it in their courses/materials. They get their start and sales from buying ads and then they sell you a course on how to market yourself on socials without mentioning the use of ads ;)
When watchings this video i feel that I am on the right track to become what I want. For example the steps you talkabout like contact your local restaurant, showing your work etc. I am already doing that to get clients. I have sold my house and quit my job to follow a dream i have. For me John Lennon went his own way to do what he believed in and was an awesome rolemodel. Big thanks for your words, never regreted that I left Instagram. Have a great day Pat
Great video. Really helpful. 6'32: I've seen examples of people, having no artistic background and what you said subpar skills, launching their business and yet it worked for them. I'm not saying it's a general rule of thumb, but I think it so happens sometimes your art, even if not "that good" speaks to people, and become viable.
I'm here because strangers have liked my work very much, I'm the manager of a restaurant and I'm doing pastel paintings in the blackboards our the place as ads and several people have asked for the artist... so I thinking seriously to have the courage of making a life as an artist for myself. My journey is just begining. Thanks for the advices!
Being a hobbyist photographer isn’t a failure- Henry Hwu, probably the most known concert photographer of this generation still does it just as a hobby.
Really excellent video and some really good points. I particularly liked the advice about having your own portfolio which you have 100% control over....a website. Social media companies can control who views your work using an Algorithm. They can also delete everything you have built up on social media within a split second if your work does not 'tick' their box. That turns out to be a lot of wasted time and effort just to get a few retweets, shares, likes or comments. My advice is to direct all 'traffic' to your website where you have a substantial portfolio and ecommerce.
Your comment about Instagram is right on point! Things change there so abruptly and businesses always running risks of loosing their momentums on social platforms like Instagram. It is incredibly important to have a place where you have 100% control over. It will save your valuable business and sanity in the long run.
00:29 You're right --- if you're good at something people won't just show up since they may not know about it. It took a long time for me to realize this. Thank you and I just subscribed.
This video is gold! So packed with practical information, thank you. It is such a good reminder also, to remember and include your costs and time on billing/cost analysis. Customers usually have zero idea about your costs, and care even less, so you must self-advocate there. Whole video very valuable.
I agree. It does take a few years & a lot of hard work, but it will be SO worth it! I’ve been diving deep into my ad research. Thank you for sharing your insight
I'm not a photographer but do digital art. His channels appears to have several interesting videos. I just liked his presentation style and personality so much that I had to sub. I am excited to go through and see what I can learn. I do have a strong career background, I am 69 years old... But love learning.
On point, thank you. I became full time street musician&performer few years ago, and for now that is the only way for me to mantain regular income from my creativity. It can often be hard, but I like it very much and is working well for me.
wish I'd watched this 7 years ago. My wife and I have been building our art and design business very much tossed about by the whims of Instagram. We have some really great product but never feel we can get it in front of the right people. I've just realized that I've had this belief that if our art was good enough people would buy it and we shouldn't need to be paying for advertising, but I can now see the fallacy in that thinking. It's kept us starving artists! This belief is so destructive to the creative as it makes you think your work isn't good enough, which is a terrible place to create from. The reality is we have gold in our hands but just failed to get it in front of the people who want gold! Watching this was perfect timing for a pivot we are making in our business. Thank you for your wisdom and experience, it's very much appreciated.
I have a Full Time Job on top of the whole art thing and trying to do social media on top of it I get so overwhelmed. I want to be noticed by others for what I do yet by that time I don't have to energy to convince them to stay at the end of the day. I have high functioning anxiety so it's almost paralyzing trying to market myself to potential clients and I can't help feeling this way and it makes the clients pity me and either hire me because they feel bad or back away. The prime time for me to post is while I'm at work. And I need to pay the bills, so art isn't a feasible income to just up and quit. I feel whiney typing this but a lot of videos don't realize that the cost of living is up in the US and you have to have a stable income and in turn pulls you away from posting consistently. Some artists I know actually admit they are lucky they are in a position to do this full time and know there are people who want to do this but income wise cant do it that's why they don't boast that they do this full time.
6:55 , instead of seeing it as ‘average’ see that goal as, “I WANT TO MAKE IT THERE!”, (Wherever ‘there’ is, like a particular game company you’re chasing after to get into for example.).
Thanks for this amazing video Pat! Clear and straight to the point. Def helps me to not get caught up in thinking about what social media content to produce etc.
We are a brand spanking new business, and your video came up in my suggestions. I am heartened to hear that we are already doing nearly everything you suggest. It lets me know we're on a viable path, which gives me confidence to keep at it and let social media take care of itself for awhile. I also heard a few ideas that I hadn't yet thought of. Thank you for your excellent insights into being a creator of goods and services without necessarily being a social media content creator.
I think a lot of true natural deep talent is often found in neuro divergent people, ie autism, who have a natural predisposition for enhanced visual and auditory sensory , who could potentially grab a brush for the first time and paint brilliance . Or grab an instrument and play it well very quickly. And those are the people that really deserve to be artists and make a living at it and often do. But not because they can market it or even manage a business well necessarily, but because it’s that good. And when something is truly good, it will sell and people will notice . And if you have to be a really good business person to sell your art, That’s kind of a slap at art and maybe think about trying sell cars or something else. Leave the art for those who really live it , are the art . It’s personal It’s a result of your inside and insights and experiences in life. And if it isn’t , it’s empty . We don’t need more shitty art and thrift stores are no future to be proud of as an artist , be real , or go home And it’s sad that shallow people are happy with shallow decoration . Fine art , is fine
I'm on my way to follow my passion right now. Then i found your youtube channel out of nowhere when I was scrolling. Then, since then I went back to back to watch your video. It's really inspiring and helps me to jump more confidently! Thank you so much!
