by 
These days, whenever I ask my industry colleagues where they’re finding work, the answer is almost always one of two things:
Industry connections or Social Media.
…but, despite the proliferation of Social Media success stories within the Entertainment Industries, many of us are still afraid of Social Media.
…and if we’re not afraid, we’re often too familiar for our own good.
…but Social Media is just like drawing and painting.
It has a set of learnable skills and a professional approach.
I learned how to power my business with Social Media strategies that progress both the business and my personal art career. I also helped a number of my students and my Animation industry colleagues develop their own Social Media strategies.
We’re all Artists here.
If I can figure it out, you can too.
…and today’s lesson – 11 (BAD) Social Media Habits That Hurt Your Art Career (And How To Break Them) – is a great place to start!
Click through to watch the lesson and download the free resources…
Watch The Lesson:
[ download the mp3 ] [ download the pdf ]
Lesson Transcript:
The following is a transcript of the full lesson – with illustrations and links for the Artists and Resources!
NOTE: I made each Bad Social Media Habit into a Character. They do NOT represent real individuals. They are satirically simplistic, fictional Characters created to help us identify and externalize our own Artistic struggles.
Introduction:
Hello, my friends and welcome to The ArtCast by The Oatley Academy!
I’m Chris Oatley – I’m an Illustrator and Visual Development Artist currently working for Disney.
…and here at ChrisOatley.com, I help Artists create dream careers in in Animation, Concept Art and Illustration.
We all know that Social Media is vital for a successful art career.
These days, whenever I ask my industry colleagues where they’re finding work, the answer is almost always one of two things:
Industry connections or Social Media.
…but, despite the proliferation of Social Media success stories within the Entertainment Industries, many of us are still afraid of Social Media.
…and if we’re not afraid, we’re often too familiar for our own good.
…but Social Media is just like drawing and painting.
It has a set of learnable skills and a professional approach.
I learned how to power my business with Social Media strategies that progress both the business and my personal art career. I also helped a number of my students and my Animation industry colleagues develop their own Social Media strategies.
We’re all Artists here.
If I can figure it out, you can too.
…and today’s lesson – 11 BAD Social Media Habits That Hurt Your Art Career (And How To Break Them) – is a great place to start!
Join The Interest List For “Dream Machine”
Before we begin, check out my new Social Media course!
It’s called: Dream Machine: Social Media Strategies To Upgrade Your Art Career!
Throughout the course, you’ll develop an effective, efficient and sustainable Social Media strategy that helps you rise above the chaos and competition.
My friends Loish (world-famous Illustrator and Concept Artist), Lauren Panepinto (Creative Director for the Sci-Fi/ Fantasy Publisher Orbit Books) and Alison Mann (Creative Talent Recruiter for Illumination and Disney) will also be there to support you with their own, specialized guidance.
Join the interest list and I’ll follow-up soon with the details!
#1: The Rando:
The Rando has no clear career goal.
…and without clear career goals, one has no idea what to post.
Like a desert island castaway tossing bottled messages into the ocean, The Rando posts anything and everything, hoping a stranger will, some day, send rescue.
The Rando’s bio might be confusing: “Coffee addict. Cat lover. Parent to three crazy kids. Cartoonist and occasional photographer.”
…or noncommittal: “I draw stuff.”
…so, The Rando shouldn’t be surprised when they get ignored in favor of Artists with clearer posts and profiles.
How To Break “The Rando” Habit:
Social Media is full of randomness and clarity is extremely scarce.
What studio or client out there is looking to acquire more randomness? What hiring manager puts “confusing” and “noncommittal” on a list of job requirements?
Clarify your career goals and you’ll have a much clearer idea about what to post.
Combine that clarity with excellence and you’ll earn the attention of those who will help to create your dream career.
#2: The Noisy Neighbor:
My good friend Justin Rodrigues was a guest instructor for an Animation VisDev course I taught at The Oatley Academy last year.
Though the focus of his talk was, as you might expect, Character Design for Animation, the topic of Social Media came up several times.
Justin talked about how it helps to think of your Social Media presence as an “Active Portfolio.”
Dynamic, interactive, evolving…
…but still professional.
