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.

Sierra Mckissick

In high school, I used to design t-shirts and logos for people in my community using Microsoft Word and PowerPoint; now, I laugh at how ridiculously difficult it was to make those look good. I didn’t start identifying as a designer until 2015, when I began designing in graduate school more frequently and later full-time when I graduated. Every skill I’ve acquired was self-taught. When I started, I had no idea what design software existed and little knowledge of design principles and techniques. Affordability and access are the most significant challenges when teaching yourself to do anything. In the beginning, I relied on my intuition and aesthetic sensibilities. Over time, I did more research and watched lessons online. I still couldn’t afford software like Adobe, but I made do with independent programs and built a client list of about 20 repeat clients. Read more>>

Yasmeen Norman

Styling with creative direction is a living art—a physical expression of my heart and emotions. I quite literally wear my heart on my sleeve, my pants, and everywhere in between. Every outfit I put together tells a story—one of how I’m living, growing, and feeling. My motto is “living art in every way”—whether it’s expressed through traveling for inspiration, designing moments through creative direction, or composing an outfit that whispers who I am before I even speak. Read more>>

Frances Pennington

Learning to do what I do was a bit like being on a creative rollercoaster! I started with the basics, of course—staying inside the lines, choosing “proper” colors, and following all the usual art-class rules. But even as a kid, I couldn’t resist bending those rules a bit. Experimenting and finding my own way was half the fun! Over time, though, art education became less about personal expression and more about meeting “official” expectations. By high school, art was my escape for dealing with life’s curveballs, and my style didn’t always fit the typical idea of “acceptable” art. I often got more criticism than praise, but oddly enough, that just made me more determined. It taught me that art doesn’t need anyone’s stamp of approval; it just needs to be made. That little revelation has stuck with me ever since. Read more>>

Mykey Reed

I’m a self taught makeup artist. I started to teach myself all about makeup by constantly watching makeup videos/tutorials on YouTube, Instagram and Tiktok. I’m still learning and studying to this day! When I finally dove deep into learning and practicing makeup, I took the opportunity to do so during the COVID lockdown. It was a GREAT time for me to speed up my learning process because, what else was I going to do with all the free time that I had? Over time, the skill that I would say is one of the most essential to learn is learning to shade match all different skin tones, from light to medium to deep, to cool to neutral to olive and to warm undertones. At the beginning of learning my craft, the biggest obstacle to learning more was definitely not having people to practice makeup on. I only knew so many people who I was able to practice on, but I didn’t know enough people, let alone people who had other types of skin tones. I finally was able to find a job position that I was able to practice my craft and learn how to shade match all types of skin complexions. Read more>>

Sheila Demoura

Learn by doing! Ask all the questions. Take initiative. The most essential skills become your instincts and can’t be taught, just dive in and don’t be afraid of looking dumb. Read more>>

Daniel And Phillip Chaplygin

We learned the craft of playing, writing, and recording music the same way anybody learns any craft; we put in the hours. It’s as simple as that. The only thing we could have done to speed up the learning process would have been to spend more hours learning what we wanted to know! We believe the most essential skill we learned over the years is for our ears to understand what sounds humans find pleasant and unpleasant. Like any hobby, money can always be a bit of an obstacle. It’s important to budget and set money aside for the things you truly love to do. Read more>>

Bradley Owen

I started making art, as most do, when I was a child; however, even at this young age, though I did not know it at the time, there was a stark difference in the passion that a friend of mine and I possessed for creating. This childhood friend and I would draw our favorite sports-stars while we were babysat, and I remember that I always thought his drawings were better than mine. This friendly competition, whether it was between us both or just in my head, sparked within me an urge to create which has grown into the current love I have for painting. This obsession with painting did not start until rather recently though, during my second year at Laguna College of Art and Design. During this time I took my first classes in oil painting, and upon my entry, I could tell that I was far behind where others were in the class. Read more>>

George Heffernan

I have loved music for as long as I can remember. My craft has been a very gradual journey from mindful listener, to bassist, to singer, to arranger, to songwriter. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to trust my own process, even when it feels vague or slow. I’m sure any creative person can relate to this, but the less you overthink it the more you move in the right direction. Read more>>

Ladieslovewave

I learned how to write music by diving headfirst into it. I didn’t follow any formal process—I simply absorbed everything I could from songs I loved, lyric videos I studied, and hours of practice. Over time, people helped refine my writing style, teaching me how to flow better when recording. My brother, in particular, never let me settle. If he thought I could do better, he’d tell me to scrap a song and start over, which pushed me to grow even more. Looking back, it was a combination of trial, feedback, and relentless practice that shaped my skills. Read more>>

Isaiah Garcia

Before I went to school I would rewatch all of my favorite movies and take notes on what I think the actor is doing to make the scene great, it could be their delivery or their body language. I love how something as simple as moving a stapler from right to left can really change the tone or theme of a scene and I feel like all my favorite actors do something so subtle but brilliant that without it, the scene would be completely different. While in school I was taught to show up with ideas and a character backstory to ground yourself in whatever reality you’re about to step into. Read more>>