It’s amazing how well we did without the Internet or cell phones! I feel lucky to have been successful before all of this madness begin! So much stress and social media and most of that is just really sad!
UAU! Crazy value... One video to study 2023 again and again. All videos gonna be amazing. You did an amazing job here, and I already subscribe for more
Im 17 years old been doing photography for 2 years i do fashion/portrait and concept photography ( creating fictional scenes or stories ) and I don't really know where my services are wanted. Im still on step one as i've still got a lot to learn especially about lighting. I just don't understand how to know if my work is objectively good. I appreciate your videos as i really value the time you take to teach the art form and give your honest opinion, just wish i had someone with experience that i could bombard with questions lol!
Thank you fo this brother! Really appreciate the time and energy to give others hope to pursue the precious things that stir their hearts. Purposeful, meaningful and great things come from the soul. I've found social media and commerce difficult as I transition into a new career, but things like this certainly help and are efficient as you don't have to scroll through thousands of wealthy mum style blogs to glean some kind of clarity.
in todays society people (friends family) will fake comment and that "creator" will think there tuff is great but in reality the content is actually lacking in every aspect
thank you Pat :) thank you for this video. I am so overwhelmed with the though of increasing my followers that it takes away my energy and creativity in creating arts. But with this video, you have shown me alternative approach on how to get my products to people . Thank you so much!
I’m a self- taught artist. With no degree. I came across this video. I was like Woa. I didn’t know of any art techniques like symmetry or anything to be supportive. I used to be terrible at art. Guess what happened? I got the criticism. Probably because not everybody likes art. I never gave up though. And I took an art class in college and it got me a lot further than ever. Practice makes perfect. When it comes to art.
Patkay , I wan to thank you so much. Thank you for making this video. It a step by step solution. I figured in my head what I have to do but since I don’t know it’s proven to work I doubt myself. Knowing that someone successfully has put a confirmation on it all is left is to get it done. Thank you. I hope one day I can give this much value to many people on the future. You’re awesome
I've been a photographer for 30 years. Had my own photo and video studio for about 10 years. I just stopped about 7 years ago. Too many weekend warriors and FULL AUTO shooters trying to make a quick buck - they ruin it for the artists. I still do it for myself and post to social media.
This is a great informational video -- my FIRST "success" was someone wanted to copy my work (with credit given) as a fan art! Complete stranger too! This told me that my art has improved and that I've found my niche! This has been several years 3-4 years in the making... so maybe it's time I find a way to start setting up selling...?
The first point is sort of counterintuitive, because art value attribution is so arbitrary/subjective. And it only matters if there's a large social precedent for the kind of work you do. If you're doing something drastically new, the likelihood of being able to compare value is low, effectively apples to oranges.
I decided to choose a direction that was pretty straightforward, and was able to get to a point where I’m now making 150-180k. Never had to have a social media following. However I’m now feeling creatively boxed in, and am not that proud of the work I’m making. It’s okay though bc my creative interests have started to shift, and I’ve built years of experience to know exactly what I do want, and have time and resources to explore a little. It’s a place of privilege that not many can have in the first place.
hilarious timing as my instagram was deactivated for a week and I was thinking about this exact thing. Personally I think it's all very difficult to do as a creative and also living in a foreign country.
nothing worth having ever comes easy :). not to keep spitting platitudes, but in this field, you really get out what you put in, especially if you do so in a clever way.
Thank you so much for this fully packed video so chucked with valuable information. Clear, interesting and doable. Just what I needed. So thank you. Really appreciate it!
Thank you very much for this video, I am a professional watercolor artist and from some time I am thinking that social media is making me loosing time, unless I do ads. So you made me reflecting in continui making art in all my different streams, such as video tutorials or try to sell my art in different platforms, etc
Wow, you really boosted my confidence, I have left my full time job, and barely started, and I have not been feeling very confident. I am going to watch it again. If you could get into each individual way to make money and break that down, it certainly would be awesome!
Wondering whether this is different in other languages or English especially, but being a native German speaker, I was a little bit confused to see the video go more and more into the direction of advising creative freelancers rather than artists like the title said. Started out interesting, but starting during Step 3, a classic artist doesn’t get much value from the video anymore. It focuses very much on selling your time and services as a freelancer in general, in the creative field or not. The question of how to get artwork created by an artist in front of people who would like to purchase it, is left mostly unanswered.
I don't agree that "successful" mean many different things to many different people because successful nowadays means ONLY one thing "making money " if you don't make money you are considered a failure or a loser , that's the truth. It' s sad but is the true.
I really like your practical approach. You share many good ideas, that in fact, give me a clearer sense of what to do as a full time jewelry designer. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi, I am a pet portrait artist and I've spent years improving my art but not being good at showing what I do. Last night I created my youtube channel (not this one tho) just to give it a shot at showing my art, but now that I watched your video I feel excited to start showing what I do :) hope it's a fun journey. Thanks for your guidance :) it's helped me out
I think in this day & age, too many people get caught up in creating “content” instead of creating “art” and making money from it. Utilize social media but don’t lose sight in what it is you’re wanting to actually do.
