creative corner
Welcome artists and creative people of all kinds! This page is for those of you who are trying to make it in the arts or just love the art world. In the coming issues we'll have information for visual artists, sculptors, musicians and performing artists.
Featured in this Issue
Creative Corner Resources
Pocket Portfolios
Ever been out of your studio and meet someone who wants to see your work but you have nothing to show them? Don't worry, there's no need to lug around your giant, heavy portfolio anymore. Welcome to the pocket portfolio.
Pocket portfolios are a collection of your best work in a small format you can take anywhere. The dimensions should not exceed 5" x 7" and should be lightweight. Here are some ideas to create your own pocket portfolios at home:
Low Tech Ideas
- Buy small photo albums (4 x 6) and fill them with high resolution photos of your work.
- Print 2" x 3" photos of your work on the best quality photo paper, then glue that on to cover stock cut to the same size. Punch a hole in one corner and hold them together with a string or key ring.
- Buy Avery printable business card paper and print samples of your work on those, then just carry them in a business card holder. You can print multiple copies of these and leave them with people. Make sure you include your contact info on the back if you plan to leave them behind (buy double-sided paper for this).
High Tech Ideas
- Take photos of your work with your cell phone and store them on your phone. When someone asks to see samples of your work, just open the album on your cell phone.
- Buy a digital photo frame and show digital "slideshows" of your work to anyone while you're on the go!
- Have a custom deck of playing cards printed with images of your work. This usually means just one image per deck, but there are companies like Make-a-Deck.com that sell custom playing cards with one image per playing card for a total of 54 images per deck for under $50! Very cool and very memorable.
- Have postcards made of your work and hand them out at events or anytime someone wants to see a sample of what you do.
- Of course you should always have an online portfolio on your website to showcase your work!
top of page Recommended Links
Art Books You Should Own
Oldies but goodies that should be in every artist's bookshelf:
Marketing for Artists CD
Based on Susan Lee's successful Marketing for Artists presentation, this highly informative CD can be viewed on your pc or printed. It includes the following sections:
- Marketing for Visual Artists
- Public Relations for Visual Artists
- Marketing & PR for Writers (information for published and non-published writers)
- Photoshop Tutorials
- How to Photograph Your Artwork
- Portfolio Creation and Organization (hard copies and online galleries)
- Complete clickable links to recommended instructional videos, marketing books and software
- Clickable links to artists resources on the web including grants, mailing lists, benefits for artists & more
Order your Marketing for Artists CD now for only $15 (+$5 S&H)
Share Your Ideas
Have an idea for an article or have a cool site or video you'd like to share? Please fill out this form and you may see your idea in the next issue!