Then, economics comes into it. Those artists who say, don’t sell out, just follow your imagination, do what feels right to you… when you have an artist doing that, just doing what he wants to do with no regard for the marketplace, that’s when economics comes to view.
The artist who does only what HE WANTS to do is indulging himself, but the activity is not economically sustainable, and it’s usually not making him a better artist, not pushing his boundaries in directions that he might never have gone without the nudge from this other person. If you want to get better at what you do, sell your work, listen carefully to what the client wants, and work to produce that for him or her. You’ll create a great effect on them, while expanding your own skills. Don’t worry about whether it is perfect or not; just work to give the client what he wants. Then all will be well.