This is the official Blog for the EBSQ Self-Representing Artists Community, where you'll find news, reviews, site announcements, and of course, a generous helping of art!
Voting is underway in our August online exhibits: Cats & Dogs, FOTM: Prairie Plants, and Plein Air: Water. Members of EBSQ have until tomorrow, 9/8, to vote for their favorite artwork in each show. Go show your support for our artists!
Entries are now open for September’s exhibits:
The deadline for entering a September exhibit is 9/30/2012. I’ll be entering the Autumn exhibit. Which exhibit is on your radar?
Who and where are you?
Christine E. Striemer (AKA CES) from Saskatchewan, Canada. We just moved from the big city Saskatoon back to the country last year and we are loving it!
How were you introduced to Facebook?
I noticed most of my friends and family were using it for it’s social aspect. I didn’t have much desire to use it socially, but once I discovered the business potential for it, I jumped on board.
Any tips for other artists starting a Facebook Page?
Links, links, links with the photos of your art. If you’re in the business of selling your art and not just showing it, always post links to where it can be bought. Keep your links updated. Make sure your posts with links can be shared easily from Facebook user to Facebook user. (Some automatic blog posts show up without the share function).
Describe your work: size, medium, support, price, etc.
Create an “Available Works” album and keep it updated.
“Like” other pages with your art page, especially pages that tend to share artists’ work.
Take the time to thank followers for their comments or shares, and respond to any questions.
Also, update your status with something new consistently. Aim for at least twice a week, but once a day is better. Even if you don’t have a new piece of art to share, update with an old one that may have gone unnoticed for quite some time or even simply talk about what you’re working on. Caution: don’t bore people with 20 posts a day. If you overwhelm your fans, they’re more likely to skip over your posts.
What’s your favorite Facebook Page feature?
The share function! Every time something is shared from your page, your audience increases and multiplies.
What’s coming next from your studio?
I’m currently working on the 29 Faces of May challenge. It has been an exhausting endeavor, but I’m determined to see it through. I’m finding that I’m producing some of my most creative works!
1. Circle Play – I’ve been watching artist, Cyndi Agathocleous’ art evolve over the last two years. Her latest geometric abstracts are some of my favorites.
2. With a thankful heart – Congratulations to Teresa Cowley!! Her portrait, Angela, was accepted into the Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists, “Faces of Winter 2012” Exhibition!
3. The Artist’s Magazine Honorable Mention – More congratulations are in order for scratchboard artist, Sandra Willard!!
4. A boatload of greeting cards – Carmen Medlin has been busy on Zazzle!
5. Facebook Fan Page for your Business – Stacey Zimmerman has some great tips for optimizing your page for your art business.
Have a great weekend!
Pastels are the spotlight at EBSQ this month. Here’s a peak at just a few of the amazing artworks in this gallery.
Check out the rest of our Featured Gallery!
1. New Year, New Art – Anyone for some Strawberry Tea? I love Terry McClary’s newest illustration for 2012!
2. 2012 Color of the Year – It’s named after a fruit and Miriam Schulman has all the details!
3. MotM: Make it So – January’s Mandala of the Month, Make it So, it perfect for starting the New Year on a good note. Thank you, Maureen Frank!
4. Coming Full Circle with Social Networking – Haven’t tackled the world of social networking yet? Stacey Zimmerman has some great tips for newbies to make social networking work for you art business in 2012.
5. 2012/365: Day 1 – Took Gallagher doesn’t miss a beat. Her 365 project starts off with a bang and a lot of plaster!
Best wishes to you in 2012!
EBSQ’s very own Cathy Johnson will be hosting a free 4-week workshop on Watercolor Sketching in March 2012. I know March is a little ways off and you’re probably focused on the holidays right now, but sign-ups have already begun and Cathy will be sharing the class supply list on January 23rd! Cathy’s workshop is a part of Strathmore’s 2012 Online Workshop Series. Here’s what Cathy had to say about her workshop on her blog:
I’ve been asked to do a 4-week workshop as part of Strathmore’s free workshop series, and I was delighted to say yes! It will focus on watercolor, but we’ll also cover mixed media and journaling.
