If you want to be an artist and become known as one then you need to commit your self to the idea. Make a decision to make art. This may sound obvious but it is not always as easy as it appears to make art or be an artist. Being happy about the title of artist is a beginning and knowing that this is the path for you will help you to motivate and concentrate your thinking to do what is needed to see this happen. There is a great bit of wisdom in the bible. It says that “without a vision the people perish”. Without a goal you can easily be blown around by the wind of whatever is happening at the time. You can be ruled by circumstance instead of soaring above them to claim the prize of the path you are taking. After deciding that this is the path you want to take, then you need to make art regularly. Don’t leave it until you have the time, such as when you retire. Doing a little often is better than waiting for the time when you have time, which tends to be never. You may have to plan this. Set aside time, write it in your dairy and do all that is needed to secure this time for making art. You may need to turn your phone off. You may need to pay someone to look after your children or business for a few hours or a day. You may need to plan your holidays to ensure that you do make art. Try planning an art retreat. There are many online opportunities. Persevere, with your art. Practice will improve it. If it doesn’t seem to be improving then find an artist who can help you or a workshop. Visit an art gallery. Study art that is similar to yours to see how others have dealt with similar problems such as techniques of paint application or lack of inspirational. Talk with other artists. The people you mix with can positively or negatively influence how you see yourself. As the saying goes, you cannot change your family but you can choose to spend time with people who motivate you on your chosen path. Find an art group to join, or start one youself. Think about why people should buy your art. Ask yourself why your art it is valuable and worth someone’s while to buy it. If you don’t value it, why should anyone else? Make art that you can be proud of. Meeting with other artist is one way of “getting your name out there”, even if you find that they are not your type or not that motivating. Don’t “hide your light under a bushel” as the bible saying goes. Once you have even a small portfolio of work that you are reasonable happy with, you need others to see you and it. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities. I always carry in my bag, a little A6 size book that has copies of my images in it printed onto glossy photography paper. I add to it as I complete each work. This enables me to show people my art when they ask what kind of art I do. I have a business card as well so that I people are able to contact me later or view my work online. You need to get a website to show your works even if you do not have an online payment system such as pay pal on it. There are many free websites hosts available and a lot of free help is also available. Search your local community for places where you can display your work. Build up some permanent display places such as universities, hair salons, restaurants, cafes, shops, clothing boutiques, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and showrooms and book shops. If people see your work in a range of place they begin to value your work more and think of you as artist, even a well known one. Join some art groups that hold exhibitions, even if that is all you do in the group, it is one way of building your art presence. As soon as you have enough art works, have a solo exhibition. You can apply for grants to fund the opening and the space, or find a display space that is free and hold it there. Exhibitions are a great way of promoting your work. Make a catalogue. If you have a computer you can create it yourself. You will need to write a small art biography and make sure you have your contact details so that people can contact you later if they like your work. Create a flyer or postcard to email to people and to hand out around the place. This should look professional. Keep one or two with you to give to people you meet in your day. Make appointments with your local papers to let them know about your exhibition. Send them an invitation. Generously advertise your event. The more you advertise, the more people will start to think of you and your art even if they do not attend the opening. Take photos of people looking at your art at the opening, to display on your website or to send to your local paper. Even if only 3 people turn up, ask them if it is ok for you to have them looking at your art for your website. Be positive about the event. Others are more likely to come to another of your exhibitions if they hear a positive report. Find someone to do a review and send it into your local paper. Keep a record of your art and art events. Be diligent in your record keeping. List buyers name and contact details, the size and date you completed the art and always take a photo of it before it sells. Professional photos are best but if you cannot afford this take your own. When I first selling my work, I did not take photos and now I have only the memory of what they were like and memories cannot be trusted to serve you faithfully throughout your life. Your memory or talk will not be enough to let others know of your ability. There are a lot of online art communities and galleries where you can show your work free of charge. Search these out or ask someone who belongs to some to share their experience and links with you to the sites that they have found useful. There are many other was that you can build your reputation as an artist. Set aside some time to build a list of them. You can more of the ideas I wrote down at: http://citwings. com/art_promotion. html
Posts Tagged ‘Artist’
How to Build Your Reputation as an Artist – Promote and Market Your Art
January 14th, 2010Choosing an Art Teacher May be the Most Important Decision an Artist Makes. How to Choose Properly
December 27th, 2009I can’t imagine a worse scenario for an eager and enthusiastic art student than enrolling in a over crowded art class run by a mediocre art teacher
In short order the student is set up for loss after loss. The basics of drawing and painting either not taught in an easy to duplicate fashion, that the art student can grasp, or very often they are not taught at all!
Quite Frequently the student makes the decision that drawing and painting is just too hard and gives up. The student will incorrectly find the fault with themselves, often with the self generated concept that they do not posses enough natural artistic talent.
Whereas most of the blame usually falls on the shoulders of the student, the true cause falls at the feet of the art instructor and poor instruction.
