I've always thought of myself as being self-sufficient. Meaning I didn't need any help from anyone for anything. I always did things on my own. If I didn't know how to do something, I figured it out myself. I never asked for help.
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This is one of those questions that nobody really asks. It is often hinted at, but nobody wants to confront the answer.
The answer is... It takes work. Yes, I know. You do art because you love it. Because you have to. Because it's part of who you are. I get that. However, just because you call yourself an artist, doesn't mean that you are one. I could call myself a doctor, but that doesn't make me one. It takes hard work and dedication to become a real artist. Not only do you have to learn all the techniques for your chosen art form, but you also have to learn how to run a business. Because if you want to do more than give all your art away as gifts, then you are going to have to get your work out into the world. That will only happen through learning the business side of art. And, it's really not that hard. There are basic principles that govern any type of business, and the art business is no exception. And, the best place to start is with a business plan. Yes, I know, I am hearing the groans already. Trust me, it will really help. All you need is a one page document that spells out what you are going to create, who you are going to be selling it to, where you are going to sell it, how you are going to sell it, and why are you doing this. Very simple. This is just to keep you focused. Use it as a road map to get you to your goal. And keep doing art! I recently gave a lecture on quilting at a museum. The talk was titled "Taking It To the Next Dimension." It was very well received. One of the things I noticed was that the techniques and ideas that I talked about that seemed so simple and commonplace to me were new and novel for the attendees.
There are many mistakes that artists make that sabotage their success. Are you making this one? Find out here by reading this free chapter from the latest Shy Artist's Guide book:
Mistake #6 Perfectionism I am in the middle of writing several new books. One is the next book in The Shy Artist series. (It's about barriers to success.) The other books are patterns of some of the designs and techniques that I have developed.
A couple of days ago, I was talking to my boyfriend about the books. I was complaining about the inadequacies of the new Kindle Kids Book Creator software. As I was talking, my boyfriend suddenly and abruptly silenced me with an exclamation, "Wait! Hold that thought. I have a brilliant idea!" I have been fighting with my computers recently. All three of them. My favorite old desktop is still running Windows XP and has everything on it exactly the way I like it. However, it is getting old and slow. My newer laptop keeps crashing. The blue screen of death rears its ugly head on occasion. It is not talking to the printer and it is really slow. Slower than my antique desktop. Lastly, there's my notebook. It used to be a Windows XP machine, but now it's a Linux mint machine. The computer itself works just fine, but I had let my neighbor borrow it for a few months and it came back with really sticky keys.
I was scheduled to teach a class this past weekend as part of a museum exhibit. On Friday I sent an email to my contact and she confirmed that I was on the schedule for Saturday. However, I was not given any information as to how many students I was going to be teaching, or where to go, or what time I should arrive to get set up. Even without this information, I had most everything I needed in order to teach this class, So, I packed up all the teaching supplies and drove up to the venue.
eCommerceBytes.com has loads of great resources for those of you who sell your art or craft online. I highly recommend subscribing to their daily newsletter so you can keep abreast of all that is happening in the online selling world.
In addition to their newsletter, their website has some useful goodies like an etsy fee calculator. Just plug in the price of an item you sell, the shipping, the actual postage, and the cost of materials and this handy-dandy little tool will spit back out the profit that you will make on this item. There is also one for ebay and one for Amazon. I highly recommend this site. And, no, I don't get anything out of recommending it other than the satisfaction of knowing that I have provided some useful information. With the fall show season in full swing, I thought these tips would serve as a good reminder to all of you who do shows. This infographic with tips on how to do a weekend show without hurting your back is brought to you by Manago Chiropractic.
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About the AuthorHelping artists and crafters improve their sales, one word at a time. Categories
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