Tuesday, January 31, 2012

How to Overcome Artist Creative Block and Get Inspired

6 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/31/2012

creative artists blockWhat do artist’s do when they are feeling uninspired? I believe that nearly all artists experience creative drought periods, whether they want to admit it or not.

There are even phrases for this condition – creative block and artists block. This phrase is obviously borrowed from what some authors experience: writer’s block.   

 

 

 

As artists, we all feel uninspired at times. For myself, this has occurred after my father passed away a few years ago. I painted very little during the few weeks after (because of mourning and depression), but managed to express myself through my sketchbooks. I also know what it feels like to come home after a long day of work, and feel too physically or emotionally exhausted to even think about creating.

All artists have dry periods.  This doesn’t really mean we are uninspired at all, but outside experiences may be interfering with our creativity. Sometimes, we have to take a step back, and analyze the reasons we are feeling uncreative. It is only then that we can come up with a solution, one that will drive us back to doing the thing we love most – making art

So, how do we deal with artist’s block? Well, the best thing you can do is not to panic! Ask yourself why you are feeling uninspired. Maybe it is quite obvious, as in my personal situation already mentioned. If you cannot figure out a solution for yourself, please read on for some ideas on how to get you back to creating again.

... Continue reading

Monday, January 30, 2012

How to Choose a Good Domain Name for an Artist Website

1 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/30/2012

 

artist website domainsHaving a domain name is an important part of online recognition for artists work. Most people overlook this when they choose to place their art portfolio online. I am guilty of this too. I created many blogs and sites on free servers in the past without bothering with a domain name. Now, since I began working on this website, I am feeling the many benefits of creating the unique web address www.ArtProMotivate.com.

 

 


What is so different about this word? Well, for starters, it is not a word at all, but a combination of 3: art, promote, and motivate. This creates a portmanteau word, one that is unique, but still understandable. It is easy to remember, and is mine.. at least the .COM domain is, because I had it registered.

In this article, I will explain a little about domain names and how they can benefit you. This will benefit both artists who already have artist websites on free services, and those who are planning on their own web hosting.

 

... Continue reading

Is Selling Art on Ebay Possible?

3 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/30/2012

 

selling art ebayDo you think it is possible for artists to earn a living selling art on ebay? I’ve often wondered what it actually takes for artists to actually be successful here. In the past, my friends have often insisted I place my art for sale on Ebay, but I was always sceptical. So I decided to do some research.

Do you think I went to the library to look for books on the subject? LOL, of course I didn’t. I did what most us do in this web savvy generation. I Googled it!

So here I am Googling away. I’m thinking of phrases related to how to sell art on Ebay.

First, I typed in ebay fine art to see how many results I would get. I came up with nearly 16 million!

ebay fine art

... Continue reading

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Michael Gaudet – Canadian Artist - Murals, Portraiture and Landscape Painting

4 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/29/2012

 

jaunty-michael-gaudetFor this spotlite artist, we are very pleased to feature Michael Gaudet. Michael is a visual artist from Saskatchewan, Canada who creates incredible landscape paintings, murals, and portraits.

Let us get straight to the interview…

 

 

 

I am a long-time artist and designer who specializes in large-scale murals, portraiture and landscape painting. I studied at the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design (NSCAD) in Halifax, N.S. from 1976-77 most notably with New York figurative painter Eric Fischl and Dutch color field painter Jan Andriesse.

 

Shortly after this I was hired to work as a 'liturgical designer' under the tutelage of the late Father Toby McIvern at the Montreal firm Desmarais and Robitaille.

These were formative experiences for me that set a course for my career as an artist. Currently, I am co-owner/operator of a business called 'G-G's Gallery & Gifts. This has 'put us on the map', with visitors from all over.

 

... Continue reading

Make a Video Slideshow for Youtube

5 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/29/2012

 

Like many online artists, I have used slideshows often to display artworks on websites and profiles. Every major photo sharing application (Picasa, Flickr, Photobucket, etc.) has an option to install a slideshow on your website. Below, I will show you a simple way of making a video slideshow with One True Media, and then transferring the video to Youtube. You do not even have to learn how to use video montage software in order to create a video for Youtube. There are plenty of useful websites for making a video with pictures and music for free, but the one we will be focusing on here is One TrueMedia.

As I mentioned several times on here, Youtube can be a valuable resource for artists if used effectively. Please read these articles to learn more about how this video sharing service can help in art promotion and selling art.

