What It Means to Be a Self-Taught Artist

Being self-taught does not mean you learned nothing.
It means you chose how to learn.

You followed curiosity instead of going to formal art school, whatever the reason might have been. Sometimes it's a lack of money, maybe your parents didn't approve, or maybe like me, you just didn't have the mental energy for it anymore.

The good news is that you can teach yourself art, how amazing is that?! (I am sure this won't work if you could not go to school to be a neurosurgeon.)

You can stitch together your education from YouTube tutorials at midnight, Skillshare classes during coffee breaks, Instagram reels that sparked something in your chest, books pulled from dusty shelves, and endless hours of trial, error, and “why does this look weird?”

That counts.
More than counts.

Walking Your Own Path

A self-taught artist walks a path without railings.
No syllabus telling you what matters.
No grades defining your worth.
No professor’s taste shaping your voice.

Instead, your teachers are many and constantly changing.
One month it’s a watercolor artist on YouTube.
Next it’s a digital illustrator on Skillshare.
Then it’s a painter you discovered by accident while scrolling at 2 a.m. (Or 3, or 4, or 5...ask me how I know)

You learn what you need, when you need it.
You repeat lessons until they land.
You skip what doesn’t resonate.

You build an education that fits your nervous system, your life, your budget, your season.
That freedom shapes your art in ways no classroom ever could.
And what an amazing day and age to live in to make it all possible!

How Being Self-Taught Can Be Better Than Art School

Art school offers structure.
But structure can also become a cage.

As a self-taught artist:
You are not trained to please an examiner.
You are not subtly molded into what is “marketable” or “acceptable.”
You are not unconsciously taught to compare your growth to others at the same stage.

You develop intuition early.
You trust your eye because it is all you have.
You experiment without fear of failure because no one is grading you.

Your style may emerge faster because it is not interrupted by rules before you learned who you are, expressed in art.
Therefore, many self-taught artists create work that feels alive because it was never filtered through approval.

(Watercolor experimentation from my early days)

How Being Self-Taught Can Be Harder

But let’s be honest.
Freedom has a shadow.

Without art school:
You must create your own discipline.
You must decide what to learn next.
You may miss foundational skills at first and have to circle back later.

There can be doubt that can become your insecurity..
You may ask yourself, “Am I doing this right?”
I too had my moments where I wished someone would simply tell me the order of things. 

But struggle does not invalidate your path.
It strengthens it.

Because every gap you discover becomes intentional learning.
Every weakness becomes a choice to grow, not an obligation.

If you learn to look at it in this light, everything changes:
Now you begin to understand that every 'failure' is just a beautiful part of your journey.

Why You Can Be Confident as a Self-Taught Artist

Confidence does not come from certificates.
It comes from evidence.

You show up.
You practice.
You improve.
Your work evolves.

That is mastery in motion. 
That is where your confidence comes from.

You are self-directed, adaptable, resourceful.
You know how to learn, unlearn, and relearn.

In a world where tools and styles change constantly, that skill is gold.

Art history is filled with artists who never followed the traditional route.
And yet, their work changed everything!

Famous Self-Taught Artists

Yes, self taught artist, you are in good company:

Vincent van Gogh
Mostly self-taught, his learning came through books, observation, and relentless practice.

Frida Kahlo
No formal art education, her painting came from lived experience, pain, and identity.

Henri Matisse
Largely self-taught in his early years, developing his style through experimentation and intuition rather than strict academic rules.

Bob Ross
Self-taught painter who learned through practice and observation, showing that art can be gentle, accessible, and joyful.

Georgia O’Keeffe
Largely self-directed, developing her distinct visual language by following her inner vision rather than formal instruction.

None of them waited for permission.
None of them needed validation to begin.

The Truth About Being Self-Taught

Being self-taught does not mean you are less or that you are behind.
It means you are aligned.

You chose curiosity over conformity.
Practice over prestige.
Voice over validation.

Your path may look unconventional.
But art has never moved forward by people walking neatly inside the lines. On the contrary!

So don't be insecure.
If you are learning, creating, and listening to your inner pull, you are not “less than.”

You are exactly where artists have always been.
On the edge.
The place where there is no map.
And your inner guidance is your only navigation.
And it guides you to the art that is fully you.

Much love,

Denise