Follow the link above to register for Cathy’s workshop or all three of the free Strathmore workshops. Then they will send you a link where you can sign-up for the class via their Strathmore Online Workshops community. You get your own page where you can upload some of your art, meet other classmates, etc.
I’ve already joined and can’t wait to start Cathy’s workshop. If you decided to join, come sit by me (a.k.a be my friend) and we’ll take the workshop together!
1. Fabric Art Necklace – Check out the latest fabric art from EBSQ artist Sue Young!
2. Time to Refuel the Creative Well – Taking time out from creating is vital in keeping those creative juices flowing. Miriam Schulman shares how she spent her time off and invites you to share how you spend yours.
3. Sandra Willard Solo Show – Scratchboard artist, Sandra Willard, is having her first solo show! It opens today at Illini Union Art Gallery at the University of Illinois (Urbana). Check her blog for full details.
4. Has the art world turned it’s back on you – There’s no denying these are hard times for many visual artists. Delilah Smith shares some ideas for staying afloat (creatively) through the rough times.
5. Something New: WibbleyWare! – Hand-painted pendants and cameo necklaces have made their debut in the World of Wibble. Check it out!!
Have a wonderful weekend!
I hope you enjoy this collection of beautiful art from Team EBSQ! EBSQart.com is made up of artists, photographers, crafters, and people who simply love art.
 Barn Owl holiday to… $25.00
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 Christmas Holly Wat… $30.00
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 Aceo Print Reproduc… $4.00
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 FREE SHIPPING Chri… $15.00
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 Old St. Nick Acryli… $299.00
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 ACEO Kitty Cat Unde… $5.00
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 Holiday Penguin & C… $16.50
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 Candy Striped DRAGO… $9.99
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 Basset Christmas Gi… $25.00
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 hat cat art greetin… $3.50
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 SALE Large Origina… $21.00
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 Bird Chickadee Art … $18.00
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 Winter trees Art Pr… $30.00
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 HAVANESE Dog Reinde… $50.00
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 Skeybadge art badge… $12.50
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 Cozy Fireplace $3.00
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1. On Being Grateful #3 – Kathleen Ralph’s awesome rendition of C-3PO as a Van Gogh portrait has been selected for a digital art exhibit through the University of Calgary. Congratulations Kathleen!
2. December’s Mandala: Letting Go – Maureen Frank’s December mandala is a wonderful exercise in both creativity and psychological cleansing. Check it out! It’s FREE.
3. Free Holiday Desktop Calendar – Terry McClary has a wonderful (and FREE) gift for her blog readers, a wonderful wallpaper for your computer that doubles as a calendar!
4. News from Cathy Johnson – Cathy has a lot of news to share in this post, but what snagged my attention is the FREE workshop she will be hosting through Strathmore next year.
5. Great Kits and Gadgets for Artists – Stacey Zimmerman has some great gift ideas for artists!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Have you run out of ideas for your next blog post? EBSQ Tips for Awesome Art Blogs will feature some of the more creative posts our artists are taking advantage of to spice up their blogs.
There is some debate about whether artists should giveaway their art. Should you giveaway a large painting? Probably not. But why not something small, like an ACEO or a fine art giclee? No matter what side you take, giveaways are a great way to attract visitors to your blog. Who doesn’t want something for FREE?
What does it take?
Blog giveaways don’t have to be complicated. All you need to do is choose the artwork up for grabs, set the dates of the giveaway, and explain to visitors how to enter. The most common way to enter a giveaway is for visitors to leave a comment on the blog post. You can then assign each comment a number and put those into a drawing for the winner. Many bloggers use Random.org for their drawing but some just throw the names into a hat!
If you are unsure about your giveaway post it never hurts to see how others organize their giveaways. Check out my own holiday giveaway! I used WordPress’ feedback form so visitors could enter without leaving a comment but the rest is no different than your basic giveaway.
Rules of thumb:
1. Be sure to make it clear if your giveaway is open to international entries.
2. Don’t forget to share the news of your giveaway with as many people as you can!
A few EBSQ artists who have taken advantage of the “giveaway” post include: Melia Newman (Blog), Amanda Makepeace (Blog), Sara Burrier (Blog), Maria Soto Robbins (Blog), and Vickie Miller (Blog).
