| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/16/2007 9:35:39 AM | Hi I make a modest living by selling my art. I paint in acrylic and do animals, which are always in demand. I try to figure out how an animal would appeal to the public and then paint them.. One I painted and sold immediately was a Nun leading 2 large Oxen with a cart through a field. first time it was shown, a man said I want that and never asked the price. I love painting Racoons, you can put such expression on their faces and they are beautiful, I have painted many racoons in different positions, always active, I think that is the trick to painting animals, you have to make them alive and not just stationary. I have a very large painting of a white cat, jumping at a vase and the vase is starting to tumble and everyone who comes into my home wants to buy the painting because it shows so much action.
I am no Robert Bateman as far as painting goes, but I supplument my income with my paintings. I do my own framing, which saves a great deal of money. | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/16/2007 3:22:23 PM | I would like to make a living from art. Of course, I would have to make something worth selling first  I am working on a book with an American author and artist though. I'm not sure how much money that'll make me, but it would be great to see my work in print. I got a little piece of artwork published in his last book which was exciting.  | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/16/2007 5:39:34 PM | I make a good part of my living from art....... I own a landscape-nursery business, and the two kinda fit. I sell most of my art , to my nursery people, high end homes and dining places, more recently a couple of colleges.
I've found, it's like a 'click' in your area, you're either in, or wish you were in, many times, not reflective of the skill, more like who you know, rather than what you know........ and face it, if your art is above $300.00, you need to know people with class and cash........... while, Americans have no problem parting with the same amount of money for concert or sporting events, and even more for big screen TV's........art, real art, isn't on their short list of things to have.
My sister, used to paint, wonderful oils........ $200.00 and up, she starved, now she does smaller projects, hand done cards, etc., she sells at 'art shows' and knocks them dead............. 5-40 dollars at a time, she has lines waiting to pay, while, others are leaning back, gloating over , what they have to sell, and look down their noses at her, she laughs all the way to the bank.
In art, any form, it's important to express yourself, but if you want to make a living at it............find your market............ because the rule of thumb for art, and writing is....for every 5 people that do it........... there is only one willing to buy it..........
I have some art on my profile......and you will notice, the one piece is out in front of a very high end eating place.....don't write and tel l me it sucks......... it sells.....that's all I care about........
William | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/17/2007 11:34:15 AM |
Life throws us a big curve sometimes... it's how you reach out and catch the ball that makes all the difference...
You are right of course Stephanie! I hope all is continuing to go well for you.
I use my knowledge of art to make my living. I teach in an elementary school. I do love teaching the children but I can't stand what is going on in the field of education. It just makes me want to get out so bad and go do something on my own. Maybe open up my own art school..... | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/20/2007 5:08:00 AM | Here's my latest favorite quote from Quentin Tarantino
"I never set up a fallback situation because I didn't want to fall back. I wanted to have to keep eating away at it."
I need to use that in my life in regards to my art more often. | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/20/2007 9:51:51 PM | | OP Wish I could. There's a great little pub across town that hangs local artists paintings for sale. Always a good time studying those walls. My forte these days is writing fiction but I wouldn't mind some extra room to try sculpting again. Bridge of Dreams just popped into my head. Maybe an abstract. hmm, maybe the patio could do as a studio. :) | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/20/2007 11:21:00 PM | I am full time....I build guitars and record music for people
what I have learnt in the business is:
-do really good work-then you get more chances to do more work
-make sure you get paid for your time
-I suggest 'functional art' or 'non fuctional art'
IE
-someone needs a chair......they will pay for that
-some need guitars ...they will paid for that
-a painting for the wall.......that for most is optional
do some type of art that people will pay for and value....then you get paid | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/21/2007 11:12:19 AM | Well I am getting ready to take a hiates from music for a year going to drive a bigrig truck always wanted to do that and the cdl will come in handy i think when I start my band. it will also give me time to relax from the fast life of making a living at music. kind of a working vacation and I am bringing my fishing pole | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/24/2007 7:47:55 PM |
I'm an artist. I work in oils, pencil, and pen. I've made a few bucks here and there but not enough to live on. If you're interested in seeing some of my work, let me know.
