As I’ve sifted through dozens of DVD, I’ve discovered a strategy to help you select workshops that will more likely be satisfying: Look for teachers that solve artistic problems that you struggle with in your own work. You may not be interested in the subjects they paint, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is how these artists achieve their effects.

For example, you may want rich textural layers in your work. Virginia Cobb paints acrylic abstractions, Carla O’Connor designs figures with gouache, and Carrie Burns Brown collages homemade papers, but each of these artists achieves a convincing layered effect, as do Anne Bagby, Ann Baldwin, Jacqueline Sullivan, Donna Zagotta, and Mary Todd Beam. For clean, vibrant color look to Sue Archer’s still lifes, Jan Kunz’s watercolor portraits, Carl Dalio’s street scenes, or Arleta Pech’s florals, among others. John Salminen, Ratindra Das, and Cheng-Khee Chee all paint street scenes that successfully convey activity and energy. To learn masking techniques you can turn to Nicholas Simmons, Susan Bourdet, or our soon-to-be-released workshop by Linda Baker. For background patterning techniques try Carla O’Connor, Polly Hammet, or Sue Archer, and the list goes on.

Use the artist’s galleries to determine if the teacher does something you want to learn. Remember to pay attention to the techniques and approach – subject does not matter. John Salminen uses the same design principles to paint his abstractions as he does for his urban landscapes, and you could apply those principles to portraits or nature scenes. It’s a fairly safe bet that if the instructor’s work repeatedly contains techniques you want to learn, you will find out how they did it in their workshop.

Happy hunting!

It’s crucial to understand what the elements and principles of design do. We know that eggs bind together a cake, salt brings out flavor and chili peppers make food hot. But what does a hard edge do? What if everything is the same size? Is the color red always hot? The elements of design are the vocabulary, the ingredients. The principles help us understand how the elements work when cooked together in a particular way. It ‘s up to us to decide if we like the flavor. That is where personal taste comes into play. That is where you find out who you are as an artist.

To refine their personal taste, many of the artists we’ve worked with spend a lot of time looking at other people’s art. They go to galleries, museums and art shows. They review catalogs and accumulate books about artists they love. Here are a few of the reasons they’ve given for continually seeking out new artists:

- They gain a sense of the person who created the art.
- They see how other artists visually interpret their worlds. (It’s similar to my current enjoyment of Maynard Dixon. I experience the southwest through Dixon.)
- They see how other artists resolve design problems.
- They are emboldened by the risks others take.
- They gain insights, ideas and inspirations for their own work.
- Most useful of all: they stay aware of their own reactions to the work of others and then try to figure out why the work stimulates that reaction.

Here’s an example of an informative reaction to another artist’s design: I particularly like one of Dixon’s landscapes. For me it’s very powerful and creates a lot of tension. The colors are harmonious, which is generally calming. Overall the design is horizontal, which is also usually calming. But above the expansive horizontal vista Dixon has rendered a collection of storm clouds that look like boulders. They are massive. They possess a visual weight that hovers above open ground. There is tension. On some level I expect them to come crashing down and dent the dirt below. Dixon has organized the clouds so they grow in size from one side to the other. They are like a massive wedge moving to the right. This adds a sense of direction. So despite the color palette and horizontal lines, Dixon has designed a painting with power, tension and movement. Now that’s my kind of cooking.

by Keith Bond

This Post is by Keith Bond, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews.  Find out how you can be a guest author.

As an artist, you should take the task of marketing seriously.  This is especially true if you sell your own work, but it is equally important even if you sell exclusively through galleries.  Think about the products you consume, from your breakfast cereal to your jeans.  Most of the products you use are not purchased directly from the producer, but those producers spend millions marketing directly to you.  Why?  Because retail stores also sell the competitors’ products.  They want you to want their product before you go to the store.

