Do you wonder what you should blog about if you have a blog or just Instagram? Do you want to know how to get your readers interested in your art and how to pull in your target market?

I constantly get asked about this. And, here are the 5 blog or Instagram posts topics that I always recommend:

1. How you became an artist.

Your blog readers want to know more about you, especially if they read your blog regularly. Knowing why and how you became an artist helps your readers feel more connected to you which also means they’re going to be more likely to buy from you.

So, what’s the story? Did you always know that you were meant to be an artist? Did people support you when you told them you wanted to be an artist or did they encourage you to get a “real” job? Did you transition from a paralegal to an artist after many years of making your art part-time?

It doesn’t matter what the story is—it just matters that you tell it. Once you’ve written it, consider including it on your “About” page, so it doesn’t get buried in your archives.

2. Your specialty and why you choose it.

If you’re a mixed media artist, how did that end up happening? When did you first learn about mixed media art and why did you fall in love with it? If you’re a sculptor, what led you down that path?

Talk about the different types of art that you’ve attempted and why you chose watercolor painting, fiber art, or photography. Tell the journey you took to find the type of art that makes your heart sing.

3. The story behind a piece of art.

This is something you should do over and over.

Often, artists ask me how to write product descriptions that will appeal to their target markets. One of the main tips I tell them is to include a small piece of the story behind the piece of art in the product description. Now, you don’t want to include five paragraphs on why you painted a bridge in the product description. You’d just want to include the gist of it. But, you could include the 5 paragraph story in a blog post.

If you do this, you should link to where your readers can purchase the piece of art. You should also link to the story in the product description in case potential customers are interested in reading more.

4. Your inspiration.

Readers and potential customers want to know where you draw inspiration. This is another post that will make your readers feel more connected to you and your work. You could break this down into a series of posts: 

People that Inspire My Art, 

Places that Inspire My Art, 

Things that Inspire My Art, and Colors that Inspire My Art.

Include pictures of art and links to where it can be purchased with each post.

5. Your creative process.

People who appreciate art are often fascinated by the artist’s creative process. Show pictures of your art in stages and explain your process or show a fast-moving video of you making a piece of art. This helps your readers feel more connected, but it also shows them the intensity and time that goes into the art that you create.

Resource 

Have you heard about contour line art but aren’t sure what it is? The good news is that you’ve likely already made dozens, maybe even hundreds, of contour line drawings throughout your life without realizing it! Contour drawing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your hand-eye coordination and drawing skills.

Contour line art is a method of drawing where you draw only the outline of an object, without any shading. “Contour” actually means “outline” in French, which is where the name comes from. For example, if you wanted to do a contour line drawing of a pear, you’d simply draw the outline of the pear, add a stem, and stop there. Some contour drawings will include outlines of important interior shapes (such as wrinkles in cloth or objects on a bookshelf), but contour drawings will never contain shading or minute details.

Every April is Autism Awareness Month, starting with the United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd.

Throughout the month, we focus on sharing stories and providing opportunities to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, fostering worldwide support.

This year, Rotaract Bahrain is committed to keeping the spirit alive throughout the month, as now more than ever we know the autism community needs support, kindness, and compassion.

Through this project, Rotaract Bahrain aims to contribute to the development of the autistic community for the first year and inspire others to contribute starting from the following years.

This April I am proud to say that I was an invited artist at the Art for Autism Charity Exhibition.

It’s not always easy to say why one artist is able to convey his or her passion and another is not. It’s one of those cases in which you may not be able to define why something happens, but you know it when you see it. However, I think there are ways artists can increase the probability that their drawings and paintings will express their passion. Here are a few suggestions that occurred to me. I’d appreciate it if you would add some of your own.

Paint what you know. This is common advice offered by many artists. The suggestion is that if you start by drawing or painting a subject about which you have a strong attachment—a treasured object, a member of your family, the view from your window—you are more likely to record what you feel about that subject.

Remember your goals. Many of the instructors featured in Workshop magazine ask students to write down why they’ve decided to paint a particular subject and refer back to that note throughout the drawing or painting process. If, for example, an artist makes a notation about the shimmering light reflected in a crystal bowl, the artist can step back from his or her painting and ask whether or not that shimmering light is still the most prominent element in the picture. If it isn’t, then the artist knows it’s time to make adjustments in the colors, shapes, or values.

Put reference material aside. Drawing magazine often features artists who explore their imagination as they create charcoal, ink, or Conté drawings of animals, people, or imaginary places. They put aside reference photographs, preparatory sketches, and compositional studies and allow their minds and hands to move freely from one mark on the paper to another. In the end, the image becomes a passionate blend of what they know and what they dream.