Video Art Promotion With Youtube
How to Make Art Instruction Videos on Webcam and Share it on Youtube

 

Drawings by Graham Matthews

 

... Continue reading

Saturday, January 28, 2012

How to Sell Your Art Online With Flickr

4 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/28/2012

 
flickr artFlickr is an online photo sharing and managing website which has over 51 million registered users.

Do you share your art at Flickr? Flickr can be very beneficial in attracting visitors to other websites, who want to view more of your art.

Artists can sell art through Flickr simply by including a link to their art website or print on demand profile.

 

I have outlined some of the settings that will help others find you when they are searching for your particular style of art.  The option to allow others to share your artworks using a Flickr Commons license, may be particularly helpful.

I explain how I use the photo sharing website Flickr to promote and sell art below…

... Continue reading

Friday, January 27, 2012

Promote Art Links With Social Networks and Online Bookmarking Services

1 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/27/2012

 

artlinks worldPromoting art links online often requires a huge time commitment. I realize many artists do not have time to constantly promote their art or to build networks of friends at various websites. This is why I decided to write this article to share with you what I do to massively promote my art links, sacrificing very little time.

During the past year, I have signed up for various online bookmarking services and social networks, which I have listed below.

 

I have been a member of some outlined here for years, such as Facebook and Myspace. But, only in the past few months have I installed the Addthis plugin to my web browser. This has helped me save quite a bit of time for my art link promotion efforts.

I do recommend that you use this cautiously, and not over-promote.

Here is great advice that will help for networking with other like-minded artists using artlinks:

  • When someone likes your link, like their art-link back. Go even further and follow the artist on various social networks. Most will appreciate it, and will be more likely to like and share your stuff in the future.
  • Follow others first! Do not wait for others to come to you. Usually, when you follow someone, they are notified, and have the opportunity of following back.
  • Do not follow indiscriminately! Even though I said above to follow and share other artist’s links back, if you genuinely do not like it, or are even offended by it, then most certainly do not share. The point is to build a network of contacts that you can relate to, who will continue to support you in the future.
... Continue reading

Saatchi Online Portfolio Gallery Review

4 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/27/2012

 

saatchi onlineSaatchi Online is an online portfolio gallery website that offers print on demand services, as well as a chance for the artist to sell art directly from the site.

 

Saatchi is actually a famous art gallery based in London, England. Their primary goal since they opened over a quarter century ago, has always been to display contemporary art by emerging artists. They are very famous for launching  the careers of many artists who previously were completely unknown. I have actually visited here while in art school (1997), during a foreign study semester in Harlow, England. Of course I visited dozens of museums and art galleries during my stay there, so I can not actually remember much about the particular show we visited. 

Overall, it is a very good site for artists, and very professional. The images are nicely laid out and look very well on the page. Although they do not have many of the features that Fine Art America has, I have decided to set up my profile there, if only as another outlet for my art. I will let you all know how effective the site is after I have been there for awhile.

Below, I will list some of the more useful features of Saatchi Online, and give a brief tutorial, including screen captures.

... Continue reading

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Art of Judy Perrin – Spotlite Artist

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/26/2012

 

For this artist spotlite, we would like to introduce you to Judy Perrin, a wildlife and fantasy artist from England.  She is a creative spirit who paints and draws in a wide variety of mediums and styles.

Read on to hear what Judy Perrin has to share with us regarding her life, and experience with art.

To be included here as a featured artist, please visit this page: Artist Spotlite

... Continue reading

Artist Sketchbook Drawing - Ideas and Tips

10 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/26/2012

 

sketchpad pencilsOne important thing which I learned from my art school experience is to regularly use an artist sketchbook.

At first, it wasn’t easy finding time, and usually I would rather be painting than drawing.

But over the years I grew more fonder of sketching.

 

Nowadays, I regularly draw and doodle. I still do it for many reasons, and I will list them below.

... Continue reading

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

How to Design an Art Portfolio for a Gallery

2 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/25/2012

 

art portfolioArtist portfolios are generally used by artists to display a record of their art career to potential buyers, and art galleries.

Completing a portfolio can have benefits for the artist too!

Documenting progression of artworks will help the artist clearly see where they have been in their career, and may directly affect the direction of future artworks.

Your presentation portfolio should make it very clear that you are worthy of being represented by the gallery.  Galleries have to know that you are in it for the long haul, and what better way to show them than by having your art career displayed eloquently in an art portfolio book or case.

 

Tip: Once you have your presentation portfolio created, you may want to consider mirroring the layout on your online artist website, by designing a unique portfolio template.

 

... Continue reading

Free Website Builders for Artist Site

4 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/25/2012

 

website buildersHaving your own artist website is probably the best way to be successful with art promotion online.

