The Arts World is one surrounded by an idea of exclusivity and saturated in mythical ideas of ‘The Genius, The Prodigy, The Divinely Talented = The Artist!’ But does being creative really mean this? And even if it did, does it matter – especially enough to stop us who believe ourselves to be mediocre from trying? NO. So, let’s spare the years of ‘what if’s?’ and see how you can make a name for yourself in the creative world, now!
Of course, it is a matter of opinion, but I believe your perception of your ability should have no say in whether you put your creative work out there or not. Your opinion of your work is more often than not, only a reflection of your confidence and outlook (i.e whether you are predisposed to being positive or negative) and not a direct answer to your ability.
So following from this, I think the first and possibly most important thing to do in order to make a name for yourself in the creative work is to create – regardless of what it is or what it turns out like, create as if you are wearing a blindfold. It seems stupidly obvious but you need work in order to share and often a stream of work will determine your platform and methods of attraction.
Ever had a really beautiful image in your head, tried to paint it, and wondered if it was supposed to look like Frankenstein’s monster but with eyelashes? Then you get frustrated that nothing ever turns out like the finished result you have in your head and vow to never paint again. Or maybe you’re trying really hard to convey a specific feeling through your writing but you just can’t get to the end of the sentence. This is one of the most common traps to fall into, being too focused on the end, subsequently not paying enough attention to the beginning and middle which are in fact the most important parts.
Whilst it’s impossible not to think about a creative project as a whole and it is necessary in order to give your piece direction, some of the most interesting works have come from ideas that are free to create as they will, and with no expectations, your finished result will only be as good as it will be. This takes a certain amount of pressure off of the artist and lets the work be completely uninhibited by strict, pre-imagined requirements. It also allows new styles to be formed, ones you will b excited to share with the creative world!
I think one of the most interesting parts of a creative project is its formation. Use whatever is available to you; vlog the stages of your work for YouTube, share photos on Instagram, write a blog about your journey. Make the most of the positive uses of social media, give people something more interesting to look at than the latest outfit of the next reality show fad or a fresh manicure positioned in front of an Audi steering wheel (so we can still see the badge of course).
In short, show people what you’re doing, get them interested from the start. Even share things that you think didn’t work. Apart from encouraging others, there will often be some who love your ‘flawed’ work.
Something I have only recently discovered is the success in being proactive, and this is not to say that I have found opportunities to share my work and always succeeded- learn to take a punch. There are a surprising amount of public creative outlets if you look for them, anything from; college courses, evening classes, wine and painting classes (which I noticed in Glasgow), online creative competitions, calls for poetry submissions for magazines and creative writing/arts groups. Offer your services, ask to tag along with someone experienced/professional. Look online, ask around, do your research.
Things such as those listed above help to get you started and give you something to aim for in the creative world. Having a project or a group of people to work with is also a great way to keep you going, the key to being good at anything is practice and consistency. It’s like anything else, the more you share and the more often you do it, the better you will become at it.
Creativity can be a lifestyle, although it is often reduced to a hobby. But how much do you really get done when something is left to the sidelines? To a rainy Sunday afternoon when there is nothing better to do? You might not be fortunate enough to have friends or family interested in the creative world but that doesn’t mean you have to enjoy the arts in solitude.
Most creative endeavours you will come across are of singular creation, so do something different. Collaborate. If there is an art account you follow on Instagram and you think your sketches would marry perfectly with their short stories, message them and tell them! See where it goes! If your graphic designs would look great with someone’s blog you love, message them! And if your paintings reflect someone’s music, how interesting would it be to combine them?
As daunting as it is, the worst the can happen when trying to collaborate in the creative world is someone says no or doesn’t reply. In an industry built on opinion, you need to learn to take the punches anyway and remember not everyone is going to like your work or think it’s good enough – but remember it doesn’t matter and keep going anyway.
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