by Linda | Apr 15, 2011 | my creative journal
Hi everyone! Continuing onward with my creative business endeavors, today I uploaded my new website at http://www.lindatieu.com – yay! Actually, it’s not totally ready yet, but given that no one really knows about the site, I think there’s no harm in putting it up. I guess you guys know about the site though…LOL. One of the advantages of starting a new website is that no one is going to really see it to begin with. So you can do some real time checking and testing, before sending out those marketing emails. It is important to check your website on multiple computers – all the platforms and browsers to ensure it looks right.
Since I took the time to organize my artwork and design my website in preparation, finishing the site was just a matter of coding and editing. Obviously, this part might be easy for some… or a lot harder for others. Remember that there are many other solutions out there for artists to get a website. You can hire a professional, set up a quick portfolio/blog combined or sign up for one of those hosted portfolio packages. Either way, it’s a lot easier when you’ve prepared all the images and planned things out.
However, I have to admit that once you pull it all together and see everything in action – sometimes things just need to change. Maybe you realize a particular section isn’t working or you don’t like the presentation of certain work. That is why you need to take the time to test your website out before fully releasing it to the whole world. And by the whole world, I really mean your audience – whether it is emailing the prospective clients or advertising with the URL. As soon as you tell people to seriously check out your website, they are going to give you that first impression chance and possibly never return. So don’t open the doors until you do feel ready. If you are already mentioning your domain name on business cards or elsewhere online, it might be best to hide your development and tinkering with a coming soon page. However, in that situation I think it’s a good idea to offer an “Email me” option, so you can let people know once the site is up. Otherwise, they might never come back…
I had started to waver a bit when organizing my art licensing collections and original artwork on my site. Since I’m just starting out, it’s hard to get a cohesive portfolio put together. My work has a certain style, but I also like to work in many different mediums and styles. I know it will be changing with the times (perhaps always)…and sometimes this can just look really messy to others. As if you haven’t found your artist self yet. Do you ever completely find yourself? Anyway, I couldn’t let those thoughts stop me from showing off what I do have now. I’m certainly not trying to pull the wool over anyones’ eyes about my experience. I’ve been around, but I’m also just starting out…so this is where I am now. As I create more work, I will be updating the site and chopping off old work to clean things up a bit of course. I think it’s important to overcome those fears and doubts – reminding ourselves that everyone started out as a beginner, a nobody, just a student…
So I’m going to take the weekend to finalize my website, testing it and writing a few notes about ongoing maintenance required. I’ll be delving into some social media topics for our creative business 101 journey next week, but let me leave you some resource links that I have found helpful. You might want to check them out even if you are just rebranding or polishing up an existing site!
– 19 Important Factors Before Launching Your Website
– How to Launch a New Website or Blog
– 8 Tips for Keeping Your Art Portfolio Fresh
by Linda | Apr 14, 2011 | my creative journal
Hi everyone! I’ve got the next issue of Pensieri completed and in the mail to subscribers…whew! It’s been a bit challenging to keep the vision of what I want under 100 grams when packed up for shipping. I no longer like these huge jumps in postage pricing…because it jumps from 4 euro up to 100 grams to 7 euro even if a gram more. After a lot of printing, testing, folding and weighing…I hope to have found a happy medium. Issue 5 is all about Chinese brush painting and my explorations in loosening up creativity. I thought it would be a great subject to explore and I’ve learned so much. Oddly enough though, I realized that you need to learn control before loosening up. Imagine that!
I’ve had a lot of fun sharing my thoughts and discovering, through my journey of exploring the ancient art of brush painting. I really do hope you’ll support me by purchasing a copy from my Etsy shop. There’s a really limited quantity given that I hand-stitch and compose every zine. It’s still got the envelope cover with a back pocket surprise – thankfully I was able to make that under the weight restrictions. Yay! Even if you don’t buy a copy, I want to share a few thoughts of what I’ve learned. Ultimately, it is the philosophy and way of thinking behind brush painting that really hit me. Learning control and techniques is all good, but in the end you have to bring forth your own energy and interpretation. A fine balance between controlled work and going with the flow of spontaneity as it happens. I think it’s a refreshing way to think about creative work in general…but also for life.
On the lighter side of things, I also simply enjoy the meditative process of doodling with paint, creating puffy little cute animals. Isn’t that little panda just adorable – LOL!
by Linda | Apr 8, 2011 | my creative journal
From my last post about designing your website…it’s no surprise that after looking at my initial work – I decided to change it up a bit. I think it’s really important to give yourself some time and be totally comfortable with the design you will go with. Sure you can change it up at any time and at some point you will update it to change with the times. But this is your website representation online and you want to love it! You’ll be seeing it and showing it off all the time, so don’t hesitate to keep working at it. Although revisions could go off into a spiral at times, you just need to find the middle ground. I wasn’t totally happy with my final design, so I played around a bit more. I asked myself, what do I want to see, what do I like and not like?
My directive was to create a more impactful homepage for those coming to my website for the first time. So I got rid of the newsletter column for the homepage, removing the distraction. I also decided to go with a more traditional navigation strip. It’s much clearer in that way and shows up clearly. This gave me room in the header to add some graphics and my shorter vision statement…which I like sitting up there as a consistent element. Not sure if I should fade out the graphics though or maybe go with a floral element…hmm. I also wanted to showcase other artwork that was not specifically art licensing directed, even though that is the priority. Just want to show a little more variety of what I do. I’m really close to building it out and to avoid going into a neverending cycle of revisions, I’ve just given myself a deadline. It’s a great way to finalize things. When there is a deadline, you get it done!
For those who already have a website, remember that you should be thinking about a bit of Spring cleaning. A website is a living element, so don’t think it should stay the same forever. Why would people ever come back? It should updated to represent who you are and what you do currently…and you as an artist are always growing and changing. You might find some website related articles I’ve come across helpful. Thought I would share as I’ve definitely learned a lot:
by Linda | Apr 1, 2011 | my creative journal
Since I’m designing my own website, I’ve going through the process from scratch. However, even if you hire someone to design your website for you or if you choose to use a service online where templates are provided…it’s still a good exercise for you to go through the design process in your mind. Having done quite a few web design jobs in the past, often clients just throw it over the fence, so to speak. Then I find out after the fact that they had something in mind or have certain preferences that they didn’t express previously. As with everything, we are going through the steps to make it a smooth and easy process for everyone. Ultimately, that will lead us to the end result that satisfies all our needs.
Building upon the purpose of your website which should never be compromised by the aesthetic or design decisions…think about the style you prefer. It’s honestly the most useful to think of a few adjectives to describe what you want. I would like a site that is simple, clean and direct. I want to keep it minimal, so the artwork pops and shows up the most…I don’t really want distractions in the site design because it doesn’t serve much purpose in the end. However, I think some artist might want to use their artwork in the design of their site…perhaps create the mood. Just make sure it doesn’t clash with how you display your portfolio.
