1. The person contacting you is usually using poor grammar, punctuation and sentence structure.

2. The person is "away" somewhere, in Haiti, the forest, out to sea, a sailor or an oceanographer... the latest one says he is on an asteroid.(really)

3. The person insists on paying through PayPal. They make a fraudulent payment for more than the amount of the piece and ask you to send someone, presumably the fake shipping company the extra. Do not give them your PayPal email address.

4. The person wants information from you that is clearly already in your site like the price, if the item is available, if you accept PayPal or if you can send them pictures.

5. The person wants to use his or her own shipping company. Even more suspiciously they want to come to you to pick it up.

6. They say things like this..."Will u be able to wire transfer the remaining fund to the shipping company that will come for the pick up of the item the same day u receive the payment from PayPal?"

7. You get multiple emails saying the same thing or similar only the senders name has changed.

8. They ask for information: - Name ( this will be on the Payment)
- Mailing Address (Not a Po box)
- Cell Phone or Home Phone Numbers
- Email addresses.
- Final Asking price of the art work"

The emails are being directed to artists and they are hitting multiple sites, not just ArtId members. Don't give them any information, don't respond to the email. Treat them like any other inheritance or Lotto winning spam. Delete them. No matter how tempting the offer or how innocent the circumstances don't fall for it, legitimate buyers will go through proper channels.

Fine Art America has compiled a database of known scammer email addresses and/or names that you can search to see if your message is a scammer.
Clint Watson stated, "This searchable database of known art scammers is made available to artists as a public service of FineArtStudioOnline. The email and IP addresses in this database are added when the FASO system, using various metrics and algorithms applied across the thousands of artist websites that we host, determines that the person is a likely scammer. If the person is a scammer, he/she is added to this art scammer database.
If you receive a suspicious message, feel free to check it against this database, free of charge.

Save this link! http://fineartstudioonline.com/art-scam/ and check it whenever you get a message that you feel is not legitimate. Even if it reports that this person is not a know scammer, exercise caution. As always you can e-mail support@artid.com and we will be happy to check for you.]]> http://artid.com/members/artid/blog/post/4826 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000

It's easy to get overlooked among the millions of other artists and their work on the Internet. Search Engines like Google work with words, not pictures, so describing your work accurately will give you an edge. Here are five tips to get found faster:

1. Describe your work as though there were no picture with it: If someone is searching for a "horizontal oil painting+yellow roses+vase and your description is "a recent painting of my garden" then the search engines have nothing to match.

Example: Ellen Sullivan Farley described her gorgeous painting of lilies this way: "These are beautiful Casablanca Lilies that I grow in my garden. I love the gestural lines in these flowers and the interesting negative shapes generated between them."

Here is a more Search Engine friendly version with keywords pointed out in italic: Original oil painting of three white, lilies with red stamen, set against a background of bright green foliage and dark green shadows. Softly lit blossoms are close up and detailed filling the image area. 3" gilded wood frame, ready to hang. (then add) "These are beautiful Casablanca Lilies that I grow in my garden. I love the gestural lines in these flowers and the interesting negative shapes generated between them." (You don't need to put keywords in italic on your site.)

2. Describe colors: Especially if the work is abstract. Be specific about whether colors are bold, soft, muted or bright and the overall palette. Mention if it is night or day, a season or any other mood indicators.

3. Specify materials as much as possible: canvas, paper, board, oil, watercolor, ceramic, digital, found objects, metal, stone. These are also commonly used search terms.

4. Specify the format: Vertical, horizontal, free standing, 3D, wearable etc.

5. Describe the subject: If the title is Summer Day, it is even more important to specify and describe the main subject. The more information you provide using key words about any piece will not only get it found faster but will engage the buyer to stay longer in your studio.

The categories and subject choices in your edit menu on ArtId are widely used search terms designed to aid in the search, not to pigeon hole your work, so choose something as close as possible. However if there is a category or subject missing, let us know so we can add it to the list.

Do your homework:
Check out the gallery on their web site or even better in person, to see what kind of art they carry. If you paint impressionist, oil landscapes and they have a big selection of pop art, chances are good that you should move on to the next gallery on your list.

Make arrangements:
Gallery owners are busy people, and you should respect their time. Being interrupted by "cold calls" is a distraction and these well meaning interruptions could really mess up a day. Not a good way to start a relationship. If a gallery will not see you in person, ask if you can send a CD and bio package that may be more convenient for them. Be sure to direct them to your web page.

Presentation is everything:
Make sure your work is presented in a professional way. Use quality materials, the outcome can be subtle but make the world of difference. Make sure your work is well matted and/or framed. A gallery will not want to hang obviously flimsy or scratched frames, it reflects badly on them. Take the buyers perspective, when they purchase a piece of work they want it to stay in one piece and look good for a long time, so quality counts. If you can't afford frames, at least have works on paper well matted and paintings well wrapped to avoid wear and tear.

