Age old issue: How do I put myself out there?

What I'm starting to do recently is just communicate more with artists, by joining communities and posting my art. Look at their art, talk to them about their work, show interest. Keep posting your own work, of course, but building up a network of artist friends might help a little more?

That's what I want to do anyway. I don't think this is advice but I guess it's a different perspective!

I don't really have a following (I'm also working on that) but I definitely think that what @JennifElizab said is true. I think that networking and showing interest in what others are doing is important if you want to get notice. You could post incredible work, but if nobody knows you exist they'll probably never find it.

In short, I believe that being active both in creating and sharing is the way to go!

I do not have a following either when it comes to art, but in terms of design, slowly and surely. Perhaps what you can do as has been suggested is art communities, conferences, workshops etc.

Its a long term game when it comes to building up a fanbase or putting your name out there. Perhaphs other things you can consider doing is starting up a Youtube channel of simply speed art, something of your own, but of course you can also do Fanart (Rossdraws)

Aside from that, its a matter of continuing to put yourself out there really. It doesn't happen in the blink of an eye, sometimes it takes a year, two years, or more, but at some point, peoples will start recognizing your work, as long you are consistent and making things happen.

You can also join Facebook challenges for example (if you are on Facebook of course) . These are the things that comes on top of my mind.

But to sum it up :
1 ) Be consistent
2 ) Join communities (Discord, Art Groups, Local Groups, Conferences) If there are any in your area that is related to Art.
3 ) Be yourself, and continue making things. At some point, you will start to get peoples looking at your work, as long you are putting it out there. Its a long tail game.
4 ) Engage with your audiences when you can.

I'm relatively new to the digital way of working, but I've worked traditionally for a long time. It took a while for me to build an audience, but last year when Star Wars TFA came out, I jumped on it and posted a number of Star Wars themed drawings. In the space of about a month I gained over 20,000 facebook likes!

My tip would be, look at what's popular or about to be popular - for example if Marvel or DC have a new movie round the corner and it interests you, then start a mini project themed around it. People will like you art because they like the theme!

More recently my posts about my digital work havent been so popular, but I put that down to the fact they arent themed and arent very good ha!

Here's my page if your interested in seeing the types of posts I've made;
https://www.facebook.com/Scott-Strachan-Artist-149411641738241/

I always wonder why peoples always relay on fan art to gain fans, what about your own voice? Your own Creation?

Becoming So Good They Can't Ignore You? Anyone? Cal New Port? Again and again, I see the same scenario happening. Someone putting in the time in their craft, eventually peoples start paying attention.

Is likes/followers, the only metrics peoples based popularity on now, or do peoples based success on true fans?

Just throwing in my own thoughts of this whole thing of "Fan Art for Fame" instead of "Do it because you like the company" and not for the sake of gaining traction in return.

Because I think, you have to ask yourself is this truly something that rings well with yourself, or is this just something just to get a followers? And would those followers actually be true followers?

But yeah.. just my thoughts really. It always bugs me when that kind of recommendation/suggestion arise, while peoples forget about their own creative needs and why you are doing something in the first place.

I don't think it's realistic to just go with your own creations and expect to build a large following. If you start with fan art you draw people in, and when those people interact with posts it draws people in who are connected to them - eventually you build an audience. Once you build your audience you can start with your own ideas and the "fans" will already have a feel for your style and interests.

Well there are examples out there of peoples starting out with not doing "Fan Art" per say.

Bobby Chiu (He started with train session by drawing peoples, that's how he became known)
Artgerm (He does Fan art, but not based on what is popular, based on companies he likes)
Jake Parker (He does Fan art as well, but again, not based on what "is popular", just to get views)
Piotr Jablonski (Never did Fan Art, and his name still got out there)
Ihor Pasternak (Never did Fan Art, he's doing his own Side Project and of course works in the industry)
Jakub Rozalski (Never did Fan art, but his work is getting seen especially his Side Project)
Krenz Cushart
Miles Johnston

etc.
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There is plenty of examples that the opposite is true. I am not advocating anything about not doing Fan Art, but I do think one has to draw a line if they are doing something "just for like" or simply because they genuinely like what a studio did, and decides to do a Fan Art of their work.

Just throwing in my thoughts, I am not as active when it comes to Art (since I am mainly focusing on Design) and do art more as a side but at a steady pace.

Overall this is something that continues to makes me ask myself, why? When I see the same suggestion, while the opposite also happens (peoples doing their own thing)

But who knows, maybe I am wrong, again just throwing out my own thoughts in regards to this whole Fan Art for Likes approach.

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But yeah, not here to hate or disapprove any approach, rather just here to spark some thoughts for peoples to also consider, what kind of effect things do on a longer scale, is it something you like doing ,or is it simply for likes?

For me I've only drawn fan art of things I actually like that inspired me to put pencil to paper. I love sport so have painted many of my idols, and was fortunate to meet some of them after they saw my work.

Last year I drew a portrait of Darth Maul and the Star Wars fans went crazy for it, so the logical thing was to capitalize on it and bring in as many followers as I could while I had the exposure.

Now though I'm learning to work digitally and once I do I'll be creating my own ideas - as in the long run I want to get a job in the industry so I'm going to have to show I have an imagination!

100% agree with what @hermidraws said. From what big artists say it's suppossed to be like a snowball. It starts small but as it goes it grabs more and more snow growing bigger and bigger. And the bigger it is the faster it goes and the more snow it grabs. So it always slow at first. But just like imporving your art give it time and an audience will come eventually. Just enjoy the journey until then

I'm currently doing a daily project on Instagram (#conceptesl) and it's been garnering some attention! I think if you network on a platform, push consistent(good) content, and stand out, you'll eventually snowball into a noticeable position within the art world! Just focus on your art and then draw in conversation/networks with people online/offline!

I don't have a huge following, but I do notice the people who do, follow a few patterns:

1) Post New Art VERY regularly (Weekly WIPs).
2) Excel at one specific tiny aspect of one thing in one style, and be known for that ONE thing.
If you're into making HardSurface Mechs, be the Hard Surface Mech guy.

If you're into making gothic fantasy women, Make Gothic Fantasy Women. If you're into hyper realistic portraits, by all means do that.

Just do one thing better than anyone else, and you'll be used as that point of reference.

3) Post everywhere. Here, ArtStation, Facebook (10k hours), conceptart.org, 3dtotal, polycount, gameartisans, cgsociety, deviantart. EVERYWHERE.

4-ish)
Just be very helpful and active in the community. Give more feedback than you get. And share everything.