Struggling Artist No More.
Struggling Artist No More.
We all know the clich©, the struggling artist hiding away in their little studio painting days and nights because they love it. They gain satisfaction from doing what they love, so why should it be hard to sell you artwork? We live in a digital age where the world of online sales rules and everything else gets left lingering behind.
It's time to shake it up, time to change your approach to how you sell your art. There are a few traditional ways to sell your artwork that take a lot of time and effort which is good for building integrity as an artist. You could contact every gallery in town and ask them to represent you, something that most established artists could achieve. If you are not so established you could head to the markets, set yourself up a stall and stand there all day trying to convince the passers by that it is ok for them to come inside your little tent, that you wont hurt them. Whilst these are legitimate forms of trying to gain sales we as artists have to acknowledge that whilst the online world might not be the platform we want to use, it is the platform that the consumers want and that is all that matters really.
I must admit I miss the days when buying something meant saving up, going into the beautiful store and touching the item you have wanted for so long. It had a beautiful meaning to it as there was a story, a journey that you had to undertake to be able to buy that thing. These days it is more a case of speed and ease, you jump online, punch in some numbers that allow 3rd parties to empty your bank account and eventually someone will bring the item to you. Easy? Lazy? Whatever you want to call it that's the case these days.
I have now reluctantly but successfully jumped head first into the online world in order to keep my design and art pursuits alive. It's hard at first I mean I have never been at the stage of my fingers literally going numb from constant keyboard action (and that's saying a lot when you area graphic designer by qualification). I can't tell you how long online marketing takes and how tricky SEOing can be, but it is worth it. Finally my mind set is changing and I am able to enjoy the way in which art and design can be interacted with online.
So although it is a little rant, and I do miss the old days, I don't think I would give up my experiences with online art for anything. It is a beautiful thing on and off screen. So if you haven't converted yet, what are you waiting for? Time is money after all.
Kitty Winter
We all know the clich©, the struggling artist hiding away in their little studio painting days and nights because they love it. They gain satisfaction from doing what they love, so why should it be hard to sell you artwork? We live in a digital age where the world of online sales rules and everything else gets left lingering behind.
It's time to shake it up, time to change your approach to how you sell your art. There are a few traditional ways to sell your artwork that take a lot of time and effort which is good for building integrity as an artist. You could contact every gallery in town and ask them to represent you, something that most established artists could achieve. If you are not so established you could head to the markets, set yourself up a stall and stand there all day trying to convince the passers by that it is ok for them to come inside your little tent, that you wont hurt them. Whilst these are legitimate forms of trying to gain sales we as artists have to acknowledge that whilst the online world might not be the platform we want to use, it is the platform that the consumers want and that is all that matters really.
I must admit I miss the days when buying something meant saving up, going into the beautiful store and touching the item you have wanted for so long. It had a beautiful meaning to it as there was a story, a journey that you had to undertake to be able to buy that thing. These days it is more a case of speed and ease, you jump online, punch in some numbers that allow 3rd parties to empty your bank account and eventually someone will bring the item to you. Easy? Lazy? Whatever you want to call it that's the case these days.
I have now reluctantly but successfully jumped head first into the online world in order to keep my design and art pursuits alive. It's hard at first I mean I have never been at the stage of my fingers literally going numb from constant keyboard action (and that's saying a lot when you area graphic designer by qualification). I can't tell you how long online marketing takes and how tricky SEOing can be, but it is worth it. Finally my mind set is changing and I am able to enjoy the way in which art and design can be interacted with online.
So although it is a little rant, and I do miss the old days, I don't think I would give up my experiences with online art for anything. It is a beautiful thing on and off screen. So if you haven't converted yet, what are you waiting for? Time is money after all.
Kitty Winter
