Learning to Draw? Where To Share Your Almost Masterpieces
So you’ve picked up the pen and paper (or tablet), and you’re ready to start sharing your newfound skills with the world.
First of all, congratulations! As we learned in kindergarten, sharing truly is caring.
So now how exactly do you go forth and show your work? As exciting as it can be to have something personal to share, it can also be intimidating.
Artists amateur and professional alike are plagued by the same doubts:
- What if people don’t like what I’m posting?
- What if I don’t get any comments?
- Why post if I’m just going to make something better later?
- What if I’m embarrassed by it?
The truth is that there are a million reasons not to post. But sharing and publicly documenting is a great way to celebrate milestones (I’ve been drawing for a month! It’s my 20th comic strip!), a nice way to measure progress (I can’t believe I’ve come this far in a year!), and a way to include your community.
And while the practice of drawing is an achievement worth celebrating, we rounded up a few great places you can start looking into when you’re ready to start sharing those pieces with the world.
Where New Artists Can Share Art Online
Depending on where you frequent online, you might already have an outlet. Consider the following social media sites that you likely have an account on already, along with the kinds of work you might share there:
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Instagram - As a visual medium, this is a natural fit. You can show your progress and behind-the-scenes through Stories and Reels, post a picture to your feed, or even start up a dedicated art account.
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Facebook - Another great place for updates that are both text and visuals, Facebook could be a nice way to share the moments in your artistic development along with a story about what you’ve been practicing, what you’re going for, or what your art is about.
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Tumblr - One of the most art-heavy social sites, this is an engaging way to share with a like-minded community. If you’re creating fan art, art about a certain topic, or just want a free portfolio, this is for you!
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LinkedIn - While not the most art-forward portfolio space (you might look below for those!), LinkedIn might work if your art has a connection to your professional development (think sketches for graphic design) - or if it’s art that your professional network might appreciate (like comics for your industry).
- YouTube - Though YouTube tends more toward video and animation, this could work if you’d like to show a making-of video or timelapse of a bigger piece or painting.
Art-Specific Sharing Sites For New Artists
There are also plenty of art-specific sites for you to start sharing your works with.
Here you’ll find a more engaged audience, one that may be better suited to give you feedback, to celebrate the choices you’ve made, and to connect with as you continue with your art journey.
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Instagram - Yes, we’re starting with a repeat here. As one of the largest social networks and with a huge number of engaged users working in really specific areas, you’re likely to find a lot of community.
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Behance - Billed as the largest creative community for showcasing and discovering creative work, this is your LinkedIn as an artist. Though you’ll want to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward, this is how you can start to push yourself toward the professional sphere.
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Pinterest - Though you can add some captions, what people are going to see here first and foremost are your visuals. Given how the platform is built, you can benefit even more if you use this to share your art and then link back to your own pages.
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Dribbble - If your sketches are in support of your design career, this art-sharing platform (and job board) could be the boost your budding portfolio needs.
- Pixiv - Another burgeoning community, Pixiv prioritizes the fun and discovery that creating can be about with a space that exists for creators and their fans alike.
Whew. There’s certainly no shortage of options, and these two categories are just the beginning of where you can share your artwork online. The journey is a part of the process, and by starting today, you’ll get where you want to go that much faster.
We’re curious if you post your art anywhere (even if it’s on your ‘gram). Leave your links below and we’ll check it out!