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.

Jillie Reil

I have always respected different crafts, whether it be business or the creative arts, and the need to study. We all have gifts that come to us naturally, but ultimately you must refine those gifts. When I decided to be an actress, I took commercial classes, improv and scene study along with any short film or project or theater that would give me experience. I did background to become SAG-AFTRA and worked to build my IMDB credits. Read more>>

EMoney

1 thing I love about “styling” is that it has to be in you not on you. “Man Make The Clothes, Clothes Don’t Make The Man.” Perhaps. Believe it or not I’ve been styling before I really knew it was a lucrative career. Fact check me! Florida Freshest! Check the yearbooks! Read more>>

Jalen Vasquez

Youtube is a very powerful tool. Starting my journey, making custom toy collectibles, I didn’t expect to be at the level I’m currently at. When I first started, I just made 1 of 1 figures. Eventually I wanted to learn how to self “mass produce”. At the time, I worked for Blick Art Materials and that was probably the best place to figure it out. Between Blick and Youtube, I was able to experiment using silicone molds and casting out of resin. Read more>>

Maia Warner

I began learning what I do when I was in high school when I picked up my first camera. I got interested in photography and, more importantly, conceptual photography. Given that I was in high school, most of the conceptual part of the photography did not come from expensive sets or props, it came from photoshop. From learning how to digitally alter photos through YouTube, I also learned the basics of graphic design. Read more>>

Natalie Plociennik

I enrolled in a two-year Fine Arts Studio Program at Centennial College where I learned a variety of traditional art techniques and established strong professional practices. However, developing my unique style and vision took me years of paying attention to the strange and authentic patterns in my creations and exploring my innate obsessions and curiosities. Throughout this process, I formed key mentor relationships and became part of a symbiotic studio community that still supports my growth today. Read more>>

Shanny Kohli

I am a self taught visual artist using poetry and human emotions to express various ideas and themes based on Sikh way of life. Even though, I have a college degree in Visual Communications being in a four year program I was mostly trained to think differently. It was more about the “unique idea” than the skills and techniques learned to illustrate the idea on a 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional surface. Read more>>

Alexandra Verhoven

As you’ll hear from most visual artists, I started drawing at a young age. I didn’t start painting until Middle School and was thoroughly terrible when I first started! I was lucky enough to have a great AP Arts program in my high school and took as many of the classes that they offered as I could. In my free time, I would watch videos of artists I admired most working on their art on Youtube. This was definitely something unique to my generation that previous artists would not have had access to when they were young. Read more>>

Susan Louise O’Connor

I’ve been taking acting classes since I was 7 years told. My parents would say that I was performing right out of the womb. I’m an only child and growing up I loved my alone time with my stuffed animals creating imaginary worlds and characters. As I got older, I remember being taken aback at how my 3rd grade classmates were not nearly as amenable to my direction as my stuffies had been. So cultivating my imagination was something that came organically to me through play and reading. Read more>>

Khaalidah Ali

My interest in balloon decor sparked after watching my sister create a balloon garland for her gender reveal. After that, I borrowed her inflator, bought balloons and watched tons of YouTube tutorials to teach myself the techniques. I would literally watch a video, do a set up and then rewatch it to make sure I did it right and understood what they were saying. I really started seeing my growth in 2022 when I actually started making YouTube videos and watching my work in real time because it allowed me to critique my process and pushed me to try different things until I got my personal style. Read more>>

Holly Parkhill

I am a self taught metalsmith, I learned via the internet (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook collaborative groups) There are several ways to do things, practicing relentlessly is they way I progressed, but I do believe that if I would have had a teacher or took some classes, there would have been a lot less wasted metal in the beginning. Read more>>

Steve O

The way I learned photography was primarily self-teachings. I picked up a camera in 2016 and started messing around with it. As I started learning and playing with the settings, I started to get invested within videos on how to shoot using manual mode. From there, I began to understand the exposure triangle and advanced composition, thus leading me to pursue a bachelor’s in photography. Something that could have sped up the learning process was utilizing workshops and find like minded artists who have the same niche as me. Doing so would allow me to breakdown what they’re doing and how they’re doing it to gain insight as to what I can do better and how I can stand out by analyzing their art. Read more>>

Jimmie Bishop

I learned to do what I do through trial and error, years of dedicated practice, consistent repetition and not giving up. The first thing I learned was songwriting. The church I grew up in hosted a rap workshop during one of the Vacation Bible Schools while I was in 11th grade. I learned the basic fundamentals of counting bars, songwriting, how to rap on beat and perform. That initial class was a drop in the bucket compared to the now 8 years I have spent honing my craft, writing and working on hundreds of songs to reach my 10,000 hours. Read more>>

