If you are an artist I highly recommend making YouTube videos to get your work out there. Here are the five artists please give them some likes and comments. They work very hard on what they do and deserve some internet love.
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]]>I've been working out ways to make prints of my art for the store and have been thinking of embellishing the prints by hand to give them more value. What do you think? When you buy art prints do you prefer them to be hand embellished by the artist?
I think it helps make each print unique. I also plan to hand sign each print. I'm not going to number them and limit how many I sale. I know some artists do this. I've decided not to. I don't even think I'm going to sell the originals. I don't want to because I like them and have an attachment to them. Plus if anything happens to my file for printing I can make a new file using the original.
The video shows me adding some embellishment to the print. I hope you enjoy a behind the scenes look at Dark Whimsical Art.
]]>Something I'm trying to do with my website is to have resources for creatives to use. Some will be free like the 60 stock images I recently added. Some will be paid. I plan to work on the paid stock images once I get to a hundred free stock images. I'm almost there. At the time I posted this I had 63 up. I'm trying to add 10 a day until I reach 100, but boy is it boring to keyword stuff so I'm saving that for later. Won't be good for SEO but, oh well.
You can use the images in products you plan to resale, on blogs, in artwork. The only thing you can't do with them is put them on your own website and give them away free or charge for them. I reserve that right since I took them all.
I hope you find one that is useful for you. As I get more up I'll start to put the images under categories. Right now they are all just under one category.
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1. Triberr and Twitter
I'm surprised more people don't talk about Triberr. It's the reason I have over 3000 followers on Twitter. Triberr is a platform that lets you share other people's content on your Twitter and other platforms, too, easily. You join tribes with people who post about similar content as you. You share their posts and they share your posts. I'm a strong believer in you have to give before you receive. If you want people to share your content you have to first share their's and take an interest in them.
I use Triberr for free, but you may need to pay now. Mine might be free because I've been using Triberr since 2012 when they were pretty new. Check out Triberr it might work for you and help you build up your Twitter account or any other account you want to use it with.
2. Hootsuite and Tweetdeck
I use these two platforms to schedule posts about the products on my website so I don't have to be on social media posting all the time. Triberr gets my blog posts shared and Hootsuite and Tweetdeck share links directly to the items I have designed to sell. I schedule the posts for a whole week and then I don't need think about posting until the next week. It's boring and tedious to do but it seems to work. Some day I hope I can hire someone to do it for me but we are not there yet. Not even close.
3.Facebook Groups
Now pages can join Facebook groups and there is a nice notifications page when people posts in the groups you join. It makes it easy to socialize with other people doing the same thing as you and gets exposure for my website. Definitely make a facebook page for your website and join groups and be active in those groups. People will get curious about you and check you out and maybe lead to a sale or two.
4. Sharing On Pinterest
Pinterest is great. It works even if you don't have a lot of people following you. Post images of your products and other things related to the same thing as your products and it just gets shared everywhere if it's a good one.
5. Back links On Directories
For Google's algorithm to favor you, you have to have back links on bigger sites. It makes your website look more legitimate. I joined Redbubble, Zazzle, Society6, and Fine Art America just so my website would have a link on their websites which are much larger websites than mine. I also make YouTube videos and my website link is on their site, too. I also do book reviews on my blog and my site is linked to a lot of large book reviewer directories. Being linked to all these sites makes my site look more legit to Google search engine and so I get ranked higher for my keywords for free.
6. Keywording and Descriptions
Another very tedious process. You have to keyword everything on your website. If you are using Shopify like I do, you can put alt tags on your photos, you can rewrite the descriptions of the products getting good keywords in them so they will show up in search. You can write awesome keywords into the description of your website. Mine currently needs improvement.
7. Being Transparent and Personal
Being transparent and personal is something that is important to me. I want people to know there is a real person behind Dark Whimsical Art not a corporation, not a Nigerian Prince trying to cheat you out of your money. I'm just one person running a website learning as I go. For those who are willing to go on this journey with me, I hope you get to learn something and enjoy the ride.
