The Best Advice For Artists Starting Out

Here's an extremely important issue that needs addressing. When artists are just starting out, most beginner artists do the same thing.

They go to the art store and buy some canvases. They're inexpensive and pre-stretched.

They make alot of sense at the time. As time goes on, artists all start producing some wonderful work on these canvases and started making a few sales.

With that comes gallery openings. At these gallery openings, you'll keep hearing the same thing over and over.

"I wish the staples weren't on the edge". Sale is dead.

That's right... it's not what's on the canvas... it's the presentation. You'll hear it mainly from gallery owners but also patrons as well.

Artists make these purchases not out of laziness or cheapness, just out of ignorance. If no one ever told you about this how would you know not to do that? Well, learn from others mistakes.

If you do buy pre-stretched, ALWAYS buy gallery-wrapped. Most of the time you should be stretching your own canvases, which will save you time and give you flexibility.

The #1 piece of advice for beginner artists is PRESENTATION. It may seem silly to have to think about it, since it is the artwork that matters. For a patron though, the presentation of the work can sway them to purchase or pass.

Think about it, if you go to buy a new car where one is covered in dirt and one is shiny new, which one would you choose? If you have staples on the edges of your work, paint the edges at a bare minimum. If you think you should frame the canvas, frame it.

Make the investment. Not only will it drastically improve the aesthetics of your work but it also drastically improves the chance that it will be purchased.

You can also feel confident about your prices. Let the presentation be about the art, not about how poorly the canvas is. Professional artists know it, and now you do to.