Cinnamon Pink

Make Art a Daily Habit: Tips from Craftsy

Via Craftsy, I found this post on Six Proven Ways to Make Art a Daily Habit written by Jessie Oleson Moore. Here are a few highlights from the article:

• "As Deepak Chopra of The Chopra Foundation says, Intention is the starting point of every dream. If creativity is the fire, intention is the spark necessary for ignition. It's a small but vital step when it comes to forming a habit. Start by making an intention to incorporate daily drawing or painting into your life."

 

• "Make Goals and Quotas. Goals are helpful in developing a habit......Once you've set goals, establish quotas. This is the bridge between setting a goal and actually reaching it."

 

•  "Fit It Into Your Routine. As Charles Duhigg explains in his book The Power of Habit, habits and routine are tied together. When trying to add a new habit, it's easier to work with your usual routines rather than against them."

Check out the complete post for more ideas.

Artists as Storytellers Via 99u

Via 99u, I came across a helpful article on Why Every Artist Should be a Great Storyteller written by Jacqueline Lara.

Lara says, "Expertly telling your story is the best kind of organic marketing you can do to promote your art because people care almost as deeply about how you create, as they do about the end product." She suggests that artists:

Learn the Storytelling Basics: 

"Start by catching the reader’s attention with a strong hook – a few lines that focus on what is the most unique thing about you and your artistic evolution........ Maybe you have lived all over the world and the different cultures have greatly impacted your design style?"

"The introductory anecdote should be compelling and full of details, so you can build the rest of your story around it by answering how that moment led you to what you create today. Finish the bio by highlighting your biggest career accomplishments."

Lots of good info in this post. Be sure to check it out for more ideas.

 

New Year's Resolutions from Artists Network

Have you made your artist resolutions yet for 2017? Even if you do not make formal artist resolutions, Lee Hammond's post on New Year’s Resolutions for Artists (on Artists Network) offers you some inspiring ideas for future art projects. Here are a few of Hammond's great suggestions:

• "Commit to learning a new medium. There are endless drawing and painting techniques and always new products to play with. Is there something you think that is interesting, but have never tried? Now is the time. Dive in! I’m going to try modeling paste to add some 3-dimensional qualities to my paintings."

• "Are you using inadequate art supplies? Yes, we all have to start somewhere, and often that means purchasing the bargain brands. While they’re good to start with to get your artistic feet wet, you may not be seeing your full potential. Invest in yourself!....You’ll be amazed at how much better your work can look with the right products and tools. I was amazed when I tried high-grade paper products such as 500-series Bristol. Yes, it is expensive, but it makes my work much more professional and sellable." What a great idea. Quality art supplies do result in better art work.

• "Use your art to document your life and desires. Each week, create a simple drawing that represents the great things you experienced in the last seven days. Make it like a collage of feel good doodles, phrases and drawings of the things you’ve appreciated throughout the week. In a new book I’m writing titled REACH!, I recommend this type of art journaling as a way to keep your mood elevated, and your desires coming your way. You can literally draw what you want into your life."

Read Hammond's complete post for more interesting suggestions.

Digital Images Primer: from Artsy Shark

Via Artsy Shark, I came upon a useful article on What Artists Must Know about Digital Images written by Andy Derrick.

One of the important tips that I learned from Andy was about TIFF files. Here's what he says:

"TIFF is nearly always the file format you’ll use for making reproduction prints. They differ from JPEG and other file types in significant ways that make them ideal for print and publication."

"TIFF files are significantly larger than JPEGs— again, this means they contain much more data and therefore are a higher quality version of the image. For online use, the smaller JPEG is able to adequately display an artwork on a computer screen, however they would be very pixelated and fuzzy if used for prints. On the other hand, a high quality TIFF file is perfect for reproducing your original artwork as a print."

"Unlike JPEGs, TIFF files can be compressed without losing any quality, again making them perfect for printing."

Be sure to read the complete article for more great tips. In fact, Andy is doing a series about Digital Images that you may find interesting.

 

Artists: Be a Storyteller from 99u

Via 99u, I discovered this interesting post on Why Every Artist Should Be a Great Storyteller written by Jacqueline Lara. Here are just a few of her interesting points:

"Learn the Storytelling Basics. Start by catching the reader’s attention with a strong hook – a few lines that focus on what is the most unique thing about you and your artistic evolution....Maybe you have lived all over the world and the different cultures have greatly impacted your design style."

"Share Your Creative Routine. Do you always find that people are asking you if you have any creative rituals?  Rituals are fascinating because they’re not limited to specific fields or artistic disciplines, so people are inspired to apply what works for artists to their own work."

