Charcoal portrait
ABOUT THE AUTHOR,  Sweet Escape

How Did I Monetize My Skills in Arts

It’s been ages since I created an artwork. Two main reasons: either I am not in the mood to do so or I just don’t have enough time to finish an artwork. In this post, allow me to share the other side of me — of how I became a portrait artist and how was I able to earn from it.

The young artist in me

Since I was a child, I am already fond of drawing cartoons and creating crafts. I cannot remember how this passion started but I carried it all my life.

I started monetizing my skills in Arts when I was in my fresh years in high school. My first clients were my mom’s co-teachers. They hired me to beautify their classrooms with huge cartoon characters.

Here are some of my previous works. Pardon me for the low quality. The following photos were taken eleven years ago during the ancient camera times.

Charcoal portrait
Oh, that’s the thirteen-year old me. Selfie!
Charcoal portrait
One Disney Princess is missing in this photo –> that’s ME! Oops!
Charcoal portrait
Finally! Some clearer photos!

The artworks above are all made from colored papers. Images were first drawn on a huge paper. Colored papers were then traced and cut until the images are full of colors. It is like just puzzle making. Apologies if the process description is quite complicated.

I remember receiving around 1,500 pesos for all of these which took me a week to finish. Not that bad since the materials and snacks were all provided.

Though I have this artistic side, I never tried drawing or sketching human faces — not until I was in my third year in college.

Charcoal portrait

First portraits made using ordinary pencils

These are the very first portraits I made using an ordinary pencil. Would you believe that a huge heartbreak caused me to start working on portraits?

Turning pain into passion

I don’t want to go into details of how I acquired such heartache but reviving my love for Arts became my sweet escape. Diverting my emotions and my time into portraiture made me feel better during my moving on stage.

Instead of burying myself into maoy moments, I found a way to improve my artistic skills. This made me turn pain into passion.

Guhit Pinas, a facebook group composed of aspiring Filipino artists, also made a great contribution to how I acquired my skill in portraiture. This group isn’t limited to great and pro artists alone. Newbies and frustrated artists are also welcome for mentorship. During my fresh stages, I used the grid method in order to arrive with more accurate facial proportions and realistic facial features.

Charcoal portrait

My first commissioned portrait

This is the very first commissioned portrait I made for a classmate who was too obsessed with Nam from a Thai movie A Little Thing Called Love. I never asked for anything monetary but my colleague insisted to pay 200 pesos (4 USD). That time, I was very reluctant to accept it since I believe my skills aren’t enough to receive such compensation.

Charcoal portrait

My previously-made portraits using sketching pencils

Over time, I learned different techniques in portraiture. I also upgraded my materials from ordinary pencils to sketching pencils, and from ordinary paper to vellum board.

This time, I became slightly confident to receive portrait request and I charged 200 pesos (4 USD) per portrait to aid myself financially during senior years in college. I normally finish one portrait in ten or more hours straight. Can you imagine my struggles just to get that 200 pesos? I never complained. I love what I do and being paid for the thing you love doing is the best bonus one could ever receive.

Until such time that I started using charcoal pencils. I find it very hard to manage at first but in every portrait that I make, I learn new tricks and techniques in smudging and proportioning.

Charcoal portrait

First time using charcoal pencils

This is the very first portrait that I considered as “human”. My cousin requested this portrait as a Christmas gift for herself way back 2015.

These are the other portraits I made using charcoal pencils:

Charcoal portrait

Charcoal Portraits
Charcoal portrait

Portrait request from a co-worker (May 2017)

The last time I worked on a commissioned charcoal portrait was May 2017. I worked for about 20 hours or more for each portrait. I know, it is very time consuming but watching my clients exclaim with satisfaction made all the efforts paid off.

Along with the advancement of my skills and materials used, the compensation per portrait sketch also raised. Mostly 500 pesos or more per portrait. 

Charcoal portrait

Portrait request from a friend using soft pastels (May 2017)

In my pursuit to level up my skills in portraiture, I explored soft pastels in making this one. You guys have no idea how frustrated I was while making this. Soft pastels are just unfit for portraits. I even considered it as a complete mess but fortunately, my client still liked it.

A message to my fellow artists

I don’t know when the spirit of motivation will visit me once again, but let me just extend my utmost respect to all traditional and digital artists out there. For years of struggles to perfecting your crafts, for those countless drafts and scratches out of frustrations, and for that passion and dedication to constantly improve your masterpieces.

To all aspiring artists out there, just keep on doing your thing. All those efforts will pay off in no time. I was never born an artist but I kept going. Just practice and learn new tricks and strategies as you go along. You cannot be good at what you do not practice.

Final Thoughts

I am sorry if it took too long for you to read that this post’s intention is not just about monetizing your skills. This is about finding your craft and being good at it. Keep on doing your thing. You will never know how or when you can apply it in areas of your life.

At the moment, I choose to follow a different path. My passion for Arts is still there but right now, it’s in a different form. In the form of writing. In the form the of persuasion. In the form of organizing. In the form of currency and stock trading. And even in the form of letting go (the art of letting go). Indeed, Arts is not just in the form of physical visualization alone. 

But you know what? I still get to apply the same (or even more) amount of patience, discipline, dedication, and passion to everything that I am interested in. I still manage to become good at something may it be about Arts or Finances. My attitude towards making artworks played a great role in it.   

Before I end this, let me remind you to always strive for more. Try to learn something new each day. And don’t forget to always keep your feet on the ground because it is where growth and improvement reside.

Much love,

Sheila
Retired visual artist (?)


PS: You can see more of my artworks on my Instagram account @sheilavsyoumuch

Sheila is a civil engineer by profession but has switched careers to become a copywriter. She loves making sales through stories that are relatable to the average person. She's also a sucker for memes and thinks she’s the funniest person in the world (even though she knows that’s not true). Her favorite drink is Kopiko Brown coffee, but she'll also take tea or beer if it's offered.

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