Linda Henderson

Being Creative. Thing inside and outside of the box. I wish I learned early on that EVERYTHING is content. It doesn’t matter what it is. There’s and audience for everything. Again, being as creative as possible makes a huge difference. Managing work/ life is one obstacle that has slowed down on the production of new and original content. You have to be consistent, to keep up with the demand of your audience. Read more>>

Maddie Stratton

I was lucky enough to have artistic parents. My mom is a craftsperson: she makes earrings, crowns, and other pieces out of anodized aluminum wire, my dad has a non arts job but likes to dabble in watercolor and drawing from time to time. So I got a ton of support and always have been artistic. The idea of a career in the arts has always felt possible for me. Read more>>

Nev Rosales

I feel really lucky that I was put onto music at a very young age. My parents both saw that I was drawn to music and put me in piano lessons when I was 6 years old which is such a privilege. From there I taught myself to play guitar at 12 and after that any instrument I could get my hands on. My dad has told me that when I first showed interest in music that he thought he would waste money on piano lessons but after I was able to prove him that I was serious, a switch flipped and both my parents were supportive since day 1. It’s such a big big blessing to have their support. Read more>>

Mahari Chabwera

I learned to do what I do from watching others, and being motivated by their energy or methodologies. Being part of an inspiring community affirms my life as an artist, and provides pathways to do what I do more sustainably. It gives me the opportunity to accumulate new ways of making, thinking, and being in the world. My daily practices continue to evolve with new experiences and challenges. I practice integrating soulful and succinct ways of being that feel unique and natural to me. Read more>>

Anna Morwen

How did you learn to do what you do? – My mom’s mom used to knit a lot years ago. She lives in the countryside and we visited her mostly during summer vacation when my sister and me were schoolgirls. It was mesmerizing to watch how she was creating garments sitting in the evening on the couch with her glasses on, counting stitches. In the evening because there is always a lot of work in garden and she worked hard, and we helped her of course. Read more>>

Trevor Perry

How did you learn to do what you do? I discovered programming when I was at university and it became my passion. From there, I started training at companies and that turned into volunteering to speak at conferences. After establishing a reputation as an award winning speaker, I was invited to more conferences. I was speaking on a wide range of technology subjects – from futures, IT directions, strategy to coding and design. After experiencing a life setback, I took a break for a couple of years. Read more>>

Katharine Hauschka

Photography has always been something I was interested in at a young age. In high school and college I took some basic film photography courses but it wasn’t until I was about 26 and on my way to medical school that I decided to take a shot make a go at really diving into the field. I then attended a year long digital photography certificate program in Washington DC. After that I decided to start my own business specializing in wedding, family & portrait photography. It wasn’t long before that business was thriving. Read more>>

John Thomas

I’ve learned how to produce my music from the help of my brothers sdot and calvomusic they taught me most of the fundamentals and how to break down the sound of Baltimore club the obstacles i faced are criticism of my sound but i managed to overcome it and keep elevating my sound and keep pushing to a greater level Read more>>

Shilo Rayne

I spent a lot of time watching my favorite artists/photographers share behind-the-scenes content of their shooting process or how they would utilize tools in Photoshop to put the finishing touches on the images they made. There were countless hours dedicated to watching YouTube videos, watching classes on Creative Live, and practicing with test images from Phlearn and other learning sites. Of course, even after spending time watching the videos your skill only improves once you start executing the processes you are learning. So I would try to practice whenever time, school, work, and my mental health permitted. Read more>>

Izaid Barr

I arrived at ceramics through trial and error, after trying to work with different mediums, but not feeling like any were quite the right fit. I don’t have have formal art training, but when I finally began working with clay and realized how much it aligned with my personality and the things I was interested in making, I committed to joining a ceramics studio in Chinatown, Los Angeles. Once a member of the studio, I began meeting fellow studio members, asking many questions, observing, taking classes, and just generally staying consistent with practicing and making. Read more>>

Courtney Riddle

I cant really recall a time during my life when I didn’t know “how” to sing, it was never really something I got into later in life, but actually something that has always been there. I was shy though and didnt always enjoy singing in front of others. A lot of times I couldn’t wait to be alone so I could practice. I think while I did listen to other vocalists that I respected, I tried to steer away from listening to any one particular artist too often, because I never wanted to just copy what they did. Read more>>

Rachel Kay Barclay

Great questions! Writing is the cornerstone of my work, so I will start there. I’m of the firm belief that the more you write, the better you become. I also think the best way for any writer to learn the craft is to read good writing, so in that sense, I started my education quite young. I began writing stories and poetry as a child. I was first introduced to dramatic writing in an undergraduate playwriting class, although I became very interested in character voice and play structure a few years earlier while reading the complete works of Sam Shepard. Read more>>

