Blast Off Your Art Career – ArtBizCoach Class

Would you like a big boost for your art career? If you answered “YES!” then I would certainly recommend the new ArtBizCoach class “Blast Off!” to take place between September 5-28, 2012. The class is headed by Alyson B. Stanfield, art consultant and coach, owner of ArtBizBlog, and writer of I’d Rather be in the Studio. Each month Alyson holds a new class for artists, whereby she works with them on certain issues related to becoming a successful artist and marketing art. This months class is titled Blast Off! (Incidentally, this is the last time Alyson will be holding this particular class in this format!)

 

Learn much more about the Blast Off class here: BLAST OFF!

... Continue reading

Powerpoint Tutorial for an Art Slideshow

Microsoft Powerpoint is the most popular presentation software in the world. I have been viewing many of the Powerpoint slideshows at Slideshare and recently decided to create one of my own.

In this tutorial I will show you how to make a Powerpoint slideshow, add images and audio, and convert it to video format to be uploaded to Youtube. We will be using Microsoft Powerpoint 2010, but most of these features should be available in previous versions.

... Continue reading

Cheryl O - Artist Seeks to Share the Joy

Cheryl O

Canada

Artist Seeks to Share the Joy

 

I was a bit later getting into visual art, learning to draw at age 39. The longing to do art had been in me forever, but the time and opportunity did not present till then.

It didn't take long, and I was into deep water, or rather deep into watercolour, and soon added oil and acrylic to my art-song.

 

 

Buddies ©Cheryl O

 

... Continue reading

Places and Spaces – Saatchi Online Showdown

Saatchi Online holds a regular free art competition entitled the Showdown. The most recent one has just been announced and is titled Places and Spaces.

The Showdown is an online art contest held by Saatchi Online whereby artists can compete with other artists for a chance for an art show at Saatchi Gallery in London, England, along with great cash prizes.

Submissions for Places and Spaces are open to all genres of visual art – painting, photography, sculpture, collage, etc.

 

Here is what Saatchi Online has to say about the theme “Places and Spaces”

 

What do we mean?  We are interested in the subject of personal locations. This can be interpreted in a variety of ways from depicting your studio, your hometown, or even where you see yourself in the future.  Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, some people consider home a person, an object or even a pet. We want to get a glimpse into your life and surroundings and see the location that best represents your space, be it mental or physical.

 

 

... Continue reading

Importance of Having a Plan for Promoting Art

In the past I have shared many great websites and promotional opportunities with all of you. There are literally hundreds of ways for artists to promote art on the internet. It is easy to feel overwhelmed with all that is available. Of course, it is impossible to be active with everything the internet has to offer.

Trying to do so may be one of the biggest mistakes an artist can make. You may find yourself spending much more time on the computer than in your studio. There certainly should be a balance between creation time and promotional time.

 

How can an artist who has just begun promoting art online know where to begin? Well, the first step should be to decide on a plan. A plan will help you focus your marketing efforts and zone in on what works for you. In past articles, I have been showing you some of what is available on the internet for artists. Use this to decide what works for yourself, your situation, and what goals you have for your art career.

I will give some examples of some commonly used plans for art promotion, which should help you create your own.

... Continue reading

Katerina Gorokhova – Figurative Paintings

Lovers, 120x100, acrylic on canvas, 2011 ©Katerina Gorokhova

Figuarative Paintings by Russian Artist Katerina Gorokhova

 

Katerina Gorokhova was born in Moscow, she graduated from the Central St.Martin's School of Art and Design (The Byam Shaw Building) London, Great Britain, earning BA and Postgraduate Diplomas in Fine Art. She exhibited in Moscow, London, Berlin, New York, Toronto; she also curated exhibitions in London and Moscow (The Russian Academy of Arts). At the moment she lives, works and teaches art in Moscow area. Gorokhova's series "Simple moments" were displayed for a year in 2011 at PANAVTO, Mercedes-Benz showroom. In the year of 2011 there were articles published in such editions as "Russian gallery - the XXI century" 7-8 and PANAVTO: cars&people No6. Katerina Gorokhova’s work can be found in collections of Russia and abroad.

 

 

... Continue reading

ASC – A Singular Creation – Free Online Art Community

A Singular Creation (ASC) is a free online art community devoted to providing resources and promotion opportunities for all artists and photographers. With ASC, artists can add their own artwork to the site, keep track of new art competitions, and network with artists throughout the globe. ASC has a host of features, which I will talk about below.

