Frequently Asked
What did you use for *insert drawing/painting name here* ?
I have a handful of supplies that I’m always drawn to (terrible pun, please ignore). You can see the full list of my most commonly used art supplies here.
I also make sure to list all tools and filming equipment in the description of my videos.
Do you have advice for beginner artists?
When I started drawing, I was tracing Disney characters from the covers of VHS tapes. I drew the things I liked the look of; copying various artists, making up characters and dinosaurs and sketching from life, things like trains and furniture on childhood trips to museums. There wasn’t much intention to any of it- I drew because it was fun- but here and there along the way I started to develop different skills.
This is all just a long-winded way for me to tell you what I’m sure you’ve heard a million times. Just draw. Sketch and doodle and scribble whenever you have a free moment. Do it on scrap paper with 99p store supplies so you don’t have to worry about ‘wasting’ anything. Draw the things you want to draw even if that means copying other people.
Disclaimer: In my opinion, it’s fine (and pretty useful sometimes) to copy or study others’ work for practice, as long as you’re not just focusing on one person and trying to emulate them and- of course- don’t post any of those copied images online.
Draw all the time. And if you can feel that you’re lacking knowledge in a particular area- something that’s holding back the potential of your work- research it. Search YouTube for tutorials, buy books from charity shops or Amazon.
Another great resource is Skillshare, an online learning platform with thousands of interactive classes that should cover everything you're looking for. I've used the site for over a year now and have found it invaluable in my self-taught journey. You can sign up for 2 free months to the premium service here; https://skl.sh/semiskimmedmin
You’ll never have all the answers. All you can do for sure is draw and draw and draw.
How do you find your style?
See above.
But also… if you’re drawing the things you like and you’re studying and absorbing art that appeals to you, your style will develop naturally and gradually without you really realising. It will constantly change and evolve as your interests and tastes change too.
As far as I’m concerned, ‘finding your style’ should be secondary to understanding the fundamentals.
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
— Pablo Picasso
Did you go to art school?
Nope. When I finished school, studying art and pursuing a career in it wasn’t on my mind at all. I had other plans and went on to read Spanish and English briefly at King’s College London before dropping out and only fell back into making art as a hobby a year or so later.
How did you start your career?
I gradually built up a presence on social media by posting my art regularly on Instagram and Tumblr. It started as a hobby and a creative outlet as I worked at a supermarket and tried to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. A few years in, I realised that if I really took it seriously and applied myself I could make this a living, so I poured all my time outside of work into building up a body of artwork, starting my online shop and launching my YouTube channel (which became a huge factor in building an amazing community of followers and friends!!). After a good few years of balancing my time at Sainsbury’s with my growing art and social media commitments- and a long time of saving all my spare pennies for contingency- I took the leap and quit my job and I haven’t looked back since!
I have a video where I talk about this entire journey in detail, from what led me to drop out of uni to how I knew I was ready to quit my job. You can watch it here!
Do you have advice on starting a website/online shop?
I don’t have all the answers but I find that the easiest thing to do in these often overwhelmingly confusing circumstances is to just start. I think we tend to be afraid of taking on tasks that seem a bit daunting, when it often makes so much more sense once you stop trying to plan, prepare and conceptualise and you just go ahead and do it.
Jump in at the deep end and figure out where to go from there.
Squarespace offer a free 14 day trial so you can find your footing and see where you might need more help, and the internet (and YouTube especially) is full of resources to answer any question that might come up, so regardless of the platform you choose to host your website on, there will be information out there to cover all your niggling doubts and confusion but you only know which questions to ask once you’re actually doing it.
I personally use Squarespace, having switched after 4+ years using Wordpress. I find the interface incredibly easy and intuitive. Although it’s costing quite a bit more (yikes!) I totally believe it’s worth it for the time it’s spared me from constantly updating and tweaking and researching code and installing plugins.
The choice is yours (and this is totally not sponsored by the way!). Just do your research and figure out what will work best for you.