8. Giving Free Stuff Away People want
I believe you have to give before you can receive and this is very important which is why I'm saying it again. I can say right now I am failing at this, mostly because it requires me to stay in my office on the real computer to work on it and for some reason right now I don't want to be in my office. I spent A LOT of time in there editing when I was a wedding photographer and kind of just don't want to be in there right now. Creative people are weird what can I say.
My plans are to offer free coloring pages which I have a few up, free stock images for creatives to use in their work or on their websites, and free information like this post I'm currently writing to help others on their eCommerce journey. At some point it will become a priority to me and I'll get more of up on the site.
9. Doing Guest Posts and Interviews
This one goes both ways. You can do guests posts and interviews for other sites and they can do the same on your website. Doing this helps spread the fan base around. Right now I've done a few artist interviews and posts and some author post and interviews. If you think your content or products fit with mine, contact me.
10. Doing Reviews on Things My Audience Is Interested In
My audience likes horror, Halloween and otaku stuff so the books I review, the art I show, the fun posts I do about movies and such are centered around that subject so people interested in those subjects come to my site and hopefully find something interesting to buy as well. That's a long sentence. Sorry lost focus there. But you do want to write about things on your blog that the people who might like your merch would find interesting. So you are attracting the right people. Perhaps that is where I am failing and that is why I'm not getting sales. I'm attracting the wrong people so I do still have some fine tuning to do.
There it is, Ten tips you can try to improve your sales on your shopify store. If any work for yo let me know. If you have better ideas let me know that, too.
]]>I haven't been making videos since probably February because of all this corona virus stuff, but I will start again soon. I needed to get prepared for a shut down first and then for some reason I passed out in the middle of the night and went to the emergency room. I'm waiting for my mouth to heal enough so I can talk clearly and not look scary like out of a horror movie.
I didn't have the corona virus, thank goodness, but they couldn't find anything wrong and they did a bunch of tests. Maybe it was low blood pressure, maybe it was dehydration, maybe I had a panic attack which I have never had before. I seem fine now.
So I'm going to count my blessings, heal up and then start making videos again.
I have a ton of footage from Japan still and have some ideas for the Dark Whimsical Art channel as well.
Here are some coloring pages to entertain your demon spawn. Two are free and two are paid. I hope they make your day a little bit more creepy!
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Having studied at Frostburg State University, Oxford University, and being selftaught in AsianstyleCumberland's William C. Pfaff is a published author, award winning artist, and professional
brushwork, Bill brings a unique blend of styles to his creations. Acrylics, watercolors, and pen and ink are his main
tools and his works range from realistic to highly stylized to abstracts.
You used to write but said art quickly took over. What about art did you prefer over writing?
Art was much more demanding for me. I had crafted my writing skills over three decades and I still enjoy it but it doesn't quite scratch the same itch. Art is more immediate, and since I very rarely work digitally there is the thrill (and agony) of working live with no real way to revise or edit. Writing is all about revisions, art is not. They are very different animals and I still find myself enjoying both but I currently identify a bit more as an artist.
Why did you pick the style of art you do? What do you love about it?
My style varies quite a bit. I started primarily as a pen and ink artist because I just wanted to be able to illustrate, and the additional branches simply grew from that initial seed. I enjoy super realistic and detailed pen work, but then I will gravitate toward chaotic splashy and loose watercolor work. My acrylic abstracts are influenced by Mark Rothko, Franz Kline, and Jackson Pollock. I like bold statements, I like color combinations that are shocking and make people take notice. I have a lot of eastern influences in my work but I often purposely break the strict rules of that tradition to make it more "my work".
Do you think higher education for artists is important or do you think they should find a mentor? Why?
Can I go with C) None of the above? I tried to learn as much as I could in isolation for as long as I could: books, the internet, studying the masters in museums. I've never had a fine art class (a few lessons in graphic design is as close as I've come....I was a Communication major in college) and I certainly wouldn't discourage someone from a formal art education, but I also don't think it's the path for everyone. As for having a mentor? I have studied some of my close friend artists that I admire, but the key is not to steal too much. You have to make sure your vision doesn't get lost. My initial critics agreed that my work looked almost nothing like what they had seen before. That I had managed to "turn pro" without losing my amateur whimsy- I'm quite proud of that.
