September 23, 2012
- soft, oversized t-shirts
- black leather motorcycle purse - super bitchy
- brown or pink leather moto jacket - Target?
- sneakers in a fun color
September 25, 2012
I've never been very good at that kind of thing. "Self promotion."
ERMAGURD! I can't stop saying ERMAGURD!
I wore the bear shirt again today. People are coming up to me and growling at will, as if it is somehow socially acceptable.
Bear shirt................... Check
Hot jeans................... Check
Ass-kickin' boots....... Check
Hot hair..................... Check
Killer 'tude................. Check
Is ink my true love?
Is it that you've never been good at self promo-ing, or that you aren't sure how? Confidence vs Knowledge? I'm happy to offer tips/advice if ya want. ;)
ReplyDeleteHrmmm... Perhaps a bit of both? I think there is such a thing as "excess modesty," and I definitely suffer from it.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE some tips! It's time to start. My art demands it.
Apologies for a belated reply--I snagged a new job just a few days after I posted, and it's been quite a ride!
DeleteFormulating some tips for you to share in the near future!
Promo tips from a MN arteest:
ReplyDelete--take Very Good photos of your work (if the work is small enough to scan directly, that is ideal). You will need them for a website or printing. You'll also want them if you decide to sell any originals.
--make a website: if you don't know how or don't have friends to build you one, I suggest Other Peoples Pixels http://otherpeoplespixels.com/
--if a website is too intimidating or you don't have the funds, start a Tumblr of your work to refer people to!
--order/make business cards: it should have your contact info and where a person can view your art online (website or tumblr). Have a dozen or so in your purse to hand out as needed. One thing I've learned, is that unique or handmade is more memorable for the recipient! (Hell, after someone saw my handmade business cards they hired me to make some for them!)
--postcards: having full color postcards or 4x8 flyers with your contact info and 4-6 examples of your work is handy to leave on public bulletin boards, or hand out to interested folk.
--visit coffee shops/cafes that hang other local artists work. Ask them how to get your stuff up! There are often free studio/gallery spaces for local artists if you do some research, too.
--enter contests or juried shows, that way you can show your work among other artists and network!
PRICING! Almost all artists who're starting to get their work out in the world make the #1 mistake of underpricing their work. NEVER be afraid to make a profit and get paid what you deserve! If you need a formula, consider size, time spent on creation, and how much materials (paint, etc.) you used. Acrylics are often priced less than oil pieces because of the longevity of oils, for example.
If you do decide to hang and sell your work through consignment at a shop or cafe, don't get ripped off by them. I don't know what is common in Portland but in Mpls/St. Paul the cut is 75/25 (75% of the profit goes to artist, 25% goes to the shop) on the low end and 60/40 at the high end. This will affect how much you decide to charge for your art.
IN THE END it seems intimidating but it's really not. As long as you know how to protect yourself as an artist so you don't lose money by under-pricing or get scammed by unfair consignment percentages, you'll be just fine. :)
Amber -- THANK YOU SO MUCH! These are wonderful tips and I'm already using my "free trial" at Other People's Pixels. It's stupidly easy... And I'm getting excited about my new endeavor. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, and might I nab your email address? I have another question for you and it's probably better than this "comments" section...
ReplyDeleteThank you ma'am!