10 Steps to marketing success for artists

Are you an artist who seeks more from their art than it just being a hobby? Then getting interest in your work for it to produce an income is a must. To do this you need marketing and promotional success, which will enable you to start earning a living from your artistic output. Today we are going to talk about 10 ways you can find a market for your work and where you can learn more about what is required of you to be successful. 1. ----- Before you do any painting at all, afford yourself the time to do your market research. One of the biggest reasons for artists failing in their pursuit to become professional is a lack of understanding of what the market wants. Don’t be so arrogant as to assume you know everything and that what you paint is “right”. Chances are that it isn’t, so don’t assume anything. Go out there into the World and see what’s on offer and, more to the point, what is selling. Galleries are full of pictures that don’t sell so ignore those. Ask the proprietor to show you what sells best and why and to whom? 2. ----- Secondly, remember that what you are seeing for sale is what was created for last season. Most galleries stock prints these days for the mass market so you need to know what is coming next rather than what is on show now. Imagine taking inspiration from a style on display only to return with a new offering to be told that is now “old hat”. 3. ----- You must ensure that you visit the trade shows to see what the publishers, independents and importers are offering next seasons market. Even this will meet you a step behind as the artists on display there are already working on next season’s ideas. However, by taking guidance from the trade show you can at least sell to the galleries armed with colours and themes in current context. Most importantly, talk to the publishers about your work and ask them about the process of presenting yourself for consideration. 4. ----- If you are satisfied to sell your work as “original only” you will need to form relationships with good and reputable galleries. The value of art is in its perception by the viewer. For example, if you hang your work in an exclusive gallery, you will expect to command a much higher price than in your local town, side street, so aim high and get the best wall space you can. Talk to several gallery owners and listen to what they have to say. Most will be honest about your work and tell you exactly how likely it is to sell in their establishment. Wall space is valuable so they won’t waste it. You will need a thick skin at times so be prepared for harsh criticism. No matter who you are, some will love your work while others will hate it. 5. ----- Discuss a fair retail price based on a fair price for you and the gallery. If you are happy with a price don’t start flinching when the gallery says they will sell it for maybe over double your price. They have to charge tax for a start, then cover all their expenses and actually find you a buyer before they see any profit for their trouble. So, don’t begrudge them their share. 6. ----- Wherever your work is on show, make an effort to accompany it so you can talk to prospective customers. Art buyers love to meet the artist in person and you can do yourself a great deal of good by putting in an appearance if only at weekends. Talk to the Gallery, they are sure to welcome such proposals. 7. ----- If you are going to sell your work yourself, make use of every opportunity to gain exposure. An excellent new way of doing this is through a fantastic new website facility called DebutDay ( debutday). This site is dedicated to bringing artists to the attention of the World by beating the search engine process and parading you in front of everyone searching for what is latest on the market. It’s inexpensive and you can control what you display and how you present yourself. It’s probably the most proactive site to arrive in a long time and will do as much to find you a publishing opportunity as it will to sell to the general public. If you are serious about your art, you must make use of this site. 8. ----- When you create new works try and adopt a theme for a collection. Single pieces do little to help the buying public form an opinion about you or your work. Some will want to find an artist to collect, so unless they can see more than one example of your work they will find this difficult to do. So, don’t settle for one painting, aim for at least three or four in a set, it will do much for your credibility and will considerably assist your success. 9. ----- Whatever you display for sale, make sure it is accompanied by a Title and a Written Explanation. The buying public love a story, it helps them to understand your work, gain more from the imagery and, believe it or not, such background information will assist them with a good subconscious reason for purchasing. Your information will make them an “informed buyer”. This will in turn allow them to impress their friends when they come to call. 10. ----- Finally, in my experience the biggest mistakes artists make is to try and be something they are not or to try and convince the public of such. Painting a woman with an eye on the side of her head does not make you Picasso so don’t try to be. Artists like him are famous as much for their creation of “the style” as they are for any integral artistic ability. The first rule of creativity is to be true unto yourself, unsuppressed by the need to conform to what others expect or may perceive as “art”. If you do not allow yourself this right of expression you will rarely find joy in painting. But then you must be able to step out of the “real you” and find a way of harnessing your talent in a commercial way that may have more chance to support you until such time as your own passions are recognised as desirable enough in their own right to earn you a living.

