Learn about how to be a successful artist
Learn about the art business and art business practices
​i.e. what you need to be doing when not making art

Links to information and advice about how to become efficient and effective in your art business 

STARTING OUT as an artist?
Wanting to do more than just be an amateur artist?

• What do you "need to know" to become successful?
• ​What do you need to avoid doing?
• What is it helpful to know?

MOVING UP? This section is about being a professional artist and

• what are the things which make an artist different,
• what are the challenges they will face,
• what are the habits they need to develop if they want to be successful

NOTE:  I have a " grand plan " for this part of the website but some sections are under development 

LIVE SECTIONS:
click the RED button

LIVE PAGES are indicated in DARK RED

COMING SOON!
​black buttons - no links as yet

PLANNED TOPICS are BLACK

Banner Image: An artist in his studio by  John Singer Sargent

Business HABITS for Organised and Effective Artists

Business Habits are what you do so you can go on making your art.
Not so much the paperwork - more an attitude of mind.

Developing the habits of successful artists is key to a successful career.
Lots of artists and those related to the art business have shared their tips. ​

STARTING OUT
​- TIPS for Emerging Artists

TIPS for Emerging Artists: How to become a professional artist - and more than an amateur

• What do you "need to know" to become a successful emerging artist?
• Habits you need to cultivate and practical advice ​for all those wanting a career as a visual / fine artist
• How to avoid failing as an artist

MOVING UP
​- TIPS for Experienced Artists

TIPS: Being a Professional Artist

• What is a professional artist?
• ​Building a Portfolio Career
• Learn about the business of being an artist
• The Working Lives of Professional Artists
• All about Artists' Residencies
• Artists Unions
  

​PLUS​

• Paying Artists: Good Practice & Rates of Pay (Money & Tax)
• Retirement & Pensions - planning for old age and retirement? (Money & Tax)

FAQS: How can I be successful as an artist?
​

It's really interesting to look at frequent queries relating to becoming a successful artist - and what people focus on.
For me they indicate a low level of awareness among quite a lot of people about what being an artist actually involves.

These are the queries I keep coming back to as I develop this site.

• Some already have answers on this website - some I have still to address. See the Index
• Why not start exploring and see how many answers you can find?

But I also answer the questions that do NOT get asked e.g. How do I earn a pension as an artist?

​AN ART EDUCATION 

• What education do you need to be an artist?
• What jobs can an art degree get you?
• Does an artist need a degree?
• What qualifications do you need to be a artist?
• How much do private art lessons cost?
• What can I do after graduation in arts?
• What can you do with an art degree?

BEING AN ARTIST - See Starting Out and Being a Professional Artist

• What does being an artist mean?
• What makes an artist an artist?
• How long does it take to be a artist?
• Is it ever too late to be an artist?

A CAREER AS AN ARTIST - See Being a Professional Artist and Working Lives of Artists

• How do you do full time art?
• How do you become a professional artist?
• How to quit your job and become an artist?
• How do I start a career in art?
• How do I become a painter artist?
• How can I become a good artist fast?
• What jobs are good for artists?
• How successful are full time artists?
• How can I be successful in art?

AN ART JOB

• What art jobs are in demand?
• What jobs can you get with an art major?
• What jobs are high in demand right now?
• What are the most creative jobs?
• What is the best job for an art student?
• How do you become an art manager?

FAME AS AN ARTIST

• How do artists become famous?
• How can I become a famous artist fast?
• What percentage of artists are successful?

HOW TO MAKE MONEY AS AN ARTIST - See Paying Artists

• How much do professional artists make?
• How much does a full time artist make?
• How can I earn money by drawing?
• ​What kind of paintings sell the best?
• How can I make money with art skills?
• How can I make money in creative?

THE ART BUSINESS

• How do I start an art business?
• How do I start a successful art business?
• How do you beome an art dealer?
• How do you start a drawing company?

TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR ART - See 

• How can I promote my artwork?
• How do I start an art blog?

PRICING ART - See How to Price your Art

• How much should I charge for my paintings?
• How much should I charge for art prints?
• How do you price a painting?
• How do you price a painting job?

SELLING ART - See How to Sell Your Art

• Where is the best place to sell art online?
• How much do art galleries make?
• What is the standard commission for an art dealer?
• Do galleries pay artists?
• ​Can you negotiate with an art gallery?
• ​What does an art dealer do?

THE BEST BOOKS ABOUT
​THE ART BUSINESS FOR ARTISTS

The Best Art Business Books for Artists & Designers
is a dedicated resource for those wishing to review what's on offer.  Many artists have used books to learn what they need to know to

• develop their career; and
• deal with the business side of being an artist from books
• market and sell their art

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Real Life as an Artist: Business PRACTICES

Real Life for Artists - revolves around the infrastructure and practices that underpin "being an artist"

Real life involves a LOT of activities and practices
that enable you to continue to MAKE and SHARE and SELL your art.

