Meet The Artist: Rosso Crimson

STARTING YOUR ONLINE ART SCHOOL

Tell me about your course, what does it offer for artists and why should they join?
As mentioned, I created my art school with the goal of gathering and sharing all the knowledge I’ve accumulated over the past 16 years of practice. In addition to teaching the art of realism, portraiture, and how to create abstract figurative paintings on a large scale (using my own style as a starting point), I also offer valuable guidance on many aspects of developing a sustainable artistic practice—things that are often hard to find elsewhere. This includes everything from choosing surfaces, mediums, and brushes to selecting subject matter, finding quality photographic references, and mastering
painting techniques.

I also provide private coaching and more direct advice on topics such as managing relationships with galleries, launching a website and establishing an online presence, finding exhibiting opportunities, and navigating the complexities of selling and pricing your work.

What inspired you to start an art school and teach others online?
Still during COVID, as I was reaching an ever-growing audience of art lovers online— ranging from art collectors to critics to art students—I was asked to teach some pre- recorded classes. The response and feedback were fantastic, and soon after, I was invited to run in-person workshops, which further enriched my teaching experience both online and in person. The idea of setting up an online teaching platform that would always be available and bring together all my learnings came naturally, as a direct result of the experiences I had gathered over the past 5 years.

Have you had any rewarding moments from your classes?
Yes, of course—there have been plenty of successes! Many of the artists who took my workshops went on to win prizes for the work they produced under my guidance. Others have sold their work immediately, and some have been accepted into exhibitions and competitions. It’s truly rewarding to see their growth and achievements!

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Has social media ever influenced your artistic style of process?

Social media has had a massive impact on how we create—not just in how we record content, but also in the subject matter we choose. Social media also serves as a kind of free market research pool. You can truly gauge from the reactions what your audience resonates with most.
On one hand, it’s essential to stay true to your calling and pursue what feels authentic. On the other hand, especially if you aim to be a professional artist, it’s equally important to identify what within your work connects with your audience. This allows you to refine and offer what they enjoy, increasing the likelihood of acceptance and success.

It’s not about blindly following trends or changing your creativity to fit. It’s about identifying what you are passionate about and strong in, and aligning that with what your audience also appreciates. For me, portraiture has always been my calling, so I would never start painting landscapes. But over the years, I’ve refined my portraiture skills and found ways to engage more deeply with my audience online.

How do you manage the balance between social media and painting?

This brings me back to the earlier question about the challenges of being a professional. Time management is a major issue, especially since so much time is required to run all aspects of your practice efficiently. For me, it’s usually a 50-50 split—50% of the time spent painting, and 50% creating content for social media.

Time pressure is a constant reality, unfortunately. Moreover, being also a social media content creator (besides an artist) is something that can’t easily be delegated, as it becomes an integral part of your brand and personal connection with your audience.

Do you have any advice that you would give artists on how to grow their social media presence?

Post consistently and prioritise quality over quantity. Be responsive, and pay attention to which posts and videos resonate most with your audience, then tailor your content
around those.
The opportunity to grow your account is in the hands of everyone. It’s a truly democratic tool—though somewhat erratic—but I believe it’s worth investing time in. In the long term, I think it pays off.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR OTHER ARTISTS

What is the best advice that you received as an artist?

Don’t let your weaknesses overshadow your strengths. Instead, focus on strengthening your strengths and excelling in those areas, while also taking care of your weaknesses.

How do you stay motivated during creative blocks?

I suffer from creative floods, actually . In any case, both extremes can lead to a kind of paralysis—being too much in your head is the common thread here. So, if anything is
blocking you, whether it’s fear of failure or being overwhelmed by too many ideas, the best approach is to calm your mind. Do this in a creative, connected way—like drawing
or sketching.

If you’re a realist artist, consider sketching from life or photographs. This practice will naturally calm your mind, freeing up creativity and bringing a sense of positive quiet.

How can new artists develop their unique style?

Practice, getting to know your medium, and exploring different techniques will naturally lead to a selection of what resonates with you—what you want to dive deeper into. Over time, this will evolve into different versions of that focus, eventually forming a signature style or a consistently growing personal practice.