Turning Artwork into Stickers

Aloha artists! I’ve been making stickers out of my artwork for a few years now with great success so I figured with this latest batch it was time to share exactly how I do it.

With all these new sticker companies out now you can create fabulous vinyl stickers out of your paintings, drawings, illustrations, or digital art relatively inexpensively. People looove stickers, so they are an especially easy sell to folks just getting acquainted with your artwork, with the bonus that they then see your work IRL constantly - keeping you in mind as one of their faves! Yay!

Choosing your best art to ‘stickerfy’ should take some thought. It is wise to choose the boldest, most eye catching and easily identifiable images to truly stand out and appeal to the most people. You may even want to run a poll of your artworks to see what your audience will love sticking on their gear the most!

Before getting started there are a few things to keep in mind..

1. It’s probably best to use a white substrate for drawings or illustrations if you will want custom cutout stickers (as in not a square or circle shape). It will make your life much easier when it comes to editing the proof.

2. Think about the scale of the original art in proportion to the sticker. If the artwork has a ton of tiny details in it they may not show up in a 2 or 3 inch sticker. It’s often best to choose bolder, more simplistic designs so they come out bold and clear.

3. Shop around and check the quality of different sticker companies before going all in on a manufacturer. Don’t place a big order with a new company before getting some samples so you make sure that not only the stickers are the quality you’re looking for, but that your designs are uploaded at a high enough resolution to print out nice and clear.

How to Turn Art into Stickers:

1. Choose a clear, eye catching piece of art.

2. Take a bright clear photo of your art (help with photo taking here and here)

3. Upload, edit, and clean up your image (here’s free Photoshop Express and the Adobe version)

4. A. (optional) remove the background; B. (necessary) add in your name or logo (here’s free Canva)

5. Upload artwork to your chosen printer (Such as… Sticker Mule, Sticker Giant, Stickybrand, etc)

6. Wait like a kid on Xmas Eve!!

Pick up a set of all 3 Mushroom stickers here:

..and use code MUSH2023 for a special limited time discount!

3.19.2023

3 Tools You Didn't Know You Needed for Oil Painting

Hi fellow Artists! Today I am sharing three totally essential oil painting tools that you may not have even realized you needed, but will never be able to live without once you have used them!

(And I even include a fourth one at the end that you could literally implement today for free!)

The Goods:

(Here are a few affiliate links to the items I'm sharing today. Any purchase here helps to support my channel at no extra cost to you - thank you!!)

Tube Wringers:

Metal:https://bit.ly/3lDCo7O

Plastic: https://bit.ly/3EkuDu8

Mahl Sticks:

Metal: https://bit.ly/3SbXPZW

Wood: https://bit.ly/3IkwyAa

Chamois so you can make your own: https://bit.ly/3KjpoOX

Neutral Lights:

Table Clamp: https://bit.ly/3kaNJMl

Standing: https://bit.ly/3EmoLQZ

(and there’s more through these links if you peek around!)

2.19.2023

Bookkeeping for Independent Artists

Would you believe me if I told you that accounting for artists is actually pretty easy?? It's true!

If you start out the beginning of every year and month with a few organizational habits in place, you will spend so little time and effort having to keep track of all of your expenses (art + office supplies) and income (art sales!). Then once it's time to do your sales taxes or small business taxes it will be a literal breeze.

There are scores of blank ledger PDF’s you can print out online, or just use an Excel spreadsheet, or even simply drawing some vertical lines in a $1 notebook if you like the pen-to-paper method. It takes almost nothing to get started on the right track and you will never regret being more organized :)

Things to Remember:

• Separate your personal from your business bank accounts and credit cards.

• Decide how you would like to keep track of expenses and income (whether digital or a paper ledger) and stick to it! Wave is my fave free software.

• If you decide to go digital, integrate your bank and credit accounts within the software and make sure they stay accurate.

• Figure out your list of categories for the different ways/reasons you may get paid. You can always add more later.

