Tuesday, August 10, 2010

What's the MAIN way you have sold art in the last 12 months?

This month's Making A Mark Poll is all about What's the MAIN way you've sold art in the last 12 months?

In the summer of 2008 and 2009 I conducted polls on this blog to find out the main way you had sold art in the previous 12 months.  Last year's poll compared results to the one done in 2008 so I'm continuing the tradition this year.

It's worth repeating this poll on an annual basis so we can check trends towards or away from different methods of selling art.  Hopefully, by the end of this month you will hopefully contribute your results so that can divine the trend over the last three years. 

It's worth reminding ourselves of the principles behind the poll.
The Making A Mark Poll for August asked What's the MAIN way you have sold art in the last 12 months? It's important to emphasise that:
  • you may have made sales in a variety of ways - this poll just examines the MAIN way in which artists achieved sales.
  • this poll only focuses on the last 12 months
August 11, 2009:  MAM Poll: What's the MAIN way you have sold art in the last 12 months?
The THREE key questions about sales in the last 12 months are:
  • We're supposedly out of the recessions so have sales improved this year?
  • Or is the prospect of a double dip recession having an impact on how peiople are spending money on art?
  • Have any changes in sale values reflected changes in your success (or otherwise) using different channels?
Do please also comment about any changes you've noticed this year about your personal trends plus your success or otherwise with different channels for selling art.

The categories for different methods of marketing art are:
  • Commercial Gallery: gallery artist
  • Gallery: Invite Only Group Exhibition
  • Juried Group Exhibition (Society/Competition)
  • Gallery: "Rent a Space" Exhibition
  • Annual Event / Art Fairs
  • Street sales / Regular Art Markets
  • Studio sales / Open Studios
  • Commissions
  • Word of mouth / friends and family
  • Online: Via traffic from own website / blog
  • Online Shop - eBay
  • Online Shop - Etsy
  • Other Online Galley / Shop
  • Print on Demand Galley
These have been slightly refined from those used last year - again because of the very helpful comments received.  See the end for a very informative comment about approaches you might receive relating to one of the new categories - the "Invite Only Group Exhibition"

The survey will run until the end of the month with the results being reported on 31st August.

You can find the survey in the right hand column - under the matrix of bloggers who follow this blog.

Previous Polls

If you can't wait for the analysis of this year's results you can see the surveys and survey results in the last two years in these posts.
Recognition for Selling Art Online - Resources for Artists

Last week, my group of "resources for artists" websites which focus on the business of marketing and selling art all received a "purple star" from Squidoo which means that they've all been recognised as excellent.

For those of you who've not come across them before, I've listed them below with a short summary about each one.  Some of them provide important comparative data about the traffic each site gets and it's place in the overall hierarchy of websites for selling art.

featured lensSell Art Online - Resources for Artists
Do you want to know how to sell art online - or improve your knowledge of e-commerce for artists? This site helps you find out about selling art via your websites, blog, shopping carts, auctions, online galleries, online stores, print on demand and email marketing and how to drive traffic to where you sell your art online.

featured lensPrint Art on Demand - Resources for Artists
Are you interested in having your artwork printed using print on demand technology? Do you want to check out who are the suppliers and what people think of them? Find out about:
  • what is print on demand / publish on demand?
  • suppliers of print on demand services for art - and reviews
  • suppliers of print on demand services for printed publications (eg marketing materials and books)
featured lensOnline Art Galleries and Stores - Resources for Artists
Online galleries offer to help you sell your ORIGINAL ART - but do they actually work? Which is the best and which gets the most traffic? If you're trying to find out more about online art galleries this is the site for you! Do some research before you make a decision as to which online art gallery or print-on-demand service to use and AVOID BEING DISAPPOINTED with the choice you make.

featured lens
Email Newsletter Software - Resources for Artists
Are you confused by the different software options for generating a newsletter delivered via email? You're certainly not alone - and this site is starting to try and sort out what are the free and paid options and how they compare. Plus tips on using newsletters and email.

featured lens
How to pack, post and ship art - Resources for Artists
How do you pack art? How do you post art? What about international deliveries? What about customs? How do you get it back again?  This site doesn't pretend to have the answers to all the very many questions people have about getting art from artist to purchaser or from artist to exhibition and back again - but it's a start!

