One of the most daunting aspects of pursing a creative or artistic career for many aspiring artists is not knowing how to learn the craft. So, we asked some very talented artists and creatives to talk to us about how they learned their crafts and we hope their stories will help you in your journey. 

Katrina Gorman

The way I learned art was by creating and experimenting. Early in school, my art teachers saw a drive and talent in me and was there for me to show me the basics to art. My imagination took wind then created freely. Read more>>

Gary Dover

For the past 21 years, I have navigated the world of screenwriting—a journey that feels remarkably similar to the archetypal path described in Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey. My entry into this field was entirely accidental. Read more>>

Brandy Jones

I learned to do what I do through a combination of curiosity, persistence, and hands-on experience. As the founder of Plush Beez and Rock & Yarn Artistry, much of my journey has been self-taught. I learned by researching, experimenting, making mistakes, listening to customers, studying other entrepreneurs and artists, and most importantly, by continuing to create even when I didn’t have all the answers. Read more>>

Jade Robinson

I learned what I do because I have a yearn and a passion for it and a readiness to learn no matter how advanced I am at it. I could have sped up my learning process by noticing toxic environments from the start. Read more>>

Joel Hunt

One of the biggest things I’ve learned from my journey is that nobody hands you a roadmap. When I started adaptive skiing, I wanted to make it to the Paralympics. The problem was, every time I asked someone how to get there, nobody seemed to know. There wasn’t a simple guide. There wasn’t a checklist. So I had to figure it out myself. Read more>>

Anita Wilson

Music and writing have always been a major part of my life. Ever since childhood, my parents would have the music playing. We listened to a lot of Christian hip hop when I was young. The lyricism, the melodic structures, and the emotional appeal always resonated with me. As I got older, I began to incorporate my own life into those same structures. Read more>> 

Anthony Mitchell

I learned to do what I do through a combination of experience, service, failure, and faith. A lot of what I know didn’t come from a classroom—it came from being willing to step into spaces where I didn’t have all the answers and learning as I went. My military career taught me discipline, attention to detail, troubleshooting, and how to stay calm under pressure. Read more>>

Rui Yang

I learned most of the tools back in grad school. Looking back, I think the most important thing to speed up the learning process is to have the capability and willingness to do self-research. Due to the nature of digital art, it is unrealistic to expect professors to tell you everything or to guide you through every challenge. Read more>>

Anna Gabriella Herrera Caverzan

How did you learn to do what you do? Honestly? By doing. I never waited until I felt ready. I said yes to projects before I fully knew how to execute them, and then figured it out. A lot came from obsessive observation looking at art, design, fashion, spaces, people and from moving between disciplines without apology. Read more>>

Tierika Moore

I learned what I do by researching and including things of that path in my everyday life. I watch 90s movies and tv shows often. Music videos and magazines are a fave of mine. Once I saw the fashion and mannerisms I moved into learning camera work. My friend Diego gave me his old camera and showed me the ropes of filming and editing. Read more>>

Bryson Thurston

I’ve been creating art as long as I can remember. I never really had a teacher except in high school, very briefly, before I got kicked out of art class. I always wanted to do things my way. I wanted to create things that have never been seen before. Read more>>

Jerome Barkley

It’s interesting because there wasn’t a manual on how be podcaster when i started. Most of it was trail and error, each episode i learned something new, whether it was projecting more, showing more personality, constructing better conversations and learning how to editing audio then video which would come later. Read more>>

Traé Brooks

In the beginning, I went to art school where I studied painting. During my studies, I learned about composition, a basic understanding of color theory, and all of the technical skills necessary to illustrate various subjects and ultimately develop a comprehensive body of work. Read more>>

Jordan Levy

There are multiple outlets that I explored to learn the art of music-making. College of course was the most time consuming of the bunch, and although it isn’t necessary to be a creative it did help me with hands-on experience, internships, and industry connections. I studied music business which allowed me to immerse myself in the industry side. Read more>>

dasean mack

Basically watching my mentors and other creators do the same thing i was doing. Knowing what i know now, the reps matter a lot and doing alot of practice makes perfect. A skill that is essential is never stop learning in my opinion, the more information you can take in , makes it easier for you to learn. Read more>>

