What's a piece of art "advice" that you're genuinely sick of hearing?
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Art Business
215 Comments
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Wow did you make this ? you are really good. You should sell your art
And those people never buy your art .
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Thst is literally the truth no matter what the project. "You are so talented". Blah, blah, blah.....
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Truth! I would add “you are so talented!” I try very hard not to make remarks about hard work, disasters, long hours, education, money worries, practice practice practice. Talent is that word for me. Like it’s magic rather than accomplishment. Just once I’d like to hear “you are accomplished”, with all due respect.
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In the beginning I painted to make money, and I did but the amount I made was priced by who I thought my audience was. A Gallery showing or a craft fair. I priced accordingly . But. Like the Gallery money better so I price at that level and I’m good with hat.
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The most annoying piece of advice? “Be yourself.” And then they add: just speak faster, shoot more dynamically, follow trends, and post every day. So where exactly in all that is “being yourself”?
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RIGHT?!!! How can I post everyday on SM when the details are so little to be noticed?
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We would love you to contribute an art piece to our raffle. It will be good exposure for you. I will contribute something if I like the cause but certainly because it'll be good exposure. It's a little bit of a trick that the folks who say it probably don't realize.
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And then it sells for an embarrassingly low price which, well, affects overall value. So much for exposure.
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Marketing only takes 20 minutes a week! You can paint the rest of the time!
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Wow, I get the same advise but I stop giving excuses, I also paint in really bright colors but I identify myself with the black and white impact.
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I'm not giving excuses I just don't want to alter my work when my signature style has to be in black and white (aside from my colored pencil/digital art but I rarely do those pieces)
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telling you how to sell or market your art and none is working
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In the same boat! Marketing your art is so difficult! What used to happen when there was no social media , how did artists sell?
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Being authentic , original and persistent ! Let the paintings find their own connections, nothing can be forced if it’s not meant to be!
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You really need an email list.
Oh, you don’t say.
If people don’t want to sign up I can’t make them!
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Exactly! Its like another tick in the box that everyone has to do, but is it really worth it?
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have you considered showing your art in cafes/ coffee shops/ restaurants/ bakeries/ doctor's offices/ dentist offices/ hospitals/ airports/ yada, yada? YES! And NO!🙃
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"I don't get what it is about." Similarly "I don't understand it."
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people often say “I have a great idea for you” and my response past ten or 12 years I stop them & say I’ll paint your idea my custom commission painting price starts at $2000. If they no I want you to take my idea I respectfully decline telling them that if I’m gonna do a painting that has to come from me, but if I’m getting paid, I’ll do your idea. I don’t want you to come back to me in 10 years. Ask for commission because my painting was successful. But I do think interestingly now maybe people aren’t doing it as much because they’re taking their ideas to AI - I used to think ideas were a dime a dozen because the only people who could make them come to life were artists or people who can afford talent , but now ideas are valuable more valuable because of AI anyone has access to see their vision appear- to a degree …
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And the idea they have is nowhere in your niche. I had a friend tell me to paint rocks. 🫤
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He meant well because he painted rocks and thought I should try that as part of my art journey. Needless to say I did NOT take him up on that.
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Paint rocks? That's rude. That's something kids do in grade school.
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Why don't you draw/paint a popular subject such as a nice warm landscape with a cottage? People like that. They don't want a drawing/painting that makes them think. They just want something lovely that will go with their furniture. What kills me is they are probably right. What I usually tell them is: I make art, therefore I am. I make art that defines my soul and satisfies that perpetual urge to create. If I make simple art that pleases people, I am not creating what defines me. I lose my gift and purpose in making art. Yes I would probably makes a lot more money, but that is not why I create. So I am stuck. Stuck in the middle of needing to make money and needing to create with purpose. Of the two, I prefer purpose.
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I got the same problem. And I envy the people who find it their creativity and enjoy making what sells, the traditional landscapes, scenery, whatever
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Translated from Español
Basically I think that the price has nothing to do with whether you sell it or not, each original is destined for a specific person, these two circumstances must coincide and when that happens the artwork is sold….
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So basically leaving it for the things to happen? Well I am sure things worked a lot way more like this before the social media! And now it feels like until you don’t put all your efforts into selling nothing would sell!
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Translated from Español
No matter how much you insist, you won't achieve anything; your work is done; if you are sincere, authentic and unique, even better, it will come out for you at some moment or another; we live in times when the arts are not valued; an excess of product? Perhaps yes; the system of proposals is saturated, and that still slows everything down even more!
Patience and persistence—the old remedy!
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Translated from Français
People don't see the same thing as you. Each of my paintings, or almost all of them, has its own imperfections that I deliberately left in, but for many of them I am indeed the only one who sees them. Does that devalue your work, then, if it is perfect in the eyes of another?
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You are right in daying people dont see what you do.Perception takes a huge role in any art work.The key is not to worry at all what others think..Whether they lie ,judge etc.If they lie ,...well !! what does that tell you about them ?? Fear about hurting your feelings?? Who cares.Your art work is yours and yours only.Dont let other people ruin your moment!!
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Worse yet, you think you did a great job and someone says “eh”, like it’s ok. That someone who could possibly live with you and knows how long you worked it. 😡 I’d rather that someone lie and say it’s good!
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Well...It's not really advice. But so often when people see one of my photographs, after complimenting and admiring the image, so often what they say is:
"What camera do you use?"
Which of course diminishes that I actually might have had anything to do with photograph, so it must have been the camera I used that made such a compelling image!
So, although it usually takes them back a bit, and they tilt their heads confused by my response, when asked, "What camera do you use?"
I reply with, "Mine."
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Oh yeah! I hate this one! Especially when they realize I don't use the newest, best, most expensive and men especially turn up their noses - but I'm still turning out artworks.
