When I was asked to participate in the 3rd Edition of Uppercase Magazine’s Surface Pattern Design Issue (Issue #41 out NOW) and provide tips for artists I was over the moon! Of course I would love to share my tips and lessons learned. I mentor artists on their business and art challenges and writing this article dove tailed perfectly with some notes I just wrote to a client coaching her on some of her questions and concerns. I pulled from my notes and general questions I am asked and have dealt with myself.
Uppercase Magazine / Issue 41 / Jeanetta Gonzales’s Tips for Artists
How fabulous is this 2 PAGE SPREAD?!!! I had no idea I was getting this much real estate in the magazine. They featured my patterns and artwork beautifully.
I am really thrilled with it how it came out and hope that the 10 tips were helpful for the readers. Here are 3 of them if you haven’t seen the magazine yet!
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. No one will know what you have to offer the world if you don’t tell them. Find creative ways to get the word out. Take bold and courageous action through creating thoughtful, sharable social media posts, reach out to companies and people you’d like to collaborate with, get yourself some press in magazines and blogs, send snail mail out, make fun videos and don’t be afraid to brag a bit. You and your work are amazing and need to be seen!
Work from the heart and don’t copy what you see. When starting out it is easy to get seduced by trends or what other artists you admire are doing. Art is personal and others what to see what your unique take is - not another copycat or a literal representation of a common theme. Consider how you can put your creative spin on your work and how your art style or point-of-view can be explored throughout it? What will people know YOU for?
Have too many ideas and not sure what direction to take – start with the thing that most excites you. If you are multi-passionate it can be hard to pick a lane that you want to pursue. What lights you up? Start with the thing that you get most excited about. Make a decision to pursue that first and see it through. If you realize that it wasn’t what you thought it would be then you can switch but first make sure that you have explored it fully.
To read the other 7 tips in the article purchase a copy here!
I can’t say enough how amazing Uppercase magazine is and how important it is for creatives, artists and makers to have on their shelves. Each month this gift of a magazine is filled with helpful articles and creative inspiration and tons of eye candy (also from this graphic designer’s point of view - gorgeous soft touch paper and top notch design). Check it out - you won’t be disappointed! ***ALSO…
