Pencil Kings | Inspiring Artist Interviews with Today's Best Artists

Rayna was stuck for 15 years... and then 3 questions changed everything. The questions allowed her to see her life from a completely different view allowing all kinds of amazing opportunities to come her way and now she helps other artists do the same. This fascinating conversation continues on with the creative coaches we've been speaking with to dig even deeper and see just how crucial your mindset is to everything you do. If you’ve felt like you’ve been held back, or that everyone else around you is making easier progress your own mind could be the only thing holding you back.  As you listen to this episode ask yourself where you may have your own mindset blocks that need attention.   Highlights: 1:07: Rayna's Introduction   2:19: How do you explain mindset and how has changing your own mindset led to better results in your life? 4:38: How long did you stay stuck with a mindset that was holding you back? 10:05: When you switched your mindset after 15 years, did the change stick? 12:58: How to get past the firm belief that anything in life worth doing requires hard work? 17:06: Using your mindset to allow for more time in your life so you can be in flow and allow things to happen naturally 21:28: Moving past judgment of yourself and of others to be creatively free 23:29: Does your mindset allow you to only bring good people and work into your life? 28:20: An example of where mindsets can be created as a child and stick with you for your entire life 30:20: An example of what happens when an artist switches their money mindset issue 33:46: What stops us from moving forward towards our goals even when we know it's safe?   ---------   Links mentioned in this Episode: The Big Leap Book: https://amzn.to/2U1DfzL   Check out more of Rayna’s Work at: Web: https://www.flowcoachingforartists.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flow_coaching_for_artists/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Flowcoachingforartists/   ---------   Looking for a fun, easy-going approach to learning art? http://www.pencilkings.com Want to learn artistic mastery? http://www.pencilkings.com/evolve Grab Mitch's Book: Digital Artist Career Blueprint Physical Book: https://amzn.to/2VmUybF EBook: https://amzn.to/2Xo4P9g

In this episode, Mitch talks about how you feel about the art that you are making and why if you aren't loving it, you could be in for a very rocky road. But even if you don't love it and still want to do it there is hope! The reason why it's important to realize this is that the people who really love what they are doing are actually quite rare, and this love can take you very far in any direction you want. However, where it gets dangerous is when you are the person who doesn't have the love for what you are doing and you are taking advice from someone who does have the love and passion... in this case, no matter what you try to do to follow the advice it's going to be very difficult because you're missing the key ingredient - LOVE! But what if you don't have or can't find the love?! Does this mean you should just give up? Not at all! If this is you, then you can use careful selection to find the program that will give you the end result you want or keep trying different creative projects until you find one that lights you up. Highlights: 1:00 - Needing a foundation before any art advice can be applied to yourself 2:30 - Understanding the journey to find what you love in art 4:45 - Try different creative areas quickly and painlessly to find the one you love without spending any money 6:57 - How to determine if you love something or not by trying several different things 14:19 - The difference between people who have a love for their craft and everyone else 15:32 - When you try to do creative work, do yourself a favor and turn off your phone to avoid distractions 16:47 - How to become a working professional if you don't have or can't find the love? 20:28 - How to use the Digital Artist Career Blueprint book to chart your own creative career path --------- Links mentioned in this Episode: Looking for a fun, easy-going approach to learning art? http://www.pencilkings.com Want to learn artistic mastery? http://www.pencilkings.com/evolve More Videos and Interviews! http://www.pencilkings.com/show Digital Artist Career Blueprint – Get your copy today! Physical Book: https://amzn.to/2VmUybF EBook: https://amzn.to/2Xo4P9g

