The Art Or The Artist?

I agree with this and while I can't quit my day job to be an artist, I still strive to make that dream a reality someday. Luckily for me I am working in a job that teaches me a lot about internet marketing so I am slowly putting why I am learning at my job into my art. I have not had a lot of success online in terms of selling anything, and I have been on this site for four years without a single sale, but I am glad to say that my local "real world" sales have increased recently.

My typical art style is abstract and gravitates towards what I call abstract architecture, but thanks to some advice from various people, and something my mom often told me - that I should cater to a more specific audience or niche - I have learned that I can still do what I love while altering my genre somewhat.

Currently, as you might be able to see if you view my page, I am painted pet portraits that have been commissioned off me from friends and family.

I do find it frustrating and confusing that no one has bought my work online but it hasn't slowed me down. I know it's more of a marathon than a race.

Marketing never stops and constantly morphs. Trying to adapt or forge new ground is a matter of ambition and creativity (imo)

my things are random, for the most part in what sells. variety is important, and showing your work is important. good work will sell itself only if its surrounded by bad work. but good work will advertise itself as long as you start the siphon.

you need to start with a larger portfolio of things, with a consistent look. i see drawings and colorful stuff, there is no one flow of work. for me i push variety and detailed quality, and try to focus on specific kinds of people. if you make random things for just anyone - they won't sell. if you make a guy working on a car in an old garage, you can push it to specific fields and have a higher gain of interest.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

also realize that it's rare that someone would get a drawing of someone else's family, and you have a few there, which can be as bad as having a snapshot of a family member. i'd leave the mother and child though, that's more universal.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Whenever I see people sharing hope and goodness with each other it makes me happy .... then I make a picture of it. Art is not a luxury, making the world smile one person at a time is my thing! I've made a living doing this for over twenty-five years.


Over those years I've seen just what you're saying .... those that are good at marketing get to the head of the line above those who are remarkable artists .... not all the time but a lot.

I think I sold more when I kept my mouth shut. ;P

I have been doing art as long as I have been able to hold a crayon. But never thought much about doing this for money until I realized I am wasting an opportunity for my family. To have a better than just "okay" LIFE. I make ends meat with a surgical services job....but I want to see myself develop better marketing skills. I'm like a social hermit. So it's hard to approach people.

Any suggestions or criticism of my work will make me drink more coffee.

I've always been well focused that I was selling me regardless of the work I was doing. I was raised with the give 100% to anything you do. Today, I've had employees tell me things like, "you don't pay me enough to care".

That said, I too am dismayed at the game playing that appears to be required to sell art. This pat checklist of to-do's that we promote; do this many images, in these areas, promote on social media, and you'll get you fair share of success.

There is very little thinking of what's wrong and illogical in this treadmill selling of art and an almost religious commitment by artists to blindly run the course and adhere to the status quo.

So not only will art not sell itself, then selling is not going to be in doing it the way everyone else is. A lot harder than it looks type job.
-- mary ellen anderson

Today just about all of my markets checked in with good news - sold a nice big print and a few cards here, received a check from Amazon for book sales, got paid for two book cover images I licensed and got paid a monthly payment from a microstock agency.

You have to look around for every opportunity and not expect it all to come from one place or sales channel. It also take time and a lot work to create these opportunities.

Some people are good at business and art. They are not mutually exclusive. You just have to put in the effort to learn new things.

Easy answer for me.....nothing! lol To be fair I've only been on FAA for a few months and I haven't been doing much in the way of marketing. Also my focus is on selling originals because I feel my originals should start selling regularly before I start offering prints, I guess the alternative would be to jack up the price of my originals and focus on selling prints, I doubt that would work though.

David - not everyone wants originals. Some people might not have a place for one. Think about the young 20 somethings with a small apartment and a long commute. What they might want is a cell phone case with your art on it.

So you miss out on this market. Which means you don't get sales, which means you don't move up in the search...

FAA has no incentive to sell originals so I doubt they will do any promoting for you. Waiting for sales to some out of the blue ain't going to happen.

Besides you are selling originals for the price of one of my medium prints.

Most of my originals are on the small side, so space shouldn't be an issue for anyone. I can't justify selling prints with my originals at such a low price but it's hard to justify a higher price without much of a sales history. I really joined FAA for the website primarily, I know they won't promote my originals but the site gives me an online portfolio to send people to.