There are two options when looking for a place to build your artist website.

 

  1. Free website construction services – This is the focus of this article
  2. Host your own artist website – This topic will be covered soon in a series of articles. Stay tuned!

Today, we will discuss some various free website services. If you choose to avail of such website builders, please read the very important tip at the end of this article concerning domain names.

 

When are free website builders recommended for artists?

  • If an artist is a complete newbie to site construction, they may build one using an easy to setup template.
  • Some artists do not have time, or even the interest, to learn how to program html, css, and even how to use the cpanel. So, if this is the case for you, you may want to try one of the services below, which all require relatively little maintenance when setup. 
... Continue reading

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Top Print on Demand Websites List 2012

11 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/24/2012

 

print on demandWhat is print on demand?
How does it work for artists?

Print on demand basically allows artists to make their art available on a wide range of products, such as posters, giclee prints, t-shirts, calendars, and much more. The artist uploads their art to the website, and they take care of the ordering, production, and customer service. The item is only printed after someone makes an order, hence the phrase print on demand.

 

There are millions of artists around the world making good use of online print on demand services. We are featuring some of the best ones below. There are others, but featuring art at too many print on demand websites may be counterproductive in some regards. Actually, it is recommended to choose only one for your main selling and promoting. Other accounts can simply be used to make others aware of you as an artist.

... Continue reading

Monday, January 23, 2012

How to Mobile Blog Your Artwork

1 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/23/2012

Mobile blogging is a very convenient way of blogging while you are on the go, and do not have access to your computer. It can also be a very good method for artists to quickly share their art and experiences with their art blog readers.

 

Here are some situations where artists can make use of mobile phones to post photos:

  1. Museum and art gallery tours. Make sure you have permission first before posting your photographs.

  2. Progressive images of artwork. Artists can take photos of their artwork during several stages of production, and transfer them all to their blog directly through the mobile phone.

  3. Basically, any experience artists have while away from their computer can be documented through mobile phone photography, and shared with blog readers instantaneously.

We will show you how to set up a different template for your art blog at Blogger, to be viewed on mobile devices.

But first, would you like to see what your Blogger art blog looks like on mobile phones? Place this after your blog url in your browser to see what your blog looks like on mobile.  ?m=1 

Eg. http://www.artpromotivate.com/?m=1 

... Continue reading

Search for the Ideal Art Gallery

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/23/2012

 

gallery searchAre you an artist who is ready to search for the ideal art gallery to represent you, but do not know where to start?

 

We have listed below some ideas of areas you may focus on in your art gallery search.

 

 

Before doing your search, you may want to review our articles on these subjects in order to prepare for the gallery:

  1. How to Write a Good Artist Statement – Great tips on producing an artist statement that is clear, concise, and professional.

     

  2. How to Sign Art – Advice for signing drawings, paintings, sculptures, etc.

     

  3. How to Find the Perfect Title for Art – Finding a title for your creation that both is both informative, and descriptive.

     

  4. Should Artists Seek Gallery Representation? – Some questions to ask yourself before seeking a gallery to represent you.

     

  5. Gallery Representation or Independent Artist? – Analysis of the benefits of both galleries and independent artists

 

An artist biography, portfolio, and resume should also be prepared beforehand. It may also be a good idea to have your own artist website that displays your artworks online.

 

... Continue reading

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Piotr Wolodkowicz – Nature Portrait Paintings of Trees

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/22/2012

 

piotr wolodkowicz artistIn this artist spotlight, we feature Piotr Wolodkowicz, a nature, landscape and portrait painter, living in Chicago, United States. His oil paintings featured here are very colourful depictions of trees and nature.

You can have your art at ArtProMotivate too! It doesn’t matter whether you are a painter, sculptor, photographer, video artist, or whatever kind of art you produce.

 

We are looking for artists, young and old, from all walks of life. Please visit the artist spotlight page, and complete the form if you are interested.

 

... Continue reading

How to Create Art Instructional Videos on Webcam and Upload it to Youtube

2 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/22/2012

 

If you browse Youtube, you will find that many artists use this service to display art instructional videos of themselves painting, drawing, etc. Video has allowed artists to give others insights into their creative process, and to instruct interested people how to create art. There are many other uses of videos for artists that we will be talking about at another time. For now, we will be focusing on creating a simple webcam video on your computer, and uploading it to Youtube.

