How to Handle Failure and Rejection as an Illustrator (or Artist)

As artists, we are bound to experience failure and rejection on our artist journey from time to time. It’s inevitable. No matter how much we try, we all will eventually encounter those roadblocks that set us back and make us doubt ourselves.

But despite this, our failures and rejections do not have to be hindrances. Nor do they have to define us. In fact, I believe that they can be aides on our journey.

Failure and rejection can help us reach our full potential should we choose to think differently about them.

While I do not have a magic formula for avoiding failure altogether, I have found some ways to overcome those feelings of defeat and despair that accompanies it. Experiencing failure and rejection can be discouraging, but we do have the power to transmute our losses into future wins.

In this post I will give you some advice for dealing with failure and rejection as artists and illustrators. I hope you find the strength within yourself to overcome your challenges and continue on your journey so you can share your talents with the world.

Acknowledge How You Feel 

To deal with the discomfort that comes with failure and rejection, we need to acknowledge, process, and release the uncomfortable feelings that arise within us first.

 Let’s face it: There’s no getting around how unpleasant failure and rejection feel. In some ways, they can even traumatize us. Yet, to move forward from failure and rejection in a healthy way, we need to deal with these difficult emotions so they won’t hinder our progress and steal our motivation.

It’s normal to feel a range of emotions such as disappointment, frustration, disbelief, grief, or even relief in the face of failure and rejection.  All your feelings are valid, and it’s okay to feel the way you do. The harm is when we chose to repress these emotions or avoid them altogether instead of allowing them to exist and be felt.

The only way out is through. – Robert Frost 

The only way to overcome these feelings that accompany rejection and failure is to feel into them. We need to sit with and then eventually release them.

So, take as much time as you are able to process the pain, loss, or grief. And if you can, I recommend that you talk to someone you trust about your experience. You can also use your art as a therapeutic way to express yourself and release your emotions. Whatever you choose, just make sure to acknowledge your emotions so you can continue on your journey without them weighing you down.

Understand that Failure is Part of the Artist Journey

Our failures can provide us with powerful lessons to help us learn and grow. They can be guides on our journey into becoming better artists. And if you’re able to see the lessons they give as opportunities for growth and not personal attacks to your worth and capabilities, you’ll be more resilient in the face of them.

It’s okay to fail, it happens to us all amateurs and pros alike.  

Easier said then done, I know.  Personally, I’ve had my fair share of failures and rejections doing this work, and each time feels like a blow to the stomach. But only when I am willing to sit with my emotions and see pass my disappointment do I find something worthwhile to be gained from these difficult experiences.

You see, failure and rejection can be our teachers. By forcing us to change course, try out new paths, or even start over again, they can teach us resilience, faith, and perseverance. They can also be signals to be gentle with ourselves and honor our progress.

 Know that failure and rejection are supposed to happen on your journey. They are the bitter medicine that can help us know where we can improve, change direction, rest, build our confidence, and see from new perspectives.

Learn and Grow from the Experience

Sometimes, failure is redirection.

Once you’re able to acknowledge your emotions and accept failure and rejection as part of your artist journey, choose for yourself to learn from the experience and grow into becoming a better artist.

 The lessons failure can provide you with may be simple and straightforward or layered and complex. Some may ask you to dig deeply within your psyche to unearth its message. And some lessons may even take years for you to understand. But remember this; there’s always something you can gain from the experience that will help you on your journey.

The key is to take your painful experience and extract the wisdom from it to make something beautiful.  

Remember Your Strengths

It’s not the most talented who succeed. It is those who refuse to give up. – Kute Blackson

Failure can derail you by making you doubt yourself and your abilities. It can even make you question your path and consider giving up. But remember this, life is a marathon, not a sprint, and the artist journey is no different.

You have talent. You have something wonderful to contribute to the world, and your work has value. There will be times when you fail but remember that there will also be times when you succeed.

So, dust yourself off and keep going. Celebrate the progress you made and the dedication you’ve kept. And don’t fixate on your perceived weaknesses or what someone else perceives of your artwork.  

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The key takeaway I want you to know is to never let anyone or allow any negative experience to dictate your worth as an artist.  Failure is a teacher that gives you lessons on how to become better equipped when traveling on your artist journey. So, choose to think differently about it and extract the lesson it’s wants to impart to help you grow.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.  If you’re interested in reading more posts like this, then please click the like button below and/or leave me a comment. You can also share this post with a friend and sign up for my newsletter to receive more insights and musings from me. Until next time, I wish you the best on your artistic journey. 

How to Get Started in Illustration Part I

This post offers tips on how to get started in pursuing a career in illustration for beginners and aspiring illustrators.

I remember how excited and overwhelmed I felt when I began my career in illustration. Between the unpleasant jobs I worked as a new college graduate and the disdain I had for office politics, I really wanted to quit the rat race and do something I sincerely cared about.

So, that’s when I decided to do the unthinkable and follow my dreams of becoming a children’s book illustrator.

This resolution did not come easily, however, nor did I know how to start.  In fact, I was riddled with doubts; Was it possible to make a living doing what I love? What should I learn first?  Or should I just quit now and get a ‘real job?’