Even when using a template or theme for your website, often you choose the colors and insert imagery. So it’s important to take your time in choosing a combination that works for you. One of my biggest pet peeves in artistic sites is the lack of usability. Folks like to have hidden navigation elements or animations flying all over and it just makes it hard to use your website! Unless it’s something connected to your whole purpose, or perhaps you are already famous and people are compelled to navigate your website no matter what – it’s just a bad idea. I know there are websites out there that seem to break all the rules, yet they are successful in their business. Sure, it happens…when the product sort of compels people to overlook all those other obstacles. But do you really want to start your business in that way? It’s much better to make it as easy as possible for others to use your website from the start. Don’t scare people away!
Think about your navigation elements and make sure it makes sense, easily visible and easy to use. From your sitemap, you should have a clear organization figured out already, giving some sense to your website structure. Otherwise, you’ll be adding things here and there, plopping them on left and right and suddenly your website is a mess of stuff. That’s when you need to step back and revise your sitemap. Here are a few guiding tips to help you out:
- Follow your sitemap, so every piece of content has purpose
- You can even include a sitemap page with direct links to each piece of content, if your website contains a lot of parts (like a table of contents for a book)
- I don’t think you need the sitemap page if your main navigation does the same job though – like my simple website plan.
- Make sure your site is organized with easy to use navigation that appears on every page!
- Try to reduce the amount of clicks for users to reach content…basically as simple and flat as possible for your purposes
- Avoid flashy, animating or extra graphics “just because” – it needs to serve a purpose – remember!
- Make sure your text or imagery is easily readable or viewable – not clashing to the eye or taking away from your work pieces.
- When creating graphics for your website, make sure it’s saved for the web…
After creating your design, we can go into the development details and checking the download speed of your website. For visual artists, we often offer thumbnails, so that it doesn’t take forever to load large images of our work. However, you can always show one piece large first to get the impact and WOW factor for your work, then have all others as thumbnails. Again, just have to weigh your goals, the purposes and finding a balance for everything. I hope these tips have helped you move forward a bit. You can check out this Art Biz blog post with important points about what people look for in an artists’ website specifically as well. There’s a nice list of amazingly one page websites that do the job here. Design sponge also have a great post going through setting up a website with WordPress in a weekend. There are lots of options out there and resources to help you get through the process.
Here’s the site design I created for my website…mocked up in Photoshop and ready for development. I also created an inner page to work out what that would look like…it’s always best to have things figured out before you dive into building…reduce the confusion and need for making immediate decisions while in the trenches!
Notice that I have have included my logo to brand my website along with my navigation, consistent on every page and clearly visible. There should not be any confusion when it comes to looking for my work or contact info, etc. Keeping with the minimal style, I kept it pretty simple and sleek…but I wanted to put in that kraft paper background as it is one of my favorite surfaces to work on and that adds a bit of me into the site without distracting from other elements. It’s also less boring than a solid color, for me personally. In the artwork section I’m just showing previews of collections with a note that full collections are viewable to interested parties if they contact me. Notice that I added the newsletter sign-up to the right side of my website structure as well, so as someone browses they can clearly sign up to receive mailouts when new work is available to review. I also added my mission and vision as the space was available and I think it’s nice to have that driving force sort of branded there. For me this is a great marketing tool, so I can directly contact those who are interested in seeing new work and see if they want it! It’s nothing fancy, but it serves exactly my purpose and goal. I’m already thinking it might be too busy in some respects…might want to work on the spacing and such…refining the details before diving into development. It helps to step away and look at your work after a few days, so I’ll mull over everything this weekend. What do you think and what have you come up with for your creative business?
by Linda | Mar 29, 2011 | my creative journal
I believe that a website will be your main marketing tool to spread the word about what you do. A business without a website is like pasta without any sauce?! Does that even make sense…hmm, but I think you know what I mean. Whenever you want to find out more about something, you go search on the Internet. I think it’s insane not to have an online presence, especially since it’s amazingly cheap and easy to do nowadays. I know some folks are already thinking that blogging is better than a static website – but what I mean is your online presence – you can build it however you like. I think blogs seem easier to set up because of the many platforms out there, ready to use – but the same is true for websites. It’s like a weird juggling of terminology because “website” really just encompasses everything…ultimately what I mean by “website” is your internet home, presence or representation. You can have a blog, a shop, etc in your website…same difference.
The point is that it is supremely important to think things through and build up your website properly. It doesn’t have a be a complicated process either…it all simply depends on your purpose. Since I’ve worked in the web design field for many years, I certainly have the web development process ingrained in my mind. However, I’ve learned from experience that not everyone knows what that process is or follows it … thus creating a lot of trouble later on. Ultimately, you are a building a showcase piece, so all your marketing efforts can point to this one location that will get people to engage and complete the deal! Whether it is selling something immediately or getting the viewer interested enough to contact you.
Research and planning should be the first step of building your website. Consider what you want your website to do for you! It’s so important to have the purpose figured out, because everything you create – layout, design, functionality – should work towards the intended purpose. For my portfolio website at lindatieu.com, I want to showcase my work and provide contact information. I will primarily be sending clients there, perhaps behind a password protected area to see full collections. Eventually I hope that potential clients will find me naturally and the purpose would be to help them contact me for more. The ultimate goal is to use my website to aid in getting my work licensed. Now is a good time to go back to your business plan and use what you’ve already written out as a guideline. What are your business goals and how can the website help you achieve those goals? Some might need the website to sell their art directly. Others might simply need a business card website – the who what when where why rundown for credibility.
In this step, you can also do the research of what your ideal customer or client would be looking for to help decide what is important content to include. I’ve seen many artists include sketches and I’m not sure what the purpose might be. To prove that you can sketch? Maybe just my opinion, but think about it for yourself and be sure to understand the purpose and goals of your website. That way you know exactly why you are including xyz, not just because it looks flashy or cool. This should lead you to literally plan out the structure of your website. Get out that pen and paper and write out your sitemap. Just like writing an essay, you often outline the major points and arguments before fleshing it all out. Same for your website, write out an outline of the content – literally a map of your website. Here’s mine…
I’m trying to get it as focused and simple as possible. My homepage will say who I am and what I do. Then you can check out the gallery and/or contact me. There will be a protected gallery section for those who will view full collections versus just a brief preview of my work for the general public. Finally, I wanted the “Elsewhere Online” as a general spot to link to all my other stuff…blogs, shops, etc…but it’s not the most important aspect. Now that I look at the sitemap and at my goals…I think I might add a callout to sign up for a newsletter – directed to creative directors and manufacturers. Basically, I will let them know when I have new work to look at. Again, think specifically for your audience and what you need to include.