What is Marketing? Marketing is much more than salesmanship.  It is much more than placing an ad in a magazine or on TV.  What then is marketing?  How do you market your work?  Marketing includes any activity which increases awareness of your art.  It is any activity which provides someone with information about you and/or your art.  Some of the more obvious activities include:  talking with collectors at a show, sending press releases, writing newsletter articles, placing magazine ads, speaking or lecturing about art, doing painting demonstrations, sending ‘thank you’ notes, sending post cards or brochures or photos to your mailing list, using business cards, using letterhead in your correspondence, having a website or blog, writing an artist’s statement, including your contact info on the back of your paintings, etc., etc., etc.  The possibilities are endless.  Sending a birthday card to a client is marketing even if you never mention your art in the card.  Even casual conversations when you meet someone could be an opportunity to say, “I am an artist.”  Many people are intrigued by that and want to know more.  Be creative.

Who is your Target Audience? Big companies know their target audience.  They cater to them, to their needs, to their wants, to their egos, etc.  They put their information in places where the potential consumers will see it.  If you sell prints, your marketing efforts would be different than if you sold originals.  You may do both.  If you do, then you need to market to both audiences.  If you paint realistic portraits your marketing strategies would be different than if you paint abstract works or edgy urban scenes.  Know your audience and cater the content of your marketing to them.  Also, market where they will likely see it.

Content Most companies’ marketing strategies are designed to differentiate their product from the competition.  It is about information or content.  The content may be tangible attributes of the product or intangible qualities that play off emotion or ego.  Do this with your art marketing as well.

What do you want collectors to know about your art?  What moves you to create?  Why do you create in a specific style?  What motivates your choice of subject?  Why do you use a specific medium?  What is the value (I’m not talking dollars) of your art?  Why should they want it?  What benefit would it give them?

Determine the message of your art and then in all of your marketing activities and conversations let that message come through.  Differentiate yourself from your competition.  You don’t have to change your style to try to be different.  You are unique and if your art is a true expression, it will be unique also.

Case Study: Coke vs. Pepsi Coke and Pepsi have similar products, yet their marketing strategies are designed to differentiate.  Pepsi is slightly sweeter and targets the younger crowd by portraying it as fun, hip, or cool.  Coke is about being original, classic and constant. It can be mimicked but not duplicated.  Neither uses price as a marketing strategy.  The generic brands market themselves based upon price, yet the big players dominate the market share.  (More about pricing your art in another issue).

Case Study: Subway vs. Blimpie If I am not mistaken, Blimpie Subs has been around longer than Subway, yet Subway is much more successful.  In my opinion, Blimpie’s product is better.  Blimpie makes a sandwich every bit as healthy as Subway, but Subway began to market their sandwiches as a fresh, healthy, and low-fat alternative to burgers.  Even the name ‘Blimpie’ suggests fattening.  Blimpie will always struggle until they find a better marketing strategy.

Case Study: Levis vs. Wrangler Wrangler is all about rugged and durable jeans.  They cater especially to a blue collar, hard-working audience.  Levis is about all-American.  Born in the USA.

Case Study: Thomas Kinkade vs. Richard Schmid Both Thomas Kinkade and Richard Schmid are successful artists, yet there are striking differences.  Kinkade marketed himself through his technique and subject.  He was wildly successful among his target audience of home décor collectors. Yet, he marketed himself into a rut.  He allowed his collectors to define him, rather than defining himself.  Schmid on the other hand, distinguished himself by painting a truthful representation of his connection to the subject.  He also defined himself as a student of the arts, continually striving to improve his technical abilities in order to better express himself.  He marketed himself as one who paints from life, because to him that is the truest form of expression.  His work is about the human experience.  I do not know the extent to which he marketed himself in terms of promotion.  He did, however, market himself with every conversation he had and with each book, lecture, workshop, demonstration, etc.  He is gifted at communication and freely shares his thoughts and feelings about his art.  This is marketing.

Conclusion What I am trying to say is that you need to tell people about your art.  Why is it different from other artists’ work, even if it appears to be similar?  You need to have conversations, as Clint suggests.  You need to control the message which is connected with your art.  You cannot leave this to the galleries.  They represent too many artists to do this effectively.  They can and should do some, but you, as the artist, can let people know about you and your art much more effectively than anyone else can.  Then let them know why it should matter to them.