Samuel Cerra

The truth, and probably the trick, is that I am still learning, and I will be in this learning mode for the rest of my life. I think it’s mainly targeting and seeing everything with the same genuine curiosity as when we were children. Read more>>

PlexusPlay

What I do combines both music and visual elements and my paths to learning each been quite different. For music, I began performing at age 6 with the xylophone and ultimately went through a rigorous college training where I received 2x bachelors degrees in jazz performance and neuroscience from Oberlin College & Conservatory. Read more>>

Bill Mims

I did go to recording school, but ultimately I learned my craft by working with some of the best engineers and producers around. Watching them work really helped me decide what to do and what NOT to do. Besides having great ears, engineers really need to have people skills. Read more>>

Derek Cook

I started creating around three, maybe as soon as I was strong enough to actually hold a pencil, according to my mom.. Through repetition and practice, I wanted to learn how to make the things I saw in my head, as well as things I saw my peers creating at the time. Read more>>

Guy ‘King Mosi’ Holmes

I started as a freestyle dancer before transitioning into choreography, and most of what I know came from learning on the job. There wasn’t really a blueprint or mentor guiding me through it—especially because the social media space was still new for all of us at the time. When I began dancing professionally, Instagram only allowed 15-second videos. Read more>>

Brenda Nasr

​I am entirely self-taught. The process I’ve used to learn my trade and craft is the same one I apply to any endeavor: an intense passion that fuels relentless practice. For me, practice is the ultimate jumping-off point; it’s through trial and error that I truly find out what I need to know. Read more>>

Shots Fired

Learning how to navigate the world of battle rap has been a truly immersive process. We were hard-headed high school graduates and had no problem driving to Orange County, LA, and the Inland Empire multiple times a month to soak up as much game as possible and to put our names and our talent out there. Read more>>

Marlisha Applewhite

As a someone who enjoy learning new things and figuring it out herself. I learn from just trying and studying what it is that I am trying to learn and later accomplishing. I will not say everything I put my mind to has been easy to achieve. I mean still to this day I’m learning as a growing creator I am. Read more>>

Lauren Cargal

How did you learn to do what you do? I began my photography journey the same way as many others: with a Canon Rebel T6, a kit lens, and an affinity for Automatic mode. I am largely self-taught in the principles of making images, though I took a film class in high school which helped me learn about depth of field and video principles. Read more>>

SJ Willett

When I first started out in poetry, I would go to the Poet House in Tribeca and read about the different styles of poetry. I came across Paula Claire, who was a sound poet from England. Read more>>

Mango / Mango Headache

I learned what I know by maintaining a genuine desire to improve. I’ve always wanted to become the best version of myself, and that means staying curious and continuing to learn. There are many sayings like “be a sponge” and “always be a student,” and I truly believe in both. Read more>>

Dennis Stewart

To be perfectly honest, I never knew I had a passion for wildlife photography until I was well into my thirties. I had always loved the outdoors. Hiking, fishing, and spending time in nature were simply part of who I was, but photography was never something I seriously considered. Read more>>

Adrian Bricks

It took years in playing my part mastering the basics. I had my son at 21 so it’s difficult trying to be young and do this things such as acting knowing you not getting paid much because you are still a beginner. Read more>>

Minh Huynh

Being an independent artist is like being an entrepreneur, and once I reframed my art education as entrepreneurship education, I discovered I was on the right path to success. My art school did everything in its power to teach us about the business side of art and running a small business. However, there is no greater teacher than actually running a small business. Read more>>

Nate Pack

I believe that repetition is the key to learning. I wasn’t a very good painter until I set a goal to complete 40 paintings one year and then I set that same goal for the next 10 years. Through that process I now I understand how to use the materials and have confidence in knowing that I can find success. Read more>>

Chai Coles

I’ve always been a naturally curious person, and many of the things I’ve learned and become successful at felt intuitive to me from the beginning. A lot of what I do comes naturally, almost as if I already had an innate understanding of it. Read more>>