Hope this discussion has helped to spur you onward. Let’s get our planning done first, then we will move into design. You can start thinking about the look and feel you like, your aesthetic to incorporate and the feeling or mood you want to create from the design. Until next time…happy creative business building!
by Linda | Mar 23, 2011 | my creative journal
In my efforts to move ahead in building my creative business, I’ve found myself a bit stuck on how to categorize my work – of all things! I’ve done traditional graphic design work, web design, digital scrapbooking products, digital stamps, drawings, paintings and bookbinding work. It’s all fun and crafty, but I really need to shape up my presentation to create an official portfolio of work. Which leads me to a thought regarding the website versus the blog. I think they are two separate things and the blog is secondary. It might be combined depending on how your website is organized, but suffice to say that your web presence is the formal side of things and the blog is the more informal side. Blogs come from the word web-blog and it’s just a journal that you are sharing to the general audience. But it’s not a portfolio and not a place to send your clients to in my opinion. At least for my purposes of getting into the licensing industry or even for fine artists or illustrators, you need a gallery or portfolio area so people can see your work quickly and easily. I’m thinking of my website like a professional resume. If I point potential clients to my website, they should be getting the essential information needed to help me get that job. Here’s my work, please contact me type of thing! Of course, you can add the blog, award mentions, etc but don’t clutter it up so much that the original intent is covered.
Anyway, so I am thinking about my portfolio section and how I want to organize it. Even the title of this section can get me stuck… is it a gallery? Licensing gallery? Portfolio? Artwork? Hmm. I had to snap myself out of it and realize that people will get it whatever I call it. No need to get so picky about the vocabulary when everyone will understand in the end. So I started to think about the categories my work would fall into. I want to present my work in an organized format, because they are really different from a visual standpoint at times. I have line art and colored art, patterns…it varies so much. I must admit this probably means I’m a novice in the field…still in the exploration stage of things. But at the same time, I think over time it means I’ll have a wide breadth of work because that is who I am truly. I have many interests and sides to my personality, so they result in different styles of artwork.
I thought it would be best to check out working artists in the licensing world and see what they do. From Puffy P to Alisha Wilson to Kate Harper to Leslie Newman to Leyla Torres to Shawn D Jenkins to Sue Zipkin to Khristian Howell to Heidi Gray to Jen Goode to Cindy Ann Ganaden to Jane Shasky to…I’m sure there are many more to explore, but I had seen enough. I noticed that most veterans in the business showed actual products they have licensed their artwork onto. I also noticed some artists did work outside the realm of licensing and in those cases, they did split up their portfolio into sections by licensing, editorial, illustration, etc. Finally, I noticed many artists only offered previews to give you a taste of their work. Many had private areas for clients to actually review the full collections.
I realized there are many ways of presenting oneself and all those were working artists with different setups. I suppose we just have to find the right combo for ourselves personally. I like the idea of collections, since each can have it’s own style and theme. As a beginner, I don’t have actual products to display and don’t want to delve into mock products at this point. However, I still feel like surface pattern collections should be separated from other artwork collections…hmm.
From the process of organizing and looking at all my work in full, I also realize there are many holes to fill in. It’s important to note that work should be updated to reflect your current body of work…so there are no surprises when a client wants to engage with you. However, as a beginner or a hobbyist going professional…you might want to weed out a lot of stuff. Everyone says you have to show your best work – of course! But at the same time, you only have so much work as a beginner, so I think it’s okay to start with the best possible and keep updating as you go to build up your presence.
I’m thinking of going with previews only for my portfolio. It’s important to show enough to get people interested, but not necessarily reveal it all to non-clients. I have to remember the purpose of sharing my portfolio and going back to the business plan, I have an idea of who my potential clients are and what they might be looking for. I don’t know how many potential clients would be stumbling on my website…more often than not I’m directing people there to see my work or I would have submitted my work already. So I continue to wrestle a bit with how much to present and a few more questions also pop up in my head. I also wonder if lower quality web images would do the job, in the sense that they would be protected from people who rip the images to print. Would manufacturers understand that aspect of things?
How are you planning to organize your work and how much do you want to show? For those wanting to sell the work itself, I would envision something like a virtual gallery setup…so you would have to consider offering more details, pricing and an option to buy. Others might only have a preview of best works displayed, especially if you have a very unique signature style. You don’t need pages and pages to get the point across. I don’t think it’s ever necessary to have your entire lifelong gallery online anyway. Might be a bit dangerous too for those copycats or such as well…it’s more work to have to protect. I’m thinking just the most recent and relevant. Feel free to share your thoughts and portfolio structure or organization plans…thanks!
by Linda | Mar 22, 2011 | my creative journal
After posting my last write-up about setting up, I’ve come to realize how much there is to take in…perhaps too much for one post. I am obviously taking action bit by bit, but had originally thought to post about my efforts once a week only. Now I’m thinking perhaps it’s best to split it up more and post as I go about each step of the way. It will make it easier to focus and tackle the to do’s I think. You can review all the creative business 101 posts individually, but here’s a review of what I’ve done so far:
- Made the decision to start! Yay!
- Figured out my motivations, inspirations and ultimate goals
- Wrote my mission vision statement
- Wrote a business plan brief that includes:
- my design collections, specific list of themes I want to build
- weekly marketing action steps
- specific goals with specific deadlines – so they are measurable
- Decided on my official business name
- Purchased my domain name, registered name on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, etc…
- Created logo of my official business name
- Ordered business cards with new logo
- Gathered my current body of work – digital files into folders for organization…
Whew! So now that I have most of my work in digital format and looking at it…I’m now thrown into the process of trying to figure out how to organize it all. Because I delve in so many different things, this is a bit more challenging for me. Many other visual artists might simply have a gallery with all their paintings, for example. I was thinking to have patterns, digital stamps, colored graphics…but not sure that really makes sense from a presentation standpoint. Should I go by media type, by collection, by style… or perhaps cross reference to it’s viewable in many different ways? Ultimately, I have to think of my customer (going back to the business plan) and figure out what they expect to see – what would help achieve my goal of being licensed. I want to present myself in the best way and show the breadth of my work, but don’t want to seem scattered either. In the licensing industry often artists show only a few examples to the public and hide the rest under a password protected area for actual clients to review. It’s a way of keeping the actual collections to be licensed exclusive. Hmm…
I’m going to take some time to think about the organization of my work and how to present it…what I really want to portray…and all the while I am working on creating new work as well. Going through a bit of struggle that I will blog about later…but I hope that this review was helpful. It actually helped me to see what I’ve done and what I need to do next. Something about writing things down…
Let me know what you think, where you are at and until next time my bloggy friends…ciao ciao!
by Linda | Mar 18, 2011 | my creative journal
After all the deep thoughts from last week’s post…now you should be ready to dive into the details of starting up your creative business. Again, you don’t need to have everything figured out to move forward. Facing certain thoughts and getting things down on paper simply helps you to move forward into action. We will be bringing in those thoughts as we go through the nitty gritty details and make some important decisions to set up the scene. Although every aspect can seem like such a pivotal and huge decision, you must overcome the fear and take action. We cannot predict the future, so make the best possible decision you can NOW and move on! Don’t get stuck and don’t wait for xyz before starting.