I created my own profile there, added some of my artworks, and I will show you how to do the same, along with explaining some of the most useful features.

I recently spoke to ASC founder Joe Barrouk, and asked him a couple questions about A Singular Creation.

 

... Continue reading

7 Twitter Tricks for Smart Tweeters 2012

Twitter is a huge micro-blogging platform based on a very simple concept – sharing updates and thoughts throughout the day with a band of followers, hopefully all of which are interested in what you have to say. With 140 million users worldwide, this social network can be very useful to promote art to a focussed audience of followers who are interested in what you have to say.

Of course, no social network is useful unless used in the right way. I have covered several tips on how to use Twitter effectively. Find this article here: Twitter Tips for Artists 

If you are interested in learning how to post  photographs of your art to Twitter, you may find a detailed tutorial here: Art on Twitter

What follows are a few tips and tricks for using Twitter effectively.

... Continue reading

Inside the Mind of Irish Artist Caroline Swaine–Donohoe

Caroline Swaine-Donohoe

Ireland, Europe

Talkative, Extrovert, Ambitious

I am mainly a self-taught artist. I studied languages and literature in college, and then pursued a career in law, but I discovered that I couldn't let go of painting, and I decided to do it as a hobby. I didn’t realise how far it would go!

 

Skylight 8"x8" abstract Textured acrylic on boxed canvas ©Caroline Swaine-Donohoe

 

 

When was the first time you knew you were an artist?   

When I was eight years old. I remember sitting in our playroom on a Saturday morning, my little sister watching cartoons on the TV, while I sat painting in Oils, a picture of boats in a harbour. I remember thinking how nice it felt, and I think it was that exact moment that I realised painting was natural to me.

... Continue reading

Thomas Kinkade Controversy – Why do People Like His Paintings?

I have been reading lots of harsh comments and criticism about the art of the late Thomas Kinkade, debasing his paintings. Some of these remarks were cruel and hateful, both questioning the authority of Thomas Kinkade as an artist and questioning the sanity of anyone who would buy his paintings or reproductions.

According to his website, Thomas Kinkade is the biggest selling artist of all time, selling more than any artist dead or alive. His paintings can be seen on prints, mugs, nightlights, little trinkets, and much more.

 

He is known for being just as much a business man as an artist (is that a bad thing?) He has also been harshly criticised by the art world establishment, especially for his commercialism.

... Continue reading

How to Ship and Package Artwork Safely

It can be disappointing and heartbreaking both to the artist and the person receiving an artwork when they open it to find it damaged.

Artists should realize that packages sent though the postal services may be punctured, crushed, thrown, or dropped.

So adequate precautions must be made to protect against all these instances.

 

Always expect the worst when shipping art, and go through all steps to make your piece as safe from physical harm as you possibly can.

Packing artwork doesn’t have to be expensive. Artists can do it economically and safely with materials they have at home, or which can be purchased cheaply.

Artworks must be securely packed and detailed instructions for packing and unpacking should be contained within. Realize that many times the staff at smaller galleries and art competitions are volunteers and inexperienced. They may have many pieces to examine. So the better you package your artwork and the more detailed your instructions are, the better impression you will give to these people who will be considering your work for exhibition.

Here are some thing to consider when packaging your paintings and sculptures for shipping through postal services.

... Continue reading

Virginia Erdie – Abstract Art Based on Theories of Reality

 

Virginia Erdie - Abstract Art Based on Theories of Reality - String Theory, Hologram Theory, Fractal Theory

 
With classical training from The Maryland Institute, College of Art and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I am now an artist at Studio 18 in South Florida.

While much of my portfolio contains surreal artwork, my present work is abstract.

The first time I remember creating something was on the blackboard in the two-room grade school I attended. I was called to the blackboard to draw a Cornucopia with coloured chalk. I was amazed to see that the teacher and students were amazed at what I had drawn.

