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.
Jayme Mansfield
One thing is certain in life … we don’t always know which paths we will travel. Looking back, it wasn’t my intention to be sincerely dedicated to both writing books and painting. Over the years, and to this day my creative passions compete for time and energy, yet neither seems to fade away. Perhaps I’m hooked … addicted to these crafts that follow a never-ending learning trajectory–always new skills to practice, concepts to wrangle, and ideas to foster. Read more>>
Rebecca Noelle
Painting has been a love of mine for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t begin to study and practice seriously until I retired from the dance world at age 30. It was frustrating at first that I did not have the time and money to attend an art school or an atelier, but I soon found that I could learn a lot from local teachers, workshops, books, and online videos. My first oil painting teacher was seascape painter John Sparks, who taught me the basics and encouraged my natural interest and ability. Read more>>
Emily Dray
Learning something new always takes patience and time, especially in a creative field. You can go to school for filmmaking and acting but you have to take the initiative and apply yourself. Dedicate your time and never give up. In high school, I took a TV class where I discovered Adobe software. From there I watched tutorial after tutorial on Youtube on how to master editing software. Read more>>
DaQuan Brown
I would say I always knew how to tell a story. My mother was a poet, and my grandfather was a published author. Since elementary school, I would write stories, poems, and plays all for fun and have my classmates either read or act out my work. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school I decided to take writing seriously; I was going to be a screenwriter. I had many people believe in me and teach me on this journey, Read more>>
Jakejames Lugo
A lot of how I learned to get involved with making video content online or writing articles about games was simple diving into the craft where I could. Taking a lot of time to figure things out by making videos, watching them back, seeing what worked or what didn’t, and then changing things for the better on the next one. A lot of it is being humbled by the reactions some content can get online, but a good chunk of how you learn everything is simply getting up and doing it. Read more>>
Lisa Slovis Mandel
Learning Metalsmith takes time. It is not an instant gratification process. I started in Ceramics and was drawn to metalwork because I felt that it was something that I could control from start to finish (ceramics had kiln issues, glaze issues, etc). I have studied metalsmithing at different levels of schooling : community classes, undergraduate BFA at Wisconsin, and Graduate MFA at SDSU. Each level required time and energy to get good at each technique. Life is a learning process and we have to keep practicing and learning new things or growing how we use what we know. Read more>>
Micah Dawanyi
Learning any creative craft starts with a shift in your mindset. For me, I entered the creative world coming from the world of athletics, so the first thing I had to do was learn how to think as a creative. In sports, everything is cut and dry. At the end of the day, you’re trying to win whatever game you’re playing. But being a creative isn’t like that. There is no “we won the game 4-0 today.” There is no “I scored two touchdowns to help us win the championship.” Art is subjective, not objective. So I really had to learn how to think about my work in that way, which helped me decide how I wanted to write and work on projects, and what my goal or purpose with each creative project was. Read more>>
Amy Roether
I’ve learned, and continue to learn, to design homes by learning all of the ways to not design them. As silly as that sounds, there is a lot of trial and error in design. I’d argue even more so in Architecture due to it’s intimate relationship to a wide variety of building systems. On top of learning through error, it also requires a good amount of patience and vulnerability. Read more>>
Benjamin Spellman
I learn the craft by studying music daily. Drawing influence from different genres and keeping up with what sounds are in currently. Not only that. but actively expressing my ideas out loud or on paper, even it means recording an impromptu voice memo. Looking back, I could have been more open with sharing my ideas publicly, often times my own over thinking got in the way. Read more>>
Emanuel Asahene
Experience is the best teacher for everything. You rarely forget a lesson learned from living it. However there were many different avenues that I can say I learned from. I have been a dancer for the last 10 years, and I’m currently transitioning into my life as a musician. Writing always came to me rather easily and I’d have to say that it’s a strong point of mine, but my main issue was being able to convert my writing into song form. Read more>>
Laura Brenton
My journey as an abstract painter began in childhood. I was given my first paint set when I was 8 years old and my first painting was a copy of a Picasso. My family always thought of me as an artist but I never considered myself an artist because I didn’t have any training in visual arts. My background is in dance and somehow that was different for me. I grew up studying the piano and after college moved to New York to study dance. Read more>>
AngieOnMars
Learning the craft is a wonderful journey but its not always easy. For me it’s learning to tap into my creative expression by diving deeper into who I am as an artist, as a person. Learning my roots. Detangling the vines and understanding where I come from, understanding biological traits and adopted faiths. What am I composed of? What’s are my genetic breakdowns? Read more>>
Ann Ciccolella
Theater is a craft that you learn by doing.! But I did study at NYU and when I graduated I did an internship at the Roundabout Theatre in NYC. Being with a professional director, Gene Feist, in rehearsals gave me an excellence vantage point to understand the intimate relationship between the actor and the director. I encourage want-to-be directors to serve as assistant to the director in the kind of theater they want to do. Read more>>
