Comments on: Artists: Tell Me about Your Blog

By: Darko Topalski

Darko Topalski — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:40:16 +0000

Hi Alyson,
I have my personal website (I hope I will redesign it soon), besides that I had and still have idea of several more websites. I have a domain conteart.com and under that one my blog http://blog.conteart.com (I host it at hostMonster). I think every serious artist should have their own domain name, and learn some website development and marketing basics. With simple scripts or fantastico wordpress installation is piece of cake,… after that possibilities are simple fantastic. You can install some of free themes, find some that fits your needs, leave it as it is, or redesign it.

All the Best

By: Haleh Bryan

Haleh Bryan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:33:07 +0000

I am currently blogging on Google’s Blogger. I am not very happy with Blogger’s limitations. As an artist I would love to have some customizable features available to me so I can feature my work/thoughts with more aggressiveness.

I am also not selfish. It is not all about me! I feature other artists. I like art that matters and artists who are involved. I believe more artists should network with one another.

I do a fair amount of research online for content. It is very time consuming to filter information on the internet but with practice I have developed tools to get to where I want rather quickly. I have created a theme (considering format limitations) for my blog and I am trying to remain consistent.

Blogging can be a powerful marketing tool done the right way. I am still trying to find out what ‘the right way’ is!

All the best

By: Kathy Partridge

Kathy Partridge — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 17:07:17 +0000

Hi Alyson, I’ve read your advice on blogs for artists and I keep thinking I need one but…in checking out other artists’ blogs (I Googled a couple variations of “artist blog” plus I checked out some of the ones right here) I’ve noticed that the majority of them have no comments posted. It makes me wonder if anyone actually reads them? And if the blogs ARE being read, why don’t people post? My impression is that most of these artists are typing away, but nobody’s listening. Is there some knack to getting your blog read and encouraging comments, is it just luck, or is blogging simply better suited to more controversial subjects like politics where there are clearly defined opinions to blog upon. I saw some of the previous comments about search engines but I’m not clear on how having your blog listed on the search engines is better than having your website on there. Hmmm…I just feel like I’m missing something here. To put it simply, I guess I don’t understand why I need a blog if I already have a website. Most artists blogs seem to be websites but with a lot more commentary. Since maintaining a blog is going to take time, I guess I’d like to know how I can maximise its effectiveness before I jump onto the blog wagon. (BTW, this is my first blog post ever.:-)

By: Manasi

Manasi — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:30:17 +0000

Alyson – Neat blog you have! I’m an Architect who spends a lot of time in the fiber arts when I’m not being an architect. What I love about spinning, embroidery & weaving is the complete freedom & the CONTROL i feel to create as I desire (unfortunately architects don’t nearly have the same creative control in the real world that they have in school – well Boohoo!) and I love it. I’m very influenced by my mother’s thought process but my work is nothing like hers. I use ‘the blog spot’ for my blog & photoshop to edit my images taken by a digital camera. Sometimes I use MSoft Word to edit the code on my blog. I try to post about once in 2 weeks and visit blogs & forums for about 5 hours a week. I’m still a little unsure about who my audience is…but my blog’s my public diary & all are free to read it. Blogging was pretty simple (besides I have a lot of graphic skills from Architecture school). What I have to say to other artists is – “If you feel you have something to say about your art (or art in general) say it. Interpretations are what have kept all art alive! Yours is as good as someone else’s. If there’s a technique/process you’d like to share – do it. It’s very liberating.” My blog is http://yarnahoy.blogspot.com/ and I also administer/design my mother’s blog for her & that is http://creativeembroidery.blogspot.com/ Thanks for asking

By: Pam RuBert

Pam RuBert — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 01:23:56 +0000

Just remembered another point I’ve been struggling with. Originally I was posting under my own name. This draws search engines to your blog. But then I realized that search engines were also picking up on every little comment I posted on everyone else’s blog (which is something good to do to reward people who post on your blog and to attract new people who haven’t been there.) I didn’t like all these sometimes trivial comments showing up on a search for my artist’s name, so I changed my user name to my alter-ego PaMdora. Now those trivial comments don’t show up, but also the main posts on my blog don’t show up either. If you can think of a solution to this quandry, let me know!