...and finally

Alan Bamberger has two very helpful posts about:
I guess you can tell by the title of the latter where his comments lean.......
    Posted by Making A Mark on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 4 comments
    Categories , , , , , , , , ,

    Monday, August 09, 2010

    Where would you prefer to have an art studio? (Results)

    Where would you prefer to have an art studio?  (right click to see larger image)
    The July Making A Mark Poll suggests that 80% of artists want a dedicated space in their own home:
    • nearly 45% would be perfectly content with a dedicated room in their own home
    • while 35% would prefer a dedicated but separate building at home 
    1 in 8 artists who would happily work away from home.
    • Only 10% want a dedicated studio in a building with other artists
    • 1.5% want a separate building away from home and 
    • less than 1% would work anywhere but at home. 
    To me this suggests that the artist readers of this blog tend to maybe feel a lot more comfortable on their own territory. Alternatively the benefits of having a studio with other artists is perceived to be of limited benefit - or that the benefits of working from home far outweigh the disadvantages.  I can imagine the latter might well be the case with those who have small children or dependent relatives or other commitments or domestic duties which mean working in and around the home is advantageous and/or the most practical solution.

    People do want their own space though.
    • Less than 5% of you are happy to use a multipurpose room at home
    • Nobody wants to work on the kitchen table!
    What I was more surprised about was the very low percentage of artists who want the company of other artists.  Two possible explanations for this occured to me
    • First, I wonder how many of the 137 people who responded to this poll have had experience of working alongside other artists.  In other words if you're not aware of any benefits is this something you will opt for with no prior experience?  It struck me that this might be an option which is favoured by those who have had some experience in the past of creating their art amidst a congregation of artists' studios.
    • Second, by definition, a lot of artists bloggers have found a ready community of artists online and feel less in need of the companionship of fellow artists in the flesh and in a next door studio
    and finally.......

    Can I suggest you leave a copy of this poll lying around the next time you get asked what you want for Christmas!

    Drop back tomorrow for the Making A Mark Poll for August!

    You can see more results from my monthly Making A Mark Polls on The Making A Mark Poll - Resources for Artists
    Posted by Making A Mark on Monday, August 09, 2010 7 comments
    Categories , , ,

    Sunday, August 08, 2010

    The Top Ten Fine Art Books in July

    I'm enjoying revising Makingamark's Top 10 Fine Art Books at the end of each month - just so I can to find out what's changed! While it's amazing how some books 'stick' in the top spot, it's also really good to see others that seemingly appear from nowhere to occupy that top spot - whether for "best selling" or for "top rated".

    For the July edition, I've modified the categories for top fine art books as follows:
    • the drawing, painting, art business categories stay the same
    • 'artists' now expands to include 'art history' so that I can pick up the more generic art history books which focus on artists across different movements and periods.
    • I've split the listings relating to NEW Fine Art books.


    So, for example, in the new category in July:
    I hope you find these refinements useful - I know I'm going to!

    So here's the links to those books in the following categories
    You can find out about... ...just click a link and go straight to that topic
    Posted by Making A Mark on Sunday, August 08, 2010 0 comments
    Categories , , , , , , , ,

    Tuesday, August 03, 2010

    Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize 2010 - Call for Entries


    The Call for Entries for the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize has been issued.
    The purpose of the Prize is to encourage creative representational painting and promote the skill of draughtsmanship. 
    This is the sixth year of the Prize. Prize money this year totals £22,500.  The 2009 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize attracted over 800 entries from all over the UK, from which 82 paintings were selected for an exhibition held at Painters’ Hall, City of London in November 2009.
    • Toby Wiggins received £15,000 and an engraved Gold Medal as Winner of the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize for his painting Suspended animation, and 
    • Michael De Bono, received £2,500 as winner of the Young Artist Award and £1,000 as winner of a Runners-up award for his work Natural philosophy.
    You can see lots of images of works selected and shortlisted plus photograhs of the exhibition in my posts about the competition in 2009:
     How to enter

