Frequently Asked Questions

How did you get started with your art?

I started by taking drawing and art classes whenever I could, then majoring in design and illustration in college.  I was fortunate enough to be hired by Hallmark after graduating and worked as an in-house illustrator there for 30 years.  I retired to pursue my own art business in Oct. 2016.  

How do I find my art style?

The biggest help in this area was to create often, mostly everyday, and pay attention to what lights you up.  What do you love to create?  What are your favorite mediums to use?  What other artists do you admire?  Creating often and paying attention to these questions starts to give you clues to what your natural style can be.  There is no getting around creating a lot of work in finding your style.  If you are interested in finding out more, check out my Discovering Your Art Style class on Skillshare here:  https://skl.sh/2XvLNBA

How can I make a living at art?

In my experience, the best way to make a living with your art is to build your social media following by posting consistently and often (1 to 2 times a day) quality images/art and responding to any comments from followers.  Stay engaged!  This will help you to find those who love your work and want to support your business.  In addition to this, it is a good idea to have several modes of income; selling your art, licensing your work, freelance and/or custom work and teaching and sharing what you do to name a few.  

How do I get inspired to create art?

Inspiration is wonderful to have but is not always available.  When you have a daily practice like I do, you can't rely on inspiration to hit before beginning.  What I have found is that often the inspiration joins me after I start.  The most important thing is to show up and jump in.  Don't listen to those voices that try to keep you from beginning.  Ignore them and get on with it.  Most often the voices quiet down the less we pay attention to them.  

How do I make time to create art?

The time it takes to create something can be as little as 5 minutes.  The important thing is to show up and start.  Even scribbling gets the creativity moving.  Through showing up you start to build a relationship between yourself and what is being created.  The time you spend is up to you.  You may find that more time shows up as you start in!

If you have additional question please email me at terry@terryrunyam.com.  I will do my best to add the answers here.  :)