We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Julie Vu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Julie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I’ve been very fortunate to be able to make a full-time living off my art; although, it wasn’t easy in the beginning.

I started drawing during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I had just graduated from university when the world shut down. Much like everyone else: I was navigating the uncertainty of the job market while trying to pay bills.

During this time, I downloaded a drawing app on my phone and decided to recreate portraits of family members and friends, when some of them started reaching out and asking to order commissions for their loved ones. I eventually created a social media account to keep track of all my orders and advertise it a bit. The goal was to gain extra cash to alleviate some of the burdens of being unemployed. Eventually though, it gained traction on social media, and I was receiving more orders every day.

It took a long time to get to a point where I could price my art in accordance with the time and effort I put in (I remember drawing a portrait that took me 9 hours to make, and I earning a total of $20 before taxes). It’s still not easy, and some months are better than others. but, I learned that diversifying my income stream is essential to earning a full-time living from creative work. That way, I’m not solely relying on commissions to pay the bills.

Julie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m currently a freelance artist/ illustrator. I mainly draw for companies, though I also take on personal commissions from time to time. My style is heavily inspired by Disney works. I enjoy storytelling and communicating through art, and my goal is to be able to capture moments / stories as honestly and authentically as possible.

I have a shop where I sell my art, and have recently launched a youtube channel where I explain my process and how I learned the skills necessary to sustain a full-time living off art. I think the path to being an artist is extremely diverse, and there’s so many different avenues to achieve a living off of it. As someone who started out as an instagram artist (and still am!) I want to help others navigate this changing social environment and capitalize on the opportunities that can come with putting your art online.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think society today doesn’t place enough of an importance on art, and people fail to understand why someone would pursue a non-conventional job.

Everyone tells you to follow your dreams, until your dreams are painted with multicolored acrylics instead of a law degree. Yet, when the world shut down, everyone turned to art and entertainment to ease our pain and worries.

Works of great artists like Van Gogh, Michelangelo, or da Vinci are revered and priceless; whereas, local artists are ignored and devalued. So many people say that the struggle of the artist isn’t worth it, but if it brings joy and peace, why is it any less important? Artists capture the beauty and truth of the world. It doesn’t matter if their work is in a museum or on a sidewalk (Banksy comes to mind): if life as a creative is fulfilling to the one who lives it, that should be all that matters.

You don’t have to understand it, but you should respect it.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

The algorithm on every social media channel is different. But what I’ve learned is that building a community is extremely important. Engaging with audience members and making friends online have really propelled my growth on social media.

It’s also important to show your journey! It’s never too late or too early to start. Consistency is key.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://juliedraws.carrd.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julie_drawsstuff/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeQe7Pa7mMcLekgn69VARAg/about
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/juliedrawsstuff

Image Credits
Julie Vu