What is Mighty Artisan?
Hey there! It’s Tim Mcburnie, let me tell you about my new art community, I’d love for you to join and become a part of this. It’s called Mighty Artisan. Check out the video below to find out what Mighty Artisan is all about.
Turn Your Creative Dreams into Reality
Remember the first time you realized you wanted to be an artist—when stories and worlds lived in your imagination, begging to be brought to life. You knew that creating art was something you were meant to do.
Somewhere along the way, things get complicated.
You have ideas, characters and epic tales waiting to be shared, but translating them from mind to canvas feels like speaking a language you haven’t quite mastered. Your technical skills might be growing, but that gap between vision and execution still feels impossibly wide.
It’s easy to reach a certain level of skill, but find yourself stuck in an endless cycle of practice without purpose—tutorials, studies, and exercises that never quite lead to those finished pieces you dream of creating.
And when we want to develop a good career in art… the challenges of finding the right job, or building a business are overwhelming.
Even when artists do reach great levels of skill and career success… they still yearn to create their own stories. Their own personal art… with more meaning.
What is a Mighty Artisan?
In today’s world, there’s no shortage of art tutorials, courses, and social media tips. But here’s what nobody tells you: Technical skill alone isn’t enough to create the artistic life you dream of.
Inside Mighty Artisan we aim to develop five essential elements working in harmony:
- A rock-solid foundation in your craft
- A reliable creative process that turns ideas into finished work
- The productivity tools to stay consistent and motivated
- Basic business understanding to build a sustainable career
- The ability to develop your unique voice and create original worlds
Miss some of these and you will find it hard to really get your career and ultimate aspirations going.
You may already have some of these pillars under control, but we need a full set to open up what’s possible.
The old adage “Jack of All Trades, Master of None” no longer applies. In the current information age of unlimited possibility it’s all about building a collection of skills that work together.
Now it’s about Jack of All Trades, Master of One.
If you can add a few more abilities on top your art skills it can make all the difference.
If you get the basics sorted in business, marketing and worldbuilding… many new paths open up.
These skills can help you to understand the job market better and figure out what employers actually value. It can also make you to see new pathways for doing it all yourself or being and integral part of a small team.
Even for artists who just want to be an accomplished successful hobbyist, knowing how these work will let you get the most out of your projects.
Mighty Artisan aims to build these skills so you can become a complete artist.
Check out the Quick Tour Video below:
Check
The Artist’s Dilemma
The knowledge required to become an amazing artist has never been more accessible. The tools have never been cheaper. But the bar for quality keeps rising, along with the distraction, noise and overwhelm.
As artists, we face a unique challenge in today’s world. The internet has made learning art more accessible than ever—countless tutorials, endless inspiration, and connections with artists worldwide are just a click away.
Yet something isn’t working.
Our social media feeds are cluttered with distractions. Our creative energy gets drained by endless scrolling and algorithm-driven content. Instead of making art, we find ourselves caught in a cycle of consuming, comparing, and getting overwhelmed by noise that doesn’t serve our artistic growth.
Even dedicated art communities often miss the mark. They’re either too focused on technical skills alone, or they become another source of distraction—filled with drama, politics, and conversations that pull us away from what matters: making art.
A Different Kind of Creative Space
Inside Mighty Artisan we bring together the best aspects of online learning and community support, crafted specifically for artists who want to focus on what matters most—their creative growth.
A Place to Focus
Away from the noise of social media and endless distractions, this is your sanctuary to think deeply about art, share your work, and connect with others on the same path. No politics, no drama—just pure creative energy.
Community-First Learning
Unlike traditional membership sites with static tutorials and empty chat rooms, Mighty Artisan puts community at the center of everything. Share your work, explore ideas, and learn from others who understand exactly where you’re coming from. We are always working on something new, exploring new ideas and learning about how to be better artists. Your ideas and questions help shape the landscape of your community.
Real Conversations About Art
Here, you’ll find discussions that matter: exploring creative processes, sharing works-in-progress, exchanging ideas about tools and techniques, and diving into the practical aspects of building an artistic practice. These conversations happen naturally, between artists who understand the journey you’re on.
