[Coffee Talk] Should you really Replicate Success?

Many business and entrepreneur coaches often talk about "Replicate Success" However, this might not be the right thing to do for you and me. Today, I want to share with you my thought.

[@sherrym.2413]

I've seen several art related youtube channels grow. As a result of gaining more viewers there seems to be a shift to a more commercialized channel. I realize that growth is a goal for streamers but replicating can be a real turn off for me. I start feeling like a commodity as a viewer. I always appreciate your honesty and that you remain true to yourself. Thanks Eric

[@Cafewatercolor]

I think after I got my 100k plaque, I have less urge to grow my channel. It would be nice if that happens naturally, but I want to really think about what I want to produce =) Thank you!

[@trinahaines5838]

Great advice and well said, Eric. Be yourself, listen to your own heart, and your work will be more inspired, no matter what you are doing.

[@Zogtee]

As an older artist, you realize that time is a finite resource and the question then becomes, what do I want to spend my time on? Pursuing my own ideas or trying to emulate someone else's?

[@jaehaussling1894]

Good to hear from you🙂you explain your thoughts in a calm sincere way. I agree with you. If art does not come through you as your own expression, then it is a waste of your time

[@chalbarczyk8071]

Eric, I found you after watching some different artists and finally understood what watercolour is all about. Your commentary is deep and wise, especially when you talk about shadows, and how you see the painting as a whole. Thanks a lot!

[@leonorlatour9250]

I agree so much with you, even though I'm still in the stage where I'm looking for my own way to express in my paintings what I want to say. Best wishes to you

[@LVWRSHP2]

As an artists who only recently started trying to paint seriously again after many years of not even picking up a brush, I found you to be among five or six artist on youtube, who's skill, technique, tallent and style, impressed me enough to want to follow and watch some of your videos and hopefully learn and pick up a few tips. Your an amazing and unique artist Eric and not seeing you pop up on my feed had me a bit concerned that you were dropping off youtube altogether. This video, I believe, clarifies what may be going on. I believe you may be experiencing a clash between the pressure to pursue success and the desire to focus on making art that matters to you personally...to reconnect with that which made you fall in love with paintng in the first place. I may be wrong but I don't think so. Stay true to yourself my friend , for in the end when you are looking back over your life and journey, only by doing so will it be without regret. As always, I'm looking forward to seeing your work!

[@redge9158]

You are eloquent in your expression... thank you for this introspective. Wishing you and your family, as well as your extended art/ social media family a hapapy and creative New Year!

[@tiqh1806]

Agreed! putting the creative soul into it whether or not it's popular has benefits.

[@user-sd2jb1gg4w]

I agree with you about limiting yourself to others ideas. We should learn from others because why would we need to “reinvent the wheel” but only to express our own ideas. This is a hard line to walk. Learn, absorb, and express. Influence is fine, mimicking isn’t. Thank you for your video. I greatly appreciate the reminder to in brace original works.

[@simonenugent7874]

Appreciate your insight Eric. It’s about being authentic to ourselves. As you said: we can learn from one another but this is different than replicating someone. It’s important to be open to new ideas while we seek to express our individual artistic experience. Here’s to individual expression 🎨🙌🏼

[@nadeaner.cowley513]

Great video! Thanks for sharing❤

[@virginiarinkel7544]

Thank you Eric for this video. I can feel when I'm influenced by too much technology, all the digital constant upgrading, and such fast movement in programs, software, etc., that I just want to run away sometimes from that. I have to rethink, refocus on who I am, and what I like to do, and slow down to get straightened around again. Your talking about this helps. I'm so glad I listened to you today.

[@riverstun]

Eric; I dont know you, and you dont know me. But you hit the nail on the head. Everyone has a choice; Do what makes $ or do what makes you happy. If you do what makes you happy, you may become poor;. If you pander to what is popular, you might get rich, Professionalism = selling out. Take your pick.

[@Art-by-LC]

You are absolutely right. Even if you start to try and do something in the way another artist does, sooner rather than later your own personality & style creeps in and takes over. Thats why I’m not worried about people trying to copy what I do - their copies will always be different. Good advice. And Happy New Year to you too.

[@recklessisrecording]

Thank you for sharing this. I've been sucked into the whole strategy for artist and entrepreneur for a while. But after trying things out for several months. I realize those things are not for me. So I am trying to focus on developing something on my own. It is quite scary to do things knowing that there are spelled out rules you should follow. It is very disheartening and frustrating. But I am determined to walk my own path :) ❤

[@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122]

You only have 11 videos on your channel, so you barely even begun. Easy to correct your course, since you don’t yet have time and effort invested. You can do this and just pivot.