SET ASIDE TIME & SPACE
Many of us have day jobs and will be working on launching our creative careers on the side…or you might have many other responsibilities to worry about at the same time. So it’s important to clearly define time for this creative business effort and give it your full attention. I know some people who dabble here and there when they have time. Honestly, that’s a hobby, not a career. So take a good look at your lifestyle and schedule in the time that you will be working on this. Maybe you’ll wake up earlier on the weekends instead of sleeping in. Or instead of watching television, you are going to schedule that time for this effort on a weekly basis. You’ll be surprised how much time you really have, it’s all about trade-offs and what is more important to you. I’m personally spending as much time as possible on this effort. When I’m not working on my paid projects, I’ll be thinking and working on this – because it’s THAT important. I’m also super excited and pumped up…so it’s not like I’m distracted or thinking about other stuff anyway! However, I know for some, blocking off time will be necessary to get the distractions away. If you don’t give your creative business a honest effort, you can’t expect it to go anywhere, right?
In addition to setting aside time, it helps to have a dedicated space as well. Maybe you can clear off some desk space and make it your official creative business work area. That way there’s a dedicated space to remind you of this effort, where you can organize and keep the momentum going. I’ve cleared off a little desk space and started up a binder to hold all my materials. As things move along, maybe I’ll upgrade a bit…but for now that’s a great start. This also leads to the topic of recordkeeping. It’s important to be organized from the start – it’s easier seriously! Keep your official papers in that binder, file in receipts, accounting papers, everything related into one place. I know some folks use online software for accounting as well. Whatever works for you, but keep it as organized as possible. I also keep digital records, but also print them out regularly to slip into my binder. My accounting is super old fashioned, because I use an Excel sheet I personally created…but it works for me because everything is organized as I need it to do my taxes yearly. For every transaction or work related expense, I enter it in immediately and file away both digitally and on paper. It’s all together and even if the receipts might not be totally in order, at least they are in the same envelope if I need to reference later. It’s always a benefit to be organized and to keep all your official paperwork at hand.
WRITE YOUR MISSION VISION STATEMENT
I could have said business plan, but that sort of scares people away. I’m coming from the approach of launching my design and illustration career as an independent artist, so I don’t need a formal business plan that will be presented to potential investors for example. I’m assuming you are in a similar situation. Either way though, you need to have a plan. Let’s think in laymens terms. When people say business plan, they simply want to know what you do and where you are headed. Your business needs to have a direction and goals, otherwise what’s driving it all? This is where your thoughts from last week will come in. Ultimately, you are creating a mission vision statement. Okay, I know that a mission statement and a vision statement are technically two different things. I like to combine them, to encompass the two ideas of what you currently do – products, services, etc… and what you are working towards for the future – the ultimate big picture vision. Take note that this is not your CV or biography of past efforts. It’s like your directive…simple and to the point! The mission is specific – what you do, whereas the vision is the bigger picture.
I do not claim to understand it all and I’m not a writer – from my blog posts you can tell that I get wordy! So this is a challenging process for me as well…but I do find it helpful to get something down in writing and use that as my guide for my business decisions moving forward. It helps to think about talking to a friend, trying to tell them what you do. A bit of editing also helps! Remember that whatever you decide on – it’s not set in stone and it might change with the times. It’s simply a jumping off point so you can move forward.
To use my passion and skill in design and illustration to create a profitable business that brings joy, empowers and inspires us all to live happily. Artistry for blissful living. My mission is pretty specific in terms of starting a business with my art and being profitable is important to me personally, especially in this point in life. It clearly says I design and illustrate. However, the driving force is about bringing joy, empowerment and inspiration – my motivations. Which leads to my vision – short and simple, because ultimately it’s about creating for a happy joyful life. I like it. Perhaps not perfect and perhaps not written so elegantly, but it directs me and that’s where I am right now. Woohoo! Statement done. Now it’s your turn – write it up and stick it on your bulletin board!
WRITE OUT MORE ACTIONABLE DETAILS
Now you have a directive. Sweet! To continue the “business plan” get into a few more specifics since you are putting it down on paper already. I know it seems like boring stuff to do, but just write out exactly what you do or what products or services you are offering. List them out plainly and clearly. For those who offer services, you might go into details about pricing and rates. All those details are good to have figured out and done with before approaching clients. Of course, they might change them over time but you need something to start with. Another good exercise is to write out who your ideal customer is. Whenever you come up with new products or services you’ll know exactly if it jives for your ideal customer. Again, it’s all about helping you focus and move towards your ultimate goals. If you have the reason why your particular products or services are super unique and cool…write that down as well. It’s your unique selling point and helps to direct your marketing. The why is the essential point when it comes to marketing yourself…because I think that is what people care about. There are millions of people who probably do exactly what you do and are maybe even better skilled or more experienced than you. The why will differentiate you and make you stand apart from others. There’s a great TED talk by Simon Sinek that really illustrates the point – check that out for some inspiration.
I think of myself as creating for blissful living and truly living it. I took the plunge and went from a “normal” life I hated to a different “normal life” that I love! I like to declare that I live in the beautiful Tuscan hills of Italy, eating delicious pasta and drinking wine – not to make people jealous – but to inspire blissful living! I live it out and then design it to bring joy, empower and inspire. That’s why you might like my work. We all want to be happy and live well…and why not?!
I know many of you have all of these thoughts and statements in your mind and perhaps you are thinking it’s all too visionary and loose. Well, it’s all necessary as we move into the details. With direction, now I can write out my actionable steps to outline the operations and ongoing promotion of my business. Perhaps it’s best explained by example. My day to day operations is to live blissfully so that I can create my collections of artwork that exemplify the feeling – to be licensed in the end. I have listed out 10 themes I would like to work on, with about 10-20 pieces in each theme. It’s a concrete way to direct my day-to-day work. As I take on that task, I will also be able to define the timing…how many collections I will create in a certain amount of time. At this point, I’m not yet sure on my speed or if it’s something that can be set on a timeline – yet. On the marketing end I have decided on specific actions to get myself out there.
