From understanding your colour palette to being realistic about how long the job will take, I've laid out several bits of advice to think about before creating art.
Know your audience
Before you even begin in the studio, make sure you have in mind who you’re making your artwork for. No one answer is correct, but having a general idea about the audience who consumes your stuff is a good way to stay focused and ensure you end up with an artwork which can be shown outside your studio. It’s okay if you purely make artwork for yourself, but perhaps you could also try and imagine other people (friends, colleagues, fans, children, etc.) that will love your art as well.
Have a self-imposed deadline
This tip took me a long time to learn and was a valuable key to working faster and with better results. Having a self-imposed deadline created an environment with a small, healthy amount of pressure to work under. If I only allowed myself 8 or 20 hours to work on a piece, it became a restriction that lead to faster decision making and consistently fresh and spontaneous artworks.
Try giving yourself a deadline to work towards on creative projects so that you can use that urgency to turn it into an energy which gives the artwork momentum. Momentum to finish it, momentum to share it, or momentum to continue promoting the work after you make it.
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Choose your palette
One of my favourite steps in creating a new collection of artwork is choosing a palette. Taking the time to plan out how your colours are going to work together creates a cohesive, finished look in your on-line portfolio. You can use software for this, but I prefer to get my hands dirty using paints, pencils, or hands-on tools of choice.
If you choose a palette for new artworks, you can see your hard work pay off when all of the work is uploaded and you can see them complimenting each other by looking harmonious together.
Just as it’s important to set a deadline to make sure you propel yourself along, it’s really important to honour your artwork and give it the amount of time it needs. Don’t try and rush an ambitious new project, and realistically set aside the hours you think you will need.
A freelancer friend recently said to me that I should plan a project to take “x” number of hours (let’s say 12 hours). Then I should add a third of “x” on top of the project time (another 4 hours) to allow for the unexpected things that occur when making new work. Giving yourself a third of the time you planned to polish the work if things go smoothly is also a relaxed and considered way to finish off creative projects. But remember, don’t be a perfectionist. It’s just as important to know when to say, “I’m done.”
Up-date your on-line profile page
When you’re uploading new artwork, make sure you give it the best lease on life by including proper tags, description, and an appropriate title.
Bonus : Self-promote
Think about how you’re going to spread the word about your new works. Consider whether you can make a work in progress video to tease the work to your fans. And make sure you have both your social media and real-world marketing plans square because you want to make sure all this work was worth trouble.
- by Beth Caird
