School of Creative Business - Creative Entrepreneurship

Choosing a Buyer for Your Artwork

Choosing a buyer for your artwork, should be a simple task. But many of us create artwork for ourselves and hopes that someone will buy what we have created. But to truly be successful in the art  business we have to decide on who we are targeting.

How do you decided on who would buy your art?  Create a Buyer Profile. Here are a few questions to get you started..

1. Is the buyer male or female?

2. How old is the buyer?

3. Where does your buyer live? In the city, suburb, or in rural areas?

3. Is your buyer married, or single? Have children or grand kids?

4. Where and how often does your buyer shop?

5. What have other buyers said about your work?

Once you have a visual picture of your buyer, then you can start selling directly to them.  Do not compromise your artwork for buyers, but do stay focus on what others admire about your artwork and try to incorporate those elements. Remember we create art because we enjoy the it, do not allow the love for art disappear.

Creating a Branding Image for A Craft and Design Business.

My interns have been steady working on a new branding image for my two companies. We have agreed on two logos that I think express my style as an artist and my business concept about design. The entire branding campaign is on its way, but I wanted to share what I have so far. Please feel free to share your thoughts.

     

This logo is for my creative marketing and design business. To me it still has a girlie side to it, but also implies that I mean business.

 

This logo will be used for my personal art business. I think this too works for my overall collage style. It have a vintage feel, but very expressive. My interns did a great job. I can not wait to share the entire branding campaign.

Artist Notes - Reflecting

This week.......

I meet with  Janine Davis from WPEG radio station to discuss her yearly community project- Girl Talk Foundation - Prom Project. Me and a couple of students work at creating a boutique area for the young ladies who are seeking prom dress. I have been part of this project for about 3 years. I love working with Janine and we even had a chance to discuss other areas where I could be of help with the Girl Talk Foundation. ( Always looking for ways to introduce my business.)

This week I was able to purchase a few art technique books and an art magazines. I have used some of the techniques, just really experimenting. I used on of the techniques in a Retirement Gift to My Aunt. : Doodling on tissue paper with pastels and then gluing tissue paper to surface- it gives it a ghostly effect.

Art Technique Books: Rethinking Acrylic, and Encaustic Workshop 
Art Magazine:  Somerset Apprentice

Challeges this week..........

I needed to clean up my studio. It is hard for me to work in a messy studio and if I am unable to work because of the mess, then nothing happens. So I decided to clean it up a little. I still have books on the floor, but at least my work surface is clean.

What did I savor......

OMG!  Although it rained all weekend, the one thing I savored this week was that I have enough time to work in my studio, read, spend time with family, meet with clients, and do homework.

My Aunt Elizabeth

                    

This was a retirement gift to my Aunt Elizabeth. She has been more than an aunt to me, she has been my friend and mother. I wish her the best in her retirement.                                                                                

10 Days To Creating Better Artwork

I am a visual person who has to make a list for everything I do. I write many of my to do list items on my white board (you've seen this in my studio tour)or I write my list inside of my notebook that I carry around with me. When I finish one thing on my list- I cross it out. It is such an accomplishment when I've completed something. (The funny thing is I add more to the list)

I know that my life is busy, and I am pretty sure your life is just as busy. But when it comes to our artwork this one task shouldn't be on our to do list. It should be something we look forward to doing- it should be a way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

With that in mind and with the help from an article I read in Creating Keepsakes, I've come up with:

 10 Days To Creating Better Artwork.

Day 1 - Ask yourself, 'Why Am I creating this artwork?" Then focus on that task as you create one small art piece.

Day 2 - Really get know your art supplies. Play around with a few of them, or even do a little research on all the projects you could create.

Day 3 - Keep it Simple - Create artwork that only uses one to two colors or just play around with one image and work that into a few art pieces.

Day 4- First start with a photo or another collage item, then paint on top of it and then add more paint or collage items- this day is about layering.

Day 5 - Flip through an art book- get ideas from other artist and use them later in an art piece.

Day 6- Tell a story with only photos, or better yet, with just paint and texture.

Day 7-  Doodle for 5 to 10 minutes and then use those doodles in your artwork.

Day 8 - View a subject matter in a different perspective. Turn it upside down, turn it over.

Day 9- Go back to an art piece that you never finished, and finish it.

Day 10 - Gather up a few of your art pieces and just look at them without such a critical eye. Just look at your work and ask yourself "What does my artwork say about me? , Do I like the direction my artwork is going?" Use your comments about your artwork in your next artist statement.