You maybe right however some artist are fully depend on RUclips for paying their bills. Not everyone has lots of savings to feed themselves even without needing to create contents. Tbh there's no right or wrong way to do certain things until and unless an artist is not exploiting others!
@@makizenin1840 totally get what you're saying and you're right. I understand and respect the artists who rely on RUclips and TikTok even but I was speaking of artists who get swept up into that without it being their goal. Artists who want to make art and have clients but without planning, think that they have to follow a social media formula of creating content and then lose sight of creating art and the ways of making money in a way that isn't tied to social media or digital platforms
@@EBrown-cr1gr I totally understand your Point of view and I'm even agreed with it however in today's world, social media has actually became quite important for any person who's planning to start a business whether it's an artist who wanna take commissions, sell their artworks through Instagram, tik tok OR a content creator on RUclips, Instagram who wants to be both famous and make money from the contents they produce!
Soical Media is just a tool for us to get what we want. If an artist truly wants to make lots of money from their art then they gotta work on building a community on Instagram, youtube or whatever platform that suits them in order to take commissions, sell their artworks and can even launch their art courses on skillshare and social media can really help to bring that audience to various other platforms!!
I mean it's much better and fulfilled to earn money from a Job that you love Rather than a Job where you are suffering everyday!
But again I totally understand that social media isn't for everyone and it can be very exhausting to produce art contents all the time which eventually leads to burnout. In this case I would rather get a good paying full-time job and make art just as a hobby!
I definitely did that for a while but it can be nice. Pumping out easy little paintings that people you know can afford can make a profit. Timing yourself and charging by the time and making "cheap" art that you only spend an hour on is nice. Making art for that takes a long time is only lucrative every once and a while.
It’s true, but it’s a shame that nowadays (because of so much competition in the internet), so many people (especially companies) count your social media followers before they even look at your art…if you want a career in art that is.
But of course, yes, your love of art and finding your creative style should be your priority. 🤍🤍
Hot tip, if you want to be a full time artist, social media will work exactly against you. By eating up all your time without creating conversations.
I feel a bit sad watching this, it's an awesome breakdown and really helpful. Sometimes I wonder about progress, I'm nearing retirement having spent 35 years as a pro photographer working with clients like Roll Royce, British Airways, Lexus, Range Rover etc. I reconnected with the guy who gave me my first job, I asked him why, because honestly, if he hadn't perhaps I'd still be an engineer. His answer, ' I kinda liked you and thought we'd have a fun shoot' - that simple. It just feels really tough to be an artist / photographer now. Boy .. you need to think of everything. I hope it all works out for the folk watching, because it's a wonderful way of earning a living. PS Your No4 advice is first rate .. really good advice.
I’ve been a photo stylist for 35 years. Worked with so many photographers. I feel bad that so much was commercial work that gets thrown away.
Was the first job a freelance job / client or was it your first employer as a full time direct employee? In any event thanks for sharing in your original comment.
@@LilyGazou This, this is exactly it. It's a really strange feeling to look at your life's work as commercial photographer and be completely ok to 'delete' the lot. Especially after caring so much about it, valuing what you were doing, being professional. The only work I care about or recognize as having any worth is the handful of 'personal' projects I did. If I had my time again I'd be an artist in the old fashioned sense of the word.
@@punkisinthedetails1470 I always worked as a freelance, self employed. I was lucky, I got a bunch of agents, in London, LA, NYC etc .. but let's not get into those guys .. that's a whole new can of worms ; )
@@johnhigginson5079 agreed. So many photographers I work with are burned out. They don’t even take cameras on vacation or think of using them on a weekend for fun.
This is one of the channels that gave me the courage to start my RUclips channel 6 months ago about self development. Now I have 345 subs and > 100 hours of watch time. I know it’s not comparable with others but I’m still proud I started because I’ve been learning so many lessons that I couldn’t have learned without getting started in the 1st place.
LOOK AT YOU NOW MAN!!!
Has someone who started out with a dream and basically put it on hold for the better part of 20 years only to come back now in my 50s to try and restart what I wanted to do originally, I think it's never too late. I will agree that the market is definitely all kinds of different now than it was when I graduated art school but sometimes you just have to do the work and the rest will come
So many of us went to art school, and life got in the way. Cezanne, my favorite, only got going in his 50s when he had an inheritance. Go for it, all the best!
Yep, I always wanted to be a comic book artist. I´m starting profissionally now at 50 years old, and things are going well. It´s really never too late.
I'm 30...just decided lately. How is it going for you?
Was just talking to a friend about this yesterday! We are both artists and struggling to keep up with the seemingly essential and demanding work of social media upkeep. Your insights provided some reassurance for the steps I've been consider taking, thanks a bunch!
I just made a $4500 sale yesterday. I do not post on social media. In 2022 I made $45k. Social media when I used it 8hrz a day made me exactly zero dollars. Do the math.
@@stuart6478how do you do that? I am a beginner and just starting I would love to know your ways
Thank you for countering the "starving artist" stereotype. It's a cruel stereotype that probably caught on because selfish people don't think artists work very hard and they want it for free or very little money. It's getting better, but this is still strong.
