Set Your Art Apart by Emphasizing Your Uniqueness

As an artist, do you ever feel like you are a tad weird? If so, rejoice! Your weirdness is a brilliant characteristic that can set you apart and emphasize your stylistic uniqueness. Plus, if you’re truly strange, you are in extremely good company; some of history’s most celebrated artists were and are considered weird.

These Artists Will Make You OK With Being Unique

The next time you feel out of place in this world, or like no one could ever understand you, remember the following artists whose strangeness made them famous:

— Salvador Dali

— Vincent van Gogh

— Andy Warhol

— Piet Mondrian

Do a little research on these artists and you’ll find that they were way “out there,” in today’s terms. Learning more about their lives and artistic styles will give you the encouragement you need to be comfortable with the peculiarities that make you the unique artist that you are.

How to Emphasize Your Artistic Uniqueness

Just like the artists mentioned here, you can set your art apart by highlighting your uniqueness – not hiding it. Here are some practical ways to do just that:

• Practice vulnerability – Being vulnerable is one of the hardest things any of us will ever do. Being vulnerable simply means being real and open about who you are, what you want and what you have to offer the world. Even if you are unsure that people will receive what you have to offer, offer your talents nonetheless. Will your artistic offering be rejected? Possibly. But, by never presenting your artwork to others, or by giving a watered-down, safe version of it, no one will ever benefit from your gifts, and you will probably not gain much notoriety as an artist.

• Find Your Personal Style – Dolly Parton said to “find out who you are and do it on purpose.” That is great advice for an artist. Whatever you need to do to find your personal style—be it to attend a workshop, find a mentor or take advanced art lessons—do it. Once you discover your unique style of artistry, “Do it on purpose.”

• Self-promote – Have you ever known an artist who was constantly self-promoting in an arrogant way? More than likely, you weren’t drawn to that person as a friend. While it’s good to avoid arrogance, it is not good for an artist to avoid self-promotion. No one is going to see your art if you don’t display it in various ways. Starting an Etsy store, selling your artwork in local shops and creating a social media page for you/your artwork are all excellent ways to promote yourself as an artist and show off what it is that makes you stand out.

Can You Hear the Music Others Cannot?

Set Your Art Apart by Emphasizing Your Uniqueness

Friedrich Nietzsche poignantly said, “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” In other words, there are individuals on this earth who are not going to be fully understood by most people. In fact, they are going to be considered curiosities, madmen (and madwomen) and crazy hearts. The individuals Nietzsche spoke of were most likely artists like you.

Do you hear the music that others cannot? If so, consider yourself lucky. Also, never hide your strangeness. Instead, emphasize it. Who knows – by capitalizing on your idiosyncrasies in artistry as well as personality, you could become history’s next world-changing artist!

Are you a weird artist? If so, have you hidden your weirdness in shame? Or, have you capitalized on your uniqueness? How has being unique helped or hindered the furthering of your artistic career? We can’t wait to hear from you, so leave us a comment (or two).