The internet is vast. And putting your designs out there without making sure you’ve got some solid SEO for them is a lot like fishing without bait – it’s gonna be way harder to get a bite. And it’s not much different for blogging – you could have the best content in the world, but if you don’t know how to use SEO to help people and search engines find it? It might as well just sit and gather pixel dust. Around the middle ofRead more
How to Build Your Social Media Audience
We’ve all been there: you write a killer tweet, publish it, sit and wait for those retweets to start pouring in, annnd… nothing happens. Anyone who’s tried building a social following for their online store, their art, for their blog, etc. knows that it’s not as simple as “if you tweet it, they will ‘Like’”. Learning how to build your social media audience and then putting those methods into practice takes work, and definitely takes time. But they say, “the best way to learn is by doing.” So weRead more
How to Prepare for a Gallery Show
From starting your own online business to starting an online shop for your business, Artist Shops provide a fantastic way to sell your art and designs on products online. But Artist Shops don’t just provide an online ‘gallery space’ for your art – you can also use Artist Shops to prepare for a gallery show by ordering and printing your own art (plus, because you get your own products at the base fee, you’re saving money too!) And Artist Shop members have already started doing this. And most recently, we were prettyRead more
More Free Textures For Your Art!
‘Tis the season to be giving! And seeing as our first Textures Pack was such a hit, we wanted to give you a few more to play around with! Our graphics guru Katie created a whole new set of free textures for you to apply to your art. Use them on everything from holiday card designs for your family, to new designs for your Artist Shop, to holiday card designs that you decide to sell on pillows in your Shop! AndRead more
Step Out of Your Creative Comfort Zone
“The comfort zone is the great enemy to creativity; moving beyond it necessitates intuition, which in turn configured new perspectives and conquers fears.” – Dan Stevens I’ve always been amazed at comedians. Because stepping out of their comfort zone is a job requirement. That awkward puberty phase of a comedy routine where jokes fall flat or totally bomb isn’t optional: you can’t know which jokes work by thinking about them, you have to test them out. Comedian Gad Elmaleh stands outRead more
How to Get Bloggers and Influencers to Promote Your Product
While it’s always a good idea to have a blog for your business, getting other blogs to post about your product or online shop is not only super flattering; it’s also a great way to tap into their audience to promote your stuff! But anyone who’s tried emailing everyone from bloggers to journalists knows that more often than not, you get radio silence before you even get a “no thank you.” Here are some helpful guidelines, examples, and an example email you can copy,Read more
How to Market Your Comic Book
Unless we’re talking about the Batman, Superman, or Green Lantern logo, the idea of having apparel for a comic book or graphic novel – especially up-and-comers and indies that are just finding their audience – might not seem worth the time. But there are some unexpected ways that having an apparel shop can hugely benefit comic book creators and artists online as well as offline. Here are a few clever ways that will show you how to market your comic book with anRead more
10 Ways to Stop Artist’s Block
Whether you’re not feeling inspired, worrying that a piece isn’t going to be good enough, or just can’t think of anything to draw, we’ve all had creative block before. We get it during work projects, when we just want to draw for fun, when we’re writing posts about it (ahem…) Ahh, yes: the creative struggle is very real. But the biggest mistake we can make with creative block is to let it get to us. There are many ways to ease yourselfRead more
How to Make a Promotional Calendar
We’ve all faced the regret of a holiday or event rolling around, only to totally miss it or to half-ass it, whether it’s happened to you as a shop owner or just someone trying to be social. The struggle is real. But for Shop owners, this can mean missing important opportunities to boost your sales. Knowing how to make a promo calendar is a key part of efficiently planning out what holidays you want to plan promos and sales for,Read more
Free Textures For Your Art
Ever look at a piece of art with a distressed or dappled look to it and wonder what crazy process the artist used? Well you’re in luck! The distressed look is actually easier to achieve than you’d expect; all it takes is textures. From old crinkled paper, to chipping paint, to splotches of paint, textures can be made up of almost anything and are an artist’s best friend. They can provide a finishing touch and extra element of intrigue to any art piece. Best of all,Read more
Offer Free Shipping to Your Customers!
You can now offer free shipping to your customers when they order from your Artist Shop! We’ve all had that moment; you’re shopping online, you’ve got a full cart, and you’re looking at the price wondering, “to buy? Or not to buy? That is the question…” Then the online store hits you with the sweet, sweet salvation of a “free shipping” offer and boom: your purchase is officially justified enough to hit the “complete my purchase” button. It’s a nice surprise for customers, andRead more
Are You Underselling Your Art?
When I first found out that drink and draws existed, my mind was blown. But drink and draws haven’t just saved me from the FOMO that introverted nights staying in and drawing caused me – they’ve also taught me not to undervalue my own work. At one particular drink and draw, there was a board where artists could pin their work on to sell. I decided to go for it. I slapped a $5 sticker on my drawing, pinned it up, and mentally prepared myself forRead more