Scroll The Noisy Neighbor’s feed and you’ll find it pulverized by irrelevant (and often incendiary) posts.
Maybe they can’t resist a political rant.
…or maybe they prefer the Internet hive-mind to a qualified psychologist.
…or maybe they think yet another photo of their sticky-faced kid will hook a successful Publisher or Producer.
Specifics aside, the “TMI” approach to Social Media is unprofessional.
How To Break “The Noisy Neighbor” Habit:
If you wouldn’t feel comfortable presenting it to the entire crew at your dream studio or ideal publishing house, don’t post it on Social Media.
…if you absolutely have to use Social Media for personal purposes, create a separate account for friends-and-family only.
#3: The Alice:
While researching a lesson on productivity, I asked my Instagram followers to share their main productivity killers.
“Social Media” was, of course, one of the most common responses.
Through conversations with many of the Artists who responded, the following pattern became apparent:
Step 1: The Artist opens a Social Media app. (We’ll use Instagram in this example.) They don’t really know why they’re opening the app, but they know that’s a thing professional Artists do.
Step 2: They check for new DMs and comments, hoping to find a life-changing inquiry from their dream Studio or Publisher but there’s just a cat video.
They type a quick reply: “So cute! *heart-eyes-emoji* Thanks, Mom!”
Now what…?
Step 3: They do what most Instagram users do: They begin to consume.
Step 4: Like Alice falling down the surreal, spacetime-warping rabbit hole, these Artists get sucked into the infinite network of hashtags and that irresistible “Endless Scroll” function.
Ten minutes disappears… Fifteen… Forty…
It’s understandable why The Alice might resent Social Media.
…because of how consumption replaces creation.
The more they consume, the less creative they feel. The less creative they feel, the harder it is to create. The harder it is to create, the easier it is to consume…
How To Break “The Alice” Habit:
Social Media, in the hands of a creator, is a tool that empowers and accelerates and connects.
In the hands of someone who is too complacent or afraid to create, it’s endless distraction.
Accept your own specialness as a creator. Commit to a specific career goal and develop a relevant project.
(More on that later.)
Don’t open a Social Media app unless you’re promoting your own work, supporting the work of your peers or connecting with industry pros.
If you begin to sense that mental shift from proactive to passive…
…from creator to consumer…
…exit the app.
Remember the words of The Cheshire Cat: “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”
#4: The Burnout:
I see Artists telling each other all the time that the key to success on Social Media is, simply: “Post every day.”
That’s it. No context. No conversation.
Post what? Where? Why?
…and for whom?
The Burnout prioritizes quantity over quality.
Maybe the demand for daily posts is too much or they’re trying to perform on too many different platforms.
…or maybe it’s both.
…regardless, they‘re overwhelmed and exhausted all the time.
The Burnout also prioritizes quantity over relevance.
They don’t really know why they’re working so hard.
…but they keep going for fear of losing the thing that they aren’t even sure they have.
How To Break “The Burnout” Habit:
I know you’ve been told a thousand times to “Post every day” and to “Be everywhere.”
How’s that working out for you?
Of course, consistency and frequency have their value. Of course, there’s a balance to be found.
But if you want to connect with Recruiters, Producers and Publishers, why would you commit to less-than-your-best?
How would things change if you gave more weight to the wisdom that was formed long before Social Media?
Wisdom like: “Quality over quantity.”
…and “Look before you leap.”
…and “Don’t burn the candle at both ends.”
…and “For everything there is a season.”
…and “Leave them wanting more.”
There’s a big difference between tips and wisdom.
#5: The Wanderer:
When The Wanderer is out exploring the vast landscape of Social Media, they feel right at home.
They find enough work to get by and meet many interesting folks along the way.
Then, suddenly, Facebook is blown away in a toxic storm, Twitter gets devoured by big, corporate monsters and in the land of Instagram, King Algorithm falls asleep on the throne…
The connections that The Wanderer takes for granted can be severed in an instant.
Even The Wanderer would be wise to buy some land and build a house.
How To Break “The Wanderer” Habit:
Social Media, though vital for a successful art career, is no substitute for a website and email database of your own.