You use the word justify a lot. I don't get it. People either want it or they don't. Take a look at the sales page and see what people buy every day and they are unsigned, unlimited prints.

Mike, I agree with you about the portraits in my portfolio, but right now I kind of see them as parsley; they're there to help dress up my nearly empty plate.

Mary Ellen, I like what you said about the game needing to be just as independent and original as the art. At least, that's what I took from it.

"Whenever I see people sharing hope and goodness with each other it makes me happy .... then I make a picture of it. ...making the world smile one person at a time is my thing!"
Frank, that's a great example of selling the artist.

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

As much as I appreciate any advice, this was not intended to be another "increase your sales" thread. I'm more curious to see what the various personalities around here are pushing...

The art or the artist?

Is it, "here's a fantastic image of a mechanic that would look great in your man cave" or is it "I appreciate the solidarity of the hard working man and try to reflect that in my art"?

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

The work.

"The art or the artist?"

Can your work be sold the same way stock is sold (keywords and more keywords)? If so, there is little need to sell or even identify the artist. If, on the other hand, you are selling art, then the artist is paramount, and the marketing should focus on making the artist's name the primary keyword.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

The less apparent the value of the work is to the buyer the more selling of the artist is needed. This is most effectively done in person where a sales person in a gallery or art consultant can be employed to sell the value of the work and the artist to the skeptical buyers.

In these situations the buyer can be sold a toilet seat and convinced to hang it on their living room wall if the artist's name is famous enough.

In the "off the shelf" world of selling prints directly to the buyer, there is no middleman, the work is more important and needs to make a connection with the buyers. Artist bio, info, name etc is secondary. People know what they like when they see it and don't need others to make the decision for them.

its not really parsley though, if people think you only do custom portraits, they may not want the other stuff. and if you don't have enough stock, people need more choices. it usually takes years to sell because it takes years to make enough stock to get a name for yourself. once you go into business, you have to become a machine of sorts and crank things out until you have a good body of work.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

"Frank, that's a great example of selling the artist." Joe -- Yes, that sells the artists and what I do, and if you look it also speaks to the customer about THEM.

Joe, i am selling a combination of art and artist.
IMO, it is not one or the other but a successful campaign to market both.

I've been working on marketing 'urban abstracts.'
I have worked on branding my name much longer.
Google them both and you will easily find me.

Joe, you should read the book, "show your work! 10 ways to share your creativity and get discovered" by Austin Kleon.

Me. That is what I sell.

For me, I do best selling myself. I sell much better at galleries and conventions when I am standing there with my art rather than by people randomly finding me on this site. When I do make sales here, it is usually by someone who came from my website, Facebook fan page, Twitter, who has my book on Amazon, or who I met at a party, rather than being found by key words here.

Apparently I'm not selling either one. I don't know how I could possibly "sell myself". I'm really not an interesting person and I hate crowds. Art show receptions are pure torture for me.

I never think of selling or market myself or my art. I share: I enjoy creating things I like and share them with people like the same. the more I share, more people will follow and eventually sales will come.

I'm here to sell my photographs. My market is my hometown and regional crowd.

Eventually people will associate my images with me.

Art first, then art and artist later once people recognize the work.

Why are you posting dictionary? is this for you or saying I am wrong? DREW

Arrognat
ar·ro·gant/ˈerəɡənt/
adjective
having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities.

LOL Hyoye, i thought you posted a question when you posted a statement . I apologize,

I am going over to the next door, I think they are having fun. I need some strong nasty smelly Kimchee before that.

Hehehe, stay away from the bastards.

Drew, great point. Focus on the art. I mean without the art, there is no artist.

King David said, "Joe, do you really think Blaine is successfully selling anything?"
I think Blaine has gotten people's attention. Good or bad, we all know who he is.
He's gotten under our skin and that's a success based upon the premise that "there's no such thing as bad publicity."
I've said it before and I'll say it again, his art is juvenile and unrefined.

King David said "So, being a respectable human being is somehow self-censoring? You have to be an egocentric jerk to be a good artist?"
I think it's been shown that the greatest artists do not view the world through rose tinted glasses.
The old saying, "I suffer for my art" holds a lot of truth. Suffering is a significant part of this existence that most people try to ignore.
For the record, I use the name "King David" with nothing but respect.

Drew to DB: "David, just like Jack, you don't know me but Caravaggio's art is is the public domain so why don't you Photoshop it like the rest of your masterpieces!"
Awesome!!!