D’Marcus McDowell
There was at least two factors that helped me learn how to master photography, school and YouTube. Around 2017 to 2021, I went to college to study photography and in that time, I learned how to technically be a photographer like learn how to properly photograph a subject, how to set up lighting and set up a studio, how to shoot in these different lighting settings, and know terminology. I also watched YouTube videos on how to be a creative photographer & how to find my voice as an overall artist. It helped me find inspiration in things to create, people that inspire me, a certain style of photography to create, etc. Read more>>
Ellen Rice
Learning your craft: How did you learn to do what you do? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more? learned by reading hearing people lips. I am an expert lip reader since I was 5 1/2 years old. I use my eyes to see things of how people do things by reading their body Languages. Without Certificated Interpreter. There is no way a deaf person 50% who is not able to read lip or hear the sounds. Read more>>
Hanna Love
My general love for art was seeded in me by my nana, which leads me to create everything in honor of her and all she instilled in me. She was an oil painter and a creatrix in many other artistic areas, which led me on a beautiful journey to finding my art form. I first started with wire wrapping crystals after finding a connection to the plethora of healing properties they posses. Read more>>
Alex Seidenberg
The short answer is research, imitation, and practice. The longer answer is I love being a student and learning about the craft of making garments. There is so much to learn and explore in fashion and menswear and streetwear that I would see something that I was interested in, try to replicate it, and then put my own design twist on it. I think there’s still ways to speed up the learning process because there are so many avenues in fashion, Read more>>
Sandy Ashbaugh
I’ve learned how to work with clay exclusively through in-person instruction. First, at Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL), where I obtained my BFA in Ceramics, then for fifteen years with various professors at my local community college, CGCC (Chandler, AZ). About five years ago, I made the move to open my own private studio and even though I really miss the impromptu critiques and community of the the college studio, I knew it was time to go it alone. Read more>>
Marcus Black
Learning proper radio etiquette and production was truly a learn on the job experience, and it continues to be. I am fortunate to access to resources and support for direction and guidance. As far as speeding up my learning process, a formal education on radio production would have been extremely helpful, and is still an option for consideration. The most essential skills I was fortunate to bring with me to the experience, the strongest of which being my love and knowledge for the music that I am fortunate to share with my listeners. The only obstacle I’ve faces is not enough hours in the day! Read more>>
Brandon Pope
I learned how to produce music through my old neighbor he put me on to FL STUDIO. I kept interacting with the software over time improving my skills and knowledge overall. I could have sped up the process if I knew how to study properly, I was like 15 I barely studied anything let alone knew how to properly study the subject. When it comes to Deejaying I was taught by Dj Oodie and Mc Jay Da Kid. Read more>>
Megan Buchta
I began learning my craft at a very young age. As a little girl, I’ve always been interested in art, and all throughout grade school through my college years I took as many art classes as I could. I loved experimenting with different media and still do! In high school I took every ceramics class they offered. We were lucky to have pottery wheels in class. I would try to throw on the wheel every chance I had! I learned how ceramic white or red clay would mold when shaping it with my hands and I’m still learning skills when working with polymer clay to this day. Read more>>
Mike Shisler
Like most children, I enjoyed drawing throughout my childhood but never got much instruction beyond required art classes in school. However, I remember at an early age unlocking the “secret” of perspective drawing. The concept of drawing to a vanishing point, or multiple vanishing points, made my drawings come to life. Looking back, this likely lead me to pursue architecture in high school and college. And it was in college, during a semester abroad in Rome, Italy that I was first introduced to observational drawing or “urbansketching”. Read more>>
Amy Nicolai
I’m constantly learning the craft of writing. Luckily, there are so many resources readily available, thanks to technology. I’ve been able to attend faraway writing conferences without leaving my home. I have taken several online courses that focus on how to write specifically for children. Additionally, I’ve joined professional organizations (Florida Writers Association and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), which offer many helpful resources and opportunities. There is so much value to being an active member of a creative community. Read more>>
73 Libra
First, I decided that I wanted to be a musician. (highly motivated) It was not a hobby I plucked around with for several years and then decided I wanted to level up. Second, I am not done learning! I have enough skill to have command over my instrument but, by no means, am I a master. But, here is my personal journey to get my career moving. 1. Decided to play 2. took lessons 3. Enrolled in music school 4. Played a ton outside of school. 5. Practiced A LOT Read more>>
Amber Keller
I had always been interested in handmade soap, but was a little scared to try it. Soap making is half science half art — and the science side was a little daunting. I knew someone who made soap and he let me watch him make soap one day. That is all it took for me to have the courage to try it on my own. Read more>>