This interview with Catherine Orer from theArtistEntrepreneur.com was like a rapid-fire Question and Answer session all around the topic of how do you take the next steps to build a viable art career. You'll also learn how artists make the process harder than it needs to be so you can get onto the fast track instead of being stuck. If you feel like you aren't making progress OR if you've always wondered what your next step should be - listen up because it's all covered in this interview! Catherine helps artists all over the world develop their entrepreneurial strategy which goes far beyond just selling their art. She works with artists on their long term vision and then helps them to turn that vision into reality. One idea that has come up several times in past interviews is 'going all-in' on your art. While that may be the fastest way, it's certainly not the only way. Going all-in makes sense when you have a clear vision, a proven plan and the support network to make it all happen. However, without those key pieces it can be a tough road and as you'll hear - it's completely OK to take it slower. If you're just starting out here are your next 3 action steps, it's right at 21:38: - Get a consistent body of work - Figure out what your story is - Look at who is around you and start surrounding yourself with the right people who can support your vision and journey Highlights: 2:50 - How artists have a blind spot that is keeping them back from being able to make forward progress 5:00 - How to start challenging everything you do, so you can start getting different results 6:40 - The biggest hurdles that keep artists from growing 9:20 - What roadblocks to we are artists create for ourselves to prevent us from being able to really 'lean in' to the life that we want 14:45 - Why treating your art like you treat your day job often leads to poor results 15:35 - Why artists are so good at making their journey into a confusing mess 17:40 - The difference between creative and technician work 21:38 - What are the first steps for someone to take who has never sold or shown any of their work, but aspires to grow as an artist 31:20 - How to explain your story as an artist, and what to do if you think you have nothing interesting to say 37:00 - Quick recap of the 3 action items to take the next step with your art career 38:54 - Details on Catherine's upcoming workshop on March 14: "How to grow your art business in 2019 without sacrificing your creative practice" --------- Links mentioned in this Episode: You won't be getting a Medal for this: http://theartistentrepreneur.com/blog/2017/1/21/you-wont-be-getting-a-medal-for-this Simon Sinek: Start with Why - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA The Artist's Way Julia Cameron: https://amzn.to/2Hf9bKi Check out more of Catherine’s Work at: Web: http://theartistentrepreneur.com Resources: http://theartistentrepreneur.com/resources-library Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherineorer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartistentrepreneurcoach Lab: http://theartistentrepreneur.com/lab ** March 14, 2019 Workshop: http://bit.ly/2ITNC4m --------- Looking for a fun, easy-going approach to learning art? http://www.pencilkings.com Want to learn artistic mastery? http://www.pencilkings.com/evolve Grab my Book: Digital Artist Career Blueprint Physical Book: https://amzn.to/2VmUybF EBook: https://amzn.to/2Xo4P9g

Suzanne Redmond has been interviewing artists for the Left Brain Artist Podcast just like we do with the Pencil Kings show and in this episode of the show she comes on to share a lot of the wisdom she has gained. Formerly being an accountant, Suzanne brings an interesting voice to the creative conversations because she has the business background that when combined with artists can see things in a different light. You'll learn from 3 separate stories Suzanne has discovered where artists are using to live more creatively, as well as how she approached the huge project of getting her podcast off the ground and how you can use the same framework for any project you would like to start. Highlights: 0:30 - Why Instagram is so good for artists 1:30 - Where the idea for the Left Brain Artist podcast came from and how Suzanne went from being an accountant to getting heavily involved with artists 5:32 - Suzanne's excellent mini artist-business episodes 9:34 - What are some of the big insights you've had from your interviews that you can share with the Pencil Kings audience? 9:50 - How to get back into art by setting a goal to make one piece of 7 days 12:01 - Thinking outside the box to come up with creative ways to overcome financial challenges as an artist 14:04 - Finding other ways to generate income with your art other than simply selling what is on the canvas 17:30 - How changing your thoughts on what you can sell can lead to new, more lucrative ideas 23:27 - How to break into new types of art (for example doing murals) by collaborating with or simply helping out other artists by offering to be an assistant 24:34 - Overcoming the challenges of taking on a big personal project and in the process becoming an expert in the process 34:00 - When you're approaching a project you've never done before how do you estimate and plan your time? --------- Links mentioned in this Episode: Wellington Art Society - http://www.wellingtonartsociety.org Jennifer Love Gironda - https://www.jenniferlovegironda.com Carrie Schmitt - http://www.carrieschmittdesign.com Craig McInnis - https://www.craigmcinnis.com Check out more of Suzanne’s Work at: Left Brain Artist Podcast: https://suzanneredmond.com Suzanne's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzanneredmondart --------- Looking for a fun, easy-going approach to learning art? http://www.pencilkings.com/join Want to learn artistic mastery? http://www.pencilkings.com/evolve Grab my Book: Digital Artist Career Blueprint Physical Book: https://amzn.to/2VmUybF EBook: https://amzn.to/2Xo4P9g

