tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-299560222024-03-28T03:33:54.347-04:00Selling Art - Helpful Tips for the Professional ArtistNeed to promote art? Want some great tips and tricks to help sell art work locally and internationally?
This blog was created to answer the most difficult question creatives face: "How do you sell art?"Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-14341634228311752722008-04-17T21:07:00.005-04:002008-04-17T21:12:12.046-04:00Selling art - artists perspectiveCheck out this article from Businessweek that talks about "Best Practices for Artists" from interviews with artists themselves. Interesting business advice for painters, sculptors, photographers, craftspeople and more<br /><br /><a href="http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/04/0411_artbiz/index_01.htm?link_position=link5">View Best Practices for Artists Slideshow</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/apr2008/sb20080411_820646.htm?link_position=link1">Read business advice for artists article</a>Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com177tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1158687193535178412006-09-19T13:07:00.000-04:002006-09-19T13:35:45.066-04:00Networking for ArtistsMeeting people. One of the most important elements to success in your endeavor of promoting and selling your art.<br /><br />Of course, one can meet many friends and family, but these contact can go just so far. You have to get out there and meet NEW PEOPLE to get your stuff known.<br /><br />It's quite difficult to just jump into a room full of people you don't know and engage in conversation, but it's essential to do so in order to further your artwork. This art of meeting new people is commonly referred to as "networking".<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why is networking great for artists?</span></span><br />Remember: it's not who you know that counts in the end, it's <span style="font-weight: bold;">who knows you</span>! If you make a sufficient impression on somebody, they will be able to think of you when some kind of opportunity arises within their activities.<br /><br />Once you develop your network (which will surely be filled with like-minded people as well as more business-oriented contacts), they will be able to refer you to potential clients. Think of it as your own marketing team always ready to promote your artwork and abilities to interested parties.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Where to network</span></span><br />This word of mouth can be accomplished in many different ways, you can physically meet people at events, virtually meet them online or through contacts of contacts.<br /><br />Great places to network include:<br /><ul><li>Museums in your home town</li><li>Art associations</li><li>Art-related events and conferences</li><li>Seminars<br /></li><li>Galleries (especially during art openings)</li><li>Alumni associations</li><li>Online forums</li><li>Blogging</li><li>Other social websites</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><br />Networking etiquette</span><br /><br />Before the event<br /></span>Once you have identified a good event to attend, you must prepare for it:<br /><ul><li>Dress appropriately for the venue</li><li>Bring business cards (note your contact info and website address on them)</li><li>Have a goal (so that you can then identify if you have succeeded in accomplishing it - measuring your effectiveness)</li><li>Eat prior to the event<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">During the event</span><br />Once you arrive, the fun really starts. But keep in mind the following tips:<br /><ul><li>Be polite and relaxed</li><li>Don't hesitate to someone who seems alone. Or join the conversation of a group of three other people (it is much more difficult to jump into a two-way discussion)<br /></li><li>Ask open questions (not "yes" or "no" questions)<br /></li><li>Keep conversations short and sweet<br /></li><li>Offer to exchange business cards at the end of the conversation</li><li>Don't eat too much of the food or drink too much wine<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">After the event</span><br />Once the event is over doesn't mean the networking is over:<br /><ul><li>Take notes about event participants (on their business cards)<br /></li><li>Follow up with interesting contacts by email or phone the next day</li><li>Plan to meet at least one new contact for a coffee</li><li>Find another event to attend</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><br />Conclusion</span><br />Networking might seem hard at first, but once you get the hang of it (and start recognising familiar faces at events) it becomes more natural.<br /><br />As an artist, you probably are more introverted and fear rejection a bit more than the rest of the population because your art is often very close to your heart. But if you get over your fear of rejection, you art business (because as an artists, you are in the business of selling your art) will benefit immensely from the word of mouth that networking provides.Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1155359393956054482006-08-12T01:07:00.000-04:002006-08-12T01:09:53.970-04:00International ExpoArt Festival of MontrealI just found out about a new art event in Montreal's Old Port: ExpoArt Montreal.