How to make your start in the creative sector- first steps, AI’s impact, and needed skillsets

Are you ready to make your start in the creative sector? We’ve spoken again with Nathan Jones, aka Icewreath, to ask him about how he made his start as a digital artist, content creator and small business owner, and what advice he’d give to people looking to do the same.

What advice would you give to someone looking for a job like yours?

“Firstly, know that it IS possible. I know loads of artists who work freelance, and the niches they work on is all individual and tailored by them. To work for yourself you have to be willing to work hard, maybe for a long time, before you see results. You have to be willing to be flexible and go with what works and accept that some projects will be failures. I always have multiple projects on the go, multiple sources of income, as I know that at some point one or more may dry up. But there will always be another project! You have to be disciplined with yourself, there's nobody telling you to work or what to do, so that motivation and drive has to come from inside. Equally there's a balance to find there with allowing yourself rest, if you're overworked you will not create your best work, and in terms of long-term sustainability, will burn yourself out. I would also advise to be VERY cautious with comparing yourself to other artists. There will always be someone better than you, and it is easy to go down a spiral of doubt about your work. That said, if it's possible for you, it is also healthy to look and be inspired by other artists and what they are doing. Maybe there is something you can learn from something they are doing, a product they are making that you could make? An idea they have that sparks something in you?

In terms of practicality if you are starting out from nothing, I would definitely suggest some form of safety net job at first while you find your feet. If you have an idea of what you'd like to do, that's a great starting place, if not, just try creating something and showing it to the world. Keep doing that until you find something that works for you. 

Even if you don't want to work for yourself, there are so many jobs in the creative field. You could work freelance or for a game or films studio, and in so many different niches. You can have a look on https://www.artjobs.com/ or https://www.artstation.com/jobs/all to find some inspiration for what that might look like. Bottom line is if you think it exists, it probably does. And if it doesn't, maybe you can make it exist. I did!”

Has AI impacted your industry?

“AI Image Generation has definitely impacted art, yes. There's a whole pile of moral, legal, and ethical issues there regarding copyright and the lack of consent artists have had regarding their work being used by AI. Reference images are harder to find as it's sometimes unclear whether something is AI or not, and consequently if you can actually trust it to be a good reference for what you want without any mistakes. For starting artists in particular, comparing yourself to AI work is hard to overcome, and some job opportunities have been taken by AI. It's certainly scary for the future, in an industry where stability is already rare. That said, it has not yet stopped me from doing what I do, and I do believe that there will always be some need for creatives, even if the landscape changes around us.”

What courses/training/skillsets would you recommend for someone looking to work in the creative sector?

“This is kind of a tricky one as it really is a very wide sector with differences and nuances, but I suppose it basically boils down to knowing what the requirements are for your particular sector. Think of yourself as your customer, client, or boss, what would they want to see from you? Then give them that, and make sure it's evidenced online, in the form of a website or social media. If you don't know what they would want, you can probably find some examples online.”

Wondering what a day in the life of a digital artist looks like? Icewreath tells us about his experiences here. To view Icewreath’s portfolio, click here to visit his website.

If you’re looking to work in the creative sector, you can find more tips and support in our creative sector guide.

If you’re looking for local jobs in Greater Manchester, visit our Job Searcher to find and apply for the latest vacancies, and if you’re ready to learn something new, our Course Finder can find you something local.