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The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love
Using a “tough love approach” to pursuing a career in the visual arts, Jackie Battenfield expands on her highly successful classes and workshops to provide a comprehensive guide for both emerging and mid-career artists.Providing real-life examples, illustrations, and step-by-step exercises, Battenfield offers readily applicable advice on all aspects of the job. Along with tips on planning and assessment, she presents strategies for self-management, including marketing, online promotion, building professional relationships, grant writing, and portfolio development.
Each chapter ends with an insightful “Reality Check” interview, featuring advice and useful information from high-profile artists and professionals.
The result is an inspiring, experiential guide brimming with field-tested techniques that readers can easily apply to their own career.
Each chapter ends with an insightful “Reality Check” interview, featuring advice and useful information from high-profile artists and professionals.
The result is an inspiring, experiential guide brimming with field-tested techniques that readers can easily apply to their own career.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2009
93 people are currently reading
1138 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 3, 2015
While I'm not an artist, i still find this book refreshing and relatable. The tips on managing your finances were extremely helpful. It's truly a survival guide for all artists out there.
Warmly,
Walter
Warmly,
Walter
February 21, 2010
a compelling, down-to-earth book on the challenges of being born with the need to create -- a great guide no matter where you are with your art practice
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May 16, 2025*The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love* is a practical and empowering manual for artists who want to sustain their creative practice financially and professionally. It offers a blend of strategic advice, motivational insight, and step-by-step tools designed to help artists take control of their careers. The book challenges the outdated notion of the “starving artist” and replaces it with a vision of self-sufficiency, intentionality, and long-term success.
The book begins by addressing the mental and emotional shifts artists need to make in order to thrive professionally. The author emphasizes that making a living from art is not only possible but also achievable through clarity, organization, and proactive planning. Readers are encouraged to think of themselves as both creators and entrepreneurs—balancing their creative passions with business-minded decisions.
At the heart of the book is the idea that artists must define their own goals and values. The author presents exercises for identifying personal definitions of success, setting realistic objectives, and aligning artistic practice with lifestyle choices. By clarifying purpose, artists can make more focused decisions about where to put their energy, time, and resources.
The book offers detailed guidance on essential business skills. Topics include creating and maintaining a professional portfolio, developing promotional materials, managing finances, pricing work appropriately, and crafting contracts. These sections provide concrete tools and examples, helping artists build a solid professional infrastructure.
Marketing and self-promotion are central themes. The book outlines how to effectively communicate about one’s work, develop a compelling artist statement, network authentically, and use both traditional and digital platforms to grow an audience. Artists are encouraged to view promotion not as self-aggrandizement but as a form of storytelling and connection.
Another key focus is time management and organization. The author shares strategies for setting schedules, managing administrative tasks, and balancing creative time with the demands of running a business. These practices help artists avoid burnout and maintain momentum over the long term.
The book also addresses the importance of community. Artists are urged to build relationships with peers, mentors, collaborators, and supporters. Whether through formal networks, online communities, or informal circles, connection is portrayed as vital for both emotional support and professional growth.
Real-life examples and anecdotes from working artists add depth and relatability to the text. These stories demonstrate how others have navigated setbacks, reinvented their paths, and created sustainable careers on their own terms.
Toward the end, the book tackles long-term planning and resilience. It explores how to adapt to change, handle rejection, and stay motivated through uncertainty. Artists are encouraged to view their careers as evolving, multifaceted journeys rather than linear paths with fixed outcomes.
Overall, *The Artist’s Guide* offers a holistic, accessible, and empowering approach to building a life and career in the arts. Grounded in real-world experience and practical know-how, it equips artists with the tools and confidence to pursue their passion while supporting themselves creatively and financially.
The book begins by addressing the mental and emotional shifts artists need to make in order to thrive professionally. The author emphasizes that making a living from art is not only possible but also achievable through clarity, organization, and proactive planning. Readers are encouraged to think of themselves as both creators and entrepreneurs—balancing their creative passions with business-minded decisions.
At the heart of the book is the idea that artists must define their own goals and values. The author presents exercises for identifying personal definitions of success, setting realistic objectives, and aligning artistic practice with lifestyle choices. By clarifying purpose, artists can make more focused decisions about where to put their energy, time, and resources.
The book offers detailed guidance on essential business skills. Topics include creating and maintaining a professional portfolio, developing promotional materials, managing finances, pricing work appropriately, and crafting contracts. These sections provide concrete tools and examples, helping artists build a solid professional infrastructure.
Marketing and self-promotion are central themes. The book outlines how to effectively communicate about one’s work, develop a compelling artist statement, network authentically, and use both traditional and digital platforms to grow an audience. Artists are encouraged to view promotion not as self-aggrandizement but as a form of storytelling and connection.
Another key focus is time management and organization. The author shares strategies for setting schedules, managing administrative tasks, and balancing creative time with the demands of running a business. These practices help artists avoid burnout and maintain momentum over the long term.
