Watercolor painting is a beautiful and rewarding form of art, but it can also be a lonely one. As an artist, it's essential to connect with others who share your passion, both for inspiration and support. Here are some tips for building a network of fellow watercolor artists and art enthusiasts.
Attend Local Art Events
Attend local art exhibitions, workshops, and classes to meet other artists and enthusiasts. Not only will you learn new techniques and get feedback on your work, but you'll also have the opportunity to network with others and make connections that can last a lifetime.
If you’re unsure of where to start, Facebook events, local newspaper sites, and Eventbrite are great places to find out about upcoming events near you. Googling “art events near me” also can yield many local results.
Join Online Communities
Join online communities and forums specifically for watercolor artists and art enthusiasts. This is a great way to connect with people from all over the world and get advice, feedback, and inspiration from others in the field.
Facebook has plenty of watercolor groups to choose from. You can also join Reddit sub r/Watercolor for anonymous feedback, advice, and inspiration.
Share Your Work on Social Media
Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are great ways to connect with other artists and showcase your work. By sharing your work and following others in the community, you'll build relationships and gain exposure for your art.
Be sure to leverage relevant hashtags in your posts to ensure your content can get discovered. A big rule of thumb that I use often is the 3/3/3 Rule: 3 hashtags about who you’re targeting, 3 hashtags about the content itself, 3 hashtags about the problem you solve/address by sharing the content.
Using the blog as an example of this hashtag strategy: #watercolorartist #smallwatercolorbusiness #artbusiness #watercolorcommunity #watercolorblogs #watercolorbusinesstips #connectwithotherartists #buildanartcommunity #artcommunitytips
Participate in Art Challenges
Participating in online art challenges is another great way to connect with others and improve your skills. These challenges are often hosted by artists and organizations, and they give you the opportunity to participate in a creative project with a community of artists. You can easily find art challenges on Instagram through the #artchallenge, #drawingchallenge, #drawthisinyourstyle hashtags.
There are so many to choose from, but here are a few of my favorite:
- Doodle Wash’s Monthly Watercolor Challenge
- In May, there’s a #mermay challenge
- Or, you can test your drawing acumen through a random prompt generator, and draw what you get!
Join a Local Art Group
Joining a local art group is a great way to meet other artists and art enthusiasts in your area. These groups often host events, workshops, and exhibitions, and they provide a supportive community for artists to connect and grow.
Back in San Diego, I was part of a small calligraphy meetup group that was coordinated amongst 5-10 local calligraphers. You can reach out to people you know are already on Instagram or TikTok that are close to you, and meet people IRL! It was a great resource to talk about tools that we liked or didn’t like, or refer client projects to if you’re too busy to take on the commission work (or get extra work!).
Building a network of other watercolor artists and art enthusiasts is an essential part of the artistic journey. By following these tips, you'll have the opportunity to connect with others who share your passion and gain exposure for your work. So, get out there and start building your network today!
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