The Ebb + Flow of Artmaking

Does it ever seem like every other artist around you has such consistent and impeccable output, both in their studio and their social medias, while you struggle to make art on a regular basis and sometimes let your social medias go quiet for weeks or even months on end??

Don't worry.. you are not alone.

Resources:

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/ebb+and+flow

https://www.irisbarzen.com/cycles-of-productivity/

https://evernote.com/blog/the-most-and-least-productive-hours-in-a-day/

Sara Tepes vid: https://youtu.be/erK8FhVOZ-U

My lovely iceberg landscapes were painted using Himi brand gouache on thick watercolor paper.

Reference Images:

https://pixabay.com/

2.5.2023

What to Name Your Art Business?

Hey there chickadee, what do you call your small art biz? Do you just use your real name? Or maybe an alias? Do you have it registered legally? Or have you even thought that far ahead yet?

While coming up with a good ‘art name’ may not be on your radar, it’s definitely something to think about before you go and get too famous because whatever people get to know you as first, usually sticks. You want to make sure that you are becoming known by a name you can grow with and live with for the rest of your life (and beyond!).

On today’s Ask an Artist I’ve got five tips to help you land on an individualistic artistic moniker that will help you establish and brand yourself as the independent artist you already are:)

Five Tips for Choosing a Great Art Business Name

1. First off, have you thought about whether you would like to use your real name or an alias? There are benefits to both, your name will never get ‘old’ but using an alias is a little more private and can be easier to remember. Occasionally artists even include a descriptive word (see tip 4)

2. If your going to use anything other than just your legal name in the business name, make sure not to choose anything too narrow that may pigeonhole you down the road. Like beware or using something related to fanart or a certain subject matter as you may want to grow beyond that later on.

3. Try to be thoughtful of difficulties your audience may have with spelling or remembering your biz name.

4. Using the words ‘art’ or ‘painting’ or ‘printmaking’ or ‘tattoo’ within your moniker can help you not only get found on search engines, but can also help to be a mini-marketing opportunity when others see your name in comments or communities.

5. Once you think you’ve come up with a great moniker/biz name, the last step is just to check it online and on the platforms you plan on showing your art on to make sure it’s not a name that is taken (at least not by anyone super big!). If it is… unfortunately you may have to go back to step one.

2.6.2022

5 Legal Things Your Art Website MUST Have!

Do not get sued! Yikes!

Every website these days (yes, even your teeny tiny lil humble artist portfolio) must have five legal items on it to make sure you are compliant for visitors in the US and the EU. I was unaware until recently just how essential these things are, so as soon as I figured out how to be compliant, I wanted to share them with you!

5 Things you Definitely Need on Your Art Website:

1. Privacy Policy You have to tell folks what kind of data your website tracks and how you’re going to use it. There are different requirements for the US and Europe so you’d better make sure to follow all the rules!

2. Cookie Banner + Policy Letting people know you are taking analytics and giving them the option to opt out of non-essential monitoring. This is also about the personal privacy of your website visitors.

3. Terms + Conditions This tells folks that if they are on your website, it’s on your terms. This lets people know what to expect so they can’t get upset and sue you for being offended by your content, or if they simply don’t like the way you do business. This part tells people, hey , if you don’t like it, then leave because by staying on my website you are agreeing to using my website in the way that I, the creator, see fit. This also let’s folks know that they cannot take your content off your website and use it as their own, but if they submit comments or images to your site, then you can use them for anything.

4. Disclaimer The disclaimer tells people that your website and its content are your opinion and any instruction or advice they get from you is their own responsibility and you do not guarantee everything to be perfect or without flaw. It also let’s people know that you do not guarantee any company, product, or third party that may be featured on your website either.

5. Refund Policy Definitely essential if you ever want to sell goods or services, that way there is no question should an issue ever arise. This one can be written by you in casual, understandable English according to however your particular policies are and don’t need to be written in legalese.

Here are the companies I used for my legal jargon:

I am not affiliated with them and get no money from you using their services, nor can I legally bind myself to or guarantee their products. This is just a simple recommendation of what I am using for my website.

https://termly.io/

https://www.websitepolicies.com/

10.3.2021

Get Your Art + Products in Shops!

How exciting would it be to see your art or art products on the shelves or walls of local boutiques and restaurants?!? To be able to walk around town showing your friends which businesses to pop into to see your work in person??

Not only is it so satisfying, but it can become a great way to generate another source of income within your many small art biz channels.