Online game and social networking

uVme brings together Online Gaming, Social Networking, and Web 2.0 in an exciting new format for network marketing. These three areas have been the fastest growing, most intriguing aspects of how the Internet has evolved in recent years, even as it continues to grow at an astounding rate worldwide with the explosion of Internet cafes. In fact, Internet cafes are said to bring 30 to 40% of their revenues from online gaming. But online gaming, particularly skill games, is only one of three truly revolutionary and dynamic aspects of the new Internet economy. Social Networking has become an international phenomenon with MySpace and Facebook attracting literally tens of millions of people. As social networking technology continues to mature and social networks themselves become more and more specialized to appeal to those with particular interests, it makes sense that social networking and online gaming would eventually come together somehow. Social networking relies upon the Web 2.0 model of content creation to really take off and fly. Web 2.0, as it is called, is simply user-generated content. The best example of Web 2.0 out there today is the video-sharing web site YouTube. Web 2.0 companies produce very little of their own content, allowing the users themselves to create the bulk of their content. In a way, this has allowed the Internet economy to take off like a wild horse! Another benefit of Web 2.0 is affiliate marketing, allowing users to create their own web sites and content to sell products and services created by a third party. This has become a great way for a people all over the world to take advantage of the global reach of the Internet while allowing them to work from home. So how does uVme take advantage of social networking, online gaming, and the Web 2.0 effect? One hint is in the name of the company itself: uVme. It stands for You vs. Me in an online skill game. One user challenges another in a social network setting through the use of instant messaging to compete in an online game. To truly take advantage of what the new Internet has to offer, though, the third leg of the Web’s tripod must be taken into consideration: affiliate marketing. The co-founders of uVme, Tom Brodie and Len Fitzgerald, are no strangers to affiliate marketing success on the Web. They created the popular VWD network in 2002; it now boasts over 160,000 members. Over the last five years VWD has paid out millions in commissions, and has a sterling reputation for always paying on time. With this background, the co-founders of uVme expect even greater success for themselves as well as those who sign up. A revenue share model allows members to tap into the economies of scale created by a large network, resulting in a constant stream of income. Affiliate marketing is a totally legitimate marketing and sales tool used by the largest online retailers, such as Amazon. uVme is an online skill gaming network that creates an unparalleled social networking situation based on games, and therefore a potentially vast pool of revenues to share.

Teak patio furniture enduring luxury in your backyard

When you plan to invest in patio furniture you want to find some that speaks to you and that will last for awhile. Although teak patio furniture may be expensive its innate weather resistant qualities ensure that it will grace your deck or patio for at least twenty five years. Grown in the forests of Indonesia, only so many teak trees are allowed to be felled each year resulting in a limited amount of teak patio furniture that can be produced. This plus the natural weather resistance of teak make it a highly sought after wood for outdoor furniture. Teak patio furniture comes in many styles and shapes so it is easy to find some that will fit perfectly on your patio no matter what the size. In fact it is important to choose furniture with some visual weight if that’s all you’re putting on your patio. You may want to start with a table and chair set to be ready for an impromptu party and have a place to enjoy your morning coffee in solitude. Round or square, glass or marble topped, extendable or foldable, tables made of teak come in a variety of styles and sizes. Accompanied by teak chairs with or without arms and sometimes even benches these sets will grace your patio with enduring luxury. If you already have a patio table, try some steamers or chaises by the pool. Top them with Sunbrella cushions and you’ll really be sitting in the lap of luxury. And if you really want to bring indoor comfort outdoors, try deep seating teak furniture. These chairs, sofas and settees feature wide 25” seats topped with plush 6” thick Sunbrella cushions. Sinking into one of these after a long days work will feel like heaven. Want something more modern than traditional? Try teak chairs dressed with durable Textilene fabric. Since they are adjustable they can be both dining and lounge chairs. Whether you want a simple garden bench to sit on and admire your handiwork or a complete patio set with market umbrella, you’ll never go wrong by investing in teak patio furniture. Sure it’s more expensive, but it will last a lifetime with very little maintenance. Just treat it annually with a teak protector to retain its original honey brown hue or simply let it weather to a handsome silver gray. And even then if you change your mind about the gray you can scrub it off with a teak cleaner and have golden brown furniture once again. Once you have chosen your teak patio furniture and placed it on your patio or in your yard the real joy comes from using it. Have a backyard barbeque or cocktails with friends. Maybe relaxing in solitude is more your style. However you choose to use it your backyard retreat will be graced with the beauty and enduring luxury of your teak furniture. Rock, swing, glide or lounge away the lazy days of summer on your teak patio furniture and the season will seem endless.

