Freelancing is an option for artists who want to work in the industries of publishing, film, games, etc. while they build up their patron/collector base. Graphic Designer James Grieg has put together an email course called "Before Going Freelance" that helps you get your head around some of the details of becoming a freelancer. Part of the course is free so check it out.Many art colleges prepare students for this art career option. You can always send questions my way too if this is something you really want to do as I freelanced as an illustrator for three decades! In a way when you follow the Artist As Brand principles you are aligning yourself with freelancing concepts, but you are building the industry around your self as opposed to relying on other businesses for your income.But check out Grieg's class and let me know what you think of it.
For all of you artist cat lovers this convention is for you.
You may be to late for a table or booth but check it out!
June 6-7
CatConla
A beautiful booth setup is an integral part of your brand and high touch marketing strategy. The National Stationery Show in New York City each year is a sure bet to offer new ideas for booth design and products. Check out this post by Poppytalk that showcases some highlights from the event.
MadeWorn is a clothing and lifestyle company created by Blaine Halvorson. They produce everything from hand-engraved rolex watches to t-shirts and shoes. One of the things I talk to my students about is living your brand. That means you reflect yourself authentically all the time, especially with how you dress. It is obvious that Halvorson embodies this trait and revels in it.Check out his style and how it relates to his selective clientele which is showcased beautifully in his website.
What is Hylo?Hylo is a new kind of social network that helps real communities create, together. In our communities-of-purpose; places like co-working spaces, maker spaces, and affinity groups, we're surrounded by incredible people, skills, and resources. But it’s hard to know who to connect with, for what, and when. Often the things we need most are closer than we think, but we just can’t see them.What if someone nearby had exactly what you needed to further your project? What if you were that person for someone else?With Hylo, you can discover who in your community:Has the skills you needIs working on cool projectsIs available to support youNeeds your helpHylo helps you discover opportunities to connect, collaborate, and share resources in your community, so that you can make your dreams real.Who is it for?Hylo is designed for communities-of-purpose, like: coworking spaces, startup accelerators, companies, alumni networks, affinity groups, and conferences.Check it out social art entrepreneurs.
My Artist As Brand Workshop in June of last year at Helikon Gallery in Denver had a very proactive group of artists. They decided at the end of the workshop to manifest a book and gallery show together. They created a concept amongst themselves and then produced an IndieGoGo crowd funding event to pay for the printing of the book which has been achieved!I was asked to be a part of this project and am honored to do so as they have been using the principles learned in the workshop to really get this off the ground. The show will be this June 5 at Helikon Gallery. Stop by if you are in town.I always encourage my students to jump in with their projects and get them started ASAP. My workshop in Seattle, in conjunction with TLC Workshops and Krab Jab Studio a few months ago has inspired this group to work on a collaborative project too! I will keep everyone here on my blog updated as to their progress.Check out the, Strange ConversationsIndieGoGo campaign to see how it was done, then create your own!
If you have a story to tell with your images, any story at all, this is a great place to start building your fan base for it. See you there.
Digital Trends for 2015.
Check them out HERE.
The Artist As Brand two day workshop at Krab Jab Studio was a large group of twenty students, beginners and professionals. Having taught this class to over five hundred students it is fascinating how the chemistry changes from venue to venue. Some of the students in this bunch were mainly interested in hard core marketing tactics, others embraced the holistic side to the course, others struggled with old paradigms of the artist not appearing to be a business.All entrepreneurial teachers and coaches will tell you that your business must have a solid foundation of purpose in place before you do anything. Your purpose is your brand. Some of the artists in this group were taking an old school fine art approach to showcasing and selling their art and the Artist As Brand model was a challenge for them. I come across this mindset all the time. The elitism of the fine art world is still alive and well (especially in academic circles) and so it takes some courage to jump into the future of art commerce.Thank you to Tara Larsen Chang with TLC Workshops for facilitating the class and Julie Baroh at Krab Jab Studio for opening her gallery to us. It was incredibly inspiring with all the amazing art around us! Part of this AAB group is inspired to create a product and a show next year with Krab Jab in alignment with Mythic Worlds and also with Nantes a city in France. It is going to be amazing!
The Agoura Hills, CA workshop in Mitchell's Bookshop was a delight! The group was small but mighty! We had some of the most amazing talent in this room.Aerin Holt the founder and artist director of California Contemporary Ballet Company and Dance Studio, composer and pianist Elliot Anders, painter and traveler Nubia Gala-Selbert, artist, graphic designer and creative wild woman Linda Lalande, singer-song writer Alexandra Harris and the multi-faceted artist lawyer-to-be Michelle Mitchell.Wonderful synergy within this very focused and high powered class.Below are two quick videos that Linda and Nubia took voicing their heart virtues. Love it.IMG_6657IMG_6658
Artist As Brand Workshop
This workshop in Seattle is going to be amazing! One week left to register. Wed-Thurs, Feb 18-19, 10am-8pm
TLC Workshops in association with Mythic Worlds (free admission to Mythic Worlds with this workshop) and Krab Jab Studio (this group will show with Krab Jab in 2016) makes this a once in a lifetime workshop. This workshop is guaranteed to transform the way you approach your art career with results!
