Many aspiring artists dream of being recognized for their talent and achieving success in their artistic endeavors. Winning awards and exhibiting artwork can provide validation and affirmation of an artist's growth and skill. In this article, we will explore essential elements that artists should focus on to increase their chances of becoming award-winning artists. In our membership community, we’ve had several of our students win awards from Art Communities like Dakota Art Pastel and Pastel Society of America and in this post, we’ll also share how our course and community have helped emerging artists succeed in their craft.

Recently we shared a post on Art Competitions you can enter to showcase your art, and today I’d like to explore three key factors that can help you achieve success as an artist and learn from these stories of individuals who have flourished through our courses and community.

Mastering Fundamental Skills:

To excel as an artist, a solid foundation in fundamental skills is crucial. These skills include drawing, proportion, composition, perspective, mark-making, and a sense of realism. Whether an artist aims for a realistic or abstract style, the ability to create believable, well-executed artwork is essential. Artists must learn how to accurately portray subjects, capture perspective, and maintain proper proportions. This mastery of fundamental skills creates a strong base for artistic expression and sets the stage for future experimentation and growth.

One of our students, Sandy O'Brien, experienced significant progress after completing our online Painterly Portrait course. By grasping the foundational techniques taught in the course, Sandy's confidence and skills soared. She began winning awards and gaining recognition for her expressive and loose style of portrait painting. The course not only helped her develop her technical skills but also provided her with the tools to unlock her authentic artistic voice.

Develop an Authentic Voice:

An award-winning artist has developed a unique and authentic artistic voice. It is essential for artists to embrace their individuality and let their personality shine through their artwork. This involves exploring personal interests, emotions, and experiences and translating them into visual form. When artists infuse their work with a sense of confidence, passion, and originality, it resonates with viewers and distinguishes them from others.

Our community of artists at Cultivate has consistently produced award-winning artwork because they have learned to cultivate their authentic voices. Through our courses and support network, artists have gained the necessary skills and guidance to express themselves creatively and with personal flair. This has resulted in their work standing out in various art associations and competitions across the United States and beyond.

Additionally, the emotional connection between an artist and their audience is paramount. Successful artists convey their authentic voice and leave a lasting impact through their work by using techniques like strong light and shadow, expressive mark-making, and a clear intention in their art. This emotional resonance is often what distinguishes award-winning paintings from the rest.

Effective Mark-Making:

Mark-making is the art of creating marks on a surface, in Pastel Painting it plays a significant role in adding depth, texture, and energy to a painting. An artist's mark-making style can convey emotion, movement, and personal expression. Good mark-making enhances the overall composition, while poor mark-making can make a painting appear flat or unfinished.

Mark-making is one of the fundamental skills in an artist's toolkit that we mention above. It may seem like it is just the physical act of creating marks on boards or paper. However, good mark-making shows the artist's intention, variety, and confidence in every stroke, while bad mark-making may appear erratic, inconsistent, or lacking in purpose.

In our workshops and community, we emphasize the significance of mark-making as a means of personal expression.

The quality of mark-making can significantly impact an artist's chances of winning awards. Artists must develop control over their tools and techniques through practice and experimentation. Factors such as size, direction, pressure, and speed of the marks should be considered to create engaging and impactful artwork. By honing their mark-making skills, artists can elevate their paintings to new levels of excellence, catching the attention of judges and viewers alike.

We recently released a self-study mark-making class to help artists of all levels develop this important fundamental Pastel Painting skill.

In conclusion, becoming an award-winning artist requires attention to three essential elements: mastering fundamental skills, developing an authentic voice, and effective mark-making. Through our programs and supportive community, we have witnessed numerous artists achieve success and gain recognition for their artwork. By focusing on these key elements and leveraging the resources available, emerging artists can unlock their potential and find their path to becoming award-winning artists.