8 Things I Sucked at as an Artist Running a Business in 2022.
I got a second job.
I would like to preface this with the fact that many artists, whether they’re making money from their craft or not, have a second job, and it in no way makes them a failure. A second job is needed for both economic and creative survival! The problem I face is managing my time. I’m someone who puts all of my energy into one thing, instead of focusing my energy on multiple, smaller time blocks. This year I put more energy into my second job (because it pays more and I have to please someone else instead of just myself!) and my art suffered because of it. For the new year, I plan on using my planner for both of my jobs, (last year I only used a planner for Fried Megg), and developing a work/art balance that’s sustainable.
Relying too heavily on social media (Instagram) to run my business.
I’ve corrected some of these habits by creating a newsletter and (hopefully) maintaining this blog to drive more people to my website. Putting all your business eggs into one platform that could vanish at any given moment is not a practice I want to take with me into the new year. Ironically, even when I’m on Instagram I don’t market myself, which brings me to the 3rd thing I sucked at…
Not marketing myself enough.
Like most artists, my insecurities are the cause of this one. On average it takes at least 7 times for a potential customer to see your message before they’ll subscribe to your call of action - and that’s just for one message. For example, Patreon, a platform I’m trying to grow on, will need to be broadcasted at least triple the amount I’m currently promoting it. I talk about my Patreon at the month’s beginning, middle, and end. If I want to reach that magic number 7, that means promoting my Patreon a minimum of 2 times a week.
Not giving Patreon the attention it required.
I’m very fortunate to have made any money on Patreon - my lovely patrons are one of the reasons I could pay my bills this year. While I’m proud of how much I made in 2022 (roughly $5,000) I can’t help but wonder if I could have grown that number if I stuck to a consistent posting schedule.
Not being smarter about money.
Again, I am very grateful for any money I make from my art. My problem stems from not being more responsible about the money I earn. The only income from art I made this year was from my Patreon, the vending events I did, and the occasional sale from my store. 1/3 of Patreon money went to buy the prints and stickers for the tiers, and the stamps to ship them out. The rest would either be spent on art supplies I didn’t need or transferred over to my bank account, leaving me with no money to make new products (I had one shop update at the beginning of the year.)
Staying inside too much.
I got Austin Kleon’s “How to Steal Like an Artist” for Christmas and he suggests living somewhere that challenges you to be inside a good chunk of the year (freezing winters, unbearable summers, etc.) so that it forces you to create. While I understand the sentiment and Austin is of course not saying ‘seclude yourself in your studio for weeks at a time and do nothing but create’, I feel like one of the most important things artist’s can do is be outside. I should have taken more long walks to let my mind wander. I spent a lot of time indoors this year and I think it impacted my creativity; most of the stuff I made came from reference photos on Pinterest or Unsplash. Looking at screens for most of the day is not good for an art business.
Because I spent a good chunk of 2022 looking at screens, I didn’t allow myself to be bored.
Boredom is such a powerful tool for creativity. When you’re not being influenced by others, your ideas come through the fog. I’m looking forward to a very boring 2023.
And finally, not drawing every day.
As an artist, the number one thing I can do to help my business grow is draw. I started 2022 pretty strong and then gradually fell off the wagon. I was lucky if I got to make art once a week. I did have long uninterrupted moments to create, usually on the weekends. However once the new work week started, my sketchbooking stopped.
Hello, thanks for reading this month’s blog post! I hope you have a lovely end to the year and I can’t wait to talk to you soon~