5628 Airport Way S, Ste 150Seattle, WA 98108
$195
Are you are goal setting, goal getting maniac? If you are reading this you probably have some ambitious genes floating around your DNA.
Defining your goals creates a blueprint for the path you can take, then you must start with those first steps. There is an art to being a goal getter, and this article by Joy Cho, the founder of the graphic design studio, "Oh Joy" shares some wonderful insight on the finer points of staying the course. HERE.
If you want some direction and empowerment on setting these goals for yourself don’t miss out on The Artist As Brand® Online Workshop! This is a great opportunity to work through your goals as an artist to create your own prosperity and abundance!
Get ready for some transformation!
Next workshop begins Feb. 1, 2023 - Sign Up Now! $295 until Jan 15! ($495 after!)
The Young Adult category of books has done very well with a lot of help from Harry Potter novels in the nineties. If you are a writer, or an illustrator writing your own books this crowd may be yours. It encompasses a broad audience from 12 year olds through adult with a wide range of subjects.The annual event known as YALLFest: The Charleston Young Adult Book Festival, has become the largest YA book festival in the South, attracting a mostly teen and middle-school audience of 8,000. Now it is coming to Los Angeles. Read more...
The Artist As Brand Workshop is coming to Agourafor a two day class, Sat. - Sun. Jan. 31 - Feb. 1
This is the first time an Artist As Brand workshop has been offered in Agoura! It will be held at the Mitchells Bookshop. 28914 Roadside Dr, unit #214, Agoura Hills, CA 91301. Located in Whizin Market Square, in the atrium second floor.
The Artist As Brand Workshop is the only course that aligns the heart of your artistic vision with entrepreneurial principles for long term prosperity.
This college level course was designed for all who want to bring clarity to their creative vision and learn methods to earn a living from it. If you are a high school or college student who is ready to make income from their talent, or a professional who is stuck and looking for a new direction, or just wants to sell more artwork, the Artist As Brand Workshop will inspire new paths to art career sustainability!
10:00 am - 8:00 pm each day. Ten people max.
$195
"I needed help getting my own personal art and business off the ground and running. That is where the Artist As Brand Workshop came to my rescue. It allowed me to plan for my success while still having time to create! It even made me a better artist in general, because it gave me the confidence to KNOW that I can succeed with my art. Knowing I could succeed with my own art made me want to BECOME a better artist!"---Alex Ruiz"Setting out on a career in art is like walking a tightrope. For many the way will prove to be too narrow, the tensions will change, or the wire will take an unexpected turn. But what if you could turn the tightrope into a road? The Artist As Brand Workshop contains all the tools you need to build the road to success in art: tools, motivation, and personal insight. It is invaluable. I highly recommend it.--Todd Lockwood“Greg’s class helped me to clarify my vision and build confidence in my goals. Deciphering my Core Virtue has given me radical entrepreneurial energy!”-Katy Betz“I can’t thank Greg enough for sharing his wealth of knowledge and more importantly, touching my heart. I feel more confident in what I am capable of as an artist and a business woman. I now can answer honestly the hard questions about the future of my business and can see the Art market in a different perspective. Greg proves that you can do what you love and have sustainability. I am empowered!”-Kirbi Fagan (KCAD graduate)
See what other art professors, professionals, and college students are saying HERE.
Please read the Artist As Brand policies HERE.
Business tips 101 from Elto.com. Check them out...
-20 tips for dramatically better emails.-9 growth hacks any small business can implement.
-A pattern exists in internet communities where 1% of people create the content, 9% will edit or contribute and 90% will watch from the sidelines.
.
*
-We’re really enjoying
guide to startups. A++ would recommend.
*
-Trivia for the week:
is celebrated internationally each year on the 14th of October. Except for in the US, who celebrate on the 23rd of October.
*
-Related: I’ll be speaking at the
on Tuesday in SF. Let me know if you’re going, I’d love to buy you a coffee.
*
-Three tips for
.
*
-HubSpot generate a whopping 50% of their revenues (around $50m) from their channel sales program. Here is how to
build a channel sales program like HubSpot
.
*
-A great guide to
.
*
-Some people retire at 65. Others
are still going well into their 90’s
.
*
Presenting an Artist As Brand Workshop in Cali, Colombia via the Colombo Americano in association with the American Embassy, Festival Calicomix and the Universidad ICESI was an amazing experience! Michael Cadena the Director of Cultural Affairs with Colombo Americano was a gracious host along with his team of photographers, videographers, translators, and organizers. I am grateful for his focus and attention.
The participants were group of students, professionals and professors. There is a tremendous desire for artists to make a living from their talent but they have some hurdles to jump, one which is Colombia's unreliable postal service. There was a lot of brainstorming on how to overcome these challenges and a much needed confidence booster.
class5
The government which subsidized much of the art for years has now pulled back and the art communities suffer. They must find their own way now.
class4
The workshop was very much needed and I hope to return to continue the teaching and inspire this group to start their own art festival.
chalkboard
Overall the artists were passionate and talented. The language difference was not an issue as we had instantaneous translating via headsets and microphones. It was awesome.
