making art without credentials?

[rnojonson]

Been roaming around the internet to see what is out there especially for black artist who have no intention on being commercial artist. I know we all need to make a living from the skills we have developed, but I feel sometimes the entrepreneur spirit is killed by the credential requirement. Many talented folks get prepared, trained for a "company job", to be hired as a "professional", I am not knocking that track. But let's say you have a great idea or design or painting, etc and you want to market it, what avenues do you have to profit from your "stuff"? I talking freelance here. I have known many who went to art school, sacrificed their visions and energies at "a company", got burnt out and left the field. How do you make it?

[Ascension2012]

This is the best time to be an independent artist. The internet and technology has opened doors that were usually reserved for those with training, credentials and connections.

Sites like Tiny Showcase provide a platform for artist to present and sell pieces.

eBay is a huge channel for independent artist too. I know a couple of folks actually making a living there.

The downside to this is that when anybody can produce, a ton of nonsense gets out there too. It cab take a while for the good stuff to boil up to the top and get a buzz going. But if it's good, it's good!

To your other point, I haven't seen anything focusing on Black art/artists, but the few sites I have found will occasionally have a piece or two.

[rnojonson]

Thanks Ascension, Tiny Showcase looks interesting. I don't always play the black angle but I wonder what blacks are doing to make it. Anonymous until unveiled or black up front, a black artist has to find a venue, the internet can do both. In the old days artist had to go to France or somewhere else where appreciation of art and artist was a little better, freer. What would be very cool for me is to put my art on some product in everyday use or have an avenue through an interior designer or similar. I haven't explored what ebay can do, such a mix of legit and fraud, I need serious guidance. I'm still learning the mechanics of digital art files and artist rights and production. Using services is such a pain, but I don't have the time to do it all myself.