Animals V

Sue O’Kieffe said that some of my designs reminded her of wrapping paper and fabric. She also suggested that I pursue licensing for some of these images. Sue asked if I had considered that.

Animals V, Digital © Diane Clancy

Many people have also stated that these designs would be outstanding wallpapers. I have actually had people (I didn’t know) want to order my wrapping paper from seeing these designs on my website. The only problem is that these designs are cards and prints but not wrapping paper yet.

I sent samples to one company and she was very nice but said they weren’t the kind of wrapping paper her clients want. Yet many stores and individuals have seen my fine art greeting cards and wished for the matching wrapping paper. They have said how much more enticing they are than current choices in wrapping paper.

Here I am back at one of my dilemmas. Which direction to pursue and how to best use my time. Also, how much to create for myself and how much to pursue the market. How much to persist and when to cut my losses. (I know one try isn’t a lot.) But sometimes I am not sure which direction to prioritize.

~ Diane Clancy

Conundrum III

Most days I read Alyson Stanfield’s Art Marketing Blog which I find very useful. I learned about blogging from her free Art Newsletter which you can sign up for at her Art Marketing website. When I started my blog, I studied Alyson’s posts on blogging to make decisions about how I wanted to proceed. In this one blog I get all sorts of insights from many different artists through their comments. Alyson encourages us as artists to use technology in our art businesses.

Conundrum III, Collage © Diane Clancy

Alyson, writing about an art-marketing workshop she gave at one time, wrote in her blog, “One of the big lessons I always learn at these workshops is that artists who use technology have a distinct advantage over artists who don’t. …”

Alyson continues, “Stay on top of technology and use the tools that are available to you. Only 3 out of 66 artists in the room yesterday had a blog! … think of that. Three of 66!”

From Alyson’s blog I learned that WordPress is free blogging software. From what readers (and Alyson) wrote, I made a decision to go with WordPress and I am delighted that I did! I wouldn’t have known how to start without this great resource of Alyson Stanfield’s blog.

This painting “Conundrum III” is from my collage series that is inspired by my former quilting. There are many actual fabric pieces in this collage besides paper and paint.

Please share your thoughts in a comment.

~ Diane Clancy

Irie in Butterflies

My fine art cards are being sold at the local Visitors Center. One local resident who saw my enhanced animal images at the Center, gave me a call to see if I would create her a unique portrait of her own animal companion. Of course, I was delighted!

Irie in Butterflies, Digital © Diane Clancy

I took an image she already had and put her Irie into a flower environment for a print for my client. She gave me written permission to also put her companion into a field of butterflies and then make cards to sell.

Being a micro-business, I need to figure out which niches are working well and which will work for me. I find that creating animal portraits is a service that there is a demand for. Then when I am able to use these images for my cards, it helps me build my business. As an artist, I need to find creative ways to expand my market.

I also offer graphic design and website design as another service. There is a lot of research now showing that every dollar invested in the local economy and the creative economy shows far greater return than most other investments into the economy. I am working to help create the creative economy in Franklin County!

~ Diane Clancy

Toys II

Looking for a birthday party! This wrapping paper design is looking for a company to make it into actual wrapping paper. Already I have cards showcasing this digital painting, but my customers are wanting the paper to go with the cards.

Toys II, Digital © Diane Clancy

I am exploring licensing for my designs. Someone would be allowed to use my designs (paying a royalty, of course) to make products that they then market. Licensing has become quite a large part of the art marketing field nowadays.

If you would like to read about the details of how I create this kind of design, please check out the post Flowers XVII on my other blog. When I saw all these cute toys, I just had to make them into a design that the kid in me sure loves.

It was a glorious day here and in this area most people are very happy that the sun is out and the day is warm. Hope you enjoyed your weekend!

~ Diane Clancy