Why do some artists not make it? (2023)

Why do some artists never make it?

Artists fail because the lifestyle is lonely, insecure, and the hours are long. Artists also fail because they're dreamers and think that good art sells itself. Artists fail because they don't know how to market their work and run a small business.

Artists fail normally because they're constantly looking for shortcuts and hacks. Just think, if you put this effort into actually releasing music properly, you'd see way more results. The 10% of successful artists understand that experience is built over time and repeating the process.

Only ten percent of art school graduates make a living from their artwork.

Making a living as an artist is impossible for all but a few high-profile practitioners, and the lack of sufficient financial remuneration for artistic labour is the dark reality at the heart of the contemporary art world.

Studies of artists and writers collated in Scientific American confirm that artists and writers are up to 20 times more likely to suffer from bipolar disorder (also called manic depressive illness) and 10 times more likely to suffer from depression.

Artists are often isolated, because they don't know any other artists. For some of us, the only chance we have to socialise with others who do things that are similar to us is the internet. And even there, you have to be part of a group or a “clique” sometimes to be accepted.

You may think, “it's not easy for me, so I'll never be able to reach this level of skill.” Although some accomplished artists will never discuss this or admit it, the truth is that art is a struggle – for everyone. It doesn't matter your skill level.

There are a variety of reasons musicians and indie artists fail. Some lack real talent or work ethic. Some suffer from bad timing – like starting up a hair metal band just as grunge began to take over in the early 90s. Other artists lack motivation or let their fears win.

The most common ethnicity among artists is White, which makes up 73.6% of all artists.

What are the problems faced by artists?

Artist Salary

Artists on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $42,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $110,000.

For people in artistic fields -- whether that's craftspeople, on-stage photographers or photographers like Kelly -- stress levels remain uniquely high. Creating great work in tricky settings is tough enough.

Highly creative people are often easily bored as their minds are always after something to occupy them. Again, they might therefore create specific routines to make sure they always stay on task and concerned with the matter at hand.

Rather, the high-pressure and hectic lifestyles of many artists may lead to depressive symptoms, as tight deadlines, high expectations, fierce criticism, and intense travel are common for such individuals.

Artists are both born and taught, says Nancy Locke, associate professor of art history at Penn State. "There is no question in my mind that artists are born," says Locke. Many artists arrive in the world brimming with passion and natural creativity and become artists after trying other vocations.

Creative burnout is the feeling that you've drained all of your creativity, and there is nothing left. If you're dreading to start work, feel tired and stressed all the time and suspect you'll never be able to create something good ever again, you might be experiencing a creative burnout.

Solitude Spurs Creativity

Kaufman also said that "Artistic creative acts tend to be more solo. In some ways, it's not that different from people being 'married to their work'—some people can be 'married to their art.

It turns out that depression doesn't make you creative, per se. In-fact, the opposite is more often the case: the creative person, who spends his or her time ruminating on thoughts is likely to suffer from major depression.

Are artists selfish?

All artists are incredibly selfish. But from the perspective of a curator, I am envious of the ways in which some artists are not afraid to take up space, speak their minds, and demand a sense of appreciation or love from their viewers. Artists are selfish in a way that benefits their community and themselves.

Is it fear, making bad art, not interested in the subject, your skill is not where you want, comparison to other artists, too many ideas, or wanting to move on to the next thing. Be truthful with yourself! Once you answer this question and dig deep into your inner emotions you'll find the answer to why you are stuck.

It can be very hard to be close to an artist because they think so differently from the average person. Some of their common and less desirable personality traits are neurosis, self absorption, moodiness and disorganization.

Musicians are three times more likely to experience anxiety or depression than the general public, research finds.

The music industry is very competitive and one of the more difficult industries to break into, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Whether you are a Music Producer, Engineer, or Artist, you still may have what it takes to break into the music industry if you work hard and take the necessary steps.

The major reason established artists drop on Friday is to get the best chance of landing on the charts. Billboard counts record sales from Friday to Friday, making it one week. So dropping on Friday gives you enough time to acquire a lot of sales and debut your release on the globally-coveted Billboard charts.

Your artistic skills might be as heritable as your eye color

Based on all available information, it is very likely that the capacity for creativity is shaped by genetic influences –– it's a complicated way of saying that creativity and artistic interests can almost certainly be inherited.”

What country has the most artistic people?

99.99% of the population can draw at a certain skill level. Drawing things such as smiley faces, emojis, arrows, and symbols (sun, moon, stars, etc.) proves to be an easy task for many, and is still considered a form of drawing.

Arts syndrome is characterized by sensorineural hearing loss and serious neurological and immune system problems in males. Females can also be affected by this condition, but they typically have much milder symptoms. Arts syndrome is caused by genetic changes in the PRPS1 gene which is located on the X chromosome.

1) They have a creative mind

The fact is, artists don't have the same deduction system or system of values as others, and that's the reason why we find it hard to understand or follow their train of thought. Also, their minds tick a bit differently than the average person's, because diverse details move it.

It can, for instance, pull you away from other important aspects of your life, most notably relationships with other people. It's certainly no coincidence that many great artists throughout history have failed at maintaining long-term relationships, often divorcing not just once but several times.

But what size of art sells best? Should you make your art big and bold, or pocket-sized? I decided to find out. These are the best standard sizes for smaller art prints: 10″ x 8″ and 10″ x 12″, and for larger prints choose 16″ x 20″ frames.

The company's findings show that the most popular art styles in 2022 are expected to be abstract (54%), followed by contemporary (48%) and modern (42%) while 48% of designers indicating they anticipate an increase in use of sculpture.

Seeking commissions for original work

Commissions are a popular strategy that many beginning artists and illustrators can use to make money—both online and offline. The best place to start is by showcasing your work on your social media.

As of Nov 18, 2022, the average hourly pay for an Entry Level Artist in the United States is $17.34 an hour.

How much does a normal artist make?

This predisposition might be spurred by family interests, exciting teachers or mentors, or by their own talents. Artists may also be acutely sensitive to the ambient moods, sounds, pictures, people and events in their lives. They may resonate to their surroundings at an unconscious and deep emotional level.

Psychotherapist Diana Pitaru explained that anxiety is often felt by creative people even if the symptoms vary from one person to another. It's not uncommon to learn that creative people like artists, singers, actors, and writers struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety.

Creative people have a heightened sensitivity to their surroundings. Their sensory experiences (i.e. the way they perceive sound, light, smell, etc.) are intensified. They may pick up on the little things in the environment that others miss or see patterns where others see randomness.

Artists fail because the lifestyle is lonely, insecure, and the hours are long. Artists also fail because they're dreamers and think that good art sells itself. Artists fail because they don't know how to market their work and run a small business.

Psychologists who study creative accomplishments throughout the life cycle generally find that creativity peaks between the ages of mid- to late 30s or early 40s.

Stereotypically, artists are known for being moody, brooding, depressed types. But a new study of working artists in Europe finds that they're actually much happier with their jobs than their non-artist counterparts.

What artists are problematic?

The results showed the more creative participants were significantly more likely to cheat, and that there was no link between intelligence and dishonesty – i.e., more intelligent but less creative people were not more inclined toward dishonesty.

Philosophical reasons aside, it's not practical to leave an artwork untitled. Keeping track of untitled works can be a logistical nightmare for gallerists and cataloguers, and psychology studies have suggested that viewers both pay less attention to and have a lower understanding of artworks that are untitled.