• Figure out your list of categories for all the different expenses you will have. Sometimes it help to just brainstorm up a huge list of everything it takes for you to run your art business and then see how to make those things either go together or separate. You can always add more later, and feel free to use as many of mine in the video as work for your small biz too!

• Make sure to save and log receipts for paper ledgers and keep up with automatic transaction imports via the digital ledger no less than every 2-4 weeks. Trust me, it gets hard to remember what is what if you wait any longer than that.

• You can use your super organized finances at the end of every month to pay your biz sales taxes as well as at the end of the year to do your personal state and federal income taxes so much easier now - ta daa!

My Examples in the Video:

Putting everything together on one page:

Having one page for all expenses and another for all income; can be done by the month or by the year:

Separating each category of expense or income onto its own sheet; most likely done by the year.:

1.22.2023

How to NOT be a Starving Artist

When you think of someone as a “real artist” you probably conjure up images of the woefully-tortured-for-their-craft “starving artist” and think that even if you ‘make it’ professionally, you probably won’t necessarily be making it financially.

But that is simply not the case if you learn to live your life the right way, frugally but fruitfully :D

10 Ways Not to be a Starving Artist

1. Don’t quit your day job/ side gig/ work hustle… (at least not yet!). Make sure you can definitely pay your necessities and eat every month or you will stress yourself out of artistic motivation - and maybe even your financial stability. It’s not good to worry constantly, and honestly doing so will help you account for your time better too because it will be more valuable.

2. Cook at home + workout for free = stay healthy and out of the doctor’s office as much as possible. It is unreal how much eating out and getting gourmet coffee and paying for gym memberships and medical treatments can really add up over a month. Try to pay utmost attention to expenses that are reoccurring and unavoidable, like health and food, to make them less costly as well as more nutritious for yourself. Remember, it always cheaper and easier to prevent rather than treat any condition, so do your best to stay on top of your good health your wallet by preparing balanced meals at home, and try working out at home or in a local park as well.

3. Budget your money. Figure out ways that you can reuse items, buy used to begin with, make your own, and just plain do without various nonessentials in your life. Keep debts low, resist impulse buys and shopping as a hobby, and try tracking your money very closely for at least a few months to see where your money pitfalls pop up. Realize that following your dream of being a successful artist is worth far more than anything you can own.

4. Budget your time. Don’t give away your most valuable resource for free. Make sure you are keeping track of where your time is spent and don’t let anyone (not even your besties and family) interrupt your creative work time because that is the one thing you can never get more of and is essential for growing as an artist. Learn to use a planner and say ‘no’ to situations that may be a time suck that won’t pay you your true worth.

5. Use supplies wisely. Get the most out of all your paints and paper and markers and glue. Don’t be wasteful (or buy stuff you won’t use) and you will save a ton of money as well as help the planet. You can also learn to source supplies from other places than brand new from the art supply store. Let folks know around you know that you are more than happy to take on old art supplies, look around college campuses at the end of a semester for art supplies getting tossed, gesso your old canvases of practice works to be repainted on.. the list goes on and on.

6. No frivolous purchases. Don’t get suckered into impulse buys for art supplies, or really for anything else if you can help it. Even little $5 purchases here and there really add up. A good rule of thumb is generally not to buy new things unless you are replacing something that is all used up. It’s not going to happen over night if you are used to buying random things often, but owning less stuff will make you happier and more clear-minded, more financially stable, and more creative in ways you could have never dreamed.

7. Cancel excess subscriptions. Trust me, you don’t need to be watching a ton of TV anyway, only keep like your fave one or two streaming apps and toss the rest. Get rid of any reoccurring monthly or quarterly automatic purchases like theme or art boxes. They are super wasteful in literally every sense of the word. See if anything else you get delivered automatically isn’t piling up and can be paused or just stopped all together.

8. Find local free events and openings. I am someone who fully believes that there are interesting and fun things happening within 30 minutes of practically everywhere in this country. Put your finger on the pulse of city or town wide events, art openings, street fairs, cultural events.. there are so many fun lil happenings constantly going on if you just pay attention! Some visiting exhibits or events that cost more will often take volunteers to help out in order to see it then and usually get your own tickets for another day.