J Carvallo

My journey as an artist began at a very young age, thanks to my grandmother, a talented figurative painter who introduced me to the world of art. She was the one who put me in front of an easel for the first time and gifted me my first set of real oil paints, sparking a lifelong passion for creating. From the beginning, painting felt like a natural extension of my emotions and thoughts. At first, my style was completely expressionist—unbound, instinctive, and driven by raw energy. I worked without rules, embracing chaos as a defining feature of my art. This period was one of pure experimentation, where I let color and form guide me without any preconceived notions. Read more>>

Courtlyn Sholten

I am primarily a self taught artist. I first started my art career as a practical effects makeup artist, taking my experience of doing my own makeup and a lot of youtube tutorials later I was working in haunted houses. Practical effects was a great starting point in learning multiple mediums like painting, sculpting, and mixing 3D and 2D art. Practical effects is really relient on shading, lighting, and depth which translates and are necessary skills when it comes to doing almost any form of art. I did take some college art classes that helped me refine my drawing skills and helped me start learning oil painting as I am mostly an acrylic painter. Read more>>

Whitney Vermeer

I started out by going to cosmetology school, where I learned about hair, skin, and nails—basically the foundations of the craft. But things really clicked for me when I met my mentor. That experience completely changed the way I approached my work. I had to take everything I thought I knew, throw it out the window, and start fresh. They taught me classic barbering techniques, like cutting with clipper blades and sculpting shapes using design principles. It was challenging but so rewarding. Read more>>

Monserratte Hidalgo

As an artist, my journey began during my middle school years at Southwood Middle School, where I was part of the magnet fine arts program. My mom recognized my passion for art early on and encouraged me to audition for the program. During the audition, I was given a few drawing tasks that helped determine my acceptance into the program, and I made it in. Those three years were pivotal for me. I explored a variety of mediums and techniques, including charcoal, still-life, portraiture, acrylic paints, oil pastels, colored pencils, shading, and drapery. Feedback played a key role in our learning process, as my classmates and I shared critiques to help each other improve. Read more>>

John Powell

When I think about how I got here, I can honestly say it’s been anything but a straight line. My expertise in live production and technical direction is built on curiosity, adaptability, and a deep love of storytelling. Whether it’s a live concert, a soccer match, or a corporate broadcast, every production is an opportunity to tell a story, in real time. That combination of preparation and spontaneity is what keeps me hooked. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to work with iconic brands like the Dodgers, Fox, AEG, SpaceX, Yahoo!, FanDuel, and Spectrum. Each project has taught me something new about how to craft compelling moments under pressure. Read more>>

Lydia Liscom

Designing luxury residences requires a strong education in traditional design principles that are the foundation in any design style. My most valuable experience in learning the my craft was pairing my academic learning while working alongside experienced artisans which helped me refine my design knowledge into real world projects. Reflecting on my journey, I see how crucial it is to never overlook the value of connections. Throughout life, you build a vast network, and each relationship offers unique insights and opportunities. Recognizing the importance of networking from the outset would have helped me gain access to valuable knowledge and resources, ultimately speeding up my learning process. Read more>>

Zion Ross

I learned what I do through a combination of hands-on experience, research, and a lot of trial and error. From my time working with brands, organizing events, and managing social media accounts, I picked up skills by diving into projects and figuring things out as I went along. Starting Zion Jayd Photography was a turning point—I had to learn everything from photography techniques to content marketing, and that process taught me the power of consistency and creativity. Working independently and taking ownership of projects helped me develop confidence in my abilities. Read more>>

Tanya Sanchez-ramirez

My photography career all began in my senior year of high school, where I grew to appreciate the creative process of producing images. I was drawn by how a camera could serve as a tool to visually express my ideas. This passion for photography kept pulling me back and it motivated me to take initiative to explore free resources to improve my skills. During the summer, I would visit my local public library, checking out books about posing, lighting, and camera techniques. I also took advantage of the library’s free online courses by enrolling in a photography class to further enhance my understanding. These resources helped me build a foundation despite limited access to formal training at the time. I believe I did the best I could to be resourceful in terms of accelerating my learning process given my circumstances. By being self-motivated and committed to grow, I was able to further my skills when I attended California State University of Long Beach, where I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography. Read more>>

Jessica Boyle

I learned to tattoo by way of a traditional apprenticeship in 2002. In exchange for my teacher’s guidance, I did odd jobs around the shop—housekeeping, paperwork, errands… My apprenticeship took a year to complete, but I was not permitted to pick up a tattoo machine until I was about nine months in. At the time, I was anxious to get the ball rolling and start practicing the actual craft. But, in retrospect, I understand why my mentor demanded that sort of commitment, and I appreciate having the gravitas of this work impressed upon me. Read more>>

