You’ve envisioned your next piece of artwork. You bought the supplies. You captured your vision and created your artistic masterpiece. Now, you finally have an original finished work of art. What should you do with it to get the most bang for your brush? 

Don’t leave your new painting on the shelf or unframed! You should be using every single piece of art you produce to promote your brand, attract new customers, add to your portfolio, and publicize your name.

Here are some tips on how artists can make the most of their creations and help their artwork succeed!

Showcasing Your Artwork:

1. Consider hiring a professional to take photos of your artwork.

Aside from taking work-in-progress photos of your art (which is excellent for social media, by the way!), we believe every two-dimensional artist should consider obtaining professional photographs of their finished artwork. This is helpful to have for the purposes of reproduction and marketing your art.

Photographs created in a studio by an experienced professional can capture the nuance of texture, color depth, and tone that’s consistently difficult to achieve on your own with your camera phone. Once the image is created and color corrected, it can then be used to produce high-quality reproductions of your art on canvas, metal, fine art paper, and even everyday items such as apparel, tote bags, and pillow shams. 

Blue Moon Metal Prints takes the guesswork out of all the variables that make up a great digital capture, and we work with you directly to immortalize your art by streamlining your printing needs.

Adding pops of color in all the right places can bring attention to and add visual interest to the texture, the colors, and more to your artwork.

2. Embellish that giclée!

Each giclée on canvas that we print at Blue Moon Metal Prints is coated with 2 coats of UV laminate. This material not only extends the color life of inkjet prints (using pigmented ink and acid free canvas) for more than 100 years—it also acts as a barrier, protecting the ink from fading on the canvas. This means that the artist can enhance the printed canvas with additional paint!

How do you do this, you may ask?

Consider the artwork and focus on little details of the subject and surrounding elements. Maybe want to capture a flower, or perhaps a field of flowers. Adding pops of color in all the right places can bring attention to and add visual interest to the texture, the colors, and more to your artwork. Acrylic paint is a good medium to work with for this! Experiment with painting highlights with a little textured color, or add little dabs of color to your (painted) field of flowers. NOW, you not only have a reproduction but an embellished print, touched by the hand of the artist! We believe that this adds further value to your printed creation and should be advertised and priced accordingly.

3. Sign your work.

While signing your name at the bottom of your painting can feel a bit cheesy, it’s essential to claim your space in a sea of talented artists. Make your signature the last step in your process as this should be the last time your brush touches your art. A signature can provide some much-needed personal closure and put a personal touch on your pieces. 

Potential buyers want to buy more than just a piece of art—they want a story.

4. Update your website.

Add your new imagery to your website. Whether you’re selling your artwork or not, you should still add every piece you’re proud of to your online presence to build credibility and bring your work into the public eye. 

5. Give it a story and a name.

Potential buyers want to buy more than just a piece of art—they want a story. Give each painting its own unique or catchy name. It doesn’t have to be anything deep or meaningful; it just has to be descriptive. How did you feel when you created it? What emotions do stir up for you when you look at it? When you put your art on your website, explain its story so buyers can read more about it. Print it out and package the story with each item before you ship it to the buyer.  Art is subjective, but giving it a personal touch never hurts!

Be selective with the competitions you enter, as the application process can be time-consuming and, in some cases, costly. 

6. Submit your work to competitions.

If you’re satisfied with your artwork (which, of course, you should be!), do a quick Google search for any open or upcoming art competitions. It’s always great to see what other people think of your art—and you could even gain a little money and recognition in the process! Be selective with the competitions you enter, as the application process can be time-consuming and, in some cases, costly. 

The artwork you’re creating is valuable. Make the time you spend developing it worthwhile by taking photos, signing, and adding your masterpieces to your website. Don’t forget to give your pieces a story and a name and submit them to competitions. Your brand can only be as good as you make it. Be proud of your work, and take comfort in your creative process. If you’re passionate about your art, others will be too!

Are you looking for new ways to get the most bang for your brush?

Blue Moon Metal Prints is the place for you!

Our services include printing, digitizing, and framing. Let’s talk about how we can take your work of art to the next level. Together, we can do great things.