Creative painters should be getting the same fame and fortune as musicians. It’s crazy artist have to be putting double the work
@@jdos5643 Painters and musicians aren't anything alike. Comparing their career paths and measures of success is pointless.
@@patriarchyenjoyer69 both create art. Both are careers. Many art pieces sell for millions of dollars but why do you never hear of artist having that same level of success as musicians?
@@jdos5643 Because musicians are performance artists. They sell shows and a social experience. Also, music is an easier taste to acquire for most people as opposed to art. Everyone appreciates music, but not everyone finds value in a painting, even if they should.
It's a little scary how this video showed up in my list to watch. I've been struggling with staying at a job. I've been telling myself, the reason why is because I'm no longer creative. I'm not doing the things I love AND am skilled at. So as I've spent the last few days battling my decision, your video came up. Everything was very helpful for me to hear right now. Thank you.
Synchronicity ..lol..
Yes, the starving artist trope needs to die. Artists need to be more savvy about wearing both hats-I do art and I sell my work-social media is part of my networking system.
Success to me means doing my art full time and being able to pay my bills and eat-I used social media to launch my career, and still keep a light foot in it-
I enjoyed your video. Subscribing.
The art world is classist enough without killing off that trope. De-glorifying it, absolutely. Showing what it’s actually like to maybe bounce between financial successes and the realities of the trope? Yeah. Getting rid of it would just be sweeping it under the rug that there’s way more factors involved with being a poor artist than just “not understanding commerce.”
@@Dizzydollie7 Very well stated.
@@Dizzydollie7 exactly. if your work is inherently not the type of work that social media platforms like to showcase, if you don't have access to the resources that allow you to promote your works consistently, your options are to keep doing your best and maybe never become successful, or pull back and have a day job and do the art you want to make, on the side. these are both outside the "starving artist loser vs successful money-maker artist" binary.
What's your social media? I want too see what a poet-photographer is.
I do animations, any pointers you can give on where should I aim them at?
I have no clue who is my target audience, my animations are odd.
This came at the perfect time. I quit my corporate marketing job not long ago to pursue freelance copy writing full-time. I was only able to do this thanks to a good amount of savings and some low costs of living at the moment. A few weeks in, I've been relying only on Upwork with the hope that I could get some consistent work there before branching out to other streams. But that's clearly shaping up to not be the best approach. Competition is high, so this video reaffirmed that I need to start seeking revenue elsewhere and now, not later. My long-term dream is to maintain my copywriting work but also incorporate revenue from other creative mediums, including photography.
Still going to build a social media presence, but it's a good reminder that it's not the single most important thing to do when starting a full time creative business.
ah, i remember you sharing some of your journey in previous comments! glad to hear it's at least working out. Upwork can be a very hard slog, but yes, like you're mentioning, branching out and having multiple streams running concurrently is the best strat. then eventually you can modulate your levels of effort with each one!
continue to hustle hard! all the best and good luck :)
@@patkay it's very cool that you not only interact with your audience, but also remember their stories enough. Shows that you are genuinely interested in helping out your community. Earned much respect today, thanks for all that you do. Good luck!
And now it will get worse because of AI programs like Chat GPT.. It can literally generate original copies in seconds of any product or service.
I loved the long form video. There are no shortcuts to what I want to build, learned that the hard way. “Complete control of your platform” is what resonated with me the most, social media is a tool, clicks n likes won’t pay your bills. Thanks again.
What you’ve explained so well in thorough detail is essentially what I’ve just begun to learn myself, albeit through hitting a lot of dead ends for the last 7 years, that social media following does not equal=$. Monetizing your skills and connecting with patrons does. Thank you 🙏🏻
Thanks for speaking CLEARLY, using complete sentences with proper pauses and emphasis. EXCELLENT video!!
Artists get into a weird trap of just making content for social media but that isn't the kind of art people and businesses pay good money for.
I'm an artist, at 65 I see how hard it has become for youngsters now. But it's great that there are so many more channels media, possibilities too.
I'm a photographer for 9 years or more. Started to get more income only in 2020...2020 was a superb year. 2021 2022, two years with only budget refusals. Compannies and clients love my work, they discover my work but prefer professional photographers with name in the market. ITs such a struggle you cant imagine. They want the best for the cheapest price.
Great run down, thank you. After painting and drawing for years, I'm just getting started marketing myself and my art. I've run my own business for decades so I understand the business side of things and it's confidence building to realize that many artists lack that and thus the "starving artist". I have made a clear plan for myself starting with a website (thank you, squarespace) and building an email list. I also have ideas to market locally. I'm going to come back and watch this whenever I feel frustrated! Thank you for some great, usable content!
Another great spot on video. These no nonsense videos are EXACTLY what new photographers need. Thank you for continuing to share your light and knowledge with the world Pat. Your influence has and will continue to change lives for the better.
thank you for your support! :)
you are actually one of the first persons, that I've listened to, that doesn't spit poison all over us, for the desire to make a living off of or artistic talent...thank you!!..
As an artist who is 53, you nailed it in this video Ray!
