It's been a few months since I dropped my dayjob to become a fulltime artist and it's also been quite awhile since I posted anything on the Business of Art, so what better time than now right? This is just a brief update of what I've learned thus far in my journey as an artist:
-There will always be something to buy: paints, pens, illustration board, paper, printer paper, printer inks, pencils, shipping envelopes, cello bags to keep prints safe, ribbon, laminate, notecards, envelopes, sticker paper, magnets and about a billion other things. It's fun though because I love to shop :)
-Even when there is more than enough money, you will stress about money. Mostly because of the previous, there will always be something to buy, or something to pay for. And because you're no longer getting a paycheck every week or two weeks for the same amount, it's a little stressful. But as sweet Seth has to explain time and time again worrying does nothing and everything always turns out just fine :) And I've found as well that as long as you do many things with work and don't just depend on a place like Etsy or Ebay for all of your cash, you'll be just fine.
-Organization is key. I actually had to take it down a few notches on being some ridiculously organized because I wans't taking time to enjoy the fantastic experience of working for myself. But that said, I still keep a daily planner to keep track of bills, deadlines for projects and a daily list of things to accomplish before bedtime. I highlight important dates, especially deadlines, so every morning I grab my planner and glance ahead for a few weeks to see what I need to be working on, etc.
-While organization is key for the business aspects of being an artist, it's not so true for the creative aspects. I started out trying to designate times to paint each day but I found myself staring at blank pages or forcing out wholely uninspired work that I would later throw away. Then later in the day I would find myself inspired and excited but with a pile of other things to work on leaving me too guilty to be creative. So no more scheduling, just a list of things to do each day. It's made my life a lot less stressful to paint when I feel like it, package orders whenever I get time, deal with business things whenever I get time, etc. As long as everything is wrapped up by the end of the day, I feel great about it. This also allows me freedom during the course of the day to just take a break to enjoy life :)
-Keep yourself inspired. Since the life of the artist is a bit solitary, it's important to find ways to stay inspired. I tend to read a lot which always sparks ideas in me but I also wander out to the nearby park a few days a week with my digital camera to shoot some reference/inspiration pics. And I spend time almost every day browsing Flickr, Google Images, and the Deviantart stock photos section looking for inspiration pictures. I normally don't paint directly from these photos but just use them as a spark or starting point and then if I find I need a reference picture, I'll just snap a quick one of myself because I know exactly what pose I'm looking for. I've found that magazines can also be great sources of inspiration so I keep a file of images I've torn from magazine pages that I sort through as well. And finally, I drag an idea journal around with me wherever I go and jot down all the new ideas I have whether for illustrations or for new items for the shop. Then whenever I get stumped, I just browse until something strikes me.
-It is so easy to let yourself go physically if you are working out of your own home. I've found a bit of a lazy tendency in myself, especially when I get involved in working, so I make it a point to remind myself to exercise every day, put on some nice clothes instead of just pajamas all day, fix my hair and put on mascara and leave the house for a few minutes each day to avoid completely losing my mind.
That said, my life is simple and lovely now. Quite honestly I don't think I would trade my current life even for a million or so dollars and that's a great place to be :)