How to Make Money as an Artist: The 7 Winning Strategies of Successful Fine Artists [Paperback]

Sean Moore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

How to sell one’s art isn't taught in art schools, yet it’s an essential ingredient in getting work displayed and attracting art commissions. This straightforward guide is written for artists who want to present themselves and their work in the best possible light to the largest possible audience. Topics include creating a winning marketing package, getting a gallery, finding an artist representative, and obtaining free or low-cost advertising. Also included is a thorough resource listing that includes inexpensive sources for slide development, contact information for artist representatives, suggestions for durable mailing packaging, and contact names for foreign news media.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book should be in every school of art, college art department, and artist's pocket." -- V.A. Howard, author of Artistry: The Works of Artists and Learning by All Means: Lessons from the Arts

About the Author

Sean Moore has exhibited nationally for more than 30 years, and his paintings are hung in private and business collections. He lives in Newton, Massachusetts.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556524137
• ISBN-13: 978-1556524134
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,237,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars no news flash, November 5, 2003

By 

Lola (wanderer) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Make Money as an Artist: The 7 Winning Strategies of Successful Fine Artists (Paperback)

It's no secret that if you're an artist (or do anything of an "artsy" inclination) that, sadly enough, sometimes what you're selling has little to do with your product (err, art) but rather your package (that would be you). I think most of the advice given in here is common sense, like you need to market yourself and act professionally. I also believe that this book could benefit from the use of anecdotes -- I would like to hear some stories of successful fine artists. Now for the specifics. The author's gems of advice for your resume are "Don't set your resume on a typewriter" (yes! a typewriter! I checked to make sure that this book was really published in the year 2000 and indeed it was) and "Use serif type. This is the most important advice you will ever get about typography..." He then goes on to state that the reason that print media often uses serif type is because it is "easier" to read -- right here is where the author starts losing credibility because usability studies have shown that actually sans serif fonts are the ones easiest to read. But no, he claims that sans serif is good only for "art directors and graphic designers" -- and naturally, no self-respecting artiste would want to be confused with a designer now, would they?! Another point of contention (out of many) is that he is a proponent of artists using free website hosting services such as Compuserve or making use of your space on AOL. I don't know if anything would scream "I am an amateur hack" then having your "professional" website hosted on Geocities, complete with annoying pop-ups. I'm sorry but to make your sale and complete your marketing package, you've got to be professional, and professionals are willing to shell out a little money to get something that looks like you've got it together. Another favorite piece of advice is that the artist should chop up color photocopies (or something printed from your all-in-one home fax machine/copier -- horrors!) to create business cards. Believe me, I know that artists are on a tight budget and all, but again, that is not the image you want to be projecting. Lastly, if you are an aspiring artist and did not get your BFA/MFA in Art, and have never had a gallery show in your life, this book is not going to help you break into the business in any way.

Aside from these nit-picky details, there is the fact that this is ostensibly a book about making money. But really it's not. Essentially an artist is an entrepreneur, and any basic business book is going to tell you that to have a successful business, you will need a business plan, some sort of way of tracking your finances/expenditures, profit loss statements etc. How else will you even know what is making money and working for you? I know it's unsexy as hell but any smart and savvy artist would need to know these basics if they really want to make it (it's a pity that they rarely mention this reality in school). I would recommend that you steer clear of this book and check out some really basic entrepreneurial books with an accounting bent instead. And pick up a couple of basic graphic design ones too to understand how to put together a compelling marketing package.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Cliff Notes for How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist, July 29, 2004

By 

Suzanne Clements (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Make Money as an Artist: The 7 Winning Strategies of Successful Fine Artists (Paperback)

I've been raking the bookstores in search of all the information I can find regarding the subject of making a living as an artist. I've already read through two excellent books:
"How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist" AND
"Taking the Leap: Building a Career As a Visual Artist"

Both of those books had a wealth of information, and although they overlapped in some areas, they both brought their own perspectives, tips, and information to the table - and a lot of it at that. This book, "How to Make Money as an Artist" is a much thinner book, and only seems to overview a lot of key topics. I found the book too lightly skimmed the surface of many important issues that really do require a more in depth review.

I personally wouldn't recommend this book because I think you can get a lot more out of the other two books I suggested. If you only need a little guidance, and don't have a good grasp of the basics and common sense, this might be a place to start.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not for Artists!, October 13, 2004

By 

Clare Crowe (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Make Money as an Artist: The 7 Winning Strategies of Successful Fine Artists (Paperback)

If you are a college freshman, this book may be useful. For anyone who is out of school, there are many better books available. One that has some depth is How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist. How do I know? I purchased both at the same time.