We at FineArtViews (FAV) strive to offer solid insight into the world of art and art marketing -- by introducing readers to viewpoints concerning the state of the art world, and exploring a wide range of art marketing strategies. That dedication was stronger than ever in 2012. [...]

You might be thinking... crazy is a strong word. However, when I spend too much time online, I get stupid - I can't remember diddly; I've been forgetful and have missed deadlines. (I never used to miss deadlines)! My brain can only take in so much stimuli before it starts shutting down. I get zoned in on my computer or Ipad screen and my life and responsibilities begin to slide by, while I live in a dream world by viewing what everyone else is doing. In the end, I've got to stop looking at what y'all are doing all day so I can return to my life. [...]

Stay vigilant! Try to find out why other artists (in your price range and style) are selling well. Learn what they are doing or what their gallerists are doing to sell their work. I'm seeing pockets of success in sales today! Don't be fooled by thinking that artists who are getting awards and visibility are selling well... in some cases they aren't. In other cases, they are. I do think it comes down to savvy marketing on the artists' and gallerists' parts. More than ever, artists and sales people need to know how to get attention from collectors and close the sale. [...]

Our esteemed judge, Lori Woodward has completed the judging of the July 2012 BoldBrush painting competition. [...]

The Law of Supply and Demand is a time-tested precept for marketing and sales for just about everything that consumers buy and acquire, and yet, this "law" is ignored by the majority of artists and galleries. I believe that it's an important concept to apply to your art sales and marketing efforts, whether you sell someone else's artwork or your own. [...]

It's not an option any longer... artists cannot expect someone else or even their galleries to promote their work adequately. No one has the time, money, or desire to promote your work better than you do. [...]

So essentially... sales beget sales. It all boils down to finding ways to increase the demand for your work. There are dozens, if not hundreds of ways to go about this - and savvy artists will take their individual marketing and painting personalities into consideration when making business plans for the coming year. [...]

The Internet has changed the way everything is bought and sold, and we're in the middle of a revolution. No one really knows how it will all turn out, but we artists who are adventure prone and not adverse to risk will pull through. [...]

One of the easiest ways that artists can make their paintings look professional -- is when they have the knowledge and ability to manipulate and show variety with the edges of their subjects. [...]

Looking back at FineArtViews (FAV) articles from 2011 shows that debate about art is alive and well within the FASO community. [...]

We artists can no longer depend on someone else to do our fishing for us. If we don't know how to effectively market our work, our careers may not survive. It's not rocket science and if you really hate the administrative work and meeting with potential gallery owners and collectors, by all means, hire someone else to do these things for you - but you're still the boss and make the final decisions. An informed and savvy artist is the one who will continue to thrive and get the most "bites" from the fish swimming in their lake. [...]

It's funny, people know what amateur sounds and looks like with singers and dancers, but no one seems to know what the dividing line between amateur and professional is with visual art. So be it... but the collectors I know are pretty smart about what they collect. No one is going to buy a high priced work just because it's priced high - that work must prove its value in some way. [...]

This is part two on using straight lines to block in subjects in the drawing stage of a painting. [...]

Most everyone uses straight lines when drawing buildings and boxed like shapes, but it almost seems ironic that one should use bone-straight lines to draw figures, rounded fruits, hills, and tree foliage. Here, I'll share some examples of how artists (Daniel Keys and Richard Schmid) use straight lined drawings when blocking in their painting compositions. [...]

Although it's a buyers' market and the money is still flowing, collectors are getting more selective when it comes to parting with their discretionary funds. Each of us needs to find a way to make our work stick in the minds of those who view it. [...]

A heartfelt tribute to our readers. [...]

I wish I could give you a formula and bulleted list. I cannot; there are many types of collectors and venues. But here are a few things to think over...But be vigilant and know you will need to think ahead, projecting where your next market will be when your current collectors stop buying. Never rest on current or past successes. [...]

So let me leave you with this question: if artists who are working with galleries are not selling much work, and those galleries are not taking on new artists, then why would an artist spend hours building a portfolio to submit to galleries (at this time)? Why not get started selling on your own for far less money and much more profit? Forget the ego thing... being in a top gallery might make you feel good, but it won't necessarily bring you income right now. [...]

Even if you are ready to approach galleries, shows and invitational events, you still may not need an elaborate business plan. There are many ways to promote your work on a shoe-string budget. Spending big bucks is hardly necessary to success and there is nothing terribly elaborate or magical about marketing your work. It's mostly just plain common sense. [...]