A lot of artists struggle with marketing their art. How do you market yours and what works best?
Marketing is one of the aspects of art I have studied the most. I give lectures and workshops on marketing and also do private art coaching, so I can't give away all my secrets. But the number one mistake I see artists make is not hustling enough. You've got to believe in your work and blow your own trumpet; otherwise no one else is going to believe in you. Talent is maybe 5 % of art, persistence is 70%, marketing is 24% and then toss in 1% luck. That may sound cynical but it's true, I have watched many incredibly talented artists (people who should be doing solo shows with regularity) never make it to their first show because they didn't believe in themselves and didn't push hard enough to make it happen. As far as what works best? I like guerrilla style marketing. Admittedly that works better in larger cities but it can still be done on a smaller scale.
What was the best advice a mentor ever gave you?
Don't ever compare yourself to anyone except yourself. Each day you only have to defeat what you've done previously. The world has already had one Monet, it doesn't need a second one- it needs the first "you".
What was the worst advice you ever received as an artist that other artists shouldn't listen to?
Not bad advice per se, but many marginally successful artists I have met give really bad advice on pricing. It goes back to the issue of valuing your work. If someone falls in love with your painting at $75 they will probably love it just the same at $90. You can only push this line of thought so far, but in general, people under charge for their hard work.
Do you have a favorite artist and why?
On a world-wide scale it's Damien Hirst and not for the reason you would think. Hirst is a modern-day P.T. Barnum, no one generates buzz like Hirst and that's why he commands the prices he does. I personally know a hundred artists better than Hirst, I've never met a better marketer. In my Western Maryland art world, Ed Coffey is head and shoulders above the rest. Ed is a master watercolor artist who understands color and contrast better than anyone I have met. He also does three-dimensional work that has set our area on fire and become one of everyone's must own items. It was an incredible departure from his watercolors and he wasn't afraid to make the leap- I really respect that kind of guts.
What advice would you give artists who tend to procrastinate or are just afraid or unsure of how to get their work out there?
The best trick I have found to overcome fear and procrastination is to tell yourself that the next piece you do will not be shown to anyone. It's practice and there is no pressure, it's for your eyes only. Nine times out of ten when you take that pressure off the piece turns out amazing and then you can choose to break your own "rule" and share it with the world.
How important do you think social media is for artists and which is your favorite platform and why?
Facebook is the current king (and my favorite just due to its popularity) but obviously Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and others are right in the neighborhood. The key to social media is to give the people who like your work the "behind the scenes" stuff. Show what brands of paint you're using, show the thumbnails, and talk about your thought processes. Too often artists only show the finished product. Social media is a way to share more than that.
What do you think of sites like Art America and Etsy where artists can sell their work? Do you think it is a good thing or bad? Why?
I think the online art community is a great way for people to see works that they would otherwise have no chance to experience so in that sense it's a positive. I do prefer the experience that galleries and live shows provide but I'm a bit "old school" in that respect. I also think the art world is incredibly self-correcting; the cream will rise to the top. So if there is a bit of over saturation online, that problem will work itself out as online consumers become more sophisticated in their art shopping.
What projects do you have coming up in the future?
I have a major 2017 show in my hometown of Cumberland at the Gilchrist Gallery and I'm also working on illustrating some of my own writings. Even if I don't have a specific event in mind, I am always looking for the next opportunity to share my work. Pop up stores, new galleries, and conventions are always on my radar.
]]>1. Don't look for galleries to represent your work before you've sold any on your own. The gallery will want to know where your work as shown before, how much you have sold, and if you have won any awards. If you haven't sold any of your work yet then you are jumping ahead. Do some art fairs. Small local ones count. Keep a list of everything you sell. Sell at mass yard sales or on Etsy. Start a Facebook page and your own website.