- Submit my work to potential manufacturing clients (1-2 weekly)
- Introduce myself to one related online blogger or magazine for promotion weekly
- Print postcards yearly to send to mailing list
- Offer monthly free printables to build my mailing list
- Blog progress and share through social media outlets (Twitter, Facebook page, Flickr)
Just to note, these are ideas and they will vary depending on your business type. It could include handing out flyers or specific advertising. Write them all out first then edit later…sometimes it takes a while to refine your plans and a business plan is always evolving anyway, so don’t worry that anything is set in stone.
Finally, you should also write out some specific goals, so that you can measure if you are successful or not. What are the measurable results you are expecting? For example, I could say get 2-3 license contracts in my first year. It could be something like sell a certain amount in a specific amount of time. It has to be specific so you can tell if you’ve accomplished the goal or not. Goals can also be about bettering your skills, not just results like profit. I could say take a class and improve my watercoloring skills to create a watercolor collection of art. Or perhaps learn a certain video program to create an animated reel by the end of the year to put on YouTube. Write out those goals and actionable items!
YOUR BUSINESS NAME
For many this is already done and for others, it might require a bit of thought. What is your business name? This will drive your website, promotional materials and other documents and presentations. Many artists simply go with their name. Or sometimes name with an added word, like John Smith Designs or John Smith & Co. This option is probably the simplest and easiest. For me personally, I’ve delved into different names…trying to be clever and cute. This blog is named after my Italian nickname, but I’ve already run into trouble with people not knowing how to pronounce it and already being inconsistent in spelling it as one word or two words. Since I create many different types of work in different mediums, the common thread is ultimately me. So I’ve decided to go with my name to keep it simple, although my last name isn’t the easiest to pronounce either! Got to go with what you have though. When deciding on a name just make sure it doesn’t end up being a bad word if two words are stuck together or that it’s something unpronounceable by the common audience. Some people abbreviate part of their name to make it simpler as well. Do a little brainstorming, look at it in different angles and make the decision.
I think it’s fine to name your blog or social media contacts something else, especially if you already have them setup and don’t want to convert. In other cases, certain names might be taken and you just have to go with whatever is available. Once decided upon, this is the name you will use for official business papers, payment, logos, contracts, marketing materials, etc. I do recommend going and signing up on everything you might be interested in using once you’ve got your business name. It’s like claiming your spot, even if you aren’t going to touch it for a while. Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, WordPress, Youtube, Blogspot, Typepad – whatever you might use! Better to have it and never use it in my opinion! It’s always disappointing when you think you have the perfect name, then realize everything is already taken by your doppelgänger!
On the topic of a business name, once you have it decided make sure to do the research and claim the name for yourself officially. Some folks go into registering or trademarking, getting the business license, registering the business name, etc. The rules and regulations depend on where you live. Do you need permits to do business or do you want to set up a corporation or go at it as a sole proprietor? I like the idea of starting a business officially, because then you can keep it separate from your life. Especially if you are married and have many different things going on, it helps to set it up as a separate entity. However, I don’t have much experience in all that so do your research and get it sorted out. I do believe that getting some advice from a laywer or accountant will be well worth it.
Personally, I have decided to go ahead as an independent, sole proprietor because I already have freelance work and other small things going on in that capacity. It’s already challenging getting taxes done as a US citizen living in Italy – so I just don’t want to delve into it right now. Suffice to say that you should do some research for starting a business where you live and decide what you need to do to get official.
YOUR LOGO
Now that you have your name a logo should be developed. You’ll be using it for your promotional materials and online presence, so it’s good idea to get it done as soon as you have your name decided. I thought it would be simplest to go with my name written out in a font that I like, pretty straightforward. Some people go with their signature or somehow incorporate their artwork into a logo as well. As you look at the variety of logos and brands out there, I’m sure you’ll realize that it could take a long time to come up with a logo. You can certainly hire a designer to do it for you as well. Since I’m a designer, I’m doing it for myself. I don’t want to include artwork in it, because my work is so varied. Again, I’m focusing more on me as a brand…so I started playing with my favorite colors…
You might already have something in existence or a clear idea in your mind of what you want. Or you might have wanted something simple, but then as you got into it started going off into a million tangents. I started designing and creating variations and just played around for hours. Okay, it’s an important step…but I don’t want to get hung up on it. I can always change it if one day it’s suddenly horrible to me… remember, nothing set in stone. Just make the best possible decision you can at the moment. If you do not have design skills, I do recommend getting a professional to help because it is representative of you and your business. You don’t want to present something that is low quality in terms of the basics of graphic presentation. I had to stop myself from tinkering endlessly and now I’m taking a look at my final variations. Perhaps variations can be used for different purposes or perhaps I might go with one. I’m also looking at it in black and white to make sure it looks good on faxes 🙂
The idea is to keep it simple, but whimsical and cute in a style to reflect my work. The tagline “design & illustration” does not have to be included, but I like it there to be clear I’m not an interior designer or such. It’s sort of like a label or brand image…I like it. I’m going to look at it printed out large and small…then choose one to go with. My logo is pretty much done now. Check.
MARKETING MATERIALS
Now that you have your name and logo, get some business cards. I know many people think it’s an old fashioned way to leave your contact information. Well, I don’t care if it’s old fashioned, it’s effective. I think people like to get your card especially if you are a creative business…because chances are you’ll have a creative business card design! Again, get professional help if you need it…or keep it super simple. The tools we have today make it easy to print a bunch of business cards by simply uploading an image and typing in your info. It can be that simple. Perhaps your work will speak for itself? Also, the cost makes it so that you can also re-order if anything needs to change. Order in small quantities. In fact, many creatives revamp their business card from time to time or rotate imagery by the season. I’ve ordered from Vistaprint before and find it really easy and affordable. If you sign up for their newsletter, you’ll often get coupon codes and deals as well. You can also do a quick search online and I’m sure you’ll find many different printers to go with that are affordable, with decent quality for your purposes.
Once you have business cards, you can finally spread the word and get your business into people’s minds and hands. While you are at it, feel free to print postcards or other marketing materials to hand out and share. It’s up to you what you want to spend or what makes sense with your business specifically. Folks who sell items usually like to print something to include in orders like bookmarks or notecards. I know that in this technological age, some people feel that the business card is defunct. But I think there’s something special and irreplaceable about having that tactile card in hand.
