Seeing Value

“An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.” -James McNeill Whistler

 

In ALL of my courses, I teach technique. The dos, the don'ts, when to keep the rules, and when to break them, and in Beyond the Brushes when I am not teaching how to paint in Photoshop, I am teaching how to create custom brushes to use while you paint in Photoshop.

 

Let me tell you this, your clients will not pay you for bettering yourself as an artist. They won't.

 

They aren't going to be the ones making sure the fees for your education are paid or cheering you along in your coursework.

 

To be honest, there will be some that can't tell the difference between a filter and a hand-rendered piece unless you explicitly point out all of the differences. And those will be the ones that ask the question (I think) that most artists dread...

 

"Why does YOURS cost so much more?"

 

We have become so accustomed to being able to get the services of highly educated professionals for "killer deals" which naturally should transfer over to art, right?

 

WRONG!!!

 

🛑 Do NOT believe this lie.

🛑 Do NOT devalue your work for a sale.

 

The inquiring client just needs to be respectfully educated on the difference between filters and hand-rendered artwork.

 

Yes, I am aware they don't want to hear about the countless hours you've spent improving your craft. Or the nights you lost sleep over a frustrating lesson. Or the different brushes and techniques you used to create each brushstroke and the final overall look. Or even the time you spent building a custom brush to get just the right texture and look. Most of the time, they just want a pretty picture.

 

And there is nothing wrong with that, but with the right education about what you are actually doing, your clients will see the value. Now, you just have to know your worth.

 

Hand-painted in Adobe Photoshop CC using the Wacom Intuos Pro and the Wacom Art Pen.