I have been painting for 10 years and just a couple of months ago my skills in art really got elevated. I've reached a level where I feel confident to another level about sharing my art. It really hit me why and what I am supposed to do to make it as an artist. For me it's all about breaking down the process. Idea - 100s of iPad and sketchbook drawings - canvas choice - canvas prep - painting - painting Finnish - pictures - videos - upload to ig, Tumblr, Pinterest, twitter, Facebook and RUclips - Targeted paid marketing
As a cartoonist, much of what you say is applicable. Taking complete responsibility for one's career sounds good. Publishing however is a team effort. I would focus on the quality of my work, and let someone else deal with marketing. I do know however you were talking about photography, for the most part.
Up until I watched this video, I'd been dependent on social media to do well as a full-time artist. I'm an abstract artist and also a graphic designer (my main source of income is from my graphic design services that I provide for clients and that isn't bad...it could be better but I enjoy painting more and I want to turn that into my full-time) I started to go into art business but my initial thought was to grow my social media following and hopefully that'll translate into sales. That has been almost impossible! I've not made any sales at all and Instagram isn't helping. Just last month, I decided to focus on RUclips instead but I still felt that there had to be a better way to do my art business without the necessary large following on social media. It has been a giant headache for me so this video is everything I need. Thank you for taking the time to record it. I am eager to apply some of these tips you've shared. I can't wait to turn things around.
Hey! I am a graphic designer looking to become a potentially full time artist. I would love to connect.
@@mirela389 Hello Mirela! 👋 we are on the same page. What kind of art are you looking to focus on?
The timing of this video is just dead on. I actually made the mistake of entering too soon with subpar work few years back. Currently have reached the average work quality that the market has thankfully 😅. It was definitely hard. These guides for the next steps is a huge help for me to improve. Thanks a lot!
honestly, i've seen so many people jump in too early and get extremely demoralised in the process, causing them to completely disengage from the hobby altogether instead of pushing in the right places. life lessons that i hope more people learn about!
🥺🎥👉💰👉📷
This and the video you did a year ago are great for many reasons but one basic: you make clear how REALLY DOABLE this journey is IF you have become really good at something. Very inspiring, thank you!
Amazing video! I love your approach to lifestyle design and making your passion a business. The statement that a social media following is not necessary to go full-time and the share of ad revenue vs. revenue generated from your following really helped. That took a lot of pressure of my shoulders because I was wondering if anybody would buy my product without a following.
I am a landscape artist and it helped me to hear the 3 things that are important-mostly I feel galvanized now to treat my art as a vehicle for income! I was relieved to hear that this can b done without social media but I will use it as one of my platforms to show my work! Ty
0:48
Building an audience
3:30
4:00
6:00
Step 2
7:16 portfolio
don’t put all eggs in one basket
9:22 added skills. Might be where MMA helps
9:49 diff hats
10:11-10:58
11:26
Well done Pat. This is such a serious consideration for creatives. Know your customer, your niche, market, what ever it is. Be brave; be bold; be confident. This can be quite a challenge for those creatives who are introverts; as many are. Whatever you create, in my opinion, be true to yourself. If it is important to you; do it. There is no better time than now.
What impacted me the most in your commentary, is the permission to not do social media and still be a productive creative.
As a baby senior citizen who is retired from creating hair art, I am returning to my roots (punny ha!) of painterly paintings…been gathering supplies and working on pieces daily, and now have enrolled in a course to reach excellence. But that’s not enough. Got to market as well and is how I found you :)
Well, didn’t you use social media in hair, you ask? Heck no! No time! Busy busting butt behind the chair and I couldn’t work any harder than I already was, plus my life was on display enough as it was.
Word of mouth was my ticket then and I will follow your advice on marketing my art on platforms that are about the product, rather than me. Whew! So relieved about that! Thank you!
You're a super orator Pat, you keep the audiences attention throughout and explain things extremely well. You're a very good teacher and thank you for this episode.
Hi Pat,
Your video is so brilliantly crafted.
The information and the simplicity with which you have made this video, gave me exactly what I was looking for.
The intro starts with "The best artists are the ones who can successfully blend art and commerce together."
You really have touched the heart of the topic and connected all the points that is required to move into that direction.
Thank you for putting this video out, pure value :)
I'm currently at the end of step 1 (I guess 😆) and this video will help me a lot. I work full time as an archivist but I've just finished my photography course. I'm getting some clients now and then, usually for portfolio, but some are starting to ask about pricing. I believe until the next year I'll have to get a website up (step 2). Super fan of your work and your channel, Pat! ❤️ From Brazil
Even if it is just for your portfolio you shouldn't ever work for free. Charge them something, even if it is just a few bucks an hour. People need to realize even if it isn't much, your time is worth something.
good
« The best artists » don’t equal to successful artists ! A lot of successful artists are selling crap just because they have a strong marketing presence and strategy.
So true, couldn't have said it better
I've watched a lot of art business tutorials recently, yours is in the most comprehensive I've seen!
6:17 I dont agree. Failing is so important. I think it’s vital that people watch these sort of videos with the intention of drawing tips and inspiration rather than reading it like an instruction manual. Please always remind yourself that any and everyone who’s ever made a “how to” video, first learned ~how to~ on their own without ever having one. They failed more than once to perfect their craft and there is no way around that part of life, if success is what you want. Do what you feel comfortable doing, fail; then, do what you feel uncomfortable doing. There are no shortcuts.