I'd love to see some. I'm fascinated by other people's creativity.  | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/26/2007 2:10:40 PM | Don't know if I can post this here or not and apologize if I stepped the line but here's some of my pencil drawings and computer graphics. The black and white's are pencil drawings and the colored ones are "Signatures" I made for people to represent their character on Online Forums. I Like Art when I'm not diving.
My art page:
http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/intamin7/
Cheers!.
Alan | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 3/27/2007 7:03:44 AM | I am struggling yes. I just established a studio for ceramics. I make vessels, and i'm trying to infiltrate the art fair scene. Don't know how it will work out though. Used to be an apprentice for an established potter. That was fun, but i need to go on my own.
Making is the most important thing to me | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 4/19/2007 10:05:37 PM | | Well i,m on the side of the wisher..I,ve been writing songs with my brother for 4 years now..and as yet we,ve not quite broke into the music biz..Its so hard and i believe unfair..We,ve spent thousands on are music trying to get that publishing deal..I guess the beatles were turned down many times before being excepted..so we live in hope.. | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 4/20/2007 7:43:49 PM | I don't make all my livin off my art work, but the pieces that I do produce. I get really good coin for! I been told to stock pile alot of my pieces and go to an art fair or such???
It just pisses me off that some artist charge an arm and leg for CRAP! that I could do in less time and better! WTF? I seen this guy selling coffee table for $500- $600 and I've made ones for way less that could totaly blow them out of the water! LMOL
so I have this game plan to stock pile and pretty much make a killing buy selling them a few hundred dallors cheaper...tell me who will win LMOL
On the other side I do get contracts to make special props for movies and plays all the time,which is cool as hell ! because then I have a dead line and I have to make things to what every they are trying to make happen. | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 6/18/2007 8:15:41 AM | I have been making art for as long as I can remember. Like others, I make art to please myself and to feed a desire within to create something beautiful to my standards.
Although I make art for myself, I do show my work on a regular and consistant basis. I show my paintings in Gallery shows and competitions and I do make money at it. I paint what I want and enter it into a Gallery for consideration or whatever. If they don't like what I do, then that's their loss. You do have to sell yourself, of course you do. It's your work, your heart and soul, your passion that you are trying to sell for acceptance from the masses. The only thing one has to remember when they begin to sell their work on a professional level is to never compromise your art for a dollar.
Don't allow someone else who knows nothing about you, to tell you what you should charge for a piece, what you should paint, or how you can paint better.
Stick to your guns, stay strong in your opinions and your convictions and you will be fine.
lots of luck to those struggling artists out there | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 7/14/2007 8:06:23 PM | | Rembrandt, Van Gough, Schubert and me... there were others and there will be many more.... Who cares if we make a living? We try to do that, but we live and we are alive! Anyone who does not understand this or judges it is irrelevant and ignorant of the true value of life and Art. The rest is PR and self-promotion – the stuff that keeps the world the way it is… | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 7/15/2007 1:43:12 PM | Tried to look at your work. It requires a login name and password so I was unable to view it. I highlighted the name in the window and couldn't delete it so there needs to be another way to see your work.
You can post a photo album on line for free with your work in it if you like, then everyone could view it. Hmm, maybe we should do an album of work by all the visual artists on POF? Any one interested in that?
You can download Picassa from Google and set the album up with scans or digital photos. It's surprisingly easy. | |
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| Anyone make a living from their art, or wish they could?
Posted: 7/15/2007 2:15:08 PM | | Checked out your profile. Part of the problem landing a job in graphic arts may be simply location and competition. You're in a pretty competitive area. You might try to land a job in the midwest, establish yourself, make contacts in the field and submit a digital portfolio for review. There are many really good agencies throughout the midwest where you might get a start. | |
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