9. Learn to barter. You can trade soooo much for your original artwork! Local restaurants may trade meals or a bar tab, fellow artists will trade just for fun or for gifts for others, and certainly folks who offer services like bodywork or classes love to trade their knowledge and skills.

10. You need to have a positive mindset. Be happy to live within your means and without excess. Be thrilled to reuse, fix, or buy used many of your household objects. Realize that expensive brand names that are only sought after due to recognizability and hype rather than for actual quality are truly empty possessions and not worth wasting money on. Be literally ecstatic to find low cost and creative alternatives to so many of life’s desires and expenses. Learn to love frugality!

10.9.2022

4 Great Reasons You Should Start an Art Blog

If you saw my video last time about the 11 essential things every artist website should have, I had to cut myself off from going on a tangent discussing why every artist should have a simple blog on their website in order to make that video concise. However I made some really good points in my lil diatribe, which I felt merited its own video, so here you go today!

Even if you don’t think this could possible apply to you (or even if you’re scared that it might and don’t want the “extra work load”) I urge to strongly considered even just blogging once every other month. I promise, it get’s easier over time and you will be so glad you did.

4 Reasons to Start an Artist Blog:

1. It let's the algorithm know your website is active

2. Visitors to your website will see that you are active and current

3. Potential clients or curators will know you are actively working and open for business/art opportunities

   3b. Potential clients + curators can learn more about you which will *hopefully* make them more devoted to your work

4. It's like a personal journal of your own artistic journey that you’ll be grateful you made

So don’t be shy! Get started today!

3.20.2022

11 Artist Website Essentials

We talk a lot here about what your small art biz needs to succeed. At the top of that list is a website, so today I am breaking down 11 components that you definitely need to have for a successful, professional art biz website.

Today’s vid has a lot of information in it, but don’t stress having every single thing finished and perfect before launching your creative website. Really items 1-4 must be ready at launch, and the other things you can work on and add as you go.

Below is the list of all the other helpful videos I reference during this one. Just bookmark this blog post and come back to each video one at a time as you’re ready to tackle each step. And don’t forget I am always here to guide you one-on-one through my Creative Coaching programs if you like more of a hands-on approach with feedback for creating your website.

11 Things Your Artist Website Must Have:

1. A gorgeous gallery with great pics! Even if you are just starting out and only have 8-10 artworks to post, it’s never too early to make sure they are high quality. Here’s a video I made about the easiest way to take quality art photos using natural light and a smart phone. And here’s one if your art is shiny and has a glare.

2. Social media links. If someone has taken the time to visit your website, they probably like your art enough to want to follow you so show them all the ways they can right from your home page!

3. Contact info. Definitely make sure folks can send you a message because you never know what kind of commissions or opportunities you’ll miss out on if folks can’t reach you. Don’t share your phone number here though, just a contact form and email.

4. About Me page. This is a casual way folks can get to know you. Think of it like a conversational introduction to why you do what you do. I’ve got a video for you here on how to write a short About Me that really compels people to want to learn more about your journey as an artist.

5. A Bio. This is different than the About Me page; it’s a little more factual and might be something you come back to later as you’ve progressed on your educational or professional art journey. When you are ready though, ya Birdie has got a video for you right here.

6. An online Shop. Give the people what they want... the ability to purchase your artwork - yay! Here’s a great video on how to create a tempting and beautiful online art store (or an alternate video if you’re really only ready to sell through Instagram for now).

7. An Artist Statement. It doesn’t have to be a long one if you’re just starting out, but folks who visit your website and like your work definitely want to know about why you create what you do and what you’re hoping your work will do in this world. It’s one of the trickier things for artists to do, but one of the most important. Go make a cup of tea and watch this video full of step-by-step information and inspiration for writing an exciting artist statement that will really connect with your audience.

