The life of an artist is no piece of cake. It takes time to make yourself a name in the market unless you are a prodigy. But being well aware of the hardships that lay ahead there are some like you who still pursue a majors in art. Because for the like of you wanting to become an artist is more than just a dream coming true it's your passion. But, there is no is a tough task. Like securing admission in an art college is more difficult than getting into a good engineering college. Even after thatyou don't just have to meet deadlines and draw perfect arts works to the liking of your faculty members, the course expenses burn a lot bigger hole in your pocket. Not to mention the extra art supplies you need across the coursework.
But where there is a will there is always a way. This phrase applies better to none other than an art student. If one is willing there are lot of ways in which the art majors can support themselves during their studies. If lucky, they can manage to source a great deal of income and cover majority of their expenses working in the field they love.
Do Commissions
As an art major sketching and painting is what you do around the day. Ever thought about making some money out of it? After all, you are going to do it anyway for your projects, submissions, portfolio or something else then why not make some money out of it. Get yourself a social media presence like an FB page or an insta account, showcase your work on it and say you are open to commissions. You can also register at websites like DeviantArt, fiverr, or make a behance account. Most importantly figure out the payment method you would like tohave some popular options are paytm, netbanking or even paypal if you are aiming to target international clients. Get a word around with the help of your friends and family. They can be quite helpful in getting you initial clients. You can also put up a notice on your college notice board inviting other students to have sketches or portraits done and charge them a small fee. Submit your work at local art galleries, if a client happens to like your work they may commission you for some more work.
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Street Art
No matter how tempting it sounds, no graffiti is not the way to go. If nothing else, it might lead you in trouble with authorities for vandalism. Street Art here means to set up a stall or something at popular tourist places on weekend or holiday to sell some of your works. But to pull this off, you need to have clean hand at sketching portraits and scenery at spot and in a short amount of time. Also, put up some of your work around you so people have an understanding your style and skill level.
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Sell Handcrafted Items
If you are good at crafts you can make some unique handcrafted items and sell them. Try making some handmade baskets, cards, personalized gift items etc. There are a lot of things that you can make. You can also print your designs on items like t-shirts, mugs, shot glasses, scarves and other things. You could either make an online shop of your own with websites like etsy and shopify or you could place them at local stores near you. During festive times you could even set up stalls at exhibitions and carnivals.
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Enter Art Competitions
There are a lot of competitions that happen in art galleries and even art colleges. You could also look for some online. It's a great way to get your name in the market. Moreover you get a chance to meet fellow artists and sometimes even big names in the industry. You may not always win the price but it's a good chance at building networks which may lead to some work opportunity in future. Moreover, you can always sell the art piece later on and make some good deals on it.
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Find a part time job in designing
If you are good at digital art and designing you can find yourself a lot of freelance work at websites like Fiverr. Offer your design skills and make some money in return. You could also make your own website and showcase your portfolio. It will help people look at your work and assure them that their money spent would be worth it. Also, you could find paid internships at places like designing studios or advertising agencies during your summer break.
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Earning some side income as an art student can be fun and interesting. You are getting paid to do what you enjoy the most. Also, it helps in honing your skills and diversifying your portfolio. You can get yourself a name in the market while you are still studying and when you are out in the market for a real job you would have great loads of experience already at hand.
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