Finally got myself some time to watch this video in full. I am currently transitioning from being a salaried tech worker (which I'm not at the moment) to a full-time creative entrepreneur because, well, for me approaching 50 there are not many choices left, my actual career degree is on creative arts and illustration, and it pays to be wise about your actions and decisions. I ended up agreeing with most of what you were saying. It's all (okay, mostly) about you projecting enough value for others to part with their money in exchange for what you offer - and little else, honestly. I haven't gone yet full time into gung-ho marketing as I have been able to and rather decided to afford myself some time to build things to offer, but come next year I will need to meet the pedal to the metal and want to be as prepared as I possibly can. Many many thanks for sharing this.
I feel like the starving artist trope is more of a condition put upon artists by a society that doesn’t value their work or the arts, in general. A lot of the greats weren’t financially successful in their lifetimes, not that that should be glamorized.. it’s just a redundant factoid professors and teachers bring up but I find never delve into why that’s so.
Some great tips tho, thank you for your perspective
This video is crazy.! I’ve been waiting for someone to put this into words and a plan. This saved me from getting discouraged. Thank you.
Ill say this. This video is not pulling any punches and that's honestly something we need more of.
Very good and useful advice, Pat, thanks! I would add a little tip for free lancers:
Are the jobs you are taking putting your skills to use/practice? Sometimes, you get clients that want to cut corners by purchasing libraries of assets - turning you into a drag-and-drop machine. Easy job, but at the expense of your evolution - not a good trade-off.
Strife to become decent in many fields and grow your knowledge in workflow pipelines rather than being a one trick pony that has no clue how anything works in a production. Being decent with a wide range of knowledge is good enough, if you can take a step back and accept harsh feedback and instructions, you did it. That's the sweet spot where you can grow and be respected in a team field of artists.
Really great content!
It all is valuable info. That’s keepin’ it real. Very practical, straight-up and realistic. Thank you. What helped is the confirmation I’m on the right track but too far yet from getting to my goal of a sustainable income. Plus another reminder that in this independent artist path, income fluctuates and to accept and embrace that reality. It’s just different but still feasible lifestyle as opposed to my prior corporate IT career which had start money but made me dead inside. I think the trade off is well worth it. Best to you 🙏
Great video as always. Comes at a great time. A lot of us.. myself very much included.. believe that we need social media to become successful. As a result we put all our energy into this. It feels like a ful time job on top of my full time job. Constatly chasing the alogrithm and having the goal posts moved along the way. Which in turn pulls us away from what we want to be doing anyway. Ive come to realise that if I had put all my effort into other avenues I'd probably be way ahead of where I am right now (which is nowhere lol). But making work for instagram is demorlising at times. Can spend ages making a reel and no one even sees it.
and then even if they do see it and you go viral, you get a few followers, then what? when it comes down to it, the answer most people will have will come down to some kind of avenue of "i'll make money from my following", but why not skip straight to the end anyway without all the bs? 😂
hope the video helped!
@@patkay to be honest Ive had some reels with 8000 views (not exactly viral but based on my 2000 followers quite good).. and not one new follower. Where as I've had photos with a few thousand views and got 100s of new followers. Feel like reels most people just scroll past them. Unless you are an educator which I'm not at the level to be yet. I don't feel like the format is suited to stills and those who make and appreciate them at all.
Thank you for being so honest about using ads to get sales. I have seen a lot of social media course teachers do the same themselves but never mentions it in their courses/materials. They get their start and sales from buying ads and then they sell you a course on how to market yourself on socials without mentioning the use of ads ;)
When watchings this video i feel that I am on the right track to become what I want. For example the steps you talkabout like contact your local restaurant, showing your work etc. I am already doing that to get clients. I have sold my house and quit my job to follow a dream i have. For me John Lennon went his own way to do what he believed in and was an awesome rolemodel. Big thanks for your words, never regreted that I left Instagram. Have a great day Pat
awesome to hear, Oscar! wishing you all the best in your journey!
Great video. Really helpful.
6'32: I've seen examples of people, having no artistic background and what you said subpar skills, launching their business and yet it worked for them. I'm not saying it's a general rule of thumb, but I think it so happens sometimes your art, even if not "that good" speaks to people, and become viable.
I'm here because strangers have liked my work very much, I'm the manager of a restaurant and I'm doing pastel paintings in the blackboards our the place as ads and several people have asked for the artist... so I thinking seriously to have the courage of making a life as an artist for myself. My journey is just begining. Thanks for the advices!
Being a hobbyist photographer isn’t a failure- Henry Hwu, probably the most known concert photographer of this generation still does it just as a hobby.
Really excellent video and some really good points. I particularly liked the advice about having your own portfolio which you have 100% control over....a website. Social media companies can control who views your work using an Algorithm. They can also delete everything you have built up on social media within a split second if your work does not 'tick' their box. That turns out to be a lot of wasted time and effort just to get a few retweets, shares, likes or comments. My advice is to direct all 'traffic' to your website where you have a substantial portfolio and ecommerce.
Im so glad I found this dude a few weeks ago, his videos have been very informative. Keep pushing Pat algorithm!!
thanks for watching! haha if only the algo would favour me hey :(
Your comment about Instagram is right on point! Things change there so abruptly and businesses always running risks of loosing their momentums on social platforms like Instagram. It is incredibly important to have a place where you have 100% control over. It will save your valuable business and sanity in the long run.
An artist who does good work but does not bother to become successful is not a loser.
00:29 You're right --- if you're good at something people won't just show up since they may not know about it. It took a long time for me to realize this. Thank you and I just subscribed.
