Artist Career practices, the things we do as artist's.

If you're interested in promoting your work, I have a complete section devoted to Art Marketing here at How to sell art online, Art Marketing 101 page and learn about these steps to jump start your artist career.

Now to start off with several articles! Our first is something that has just recently became really popular. Well, it's been there for a very long time, but most folks just didn't know about it. The "it" is Artist trading cards and how you can be a part of the collecting craze!

Read on here...

Artist trading cards, and ACEO! Get in on the craze now!

Have you ever gotten stuck on what to paint next. I've got 6 great ideas here to help get your creative juices flowing! And if they don't work for you, come back here and read the article at the bottom of this page. It's a blank canvas buster!

Still Life art, beyond flower and fruit!

Here another article on choosing a digital camera. It is such a powerful tool in helping you to obtain reference material and in promoting your art work. Click below to see these articles.

Choosing a digital camera isn't that difficult! Part 1

Which digital camera features are needed as an artist. Part 2

And while we're on camera's, I've got a great photography lesson on how to shoot your own art work! There are some very specific things that must be done if you're gonna shoot your own oil paintings. See these 2 lessons on how I perform this task.

Photography Lesson in shooting your own work.

and

Squaring up your Fine Art Photo

Have you ever wondered how you were going to organize that wedding? Or plan your vacation to get the most out it? Or maybe, how to best promote your career as an artist? I've got a simple but very powerful tool that seems to have been designed just for artists and our special needs! Check out this new find and some free software to boot!

The Mind Map, and simple yet powerful tool for brainstorming!

And to go along with this same subject, how do you best schedule your time as an artist. Check out these 2 very powerful tools that I use within my artist career:

Time Management Techniques, and scheduling your art time!

Now, for a quick small story!

One of the greatest challenges I face as an artist is....

The Blank Canvas!

but not for the reason you may think!

Remember when you were about 11 years old, and your Grandma would give you a quarter, (no that my Dad's generation) would give you a dollar and a quarter, (now I'm telling my age) so in today's money it's more like $10.25! Anyway, you're at the candy counter trying your best to figure out how to wisely spend your money?

So much goodness in front of you, and so small a tummy to eat it all!

Yes, it's not for lack of an idea, but rather, which of a hundred ideas to do next. That's the passion I wish all could have. Hopefully, within the pages of this website, I can help you develop your passion for this most enjoyable thing we call Oil Painting.

I guess it's because I'm a person that views the glass half full rather than half empty. Actually, I see it running over!

Try this.

Find a subject that pulls at your heart strings. Think about family, hobbies, home. Find something that you love, that gets you excited and makes your heart thump when you dwell on the subject.

Then incorporate this subject into your paintings!

Along with this however, try to remember to find that something that will never run out of reference material. It can be people, animals, nature, mountains, lakes, fishing, old buildings. All of these have a special place in my heart but flowers seem to be the thing that give me joy! Once you have found that special something, become an expert at it. You will then have a lifetime of idea's that will fuel your passion to paint!

Imagine never running out of idea's to paint. Within an artist career, this solves 50% of most artists' dilemma, the white canvas. The other 50% of this problem will be solved in using a decision process to narrow your idea to the best of the best! Here's what I do:

I will usually always have 4 to 6 ideas floating around my head at any given time! As I complete one work, I begin reviewing my latest "idea" folder and lay out all my photo's, sketches, etc. Then, as I review them, I pull away one by one by doing a comparison check. I look at an idea thats been in my head awhile and compare it to just one other idea. The Best stays, the other is put away till next time. I'll do this to all the reference photo's until I'm left with only three. I'll print these out on my ink-jet and usually after an overnight wait, one will speak to me above the others. If not, I just begin the painting process on all 3 at the same time. WOOHOO!

As one layer is drying on the first, I begin work on the 2nd then the 3rd. My gallery owner loves this 'cause when I give her several pieces, her customers love having choices!

More tidbits and business advice is on the way, I just gotta find my "ideas" folder.

till then,...

Stay tuned for more articles on the artist career and how to improve yours.

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