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Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
21–30 of 73 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#22If you want to be an artist, I recommend avoiding trying to get launched, seeking recognition, or even getting invited to shows. That's a huge distraction and only relates to the marketing of art.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#23Haven't read it, and it may be more abstract than what you're looking for, but I've heard good things about Jerry Saltz's book "How to Be an Artist" (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084CSQRWZ). He's a pretty well-respected and candid Pulitzer-winning art critic.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#24It depends what you mean by "artist". There are different levels for different social classes, and each level is a different job/world which requires a different skillset.
There are light years of difference between getting a slot in a small-town gallery or show (not hard...), getting a slot in a Beverly Hills gallery (much harder, but not necessarily dependent on quality) to becoming a name on the mainstream NY/London circuit (needs insanely good contact management and party skills, and an ability to write/speak art bullshit with a straight face).
You can also be a successful niche artist who panders to a popular audience (Kinkade, Vettriano), a full-time Etsy pro, a full-time Deviant Art pro, someone known locally for pet portraits, and so on.
For the top gallery scene I'd suggest books like Art of the Deal by Horowitz and Dark Side of the Boom by Adams.
For art in general try Grayson Perry's Playing to the Gallery.
For an inside view of the top go to as many big art fairs as you can - Art Basel (Miama, Basel), Frieze (London), the Armory Show (NY), Scope (NY, London, Basel) - and ask gallery staff how the system works. Tell them you're doing a research project or something like that.
Do not try to sell them art.
Don't be surprised if some laugh at you or cut you dead, but a few may take an interest.
Also, don't underestimate how good the best artists are. There's plenty of bullshit, but there's also plenty of solid talent - not so much basic drawing (although it can help), but a kind of abstract visual intelligence and feel for composition which not everyone has.
Look at a lot of art, and try to understand visual metaphors, shape and use of space, dynamics and movement, social references, and other abstract features.
Representational skill is the least interesting part of it.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#25(Perspective from somebody who's been in galleries, had commissions, has been a published comic artist, and currently a design manager. Site's in the bio if you're curious and want to poke my brains more.)
Honestly, my advice for you is spend at least a year or two playing with different mediums and subjects, and see what sparks joy for you personally. Art these days is supremely cool because there's such a staggering variety out there from physical mediums such as guache, oils, acrylic, colored pencils, mixed media, to digital art which is even more broad than anything.
Drawing still life work (drawing what you see around you) is recommended to slowly pick up fundamentals of lighting and color and shape (same with figure drawing and anatomy), but I wouldn't limit yourself to just that - play with characters, play with drawing mechs, fantasy, surreal work ... sky's the limit.
I'd also start collecting/saving pictures of art that resonate with you and save it in an inspiration folder so that way you can look back and see if there's a common thread to what vibes with you. Is it colors? A feeling that is evoked? A story in the images? etc.
One last thing: I'd sign up to an art-specific site like deviantART which has historically been very friendly to artists of all stripes (versus twitter), and isn't treated as a professional "portfolio" (versus artstation) as much as a cool landing page to see all of your works. At the end of the year if you want to get more serious, then I'd suggest building a personal site - but wouldn't jump in it immediately.
Good luck!
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#26Pick 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.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#27If you just want a hobby, hit up an art supply store, buy some stuff, and make some art.
If you want to have the experience of being in a show, search for local "Call for Artists", and you'll find small shows taking in local artist's work. If it is a juried show, it means they'll choose which artwork makes it into the show. Non-juried shows means if you drop it off, it is in. Most shows let you set a price at which you'll sell the displayed works, and take a cut of that sale.
It is really that simple - The galleries and museums put out calls to artists, and artists respond. Different shows will have different preferences for skill level and styles. Over time, you'll figure out which shows are best for your own art. You'll also get to know the people running the shows, and get to know the local community.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#28If you want to be an artist, I recommend avoiding trying to get launched, seeking recognition, or even getting invited to shows. That's a huge distraction and only relates to the marketing of art.
If you're an artist, you probably care about people connecting with your art, so "marketing of art" seems pretty important or at least understandable. I'm sure there are some myths of famous artists who stumbled into wild success (where "success" means "lots of people connecting with one's art" whether or not the artist makes significant money), but even if those myths are true, I'm pretty sure it's not a recipe others can reproduce--most people will probably need to worry about marketing and even that may not be enough.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#29If you want to make art as a hobby, find something you enjoy doing. Focus on the process and not the result. Consider expressing your own feelings and personality.
To become museum art, your stuff needs an interpretation that places it within art history and more precisely at the front of art history. E.g. it can’t be something that’s already done.
Re: Ask HN: How to Become an Artist?
#30An artist is someone who makes art every day. Art is that which imparts feelings.
So, make artifacts or performances that impart feelings, every day.
Your output will be trash at first, but that’s expected. What matters is that you do your reps, every day.
When the going gets tough, read The War of Art.