1. Orchids and Monarch Butterfly – I love this November painting from artist Christine Striemer. You can also see it in the EBSQ Flower of the Month Show!
2. The Friends an Artist Needs – Melia Newman has a thoughtful post on the life of an artist and the friends we need to keep us creative and sane.
3. Custom Jewelry Tags – Have you ever wondered how jewelry tags are made? Stop by Vickie Miller’s blog for the details on how she makes her tags.
4. Pet Portrait Presents – Pet portraits do make great gifts. Miriam Schulman is taking orders now and shares a wonderful example of a cat portrait.
5. The Camling House – Sara Burrier’s latest post is a two-parter, and while I love the birdhouse she painted, the first half the post caught my eye. It’s all about creating your own handmade brush holder!
Have a great weekend!
The holiday shopping season has already begun, but it’s never to late to get your EBSQ portfolio or shop in shape for holiday shoppers. EBSQ has some excellent articles with tips and tricks for the trade. Here are just three:
Most people like to feel like they are actually holding that piece of art. They want to see the texture, the size, the edges; they want to be able to investigate the piece like it was in their hands. This refers to the art on stretchers, but close up details still apply to cloth canvas artworks too, of course.
Besides the fact that some people are already leery about purchasing things online, you want to help demystify them from hesitating from purchasing from you. You want to gain their trust, and help them understand the product/artwork you are offering in full.
They want to know what they are getting! Simple as that.
First, let’s look at why we should even want to write anything about what we do. The main reason is to connect with the people who view your work. People like to feel connected. This is true in all aspects of society and it is a valuable tool when it comes to promoting ourselves and selling our art. When I was working in a gallery, I can not tell you how many times people came in and asked for information about an artist or a particular piece.
If you are thinking, “A connection…thanks for the general and not very helpful bit of information,” let me elaborate.
When someone sees a piece of art that they like, they often want to know about the person that created it. A general bio on file takes care of the basics but often people want to know more.
There are so many facets to consider about when creating a work of art, because this category and subject can get very detailed and is quite broad based on each individual and style of medium. Whether you sculpt, paint, sketch, weld, to the many mediums and styles of painting, colors, textures media etc., you can spend more time in trying to determine what the final masterpiece will be priced at that what it took to create it.
First of all, don’t shortchange yourself, YET, be very practical. Now, this is not to say that you should give your art away but at the same time don’t give your potential customers unrealistic sticker shock either. Listed below are a few different methods that may work for you, these suggestions can assist you in some of the wandering questions that we have all experienced at a point in our artistic careers. Try one or all of these, experiment, you may find one that works well for you, based on the size of the piece, time measure and pace yourself. As you get started with this it can give you a better idea of your scale for pricing.
I thought today I’d share some of my favorite new art from the last few weeks, as seen on the EBSQ Artist’s blogs. If you have a favorite please share a link with us in the comments!
As you can see, I have diverse tastes! Have a great weekend everyone.
Have you run out of ideas for your next blog post? EBSQ Tips for Awesome Art Blogs will feature some of the more creative posts our artists are taking advantage of to spice up their blogs.
Whether you like them or not, videos are a popular way to share knowledge and entertainment on the web. More and more artists are cashing in on this growing fad, with how-to videos and time-lapse videos of their painting process. Videos can also be a great way to drive more traffic to your blog and through Youtube, introduce many more new potential buyers and fans to your art. Today’s video example is from EBSQ artist Melia Newman.
You can see how she incorporated this video into her blog post here.
What does it take?
You don’t need to buy top of the line, expensive equipment to begin recording in your studio. In fact, you may already have everything you need at your fingertips. Melia Newman made the above video using her web cam. Many new laptops are sold with web cam’s pre-installed. Then all you need is something like Windows Movie Maker (free) or Apple iMovie (free) for Mac users. Most any video editing software includes a simple upload to Youtube. Once on Youtube you can easily embed the video on your blog or website!
