Real talk time!

Every artist has had that moment. That moment where they are asked to work for “exposure” or work on one project as a “stepping stone to potentially more” work. It really bugs me that we have to keep saying this. NO!

We all want to get there, we all want to be at the top. The thought of future work can be so sweet, but right now you are not getting paid, and I know your landlord isn’t taking “project experience” as payment.

Think about it. You did not wake up one day, completely able to do the things that you do. YOU TRAINED TO GET HERE. Even if you’ve done one small tutorial to get you started, you have started your training. Every minute that you have put into what you do, got you to where you are now. Do you think a doctor is saying “Oh, open heart surgery is just something I happen to be good at. I won’t charge you this time, but spread the word to your friends with hearts.” NO! They stand up and charge whatever that effort is worth (let’s not get into the health care system right now, it’s just an example). The point is, the doctor isn’t saying that they aren’t talented enough to do their job, they studied, trained, and worked hard to get there.

The car dealer isn’t going to give you a car so that you might buy one down the line. Your landlord isn’t letting you live there for free in hopes that you might one day decide to pay them. Money for services is how our society works.

OWN WHAT YOU DO! You worked hard to get here. I know that I am saying that creativity is easy to claim, that everyone has it. But you have spent your precious time working towards your own form of creativity. You have spent hours and hours, wasted supplies, read books, done tutorials and research, all to get where you are today. OWN IT! Don’t push it aside as something that you just happen to do well. OWN IT! When someone says they like your work, don’t point out the flaws, YELL THANK YOU! Even better yet, ask them what they like so you can use that in future creative endeavours.

Your talent was not given to you, you trained to get here. It takes a lot of work to get where you are now. I see you. You’ve kept going, no matter what your path, you have earned your skills! There is nothing wrong with you, there is nothing wrong with your art.

To a lot of the world it’s “just art”, “drawing is fun”, and “anyone could do it”. First, if anyone could do your art, they would have just done it instead of calling to underpay you. There are so many different degrees of art, and they mean different things to other people, but your art is yours and you need to own it. It is worth something. You do something that no one else can do. You shouldn’t let people, especially those who don’t want to try, make you feel lesser about yourself or the fantastic work that you do.

It’s up to you how you want to charge for your work, or IF you want to charge for you work. There are a million and one ways that your art can pay you (I’ll get into that later). What I am saying is don’t sell yourself short, don’t let yourself be pushed into a corner by anyone. You do what you do best! OWN IT!