Sincerely,

Keith Bond
———————————————-
This article appears courtesy of FineArtViews by Canvoo,
a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists,
collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art).

This article originally appeared at:
http://fineartviews.com/blog/9669/marketing-art

For a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.fineartviews.com

———————————————–

How to Give Without Being Taken Part 2

by Luann Udell

This post is by Luann Udell, regular contributing author for FineArtViews.  You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here.

Last time I gave you some suggestions on how to handle requests to donate your art work.  Today, here’s a simple yet elegant way to say YES, NO or MAYBE to those requests. 

The most important tip of all:

BE PREPARED TO BE ASKED

Have a set piece to say when you get the request.

Being prepared to be asked will help you answer in a professional manner.  It will keep you from getting caught off-guard and responding poorly or too quickly.  It will give you time to time to make up your mind.  It will get you the information you need to make a good decision.  It will give you a gracious “out” if the answer is no.  And it will leave a door open for you to change your mind some day.

This set piece can be adapted for almost any situation.

Good Cause person:  “Luann, we’re having a big fundraising event for the XYZ society next month, and we’re asking a number of local artists to donate something for the silent auction.  We’d love to have your work!”

Luann:  “Oh, I’m so honored to be asked!  Can you tell me more?”

Now is the time to ask:  What exactly is this cause? (If you’re not already familiar with it.)  Is it one that aligns with your values?

Who are their patrons?  Who will be at the event? Are they your customers, or your prospective customers?

What other artists were asked, who else accepted, and what is the value of the pieces they’re donating? This will give you some idea whether you want to participate or not, and what company you’ll be in if you accept.  And if you accept, what you’re being asked for—a $25 gift certificate or a $2,000 painting.

Once you’ve heard all the details, figure out if you want to participate or not, or if you simply need more time to think about it.  The following covers all three options.  (Actually, it covers four…)

Luann:  “That sounds lovely, and I wish I could help you out.  However, I’m swamped with requests from many deserving organizations.  I can’t possibly oblige them all.  What I do is collect all the requests ahead of time in writing.  Then (once a year, twice a year, whatever time you want) I choose (one or two causes) to donate to.”

Now, here’s the creative part:

If you don’t want to contribute, you add, “I’m so sorry, I’ve already made my selections for charity donations for this year.  But I’d be delighted to consider your request for next year’s list.  Can you give me information about this year’s event, and *contact me by such-and-such a date next year?”  (*Note: If you might donate next year, let them know they need to ask again.  If you don’t want to donate, don’t ask them to contact you again and just forget to offer.)

If you aren’t sure you want to contribute, you say, “I’m making my decision for this period in a few weeks, and I’d be happy to consider your request.  Can I get all the information from you, and let you know my decision then?”

If you want to help but don’t want to donate your work, you say, “I’m so sorry, I’ve already made my selections for charity donations this year.  But I support your cause and would like to help in some other way.  May I purchase an ad in the auction program?”  (Or make a cash donation, or offer a private lesson, or a private studio visit, etc.)

If you decide to donate, you still give the set piece.  But you’ve also laid out the conditions and raised the bar.

Let’s say the audience is your targeted audience and the terms of donation are reasonable and fair to artists.  For example, the artists will get their “gallery price” or wholesale price, and/or you can set a minimum bid. You can still use the set piece to explain how your process works, and then accept their invitation.

This shows you are a professional and you understand what is being asked.  It asks for them to treat you in a professional matter, too, and helps them understand what they are asking for.

The beauty of this little set piece is, you can use it to say, “yes”, “no” or “maybe”.  You can use it to say no, and still leave a door open.  (I’ve had people thank me for refusing them so graciously, and for giving them a chance to ask again another time.)

You can use it to say yes, and not lock yourself into saying “yes” next year, and the year after—unless you want to.

Everybody wins, and nobody has to feel bad.  That’s the kind of solution I like best!
———————————————-
This article appears courtesy of FineArtViews by Canvoo,
a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists,
collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art).