This video is gold! So packed with practical information, thank you. It is such a good reminder also, to remember and include your costs and time on billing/cost analysis. Customers usually have zero idea about your costs, and care even less, so you must self-advocate there. Whole video very valuable.
I agree. It does take a few years & a lot of hard work, but it will be SO worth it! I’ve been diving deep into my ad research. Thank you for sharing your insight
This can apply to essentially any field. Great breakdown.
I'm not a photographer but do digital art. His channels appears to have several interesting videos. I just liked his presentation style and personality so much that I had to sub. I am excited to go through and see what I can learn. I do have a strong career background, I am 69 years old... But love learning.
On point, thank you. I became full time street musician&performer few years ago, and for now that is the only way for me to mantain regular income from my creativity. It can often be hard, but I like it very much and is working well for me.
Love your videos dude! Would love to see more videos about making money with Photography/Videography!
thanks for watching! after this, what kind of videos do you mean?
Great video! Don’t be afraid of doing long format videos like these, people will listen to it while doing something else (that’s at least what I did)!
easier said than done! haha. sometimes topics are easy to talk about, sometimes they're not XD. but thank you for tuning in!
wish I'd watched this 7 years ago. My wife and I have been building our art and design business very much tossed about by the whims of Instagram. We have some really great product but never feel we can get it in front of the right people. I've just realized that I've had this belief that if our art was good enough people would buy it and we shouldn't need to be paying for advertising, but I can now see the fallacy in that thinking. It's kept us starving artists! This belief is so destructive to the creative as it makes you think your work isn't good enough, which is a terrible place to create from. The reality is we have gold in our hands but just failed to get it in front of the people who want gold! Watching this was perfect timing for a pivot we are making in our business. Thank you for your wisdom and experience, it's very much appreciated.
I have a Full Time Job on top of the whole art thing and trying to do social media on top of it I get so overwhelmed. I want to be noticed by others for what I do yet by that time I don't have to energy to convince them to stay at the end of the day. I have high functioning anxiety so it's almost paralyzing trying to market myself to potential clients and I can't help feeling this way and it makes the clients pity me and either hire me because they feel bad or back away. The prime time for me to post is while I'm at work. And I need to pay the bills, so art isn't a feasible income to just up and quit. I feel whiney typing this but a lot of videos don't realize that the cost of living is up in the US and you have to have a stable income and in turn pulls you away from posting consistently. Some artists I know actually admit they are lucky they are in a position to do this full time and know there are people who want to do this but income wise cant do it that's why they don't boast that they do this full time.
I get what you are saying autumn!
6:55 , instead of seeing it as ‘average’ see that goal as, “I WANT TO MAKE IT THERE!”, (Wherever ‘there’ is, like a particular game company you’re chasing after to get into for example.).
Thanks for this amazing video Pat! Clear and straight to the point. Def helps me to not get caught up in thinking about what social media content to produce etc.
We are a brand spanking new business, and your video came up in my suggestions. I am heartened to hear that we are already doing nearly everything you suggest. It lets me know we're on a viable path, which gives me confidence to keep at it and let social media take care of itself for awhile. I also heard a few ideas that I hadn't yet thought of. Thank you for your excellent insights into being a creator of goods and services without necessarily being a social media content creator.
Read that as brand new spanking business and was thinking that's a kinky business to get into
He called me a romanticized loser, and I subscribed
I was thinking the same and started getting big loser vibes 🤣
I think a lot of true natural deep talent is often found in neuro divergent people, ie autism, who have a natural predisposition for enhanced visual and auditory sensory , who could potentially grab a brush for the first time and paint brilliance .
Or grab an instrument and play it well very quickly.
And those are the people that really deserve to be artists and make a living at it and often do.
But not because they can market it or even manage a business well necessarily, but because it’s that good.
And when something is truly good, it will sell and people will notice .
And if you have to be a really good business person to sell your art,
That’s kind of a slap at art and maybe think about trying sell cars or something else.
Leave the art for those who really live it , are the art .
It’s personal
It’s a result of your inside and insights and experiences in life.
And if it isn’t , it’s empty .
We don’t need more shitty art and thrift stores are no future to be proud of as an artist , be real , or go home
And it’s sad that shallow people are happy with shallow decoration .
Fine art , is fine
Beautiful words, best comment on here, I'd rather focus on the art than how to sell it
I'm on my way to follow my passion right now. Then i found your youtube channel out of nowhere when I was scrolling. Then, since then I went back to back to watch your video. It's really inspiring and helps me to jump more confidently! Thank you so much!
It’s amazing how well we did without the Internet or cell phones! I feel lucky to have been successful before all of this madness begin! So much stress and social media and most of that is just really sad!
Yes, I can relate! Value is so important.
Do what you love (your passion) and the money will follow. It works! 👍
that's not how it really works
UAU! Crazy value... One video to study 2023 again and again. All videos gonna be amazing. You did an amazing job here, and I already subscribe for more
Im 17 years old been doing photography for 2 years i do fashion/portrait and concept photography ( creating fictional scenes or stories ) and I don't really know where my services are wanted. Im still on step one as i've still got a lot to learn especially about lighting. I just don't understand how to know if my work is objectively good. I appreciate your videos as i really value the time you take to teach the art form and give your honest opinion, just wish i had someone with experience that i could bombard with questions lol!