A Space for Every Part of Your Journey
Art isn’t just about technique. It’s about productivity and creative process. It’s about understanding the business side of creativity. It’s about developing your unique voice and bringing your visions to life. At Mighty Artisan, all these aspects of the artistic journey have their place.
Room to Dream Big
Too often, we’re told to be “practical” about our artistic aspirations. To tone down our dreams. To have a backup plan. At Mighty Artisan, we believe in reconnecting with those big artistic dreams that first inspired you.
Here, you’ll find others who understand that drive to create, to improve, to make something meaningful.
Imagine Your Best Year as an Artist
It’s easy to dream big but then have your motivation and inspiration fizzle out over time. At Mighty Artisan we want to build momentum and keep it going.
We all know the feeling. You wake up filled with creative energy and big dreams. This time it’s different. This time you’ll finish that project, develop that unique style, build that body of work you’ve always imagined. But as the weeks pass, that energy fades. Life gets in the way. Those big dreams start to feel further and further away.
It’s not that you lack talent or dedication. It’s that trying to do it alone, without clear direction or support, makes every step harder than it needs to be.
This is where community and framework change everything. When you combine clear strategies for artistic growth with the support of fellow artists who understand your journey, those big dreams start to feel possible again. More than possible – they become part of what we do each and every day.
Picture yourself twelve months from now:
- Completing that personal project you’ve always dreamed about
- Developing a signature style that makes your work recognizable
- Understanding how to take your art from concept to completion
- Building an audience that appreciates your unique vision
- Having the confidence to pursue professional opportunities
- Spending your time creating art that matters
What seems like an impossible task is often just a matter of having the right pieces in place. The right framework. The right support. The right environment to focus on what matters.
It starts with having a clear vision for where you want to go, then taking consistent steps in that direction. Inside Mighty Artisan, we make this journey both easier and more enjoyable. No more getting lost in endless tutorials or scattered practice. No more wondering if you’re on the right path. Just clear direction, supportive community, and steady progress toward your artistic goals.
Your creative dreams aren’t just fantasies. They’re a source of motivation and inspiration.
One of the key frameworks that we use in Mighty Artisan is that our development is guided by the art we want to make.
The skills, techniques, tools, processes and business models and every aspect of how and what you learn … It all comes down to what art you want to make. How you want to make it. Who you want to make it with. In what industry. For what purpose… The ultimate dream and destination you have for your art is often the key to making the first step and building momentum.
Figuring out your goals is a challenge… there are so many options and so many things we want to do. Inside Mighty Artisan we help surface these goals and track our progress using the right metrics.
We focus on finding metrics that are visual, creative, and support your actual desires.
Real measurable improvement happens when you have the right combination of guidance, community, and framework to support your growth.
Now is the Perfect Time
The art world is changing rapidly. With AI tools flooding the market and social media becoming increasingly noisy, it’s more important than ever to develop your unique voice and master the skills that set you apart.
But here’s the opportunity: While others are getting lost in the noise, you can be building something real—developing the skills, projects, and career that will stand the test of time.
Getting Great Feedback
Sharing your work and getting feedback is not only the lifeblood of an artist community… It’s also integral to being an artist. Learning to deal with the different ways your work will be viewed will help your art and career in a big way.
Check out this video below to learn about the Mighty Artisan Feedback Manifesto:
Feedback Made Simple and Stress Free
Feedback can be a complicated sensitive issue. But it doesn’t have to be. At Mighty Artisan we aim to become masters of feedback and critique.
We’ve all been there – finger hovering over the post button, wondering if we should really share that piece we’ve been working on. At Mighty Artisan, we’ve taken the stress out of this moment by creating something simple: two clear ways to share your work. Sometimes you want encouragement and connection, other times you need focused critique. It’s that straightforward.
There are two main ways we can get feedback, and they are equally important:
Sharing VS Actual Critique
Often the idea of simply sharing your work gets a bad name… shouldn’t we be wanting to always improve?
