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Being a fine artist takes a lot of work and dedication, but few fields of work in this world deliver such satisfaction and reward. There aren’t just two or three skills you need to have; there are many different skills to consider! So, what exactly are they?
Here are 8 skills you need to have to be a fine artist:
If only it were so easy that one emerged as a fully formed artist; however, it takes concentrated effort on your part. The rest of this article will discuss these much-needed skills in greater detail. It will also discuss ways to improve these skills, so read on to learn more.
The skills you need to be a fine artist start with mastering your basic drawing skills and your chosen medium. Patience, resilience, communication, and self-discipline are also essential for you to succeed. Finally, you need imagination and creativity, and a passion for art.
Now, let’s look at all these skills (and more) in greater detail below.
Often people look at abstract artists and say, “well, I could do that!” However, what many people don't know, most brilliant abstract artists start mastering the basic skills of a fine artist, drawing from life and mastering form.
Think of fine art as a process of apprenticeship, where you learn all the techniques of rendering a three-dimensional form onto a two-dimensional plane. Through the basics of form, the true alchemy of fine art evolves, creating the illusion of depth on a two-dimensional plane.
Think of it as a doctor trying to perform surgery without knowing where the organs are or how the body works. Whether you disregard these rules once you are a full-fledged artist, you need these basic skills to hone your artistic eye.
You should be able to do this by observing things, people, and places, in real life. Rendering The human form is the most complex and challenging of all art training, and many artists spent years perfecting the figure before becoming great.
Once you master form, you may start to create by using your imagination. Of course, like with anything else, you must practice until you have mastered this skill. Once again, life drawing is the key.
Try to go out to different locations as much as possible and draw/paint what you see. You can improve your skills and become a better fine artist by continuously practicing. In particular, you should focus on perspective drawing.
Whether you are a watercolor artist, a collage expert, or an oil painter, each medium requires technical skills of application. For example, not priming a canvas with the proper materials could mean your much-loved painting will chip or peel over time.
Painting rich oil colors over thinner colors ensures that your oil painting is flexible and will last over time without peeling or cracking. Blending colors is an art, as is wet on wet techniques and correct varnishes to protect your works.
Each medium requires you to spend time understanding how to apply and control the medium to reflect your personal vision. I have worked in oils for a decade, yet I constantly learn new secrets to enhance my expression.
Taking classes with an established artist is the best way to learn from someone who has spent their life understanding the ins and outs of a particular art medium. Alternatively, there are online courses that you can join in your spare time.
Ultimately be prepared to practice and fail, practice and fail some more. Each mistake teaches us valuable lessons for our next painting, and failing is a vital part of your progression as a fine artist.
As you probably know, being a fine artist is a challenging career and certainly not for the impatient. It can take years for some people to master their art, so patience is essential.
Even if you are a master of your art, you may find it challenging to sell your work initially. Rather than giving up too soon, having patience and continuing to work hard will eventually pay off, even if it takes years.
Without patience, you won’t learn, grow, and create excellent work. According to the University of California, Berkeley, patience helps us achieve our goals, not to mention it’s good for our mental health.
So, there’s no doubt that having patience is essential if you want to be a fine artist.
You could argue that resilience is an essential skill for any career, but it is crucial for fine artists. As a fine artist, you will likely have people who critique your work in your personal or professional life.
Not everyone will be a fan of what you do, which can be challenging to accept. Resilience will help you move forward from criticism and grow from it rather than give up.
If you get offended easily or are overly sensitive, you will need to improve your resilience skills. It will be a challenge for you to make a living as a fine artist without having the confidence to push past criticisms.
Here are some ways to improve resilience:
Communication skills are also crucial for fine artists. If you are going to allow your artwork out into the world, you will need to develop people skills. The adage “it's not what you do, it's who you know” is certainly true of the art world.
In your career, you will often have to negotiate with gallery curators, art sellers and buyers, and even the public once your work is displayed.
Communication skills are also crucial for selling your artworks and networking. When discussing pricing with clients, you must have the confidence to state clearly what you’re charging.
In terms of networking, it’s essential to have communication skills to sell yourself to prospective exhibitors or buyers.
Here are some ways to improve your communication skills:
Imagination and creativity are some of the essential skills if you want to be a fine artist. Having the ability to come up with fresh ideas and draw them as you see them in your head is a sure way to become an excellent and well-regarded fine artist.
Without imagination and creativity, there is no art. Here are some ways to help increase your imagination and creativity:
Generally, self-discipline means you can do things when you don’t want to. You may love being a fine artist so much that you never have a problem doing your job, but this isn’t always the case.
Even when you do something you love as a career, there are times when you would rather be doing something else. So, focusing and putting in the time to work and practice is essential if you want to be a fine artist.
Self-discipline is crucial for being a fine artist because, in many cases, fine artists are self-employed. Being self-employed offers many benefits, but it also comes with its downsides.
Not having a strict schedule can eventually hinder your overall performance as a fine artist. By giving yourself a schedule and sticking to it, you will remain self-disciplined, which helps you be the best fine artist.
Here are some of the best ways to improve self-discipline:
Often artists fail early in their careers because of frustration that their art is not moving forward visibly. Often people have such a passion for art that they neglect the basics of learning the skills necessary to flourish as an artist.
Life drawing is a critical key to your artistic success and will improve your technical art skills immeasurably. Almost all great abstract artists had a background in life studies and drawing before they merged onto the abstract route.
If you feel your work is not moving forward, go back to life studies or drawing for a while. After all, real artists learn their craft throughout their working life.
You cannot procrastinate if you want to be a fine artist. Instead, you need to keep the creative juices flowing and stay on top of your work. That’s not to say you shouldn’t take breaks (you definitely should), but you need to focus on getting your work done promptly.
You can devour a million art books and visit a thousand galleries, but until you put brush to canvas, you will not progress as an artist. Everyone has to start somewhere and don't be afraid to fail at first. Often we learn more from our mistakes in art than our success.
Looking after yourself is essential for every aspect of life, not just being a fine artist. People often equate successful artists with a bohemian existence, late nights, and a reckless disregard for health.
This idea is a fallacy, and looking after your body and its needs will not only improve your art but also give you a longer potential career. Look after yourself, exercise, and eat well. There is no need to play the role of the starving artist when you can achieve just as much by clean and sober habits.
Having a true passion for art is another essential skill to have. Although some may not class this as a skill, it is a skill to remain passionate about something and make a living out of it.
By remaining passionate about what you’re doing, it will make your job easier and more enjoyable. In turn, you will be able to produce great work.
You may not know whether you’re passionate enough about art or not to be a fine artist, so here are some indicators that you have a passion for it:
Fine art is not for the faint-hearted, and one needs to dedicate the hours and effort necessary to achieve mastery of your art form. You will need to work on your practical skills and develop your patience and perseverance. However, few callings will offer you the end reward of creating an object of beauty in and of itself.