    This art competition is administered by Parker Harris. Entry forms, further information and labels are available on their website to download as follows:
    Alternatively you can opt for snail mail and send a SAE to the following address and forms will be sent to you: Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize, PO Box 279, Esher, Surrey KT10 8YZ

    The basic rules of the competition and conditions of entry are as follows:
    • To enter you must be over 18 on 29 September 2010 and resident in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or Isle of Man.
    • You may only submit original, two dimensional works in any painting media which have been completed in the last three years and have never been been previously exhibited.
    • All works submitted must be available for exhibition until the 31 December 2010
    • You can submit up to four works which must not exceed 72 inches (183 cms) in their largest dimension including frame.
    • Works on paper must be framed.  No work in metal or plastic frames will be accepted for judging.  Specific requirements regarding framing and/or cross-bearers for canvases. There must with no projections are the rear of the frame.
    • All works must be for sale, except commissioned portraits.
    • All work needs to be fully labelled (artist’s name, address, title of work, price)
    • All work must be submitted unpacked (ie no support for unpacking/packing) with a fully completed Entry Form and an entry fee of £15 (per work) to a collection point
    • Final deadline for receipt of entries in London: 19 & 20 September 2010.  For further information about delivery in London and regional collection details download the leaflet. The guidance provides details of receiving dates for 16 towns and cities (and motorway service stations) throughout the UK besides London. The earliest receiving date (in Birmingham) is 2nd September
    • Unselected works to be collected from London on 24 September (or from Picture Post - see leaflet for details)
    • Commission of 40% +VAT will be levied on works sold during or as a result of the exhibition, or by means of the website, www.painterstainers.org. (except for commissioned portraits)
    • Unsold works to be collected 30th November
    • The judges’ decision will be final and binding.
    On 23 September 2010, a list of the accepted artists’ names and registration numbers will be viewable at www.painterstainers.org or www.parkerharris.co.uk.

    Selectors

    The 2010 panel will include the following judges:
    Ian Fair, a Trustee of the Lynn Foundation, will act as the non-voting Chairman of the panel.

    Prizes

    The prizes are
    • The Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize - £15,000 plus an engraved Gold Medal
    • 5 Runner-Up Prizes each at £1,0009
    • Young Artist Award - £2,500 - to be awarded to an artist who is 25 years of age or under on 29 September 2010
    The Lynn Painter-Stainers Competition is sponsored by The Painter-Stainer's Company, The Lynn Foundation, Minerva, Linklaters LLP and Champagne Bollinger.
      Exhibition

      The 2009 Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize Exhibition will be held at The Worshipful Company of Painter Stainers at The Painters’ Hall in Little Trinity Lane, London EC1 on 15 - 26 November 2010 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday. Admission free

      Events

      During the exhibition a series of Master Classes have been organised on the art of still life and portrait drawing. All classes are free, but booking is essential. Further information will be available shortly.

      The Lynn Painter-Stainers Fish
      (Four fish out of water)
      14" x 18", coloured pencils
      copyright Katherine Tyrrell

      I attended one of these in 2008 and had fun drawing these fish while sitting in the magnificent Livery Hall hall of Painters' Hall - the home of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers in the City of London - with magnificant chandeliers overhead!
      ____________

      Links to previous posts on Making A Mark about the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize - which include images of previous exhibitions

      Links:
      Posted by Making A Mark on Tuesday, August 03, 2010 4 comments
      Categories , , , , , , , ,

      Sunday, August 01, 2010

      CPSA 2010 - Awardwinners announced

      Last week was the 18th Annual Convention of the Colored Pencil Society of America in Los Gatos California.  Following the Awards Dinner, you can see the CPSA prizewinners at the 18th Annual International Exhibition on the website.

      Awardwinners and their work
      copyright the artists

      The names of the artists and the images of their work are listed and if you click the image of the artwork you can see a larger version.

      Shinji Harada from Japan won the top CIPPY award and Best in Show with a still life work "Grapes in a Basket"

      I think I'm right in saying this is the first time that an International artist has won this award.

      PS  I'm leaving now for a family funeral in Scotland and will be away all week so will write more about this exhibition when I get back
      Posted by Making A Mark on Sunday, August 01, 2010 0 comments
      Categories , , , , ,
      Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)