Autumn Yellow by Amanda Makepeace

 
We’re celebrating the last day of Summer here in the Northern Hemisphere by helping you get ship-shape for Fall and the upcoming holiday season. 

Is your contact information up-to-date? Make sure we have your current private email address for lost password retrieval and public contact information for people who want to learn more about your art. We’ve often seen members post that they do commissions but don’t offer a contact method for potential buyers.

Are your website and blog addresses still correct? How about your eBay and Etsy ids? Again, if we don’t have the right information, people aren’t going to be able to find you or your work at your prefered sales venues.

When is the last time you took a look at your artist’s statement? Do you have a “Hi, I’m new,” message that you posted back in 2004 and simply forgot about? Or notes about your Spring cleaning sales? Are you talking about your past realist work when you’re now showing a portfolio full of abstract expressionism? Have you done any new shows or changed galleries? Don’t forget to add this new information to your CV.

Have your commission prices changed? If so, don’t forget to make these edits if you have pricing listed on your commissions page. Or maybe you don’t do commissioned work at all anymore–you can always turn off this feature by unchecking the “commissions available” box in your profile tools.

Are you showing your newest work? While we do have members that update their portfolio as soon as they have something new, others simply upload a handful of work when they join and forgeddaboutit, letting their portfolios collect cyber dust. When was the last time you added something new? Every time you add new art to your portfolio, that piece shows up on the front page of EBSQ, which in turn brings more people back to your portfolio.  

Is it for sale? If so, you can add in a PayPal “buy it now” button directly in your artist statement. You’re also welcome to link directly to other venues where a specific piece might be available. (Just make sure you update your information if it’s already been sold!)

Have another great tip for getting your portfolio fall-ready? Feel free to share it in the comments below!

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by Natasha Wescoat

SO SEXY…

You could say being an artist is provocative, risque, adventurous and I’d have to agree with you. Those flash in the pan successes, feast or famine moments and a fly by the seat of your pants lifestyle tends to be a part of the whole being an artist thing. One moment, you are experiencing the time of your life, the next moment you wonder if you’re on the street the in the morning. Your job requires that you feel, express yourself, use your imagination and create something that comes from that. Though formal schooling definitely helps propel your talents, it cannot help you imagine. It doesn’t give you passion. It cannot teach you how to ‘be’.

You are, inside, entirely and completely an artist. It’s a part of YOU.

We’re like rebels without a cause. We follow our emotions rather than logic, make heavy decisions based on dreams vs reality.

Having an art career therefore is like a contractiction. Being in this “sexy” vocation and adding the term career to it makes all sorts of complications. You have to logically weigh the pros and cons of your decisions, weigh out financial issues and deal with things outside your creative mindset. Being a career artist isn’t as easy as simply being an artist. Taking your personal gift and monetizing on that is one of the most difficult and harrowing experiences one could have.

[Continue reading ‘Sexy Isn’t Easy: Being a Career Artist’]

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(above) Natasha Goes Pop! series

SOME MAGIC

There is something about the creation of art that baffles others. I’ve often heard from friends and strangers alike how, when looking at a piece of work seems to humble them. They find it such a miracle that a human can create something out of nothing like that. Whether it be sculpture, a painting, or a machine. It’s fascinating to them, because they can’t envision what the process must be like. Some people can doodle. Some people can put together an engine.

But few can SEE something that’s not there. Read more »

The following is a guest post by EBSQ Artist Ron Jumper (aka Tolun) in response to an EBSQ forum thread on the same topic.

Internet Cafe by Mike Jones

Unfortunately, it may just be a case of saying to yourself, “this too, shall pass.”

Art is a luxury item, when people are making money they are thinking of ways to spend it, redecorating, collecting and so on. But when money is tight they focus on the basic necessities and put off “I want that” purchases.

There are people buying, but fewer of them and more people trying more desperately to sell to them, so it makes for a more challenging environment.

This is a good time to focus your efforts on what you do best and what sets you apart from the crowd. Think about the kinds of art that sold best in the past and do more of it, focus on technical skills and push forward to improve your best work. Serious collectors develop an eye for the best artists so become one of the best in your field and they will find you.

Marketing-wise, getting your work in front of as many people as possible may not show immediate results, but it gives you the best chance to make a sale. Keep working on blogs and branch out into sites where people who might like your work go. If you do paintings of animals, for example, hang out on pet and animal lover sites and start interacting on the message boards there. Don’t start off saying “go to eBay and buy my stuff!” but just establish a presence, and mention your art if it comes up in conversation or put a link in your signature, if allowed.