<br /><br />This high profile outdoor artistic and cultural exhibition presents more than 600 artworks from national and international artists and hopes to become an internationally renowned yearly event recognized by the art world.<br /><br />Probably a great place to network or get inspired for local artists!<br /><br /><a href="http://expoartmontreal.com/">http://expoartmontreal.com/</a>Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1154531621673431242006-08-02T11:06:00.000-04:002006-08-02T11:13:41.686-04:00Is being an artist and being an entrepreneur different?Bill Strickland, an entrepreneur from Pittsburgh, was recently quoted in "FastCompany Magazine" of saying the following: "Artists are by nature entrepreneurs, they're just not called that (...) They have the ability to visualize something that doesn't exist (...) Entrepreneurs do that. That's what makes them different from businesspeople".<br /><br />I suggest you reflect upon this citation and re-evaluate your relationship with being in your own business as an artist. <br /><br />Check out the full article at <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/17/genius.html">http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/17/genius.html</a>Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1153322603812411312006-07-19T11:20:00.000-04:002006-07-19T11:23:23.823-04:00Adobe Lightroom BetaIf you're a photographer, chances are that you use Photoshop to organize and optimize your photos. And if you were a windows user, you couldn't have access to Adobe's new "Lightroom Beta" program. Well, you don't have to wait any more! Check out <a href="http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom/">http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom/</a> to download it to your PC! (note that it is in beta and not the full version yet)Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1152734502503452342006-07-12T15:53:00.000-04:002006-07-12T16:01:42.526-04:00Are you on MySpace.com yet?A recent study by the Globe and Mail shows that <a href="http://www.MySpace.com/">MySpace.com</a>, the social networking site, has surpassed <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a> and <a href="http://www.yahoo.com/">Yahoo!</a> as the most popular site on the Internet. (check out this <a href="http://www.marketingvox.com/archives/2006/07/12/myspace_surpasses_yahoo_google_in_popularity/">article in MarketingVox</a> for the complete article).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/">MySpace</a> is a great place to promote your artwork, there are actually a couple of virtual groups dedicated to visual arts! Who knows who you might meet... A interested buyer, perhaps?<br /><br />What does this mean? If you are an artist and don't have a <a href="http://www.myspace.com/">MySpace Profile Yet, Sign up now</a> and build your online network! At a minimum, it will be another page with your name on it on the world wide web - and more visibility will definitely help you sell your art.Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1152502842654163752006-07-09T22:47:00.000-04:002006-07-09T23:40:42.663-04:00Pricing artwork for success part 1: How not to lose money as an artistWhen considering how to price your work, you must start with a basic thought in mind: you must not be loosing money in this proposition. If creating your piece of art costs more than what you sell it for, you're art career won't last very long!<br /><br />Let's pretend we're businesspeople and evaluate this with numbers only. There are two types of expenses: variable expenses and fixed expenses. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Variable expenses</span> are different depending on the amount of artwork you create. For example, if you're a painter, each painting you create will require more paint, another canvas and more time. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fixed expenses</span> don't depend on the quantity of art you produce. This generally includes rent, phone, internet, advertisement costs, insurance, professional fees (your accountant and/or lawyer), taxes, etc... Fixed expenses roughly correspond to your regular cost of living.<br /><br />Now, the most important equation: <span style="font-weight: bold;">your expenses (variable and fixed) must not exceed your revenues (achieved by selling your artwork)</span>!!<br /><br />Now, let's put this into perspective with an example. <br /><br />Let's say that you're able to sell 40 pieces of art in a year and that your yearly fixed expenses are 10 000$. If the cost of creating each artwork sets you back by about 50$ (50$ x 40 pieces = 2000$), your yearly expenses equal 12 000$. Now, divide your total yearly expenses by the number of sales per year (12 000$ / 40 sales = 300$/sale). The quotient of this equation is the MINIMUM PRICE you should sell each item. If you price your art lower than 300$, you will be LOOSING MONEY.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Not losing money is of extreme importance</span>, and recognizing this is the first step towards effectively pricing your art. Join me in a few days for part two of "pricing artwork for success"!Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1152156003697855652006-07-05T23:10:00.000-04:002006-07-05T23:20:03.706-04:00Creating a great promotion pieceA recent article in How Magazine (<a href="http://www.howdesign.com/store/magdisplay.asp?id=1786">August 2006 Issue about Illustration</a>) mentions that the first step to getting a great illustrating gig is to create a great promotional piece to send to potential clients.