Often there is no book or course to learn how to do what you want to do – so how artists and creatives overcome such challenges? How have some of the most talented artists and creatives in the community managed to learn their craft?

Kevin Johnson

I learned to tattoo with some help from a couple old friends (Shaun Evans and Josh Young) and a lot of trial and error… Unfortunately where I grew up tattoo culture was still a bit taboo and the craft was still difficult to learn about without a proper mentor. Knowing what I know now I think I would’ve ventured out of the small town I was living in a bit sooner. Read more>>

Hugo Aguiluz

1- I learned how to use a professional camera by watching professional photographer tutorial videos on Youtube. Eventually, I decided to buy courses and attend workshops to meet other industry professionals, learn how to pose, and interact with other people in front of the camera. Also, I started to follow different photography groups on Facebook where many other photographers posted about sales, poses, gear, courses, preset, etc. All of these opened my eyes to a new world with which I fell in love. Since then, I haven’t stopped shooting, learning, and enjoying this profession. Read more>>

Braisha Owens

What I do us a gift wasn’t much to learn, more so honing in on my craft, and mastering it. My learning process could have speed up in business if I was more focused. Skills that are essential are hard work, faith, and patience. Financial- but there’s always ways around that, when one puts in the work. Read more>>

Jared Grant

I am self taught, so everything I have learned to do has been through trial and error. The internet is both a blessing and a curse with the amount of knowledge available to learn a new skill. If I were starting again, I would pay to take a professional course and utilize their knowledge to quickly refine my own pursuit, but I guess that’s also part of the journey of attempting to pursue craftsmanship! Read more>>

Asher Shafer

My creative engine was fabricated through my long transit commutes to school, which over time allowed my imagination to be nurtured and enlarged. These bus rides led to my curiosity pushing me onto other bus routes throughout the city of Portland, where I absorbed the personalities and secrets that each route contained. Inspiration is my true key to being successful with practically anything. I mean, you can be extremely skilled at something, but without that creative drive to help guide you, everything remains stuck in the mud. Read more>>

Nick Elliott

To me, the pursuit of knowledge is inseparable from the work as a creative. In an industry and a discipline that is ever-evolving and changing, to stop learning is to fall behind. I learned to do what I do (produce and record songs full-time), through endless experimentation and trial and error, through various educational ventures, and through life experience. I started out helping my friends record raps and random jams in the closet of the party house I lived in for a year. Read more>>

Maya Sultana

How did you learn to do what you do? In May of 2014, I committed myself to becoming a tattoo apprentice in Dallas, TX under an amazing mentor. I still can recall the rush of excitement when I picked up a tattoo machine for the first time. Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? Read more>>

Gabriel Valadez

Cooking has been something of a lifelong passion, but it’s funny looking back and seeing how a skill improves over time. Struggling as a child to scramble eggs to now whipping up dutch babies from scratch on a whim. I’d argue that was all just time. Now content creation has been an entirely different beast. I wish I had swallowed my pride and looked into tutorial videos sooner. But I was fooooooolishly prideful for absolutely no reason. Once I got over that, things definitely accelerated. Read more>>

Ren Richards

That’s a loaded question! I’ve got years under my belt of vocal lessons, writing hundreds of songs, gigging 3-5 times a week, rehearsing, etc. All things that are necessary to getting better at the craft. Ultimately, the learning never stops and depending on what you’re trying to pursue within the industry what I’ve found to be the most important thing is to find your own voice, and that takes time! It also means you have to focus on growing as a person outside of music as well, so you can bring your story to the music. I’d say that’s the most essential thing to being an artist– being true to yourself. Read more>>

Isabel Schmieta

I was about eight years old when I started learning to knit and crochet, which my mom taught me to do (along with many other crafts). It definitely wasn’t an easy learning process. It requires a lot of patience – something I didn’t really have at that age. I’d often get frustrated and I even recall throwing my knitting across the room once or twice! But it’s important to remember that it just takes time and that you shouldn’t expect to be perfect on your first try. Read more>>

Dan Bradner

We’ll talk about music here, since that’s what I know best. I took the long, hard route to learning music: without much outside help. There wasn’t a ton of support from my family, and zero encouragement, so the few lessons I took early on ending pretty quickly. From then on it was mostly me in my room with my guitar, records, and some books, trying to figure out what was happening using my ear. Read more>>

Brittany Nicholson

Learning photography has been one of the most fulfilling and challenging things I have ever done in my life. I started with a Nikon z50 that I found online, and started going around Nashville taking photos of buildings, pedestrians, landscapes etc. Once I realized that I needed to get more familiar and comfortable with my camera I signed up for a online course with the University of Michigan and got my certificate in photography. Read more>>

Melissa Means

I always knew that I had a passion for all-things creative. I loved to dance and sing as a kid, I am a painter, I love to refurbish old discarded furniture, and when I was younger, I was obsessed with the game Sims, which I actually could care less about the game itself. I was more enthused by building and creating the homes within the little towns. Read more>>