Cammie Tolleshaug

I will forever be a student. I don’t believe there is a level of mastery that exists where I would feel content and satisfied with my art. The desire to constantly improve is innate because the more you push your limits and grow, the more you realize what else you can accomplish. As a dancer, there is no ceiling. I’ve always felt behind because many dancers start when they are 3-5 years old. Although I was still young, I started dancing at 10 and I only trained in hip-hop. I was never interested in ballet or jazz, but these styles have techniques that are used in every form of dance and are practically essential to any professional. To lack the foundations of ballet has definitely made my journey a lot more difficult, but I’ve tried to stay true to knowing my gifts and watering those over the years. Read more>>

Jen Martin

Private lessons.  Informational Interviews.  Be Bold and courageous. In high school, I knew I wanted to dance.  And then I went to college and thought I might be a doctor, or nutritionist, or marketing professional.  But dance won.  I graduated and moved to NYC the next week.  And like every auditioning performer, I had jobs and gigs and conflicting feelings galore.  I learned early that I really enjoyed working special events.  And I also learned that I wasn’t great at auditioning.  When I was introduced to aerial arts after a few years living in New York, I realized the combination of dance and aerial made me feel passionate!  Career found! Read more>>

Aldo Uribe

I think the journey of an actor is so open ended that you can never really say I did it, I’m done or definitively I know how to do this. I mean, what is “IT” any way? I started pursuing acting early on because it felt like this mystical process of searching and creating. It seemed interesting, fun and so foreign. I come from a hard-working, blue collar, immigrant family, so I’ve always been very driven to try my best at the things I’m passionate about. I tend to go all in. At the beginning, it was very hard headed and brut. Moving to New York I knew the answer was somewhere out there but at first it was very much banging my head against the wall to try to find the answer.  Read more>>

Dre Undecided

I used to read the lyrics inside the CD inserts from my mother’s collection. Not all had them but when I found the ones that did I would play songs over and over reading and singing the lyrics. From there I started writing story’s and poems before I transitioned into writing music. When I began writing music I would read books written by successful songwriters from multiple genres and generations. Read more>>

Alexander Prestrelski

I knew I was an artist early on. When I was a child, I was privileged to have had the time and space to imagine. At around the age of 10, I gravitated towards drawing comics which were inspired by my favorite books, cartoons and video games. Everything changed when my family gave me a Windows 98 computer where I would become enthralled with modding video games like Quake and creating short animations in Macromedia Flash 5. I saw worlds in my head and built them. In some ways, I believe that this has been both a gift and a curse for me – but mostly a gift. Read more>>

Caroline Conlon

I began my tattoo journey in 2020. One of the biggest obstacles I think most aspiring tattoo artists face, myself included, has less to do with the craft itself and more to do with finding a safe and comfortable place to learn and grow. This industry can be tough to navigate. That being said, every obstacle is simply an opportunity to grow and learn. Negative experiences can shine light on how you DON’T want to be, so you can instead choose who you DO want to be. Read more>>

Kim Roney

I learned how to do macrame and make macrame jewelry by watching YouTube and Instagram videos. The internet is a wealth of knowledge, but it can be difficult to find good quality instruction. I wish that I could have learned from an actual person because it is sometimes difficult to watch someone else do a stitch, or look at a written direction to try to figure it out. Learning the basic macrame stitches were essential and allow me to be more creative when designing my own jewelry. As for obstacles, having time to learn new stitches and designs can be a challenge because it is a lot of trial and error until you can perfect it. Read more>>

Lindsey Dobbins

During Covid I became a stay at home Mom and was so incredibly isolated, and one day I was mindlessly scrolling through Facebook and came across an ad for a free Painting lesson of a Van Gogh style Zinnia flower and I signed up. I was really surprised at how much I loved it and was actually quite good at it for never have painted anything in my life. I almost paint everyday, which I try to encourage every artist I meet to do. I still do my online painting classes (Fresh Paint) my teacher is amazing and constantly teaches me new things. Trying to paint anything even if I’m not completely interested in the subject is vital to learning. I try and still struggle to not overly think and complicate subjects and backgrounds, which can ruin a painting. Rushing is my worst struggle since my time is very valuable and constantly being divided between my 4 year old, fiancé, dog and 2 cats. Trying to figure out ways to actually sell my art is of course every artists age old struggle. Read more>>

Sanaz Hooshiani

I learned through a mix of hands-on experimentation, online tutorials, and inspiration from other artists. Ceramics was something I discovered naturally, starting with basic supplies and a lot of trial and error. Over time, I got better at my techniques and found my own style by really getting into the process and staying curious. Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? I would have gotten mentorship earlier and joined local art communities or classes. Learning directly from experienced artists and engaging with a creative community could have definitely helped me grow faster. Read more>>

Annie Furr

I am most definitely still in the process of learning to do what I do. I’ve been drawing my whole life, but my drawing was purely observational and with one single graphite pencil. In my little world, I was always the ‘best’ artist, and that’s just how I liked it, very comfortable and ALWAYS the best. But when you step out of your own little world a bit, you quickly realize that you are in fact not the best. Then you have a decision to make. Either you quit, or you get very comfortable being less than the best and learning how to get better. Read more>>