Beth Kalinsky

Everything I dyed is by hand and is sourced from plant matter. So, patience is something that I need to always come back to. Dyeing with plants tends to be a slow process, it is not about instant gratification or mass production. Some colors can take days to develop but this is the beauty of working with plants. Read more>>

Ernesto Garcia

I started playing guitar when I was about 10 years old. It took me a few years to figure how to even tune it. I then learned a few chords and a pentatonic scale. I didn’t take music seriously until I was about 20 years old. I started studying music theory and composition in college when I was about 22. Knowing what I know now, I would have started music lessons, especially theory, way earlier. Studying theory gave me the ability to intellectualize music and make sense of notes, chords, time and relativity. Read more>>

Trena Brannon

I was interested in doodling, drawing, and coloring as a child. I chose higher education in a career that had nothing to do with doodling, drawing, and coloring; however, I held my love of creating close to my heart. I would watch craft and painting shows on TV, attend many recreation center art classes, and then online classes became available. In the last few years, online learning has exploded. Read more>>

Correy Bell

Comedy is definitely a gift. It’s something that you’re born with. You can teach the mechanics like timing, callbacks, punchlines etc. but the art of being funny is inside. There is nothing that you can do to speed up the learning process. You have to take your time and not skip any steps. Every bar show, every open mic, every writing session is important. There’s no rush, comedy will always be there. Read more>>

Ngan Huynh

In the beginning it was mostly copying the artstyle of the artists and works I admire. Animes like Sailor Moon and Inuyasha especially influence me to gear toward creative art in the first place. Watching speedpaints and drawing/painting time-lapse was the next step as I learned to use watercolor and digital mediums. These video help me learn how to use the tools and the ways it can be manipulate to how I want them to. Foundation studies in art school helps me sharpen those skills I got on my own. Read more>>

Alejandro Bustamante-Martinez

I’ve always been curious and eager to learn, whether it’s about design or music. One time, while being at sea on a cruise ship as a teenager, I took a Photoshop course and was blown away by the possibilities. I bought my own copy of Photoshop and started experimenting with it every day. I even entered contests on forums and made designs for friends. Read more>>

Kylie Bady

I began teaching myself how to use my camera and Lightroom at home via YouTube and TikTok. I actually commented on one of Mallory Kessel’s asking how she had improved her photography so much from starting (the video was a comparison of her first work to now). She answered telling me to attend photo meetups, and so I did that for a while. It gave me content to create and practice on. After learning a bit I posted on Facebook looking for a wedding photography mentor. Read more>>

Heartsick Heroine

Being a regional metal band is INCREDIBLEY difficult. The competition is thick and you can get tied up in numbers and metrics rather than focusing on what matters: making music. Where and how to record your music has always been a big point of contention for musicians. Of course, a professional studio is best. You benefit from their expertise and skill not only in the tracking process but in the mix/master. Read more>>

Socorra

Music has always been a part of my life from a very early age. I was always dancing and singing around the house and putting on little “performances” for my family. I started playing the drums at 10 years old and then picked up the guitar at 13/14 years old because I started writing songs. I began learning 3-4 chord songs and putting my own lyrics and melodies to the progressions and quickly realized that I could switch chords around and try out different combinations until I heard something interesting. Read more>>

Jennie Rizza

I have always been a crafty person and have always loved fine leather products. So one day I just decided I was going to learn to tool leather. I started by reading all I could find on the internet about tooling leather, the tools, the process, the different products needed. Then I took a rather expensive trip to the local leather shop and loaded up on all I thought I may need. I would later find that the need for more leather and tools, better tools would never stop! Read more>>

G Alan

That’s a really tricky question, there’s an element to making art I’ve always just understood. The intuitive sense of what feels right… the way color combinations evoke an emotional response and the realization that those emotional responses are a language that can be spoken successfully. I think that’s the part you learn sort of by accident, you do something that makes you feel a certain way, then when someone else speaks about their impression of your work, you find out it translated for them on an emotional level. The first time that happened was the moment I got hooked, that’s when I wanted to be an artist. Read more>>

Fedana Toussaint

I woke up one day and somehow I knew exactly what to do. I knew how to weave the stories I wanted to write, this became how I spoke, how I communicated. The only problem is, I was the only person aware of this so everyone else thought I was just quiet, when the truth is, I was just speaking a new language that they did not understand yet. Read more>>

Tiffany Chan

My childhood love of anime and video games definitely kickstarted my interest in illustration when I was younger, so that really drove me creatively in the beginning (and still does). I also had a really great art teacher that encouraged me to draw what I enjoyed, and who taught me a lot of fundamentals to help support those interests. So I’d say finding something you really, really love or are curious about is the best way to get started when learning to draw. Read more>>

