I need some advice because my usual go-to (my intuition) is as confused as I am. I am also interspersing my crisis with photos I’ve been taking recently on my new phone, to alleviate the tedium of a words only post. 🙂
I debated whether to share because I like my blog to be a happy place. On the other hand, not every step on the creative journey (or any journey for that matter) is filled with butterflies and candyfloss, sharing these things is helpful if you are going through a similar thing, I often find that writing things down or telling someone can be very clarifying, and there is always the possibility that you dear reader might have a pearl or two of wisdom for me regarding What To Do.
So here’s the thing: I am looking at my paintings and I’m seeing a lot of work that doesn’t look like the piece next to it, or two or three that look similar but not like the others. Yes my work is a lot more cohesive than it was a couple of years ago, but still, I’m never QUITE sure what’ll come out of the brush next and so issue number one is Consistency.
Issue number two would be Selling. I think my Etsy shop‘s looking pretty good, but that is sadly irrelevant when you are a tiny piece of plankton in a massive ocean. I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed by my options, having spent a big chunk of the afternoon looking at sites like Zazzle, RedBubble and all sorts of other places online where you can display and/or sell your work.
If you are someone who has found a way or a place where you consistently sell your work, please share! If it really and truly is a case of time and slogging away then hit me with the Cold Hard Truth, I can take it.
I know I can sell my work – the question is where is best online? Where is my best customer? How in heck do I find out? (Obviously I’m also working on the offline side of things too.) I am wary of spreading myself too thin. These Print On Demand sites look interesting but is it just more work for little or no return? How do those people on Etsy with figures like 97593059378 next to their ‘sales’ do it?
Any and all input most gratefully received. Love ya. 🙂
PS. Please note, this is NOT a request for strokes – I’m not asking for compliments on my work – just cold hard facts! 🙂
Hi Tara,
I can't help much with the selling I'm afraid as I'm not even a zillion miles from there yet and wouldn't have the confidence anyway lol.
Consistency – is it necessary to be cohesive? Surely as our creative juices flow we don't know in which direction they will take us. I for one get bored doing the same old….Hay Ho! Just musing…
Love your photos as always…
Good luck in searching out the right place for selling your gorgeous art.
Lesley x
I don't think our work needs to be "consistent" — I think our creativity speaks for itself and while we may do something that identifies our work immediately…after awhile I think "same old, same old" becomes stale. I don't think I want to be "known" for one style.
As for the best place to sell online..I wish I knew the answer to that! I think this is the question that haunts (taunts!) all of us. We look at those who have "made it" (and I'm not 100% serious in the use of that expression by the way!) and marketed themselves into a brand name and how did they do it? Networking, networking, networking and word of mouth through blogs and other people who "pump them up" in the minds of others.
Right now I'm working on the premise of "believing" — that I believe what I do is good and there is a customer base for me. I'm also working on a dream board — it can't hurt right?
For about 10 years, I made art quilts and successfully sold them. Start looking for a good gallery in a place that lots of tourists come to or at least in a big city or a place where people with disposable incomes live. Tourists spend money. The gallery should have staff that are really interested in promoting and selling your artwork. If you want to sell online, I suggest that if you don't follow Jane de Rosser's blog (Gritty Jane) start following it and watch how she markets her work. She seems to be selling all the time. You have to constantly be promoting yourself. That's my 2 cents worth.
well I just started my etsy site yesterday and sold a piece today..that can't be real!?! And I have been on Red Bubble for a while. The community is great but my sales are negligible. I have sold a total of $18.00 worth of greeting cards! But I think it is a decent site to have available for your clients and friends and family to get prints and cards of your art.Besides it is free to post your work! That is wonderful. I was on ArtSpan for 1 year and got nothing going!!! I posted art, changed it up and never got a word or a sale! And I paid for that. I do much better at open studio which happens twice a year at the studio complex I am renting space in.
As far as consistency..What can I say? I always say I am all over the place..but my friends say I am versatile! I think the more art you do the more you will see similarities of thought, color, form. I have decided not to worry about it and I do series of whatever I am into so there is a sense of continuity for at least 6-10 pieces! Hope this helps.
Hi there, I've started selling on ebay. I'm actually a needle felter though but not an "artist" so ebay I've found through different research has been good for needle felters. I've sold my first item on Ebay just this last Friday. I hope to list another one soon.
So even though ebay is for everything I know if you get a good customer base it can be just as good as "arty" sites
hope that helps, I find with etsy its good for getting your name out but not good for sales. I have had two sales on etsy.
Jess
Dearest Tara~ I don't have the answers but I think your paintings are brilliant and that I can see a cohesiveness in them. We are all built of so many layers and complexities and all of that is bound to come out in painting. Styles and influences change. One week we love pink and blue and white and next week we love black and blue and geometric designs. Sending you light to shine on the truth you are searching for and love to protect you along the way.
I stick my finger in a lot of pies… a few online shops, 9 galleries around New Zealand, local markets. I usually get a some sort of payment each month from one or more of these venues. So I kind of think that getting it out there in as many places as possible is the key… and it takes a while for things to start happening.
Consistency is boring!!!… that is why I love coming here, always something new and wonderful to look at.
xxx
I don't have anything 'wise' to add, I'm afraid, but I just wanted to say you're not alone. We all feel like that sometimes. Hope you feel better soon!
I think sharing your struggles is an important thing to do on your blog. I have struggled with the same feeling, like everything on my blog needs to be fluffy and happy, otherwise people will switch off. But I think life isn't always fluffy and happy, and pretending that it is doesn't really work. And like you said, when you reveal what is really going on with you you might connect with people who are going through something similar or who have been through something similar and can give advice or support.
I don't sell my art, nor have I bought much art, but I have noticed that those people who seem successful are very consistent at building networks and getting their name out there. I think as well as having work for sale on places like etsy, you need to find your audience in different places so you get them interested. The shop is not the start, rather it's where people end up once they feel they have a connection with you/your art. I hope that makes sense! Good luck!