4 Myths About Becoming An Illustrator To Let Go Of
How many of us have stopped short of pursuing illustration as a career because we have these beliefs that we’re just not good enough, or we don’t have this special thing that sets us apart?
We all carry some insecurities, and it’s so important to reframe these limiting mindsets with action plans that help move you forward towards your illustration goals.
MYTH #1: Drawing is a talent
We hear this all the time. When you see someone who’s producing beautiful art/illustration, you’ll no doubt hear someone say “Oh, they’re so talented!” . Talent is overrated.
A lot of times, aspiring illustrators give up because they think they lack the innate talent that is key to success (I was definitely one of those people who abandoned art in my teenage years for this very reason). Of course, there are truly gifted artists out there, but the truth is, drawing is a skill and just like any skill, it can be learned through practice. Many successful illustrators got where they were through consistent practice.
Here are some of my work when I started learning to illustrate in 2015/2016 vs. 2021. I think it’s fair to say I was not blessed with talent, but I made up for it with a ton of persistence.
What to do instead:
Let go of this notion that you need talent. The key is to set specific and realistic drawing goals and work through those. I promise you will see your skills improve. If you have the passion and drive to keep working on your skill, you will even surpass someone with inherent talent who hadn’t taken the time to hone their craft.
MYTH #2: You have to master art fundamentals before you can learn to illustrate
This is probably controversial to say, but I think there is too much emphasis on trying to master art fundamentals like anatomy, perspective drawing, etc which isn’t necessary for illustration in the early stages.
I’m not saying art fundamentals aren’t important, but you do not need to master them in the beginning. Focus on getting started on drawing and landing work, then revisit the fundamentals when you need them to continuously improve.
At the beginning of my creative career, I was designing stationery and greeting cards so the illustration I needed were basic elements like a flower, or bird and some botanicals. I learnt to draw these simple things well enough and moved forward. When I started exploring children’s book illustrations, I worked on drawing stylised human and animal characters and backgrounds.
It’s only now that I’m drawing very complex scenes in various perspectives that I started learning the fundamentals of perspective drawing and how light and shadow work. If I had kept trying to master the fundamentals first, I wouldn’t have gotten to where I have today or learnt to develop a style of illustration that’s actually relevant to the markets I want to work in.
What to do instead:
Identify the key markets of illustration you want to work in (e.g. children’s publishing, editorial, surface design) and the style that is relevant for the market you have chosen. Then work on honing your skills to illustrate in the relevant styles. For example, in surface design, a simple and naive style of illustration is usually good enough to get you started. In children’s publishing, realistic styles of illustration are not in contemporary children’s books so being able to draw stylised characters that are engaging is far more useful than anatomically-accurate characters.
MYTH #3: You’re not a “real” artist if you only do digital art
I was in an illustration class recently where the majority of the artists worked traditionally and there was a lot of discussion about how digital art is not “real” art as it didn’t require as much effort as traditional. I respectfully disagree.
Drawing, whether traditionally or digitally are both skills that need to be mastered. You need to put in just as much effort learning to draw digitally as you do traditionally.
While there’s no denying that there are features of digital art that make it easier to do certain things (the Undo button and Layers features come to mind), it does not make the work less valuable than traditional art.
Whatever medium helps you gain more confidence in your skills and gets you paid projects is valid. All my professional work has been done digitally and digital art has actually helped me improve my traditional drawing skills.
Having spoken to many publishers, agents and other successful illustrators, they’ve also echoed the message that the work being good is far more important than the medium used.
What to do instead:
To be a professional illustrator, the key thing is that your work has to be commercially viable for you to be hired for projects. Focus on what medium or tools helps you produce the best work. Whether that is fully digital, traditional or a mix of both, it does not matter as long as your work is good.
MYTH #4: You need to be right-brained and creative
Just like Myth #1, it’s is a common belief that artists and illustrators are right-brained dominant (i.e. they’re more artistic and creative). Those who are left-brained are usually thought to be logical and analytical. Surely this means that it’s impossible to become an illustrator if you are not naturally right-brained, right?
Absolutely not, for two reasons:
As with Myth #1, illustration is a skill so you can learn to sharpen your artistic and creative muscles.
Remember that illustration is not the same as fine art. Fine art can just be self-expression for the artist’s sake, but illustration has to communicate a specific message or story to your audience. Thus, employing logic and thought in your art-making process can actually help you produce a stronger piece that communicates the right message.
What to do instead:
Embrace the natural way your brain works in your art-making process, but don’t be afraid to infuse it with a different perspective. If you’re more right-brained, introducing some structure and analysis could strengthen the message of your illustrations. If you’re more left-brained like me, loosening up on the analysis could help bring in some unexpected ideas. There is no right or wrong way to create as long as it helps you keep honing your craft and creating good work.
There you have it, art friends. I know there are a ton of other myths out there, share what others you’ve heard in the comments or email me. Just don’t let these beliefs hold you back from your illustrator dreams. I hope this post encourages you to go forth and keep drawing!