 

One of our readers requested this video tutorial:

Hello,
I would like to see a video explaining how to record myself creating Graphic Art on my Laptop. I have a Dell Cam Central. I can see me when it's on but I want it to record me creating art. Thanks

... Continue reading

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Video Art Promotion With Youtube

2 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/21/2012

 

youtube-art-videoYoutube is being used by artists around the world for the promotion of their art. Creating videos can be one of the most effective ways of promoting art on the web.

 

This is why we at ArtProMotivate will be dedicating more time in the coming weeks and months writing quality articles about this amazing resource.

 

 

 

Of course, Youtube is not the only website online where artists can feature their videos. There are scores of others, such as Dailymotion, Metacafe, Break, Google Video, Revver, Yahoo Video, Vidlife, Vimeo, and Stickam.

As one can imagine from this list, watching videos is very popular on the internet. Since Youtube is the BIG site where most of the online users frequent, we recommend this as the primary focus for video art promotion. Work at building your art video community there, and upload to the others as a secondary source.

 

... Continue reading

How to Sign a Painting or Drawing

14 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/21/2012

 

sign artDo you sign all of your art? Many artists decide to not sign artworks because they think it interferes with the composition. I have been guilty of this myself. I did not autograph a couple paintings produced during my early years as an artist.

I certainly wish I had signed them!

 

Unless the individuals can remember I painted those artworks, or they wrote my name on the back themselves, I will forever be forgotten as the artist.

“I wish I knew then, what I know now”, as the saying goes!

In recent years, I have been signing my artworks on the back. But, with my current unseen collection, I will be focusing more on having a signature on the front.

Here are some general rules and guidelines of artwork signature signing that I am being guided by.

... Continue reading

Friday, January 20, 2012

My Method for Finding an Art Audience

2 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/20/2012

 

art audience crowdFinding an audience for my art has proved quite difficult for me, especially just after I finished art school. First, I promoted my art to nearly everyone. After building a list of art buyers and contacts, I have managed to narrow down my particular audience considerably. This has helped me to focus on these people in promoting my art.

I still promote my art in the broader sense at times.  But, I focus most of my efforts on the mailing list of art buyers and contacts that I have built over the years (selective art marketing).

 

 

If you missed part one of this series, then kindly refer to it here:

Where Can I Find Buyers for My Art?

 

... Continue reading

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Where Can I Find Buyers for My Art?

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/19/2012

 

art-buyersMany of us as artists have asked that question. The question is often not easily answered. But, there are places artists can go, and things they can do to find out who the buyers are for their style of art.

Artists generally have two choices to find buyers for their style of art.

 

 

  1. Mass promotion of your art. Although your art will be exposed to a very wide audience, this can be very time consuming. This method is often more suited to emerging artists and those who have not had many art buyers. Of course, all the tactics can be used by any artist, since any exposure, whatever it may be, is always beneficial. 

     

  2. Selective marketing to the group of collectors that are more likely to purchase your particular art style. This may require selling quite a few artworks first, and examining what these particular buyers have in common. On the other hand, if you are an artist who has a very distinct style suited to a certain niche anyway, you will automatically know who to promote your art.

 

... Continue reading

Linkedin - Behance Art Portfolio Tutorial

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/19/2012

If you are an artist who has a profile at Linkedin, you may have realized how effective this site can be for your art exposure. Not only can you network with other artists, but you may keep art buyers updated on new gallery shows, and other events. The Linkedin groups feature is also extremely useful for meeting thousands of other artists online.

But, did you know that Linkedin has a Behance Network portfolio app? With this you may use the artworks you have posted at Behance, and place a portfolio of them on your Linkedin profile.

 

I will show you exactly how you can do this in today’s tutorial…

... Continue reading

Piano as Art – Shauna Holiman and Penny Putnam Collaboration

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/19/2012

 

aegis piano artIn this artist spotlite, we feature a collaboration between Shauna Holiman and Penny Putnam.

Their postmodern collages and sculptures were mostly created using parts of the piano.

 

After you read their interview, please take a look at their Piano as Art website. On there they feature several other artworks from their collaboration. The images can be viewed there quite interestingly by clicking the keys on the piano.

 

 

… On to the artist interview!  

... Continue reading

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Gallery Representation or Independent Artist?

2 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/18/2012

 

gallery representationAre you an independent artist who is seeking out gallery representation? Being represented by a gallery can have a positive effect on an artist’s career. You may have more opportunities of selling art, build a larger list of contacts, and gain more notoriety in the art community and general public.

Also, building a larger collection of artwork will be easier, since you will have the time to devote to it. In spite of this, you will not have the artistic freedom that independent artists enjoy.

 

 

 

We will be discussing the advantages of each, and let you decide the one that is best suited to your case.

