1. Decide what you want to do as an artist.
Choose your medium, topic, or theme, and find your voice. Some artists spend their very existence awaiting it, but you can begin at the purpose where you are now. Your thoughts will change with the years, prepare yourself for this. Define your values, everything you stand for—they may be the absolute most permanent aspects of your personality and your art. Build everything around them and you is likely to be set for a long time.
2. Define your target audience and future patrons.
That are individuals sharing exactly the same values and passion as you? Marine artists should look at ship or boat owners and coastal dwellers. Wildlife artists should consider people with wildlife in their hearts—Greenpeace fans, safari lovers, hunters, landlords of large wild properties. If you adore kids, look at their parents; if you like landscape, consider property owners and farmers. There is no secret—just 2% to 5% of society buys artwork: that part who has enough money and who values art. That doesn't just select visual art—music, dance, and the performing arts work exactly the same way.
3. Build your portfolio.
Keeping in mind your topic and your potential patrons, build your portfolio. If your topic is closely related to some particular interest, approach your potential patrons and look for non-monetary support in portfolio building. This can be usage of a property or help through being fully a model. Oftentimes, it may end up in your first sales. This is also the start of building your network. You can choose and manage your network with a extent. People attract like-minded people. Defining what kind of people you want in your network can help you to locate them. It could sound like magic, but that is really a natural way for you to select individuals to communicate with about your art.
4. Gain recognition.
This can be a show, an opposition, or some other kind of recognition. Take time to inform the press, your existing patrons and other admirers about this. Most people like to have an art piece by way of a recognized artist. Even when they got it before the recognition came, it will please them. Possibly even more, they can take credit in discovering you and your talent before others. Give them this small treat!
5. Fine tune your brand.
Since the minute you chose to be an artist and began following steps 1 to 4, you have been building your brand. It's rooted in your values, your beliefs, and your view. It sparkles in your art, yourself and everything around you. Take the core message (as in step 1) and make an effort to incorporate it in every single step you make. Your web site, your opinions, your organization card—even the manner in which you dress—may be an integral part of your brand. You are the brand! Be cautious the way you take action, though—be yourself and ensure you don't trap yourself with your personal brand.
6. Revise your pricing strategy.
It's no secret that recognized artists sell their benefit higher prices. So, as a principle, higher prices indicate that the artist is recognized. Don't forget to reflect your level of recognition in your prices. Pricing is very sensitive thing—you have to find the right spot. Underpricing can lead to fewer sales and less interest in your art. People love emerging artists, but you've to provide them the message you are emerging not just starting. Among the hidden messages can be your price. On one other hand, beware of overpricing. If prices are too high, people begins deeper investigation and will soon discover unreasonably high prices. Whatever the case, you ought to calculate material costs and set a price that covers at least your material costs.
7. Think about sales and information channels.
Just how can people see your art? Have you got an on line portfolio? Are you experiencing a web page? Is the art exhibited religion somewhere? What is that place? Can it be a gallery or perhaps a coffee shop in a disreputable street? Be cautious when choosing a route and place for your art. The context also sends an invisible message. You wont find the job of a high artist in a tiny corner café unless it's under their studio or belongs to him or her!
After step 7, shop around: almost certainly you are already an artist authors who has their own admirers, network and sales. Set an objective for when you will quit every day job. Is it an amount earned each month? Or quantity of art pieces sold? Or number of blog visitors? Revise your strategy, sales, channels, market, branding and your work and soon you reach the goal.
Read more about Transcendent Artist James Martinez