What does it mean to be an artist?  I am sure it means different things to different people. For me, I have always thought that being an artist is all about playing around with creativity and working to make something beautiful.

Actually, being a successful artist is hard work. Your passion and talent has to be combined with dedication and discipline. A career in art is difficult, but it is far from the impossible. A variety of factors can help you get there, including:

• Attending art classes or workshops: Select an art workshop that is appropriate for you. In Ghana, there aren’t much schools focused solely on art except high schools. However, you can ask for mentor-ships from your favorite artists to get you started on your art journey. Varieties of art programs are available online, so it is important to find the one that is right for you. If you are a hobbyist, for example, you will want to choose a program that emphasizes learning to draw or paint. If you want to be a professional, you will need a program that trains you for a commercial art career. If you are working, choose a school that offers evening or weekend classes. However, I highly recommend enrolling in offline mentor-ships with your favorite artists since art is more practical.

• Finding your unique art style: To be a successful artist, you have to find your own unique art style. Unique does not necessarily mean best because the best art does not exist, but you can start by knowing yourself and what you feel comfortable working with. Artists may fall into one or more of these categories, which includes: Realism, Abstract, Surreal, Impressionism, Photo-realism, etc.Finding your art style at an earlier age can help strengthen your art abilities. Moreover, the more you learn about your art style, the easier it will be for you to come up with new ideas. However, you should not feel pressured to find your art style quickly, it takes time and more of exploring different art styles to find what works best for you.

• Creating portfolios of your works: You have probably seen portfolios of artists’ work before. Portfolios are collections of best works an artist has ever produced. Some artists create their own portfolios, while most buy them online. A portfolio displays your recent work, and it is the only way for people to get a sense of your artistic style. You do not have to include every piece of art you have ever completed. Focus on your biggest achievements. You can also include links to your social media accounts, so that viewers can get a sense of your work outside of your portfolio.

• Promoting your works both online and offline: If you are interested in being a successful artist, the most important part is getting people to see your works. How? Well, the most obvious place is online. Nevertheless, artworks are also sold offline, and it is important to know how to sell your art in galleries, retail stores and other useful places. The art industry has undergone a huge transformation in the last several years, thanks to the internet. It is easier today than ever for artists to promote and sell their works online. Post contents that reflects who you are as an artist on all your social media platforms. The more you post, the more u get to interact with your followers and potential clients.

• Researching about pricing of your artworks: The main thing, to keep in mind when pricing your artwork is that your prices should commensurate with the value of the artworks you create, as this is what will determine how much it’s worth in the long run. However, there is no hard and fast rule for pricing art. It is all a matter of what you feel most comfortable with. Every artist and galleries, have a price that works for them and the best way to figure out your own price is to experiment with it. Pricing your artwork is like planning a budget. Establish a reasonable baseline, and then adjust your prices up and down based on how the market reacts to those changes.What does it mean to be an artist?  I am sure it means different things to different people. For me, I have always thought that being an artist is all about playing around with creativity and working to make something beautiful.

  Actually, being a successful artist is hard work. Your passion and talent has to be combined with dedication and discipline. A career in art is difficult, but it is far from the impossible. A variety of factors can help you get there, including:

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Mariam Sarpong

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