
Top 10 Inspiring Quotes from Redbubble Artists in 2014
2014 was an inspiring year for Redbubble. Here on the Blog, we conducted dozens of Featured Artist interviews and posted many Open Discussions about the various topics and issues that affect and apply to RB artists. In light of the New Year, we decided to collect 10 of our favorite quotes (in no order!) that not only inspired us earlier in the year, but will continue to provide a much needed boost to our creativity in the year to come.
Be sure to click the artists’ name to read each interview in full.
Alwaysloved Clothing Co on exploration:
"Keep doing what you love. If you enjoy it the rest is easy. It also takes time to really discover what you’re good and not good at, so don’t be afraid to try something new and explore ideas you have, no matter how random or silly they seem… sometimes the best ideas are the strangest ones!"
Eric Fan on how slow and steady wins the race:
"...becoming successful online as an artist was a marathon and not a sprint. I see a lot of very talented artists fail to get any traction online simply because they lack the necessary perseverance over the long haul."
Cezar Branao on how to tell when work is finished:
"My paintings have to have a soul in it, a piece of me, so when the piece is telling me something, when I make the connection, then my work is done and my feelings are in there locked forever."
khandishka on how to make the most out of your RB profile:
"Keep your content fresh, add new works on a regular basis. Track your sales and views data, consider removing images that don’t get any attention. Remember about the research and promotion, work hard and never stop improving your skills."
Leah Flores on appreciating being an artist:
"I feel like I am pinching myself on the daily that this is my life now. My 'reflection' is a mix of weekly happy dances and just amazement that I get to do what I love every day."
Alex G. Griffiths on style:
"It probably sounds obvious, but I guess I’d say that focusing on creating your own style is really important, and making work that people will recognize as yours. I think that with the amount of incredible art out there, combined with social media, it’s easy for young illustrators and artists to almost see too much, and end up feeling overwhelmed and confused about what they want to achieve with their own work. I find that sometimes it helps to stay away from the Internet, and focus on why you love making art in the first place."
Ben Walker on looking at the big picture:
"I try to approach an apparel graphic as being just part of a person’s whole look, head-to-toe. I want the image to be cool, maybe funny. At the same time it should read easily while not grabbing too much attention. A T-shirt should look good as part of a whole outfit."
Jorge Tirado on sharing your work:
"Don't be afraid to share your work. Make a portfolio online, and start adding your drawings, paintings, and sketchbooks on there. Just keep drawing, keep practicing, fill up sketchbooks, and draw from life."
Richard Morden on his worst art mistake:
"When making images I have learned not to get too upset with mistakes made and to not be too hasty in removing them. Some mistakes - the blob of ink a hand has accidentally dragged through, or the splash of paint in the wrong spot, or the foot that has had to be drawn twice to get it right - quite often these are elements of an image that can ultimately stand out as the most interesting. Imperfections have character."
James Fenner on “just posting”:
"I would say just post. Don’t try to limit yourself to what you do. Don’t try to curate your own work, rather. If someone wants it, they’ll buy it. A lot of it is in your own mind when you begin to post, but when it comes to people actually wanting work or purchasing work, a lot of it is about them and what they take from your work, so what you see is not what they see, a lot of the time, so you shouldn’t really worry about that sort of thing. I just try to post as many of my favorite pieces that I can, and even some that I’m not as fond of that got more attention on websites. I don’t try to eliminate any just because I don’t like them, personally. It can’t hurt to be there.
Check out the rest of our Featured Artist interviews and Open Discussions and let us know which quotes you like the most in the comments below.
[Header image: “Moon Steps” by Eric Fan]