This episode was originally recorded in early 2018 and has just been released. In this episode, Mike Mattesi and Mitch explore different ideas for the future of art education, how to focus and how niching-down can lead to becoming world-renowned. Highlights: 2:00 - What's new at DrawingForce.com 4:00 - Thinking forward to using VR in the classroom and teaching his method without being in the same classroom 7:30 - A business idea for the evolution of model photography and reference for artists 10:10 - Where are you seeing students having the most success in the 'new' virtual format of distance learning 18:18 - The challenge of millennials and motivation 25:00 - The fear of going niche vs trying to do everything 27:35 - Using style to really stand out as an artist 32:00 - The idea of being a world-renowned artist and focusing on just one thing 35:20 - How to accomplish the most important things in your life when you have a big list of things to accomplish 38:30 - Laserbeams vs floodlights in drawing, art, and life Links mentioned in this Episode: Brian Fraud - http://www.worldoffroud.com/ Richard Mcdonald - https://richardmacdonald.com/ Check out more of Mike’s Work at: http://www.DrawingForce.com More Pencil Kings Podcast Episodes: http://www.PencilKings.com/show --------- Looking for a fun, easy-going approach to learning art? http://www.pencilkings.com Want to learn artistic mastery? http://www.pencilkings.com/evolve

Sand is known to the other Evolvers as having a unique ability for keeping the live homework rooms always full of energy and she did not disappoint in this interview! We covered a lot of ground in this episode talking about education, life as a working professional and the passion and drive it takes to make it as a full-time creative. For me, the big insight from Sand was exploring those who choose art as a career vs those who create art for a hobby. I was never able to understand why people who were 'better' than I was at art would choose what seemed to me like a career path that would be unfulfilling, but Sand helped me to really understand why this is, and it completely makes sense. For some of us the goal is creative expression but that is just our goal, and each person has their own goals an motivations... for example if your goal is safety, security and high pay, then choosing a creative career could seem really scary compared to other options. To put it another way... there are a lot of people who enjoy singing and playing instruments who have no intention of ever being in a band or performing. This doesn't mean they can't still enjoy music and even be amazingly skilled at it - it's just that their goals and priorities aren't in alignment with being a professional musician. Highlights: 07:45 - Accidentally walked into a workshop on animation which completely set Sand on a new direction 08:22 - What parents really think when you tell them you want to pursue a creative path 09:40 - What the animation college taught Sand, and how she filled in the gaps with her education 11:50 - Physical depression from not making art 12:20 - The dark side of college (designed to take your money) 17:19 - 5 Second shorts and becoming an artist who loves the craft so much they desire to learn everything they can about it 19:48 - Why it's so important to create your own projects and do the work you most want to do 22:40 - Why travel and networking is so important for artists, especially those wanting to work in the entertainment industries 26:23 - What pushed you to start with Evolve? 41:00 - Exploring the idea that artists absolutely must create (or risk extreme unhappiness) 45:56 - What is your strategy for getting your artwork done? 51:00 - Why there aren't any shortcuts in art - at some point you have to lean in and earn the experience 55:00 - What advice would you give to someone who just started with Evolve today? 59:00 - Exploring the difference between the creative path and other less creative ways of living *This question was a real eye-opener for me personally to help explain why us creatives do what we do, and why people who have high creative skill don't end up doing anything with it. 1:06:48 - The best part about making art is that you don't lose out when you make art 1:07:39 - Best places to find Sand online @sandmcunicorn - industry-specific @pudgypudymcunicorn - Youtube, twitch and hobbies and philosophy @spookymcunicorn - horror and macabre Want to learn serious art skills? Check out: http://www.pencilkings.com/evolve Looking for a fun, easy-going approach to art? Check out: http://www.pencilkings.com

Jan rediscovered her love of art when she found some old paints at a garage sale. The last time she had done any art was when she was 6 years old and took an art class for a month. Those newly acquired paints brought art back into Jan’s life, but even though she was enjoying learning to paint on her own she wanted the mentorship and system to follow to take things to a whole other level to really see how far she could go with her art. That’s when she first heard about the Evolve program, but like many people, she believed that the program was too good to be true. She thought it was silly to think of herself as a more serious artist, and that’s when her husband encouraged her to go for it. Since starting, Jan has been flying through the program and hasn’t looked back. In this interview, you’ll learn: - How she’s able to always find time for her art - Why she was reluctant to show her art to the other students - How painting gives Jan a blissful feeling that keeps her motivated and moving forward Highlights: 1:20 - What did your art study look like before the program? 3:50 - How did you get back into art? 5:20 - Jan heard about Evolve but thought it was too good to be true 6:25 - Why Jan almost didn't sign up 8:05 - What does your family think of your work now? 10:27 - Explaining the bliss feeling that comes when making art 12:30 - What Jan is looking forward to painting 14:40 - When you're not making art, how are you spending your time? 15:30 - What is your strategy for getting things done? 23:30 - What do to if you think you have no time 24:47 - What would you tell someone who just started with Evolve to inspire them? 29:10 - Why were you reluctant to share your work? Are you interested in learning to paint together with Jan and Mitch? For details on the Evolve Program: https://pencilkings.com/evolve For more podcast episodes: https://www.pencilkings.com/show

