How do you now when you've become an artist?

1. 81

   lovetherainposted 5 years ago

   Is it when you are finally satisfied with your work and skill?

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      wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      I doubt that any real artist is ever satisfied with their work and skill.
      
      If you have created something, using your own creativity, you are an artist.  An architect is an artist, for instance.

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      1. 81

         lovetherainposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         I wish I had more creativity

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         1. 93

            wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Don't we all.  Whether painting a painting or making a new, wonderful, mixed drink, don't we all.

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         2. 75

            Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Again creativity require pratice.
            You may not have a natural talent for being creative. Yet you sure can require creativity talent by much practice.

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2. 75

   Castlepalomaposted 5 years ago

   Your an artist when you can pay your bills with your artwork. Your a veteran artist when your still paying your bills with your artwork after 15 years.  Your a great artist after 10,000 of practice. Your lucky in life, if you love your art after 40 years doing it professionally.

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   1. 81

      lovetherainposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      what if I'm just doing it because I want to,and not for money? I will never be an artist?

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      1. 75

         Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         You could attempt to live like Vincent Van Hope to age 37. Or be good in business as you are in art and do it professional like me for 44 years.
         
         The most Important thing to being an artist is pratice' like the practice of a doctor. Money give you more time to practice.

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      2. 88

         MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         LTR, I don't agree with Castlepaloma's statement. I believe a person is an artist if he or she produces art. There are all kinds of artists, rich, poor, in-between. Ever hear of a "Starving Artist Sale?" A snobbish coworker of mine once said that most of them deserve to starve. Perhaps, but it doesn't mean that they aren't artists just because one doesn't like their work.

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         1. 75

            Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            You could say everyone is an artist in degrees. From having the largest sand and snow sculpture company in the world for decades and having hired 1000s of artists on up to many world class artist. Only one sculptor artist in 12,000 can make a living at sculpture. The art profession is the lowest paid feild there is. If your working two other kinds of jobs to support your art part-time your a low degree artist.
            
            You decide if you want to dabble a few hours a week and call yourself a real artist. Or put your heart and soul into your work and be a master artist by practicing your art fulltime. If your dabbling I call it happy ass BS from experience. How many would really hire, buy or commission a dabbler.
            I'm being realistic, because I seen too much suffering from people's delusion in the artist feild.

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      3. 75

         Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         You just won't be a real or great artist. Just a lower degree artist.

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         1. 93

            wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            A "lower degree"....as defined by those people selling their creativity for money.

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            1. 75

               Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               If you want be a great artist in today's world, you need to be good in business too. Vincent Van Gogh had a brother to support his pratice. Yet was not successful artist financial during his life, he even grew MADD over it.

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               1. 77

                  Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  He stirred his coffee with the end of paint brushes which were caked with lead paint.

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               2. 77

                  Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  People did not like his work. He painted with emotion. He revealed his feelings. He started drawing as an adult and his drawing skills were a bit primitive. His composition and color use were revolutionary. His art was too far away from the Neo classical ideal. Most people only understood art in terms of what the (French) school of BEAUTIFUL arts wanted. They did not see the beauty of Van Gogh's work. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The public did not have the eyes to see.

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               3. 77

                  Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  It was the American market which launched the Impressionists toward  financial success.  One French dealer offered Impressionist paintings to America for purchase. The Americans had the eyes to see, when the French did not!
                  
                  An artist must find the eyes to see.
                  
                  Hopefully ...
                  the rich!

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            2. 88

               MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               Wilderness, I don't think talent as a real artist (or writer) has anything to do with whether you are selling or not. (From your comments I don't believe you do either.) It has everything to do with being in the right place at the right time to be discovered or something like that. Look at the folks whose work goes like hotcakes for big bucks AFTER they died.

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3. 77

   Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years ago

   ... you can call yourself an artist if you have pursued visual arts your whole entire life. I have loved drawing and painting since I was old enough to be handed a paint brush or pencil. In elementary school, when I had friends over, we would stretch out on our stomachs and draw vases, which I would set up on the floor. I thought it was quite fun, but not every one of them did. In fact, I don't think any of them did. So, the average person is not an artist because that's not what they're tuned into.
   
   I have painted murals and designed game boards for which I was paid, but I have not made a profession of creating/selling art. Nevertheless, despite what anyone else might think, I am an artist.
   Why? because I draw, (pencils, color pencils, pastels/chalk, pen/ ink) and paint (acrylics/water colors) as a hobby in my spare time. I also study and read about artists.
   Whoever does these things ... or more... is an artist.
   
   ... and there is much more! If you do ceramics, sculpture, mobiles, stained glass, etc. and visually work with color, line, form, shape, etc.
   and enjoy it very much, you are an artist.