I especially like Lara's quote, "People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”

Take a few minutes to read the complete post for more inspiration.

Designing a Collection: from Arts Business Institute

Via the Arts Business Institute (ABI), I came across this interesting post on Design a Collection that will Sell. Here are a couple of the points that an artist should keep in mind:

"Take a look at what you have made so far. Find the best piece in your collection, and follow that style by changing proportions and colors. Every product line begins with one or two great ideas and grows into a group of complementary pieces."

"With every item or idea, include features that require hand fabrication—things that can’t be stamped out, quickly molded, or printed to achieve the same look or effect. If your work requires hobby level skills like assembly, arrangement or another skill that can be learned quickly by a hobbyist, you’ll have trouble selling it at a high enough value."

Check out the complete post for more ideas.

 

Telling Your Artist Story from Arts Business Institute

On the Arts Business Institute (ABI) site, there are two interesting posts, Telling Your Artist Story – Part One and Part Two.

Part Two offers suggestions on how to use the Artist Story that you created. Here are just two of the ideas that caught my interest:

• "Print your story (and your photo) on a piece of paper packaged on the back of two-dimensional prints of your work, or on a Certificate of Authenticity that comes with their purchase. This also adds value to your work."
  

• "Social media profiles give you a chance to share your story in short form. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and other sites have space for this. These can serve to attract followers and expand your social reach."

Check out the complete post of twelve ideas on how to use your Artist Story for more great tips.

Creative Goal Setting from The Skinny Artist

The year is almost half over. Have you recently re-visited your Creative Goals for 2015?

If not, then check out the following post, via the Skinny Artist blog: Taking Control of your Creative Life written by Michaela Cristallo.

Here's just one of Michaela's points that caught my interest: "Even with specific goals and deadlines it’s easy to get lost in the busy-ness of day to day work. To avoid potential goal disaster create a list every single week where you write up a set of small doable tasks that will move you closer towards achieving your big goals."

Read the complete article for more ideas.

 

Sell More Art

Via the ClothPaperScissors blog, I came upon this post on Six Tips for Selling Your Art written by CherieHaas. Here are a couple of points that caught my interest:

• "Offer a Variety of Price Points. To make your artwork more affordable to larger numbers of people, try making some items that can carry a lower price tag, such as prints of paintings, greeting cards, smaller artwork pieces, and gift items like jewelry."

•  "Make Your Art Useful. Customers who may not be able to justify spending money on a wall hanging might be persuaded to buy a funky clutch, fabric bowl, or book wrap." 

For more tips, read the complete post.

 

 

Services for Your Art Business from the Art Biz Blog

Here's a helpful post that I discovered on Alyson Stanfield's Art Biz Blog entitled I Recommend These Services for Your Art Business.

Alyson cites experts on licensing, digital prints, online classes, design, book proposals and more. Check it out!

 

Diversify Your Creative Product Line from AbI

Via the Arts Business Institute (ABI), I discovered this post on 10 Reasons to Diversify Your Creative Product Line. Although the article is targeted to artists who sell their creative products to wholesale buyers, I believe the information is also useful to Etsy-type sellers. Here are a few of the points that caught my interest:

•  "It Helps You Access New Markets. While your current niche may occupy a single vertical slice of the market, everybody has neighboring markets… and chances are, just like neighbors, they could be interested in the same kinds of things!"

• "It Challenges You To Grow and Listen To Your Customers. It’s easy to rest on your laurels and stop innovating when you find a product that is filling a niche nicely. We sometimes develop blinders to anything else because our identity becomes wrapped up in a single product… after all, we’ve put many hours and lots of sweat equity into developing it! But this can be dangerous to the long term survival of our creative businesses."

• "It Makes You A More Attractive Vendor. Whether your client is a gift shop, gallery, or bookstore, your wholesale buyer is always on the lookout for new products that they can bring to their customers." 

Read the complete post for more useful information that you can apply to your own small business.

Creating a Full-Time Art Business from Artsy Shark

Via Artsy Shark, I discovered this informative interview on How an Artist Created a Full-Time Business written by Carolyn Edlund. The featured artist is Nettie Price.

Here are some tips from Nettie for artists who want to advance their business:

"Some advice that I can offer for other artists who are interested in growing their business is don’t be afraid. Know in your heart that you can do it and then do it. Make a commitment to yourself that every day you will pay attention to learning, growing and sharing. There is plenty out there for everyone, including you."

