In this day and age, we’re exposed to apps and online courses that claim to turn you into a creative genius in the blink of an eye.
The impression this gives is that learning a creative skill is super easy.
Most of this messaging downplays that if you want to be a skilled creative, you’ll have to dedicate a lot of time and practice to get there.
You’ll also have to learn the right tools. Apps like Canva, for example, aren’t a substitute for learning Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, and other professional software.
.But even if you’ve chosen the right tools and you’re on a mission to improve your craft, at some point, you might start to feel like you’ve reached a plateau.
This could end up becoming your comfort zone. And if you don’t step out of it, you’ll stagnate.
To avoid that and gain true mastery of a skill, you’ll need to keep pushing.
In this post, our CEO, Osama Khabab shares a few tips that will help you thrive as a creative artist.
But if you are on a tight schedule, you can check out this video instead.
Let’s begin!
Start respecting the process
Mastering a skill will take time and patience. You have to fight the desire for instant success and recognition. Mastery isn’t a state to achieve. It’s a journey to live by.
When you’re starting out, building a full-time creative career may seem challenging due to financial constraints. But there are ways to manage.
Carve out a specific time and dedicate a part of your day to learning a skill. Get a hang of the basics so you have a good foundation. It’ll demand a tremendous amount of effort and discipline for you to create a routine. And you have to stick to it religiously.
Also read: How to Win Customer Attention
Practice as much as you can
Mastery requires us to think of this process as an ongoing activity. You have to find joy in the idea of constantly learning.
This is true for any field, take sports, for example, you have your Tiger Woods and Cristiano Ronaldo, They are all about pushing themselves and keeping their skills polished. Ronaldo, for instance, at 37 is still at the top of his game.
So, just like the world’s best athletes, creatives also have to look at their careers and expertise as a never-ending journey.
Put your ego aside
Your ego is your greatest mental enemy. When you begin to experience success, it usually blinds you to your faults. You start thinking that you know it all and resist learning from others.
So, you have to look past your ego and success. Be humble about your achievements and understand that there are always new things you can learn from other people.
Be open to negative feedback and continuously work to improve on your weaknesses. Staying humble and grounded are the keys to upgrading your skillset and acquiring new ones.
Read more: How to Become an Animator—Interview with an Expert
Ask for help
People often feel too embarrassed, too shy, or too proud to ask for help. If you’re trying to learn a complex skill, there are going to be times when you’ll feel stuck. And when you get stuck, you lose motivation.
Therefore, find people who have already done it and get advice. Find mentors you can learn from.
Your support system will motivate you and keep you focused on your goals.
Believe in yourself
Believe that you can be as good as the creatives you look up to. Let go of self-doubt and assure yourself that with enough practice and experience, you can be just as good as the people you admire.
Believing in yourself starts with realizing that you are the driver of your own success.
And to get there, envision a roadmap so you can take actionable steps toward your goals.
Also read: How to Start a Career in Animation – A Guide
Promote your work
It’ll all go in vain if you don’t know how to market your work to the right audience. These days, social media and design platforms are great ways to showcase your work.
Create accounts on different networks. Showcase your work. Engage with the audience. Use the right hashtags to make it easier to find the right people.
Online platforms such as Behance, Dribbble, and ArtStation are the best choices where you can post your work portfolio. You can create your personal account and add some of the best work you have done through the years.
Use the right hashtags on social media to reach adequate viewership. People have successfully landed jobs by posting their work on their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.
You can also partake in local and online competitions to reach organic viewership.
Final thoughts
The bottom line is that reaching success as a creative artist is based on several factors. You must learn to be patient and have faith in the process.
Put in a significant amount of time and effort in upskilling yourself as a creative. Build your network and cultivate a trustworthy support system around you.
Stay grounded and be open to constructive criticism so you’re always aware of areas that need improvement.
Lastly, market your work. Sign up to different social and design networks, connect with other creatives, and engage with the audience on social platforms.
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