WEB PRESENCE
I’ve already mentioned the idea of claiming your name once you have it decided upon and it’s important to do this for your web presence as well. Do you already own your domain name? I have lindatieu.com and you can see it’s just a splash page I’ve had for a while. It’s best to be able to get your exact business name for all aspects of your business, domain name, blogname, twitter account, etc. However, I understand that it is not always possible. Sometimes names are taken or there might be limits on the length of the name. Again, just take a look at your options and go with something. I would stay away from using hyphens or weird spellings though…better to be clear and direct. Consider adding a descriptive word after your business name if you are looking for variations, like design, studio or artist. Also, I would recommend going with the .com version and if you want, buying all the variations as well. I’m not so into doing that when I already have the .com. If you have a really long name, sometimes owning the full version, but also the abbreviation that is easier to promote. All your domain names can be pointing to the same website, so you can own as many variations as you want.
I purchase all my domain names through namecheap. Never had problems with them, so stayed a customer for many years now. However, if you just need one domain it might be easier to simply purchase it together where you will be buying your hosting. I had issues with my old hosting company and just switched to Bluehost this year. I love the immediate access and control I have to start developing my sites and so far the service has been great. Of course, there are a million hosting companies out there to choose from. I do recommend going with a larger company more than anything else though… there are a lot of startups that are low quality and one day just disappear!
We will get into the details of building up your website and blog soon, but for now just claim your spot. I realize that not everyone will want to delve into coding their own website or even hiring professionals to do it. Even though setting up a WordPress site is super easy these days…it just might not be something you are into. For artists there are many other options that will be completely valid as your portfolio website. Just get your domain name, then you can direct it to a paid portfolio website where you choose a theme and just upload your images and info. I haven’t used any of them personally, but a quick search online will give you an abundant amount of options. There’s this blog post with a huge list of options…again, pick your path and go with it.
YOUR PORTFOLIO WORK
Finally, my last step this week is to gather all my artwork together for organization. For visual artists, you might already have a body of work ready to be uploaded into your portfolio. In my case, work is scattered in many different places, digital files here and there and in other cases no digital files at all. I know that to create collections and themes of work, I will be working from scratch as well as off some of the work I already have. Studio time is of the utmost importance – you cannot stop creating! It’s bizarre to have to write about it, but it’s really important. If you don’t have your product, your service, your work – what are you going to show to people? If you are moving from hobby to professional, it is important to think about creating new work as well. There’s always a difference, because you are approaching it with a different perspective.
So I’m taking some time to gather all my work into one place, making high-resolutions scans and organizing into one folder. Now, I can take a look at everything and evaluate. How will I present my work – are there common themes or bodies of work in existence? What is suitable to show off, what do I need to work on? If you are just starting out, you might not have a whole lot to show but it should not stop you from the process of building up your business. Just know that part of your plan is to create work to rotate in… we all have to start somewhere! I certainly find myself in a situation where I will be working constantly, because my previous work is very random and one off. Next time around we will delve more into the studio time and work aspect of your creative business. I’m coming at it as a visual artist…but hopefully this can be applied to your situation as well. Perhaps polishing your product or service offerings? Even creating work to show off a new service option or new style that you want to get into.
TAKE ACTION
Okay, I know this is a lot to take in. It’s really just a few steps, but I am explaining my process at the same time, sharing my examples in hopes that it will help others. Not to mention creating a record for myself and holding myself accountable for progress. I know that many folks get stuck just coming up with a name. Or maybe you just can’t settle on that vision statement. Don’t let yourself fall into that trap. There is no perfection and you must realize it’s all going to evolve over time. So just do the best that you can – do it – then move on. I was getting a bit stuck on certain parts, but I had to push through and just get it done this week. I’m so glad to have come to this point and I know you will be too…so get to it! I’ll be back soon to share my next steps in this creative business adventure 🙂 Ciao ciao!
by Linda | Mar 11, 2011 | my creative journal
I’ve made the proclamation and just like in the past, I’m so tempted to dive in and get my hands dirty. I’m thinking about my portfolio website design and how I might edit the images. However, I’ve already jumped into things too quickly before, so I think it’s best to take a few steps back and really start from the beginning. There are so many thoughts running around in my head and although it’s great to take advantage of the excitement and momentum, I think it’s also really important for every person who is thinking of starting a creative business – to think long and hard about what it is you are really want before investing your resources. You need to reflect on yourself and your work before moving forward with the nitty gritty.
For those who want the main point of it all…Simply take with you the main message of my first creative business step – to assess the situation and prepare mentally for the adventure. There is something to be said about visualization and planning before taking action! Think about yourself and your work. Why do you want to start a business? Are you diving into something you really want – the lifestyle, the work, the 24/7 effort that is required especially at the beginning? Are you confident about your work? What are you offering up and why is it special? I know this sounds a bit harsh, but seriously why is your work worth putting out there into the world? There is no right answer – there is only your particular answer that is necessary. This is because you need that guiding light to help you find the way even through the hardest times. Often we can be bursting with energy at the start, but then lose sight of the objective and remain lost and confused midway. I believe that it’s necessary to prepare emotionally for all that comes with putting yourself out there. Whether it be rejection… success… indifference… perhaps even insults? Failure and more failure. You will probably experience the entire gamut of emotions and situations, good and bad. It’s far too easy to be distracted and lose sight of the path, so you need to have that solid core to return to for inspiration, energy and purpose. It’s going to be your rock. You will always be able to remind yourself of why you are doing what you do and what ultimate goals you are working towards.
Suffice to say, you’ve got to be ready and willing to dive into the crazy stormy sea of creative businesses! I already tried slipping into it slowly…but that mostly results in a lot of flailing in my opinion. You need to know where you are now…before you can start heading in the right direction tomorrow. Let’s pump ourselves up, take an honest look at the situation and then move forward. So take some time to think and assess your situation this weekend. You certainly won’t have it all figured out in a few days – no one has everything figured out anyway – but try putting your thoughts in writing and passionately, authentically answering those questions for yourself. It’s fine and dandy to want something really badly, but you’ve got to be ready to take all that it comes with as well. Be ready to dive in.
Onto my personal story and thoughts…what I’m putting in writing. I have never really written about my journey specifically, the unique conditions and path that has led me to where I am. For those who have followed my blog, I’m sure there’s an inkling of adventure from the fact that I’m an American expat living in Italy. More than anything, I’m posting it here as a record for myself and sort of talking out loud way of thinking. I’m hoping that it will help me sort things out.