In this blog, I'll demonstrate a compositional concept that Jack Beal taught each summer... what he called, "The Door Jamb". Essentially, it boils down to this: Using a darkened foreground causes the viewer's gaze to step over the foreground and into the middle and far ground. [...]

There's nothing wrong with painting when the sunlight is directly overhead, but noontime light presents a number of difficulties for artists... especially if the sunlight is bright. [...]

When times get tough, creative folks come up with new ideas. Innovative ideas seem to spontaneously generate out of bad times. Change can be good, but let's face it - as long as the status quo is working, hardly anyone seeks change. [...]

You're probably wondering why in the world I'm making such a simple concept sound so complex... because the color of light is complex. I'll explain why... When light is warm, the shadows are cooler in color - slightly bluer and often grayer. BUT! You can't just paint all the light areas orange and the shadows blue. We still have to take into account the local color of the object [...]

Please don't hesitate to ask me questions. I, by no means, am saying this is the only way to paint. There are many valid approaches to art - some artists are tonalists, others are colorists; some are realists, and others are impressionists or abstract artists, and that's perfectly OK. I am here to present ideas to you - which you may take or leave as you like. [...]

I later build a series of paintings in the comfort of my studio, until I arrive at something I consider my best effort - or masterpiece. Even if it's not a masterpiece in the true sense of the word, I hope that all my effort and observation will culminate into my best painting to date. [...]

When it comes to pricing artwork, our work is simply worth as much as a collector is willing to pay for it. It's our job as artists to market, to understand who our potential buyers are, what credentials they want to see, where they like to shop, and how they spend leisure time. [...]

You can help me out by asking burning questions about marketing your work. I'm not going to try to answer your questions here, but will address the most frequently asked questions in upcoming blogs. [...]

Since it is a given that in order to attract a collector clan, I'll need an easily defined, connected body of work with a unique style, why not make that body of work something that I'll never tire of? [...]

Clint recently shared how he accepted artists into his gallery even when their presentation materials were poor - because their artwork was "kick ass". It's absolutely true, great artwork has intrinsic value to collectors [...]

I naively thought I could take one or two paintings down to Scottsdale, walk into a gallery and wow the gallerist. As I said, I didn't have a clue about how to get started selling my work [...]

Ask any successful artist how much time he/she spends actually creating artwork, and you'll find that time in the studio far exceeds time either planning or dreaming. You see, they settled on some plans and dreams early on and then took immediate action in pursing those dreams [...]

It's true that sales beget sales. Psychologically, we tend to put value on items that we see other people purchase. If a collector falls in love with one of your artworks, and sees that others have invested in your career by buying, it is more likely that they'll get off the fence and make the purchase [...]

The way art is sold and the power of selling our art, is now more in our hands (the artist) than ever before! If you're working with galleries, then it'll be in your best interest to lead those folks to your gallery's website. On the other hand, if you're inclined to work without galleries, this is your golden opportunity to work directly with your collectors. [...]

If I'm really having the time of my life in a space that I love, the Internet won't hold a candle to my studio. The key here is to make my workspace unavoidably attractive. [...]

This new power to sell is a great thing for the artist. Knowing this, then the question becomes: Why would any artist seek gallery representation when commission rates are so high? There's no one right answer. Recently, I've seen several artists who had been previously selling on their own make significantly more income and get national recognition through gallery representation. [...]

As an artist, I have a maximum of freedom and flexibility with my time. This is one of the things that makes being a professional artist a joy. At the same time, it creates a war within me. The daily struggle to choose the right thing to do for the advancement of my artwork is very real. [...]

What would happen if hundreds of us made a request that our gallery owners share contact info? What if we all did this on the same day or the same week? Would it make a difference? [...]

If you enjoy art as a hobby and like to play with paint, that's a perfectly valid reason to paint; however, if you want to gear your efforts towards painting as a professional... well... that is quite a different path, and while professional artists derive joy and great satisfaction from their efforts, one could hardly say that it is all fun and games. [...]

Lately, I've been coming across online videos and blogs that deal with the question, What is talent? Does it exist, and if it does, what exactly is it? Are some people blessed with a huge dose of it, and therefore destined to become a prodigy? Mozart usually comes to mind. [...]

After having written last week's post on how to use Twitter as a business tool, a number of artists responded to me directly or via the comments section, saying that they were either confused about how to use this utility, or else that they felt it was another way to waste time. Because the last post generated confusion and, in some cases, strong responses, I feel that this subject warrants a second post. [...]