Track the traffic from your Social Media platforms to your website and on to your email list. Do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. Measure what works by the number of high-quality connections you can create and keep.
I recommend WP Engine for web hosting and ConvertKit for email.
Over the past ten years, I have worked with many of their competitors but these two are, in my opinion, the very best at what they do.
If you enroll through the links above, I will receive a generous commission.
#6: The Whale:
The Whale swims around open-mouthed, swallowing any follower they can find.
They talk about “building an audience” as if they were working with industrial materials and not individual, living human beings.
They shove their way into forums and Facebook Groups with one-way communication like: “New personal work. Crits welcome. Please follow.”
…and though they manage to trap some noobs, the more experienced Artists know enough to stay away.
…especially the pros.
How To Break “The Whale” Habit:
You’ll know you’re making high quality, share-worthy work when people begin to like and share it on their own.
…but you will never grow if you aren’t big enough to accept when they don’t.
Find a healthy creative community and grow with them. Focus on fundamentals while you develop meaningful, reciprocal relationships.
Faith is a follow but trust must be earned over the long-term.
#7: The Bean Counter:
The Bean Counter is obsessed with numbers.
They measure the quality of their own work by the number of likes but they have no idea how it really compares to the best in the business.
The Bean Counter is meticulous but extremely emotional.
Gaining a new follower makes their day and they completely freak out when someone leaves.
Sometimes they launch a full investigation: “Who unfollowed me? When? Why? Where are they now?! How can I get them back?!”
…and sometimes they keep score: “Why does Carl have 423 more followers than me? I work way harder than he does! …and Kevin?! How did his work get featured?! He posts nothing but furry versions of famous, British octogenarians!”
When the frustration gets too intense The Bean Counter might ragequit Social Media altogether.
…then come back six weeks later.
They might try to rally a group of share-swappers in an attempt to “Beat The Algorithm!”
…or complain about the apparent unfairness of automated curation, driving away the only people who are actually paying attention.
How To Break “The Bean Counter” Habit:
Don’t expect pro numbers until you’re consistently producing pro work.
If someone unfollows, let ‘em go.
It’s just not for them.
But you don’t actually need a big audience to succeed as a professional Artist.
You do, however, need a financially viable market and work that consistently meets the quality standards that inspire them to like and share and follow and hire and buy.
Honor the attention of the small group of people who do care, produce share-worthy work consistently and your numbers will grow on their own.
“The Algorithm” isn’t your problem.
Ambivalence is.
#8: The Nameless Networker:
The Nameless Networker has enough charisma to attract an audience but lacks the confidence to offer anything specific.
So they dodge responsibility with non-stop surveys: “What kind of art do you want to see from me this year?”
…and: “Should I focus my posts or do you prefer randomness?”
…and: “How’s my hair?”
But despite all the supportive feedback, The Nameless Networker never finds a clear identity and so the pros never follow-up.
How To Break “The Nameless Networker” Habit:
Maybe you haven’t been an Artist long enough to know your own strengths and weaknesses.
…or what your true creative passion is.
That’s okay.
Art is like love. It’s almost impossible to tell the difference between passion and infatuation until it has been tested over time. (But the fear of commitment won’t get you anywhere.)
Take time to unplug and visualize a medium-term goal that makes sense.
Not a short-term goal like: “I think I’ll draw Spider-man today!”
…but also not a super-long-term goal like: “In ten years I will win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature!”
In general, I recommend a three-to-six month timeline for medium-term goals.
It has to be highly specific.
…and it has to define a journey with both creative and professional components that like-minded people will support.
Share this goal with your audience and keep them posted with your progress.
Here are two examples:
“I always lose myself when I’m sketching Characters and Character Design is a viable career. So, over the next three months, I will create a Visual Development Portfolio project with an emphasis on Characters. I plan to devote eight pages to Characters, four pages to Props and four pages to Environments.”
…or:
“I am entranced by the hypnotic compositions of Wylie Beckert. Wylie works in an industry where Artists find sustainable careers. So, over the next three months, I will do precise copies of my six favorite Wylie Beckert illustrations – including her workflow. Not to post as my own, but to learn from her expertise.”