Keep painting through the challenges. Artists profiled in Watercolor magazine often identify a point in the creative process at which they think everything is going wrong. That’s often because the separate layers of transparent color don’t seem to be working well together until the very last stage of the painting process. The advice these artists often give is to work through the challenges and uncertainties instead of giving up. “Enjoy every part of the process, and don’t worry about realizing a preconceived image in the finished painting,” said one experienced artist. “Even if you wind up destroying the painting, you will have learned something valuable to apply to the next effort.”

Leave some areas mysterious. One of the things I admire about paintings by Richard Schmid, Daniel Gerhartz, Dawn Whitelaw, and Susan Lyon is the areas that are left loosely defined. That is, the space surrounding a tightly rendered face or platter is filled with broad, gestured, bold strokes of paint and exposed areas of the canvas that suggest what might be there. I feel the energy and excitement of the brushwork while I imagine what might be going on in that section of the still life or portrait. That sense of mystery stimulates an emotional response that connects to the passion with which the picture was developed.

Paint the same subject again. One of the best exercises presented in a Workshop magazine article was painting the same subject a second time. The instructor said that once the participants had resolved the procedural aspects of painting a figure or landscape—the drawing, compositional arrangement, color mixtures, etc.—they didn’t have to think as much about those issues and could immerse themselves in the act of painting. It was fascinating to compare the two efforts, and all the artists in the workshop knew their second painting better expressed their feelings for the subject.

Resource

Can we define art? Leo Tolstoy called it “a means of union among men, joining them together in the same feelings, and indispensable for the life and progress toward well-being of individuals and of humanity”. Oscar Wilde identified art as “the most intense mode of individualism the world has known.” So, in other words, no. But, can we define who is a professional artist?

 When Labels Matter

The need to identify who is or isn’t a professional artist arises all the time. It can be required to qualify for studio or residential space reserved for artists. It’s needed when artists are counted in a census, required to pay income taxes, or applying for funds. And there are surveys by various researchers to track items such as trends in artists’ employment, or the economic benefits of creative communities. However, compared to other occupations that require a license, permits, or even reported income, the label “artist” can be subjective.

An Artist’s Job is Art

People with more than one source of income is counted in the job where they work the greatest number of hours. Because the focus is on paid employment, rather than the amount of time spent in the studio or a desire to sell art, many artists are likely to be overlooked, and therefore not counted as artists. On an individual basis, this doesn’t have an effect, but there is a national policy downside. Legislators are less likely to appropriate money to the arts or to create laws that benefit artists if this group is significantly undercounted.

 Artists Turn a Profit on Their Art

 The Internal Revenue Service takes a narrow view of who qualifies as an artist. There are nine criteria that the IRS applies in order to separate professionals from hobbyists. Professionals may deduct their expenses, and hobbyists may not:

Is the activity carried on in a businesslike manner?

Does the artist intends to make the artistic activity profitable?

Does the individual depend in full or in part from income generated by the artistic work?

Are business losses to be expected, or are they due to circumstances beyond the artist’s control?

Do business plans change to improve profitability?

Does the artist have the knowledge to make the activity profitable?

Has the artist been successful in previous professional activities?

Does the activity generate a profit in some years and, if so, how much of one?

Will the artist make a profit in the future?

An artist doesn’t need to answer “yes” to every question in order to legitimately deduct business-related expenses. These can include art supplies and equipment, studio rental, travel, educational expenses, and promotional costs. But the IRS demands proof that an artist makes an effort to earn a profit in three out of five years.

 Artistic credentials, which don’t usually matter to collectors and critics, may help an artist makes a case that he or she is a professional for tax purposes. These include earning a bachelor’s or Master’s degree in fine arts, membership in an artists’ society, experience teaching art, inclusion in an art directory, and an exhibition history.

Professional Artists Require a Studio

 There are several agencies that certify an artists’ eligibility to rent or buy live-work loft apartments with residential and studio space. Artist certification committees determine an applicant’s need for space and qualifications as a serious, rather than the professional, artist. According to the artist certification guidelines of the Boston Redevelopment Authority in Massachusetts, “Any artist who can demonstrate to a committee of peers that they have a recent body of work as an artist, and who requires loft-style space to support that work, is eligible.” The definition these committees use is quite flexible, focusing on subjective factors.

 The Artist Certification Committee of New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs looks at the “nature of the commitment of the artist to his or her art form as his or her primary vocation”. This is used for evaluation rather than a set of hard numbers — exhibitions, sales, awards, memberships — which would tend to disqualify most applicants.

 Artists as Independent Contractors

 Artists generally are self-employed. They work in their own studios, set their own hours, and create objects of their own making. But sometimes they do work for someone else. For instance, they may act as a studio assistant or be commissioned to produce an artwork. In these circumstances, the definition matters a lot, principally because of the issue of copyright. An employee gets a salary, works set hours, and is given explicit instructions on how to fulfill tasks. Consequently, the creative work that the individual performs on the job all belongs to the employer.