Be confident:
If you have self-doubt, leave it at home. Speak about your work with confidence and never apologize or point out mistakes or shortcomings. If a gallery agrees to show your work, they will look for a long-term relationship, of mutual benefit. They want to represent artists who truly want to be engaged in the business of making art. It's OK to be new to the gallery environment, everybody has to start somewhere, just don't speak about your work as though it were a pastime. Decide your prices ahead of time and don't waffle, but remain open for negotiation.

School of hard knocks:
Be prepared for "rejection". Not all art is for every gallery. Your timing may be off or the gallery owner is planning something else. In any case, try not to take it personally. Just because they can't or don't want to show your art, does not mean you or your work is a failure.

Stick to it.]]> http://artid.com/members/artid/blog/post/4540 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0000

There are some very persuasive statistics and reasons to get out there and blog. The comment I get the most is "I have nothing to blog about." followed directly with "I don't have time to blog." The actual keyboard time involved in blogging is minimal, it's the subject matter we blank out on.

Imagine...you are exhibiting in a gallery or Art Show, what are the most FAQ from viewers? Inquiring minds really do what to know. It makes them feel like they know you or have an inside track on you and your work. Buyers are much more likely to purchase original art if it has a story attached to it. Every time you upload a new piece on your artid site, there is a button that says "blog about this art".

Here are 10 "Starter" tips to get any artist blogging...

1. "Where is that?" If it's a city or landscape write a paragraph about the location, the weather and why you were there.

2. "How long does it take you to complete a work?" Be honest, time spent does not equal quality in any line of work.

3. What kind of blah-di-blah do you use? Mention brand names you do or do not like and why. Write about a new material you are using or why you are sticking to the tried and true.

4. "Where do you get your ideas?" Well, where do you? What sparks your creative energy?

5. "Where did you study?" Once again be honest, did you go to art school, night classes, read books, hang out with other artists and watch?

6. "Do you ever get artists block?" Write about it and what you do to combat it.

7. "Do you teach classes?" Write about your students and classes or, the reasons you don't teach.

8. "My 3 year old could do this, why is it so expensive?" Write about how a 3 year old can't do it and how you price your art. You don't have to be defensive, just explain.

9. "Where else can I see your work?" Write about your show schedule and web site(s).

10. "Can people visit your studio?" This can be fun, write about where you create, on the kitchen table at night, in your giant custom built studio, a room of your own, or your lap... where you create can be as interesting as why you create.

These are a precious few subjects you can write about. A paragraph or two will suffice. You can write about your opinion, your process, your "aha moments", your cat, anything. It's up to you how much of your soul and/or personal information you want to share. Once you get going you will have plenty of ideas.

Blogging. It's good for you.

"These works of art could easily be mistaken for oil paintings or watercolours - but they've actually been created on an iPad. The pictures were created using fingers and apps such as Brushes, ArtStudio and Sketchbook Pro. The device is attracting established artists, who are abandoning canvases in favour of the 9.7-inch iPad screen. And some iPad prints are being sold for hundreds of pounds. Corliss Blakely, 59, was one of the first professional artists to put an iPad painting on the internet. An artist for much of her life, she had worked with traditional oil paints before switching to the less traditional medium. Now prints of her work can be bought for up to 220 pounds British.($349.00 US) "The device is attracting established artists, who are abandoning canvases in favour of the 9.7-inch iPad screen." How many artists are abandoning canvasses and the joy of movement and gesture in their work for a 9.7-inch screen? As I see it artists rail against the computer daily, purposely not using one, even for everyday tasks, in protest.

I can't believe that Apple is both arrogant and stupid enough to expect a significant number of established artists to happily grab onto this technology and make a killing selling their virtual original art. Apple may know their technology but this shows they don't know the artist or the art market very well.

I'm too upset to talk about it anymore. What do you think?]]> http://artid.com/members/artid/blog/post/4448 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0000 How To Respond To Criticism In Person and Online.

"Everybody's an art critic." (Judith Martin)

Consider the source: "The lot of critics is to be remembered for what they failed to understand." (George Moore). While it is true that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, an opinion is not a critique. A critique is backed by education, insight and objectivity. If someone's remarks about your work are not based in these then the remark has little value. A critique opens up an opportunity for response. An opinion is a dead end. Is it really worth it to exchange caustic remarks and insults with someone whose opinion is baseless? Try, "Thanks for taking the time to comment."