Jon Dailey

How did you learn to do what you do in photography? My journey into photography was largely self-taught. While my formal education and early career were rooted in Electrical Engineering and Aerospace, I found myself drawn to visual storytelling and the power of imagery. I spent countless hours studying the work of photographers I love, analyzing light, composition, color, and emotion. Read more>>

Ivan Ng

I learned photography through curiosity, community, and doing. Read more>>

Miles Squiers

It’s almost like my family had be preparing me to do what I wanted to do my whole life. I originally thought that film would be the industry I fell into, but as I got older I realized how much more expensive it is to start a career there. A camera alone is at a starting price of $50. Read more>>

Ladies Fancywork Society

We have been making crochet art since 2007, starting by putting up yarn bombs/knit tigs on bus stops and benches, and eventually moving onto larger sculptures. Read more>>

Connor Tones

Truthfully I have been doing art for way longer than I was taking it seriously. I always had an eye for visual appeal even at a younger age. Plenty of shows and games I paid attention to were creating eye catching visuals in ways I couldn’t have even have hoped to have understood much less actually pull them off. Read more>>

Janirette Vazquez

**How did you learn to do what you do?** I wasn’t particularly artistic as a child, and later in life I realized that my true passion was art. I decided to change career paths from Hotel and Restaurant Management to Graphic Design. Read more>>

Alex Grosse

It took a number of years for me to discover the types of projects I enjoy working on. Shortly after graduating college in 2014, I moved to Los Angeles I began working as a production assistant on various projects. Everything from home renovation shows and commercials to live event broadcasts and feature films. Read more>>

Charles Johnson

I learned being a content creator from trial and error. I started with content creation last year with the encouragement of friends who told me I have a magnetic personality. I did not know what I was doing and took me a minute to find my rhythm and niche. Knowing what I know now, I would not have done anything to speed up the learning. Read more>>

Alexa Dearing

I am completely self taught. When I began to learn my craft, there was not a lot of content out on the internet other than basics – how to use my camera, how to use lighting equipment, and industry standards. What was not out on the internet yet, was how all of the ‘rules’ can be broken/bent to create something wonderful. Read more>>

Peeradon Ariyanukooltorn

I started photography out of genuine love for it. An elective course in university gave me enough of a foundation to understand the technical terms, and from there I believe most of my growth came from observing, practicing, and analyzing the images I admired. Read more>>

Luyan Li

Like babies, I learned dance by mimicking cool, interesting movements in the beginning of my journey, then deepened my craft and understanding of the art by immersing myself in the cultures of the dance styles I practice. My younger self would have wanted to speed things up, as this world pushes us to be so efficient. Read more>>

Torie Sanners

With makeup, I’m self taught. I would watch YouTube videos and practice on myself. While practicing, I really started to enjoy doing it. I think if I would’ve been more diligent with experimenting with my friends and family. Really just putting myself out there. Learning the art of blending and being light with your hand is very essential with makeup. Read more>>

Donna Casselman

I have always taken to writing naturally from a young age. Some of my early poetry has been published, some articles published in magazines and several scripts used in theatrical productions. The Tales of Narda series is my first novel series. Read more>>

Rich Owensby

I’d always made demos and messed around with recording my songs, but I got serious and took music production courses while in lockdown during the pandemic. I’m big on doing everything I can myself because I have a vision for how I want my music to sound that’s just easier to get to when I’m the one making all the decisions. Read more>>

Charles McDougald

I learned photography through a combination of curiosity, experimentation, and a lot of trial and error. What started as a creative outlet eventually became something I wanted to pursue seriously. I spent countless hours studying the work of photographers I admired, practicing whenever I could, and learning through real-world experience rather than a traditional educational path. Read more>>

Paige Rimko

When I was deciding on a major in college, I saw a demonstration on shoemaking and it changed the trajectory of my life—it inspired me to pursue it as my lifelong career. Growing up, I always loved the arts and knew I wanted it to be part of my every day life. Read more>>

