Artists and galleries, you’ve been working hard. And one day a writer is going to call you. That writer might be someone like me. Someone calling to interview you for a feature article in a newspaper or magazine. That writer will schedule an interview to talk about your art and will take the next day or two to write up a thoughtful intelligent article promoting your work. That writer is also going to ask you for high resolution print ready images. Will you be ready? You had better be, because there is a great chance that you may lose an opportunity to show your best work to a wide audience if you don’t have goods.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve interviewed an artist or gallery and they aren’t prepared with high resolution quality print images to accompany the article. Not only will you need these images in case of fame, but you’ll also need them for advertising, direct mail marketing, postcards, and portfolio and exhibition requirements.

I write this post because just recently I interviewed an artist. I was assured that she had high res photos of a certain piece of work which was to be mentioned in the story. I wrote up the story while waiting for the images only to find out that the artist only had low resolution images. This puts the artist/gallery in a poor marketing situation (because low res images look like hell in print) and it endangers the writer of missing deadline if the writer has to wait for you to prepare imagery. “Can’t you take the image off my website?”  Answer: NO!!  Here’s why…

Images prepared for the web are low resolution images. They are usually compressed to 72 dpi and about 1000×1000 pixels in size at the most. Images for the web are not suitable for print publication because they are teeny tiny or will display with those nasty jagged edges. You need images which are at least 350 dpi and approximately 8×10 inches in size. (Smaller photos such as 4×6 will also work but just in case that writer wants to splash a BIG photo of your work for a page spread… well, you know where I’m going with this, so just in case, keep those 8×10’s handy)

Here’s how to prepare your photos for print:

Selecting images.

You’re a professional artist or a professional gallery and these images should NOT be snap shots. You are selling high end ART… show your art to it’s best advantage and show that you are a professional. If you can’t take the photos yourself, hire a photographer. (Just a little plug here… yes I’m available to photograph your work.) It’s well worth the money to show your work in it’s best light. A professional photographer will provide you with gorgeous detailed imagery. The photographer will crop out any unnecessary background chaos and use post processing to ensure the color pops and that the image is crystal clear and color accurate. Also that photographer will take high resolution photos and will also usually provide low resolution images if you need them for the web as well.

Select images which are interesting, compelling and marketable. Quality content and clear bright images are essential. Ensure that all horizon and vertical lines are level and that the art sits straight and proud. Crazy angles, unless it’s a fine art photo, are not the best choice for publication. Photos of your art opening should include people… lots of people. But if the people don’t look their best, skip the photo and select another. Again I emphasize quality quality quality and HIGH RESOLUTION.  If you have a photo on your hard-drive and are not sure if it’s high or low res, look first to it’s size to give you a clue. If it’s size reads something like 620KB… This is most likely a low res image. Start looking for images that are maybe 3, 5, 10mg. From there you can weed out the low res from the high.

Creating photos on your own.

There are two things you need to be aware of here. First is the image size (dpi = dots per inch) and the image’s dimensions (1000×1000 pixels or 8 x10”). Your camera setting will provide you with a couple of options for this. Select the largest or highest quality setting. You can always make a large photo smaller but you can’t make a small low resolution photo bigger… or at least you can’t do that and expect a solid successful print.

You’ll need some photo editing software and there are several great ones available. Make sure to crop your photo and depending on your Lightroom or Photoshop skills you can tweak the photo for clarity, vibrance, brightness, contrast and more.

When you have collected a variety of shots for your promotion needs put those in a folder for marketing and promotion. Keep the high resolution images in one folder and the web ready images in another. This way you will be ready to go in a moment’s notice when that special writer comes calling.

Oh… and one more thing. Very Important. Don’t forget to include the title, size and medium if you are submitting photographs of artwork. The publication is going to want this information to include in a caption or in the copy.

In the case of the artist I wrote about above… well, she had a new work which she very much wanted to promote. However, because she didn’t have the image prepared, we had to change the copy and display an older image. What a shame and what a lost opportunity. Don’t let this happen to you.  So even if you have images… spend some time organizing them into folders and subsets so you are not hunting around your hard-drive looking for the ONE photo that you know you have somewhere.

Good luck.

Did you like this article or do you know a friend who might benefit? Please feel free to comment and to share.

My G+ profile description reads: Writer. Photography saved my life. The photography statement sounds rather dramatic doesn’t it? Despite the supposed histrionics, I believe the statement to be quite true and when photographer Helen Sotiriadis suggested I write a post about it, how could I say no?

As is usually the case with big profound statements such as this, it’s hard to put into words exactly how the story and emotions support the premise. But as a word weaver sewing the fabric of tales or a surgeon wielding his blade, I will attempt to share with you how it came to be that the magic of a lens gave me the ability to discover a new life and breathe deeply for the first time in years.

Living a life of art and design doesn’t just mean hanging a new canvas in your living room or designing a great new logo. We can bring creativity and beauty into our lives in many ways. Here are 40 tips on how you can live a more inspired life.

1.    Surround yourself with color – enjoy it, play with it, experiment with it. Put it on your walls, your couch and your body.
2.    Clean House – A clean house is inspiring and sexy. Get rid of clutter.
3.    Design your home or apartment – For me, my house is the place I work and where I retreat from work. Because it holds these dual purposes, it is important to separate the two. Good design creates a transition. Fill your space with the things you love.
4.    Organize your financials. Free your mind to think about other things.
5.    Take the weekend off – ‘nough said.
6.    Try aromatherapy. Good smells inspire creativity.
7.    Design yourself – Have fun.
8.    Draw or paint even if you think you suck at it.
9.    Subscribe to an art or design magazine.
10.    Join an art or design organization.
11.    Visit a museum – Great place for learning about so many things, plus they are filled with beautiful objects.
12.    Attend an art opening
13.    Visit an artist studio – Artists love to share their work. Call in advance, just in case.
14.    Find a new hobby – creativity = creativity
15.    Learn about art/design/fashion – take a class, watch a dvd, ask questions
16.    Keep a journal
17.    Listen to a wide variety of music, and dance!
18.    Garden
19.    When buying art, buy only art you love.
20.    Daydream – every chance you get

About a week ago, a young artist, Chris Cane, came to my house to gather information and advice on marketing his art. Chris is having his very first art exhibition at the age of 19 years old. His work will be on display at Simply Pearls Gallery at Water’s Edge Resort in Westbrook, Connecticut thru May 5, 2011. When I asked Chris if he was excited about his opening, he answered yes . . . but there is a much bigger mission that excites Christopher Cane. He wants to take his art and his creativity and go to Thailand. In his own words, here are his thoughts:

I believe that like learning a language, a certain gap in one’s young life provides a significantly greater chance for the youngster to grasp concepts of the creative process, which can prove useful down the road whether the child become a mathematician, a scientist, or an artist. When a child is given a certain amount of freedom, with the right materials, he or she can reach a state of engulfment in the creative process which I attempt to recreate. This state of mind inspires my paintings as I create new variables of freedom in color scheme, pattern, medium, frame material, methods of application, style, etc.

Phyllis Theroux’s The Journal Keeper – A Memoir is a delightful read. Like having a relaxing sitdown with an older more experienced writer, like talking with your mom or a beloved friend on a spring morning with a cup of tea. In fact, I find her words to be so inspiring that it’s difficult for me to read the book . . . each time I start, I’m inspired to rush to my laptop to jot down words of my own.

On page 40, Theroux writes about a trip to Charlottesville:

We walked around the University of Virginia quad designed by Jefferson. It is winter now, stacks of wood lie by each student’s door. The ivy on the serpentine brick walls is withering, the garden, laid out in pie-shaped triangles, are bare. Something in me doesn’t like to take the time to describe what I’m looking at: the slender student bent over her book in Starbucks, the little snow-suited baby waiting patiently to be scooped up by its mother in the restaurant, the bundled-up Tibetans downtown sitting before their table of trinkets and prayer flags. But another part of me wants to develop a more physically observing eye. This sabbatical from writing has given me the space and time to cultivate my eye for its own sake.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AIGA CONNECTICUT

CONTACT:
Lisa Mikulski – Director of Communications and Public Relations
Email:  communications@connecticut.aiga.org
Web:   www.connecticut.aiga.org
Phone: 260.227.5472

Calling all designers, artists, entrepreneurs and students . . . check out our upcoming events at AIGA Connecticut. From a warm breakfast to Living Principles, we’ve created a blizzard of activity to inspire your winter days. All events are open to the public.

Nearly every Sunday, my friend Casey would send me an email to say hello. Attached was always a photo of something wonderful and extraordinary. Now Casey’s blog, artandcolour, has been nominated for a Blogger’s Choice Award. Please visit and enjoy artandcolour (and maybe even vote). Casey shares with us his thoughts on book design, photography, wildflowers, cars, his family history and his life. Well written and executed, you’ll love this site.? Simply beautiful!

IS A WEBSITE STILL REALLY NECESSARY?

How many marketing tools do we need? There seems to be thousands, maybe millions, of social media outlets, third-party portfolio sites, creative community endeavors and they all seem to be screaming about why they are the ticket to make your online marketing arsenal complete.

We are told that we need a website, a blog, a Facebook account, Twitter, Linkedin and don’t forget the other myriad of sites that add to the mix. We are told we need self branding (a logo and ID), SEO functionality and that we should network, network, network!! Good lord, who has the time? Do we really need all this to sell our product and services? Well, yeah we do. We’re in business and as such it’s expected that we put in more than the pre-requsite 9-5pm work day. So, no more complaining about Facebook or time limitations.  Don’t wanna hear how you’re an artist and all you want to do is make art. Marketing is a part of what needs to be done. It’s like paperwork, administration, taxes and brushing your teeth . . . you need to do it, so let’s figure out the best way to handle all these reigns.