Che’Naomi Durant- Lyons
My dad is an artist as well and recognized that I liked art at young age. He helped me to understand art and taught me the basics. He made sure that if it was something that I loved, that I constantly worked at getting better at it. As I grew older and life got real, I put art to the side to basically be an adult. Read more>>
Webson Ji
I still remember the first touch of art that I had was drawing in my grandparent’s house when I was a little kid. I picked up crayons and pens and doodled all over the living room and bedroom. No one from the family accused me of doing any of these, yet they decided to keep the doodles for quite a while till I was a teenager. The drawing was terrible, but it helped build up my confidence with art tools and the ability to express myself freely. Read more>>
Eric Jefferson
My journey to becoming a Master Barber, educator, and shop. owner was long and full of bumps and bruises. I decided to pursue barbering, having never done it before, in 2010 after walking away from corporate America, I literally learned everything from scratch. Of course I had to learn how to cut hair, but I also needed to learn how to grow clientele and how to build a business.. There were alot of growing pains starting out, but this hard times molded me. Read more>>
Alaetra Smith
As a Gen Z-er, I think what I do is ingrained in me. I practically grew up in the social media era – from Bebo and MySpace to the early Facebook days and on – so social media management and even content creation comes naturally. Aside from college courses, being an intern and having hands-on experience is how I learned to do what I do. If I knew then what I know now, my major in school would have been more specific to project management. Read more>>
Wes Everett
Honestly, I bought an audio interface and a couple of cheap microphones. I started to tooling around with the free plugins and programs until I found my voice that I felt comfortable with. Knowing what I know now, I should have spent the money up front and invested in better equipment from the start. The sound quality went from low rent to studio with just a few extra dollars. The best skill is confidence in this business. Be yourself and don’t be afraid to take chances. Read more>>
Jeff Sudmeier
I dove into photography when I was 15 and watched a TON of YouTube videos (specifically Mark Wallace on Adorama) to get started. I would watch a video, then go and try to replicate the video’s content. It could have been messing with settings on my camera, or shooting outdoors. I then continued to just shoot as many things as I could, things that really caught my eye. I grew up skateboarding as well, so that’s the first subject I started with. Read more>>
Jeff Sudmeier
I dove into photography when I was 15 and watched a TON of YouTube videos (specifically Mark Wallace on Adorama) to get started. I would watch a video, then go and try to replicate the video’s content. It could have been messing with settings on my camera, or shooting outdoors. I then continued to just shoot as many things as I could, things that really caught my eye. I grew up skateboarding as well, so that’s the first subject I started with. Read more>>
S.G. Blaise
I wrote my first story at the age of ten, inspired by a nightmare that I had to take control over. Despite that experience, I wasn’t an avid reader until age thirteen, when I picked up the book my dad had been recommending to me for years. I read it standing by the bookcase within a few hours. As the years passed, I focused more on getting the education I needed for a day job that could support my writing habit. In 2001, I moved to Boston and realized that twelve years of passive English translated into very little active knowledge. Read more>>
Javier Rivera
Everything’s been self taught for the most part. I started out with drums maybe around 12 years old? I picked up guitar right after. I did take guitar lessons when I was a teen too but that didn’t last long since I wanted to learn songs that I liked and not the stuff the professors would teach. I started picking up producing around after high school and into college. I learned GarageBand then switched to logic 9. The producing was also all self taught. I would literally just watch YouTube videos of studio engineers and how they approach the craft. Til this day I still do this to be honest to keep up with new ways of approaching production and recording. Everything I know now has all been self taught for the most part. Read more>>
Jay Jay Maniquis
Learning how to become a Youtuber is an evolving process. My with Jaycation started off as a passion project, a creative outlet for me to brush up on my editing skills and knowledge I learned from being a Television, Film and New Media Minor at San Diego Stat University. I posted my first video in the Summer of 2015, a travel guide on a trip to Santorini, Greece. After posting, I was worried about what people would think of me sharing my personal travel journeys online that I stopped posting after that 1 video. Read more>>
Ty Wright
First thing I learned was no matter what I did…. I had to be different rather it was my sound, the type of content I spoke on, my appearance, etc. There was no way to speed up this process, as it takes time to know oneself and express that; not only in way that was unfamiliar to most, but a person could still understand. That’s such an essential skill as a creative, awareness. This is awareness of those around you and of yourself. Which is the reason why the obstacles awareness can be both extremely painful yet liberating, once they have been overcame. Read more>>
Liyah Iman
I learned how to be a creative musician from my family, school, and music lessons. I learned how to be a songwriter through self exploration and discovery, peeling back layers of myself I didn’t know existed. My grandmother 1st taught me how to play piano when I was 4. I spent many years composing songs no one will ever hear, learning to expand beyond the music written on the page. Read more>>