Meet Vincent Nappi

We recently connected with Vincent Nappi and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Vincent , we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Great parents, loving family & having a strong sense of purpose.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m an artist from New York now living in Florida. I create work for a steadily growing list of incredible brands and clients with a focus on fashion illustration, graphics for print, branding & advertising imagery.

Several years ago, I launched my own brand of illustrated apparel under the label NOIR INC. and spend my spare time creating new designs, studying marketing, design and business.

I also offer classes where I’m focused on passing on my knowledge to artists young and old, inspiring them to create and lead full lives with art at the core.

If you’d like to sign up to my newsletter & hear more about my work and thoughts on art making, click the link below…

https://tinyurl.com/vnartistnewsletter

If you’d like to check out my portfolio, click here…

https://www.vincentnappi.com/

And if you’d like to follow me on social media, check out my Instagram below…

https://www.instagram.com/vincent_nappi

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
In terms of art-making…

Habituating the creative act via sketchbooks, life drawing, keeping to some sort of daily schedule is crucial. You want to make art. You don’t want to *think* about making work. Removing areas of friction between you and your creativity is key. One of the best ways to do this that I know is to keep a sketchbook, especially as a student, and fill up one after another with observational, off-the-cuff drawings of whatever you happen to see. Turn drawing into an act that is as natural as breathing.

It’s also important and deeply enriching to become endlessly curious about your craft. The history of it, who practiced it before you. Dive into the lineage of artists whose footsteps you tread in and learn as much as you can about their work and lives. All of that will act as fuel and inspiration for your own projects and personal challenges.

I’d also suggest that anyone who suffers from ‘artist’s block’ and just doesn’t know what to work on next only has to take a step back and look inward. What books are you reading? What movies are you watching? Who are the people you’re surrounded by on a daily basis? Where do you live? What do you find yourself naturally obsessed with? All of these subjects will point you towards your next project. When you find a vein of inspiration, mine it until it runs dry.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
The man with the greatest impact on my creative life so far, is without a doubt, George Pratt.

He took the time to humor my emails as a 17 year old looking for guidance and always responded with such incredible generosity. His willingness to pass on what wisdom he’d earned as an illustrator was and is perpetually inspiring. There’s no gatekeeping, just an abundant enthusiasm for the craft and it’s history & a powerfully prolific example of art-making in action.

George helped to kindle my passion for art in a way that no other living creator had before, and his work continues to be a guiding light.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
All work & photography by Vincent Nappi.

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