This question comes from one of my long-time YouTube subscribers Shona Renae Savage, who has definitely been an active and positive part in this Bird’s community. Thank you, Shona!❤️ She writes…

“What are the step-by-steps of how to approach a local business with your art/merchandise such as stickers, T-shirts, mugs etc? Do you call ahead, email, snail mail a sample of your merchandise, or simply show-up with a business card and merchandise? Should there be contracts; how does that all work? Is it a different approach for a restaurant or dental office vs. a gift shop? Not quite there yet but I have goals. Art takes time.”

It sure does, Shona! And patience is one of the best things we can have as artists!

Tips for Landing Your First Spot in a Local Business

• Make sure you are a good fit for the business you’re looking into. Make sure your work will elevate the atmosphere of the shop or office and be able to articulate how it will do so when you’re speaking to a manager or owner.

• Go into the business in person during a time they are not busy. If it’s a shop or restaurant, bring examples of your work or products that you can easily hold in your hand (but is bigger than a phone screen) and show it to the first employee you talk to as a way to get them on your side and interested in your work BEFORE going to find the manager for you. Be super friendly, big smiles, and if you notice they’re busy, don’t bother them and come back when they’re not.

• Realize that you will need to approach different businesses in different ways depending on if it’s a retail shop, a restaurant, or a medical or business office. Use tact, dress appropriately, and be super courteous to whoever you approach. Be professional (ie. likeable) and they’ll want to work with you! Watch the video for specific examples of how to handle different types of businesses, but no matter what, you should have a biz card and some kind of example, flier, or write-up you can leave.

• No matter where your work or products wind up, make sure to have a specific contact person or liaison to deal with and have set parameters for what’s expected. How much will the shop take as a cut? When will you get paid? (If it’s an office or restaurant, they probably won’t even sell for you. They’ll probably expect you to leave a biz card on the wall so the customer can buy from you directly.) How often should your art or merch be restocked or changed out? If it’s a retail shop, are they purchasing wholesale or are you consigning? How long is your work going to be featured in that business? These are a few examples of things you’ll want to have worked out beforehand, but there may be others. It’s not a bad idea to have even an informal contract written up so that both parties are on the same page.

• Be wary of shops that want you to pay them in order to sell there. I have had success volunteering 1-2 days a month at an artist co-op where I sold my Sock Monsters, but as a rule of thumb if you are paying the business to have your work, then they have far less motivation to actually sell your stuff because they have already gotten their slice of the pie.

• And the best advice I can give is to become part of the community of the local boutiques and restaurants where you want to sell. People like to help artists that are also invested in their own small businesses; it becomes a beautiful and uplifting cycle. Watch the vid to learn EXACTLY how to gain all the benefits of being a working artist in a local community (including gaining tons of new and inspiring friendships!)

  8.15.2021

I’m cheering for Compostable Mailers!!

If you have been following my art journey for even just a little while, you know it is rare that I do outside brand collaborations, but you better believe compostable mailers is some thing I believe in 1000% wholeheartedly in every way possible!!

I am constantly discussing ways to be more eco-friendly and mother earth conscious in my YouTube videos especially, and with so many people in this world having to shop online it is even more important that we pay attention to our plastic footprint as small business owners. I really love that these mailers have simple instructions on the bag and they dissolve in any compost bin, not just in specifically designed city facilities. I imagine that even if they don’t make it into a compost bin that still means they break down so much faster than petroleum plastic either way.

You guys, it is literally actually factually like a trillion zillion times better to not use plastic to begin with than to ‘recycle’ since most cities/facilities don’t really do nearly what you think they do. You can ask any ecologist and can also quote me on that!

@noissueco mailers are SURPRISINGLY inexpensive for being biodegradable! You have to have to have to check them out!!! 🌱

2.16.21

Coronavirus :: Artist Tips for a Global Pandemic

Well folks, I would have to say we are pretty much smack dab in the middle of the most uncertain of times... who would have thought that the biggest enemy of 2020 is shaping up to be human contact?!

The good news is that you are absolutely not alone and so many other artists are having to brave and navigate this strange new COVID-19 world right along with you. You know I've firmly believed that we can all work together as artists to come up and now it's imperative we do so to rise above as well.

You've got this. I promise.

Go learn some new skills! Free Skillshare membership for two months here!

