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Ten Keys to an Artists Success
"Live Performer" Artist Michael Pukac
“The key to success is to focus our mind on things we desire, not things we fear.” Brian Tracy
Why are some artists more successful than others? Have a look at what they’re doing and you’ll find your answer.
I gave a lecture on the following Keys to Success for Artists in Westminster, CA. Later in this post I share my slide show as well as recommended reading.
TEN KEYS TO SUCCESS FOR ARTISTS:
KEY 1: CHOOSE YOUR PATH: PLAN YOUR ART CAREER & STRATEGY
- What does SUCCESS look like to you? Decide who and what you want to be
- Plan your vision, your mission
- Create a strategy, Implement it and stay with it
KEY 2: BRAND YOURSELF
- What’s unique about your art? You?
- Everyone’s got a story
KEY 3: PROTECT YOUR COPYRIGHTS
- Why you should protect your copyrights like you would your children
KEY 4: BEHAVE LIKE A PROFESSIONAL
- You are 100% responsible for your own career
- The contribution you make with your talent
- Integrity is more important than the art itself – reputation rules
KEY 5: SHOOT YOURSELF! (DOCUMENT EVERYTHING)
- Document you, your work, you working
- Scan or photograph every art piece
- Don’t let a piece leave your possession without a photo
KEY 6: PROMOTE YOURSELF SHAMELESSLY
- Magazines & Newspapers & Live T.V. / Radio Spots
- Leverage your relationships with clients for THEIR ads
- Make your art available for writers/producers/all media
KEY 7: STRUCTURE YOUR PRICING – HOW TO PRICE YOUR ART
- How to price your artworks in a manner that’s structured and makes sense
KEY 8: MANAGE YOUR MONEY – Money Matters!
- Set up your billing practices and create a policy for your art business
- HOW to NEVER get ripped off AGAIN
KEY 9: MULTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME: Working Smarter, not Harder
- Create additional income & another way to promote your art
- Art Licensing basics
KEY 10: ALWAYS A STUDENT: Continue Growth through reading
- Continue educating yourself – read everyday
- Just do it! You’ll learn from your mistakes
- Continue to follow the Path of An Artist
RECOMMENDED READING:
“A man only learns in two ways; one by reading and the other by association with smarter people.” Will Rogers
In the lecture, there were many questions about developing a collector’s data base, sending mailers and creating an e-mail list, as well as questions on blogging. Here’s a great resource to help you with all of those details:
I’D RATHER BE IN THE STUDIO is a book written by Art Business guru Alyson Stanfield. For more details on her book, click here. (I bought this book last year and loved it so much that I became an affiliate.)
THE ARTIST’S BIBLE: You must have this book if you’re going to operate as a professional artist, in just about every field: Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines (Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines)
You will find pricing guidelines, sample contract language and the low-down on how the art world works with commissions, licenses, design work, advertising, and anything else you can think of. GO NOW and buy this book. You’ll use it more than you use your electric toothbrush!
For more recommendations, go to Five Must Read Books for Artists.
Below is the slide show I promised:
As always, I hope this is helpful. Here’s to your success!
Maria xxoo
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Similar Posts:
- Five Must-Read Books for Artists Looking to Power-up their Career
- Art Licensing 101 Lecture RECAP
- Work Smarter, Not Harder – Licensing your Art 101
Tags: ten keys to artists success
Maria
11. Aug, 2010
Thanks for another great post, Maria! I can’t wait to read all of these links!
Tanya
12. Aug, 2010
thanks Maria. This is so helpful (as usual!)
I have not watched the slide show yet, and maybe my uestion would be answered, but I wonder if you could elaborate more on key #6, and how to promote yourself. How do you get a spot on TV or the local newspaper? what do you mean to make your art available to all media?
thanks for this.
Maria Brophy
12. Aug, 2010
Tanya, thanks for the comment. The PROMOTE YOURSELF section doesn’t have any links because I haven’t yet written articles that would fit it. I searched through google looking for artist promotions on other websites and didn’t find anything there, either. That surprised me.
i now see that there’s a need to write articles on the promotion side, specifically how to get magazines and newspapers to write about you, getting on T.V. and ways to self-promote.
You can expect to see promotion articles from me in the near future!
Leo
13. Aug, 2010
Maria,
Awesome information, love it!
Thank you and God bless….
business buzz 8-21-10
21. Aug, 2010
[...] Ten Keys to an Artists Success – this post includes a slide show, recommended reading, and key points from Maria Brophy’s lecture [...]
Simone
29. Aug, 2010
Some great tips there. I think the multiple streams of income is one of the best suggestions. I really believe in that philosophy.
Diane Hoeptner
01. Jan, 2011
Inspired common sense– You got it! Thanks for sharing (again!)