You’ll probably want to explain that you’re still figuring yourself out so you might have to make adjustments along the way.
…and though I recommend giving the goal the benefit of any doubts that arise, feel free to change your mind entirely.
It’s great to engage your audience in creative ways but it’s not their job to design your career.
#9: The Potty Mouth:
The Potty Mouth doesn’t have a profanity problem.
…they have a positivity problem.
The Potty Mouth’s bio works to lower expectations rather than engage potential followers: “Just another wannabe Artist.”
…or: “Here’s a bunch of useless crap. Enjoy.”
…but sometimes it’s more subtle: “Artist. Trying not to embarrass myself.”
When you do look past The Potty Mouth bio, you’ll notice that their updates and/or captions often lead with guilt or negative self-talk: “I haven’t been posting enough lately, so here’s a…”
…or: “I always avoid drawing hands because I’m lazy LOL so I decided to…”
…and yet The Potty Mouth complains about how hard it is to grow an audience…
How To Break “The Potty Mouth” Habit:
When you frame your work in shame and guilt, you agitate the shame and guilt in your audience.
…and nobody wants more of that.
…but when you frame your work in passion and positivity and professionalism, your career will, almost certainly, progress.
Though the topic of mental health goes beyond the scope of this lesson, I feel it’s necessary to make a quick aside:
If you discover that negative self-talk is more than just a bad habit, I highly recommend seeking the help of a mental health professional.
To fight RSI, we visit a wrist doctor, right?
Unbreakable negative self-talk might call for a visit a thought doctor.
#10: The Hermit:
The Hermit prefers to lurk and like and follow and subscribe in silent support of everyone else.
But they hide from their own excellence because they’re afraid of falling into the dark chasm between risk and reward.
How To Break “The Hermit” Habit:
The loyal support of your fellow creatives is much needed and, in most cases, deeply appreciated.
But there’s no growth without risk.
That’s not a dark chasm in front of you.
It’s a blank canvas.
#11: The Messy Roommate:
The Art School where I got my undergraduate degree was infamous for inundating its students with homework.
I lived in a shoddy condo with way too many roommates and every room (Yes. Even the bathroom…) became an ad hoc workspace.
Stacks of animated flour sacks, the dust of foam dinosaurs, sticky easels, overturned paint cups, open cans of turpentine (It’s a wonder we’re all still alive…), charcoal powder, pizza boxes, half-empty soda cans and socks (Why were there so many socks?!) culminated in an epic mess with a predictable-but-appropriate name: ARTPOCALYPSE!
On Social Media, The Messy Roommate seems to think their individual posts are as permanent as a published book – never to be discarded nor recycled.
The remnants of every creative experiment and trend create a mess of what could, with some focused de-cluttering, become a professional presentation.
Recruiters, Producers and Publishers lack the time and energy to navigate the chaos, so they scroll away quickly, completely missing the all the good stuff.
How To Break “The Messy Roommate” Habit:
Angry as you might (still) be at George Lucas for The Star Wars Special Editions and all their superfluous CGI, they hold a valuable lesson for us all:
If some of the most indelible films in the history of cinema can be reworked twenty years later, the posts on your professional Social Media feeds are definitely not permanent.
If you don’t declutter and curate your work, somebody else will declutter and curate for you.
…by unfollowing.
Do these three things today:
- Consider your ultimate career goal.
- Think like the folks who will help you achieve that goal.
- Imagining you’re them, scroll your own feeds, curate and de-clutter.
Repeat this every few months or every time you apply for a new gig.
Sign-Off:
If you struggle with any of the (bad) Social Media habits in this lesson and want help developing a sustainable, efficient and effective Social Media strategy that supports your career goals and helps you rise above the chaos and competition, then please consider joining my new course:
Dream Machine: Social Media Strategies To Upgrade Your Art Career!
Enrollment is currently scheduled to open at the end of March 2019 so go now and join the interest list and in the coming weeks, I’ll follow-up via email with the details!
…and if you haven’t done so yet, download the free, illustrated Companion PDF and the mp3 for this lesson!
Until next time, my friends, remember: You are creators, not consumers. Design your lives accordingly.