... Continue reading

Site Tour – Artists Promotion Motivate

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/18/2012

 

site tourOur primary missions at Artpromotivate are:

  1. Artists - Regularly feature emerging and established artists through the spotlight.

  2. Promotion - To provide free tutorials to online artists to help promote.

  3. MotivateMotivate and inspire artists to continue creating through inspirational posts 

  4. Free - To freely share helpful tips on how to sell art, and attract buyers.

 

How to use this website!

sell art onlineThe first section you should notice here is the links at the top.

CONTENTS - All posts can be found both on the CONTENTS page and the blog archive.
Featured Artists - Also find a list of all the artists interviewed here on the Featured Artists page.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Artist Spotlight – Submit to our artist spotlight here.
Guest Post – Guest posting form
Resources – Recommended resources for artists
Follow Us – Where to keep in contact with Artpromotivate updates.

Leave feedback either in the Contact form or in the comments section at the end of each post.

 

While you are here, please subscribe to keep updated with new posts!

 

... Continue reading

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Should Artists Seek Art Gallery Representation?

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/17/2012

 

art-galleryBeing represented by an art gallery is the goal of many emerging artists, and rightly so. Your art will be seen in a much more presentable setting, with optimal lighting to enhance colors or decrease shadows.

Hopefully, if the gallery has lots of art buyer contacts, your art may be sold to collectors, and appear in places where it would not have been possible before.

 


But, in spite of these excellent positive points, there are some things independent artists should realize before searching out gallery representation.

 

In the coming days and weeks I will be covering several articles regarding galleries. I realize that many artists desire to show at a gallery, but may not know the correct way of going about it.

There are several things an artist must focus on even before seeking out a gallery.

 

... Continue reading

Monday, January 16, 2012

Will I Ever Be a Successful Artist?

1 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/16/2012

 

successful-artistAs artists, we naturally desire to have our artworks seen by others. This is what is needed to be successful as an artist.

But, many struggle, especially during the early years with being noticed by the public. Many ask, “How can I be famous if there are so many other artists to compete with?”

The answer is “You can!”, but with much effort on your part. It can be a struggle, but keep going, do not give up.

 

 

Produce art regularly, and work hard!


You will eventually get there, and the struggle will definitely be worth it!

... Continue reading

Sunday, January 15, 2012

How to Write the Best Artist Statement

7 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/15/2012

 

artist-statementAn artist statement, ideally, is a short summary that informs others about you as an artist, and leaves them wanting to know more about your art.

The artist statement should help others appreciate your art, and your standing as an artist.

 

 

Think of it like this. The statement is your personal advertisement for your art, without sounding like one.


Artist statements should be presented to art buyers, gallery owners, and other interested people who want to learn more about you. It is also an essential part of an artist portfolio, and should be placed on any online art profiles. Essentially, a well written artist statement increases your opportunities to sell art.

Here are 7  tips on creating a well crafted artist statement, one that you will be proud of!

... Continue reading

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Google Plus is an AMAZING Place for Artists

28 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/14/2012

 

Google-plus-artI have been using Google+ for a few weeks now, and I can vouch for it’s effectiveness in getting my art in the public eye. I post my art there regularly, and have been getting lots of feedback, along with plenty of website visitors.

The main element that I like about Google Plus is it’s convenience, and ease of use. It is very easy to check updates from my Gmail or even Google search. The number of updates appear at the top of these and other Google sites, and all I have to do is click to get a dropdown list.

 

Below is a tutorial for setting up a Google+ profile and Google+ page, for anyone who has not done so already. I have highlighted some of the main features that will help artists promote their artwork on Google Plus, to make it easy for you. 

There is a space below where anyone who has a Google+ profile or page already, can share it with us. Please read on for all the details.

... Continue reading

Friday, January 13, 2012

How to Find the Perfect Title For Art

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/13/2012

name-title-artTitling an artwork can be one of the most difficult things an artist has to do. There are many things to be concerned about when naming a piece.

What if we choose the wrong one – the creation will be stuck with it forever after it is on display. What if the title does not bring more attention to the artwork? What if others think the title is unoriginal or uncreative.

 

 

In spite of all these concerns, a perfect title can be devised through a thorough study of your intent, and what you want the viewer to see in your artwork.


One thing artists should never do is call their gallery artworks  “untitled”. Your title should say something about the content, and even elaborate on it. Sometimes it makes the artwork more understandable to the viewer, especially with abstract paintings and sculptures.

... Continue reading

Francene Levinson – Origami Sculptures

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/13/2012

 

francene-levinsonIn this artist interview, we feature U.S.A. artist Francene Levinson.