Get 20% off my entire Shop while supporting this lil Bird:) Use code PANDEMIC

Helpful Resources:

https://www.varsitytutors.com/

https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/11/online-tutoring-jobs.html

https://www.fiverr.com

https://onairvideo.com/model-index

Own Your Instagram for Artists: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEiBtAnS58WG2Mz2vPsOkSp1IYMGld_a7

Real time painting of part of this hand: https://youtu.be/8kfUf7CnjWI

---

Yep, I'm available for art mentoring via webcam! I'm happy to help fellow up-and-coming artists with anything from technique to small business advice, as well as with perfecting your portfolio or thesis. **See my lower pandemic rates**

---

Art supplies purchased through these links help support my channel:):)

Golden Taklon Brush Set: https://bit.ly/2JiEfIH

Canvas Pad: https://bit.ly/2UM5C3c

Titanium White: https://bit.ly/2Uqiugo

Naples Yellow: https://bit.ly/2UKShbB

Yellow Ochre: https://bit.ly/2vTIlE8

Cadmium Orange: https://bit.ly/3dAtRdl

Napthol Red: https://bit.ly/2WO7DP7

Burnt Sienna: https://bit.ly/39qVu5s

Raw Umber: https://bit.ly/2xrsAF5

Turquoise: https://bit.ly/2QQ84EU

Payne's Grey: https://bit.ly/3arumV1

3.28.2020

5 Reasons Not to Sell on Etsy

Hey my artsy friends, I know it’s that major sales times of year so I figured now was a great time to touch on a subject that I’ve been asked about more than I can remember; selling artwork on Etsy.

Now I’m sure you can tell by the title that I’m not a fan, however I’m not the end-all-be-all of artists so definitely do some of your own research as well. I would recommend comparing and contrasting it to running your own website (which is actually ridiculously easy and affordable these days).

I have personally found Etsy to be a huge waste of time and effort though, and I’m going to share why with you today….

In a nutshell..

1. Etsy is no longer exclusively handmade

2. Etsy does not promote smaller creators

3. Etsy shows other peoples’ products on your product page

4. Etsy charges really high fees

5. Etsy is ultimately in charge of your shop, not you

Hope this vid save you the countless hours I wish I could have saved myself!!

12.1.2019

30 Day Instagram Challenge

Okee dokee folks, this week’s vid is a big one! I came up with a big worksheet full of ways to boost engagement on your artsy Instagram page and I’m gonna show you exactly how I did mine.

It was a lot of work but I definitely did get a lot of new eyes on my artwork so I’m pretty happy with the results. Hopefully this vid will inspire you to get more active and excited with your page because with IG’s ever-changing and often mysterious algorithm it can feel disheartening at times to post your very best work when you feel almost no appreciation in return.

Here is my completed spreadsheet:

And here’s a blank printable copy of the worksheet for you!

Make sure you check out the rest of my 'Owning Your Instagram for Artists' series here:

Hashtagging for Artists

The Ugly Truth About Instagram Art Share Pages

How to Get Featured on Instagram

I’ve found these other YouTubers to be especially helpful with Instagram:

Sunny Leonarduzzi

Jade Darmawangsa

Good luck perking up your audience, friends! If you have any other suggestions I can share in a future video please leave me a note in the comments.:)

10.4.2019

The Ugly Truth About Instagram Art Share Pages :: Owning Your Instagram

Yikes, you guys…. today’s vid ain’t a pretty one, but it is necessary because I would hate to see you lovely folks get scammed when you’re trying to grow your Instagram with me during this series.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of art sharing pages on IG that try to encourage you to use their hashtag or pay to have your artwork shown on their page to their hundreds of thousands of followers which can be a very effective marketing tool if they are legitimate. However, many of them are not and will be more than happy to take your money to show your art to basically no one.

Tune in today to learn how to tell the legitimate pages from the scammers, and make sure to subscribe on my YouTube because I’ve got two more vids coming out in this Instagram series that you would hate to miss!

Like I Promised…

Here are some pages I am sure are scams that you should steer clear of. This is by no means a comprehensive list and I wholeheartedly encourage you to do your own objective research before giving any art share pages your money or even wasting any of your precious 30 hashtags on them. (Learn about great hashtag usage here)

• @artsbeautifulx

• @artsamazingz

• @artstalentz

• @artsnewss

• @pencilacademy

• @artspowerk

• @artsgodz

• @artsmagazinee

• @artsguideig

• @artsentourage

• @artsbossz

• @artsrooms

Have you had any experience with a scam IG sharing page? Let me know in the comment so we can help warn others!

8.30.2019

5 Tips for Small Business Artists

Aloha fellow up ‘n coming artists:) Today’s video is especially for those who are interested in turning their love of artistic creation into a small business.

I’ve been navigating my own art biz for just a few years, but even in that short time I have learned so much that I wish I would have known starting out. If there’s one thing I think a lot of us have in common as newbies it’s that we tend to run around in a million directions at once not really knowing how best to focus our efforts and wind up wasting a lot of time.

I think a bit of bouncing around is totally necessary as each artist will find their own flow differently, but today I want to at least impart 5 little nuggets of advice to help navigate your own small art business.

