Art eXposed

This month we take a look at how to keep a catalog of your art work. If you’re wondering why you need to catalog your work, the simple answer is “because every successful artist does,” but if that’s not enough then here are 5 reasons why it is imperative that you keep a catalog.

1. It allows you to price your art accurately

We’ll deal with the specifics of pricing your art next month, so for now you only need to know that the most accurate price can only be obtained by seeing what similar works have sold for.

2. You can spot trends in sales

Many artists starting out in their careers find they have certain works which are easy money makers, and the easiest way to discover this is by keeping a catalog

3. It can be presented to dealers and gallery owners

Anyone serious about buying or selling your art needs to know that it can be expected to sell at the prices you’re asking for. A categorised history of past sales is by far the best way of proving this.

4. Allows you to select your best work

It is always a difficult task deciding which work you wish to put in a portfolio, gallery or competition. The problem becomes a lot easier when you can browse an organized catalog of your work rather than having to sift through endless canvasses.

5. It acts as a positive reminder of your progress

Looking back over a year of work you will feel far more positive about your future if you can clearly see just how far you’ve come.

What the catalog should contain

Exactly how you create and organize your catalog is up to you, but whatever format you choose, it must contain the following:

Title and date

Both of these are essential. If you do not wish to title your work, create a reference number system instead.

Photograph

This is a lot easier to accomplish if your catalog is digital, but if you choose to have a physical catalog then a Polaroid camera will be invaluable.

Cost of production

Take into account all expenses required to create the work. It is always better to over-estimate.

Time taken to produce work

Keep close track of how long it takes you to produce each work. Be honest about it, include breaks from work. Again, it is better to overestimate.

What the work sold for

You should be able to easily reference this alongside the title and date.

Extras

Has the work been on display anywhere? Is it now hanging on someone’s wall? Did it win a prize? Any extra information about the artwork itself should always be kept.

Digital catalogs

Having your catalog on your computer has many advantages. It is easier to maintain, easier to back up, and allows you to transfer work to your website much more easily. It can be as simple as a set of organized directories and text files or as complex as a database that automatically updates to a website, but whichever way you choose make sure it is easy to update and back up.

Photographing your art

Unless you happen to be friends with a professional photographer, the best way to photograph your work is with a good digital camera. You will find excellent resources on the internet with advice on how to photograph art, but just experimenting with the settings on your digital camera will usually suffice. Make sure that you always photograph in good light without a flash and be sure to take multiple shots from different angles if your work is three dimensional

Creating a selection from your catalog

Catalog/gallery/showcase/portfolio? The lines are blurring more and more thanks to digital cameras and the internet. Whatever you call it, you will at some point wish to have a presentable selection of your best work that you can show to others. Many artists are choosing to use their website as their only portfolio, but if possible it is worth investing in getting a selection of your work printed.

Finally

The most important aspect of a catalogue is keeping it up to date, so keep this in mind when designing the system. It should not be too complex, or else you will avoid updating it. Try to have a mental habit that no work is complete until it is photographed and documented in your catalogue.

A few months ago  we began our investigation into life as a professional artist by debunking some basic stereotypes. This time around we’re going to lay out the basics of how the world of art works and how to deal with people within it.

Don’t expect miracles
The first thing to understand is that whether you are just out of art school or you have been producing art for decades, there are no shortcuts to success. It will take time and experience. There is no foolproof route that we can advise you to take, but one general rule does hold true: work outwards. Despite the internet, success almost always begins locally.

It is imperative that you establish yourself on the local arts scene first, which is precisely why we at Art eXposed have created a range of services that build connections between you and your local arts community. We link you up with local businesses, represent you at local arts shows, sponsor events and even organize entire shows to increase your visibility and boost your reputation in the community.

Dealing with people in the art industry
If you are an Art eXposed subscriber then a lot of the hard work in building a reputation in the local community is already done for you, but there is one thing that we can only provide advice on: dealing with people. The art world is all about people, and the more you talk to, the more success will come your way.

If you make an effort to attend local arts shows and events, you will no doubt meet gallery owners, dealers, buyers, critics and others who can help you in your career, but you must be prudent. These people are bombarded each day with new artists seeking the limelight, so you’ll do well to follow a few simple rules that will help you to gain their favour.

Do not annoy them
To begin with, accept that for the most part these people are far busier than you. If you are not of a genuine interest to them then you are a nuisance. Therefore, always hesitate before approaching anyone in the industry. Do not just walk up to them and introduce yourself as an artist looking to further your career.

Instead, you should talk to them about art. They got into this industry because they love art. Talk to them passionately and sincerely about art. Don’t be afraid to disagree with them, but do so without vitriol. Say that you just never understood a particular artist they admire, or that you don’t have much experience of them. Turn it around by asking what it is they like about them. If you are someone who doesn’t like any modern art, then consider that you might be in the wrong profession.

Understand their position
These people make money from art, and they need to know how you can make them money. This doesn’t mean you should boast about your latest sale, but that you must make it clear that you are not a mere dilettante. More than anything, they must see potential in you.