Her art includes stunning 3D origami sculptures, formed by folding paper.

Read on to hear Francene’s story of her influences, artistic motivations, inspirations, and promotional advice.

 

 

... Continue reading

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Pricing Tips - How Much is Your Art Worth?

10 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/12/2012

 

art-worth-priceSetting prices for art should never be made arbitrarily. Many new artists mistakenly choose their prices based on what other artists are selling theirs for, without paying any attention to experience.

What these artists have to realize, is that it probably took awhile to build up to those prices.

 

Art prices should be based on the actual value of the piece, along with the cost of materials and time spent. You may value the artwork highly, but others may not. The only way for others to know how much your art is worth is if you show them evidence of past sales, gallery shows, portfolio, awards. etc.

If you are a beginning artist, and you do not have this, there is a general rule below to help you set a price for your art. Once you set this price, it can be increased regularly as your reputation increases.

If you missed the first part of this series on pricing art, you may find it here:

How to Set Good Prices to Sell Art

... Continue reading

How to Set Good Prices to Sell Your Art

7 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/12/2012

 

Set Art PricesSetting prices for art is very difficult for many artists. How do artists determine how much their personal masterpieces are worth? 

Many tend to set them either too high or too low.

There are several factors artists must consider before appointing a cost for their creations.

 

... Continue reading

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Fine Art America – Quick Tour

9 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/11/2012

 

sell-art-printsI would like to tell you about some of the interesting features at Fine Art America for artists. Even if you are already a member, this post may help you.

I have some helpful tips regarding Fine Art America groups below, that may help in your art promotion efforts.

If you are not a member already, please read this helpful tutorial on setting up a free account:

Fine Art America - Print on Demand

 

 

Quick Tour of Fine Art America’s Features for Artists

... Continue reading

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Fine Art America – Sell Art Online - Print on Demand

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/10/2012

 

print-on-demandFine Art America is a great place for artists to display their artworks in an online portfolio and to sell art through the Print on Demand program.

They have many amazing features for artists of all types, including the ability to sell up to 25 high quality prints for free members. It is a huge community with over 1.5 million images from artists all across the globe.

 

Fine Arts America has many hallmarks that enticed me to signing up, such as…

  • It is completely free, but they do have a paid upgrade option for only $30 a year, which includes an art website, unlimited uploads, and much more

  • The ability to sell prints of my art at any mark-up I choose.

  • Unlimited uploads for free members, and 25 of them can be sold as professional print reproductions.

  • Social networking with other artists with the discussions, chat, and groups features.

  • Framing of prints is available through Fine Art America.
... Continue reading

When Should Artists Frame Paintings?

8 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/10/2012

painting-frame-harbor"When should artists frame their paintings?” is a very common question that I am often asked.

Framing makes the painting look much more professional and finished (to the average viewer), but may not always be the best option.

 

So, when is framing a good choice for an artwork?

 

 

We will explore this question, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of framing for an artwork. Also included here are a few very good framing tips.

 

... Continue reading

Monday, January 9, 2012

Ways to Attract Art Buyers and Sell Art

4 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/09/2012

attract-art-buyersHow do we as artists attract art buyers in order to sell our art? That is a common question asked by artists wanting to sell their art.

Creating art and marketing art are two entirely different roles. Many artists are not trained marketers… they would rather spend their time in their studio creating.

But, in order to sell art, some art marketing and promotional knowledge is necessary.

In this article, we have a few tips and advice that artists can use to create more public awareness of their art in order to sell more of them.

 

Organize Art Creation Time and Art Marketing Time

 

As artists, we need to realize that just as much time has to be spent at marketing and promoting art, as to create it. Without the marketing part, it may be very difficult to sell artwork and receive commissions. Unless you have someone else to do the promotion and art marketing for you, you will have to schedule and organize your time.

So our advice here would be to get a schedule planner book, and start allotting time for specific tasks. Your time spent creating and marketing your art should be divided in two separate sections.

It is up to you how you go about this, so here are some ideas:

  • Divide your daily art time in half. Create art for part of the day, then promote for the rest.
  • Spend part of the week in your studio doing whatever you do (ie painting, sculpting, drawing, etc.), then the rest of the week devoted to marketing artworks.
  • Spend weeks or months in your studio creating a collection of artworks, then devote your time entirely to marketing the collection. This may include gallery showings, contacting the local media, and public presentations.

