Artknight History
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Hello, Art and Design Lovers!
I'm the creator behind ArtKnight, and today I want to share my journey with you—a path filled with challenges, lessons learned, and above all, immense passion for digital art and illustration. If you've ever wondered how to turn your artistic talent into income, or how to sell art online and monetize your creativity, this blog is for you. Get ready to discover how I built my own space in the digital world, attracting web traffic and generating art sales, even after facing studio closures and the uncertainty of a pandemic.
My Journey in 3D Design and Animation: A Promising Start
My story began in 2015, when I graduated in Visual Communication from the Centro de Diseño Digital (CDD). I was always fascinated by the idea of creating worlds and characters, so as soon as I finished my studies, I had the opportunity to dive headfirst into the world of 3D design. I worked for two years in a studio, a place where I could hone my skills as a 3D modeler in Maya. Every detail, every polygon, was an opportunity to improve and perfect my technique. Even when I wasn't modeling, I also worked as a web programmer, which gave me a broader view of the digital world.
The Impact on the Big Screen: 3D Modeling for "Bike's"
The peak of my studio experience came with an ambitious project: the movie "Bike's." Can you imagine a world where the characters are bicycles, in the style of Pixar's "Cars"? This was the setting for my biggest contribution: modeling buildings for the film. I was fundamental in optimizing 3D models, correcting excessive polygons. This might seem like a technical detail, but it's vital for efficiency in animation and video game production. A model with too many polygons can slow down rendering and performance. This ability to improve and optimize work demonstrates my commitment to excellence and efficiency, characteristics that are now reflected in the quality and performance of my digital artworks. The discipline and meticulousness learned in this high-pressure environment form the foundation of my current work, ensuring that every ArtKnight piece is not only visually appealing but also technically impeccable.
The Unexpected Turn and the Search for a New Direction: From Freelance to My Own Art
Unfortunately, in 2018, Estudio 316 closed its doors. It was a tough blow, but it pushed me to seek new opportunities. That's how I ventured into the world of freelance graphic design. While I enjoyed the creativity that graphic design offered, I soon realized there was a significant cultural clash with some clients. Their visions, often lacking professional design fundamentals, contrasted with the quality and rules I sought to implement. It was frustrating to see how my professional proposals didn't fit their vision.
The First Steps in Selling Art Online: Displate and Teepublic
The seed of selling art online was planted much earlier, in 2016, when I dabbled in Displate. For those unfamiliar, Displate is a platform for artists where you can upload your designs, and they handle printing them on metal posters and selling them. It's a fantastic opportunity to sell art on metal without worrying about production or shipping. Despite uploading few designs at first, the experience was revealing: I was able to sell and generate passive income! If you want to know more about Displate, here's a link: https://displate.com/arkal?art=685505ae072a657954
This small victory ignited a spark. If with minimal time investment I achieved sales, what would happen if I dedicated most of my energy to creating art to sell? The pandemic, which hit the world in 2020, temporarily interrupted many digital sales, but my resilience allowed me to overcome this hurdle. Sales returned, and I was able to sustain myself thanks to my digital art. This is a testament to the power of art e-commerce and the growing demand for unique and original pieces.
Later, I explored Teepublic, another popular platform that allows me to sell my designs on a wide range of products: from T-shirts and hoodies to mugs and notebooks. Although T-shirts are my star product, Teepublic's versatility offers even more opportunities to monetize digital art and reach a broader audience. If you're interested in exploring this option to sell your designs, here's the link! http://tee.pub/lic/artknightdesigns
Both platforms are excellent starting points for artists looking to sell art without inventory and reach global audiences. If you're thinking about where to sell your art, Displate and Teepublic are options you should seriously consider.
The Crucial Decision: ArtKnight and the Power of Selling Art Online
Despite having ventured into various art selling platforms, economic necessity led me back to traditional graphic design. I did a lot of work, putting aside what I was truly passionate about. But I couldn't ignore that inner voice. Despite all the obstacles and doubts, I finally made the decision: I would fully dedicate myself to ArtKnight and selling my own art.
It hasn't been an easy road, not at all! There's so much to learn, understand, research, and achieve. From how to attract organic traffic to my page to how to optimize my art product listings for Google searches, every day is a new challenge. I'm constantly improving my website, optimizing SEO for art, and creating new designs and artworks that I know you'll love. My goal is for my page to be a benchmark for those looking to buy unique and quality digital art, and for that, I'm investing time and effort in improving the user experience and positioning myself in the top search results.
My Commitment to Art and the Future of ArtKnight
My commitment to ArtKnight is total. Every new design, every line of code I optimize on my page, every post I write for this blog, I do it with the conviction that art can transcend borders and connect with people. I'm learning to manage digital marketing for artists, understand web traffic metrics, and refine my online art sales strategies.
The path of an independent artist isn't easy, but the satisfaction of seeing my creations find a home in different parts of the world is immense. I'm here to inspire you to pursue your artistic dreams and show you that it's possible to live from what you love. I'm excited about what the future holds for ArtKnight and for continuing to share my art with all of you!