Handmade Tile Artist

Tiles can be mass-produced quickly and inexpensively. Those made by hand take much longer to create and are often more expensive, but they usually have a level of detail and artistry that’s hard to replicate with a machine. A Handmade Tile Artist uses creativity and technical skill to create these beautiful tiles.

As a Handmade Tile Artist, you likely work for yourself, and you spend a significant amount of time searching for new business. So you develop a portfolio of your work as a Handmade Tile Artist, and send that portfolio to many people. You may participate in craft fairs and gallery shows, displaying your work and hoping to make sales. You may also compete for large projects.

When you’re able to break away from the sales portion of your job, you work in your studio. You cherish the time you spend actually making the products rather than just talking about them.

You begin by sketching out your tile designs. Then you build molds, mix tile materials, and pour them into the molds. You may stamp the tiles by hand, or apply tints or metallic elements. After that, you bake the tiles in a kiln, sand off rough edges, and prepare the tiles for presentation.

You need to keep your artistic side alive so you can continue to innovate. You may look at the work of your colleagues, and think of ways to improve upon it. You may also spend time in your garden or on long hikes, looking for inspiration. But you have to remind your spouse that this is part of your work, not your sly way of goofing off.