Society6 – Review of Features for Illustrators, Designers and Artists

Recently, I posted about a print on demand service called Society6. If you missed it, you can find it here: Society6 Review

At Society6, members can not only sell prints of artwork and design, but also sell them on products such as ipod cases, laptops, t-shirts, hoodies, pillows, and more. Society6 is basically an opportunity to license your art for printing on products (though Society6 does not assume any ownership of the works).

 

I have posted a few products for sale and am enjoying my experience with Society6 thus far. I haven’t sold anything yet through the site (only been there a week), but wasn’t really expecting to yet.

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Business Ideas for Artists

One thing my professors did not teach me in art school is the realm of possibilities to make use of artistic talent. I was conditioned to think that the gallery system was the only option as a working artist. The truth is, artists are needed in many professions, especially ones involving creativity and artistic talent.

I will be writing a series here covering some alternative business ideas for artists. Hopefully this series will inspire and encourage some of you to pursue your dream in art – in whatever form that means to you.

 

If you are selling your art, you already have your own business. You are either working independently or through a gallery.

There are basically two options for independent artists: To work solely on their art, and spend all efforts branding and marketing themselves. The other is to find other areas (such as teaching) that can work side by side with an art career. One sure way to grow your art business is by expanding into other areas.

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Society6 - Selling Art on T-Shirts, Ipod Cases and more

Have you ever thought about putting some of your art on t-shirts, ipod cases, greeting cards and more? What about specifically designing things for these and similar products. There are a host of new sites that provide such a service, and allow artists to make a little profit from the items on the products. The sites do the work of creating the product, packaging, shipping and customer service. All the artist has to do is post their creations and promote them.

 

For artists, the main advantage of these sites is not the selling of art (although this would be great), but the fact that using these sites to promote and brand yourself can be extremely effective. Of course, that would depend on the genre or style of art you create… and how many you sell.

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Christine Keech - My Heart is Pounding because its Exposed

Christine Keech

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

I am a painter and a teacher of a 7/8th grade combined class at a private, Christian school.

 

Style: My work is semi-abstract, incorporating textures, symbols and object found in reality.

Medium: I work primarily with acrylics on canvas, or sometimes paper. Lately, it's been more mixed media.

Themes: My Christian faith, nature and the deep corners of my mind.

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The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money Review

Have you had a chance to read Chris Guillebeau’s ebook The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money? This happens to be one of the best books I’ve read on the subject of art promotion… and I wish I had it years ago. Chris is the well admired author of The Art of Non-Conformity blog.

Chris says that there are many valid reasons for creating art. Not all artists want to make money with art. Some use art as a pass-time or hobby. But, there are a large group of artists who would like to support themselves and their family doing what they love.

The vast majority of artists coming out of art school have not learned how to promote themselves (I know because I was one of them!). Every year over 30,000 artists graduate from art colleges in the U.S. alone. But although they have talent, they are not trained in how to represent themselves or how to build connections.

Most end up giving up art altogether or working at daytime jobs unrelated to art. Those who continue in their art career have to learn by trial and error, or look to other resources, such as the Guide to Art & Money, to learn what it takes to market art.

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Solanges Jolicoeur - Life Painter - Figurative Non-Anecdotic Subjects

Solanges Jolicoeur

Caribbean Islands/Haiti

Mediums: acrylics / pastels

Style: figurative, non anecdotic subjects

I began drawing, then painting at a very early age. As long as I can remember, painting has always been part of my life, even when I was not a professional yet.

 

Gingerbread © Solanges Jolicoeur

those charming houses made of bricks and wood that resisted the passing of time and disasters, are rarely renovated and disappear gradually.

 

 

 

As a child, I used to make my own greeting cards: Chinese ink for the contours and shadows, color pencils and decorating edge scissors were the magical materials that gave me the feeling of being a professional artist.

Beside painting , I am an art collector and antiques lover, I have numerous personal activities like sports (from racket sports, combat sports (judo) to motorized (off road), I also like internal tourism into cultural sites that inspire me.

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Art.com – Buy Art Reproductions Online by Famous Artists

One time, to see the paintings of famous artists, one had to visit museums or art galleries. These days it is possible for anyone to hang a reproduction of a famous artwork in their own home, and be inspired by it anytime.

I like to surround myself with my favorite pieces.. which aren’t just my own. I also own reproductions by Picasso, Monet, Dali, Van Gogh (can’t afford the originals… yet) and originals by a few contemporary artists.

One of the most popular sites to buy reproductions of famous paintings is the site Art.com.

Art.com is an established online print on demand site for the works of artists past and present.

 

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How to Evaluate Abstract Art

There are a lot of uncertainties when evaluating abstract art due to the constant changes that happen and the plethora of techniques available. Labeling an abstract hard would indeed be a pretty tough task, because not only do those who are not fond of art find it tough, it holds an obvious difficulty even to those who deal with art very often. Abstract art possesses a type of uniqueness that causes people to have great divisions in their opinions and perceptions of it.

Abstract art is not a solid form of art, nor does it have any hints of logic behind it, this illogicality here refers to the fact that abstract art is able to convey expressions that do not exist in the realm of logic. In other words abstract art does not necessarily need to reflect situations in a logical way (some ‘logical’ examples include societal, governmental, economical or even moral issues). Just as when a perfect square is drawn, the reliance on logic is inescapable, but the four-sided picture is just an abstract creation of several lines combined, not that it is required to have any need for logical explanations or a theme.

Abstract art represents a counter-logic visual experience that does not have a theme attached to itself, as for the process of creating this visual experience, it requires logical considerations and appropriate approaches to be done. On top of that, regardless of the type of abstract art done, it will require logical thoughts of the human brain to modify the various elements of art in the process, the certainty of logic in the process of creation and the different forms of abstractions possible reflecting an illogical pattern is most distinct characteristic of abstract art.

By Kajal Zaveri

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Famous Blind Artists who Paint in Spite of Blindness or Vision Impairment

Recently, I posted about the fears some artists have: What do Artists Fear

The response to that post has been overwhelming! Most artists fear how their paintings will turn out, if they will be accepted by peers… or whether they will make any money from selling art.

But, there is one real fear that many artists are facing, that is losing one’s eyesight and even going blind.

 

This is a comment from Harry van Deelen.

“A few years ago I have had an red and painful eye, the oculist told me that I have a rheumatic ignited eye, I get medication and still is my left eye going backwards I need special glasses for it. And the oculist told that it happened that the next time the other eye will get an ignition. In that case I have to started directly with medication. I am certainly afraid for blindness, because such is the case by more artists. For a virtual artist it is one of the most important things that can happened.”

Harry van Deelen

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5 Famous Paintings with Mother and Child - Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms!

A very Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and grandmothers reading this today. Motherhood has been a topic of many famous paintings and sculptures throughout history.

Mothers deserve to be honoured today, and everyday throughout the year.

This post is a tribute to all our mothers!

1. Innocence (L’innocence) - William Adolphe Bouguereau (1893)

   
   William Adolphe Bouguereau was a popular French traditionalist and painter.
   
   
   
   
   He often used classical and mythological themes and made common use of the female form in his realistic paintings.
   
   
   
   
   His painting here entitled Innocence depicts a mother holding a lamb and her baby, both symbols of innocence.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

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