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Creating a Target Market for Your Work
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| © 2009 Print That Image, All Rights Reserved P.O. Box 222, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33302 |
Today I am going to embrace something which is pretty much a no-go area among
many fine artists: Creating for a target audience.
Woe to him who suggests painting something with the purpose of, well, selling! The
underlying theory among artists seems to be to create whatever you want and then find
a market for it. To me, this is a very backwards plan if you want to make a living selling
your work.
My suggestion is to think carefully about what you enjoy most about your creative
process, including the subjects you paint, and then to refine that in a way that meets
the need of a specific market.
Create for a Target Audience
I am not saying that you have to paint ballerinas all day everyday (unless that's what
you love!), but the idea is to create art that has an appeal to a significant segment of
the population. Without this it's going to make your job of selling work very difficult.
For example, perhaps you just want to paint toilet seats. You just have this passion for
toilet seat painting that you can't seem to quench. Well, maybe it's just me, but I think
it's going to be tough to sell a lot of work. Unless of course you're picked up by a real
gallery who wants to back you. Then you may be okay, but the minority of artists have
this opportunity.
Nor am I saying that just because you're creating with a target market in mind that you
have to relinquish all creativity. In fact, I would be willing to bet that it will force you to
think more and create more challenging work. And of course not every piece you create
has to be with the intent of selling. In fact, you certainly need to create "just for the sake
of it" in order to allow yourself freedom to experiment and discover those happy
accidents!
My point here is that if you want to sell art, you must embrace the fact that you're
creating a product for consumption by the general public. Your art is a product - you are
the creator, fabricator, manufacturer, designer, etc. You must have a viable business
plan, and any worthwhile business plan talks about a target market.
A Closer Look
As an artist myself when I have time, the idea of painting one type of subject matter all
the time is rather depressing. But I don't think it is a necessity when approaching the
idea of painting for an audience. Creating various series of work in your own unique
style allows you to tie together many different subjects or themes while keeping them
all related.
You may decide to create a series of eight floral still life paintings, then move onto a
series on birds for example. Each of these series can be marketed separately to
relative potential markets. You might attend a botanical fair or raffle a print to a garden
club in your area for the floral series. For the series on birds you may put a small
advertisement in a birding magazine. The beauty of this method is that it really
challenges you to keep a theme for a prolonged number of pieces, which will force you
to become a better artist and give a solid foundation to your work.
In the long run you will probably find that you get more satisfaction painting one subject
over another, and as you pick up more collectors for certain pieces you'll be able to
judge what to paint next. As with any business there are aspects of being an artist that
just aren't enjoyable. Sometimes that may be painting something you're not entirely
enthusiastic about, but if it's paying your bills and allowing you to continue to paint then
it's well worth it.
I know that the dream of being an artist is doing what you love all the time. That's the
reason a lot of people pursue the careers that they are in. But being a professional
artist does not exempt you from having to paint or do things that don't inspire you every
single moment of everyday. You must be smart and attuned with the reality of having to
make a living doing what you do in order to succeed long term.
I'll end with an astute quote from lifelong artist Chuck Close: "Inspiration is for
amateurs, the rest of us just get up and go to work."
many fine artists: Creating for a target audience.
Woe to him who suggests painting something with the purpose of, well, selling! The
underlying theory among artists seems to be to create whatever you want and then find
a market for it. To me, this is a very backwards plan if you want to make a living selling
your work.
My suggestion is to think carefully about what you enjoy most about your creative
process, including the subjects you paint, and then to refine that in a way that meets
the need of a specific market.
Create for a Target Audience
I am not saying that you have to paint ballerinas all day everyday (unless that's what
you love!), but the idea is to create art that has an appeal to a significant segment of
the population. Without this it's going to make your job of selling work very difficult.
For example, perhaps you just want to paint toilet seats. You just have this passion for
toilet seat painting that you can't seem to quench. Well, maybe it's just me, but I think
it's going to be tough to sell a lot of work. Unless of course you're picked up by a real
gallery who wants to back you. Then you may be okay, but the minority of artists have
this opportunity.
Nor am I saying that just because you're creating with a target market in mind that you
have to relinquish all creativity. In fact, I would be willing to bet that it will force you to
think more and create more challenging work. And of course not every piece you create
has to be with the intent of selling. In fact, you certainly need to create "just for the sake
of it" in order to allow yourself freedom to experiment and discover those happy
accidents!
My point here is that if you want to sell art, you must embrace the fact that you're
creating a product for consumption by the general public. Your art is a product - you are
the creator, fabricator, manufacturer, designer, etc. You must have a viable business
plan, and any worthwhile business plan talks about a target market.
A Closer Look
As an artist myself when I have time, the idea of painting one type of subject matter all
the time is rather depressing. But I don't think it is a necessity when approaching the
idea of painting for an audience. Creating various series of work in your own unique
style allows you to tie together many different subjects or themes while keeping them
all related.
You may decide to create a series of eight floral still life paintings, then move onto a
series on birds for example. Each of these series can be marketed separately to
relative potential markets. You might attend a botanical fair or raffle a print to a garden
club in your area for the floral series. For the series on birds you may put a small
advertisement in a birding magazine. The beauty of this method is that it really
challenges you to keep a theme for a prolonged number of pieces, which will force you
to become a better artist and give a solid foundation to your work.
In the long run you will probably find that you get more satisfaction painting one subject
over another, and as you pick up more collectors for certain pieces you'll be able to
judge what to paint next. As with any business there are aspects of being an artist that
just aren't enjoyable. Sometimes that may be painting something you're not entirely
enthusiastic about, but if it's paying your bills and allowing you to continue to paint then
it's well worth it.
I know that the dream of being an artist is doing what you love all the time. That's the
reason a lot of people pursue the careers that they are in. But being a professional
artist does not exempt you from having to paint or do things that don't inspire you every
single moment of everyday. You must be smart and attuned with the reality of having to
make a living doing what you do in order to succeed long term.
I'll end with an astute quote from lifelong artist Chuck Close: "Inspiration is for
amateurs, the rest of us just get up and go to work."
This article is copyright © 2009 Chris Kennedy, www.PrintThatImage.com.
PrintThatImage.com offers giclee printing in the Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and South
Florida Area. We also provide giclee and fine art printing services online nationwide
to fine artists, photographers, galleries, and frame shops.
PrintThatImage.com offers giclee printing in the Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and South
Florida Area. We also provide giclee and fine art printing services online nationwide
to fine artists, photographers, galleries, and frame shops.
Decorative Printing Specialists (954) 353-1095