Custom frames get some quotes

Custom frames are frames that you pick and design on your own and have a professional put together for you. Custom frames can be costly to those that don’t know how to shop for them. Or, perhaps you just don’t know what your options are. The good news is that you can purchase these custom made frames for your art work, posters, and photos right online through a safe and secure method. The best way to find out if this is the right method for you is to get a few quotes and find out. Take the time to look at several framing companies that offer online quotes. By telling them what you like, you can easily get a number of quotes for the services that they can find. If you aren’t sure what the right choice is, don’t worry. They will help you through the process so that you can get the most elegant of framings for your photos. By getting your framing done through an internet company, you do get several benefits. First off, remember that most of these companies are local businesses that have expanded what they offer on the web. That means you get more options, more materials and even various types of workmanship. You also get the ability to choose the right frame for your dollar, making it more worthwhile to you. In many cases, these frames will be less expensive and your quotes will show you that. Just consider it. Custom frames purchased from a local provider may be limited. If you find someone in your area that does it, there are likely to be just one or two establishments. There is little competition to get your prices down this way. But, when you shop online, you get more selection and better prices. That’s what makes it worth your while.

Signed sealed and delivered from chicken soup for the american idol soul

Excerpt from Sanjaya Malakar Top 10, Season 6 Singing is everything to me and my sister. It's in our blood and in our souls. The first time I remember performing was during an assembly when I was four. I sang, "I'm a Little Teapot." But my mom told me that I really preferred doing Fred Astaire dance moves and singing songs like, "Steppin' Out with My Baby." I guess I have an old soul. When you're hardly out of diapers, you usually prefer songs from Barney. I preferred songs from Singin' in the Rain. My mom said she thought maybe I was the incarnation of Fred Astaire. I was never like everyone else in school either. I wasn't much of a student; I preferred to entertain. My second-grade teacher moved my desk outside the classroom because I would spontaneously burst into song and distract the other kids. She thought that if she put me where I could still hear her, but I didn't have an audience, I might be able to learn something. I don't think it worked, because school is still not my thing. If my sister gets a B, she feels like she's failed; if I get a C, I think, Wow, cool. I passed. When I was eight we moved to Kauai, and my mom put us into Children's Theater. My first show was Oliver! and my second was Bugsy Malone. I played Fizzy the janitor. I had a solo, and every night when I would hit the high note, I would receive a standing ovation. You've gotta love that more than social studies. At first, my mom didn't want me to audition for Idol. She thought I wasn't ready and that I should wait a year. I couldn't understand why; she'd always been so supportive of me, but I realize now that she somehow knew that once I stepped into the world of American Idol, I would never be able to just walk through a shopping mall or go to a concert or do any of those normal things ever again. Before our first audition, while we were in the big arena, two ladies on the American Idol staff asked Shyamali and me if we were brother and sister. We told them we were, but we didn't audition together or make a big we're-brother-and-sister deal. We even had someone in line between us. I didn't make it through the first round but my sister did. I love Shyamali so much and was so happy for her. I believe that there's a master plan, and I thought that my making it through just wasn't part of it. Then the strangest thing happened. Shyamali went in for her second audition with the executive producer, Nigel Lythgoe. When he put her through, he said, "So it looks like you're going to be in competition with your brother." "No," she said. "Sanjaya got cut." Nigel looked confused for a moment and then called over his assistant. After asking her some questions, he said, "What? Well, find him!" Apparently, those ladies who had seen us in the arena had told him, "When you audition the Indian girl, she comes with a brother." So I went in and sang for Nigel. "You have to work on your stage presence," he said, "but I'm going to let you through." I stood there in shock for a second and then ran out to tell my sister. We were ecstatic. When I sang in front of Paula, Simon, and Randy, they asked who I thought was a better singer. "Shyamali," I answered honestly. They said they thought she was the better performer, but I was the better singer. I still disagree. I have a more powerful voice, but my sister has this smooth, sultry jazz voice. She sings perfectly. It was hard in Hollywood when I got through and my sister didn't, but I know that she'll be a star. She'll just get there in a different way — and I'll do everything in my power to help make that happen. Throughout my journey on Idol, there have been a lot of ups and downs, triumphs and disappointments. But the hardest part has been the judges' comments. Nobody likes to hear, "You're horrible," or, "You look like a bush baby." Getting that kind of criticism night after night, week after week, could wear anybody down. I decided that I wasn't going to let it get to me. Instead of taking their words to heart, I took the constructive criticism and left the rest. I just wouldn't put the negative things in my head. At a certain point I decided, I'm going to do this for myself and the audience. I'm not even going to try to get the judges' votes. I'm just going to be myself and hope America likes me. I think America does. And that's good for a lot of reasons. My mom says it's good because I don't represent the black community or the white community — but rather the brown community — which includes pretty much the majority of the people in the world. I think it's good for people to see someone like me. It's good for people in more isolated communities to feel like they know, and like, someone who is different from anyone they've ever met in their real lives. And then there’s my name. Sanjaya is Sanskrit, and the vibrational quality is supposed to bring to the person who speaks it the love and protection of the universe. So even when people say, "Sanjaya stinks; he should go home," they're drawing a good and positive vibration to themselves. Who knows, I might even be making a difference for people on some higher level. I like that thought. And one other thing . . . Stevie Wonder is my role model. He never let his apparent "disability" get in the way of his success, and he has always stayed true to himself in his life and his music. I wish I could have sung Stevie Wonder on the show, but the judges said it was too big for me. I think if I sang "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" they would have liked it — but it's cool. I have a long career ahead of me, and I know that someday, somewhere, I'll get to sing some Stevie. I think maybe I'll wear my pony hawk when I do. (Reprinted with permission from Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul: Stories from the Idols and their Fans that Open Your Heart and Make Your Soul Sing). (Note to iSnare Editor: Our client Debra Poneman is author of the book Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul. The book contains first person accounts of the hit TV show from contestants, fans and behind the scenes crew members. The piece above is from one of the contestants, Sanjaya. We have Debra's permission to offer these excerpts from her book to iSnare.)

