90% is practice, the other 90% of it is luck, most artists are never recognized for anything…
Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
41–50 of 73 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#42> but I want to understand how an artist is launched, how he/she gets recognition, how he/she gets invited to shows, etc.
Not to sound harsh but you are not interested in becoming an artist, at all, if it is the kind of thing you are asking here, you are interested in becoming a socialite, which doesn't require any form of artistic skill other than the gift of gab.
This isn't about art here, but marketing.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#43Jerry Saltz wrote 33 rules on How to Become an Artist
https://www.vulture.com/2018/11/jerry-saltz-how-to-be-an-art...
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#44I've studied art for many years and work as an artist/artistic researcher right now. At the same time, every single one of the people I've been studying art with chose a different path, a different view on how to do art. Every single one of them.
You mention "launching", getting recognition, being invited to shows. This is the social/status part of things and is not specific to art. Basically, you have to start. Researchers who get grants get even more grants, artists who do shows get invited to shows. You don't have to do shows or get recognition, however, to be an artist. There is no institution that gives you a badge with "artist" on it.
What is helpful, however, is to find like-minded people. You get inspired by seeing other people work on similar topics. You get the best feedback from those engrossed in the same quest. This is what art schools are good for, and this will be the hard part if you are starting on your own.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#45Pick up "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" and follow the lessons and exercises within. The left/right brain stuff is a little pseudo-sciency, but the basic thesis of the book is sound: contrary to common attitudes, art is a skill than can be developed with practice like any other. It just takes discipline, effort, and patience.
Why is it pseudo science? I tried it first hand and saw remarkably better outcome.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#46[dead]
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#47> but I want to understand how an artist is launched, how he/she gets recognition, how he/she gets invited to shows, etc. Not to sound harsh but you are not interested in becoming an artist, at all, if it is the kind of thing you are asking here, you are interested in becoming a socialite, which doesn't require any form of artistic skill other than the gift of gab. This isn't about art here, but marketing.
> This isn't about art here, but marketing.
You might be right. But this is the part that I understand the least, and I'd like to know how these things happen for artists.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#48(background: I was and adjunct at an art school ( https://mica.edu ) for a couple years, planning to pick it up again in the fall. I asked my students "what is art?" every semester, but they never knew.) This is going to sound a lot like shooting down, but it's a note to myself as much as it's a note to you. You got this. :+1: There is a difference--huge, massive gap--between, "I want to make art" and "I want to be a…
What an amazing answer. Thanks for sharing it with me.
You are right. What I am trying to do here is to understand how the art world works. Yes, I can "do art" by myself, without showing anything to anyone. But I'd also like to understand what happens if you want to put your art "out there".
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#49I don't get your question, do you want to craete art, or do you want to be recognized in the art world? Those 2 goals aren't equivalent... Do you want to be an artist? Just start making art! If I were a cynic, I'd be wondering if this question, in this forum, is from someone who wants to jump on the NFT bandwagon. Oh wait, I am a cynic!
I have no interest in NFTs in relation to art. I have, however, used NFTs in 2017 with my startup (before it was cool!) to create a way to buy/sell real estate [0] (no longer involved, but still own shares).
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#50This question reminds me of the cognate question for aspiring writers: "What do I do to become a quote-unquote real writer?"
It's impossible to give a blanket answer since everyone takes their own path!
But this might be helpful. One piece of conventional advice for writers is to submit your work to as many journals, publishers, etc. as you can, to build up some name recognition and a publication history. As the thinking goes, if you're persistent and lucky enough, eventually you'll become "known."
The problem there is that you're putting yourself at the mercy of other people's gatekeeping.
Maybe you could do what I did, only for visual art (assuming you're interested in visual art) - start an online art review magazine. Grab a domain name and a site template, pick a free or at least cheap hosting provider, get Submittable / Duosuma accounts, then start publishing stuff from other artists while you work on your own.
The benefit of this approach is that it turns the tables on some of the barriers to entry and also acts as a fantastic networking mechanism. People love, absolutely love, having their stuff published, even in new and untried magazines and journals. It's the quickest way I know of to meet dozens of like-minded people in a very short time.
Hope that helps.