8. A listing of any Awards, Accolades, Press, and your CV. Basically any documents or links showing other people have paid attention to you as an artist, or that you have started to make your mark on the professional art world. Again another one I have a video for that you can watch when you’re ready.

9. A blog. I know, I can hear the groans from here, but all this is is a simple place to update your audience on any interesting artistic projects, happenings, exhibitions, ventures, or art-related events that may be going on in your life or studio. It really only needs to be updated every month or two to show both your website visitors as well as search engine algorithms that you are an active artist working on current projects. There are multiple great reasons to host your own art blog, which I’ll tell you all about in this video.

10. A Newsletter sign up form. Another great way to connect with your audience is by having a newsletter. Trust me, you do not want to rely solely on social media for connecting with your audience. You need to have a way to connect with your audience and collectors that you are in complete control of by sending out periodic newsletter updates. Here’s a video explaining why this is so important, and how to write a great one.

11. Legal stuff. Definitely the driest part of your website, but a total necessity. Just clear a few days from your art biz calendar and learn how to tackle this beast right here. Luckily, you really only need to do it once, and then just check on or update it yearly.

12. OPTIONAL: A custom art or services contact form. If you provide anything custom, such as family portraits, murals, graphic design, or even consulting or tutorial sessions, having a distinct contact form to get the conversation started between you and your potential client shows that you are a professional in control of the situation and their artistic needs will be met. A real win for both of you!

Now I know that’s a lot of info for you all in one day…

But don’t worry! I have compiled all of those videos on one playlist right here you can save on YouTube and come back to as you are ready for each step.

And of course I am here as a Creative Coach that is more than happy to help you through each step of setting up a beautiful website you can really be proud of. I also do website reviews to give a helpful critique of what you’ve already got setup with a ton of suggestions to really help it shine. Drop me a line here to chat further about options.

Featured Videos:

Brand Yourself and Get Recognized

How to Photograph Artwork Using Natural Light

How to Photograph Artwork Without a Glare

How to Write an About Me for Artists

How to Write an Artist Bio

Setting Up an Attractive Online Art Store

Open an Instagram Shop for Free

How to Write an Artist Statement

How to Write an Artist CV

4 Reasons you Should Start an Art Blog

How to Write an Exciting Artist Newsletter

5 Legal Things Your Artist Website Must Have

3.6.2022

5 Legal Things Your Art Website MUST Have!

Do not get sued! Yikes!

Every website these days (yes, even your teeny tiny lil humble artist portfolio) must have five legal items on it to make sure you are compliant for visitors in the US and the EU. I was unaware until recently just how essential these things are, so as soon as I figured out how to be compliant, I wanted to share them with you!

5 Things you Definitely Need on Your Art Website:

1. Privacy Policy You have to tell folks what kind of data your website tracks and how you’re going to use it. There are different requirements for the US and Europe so you’d better make sure to follow all the rules!

2. Cookie Banner + Policy Letting people know you are taking analytics and giving them the option to opt out of non-essential monitoring. This is also about the personal privacy of your website visitors.

3. Terms + Conditions This tells folks that if they are on your website, it’s on your terms. This lets people know what to expect so they can’t get upset and sue you for being offended by your content, or if they simply don’t like the way you do business. This part tells people, hey , if you don’t like it, then leave because by staying on my website you are agreeing to using my website in the way that I, the creator, see fit. This also let’s folks know that they cannot take your content off your website and use it as their own, but if they submit comments or images to your site, then you can use them for anything.

4. Disclaimer The disclaimer tells people that your website and its content are your opinion and any instruction or advice they get from you is their own responsibility and you do not guarantee everything to be perfect or without flaw. It also let’s people know that you do not guarantee any company, product, or third party that may be featured on your website either.

5. Refund Policy Definitely essential if you ever want to sell goods or services, that way there is no question should an issue ever arise. This one can be written by you in casual, understandable English according to however your particular policies are and don’t need to be written in legalese.

