Art without Education: Creative Compensation for Makers
I've said multiple times I want you to feel empowered to do the things I do. You may worry that to do so, you need some kind of qualification... you don't. I don't. I never studied past a 6th form level and I actually failed my Art A-level by having a breakdown and not handing in any work. Kinda fun right!
I'm not going to bash education in the arts. In many ways I'm sad I didn't get to go on to university. We all need a helping hand and degree courses can bring confidence or sense of legitimacy. If that option is available to you - great! You will have access to resources and mentors that a solo maker might struggle to get a hold of. Not to mention the opportunity to make invaluable contacts as well as find camaraderie amongst fellow creators.
But you don't need this to be an artist or creator, you just gotta create! So here is how I make up for not being classically trained.
Find your peers
One of the most invaluable things about continuing education is the friends you make along the way. Meeting new people and forming connections is great for both life and work. It's not just having a bunch of creative people that get you, you can also work together, skill share and generally help each other out.
But just because you're making stuff home alone, doesn't mean you're on your larry. The wonderful side of the internet is that it allows you to find your peers. Find people, follow them and reach out. We are inclined to forget that on the other side of a screen is another human. If you try and connect in a meaningful way, the chance is they'll respond.
That said, when you know someone is exceedingly busy a DM or comment might not cut it. If the person you want to approach is in a powerful professional position with a lot of clients and such, it's better not to reach out willy nilly. Especially if you're just looking for tips and tricks, as it may come off as a little selfish.
I've made the mistake of sending someone a friendly message saying I enjoyed their work and asking if they could recommend some learning resources only to receive an absolute shit storm of a reply (plus being outed in instagram stories which did NOTHING for my anxiety hah) because I became an avatar for the hordes who had rudely approached them before.
I could have done more to prevent it, by being cognisant that experienced people often receive A LOT of messages of this ilk. They could have handled it better by remembering I was just a person on the other end of a phone. Ultimately it was - I hope - a learning lesson for both of us.
If you want to approach someone a great way to go about it is to offer to pay for their time. Drop them an email asking if it's possible to set up a call or meeting on x topic (the more specific the better!) and let them know you'll happily pay for the privilege. It shows that you respect them and know the value of their time.
Read/look/listen
There are a whole host of resources out there online for just about anything you can imagine, here are some of my favourites.
I currently follow over 2000 accounts on instagram so I am NOT going to go through them to figure out which ones to list. Safe to say this is one of my favourite resources, aside from helping find my peers it is also an invaluable source of inspiration and for connecting with people who dig the shit I make. These connections make it - despite the occasional mental health blip - a resource I enjoy using.
Youtube
When it comes to work, I dip in and out of youtube as necessary when I want to understand a particular topic or trade. There are very few channels I follow long term to help me with creative stuff at present.
That said, here are a few that I have gone back to multiple times for insight and tutorials.
- Classy Burd - an awesome illustrator who is super down to earth, practical and hilarious
- Jender Anomie - I follow Jender on Instagram which is where the majority of their content lives but I really enjoyed the youtube tutorials posted so far and am eagerly awaiting more!
- Style Like U - This Mother/Daughter led duo consistently showcase inspiring and fashion forward individuals with unique personal histories. Raw tales of beauty and perseverence. I'm never up-to-date but once I start watching one I go down a rabbit hole of multiple episodes. I was forunate enough to meet them when they were in London filming for their documentary and it was a wonderful experience, depsite my mental health woes at the time preventing me from being as social and engaged as I would have liked.
I also frequently revisit these two videos in particular for inspiration and reassurance.
Books
I have never been one for reading non fictional material but as part of my 2020 plans I have dedicated to make a change with a dedicated - largely factual - reading list. I'm only just getting started but already have a small selection of tried and tested favourites that I keep going back to. Maybe you'll find some of these helpful too!
- The War of Art - Steven Pressfield
- Show your Work - Austin Kleon
- Steal like and Artist - Austin Kleon
- Perennial Seller - Ryan Holiday
- The 1-Page Marketing Plan - Allan Dib
- Everything you Want - Derek Sivers
Other Resources
I haven't got much to offer in the realms of work/creativity related podcasts but obbbbviously Podcasts are an awesome resource and I am confident I will find one eventually. When I'm done listening to all the True Crime. And D&D. And Drag Race episode reviews... Another thing I do use on a semi regular basis but with no particular focus is Wikihows or individual blogs! As great as videos are sometimes I want to see instructions written down <i>really</i> clearly - aka idiot proof - with step by step images.
Try everything
My final words of advice are this; try everything.
In the warm embrace of the education system, you are encouraged to experiment. You can try a bit of this and that knowing that there are people on hand to guide you and catch you should you fall.
When you're out on your own it can be a bit more intimidating to try new shit, whether it's a new technique, material or field. If like me your self worth gets tangled up with things you make which, unnecessary pressure often accompanies these experimental ventures. If I don't pass my super high but non specific bar when making something new, I can get pissed off and turn that inward.
Honestly though, that's hella dumb. No one person is good at everything, especially the first time they try it. If something is worth doing or expressing, you can take the time to do so. No need to nail it first time. Every attempt is valuable practice and teaches you something new.
I can paint the same concept on repeat until I'm satisfied or I can tweak accessory designs until they're just so. Creativity is an ongoing journey of growth that never stops because - as far as I know - the thing that makes us artists is this desire to keep moving forward no matter what we have just achieved.
So, keep pushing on until next time,
Much love,
Tiffany xo