Developing a Strategy to Get You and Your Artwork in Shape

By: Kyle Forbes

The struggles of a starving artist are real, but solvable with a little creativity. (Credit: Artistsnetwork.com)

As a starving artist, living on a minimum-expense lifestyle is a necessity.

Wikipedia portrays starving artists as not be involved in a business environment because most of their income goes towards making art projects. Other similar forms of artists are the starving actors and musicians.

So how could such creative people live a healthy lifestyle? Is entering the business world a needed strategy for starving artists in order to help them live a sustainable life?

I’ve decided to explore the concept of artists in the business world since, like everyone else, artists need to work in order to live a healthy lifestyle.

Becoming a business person could allow artists to experience life outside of the starving artist lifestyle.

Creative artists could make a list of their eating expenses, other bills, rent, transportation expenses, and put some additional savings on the side each month to ensure a life of enjoyment. Starving artist could make notes about how the artwork they sell.

Starving artists could sell physical products online, affiliated products, online coaching one-on-one sessions, and social media skills. In addition, they could also sell marketing skills, photography tours (or art shows, etc.) and e-books. Additionally starving artists could help sell tickets to events and market digital products.

Setting up an online brand by using websites, social media, and other accessible platforms is what makes a great social media site helpful for promoting their public art business.

Starving artist could also do something differently and use public relation practices as a way to earn income. Then, they can write an email and giving them their career background and share their unique story to customers. Starving artist could also ask customers if their service was helpful as a good way to receive constructive feedback.

Black Enterprise reported some interesting information for starving artist trying to make an income. Knowing how to determine the worth of your original artworks, creative services, or brand merchandise for sale could help organize your spending experiences and income-making experiences. In addition, being knowledgeable on how to estimate the worth of your artwork could also determine the kind of financial flexibility you have as a business-skilled artist.

How much time spent on creating the art and gaining the profit that comes after selling their work could be the factors necessary to determine how much your artwork is worth.

Spending time to setup your social media messages by constructing them for the audience you want to participate in the purchasing of your artwork could attract attention from customers.

Seeing how businesses that interest you when you shop for your merchandise and products could be a good basis for selling your artwork, as you can use their strategy to develop your own. Businesses that interact with customers can also help you develop your strategy for selling your artwork.

Learning about legal terminology can allow you to be educated about the meaning of copyrighting, intellectual property and working-for-hire.

Working and sharing with other artist by learning together by creating helpful networks to help motivate you could provide you the new experiences necessary to develop and expand your artwork.

Some Rent Broadway stars have short stories of their own to tell about their starving actor experiences.

Rent actress, Kersey Clemons, had a little bit of money saved but was determined to go to an audition with little gas in her vehicle.

Rent actor, Jordan Fisher, had twenty-three dollars in his checking account. A mentor, Tim Davis, gave him $500 during a lunch meeting. Fisher also offered him an opportunity to sing with Mariah Carey. Fisher accepted Davis’ offer.

Rent actress, Tinashe, portrays how living in her parent’s place, making a recording studio in her bedroom, making her own content, and even filming her own music videos inspired her to make the best out of every situation. The music singer claims she viewed such experiences as an opportunity to think outside of the box.

Having a “do-it-yourself” mindset during hard times is an opportunity for an artist to change the tides and discover what they can accomplish.

Sources: blackenterprise.com, en.wikipedia.org, theatermania.com