There are more ways to go about it than I can describe in this reply. In my case, it was a 1.5 year stint, I funded it with my own savings and didn't have external income during that time. So I was paying myself which isn't sustainable long-term, but on the upside I got to do exactly what I wanted without external constraints. It was fun and fulfilling, with some nuanced downsides towards the end. After that, I got a paying job again (though one where I get to do more of what I wanted to do).