They make money by taking risks
Understand that if they take a chance on you it is a real risk for them. Even if no money is involved, their reputation is at stake. No-one wants to have a loose cannon on their hands that causes them embarrassment, so you must show that you are capable of having a long term professional relationship with them.

Finally
Remember, it will take time. Do not dream of overnight success because it simply will not happen. Learn about your local arts scene, utilise the Art eXposed services, and talk to other artists about what route they have taken to get where they are. Keep a constant lookout for new opportunities and when you see them, grab them. Finally, have no fear of rejection: you will not find a successful artist who has not experienced rejection.

It all seemed so simple at art school. You were led to believe that as long as you kept creating great art then success would follow naturally. So perhaps after embarking on your career as an artist you have become a little disillusioned to discover that buyers and dealers are not beating a path to your door.

Whatever your story, you’re now on the right track. The fact that you’re reading this shows that you want to know more about the business side of the art world, and that’s a huge start. Over the coming months you’re going to learn what so many artists never do: the basics of how to successfully market and promote yourself and your art.

As an introduction this month we’re going to debunk a few myths that commonly hold artists back:

Myth 1: Artists should stick to art and leave business to the “suits”

The idea of the artist as a creative genius, free from the constraints of the real world, is a romantic dream. The reality is that in addition to creating great art, the artist also has to be his own promoter, agent and manager. You must therefore dedicate yourself to spending time learning each of these skills if you want to be successful.

This may sound daunting, but that’s why Art eXposed exists. The tools and resources available on our website are designed to increase your visibility and help you market yourself more effectively without having to start from scratch.

Myth 2: People expect artists to be unprofessional

The people who make money buying and selling art are professionals and they expect to deal with professionals. If your eccentricities and artistic temperament cause them hassle, your value to them goes down accordingly. Having a professional manner and being easy to work with are essential to success, but especially so if you have yet to make a name for yourself.

Myth 3: Artists must be solitary

The solitary genius slaving away at his creation is another false legacy of romanticism. Successful artists constantly interact with others in the art world. The ability to create and maintain friendships and working relationships is one of the biggest factors in getting your work out there. Art eXposed works to forge links with your local arts community, as well as allowing artists to interact with each other via the website.

Myth 4: Art dealers and buyers don’t understand art

This is a common mistake and often leads artists to treat dealers with disdain. They forget that these people got into this business because they love art. Perhaps their tastes differ from yours, and certainly they may seem too interested in current trends and market value, but they do love art and most are willing to take a chance on newcomers.

Myth 5: If the work is good enough it will sell itself

If your studio is currently full of unsold work, then you should know that this isn’t true. The art world has always run on the same principle as everything else, you are selling a product. The difference is that in art the value of your product is based upon your reputation and skill, rather than raw materials and cost of production. With this in mind you must learn to maximize the value of your work using techniques we will be discussing over the coming months.

Myth 6: My art is unique and most people don’t understand it

While your art may be different, it is not unique. There are other artists doing similar things and you ignore their success at your peril. You must not stand aloof from the people who can make you a success, and that includes other artists. If you can talk easily about your art without being either shy or boastful, you will not only make new friends but you will sell more art.

Finally, don’t get disheartened

None of this should disillusion you about your dream of expressing yourself through your work. The art itself is still the most important thing. Understanding the business side of art is an addition to your talents, not a substitute for them. Hopefully it is another skill that you want to cultivate, and over the coming months we will be walking you through how to go about doing this.

This is the second part of a 3 part video series around Oil Painting Materials. The first video in the series talked about oil paints. In this video Dean Adams an Art eXposed artists walks you through Oil Paint brushes. Enjoy.

Oil Painting Materials Video 2

For supporting material please go to http://www.deanadamsartist.com

There is a tremendous amount of value that comes out of online conversations in social networking communities. Today, the concept of PR 2.0 focuses on reaching people who are like-minded individuals who share similar interests through meaningful web discussions. And, as you venture into and explore different web communities, whether it’s MySpace or Facebook, you’ll find opportunity to build trust and strong relationships with people. Just by setting up a profile, you open up and make information available about yourself. By taking this first step, you are welcoming the opportunity to talk to people one-on-one and to listen to them. That’s the best kind of relationship building there is!

As an artist, there’s tremendous potential for you to speak directly to someone online who may be interested in your style of art or perhaps they will contact you to help them answer a question pertaining to a period in art history. Either way, you use dialogue to start the interaction and to build the “friendship.” In these social networking forums, you are also able to participate in groups, perhaps with other artists or with people who prefer a particular type of art. On Facebook, when you search under the word “art” about 500 different groups surface that you can peruse and join if you are interested.

Another great opportunity for you to speak with people who share you passion for art is by setting up your own blog and by blogging regularly. You can easily start your own blog through Word Press (www.wordpress.com) or Blogger (www.blogger.com) or you can choose to blog in a social networking community (whether your blog is posted as a part of your profile or within a group that you participate). Blogging is a great way to start conversations and learn about people and have them learn about you. However, whether you are blogging about your favorite artwork, your technique or your passion, it’s really important to make a solid commitment to blogging and to stick with it (however often that may be). Soon you will have people who follow what you say, and look forward to reading your blog, on a regular basis.