Kaleb River

My whole life I’ve been attracted to the little details. I tend to drift off watching the shadows of trees blowing in the wind, or the way light refracts and shines when it comes out of a glass sitting in the sun. I like to watch the paint dry and and the grass grow. It sounds cheesy, but the moment I realized I could capture what I was seeing through a camera lens everything changed for me. I had a way to highlight and extract what I was feeling in the world and bring it into a video editing software like After Effects. Read more>>

Elizabeth Anne

Goldsmithing definitely isn’t something I learned overnight! I formally apprenticed under a master Goldsmith for about 6 years, absorbing every word and learning everything that I could. I’m currently attending GIA (Gemological Institute of America) to become a Graduate Gemologist. The biggest challenge has definitely been my gender and my age, as I started in this career at 15 years old. Read more>>

Liz Barber

I really knew at an early age that I would follow the path of creativity. My talent was noticed at an early age and I was extremely fortunate to have parents that encouraged me to follow that path. The programs I was offered at the Middle School and High School level were to focus my time in the studio to hone my craft of painting and drawing. These programs unfortunately are being phased out of public schools. Which I feel is totally unacceptable. Creatives need nurturing. Read more>>

Sam Blakeslee

Like all musicians and artists, the only way to improve your skill set is through individual practice, and pairing that study to a creative community of artists. In the early days of an artist’s development, it is easy to be constantly second guessing the ways in which you are working on your craft. It certainly takes time to find your own process through such a vast field. Read more>>

Angela Finney

My curiosity of materiality has guided me through a creatively rambunctious career. I began by studying the physical properties of raw materials and how to manipulate them into three dimensional objects. Metal, fiber, clay, and wood guided me to the world of furniture design and build, interior design and visual art. I am most intrigued by objects and their significance in physical space. Read more>>

Rachel Christopoulos

Trial and error. Like many modern day artists, I did not go to art school. But that doesn’t mean I just know how to paint because I had a heavenly epiphany! Throughout my years as an artist, I’ve been able to learn some interesting techniques from friends who received their own art degrees and even swap tips and tools with other creatives I’ve met around my city. With the accessibility of the internet and learning I credit a lot of my growth to Google searches sparked by curiosity over things I’ve seen.  Read more>>

Morgan Dennis-Elam

I have learned to do what I do by being thrown in fire. There were times where I’ve gotten burnt but it’s all part of the process. Most of my knowledge in regards to my craft comes from my peers and mentors. Without them, I not sure if I would know half the things I know. The most essential skills that they have taught me is trusting my ears, reading the manuals, understanding your equipment in and out, creating a workflow that’s going to help not only me but the event/show itself, and the most important thing which is knowing and understanding power. Read more>>

Brett Bell

In learning the craft of photography, a lot of my journey has been trial and error. I have been very bold in trying new things whether I succeed or fail. My failures have taught me a lot of necessary techniques that have helped me seek knowledge of how to become a better photographer. At the time of starting my photography journey, I was early in my marriage and a young father. I didn’t have the finances to invest in classes or mentorship towards gaining knowledge in the craft. Read more>>

Ariel Laviolette

I learned how to be a content creator by studying my craft during undergrad and graduate school. I also learned by watching my peers on YouTube. To speed up my learning process I would have studied more about my craft. I believe learning about the ROI’s and posting times is helpful tips. The obstacles that stood in my way is myself because I second guessed myself instead of just putting out great content. Read more>>

Chapelle Nichole

Well, it kind of came naturally. It was far from intentional. From childhood, I would unknowingly study every tv show, movie, commercial etc. that I saw. I found myself hypnotized by how the actors reacted to certain situations in the scene, not only physically but emotionally. I was fascinated with their facial expressions and movements. I remember thinking in my head “You have completely forgotten that nothing you see is real, but yet I can feel the actor, I can relate to how they think…” Read more>>

Paul Chizik

By Studying under two great professors in the United States. And having a mentorship with them for years. And studying at a couple of the ateliers in Florence was essential. And having access to great drawings and paintings at the museums was priceless. As for speeding up one’s learning process. Simply having less interference from life. Life interferes. And the most essential skills were understanding mark making. And the rheology of the material. Mainly having to work for a living outside of painting always interferes with one’s learning process. Read more>>

Jackson Stanley

I am 17. I got my first camera in 5th grade and used it once and never touched it again until I turned 16. I began by going to car shows and shooting in auto mode, then I began to make friends at these shows who taught me the basics of the exposure triangle. From here I am almost completely self taught, all of my knowledge about photography, angles, photo editing, and lighting has been from practice and reading. Read more>>

Frank Anthony

Being a self taught artist I had to learn everything mostly by trial & error, along with internet research and watching the work of artist who came before me. With the information I’ve obtained over the years I believe becoming an assistant to an established artist could have helped me speed up my learning process and have a better understanding what direction I’d like to go in. Read more>>

