Anyone trying to make money from their art or build a following online wants to be seen as credible and professional.

But too many artists wait for credibility to fall on their lap, before they do the work.

They don’t realize credibility is built (or ruined) by the everyday things they do.

An Example of Built Credibility

Towards the end of the semester, my professor said:

“… and I’d like to point out how well Beats presents his projects. I’m sure we can all agree he’s shown the importance of being professional, right?”

In that moment, three things happened:

1. My implied credibility (quality of content) was acknowledged.
2. My earned credibility (signs of experience) was recognized.
3. My perceived credibility (what other credible people say about us) was boosted.

But it didn’t come from nowhere. I had already put in the work to build credibility:

• Cleaning artwork scans with photoshop before submitting
• Following project brief specifications (e.g., naming conventions, deadlines)
• Attending all the online sessions

• 

• 

Too often people ignore implied and earned credibility because of the hard work needed. Instead, they race for perceived credibility. More likes, more followers, more attention.

So, they can shout “HEY I’M CREDIBLE, YOU SHOULD RESPECT/FOLLOW/PAY ME”.

You and I can do better than that.

Building Implied Credibility: Quality of Content

Implied credibility is how “good” your work is compared to others in the field.

You’ve probably stumbled on an artist’s profile, and thought to yourself, “damn why haven’t I followed this artist yet?” That’s implied credibility.

Though you can build implied credibility with great art, you might still be a beginner artist. No worries, there are other ways to build credibility.

Bio

This is the first thing a visitor sees on your profile. Make it consistent with your branding. Tell the visitor who you are, what you create. Tell them your achievements, why they would want to stay.

Too many artists write “Eh, it’s my shitty art I guess. Deal with it” and expect to get commissioned. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot with self-deprecation. Focus on your strengths and what makes you unique.

Handpicked for You: How to Build Your Brand and Stand Out

Image Gallery

Make sure your image uploads represent what you do. I’ve clicked on many profiles wanting to see more art, only to find reaction gifs. No follow from me.

Some Japanese artists alternate between food pics, game screenshots, and artworks. If you feel it builds audience relationship or it’s just fun, then go for it.

Just remember to balance.

Post Quality

Small touches like consistent typography, optimized image sizes, and clean write-ups are easy ways to build credibility.

I used to draw censor bars without caring about how they looked.

It made a great artwork seem amateur. Don’t make that mistake; take your time with small details.

Commission Sheets

This depends on your brand, but rule of thumb is to keep commission sheets clean and organized. Don’t slap on a few artworks and scribble your prices and call it a day.

Your comm info is an opportunity for you to set customer expectations. Will they be getting their money’s worth? Can you communicate that you know what you’re doing? Keep these in mind as you design your sheets.

• 

• 

Building Earned Credibility: Showing Your Experience

Earned credibility is how serious someone is about their work, proof that they’re playing the game.

Imagine you stumble on another artist profile. They’ve got a lovely photo, and a clean bio.

But when you look at their timeline, you see irrelevant stuff. Nothing but cat pics, shit posts, and seldom any art.

You probably wouldn’t follow them, thinking “I’m not gonna get anything out of this.” The inconsistency and lack of art tell people you’re anything but an artist.  

Fortunately, there’s one simple way to build earned credibility:

Do the Work

There’s no way around it, my dudes. If you want to be known for something, you gotta get down and do it.

Imagine meeting an artist who says they’ve been creating for over 6 years, versus someone who says they’ve just started a few weeks ago. Even without mentioning follower count or income, the first artist commands more credibility.

This applies to how often you create as well. Who would you respect, an artist who draws every day regardless of mood, or an artist who draws whenever they’re hit by divine inspiration?

If you can’t upload everyday, show people you can commit to a schedule. I upload art weekly, and articles 2-3 times a week.

Show it Off

Another mistake creators make is that they don’t leverage credibility.

You have to own your credibility, otherwise no one will notice. Your client won’t know you put hours into an artwork perfecting every detail unless you tell them.

This is part marketing, part storytelling. You want to share what makes you credible, but not to the point of bragging.

For example, you can share the obstacles you overcame during a commission. Maybe include a link in your profile to your best works. Or update your bio to mention your achievements.

What about Perceived Credibility?

The thing with perceived credibility is that it’s easy to fake. Just slap an “I am a ____” on your bio and play pretend.

If you jump to this step, you’ll disappoint your audience when they find out what’s really going on. That shiny new project you promised never happens. That artwork you were so hyped about was never posted.

Worse, you risk damaging your reputation if you take on client work. One of my friends was ranting about their art commission, complaining it was nowhere near the quality of what was usually posted by the artist.

I don’t know the whole story, but it certainly stains that artist’s image. Not just for me, but for whoever that art commissioner talks to. And trust me, art commissioners know other art commissioners.

If you want to build perceived credibility, let it come naturally from your work and how you treat others. Respect your clients, create a satisfying experience for your followers, and the rest will follow.

Just don’t forget to humble brag.

My Client and Business Fails: 7 Big Lessons so You Avoid My Mistakes

Conclusion

In the end, building credibility is about putting the work in and then showing it off tactfully or without bragging.

Building credibility is about putting the work in, then showing it off tactfully Click To Tweet

Specifically, you can build three kinds of credibility:

1. Implied credibility, seen through the quality of your works
2. Earned credibility, seen through signs of your experience and consistency
3. Perceived credibility, seen through signs that “say” you’re credible

Focus on implied and earned credibility, which are the ones your actions can impact. Perceived credibility will follow as people start to see your effort and consistency.

How will you start building credibility? Have you met an artist before who’s so focused on perceived credibility, they forget to back it up?

Share your experience in the comments or join our Discord for NSFW artists who want to improve their art and skills!