Build a mailing list, and keep people updated about your art. If you haven’t done this, you might consider sending an announcement to previous customers but be brief and soft-sell, don’t sound desperate and don’t keep bugging them if they don’t respond. Invite previous customers to check out your website to see new work and/or sign up for a mailing list.

For selling venues, unfortunately, the buyers have to be there to make sales. It’s still mostly about eBay although some sites like Etsy and such are gaining. Spend your money wisely but maintain as much of a presence as you can afford on the sites where there are buyers. You’ll have to spend money to make money, which can be a difficult situation when you don’t have a big budget. But your time would be better spent blogging and seeking out new sites to find collectors rather than setting up items on a free auction site where no one is buying anything. Spend both money and time wisely.

If you don’t want to go with eBay or your funds are critically low, you might have to cut back on art in general and find other work for a while. If you have the money for supplies this is a good time to experiment and develop an inventory of art that you can sell when the economy improves. Even if you aren’t attempting to sell art right now, continue developing your mailing list and blogs etc. so that when you are in a position to sell more art there are people who are already thinking about your work.

Finally, examine the way you sell your art. It’s a good idea to have work available in several price points, as people who can’t afford a large painting for $500 might buy a smaller piece for $100 and people who can’t afford that might buy a print for $25. If you can’t do prints on your own this is a good time to look into low-cost options for getting prints done of your best work.

Remember, this isn’t the first time this has happened, and won’t be the last. The buyers will return, it’s just a matter or riding out the dry spell and positioning yourself to take advantage when things get better.

-Tolun

 

[Have selling/marketing tips you'd like to share? Drop us a line!]

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by Natasha Wescoat of NatashaWescoat.com

When you think of risk taking, you can see some person throwing all their money into an idea, losing their job, their family, their “riches” and ending up on the streets. Risk taking shouldn’t equal foolishness. Planning is part of risk taking. Planning and risk taking can work together. I explain how many of us artists make it work in the online world, amidst a struggling economy and evolving web. I explain how NOT taking risks is FOOLISH…

BUSINESS SHOULD BE REACTIONARY
I was watching a video by Gary Vaynerchuk (WineLibrary.tv) about how too many entrepreneurs try to plan out and predict the future and in turn continually lose out. I see business owners base their moves, their actions on what it may or may not do for them. They obsess over whether it will work or not, and miss out on the possibilities their ideas and businesses could bring out.

It reminds me of a topic I’ve wanted to discuss for so long on how an artist/creative business should go about promoting and selling their work.

How do I do it?

I don’t ask questions.
I don’t research for months before I try something.
I don’t wait.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
In this day and age, when technology is evolving and changing so fast, you have to become an “early adopter“.  New sites and applications and ideas are being created everyday and its changing up at a faster rate each time. An early adopter seeks out and tries new things in technology and the web. Myself, that is simply part of my nature. I LOVE technology and always want to try out the latest gadget, application, or software. That has been what has made me come to where I am today, I believe. Though I wouldn’t say throw out the talk about finding your niche and target audience. In general – becoming an early adopter means you won’t worry yet about how this will affect your outcome.

WAITING KILLS
I knew a man who had so many amazing talents. He was a good speaker, a talented writer, and had all kinds of amazing ideas for business models and creative products. But the man NEVER put any of his ideas into action. That man talked about his ideas for years, only to end up later working in a party store, with nothing in bank, and living paycheck to paycheck. His amazing ideas thrown away and never attempted.

He could have researched. He could have talked to people. Who could have attempted to put these products and ideas into the tangible. But he didn’t do any of those things.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE RISKS
Making what you want to happen does require you have the talent and skills to offer something of value to people as a whole. If you aren’t a good artist, chances are you can’t do this. So now that we got that thought pushed aside, lets talk about risks.

IF you have the talent/skills, you have a chance at this . . . if you TAKE THE RISKS.

INVESTING:
- Time
- Emotions
- Work
- Research
- Building relationships
- Making the work
- Training yourself

DONT THINK ABOUT THE MONEY
You have to throw out “weighing the risks”. You have to shelve those thoughts of doubt and fear. There is no room for conceiving the outcome. You have to go for the goal unconciously, passionately, and with ambition. Don’t worry about whether this or that makes you money.

Following your passion and trying out new things should be the only thing on your mind.

MONEY IS THE ICING ON THE CAKE
If you seek out ideas, try out new things, and make connections the success becomes the icing on the cake. Your intentions are true. Your purpous is fulfilled.

So many artists say “I want to do what I love” but do you really understand what that means? You have to FIRST gain the focus required. To THINK doing what you love!