Rubi Mota

I learned to tattoo and Pierce thru my apprenticeship. I was lucky enough to be invited to do an apprenticeship that lasted 1 year. I would have definitely applied myself more. I regret misusing my time, Plus i would have more fun with art and tattoos. I think in a way I took it “too” seriously, like I should have experimented more allot sooner. Read more>>

Au Revoir Heart

I was homeschooled until around 8th grade, and my parents were really big on music. My dad played guitar and my mom is basically a ‘human jukebox’. They got me a PeeWee Les Paul for Christmas when I was 7 and that really started it all. I took some guitar, bass, piano, and drum lessons, and started playing in the youth ministry at my church and music has been stuck on me ever since. I think I could have sped up my process by applying myself more. I wasn’t too big on practicing a lot of my instruments as a teenager. Read more>>

Daveed Buzaglo

My training began when I was 7 years old as a member of the Philadelphia Boys Choir. In my early years of training my focus was solely set on creating the best musical and artistic choices, while also learning to work together in an ensemble. This early training consisted of a very intense cultivation of musical skills – in fact it took me two years of training before I was permitted to sing with the performing choir. Read more>>

Dream (Dreamscape ASMR)

Starting out, I had no formal education or training in film making or sound design, but I was determined to learn and improve my craft. Through countless hours of trial and error, learning from mistakes, and watching tutorials online, I was able to teach myself how to turn my vision into a reality. Since my work is largely based on sound design, learning professional audio production techniques was essential. Read more>>

Braeden Raymer

I was fortunate enough to be able to pursue art in college, and during those years I made it a goal to try as many techniques and materials as possible. I felt that I would more easily find my niche if I narrowed it down by process of elimination. My undergraduate program mostly discouraged digital art, so I didn’t really explore it until graduate school, but it really sped up my learning process. Read more>>

Melissa Goodman

I learned most of what I know now from largely trial and error. I began my journey of learning art when I studied Visual Arts at BYU. I think obtaining artistic training, in the traditional sense, can be done in a number of ways. Inside or outside of a University, it’s just the way that I happened to start. Either way, when I exited campus I knew a lot about how to draw, and how to tell a story but I didn’t actually know half as much about anything I do now. Which is not to say the University didn’t do a good job, on the contrary looking back I think BYU prepared its illustration students for the technical abilities they would need as well as any institution can. Read more>>

Monica Justesen

I am a self-taught photographer of 17 years based in Maine. My education comes from hands-on experience and prioritizing growth throughout my career. When I got my first ‘real’ camera in the early 2000s, I set a goal to learn one new thing a day until I knew every single thing about my camera. Read more>>

Kevin Kelly

Learning to paint is mostly a process of self awareness. Because of that, it is less about acquiring skills through training and more about unlocking a personal language through life experiences and time with materials. Yes, I have a formal art education, but my most important artistic growth has always evolved from the simple cycle of deep social engagement outside of the studio, reflection, and time with materials. Read more>>

Shelby Ring

My journey behind the camera started in front of it. I was a model first, and then upon going through a divorce, I found myself cooking on sailboats. I was so proud of the life I’d made for myself and I wanted to remember it — so I grabbed and outdated GoPro, jumped in the Caribbean waters we sailed, and began filming the beautiful sealife beneath the surface. I began documenting the places we sailed and the next thing I knew, I started getting paid to do that for other sailing yachts. The rest is history! Read more>>

Charles L Chatmon

I started out in my early teens, around middle school age. I picked up a pen and wrote down anything that came to mind; plays, poems and short stories. I wrote a lot almost every day. What I would have done better was to join a writing group or join a community of writers, even though I enrolled in a creating writers class in college. Learning the basics of symbols, metaphors and other tools of writing helps a lot when you’re starting out. It was always the fear no one would like my written works or had a negative comment of all the creativity I shared is what held me back. Read more>>

Don Owens

Playing on the road was a tremendous learning experience and when we finally connected with producer Lou Whitney, I grew even further as a songwriter and artist. Lou had worked with several signed bands including one of my favorites, The Del Lords. Over the course of the sessions with Lou, I learned so much. This experience taught me the value of mentorship from those willing to share their experience and insight. It’s a lesson I have carried forward as I continue to work towards my current songwriting goals. I’ve been fortunate to find groups in Nashville such as SongTown and NSAI that support and educate songwriters. Read more>>

Arabia “Shay” Marshall

As a Fashion Stylist, it started in 2020 during Covid-19 when I was driving to my first appointment to see my client. Since I worked mostly at home, I came across a fashion stylist on YouTube and I gained more interest of wanting to expand that beyond my own style. I started pushing my own fashion and wearing unconventional, androgynous type of style. Read more>>