The Top 4 Attributes of a Successful Artist

The keys to taking your creative career to the next level.

Here are the top four attributes we see in successful artists on the roster, taking them from amateur artists to professional commercial illustrators!

Unique style
Without a unique style, an artist is merely a technician. Great artists have a style and voice that is difficult to duplicate, which makes it valuable to their clients. This increases the perceived value of their work which allows them to charge more for their services.

Mastery of craft
Great artists are masters at what they do and execute with excellence. This is not the same thing as perfection. Excellence is a set of principles and standards that guide behavior.

Collaborative
Great artists are excellent collaborators and know how to work with their clients to make everyone’s work better. They are a joy to work with. This does not mean that you need to be a yes-man or woman. It means that you know how to give and receive feedback in a constructive way and work with others to achieve the best outcome for a project.

Driven
Great artists are hungry for new opportunities and challenges and are continually growing and improving.

Obviously, there are many qualities of a great artist. But these are the ones that have stood out to us over the years. We hope these qualities inspire you to continually raise the bar for yourself as a commercial freelance illustrator.