NOT TAKING RISKS IS FOOLISH
Now, when I talk about risk taking, I’m not necessarily saying “Quit your job! Throw your money away!” No – preparation is part of risk taking. But it’s when you let go of your fears, doubt, inhibitions, and attempts at predicting the outcome that you truly can plan your future as a creative business. Not taking the risk is foolish.

RISK TAKING MEANS:
- Opening your eyes to opportunity
- Seeking out new things
- Allowing yourself to plan
- Allowing yourself to BE.

BEING REACTIONARY MEANS:
- Moving where the opportunities are
- Letting go of something when it fails
- Changing plans
- Trying again

Can you let go? Can you allow yourself to try new things? Can you see opportunities whereever you are? Can you focus on your passion at hand and not worry whether it will work or not?

1) Experiment, experiment, experiment Natasha got started with experimentation. In 2005, she began video blogging and saw that people responded to her content. Afterward, she got interested in MySpace and Facebook. With almost 5,000 followers, she has now become an avid Twitter user.

Experimentation helps you keep up with changing industry landscapes. As Ben Rowe commented on Natasha’s Mashable post, “Twitter mightn’t be the silver bullet for all artists. A blog, Flickr or Etsy page might not be either. But the artists who are out there trying these new tools are already miles ahead of the artists who aren’t.”

2) Set time for social media Make sure you are not overusing the social networking sites. “I try to set a time everyday to check all my different networks,” said Natasha. Twice a day, after waking up and before going to bed, she checks her Twitter replies. That helps her avoid habitually overusing the tool.

Read more at Hubspot blog . . .

This month’s featured gallery is Glass Art: Hot.  There are three types of glass work – cold glass, warm glass and hot glass. Hot glass involves a flame. Whether the flame of a torch or the flames of a furnace, the result is striking and captivating to behold.  Throughout June, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some EBSQ artists who work with hot glass.

Vickie Miller

Pendant - Vickie Miller

As a jewelry designer being able to create my own lampwork glass beads means I can customize the design into pretty much anything I want. I get to choose the color, the shape, the texture, and the mood. I can choose a floral designed bead for a feminine feel or I may want a more organic, earthy look. A funky chicken applied to a large focal piece adds a lighthearted bit of whimsy and draws plenty of interest. – Vickie Miller

Like what you see here?  We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!

by Natasha Wescoat

Co-working is a new pattern of working growing in popularity around the nation. It’s a social gathering of a group of people, who are working independently but share common interests and goals, to work in the same environment.

It’s much like having an office but you have the chance for variety and networking with others doing work in industries different from yours, which you wouldn’t find in an office environment. Co-working allows independent professionals and entrepreneurs the chance to come out of isolation and have that office environment they don’t have otherwise.

- A co-working environment can consist of a set group of people who’ve put it together or just a few people you know who want to work together in the same place for that day.

- You can co-work at coffee shops, restaurants, offices or anywhere you can imagine.

Working at home constantly, in a place where you live can become frustrating, boring, and sometimes debilitating to our work.

As artists, we can find ways to co-work, get out of the house and be productive and creative.

Read more of Co-working for Artists . . .

by Natasha Wescoat

I hear this all too often from artists and others who want to start a business. They want to know how the successful artists/crafters do it. Why? Why else?

They want to be able to execute the same process in hopes of having the same success.

We all think that if we can put our art on the same sites, if we sell our work for the same amount in the same way, or that if we paint the same thing we will succeed.

There is no easy way to sell art, especially online. It is by far one of the most difficult things to begin and succeed in, but . . .

- if you are willing to go through the arduous process of building a business, then you have a possibility at succeeding.

- if you are willing to have your heart crushed, stretched, and drained in the emotional ups and downs that come with business and especially with working directly with clients, then you could succeed.

- if you are willing to put in the time to research, develop new skills, and learn all that you can about the other tasks involved in running a successful business (or if you’re willing to invest in a team who can), then you may be able to have whatever you want.

What works for others is not necessarily going to work for you. In fact, as we have said so many times before – your collectors will NOT be the same as another artist’s collectors. You each (hopefully) have a unique style that will attract a different audience of people. Learn what that is. Create and implement your business goals around your audience.

Ways to find your audience:

- experimentation

- research

- polls/surveys

- The experimentation stage is a huge investment on your part, because you are going to place your art in venues you are not sure are going to profit. Don’t expect to profit. Put aside time where you can spend doing this stage, because you can gain valuable information about your potential customers and where they are. This may be the most difficult to implement financially (as you may experience loss of money and time) but also the most effective.

- Research online and off. Attend art shows, read art blogs, participate in forums, message boards, and groups for artists and creative businesses. Observe and participate in the conversations. You can learn from others who are already in business what the ins and outs are, where they’ve found might work for those in your art’s genre category, and so on.