Yes and no. The internet has distorted this process somewhat. Let’s go back and remember the natural way people interact:
When you are hanging out with friends or other artists, it’s pretty natural to just say ‘what have you been working on?’
And then it would also be pretty natural to just whip out your sketchbook or your phone to show them your latest piece or what you did recently.
And in most cases they just say ‘cool’ ‘that looks awesome’ ‘nice’.
This is just a natural part of being human. We like to share our stuff and connect with people around what we are interested in. There doesn’t always need to be a focused critique session.
Just sharing your work and seeing people acknowledge it is really helpful.
It allows you to see the work in a new light. To get some perspective on it. Even without any direction or advice it’s just nice to share.
Improving isn’t just about the finished masterpieces – it’s about all those small victories along the way. Those moments when you finally nail that tricky lighting, or capture exactly the mood you were going for. These are moments worth sharing, worth celebrating. It’s these regular touchpoints with fellow artists that keep us moving forward, keep us picking up the pencil or stylus day after day.
It’s also great for accountability. When you know you have something to show and a few people will see it… it makes working on it have more purpose.
I used to run sketching meetups each week. Everyone would just hang out at a cafe in the evening, Bring their sketchbook to draw and talk. The focus was not on improving.
At these sketch clubs we would talk about art and freelancing and everything in between, but when you looked at someone’s sketchbook there was no harsh critique or feedback, unless specifically requested.
The thing is… people did improve though. Just from being around other people and seeing what they were doing. It was inspiring to check out the progress everyone had made that week and get updates.
The default feedback in a natural environment is just easy and positive. That’s what normal people do. It helps a lot to share and see what each and everyone is up to.
This is why the default type of feedback and response in Might Artisan is set to Friendly, Supportive, and Positive.
But… sometimes you DO want something different, and that’s where real critique comes in…
Deepen Your Understanding
There are those times when you know your work could be stronger, but you can’t quite put your finger on why. Maybe there’s something about the composition that feels off, or the colors aren’t hitting quite right. This is when you need more than encouragement – you need thoughtful insights from fellow artists who understand what you’re trying to achieve. Not harsh criticism, but genuine, constructive discussion about what’s working and what’s not.
You are stuck… and you need help with something.
Something in particular!
Getting a focused critique is not just about listing everything wrong with someone’s work. It’s about understanding how to move forward. Getting fresh eyes and acknowledging that other artists might be able to help.
This requires a subtle dance though. We all want different things. We all have a different tolerance for criticism.
The key is to know how to ask for a good critique, and Mighty Artisan makes a point of teaching these skills.
In fact, understanding how to ask for real feedback, how to receive it, and also how to give it, is a skill that will help you far outside the walls of Mighty Artisan.
It’s a foundational skill to have as an artist. Because often when we work with others professionally, be it Art Directors, Editors, Freelance Clients, we eventually have to deal with feedback.
If you practice getting constructive feedback and dealing with the emotions, it helps you work better professionally.
It’s also something that will obviously help you improve your art when done right…
The Power of Artistic Dialogue
Here’s something fascinating about artistic growth: some of your biggest breakthroughs will come from helping other artists with their work. As you share your thoughts on someone else’s piece, you start seeing your own art in a new light. Suddenly you’re noticing things about composition, color, and technique that you’d never considered before. It’s like developing a new artistic sense – one that serves you every time you sit down to create.
When artists come together to really talk about their work, magic happens. Every piece you discuss, whether yours or someone else’s, adds another piece of insight. It’s a cycle of growth that just happens naturally when you’re surrounded by the right people.
Ever noticed how some artists just seem to get better feedback than others? Often it’s because they know how to talk about their work in a way that invites meaningful discussion. At Mighty Artisan, we make this easy. Simple frameworks help you share not just your art, but the story behind it – what inspired you, what you’re aiming for, where you want to grow. When everyone understands your vision, they can offer insights that actually help you move forward.
The best part? These communication skills stick with you. Whether you’re talking to clients, collaborating with other artists, or sharing your work online, you’ll find yourself having better conversations about your art.