... Continue reading

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Steven Gordon Linebaugh – Artist Spotlight

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/08/2012


Steven Gordon Linebaugh
is an impressionist/realism painter and photographer from Texas, U.S. His stunning impressions of nature, in landscapes and night scenes, are primarily created with oils and pastels as mediums. Steven’s night scenes and reflections off the water make good use of composition and light, to capture an accurate and visually pleasing impression of a moment.

Come take a look at Steven Gordon Linebaugh’s artworks in this artist spotlight, and hear what he has to share with our readers about his inspirations, style, themes and art promotional advice.

 

Steven Gordon Linebaugh – Artist Spotlight - Landscapes/ Seascapes


  • Please give a little introduction of yourself for all our readers.

    I am a landscape/seascape painter and photographer originally from New Jersey now living in Texas. My love of nature and the outdoors is evident in my paintings. I love mysterious night scenes and the reflections of water, these two scenes are my specialties.

  • When did you first start out creating art?

    Steven Gordon LinebaughI was always drawing when I was very young. I have been creating things for as long as I remember, I can't pinpoint the first time but I do remember putting large pieces of paper that would cover my wall and using pastels-the freedom of working so large and watching the colors and shadows stretch across the wall was an amazing feeling. The walls didn't fare so well.









... Continue reading

Saturday, January 7, 2012

What are the Best File Types for Artwork Digital Images?

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/07/2012

Digital Image File TypesThere are many different file types by which we, as artists, can save our artwork digital photographs.


It helps to know the advantages and drawbacks of different digital image file formats, to ensure your artwork photograph does not lose any quality. Some file types are very large, and are not recommended on a website. Others may not be supported by some web browsers. So, to make the file selection simple for all of you, I will explain a few different formats used for images, and let you know which ones you should be using for each purpose.


Best Digital Image File Types


... Continue reading

Friday, January 6, 2012

Optimizing Images With Photoshop – Part 2

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/06/2012

This is a continuation of our previous tutorial concerning making our artwork images look better using Photoshop.

If you have missed the first part, then please read up on it here:

How to Use Photoshop to Optimize Photographs


Using Photoshop for to Fix Artwork Photographs


Rotating the Photograph in Photoshop

The next step is to rotate your image. If this is not needed, just skip this part.

First, we need a grid to line up our image.

Select “View”, check “Extras”, then go to “Show”, then click “Grid”.


A grid will appear over your image so you can line it up accurately.

Next step: Go to “View” in Photoshop, then “Fit on Screen”.  As you can see above, my artwork rotation needs to be adjusted, so I will do that right now.

Select “Image”, then “Image Rotation”, and click “Arbitrary”.


I selected one degree clockwise to make my painting perfectly in line.

 

photoshop-image3_thumb[1]

 

... Continue reading

How to Use Photoshop to Optimize Photographs of Art – Part 1

1 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/06/2012

In the previous posts, we have been explaining how to photograph your art properly for display on the internet and some good settings to use for your camera.

If you missed these articles, then you may find them at the end of this post. Now, to continue with our photography tutorial with the net stage, image manipulation.

 

Fixing Artwork Images with Photoshop Tutorial


After you have finished photographing the images of your artwork, remove the SD card from your camera. Digital SLR cameras often come with a USB cord, but I find it is much faster to just plug the USB card into your computer, and transfer your artwork photographs from there.

Create a new folder, and label it “Original Artwork Photos 1”, or something similar. The number is to differentiate the folder from others that we will be creating later.

Make sure it is in an easy to find place, such as in your pictures folder. Transfer all your digital photographs to this folder. The photographs in this folder are your originals, so make sure to never save over them. You may want to consider backing them up onto an external harddrive or DVDR.

... Continue reading

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Photographing Art – My Camera Settings

7 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/05/2012

camera-settingsThere are some basic settings you must change on your camera before taking photos of your artwork. 

When I first got my digital camera, I searched everywhere online for proper settings for photographing my paintings.

I found many sites with great tips, but no specific settings.

 

This is why I am sharing them with you today.

This is the setup that has worked for me for photographing art.


These settings are for the Canon Digital SLR cameras. Many other camera brands have the same.

Camera settings often need to be adjusted to get a proper photograph, but this is a good starting point.

You may feel the need to adjust them according to your situation.

... Continue reading

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

How to Photograph Art For the Internet

3 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/04/2012

photograph-art-internetThe first step to having artwork online is to properly photograph them.

Photographing art usually takes a lot of practice, and can be a time-consuming process, especially if artists want their work presented in the best possible way.

 

 

This is the first part of a series of articles on this subject.