Chynson Thomas

Life is always the best teacher. Every experience I encounter informs my creative process. I don’t think there is anything I could have done to speed up the learning journey; after all, it is a process. I haven’t experienced everything life has to offer, so I will always be learning. The most essential skill is reconnecting with my imagination. Read more>>

Nikola Aharon

I learned my craft through experience, mentorship, and a willingness to keep evolving. Starting in modeling, PR, and marketing, I learned by doing, making mistakes, and staying curious. Looking back, I would have sought out mentors sooner and invested more time in mastering business and leadership skills early on. The most essential skills were communication, branding, relationship-building, and adaptability. Read more>>

Elizabeth Figueroa

Photography wasn’t something I grew up knowing I would do. It started as a passion and slowly became a career through a lot of trial and error, practice, and determination. I learned by investing in education, studying other photographers’ work, watching tutorials, taking courses, and most importantly, getting behind the camera as often as possible. Every session taught me something new. Read more>>

Tianyun Lan

I didn’t learn what I do in a very structured way at all. I kind of moved through different parts of the industry first—PR, casting, production, design—and only later focused on styling. At the time it felt a bit all over the place, but looking back it actually helped a lot because I understood how things function beyond just my role. Read more>>

herbert alvarez

10 thousand hours of being immersed in sports and fitness it’s always been my life I love to be active I love to perform under pressure I love competition. So being able to write a song about fitness it flowed so easy because that’s something I’m doing unconsciously at this point just way of life. Read more>>

Hector Munoz Rosales

I started off as a clothing brand owner in my early years of trying to own my own business and I struggled with finding a good photographer to shoot my clothing releases. Luckily I have a really good friend who owned a camera at the time and so he began taking photos for me. Read more>>

Jeneisha Harris

Poetry came naturally way of tramuatic experience and community activism. I found no answers in pain, so I turned to words and found them in my writings. The artform feels like a new sector of speaking truth to power. In stead of a podium or a picket sign.. I have pen and paper Read more>>

David Villalva

Learning how to create my craft took some time. I’ve taken a Photography course at Santa Monica College, because I needed an elective class for my degree. I learned about depth of field, shutter speed, aperture and etc. Long story short I ended up getting a ‘C’ in the class haha. The tools that I learned in the class was engraved in my brain. Read more>>

Arcangel Tattoo

I learned the craft largely on my own. In the beginning, it was endless practice, independent study, and an obsession with perfecting every detail. Over time, I strengthened that foundation through specialized training at Pigmalion Art Academy and mentorship from Deivys Viera, who helped me refine my approach to Black & Grey realism. Read more>>

Des Loveless

I’ve always had a passion for fashion. I started in the modeling industry, working in front of the camera, while also taking both film and digital photography courses in high school. As a naturally creative person, I became interested in wardrobe styling while studying photography and color grading through masterclasses. Read more>>

brian fechino

I started playing guitar at 8 years old. Back then, it didn’t feel like ‘learning a craft’ it was more the fun of making sounds and the challenge of playing my favorite songs. The most essential skill I had was patience. Read more>>

Tierney Sutton

I wish I had studied musicianship, sight-reading and piano with a good pianist, accompanist. I also would have loved to study composition with a good teacher. There is a language of music that the amazing musicians I have the privilege of working with are usually fluent in. They no longer have to think about it. Read more>>

Yuval Ofir

I learned to do what I do mostly by doing it over and over in real situations, long before I had a clean title for it. For years, I’ve been photographing artists, business owners, musicians, community organizers, restaurants, events, and the people who give a place its character. Read more>>

W. Otis Mamed

I think I became aware of my interest in metal, when I was considering retirement, and decided to take a welding night-class at the local trade school. Read more>>

Malika Blessing

How did you learn to do what you do? I learned by doing. My journey began with a love for storytelling and performance at a young age, but it was through formal education, hands-on experience, mentorship, and countless hours of practice that I developed my craft. Read more>>

Natasha Camp

I learned to do what I do, by watching YouTube videos constantly until I was introduced to social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to have speed up my learning process, because one I am a perfectionist. Another reason is all good comes to those that wait, so I took my time and was patient with myself. Read more>>