Self Taught Artist

So you've made a sale... now what? You have to manage all the logistics to get your masterpiece safely delivered to your art buyer. This episode talks all about packaging and shipping art. I'm diving into all the details on how I ship stretched canvas, paintings on paper, and more like where to buy discount shipping supplies. Shipping art isn't my favorite part of being a Self Taught Artist, but it is a necessity whether you're selling art or just gifting your art to friends or family. 

This episode is the second part of this week's discussion on what to do after you sell a piece of art. For part one of this conversation, please listen to Episode 12: How to Turn a One-Time Buyer into a Repeat Art Collector (Elevate the Buyer Experience)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenkristineart/ 

Website: https://www.laurenkristineart.com 

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/laurenkristineart

This week you get not one, but TWO new episodes. This episode is part one: How to Elevate Your Buyer Experience and Turn a One-Time Buyer into a Repeat Collector. We're talking about artist branding, including little extras in your packages, and finishing touches that can WOW your buyers. When I sell a piece of art, I look at it as the beginning of a special relationship between me and the collector - so I want them to be impressed when they receive the art and unbox it. Here's the catch: you have to be really strategic about your little extras because if you're not careful they will eat into your profits big time. I'm giving away all my tips and tricks for wowing your art collectors without spending too much money. 

I provide different levels of branding and special touches you can include in your art business, whether you're completely new to selling art or if you're an art selling pro. If you have more tips for artist branding and elevating your buyer's experience, let me know on Instagram.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenkristineart/

This episode is about how to know when a piece of art is finished and also about diagnosing any issues your art might have. Sometimes when you're painting you have a clear finish line -- you put the last color on and you step back and go "WOW" it's complete. Frequently, however, the finish line is less clear when you make artwork. Perhaps you just feel like your art is missing something, but you're not sure what the missing piece is. Let's dive into how to diagnose and fix any issues so you can complete your artwork with confidence.

Get the free MEGA LIST of value art supplies here: https://selftaughtartist.vipmembervault.com/ 

Today we're talking all about what art supplies will give you the best value. We want to make great archival quality work that will have vibrant colors and look really professional… but we don't want to break the bank. Today, I'm sharing how to get the best bang for your buck with acrylic paint, watercolor paint, paint brushes, paper, canvases, gesso, varnish, and more. 

PLUS there's an exclusive freebie for all you wonderful listeners. I put all these supplies into a **mega list** with photos, descriptions, and even some prices to help you wade through the overwhelming options of art supplies. It's printable if you want to take it to the art supply store or you can just bookmark it to come back to it as needed. Best of all, it's totally free. So if you want to get the companion guide to this episode, head to https://selftaughtartist.vipmembervault.com/

Find me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laurenkristineart 

My website is https://www.laurenkristineart.com

Don't let fear stop you from creating! Fear is a very common emotion, but it can hold you back if you're not intentional about pushing past it. Letting fear stop you from moving forward creatively would be a shame. Today, I'm sharing my 4 step process for pushing past fear and creating your best art yet. I get personal about my 2 biggest fears that I experience sometimes when making art. 

What fears do you have regarding your art?

I want to encourage all of you out there to push past any fears related to your art - good things will happen. You have something special to share with the world, and you can gain so much personally from expressing yourself creatively. Wouldn't it be a shame if fear held you back from sharing your gifts with the world?

This is a different kind of episode than I've made in the past - if you liked it, would you please send me a note on Instagram? If you like it, I'll make some related episodes in the future.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenkristineart/

Website: https://www.laurenkristineart.com/

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/laurenkristineart

In Episode 5 we talked about priming or preparing your surface for painting. Today I thought it would be a good idea to talk about the opposite -- how to varnish an acrylic painting. Today's podcast applies to acrylic painting only - oil painting has different rules. I've been varnishing a lot of paintings over the last few weeks to mail out to clients - it's not my favorite part of being an artist, but it is a super important part of making art that lasts.

There are some common misconceptions about varnishing acrylic paintings and the information that's out there isn't always clear to beginners - so I'm going to clear that up today.

Here's our agenda for this episode:

Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenkristineart/

My Website: https://www.laurenkristineart.com/

Spoiler alert! Here's a link to my favorite varnish: https://www.dickblick.com/items/liquitex-acrylic-polymer-varnish-gloss-8-oz-bottle/    *I am not paid to recommend any products. I get no commissions or any benefits. The products I talk about are the actual products I have tested and use in my own art practice.

This long-awaited episode of the Self Taught Artist Podcast is finally here! I've been getting a lot of DMs lately about how to start selling your artwork. Today we're talking all about how to start selling your art. We're getting into the nitty-gritty details: what platform should you start with and why? We talk about selling art directly on Instagram or Facebook, starting your own Etsy store, and when is the right time to invest in building your own online eCommerce store for your paintings or artwork. Learning how to sell your art online doesn't have to be complicated. I introduce my concept of "moving up the sales ladder" to help you grow sustainably. 

Here's my code for 40 FREE listings on Etsy so you can try it out risk-free. https://etsy.me/3pUpqQo 

What's right for you -- Selling on Instagram, Etsy, or Building Your Own Website? Listen to today's episode to find out! 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenkristineart

My Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/laurenkristineart

My Website: https://www.laurenkristineart.com/

Get 40 FREE listings on Etsy: https://etsy.me/3pUpqQo

Today on the Self Taught Artist podcast, we are talking about how to get un-stuck when you have creative block. Slumps in your creativity are completely normal parts of the artistic journey. I'm sharing ten ways to kick start your creative engine again! This episode is great for artists and painters of all skill levels, and other creatives too. Here are ten things you can do when you have artist's block to get creating again...

https://www.laurenkristineart.com

https://www.instagram.com/laurenkristineart

Another resource I discuss on the show: https://artsandculture.google.com/explore

Today we're talking about priming or preparing your painting canvas for acrylic painting. We'll talk about:

Let's get started!

You can find me online at www.laurenkristineart.com or @laurenkristineart on Instagram.

Until the next episode, happy creating my artist friends!

There are a few aspects of commissions we discuss this week on the Self Taught Artist podcast:

For any artist or painter who is considering taking on commissions, this podcast is for you! I've started taking commissions very recently and this week I'm talking about some of my considerations and the challenges I've gone through. I tell the story of the big commission I'm working on right now, how it came to be, and how it's going.

Follow me @laurenkristineart on Instagram and check out my website https://www.laurenkristineart.com

Stay tuned in 2021 for more art and painting tips!