Article: Marketing Your Art #7
Blogging and the Artist by SKC
A blog (a contraction of the term "Web log") is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketches (sketchblog), videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), audio (podcasting), which are part of a wider network of social media.
(source: wikipedia.org)
Benefits of a Blog
Most traditional blogs allow readers to respond to entries and give your audience a feeling of personal connection to you and your work. When used well, your blog can keep your collectors and fans up-to-date on your latest exhibitions and events as well as your most recent works of art. Many artists choose to post progress shots of artwork, giving their readers a peek into the process behind their finished pieces. And most artists will post finished pieces as they happen, inviting feedback and often sales as a result.
All this benefits you as an artist in building a relationship with your followers, giving them a more personal connection to both you and your artwork. Additionally, a successful website almost always has content that is new and updated regularly. Maintaining a blog will assist you in this effort and keep your collectors and fans coming back for more.
Publishing Your Own Blog
Getting a blog is actually quite easy these days and often completely free of charge. There are several providers out there and each offers a slightly different set of benefits. One I like to use is blogger.com. They offer the ability to set up a basic blog that you can update with your own graphics and colors. They also provide you the web address and hosting so you don’t need to have a website in place to store your blog. Additionally, should you eventually build a website and choose to move your blog to your own domain name, it is easy to do so. All of this is free of charge.
Writing blog entries is simple and requires nothing more than a computer with a connection to the Internet. Blogger provides a simple step-by-step interface to create and edit your text much like you would in a regular word processor (Word Perfect, Clarisworks, MS Word, etc.) and adding images is as easy as clicking a button.
In order for your blog to do its best you will need to update it regularly. By this I don’t mean once a month, you should aim for 1-3 times a week, even if you post a simple update shot of a piece you’re working on. Blogging shouldn’t end up being a chore either, so keep it short, simple, and something you can easily manage. Long entries become cumbersome not only for you, but for your readers.
What to include in your blog:
• Exhibition and special event announcements
• Sketches, progress/process shots of your work
• Finished pieces complete with where and how to purchase
• Entries discussing inspiration/motivation behind the work
• Images from events and exhibitions
What not to include in your blog:
• Sensitive personal information
• Daily log of mundane goings on
• Political/religious thoughts unless they are directly related to your artwork
• Complaints or negative impressions of other artists or exhibition venues, etc.
• Unprofessional photos of yourself/others socially
Why Blog?
1. Blogging is easy
One real plus is that creating a blog requires no knowledge of HTML or web standards. The blogging system you use handles all the dirty work for you and set up is free and simple.
2. A blog makes a great temporary alternative or addition to a portfolio website
There is a simple way to enhance your collector’s experience when visiting you online.
3. Blogging creates a sense of connection between your visitors and your artwork
Knowing more about the artist, their process and inspiration provides your fans with a deeper sense of connection and can result in more sales.
4. You benefit socially
Don’t underestimate the social connections you may make along the way. Inviting feedback on your blog opens the door to future professional and social relationships worldwide.
Blogging resources:
• http://www.blogger.com/
• http://www.typepad.com/
• http://www.livejournal.com/
• http://www.wordpress.com/
If you blog, send in your comments about your experiences and the ways it has helped you in promtoing your art.
Note: There are a couple of events coming up soon. I put the notices at the beginning of the 11/9/08 issue of Brevard Art News below. Thanks.
A blog (a contraction of the term "Web log") is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketches (sketchblog), videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), audio (podcasting), which are part of a wider network of social media.
(source: wikipedia.org)
Benefits of a Blog
Most traditional blogs allow readers to respond to entries and give your audience a feeling of personal connection to you and your work. When used well, your blog can keep your collectors and fans up-to-date on your latest exhibitions and events as well as your most recent works of art. Many artists choose to post progress shots of artwork, giving their readers a peek into the process behind their finished pieces. And most artists will post finished pieces as they happen, inviting feedback and often sales as a result.
All this benefits you as an artist in building a relationship with your followers, giving them a more personal connection to both you and your artwork. Additionally, a successful website almost always has content that is new and updated regularly. Maintaining a blog will assist you in this effort and keep your collectors and fans coming back for more.
Publishing Your Own Blog
Getting a blog is actually quite easy these days and often completely free of charge. There are several providers out there and each offers a slightly different set of benefits. One I like to use is blogger.com. They offer the ability to set up a basic blog that you can update with your own graphics and colors. They also provide you the web address and hosting so you don’t need to have a website in place to store your blog. Additionally, should you eventually build a website and choose to move your blog to your own domain name, it is easy to do so. All of this is free of charge.
Writing blog entries is simple and requires nothing more than a computer with a connection to the Internet. Blogger provides a simple step-by-step interface to create and edit your text much like you would in a regular word processor (Word Perfect, Clarisworks, MS Word, etc.) and adding images is as easy as clicking a button.
In order for your blog to do its best you will need to update it regularly. By this I don’t mean once a month, you should aim for 1-3 times a week, even if you post a simple update shot of a piece you’re working on. Blogging shouldn’t end up being a chore either, so keep it short, simple, and something you can easily manage. Long entries become cumbersome not only for you, but for your readers.
What to include in your blog:
• Exhibition and special event announcements
• Sketches, progress/process shots of your work
• Finished pieces complete with where and how to purchase
• Entries discussing inspiration/motivation behind the work
• Images from events and exhibitions
What not to include in your blog:
• Sensitive personal information
• Daily log of mundane goings on
• Political/religious thoughts unless they are directly related to your artwork
• Complaints or negative impressions of other artists or exhibition venues, etc.
• Unprofessional photos of yourself/others socially
Why Blog?
1. Blogging is easy
One real plus is that creating a blog requires no knowledge of HTML or web standards. The blogging system you use handles all the dirty work for you and set up is free and simple.
2. A blog makes a great temporary alternative or addition to a portfolio website
There is a simple way to enhance your collector’s experience when visiting you online.
3. Blogging creates a sense of connection between your visitors and your artwork
Knowing more about the artist, their process and inspiration provides your fans with a deeper sense of connection and can result in more sales.
4. You benefit socially
Don’t underestimate the social connections you may make along the way. Inviting feedback on your blog opens the door to future professional and social relationships worldwide.
Blogging resources:
• http://www.blogger.com/
• http://www.typepad.com/
• http://www.livejournal.com/
• http://www.wordpress.com/
If you blog, send in your comments about your experiences and the ways it has helped you in promtoing your art.
Note: There are a couple of events coming up soon. I put the notices at the beginning of the 11/9/08 issue of Brevard Art News below. Thanks.
posted by Lou Belcher at
3:00 PM
2 Comments:
Nice post, i have been using artlog.com which allows you to post your artworks (with a free portfolio website) and create a multimedia art blog for free.
Thanks for the tip. I visited artlog.com. Another to add to the list.
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