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   1. 88

      MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      Kathryn, I would say that you are an artist. My mother drew great pictures as a child, but then when she married my stodgy dad, she gave up art (and her music, too.) After he died in 1985, she started drawing again and took painting classes. She died in 2008 after taking home some 2nd place ribbons from her art. One day a friend and I were talking, and the friend said about my mother "...but she was an artist." That statement made me so proud of her.

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4. 77

   Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years ago

   Most young children are artists if you provide them with an appropriate environment including appropriate materials and instruction. Why? Because they enjoy it and pursue it with playful experimentation.
   
   If you are experimenting in art, and find joy in creativity and expressing yourself, you are an artist.
   
   I would say that being paid for your art makes you a professional artist.
   
   Any one of us can be an artist, so embrace it!

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5. 77

   Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years ago

   If you think about it, some art becomes worth so much, it could be more valuable than money.
   
   Great art never looses its value.
   
   Becoming an Artist is a noble pursuit.
   When can you call yourself an artist? As soon as you start pursuing it and do it for sheer joy.

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   1. 75

      Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      Often enough I get calls to fix jobs that amateurs artist do wrong. I can't fix their job, because with amateurs they never have enough time to do it right in the first place. But all kinds of time to fix it. I can't fix their wrong and neither can they.
      
      I say to a client, would you hire a
      veterinarian to do brain surgery on you? Simply answer... No
      
      These amateur artist may enjoy doing their art, just don't hire to do a master peace, or your likely to end up  with a happy ass BS.

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      1. 88

         MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Kathryn has a point. Some amateur artists are more skilled than some professional artists whose work I've seen. I think you are being too judgmental, Castlepaloma. I was an editor correcting other people's writing for 34 years, and believe me, I could tear your writing apart.

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         1. 75

            Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Never claim to be a writer or a good writer, only a great sculptor artist.
            Be critical, I don't need your approval just to write, nobody need my approval to do art. Yet a few tips along the way is helpful, like I do, on over a 1000 artist jobs or artist workshops or on this on this thread.
            
            To be great at anything, the most common thread is 10,000 hours of practice. Name one other word greater than practice, to claim yourself being an artist.
            
            Since most of my waking hours of my life has been an artist at work.
            To be a Great artist for me , I need to to be highly critical, especially of myself. From judging dozens of  international sculptor competition. Then winning 185  international sculptor contest awards myself including 5 world champion titles. I've hired and trained 6 former sandsculpture world Champion,. Probably have more artist achievements than all combined persons on this thread.
            
            My daughter has been a full-time artist for 11 year. My guidance as a veteran artist has given her alot more than her school art degrees.
            
            Do what ever you want to do,  as long as it dose not harm anyone, is the only rule.
            What do I care if you don't  improve much without a veteran artist offering.  There are plenty who have the balance of desire, focus, attitude and require the talent who I am looking to really help.

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            1. 77

               Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               I agree, an artist is always looking for ways to become better. Artists value other artists and learn from them.
               Of course.

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               1. 75

                  Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  Thank you.

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            2. 88

               MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               Castlepaloma, I just made the statement about your writing because you are leaving the impression that you are antagonistically judgmental about art. Artists really don't need your approval to be artists either. I do have one question and this is not being judgmental or antagonistic, just curious. Are you an ESL?

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               1. 75

                  Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  Always hired writers, to my writing in my bussiness and for a long time lived in Latin Countries. Working on my English writing skills now.

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6. 94

   Glenis Rixposted 5 years ago

   I feel a little ambivalent about the answer to this question. I would like to call myself a writer but I don’t make a living from writing, so it’s, strictly speaking, a hobby. If you enjoy a creative activity does a label really matter very much?

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   1. 88

      MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      Glenis, I now try to be a writer although I'm not trying to sell anything yet. I made a very good living as an editor for 34 years, a career that I stumbled into by accident. I've read some of your very good work. I don't think a label matters very much.

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7. 77

   Anishpatposted 5 years ago

   You know you are an artist when you practice your art just for the feeling you get while doing it and nothing else!

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   1. 75

      Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      Lol! I could tell a masterbating joke, but I won't. Enough people here are not satisfied with my comments.

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      1. 77

         Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         ... so masturbation is an art? There is a book you should write!

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         1. 77

            Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            Might help cut down on sex crimes.

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            1. 75

               Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               Many may turn into happy ass BS artist for their outlet of expression. I could not write about them nor could I write a few great master-debator on this site.
               Too busy working with other world class master sculptors and green substainable living.

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   2. 77

      Kathryn L Hillposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      +1

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8. 80

   Sila Ozgorenposted 5 years ago

   I think, you know it, when you say "Yeah, I did it. I really nailed it." after looking at your work feeling proud and also admiring your own work.

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   1. 75

      Castlepalomaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      I do have the WOW awesome!! factor. Yet always feel there are ways to improve. An art project is finished when you run out of time or money.

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