Silver wholesale jewelry

From ancient civilizations to the most modern designers, fashionable people have adored silver for its versatility and sheer beauty. Trends may come and go but silver jewelry is, always has been and always will be, very much in style. Silver jewelry is the perfect compliment to virtually any outfit, and it is often less expensive than gold. Silver wholesale jewelry offers even greater savings, and it is very easy to find. An Internet search will offer a whole world of shopping opportunities, right at your fingertips. The search for perfect silver wholesale jewelry should begin online. There are countless jewelry wholesalers on the web, and many of them specialize in silver jewelry. Buying from wholesale jewelry sources means that you'll pay a fraction of the price you'd find at typical retail stores. Jewelry, like any product, should be purchased with caution. Whether you're buying wholesale silver jewelry at a retail location, or purchasing online, you must make sure that you are purchasing real sterling silver jewelry. Sterling silver is almost always marked with the numbers '925', proving that it is the highest quality of silver available, whether wholesale or retail. Regardless of what some jewelers or retail outlets will try to tell you, there is no such thing as 'high quality' or 'lower quality' sterling silver. Sterling silver comes in one quality--sterling silver. The weight of the silver used in the piece should be the determining factor in the cost. If the item was hand-made, it will naturally cost more than a mass-produced piece. Silver jewelry tarnishes easily, whether it is sterling silver or not. It's important to clean and polish your silver jewelry on a regular basis to help it keep its beauty and luster. There are many different brands of silver polish available to keep your jewelry looking its best. If you don't have polish on hand, make a point of picking some up when you purchase your silver wholesale jewelry, and plan on cleaning your jewelry on a weekly basis. The great thing about silver is not only in its innate beauty, but also in its relatively low price. You can find gorgeous and affordable pieces, and you can save even more when buying silver wholesale jewelry. Just make sure that you are purchasing sterling silver to ensure the very best quality. If settings and stones are incorporated into the piece, take the time to ensure that they also meet your expectations for quality and value. You need to insure that the piece is solidly constructed, and that the gems are authentic rather than synthetic stones. Of course, real gems such as diamonds will raise the price of the piece considerably. Silver jewelry has remained the uncontested world fashion leader for thousands of years, and with good reason. Silver perfectly accents all colours and styles; it is durable, relatively inexpensive and has lasting beauty. Purchasing silver wholesale jewelry allows you to complete your collection at a great price.