<br /><br />How should one go about getting inspired to create this piece, it suggests? By being honest with yourself and letting loose of the pressures of family, friends, what you think is "in" now or what you think your client wants. Create an illustration about something either close to your heart or happening in your life. The sincerity will show through and clients will notice.<br /><br />(He also notes that you should determine your "signature" and stick with it so that the potential client thinks of you when he need that type of illustration.)<br /><br />Want more? Run and go buy this issue of How Magazine (Free Trial on their website - <a href="http://www.howdesign.com/index.asp">www.howdesign.com</a>).Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com84tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1151907135397091582006-07-03T01:45:00.000-04:002006-07-03T02:12:16.530-04:00Small is good - offer bite-sized versions of your artworkI was recently promoting <a href="http://www.sparkio.com/">Sparkio </a>at the <a href="http://www.festivaldesarts.org/">Montreal en Arts Festival</a> and noticed that many artists are quite successful at selling bite-sized portions of their art to visitors. Many offered postcards, smaller-size canvasses or even magnets with their work printed on them. (other examples range from bookmarks to bathroom tiles)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">It's just so easy to buy!</span><br />Everybody wins at this proposition: those who are wary of buying a full piece of art (for whatever reason, usually monetary) can make an easy purchase of a pint-sized piece that is compelling to them, while the artist gets to enlarge his/her clientele.<br /><br />Not only that, but the clients now own a small reminder of the artist's work... Until they are ready to purchase a full piece.<br /><br />These "accessories" also attract a larger clientele than only selling your art as single canvasses, photographs or sculptures.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magnets and the snowball effect</span><br />You can make quite a bit of profit from these little gems. If you notice that one particular item of your portfolio is quite popular, print it onto magnets and sell each one for a couple of dollars. First of all, this will save you the work of creating a new piece every time. Secondly, all the friends that your client invites over will notice your mini-artwork on the fridge and will surely make it a conversation piece - just what you want: more interested potential clients! And thirdly, they'll talk about it to <span style="font-style: italic;">their </span>friends about you, and so on...<br /><br />And you don't even have to work or pay for this kind of promotion - they do it for you! (Just make sure you add your name, website address and contact info on the item so that these new potential clients can check out some more of your stuff)<br /><br />Check out <a href="http://www.magnecote.com/">www.magnecote.com</a>, they make magnet-like paper that you can use for this.Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1151686690564896472006-06-30T12:31:00.000-04:002006-06-30T13:43:58.790-04:00Do you have what it takes to be a professional artist?By now, you probably realise that to be able to make a living from your passion, you must be able to sell your art (check out my <a href="http://sparkio.blogspot.com/2006/06/selling-your-art.html">previous posting</a> on the subject). Which means that sometimes you will be torn between pleasing yourself and pleasing your clients. And that you will have to spend a sizeable amount of your time <a href="http://sparkio.blogspot.com/2006/06/professional-artists-promote-their-art_26.html">promoting your artwork</a>. And that you are going to have to go through all the nuts and bolts, income and expenses, profits and losses of owning your own <a href="http://sparkio.blogspot.com/2006/06/art-is-business_27.html">art business</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Are you up to the task? </span><br />Or should you consider getting a job at a company where you can exercise your creativity and express yourself within their boundaries. Many consider it worthwile to give up a bit of freedom in exchange for the stability and steady income that a job provides. And, as many artists choose to do, you can operate your own art business part-time (which is great for deducting expenses on your income taxes); or simply creating art for art's sake and storing your masterpieces in the basement for none to see (which I find quite sad, being an art-lover!).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Questions to help you find out:</span><br />Here are a couple of questions you can ask yourself to evaluate if you have what is needed to be a successful professional artist:<br /><ul><li>Are you disciplined enough to work alone, prioritize your tasks and organize your time?</li><li>Are you able to make decisions and take responsibility for them?<br /></li><li>Are you confident about your art and motivated to sell it?</li><li>Is there a market for your work (have you studied it)?</li><li>Do you enjoy being "you inc" where you are the boss, the employee, and your income depends on you?</li><li>Do you have enough savings and potential clients to get through your first year in your art business?