Learning how to be a successful artist
Education, courses, books and tips about the art business for artists

Links to information and advice about how to become efficient and effective in your art business is organised in three secti0ns

ALERT!! - Coronavirus, COVID-19 and Art

Business Habits​​

• STARTING OUT - TIPS for Emerging Artists
• MOVING ON - TIPS for Experienced Artists

Best Art Business Books

Real Life Business Practices

• Office Practices & Law for Artists
• Learning Opportunities

NOTE: This section is under construction.
Live links are indicated in DARK RED
The pages I'm developing look like this line​

NEW!

FAQS: How can I be successful as an artist?
​

It's really interesting to look at frequent queries relating to becoming a successful artist - and what people focus on.
For me they indicate a low level of awareness among quite a lot of people about what being an artist actually involves.

These are the queries I keep coming back to as I develop this site.

• Some already have answers on this website - some I have still to address. See the Index
• Why not start exploring and see how many answers you can find?

But I also answer the questions that do NOT get asked e.g. How do I earn a pension as an artist?

​AN ART EDUCATION

• What education do you need to be an artist?
• What jobs can an art degree get you?
• Does an artist need a degree?
• What qualifications do you need to be a artist?
• How much do private art lessons cost?
• What can I do after graduation in arts?
• What can you do with an art degree?

BEING AN ARTIST

• What does being an artist mean?
• What makes an artist an artist?
• How long does it take to be a artist?
• Is it ever too late to be an artist?

A CAREER AS AN ARTIST

• How do you do full time art?
• How do you become a professional artist?
• How to quit your job and become an artist?
• How do I start a career in art?
• How do I become a painter artist?
• How can I become a good artist fast?
• What jobs are good for artists?
• How successful are full time artists?
• How can I be successful in art?

AN ART JOB

• What art jobs are in demand?
• What jobs can you get with an art major?
• What jobs are high in demand right now?
• What are the most creative jobs?
• What is the best job for an art student?
• How do you become an art manager?

FAME AS AN ARTIST

• How do artists become famous?
• How can I become a famous artist fast?
• What percentage of artists are successful?

HOW TO MAKE MONEY AS AN ARTIST

• How much do professional artists make?
• How much does a full time artist make?
• How can I earn money by drawing?
• ​What kind of paintings sell the best?
• How can I make money with art skills?
• How can I make money in creative?

THE ART BUSINESS

• How do I start an art business?
• How do I start a successful art business?
• How do you beome an art dealer?
• How do you start a drawing company?

TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR ART

• How can I promote my artwork?
• How do I start an art blog?

PRICING ART

• How much should I charge for my paintings?
• How much should I charge for art prints?
• How do you price a painting?
• How do you price a painting job?

SELLING ART

• Where is the best place to sell art online?
• How much do art galleries make?
• What is the standard commission for an art dealer?
• Do galleries pay artists?
• ​Can you negotiate with an art gallery?
• ​What does an art dealer do?

Business Habits for Organised and Effective Artists

Business Habits are what you do so you can go on making your art.
Not so much the paperwork - more an attitude of mind.

Developing the habits of successful artists is key to a successful career.
Lots of artists and those related to the art business have shared their tips. ​

Starting out as an artist?
Wanting to move on from being an amateur artist?

• What do you "need to know" to become successful?
  
• ​What do you need to avoid doing?
  
• What is it helpful to know?

This section is about being an artist and

• what are the things which make an artist different,
• what are the challenges they will face,
• what are the habits they need to develop if they want to be successful

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STARTING OUT - TIPS for Emerging Artists

​​Wanting to move on from being an amateur artist?

• What do you "need to know" to become successful?
• ​What do you need to avoid doing?
  What is it helpful to know?
• Habits you need to cultivate and practical advice ​for all those wanting a career as a visual / fine artist

MOVING ON - TIPS for Experienced Artists

Moving on - Being a Professional Artist
COMING SOON (under development)

• ​Moving on and ever upwards? Becoming a professional artist?
• Need to know more about an artist's career?
• Or planning for old age and retirement?

Whatever your perspective you can never stand still AND You must get and keep a grip on your business practices

The Best Books about the Art Business for Artists
​

This is a dedicated resource for those wishing to review what's on offer.