 Artists Call Themselves Artists

 According to Marcel Duchamp, the artist defines art. And it seems increasingly true that nowadays artists also define who and what they are. Definitions by nature are confining and restrictive, while art and its makers seek to be expansive and inclusive. It may be simpler to state what makes an artist a professional than what defines an artist. And part of an artist’s job is to understand how artists are seen and what is expected of them.

Resourse

Whether you’ve decided to take the first steps in getting your work shown in an art gallery or you’re an established artist looking to expand your presence into new cities, understanding the fundamentals for how an art gallery selects its artists is essential.

1. Offer a Unique Artistic Vision

One of the first things I look for in a prospective artist is a substantial and consistent body of work with a distinct point of view and direction. I’m looking for someone with a clearly developed style and approach, whether it’s an intriguing choice of subject, composition, palette, surface texture or lighting. To set yourself apart from other artists, present a unique, exciting body of work that demands attention. How? Build and refine your artistic vision, and consider your current body of work. Focus on the subject matter that incites the most enthusiasm. The subjects that most excite you likely will inspire your best paintings, which will, in turn, best engage viewers. Focus your thoughts and immerse yourself in one genre. This will make building a cohesive, interesting body of work much easier.

2. Be Your Own Toughest Critic

Look at established artists’ websites and social media accounts, like Instagram. Note how, even when viewed as a thumbnail, successful artists present a well-designed collection of work, with a wonderful sense of light and a beautiful palette. Now, look at your work as a collection. Do you have at least two-dozen paintings that hold together as a single body of work? If there’s room in your home or studio, I suggest hanging several paintings on one wall, as if they were in an art gallery, in order to evaluate. Ask yourself what it is about your work that’s unique. Are your landscapes more textured and bold, or perhaps more tonal in palette than others you’ve seen? Are your portraits painted from life, and overflowing with emotion and light? Is your work more subtle and moody than other still lifes you’ve seen? If you’re unsure of the answers to questions like these, ask fellow artists for feedback, and challenge yourself to push a little further into your subject matter. Many artists and galleries offer portfolio critiques. These are good investments in gaining an impartial perspective on your work. Another effective way to assess your own work is to consider the answer to these questions: What’s the message I want to send as an artist? If I had to describe my work in one sentence, what would it be? A wildlife artist represented in my gallery states, “I enjoy using color and texture to express the unique personality of each animal, whether it be a bit of sass or a touch of goofiness.” This is an artist who has edited and refined her artistic vision. That statement is a reflection of the wonderful, colorful birds she paints. She has a strong, consistent message.

3. Highlight Your Best Work

In my seminar on approaching galleries, I highly recommend editing your collection down to its strongest works. In all likelihood, unless you’re quite well established, an art gallery won’t carry more than one genre of your work at the beginning of your partnership. For example, if you’re most passionate about portraits and still lifes, don’t include landscapes and wildlife — even if you paint them occasionally — in your presentation to a gallery. Only the paintings that best represent your vision and passion as an artist should be visible on your website. Similarly, if you enjoy painting seascapes but don’t plan to present them to a gallery, take them off your website and social media platforms. Since growth as an artist is natural, should an earlier work no longer represent your current accomplishments, I recommend removing it. Paintings that are decades old may still be relevant to your current work, but if they’re not, my motto is, “Promote the best, hide the rest.”

4. Consider Location

Does your work have specific regional, national or international appeal? Cityscapes of iconic locations in New York, Paris, and Florence will appeal to most clients, regardless of location. But if you paint local landscapes, your work is more likely to be successful when represented by galleries in your area. I recently worked with an artist who lives on the Northeast Coast. However, her most inspired, dramatic, and impressive work stems from the time she has spent in the mountainous regions of New England. I proposed that she’d do well to return to the mountains to seek representation until she’d built up a larger portfolio of work inspired by the coast. Even if your work isn’t location-specific, you’ll still need to research the region where you’re seeking gallery representation. Natural light, local color, and interior design vary greatly when you move across the country. Your success in a new region may be as simple as a slight shift in the color palette.

5. Let Your Artistic Vision Shine

As you create a body of work in preparation for representation, take note of these three points: Focus on your inspiration, edit your work to its strongest pieces and always keep in mind the message you want to send as an artist, both online and in person. If you create your own unique, exciting and iconic artwork, your message will shine through.

6. Get More Exposure

In addition to art gallery representation, a great way to garner more exposure as an artist is through art competitions. Entering art contests and competitions elevates an artist’s visibility within the art world.  And, winning a competition also can increase an artist’s confidence in his or her work. Both of these points help artists prepare for open calls often held by art galleries. What’s more, the prizes include cash, publication in worldwide art magazines or books, and access to judges who are influencers in the art world — and sometimes exhibitions of work.

Resource