Oak Creek Printworks

Scanography: Camera-less photography!Posted by Stephanie Ferguson on March 11th, 2010

by Georgia Lange and Stephanie Ferguson

Are you technologically challenged? Does your busy life leave no time for that photography or painting class you’ve always wanted to take? If you are still yearning for a creative outlet, scanography may be for you. With both fine-art and commercial applications, this is a marvelous tool that just about anyone can use and have fun with. If you have access to a flatbed scanner, you can create beautiful images that Read the rest of this entry »

Photography Competition: Call for EntriesPosted by Georgia Lange on February 25th, 2010

Communication Arts magazine is having its annual juried photography competition! This is one of the most prestigious competitions in the industry and a great opportunity for all photographers! The deadline for entries is March 26, 2010. For more information, click here. Good luck!

Type as background provides TEXTure for artPosted by Georgia Lange on February 16th, 2010

by Georgia Lange

The trend of using text as a texture in art is one that is increasing in popularity. There are many different ways in which to incorporate this technique, and it can be applied to many different trades, including fine art, illustration, graphic design, and digital photography. One of the most interesting aspects of this technique is that it can be manipulated to suit just about any artist’s style. One method, which is most commonly used amongst graphic designers, is to use text to fill or create a shape. Another method, one of the most popular, Read the rest of this entry »

Simple paper cutting makes colorful jewelryPosted by Stephanie Ferguson on February 4th, 2010

by Kimberly Foster

A single piece of paper can create several pieces of beautiful, hand-made jewelry. The paper you use should be relatively thin and pliable; other than that, the possibilities are endless.  Use anything from decorative hand-made paper to old magazines and scraps you’d normally throw away!

Other supplies:

Artist medium or white glue
Strong jewelry cord or dental floss
Large needle or toothpick
Paper cutter or scissors

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Valentine Day contest for budding designersPosted by Stephanie Ferguson on January 28th, 2010

RECYCLING ART NOUVEAUPosted by Georgia Lange on January 26th, 2010

It is always interesting to see how certain historical art movements come back into fashion decades or even centuries after they have reached their zenith. Take for example the style of Art Nouveau, meaning “new art”. This was the name given to an artistic movement in european art in the late nineteenth century. Much of its inspiration came from natural formations and asian art and design. Some of the most popular artists from this era include Toulouse-Lautrec, Aubrey Beardsley, and Alphonse Mucha. Recently, many of the stylistic trends originally set forth by these masters have been resurfacing in many of the current art movements. “Art Nouveau” has found a new home within the pop-surrealist community, particularly among the ladies. Some of these artists include Audrey Kawasaki, Stella Im Hultberg, and Sylvia Ji.

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15 Websites and Magazines for ArtistsPosted by Georgia Lange on January 19th, 2010

As an artist it is important for you to keep informed about what the market is up to and where you fit in. Develop a strategy that will allow you to keep abreast of current trends and events. Subscribe to magazines that appeal to you. Subscribe to online newsletters that let you know what is happening in your area. Get yourself on as many social networking sites as you can. Here is a partial list of sites and magazines to get you started:

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Market and network like the prosPosted by Georgia Lange on January 19th, 2010

If you are serious about being an artist and marketing your artwork, you want to be taken seriously by curators, collectors, and other artists. It is vitally important that you pay attention to what other artists, collectors, and curators are up to. Artists learn by looking; it is simply indispensable in the profession. However, you would be surprised just how many artists there are out there who skip the necessary steps to get their feet through the right doors.

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Why Should Artists Blog?Posted by Stephanie Ferguson on January 7th, 2010

by Nancy Haberman

It seems these days everywhere you look, people are talking about using the internet to earn money. Regardless of whether you’re an entrepreneur running an online store or an artist displaying your work online, your goal should be to drive qualified traffic to your website. A qualified visitor is someone who is genuinely interested in the products or services being promoted, and who is ready to take a specific action (called a conversion), such as making a purchase, filling out and sending in an online form, or calling to schedule an appointment.

Anyone can publish a website, but unless you have a plan of action and know what you want your site to achieve, it will be next to impossible to determine if you are successful. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that once a website is posted, your job is done. That’s like opening a store and forgetting to advertise that you are open. Once a website is online, your marketing has just begun.

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15 ways to sell your artworkPosted by Stephanie Ferguson on December 29th, 2009

There is nothing better as an artist than to see someone display your work and to know that they love and appreciate it. Whether art is a hobby or you earn a living with it, there are always opportunities to sell your art. If you are struggling with how to go about it, the ideas below can be combined to create your own strategy for marketing your work.

• Artist Cards, Editions and Originals (ACEO) – use as business cards to promote your work. Your original art on the front, your contact & product information on the back.

• Bookmarks – again, use as a business card with your art on one side and your information on the other.  Bookmark tassel and sleeve sets can get you started.

• Promotional pieces – T-Shirts, coasters, mugs, etc. – Check out Cafe Press.  Wear your art – “mobile marketing” – then hand out an ACEO or bookmark when someone is interested in your art.

• Mail your art
- Use postcards of your art to advertise your work, sell sets of postcards or give as gifts
- Envelope art – advertise as you send out your mail

• Sell prints. These days it is easy. Fine art printing companies are widely available on the Internet and elsewhere. Many of them do digital capture as well as the printing itself.

• Develop a blog or your own online gallery. At a minimum, get a simple web page where people can view your work and contact you – people expect this.  Get a free hosted blog at Wordpress.com. If you decide you want your own website, check out free web hosting here, then get free blogging software for your website at Wordpress.org.

• Sell on eBAY or ETSY – great places to sell your specialty greeting cards or even original art. List your work on eBay to appeal to consumers who don’t have the time or inclination to pay gallery prices. Set a reserve price that assures you’ll get a decent return on your time.

• Art shows – This can be a great way to get your work seen in the local market. Galleries often host these shows, so they do all the advertising. See our recent blog article for information on shows and how to prepare for them. To find shows in your area you can go to festivalnet.com, or Google “craft show index”.

• Set up a booth at your local farmers market, flea market or swap meet to sell your work. This can be fairly inexpensive.

• Ask to have your art displayed at local libraries, restaurants, Barnes & Noble in the café area, etc.

• Sell through an online artist cooperative.

• Network – join museum or artists’ groups and local business community groups.

• Enter competitions.

• Display or sell your work at church & temple bazaars and holiday boutiques, convention centers and community centers.

• Approach companies that will sell your product. Just because you are an individual, don’t assume that companies won’t want your product. Check out Lady Bones.