Don't take it personally: "No person is important enough to make me angry." (Thomas Carlyle). Even if a criticism is legitimate, take it as just that, a criticism of your work and not you as a person, even though those two are often made indistinguishable in art. Try not to get angry. It takes a lot of energy to be angry, energy that that could be put to creative use elsewhere. The viewer may think they know your work but they do not know you. But how you respond to their criticism will tell them a lot about you. If you get defensive they know they have hit a nerve and for some people that is exactly what they want. Try "That's an interesting observation."

Recognize the opportunity: "When you see yourself doing something badly and nobody's bothering to tell you anymore, that's a very bad place to be. Your critics are the ones telling you they still{}care." (Randy Pausch).
I'm not too sure about care but criticism means someone is engaged enough to comment. Consider what is being said and if it has any merit, it may be the very thing that pushes you to the next level. Try, "That is a good observation, I'll give it some thought."

Critique Yourself: "Some critics claim to know what art has to be and do, and consider it their task to steer art along the path they have chosen. Others receive art gladly, and try to distinguish degrees of excellence"... (Norbert Lynton). Practice observant self-critique but remember to be as fair to yourself as you would hope other viewers might be. Resist using negative words in any critique like, lousy, bad, failure and the like. Artist Lynne Hurd Bryant writes a great blog about constructive self-critique.
Accept criticism graciously and try to distinguish its degree of value before you decide if and/or how you will respond.]]> http://artid.com/members/artid/blog/post/4374 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Email Contacts - What's Real?

Occasionally on ArtId, we get a person or company that contacts a number of our members through the contact page in their ArtId galleries offering artists anything from representation to licensing deals. Sometimes these offers are legitimate and, unfortunately, sometimes they are not. Because your contact page is open for anyone to use, these emails cannot be dealt with as spam. An email received through your ArtId contact does not mean that we have endorsed the company or person.

So, we'd like to give you some tips on how to discriminate between truly interested business people and those whose real goal is to get you to pay them a lot of money for nothing.

How to Compare

1.A legitimately interested person will identify themselves right away and give you information about themselves and/or their company.

Beware of emails where the writer does not divulge the company name or does not tell you exactly what they are interested in doing.

2. A legitimate email will most likely address you by name and make mention of your work, how the person found you, and why they think you are the artist they want to work with.

Beware of emails that appear generic and do not regard you or your work personally. Likely those emails are being sent to a large number of artists by cutting and pasting the same email over and over again into contact pages.

3. A legitimate proposal will work within a standard of operating procedures that exist within the art business world.

Offers that promise too much probably cannot deliver.

If you receive an email that you are unsure about, let us know and we will investigate it. When we know that an unsavory person or company is contacting our artists, we post a notice in the Announcements section of your ArtId which appears when you login.

]]> http://artid.com/members/artid/blog/post/3626 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:10:21 +0000

It's easy to get caught up measuring "hits" to your website when you are selling artwork online, and then wondering, "Why so many hits and no sales?"

Remember, hits are people, too. Not just faceless numbers on a statistic sheet.

January is a great time to go back to your ArtId gallery and look at it from a buyer's perspective. Ask yourself some questions and see how you might improve your gallery according to your answers.

-How did those people find my gallery?

-Who are they?

-What were they looking for and not find?

-Did I tell them enough about the artwork?

-Did I tell them enough about myself?

-Do the images in my gallery do my art justice?

-Are my prices too high for them, too low?

-Did I make it easy for them to buy my work?

-How can I get them to come back if they didn't buy today?

A few simple changes could convert those hits into buyers!]]> http://artid.com/members/artid/blog/post/3461 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000 I know dozens of artists who simply will not: have an online gallery, a blog, join any online groups, or use the Internet to their advantage in any way. Period. Statistics don't sway them, other Internet artists making
sales while they aren't, doesn't prove anything to them. Well the facts are in, artists who use their website and social media to their advantage, sell. Period. The marketplace has changed and the way we do business has changed.

"I don't have time, I don't like computers, it's too hard to learn, I don't have anything to blog about, it costs too much". If this sounds like you or someone you know, read on.

Granted, getting started is a learning curve but the longer you wait the harder it will be. If you can send email and pictures, you can have a website. You don't need to spend thousands on a personal website and have someone maintain it for you or learn to maintain it yourself. The fees attached with any community site like ArtId are tiny (and tax deductable as a business expense) compared to what you would spend on your own and there is nothing to prove that your personal website will be any more lucrative. Artists care about the aesthetics and flow and flash, but the buyer doesn't. If you build your own site and it's lousy, they will notice that.