- Polls and surveys may be useful during the beginning and middle of your growing business. If you need to learn more about your customers and what they want, asking them questions may help you understand more who your audience/collectors are and where they come from.

Defining audience is one of the number one TO-DO’s on every business’s list. From there, plans will be more defined, properly focused and therefore more readily executed.

photo (c)2009 Ndesh

by EBSQ Guest Author Aja Trier

Ok. Since my Quit Your Day Job article was published on the Etsy Storque I’ve had a number of inquiries on how to ship paintings from new sellers. I’m going to post this here (mostly so it’s easy to find as I get more inquiries) but maybe someone will come across it and find it to be useful

I know the shipping aspect can be intimidating at first and can seem rather daunting. I actually go back and forth between shipping through a local shipping place and doing it myself, it depends on the time I have and the size of the painting. I’ve built a repertoire with the place I ship through over the past 4 years or so and finally took the plunge a few months back and it’s helped to have someone who can wrap up and take care of the really big ones instead of me fooling and fussing with it at home. When I do it I buy frame boxes and bubble wrap from them, there’s a bunch of sizes to choose from and I buy a good amount at a time. I have an account with FedEX and USPS.com and I have them pick the packages up. The accounts were easy to set up and it’s really convenient. You can also print shipping labels through paypal – hee’s there help explanation on their site – https://www.paypal.com/helpcenter/main.jsp;jsessionid=KT0DSyptYvvv5wHXdQynbdQplDtrc4WJGzS52hfKb4G8KJQn5ppC!-685170754?locale=en_US&_dyncharset=UTF-8&countrycode=US&cmd=_help&serverInstance=9004&t=solutionTab&ft=searchTab&ps=solutionPanels&solutionId=10773&isSrch=Yes

It’s really quite simple. You do need a scale – I got mine at Walmart for 10 bucks.

Larger paintings should really go through FedEX because of the cost and the shipping “zones”. 16×20 I’d send through FedEX. 11×14 can go just fine through the postal service.

For all of my small shipments (anything up to 12×12 or so) I use the free boxes you can get through the post office. You can order some online for free – they are for Priority shipments though so if you plan on sending your paintings first class you can’t use the free boxes. I always send Priority when I use USPS because it looks more professional and is faster for the most part. Here’s a link to order free Priority boxes – http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductCategoryDisplay?catalogId=10152&storeId=10001&categoryId=13354&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=11820&top_category=11820&WT.ac=13354

The place I go to for my other boxes orders theirs from uline and sells them to me at cost. It’s good to start a relationship with a local place cause there can definitely be perks! Take a day and shop around. A really large box for me costs 16.00 – that’s for a 36×46 box, unfortunately sometimes you gotta cut um down since they don’t always have the size you need) I have heard some people go to Michaels and get their boxes on garbage day, but you have to be there at the right time – they wouldn’t hold them for me and it was like 20 miles for me so I just broke down and bought them outright. But that is an option.

When I am wrapping it myself I wrap the painting in plastic and tape it to secure moisture from compromising the painting. Then a layer of bubble wrap is tightly wrapped around and taped. Another layer of bubble wrap is then wrapped around the first, bubble to bubble, creating a “pillow” that is extremely effective in securing the painting from damage. The pillow is then placed in a sturdy mirror box for shipment with more bubble wrap or paper if needed.

Please copy and paste this URL in your browser to see how these “pillows” look just before shipment – http://tinyurl.com/5ws4ah

Note that with international shipping, to most countries the largest stretched canvas you can send is 22×28 through the postal service. The postal service has strict dimensional guidelines – length+girth (a tape measure wrapped around the middle of the box gives you the girth) can’t be any larger than 79 inches. This includes Australia, a popular shipping destination. For places with the 79 inch cut off I offer taking the painting off the stretchers and rolling it in a tube. This doesn’t always work though. I can’t do this with gallery wrapped canvas, only with canvas that has staples on the back – I can take staples out of the canvas. Can’t rip it from that groove the higher end canvases have, and I won’t cut the canvas from the stretchers. It’s best to advise your patrons of these things so they are aware. That’s why in my shop I only show US and Canadian shipping prices for larger works. Canada has a 108 inch cut off, so pieces up to 24×36 can go through USPS. Any larger and it has to be sent through FedEX or UPS – which for an international destination can be a couple hundred easy. If a patron is willing to pay the actual shipping cost then by all means. But it really is exorbitant!

It looks like a lot to take in, and initially it is – but after doing it a while you’ll become a pro and it will be second nature Best of luck!

Be sure to check out Aja’s blog at Sagittarius Gallery

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