Hey I have a good knowledge of lighting and experience as well, let me know if you have any questions! Always happy to help
I really like the first one, my perspective is the foundation, people will look for you and go anyplace you are,thanks for sharing
Thank you fo this brother! Really appreciate the time and energy to give others hope to pursue the precious things that stir their hearts. Purposeful, meaningful and great things come from the soul. I've found social media and commerce difficult as I transition into a new career, but things like this certainly help and are efficient as you don't have to scroll through thousands of wealthy mum style blogs to glean some kind of clarity.
Well, he didn't GIVE us hope, he made us click through a whole lot of really obnoxious ads.
in todays society people (friends family) will fake comment and that "creator" will think there tuff is great but in reality the content is actually lacking in every aspect
people are nice! it's nice that people are nice. but it's even better when people realise that not all feedback is equal
thank you Pat :) thank you for this video. I am so overwhelmed with the though of increasing my followers that it takes away my energy and creativity in creating arts. But with this video, you have shown me alternative approach on how to get my products to people . Thank you so much!
I’m a self- taught artist. With no degree. I came across this video. I was like Woa. I didn’t know of any art techniques like symmetry or anything to be supportive. I used to be terrible at art. Guess what happened? I got the criticism. Probably because not everybody likes art.
I never gave up though. And I took an art class in college and it got me a lot further than ever. Practice makes perfect. When it comes to art.
Loved the way you structured and packaged this video. Well written and easy to comprehend. Good job!
Such a kind, generous person sharing all of his hard earned wisdom. Very articulate and almost relaxing to watch aswell 😊
Patkay , I wan to thank you so much. Thank you for making this video. It a step by step solution. I figured in my head what I have to do but since I don’t know it’s proven to work I doubt myself. Knowing that someone successfully has put a confirmation on it all is left is to get it done. Thank you. I hope one day I can give this much value to many people on the future. You’re awesome
I've been a photographer for 30 years. Had my own photo and video studio for about 10 years. I just stopped about 7 years ago. Too many weekend warriors and FULL AUTO shooters trying to make a quick buck - they ruin it for the artists. I still do it for myself and post to social media.
This is a great informational video -- my FIRST "success" was someone wanted to copy my work (with credit given) as a fan art! Complete stranger too! This told me that my art has improved and that I've found my niche! This has been several years 3-4 years in the making... so maybe it's time I find a way to start setting up selling...?
I just LOVE how straight forward you are⚡️
The first point is sort of counterintuitive, because art value attribution is so arbitrary/subjective. And it only matters if there's a large social precedent for the kind of work you do. If you're doing something drastically new, the likelihood of being able to compare value is low, effectively apples to oranges.
social media part is painful to who ever just want to do art.. marketing is a key too..
I decided to choose a direction that was pretty straightforward, and was able to get to a point where I’m now making 150-180k. Never had to have a social media following. However I’m now feeling creatively boxed in, and am not that proud of the work I’m making. It’s okay though bc my creative interests have started to shift, and I’ve built years of experience to know exactly what I do want, and have time and resources to explore a little. It’s a place of privilege that not many can have in the first place.
I suck at advertising myself. That is why I never sold anything or got a job.
hilarious timing as my instagram was deactivated for a week and I was thinking about this exact thing. Personally I think it's all very difficult to do as a creative and also living in a foreign country.
nothing worth having ever comes easy :). not to keep spitting platitudes, but in this field, you really get out what you put in, especially if you do so in a clever way.
Hands down the BEST video I’ve watched about freelance art business. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this fully packed video so chucked with valuable information. Clear, interesting and doable. Just what I needed. So thank you. Really appreciate it!
Thank you very much for this video, I am a professional watercolor artist and from some time I am thinking that social media is making me loosing time, unless I do ads. So you made me reflecting in continui making art in all my different streams, such as video tutorials or try to sell my art in different platforms, etc
Wow, you really boosted my confidence, I have left my full time job, and barely started, and I have not been feeling very confident. I am going to watch it again. If you could get into each individual way to make money and break that down, it certainly would be awesome!
I would like to thank you for your selfless and empirical advice. Truly Priceless.
Wondering whether this is different in other languages or English especially, but being a native German speaker, I was a little bit confused to see the video go more and more into the direction of advising creative freelancers rather than artists like the title said. Started out interesting, but starting during Step 3, a classic artist doesn’t get much value from the video anymore. It focuses very much on selling your time and services as a freelancer in general, in the creative field or not. The question of how to get artwork created by an artist in front of people who would like to purchase it, is left mostly unanswered.
I don't agree that "successful" mean many different things to many different people because successful nowadays means ONLY one thing "making money " if you don't make money you are considered a failure or a loser , that's the truth. It' s sad but is the true.
Thank you so much, appreciate your down to earth , practical and savvy guidance. God Bless You and Yours!!!!
I really like your practical approach. You share many good ideas, that in fact, give me a clearer sense of what to do as a full time jewelry designer. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi, I am a pet portrait artist and I've spent years improving my art but not being good at showing what I do. Last night I created my youtube channel (not this one tho) just to give it a shot at showing my art, but now that I watched your video I feel excited to start showing what I do :) hope it's a fun journey. Thanks for your guidance :) it's helped me out
I also just start youtube channel and like share my art and share stuff even though so so much of ways to go to get close to my goals As artist