Wanting to be an artist or creative is step one. Following through means investing in learning your craft, but we’ve heard from so many aspiring artists and creatives who feel unsure about where to start and so we’re incredibly grateful to the artists and creatives who’ve agreed to share their stories of how they learned their craft.

Jerm Realadel

I learned to make music at a young age, we didn’t have a tv I was busy banging on the trash can and making beats in my head. then came the song making, I wouldn’t change anything or speed up my learning process with anything musically. I believe everything will fall into place at the write time if its meant to be. the most essential skill in my music career is knowing how to mix and master a song. that’s everything lol. learning more wasn’t hard for me. when it was time to focus on what I wanted to learn I focused heavy. we all have distractions in life but when its grind time you have to get to it! Read more>>

Matt Burke

I started writing songs early on with my first band in 7th grade and I was immediately hooked. Throughout my life I’ve been in bands that wrote original music, and I was always the primary songwriter.: lyrics and melody have always come fairly naturally to me. But I didn’t really know what I was doing when it came to the craft of songwriting. I basically had to wait for divine inspiration to strike before I picked up my guitar and wrote something: I had no real process in place for writing songs. Read more>>

Tex Smith

Like any craft it takes time. You work at it, create, and assess and then repeat. I don’t know that you can speed up the process, maybe you could take music lessons and play more gigs, but like anything the real experience comes from life. The hardest part is learning to be confident in who you are and enjoying the process. Too many people out there try to follow a formula or chase what others are doing. Be yourself, do what you love, that’s art. Read more>>

Devonte Longmire

To be honest I didn’t really know what I was doing at first I kind of just learned as I kept going. I would always look at YouTube tutorials and other people work to try too learn new things and try it out for myself but in my own way and style I learn new things everyday even still to this day. My biggest thing was learning my camera how to expose everything properly learning the focus settings just making sure everything is right so it can be easier on me in post production Read more>>

Thelonious Love

I grew up in performing in plays, choirs, and talent shows. I’m a writer and a poet. I was always hanging with the musicians, even before I considered myself one. I was exposed to a lot of different music really early in my life. I always wanted to make music. Being onstage has always felt liberating to me. I thank all of my theater teachers who nurtured the young performer in me all the way thru college. Learning about voice & breathe, stage presence, and camera angles helps me to this day. Storytelling fascinates me. There are so many ways to say something with sound, lyrics, and performance. I was fortunate to have had access to insightful and encouraging teachers. Read more>>

Rule19Cosplay the Black Dread

I’m still learning! I feel like there is always something new to learn about cosplay. That can include new crafting techniques, exploring new materials, polishing and improving existing skills, etc. I learned how to sew from my mother years ago and have also taken some classes in school. She’s a master seamstress/tailor, but I am still a novice in that area. Cosplay is more than just sewing, there’s also self-photography and lighting, video/image editing, content sourcing, character creation, makeup, and dozens of other skillsets to mention. Read more>>

Jason V

I was working in the radio industry when I started my podcast so I had a leg up on other podcasters. I had access to a professional grade studio for recording interviews, and one of the higher ups at iHeartRadio showed me the ropes with Adobe Audition. As for everything else that it takes to make a podcast run (booking guests, social media, conducting interviews etc.)…I had to learn it all by myself. It was time consuming and I’d get frustrated because my skill level didn’t match up with how I envisioned the podcast. Read more>>

Kendall Williams

I am one hundred percent self-taught when it comes to my art. Well…..except for the novel grade school art classes we all took. I am still at a loss of how I was able to learn what I do. I do know that I have always been a visual learner and excelled in school when I was able to actually “see” the subject at hand, rather than reading about it. I initially wanted to go to college for Art, however, I earned a scholarship to attend college for soccer……and as everyone knows…..college sports are extremely time-consuming…..you live, eat, and breathe the sport you play. Read more>>

 

Kristin Gaston

Before I studied art in college, I was mostly self-taught. I drew everything I could see or imagine as a kid and I eventually became known as the class artist. During my time pursuing my BFA I took a lot of inspiration from animation schools in California and how much emphasis was put in learning the art fundamentals such as gesture and anatomy. My goal at the time was to be a 2D animator and that lit a fire in me to become one. I grabbed as many books and resources I could get my hands on to learn and practice the art fundamentals. Read more>>

Tanisha Judkins

Time management is something I work on every day. Family is so important to me and I want to spend as much time with my husband and kids as much as possible. However, I love what I do and enjoy creating tumblers. Having a family, working a full time job and owning a business is hard work so I have. a set schedule that I adhere to each day. It can be challenging but it keeps my days in order. Read more>>

