Think Highly of Your Work
Hello Moonbeams,
This article is a 5-6 minute read 🌙
Over the years, I have been working to make my art more and more presentable to the public. In my little studio space, I know exactly how much effort and emotion goes into the work but strangers on the internet or at in person shows likely have no idea! Since I began taking the Making Art Work workshop recently, the idea of thinking more highly of my work has been at the forefront of my mind so I wanted to share some of the tidbits I think of when presenting my work to people.
The overall goal is to show your viewers that you recognize that your work is precious and that you see its value and that you will be sharing that value with them. I tried to make these tips brief but please ask me if you want further details on anything below!
Speak highly of your work online or in person
It can be really hard for creators (myself included) to want to talk highly of their work. But it makes such a positive impact both on ourselves, and on others. We can be both humble, AND confident.
Share the joy you had when you created the piece. Be excited about how it turned out!
Share the meaning behind it, and open conversation to others to talk about the meaning with you. If you are unsure of what the work means, asking others what they see from it can be a great way to engage!
Taking better photos
Clear and not blurry. You can still use your phone, but maybe download a free editing program like Lightroom for mobile to help you make your photos the best they can be
Take photos in good light. Natural daylight coming through a window, or outside on a cloudy day both work great. You can also purchase a soft box light.
Presenting your work more highly in your online shop
Whether you use etsy, your own website, or that many other selling platforms available to creators, presenting your work well online is so important because people are not going to be able to see it in person until it arrives so you have to do some extra work to show them how valuable and beautiful it is.
In addition to taking good photos, take a lot of photos. People love seeing the details of each piece whether it be a closeup of a detail, or something to show the texture of the piece.
If the piece is on a flat paper, showing it in a frame can be nice (just make it clear in the listing if the piece actually comes framed or not) If you do not have a way to show it framed, you can just present the piece in a really nice setting with good, clear images, detail shots, and maybe a few relevant props to add to the mood of the piece.
Do not under price. Once you know that your work's quality is there (created with quality materials, presented in a nice way) I recommend browsing a variety of artists in your field to see what their pricing is like and try not to go way under them as it can actually give your work the impression of being less valuable to potential buyers when you go too low.
Presenting your work in person
In-person events can be one of the best ways to get your work seen. I thought about what gallery shows, art fairs, and conventions all have in common when it comes to presenting your work in a way that amplifies it and gives it prestige.
Originals
If you have originals to sell, chances are they are going to be more expensive than your prints. Present them in a way that makes this clear and helps people understand that their investment is worth it.
Frame flat pieces. While you can sometimes hang stretched canvas or wood panels without a frame, flat paper pieces usually need something to bulk them up.
If you do not wish to frame, present pieces in a nice portfolio, or in a protective sleeve with a piece of art board or foam core. Note that most galleries will probably require framing however.
Prints
For prints and reproductions, ensuring that the quality is right for the price is important. Make sure the images on the prints are clear and that the colours match the original art. make sure the paper quality fits your work (my work looks terrible on floppy poster paper) I recommend either having your work professionally scanned, or investing in a decent scanner. I use a Canon Canoscan Lide400 which is pretty affordable and honestly looks great! Getting good at using a program like Lightroom, Photoshop, or Affinity to edit colours will also ensure that the prints look good.
Finding a Support System
There are many amazing groups online on places like Discord and Facebook and perhaps even local. Finding a group of people willing to give you feedback on what you do, and of course, giving feedback and support in exchange, is an excellent way to start presenting your work in a way that shows its value. I would be so lost if not for the many peers, mentors, and heroes I have observed and learned from over the years!
Keep in mind, some of these things take time to enact. I highly advise against trying to do everything at once. Start small. Maybe today you can post an image to social media that is a little bit clearer, maybe over the next few weeks you can work on how you speak about your creations. It is very much okay to make this an ongoing process. Over time, things really do start to click in your brain and you start recognizing areas where you can improve all on your own.
Be well ✨
Aria