Many artists have used books to learn what they need to know to

• develop their career; and
• deal with the business side of being an artist from books. 

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK
​

How do you earn the title of "artist"?
​

• Is "artist" a title or a description - and what's the difference?
• Are you an "artist" just because you say so?
• Do you have to earn the title "artist?
• What entitles you to call yourself an "artist"? 
• Do you have to learn to be an "artist"?
• Do you need to be skilled to be called an "artist"?
• Do you need training to be an "artist" (just as a doctor or lawyer do before they're entitled to claim their titles)?
• Do you need to sell your work to be an "artist"?
• Do you need to be a professional full-time artist to be able to call yourself an artist?  Does "artist" ever need to be qualified by terms such as professional, semi-professional and amateur?
• Do you need external validation to justify calling yourself an "artist?
• How do you know an "artist" when you see one?
• What makes an "artist" different to everybody else?

from: ​How do you earn the title of "artist"? | Making A Mark (September 2011)

Rembrandt - Artist in his studio (1633) (pen and ink)

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Real Life Business Practices

Real life for artists - the infrastructure that underpins "being an artist"

Real life involves a lot of activities and practices
that enable you to continue to make and share and sell your art.

Art is not all about making art. Real life involves:

• a lot of activities and practices which mean you can continue to make and share and sell your art.
• a lot of routine which you need to make time for and which need to be followed if you aren't going to be wasting your time and living and working and storing your art in a complete mess.

Plus professional practices which can make a difference between being a successful artist and an "also ran".

This section is under development (i.e. Published/Live Links | Under Development  )

Gaping Void https://www.gapingvoid.com/

Office Practices

​Data Protection for Art and Artists - including GDPR

Documentation of artwork

• How to photograph your art 
• How to scan your art
• How to create a digital image 
• How to back up and archive your images - see above
• How to back up your image files

Inventory Management

• How to document and inventory your artwork 
• Inventory Management including consignment
  

Commissions

Contact Management - people and organisations

• Client Management
• Contacts Management;
• Gallery Management

Project Management

• Projects & Proposals

Administration of Money

• Annual & Quarterly Returns;
• Travel & Expenses:
• Records and receipts

PLUS elsewhere on this site

• How to create an Invoice
• Insurance for Art and Artists
• Tax for Artists
• VAT for Artists

Studio Practices

Under development

• How to find a studio
• Rent, Buy or Build?
• Health & Safety
• Purchase management
• Storing Art Supplies
• Equipment
• Storage of artwork

Time Management

Under development

• How to manage your time
• Managing Deadlines
• Exhibition Schedules
• Forward Planning and
• Time for Networking

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Learning Opportunities for Artists

Sometimes it's difficult to work out how best to develop

Consider opportunities for learning:
which meet your needs
which you can afford
and fit into your other responsibilities.  ​

Organisations supporting Artists

IN THE UK

• Artquest - Supported by University of the Arts London and Arts Council England.  Resources, opportunity listings and "how to"s
  
• a-n The Artists Information Company - a-n offers a range of memberships for individuals and groups
• Axisweb - An independent charity, profiles artists by region and what they do

Art Business Courses

Art Business Courses - They are offered by:

• art business entities - such as the auction houses. Sometimes designed for people other than artists e.g. art business professionals.
• art schools and universities - many of whom are plugging the gap in what used to be a dearth of art business knowledge and skills taught in art schools
• independent tutors - including those operating online
• plus art business "savvy" is regularly supplied by a number of Art Business Blogs - many of whom have an interest in selling short courses (online or face to face). Get a taster for the calibre of their offering via their blog.

Art Schools in the UK

Art Schools in the UK - offer fine art degrees but also other courses such as Summer Schools.

• Listing of various universities in the UK with Art Schools and/or offer degrees in Art (and/or related subjects). 
• The listing is organised on a geographical basis and specifies the location of each Art School, College or relevant University campus.

Personal Consultation

Would you like me to help?
Plus I also help by providing talks, reviews and advice

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Tell me about about your priorities re. "need to know"

In terms of professional business practices, do please let me know what are your personal priorities for what you "need to know" about.

Use the form to tell me what you need to know and why.

Banner Image: An artist in his studio by  John Singer Sargent

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