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Translated from Français
And you're right, Sanijela, art is a gift from heaven, a very personal one
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People telling me how good my work is and I just need to go to more art fairs to sell. But it doesn’t sell there. But they keep telling me that!
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Giving your art away for an auction or sale that is a fundraiser SO THAT you will benefit from the “exposure.”
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You have to be clever enough and use the gift of marketing and sales whilst being confident and adding your own flare...
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Im tired of the cookie cutter advice regarding the posting of paintings..Also the fact that they have rules about sharing work but they don't want self promotion because it's considered spam. What the hell!
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@Joanne Craig Art -- that's when I tell them, "Really? I just sold 3 yesterday."
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It's as if they want to buy your art, but they are coming up with excuses to convince themselves not to.
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Just paint what sells." Art loses its soul when it's created only to follow trends.
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With Ai taking over, it will be hard to make any decent money selling your art. You might want to think about doing something else.
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Giving up is not the answer! Thats easy. People here must start to think positive .Everything is energy and your energy actually goes into your paintings so make them magical,positive and you will attract the same.Any hint of doubt will diminish your hopes
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You should start an Etsy store to sell your art. Like, I don't have enough to do already.
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Translated from Deutsch
What annoys me these days is the numerous inquiries about NFTs. Along with the many compliments about how good your pictures are. You only have to finish the pictures on a specialized platform. Yes, that costs, "but I'll buy them afterwards." And then the drama starts. You invest, but you can't get the money, because you have to constantly pay new fees. And the guys and girls on the platform are extremely creative.
It's just sickening how artists get taken advantage of by it.
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"You have to find your style." I think this advice can sometimes be limiting. I believe an artist's style should be allowed to evolve naturally through experimentation, curiosity, and the freedom to explore. Sometimes you don't find your style. You find yourself through the process of creating.
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I've gotten this with my writing, not so much with my drawings: "you should write what's popular." I don't want to write another Twilight. I don't want to be the next Stephen King. I want to create stories that matter to me, and if even one person sees it, I'm happy. Whether its through my drawings or my writing.
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My Husband keeps asking me to put a very high price on one of my paintings like $20,000 I am not ready to do this
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"You must find one signature style and stick to it so people can recognize you."
This is the advice I’m genuinely sick of hearing. Art is not a brand or a factory line. Restricting a multifaceted soul to a single "niche" just to satisfy market labels kills true inspiration. Look at John Singer Sargent—he painted portraits, luminous watercolors, and landscapes, following his vision, not commercial rules. Let’s break the boxes and stop turning art into a repetitive craft!
What about you? What advice are you sick of hearing?
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I must Personally say, I have not found any advice, comments or critique that I can truly say, " I am sick of hearing this". I am just so excited to be apart of art community who engage and is a part of my journey. I welcome any feedback in any form. I can choose what I would like to "test out or try on" and what I want to file away for future use or what I want to disregard for whatever reason. Life is too short to get upset about little things. If something does not suit where you currently are, don't pick it up and carry it. Be true to yourself and always give freely of yourself to others in a way that is authentic, honest and kind.
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People appreciate . admire and tell you how beautiful your art is. But they don't know how to put their hands to their pocket.
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"Maybe if you lower/increase your prices". "The market is depressed at the moment" (Not so!)
"Your art is amazing!" "How long did it take you paint that" (My standard answer: around 42 years, 6 months, 3 days and 4 hours")
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I haven’t read all of the comments yet, but I’m sure there’s someone else that’s heard “you need to paint things that will sell“, along with “no one’s going to buy that”.
So helpful. 😒I’m not doing deer in bluebonnets and a hunting dog with his bird catch. Living in rural America makes the art thing really challenging.
Or how about “if you just practiced more, and made it more realistic….” Um, classically trained, capable of painting realistically, it’s a choice not to. Grrrrr
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Everyone is an art critic who knows nothing about art:
Oh that’s nice but maybe you should add a bird here or tree there, maybe an airplane flying over the sky.
Yeah let’s make it so busy you can’t tell what the paintings focal point is. Of course they don’t know what that means. <sigh>
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That’s good. You’re so talented.
Another one is how long did it take you to paint this. And they think you should only make $20 an hour
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Translated from Français
After 25 years of experience developing my style, and knowing that inspiration can greatly speed up the process, I don't think it's possible to calculate an hourly rate,
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"Pricing your art is easy. Measure the square inches and multiply by $X.00".
Artists are not selling carpet! A small painting can be highly charged with emotional impact and a large painting can be empty of meaning. Size doesn't equal price. A $30,000 painting doesn't have to be 16 feet wide. A million dollar painting doesn't need to fill a football field.
Many variables to consider along the journey. A agile and scalable system is best to implement over time!
Price based on value and impact, regardless of size.
That is so true and I’ve had smaller pieces that took a lot more time (and paint) due to details or texturizing. I charge more for that. I’ve seen artists do this square inch thing because they’ve made it, selling in the thousands, have their own galleries or studios. The rest of us are trying not to starve and be able to afford materials!!
In my niche, companion animal portraits, I found that pricing by size is better understood by my buyers. For one thing, the client hasn’t seen the art, they have to trust that I will create an emotionally rewarding image. They base this trust on my portfolio and the fact that I don’t bill them until they are happy. I share montages/sketches and roughs along the way. Since many people give these portraits as gifts, a clear price estimate is necessary.
I am soon to be represented by a virtual international gallery, which will have their own pricing structure, but it’s based on seeing the art after it’s complete and pricing it according to the curator’s criteria. This is a great opportunity for me to do more of my own work with my own choice of subjects.
I sell every painting for the exact same price no matter what size how long it took to make
Considering peoples interior changes every 5 years . I make my art accessible and affordable for them my art is not for people who use it as an investment