I didn’t study illustration when I attended college (nor did it prepare me for my chosen path), so I had no clue how to pursue a career in this field. Yet by trial and error, I made it happen.  And I believe you can, too.

Keep making art until your unique style finds you.

Keep in mind that every person who pursues a career in illustration will have a different experience. What has worked for me may or may not work for you, however, it is my hope that by sharing these tips you will be better prepared for your illustrator journey.

Find your Artistic Style

Having your own distinct, artistic style is so essential in illustration. It’s what will set your artwork apart from others and make your work memorable.  And because there are so many talented people in this saturated market, you definitely want your work to stand out and make a lasting impression.

So how do you go about finding your artistic style? Simply, you keep making art.

You keep making Art until your unique style finds you.  

Another way to develop your style is to become inspired by other artists and their work. When I was starting out, I spent a lot of time looking at my favorite illustrators’ artwork to help me develop my own personal style. I’d take little elements from their styles until what I drew came naturally to me.  Eventually this process helped me to illustrate in a way that became my authentic and unique aesthetic.

I must stress that I am not encouraging you to mimic nor copy another artist’s style. Instead, learn what is it you like about their artwork and use these findings to craft your own. And if you are consistent with your drawing practice, your style will eventually emerge. It takes time, but it’s completely worth it.

Hone your Craft

One of the reasons why it can be tough to break into the children’s book industry is because there are so many talented illustrators already making art. With so many great work out there, there’s just no room for mediocrity.

But don’t be discouraged; so long as you continue to hone your skills, improve your artistry, and create art that is true to you, your work won’t be mediocre.  And in this line of work, there’s really plenty of room for everyone.

So long as you continue to hone your skills, improve your artistry, and create art that is true to you, your work won’t be mediocre.

To hone your craft, work on your art as often as you can.

Make it a habit everyday even if it’s only for five minutes.  Be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to making illustrations and work towards toning your weak spots. So, for example, if you are not the greatest at figure drawing, then spend more time drawing people. You can also attend a live figure drawing class to help you improve.

In time, your art will get better. You’ll be so proud of the progress made by your willpower and dedication.

Have a Website

In this day and age, if you want to have a professional presence on the internet, then you need to have your own website. 

It’s a must-have for any artist and illustrator to showcase their art, list their services, and offer a practical way for people to contact you.  It’s your own little corner on the web where you get to show this big, wide world what you have to offer.

So, what information should you include on your website? To keep it simple, you should have an artist bio, a way for people to contact you, and of course, a portfolio showcasing your best art.  There are many other things, too, that you can share like your education, credentials, and work-related experiences. Share anything you think would be important for viewers to know about you and your artwork.

Having your own website also allows you to share your story and artwork the way you want people to see it.  

So, if you wanted to show off your carpentry skills or behind-the-scenes of your studio space, you’re more than welcome to do so since it’s your space! In fact, it’s a great way to connect and share what makes your artistry different from others.

Having your own website also allows you to share your story and artwork the way you want people to see it.  

Keep in mind that you do not need to have a fancy website in order to impress viewers. Having someone design it for you is great, but a clean and organized site with great content and art is all that you need.  Fortunately, there are plenty of Website building platforms like Squarespace, Wix, of Weebly that can help you with that.

Be on Social Media

Having a social media presence is a necessity in this day and age for almost any artist to share their artwork. 

When you share your art, you increase the likelihood for the right people to find you. Many illustrators (myself included) have found success with getting commissioned work, agent representation, and exposure just by posting our art online.

Whatever your relationship is with social media—a necessary evil or a fun distraction—there’s no denying it’s influence in getting your artwork seen by many. And it’s here to stay so we might as well make the best of it.  

The key, though, that I have found to using it effectively isn’t to become a slave to its elusive and every-changing algorithm, but to have it fulfill your specific needs instead. In other words, have a plan and a purpose for being on social media so it doesn’t become a chore.

Have a plan and a purpose for being on social media so it doesn't become a chore.

For example, if you enjoy using Instagram to share your art process from start to finish and others find it interesting, then continue to do so!  Likewise, if you hate sharing your art process but like to participate in art challenges, then at least you have found one way to use the platform that works for you to grow your exposure.

Luckily for us, there are so many different platforms to choose from that can meet our preferences. So, if you dislike Facebook or Twitter, you can use another platform like TikTok, Pinterest and/or YouTube. You could even do them all if you're up for it!

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To wrap it up, here are the key takeaway points to remember:

1. Have a Unique Artistic style

2. Hone and Perfect your Craft

3. Be on Social Media

4. Have your Own Website

If you get started using these four tips, you will create a solid foundation to build upon for your illustration career. It takes time, but your hard work will eventually pay off.

And these are just the first four tips that I have used to get started in illustration.  In Part 2, I share four more that have also helped me make lots of progress on my illustrator journey.

In the meantime, I hope you find this post useful, and if you have any tips that have helped you, please share in the comments! We could all learn from one another on how to make this journey less arduous as we explore new territories and gain new insights.

Until then, thanks for reading!