When aiming to transition into an artistic career, it’s not enough to just think, “I want to be an artist”. Visual design, art, and photography are such vast categories that it is important to find your niche. For some artists, it may be standard knowledge, but for many others, finding out their artistic identity and niche are scary tasks.
Finding your niche may be time-consuming, but spending that time, it will not be wasted. After all, every piece you create will teach you something about your craft. Remember, your style may be what you love, but your niche is what you know.
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Your niche can be differentiated based on a number of factors. Some of these may be fairly obvious, but if used intuitively, they can set you apart. Here are some ways you can find exactly what you specialize in:
Style
Do you create abstract designs or impressions? Do you prefer realistic or fantasy illustrations? Or have you created a unique amalgamation of the two? Whichever your style is, there are people to whom this style speaks. They are your niche market, the buyers you are looking for. Even if there are hundreds of artists that create in your style, all of us have something special to offer and there are tons of venues to offer it.
Look for artists and galleries that share your style or work in a niche similar to yours for inspiration.
Medium
Art is too wide a niche, so working in a decided medium is another way to distinguish your niche. The end product of each artist is so varied. A watercolourist is not in the same running as a sculptor. A printmaker does not compete with an oil painter at all. If you’re a potter, carving sculptures out of clay, you won’t belong in galleries that showcase photographs.
Finding your medium of choice will bring you a step closer to finding your niche.
Purpose
The purpose of your artwork is a crucial building block in the building of your niche. Ask yourself, what is the purpose of your artwork? Do you wish to elicit happiness or to illustrate your take on an important social matter? Whether functional or emotional, art always has a purpose. It exists to serve a specific purpose.
Find out what your art does, and you will find your niche. Take reviews, iterate, reiterate and finalize your artwork and its purpose.
Subject Matter
As your art evolves, you will notice that there are certain things that capture your attention more than others and certain subjects that you’re more drawn to. It might be portraits of people capturing childhood or love, it might be places that you’ve explored, architecture, or a variety of other topics. What it matters much less than what feelings it evokes in others. Your subject matter will speak volumes to many others other than you, and that is exactly where your niche lies.
Now you need to make it more convenient for these viewers who share the same values and experiences as you to find you.
Conclusion
Finding your niche may take some time and it can be a result of one or a combination of the above-mentioned points. You might develop one niche or more, or you might just get lucky and stumble upon one, just keep your eyes open to any opportunities that might come along your way.