This article originally appeared at:
http://fineartviews.com/blog/20880/how-to-give-without-being-taken-part-2

For a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.fineartviews.com

———————————————–

How to Give Without Being Taken Part 1

by Luann Udell

This post is by Luann Udell, regular contributing author for FineArtViews.  You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here.

Whatever the realities of our artistic lives, one thing’s a given:  The rest of the world sees us as people who do the work we love.

And because we’re doing the work we love, money isn’t really important.

Wait for it……

Bwah ha ha hahaha!

Seriously, folks, whatever your thoughts on art and money, most artists like to believe their work has value.  And many of us are thrilled when others value our work, too.  Especially when they value it enough to actually buy it.

Which is why it gets tricky when people ask us to donate our work.

People ask musicians to perform at street fairs “for the exposure.”  Artists are asked to donate their work “for a good cause.”  Or we’re asked for a discount because they’re a non-profit.  We do a show and we’re asked to donate something for a silent auction or raffle.

We all have snappy answers for requests like these.  Jack White of ArtCalender says, “Artists die from too much ‘exposure!’”  When I’m told I should donate because “it’s for a good cause”, I want to snap, “It’s not my cause”.  When event organizers protest my price because they’re a non-profit, I think, “Well, I’m not!”

Most people really don’t know what they’re asking.  They aren’t looking to annoy you, they honestly think you’ll be happy for the exposure.  They think you’re just as enthusiastic about their cause as they are.  Snappy answers and sarcasm aren’t just unprofessional, they can be hurtful to people who didn’t mean you any insult.

Such a come-back can close doors, especially in a small or tightly-knit community.  You may need to ask them for a favor someday!

Maybe the cause really is one you believe in and support.  Cash donations are a tax write-off, where currently the cash value of your donated artwork isn’t. You’d be surprised how many fund raisers don’t know this.  Even so, sometimes I’d still rather donate artwork than cash because of the audience, the event, or the potential for great publicity.

Here are some suggestions for how to handle those constant requests.

KNOW THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU’RE GIVING. If the donation does not net you good publicity or new customers, will it still be worth it to you?  I once donated a nice little wall hanging, valued at over $500 which sold at a prestigious fundraiser in Boston for….$50.  The event organizers refused to share the purchaser’s information with me, “so artists wouldn’t bug them.”  To heap insult on injury, the couple that bought it came to my booth one year at a show—not to add to their collection, but to brag to me how cheaply they’d gotten it.  “We couldn’t believe it when nobody else bid on it!” they exclaimed for everyone in my booth to hear.  They were so thrilled at their good fortune.  I was….humiliated.  I know they liked it.  I also know that whenever they tell the story about my artwork to their friends, the tag line will forever be, “And we got it for only $50!”

Not only did I give away that piece…  Not only did I give away the income I could have earned from its sale…. I gave away the opportunity to sell it to someone who would have been thrilled and honored to own it.  Perhaps someone who would have said, “It was expensive, but it was worth every penny.”

ENSURE THEY KNOW THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU’RE GIVING.

Always include an invoice showing the full retail value of the piece.  Rather than give a piece outright, offer to sell it to them at your consignment price or wholesale price.  They can then keep any profit over that, and you will still be paid your price.  I’ve suggested this to fundraiser organizers, and they’ve actually thanked me afterwards.  Many people really DO want to help artists, and this arrangement meant more artists were willing to participate.

Suggest a minimum bid.  Make sure the auctioneer/program etc. mentions what the retail value of the piece is.  (“Wall hanging by nationally-exhibited artist Luann Udell, retail value $600, minimum bid $350”)  That way, nobody can think of your work as “free”, but as something of value.  The organizers will realize this is sale money you could have deposited into your checking account, too.

BE PRESENT AT ANY PRESENTATIONS, RECEPTIONS, ETC. Use this opportunity to meet prospective buyers and grow your audience.  If you can’t be there in person, supply them with an artist statement, post cards, business cards and other marketing materials.  Offer extras, in case other attendees are interested in your work.

USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLICITY Take photos of your work at the event, and have people take your picture with your work.  If your work sells, include the proud new owners.  If the event organizers are doing publicity, offer your images.  If not, do your own press release of the event.