Alexander Milford

I have been drawing since I was a little kid. Throughout middle and high school, I would take any art classes I could for the easy A, but I ended up learning quite a bit from them. I would say the majority of my art education, though, has come from my experience as a studio art major in college and independent exploration of my interests. I think one thing I could’ve done to speed up my learning process would be to better utilize the resources around me. Read more>>

Christina Beecher

I have always been an artist, and was encouraged from a young age to continue. I was however, not encouraged at first to pursue art as a career choice. I had a solid art foundation in my high school, with exposure to many art medias and was blessed with an amazing art teacher l that encouraged patience with my family and to not give up on the dream of being an artist . Read more>>

Donny Knotz

I was curious about the recording and song arrangement process from a very early age, so I always gravitated towards musical things. Whether it was guitar lessons, joining school band and church choir, or passionately trying to convince any friends that would listen that we should start a band, I was always trying to find my “in” to a studio, or a mentor who could show me the way. It wasn’t until my mid teens that I met a circle of friends that had similar aspirations and we started to push each other to find the answers and figure it out. Read more>>

Elias Hilaire

I started my Youtube channel in April 2021, a few months before starting dental school. I really knew nothing about cameras, editing, Youtube, and since it was a few months before I started school, I barely knew anything about dental school, which was the content my channel was supposed to be focused on. It definitely took me some time to learn what I was doing, and even today I am still learning a lot. What is most important is just picking up the camera and learning as you go. Now that I have started school, I have less time to learn the craft, but I still do my best to work on it in my free time. Read more>>

Loraine Lynn

I learned what I do through a variety of methods. Currently my work can be described as installation using tufted textiles. The goal of the spaces I set up are to act as spaces for gathering and connection, whatever that looks like to the viewer. I didn’t start out working with fiber. I started my journey in art through craft, studying glassblowing in undergraduate and part of graduate school. Read more>>

Sarah ELQA

I am a self-taught artist. Painting has always been a passion and present in our family. My ancestor is the Fauvist French painter Maurice Devlaminck. Before becoming an artist, I was a fashion designer for ten years. My management studies have served me a lot in my artistic career because it has helped me to better communicate and building my own business. Today, I know that it also helps me in my everyday life. I think the most important thing is self-confidence, which could have helped me show my art much earlier, but it’s something that comes with time. Read more>>

Nicole Marshall

Writing comes natural to me and has always been a means of expression. I started writing when I was a teenager and developed a love for poetry. I would write anytime I felt inspired or was in need to express my feelings in a creative and artistic way. Knowing what I do now, I believe if I attended writers’ workshops/webinars it definitely would have fueled my writing journey and sped up my learning process. Read more>>

Critz

To be completely honest I learned most of what I know now about music production through trial and error. Of course I have had and still have mentors to this day but the majority of the growth I see comes from trying something or taking a creative risk and learning from the success or failure of that. I’ll also be the first to say if you have the means to go to school for music production it is the best investment of time and money that you can possibly spend. Read more>>

Diana Brosseau

Learning how to paint was pretty organic for me. Putting paintbrush to canvas for the first time in twenty years was a matter of finding inspiration and not thinking too hard. I simply tried to replicate the beauty I saw in sunsets and landscapes. The more time spent painting equaled better work. And it’s kind of snowballed from there. The main obstacle I’ve had painting has just been getting outside of my head and it letting fear overcome my talent. Read more>>

Courtney Utter

Learning? I’m still learning lol! I really started to dive into my artistic side after I lost my left arm. I wanted to feel like I did pre-accident so I just tried experimenting with different mediums. I get my inspiration from other artist and while I make them my own, I think that’s how a lot of artists get inspired. Read more>>

Jalonna Kearney-Rodgers

It’s difficult to remember when I first learned to craft but in recent years I’ve learned to master my Cricut Maker machine for free via YouTube videos, blogs, and training classes. The most essential skills I have obtained so far are all of an internal nature. I learned self-discipline, proper time management and to dismiss fear of judgment from others. These skills are of the utmost importance as a creator because you know going into a project that not everyone will love it like you do. Read more>>

Jenn Meek

I learned to decorate cookies by A LOT of trial and error! At first it was all self-taught and then I discovered that there are a lot of talented cookie decorators that teach intermediate and advanced skills online. I have taken quite a few intermediate and advanced decorating classes! Read more>>

Young Rich Boy YRB

At a young age music was already making it’s ways around my family so music was already in my bloodline my cousin Kevon Who Is Also a A/V engineer he played a big part in my learning process I would get with him and get advice and teachings. I never thought that the process would be fast so at the speed it’s going I’m satisfied. The only thing I can say that was my biggest obstacle would be me getting in my own way not being as focused or in tune I work on that on a day to to day basis Read more>>

Marklyn Johnson

Learning by doing. Going to Mics and getting on stage time and time again. I could have focused on the art of writing a long time ago. Determination and writing. Looking at things from a different perspective. FEAR IS THE OBSTACLE THAT STOPS EVERYONE. Read more>>