Take a few minutes to read the complete post.

 

Why No One Likes Your Art - from The Red Lemon Club

Via the Skinny Artist, I discovered this thought-provoking post, Why No One Likes Your Art: 26 Reasons , written by Alex Mathers, host of the Red Lemon Club. Here are just a few of the points that caught my interest in Alex's own words:

• It’s Been Done Already. - "Emulating and taking from other artists early on as you develop a style and a voice is perfectly fine, in my view. But don’t expect people to fall head over heels for your stuff if it isn’t original."

• You’re Just Creating. - "There is a difference between simply creating something new, and creating something new that builds on your previous work or experiences."

• You Don’t Understand Cool. - "I talk about cool as the fascinating quality that encapsulates an up to date awareness of what really interests people, and being original, honest and authentic as you go about delivering it. This awareness is not something anyone is simply born with. Put in the research; learn what your people like; and you can generate cool work."

Take some time to read the entire post for more great ideas on how to enhance your art career.

 

Ten Quick Tips to Organizing Your Studio from Arts Business Institute

Containers from My Studio

Today on the Arts Business Institute (ABI) blog, there are Ten Quick Tips to Organizing Your Studio, written by Barbara Carleton.

Here are a few tips that I especially like:

•  Create Stations - "If you’re lucky enough to have a bit of a square studio, with 3-4 walls, make each side of the room (and the center!) into a station.  One wall could be focused on sewing materials, while the other wall features an easel and wall shelves with paint supplies and brushes."
• Use Containers - "Corral paint brushes, pens, and other tall tools into pretty jars and baskets. Organize your button collection into old spice jars, and keep them lined up in a drawer. The more you can organize like items together, the more you’ll be able to find." Note: I use Hello Kitty and Heart-Decorated Pails to store my brushes and tools. I like the shot of color and fun that the decorative pails add to my studio. I purchased the containers for a $1. each at Target.

• Go Vertical - "Have a lot of empty walls in your studio? It’s time to try organizing vertically! Whether you install floor to ceiling shelving units, or you just want a few boxes nailed to the wall, take advantage of having your supplies at eye level, but off your floor and desk spaces."

For more inspiration, check out the other tips in the article.

 

Creative Exercises for Increasing Motivation from iCraftopia

Founded by the Craft Guru, "iCraftopia was developed to serve handmade artisans from around the world with useful insights, tips, and business resources in an effort to raise awareness and advance the handmade selling industry."

There are many informative articles and cool Infographics on the site. Here's one post, and accompanying Infographic, that caught my attention, 30 Creative Exercises for Increasing Motivation. Here are just three examples from the list.

• "Give Your Ideas a Chance. It is good to be a dreamer. Give your dreams and ideas a chance by working hard to achieve your desires." 
•  "Compete Against Yourself. Competing against others is a waste of time. Try to compete against yourself from an earlier version. Prove your own success and ability to exceed old expectations."
• "Work Towards Your Goals Everyday. One small step made each day ends up becoming giant leaps to reaching your goal. Make sure you make logical steps that make sense."

Take some time to read the complete article. Then check out the site for more inspiring ideas.

 

 

 

Cards from Nicely Noted

 

 About a week ago, I wrote about Sarah Schwartz, founding editor of Stationery Trends, and the force behind The Paper Chronicles and her Letter Writing Campaign.

Well, today I received a delightful package of cards and stamps from Sarah. I love the clean line of these cards. They look too pretty to use. The card collection, from Nicely Noted, includes:

• Thank You Card by Iron Curtain Press
• Yellow Ikat by Wild Ink Press
• Well Done by Paperwheel Press

Perry Nelson is the founder of Nicely Noted which is a stationery subscription service that delivers a curated collection of letterpress cards and stamps to your mailbox every month. Take a few moments to read why Perry founded Nicely Noted and view her beautiful card collection too.

 If you're interested in more details about the Letter Writing Campaign, check out The Paper Chronicles. 

 

 

 

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Featured in The Paper Chronicles

Build Your Best Portfolio from the Arts Business Institute

Via the Arts Business Institute (ABI), I discovered this informative post on how to Build Your Best Portfolio. Here are a couple of points that immediately caught my attention.

• Present Your Art Cohesively. "Each piece in your portfolio should work together. If you create art in very different mediums, or very different styles, this can present a discordant portfolio that will confuse viewers and may make you look less serious as an artist."

• Show your best work. "Sometimes artists include just about everything they have made in their portfolio, but this can actually hurt your presentation..... Keep in mind that your work will be judged by the weakest piece you show." 