A Natural Part of Growth
Sharing your work shouldn’t feel like a big deal – it should feel as natural as the creative process itself. Inside Mighty Artisan showing your art becomes part of your daily practice, where feedback flows easily, and where every share moves you forward on your creative path.
We’ve brought all this together in two thoughtfully designed spaces. The Art Tavern is where you’ll share your daily progress and connect with fellow artists, while the Artisan’s Workshop is your go-to for deeper artistic discussion. Simple, clear, and always there when you need them.
There are also other spaces that are focused on growth where you can get constructive feedback on specific topics like worldbuilding and story. But if you just want to hang out and share your journey, The Art Tavern is your home.
The Five Pillars: Building Your Complete Artistic Journey
OK, I have touched on this idea, but let’s unpack the ‘5 Pillars’. I think this concept alone can help us understand so much about what is blocking us from a success as an artist.
Many artists find themselves stuck in an endless cycle of practicing fundamentals, wondering why their career or creative projects aren’t progressing despite their improving technical skills. The truth is, artistic growth isn’t just about mastering perspective or perfecting your rendering – it’s about developing a complete set of capabilities that work together to unlock your creative potential.
Often artists can actually find a lot of success with their art or career… but they hit a ceiling or they find it hard to get sustained reliable work. This happened with my career… I was a ‘Pro’ but that didn’t mean I had everything under control.
I also know many artists who have a creative art job… but dream of getting a better position within their company or doing more important work. But it’s difficult to build the productivity skills to keep developing your art when you get home. Not to mention how hard it can be to find the motivation to create personal work after hours.
This is why I think it’s important to understand the full stack of skills you need. (And if you build these from the beginning… it makes your whole journey a lot easier!)
I have built Mighty Artisan around these 5 Pillars,
The more you understand how they work together the easier everything becomes:
1 – Foundation
Your artistic craft forms the bedrock of everything you create. While not everyone needs to master every technical aspect, understanding the core fundamentals of lighting, rendering, perspective, and composition gives you the tools to bring your ideas to life. These are the building blocks that allow you to translate your imagination onto the page.
2 – Creative Process
Having a reliable creative process transforms abstract ideas into finished work. Whether you’re crafting illustrations, designing worlds, or developing your own projects, your creative process is what bridges the gap between imagination and reality. It’s about understanding how to move from initial concept through refinement to completion, consistently and confidently.
3 – Productivity, Inspiration & Motivation
Even the most skilled artists can struggle with actually making art consistently. This pillar focuses on building a positive relationship with your creative practice – learning to channel your energy, deal with artistic blocks, and maintain a sustainable creative rhythm. It’s about turning inspiration into actual output while enjoying the journey.
4 – Business
Many artists develop a complex relationship with the financial side of creativity. Understanding basic business principles isn’t about “selling out” – it’s about creating opportunities for your art to thrive in the real world. By developing a healthy relationship with the business side of art, you open new paths for your creativity to reach its audience.
5 – Authorship & World Building
The ability to create your own worlds and tell your own stories might seem optional, but it’s often the key that unlocks everything else. When you can conceptualize and complete entire projects – whether it’s a series of illustrations, a comic, or any creative endeavor – you develop a powerful creative voice that sets you apart.
The Power of the Complete Artist
These pillars don’t exist in isolation – they form a skill stack that creates something greater than the sum of its parts. When you develop capabilities across all these areas, you unlock new possibilities for your creative journey. Think of it like a recipe – missing just one ingredient can change the entire outcome, even if the other components are perfect.
The modern artist isn’t just a master of craft – they’re a creative force who understands how to nurture their inspiration, manage their energy, navigate the business landscape, and bring their unique vision into the world. By developing this complete skill set, you create options for yourself that wouldn’t be possible through technical skill alone.
Investing in Your Artistic Future
Artists often spend thousands on:
- One-on-one mentoring sessions
- 8-12 week intensive courses
- Art school tuition
- Books, tools, and software
- Tablets and technology
While these are all valuable, they often leave you alone when it comes to actually applying what you’ve learned.