Tayy ThePro

There was a ton of trail and error moments first go round when I began producing. I studying FL STUDIO for hours and hours figuring out the program in and out which took me about 3 years to master the craft.. I’m still learning today because I could always use more knowledge to being a better producer. Now with rapping all it took was for me to start rhyming and I knew I was on to something or at least I had the basic skill down. What would of help speed up the learning process for rapping would probably be, me being open and honest with my lyrics and not do whatever’s trending or hot at that time. Read more>>

Cristina Vane

Music is such a large umbrella term that sometimes, it’s important to first understand exactly what crafts are going to serve your business / vocation. I can only speak for myself- I played music my whole life growing up, and while that certainly prepared me for creating music, my flute lessons in middle school did not prepare me for the specific skills needed to perform on stage for a crowd, for example. Learning how to play scales on the piano or sing in school choir enhanced my tools for musicality, but they didn’t necessarily translate into the other demands of being a professional musician.  Read more>>

Amanda Varvak

I started watching youtube videos and researching how to make candles. I bought the bare necessities and started to play around with the formula. Candlemaking is definitely a trial-and-error process and it took me months to figure out a formula that I was happy with. The only thing that could’ve made the learning process quicker was if I spent more time per day working on the formula. Persistence is a very essential skill when it comes to candlemaking because there are so many variables that can affect the formula so not giving up is very important. Read more>>

Leia Avery

I learned how to design card games by attending a Toy and Game Expo seminar. . They offered a list of recommended manufacturers and taught us the importance of test plays. They also shared the ideal size and colors that attract the most attention. My design skills improved overtime, practice certainly makes perfect. I would create the habit doing the most, having too much going on with the wording and/or design. Read more>>

Lauren Whitley

As an artist learning is a mixed process of gaining technical skills and discovering one’s own voice in creating. I learned through developing a curiosity towards what I respond to, what the reflection is between my inner world and what I’m responding to, and experimenting with techniques traditionally established to approach creating personal individual works of art. Knowing what I know now, and continue to learn, it’s essential for art and in a lot of things to be willing to get into a space that seems opposite of what the goal is, Read more>>

Katie Restrepo

When I first decided to start a blog and freelance journalist career, I knew nothing about the industry. Most people don’t understand how you can even make a living from a blog, but I thought I had done enough research to know generally what to do. Boy was I wrong. All of the free webinars, podcasts, and YouTube videos were still helpful and led me to great networking opportunities, but I knew there was a knowledge gap. You don’t know what to ask if you don’t even know what you’re missing. Read more>>

Sarah Strunk

As far back as I can remember, I have always been creating art. I am mostly self taught having take art classes in school, but didn’t continue them in high school. I continued practicing my art by myself until I entered into a Fashion Design program where I learned how to polish my craft. Partly I do regret not continuing my education in high school or joining the art club which I feel could have added to the speed of the learning process as well as honing skills basic to art: perspective, layout, color choices. Read more>>

Kelsey Muse

My Father was an artist, musician & songwriter, he influenced my songwriting skill and stage confidence. My Mother was influential in my education and discipline for the arts. I was taught piano and music theory as a child, this motivated me to teach myself guitar. Rehearsing, taking notes & the Internet were the best tools to achieving my craft, especially in a time of financial constraints as a child artist. Self discipline is your best friend & sets you apart. Never fear the finances, when you truly invest in your vision, finances will come. Read more>>

Brittney Maclin-Freeman

I started out only making soap, from making soap my friends suggested I make candles as well. I researched and studied and read books!! Self taught myself that’s what makes it so special to me. Read more>>

Amber Barnes

I started off taking classes at Nash Central High School and I was taking Drama classes for fun. I was not as serious about it back then but I really enjoyed being on front stage and being able to play different roles. Performing naturally and knowing your character and who they are was critical to putting on a great performance. After high school I was back and forth between balancing multiple jobs and trying to get into the medical field. This all took place after I enlisted in the Navy as an Hospital Corpsman then got out. I had a lot going on. Read more>>

Kie Tate

Part of my journey was self taught in my teenage years. I would play around with graphics and images until early am in my room. I was fascinated with the endless possibility within creating. I always had some type of camera in my hand, when my passion hit me early 20’s that Photography would be my creative outlet; I began shooting landscape portraiture. I would practice every change I had. Read more>>