Take a few minutes to read the complete post - and then decide how you can enhance your own portifolio.

Marketing Tools Of Non-Starving Artists from Bob Ragland

Via Lori McNee's blog, Fine Art Tips, I discovered another artist nambed Bob Ragland who is known as the Non-Starving Artist.

Lori told readers about Bob's Marketing Tools Of Non-Starving Artists. Scroll down the post to read about his tools. What tool can you try out today?

 

 

 

Create Word Stamp & Star Stamp - Quick Tutorial

I made two more stamps using Self-Adhesive Foam Sheets.

For the Create stamp, I used a Stencil Alphabet that I have in a Word format. When setting up your letter stamps, it's always a good idea to print the chosen word in mirror format so that you have a guide to follow when laying out your letters on the base. For my base, I used some old foam board that had once been a support for my watercolor paintings.

To protect the foam board from water during cleanup, I was going to coat it with some matte medium. Instead I first completely covered the board with packing tape - and then I pressed down the letters. 

I like the look of large words, i.e., Create on an Art Journal page. It adds a nice pop to the layout. You might want to check the size of your journals first to determine how large you want to make your word stamps. The above Journal page is still a work-in-progress.

Alternately, you could also stamp your words diagonally across your Journal page. I've noticed that there are a lot of large Star stamps, and stencils, on the market. Save some money and google Star images and use the results to make some Star foam stamps.

What type of stamps do you make?

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Tell Your Story & Sell More Art from 99u

Via 99u, I discovered this interesting post, Sell More Art: Why Transparency & Storytelling Win Fans written by Jen Adrion and Omar Noory.

Here are two points that especially caught my interest:

• Your Background: "Walk your visitors through your artistic journey, showing who you are and how you became the creative person that you are today. Sharing these details in a genuine, authentic way will help customers feel more connected to you and your work."
  
• Inspiration: "Sharing your inspiration helps visitors understand the philosophy behind your work and the incredible amount of thought and care that go into its creation."

Take the time to read the complete post for more thought-provoking strategies.

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Creating Certificates of Authenticity for Your Art: from Artpromotivate

Creative Kick-Starts from 99U

Web Marketing & Social Media Trends from Social Media Today

Via Social Media Today, I discovered this article on  11 Web Marketing and Social Media Trends That Will Shape 2014 written by Stephanie Frasco.

As mixed-media artists, it's important for us to be aware of marketing and social media trends that could affect our Art Business. Here are a few key points from the post:

•  Blogging Will Remain The #1 Way To Generate New Business.
  
• Video Consumption Will Increase.
• Marketing Will Be About Adding Value.

Take time to read the complete article and then determine how you can make these trends work for your own Art Business.

Traits of Successful vs Unsuccessful artists from Lori McNee

On her Fine Art Tips blog, Lori McNee has posted an Infographic detailing the Traits Between Successful vs Unsuccessful artists.

Lori says that "Although there are sometimes circumstances beyond one’s control, most barriers to success are self-generated and can be fixed." I believe that the successful traits which Lori listed can serve as a roadmap for artists.

I agree with all of the Successful Traits in the Infographic but here are three of my favorites:

• Network and Exchange Ideas with Other Artists.
• Never Stop Learning.
• Become Manifesters and Make It Happen.

Make sure you check out the complete Infographics chart and then start working on your road to artistic success today.

 

 

 

 

 

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New Year's Revolution Kit from Do What You Love

Image from Do What You Love site

Do What You Love is offering a FREE New Year's Revolution Kit. Here's a brief description of the kit from their site:

"A practical kit to help you make 2014 the year you do what you love. This FREE 24-page PDF will help you extract the good from 2013 - look ahead and shape your 2014 - into the year you want it to be. It includes a powerful technique to help you make dreams into reality, and make your ideas happen."

Check it out!

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Art Goals & Marketing Plans for 2013 & 2014

Checklist for a Successful New Year from the Arts Business Institute

Maybe you're in the midst of tying up all those loose ends that are associated with your Art Business for 2013. But 2014 is already peeking around the corner.

If you want to be art business-ready for 2014, then read this 15 Point Checklist for a Successful New Year from the Arts Business Institute (ABI). Here are two points that especially resonated with me.

• "Add New Designs to your collection. Most successful artists who wholesale offer 30% new products each year to waiting retailers who want to offer fresh, exciting goods to their customers. This is the time for product design and development. Be ready to break out of the gate right after January 1st with a solid collection of new products."