So enjoy the video and then scroll down for notes

1. Don’t spread yourself too thin

When first starting out many artists are given the advice to ‘be everywhere’ online in order to share your artwork with as many people as possible (ex. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Deviant Art, Pinterest, YouTube, Tumblr, Etsy, Society 6, etc). Now it is true that building an audience is the most important thing you can do for your art biz, but it’s actually much more effective to find 2-3 platforms where you think your target audience is most likely to hang out, then put forth your best, most professional efforts there. The worst thing you can do is sign up for so many platforms that you are unable to keep things updated so when folks do find you your page is an unloved, archaic mess. What a tragedy!

2. Follow journeys of ‘Goal Artists’

We all have artists that we hope to emulate one day either by style, success, or both, and that’s a very healthy thing. It’s great to have idols! Especially in the crazy world of professional art where there really are no set rules or protocols for building a prosperous and fulfilling career it can be incredibly helpful to have people to pattern after.

My advice is to pick 2-3 of your favorite contemporary artists whose style and/or target audience matches your own and who have also achieved a high level of your ideal of success. Remember that success looks different to every artist so it is important that you get kind of specific with this ideal; it won’t do you any good to emulate an artist being granted huge sculptural instillation art contracts when you are trying to paint pet portraits for celebrities. (You can love any artists’ work without trying to replicate their careers :) )

Then simply research and follow each artist consistently. Find their website and check out their CV or Exhibition/Awards roster to see potential venues to apply to or contests to enter. Sign up for their email list to hear about where/what they’re showing next. See if they teach workshops or college classes, or even jury for certain exhibits. Find them on social media and stay abreast of upcoming projects. How do they market themselves and their artwork? How do they get their audience excited about new artworks? What are specific ways that they engage with their audience?

Since basically everyone is all over the internet these days it is easier than ever to see how your idols are advancing but please, no matter what, do not ever make the mistake of comparing yourself to them. It can sound cliche, but it is very true that no two artistic journeys are ever the same. Gathering inspiration or references from favorite artists is fantastic, but you have no idea how exactly they got their start, how their socio-economic background influenced their educational opportunities, or how they may be connected either through location, schooling, or lineage. Circumstances are always different when peering from the outside in, so use your goal artists as just that, inspirational goals… not rigid one-size-fits-all rules.

3. Practice, expand and grow!

Now I know this one may sound obvious, but I honestly think this is one of the easiest ways that we can get lazy as artists. Once we are finished with official schooling it can be very easy to stick with our usual routine of style/materials/subjects/techniques and not keep branching out but it is really important to do so. We as artists need to be challenged regularly and we should always be striving for improvement, which comes with never ending practice.

Of course as we build an audience we want to stay true to the artwork that brought their adoration to us in the first place, but don’t forget that although we as humans like what we are already familiar with, we also need growth and change to keep our interest piqued. Trying out a new medium or a different subject within your same style is a great way to expand without alienating your audience. Or maybe use your artwork to collaborate with a clothing designer, children’s book writer, local event or good cause. The bonus is that by trying new things you will inevitably expose new people to your artwork along the way. Win win!

4. Be consistent

This is soooo much more important than I think a lot of young artists give credit. There are literally thousands of other artists all vying for your audience’s attention and if its been too many days/weeks/ or (dog-forbid) months since they’ve heard from you they are not even going to remember you when they move and need new art for their walls or when their sister’s birthday rolls around and they want a custom portrait created.

Consistency is also one of the best and cheapest ways to look professional. Literally just showing up on a predictable basis with quality work will put you head and shoulders above so many ‘amateurs'. Plus social media algorithms loooove consistency and we all know we need to be pleasing the mysterious algorithm entities as much as we possibly can!

5. Say yes

Often times in our lives we are presented with jobs, gigs, or opportunities that perhaps don’t specifically align with our end goals which we tend to say no to out of lack of interest or sub par compensation. Now I will never advocate for obvious time-wasting or being taken advantage of, but there is something to be said for getting out and doing as much art-related work as possible during the early stages of one’s career.

The thing is that so many random seeming opportunities morph and push us in unexpected directions and often turn into surprising and unique learning endeavors. Not to mention that as young artists we absolutely need to be exposed to as much of the business side of the fine art world as humanly possible (especially since art schools teach bupkis about the biz aspect of things). Also, working in any creative sector will garner more and more personal contacts who will in turn present you with more artistic opportunities. It can be a very exciting and lucrative cycle indeed!

My advice is to branch out into as many creative endeavors as you can handle reasonably and with quality. Never take on more than you can do well by giving only half efforts as your reputation will proceed you and could cost you excellent opportunities in the future. Just do your best and have an upbeat attitude and people will be thrilled to hire you again and again.

Skippity-do it’s as easy as that folks! Show up to your own life consistently and enthusiastically with your best effort and you should do great! Yay!

3.1.2019