2. Do get out there and sell at craft shows, yard sales, juried art shows, any where you can to prove your work is sellable to a gallery. Don't forget online, too, at places like Etsy, eBay, Art America, or Amazon. I like Redbubble. Keep a list of everything you sell and where your work has been displayed. If your work wins any awards record that as well. Think of this information as your resume. To the gallery it will be proof your work is sellable.
3. Don't assume that all galleries sell every type of art. They don't. Some specialize in photography, some in paintings only. It will do you no good and waste the time of the gallery if you do black and white photography and the gallery specializes in oil paintings. Do your homework. Only submit to galleries that are appropriate.
4. Do research galleries and visit them to see what type of art they represent before contacting them. Visit their web page if they are too far away to visit in person. See if they have any calls for artists or specific times of the year they review portfolios. Find out how they prefer to be approached and how they want your work to be presented.
5. Don't show up at the art gallery with all of your work without an appointment. Gallery owners and curators are busy and normally have specific times they meet artists. Nothing frustrates a gallery owner more than an artist who shows up with all their work demanding to be seen. Don't be this type of artist! You look desperate and unprofessional. It shows you have not sold any art before.
6. Do research the galleries that represent the type of work you do to find out how and when they like to be contacted by new artists. On most gallery websites you will find information on how to be considered for the gallery.
7. Don't call, email, or visit a gallery (unless your shopping) that you have submitted a form to asking whether they are interested or not. Again, gallery owners and curators are busy people. They don't have time to respond back to every artist inquiry, only the ones they are interested in. If you do not hear back then they are not interested in you. It's not personal, the gallery may feel that they can not sell your type of artwork.
8. Do wait for the gallery to contact you, and if they don't, assume they are not interested. Yes, if they don't contact you back they are not interested in your work. It doesn't mean your work is bad. It means your work may not fit the gallery or they may already have a similar artist and don't want more work that looks the same.
9. Don't make it hard for a gallery to find you and see your work. Most galleries to save time want to be able to view your work online. They don't have time to meet every artist in person . They will be more likely to consider you if you have a presence online. Galleries sometimes search the internet looking for new talent. They won't find you if you aren't on the web.
10. Do have a strong presence on the internet and do juried shows, and craft fairs to show that your work can sell. There are so many free places you can display your work online. There is no excuse for not having a web presence. If you don't understand computers and don't want to take the time to learn then hire someone to create a web presence for you. Ask your kids, nieces, or nephews. Chances are someone in your family can help you out.
11. Don't show up with your work still wet or not ready to hang. This will make you look very unprofessional. The gallery doesn't have time to get your work ready for display for you. You need to do your homework ahead of time and only bring work that is completed. An oil painting needs six months to dry so you're going to have to wait.
12. Do check the galleries website, or email and ask, for mounting and framing requirements to hang your work. Some galleries will require all pieces to have wire for hanging. Some will require saw tooth. Some may only take pieces on canvas, no frames. It's your job to find out ahead of time and have your work ready when asked to bring it in.
13. Don't leave your work with any gallery without a contract. What happens if your work disappears? What if it sells? How much do you get? Who knows without a contract. It doesn't matter what the gallery verbally told you. You need it in writing.
14. Do bring your own contract or read over the galleries and make sure everything is written down that is agreed upon. The contract should have everyone's contact info, what works you are leaving, what their prices are, what percentage of the sale the gallery will be keeping, when will you get paid for each sale, what happens if a piece is damaged or stolen. You get the picture. Spell out everything so there is no difficulty between you and the gallery.
Follow these tips and you'll look like a pro and have no trouble getting your work into galleries.
]]>"Often characterized as disturbing, the images I create are at first shocking. But at a second glance, they reveal brokenhearted beings just trying to work through the situation they're in. I don't consider my work to be an assertion of hopelessness. Rather, it is an assertion of tension, depicting another side of life that, while often sorrow-filled, is nonetheless a part of the human experience; a dark realm that, if one can find their way out, leads to better things. The figures in my images just haven't quite found their way out yet."
What made you decide to become an artist?
