I've Been Running My Music & Art Career Completely From My Bedroom For 5+ Years & Here's How

I feel like many aspiring artist overthink a lot when chasing the dream. It needs to stop. Professional studios and art spaces are really dope & I dream of having one to myself some day. But for now, my room IS my recording and art studio, I made it work for me. I like to imagine that I'm like Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory and my bedroom is my laboratory filled with everything I need to create and take over the world. Having that mindset keeps me motivated to create at home where I'm comfortable. Should you get out and experience professional studios when given the chance/opportunity? Absolutely. Should that be the requirement for your hustle, your creativity, and self growth? I don't believe so. If you don't have the money or opportunity to work in a professional studio, look around you make your environment work for what you need done until opportunity presents itself.

Everything I need to make my art, music, and pretty much all my content, can be found in my room. I made it this way because I like to start on my ideas as soon as I come up with them if I can. I used to go to studios for every song I wanted to make & head over to my school for every piece of art I wanted to create. This started to get to me because whenever I came up with dope ideas, I would have to wait until I was at school or until I could make it to the studio. I couldn't take it anymore. Call me crazy but, when I come up with ideas, I can't stop thinking about them until I start working on them and if I have other important things I had to do that day, I would find myself distracted a lot. So I made it so that whenever I have an idea, I could get out of bed and start on it right away.

If you don't know by now, I not only make music but I also make art (@Art_Gawwd on Instagram). So in my room, I have a Wacom product called a Cintiq. On my Cintiq, in combination with Photoshop, I can make any digital art I desire. This helps with commissions, my own personal task like cover art for music, fliers, and much more.

In addition to my Cintiq, I have a printer. A printer is handy for fliers, promo cards, business cards, reference printing, etc. I just have to remember to buy ink but if you're printing something like stickers or art and you sell the art at shows and such, you can make that money right back.

Oh!, I also have canvases and paints over by the window for my physical artwork. Sometimes I'll work so hard on my music or designs that I'll get burned out but still want to be productive. So I got into painting. I find canvas for cheap at discount stores and paint different ideas onto them to either pass the time, keep me from taking a nap, or to just stay busy until my mojo comes back for my other stuff. Plus, the art pieces give me something to sell online if I wanted to so it really kills a few birds with one stone now that I'm thinking about it.

Then for my music, I of course have a computer (baseline iMac aka the cheapest one), a mic set up, a little audio interface, and some headphones. For my birthday one year, someone got me a sound shield so over time, I ended up with a home studio capable of helping me make some good quality music.

So as you can see, for what I do, my room is fully equipped to make magic. Depending on what you do, you may not even need all of the things that I have but you should definitely try to make your home capable of being your workspace, it'll help in the long run.

By the way, I didn't just go out one day and buy all of this stuff. I saved up and got one thing at a time in order of importance. Well, for the iMac, I used to work at a technology retail store and so I scored a pretty dope discount. But for everything else, I just saved up my dollars and got them when I could. Get your tools piece by piece and hunt down those deals and discounts. You know what's a good resource for buying things you might need but don't want to dump your wallet on? An app called "Offer Up". People are on there getting rid of their things for cheap. You can go on there and search for particular items, and really save money.

Another resource I keep in my room for motivation and knowledge is a ton of books. When I get burnt out on the internet but still want to be motivated or kept busy, I grab one of the many books I have and read to refuel the think tank. I have Gary V.'s: "Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence-and How You Can, Too", Pat Pattison's: "Writing Better Lyrics", Dean Graziosi's: "Millionaire Success Habits", and more. Having books like these in my room help me stay motivated and keeps my mind focused on my goals. Hit up a Barnes n' Noble's and grab a couple that you're actually interested in. Not having actual interest in a book you'd buy will have that book sitting on your dresser catching dust.

When I step back and look at it all, my room looks a little crazy at times, I can't lie lol. I've hung up art, vinyl's, lyrics, pictures, and my written out goals all over the place but I like it. It makes me feel like my room is more than my room. When I'm fortunate enough to have a separate workspace and/or studio, I'll transform my room back to an adult's sleeping space lol but for now, I'm prioritizing my craft over the appearance of a "nice" bedroom.

I know some people can't see themselves sitting in their room all day crunching out work and striking through their hobby to-do list but I feel like if they were to make their room feel fit for such, that they could. Once again, I'm not telling you to be a damn hobbit and not to experience studios and such but if your like me, not always having the money and/or time for that, then maybe you can balance it out by bringing your work home to you. It worked for me so I believe it can work for you too.