I’ve tried many a time to write a proper about page, but it always seems a bit too crafted or too long. I settled on writing this one sentence on most of my profiles…”A girl who moved to Italy to settle down with her love and chase her dreams…” And that phrase is totally fitting because it encompasses my story – where I come from, where I am now and where I want to be. But let me back up a bit more. I grew up in Southern California, a completely typical valley girl-type without a lot of worries being the youngest child of a big family. I did my best in school, went to college and graduated with a degree in Mathematics. It was at that point in life when I realized how complicated and difficult real life could be. We all experience the growing pains of facing reality and I had to deal with some serious family issues at that time as well. Overall, it was enveloped with the listless feeling of graduating and not knowing what to do with my life. Oh, it is a common story these days, isn’t it? My aversion to the corporate life was immediate, upon first interview during my senior year. So I gave up in a way and decided to continue going to school. I do not even remember the reasoning for choosing my particular path, but by the magic of destiny I decided to apply and go to an art school in Italy for my post-baccalaureate. It was probably the most far off left decision ever. What did my friends and family think?! Oddly enough, there was no real objection. Although I’ve always been a crafty and artsy person, I never considered that as a possible route for further exploration in adult life. Perhaps others saw it in me, when I didn’t see it in myself. It’s clear now that I was trying to escape from reality…but at least I learned that turning to Art made it all better.
I spent a year studying in the wonderful city of Florence and totally fell in love, in more ways than one. It’s funny how I felt as if my college years were simply extensions of my high school years…and finally when I studied in Italy I went through the growing up that others experience in university. Yes, I might well be a late bloomer in many respects. I dove right into an art school with no prior training in the arts. I see now how brave that was…talk about fearless! Of course, I was studying digital arts, so I played it off as graphic design, the practical applications of it all. But it was an enlightening experience nevertheless. I never had my work critiqued in front of all my peers before…the way things worked inside an art school was so different. It didn’t mean that I agreed and loved every aspect, it just opened up my eyes to another world. That things can be different and life wasn’t the cookie cutter pattern I had seen all around me in suburbia. The year abroad helped me to grow so much. More than anything specific, it planted the seed of courage in me. I saw in people around me what was possible and what you could do with your creative dreams. People lived happily as artists, they didn’t have to starve or be in the constant state of agony as some stereotypes might have you believe. I didn’t know if I wanted that exact life, but I did want something more than the ordinary. I just didn’t know how to get there…I felt so far outside of that world…
After my year of study, it was time to get back to reality and find a job to make a living. We all have to eat afterall. But somehow, I managed to squeeze another 3 months in Italy with girlfriends, sort of taking our last adventure before submitting to our eventual back-at-home lives. I took a sewing and batik class during that time, trying to soak it all in before it was good-bye Italy. It was during these 3 months that I met my husband. A friend of a friend, a completely random and beautiful event. We hit it off immediately and we grew very close. So after 3 months, we decided to keep the relationship going long distance. My connection to Italy was still alive! Was I simply living out one of those short-lived cheesy films?
I had to go back to Los Angeles – like going through the motions of simply what had to be done, no time to evaluate if it all made sense. I flew home, found a web design job locally and talked to my Italian boy over the phone nearly every day. It went on like this for years. During this time, I pretty much buried the creative side of myself. It was time to grow up and be practical. Just do the 8-5 thing, because that’s what everyone did. That’s life. It was slowly eating away at me. Things seemed fine from the outside, but I wasn’t happy. Perhaps it was because I was across the ocean from my love. Perhaps it was because I hated my job at times. Perhaps because I was just not satisfied with my life. I had moved up the ranks in my career and had a great situation going on after the years went by. I admit that it was a stable situation that anyone would be happy about. It just wasn’t for me. I didn’t get the satisfaction that I needed to keep working in the corporate world. I would constantly be asking myself, is this it? This is what my life will be day after day for the next 50 some years!? I was certainly thankful for all that I had (I actually had a serious shopping habit – retail therapy!), but truly I was depressed…missing my love and dreaming of what could be…if only.
Despite all odds against us, after five years of flying back and forth to visit each other – we decided it was time for a change. We can’t live in two separate continents and have a life together. Those years apart were some of the hardest years of my life. I was so happy to see him, every time he visited – he even quit his job multiple times so he could stay for months with me. But every time he had to leave…gosh it was hard. It’s like getting a treat and then having it taken away…again and again. It all finally came to a breaking point and I made the biggest decision of my life. I was finally ready. With encouragement to do what made me happy instead of drudging through the motions of what was expected…I quit my job and moved to Italy. We got married and now live happily here in the Tuscan countryside. I know…sounds like a fairy tale, huh? I am so thankful for how things worked out even if it does sound so cheesy! I can’t go into all the details…but basically, I had finally let myself go free. I finally trusted in myself and in us to go out into the world and take my chances with Fate and Destiny. We can never grow, if we don’t leave our little protected bubbles. I definitely had many fears…but the joy of it all helped me to overcome all doubts and fears. BTW, it’s been more than 2 years and I’ve never once regretted my decision to leave my LA life behind. I miss old friends and good times, but the decision to leave was the best decision ever.
I started doing freelance design for a small partial income to pay some ongoing bills. But since I was lucky enough to not have to worry about room and board anymore…I was given the time to cultivate my real passions and interests in Art. It still took me a long time to gather up the courage to show people any of my work. I set up blogs and starting sharing things, slowly, timidly. It was all part of the process…the build up to where I am now. I’ve learned a lot through experience and I’m at the point now where I feel like bursting! I’ve gotta get it out there…because otherwise I’ll just be suffocated.
Why do I want to start my own creative business? It’s my passion. I know, that sounds generic to say. Duh. But really…this type of work simply makes me happy. The desire and emotion compels me to draw, design, share my work and happily see people smile at it. It’s enjoyable and I like fun and I like happy. So it’s really not that difficult of a decision. Never mind the practicalities. I started as a web designer and moved into management, then found myself moving back into the creative field of graphic design – doing the actual design work and then into illustration. Blogging about my creative journey has taken me farther than I’ve ever thought. And after starting up a few shops online and getting a taste of what is possible, I so want more. I know that people like my work, I like my own work and yeah… it’s all good.
Although I have never been formally trained as an illustrator and took only one graphic design class in school, I’m doing just fine. I can certainly draw and design, teaching myself things and continuing to learn and grow. I’ve already seen great change in myself in these past years of blogging and sharing. So I know it can only get better and better moving forward. I suppose this kind of confidence comes with time and experience. It took me a long time and a fair amount of tears to get to this point. It’s not about comparison and feeling better than so and so. It’s about being at peace with yourself and your work, knowing that there is also room for growth and change. I know that we all have bad days, when everything just seems to be going wrong and you think – oh dear, maybe this isn’t my thing – or perhaps I’ve lost my mojo?! But I’m at the point where I can take the ups and downs and go with the flow. Sometimes you just need a day off and I like being able to take those days off. Perhaps you might want to listen to the TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert about creativity… I love that talk.
