o there it is you did everything the education system told you to do. You studied hard, you worked hard, you listened to all those academic teachers and explored all those different styles to come up with something to call your own. You're style, your you the essence that flows from the brush/pen to the canvas/paper. What do you do with this work? I know many many students who while going to school hid all their artworks under their bed, in the closets, and even Mom and/or Dads place. Speed forward to after graduation, going to start your artistic career?


Starting your art career is going take work, for sure. While many of the teachers know how to work within the Academic Circles, its not common place for teachers to teach alternative art routes. One teacher I had spent a whole day talking to students about alternative art routes that may not make you famous, but are profitable. There are tons of alternative art routes today. I know going to college I work hard to make my Portfolio for the Academic teachers and gallery system. Art Gallery presentation styles are the expected practice and format for all educated artist. What do you do when you don't want to go into the Art Galley System? So many artist out there have great work and don't know how to sell or where to promote. Here I'm going to list some alternative Art spaces you may or may not know already in hopes that it opens your eyes to more options around you. It seems its so easy to dream big of getting into the Art galleries, making it big, and showing your best works around the country. Some educated artist believe they are so good there is no need to look for galleries, Galleries will come to us. That almost never happens to any Artist.

Seems the different academic styles of training between the abstracts and the figurative will always do battle to see who is the best within the popular art galleries. Many will show only abstract, only figurative, or only landscapes. I personally think abstract and figurative feed each other creatively. While it is important to separate your styles for different presentations to your target audience, there is no reason to limit personal styles to just one. Today the modern artist should know his or her media, but cross into the on-line digital world. Yep you need to learn some basic photographic/ Artistic software for enhance your Artworks for presenting online as well as photos and business cards. Its not enough to be an artist and network the gallery systems, though you would be very drunk and full of cheese. So getting back to my case in point, Print Portfolios don't always sell or get into the gallery system. It really is all about who you know and who knows you.

The difference of making it as an Artist comes down to the networking abilities of the Artist to Market him or herself in multidimensional Circles!

As difficult as it is to believe the most positive thing you can do is realize all people around you can be potential buyer of your artwork. Maybe not now and not in 10 years, but sometime down the road when they need something beautiful for their new home, new office, or a special original gift for someone special. Keep a friendly face to all your people around you. Lets start with the most common building blocks to have available and then work out way to the bigger and brighter things. Keeping in mind you want to link everything to each other as a whole. Create a package (or 2 or 3 if you have different styles) You want your artist fliers to point to your website. You want your website to point to your Prints and limited editions etc. etc. etc. so no matter what information a person gets, they will find all your info. What ever you can think of. Ah but whats the first thing you need before you go into the world and present yourself? Promotional Materials. Handouts! (fliers, postcards, prints, and/or business cards) with your professional email (Not your free yahoo, Google, or MSN. that's not professional) and website. Aside from continually growing body of work you need number one promotional materials. This is critical and lets people know how mature you are in game.

If you don't know how to make a great business card go to someone who can!!! It would be better to go to a friend who is already making logos and graphics. Chances are there is a design already sitting there waiting to be used on someones site/business card. I know personally I'm not interested in web design or Graphics. I simply put together the images I want in folders pre-labeled for my friend to design a site for me (way easier). This way I could focus on the Artwork Creating. I do have a basic understanding of Editing and Graphics, but I'm more interested in the art making process.

If your one of those die hard artist and you have to list the works you sold fine do so, but please keep your websites clean. No one likes to look at a crappy website or one that loads 50 images all unorganized (like some of those myspace profiles that everyone has seen). Make your website a pleasurable experience and people are more likely to come back again and again. Once you have finished making your Promotional Materials its safe to say your ready to tackle the Art world All around you.

You would be shocked to know how many Artist don't actually network. It is so easy to focus on the work and screw the world, I will be discovered mentality. Honey I hate to say it but your best best to see whats mainstream (and notice I didn't say its great or wonderful). Go to the Gallery opening. There usually on a Friday or Saturday anyhow. This is a great place to socialize and meet people one on one. Not only do you give your business cards but you also pick up a few and meet with people established and not. Meet the one giving the Art show and ask questions like "how did you get into this space". Most humble Artist will freely share this information, if not grab the gallery director and have you shake hands right there.

