All over the ages, artists have been acknowledged to be solitary creatures. They shell out several hours on hrs, 12 months soon after 12 months, developing performs of creativeness, whether through painting, drawing, sculpting, or some other medium of expression. For most of us, we like understanding when it comes to our medium of expression, however for most of us, social media as a sort of expression is not significant on our “gosh, I really like this” list. Nor is the believed of discovering all the most recent, most up-to-date and greatest developments, apps, and software program associated with social media. And if you happen to be like me, you come to feel that will take time absent from portray.
Now, be sure to never acquire this wrong. I adore connecting with other artists, my pupils, admirers of my do the job, and collectors. But keeping an on-line presence takes time. So, how do you “get social” without likely down the rabbit hole of dropped time?
You review your wants, exploration the solutions accessible, make a social media strategy, and dedicate to your prepare for more than enough time to identify if you need to make variations. And asking other artists about their social media strategy can help you investigate and approach. So, here is what works for my enterprise.
I will start off with the easier one particular. For me, Instagram was a no-brainer in choosing what I required out of this system. Soon after looking into other artists’ accounts, I made a decision this platform would be a gallery of my function. I submit images of my concluded paintings and awards my artwork has received. I use my Facebook tradition (I am going to get into this procedure in the Fb portion) of submitting my work in course of action. Generally, these pictures entail shut-up facts of the portray in process. I consider the close-up shots with my cellular phone, which differs from the shots of my done paintings which are professionally scanned.
I hashtag all my posts and reels generating it less difficult for my posts to locate additional exposure (hashtags have their very own webpage). Some of the hashtags I use on Instagram are #fineart #oilpainting #portraits #portraiture #artist #portrait #artoftheday #figurativeart #artistsoninstagram #artwork, and of class, #artisttinagarrett.
Employing Instagram reels (limited films), I post snippets of interviews I have given to art magazines or providers included in the art sector. I also generate short movies highlighting a painting with a trending seem that fits the temper of the painting. Movie enables my posts to be multi-dimensional and not just static images. Reels also give my account a larger sized viewing viewers mainly because the Instagram algorithm shows reels to a broader viewers than just your followers.
Instagram, for me, is a extremely significant gallery where by my art hangs for all the planet to watch. A man or woman wanting at my profile on Instagram appreciates instantly I’m a painter. They know I paint figurative artwork and can get a style of the model of artwork I build. What they’re not going to uncover on my Instagram account is everything of a particular nature like my kids, partner, animals, or just about anything exterior of my small business as an artist.
Facebook is in which the bulk of my social media time is put in for the reason that I use this platform in a amount of various ways.
Initial, I have two accounts – a personalized account and a enterprise account. Both equally are utilised for business enterprise, this means I article my do the job- and organization-related products on both of those. Why do I have both equally styles of accounts if I use them each for company? Well, Fb restrictions the selection of “pals” you can have with a private account to five thousand, while a business enterprise account is endless. Decades into my journey as an artist, I strike this limit. So I opened up my business enterprise account. Yet my good friends have been an integral part of my artist journey, so I proceed to post my small business information on my private account.
When I started off my journey as a painter, I posted my work in progress on my Facebook feed. I made use of photos and short films, my following grew, and I marketed most of my paintings “off the easel.” This is the Fb custom I mentioned above. I carry on this solution as I am a business believer my paintings offer them selves. I in no way know who my upcoming collector will be or in which they will see my get the job done, but Fb posts have designed a amount of my sales. Use this as food stuff for thought when setting up your social media method.
Now let us get into the meat of how I use Facebook… Groups. I have someplace all over 12 groups. They are a blend of free and compensated groups. Let me explain…
The very first team, Tina’s Pupils Only Web page, is absolutely free for any one who has taken a course from me. This team allows my students to article their get the job done for open critique, questions about painting, and to share their successes. For my aspect, this team takes very very little monitoring, and the characteristic of obtaining free critique from me and other learners, at any time, is a benefit -insert for my pupils.
Secondly, I have mentorship groups that involve a monthly paid membership. These groups incorporate portray instruction and lectures which are broadcasted every month. The team function lets me conveniently tailor my educating to precise needs and/or encounter degrees. Facebook’s group configurations allow every of the college students to accessibility the broadcasted information at any time, from any spot as often as they like. College students also have 24/7 accessibility to all article content, quizzes and other information. Pupils can also community with a person a further and can pop in to talk to me inquiries 24/7. In these teams, the college student is in no way on camera and can very easily share what they are functioning on and get feed-back from me and other learners at their usefulness.
Then you can find the social facet of my social media. Facebook is the place you’re going to see posts about the personalized side of my existence. Are there images of my puppies, Romeo and Juliet? Sure. My hubby? My young children? Of course, and sure. My portray outings? Yup. Facebook is the place you’re going to see a more rounded portrait of me and my art journey.
YouTube
Of course, I’m on YouTube as effectively, but in a constrained way. YouTube hosts the movies I use for my internet site. Also, I’ve designed a couple of trailers/teasers for my tutorial movies, and you can expect to discover them on YouTube. But for me, this platform is a internet hosting internet site for videos I want to showcase somewhere else. In my small business design, if you want an instruction video clip, I have them for sale on my web page as well as streaming on FASO/Boldbrush.
TikTok and other social media internet sites
Verify back again with me in a couple months. I am putting some believed into becoming a member of this platform. It has a assorted pursuing, and artists are constructing a critical follower base. I know some artists who have produced cash flow from their posts by way of compact commissioned will work. However the prospect to acquire followers is huge, I’m nevertheless investigating to see if TikTok is correct for my small business approach.
For me, web sites like Reddit, SnapChat, Houseparty, and Clubhouse, don’t align with my organization model. Both the platform’s focus on age doesn’t jive with the goal age of my business model, or the system makes use of voice only. Given that I’m a painter, my artwork is visible, and a system without the need of visuals does not operate for me. Do they operate for other artists? I am absolutely sure they do in some cases. But I have minimal time and strength for social media, so I need to have to spend that time and vitality with intention.
Now you’ve had a peek into how I use social media for my organization. May well I counsel you take a glance at the social media accounts of other artists, specially the artists where you love what they’re accomplishing on social media? Make notes of what you adore and will not adore, then glimpse at your very own social media accounts with a crucial eye. Feel about what variations you would make to shift your on line presence forward. Then consider a deep breath and don’t forget your social media is a operate in progress, just like your art.
