How to Become a Famous Artist and Still Paint Pictures

by W. Joe Innis

A successful international artist offers a no-holds-barred approach to making it in the arts and selling your work."This profound, funny book, full of hard truths and smart advice, is must reading for artists. Read it and you just might transform your life and jolt your art career awake! Are you ready for some high voltage inspiration? Then come listen to the master's voice."Eric Maisel, A Life in the Arts"The best bunch of advice I've ever seen for someone who is serious about this crazy addiction called art."Barnaby Conrad, artist and best-selling author.

Genres: Art

241 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1994

Reviews

[Bobby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a funny, entertaining book that, one suspects, contains a lot of wisdom. The author/artist is a good writer who stakes out some outrageous positions regarding the marketing of contemporary art. If you are (1) a member of the art establishment, e.g. in academia, museums, art criticism, or (2) a person whose purity as a artist forbids contemplation of selling (or, as Innis would say, "presenting to buyers"), you will probably be outraged and have little patience with the book. But if you are a hobbyist or someone just looking into the art world from the outside, you may find it outrageously funny, as I did.

I read the book in the 1990s, then rediscovered it in 2018. Looks like few people have discovered it at all. Whatever other merits the book may have, it made me wonder, "Who is this guy, anyway?" and wonder if his other books are any good. Apparently few people have discovered those as well.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so it took me forever to finish this book. Why, even though I loved it? Because I followed his advice slowly through the first half. He lost me midway when he told me that I needed to get a professionally made, $5000 portfolio book made. Here's where you decide what you really want. From then on it was very entertaining reading as I love his writing style. I quite enjoyed reading about moving to another country for a year to expand your painting perspective and perhaps achieve international fame. I'll move to southern France. Yes, another country can fill you with inspiration!

Basic advice from this great read: Get off your ass and do the paintings!