Finding the Focal Points

 

After spending the month of January researching about how to start a successful art business online, I found myself completely overwhelmed by all the advice and information! Especially after watching several "free" workshops and listening to art marketing podcasts, my anxiety level about attempting this had reached the keeping me up at night stage! Is this why cats stare off into space, their kitty minds are overwhelmed? If so, I can relate.

In an effort to organize this mental mess, I decided to try applying the same step by step strategies I use to focus my mind when making a painting. 

Step 1. Gathering ideas. This it is what I do first for a painting. I find the photos I want to work from, color test my paint choices, make pencil sketches and take notes on what I learn. 

+It's a good way to start, but obviously I needed to start creating some peace and order in the marketing research.

Step 2. Sketch out ideas. Usually that means making a loose pencil sketch and then testing out the paint color palette I decided on in the information gathering phase. 

+Figuring out an equivalent for marketing art is a bit trickier, but I think the step 2 here is to decide on an idea for a series of paintings to sell and start making them. 

Step 3. Plan a foundation. I put down the first washes of color, doing this gives the painting a structure to build on. 

+I think the equivalent is setting up a plan of where and when people can regularly see my paintings and my painting process.

Step 4. Build on the foundation. Working from back to front, I painted the background and then the leaves, getting all those details in place before adding the flowers.

+It is key to have dependable structures in place for people to buy my paintings.

Step 5. Get all the key pieces in place. Now is the time to block in the light and dark shapes for the flowers.

+Find and connect with people who are interested in the art I am making.

Step 6. Be open to taking a few risks. I took a little risk by trying out a wash of metallic paint on the flower petals, a technique I haven't used very often, but I think is very appropriate on these flowers.

+Inviting people into my creative space to share more about me and why I make the art I do. For me personally, this feels incredibly risky and scary!

Step 7. Final touches. In this case, a thin wash of Quinacridone magenta over the flowers which brightened them up and brought all the hues together.

+Test out all the marketing steps by actually doing them, then keep refining until everything works together smoothly. 

+The "unifying wash" is my hope that sharing the beautiful little "aha" moments I observe in the world will bring joy to other people.

Even though I have the most awful anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach as I write this, I'm going to sit with my uncomfortable emotions and press on.

 Happy Creating! (and marketing?!?)

>^-^<

Tina 

p.s.  I illustrated this blog with steps from a painting I made for my brother's birthday in January. He requested African violets because they remind him of our dear mother. She had a real knack of growing these pretty little plants and usually had several of them blooming all over the house.