Did you always want to be an artist? While many aspiring artists attend art school to begin their careers, you may be wondering if you can become a professional artist without attending. Well, we have just the answer for you.
While all of you are doubting if you could become an artist without going to art school, you will be surprised to know that it is not only feasible but sometimes recommended to become an artist without receiving the necessary academic schooling.
How to Become an Artist without Going to Art School
You may become as skilled as anyone who spent thousands of dollars and four years attempting to become a professional artist by obtaining art education through alternative ways.
But, the road to becoming a respected artist, regardless of your credentials, is never easy. Here is a guide on how to become an artist without ever attending art school, based on the experiences of professional artists who have never attended art school.
1. Learn from Various Mediums
Personal development is critical to becoming an artist. Your art will evolve as you do. It’s a symbiotic relationship that we’ve seen play out time and time again throughout history. This is why, before attempting to become a prolific artist, you should give yourself plenty of time to explore your artistic interests.
Begin by learning about the evolution of art throughout human history. If a particular era or style appeals to you, dig a little deeper and see if you can find some books that go into greater detail about that period.
Try to discover new modern artists as frequently as possible, keeping an eye out for artists whose work seems to speak to you on a personal level. You can also watch videos, talk to other artists, and seek out people you admire to learn from. Learning from others is a fantastic way to get started and be encouraged.
Besides, YouTube is also a goldmine of information on any subject, including art. On YouTube, you may quickly get tutorials for practically any art topic you’ll learn in art school.
You can also start practising what you’ve learned from the YouTube videos on your own to expand your knowledge and abilities as you obtain some helpful knowledge.
2. Take Online Courses
While YouTube has a wealth of free information, sometimes you just need someone to walk you through a tutorial and give you assignments to complete for feedback.
You can, however, enrol in some online painting classes and webinars to gain access to great artists with a wealth of knowledge in the arts. Besides, more and more online courses are introducing art-related courses regularly. They are a great low-cost option for new and amateur artists.
Not only are online courses and various webinars more interactive, but you may also have your artwork critiqued by a professional artist. Again, if you’re looking to buy an online course, ask skilled artists and artist friends for advice.
If you come across any that are really wonderful, make a note of them; in no time, you’ll be able to recommend courses to aspiring artists like yourself.
3. Find a Mentor
A simple yet effective strategy is to track down a generous artist mentor and hold on to them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to your mentor. You might think they would get irritated by this, but the truth is they actually like it. After all, what is art without sharing?
It’s also worth noting that the best art mentors aren’t always artists.
4. Make More Artist Friends
This is especially for you if you’re the type of person who finds that classrooms and teachers don’t exactly encourage you to be your most open and comfortable self. Make some artist friends for a change.
Artist friends can be an excellent source of feedback. Show them your work on a semi-regular basis and request that they give you honest, tough feedback.
These criticisms or feedback may appear harsh at first, and they may be tough to hear, but getting outside feedback on work that has been solely personal up to that point might be one of the most valuable things you can do.
However, the friendships should be based on a shared desire to learn. Yes, you may bounce ideas off of one other, but you can also push each other further than you would otherwise.
5. Visit Museums and Art Conferences
For personal art education, local museums are a fantastic resource. There are usually multiple art museums nearby if you live in a mid-size to a large city.
Make sure to look into each museum’s speciality. Some museums specialize in classical ancient art. Others may limit their collections to contemporary and modern art. You might be able to go into these museums for free if you’re a student. Consider taking a guided tour once you’ve entered.
You may not want to, but museum tour guides’ expertise and knowledge may be a huge help when it comes to comprehending the historical context of a piece of art.
After you’ve learned about the artist’s aims, you may begin developing your own interpretations of the work and how they hold up in today’s world.
It would be best if you also visited art conferences to learn about the art world from some of the most recognized artists and designers, in addition to getting a mentor and learning online.
Attending these conferences is necessary as you are unlikely to be able to afford to employ one of the world’s most renowned experts as your one-on-one mentor.
Second, you can form long-term ties with other musicians who are attempting to advance their careers. Building a friendship with a fellow artist will only benefit your profession in the long run, as you may learn from each other.
Besides, from these conferences, you can discover other artists attempting to develop their skills without attending art school; you may ask them for recommendations for their favourite YouTubers and art content creators.
Conclusion
People have been using online resources to become experts since the beginning of the internet, rather than depending on costly and time-consuming conventional education. So, becoming an artist without going to art school isn’t impossible now!