... Continue reading

Famous Canadian Painter Tom Thomson – Sketches and Influence

Every country has its legendary artists. When you think of iconic British artists, names like JMW Turner and William Hogarth may come to mind. For the USA, the most famous recognized names would undoubtedly be such artists as Jackson Pollock, Norman Rockwell, and Andy Warhol. Canada has had many influential artists, but none have had the impact on Canadian art which Tom Thomson had. I realize there may be some readers who have not even heard of Tom Thomson, especially those from other parts of the world. So, I will give you a brief background on Tom Thomson, and also give you an opportunity to let us know about your own favourite artists at the end of this article.

 

... Continue reading

7 Ways to Use Facebook to Promote Your Art

I have been using a Facebook page to promote my art for a long time now. I have also marketed my art by means of my profile, Facebook Marketplace, and groups. Other effective means of FB art promotion are Events, chat, messaging, video chat, and Facebook advertising. Some of these are discussed below.

 

 

... Continue reading

David Perl – Retired Art Director Turned Digital Artist

David Perl

Northeast, USA

Retired Art Director Turned Digital Artist

 

From college to work. Did 50 years in the creative side of advertising, print & TV as an award winning art director, creative director & commercial TV director. Retired and turned to art.

Balloons ©David Perl

 

When was the first time you knew you were an artist?

About 7 or 8 years old. I was constantly sending Walt Disney story and drawings for new animated films. Don't think they were any good as he never got back to me?

... Continue reading

DrawPj – Learn to Draw and Paint Certificate Course – Part 2

This is part 2 of our interview with Cindy Wider, co-founder of DrawPJ.com, the Complete Drawing and Painting Certificate Course.

Part 1 can be found here:

DrawPJ Cindy Wider Interview – Part 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canyon Falls Blessing, Acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 inches, World Champion – Second Prize, Tannis Trydal

 

 

 

What do you have to offer for aspiring artists wanting to learn how to draw or paint?

 

Draw even while you think you can’t and smile so that you relax your entire upper torso. Learning to draw requires a very delicate mental shift, it’s not a huge shift like many people think. We are all born with the ability to learn how to draw and all you have to do is include the logical, reasoning logical part of your brain in the process. Whenever you sit down to draw ask yourself questions about the image or object you are using as a reference source.

... Continue reading

Paulo Themudo – A Simple Man Who Cannot Live Without Art

Carnaval na Bruma      ©Paulo Themudo

Paulo Themudo - A Simple Man Who Cannot Live Without Art

     
I’m a Portuguese painter.

Since the age of 8 years old that i live with the draws, the mix of the colors and the enthusiasm for the arts.

A very impulsive child that use to run looking for a paper to draw and paint.

Along the years I just put in action what I really feel that was my way, so, I have learned with some masters and colleges.

For me life without my art just don’t make sense.

... Continue reading

DrawPj.com - Interview with Course Founder Cindy Wider

Cindy Wider is the co-founder of DrawPj.com along with her husband Stuart Wider. Cindy is a multi-awarding winning artist and the author of 37 e-books that form the ‘Complete Drawing and Painting Certificate Course.’ She is also the author of the soft cover book titled ‘Paint In Your Pyjamas - every woman’s guide to finding your life purpose through art.’ Cindy and Stuart, along with their team of dedicated professionals help hundreds of people learn to draw and paint who previously never believed it was possible for them.

Jayne and Look-a-like Doll, Graphite on vellum, 10x12 inches ©Scott Kunkle, Most Promising Artist – DrawPj Art Competition 2012

 

What is DrawPJ.com?

 

DrawPj means Draw in your Pyjama Time ™ (those little blocks of time that we often fritter away, usually while we are in our pyjamas.) DrawPj.com is a caring and supportive online community where we encourage people to use their Pyjama Time to learn to draw and paint rather than waiting for the big blocks of time that never seem to come.

 

People come to us with all different levels of level of ability and we help them learn to draw and paint at a professional level in the shortest amount of time possible while experiencing a wonderful life-changing journey along the way.

 

... Continue reading

Two More FREE Art Promotion Opportunities for Artists

One of the primary goals of Artpromotivate is to promote artists for free. As long as this site exists, I will always feature artists here without cost. I am always considering new ways to expand the reach of Artpromotivate, and help promote the artists interviewed here at the same time. I have come up with two opportunities for those who submitted a spotlight, but want to be showcased here faster, and previously featured artists who desire some free extra promotion from Artpromotivate. I will tell you all about it and what is involved below.

 

Also, I am considering a testimonial page here soon. Read on for details on how you can send us a testimonial and receive a free link for doing so.

