Think about why you need this
If you want to become the coolest artist in the world, collaborate exclusively for a couple hundred thousand dollars for a sketch, and hang out with celebrities, then it's better not to start.
If you've heard something about an artist who showcased controversial works or dreamt of museum fame, then it's better not to start. In short, if you want everything all at once, then it's better not to start.
You should only start in one case. If hundreds of fresh ideas are swirling in your head, itching to be unleashed onto paper no matter what. And if you're okay financially even without drawing.
The profession of an artist, in terms of prestige, income, and effort, holds a high position. But not for everyone. And not everywhere. Be prepared to hear "what's the big deal about waving a brush here" and "why get tired from just moving a pencil on paper," as well as the masterpiece "and you're asking for so much money for these three lines?"
You probably won't make huge amounts of money. But you'll definitely ruin your nervous system and all other aspects of your health. If you have a dog or a parrot, they'll die. Firstly, you won't have anything to feed them, and secondly, you simply won't have time. If that doesn't stop you, then keep reading. When an artist says they're an artist.
When an Artist Says They're an Artist
How can an artist attract clients without advertising? Let's start by understanding what advertising is. If an artist runs their blog, which automatically increases the site's ranking in search engine ratings and boosts traffic to the site, is that advertising?
And what if the artist writes a very useful post, providing valuable recommendations? And then they want as many people as possible to benefit from these recommendations? Because they're genuinely helpful. How should we perceive a request to share the post in a group with 100,000 followers?
Yes, undoubtedly, when an artist shouts about being the best among all artists, it doesn't look great, agreed. And if they further promote themselves in ads with a cry of "come to me, I'll draw everyone better than anyone!" I sense your smiles. But. If an artist knows how to, for example, decorate a living room or office, or how to draw an apple, or choose brushes, and they write a series of posts about it in their group or profile, why not share this useful series with people? They're not directly advertising themselves. They're not promoting their services overtly and with a shout. They're doing it much more delicately and effectively. They simply provide value in their posts and want as many people as possible to read them to genuinely help as many people as possible.
Thanks to these actions, on one hand, information about the artist spreads, and on the other hand, clients find them and place orders. Everyone reads tons of articles and posts on Facebook. Suddenly, they come across an article by an Artist. The reader likes it and subscribes to a series of similar posts. It's all ethical and beautiful, isn't it? Then the reader feels a connection with the Artist, resonates with something (or doesn't, everyone has their preferences), and reaches out to the artist to buy paintings. Here, too, everything is ethical.
How will you know if it worked?
In my opinion, knowing the answer to this question is very important. People come to me with the request "teach me how to draw." But how will you know when you're already capable and have learned?
Another request is "how to sell paintings?" How will you know when you're capable of selling your paintings? The question is not as simple as it seems at first glance. When I was learning, my teachers of drawing and painting often used to say a phrase for some reason: "Well, now you've learned how to do a job that puts bread and butter on the table." We didn't just draw or come up with ideas. We worked. We thought with our hands. This phrase was uttered every time we submitted our work. A special praise sounded like "This is already caviar on bread and butter." It might seem like a triviality… but you never know what might strike a chord with someone.