Should You Pursue Art Professionally?

So, you are an artist. You have a craft, and you enjoy doing it. You also have needs such as food and shelter, and those needs cost money. Money that have you get from somewhere.

The math checks out. You need money, you have a skill, so why not use that skill to make money? Well, there are quite a few valid reasons to consider! Whether you're pursuing the industry or staying indie, many of the downsides are the same.

Now, this does not mean pursuing a professional career in art is inherently a bad idea. It just means you have to think about these things before deciding if going pro is right for you.

Success is not even guaranteed

The first thing that should be addressed is the fact that the majority of artists don't make a cent off their work. While this may be unfortunate, it's true! You can be an amazing artist, and your work might not click with people or even find the right audience.

This is especially a risk right now, as money is tight on many people, so they are less likely to pay for luxuries such as custom illustrations or handmade goods.

Many people who go professional say they lose their passion

Most professional artists regret taking art on as a career and wish they kept it as a hobby instead. They often report losing passion for art and what they once enjoyed doing feeling like art.

This effect can lead to burnout and falling out of art entirely. So, many professionals will often advise other artists to keep what they enjoy doing as a hobby. It's not that they don't want you to succeed, they want you to keep enjoying creating art!

Some jobs require specialized education

Not every art job is something you can just pursue and go, especially if you want to get into the industry. Some jobs are still gatekept behind college degrees and other forms of specialized education.

Granted, some of them may have a reason. Some may not. Either way, it just means that getting into your field of choice through experience alone may not be enough. It may prove difficult if you don't have money or resources to get these extra qualifications.

Both Industry and Indie Artists Face Exploitation

Art is the most exploited skill there is. Marketing pressures, AI data scraping, crunch times, and so many other things effect both industry and indie artists alike. It's not fair, but it is something to look out for.

Indie Artists Require Many Other Skills

In order to succeed in an indie space, you need to know how to do a variety of things. From running social media channels to making marketing materials, an artist going at it on their own can't "just be an artist," especially in the modern day.

Conclusion

Ultimately, whether you wish to go professional or not is up to you. Some people are put off by the drawbacks, but many people don't mind them and pursue it anyways. It depends on who you are and what it is you're trying to achieve...aside from making money!

Now, if you decided going pro is for you, you're going to need to market yourself. Don't worry! I got some ideas on how you can do that offline: https://dextiveblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/analogue-ways-of-promoting-your-art.html

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