On the note of taking a day off, I also gravitate towards the lifestyle this type of work creates. Contrary to what it might seem like, it’s not all fun and games. Starting your own business means you are going to work more than you ever did for anyone else. It’s your own little baby, so of course you are going to throw everything you’ve got at it. However, the nature of the work allows you to structure your own day. I love this aspect. I work more efficiently during certain times of the day and it’s not 8-5. I like to take my puppy out for walks and make lunch for my husband, so he can come home and dine with me every day. When we are ready to have children, I want the flexibility in my schedule to pick them up from school and be around more often than not. I’m not saying any one lifestyle is better than another. I only know what I want. It’s home life and career life at the same time… all the while living in beautiful Italy, drinking wine and eating a lot of pasta. Yes, it is definitely a beautiful life! It’s about thriving as an artist…not starving. I learned and gained much confidence through listening to Creative Thursday podcasts by Marisa Haedike. It’s motivational and informative. It’s helped me to shape what I want in life.
I think in the old days, especially as a fine artist…you had to be really talented AND lucky. You had to be discovered by someone important and/or have rich patrons. Connections connections connections. With the Internet, I think the playing field has been leveled in a lot of ways. We all have so much accessibility and power to promote ourselves. We can reach out to people all over the world with just a few clicks of the mouse. Not only can you connect and ultimately do business with anyone in the world…it’s one on one as if you were in the same place at the same time. Technology is changing fast and I think it will only help us to do what we want, when we want, how we want – it’s freedom and control. I love this lifestyle and to make it all possible, I need to be able to sustain myself. Hence the business part of things, to make a profit, to make a living. I don’t think it crazy to want to do what you love and be able to make a living out of it. What a thought! I’ve always been the type to say “why not?”, versus “oh, I can’t…” – I suppose that type of optimism and sort of naive eagerness is just my nature. I think it’s a good thing though – anything IS possible!
I’ve also realized that my personality also caters to this type of work. I like to have lots of alone time in the studio, living out my fantasies in creating things. I have no issues in working many hours and working hard…I think I already do that in my freelance lifestyle. Specifically regarding art licensing, which is what I want to get into… I think it’s a perfect match for me. I have the experience working with clients and editing things as necessary – having that flexibility to create the best product possible. But at the same time, I have the freedom to create my own type of collections, whatever interests me. The subject matter that is natural to me – cute little girls and motifs – is perfect for mass marketing as well. Although you need to be special to succeed, you also need to appeal to the masses to license art on products. Why am I special though? I suppose this might be the hardest question for most to answer. No one wants to pipe on about it – hence why marketing yourself can be so uncomfortable. But honestly, I am unique and everything I create comes from my specific blend of experiences. I come from a very specific journey and struggle, but things have worked out for me and I think that is totally inspiring. If you are reading this, I think my story has obviously captured your attention! I come from a traditional Chinese family, but now live in a traditional Italian family. I’ve traveled all over Europe from Moscow to Greece to Serbia and experienced so many things – beautiful and ugly. It all gives me a very specific perspective to draw from and I want to share my experience, the beauty, the positive feelings, the energy and the love with others. I know how hard it can be to see the beauty in life, when things are rough. I hope to do what I can to bring a smile to people’s faces…so they can enjoy life. I would much rather be a pollyanna than a debbie downer. We must live our lives to the fullest and be happy. If you want inspiration and motivation, sign up for the Brave Girls Club Daily Truths emails…you get a daily email with beautiful words of wisdom to keep you going. I feel motivated, I am healthy and I am totally committed to moving forward. I am proud, brave and myself – I am Linda.
Whew…that was a lot to write and I’m sure to read as well! If you’ve made it this far in the post, you must really love me 🙂 Seriously though, it’s taken me a long while to get to this point. Although I don’t have all the answers and I haven’t figured it all out by any means – I’ve found some sense of balance and ready to go forward to the next stage of my life. Now I’m finally ready and willing to dive in. Are you?
Resources links:
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity [10th Anniversary Edition]
The Artist’s Way Morning Pages Journal
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life
by Linda | Mar 9, 2011 | my creative journal
I’ve been designing and creating artwork for a while now, dabbling here and there, but sadly I’m nowhere near my ultimate goals. We all have fun pursuing our passions no matter what, but at the end of the day, it’s important to be moving forward towards your aspirations. I want and need to succeed in more concrete ways. Taking a step back and reviewing my current situation…sort of gives me a headache. I’m all over the place. I feel as if I need to start from square one again.
My goal is a be a licensed artist and I’ve already blogged my intentions to focus this year. I’ve come to realize that I’ve jumped into the sea of creative businesses without actually knowing how to swim properly. I don’t regret anything I’ve done though because it has helped me to come to this point. However, I do feel the struggle of trying to stay afloat and still going nowhere.
There are many creatives out there who have grown up knowing what they want to be. Then there are those like me, who sort of fall into related fields of work and struggle when it comes to breaking open the doors and saying, “Here I Am” and by the way I’m selling my work, too. I know, it can feel so odd to sell yourself – but let’s save that for later discussion…
Basically, I’m starting afresh and following my own Creative Business 101, using all the experience and knowledge I have under my belt. Oftentimes we already know what we need to do, but the volume overwhelms even the best of us. So I’m breaking it all down into an ordered task list, tackling each item one by one. Like many of you out there, I’ve bought those business books and read countless helpful blog posts. At some point you realize you know most of the important information already. It’s time to take action instead of floating on aimlessly. And yes, I will have to make time for this like a priority project, because it’s my dream – it should be the most important thing on my list of to dos. I will be challenging myself to build up my portfolio, my official professional artist presence, connections, submissions and overall marketing of myself and my work. Blogging about the process will keep me accountable and will allow me to share the steps and my experiences along the way. I hope that you’ll come along for the ride.
Finally, I would like to invite everyone who has a dream to follow along. Apply the ideas to your situation and join me! I do believe that doing things together – a collaborative spirit and effort – makes any task so much more enjoyable and approachable. If you blog about your experiences, I would love to follow along. It helps to motivate me in my ventures…so how about it? Let’s start our creative businesses together! Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter if you want to follow along and check the tortagialla.com box. Subscribe here! See you here next time for some creative kick-butt action – ciao ciao.
Note for those who actually get to the end of a post and want more. If you are interested in the resources, books, blogs that I mentioned briefly…you can follow the links below to do your own research. A few are affiliate links, so they will help support me – thanks in advance!
Creative, Inc.: The Ultimate Guide to Running a Successful Freelance Business
ArtLicensingInfo.com
ArtBizBlog.com
Scoutie Girl Free Resources
Design*Sponge Biz Ladies posts
HeartMadeBlog Biz Tips posts
The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and On-Line
Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business
Craft Inc. Business Planner