Setup for Photographing Art for the Web


The first step to is to get a good quality digital camera around 6-10 megapixels. The digital SLR cameras are perfect for this purpose. If you cannot afford one, try to borrow a camera from a friend. We will be discussing the Digital SLR camera for this tutorial. If you do not have access to one, satisfactory results can still be achieved from a regular camera.

Make sure the flash is turned off on your camera. The flash causes a glare on the photograph, and washes out the image. This is certainly not how we want our art presented, so it is advised to set it to the off position.

... Continue reading

How to Optimize Images of Art for SEO

11 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/04/2012

Image optimization (SEO) of artwork images is very important for artists who promote their art online.  If they are optimized correctly, they may be easily found on Google Image Search.

Many times people who find you on search will click through to your site, especially if they want to see more of your art.


There are many art buyers who use Google Image Search as a reference to find artists, or particular types of art. Typing in a particular artist usually brings you a bunch of results by that artist. Try it for yourself!

Go to Google Image Search now, input my name “Graham Matthews” in the box. You can see quite a few paintings and drawings by myself there, as well as a picture of me. But, the other people named Graham Matthews who are there rank lower.

 

graham-matthews-images

 

Now, try inserting “entwined abstract painting”, which is one of my best paintings, into the box.

The results which come up show my painting in the number one spot!

 

google-image-paintings


Try the same with your own name and names of artworks to see how you rank.


How did I do this? Well, I was not always using SEO for my images, but after I made a few essential changes, I started seeing my drawings and paintings pop up in search results.

Read on to see some of the SEO (search engine optimization) tactics I used to help others easily find my artworks just by searching for them.

... Continue reading

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Eleanor Brownridge – Glass Artist

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/03/2012

visual-artistsEleanor Brownridge is a glass artist from Ontario, Canada. She creates many wonderful glass art pieces in her studio at Turtle Creek Glass.

Eleanor’s work includes stained and fusion glass, glass sculptural art, pot melt glass, wall hangings, and much more.

 

The way the light radiates through her glass art is a spectacular sight to behold. Come take a look at some of her art, and hear her story and words of encouragement for our readers.

 

Fusion and Stained Glass Art by Eleanor Brownridge

Please give a brief introduction of yourself to our blog readers  

cosmic-event-eleanor-brownridgeI consider myself a very lucky artist. About 5 years ago my husband and I traded a house in Toronto for 15 acres of farm and orchard property in an area south of Collingwood, Ontario known as the Pretty River Valley.

Here I built my dream studio for creating stained and fusion glass.

We are on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment and from my studio windows I can see miles of fields, trees and the big sky.

 

Downhill skiing, hiking, golfing, boating and swimming are at our doorstep.

In winter I snowshoe from my house to my studio!

... Continue reading

Monday, January 2, 2012

How to Market Art Online With Gmail

2 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/02/2012

gmail-art-signatureThere are just so many places to market art online!

There are online gallery websites, bookmarking services, social networking, artist forums, art blogging, just to name a few.

With most of these websites though, the marketing process requires continually logging in to promote your art.


This can be a time consuming and arduous task!


But, did you know that your simple Google Gmail account can be used as an art promotion tool? I will discuss here in this tutorial how you can effectively use Gmail (and similar online email accounts) for that purpose.

 

... Continue reading

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Sharing Your Artist Website With Others

0 comments Posted by Graham Matthews at 1/01/2012

sharing-art-onlineDo you have an artist website, art blog, or artist profile, that you want to share with the world? Sharing it with others will ensure you receive more visitors and contacts.

 

But, where do artists share their websites on the internet?

We will show you some great places to promote your art site and give you a few popular examples to aid you in art promotion.

 

 

 

Sharing your artist profile URL anywhere you can…


The more places you place your link, the more people will find you. There are many websites online for art promotion. Here are a few places where you can start in sharing your art with others on the internet.

  • Social networks, such as Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Myspace

    Wherever you have an artist profile online, whether it be social networks or online gallery sites, place your website or art blog there. Whenever you have an update, notify them of that too.
... Continue reading

Archive

Support

Help spread the word! Please place this badge on your blog or website...
Sell my Art Online ... or spread the word with one of these attractive banners!
 

Recent Posts

About the Author

Hi! I am Graham, a professional artist, blogger and aspiring writer. Read More..

Followers

Some of the links you see at this blog are to products and services for which I am an affiliate. Be assured that I do not recommend anything that I am not a big fan of!

Recent Comments

© 2013. All Rights Reserved | Artpromotivate | Template by Blogger Widgets | Redesign by ArtProMotivate

Home | Privacy Policy and Disclosure | About | Top