Do dress to impress and show your best style. Remember to have fun and just meet people. Building from the ground up is a slow process. After enough time at the Art Openings, you will be running into people there who were at other shows. Networking people! Don't be afraid of those one night shows or community gallery events as they can show you local people contributing to the Arts as well as be seen as untapped styles for mainstream art. Styles that you see today when first introduced were silly until popularity gave it life

Many Night club friends of mine have been known to have Art shows at their Night clubs around Los Angeles. I know it doesn't seem like the glitz and glamor of LACMA or MOCA Gallery circuit but its something very unexpected and fresh. I have to say there is a great feeling being at a night club knowing my work is up and I get to see how people react to the work without them knowing my presence. How they stop and observe and not know its me watching them. At this point handy promotional material would be in your best interest to always have on hand or leave some promotional materials at a table near by. Does your work have to match the club, not always. Were looking for fresh and unexpected.

Focusing on Alternative routes of promotion, use the digital media called the Internet. There is no way around it, everyone is gonna be part of the Internet. Is so easy to make a myspace and network with people about this and that project and always linking these things back to your website! Simple and may only get you a personal following to build on.

There are so many people and profiles and bands on these digital networks that your profile can be bombarded by people and places you cant get to or cant get to you. Something to watch out for. A bloated profile will a million friends who cannot see your work is worthless. Focus on the can and can do attitude.

Silent Auctions are held all over the states from California to New York. Not only can you donate the work for its full value, you can actually deduct it from your taxes. So its a triple hit here with not only can you get your name known to people who circuit auctions, you can get a tax right off for a worthy cause. Silent Auctions vary with the rules and always good to read the fine print first before adding any of your work. You may or may not get the right write off. Check to see if you can deduct the full value of the work. Check to see how much actually goes to charity too. If an event only shells out 1 or 5 percent to charity it might not make you feel good to donate. Some shows only want to charge the value of the Material, this is not a great thing for any artist and you should get paid your worth realistically. Sometimes charity events are a great way to move and liquidate experimental paintings that don't reflect your style. Also keep in mind when building an Art show list, you may be able to list your charitable contributions in a different section of your portfolio under "Charitable Shows".

Most would be shocked to know there are a lot of private designers and Architects out there who are always looking for new material for their designs. It would be great to have your business card (usually a small magnetic calender they wont trash) with some of your present work available. Keep in mind when dealing with designers that they may not be interested in your work until a client wants what your selling. Your presenting your Artwork as a possible object for a future design. This is a great way for you to make some money and so does the designer. Offer a 20% off the sale to the Designer and your good to go. Anything more would be ripping you off.
Just check out your local designers and show them your already made Printed Portfolio of what you have available. Leave a business card with one of current Artworks your looking to sell. You can have sample prints of the work on paper to give to the designer so he/she can hold them on record if he/she needs anything. This can be a great WIN WIN situation. If you have limited edition prints - its worth noting to the designer you have limited editions available as well. Let The Designer know you are presenting these to others designer as well. If the Designer agrees don't be a dick and do let him or her know when work sold and keep your designer current on what you have available. It would be wise to let the Artist know you keep a website of available work and detailed dimensions on your website

If Another Designer can move your artwork quickly then it may interest the other local designers. When your starting out its best to keep yourself open and looking to build long lasting business relationship with designers. When starting out its not wise to be too picky that no one is interested in you or your artworks.

Some of my friends opted this method of having small shows of 20 sculptures set in a beautiful private custom made billionaire home. The friends of the Artist suppled the Home and the Invitation to show their work personally. People were offed a price sheet when they showed up. Again this kind of social circle can be hit and miss with usually people buying artworks at the end of the show. This type of show can spring board you into peoples homes who have money and gain some long term prospective buyers of your artwork. Its not uncommon for an artist to settle on a pool of clients who follow and buy the artist work forgoing the search for galleries or events all together.

Some really great places have been cropping up on the web offering print on demand services. Your able to upload your high resolution images to the website and then from there set up a digital shop for free and sell prints of your work on media like t-shirts for money. Cafepress.com is one of the most popular sites letting you upload photoshop files. but there are others as well like Printfection and Zazzle. Other more modern T-shirt designs can be voted at theadless.com . Some Artist like to show their current works and then link their Personal Artist website to their cafepress.com site and generate interest this way. I do recommend keeping things current. Showing works your not interested in or not selling is a waste of your time and your buyers. Show something thats current that you have linked to cafepress.com is a stronger presentation then trying to sell everything and anything you made. Not all ideas will be a hit or a sell right away, but if your going to school and have something you think is perfect for a shirt design, then try your luck and put it up. Any extra money while your going to school is great money towards Art supplies. Specially if you can upload at school, setup shop and then go back your painting class.