Daniel never dreamed that he would create realistic oil paintings. In fact, he has never taken any art classes before participating in the http://www.EvolveArtist.com program. In this interview, you can see how far he has come in just a few months. What's interesting about Daniel's journey is that while he is creative; he is first and foremost a musician and had never considered developing the skills to become a visual artist. He will show you how even though art isn't the main passion he is still managing to find a place for art in his life, and receiving the calm and relaxing benefits that come with making art. He also stresses the importance of having a system to follow that allows for confidence to be built naturally. Highlights: 3:40 - What's your motivation for doing art? 5:22 - How do your skills compare to the other students in the program? 7:20 - What makes Daniel's choice of subject matter special, and examples of his work 10:30 - How are you feeling when you sit down to do a painting? 13:20 - Having a system for art takes away the fear 14:30 - What's your strategy for time management and getting time to study art? 20:05 - What would you tell someone who started Evolve today to inspire and help them get started? 22:20 - Once your skills are at a professional level, what are you looking forward to creating? To see the entire curriculum Daniel is following and join the program, visit http://www.EvolveArtist.com

Have you always wanted to create art that gets noticed, but not sure if you have the talent to make it happen? If so, you'll love Michael's story as he is currently working through Block 4 of the Evolve Artist program (http://www.evolveartist.com) where students have learned the skills necessary to create professional level illustrative paintings. In this interview, he will tell you that talent has nothing to do with it because it's all about putting in the work which makes even the highest levels of art attainable to anyone with the desire to learn. When Michael started with Evolve Artist just over a year ago, he wasn't sure if it would work for him, but he knew that this could be his last real shot at being able to learn the skills that would give him the ability to create the work that he really wanted to make. Throughout his life, he always had a creative calling and had tried a number of different ways to learn and improve but was never quite happy with where he was with his art. He made that fateful decision to join Evolve a year ago and now he couldn't be happier. Michael has the same challenges as most other students... there's family commitments, work commitments, and even travel commitments, but he's prioritized his painting and his results are now clearly on display for anyone to see. This is the third interview we've had with students in the Evolve program and there are patterns starting to emerge: - Every student has had a friend or family member want to hire them to create a piece of art (well before they are finished the program) - Every student made the commitment to do the work - None of the students claim to have any special talent or ability that's allowed them to develop the mastery they are showing with their work. So if you've always wanted to learn to create head-turning artwork, and have the willingness to put in the work, there's nothing really stopping you from taking the next step to create your own artistic legacy. Follow Michael's Progress here: https://www.instagram.com/michaelrayart/ Join Michael in Evolve Artist: http://www.evolveartist.com

Kristen's college professor told her she couldn't draw and after 10 years of believing that lie, she was inspired by the idea of showing her own work at an art convention. The only problem was that she was starting literally from the beginning. To get started with her art, she joined several different online courses and programs but kept running into the same problem... The courses she was trying to learn from were too far ahead of where she needed to be. She lacked the foundation that would allow her to move forward and access the knowledge in the courses. So she kept going backward to uncover the simplest techniques that would allow her to truly start right from the absolute beginning and in doing so realized the real first step she needed was learning how to hold the pencil. About the same time as she had this realization to go back to the very beginning she began hearing about the Evolve program which promised to teach everything an aspiring art student would need - even how to hold the pencil. But committing to something like this can be scary - unless you have one key insight that has been such a big part of Kristen moving so quickly through the program. So what's Kristen's secret? She knew that she could put in the work. If learning art came down to talent or having a special gift then it wouldn't work for her - but if all she had to do was follow the plan; she knew Evolve was something she could do. After joining she got to work and has been handing in assignment after assignment, moving through the program without any hint of slowing down. Just to give you an idea of how quickly she's been moving here's Kristen's timeline: January: Got inspired by the desire to create work for an art convention March: Joined online courses and realized she needed to go back to discover a true starting point May: Joined Evolve and got busy December: Now working on professional level techniques and paintings That's only 7 months from starting the program to now working on her first professional level pieces... all beginning with learning how to first hold the pencil and then applying herself every day to continue moving forward to her goal.