Lánre

I’ve been a singer for as long as I can remember with my early beginnings being in a children’s choir in church and eventually going to a school for the performing arts in middle school. I was classically trained in voice, performance, and piano, and was part of an all-boys choir, so I was able to grow my talent for music at a very young age. Our choir toured the US as well as a few other countries, and it was there that I discovered my love of performing. Read more>>

Kim C. Lee

My first lessons on book publishing came from a friend who had previously self-published her own books. She shared resources and introduced me to other individuals who provided publishing related services. We also had several conversations where I asked a lot of questions related to the cost of publishing a book, As an independent author, all of the expenses come out of your own pocket and I needed to know that I was spending my money wisely. I needed to know the ins and out of this process so that I could determine whether some of the costs could be reduced. Read more>>

Kate Pannozzo

I first started dabbling with photography in high school with a 35 mm Canon. I was trained in processing film and printing photos in a tiny darkroom along with maybe seven other classmates. I took some darkroom photography classes in college as well and then didn’t really pick up my camera consistently for another five or six years and when I did I transitioned to a DSLR. To learn digital I applied a lot of what I knew regarding using a SLR camera but when it came to Lightroom and Photoshop I was at a loss. I ended up going back to college and majoring in Photography. Read more>>

Blaire Winter

As an actor, especially in film, it sometimes feels unnatural to express different emotions repetitively and on purpose. I have learned over the years and from some amazing coaches that acting often is behaving more than it is pretending. Knowing your general body language, how your body moves naturally, as well as knowing your voice can all make a person’s acting a lot more expressive and effortless. I can definitely say that understanding your body and your voice is the key to a convincing performance. Read more>>

Shelby Tesio

To say I’ve already learned how to do what I do feels wrong. I’m still figuring it out! “Comedy is like an onion.” I said in my best donkey voice. I’m still I’ve taken steps like writing, going to open mics, running shows that have helped me to get where I am now, however I still have so much to learn! I don’t want to ever think “I’ve learned enough.” I wouldn’t speed up the process even a little bit. I’m not looking for instant or overnight success. Read more>>

Ken Nyberg

I’ve always had an interest in art but making a living at it was a foreign concept to me, I started my journey at the now defunct Duluth Business University. They had a small graphic program there that focused on design but most importantly digital design. That’s where I focused my efforts. From my first semester at DBU I also started freelancing for friends and family mostly. This helped me hone my skills through word-of-mouth acquire new and exciting clientele. Read more>>

Preacher

I operate within a self taught realm. So what that means for me is that when I grew up I saw graffiti in the canal and I wanted to paint some myself. Overtime I have just went with it and rode the spontaneous creation flow. Trusting myself is what got me to where I am today. I have thought about what I could have done to expedite the lengthy process. Networking would be my answer. I never met a mentor or a teacher or anything to show me hands on. Instead it took a lot longer. Read more>>

Kacey Chumley

I’ve been drawing and writing since I could hold a pencil. But when I was 20, I found it as a way to really channel my feelings and be a good distraction. I think the most important skills I learned were through practice. Nothing beats hours put in the sketchbook. I had several mentors as well when I was tattooing who gave me more advice that I still use to this day, but daily practice is still number one. Read more>>

Janell Roberts

I’ve learned that you have to study yourself before developing your craft, which is essential in learning your skill. My most significant achievement in my career as a creative has been getting to know who Janell is by asking myself what message I want to send. What do I want to convey? Will this change me as a person? Does this go against my morals? Getting to know myself has been a tiresome yet rewarding journey that I have learned to love and appreciate. I’ve learned to speed up my learning process by doing the groundwork. Read more>>

Sherry Hamby

My craft is hair dressing. I have spent the last 20 years dedicated to it, the first 5 years I apprenticed at a top salon in cutting and coloring. The last 15 years I have been improving. I have developed a highly effective and unique approach that has allowed me to grow and maintain a successful business. I enjoy my business every minute and I have only gratitude for the opportunities it has presented. Read more>>

Linda C

Lots of trial and error. I relied on free programs like Gimpshop to learn the basics. There are so many free editing programs out there which are wonderful to experiment with, especially if you aren’t sure if you want to subscribe to Photoshop yet. I learned so much from these programs and it made the transition to Photoshop so much easier. Tutorials are also a must! Many people prefer to purchase their tutorials, but I learned everything I know for FREE. Don’t pay unless you have to! You can find tutorials on websites that cater to design (ex. Envato, PSD Stack, etc.) and YouTube. Read more>>