Part 2: The perfect way to handle requests to donate your work!
———————————————-
This article appears courtesy of FineArtViews by Canvoo,
a free email newsletter about art, marketing, inspiration and fine living for artists,
collectors and galleries (and anyone else who loves art).

This article originally appeared at:
http://fineartviews.com/blog/20755/how-to-give-without-being-taken-part-1

For a complimentary subscription, visit: http://www.fineartviews.com

———————————————–

Dale sketches his mountain scene.

Dale Laitinen said something today while the cameras weren’t rolling. He said that he has occasionally run into the situation where a husband- on the way to the golf course- will drop off his wife at Dale’s workshop and ask Dale, “So, will she have something she can sell after this?” Knowing Dale, I’m sure he’s always nice in his reply but it got us talking a bit about the expectations around art. Dale noted that women always have to justify their hobbies but no one is asking that husband if his time at the golf course is part of his path to go pro. And no one would tell him lessons without the goal of going pro are a waste of time. Of course not. He’s out there having a good time, bettering his game and doing something that gives his life meaning.  This is something that Dale talks about in his live workshops, and it’s one of the ways where a DVD can only do so much. I love what we produce and it is a great way to learn, but it still can’t beat a live workshop. A workshop where an instructor can see the emotions on your face when you walk into the room and he can address those emotional concerns. Because the emotions around our work are as much a part of art as learning how to dance a brush across a page.

The first day of filming is always rough. We stop a million times and every time the artist thinks, “Ah darn it, what did I do?” Nine out of ten times the answer is, “Nothing. We have to re expose a camera.” It means a lot of stopping and starting that first day and it’s sort of a mean thing to add to already uneven nerves. But we do it. And artists are always very kind and patient with us.

Well, we kind of put Dale through the ringer. Dale is a watercolorist and the last things a watercolorist wants to hear as he is wetting his paper for – you know- wet into wet work is, “Stop!” There was a mystery sound coming from his microphone.

Is it where the mic is pinned?
We move its location.
Is it his shirt?
Dale changes his shirt.

Every time we change something we direct Dale Simon-says style, “Please move your arms to the water bucket. Could you turn your head back and forth?” Someone walking into the studio would think we were playing child games where in between sets we all stand around Dale inspecting his clothing as if inspecting a statue in the Met.

Dale is a great sport and we finally figured out that it was his whiskers rubbing against the mic. (Good catch Lynn!) We finally adjusted the mic down to the front of his shirt and carried on our merry way. Which means we had to ask Dale to start from the very beginning again…again, which he did obligingly and without even a stumble.

Dale, we will be easier on you tomorrow. Promise.

AWS 2010 Winner: Morning Fog

Salminen clears the first hurdle of strong skill and design with room to spare. His work is intricate and highly skilled. It’s as if he’s weaving a tapestry one thread at a time. The result is a rich and rewarding up-close experience of pattern and texture. Yet when we step back, the painting works as a very pleasing complete whole. John makes it all look effortless.

SKYLEDGE FIRST PLACE AWARD in the 2010: Washington Square

What about emotional content? Here John’s attention to source material is critical. He and his wife Kathy travel with the express purpose of gathering strong images. They capture hundreds of scenes. Only a few meet John’s high standards. Even then, he adjusts values and hues until the scene resonates with a mood. Long after we become accustomed to our amazement at John’s technical skills, the mood of the painting lingers. It’s mood that separates Salminen’s work from the other paintings in the show.

Clearly John has found a winning combination. The triple strengths of skill, design, and emotional content will make his paintings strong contenders in watercolor shows for years to come.

A section from Linda's party mood painting.

What a day. Linda finished her main layering workshop this afternoon and started in on another. The afternoon was a bit fly by the seat of our pants with exceptional outcomes. Linda painted a single scene three different times to illustrate how adjusting masks and pigments can greatly alter the painting’s final mood.

We went in hoping to talk about mood and emotion and came out with an entire lesson on the wondrous possibilities of a single reference photo. Who knows what adventures tomorrow will bring!