</li><li>Are you able to survive without depending on a regular paycheck?<br /></li><li>Do you notice and seize opportunities / easily solve problems?<br /></li><li>Are you aware of legal or accounting resources (or have contacts in those fields)?</li><li>Do you have any prior professional experience in your field?</li><li>Are you able to motivate yourself and stay positive even during rough patches (moral support from friends and family really help here)?</li><li>Are you flexible enough to modify your work to accomodate your client's requests?</li><li>Do you truly believe in what you do?</li></ul>You should be able to answer "yes" to most of these questions if you want to pursue your carreer as a professional artist. For those you answered "no" to, read a book or attend a seminar about the subject.<br /><br />If more than half were answered negatively, I strongly suggest that you consider getting a job through which you can fulfills your creative needs.<br /><br />Good luck!Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1151519930491367272006-06-28T14:36:00.000-04:002006-06-28T14:40:36.593-04:00Biennale of Sydney presently in progressI invite artists in and around Australia to the country's largest contemporary art exhibition. It's a great place to get inspired, meet collegues and promote your own work.<br /><br />From June 8th to August 27th 2006.<br /><br />Check out <a href="http://www.biennaleofsydney.com.au/">http://www.biennaleofsydney.com.au/</a> for more info.Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1151381564695976172006-06-27T00:12:00.000-04:002006-06-27T00:12:44.696-04:00Art is BusinessYes, you read right. Your art is your business. Disregarding this is the reason so many emerging artists fail to succeed.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Talent does not equal success</span><br />Thomas Edison said wisely that "<span style="font-style: italic;">Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration</span>". Inventors like him are probably the closest relatives to artists in the business world. I know you wish it were false, but I'm sure you can identify plenty of amazing artists whose work just never got bought.<br /><br />Another similar quote is Woody Allen's "<span style="font-style: italic;">90% of life is showing up</span>". If you're sitting in your studio creating your art like there's no tomorrow, how will anybody ever know that your art exists? The artists who sell their art are the ones that are networking at galleries, vernissages, events, seminars, auctions, etc...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Business means structure</span><br />Owning an art business (aka being an artist), means you must structure and supervise your working days. Many aspects of running a successful business are essential, notably marketing, administration, accounting and law. Learning these skills (through courses, books or even on the internet) is essential to be able to make a living from art.<br /><br />Here is a list of some things you should be able to (or must learn to) do:<br /><ul> <li>Write a business plan</li><li>Promote your artwork to potential buyers<br /></li><li>Effectively negotiate contracts / price your work<br /></li><li>Finance your projects (apply for grants & awards)<br /></li><li>Keep track of your income & expenses (basic accounting)</li><li>Protect your copyright</li> </ul> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Are you ready to do what it takes?</span><br />These tasks might seem like a huge mountain for someone who has never been interested or learned about anything relating to running a business. But luckily, while artistic talent might be innate to some, business skills can be learnt.<br /><br />Remember that your creativity and talent alone are not enough to sell your art work - developing your business skills will be the best way to enhance your success.Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1151349953271694502006-06-26T14:44:00.000-04:002006-06-26T23:00:09.170-04:00Professional artists promote their artIn part one, I emphasized the fact that artists must come to terms with the fact that their art can be sold, and in fact selling art is an important part of being a professional artist. But realizing that your art is an product that can be traded is only the first step. Your last masterpiece won't find a buyer sitting in your studio waiting for a buyer...<br /><br />The second step is taking action and promoting your work. Now this might be difficult for you as an artist because of one or many of the following reasons:<br /><ul><li>You are very attached to your work.</li><li>Even though you completed your piece, you still see some flaws in it; it did not turn out exactly the way you wanted it to.</li><li>You are very sensitive about others judging (and disliking) your art.</li><li>You're afraid no one will want to buy your work (fear of failure and rejection).</li><li>You feel cheated by commissions that galleries or agents charge.</li><li>To sell art work reduces the purity of your creativity.</li><li>"Advertising costs money and I have none".</li><li>You became an artist to create art, not to sell art!