It’s no secret that when it comes to choosing a career, the artistic path is not often the first choice. No matter how disappointing giving up on your dream is, there are many understandable reasons for it and for pursuing a more predictable career. The artistic world is extremely competitive and most areas within it, such as fine arts or acting, have no guaranteed revenue – no long-term contractual positions. Many young students play it safe and focus their education on a more “realistic” career, such as medicine or law, dismissing their artistic passions.
But everything was turned on its head when the pandemic hit. Suddenly, with plenty of time on our hands, we were able to give creativity our all, and people across the globe started to share their work on social media – and in particular on Tiktok.
Tiktok is the fastest growing app to date. It’s mainly known for its comical videos, but more recently, the platform is also hosting a huge range of handmade creations. We can find thousands of accounts of young artists, sharing clothing designs from their favourite shows, or displaying their own digital drawings, or even more unique creations such as candles or jewellery. All you need to do is to create an account, post regularly and the algorithm will be sure to bring you an audience.
Vogue wrote an article about Mikakayla Nogueira and her success on Tiktok as a makeup artist. Like many others, she was laid off from her job during the pandemic and so opened her account to pass time: “With so much free time on my hands, I really wasn't sure how to spend it.” She decided to centre her account on her true passion: makeup artistry. She explains how Tiktok and is the ideal platform to allow her to keep doing what she loves: “I get to share my passion for makeup with the world each day, which is an incredible honour and blessing.”
But Tiktok does more than just offering visibility to its artists: it allows them to collect revenue. Colette Bernard, an independent artist, explains in an interview that, “Tiktok is opening doors in the art world” and excitedly admits that thanks to the platform, she now has savings in her bank account. Colette, like Mikakayla, experienced what is being referred to as the Tiktok phenomenon, meaning that one of her videos went viral (gaining half a million views); then fans who fell in love with her work started buying from her online shop. In recent months, the 21-year-old artist estimates that she has shipped thousands of parcels out to customers and made around $10,000 – a tidy sum - earned from doing what she loves most.
What’s great about Tiktok is that with dedication anyone can go viral. Designers are able to sell their handmade clothes, paintings, ceramics and more. Social media is the new market where, for the first time, we have an outlet for creativity and the opportunity to make a job out of a hobby.
Recommended Links:
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/tiktok-wechat-art-world-concern-1911877
https://www.lofficielusa.com/art/artists-to-follow-tiktok
https://www.vogue.com/article/mikayla-nogueira-tiktok-makeup-artist
https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kz5yx/tiktok-gen-z-influencer-labor
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