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Create your own art website — NOT a Society6 account
YOUR SHOP TYPE MATTERS Guess whaaattt? I’m super thrilled because my artwork was featured on BuzzFeed! Hooray!! It was included in a roundup of spooky-themed products in this article here. This is the type of exposure that can help any artist climb to the top of their sales game and get a little more attention from other outlets, starting an avalanche of media coverage. And like you, I’m definitely ready for that climb. But there was one issue with this super cool article. It didn’t link to my shop. It linked to my old account on Society6. WHY NOT USE PRINT-ON-DEMAND SITES? The thing is, I used to sell exclusively…
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Your first year as an artistpreneur
ARTISTPRENEURSHIP TIPS Whether you’re diving straight in as a full time artist or taking it slow as a part-time artistpreneur, there are a few strategies that can help you survive your first year. In this article, I’ll go over what you need to focus on to stick with it, make a profit, and expand your brand awareness. MY FIRST YEAR This month (Nov 2019) marks the first anniversary of my online shop! Hooray!! Before taking this leap, I sold my work at art shows for years and designed work for friends and family — basically I made just enough money to fund my painting hobby. I was content with this…
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Start an art account on Instagram with these steps
BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA SWEETHEART So you’re ready to begin sharing your work online. Sweet. But how do you start an art account on Instagram? Instagram is the biggest platform for artists right now. One BILLION people use Instagram each month and creatives have been using this platform to reach new people every day. There is so much potential waiting for artists on Instagram as long as you know how to utilize it, where the boundaries are, and how to grow your reach. Let’s get into it. THE VERY FIRST STEP You probably already have a personal account. That’s fine. But first and foremost you must decide on whether to…
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Picking color schemes: psychology, strategy of color
COLOR IS POWERFUL Did you know that color can influence the way you taste your food? It can increase the effectiveness of placebos. Color schemes can make women look more or less attractive to men. It can draw your attention to danger and effect your emotion just by looking at certain hues. As artists, color is a powerful choice. Color can influence how people feel when they look at your work. Certain colors encourage different buying patterns in your customers. Consistent color can increase brand recognition. What colors are you using and how are they affecting your business? PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOR Whether or not you stick to a definitive color…
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After an art show: Do these to see results faster
BEHIND THE SCENES Yesterday I had an art show booth at the Detroit Festival of Books. I was excited to be there; the organizer asked me to show and I always am grateful when someone else does the reaching out. There were so many book shops, fellow bookworms and good food. Plus, it was in the Eastern Market — which if you’re from the area, you’ll know is the coolest area in all of Detroit (well, at least I think so). But that was yesterday. Today is the day AFTER the art show. And there are pleeennnttyyy of things that need to be done right after an event that are…
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Build a personal brand and make real connections
IN YOUR OWN IMAGE There’s something in your creative business that will bring you success in all the ways: more sales, a bigger following on social media, a more deeply committed audience, more opportunities in your local art community, etc. Are you ready to know what it is? A personal brand. Now it’s easy to talk about a visual brand. This is something I specialize in. Picking colors, fonts, textures, filters, and every aesthetic detail is fun and it’s easy for other people to see if you’re doing it well or not. A personal brand is similar, but it goes deeper — and the average passerby may not be able…
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How it feels to start taking commissions — the emotional truth
WHAT’S THE TEA, SIS? Well if you don’t have any, I do. It’s not real gossip, because it’s really about me. Here’s my tea: I’m stepping into doing commissions slowly but surely but I want to say out loud that it’s SO uncomfortable for me. Let me explain. NOTE: This article was written in April 2019. My relationship to commissions has changed a lot since this point! But I’m leaving it up because artists early on in their art journey can possibly relate. Check out my more recent post on commissions here. I APPRECIATE THE WORK I love knowing that people like my work enough to pay for something custom…
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Why You Need an Art Portfolio ASAP
CREATE SOMETHING YOU OWN If you don’t have a portfolio for your art yet because you think it’s not the most pressing issue, or you think you don’t need one, I’m here to convince you otherwise. Preparing a platform specifically to strut your stuff — whether online or hardcopy (preferably both) — can change your career for the better. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity, right? So you need to be prepared when opportunity knocks, and having a curated portfolio is the best way to get ready. Here are 4 strong reasons having a portfolio is a MUST for professional artists: 1. IT’S CONVENIENT It’s convenient for others and for…
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Proven tactics to make more time for art right now
THE TIME IS NOW It always seems like there’s not enough time for art. Life gets in the way. School, work and family take up so much of our time, no matter how great our desire to create more, accomplish more, BE more. The truth is, you can’t keep doing the same things and wait for the free time to just show up in your life. You have to act. Even the smallest changes can make a big difference in your artist career. Below are some strategies that are guaranteed to free up time for art if you take them seriously. CARRY A SKETCHBOOK There are small pockets of time…
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How to brand yourself as an artist people will remember
BRANDING COVERS A LOT I preach about making a brand for yourself a lot because I think it’s so important for kicking off your career. But many artists question how useful it is or ask how you even go about “branding” yourself. (Hint: no hot metal is required for this one.) Every company has a brand, and if you want to elevate your own business, essentially you have to have one. Branding as an artist is about: PERSONAL brand, which involves your personality traits, your interests, and who you are as a human being art style, which is the visual aesthetic of your work messaging, which is the way you…