I have known Artist to go about things alone. Get the computer photo archival paper and photo archival ink to create prints of original work. Selling the prints and mailing them to people who bought them through Ebay.
It can be exiting to see people interested in your works and prints. Some Ebay artist have been known to sell their original works through auctions as well. Just type in " fine Art" and you will see all the people selling artwork. What separates you from others is your style so let people know what your doing so they can easily find you on Ebay.

Selling and promoting art through community art shows is a not so well known way. Sometimes you can rent out a community center and create an art show there for the community to see what you and your fellow artist are creating but there is a catch.

You want to keep the people interested and let them know you are having the art show with a cause. Maybe you want to donate to the boys and girls club, or a local school you went to, or church or anything with meaning. Let the people know half the money will go towards a school. People are more likely to buy art with a cause than to do it for no reason. Knowing that they helped fund an art show and gave to a cause is a great feeling for your buyers. Many cities will have a farmers market on a set day of the weekend. keep in mind you want to use local events to get free traffic. They will not mind so much since your donating to something awesome like boy scouts.

Its a good Idea to check the cost for a community space. If the space is controlled by the City Hall, even better as you might be able to get the space for free or less. If there is a cost all sales should also have a % to cover cost of the event or all artist involved in the art show cover the expenses. Don't be afraid to brag about how the city is funding an art shows and any other community help you get. Building community awareness is the goal along with same sales to cover the cost.

What is an Artist Co-OP? It is where Artist pull together resources to create a gallery where there may or may not be one normally. Many Co-ops are created where Commercial Space is not selling. It is better for the Contractor/Owner to occupy the space with even Artist then to have vacant shops present. Its just bad business!! Many times Artist can get the rental space for cheap because there is no business. A plus is Galleries only want wall space with no alterations to the rental space.

Co Ops work because of the shared responsibilities that all the artist partake into make the gallery successful. All Artist share gallery sitting, opening night presentation, promotional materials as well as hanging taking down and selling everyones Artwork - cooperative Opportunities.


By helping your fellow Artist you are also helping yourself. Many times you can exchange mailing list. Again pulling resources for a greater goal of promoting and selling.

An Art teacher told me about trade shows. Its when you have mastered something and can replicate it for sale. Like Fine jewelery or large prints of your best paintings. Extremely polished and professionally packaged prints can sell like hot cakes at a trade show. Just make sure its the right one if your going to invest time and energy in this. Your not gonna wanna sell prints of flowers at a sci-fi convention but this gives you an Idea to focus on your markets. See what people are selling at what trade shows. Invest time to see if you love a show enough to be there for two or three days or even a week. Some shows travel all around the USA. Artist have been known to spend half the year traveling and selling while the other half working on new works. Its worth investigating and can make great money. This is way removed from the traditional Gallery circuit.

Here is an example: lets say your a flower painter just starting. You got your set up and decided to print professional prints on demand at a trade show. Having preprinted work for sale saves time and energy for the trade show People. If you sell out are your gonna want to have on hand precut mats and photo paper and plastic sheets to package your printed artwork. You will also need to have a way to print more if needed. Portable laptops and printers are a perfect solution for trade shows. Make sure you have tons of business cards cause sometimes people want to buy later during the year. Best thing about this type of print on demand is you can always use last years prints with current work.

Hint hint: The success of your trade show depends on your ability to sell something people want and take advantage of the kind of Trade show it is. Both should go hand in hand. Your not gonna sell flower prints at a science fiction convention.

1. Gallery Openings and Not Just Traditional Art Spaces


2. Night Clubs and One Night Shows


3. Myspace, Blogger and More


4. Silent Auctions and Charity


5. Private Designers


6. Private Shows Private Client


7. Print on demand (Online)


8. Ebay Artist(A Class All Its Own)


9. Community Art Shows (With A Cause)


10. Artist CO-OP


11. Specialty Nitches and Trade Shows