... Continue reading

Paul Crimi - A Lifelong Affair with Art

Lupines at Sunset         ©Paul Crimi

Paul Crimi - A Lifelong Affair with Art

 

"Life is a precious gift that I love and hold dear~ and my Art is the best way to express my appreciation for the joy, happiness and wonderful blessings in my life"

I am first a modern contemporary impressionistic artist - I enjoy abstraction, sculpture and assemblages as well. I have explored every avenue of art for my entire life. I am a member of the Boston Printmakers.

 

... Continue reading

How Artists Can Make Art That Will Sell

Figuring out what kind of art that sells or doesn’t is a big concern for many artists. There is so much involved and many factors which affects selling. Finding art buyers may seem overwhelming and frustrating, especially at the initial stages. But, as artists, we do not usually create just for the money. We make art because we love it… because through art we let our voice be heard in the world. This is something that goes far deeper than earning a living from art. For artists who make art purely for enjoyment, this article is not intended to discourage you from what you are doing. I think this is an honourable thing to do. Neither do I think making art specifically to sell is always what is termed “selling out”.  

What follows are some things to consider for creating art that people will buy.

... Continue reading

Overview and Features of Foliotwist – Websites for Artists

I have taken a look at many artist website services in the past, many of which I have mentioned here at Artpromotivate. I recently had an opportunity to view the Foliotwist administration panel, and am very impressed with all that is included (see video below).

Foliotwist has everything an artist would need to promote their art, all in one place. They have a portfolio, art blog, integrated Paypal buttons, free domain, unlimited uploads, and much more. I will go into detail about some of these features, along with others below.

 

There are two different payment plans, which are displayed below, along with a risk free trial period of 10 days. For those who need extra help with promoting and using SEO on their website, they can sign up for the Starter Website which includes 50 Traffic Booster lessons, weekly critiques of your Foliotwist website, and direct email support from the founders.

To check out Foliotwist before reading on, please go here.

... Continue reading

Spotlight on Norfolk UK Artist Justin Barnard

Justin Barnard

Norfolk UK

Seeking, loving, flying

 

I am a 51 year old accountant/artist/writer. Thirty years ago I was only 21. I am still working on that.

I loved painting birds when I was a boy. I went on an activity holiday in Greece when I was 34 and picked up a paint brush again not knowing what to expect. The workshop leader, Robert Venosa, a man of few words, didn't say Goodbye at the end of the course, he just said "Paint!"

 

Drumcliffe Churchyard ©Justin Barnard

... Continue reading

How to Use Ebay to Find Great Deals on Art Supplies

I have been using Ebay occasionally for a few years to buy various items I needed. Recently, I have been running low on many of my oil paint colors. I have been checking out a few online stores, as the nearest art supply shop is a four hour drive from where I live. I tried ordering from a couple online stores, but after checking out my cart, the shipping is usually way too high. I also dislike the added fees by customs when ordering from another country.

 

 

 

... Continue reading

How to Get Your Website Seen on Google and Bing

Building a website without a way to be found on Google and Bing is like building a business in the middle of nowhere, without roads, telephone, internet or any other means of letting others know its there. Realize that having a website for your art is one thing, but if it is not found on search engines, then you may be losing many potential sales and your art may be seen by very few.

There are a few proven methods to help search engines find your art. Use these will enable your website search engine visibility, thereby increasing readership, and hopefully art sales.

 

If your site is already found on search engines, some of these methods will help you rank higher.

 

... Continue reading

Jivan Lee – Thickly Painted, Mindfully Mindless

Orilla Verde at Rio Grande, triptych; 48" x 78", 2011, walnut oils (impasto) on linen ©Jivan Lee

I was born in Woodstock, NY, in 1984 when the festival was a memory and Woodstock was just a quiet little artist colony again. After a country-boy childhood I attended Bard College and studied painting with Joseph Santore and Laura Battle. I had a full-tuition scholarship in science, though, so I ended up with two degrees - a BA in biology and an MS in environmental policy. After graduate school focused again on art and started painting full time in New York. I've been painting pretty much ever since (except for a break when I moved to New Mexico). I owe a lot especially to the people and land of Taos, NM -- Taos is where I rediscovered my passion for painting and started finding a voice that feels like my own.