I suppose it wasn't really a decision on my part. Ever since I was little, I was always drawn to art and I would always say "I'm going to be an artist when I grow up!", so it's honestly never occurred to me to be anything else. I've never considered the idea that art wouldn't be a part of my life
What medium do you paint in and why do you like that medium?
I'm trained in over a dozen different mediums, but I primarily work in oils. I find that oils lend a richness and depth to the image, and they also lend themselves well to experimentation because of their extended oxidizing time.
Your work depicts dark beings trapped in conflicts and tension. It is deliciously dark. What made you gravitate in this direction?
Haha, "deliciously dark"; I like it! I think two things made me gravitate towards images that most would deem dark: first, at a young age I was exposed to the work of the Surrealists, particularly Dali, and so I think that informed my aesthetic early on; imagery that was twisted and exaggerated was planted in my lexicon quite early. I suppose that if I'd looked at books of Monet's images, not Dali's, when I was little my work might have gone a different direction. Secondly, I think my work presents as dark because I am inherently interested in depicting not just different worlds, but the inner worlds of conflict and turmoil that we all have. To me, though, I don't view it as a depiction of something negative or hopeless, but as an expression of tension; a tension that we all feel. We all have anxieties, struggles and inner conflicts- hopes, doubts and regrets- and I'm interested in portraying these in narrative form- opposing feelings are depicted as characters trapped in a scene of conflict. For me, by presenting these struggles as images, it's a way to work through them. It's all about exploring the idea of wanting to be more than what you are, but being uncertain of how to make it happen.
Is your personal view of the world as dark as the images you create?
Haha, I don't think so. I get compared to Phoebe from Friends quite a lot, so I think most people who know me would not characterize me as a dark person. However, I am a restless person, someone who always wants to be growing but constantly feels like I'm not growing fast enough, and I think that restlessness-that tension- informs my world view and my work.
Does your work have any hidden objects or meaning in them?
I imbue hands with a lot of meaning. For me, my hands are my life- the things that allow me to create-so quite often in my work a characters hands are depicted as tortured or tired; I use them to symbolize artistic and creative struggles. I also will twist portions of characters bodies' to illustrate their struggles- maybe their eyes are turned inward, to show their lack of insight, or maybe their feet are stuck together, to show their frustration with their own lack of growth.
Do you find it harder to sell work that is so dark in nature?
It can be a little more challenging, as most people shopping for art to decorate their house understandably don't want a cranky surrealist painting on their walls. However, I do think there is still an audience for that type of work, it's just more of a niche market, so to speak. I'm lucky, though, in that I like to work in a variety of styles, so usually I can offer something that appeals to collectors.
What was the best advice a mentor ever gave you?
I guess this isn't technically advice, but when I was working on my undergrad degree one of my professors said "You're work isn't so much about color or tone as much as it is about the structure of what it is you're painting". I found that observation extremely empowering because it gave me a verbalization of where my work was heading. It's funny, I feel like as artists we always have an inherent, subconscious journey in our work- we are all striving towards an exploration of something- but quite often even we don't necessarily know what that journey is or what our goal is. By making that statement, that professor gave me an idea of what I was really exploring, without me even knowing it. And he was right: I have always been all about form and how far I can exaggerate or deconstruct it. His insight was invaluable as it gave me a sense of myself as an artist.
What was the worst advice you ever received from a mentor, fellow artist, or viewer of your work?
I'm actually pretty lucky in that I don't think I've ever received any bad advice!
When creating your work, do you have a process that you go through?
