Episode 2 - Dustin Van Wechel Interview

Fine Art Podcast
SUMMARY
Dustin Van Wechel left a successful career in advertising to pursue his passion for fine art. He has earned numerous distinctions and has been featured in leading art publications. Dustin's journey began in his late 20s, and he started his career as a wildlife artist. He initially worked with pastels before transitioning to oils. He emphasizes the importance of painting from life and constantly learning and improving as an artist. Dustin's process involves creating thumbnail sketches to develop composition and narrative before starting a painting. Dustin Van Wechel discusses his process of creating wildlife paintings, including the importance of solving problems before starting a painting, using reference photos and sketches, and constructing animals using Photoshop. He also shares his approach to marketing his work, including writing press releases, establishing a brand, and using social media. He advises artists to avoid comparing themselves to others and to live below their means. Dustin also mentions upcoming workshops and shows he will be participating in.
DUSTIN'S LINKS
www.dustinvanwechel.com
/ vanwechelart
/ dustin.vanwechel
MARK'S PHOTOSHOP COURSE FOR ARTISTS
thebusinessof-art.teachable.c...
TAKEAWAYS
• Transitioning from a day job to a full-time artist requires sacrifice, dedication, and financial planning.
• Painting from life is crucial for developing skills and capturing the essence of the subject.
• Being a professional artist requires discipline and meeting commitments.
• The process of creating art can be challenging and not always enjoyable, but the
passion for the craft keeps artists going.
• Developing a strong composition and narrative is essential for creating impactful artwork. Solve problems before starting a painting to avoid difficulties on the canvas
• Use reference photos and sketches to guide the composition
• Construct animals using Photoshop by combining different elements
• Write press releases and send them to media outlets to promote your work
• Establish a consistent brand across different marketing channels
• Live below your means and have tight control over the pricing of your work
• Participate in workshops and shows to expand your market and network
KEY WORDS
Dustin Van Wechel, career transition, fine art, fine artist journey, fine artist, wildlife art, pastels, oil painting, painting from life, composition, narrative art, wildlife painting, problem-solving, reference photos, sketches, Photoshop, art marketing, press releases, brand, art pricing, art workshops, art shows

[@VivekLakhotia-qo4hj]

just so so nice to hear from down to earth successful people !!! Thank you

[@thebusinessof_art]

Thank you!! We completely agree 🙌🏼

[@PixelMoshpit]

Incredible resource with this interview and a definite bookmark! Dustin is so open and really shares lots of gold nuggets. Thanks for this interview Mark!

[@thebusinessof_art]

Glad you found value! Thanks for watching!

This was great!! I look forward to next week. as you stated we need more artist..

[@thebusinessof_art]

More to come! Thank you!

[@lucyyanagida]

Oh man so very helpful! Thank you so much for this podcast Mark!

[@thebusinessof_art]

Thanks Lucy!

[@mattdoylefineart]

Mark, this is quickly becoming one of my favorite channels. There's so much valuable info for all artists in these podcasts. It doesn't get much better than listening to some of my favorite artists chat about art. Keep up the great work.

[@thebusinessof_art]

So glad you're getting value Matt!

[@ScottRuthvenFineArt]

Thank you both for the great interview. It was filled with no-nonsense, practical advice.

[@thebusinessof_art]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@CarolLundeen]

Love his work. Great podcast!

[@thebusinessof_art]

So glad you’re listening

[@markkelso2583]

Usually I get tired of hearing Dustin talk, but this was a rare treat! (Kidding, of course) Great conversation, and some nice gems of wisdom in there regarding the business side of things. Looking forward to more of these dialogs - great work, Mark.
ps. $10 says he did go take a nap!

[@thebusinessof_art]

Thanks for the feedback Mark! 😂you’re probably right 😉 Honestly, I’m really enjoying the conversations and thrilled about the episodes lined up. There are so many ways people are approaching their art careers. There are many right ways to do it.

[@joshuastewartfineart]

Another extremely helpful podcast. I hope this channel does well because this is info that we should be paying to hear. Please keep it up Mark!

[@thebusinessof_art]

Thanks for the feedback!! Much more on the way!

[@dianelarson8675]

This was terrific, thank you!

[@thebusinessof_art]

You're so welcome!

[@danknepper5545]

Great podcast

[@thebusinessof_art]

🙌🏼👊🏼

[@loririnaldi3408]

Dustin is such an inspiration for me as an artist. I really hope that I can take one of his seminars one day. Thank you for this podcast I look forward to listening to future ones!

[@thebusinessof_art]

Glad you’re finding value in it already!!