Finding antique chairs to cherish

Antique chairs often are some of the most difficult types of antiques to find. Although there are many different styles and characters that come out in them, there are also many reasons why these chairs should be found and kept. No matter from what age they came from, they have a rich history to tell. Just imagine who sat in them, what they talked about and what their lives were like. Just imagine the history that they’ve seen pass by them. Most importantly, look at the materials, the details and the small bits of information about life in their time. If you own an antique chair, you should have the piece insured as well as protected. With the right type of protection, it can last for many years to come giving the same information and details it gives you now. But, what if you don’t own an antique chair but would like to? There are a number of ways that you can go about finding on. Simply, use your creative ideas to find new ways to find the information you need. For one, never forget about online auction sites. Yes, there is that big one but there are also plenty of smaller ones and even those that specialize in antiques. Just search for them. Don’t forget the garage sales either. Talk to older relatives and neighbors. They may know of others that are having estate sales or they may even be willing to part with something they own for a price. Antique chairs do more than just add a bit of value to your pocketbook. They provide stories and entertainment. They also provide a lot of character to your home. With a bit of care for the details, you can true cherish all that they can offer to you today and well into the future.

Arcade fire straight from montreal

Montreal’s Arcade Fire is frequently credited with supplying the spark that ignited its music scene, propelling the North American city into the leagues of previous alternative rock hotbeds like New York, Athens (Georgia) and Seattle. Whether the Montreal scene went on to equal that of 1990’s Seattle is debatable – in fact the “explosion” is still underway, and the full impact won’t likely be known for years to come - but the importance of Arcade Fire to the Canadian Indie scene is indisputable. Once dismissed as a novelty act of sorts - they had a fondness for performing in unusual outfits including crash helmets, and often took to marching through their audiences - music junkies soon figured out that Arcade Fire was in fact, the real thing. An eclectic and unusually large line-up is headed by lead vocalist Win Butler and his wife, Rйgine Chassagne, (Canadian born with Haitian roots). Butler’s brother, William, is a multi-instrumentalist (bass, guitars, synthesisers and percussion), and Tim Kingsbury plays bass and guitars. Richard Reed Parry (frequently compared to Napoleon Dynamite) plays guitars, bass, keyboards and accordion, while Sarah Neufeld plays violin and Jeremy Gara sits on drums. Several additional travelling musicians mean the bands on-stage presence is normally around ten, and the fact that so many play multiple instruments – well, you can imagine the potential for a chaotic stage performance! Arcade Fire’s 2004 debut CD, Funeral, was released with little fanfare. An album that combined the solemn (songs influenced by the deaths of several of the band’s family members), with unusual instrumentation and pop masterpieces, like Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out), Funeral caught the critics off-guard. The oversight wouldn’t last long, however, and propelled by a raucous live show and endorsements from celebrity fans including David Bowie, U2 and Talking Heads’ David Byrne, the hype surrounding the band began to build. The infamous music review website Pitchfork awarded Funeral a 9.7 rating, and it was ultimately named Album Of The Year for 2004 by the music press, garnering a host magazine covers, television appearances and awards for the band. There was a tremendous amount of pressure on the band to equal Funeral’s phenomenon with a follow-up release, even though there was little hope of matching the media hype that had accompanied Arcade Fire’s “discovery” and the subsequent spotlight on the Montreal music scene. Neon Bible was released in March, 2007, immediately holding down the number one position in the Canadian music charts and premiering at number two on the Billboard album chart. The Neon Bible tour continues this autumn throughout North America and Europe, so if you get the chance to see Arcade Fire, it’s doubtful you’ll regret it. Besides being a phenomenal live act, you will witness the band that single-handedly kick started the Montreal Music scene. And who knows what famous performer might join them on stage? To whet your appetite, here’s another fine snippet of Arcade Fire concert footage, this time Rebellion (Lies) from the Coachella music festival. Discography – Studio Albums 2004: Funeral (#33 UK) 2007: Neon Bible (#2 UK)