[@Cafewatercolor]

Thank you for sharing! I love your video =) I won't say all the entrepreneur courses are bad. They have some good rules of thumb to learn. But definitely be true to who you are 🥰

[@chrislora8895]

Your words are true in many aspects of life, as well as business. First we learn from others, then we learn from ourselves what works for us.

[@barrysimon8103]

Many thanks for this video (and others) Eric. You've given me food for thought. Although I have no commercial ambition, success, for me, would be the satisfaction of following a process to it's conclusion and producing paintings or drawings that I'm happy with: an expression of myself. I look forward to more of your videos in 2024. Happy New Year to you and your family

[@sherylryan7965]

Thank you, you make my thoughts clearer, I agree with everything you said.

[@hornjan8258]

The best way to improve your skills and personality is not to depend on art as a source of income. I believe that in this case you should not only emulate your favorite painters, but also be inspired by other styles. For example, I am not the biggest admirer of Karen Rice's paintings, but I have tried out many of her creative techniques and adopted them into my repertoire.

[@joyhsieh512]

Bravo for your sincerity. I am not a professional artist but I can imagine artist's pressure to success. Wishing you the best.

[@cheryrobertson2735]

Yes, I can know what I like. Adds up to who I am!

[@Pamela-ko8dz]

lovely talk Eric. Very authentic.

[@ZDD760]

Great videos. The world needs more inspiration you share.

[@riverstun]

"Successful" Thats the question. Do you want to make money, or do you want to be you. In cash, sex, career, family, love, it always boils down to how much you can pretend to be someone else, and how true you are to who you are, and let the chips fall,where they may,

[@johnnyrbattaglio6943]

Thank you I really appreciate what you speak 😊

[@Katelinlin]

You should really 'sure' about this Great talk of yours Eric!! As this's actually i have been thinking a lot lately .....What a coincidence! or is sign from God to me. Anyway, i have been learning art for almost 3:ish years now, my art teacher, family+friends keep telling me my art is pretty good ....and i have been searching what others say about what should you do when you're just start (to become a fulltime artist) but what most of them all say is the same things & i definately not feel comfortable about being someone i m not! Thank you for that - is giving me a proof of someone/the other artist outthere is actually have a same thought like me & i wont feel i have to follow what they say is the only way to success!!!!

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

🎉Excellent

[@sandradonofrio413]

Good job. 😊

[@baileythompson7040]

Happy new year to you and your family.

[@thomassutrina8296]

The people that came before you all made choices and are smart. Why did they make those choices? If you can figure out this then you can compare their solutions to the different set of conditions you face. So the old master had limited colors. Cameras didn't exist. And they couldn't go far. These are not your limitations. As we get closer to our times, your limitations then you can adapt and pick and choose what from their solutions fits your situation.

[@azmgbbb]

Did you translate for a Painttube TV Video?

[@ChrisFixedKitty]

One wonders what art historians of the future will say about all the internet trend driven art of this era.

[@Cafewatercolor]

it is interesting to think about! we have renaissance.. baroque.. etc. I wonder what the future is going to call this era of art

[@watercolourmark]

In terms of content we shouldn't replicate success. It is limiting, and it takes years to build a following. So it would be wise to game the system, try things out and compare stats. Like someone could decide to run 3 channels; tutorial channel, art profile channel and relaxing entertainment time lapse channel - as each audience needs differing content. Just play a game with it and see what works. But we should replicate our art heroes. Being a copyist is a stage of an artists development. At first we copy and then we steal. It is only by copying that we can find the things we like; at that point we own them, we have stolen them, they are ours.

[@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122]

You have produced one bad video, 3 months ago. Not yet playing any algorithm games. Can’t truly give advice, until you actually applied it.

[@watercolourmark]

@@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122 - I ain't a KZbinr. I am a retired web professional. I uploaded and rebranded my KZbin channel a few months ago for watercolour, once I am in a daily practice of painting then I will be uploading - pointless to be uploading till I have daily/weekly content in my workflow. Trust me, I know what I am talking about.

[@Cafewatercolor]

Yeah, I think there are definitely some good ways to get started a channel or art career. So I am definitely not denying some of the tips and principles others are sharing. It's the matter of finding what works well for you and what feels like you =)

[@riverstun]

If you dont sell out, you will get less money. That's what it boils down to. I like you, but I'm not making you rich. If you want to get rich, you need to learn how to create the least value for the most money. Be a Trump; all style, no substance.