</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Art is Subjective</span><br />While as an artist you are probably more sensitive than most, you must strive to detach yourself from your artwork. All these reasons are more or less related to the fact that since art is subjective, it is difficult to know if it will be sought after or not. While a tourist with a conservative upbringing might like calm landscapes, a businesswoman from a large urban city might enjoy edgy abstract pieces. It is mostly a matter of taste, and each buyer has different needs and wants.<br /><br />No matter what type of art you create, there is a buyer out there somewhere that is looking for exactly that All that is left to do is find that buyer and convince him or her to buy your work!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">You're creative enough to promote your art on a very low budget</span></span><br />Being an artist means you're probably more creative than the average person, which means you can probably find out great ways how to promote art on a shoestring budget. There are many great ways to get your stuff in front of potential buyers - which I will be discussing in further articles.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Moral of the story:</span> Selling your work implies that you must promote it. Be confident about your artwork and try to detach yourself emotionally from it as much as possible. This will make it easier for you to get it in front of potential buyers and accept the fact that not everyone has the same taste.Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1151073438546133702006-06-23T10:13:00.000-04:002006-06-26T23:00:48.503-04:00Selling your artThe great majority of professional artists didn't choose to become artists because everybody was telling them that that field was lucrative.<br /><br />Chances are that you became a professional artist because:<br /><ul><li>You love creating art</li><li>You are passionate about expressing yourself</li><li>You don't want to be bound by a 9 to 5 job that doesn't give you any freedom or personal satisfaction</li><li>You want to be your own boss</li><li>You majored in art creation and naturally wish to pursue this path</li><li>Art is the only thing you are talented at</li><li>Creating your work is vital to your survival</li></ul><br />These are great values, aspirations & goals. But in order to pursue them, you must also be able to satisfy you basic needs (like eating, having a place to live, having clothes to wear, etc...). To satisfy these needs costs money.<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"I'm not doing this for the money. Thinking about selling my work dries up my creative juices and deforms the true expression of my work!"</blockquote>Just because there has been some romanticism about the "starving artist" doesn't mean that's the only way to live as one. People like to say that while Van Gogh lived poor and became insane, he was a true artist, and this was recognised because his art is worth millions decades after his death. I would like to remind you that Picasso decided that after death was too late and made a ton of money off his work <span style="font-style: italic;">while he was still alive</span>!<br /><br />Whichever artist's story you like most, tell yourself one thing: both of these guy's paintings have been sold for millions of dollars. And to have someone buy you work, you have to want to sell it... (Or, like Vermeer, find a relative or someone you can trust to help you sell it for you.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Moral of the story</span>: Even though your artwork might be infused with your soul and figuratively represents the infinite nature of the universe, no one will buy it or even know about it if you don't get it out there!<br /><br />Part 2 coming soon...<br /><br />Brad @ <a href="http://www.sparkio.com/">Sparkio.com: Simple, Stylish & Affordable Online Portfolios</a>Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1150915077921419772006-06-21T14:34:00.000-04:002007-08-01T15:29:17.400-04:00Large file storage suitable for photographers and graphic designersA lot of photographers have been asking me where on the web one can find a suitable storage site from which they can transfer their full-size images to their clients at a low cost.<br /><br />Well, I found another blog that compiled a list of just what they are looking for. Check out "<a href="http://www.jdempsey.com/free-online-file-storagesending/" target="_blank">Free Online Storage/Sending</a>" by CreativeGuy.<br /><br />Hope this helps!<br /><br />** LINK FIXED**Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29956022.post-1150753771873883572006-06-19T17:38:00.000-04:002006-06-19T18:15:09.536-04:00Welcome to my new BlogHi there artists and friends of the arts,<br /><br />I will be relating in this blog the best of tips, tricks and other help for artists who want to promote their work. I'll try to write articles for aspiring artists who are just starting to get their work out there as well as seasoned professionals who can't wait to learn more to promote with greater skill.<br /><br />I'll be writing my first post shortly. In the meantime, I invite you to check out <a href="http://www.sparkio.com">Sparkio.com</a>, the simplest, most stylish and affordable tool that artists can use to create, design & manage their own portfolio website.<br /><br />Take care,<br /><br />Brad @ <a href="http://www.sparkio.com/">Sparkio.com: Simple, Stylish & Affordable Online Portfolios</a>Brad @ Sparkio.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03443853435116894552noreply@blogger.com1