Hyoye Son, you've got me cracking up. I'm sold. I'm a fan. That's selling the artist!!
Well done!!

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

I want to say .. "I'm not buying"...a snarky remark about nothing...........just showing my impatience..........I won't delete, but, please ignore...thanks.

:)

I really appreciate your Art VIVA
I like this FAA discussion when each Artist shows their wonderful distinctive colors of personality. It is so colorful.
Sort of like Art itself. I am discovering Art of being a human being.

Thank you, Hyoye Son........that's important to me...I'm 'buying'....I get you.......

Joe,
Don't sweat the small stuff That is my motto!
By the way it's a good book.

David, just like Jack, you don't know me but Caravaggio's art is is the public domain so why don't you Photoshop it like the rest of your masterpieces!

Drew,

Over the next few weeks I will attempt to use that image to make something I now have in mind.

Dave

I have read a couple of those, Hyoye. It's a good understanding to have, however sometimes difficult to apply in the heat of the moment.
I seem to prefer sweating the large stuff, especially things that are completely out of my control. You know, stupid stuff like world peace, poverty, the nature of existence, etc.

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

Robert, your piety may work for you but this transcends time:

MY piety? I am not religious in the commonly understood sense, but I suppose that we are all religious about something. I am not sure what you mean. I am a pious artist and it works for me? Some of my art is pious? My use of words is pious? "Pious" ... now that word is starting to look sort of funny, since I typed it three times.

Pi = 3.14156 .......... that's as far as I know it.

My favorite pie is coconut cream.

Perhaps my love of coconut cream pie will become legendary, and this will make me transcend time as an artist with mediocre art who happened to appreciate a good coconut and sometimes acted like one. (^__^). But now I'm being childish. Yea, Ronald W., sometimes I act like that too, and make art like that, which I usually toss and try again, but I'm rambling into allusions to other discussion threads now, ... get back on track!

An artist can be known for no other reason than simply being known, ... like some celebrities today ... "famous for being famous".

Selling to Artist, I sell myself. Otherwise I sell Arf. Ooops i think Art. I am starting to sound like a dog at this point. I am like Artout. if there is a such a word.

Put some kimchi on that dog.
Eat the bastard!

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

Is this Joe?
Are you out of your mind? Are you drunk? You are tuning into jack ass

That is an insult to all Koreans, I will not tolerate !

happiness...people want to be happy and my top sellers all represent this in one way or another
a camera did not take a photo any more than a typewriter made a book, but both require exposure for people to be able to buy it,

It's my understanding that some Koreans do eat dog meat, and I see nothing wrong with that.
Meat is meat.
Hindu's revere cows while Americans harvest them like grain. It's all just cultural differences that I prefer to look at and discuss in the open rather than tiptoe around.

You brought up kimchi in one post, bastard in another post and dog in another. All I did was put them together. I still think it was funny.

No offense intended, Hyoye.

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

Hyoye, thanks for apologizing through a private message but it would only seem proper to do so in the same public forum in which you called me a jackass.

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

Robert, now that you've brought it up, Skinner might have something to do with how people purchase art as an investment (religiously).

As much as you didn't mean Kimchie on a dog, and your explanation/apology was accepted.
Male Donkey or Male Ass is also Jackass.
i didn't mean anything other then that. No offense intended. Joe

Well now that we've got that cleared up, I can definitely be an ass at times.
Not intentionally, though. I just try to be honest about things.
The truth hurts, but it will also set you free.

Truth is what I'm selling.

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

Joe, you are so right, That is the right way to go. That will sell for sure.

Thanks for the optimism, Hyoye. I wish I were as sure.
But sales are not my goal so much as honesty, acceptance and understanding.

How to make that look good next to the couch is a separate challenge...

Joe Burgess
jb-imagery.com

Your topic for this discussion is very interesting. I have been busy going through all my photos to see what I can put out before I get into painting again.
It seems taking a lot of my time, usually leave my computer on all day, and in and out doing things, etc. Let me think? it means that you have a very good goal for yourself.
as little as I know, In marketing I think that is very important. Person who buys your product must sold on to you first. it is much easier to convince. But in Art seems much different then selling a vacuum cleaner or any other goods.
Art is more like speaks itself, If Artist was being honest, accept, her or himself your art will reflect that .
So Art sells not Artist. Your Art is you.