The book also addresses the importance of community. Artists are urged to build relationships with peers, mentors, collaborators, and supporters. Whether through formal networks, online communities, or informal circles, connection is portrayed as vital for both emotional support and professional growth.
Real-life examples and anecdotes from working artists add depth and relatability to the text. These stories demonstrate how others have navigated setbacks, reinvented their paths, and created sustainable careers on their own terms.
Toward the end, the book tackles long-term planning and resilience. It explores how to adapt to change, handle rejection, and stay motivated through uncertainty. Artists are encouraged to view their careers as evolving, multifaceted journeys rather than linear paths with fixed outcomes.
Overall, *The Artist’s Guide* offers a holistic, accessible, and empowering approach to building a life and career in the arts. Grounded in real-world experience and practical know-how, it equips artists with the tools and confidence to pursue their passion while supporting themselves creatively and financially.
February 17, 2024
An informative, down-to-earth, and useful guide for artists who are just starting out and/or not sure if they can make it without a day job, The Artist's Guide offers real, useful advice and a roadmap to making their dreams a reality. Battenfield offers plenty of insights from her own experience and anecdotes that add flavor to the advice given, and the book is divided into clear sections on networking, organizing your workflow, places to sell your work, etc. Useful resources (mostly other books) are given at the end of every chapter, and aside from a few dated technology references, most of the information seems quite current.
Though this book focuses on visual art, I picked this up as a writer looking to learn more about the creative struggles of those in different fields. While much of the artist-specific material was a bit too far in the weeds for me, I found the more general insights about the creative life both relevant and insightful. My one peeve is that the book probably had a few too many sidebar quotations, which, though interesting, often proved distracting from the main text and made for a disjointed reading experience overall.
Though this book focuses on visual art, I picked this up as a writer looking to learn more about the creative struggles of those in different fields. While much of the artist-specific material was a bit too far in the weeds for me, I found the more general insights about the creative life both relevant and insightful. My one peeve is that the book probably had a few too many sidebar quotations, which, though interesting, often proved distracting from the main text and made for a disjointed reading experience overall.
December 30, 2024
This was an enjoyable and thorough exploration of what a working artist should be doing or be aware they are choosing not to do. It helped me write an artist statement. Other action items I don't need at this time. Some of the recommendations are dated (business cards) but because it is from 2009 it didn't centralize social media, which I am so so tired of hearing about.
June 18, 2025
Written by a painter, this book contains information that any artist of any medium, can benefit from. I updated my artist statement and CV because of this book. I highly recommend it. The only downside is that some of the links no longer work, but the ones that do contain a lot of information. Get a copy, take notes, underline the important stuff, and do what she recommends. You won't regret it.
June 24, 2021
Some information is dated, but it's an altogether helpful book.
July 29, 2023
As I prepare for my first solo art show this book has been an incredible resource
March 31, 2025
The space between us feels charged with unspoken desires. Let's translate them with a touch, shall we? But not just any touch, a knowing touch that promises more to come...
August 23, 2013
The useful information found in this book should be a fundamental university/college course for all art students/artists. It is also a great book to keep has it has ideas for resources, layouts/formats, and more.
Even though it is more directed to America Artists, it is still a great resource for any artist wanting to take the next step towards creating income off your work. Obviously, it isn't the only way or necessarily the route you have to take to be successful, but it will definitely give you a jumpstart on brainstorming and taking action towards your future art career.
Even though it is more directed to America Artists, it is still a great resource for any artist wanting to take the next step towards creating income off your work. Obviously, it isn't the only way or necessarily the route you have to take to be successful, but it will definitely give you a jumpstart on brainstorming and taking action towards your future art career.
October 24, 2012
Jackie Battenfield gives great practical advice that spans beyond the career field of artists but to any entrepreneur. Filled with personal stories and experience, "The Artist's Guide" is inspiring with a well-humored voice that makes it a delightful read.
February 18, 2016
I have read this book through twice and am starting it a third time.
There are a lot of people telling professional artists how to make a living, this woman is a working artist with a good career, having also run a not for profit gallery.
There are a lot of people telling professional artists how to make a living, this woman is a working artist with a good career, having also run a not for profit gallery.
April 13, 2011
Lots of good practical information that I wasn't taught at university.
June 15, 2010
This was excellent. It reminded me of The Artist's Way, and was a great overview of the business of selling visual art.
September 22, 2010
Insightful and helpful info for anyone wanting to sell their artwork.
March 6, 2013
Very helpful guide. I will definitely be referencing this one throughout my whole career.
September 26, 2014
Love it for being both useful and practical. Written with a kind experienced voice.
Read
July 30, 2011Ok. More aimed at the high end art market, not a lowly watercolor painter like me
Read
June 13, 2017Excellent for Artist
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews