Here we are LIVE from SURTEX with Anne Bollman!
Enter To Win A FREE Workshop!
The big day is coming. My three-day workshop on Modern Thrive entitled “How To Get An Agent (And Do I Really Need One?)” will be here before you know it. March 16th to be exact. It’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m really eager to share a ton of useful information with you. If you haven’t signed up yet, click here.
Although I have included every bit of important info I can think of, there are always questions. So I’m leaving a few minutes in each session to answer pertinent questions about the topic. To make this even more fun than it already is, I’m giving away one FREE workshop (a $97 value) to a lucky winner. To be automatically entered, just post a relevant question in the comments section below. I’ll choose the winner at random on Monday, March 7th. It’s so easy. (One question per person, please.)
Have you already signed up? Don’t worry! If you’re randomly chosen as the winner I’ll simply refund your payment.
I’m looking forward to reading your questions. And I’m anticipating a great three days giving you the benefit of my knowledge and experience. See you on March 16th! - Jennifer
Off to BLUEPRINT, with PRINTSOURCE close behind!
Whew, running a small business is loads of work! Good thing I LOVE it!
We are ready for BLUEPRINT! The prints are sorted and packed in pretty folios, the banners are ready to pop up, the forms are ready to be filled, the postcards are all tucked into Monika's beautiful ZÜCA bag. I even have a few giveaways for lucky clients! Hope to see you there!
SHOW DATES:
December 2-4, 2015
SHOW TIMES:
Wednesday Dec 2nd - 10:00-6:00
Thursday Dec 3rd- 9:00-6:00
Friday Dec 4th: 9:00-4:00
LOCATION:
404 Tenth Avenue
(between 32nd and 33rd Streets)
NYC
Next stop, PRINTSOURCE! Send me a note to schedule an appointment for either (or both!) shows. - Jennifer
News about a New Newsletter
Would you be interested in a JNA newsletter that goes directly from agent to artist? Can you agree to keep it just between us?
And maybe you could benefit from some of my coping skills. You might like to hear how I deal with insecurities, celebrate victories, and create balanced life. (Life isn’t just art. There must also be pancakes!)
So, if you are game (and I really hope you are), please sign up here and be sure to check the “I am interested in: representation +/or advice for artists” box.
Hope to hear from you! - Jennifer
As you probably know, we send out a newsletter every few weeks which goes to thousands (yikes!) of folks in the art world. Most are art buyers, some are business associates, some are graphic designers. And some are artists just like you! But I realized that there may be a need for a newsletter that goes to artists only.
After all, there are some inside tips I can offer to artists that I don’t necessarily want everyone to know. When it comes to how to negotiate a contract, how to market your work to art directors, how to promote yourself through social media – that’s information I would like to share only with the artists themselves.
I am hoping to share some practical tidbits on licensing, reveal how art buyers search the web, and coach you on how to get the most out of your online hours.
This is the kind of thing that happens during my Advice For Artists sessions, where I do one-on-one coaching with illustrators over Skype. It has been very helpful to artists and for me too!
The Six Secrets Of Selecting An Artist
I’m frequently asked, “What do you look for in an artist?” Since you asked nicely, I’m going to reveal my secret system.
Secret 1) Of course, not every agent handles this important decision the same way, but I look for three main ingredients in an artist: Excellent work (obviously), talents that match the needs of art buyers I work with (and those I hope to work with soon) and kind-heartedness, both in business and personal behavior. Yes, it’s nice to be important but it’s important to be nice.
Secret 2) Regarding style, I seek out artists with a unique eye and a personal perspective. I love a quirky sense of design myself, and my customers tend to like what I like. I look for someone who understands color and design, who has a vision for the overall composition, and who pays attention to the finest details. It’s about seeing the Big Picture while dealing with the small stuff.
Secret 3) I always keep in mind the needs of art buyers. I look for excellent artwork with a different take on readily licensable content. That means popular subject matter like florals, winter holiday themes, hand lettering, etc. The art buyers I work with are looking for clarity, mastery of color and an image that will, in turn, appeal to their customers.
Their company will invest a lot of money in making products with that art on it. Art buyers look to me to help them discern what is marketable. Tip: Flowers are in most years, snakes are not in very often. ;)
Secret 4) Being dependable is as essential as being talented. I have been in business for many years and have worked with oodles of gifted people. The ones who are committed, timely and accurate get hired time and time again. Among those, the artists I remember and want to work with are those who are also decent human beings. If an artist is good to me and the online community, they will in turn be pleasant toward our clients. This reflects well on the artist, the agency, and on me personally.
Secret 5) A successful artist needs to be have good work habits. That means being organized (knowing where to find that piece of art we need), neat (art can get messy but digital files have to be clean), friendly and easy to talk with, and ready and willing to collaborate with clients. In short, an artist has to have the same standards as anyone in business.
Secret 6) As opposed to fine art, commercial art is about solving problems. How do we want to design this pillow to make it marketable? What image should go on this Mother’s Day card? How do we make this ordinary object more desirable with art? Self-expression and creativity are wonderful, but we still need art that does what it’s required to do. I look for artists whose approach to illustration includes problem-solving skills.
So… now that the secrets are out, they’re not really secrets at all! Just good common sense and smart business practices. Pretty obvious, really. - Jennifer
BIG NEWS: coming up on Friday, we will announce our seventh artist! Like the six that came before her, she fits all the criteria above. I love her work and I can’t wait to share her amazing art with all of you.