This is exactly what happened to my wife.
My wife is from Toronto Canada. She originally came to America as a student to study fine art in a university. The instruction was terrible.
Both my wife’s drawing and painting classes were taught entirely on the irresponsible method of “if it feels good go with it. “
Unfortunately my wife could not “feel” her way into learning basics such as capturing light and shadow, how to draw in proportion, the use of color and tone, how to sketch in charcoal, differences in working with oil vs. watercolors.
Needless to say she the only thing that she could “feel” good about was changing her major.
With hundreds of colleges and thousands of private art instruction schools across the country how does one go about picking an art instructor that will teach one how to draw and paint properly?
I was lucky enough to be able to ask Larry Gluck what one should look for when choosing an art school and instructor so one achieves their goal in becoming a better artist.
Larry Gluck is the founder of the world’s largest fine art program.
After 33 years employing hundreds of art instructors and teaching over 3,000+ students every week how to draw and paint this is the advice Larry has in regards to choosing an art teacher. . .
“Here are a few pointers on what to look for in a fine art teacher. I hope they help in your search for a good drawing and painting instructor.
1. Do you like the teachers work?
It’s important to respect what your teacher does. Now matter how objective he is about his work, he’ll teach you what he knows – and what he knows will be reflected in what he does.
On the other side of the coin, do not judge the instructor only by their artwork. Teaching art is not the same as creating art, and some teachers are very good artists but horrible instructors.
Others don’t have enough intention to help students through the rough spots. Although a teacher much have knowledge and talent to merit teaching his subject, the determination to help you and see that you indeed learn should be his top priority.
2. Does your teacher start with the fundamentals?
A gradual approach is necessary to learning. You start with the most basic fundamentals and continue from there. All to frequently the teacher assumes that you already posses a thorough knowledge of the fundamentals, or worse, the instructor is not familiar with them enough in order to teach them.
Also, some teachers are involved in the arts for such a long period of time that the use of the arts fundamentals are automatic, so much so that they are no longer aware of them. This of course, would be a terrible failure on the part of the teacher – but it does happen.
3. Are you actually improving?
If your art teacher teaches you the fundamental skills, on by one, ensuring you master each one before going to the next, your skills should improve.
If not, something is wrong with the instruction, not with you. A good instructor should be able to break the needed skills down into steps simple enough for you to learn successfully.
4. Are you being treated as an individual?
We all have different strengths and weaknesses. The good art instructor will realize this and treat each art student as an individual. A poor teacher treats everyone the same or has a few favorite students.
5. Is the class overcrowded?
If there are more than ten students with only one instructor, you won’t benefit from what he has to give you.
Since everyone is different in regards to ability and what one is aware of, there has to be a way for you as a student to to receive one-on-one instruction with the instructor.
6. Are you training with people you like?
It helps to learn with people who encourage and support one another, admire each others efforts, and are genuinely pleased to see other’s progress.
It would also help to have friends with whom you can also discuss the art form.
Companionship within the arts causes growth in the artist.
7. Are you pitted against others?
Some teachers feel that competition is needed among students is necessary to spur them on. It isn’t.
Perhaps the teacher will be less bored but it does nothing for students, particularly in the arts.
You should only be competing against your present limitations.
8. Is it a safe environment in which you feel comfortable learning?
You must feel safe and secure in all learning environments.
This is especially true when learning an an art form where the stakes are so high and the intimidation factor can be so great.
If you feel intimidated anyway when you go to class, it’s probably the teachers fault, even if the intimidation comes from other students.
A competent art instructor is in control of the students and is responsible for how they interact with each other in the classroom.
Some instructors intimidate students with an overbearing manner.
Some instructors will set themselves up as a major authority on the subject of art or unattainable examples of artistic talent.
Some favor a few students over others.
If this is occurring, find a new art instructor.
9. Is there criticism without help?
An overly critical teacher can make you give up.
Criticism without instruction on how to improve is hinderance, not a help.
Rather than continually pointing out what is wrong with what you are doing, a good teacher should give you tasks to do.
A student progresses by winning, not loosing. Ask yourself if you feel better since you started the class – better about yourself, your ability, and what you are doing. If not, change teachers.
10. Are you getting individual help?
Maybe her is a piece of information you don’t quite comprehend, or a technique that you just can’t put into application.
Does the teacher take the time to help you? Is the art instructor prompt with the help but patient with handling your question or problem?
Can the instructor get to the root of what ou are having a problem with and help you figure it out?
If not you are wasting your time and money.
If you aren’t getting better and having fun while doing so, your instruction is falling down on one or more of these points.
Review these ten tips and locate exactly what the problem is. If this turns out that you cannot fix this by speaking with your instructor, you will have to find a new teacher.
All art forms appear difficult to a beginner. A good teacher will show you not only that excellence is attainable, but also how.
You may think you cannot do it or feel you do not have enough talent, a good instructor knows that you can and will make sure that you learn to. ”