Galleries don't want to look at portfolios, especially without an appointment. They would much rather look at your web site when it is convenient for them. If they like what they see, maybe they will call you in. Galleries are looking online now for new talent, because it's all there in one easy search.
Your online gallery IS your portfolio, your brochure and your artist's statement. It is also a place to build your email list and send out your virtual postcard or newsletter mailing. Now you can get your artwork in front of millions instead of hundreds and you don't have to schlepp it anywhere.
If you produce art and you want to sell it, then you have to do the work. In today's commerce structure, your self-representation must include a web presence, a blog and a mailing list. These are very valuable and powerful tools to help you build a following, connect, research, learn, teach and communicate with other artists and buyers all over the world.

If you don't care about selling your artwork, then please pass this article on to an artist, you know who does. ]]> http://artid.com/members/artid/blog/post/3259 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

We don't read them all everyday but do check them often, or subscribe to them, like Seth Goden's blog, which is very short and sweet and gives us something to contemplate as we start our day. Blogs we follow, have great information, are well written and are by people or organizations that are trustworthy.

1. Seth Godin: Marketing genius with decades in the business. Forward thinking, concise and top notch story telling. We subscribe to his blog so we get it everyday Actually, we think that every person on the planet should read Seth Godin everyday. http://sethgodin.typepad.com/.

2. Empty Easel: Excellent weekly digest for artists covering, techniques and trends, the business of art and other musings we think any artist would find helpful. We subscribe to this blog as well, it is posted on Sunday Nights. http://emptyeasel.com/.

3. Fine Art Views: Written by Clint Watson and his team of excellent guest writers. They cover everything from how to hang your art to business ethics to how to work with galleries. Excellent content. We follow Clint Watson on Twitter http://clintwatson.net/blog/.

4. Art Biz Blog: Excellent, excellent. They post all the same great advice ArtId com does so it's good to know we're all on the same page, giving you good advice. http://www.artbizblog.com/.

5. Social Media 101: Written by twosome Julie Roads and Ron Miller, it is geared toward Social Media beginners. This blog has great content, and is written simply and easy to understand. We follow Julie Roads on Twitter. http://www.socmedia101.com/.

We're sure you have some favorites of your own. Let us know what you are reading.]]> http://artid.com/members/artid/blog/post/3162 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Email Signature as a Marketing Tool

Put your ArtId gallery link at the end of all your emails. Every time you send an email will be an opportunity to remind people that you are an artist. You'll be amazed at how many people will check out your gallery.

How Do I Add a Signature to my Email?

Go! Go do it now!

]]> http://artid.com/members/artid/blog/post/3111 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:33:49 +0000

It almost goes without saying that people love stories _ we root for the athlete with the story that affects us the most, we watch the same news report over and over because the story compels us, we even eat at a certain restaurant more often if we appreciate the chef's personal story. The same is true with art buyers.

Imagine you are at an art fair and you are selling your landscapes. There are 5 other artists selling landscapes at the same fair. If a buyer is out there looking for a landscape painting, chances are that buyer will buy a painting from the artist whom he/she feels a sense of camaraderie with personally.

How do you create camaraderie? Tell your buyers your story. Make them feel that the way you came about making your landscapes is far more compelling than the other 4 landscape artists at the fair. Not only will a patron be more likely to buy your art, but they will remember you, they will tell your story to their friends and create priceless word of mouth advertising for your work.

Recently, I saw the power of story-telling in action. An art consultant friend of mine was showing over 50 artists to a big retail client. Out of a wide range of excellent work, the client chose one artist to work with because that artist had an interesting story, one that pulled together his personal life with his artwork. The retailer knew the work not only had merit and salability like many of the other artists he saw, but that it also had a story he could sell to his retail customers. The artist was awarded a huge opportunity based on the power of his story.

As artists, we often like to believe that the quality of our work should determine how well it sells. But let's be real - selling art is like selling any other product on the market, it has to be good and have the most appealing package.

5 Ways to Effectively Tell Your Story to Sell Art

1. Ask yourself why it is you are making the art that you are making. Is it because of where you grew up, some life changing experience that happened
   to you, an obsession you had from childhood, because of a job or career that
   you had, or a technique you discovered while fiddling around in your studio?
2. Write your story (in no more than several paragraphs) in a way that captures your reader's attention. If you are not a great writer, hire a friend
   or freelance writer to do it for you. Try to use the first person voice in
   your story so you can bring the reader in more immediately.
3. Copy that well-crafted piece of writing into your bio, your brochures and everywhere you can. You could even base your business logo on some aspect
   of the story and use the story as a basis for building your visual brand.
   
4. Embody the story. Re-tell your story to anyone and everyone who is interested.
5. If a piece/tangent of the story is recognizable in your work, all the better. A buyer will feel like they are taking your incredible story into their homes
   and are in some way too a part of it.