My process is actually embarrassingly simple! My ideas are actually quite often born from a statement; for instance, I might say to myself "Ugh, I just don't feel creative today! I feel like my creativity decided to take a vacation!" And there it is! The muse deciding to leave the mind of the artist, that can be a compelling image. After I've toyed with an idea, I usually do a sketch, sometimes a few, to nail the composition and jot down a few phrases that illustrate the theme, then I outline it on the canvas, then I paint it. For my more abstract works I rarely even bother with a sketch. From there, I do spend a lot of time just living with the work, taking many chances to just view it while it's in progress, letting it seep into my mind to see what areas make sense and which need work. And then, once every area of the canvas is covered, I'm done. Once in graduate school a professor said that one's process should consist of sketches, quick studies, detailed sketches of light patterns, detailed underpaintings, covering the canvas layer by layer, section by section, and then making a checklist to ensure each area of the image was analyzed for composition, focal point, etc. Truth be told, I thought it was malarkey! Painting is like dancing, the canvas being your partner; you push and pull and move the image until it makes sense. It's intuitive. There is no need for a drawn out process.
What projects are you working on now or have coming up in the future?
I'm working on reopening my Etsy shop, with a focus on selling prints of my original pieces, and I've also got 4 exhibits in the works that'll keep me busy through June of next year!
1. Look for new emerging artists. Because they don't have a reputation yet, new artists tend to sell their work at very reasonable prices. Look locally first. You would be surprised at the talent in your own back yard. You never know. The artist down the street may end up being the next Salvador Dali. There are artists like Lauren Hoffman, a mixed media artist, not yet discovered but who's work is worth checking out.
2. Buy from galleries that specialize in new artists. Galleries in small towns tend to represent local and new artists so don't go to the big city looking for art deals. You won't find them. You can try small places in small towns or local festivals.
3. Don't worry whether the piece will be worth anything. Buy it because you love it. Everyone hopes to discover a long-lost Picasso in their attic, but the chances are that isn't going to happen. The chances are the same that the painting you just bought from a new artist will be worth millions some day. So don't worry about its possible worth. Buy pieces for your collection because they move you in some way.
4. Buy signed and numbered prints instead of originals. Original art may have more value in the long run, but will cost a lot more. Many artists will offer limited edition prints of the original and will embellish the print in some way adding to the value of the print. The smaller the edition number the better, but that will also raise the price.
5. Go to the openings of new artists. Sometimes they have great deals on their work. The hardest part of an artist opening is getting people in the door. Many artists will offer deals on their work to encourage people to come. Sometimes they will even give away free prints to a select few.
6. Try flea markets, community yard sales, and local craft shows. Many beginning artists start out at these venues because they are plentiful and inexpensive to participate in. They are also close to home so there are no travel expenses for the artist. You can find some amazing work at these events at very reasonable prices.
7. Check into your local art groups. There might be some great artists out there too shy to make the leap to selling their art in a professional atmosphere. Join some local art groups and you may find them and be able to acquire their work at phenomenal prices.
8. Buy pieces you like from etsy, ebay, and other websites that sell art. There is a lot of competition on these websites. New artists have to price competitively to survive or their work won't get noticed. You may find some great deals.
9. Local coffee houses and book stores sometimes sell the art of local artists. These types of establishments often don't charge to display at in their stores and sometimes don't even take a cut if a piece sales. This makes them popular places for new artists to approach. So get a cup of joe and see what art you can find for a good price.
10. While on vacation check out the local shopping instead of the big chain stores. Local tourist places love to sell local crafts and art, especially if it is related to the destination in some way. So you may find many undiscovered artists in these local shops at prices you can afford
]]>So far ten days into the new year I am doing pretty well. I've been working on the website, writing these blog posts, and creating and finishing art pieces. I hope it keeps going through the rest of winter. I don't know what causes my productivity to suddenly stop but sometimes it does.
I haven't felt like making YouTube videos lately. I have plenty of footage and tons of ideas. I started on one an my editing program crashed and I growled and stated I guess I' not meant to work on videos right now.
I'm trying to get all art projects I started recently done by the full moon today. I think I'm going to make it. The full moon represents the completion of things so its as good a deadline as any.
So what should you do if you find yourself not working and you are tired all the time. I say keep working anyway and make terrible art, or write terrible stories, or terrible music. Half ass it if you have to. Just throw paint at a canvas and then say your done. It is better than not working at all. Because if you stop you may never start again. You may give up inside and settle for your soul sucking job. That is when you officially die inside.
Don't give up!
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