• "Clean And Organize Your Studio and Office. Clear out all the clutter you’ve been meaning to get rid of, and set the stage for a successful upcoming year with a clean, orderly and inspiring place to work."

For more valuable tips, make sure you read the complete post from ABI.

Taking Charge of Your Creative Goals

Via the Skinny Artist site, I found this post on How to Take Charge of Your Creative Goals written by Michaela Cristallo. 

I like what Cristallo says about making sure your goals work for you:

"Even with specific goals and deadlines it’s easy to get lost in the busy-ness of day-to day-work. To avoid potential goal disaster, create a list every single week where you write up a set of small doable tasks that will move you closer towards achieving your big goals."

"Make each task specific and easy to achieve within the week. It could be as simple as drafting an email to send to someone or as big as completing an entire artwork."

Take some time to read the complete post and then check out Cristallo's inspiring site, For the Creators.

Sell Your Art at Retail from the Arts Business Institute

Check out this informative post, 10 Ways Artists Can Sell Retail, published on The Arts Business Institute (ABI) site. Here are three venues I especially liked:

• Retail from Your Own Web Site.
• Third Party Web Sites
• Using Social Media

Take some time to read the complete post and then start building your retail strategy.

 

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Christmas Trends 2013/2014 Season

Image from Gifts and Greetings Review site

Via the Gifts and Greetings Review site, I discovered this post on trends. At major European trade show Christmasworld, four key themes were pinpointed for the 2013/2014 season:

• Precious Jungle has an opulent character, combining the elegant and expensive with the cool and regal colours of the jungle. Choice fabrics such as velvet, silk and brocade are opulently embroidered or decoratively adorned. 
  
• Fantasy Forest is a playfully romantic style that puts traditional fairy-tale motifs and Christmas reds and greens in a young and modern context, where natural materials such as pine cones or acorns are painted silver and lend an abstract, ethereal effect. 
  
• Glowing Desert reflects the power and beauty of contrast. The combination of natural, warm shades, such as ochre and sand, with purple and an intense coral provides strong accents. 
  
• Gracious Coast is light, feminine and delicate. Modern pastel shades are contrasted with black, anthracite and ecru. The reduced, sculptural shapes create a 50s feel - structures are fluid and clean, and surfaces are finely worked.
  

Read the complete post for more details.

Which of these trends catch your interest? I like the Fantasy Forest trend. Can you incorporate one or more of these trends into your product offerings this Christmas season?

Freshen Up Your Etsy Shop

If you're an Etsy Shop owner who is looking for solid business advice, check out this post on Handmadeology - Three Steps to Freshen Up Your Etsy Shop and Be Found Again.

There are many practical hints in the post. Here are three tips that I especially liked:

• "Go through your shop and see if there are colors, types or styles which are not represented in your listings. Then, either make the item, or if it is actually in your inventory, take a picture and list it! You may just hook up with a new customer who would have not found your shop otherwise."
• "If you add certain keywords in your title, to be Google relevant, you need to add the same keywords in the first line of your listing description."
• "To be Etsy-relevant, you need to repeat your keywords and key phrases in both your titles and your Etsy tags in order to be easily found on page one of Etsy search."

Take some time to read the complete post. Later, find more selling tips by checking the archives on Handmadeology.

Start Small Just for Today

Does the idea of beginning a new, big creative project overwhelm you? Then check out the 99u post on Start Small: Why Tinkerers Get Things Done written by Mark McGuinness.

Here are some quotes from the post that really resonated with me:

• A funny thing often happens when you “just” start tinkering:  You forget about the big, intimidating picture.
  
• Mark Forster, in his book, Do It Tomorrow, suggests tricking your mind by telling yourself the following:  I’m not really going to do [the task] right now, but I’ll just do [the first step].

Take the time to read McGuinness' complete post and then take that first step today.

 

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Enhancing the Back of Your Art Work

We all strive to create art work that is both unique - and that leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. But what do you see when you turn your art piece over? Artsy Shark offers an interesting post on: What’s the Back Story on Your Art? 

Carolyn Edlund says that, "The way you finish the back (of your art) speaks to the quality and perceived value of your work, and can considerably enhance it." I agree.

A little while back, I featured a post on Creating Certificates of Authenticity for Your Art. I usually create Certificates for the prints that I sell. I also like to collage the back of my art panels to cover the unfinished look which usually consists of the construction and brand name of the substrate.

You could also add your logo, a quote or a brief story about your art piece. Check out Carolyn's post and then try to think of other ways to enhance the back of your art.

