Do you want to learn how to draw? Have you always dreamed of becoming an artist, but you thought it required some special talents? We will give you complete instructions on how to make your dream come true and learn how to create real works of art.
Who is an artist by profession An artist is a creative person. Inspiration and the desire to create lives in him. But if a person calls art his profession, it means that his goal is to earn money with his talent.
There is no definite source from which this talent is drawn. Art is not mathematics, where you can sit down and solve a problem according to a certain scheme. Every artist sees the world differently, and inspiration visits as instantly as it leaves. Artists come in different forms and are also engaged in different directions. Let’s talk briefly about each of them. What types are artists?
Painter. Draws, as a rule, from nature, working on their own or in the workshops where paintings are written to order.
Copyist. Creates copies of famous artists’ paintings, works in studios where such works are commissioned.
Caricaturist. Creates caricatures of different people, life situations or political situations. Most often works in newspaper and magazine publishing houses, in advertising.
Illustration artist. Engaged in creating illustrations wherever they are needed. Can work in book publishing, advertising, cartoon and computer graphics.
Graphic Artist. Creates graphic images, mostly using a computer. Works in publishing houses, more often referred to as a designer.
Artist-restorer. Specializes in restoration of art objects. He is sometimes counted among the staff of museums and scientific organizations.
Fashion designer. Is engaged in creation of sketches of clothes and footwear. Works in factories, fashion houses, ateliers.
Jeweler. Makes various jewelry and bijouterie. Works in jewelry shops and jewelry factories. All artists are united by talent and unconventional outlook on life. Some may be inspired by an evening sunset, while others may be inspired by a carelessly hung rag on a chair.
How does the artist see”, “where does the inspiration come from”, “how does the creative process take place” and “what emotions does the artist feel when creating a work of art” each of the artists will answer in their own way. And we will try to find out together with our experts. How does an artist see? Many artists say they see with lines, shapes, spots, tones, light, shadow. Our expert sees “beauty.”
Where does an artist draw inspiration from? The answer to this question is as ambiguous as the previous one. Every artist has his or her own sources of inspiration: Inspiration for an artist, as for any creative person, does not always come, so there are long stagnation periods. You can look for it in music, literature, or be inspired by famous painters. But I think it comes all of a sudden: you’re walking down the street, you see something unusual, an idea appears and you develop it.
What and how does an artist work? First of all, an artist works with his soul and hands. Not everyone can take a brush and create a masterpiece. There should always be something inside that pushes you to paint a picture. But in the first stages, if you have not yet discovered the talent, you need to start with the materials. Let’s break down what materials an artist uses.
1. Paints. There are four kinds: oil, watercolor, gouache and acrylic. Usually an artist finds himself in one thing and works with this material. Watercolor is painted only with a lot of water. Without it the colors won’t give the effect of lightness and finesse of the image. Gouache is thicker than watercolor and lays down more densely, so less water is used when creating a picture. Acrylic combines the properties of oil and watercolor. It can be used dry by simply squeezing it out of a tube or diluted with water. Oil paints are used with a thinner. They do not need water and take a long time to dry.
2. Brushes. Brushes can be synthetic or made of wool: pony, goat, squirrel, pig, sable, badger and columnar. You can choose one for yourself according to the type of paint you want to use. “Pig” and “badger” are most suitable for oil paints. “Squirrel” and “goat” work best with watercolors. Synthetic brushes are used for acrylics. “Pony”, “sable” and “columnar” are universal. They are used to paint with all kinds of paints.
3. Pencils. There are simple and colored pencils. With colored pencils there are usually no difficulties, and artists buy a set of the most famous companies, such as Faber-Castell, Koh-I-Noor, Lyra.
How to become famous as an artist? In the 21st century, almost all creative people’s fame comes through the Internet. To start with, you can try to create a page on Instagram. This is the most suitable way of self-promotion and earning money by selling paintings. Look for contests for artists on the Internet – there are quite a few of them now: free and paid. Somewhere for the victory are awarded an impressive cash prize, and somewhere give interesting and valuable gifts, such as certificates for training in various art and design schools.
An artist’s earnings are linked to his fame. Of course, you can always sit down with paintings in the passage of the avenue. But it is better to follow the traditional methods and become known first in small circles, and then expand these circles. The primitive way – to put an ad on ad sites (avito, yula and others) and try to sell paintings there. Another way is through exhibitions. If you decide to make your own or participate in someone else’s, then there is a chance to find a buyer there. A third way is to do custom work. This can be both large, long works and spot orders that need to be done at an accelerated pace. Sign up with a recruiting service or freelancer exchange and expect your first orders. Don’t worry if you are just starting to gain experience – your client will come to your level.