Here are the companies I used for my legal jargon:

I am not affiliated with them and get no money from you using their services, nor can I legally bind myself to or guarantee their products. This is just a simple recommendation of what I am using for my website.

https://termly.io/

https://www.websitepolicies.com/

10.3.2021

Open an Instagram Art Shop for FREE!

How much would you love to be able to have your customers purchase right from your art page on Instagram?! And how about a free, easy to set up website that goes along with it?? Score!!

If you aren't already selling your art online then this video is a total necessity. You only need three things to get started: an Instagram business page for your artwork, an email address, and a laptop (because I think this process would be a bit tricky to do on a phone screen).

Check my brand new Instagram page and website below for a little inspo on how to set up shoppable posts and make an easy website for your artwork too. You can even get a little deeper with your website by adding 'About', 'Home' and 'Contact' pages!

https://www.instagram.com/sockmonsterposse/

https://www.sockmonsterposse.com

Here are the websites I reference in the video:

Happy selling!

https://squareup.com/signup/us?lang_code=en-US

https://www.godaddy.com/domains

9.5.2021

How to Deal with Procrastination as an Artist

...and not let it kill your productivity! Dealing with procrastination as an artist can feel really defeating. It's like, 'I love what I do, so why is it so hard to make myself do it?!'

Oftentimes we tend to procrastinate when the task at hand seems either really boring, or scarily daunting, so today I'm going to give you some real tips you can start applying to your own art and art biz practice to not only be more productive, but to give yourself a little self-care in the process.

Don’t let yourself live like this hilarious quote… get good at LIMITING your procrastination :)

“Do I struggle with procrastination? Nope I am really good at it.”

Tips for dealing with procrastination as an artist include:

• Listen to your body and give yourself permission for a little downtime before getting right to work. Sometimes we can procrastinate because we are tired and our brains just don’t feel like functioning at full throttle so it will make us lethargic and prone to watching or scrolling because those are sedentary, mind-numbing activities. If you really need to, take a 20-30 minute nap first and then you’ll feel refreshed to work.

• Conversely, maybe a 20-30 walk will help you wake up a bit more. Getting your blood flowing and your body moving with some deep breaths of fresh air is an excellent way to wake up - and don’t miss this opportunity for brainstorming! You’re much better off saving the music for later to use this refreshing time at hand to think about, plan, and get inspired for your next project.

• Get rid of visual distractions. Put away anything like games or toys, or even laundry or other chores that make it too easy to walk away from some of the more boring tasks we have to do for our small businesses. Sometimes even leaving your house with your laptop to sit at a coffee shop or park bench is a fantastic way to give yourself only the one task at hand to deal with - this is a trick I use often to help me concentrate on writing for blogs, newsletters, and emails.

• Learn to tell the difference between educating yourself and procrastinating. It can be easy to watch a million YouTube videos or take a million classes, but at a certain point you need to go ahead and get your hands dirty. The best way to learn is by hands-on practice, so in life, in general, you should never stop learning. However don’t let instruction take the place of actual application.

• Write a list! Have a list of what you need to get done, then break it into smaller, more manageable tasks that you list out on your daily planner. (Check out the video for tips on how I use a list to turn ginormous daunting projects into bite-size pieces that are far less intimidating to complete.

• Do the easy small tasks that you can first. The momentum of checking things off the list will encourage you to keep going. Always realize that any big task can be broken down into much smaller steps

• Break your work time into small manageable chunks. Sometimes I set a timer for only 45 minutes and give myself a 20 minute break after that much work. Surprisingly two or three sessions like this in a day will yield far greater work than you could have imagined!

• Sometimes it helps to have a goal written up someplace where you will see it all of the time. Attaching something to your cork board or a piece of painters tape across the top of your laptop reminding you of your biggest goal can be a huge inspiration in the fight against procrastination.

Let me know in the comments here or on YouTube if you would be interested in a video about how to effectively write and manage your ‘To Do’ list!

Resources:

How to Paint a Skull in Oil

Yes, this Puma Skull 3D oil painting is for sale here.

4.11.2021