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Artists & Copyright

The Importance of Knowing What Sells at Retail from Joan Beiriger

Hmmmmm....... I wanted to do a post about a collage that I recently revised but TypePad will not let me upload images. There seems to be a problem with Internet Explorer. However, I use Google Chrome.

Instead of the collage, I will share an informative post about Art Licensing: The Importance in Knowing What Sells at Retail written by Joan Beiriger.

Joan mentions a newsletter that is new to me called Gift Beat. According to Joan, the newsletter "tracks trends in the gift industry that is aimed at the retailer but also has very useful information for artists."

In the article, she also offers additional tips to help artists learn about the type of art that sells at retail. Make sure that you read her complete post - and then check out the links too. Another great article from Joan!

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The Brand of You from the Skinny Artist

Via the Skinny Artist site, I found this post entitled The Brand of You written by Angela Cross.

Here are two of her artist branding tips that I especially liked:

• "Brand consistency:  Connection of colors, images, logo, writing voice among all of your platforms (Web site, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Deviantart, Bluecanvas, etc.)

• Story time:  A great story attracts fans and press alike. Make sure to have a few different versions of your story. Ask your friends, family and enemies what is interesting about you. Have a few versions that are no more than a few words. (e.g., Cowboy artist lost in space with camera.)"

Check out the rest of the article for more great information.

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The ABC’s of Art Marketing via The Empty Easel Site

Via the Empty Easel site, I learned of a series of articles discussing The ABC’s of Art Marketing - an Alphabet Guide to Marketing Your Art, from A to Z. This thought provoking series is written by Aletta de Wal.

In today's 8/13 article, Aletta is "focusing on the 5 'I's' of art marketing by explaining the importance of impressing viewers and fans - interesting yourself in their lives - inspiring desire for your art - interpreting responses - and initiating follow-up actions."

Catch up with the previous posts by accessing The ABC’s of Art Marketing link. Check it out!

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Smart Ideas for Greeting Card Entrepreneurs from Artsy Shark

Are you interested in licensing your art to Greeting Card Manufacturers?

Then check out this interview with Kate Harper on the Artsy Shark site: Smart Ideas for Greeting Card Entrepreneurs.

Later, take some time to check out both the Artsy Shark site and Kate Harper's blog for more valuable marketing advice.

 

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Improve Your Luck as an Artist from Fine Art Tips with Lori McNee

Image from Fine Art Tips with Lori McNee

Via Fine Art Tips with Lori McNee, I discovered this great post on 7 Ways to Improve Your Luck as an Artist. The article was written by ArtBistro’s Art Marketing Experts - and was originally posted on ArtBistro.Monster.com.

I especially like this quote from Doug Farrick.

"One guiding principle that has served me well and provided me with my fair share of good luck is the belief that everything counts. Now what does that mean exactly? It means that every interaction, every email and every contact — EVERYTHING counts. It’s often very tempting to “cut corners” or take the path of least resistance, but it’ll come back to bite you when you least expect it." 

You can find additional Art Business Tips and Fine Art Tips on Lori's site. Take some time to check it out. There is a good deal of valuble information for artists. 

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Creating Certificates of Authenticity for Your Art: from Artpromotivate

Image from artpromotivate site

A while back, I heard of the concept of creating Certificates for Individual Artwork. According to artpromotivate: "There is no rule that artists must have certificates of authenticity, but they do add a layer of perceived value and trust for an artist, making art work easier to sell."

If you would like more information, the artpromotivate site provides the details on How to Make a Certificate of Authenticity for Artwork.

The article also offers Web sites with free certificate of authenticity template downloads. Check it out!

 

 

Art Goals & Marketing Plans for 2013 & 2014

Can you believe that the year 2013 is more than half gone? Where did the time go? July is a good time to revisit - and revise - your Art Goals for 2013. Maybe you have a Marketing Plan. Does it need to be revamped?

And looking ahead to Christmas which is only a short five months from now. Do you know what products you will be selling during the Holiday Season? Equally important, have you started working on your holiday product line? 

The Arts Business Institute (ABI) recently posted a timely article to help artists work more effectively in 2014. Check out their post on how to Make an Art Marketing Calendar.

Then make today a Business of Art Day and:

• Revise your 2013 Goals and Plans. 
• Build a 2014 Art Marketing Calendar

Mixed-Media Artists & 2013 Trends

Image from Art Buyer site

When you create art, do you follow trends? Trends can change very quickly. What’s in today can be tired-looking in a year. However, it’s still a good idea to be aware of trends when you are developing new art designs.  