Devin Lane

I am a self taught photographer mostly through trial and error and youtube university, I started my photography career with out of date equipment and I feel like this forced me to really learn the ins and outs of the Art. Not being able to rely on fancy equipment and Technology teaches you how to strengthen your technique and also prepares you for any situation in photography. Read more>>

Amari Kelley

When it comes to photography I learned majority of my skills from Youtube University. Although I wish I would’ve taken a few classes in high school or even in college, potography was something I never had any interest in. Many hours of the day I would watch Youtube videos explaining basic, intermediate, and advanced photography skills. Read more>>

Huck Johns

One night in our small town of Franklin Tennessee I met a man, who now has now since that evening become a very good friend, who had on an interesting hat on. It had leather twisted on it and burnt all over and he approached me and asked “where da ja get dat hat!?” referring to the hat I was wearing. I expressed that I had made the hat myself. He complimented my style and we sat together and started discussing hats and how to create them. Read more>>

Stephanie Merritt

After 5 years of cosmetic tattooing, I received a unique opportunity to begin a traditional tattoo apprenticeship. It’s been the most difficult, yet most fulfilling path I’ve ever taken. I’m super grateful to all those that have helped me develop the skills needed to flourish in this industry! If I could go back, I would’ve began studying the art of tattooing at an earlier age. Immersion in the craft and being surrounded by passionate artists is the best way to to develop as a tattoo artist and gain the necessary technical skills, in my opinion. Read more>>

Ainsley Costello

I learned to write songs the way that I write now over the course of 2020. That year was a blessing just as much as it was a curse for me because since there was nothing else to do, I was thrown into the deep end of the Nashville songwriting machine, even though it was virtual. I’ve written countless songs over the last three years, and with songwriting, you just have to do it over and over again until you hit a stride, and you figure out what works for you and your process. Read more>>

Davon Brantley

My process of learning came at first , from going to the library as a kid and just picking up books about drawing. I would look at manga artists, portrait artists , 3-d artists , sculptural artists and etc. I would teach myself different techniques along my journey as an artist and even when I was younger (still using crayola’s haha) I would add to the designs in coloring pages that I had. Through years of just using the resources I had which was computer paper in the house , drawing my grandmothers plants, stopping movies in the middle of watching them… I taught myself the ways of art ! Read more>>

Mike Caliber

Everything I’ve learned about the entertainment industry came from trial and error along with a willingness to be successful. I feel the Most essential skill a person can have is motivation. When I was younger I had a list of things I thought were obstacles but now I realize the only obstacle I ever had was “me getting in the way of myself.” We tend to always get in our own way when we’re trying to accomplish things. Read more>>

Jair Driesenga

Learning how to plan, promote, host, and emcee events has come through many years of doing some version of all those things for my own shows—since my teens. For my entire adult life, I’ve played live music. In doing so, I’ve learned a lot about how to get people hyped up and working together. In fact, over the years, I’ve come to realize I’m probably just as passionate about that part of live music as I am about the music itself. Read more>>

Christine Nakra

In case it’s not obvious, I’m obsessed with henna art. I was first introduced to henna from my husband’s culture. Learning the art of henna started out as a mysterious curiosity that led to obsession. I fell in love the way it looked, the way it smelled and full-on how it made me feel from the inside out. I began watching YouTube videos of henna artists creating beautiful designs. I loved this because watching it felt meditative at first then somewhat doable. The internet algorithm began sending me ads for henna conferences that were held all over the country. Read more>>

Statia Jones

I developed my photography skills over time by just getting out there and shooting. I worked for a professional studio, in the wedding industry, for events, and more. Learning to shoot a variety of sessions from school portrait headshots, to graduations, parties, and engagements have broadened the range and skills that I carry with me to this day. I experienced so many challenges and conditions while learning photography that it has prepared me to be the photographer I am today. Read more>>

Solfulkay

When I initially gained interest in marketing and creative direction I was in my sophomore year of college. I spent a majority of my freshman year exploring avenues in journalism and production. Working with different companies and brands throughout my time in school propelled my interest in creative direction and watching ideas come to life! Read more>>

Desiree “Dez” Woodson

My learning experience was quite different than most photographers I know. As where most had a mentors and school to guide them and teach them the craft, I had neither. I learned through YouTube (believe it or not) and by trial and error. I definitely think having a mentor or formal education in photography would have sped up the learning process. Skills that are most essential would have to be understanding the concept of lighting. The only real obstacle I would say would have to be the learning curve I had to overcome. Read more>>