10397183_10152702145445865_2517649573224098597_o
I was in a national paper and...
screen
on TV answering questions HERE.
I presented lectures at Colombo Americano and a special library of comic art keeping my translators very busy! I enjoyed Cali and Colombia very much and hope to return soon.
Get your hashtag mojo on! #HashTagMojo These little symbols have power to move your visibility up the search engine chain in a big way. It's all about metadata folks. There are some great resources and articles about how to use hashtags effectively.Overall view on hashtags- Here.Trending hashtags- Hashtags.orgAnd why its ruining the English language- Here.Ha!
The Artist As Brand Workshop is coming toKendall College of Art and Design for a three dayclass, Thurs-Sat November 20-22.
This is the first time an AAB Workshop has been open to the public in Grand Rapids! It is a great opportunity to learn the Artist As Brand principles and then see how they can apply at an event like the Grand Rapids Comic Con that same weekend.The Artist As Brand workshop is the only course that aligns the purpose of your artistic vision with entrepreneurial principles for long term prosperity. Get ready to pump up your art career in a brand new way. 10:00 am - 8:00 pm each day.
$150 for Kendall students and alumni$250 for the general public
Learn more about Artist As Brand Here.
"I needed help getting my own personal art and business off the ground and running. That is where the Artist As Brand Workshop came to my rescue. It allowed me to plan for my success while still having time to create! It even made me a better artist in general, because it gave me the confidence to KNOW that I can succeed with my art. Knowing I could succeed with my own art made me want to BECOME a better artist!"-Alex Ruiz“Setting out on a career in art is like walking a tightrope. For many the way will prove to be too narrow, the tensions will change, or the wire will take an unexpected turn. But what if you could turn the tightrope into a road? The Artist As Brand Workshop contains all the tools you need to build the road to success in art: tools, motivation, and personal insight. It is invaluable. I highly recommend it.”-Todd Lockwood“Greg’s class helped me to clarify my vision and build confidence in my goals. Deciphering my Core Virtue has given me radical entrepreneurial energy!”-Katy Betz“I can’t thank Greg enough for sharing his wealth of knowledge and more importantly, touching my heart. I feel more confident in what I am capable of as an artist and a business woman. I now can answer honestly the hard questions about the future of my business and can see the Art market in a different perspective. Greg proves that you can do what you love and have sustainability. I am empowered!”-Kirbi Fagan (KCAD graduate)
See what other art professors, professionals, and college students are saying HERE.
Please read the Artist As Brand policies HERE.
I have been following Chris Guillebeau and his Art of Non-Comformity newsletter for a few years now. He has felt his way through the entrepreneurial maze with wonderful result. It is always fascinating when you go it alone because you must confront yourself day after day. Your success depends upon your effort.This journey can take some interesting twists and turns and may not turn out as you expected. This article by Chris reflects this sentiment and why going your own way can bring delightful results, even if it takes a while to see them."A long time ago, I sent a thick packet of information to Yale, explaining in considerable detail how awesome I was and why they should accept the honor of my giving them tens of thousands of dollars a year.They sent me back a short, polite letter, saying that while they were happy to accept my initial contribution of $75, they had plenty of other applicants, even more qualified and more awesome than me, all willing to pony up the tens of thousands of dollars for the next few years.Regretfully, I was informed, the $75 was all I'd be able to pay them. "We wish you well in your future endeavors" was how they ended their brief reply, and they didn't even follow me on any online social networks.Every year, a large number of young people go through the same ritual -- hours upon hours spent explaining why they deserve the privilege of becoming indebted to a system that probably won't train them for a job. For many (not all, but many), the main benefit of graduate school, or even college or university in general, is a form of life avoidance: I'm not sure this is what I want, but at least I won't have to think about it for a while."More...
Wholesale to Retail Equation
Most artists underprice their work. I have been guilty of this too but have been slowly kicking up my prices based on the following marketing formula.
Cost of Goods = Supplies + Overhead + Labor
Cost of Goods x 2 (or more) = Wholesale Price
Wholesale Price x 2 (or more) = Retail Price
Cost of Goods- This is all the energy, time, and money you put into making your art. What do you want to make for an hourly wage? Work up a number.
Cost of Goods x 2- Double the cost of goods amount (or more)and you have arrived at your wholesale price. This means you have paid your bills for making the art and have made a profit.Wholesale Price x 2- Double the cost of your wholesale amount (or more) and you have arrived at your retail price. This means you have paid your bills for making the art and have made a profit and if you are selling the item will make twice the amount again. If it is your gallery or other vendor who is selling your items they will be making income too.So if you are selling your art retail yourself then you should be making a nice profit overall per piece. If you are having someone else sell it retail for you then you still make a profit selling wholesale but the amount is reduced.Got it? Great! Probably time to pump up your prices. If you want to raise them slowly over a year to two year period that is OK but look at everything you sell from here on out using the the retail equation ASAP.