By: Pam RuBert

Pam RuBert — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 01:18:01 +0000

Hi Alyson, I was interested to read everyone’s reponses to your questions. I started blogging in Feb. 2005, because I had been to a few blogs that inspired me. At first I was thinking it was a way for me to get back into practice at articulating myself through writing (I was an English major and did a lot of creative writing). But as my blog developed, I realized it was an on-line journal that I could also organize my thoughts, inspirations, photos, drawings in a digital medium which is much easier for me to deal with than in a physical way. I use Blogger to write and post, but post to my own domain name http://www.pamdora.com, because on my own server I can read detailed stats on how many visitors, where they come from, what posts they visit, and where they linked from. I draw in CorelDraw, edit my photos in PhotoShop and upload them with Dreamweaver (which is what I use to edit my website.) This sounds a little convoluted and more complicated than most people probably do, but I feel even though this is a personal journal, it is open to the public and needs to be presented in a clean and professional manner. I post about three times a week (a little less over the holidays) and spend about 6 – 10 hours (maybe more) editing, writing, posting. My theme is that of Art Adventures – because I want to inspire people to see that art can be fun, exciting, and entertaining. To do this I try to have a mix of art, personal experiences, humor, and travel in my blog. Sometimes reading the stats helps me see what people are interested in and respond to. My main goal in blogging is not to sell art, because that is not my main goal in my career right now. I’m only two years into developing a cohesive body of work, and my main goal is to develop my work, my resume of exhibitions, and my identity as an artist. I want to enter the art world at a high level and would rather wait to sell my work later rather than earlier.

By: Cassondra Sweep

Cassondra Sweep — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 17:43:17 +0000

Hi Alyson! I want to thank you for your wonderful blog – it’s just full of great information and I read it regularly! I’m a bit late in the game on this, but I hope I can still provide you with some good information that you’re looking for. I’ve had a blog on Livejournal – http://www.livejournal.com/users/chunkygoat – for about a year and a half now, and I just started one on my own site – http://blog.artbycas.com – using WordPress. I use both blogs to show works in progress, announce updates to my website, press releases, exhibitions, ebay auctions, and to give my collectors a bit of an inside view into my art and an easy way to converse with me, etc. I use my Livejournal to network with other artists and to post to the art sales communities to advertise my ebay auctions. I’ve noticed that when I do, about 1/2 the hits on my auctions are from livejournal! Most of my ‘friends’ on Livejournal tend to be fellow artists, although I have gained a couple of collectors through the site. I really like the sense of community – it’s really easy for people to ‘friend’ you, and I think most Livejournal users give their friends page at least a quick glance through almost daily – so anyone who’s ‘friended’ me up gets to see me pretty regularly, since I post almost daily! I use my WordPress blog to post my ebay auctions and new art also, but I have it split into different parts of interest to fellow artists, art collectors, and the general public. It’s still in the beginning stages, but I’m trying to build in more content and I’m working on customizing it. I aim to keep this blog professional and helpful, but at times give it a personal touch that goes hand in hand with the experience of art. Thanks so some of your recent info postings, I’m finding more information on how to promote my blog, so I’m hoping my readership increases soon! I spend entirely too much time blogging and checking out my friends’ blogs – sometimes it takes up most of my morning! I’ve found that I look at my Livejournal friends’ page, but sometimes forget to check out blogs that aren’t on Livejournal – the subscription function that sends me an email when there’s a new post on a blog I’ve subscribed to has been very handy – especially the one to your blog – and keeps me coming back for more! And as far as advice, well, I’m still learning as I go, but I hope some of the information that I find along the way and blog about will help fellow artists! Take Care, and Thanks so much again! Cas

By: Alyson

Alyson — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 20:14:02 +0000

Deb, I think you hit the nail on the head. Blogging is terrific for the search engines. Keep at it!

By: Deb Trotter

Deb Trotter — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 23:04:16 +0000

Alyson- I thought I’d add a benefit of blogging that I had not taken into consideration until recently. I have already had two new sales that resulted from my blog being linked to my website. This happened because of KEY WORDS I have used in my blog entries that might otherwise NOT be connected to my site. Recently I was discovered by someone who googled, “Old West Names.” I had just written a post about my vintage poster collection and my fascination with names used by old west icons. So – that search led a new buyer to my work! Isn’t it GREAT!? That’s a GREAT advantage to blogging! Deb

By: Angel Turner Dyke

Angel Turner Dyke — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 15:04:00 +0000

Hi Alyson, I’ve just recently found your site and it has been a wonderful resource for my art business. I’ve just recently began blogging within the last four months on live journal. MY blog link is: http://www.livejournal.com/users/angelartist/ I have several reasons I blog, but the main reason is to form “relationship” with my collectors. My clients become more than buyers and they like to know what is going on in my personal life. My blog is an excellent way to allow them to know me as a person and a friend. My blog is also used as a marketing tool within the blogging community as I try to be semi-active in posting in other communities. It’s a great way to network with other people and make connections. I am very personal in my blog, but yet also try to be sure and add in all the pertinent information about my career, as well as my latest paintings with sales info. As my client base grows, I plan on offering work for sale directly from my blog. I am in the planning stages with that right now but it is still a long term project as I need to find the way to increase my blog viewership. I am trying to learn more about the vast opportunities the internet has for us artists, but it has been a bit slower learning curve for me. I try to update my blog at least 3 times a week, with content or images of created work. If I lack art, I’ll throw in a blog quizz or poll–just something to try to keep them coming back for more.