In the Spring/Summer 2013 issue of the Art Buyer magazine, Regina Cooper wrote an excellent article on Trend-Spotting. Here are some of the current trends that she cited:

• Colorful & Individual Products
• Inspirational Themes
• Art Work Featuring Words
• Florals
• Home Décor – Patterns, Specifically Sophisticated Stripes, Medallions, Ethnic Prints & Motifs, Bright Candy-Colored Patterns
• Birds & Feather Motifs
• Food & Drinks (both cocktails & coffee)
• Roosters
• Country Styles
• Collage-Type Designs & Appliqué Looks
• Polka Dots still trending

Take some time to read the complete article online. You'll find more great ideas about trends. Then, you can decide how you might incorporate these trends into your own art work.

Artists & Copyright

Image from Artsy Shark site

Yesterday, I submitted copies of my latest art work to the United States Copyright Office. First, I prepared my art according to Copyright Office guidelines. Then I signed into the site, filled out an online form, paid $35. (per application) and uploaded my work. You also have the option of sending copies of your art to their offices. The whole registration process is pretty simple - and there are FAQs to guide through each step.

Today, I came across this post on Artsy Shark on How Artists can Protect Their Intellectual Property - and I decided that this was an important topic for a blog post. The article was written by Emily Danchuk who is an intellectual property attorney and founder of Copyright Collaborative.

Read Emily's informative article and then start registering your art now.

 

How to Sell to Major Retailers from ABI

Image from Arts Business Institute site

The Arts Business Institute (ABI) is offering an information-packed series of posts on - How to Sell to Major Retailers. Here is Part I. Next, check out Part II and Part III.

Life has been kind of hectic around here. Once things settle down, I'm going to check out the complete set of ABI posts. But I wanted to make sure that you saw this information today.

 

Surtex 2013 from Joan Beiriger

Image from Surtex site

The Surtex (Art Licensing Event) and The National Stationery Show! recently took place in New York City. If you have an interest in Art Licensing then you must check out Joan Beiriger's article: Art Licensing: Successful 2013 SURTEX Over & Now the Followup. 

At the end of the article, Joan provides a list of links to additional articles on these shows. I especially enjoyed reading Joanne Hus's post: surtex 2013: art + relationships = success. Lots of good advice for artists in this article. Check it out!

Start Licensing Your Art from Lateral Action

Via Lateral Action, I discovered this post, How to Start Licensing Your Art (and Why You Should) written by Natasha Wescoat.

I like what Natasha says about Making the Pitch:

"You can create your own opportunities. Make yourself known to companies you want to work with. Research their sites, their brand and then write a thoughtful letter describing your interest and make a brief introduction of yourself."

"Offer links to your work, as sometimes attachments are marked spam or they won’t open. Show them how THEY can benefit. Not just that you want to work with them. Show how you two fit. Link to the best examples of your work that complement what they already license."

Check out the rest of this informative post. And start taking that first step to Licensing Your Art. 

Art Career Advice from Artsy Shark

Image from Artsy Shark site

Here's an inspiring post from Artsy Shark on How to Become a Successful Freelance Artist written by guest author & artist, Noah Bradley. I especially like his points on working hard - and doing the work you love.

You may also be interested in the Artsy Shark post on How Artists Can Build a Brand written by artist, John Borys. I like his messsage on style:

"If your work is quirky, whimsical or fun, your Web site, messaging, and social media efforts should reflect that vibe. If you are a traditional or realist painter, your Web site needs to look and feel like that. Colors, typeface, copy, images and layout are all tools to further communicate your brand, whatever that might be."

Check out these two posts and start working on incorporating some of the ideas into your own artist career today.

 

Generate Leads for Your Art Business with Social Media

A while back I did a post about Selling with Social Media. Aldo Baker contacted me about a follow-up post on this topic: 50 Ways to Generate Leads with Social Media. Check it out!

Here's Baker's favorite tips in what he calls a Tweet Sheet:

• Crowdsource content and credit your community as a way of giving back.
• Make ads visually appealing for Pinterest pins, since this market is growing fast!
• Integrate keywords into your LinkedIn page(s).
• Monitor Twitter tags for new and relevant conversations.
• Reach out to industry leaders with a Google Hangout.
• Host a video webinar answering questions for your customers.

Although SalesForce is a business-oriented site, I believe mixed-media artists can gather some great tips to use in selling their art.

 

Promote Your Art with Notecards & Post Cards

Check out this informative post from Artsy Shark: 7 Ways to Promote Your Art with Notecards.