... Continue reading

Pictify – Pinterest Styled Artist Social Network

With the popularity of Pinterest, many Pinterest clones have been popping up. One such social media site is Pictify – but this one is geared specifically towards artists, photographers, and art galleries.

 

For artists who use Pinterest for inspiration, Pictify will certainly serve this purpose. Like Pinterest, artists can create categorized boards, and share and follow artists they like. This is a brief overview of Pictify, and how you may use it for art promotion.

... Continue reading

How Artists Can Promote Art With Google Plus Pages in 2012

Google Plus pages have been around for awhile now and many artists are using them in their art promotion regimen.

Artpromotivate has a page of its own, and I also have a page for my art. At the moment, Google+ pages aren’t even close to the popularity of Facebook pages.

 

 

 

There are over 42 million Facebook pages according to one source, while the number of Google+ pages is far less than this. Why then would artists consider being active on a social network with far less users? The answer to this question lies in engagement, activity, and professionalism. Google+ is actually ranked higher than Facebook in a recent customer satisfaction poll. It is apparent that many Facebook users are becoming annoyed by the frequent changes – especially the mandatory Timeline feature for Facebook pages. Many are choosing to place more emphasis on their Google+ page. Google+ is being talked about all over the place, and it may be a very good idea to use them for art promotion if you aren’t already – as they could very well be the social media platform of choice in the future.

I will discuss some of the perks of Google plus pages in 2012 for art promotion, and how artists can use them to brand themselves and their art business.

 

... Continue reading

Karen Smith: Introducing Photo Art Station - Poster and Canvas Art

Karen Smith

South Yorkshire, UK

Introducing Photo Art Station - Poster and Canvas Art

 

I am an artist with a passion to share my art ideas and develop my creativity.

I have always been a very creative person, I realised that being a musician wasn't enough and needed a further 'literal' string to my bow, and after setting my ideas to paper, realised I had a passion for art that I needed to express.

 

Rock Moves ©Karen Smith

 

 

... Continue reading

EBSQ – Online Self-Represented Artist Community

I have recently been introduced to ESBQ, a community site for online self-representing artists.

In examining all the great features for self-represented artists, I am very impressed.

 

 

EBSQ has it all – ability to make certificates of authenticity, a very helpful and active community forum, unlimited uploads, and useful tools for art promotion.  EBSQ functions as a central hub to both learn how to promote art online, and assist you in every way to sell artworks.

... Continue reading

10 Things Artists Should NOT Do When Promoting Art on Facebook

Facebook is currently the largest social network with over one billion active monthly users. With such a huge number, it is no wonder that many artists spend so much time there marketing art to the masses. Making a good impression is just as important on social media websites as it is in the real world. If we annoy people with continuous posting, this gives us a bad image which some may remember for a long time. Remember, Facebook is a public site and it doesn’t take much for something to be seen by thousands of eyes, especially if it is controversial.

 

 

While we promote art on Facebook, we must protect our online reputation, and follow standard web etiquette. Be careful what you post, and avoid doing these things I mention below.

... Continue reading

DUST Painting Series by Maia Stefana Oprea

Maia Oprea

Bucharest, Romania

DUST Painting Series 

I am a Romanian artist aged 24. I was born in Bucharest, exactly 2 years after the abolishment of communism.

 

 

Dust XII ©Maia Opre

 

 

 

After attending the Bucharest Fine Art High School "N.Tonitza", I started a BFA at the Savannah College of Art and Design, in the quiet university town Savannah, on the U.S. east coast, in the state of Georgia. Feeling that the American success was standing one inch above my head and all I had to do was to decorate it with glitter in order to hide the classic stamp of "alien citizen", while constantly sharpening my smile, I preferred to go back to my native country, in order to study painting at the National University of Arts in Bucharest, which I will now finish in...about 2 weeks. During 2010-2011 I was recipient of an ERASMUS scholarship at Ecole Superieure d'Art de Grenoble, in the heart of the French Alps. A second uprooting, a second start, another set of suitcases. I ran whip and spur from the french. The verdict? I was a walking bomb, coming from another century in a country where conceptualism is being eaten at the morning breakfast. But both in the United States and in France, I have benefited from an excellent academic environment of a bewildering diversity, artistically and technically equipped to the highest standards.Thus, I could experiment freely, without limits.

 

 

... Continue reading