Making Art is Hard, From Guesswork to Growth

Making anything is hard. Trying to build something from nothing takes a lot of time, thought, and energy

The journey of creating art that is authentic while maintaining financial stability is complex. It's a balance I'm still learning to navigate.

Making art is hard. Making anything is hard. Trying to build something from nothing takes a lot of time, thought, and energy. "what should I make?" "What can I draw for people that they will enjoy?"

I'm learning to create artwork for the public. I'm learning to figure out what people actually want in their bedrooms and on their bodies. How do they want to represent themselves and what do they want to see in their surroundings.

For a long time I was just guessing as to what people wanted to see. And before you tell me "you should just be making what's in your heart!" let me stop you and say, what's in my heart is worry over paying rent and buying food for my cats. My priority right now is making sure I have an income with the skillset that I do have that doesn't burn me out.

This reality has led me to a practical approach: I need to make art that people are interested in. And this doesn't mean I don't get to express myself. There are so many people and interests out there that I can choose from, many subjects that interest me and in making visuals in those themes I will still be expressing some inner truth even if it's a little bit harder to see.

I spent a lot of time guessing what people wanted. And this sometimes worked, but often it didn't, and continuing to make art that no one shows interest in is disheartening.

Now, instead of relying on guesswork, I'm learning how to do market research and marketing. I'm researching what people are looking for, what types of objects are in demand and what types of people aren't getting their needs met.

I feel scared to show the work that comes from this because it is so different from what I normally make when given a free moment. But when I'm in a financially uncomfortable situation, I also feel so much stress that I'm not able to create freely anyway.

The truth is, in order to be an independent artist able to do the type of works that comes straight from the heart, I first need to make art that appeals to people.

I feel resistance in sharing this work, I want to keep it secret and just show the work that is "on brand" for me. But this is the reality of being a working artist. Most of my income comes from making art and designs either for a company that hires me or for people that want something for their lives. And that is the work I will continue to make.

This balance between artistic expression and commercial viability isn't always comfortable, but it's allowing me to build a sustainable creative practice. For now, I'm keeping these market-research-inspired pieces primarily on Etsy, separate from my main portfolio. If you're curious about this side of my creative journey, you can find these experiments here. https://threeeyesshop.etsy.com

wall art, watercolour art, dungeons and dragons, DnD art, handmade art, art business, sustainable art, tabletop gaming, gaming decor, wood art prints, polyhedral dice, D20, creative business, working artist, market research, financial stability

watercolour art, dungeons and dragons, art business, sustainable art, D20, creative business, working artist, market research,