A while back, I took the (above) photograph of one of my favorite flowers, the hydrangea, and then had post cards printed up. I like to include complimentary post cards along with the orders that I send to my customers.

I especially liked this idea from Carolyn Edlund's article: "Got a hot prospect? Send a whole boxed set of mixed cards showing a selection of your portfolio, inside of a larger box. It’s sure to get opened, and makes a much bigger impression than just one piece."

Carolyn also offered this marketing tip in her post: "Don’t forget to include your name, information about the image, a statement about your work, and your website address on the back of each card."

Check out the rest of the Artsy Shark post for more great ideas.

Tracking Art Trends for 2013

Image from PRNewswire site

If you own an Indie Business, following trends in fashion, pop culture, crafts, color and interior design can be beneficial to your bottom line. You may also gain new ideas that you can incorporate into your own art product line. 

Via PRNewswire, I discovered this post: Michaels Reveals Top Craft Trends For 2013. The trends focus on the following four areas:

• Nostalgia/Vintage - e.g., jumbo pom-poms, laser-cut frames, mason jars.
• Eco-Chic - e.g., wood grain, natural fibers, rope, paper and cork.
• Unexpected Materials - Think of using unexpected materials in traditional crafts such as wreaths, banners and garlands. 
• Personalization - Initials and monograms are showing up on all kinds of projects.

 Here's another informative post on Tracking the trends for 2013  from Craft Focus Magazine.

Try to set aside time each week to track trends by visiting design & art-related blogs, Pinterest and other similar sites. Visit department stores and boutiques keeping an eye out for the next big thing. Make note of the trends you find. Then figure out how you can take a trend and apply your own unique ideas to create a new product. 

You may just start a new trend.

Jumpstart Your Art Career - Tips from Lori McNeed

In the past, I've highlighted posts from other blogs on Jumpstarting Your Art Career.

Here's another article, from professional artist Lori McNee who is founder of Fine Art Tips, entitled, How to Jump Start Your Art Career.  You will surely find a plethora of valuable tips in Lori's post that you can use to promote your own  art career.

 Here are a few ideas from Lori that I especially like:

• Make creative time a habit. Just like you make time to exercise, make time to create!

• Start producing finished, frame-worthy pieces of art.

• Document your artwork

Set aside time to read Lori's complete post - and then go forth and Make Art.

Best Sites to Sell Art Online from Artonomy

A little while back, I blogged about Artsy Shark's post detailing 150 Places Artists Can Sell Online. Here is another great marketing source:

Helen Aldous, founder of Artonomy  (Business, Marketing & Survival Savvy for Creative Folks), provides a wealth of information for Indie artists on her site. Check out her post on where to Sell Art Online – A List of the Best Sites to Sell or Promote Your Art. Helen lives in West Yorkshire, England.

Visit Helen's site for additional focused Indie Business advice.

 

Top Marketing Experts from Launch Grow Joy

If you sell your mixed-media art, take some time to check out this List of Top 36 Product Marketing Experts You Need to Know from Andreea, host of Launch Grow Joy.

Visit each expert's Web site, including Andreea's site, for a wealth of marketing knowledge and information. In fact, you may want to bookmark the post so that you can check back later.

Keeping an Idea Notebook

I know that many of you do Art Journaling? But do you keep a Notebook of Ideas? I've been filling notebooks with ideas for many years now. I believe it's the writer in me that likes to capture my thoughts with pen and paper.

Here are two posts from other people who also keep Idea Notebooks:

• On Keeping a Notebook in the Digital Age by Elizabeth Spiers

• The Spark File by Steven Johnson

I like what Johnson says about ideas:  

"...... Most good ideas (whether they're ideas for narrative structure, a particular twist in the argument, or a broader topic) come into our minds as hunches: small fragments of a larger idea, hints and intimations. Many of these ideas sit around for months or years before they coalesce into something useful, often by colliding with another hunch."

In order to exploit this particular quality of idea formation, Johnson keeps what he calls a 'spark file.' He explains: “A single document where I keep all my hunches: ideas for articles, speeches, software features, startups, ways of framing a chapter I know I’m going to write, even whole books.”

Johnson doesn’t try to organize them. The randomness is intentional. He reads them over every few months and finds themes emerging — connections between fragments that wouldn’t seem apparent if those fragments were presented in isolation.

Take a few minutes and read both of the above articles to determine how you might benefit from cataloging your thoughts. In my own Idea Notebook, I jot down notes for articles as well as ideas for mixed-media art projects.

What kind of Idea Notebook would you keep?