That’s why I’ve structured Mighty Artisan differently.
Rather than charging $1000+ for an 8 week course you might not finish, or thousands more for mentoring sessions you might miss, Mighty Artisan is designed for long-term, sustainable growth.
Mighty Artisan is: $127/Quarter | $447/year | $47/month (USD)
You’ll be able to:
- Learn current, practical skills for building your career
- Get ongoing support as you grow
- Access frameworks and strategies when you need them
- Connect with other serious artists
- Stay motivated and accountable
- Get feedback on your work
You also get Early Access to the Impact Journey Course, a 4 part Quest so you can go deep on developing and amplifying your unique Artistic Signal.
Here’s what people inside Mighty Artisan Are Saying:
Don’t Let Another Year Pass Without real Progress
It takes time to develop your artistic craft and build a successful artistic career. Mighty Artisan is not a quick fix solution, or a promise of instant easy results. Becoming the artist you want to be is a massive challenge. But it is totally possible.
The real frustration comes when you spend years messing about without focus and strategy. It’s easy to waste valuable time and not really make any progress.
Personally I spent a good 3 years of my life playing waaaaay too many video games (I almost went pro, I ran a clan, I was in clans who were sponsored. And this was in the very early 2000s, when being a pro sponsored team was rarified air. I would often be up into the early hours of the morning practicing my aim and strategy instead of practicing my art … that’s how much time I wasted. Literally thousands and thousands of hours). While those were fun times… I look back on that with a lot of regret. I think my career would be in a much better spot if I had figured out how to really focus on my art.
Let’s make sure that in a year you are not:
- Still scrolling through endless social media, feeling overwhelmed by conflicting advice
- Hearing more doom and gloom about the industry
- Watching others advance while you’re stuck in the same place
- Dealing with periods of motivation followed by long creative droughts
- Having great ideas but struggling to finish projects
- Feeling uncertain about which skills to focus on or how to build a real career
- Unable to find the energy to create the amazing personal work you have rattling around in your head.
The longer you wait to develop these critical skills, the longer it will take to become the artist you want to be. Every month spent without clear direction is a month you could have been making real progress.
In January we did some long term and short term goal setting exercises. Here is a comment one of our current members Matt left under the one year goal setting challenge video:
There is a reason I put so much focus on goal setting and productivity in my YouTube videos and Podcast episodes: These are the skills that really helped me overcome the challenges I faced. And I see a lot of artists and students out there fail to find success because of these same issues.I have built these ideas into the fabric of Mighty Artisan, so they become normal, and just part of what we do.
The Journey Ahead
Creating art is a lifelong journey, but having the right support can make all the difference in how that journey unfolds. When you’re surrounded by other artists who understand your challenges and share your aspirations… the unknown lands and obstacles suddenly become a fun adventure.
You start to see possibilities you hadn’t considered before. That project that seemed overwhelming becomes manageable when broken down with help from others who’ve been there. The business side of art begins to make sense when explained in language that resonates with how artists think.
Small wins build momentum. Maybe it’s finishing your first complete project, or finally understanding how to price your work, or discovering a creative process that actually works for you. These victories, shared with others who genuinely understand their significance, fuel your progress.
This isn’t about overnight transformation – it’s about steady growth in an environment designed for artists. It’s about having a place to return to when you need guidance, support, or just want to share your latest creation with people who get it.
Every artist’s path is different, but none of us need to walk it alone. Whether you’re taking your first steps toward a creative career or looking to level up your existing practice, having a community of fellow artists can help light the way.
Take the First Step
Join Mighty Artisan today and get:
- Access to our private community platform
- Frameworks for improving your craft, process, and business skills
- Monthly themes focused on different aspects of artistic growth
- Weekly challenges to keep you creating
- Supportive feedback when you need encouragement
- Constructive critique when you want to level up
- A network of artists on the same journey
When you join, I’ll send you a message to say hi. Let me know what you are working on and where you would like to go. I’m keen to hear your story.
Thanks for reading & talk to you soon!
-Tim