‘That’s not Real Art’ Gatekeeping is destroying your success

That gatekeeping morality is the very thing holding you back from true success. I’m not some Instagram artist chasing likes, I'm the go-to person when you need a serious commission, or gallery pieces, I’m someone who knows how to nail the perfect fonts and image licensing for commercial use within a time limit and budget. I often don’t have time or even the rights to post the art I make & sell, because it’s how I make money… by selling fully licensed assets.. you know because I’m a single mom making money. Not a hobbiest.

And what’s worse? The world bought the story against me, when I was sharing my hobby. Why? Because the world loves romanticising and dramatising its kink for ‘poor broken girls’ until those girls become mothers. Then suddenly, you’re not a victim anymore, you’re “the cautionary tale.” And not a ‘real artist’. The second I chose to protect my children rather than spiral for everyone’s entertainment, I became “scary” to you.

My art isn’t a hobby; that’s why it’s not on Instagram. it’s a business built on strategic, calculated decisions.

Behind the façade of professional artistic expression and those shiny gallery contracts lies a web of creative hacks, resourcefulness, and a deep understanding of practical know-how. The myth that professional success is all about innate talent is just an elaborate lie designed to keep you frustrated, stuck on Instagram and mediocre. Real art isn’t some mystical force that exists only in the hands of the so-called pure; it’s built on tools, free licensed images, carefully curated fonts, and techniques passed down from the old masters.

Back in 2020, my page was personal and raw, I used it as a hobby. Unlike a bunch of cat-piss smelling groupies trying to gaslight me into thinking they knew who I was, for someone else’s delusion, I was creating without compromise. But that feeling of an invisible firing squad waiting to pounce on every move I made? Was soul-crushing. They twisted every piece, every outfit choice, into proof of their pathetic narrative. I wasn’t on stage for them, I never was, I was creating because that’s who I am. I love creating.

But they made up some delusional narrative in their heads and then forced it on me, like it was my responsibility for how they interpreted my expression, like they were the rule keepers.

So let’s ruin their delusions. Let me give you the Ammo you need to understand being a professional artist.

To the gatekeepers who insist that “real art” must be crafted entirely from scratch by hand, do you seriously believe that authenticity is some magic ingredient bled from your bones? Have you ever considered how much work it takes to build a masterpiece? Even the old masters like Leonardo and Michelangelo relied on borrowed influences, tracing, reinterpreting the techniques and visions of their predecessors. If you think real art is only born of sweat, blood, and untouched canvases, then you’re clinging to a delusion as outdated as dial-up internet and as pretentious as a baroque opera performed in a soundproof room.

The Reality of Professional Art: Embracing Modern Tools

Let’s get real for a minute: being a professional artist isn’t about blindly mashing out something raw and “pure.” It’s about knowing your tools inside out, they’ll teach you this in art school, those tools include free licensed images, meticulously sourced commercial fonts, and yes, even tracing. Tracing isn’t cheating; it’s learning, it’s building a foundation. It’s the same tool that the old masters wielded, using grids, sketches, mirrors and studies to create compositions that transcend the mere act of drawing by hand every single line.

Professionals understand that every shortcut is a calculated move to achieve excellence faster and smarter. When you are a professional you have deadlines, while amateurs cling to the notion of purity as if every detail must be hand-carved by divine inspiration, professionals leverage every resource to deliver stunning, market-ready work on time and on budget.

The truth is, art today is as much about resourcefulness as it is about raw talent. The sophisticated use of digital assets, high-quality stock imagery, commercial fonts, and tracing techniques isn’t a sign of laziness, it’s evidence of a pragmatic mind that recognizes the difference between art as self-expression and art as a product in a competitive market. When you dismiss these methods as “inauthentic,” you’re not defending art; you’re upholding a tired and elitist myth that’s been used for centuries to scare off innovators. The old masters were masters precisely because they knew how to use every tool at their disposal, blending tradition with innovation. If you can’t appreciate that, then you’re simply stuck in a bygone era where ego trumped evolution. And you will never be a professional artist.

For those who cling to the notion that “real art” can only emerge from painstaking, manual labor, here’s a hard truth: that mindset is the biggest obstacle to your growth and it’s killing you. If you’re too busy obsessing over the purity of every stroke, you’re missing the point entirely. Success in this field isn’t about maintaining an antiquated ideal, it’s about evolving, adapting, and mastering every tool available to you.

The professional world isn’t waiting for you to catch up. It’s a fast-moving arena where efficiency, innovation, and smart resourcefulness win every time. To all the gatekeepers: while you’re busy bemoaning the use of AI and modern shortcuts, the art world is already thriving on them. So, drop the amateur gatekeeping attitude, learn the tools of the trade, and step into the arena of real, professional art. Because if you’re serious about making your mark, it’s time to stop babysitting your outdated ideals and start embracing the future.

Stop posting sad quotes and reels of you slowly turning holding a canvas with text ‘trying to find my audience’. Elevate yourself already and drop gatekeeping.