Word and Artworks of the Month

Explore - To examine [something] carefully; investigate ; to travel in for discovery

For this month I decided to explored different techniques. This was a totally new investigation for me. I am not really sure if I am going to use these techniques in my current art form- but I can say I had lots of fun playing.

 "White Collar" - 8x10  Created on canvas

Started with creating a background with three different colors (blue, green, and light green)and then adding an aging color (brown paint) to the border of the canvas. 

Then made a gel medium transfer of the little boy. I should have used more gel medium because some of the image did not transfer and in other areas I rubbed to hard. 

Several layers of gel medium was applied before each new application of paper, stickers and rubber stamps.  It sorta gives it a bees wax effect.

Self Critique- I like the effect, but the process take 3 days. Because I had to allow each layer of gel medium to dry before adding another application.

 "Boy" - 12x 9 Created on Canvas

This is a digital enhanced picture of a photo from my collection. I take the photo into Photoshop and applied a stamp effect to image. The image was then printed out, I cut awayed the white and glue image onto canvas.

I then started to add color to the white areas (gold,and tan). In the areas that printed black I added color (blue, and moss green) on top, allowing the black to show through.

The background was created last. I added scraps of paper and applied a thin coat of light blue paint on top of the paper, to tone down the colors of the paper and blend the image into the background.

Self Critique- I am little afraid to use bright color on photo, but this was about exploring. As I worked on this piece I realized I should have started with the background first, then pasted image on top.

"A Gentleman" 12 x 7 Created on Canvas

Background was created first. Scraps of paper was glued down to canvas to create texture and depth.

The digital enhanced image was then glued down. The same painting technique was applied to this image, but instead allowing the black to show through, I added a dark brown to the black areas and removed the excessive amount of paint with a cloth, which created a dry brush effect.

Self Critique- I liked working with the background first. The image works with the background instead of me forcing the background to work with the image. Now the image blends into the background creating a tighter bond with the scraps of paper.

Having Fun at CIAA 2009 weekend

This past weekend, decided that I needed to stop what I was doing and just hang out with friends.  So me and a few of my friends decided to enjoy a few Day Parties during CIAA week. Yeah you read that right, day parties. We started partying at 12noon until 6. By the time 6pm rolled around I was so tried, I just could not handle going out later that night. But anyway it was fun and I needed to get out for a few hours.

By the way I am wearing a Flow by Tara Davis design- Lady in white- is Tara Davis- Great Designer!

 

 

   

Went to another day party on Saturday. Meet some new people and was able to connect with old friends.

Semi- Finalist - 2009 Blogger Appreciation Awards

Some time ago (maybe 3 weeks ago), I entered myself in Cell Phones.org, 2009 Blogger Appreciation Awards.Well today I received an email from them stating that I was a Semi- Finalist. Read for yourself:

Dear Alease,

 

I wanted to let you know that your blog made it to the semi-finalist round of the Blogger Appreciation Awards.  Our judges looked over thousands of nominations and yours was only one of 200 (less than 10% of the submissions) that has been recognized for blogging excellence.   While you did not make the final round of voting (which starts today), you should feel proud of this accomplishment, knowing that we determined your blog to be in the top 10% of all submissions.   Your site will be listed along with all the semi-finalists, finalists and winners when the contest is over.

 

This may not seem like a big thing to you, but for me it means alot. I have been blogging for a three years and to have been recognized for my efforts is a great feeling. It lets me know that I am doing some good.

New Design On Its Way...

Hello Everyone,

I am assuming most of you have noticed my blog and website design has change. I am currently working on a new design and logo for my artist and design consulting business. I used to have them both together, but since my design consulting business has grown I decided it was best for me to separate the two. I was getting them mixed up in my head. So now Alease Michelle- the artist is now just Alease and my design consulting business was Alease Michelle Design Studio is now Alease & Company.

Alease - will house all things related to my artwork, including commissioned projects, prints and soon greeting cards, & t-shirts .

Alease & Company - is my creative marketing and design business. The purpose of this company is help small business owners establish a clear and concise brand for their companies.

I will share more about each one of my new ventures, but for now I just wanted to give you guys the heads up on why my sites have change.

Peace and Love,

Alease

We Were Born to Create!

This video, was shared on Stacy Julian blog. And I wanted to share with you guys. Even if you do not consider yourself to be spiritual, we all can learn from this message.