In the past, you may have heard that social networking is just a way to collect ‘friends’ rather than a PR strategy, but savvy people are realizing it’s so much more. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to talk to people who are like minded and who are able to share interesting insight. If you listen and listen hard, you will learn, and then you will be able to reciprocate with information that will guide someone else. That’s how to make real friends and possibly gain new followers who end up someday as your best customers.

By Deirdre Breakenridge, Art eXposed President.
Her new book: PR 2.0: New Media, New Tools, New Audiences

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“Smart World, Breakthrough Creativity and the New Science of Ideas” is a book written by Richard Ogle. In this book Mr. Ogle talks about the mind and how it can be used to foster creativity. Below, I define the nine laws of breakthrough creativity as it relates to artists.

The Nine Laws of Breakthrough Creativity:

1) “The Law of Tipping Points” – The tipping point is the critical point in an evolving situation that leads to a new and irreversible development. This happened in every artistic movement to date. Your art may not have hit the tipping point, but when it does; you will be in the forefront.

2)“The Law of the Fit Get Rich” - Think of Darwinism: The theory of evolution that states that all plants and animals developed from earlier forms by changing and adapting to their environment for survival. Can your art survive, does it have a quality that attracts people to it?

3) “The Law of the Fit Get Fitter“ – Does you artwork have the traits to engage other artist ? As Picasso brought in so many follows, does your art have this quality? Can you get other artists to see the light of your work?

4) “The Law of Spontaneous Generation“ – Can your style grow and multiply. Look at the Lowbrow or Graffiti scene; it’s infectious, with hundreds of artist thriving.

5) “The Law of Navigation” – Treat your creativity and art as a matter of navigation, rather than invention. Tinker, break away to fuel your creativity.

6) “The Law of Hotspots” - Breakthroughs happen through hotspots and occur at them. Hotspots create energy. If Andy Warhol didn’t move from Philadelphia to NYC, the art hotspot at that time, pop-art would not be what it is today.

7) “The Law of Small-World Networks“- You cannot live in a vacuum; you must be part of a network. All networks are connected by hubs, which connect to other networks. Artists have always collaborated, their networks help them to excel. Get into a network today. Use the power of community the internet provides, join forums, and show other artists your work.

8) “The Law of Integration“ – Innovations that bring fundamental breakthroughs are not the end game, they transform common thinking. J.M.W Turner’s revolutionary paintings show the possibilities of this law. His peers did not like or understand his work. With the industrial revolution starting, Turner grasped the inner workings of things, rather than just their surfaces.

9) “The Law of Minimal Effort” – You will do your best work when you’re “In The ZONE” (In a state of focused attention or energy so that one’s performance is enhanced). You mind takes the route of least effort when solving problems, so as an artist, your “In The Zone” when your creative juices are flowing. Find that state and keep it for as long as you can.

The Art eXposed PR Toolkit is an easy set of communication templates that enable you to selectively broadcast recent news and information about your artwork and share it with your public. Let’s discuss what a PR toolkit is, what it does for you in terms of self-promotion and why it will help you to reach groups that want to learn more about your artwork.

What is a PR Toolkit?

It may sound complicated but it’s such a simple concept. A PR Toolkit is a set of PR templates that you are able to customize on your own for personal use. Art eXposed makes these templates available for download as a part of your membership with our community. These templates are assembled in individual Microsoft Word files. Whether it’s a news release template that announces a new piece of art work or an announcement about a recent award, you fill in the details and it’s ready to share with your friends, family, art patrons, prospects, galleries, associations and the media.

What does the PR Toolkit do for you?

A PR Toolkit is an easy way to assemble you best news to make it available to the parties who want to know about and share information on you and your artwork. As an artist, you need to spend time creating your artwork. Promotion is important, so we try to make it easy on you. The PR Toolkit templates are written so it’s easy for intended audiences to digest information use it in a useful way. For example, the news release templates are created for journalists who are looking to take your digital release and incorporate information into their stories or news briefs. These templates are media friendly and use an accepted AP style format that’s accepted by journalists world-wide. In terms of promotion, the more you fill in and use your templates, and send them out to an email database of interested parties, the more you’ll see those parties will take interest in you!

How does the PR Toolkit help you to reach different groups?

The PR Toolkit is designed to appeal to a number of different groups. You can cut and paste a PR Toolkit template into the body of your email message or send it as an attachment (but, only if the intended recipient knows you and is expecting the attachment). These templates are universal and can be used for many different groups. You can brand them with your logo or artwork and send them out as frequently as you feel the information warrants dissemination. With respect to the media, you should always be sending the media news release announcements regarding exhibits, awards and the unveiling of new pieces of art. You may not see a story every time, but the ability to send a customized release, at intervals throughout the year, will keep you and your artwork top of mind.

The PR Toolkit was designed by Art eXposed to make publicity and self-promotion easy. We want you to spend your time creating the ultimate masterpiece. Promotion, we know is very important, but when there’s only so many hours in day, the PR Toolkit is your best way to accomplish many things in a very short period of time.