Let’s talk about the business of making art.
Painting is one thing and making a career out of it is another.
It’s unfortunate that many people who create haven’t learned how to market their work. Unlike creativity, marketing isn’t something we’re born with. However, marketing is something everyone can learn, and it doesn’t take a business degree to begin using it.
An artist in today’s world needs to wear many hats. Not only does the artist need to produce merchandise, but also it must be what the public wants. He also needs to find a venue or venues that are appropriate for his particular work, and then he needs to promote it to potential buyers. Then, there are all the business-related things like bookkeeping, paperwork, scheduling and logistics of delivering your merchandise. Whew!
Death to the Starving Artist
Here’s a book about the marketing of art written by an actual, living, breathing artist.
It’s not one of those stuffy, stultifying tomes that leave you confused and yawning.
This book is lively and written in terms everyone understands. Mr. Allen draws from his experiences to explain and highlight important tenets and breaks this large topic down into easy-to-digest bites that won’t give you indigestion.
Topics For Today’s Artist
Nikolas Allen would have us take advantage of all the technology that’s available; social media, websites, email marketing, blogging and SEO optimization. Even if you’re a Luddite, this book will get you excited about the possibilities of gaining global attention.
An Artist’s Guide From Concept To Delivery
In the prologue, Mr. Allen begins with explaining the importance of planning your career goals, defining your objectives and examining the marketing process. The book is then broken down into three sections; the right message, the right audience, and the right tools. The epilogue discusses your readiness to start your journey and how to proceed.
Using Standard Marketing Tools In The Art World
This book uses many principles found in standard marketing seminars. The difference here is the author applies them to the art world and uses his own experiences as examples.
Business cards, promotional literature, press releases, mass mailing and merchandising applies to almost any business, and an artist is no exception. Whether it’s local galleries and festivals, on-line sales or big-market galleries, your professional attention to the business end of art will benefit your career and your bottom line.
The online world is a confusing one to the casual computer user. Mr. Allen takes you on a step-by-step tour of all the avenues the internet provide and holds your hand as he shows you the virtues and pitfalls of social media, blogging, websites, e-mail marketing and video content.
Create A Custom Marketing Strategy To Begin Your Career
A great thing this book offers is an art marketing strategy workbook. You can download this free from the author’s website, and it’s the perfect way to get your thoughts organized and down on paper.
This workbook is a useful tool for you to decide if you’re ready to go for it. If you decide you’re not ready to jump into the deep end, it’s a good way for you to begin setting your goals and defining your objectives.
Death To The Starving Artist doesn’t do the work for you. You’re going to need all your energy and fortitude to make it as a non-starving artist. However, with Nikolas Allen’s book, his workbook and your own sweat and blood, you have a good chance to one day say that you’ve joined the ranks of the professional artist.