Rules of thumb:
1. Keep your video under 5 minutes. This isn’t a strict rule, but it does make it easier for visitors to watch whenever and where ever they are without taking up too much of their time.
2. Make sure you have adequate lighting for your video too!
A few EBSQ artists who have taken advantage of the “video” post include: Melia Newman (Blog), Robert Kimball (Blog), Mark Satchwill (Blog) and Noelle Hunt (Blog).
1. Pumpkins and Shadows – I love this new painting from Torrie Smiley. Pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween, you know!
2. Figure Studies – Mark Satchwill shares a great resource for artists who focus on figurative art and those who want to learn or improve their skills.
3. You’re invited – Michele Lynch has a group show coming up. Check out her blog for the flyer!
4. The Art of Emilio Sanchez – Maria Soto Robbins has an interesting post on Cuban artist, Emilio Sanchez.
5. November Mandala – I can’t believe it’s November already! Check out this month’s mandala from a Maureen Frank.
Have a wonderful weekend!
When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.
~Author Unknown
We hope you safe and fun Halloween!
1. Kiss or Zombie Bite – Noelle Hunt asks the question, would you succumb to your loved one were they turned into a zombie?
2. Letraset Alcohol-based Inks – Mark Satchwill has offered an excellent review of the new alcohol-based inks from Letraset. Check out his amazing results!
3. Moments from the studio – Jason Barre gives us a glimpse into his studio, sharing the unseen moments behind his creative genius.
4. Pre-Holiday Sale – Melanie Pruitt is having a sale on everything in her Etsy shop. Check her blog for the magic coupon code!
5. Would you like to win this bead? – Vickie Miller is having a giveaway!! Enter by this Sunday, Oct 30th for a chance to win one of her handmade glass beads.
Have a wonderfully spooky weekend!
Have you run out of ideas for your next blog post? EBSQ Tips for Awesome Art Blogs will feature some of the more creative posts our artists are taking advantage of to spice up their blogs.
Today’s Tip: Product ReviewsProduct reviews are another great way to spice up your blog and offer something informative to your readers. Believe it or not there are thousands of people searching the web this very instant for a product review. They want to know if those paints are worth buying or if the latest image editing software is worth the high price tag. Writing the occasional product review can bring in new visitors to your blog and in turn introduce them to your art.
What does it take?
You can review anything. Maybe a new type of watercolor paper you are experimenting with or you could explore outside your profession. Reviewing something you are genuinely interested in also gives readers a glimpse of the real you, which is after all what they are looking for when they seek out your blog.
Rules of Thumb
A few EBSQ artists who have taken advantage of the “product review” post include Melanie Pruitt (Blog), Sara Burrier (Blog), Amanda Makepeace (Blog), Jennifer Lommers (Blog), Kathleen Ralph (Blog), and Mark Satchwill (Blog).
1. Halloween Still Life – For this week’s Halloween art we have a creepy still life from Christine E. Striemer.
2. Make your own Oracle Deck – Terry McClary is offering a new class on making your own Oracle or Tarot Deck. Check her blog for details!
3. Art for the Cure – Congratulations to Melanie Douthit! Her painting was featured in the Franklin Sun for a breast cancer awareness event.
4. What’s the Title? – Sara Burrier is looking for a title to her new mermaid painting. Help her and you could win some goodies!!
5. Don’t forget next week is the last Friday in October. If you have some Halloween art be sure to post it on your blog before the 31st for a chance to be in the Halloween Showcase!
Have a wonderful weekend!
1. Witch Ornie – EBSQ mixed media artist, Michele Lynch has been busy creating cute creepy ornaments for Halloween!
2. 4th Annual Art Auction – Stop by Jennifer Lommers blog for details on her winter art auction.
3. Selling Art in Hard Times – Artist Delilah Smith has some insightful thoughts on being an artist and your own business manager.
4. Anabelle – Are you a fan of Steampunk Art? If so, then you mustn’t miss Melia Newman’s video of paintings Anabelle.
5. 11 Whimsical Ways to Clear your Creative Block – Terry McClary has some wonderful, and fun, ideas to get those creative juices flowing!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Art & News from EBSQ 