Real life as an artist with an art business involves:

• a lot of routines which you need to make time for and which need to be followed if you aren't going to be wasting your time and living and working and storing your art in a complete mess.
• laws and regulations which MUST be observed

​
​Plus professional practices which can make a difference between being a successful artist and an "also ran".

Gaping Void https://www.gapingvoid.com/

IMAGE MANAGEMENT

Documentation of artwork

• How to photograph your art 
• How to scan your art
• How to create a digital image - different file formats and resolutions and what works best in different contexts

LIVE PAGES

• How to back up your image files

ARTWORK INVENTORY

How to record, label, inventory and manage the location of your artwork​

• Inventory Management including consignment: documenting artwork wherever 
• How to create a Certificate of Authenticity
• How to make labels for art - on the artwork and on the wall
• Inventory Management Software - options available

LAW FOR ARTISTS

​​You need to know about both legal rights and legal obligations under all laws relating to you as an individual and your art business.

• Legal Matters for Artists - do you know the various laws relevant to art business practice? 
• ​​Data Protection for Art and Artists - including GDPR​​​
• Brexit Guidance for Art and Artists

PLUS in development

• Why you need a contract
• ​Work Visas​

​PLUS elsewhere on this site

• UK Trading Law and Regulations (Sell Art)​ - what laws and regulations you need to know when you start trading
• E-Commerce for Artists (Sell Art) - technical tips and rules about selling art online

STUDIO OPTIONS & PRACTICES

• Studio Options:
  
  • How to find a studio
    
  • Rent, Buy or Build?
• How to Make an Art Studio
  • ​Storing Art Supplies
  • Equipment
  • Storage of artwork
• Art Studio: Equipment and Furniture
• Studio Health & Safety

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

Contact Management - people and organisations

• ​Contacts Management - maintain details of those you need to know & those you have met
• Client Management - how to keep your clients happy; how to avoid them taking advantage of you
• Gallery Management - records of galleries you have dealings with, including contracts, management of correspondence (who said what and when)

COMMISSIONS FOR ARTISTS

UNDER DEVELOPMENT: Commissions

• Project Management: Projects & Proposals​
• The Brief
• The Plan / Timeline
• Payment Plan
• Client Management
• Agencies for Commissions

(being developed in the SELL ART section)

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
​& FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION

• Business Plans
• Risk Management for Artists​
• ​​How to spot art scams and fraud
• Coronavirus, COVID-19 and Art
• Time Management: How to manage your time
  • Having a Plan - Forward Planning
  • Managing Deadlines
  • Exhibition Schedules
  • Time for Networking​

• Financial Administration - What you can and cannot claim against tax - and the documentation you need to make or retain
  • Annual & Quarterly Returns;
  • Travel & Expenses: 
  • Records and receipts
  • Accounts

PLUS elsewhere on this site

• How to create an Invoice
• Insurance for Art and Artists
• Tax for Artists
• VAT for Artists

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DEVELOPMENT: as an Artist and Manager of an Art Business
​

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
​FOR ARTISTS

Sometimes it's difficult to work out how best to develop

Consider opportunities for ​Learning Opportunities
which meet your needs, which you can afford and fit into your other responsibilities.  ​

Organisations supporting Artists

IN THE UK

• Artquest - Supported by University of the Arts London and Arts Council England.  Resources, opportunity listings and "how to"s
  
• a-n The Artists Information Company - a-n offers a range of memberships for individuals and groups
• Axisweb - An independent charity, profiles artists by region and what they do

Art Business Courses

Art Business Courses - They are offered by:

• art business entities - such as the auction houses. Sometimes designed for people other than artists e.g. art business professionals.
• art schools and universities - many of whom are plugging the gap in what used to be a dearth of art business knowledge and skills taught in art schools
• independent tutors - including those operating online
• plus art business "savvy" is regularly supplied by a number of Art Business Blogs - many of whom have an interest in selling short courses (online or face to face). Get a taster for the calibre of their offering via their blog.

Art Schools in the UK

Art Schools in the UK - offer fine art degrees but also other courses such as Summer Schools.

• Listing of various universities in the UK with Art Schools and/or offer degrees in Art (and/or related subjects). 
• The listing is organised on a geographical basis and specifies the location of each Art School, College or relevant University campus.

Personal Consultation

Would you like me to help?
I provide talks, reviews and advice

Use this form - at the bottom of "Would you like me to help" page - to contact me if you want to find out whether I can help you with

• a lecture or talk or workshop
• a review of an aspect of your art business
• an article​

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Tell me about about your priorities re. "need to know"

I'd very much like to know what you "need to know" about
professional business practices.

Please use this form to tell me about your personal priorities for what you "need to know" - and what I should aim to develop a page about next

Use the form to tell me what you need to know and why.

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