Monday, February 27, 2017

Becoming a Professional Artist: Recommended Booklist

Hello art-gang!

As we all know, making it big as an artist isn't easy. Thankfully, there are so many options available now for artists to print and sell their work individually. Rather than working with an agency or a manufacturer for printing, artists can sign up with Shopify or Etsy or Redbubble, or build an online shop right into their portfolio website. Of course, now the issue is with navigating all these options, and finding which combination is most effective for selling artwork.

But let's not dive too deep into the selling part just yet. If you're new or just starting to think about becoming a professional artist, we wanted to recommend a few books that we have personally found inspirational on our own artistic journey. These books are great for exploring examples of the modern art field, allowing you a glimpse of what paths you could take on your professional art career.

Before we launch our new series Marketing & Selling Your Artwork, we recommend giving these following books at least a skim:



1. The Gift, by Lewis Hyde




The Gift is one of my favorite books. Although academic in parts, it provides a really awesome philosophical view of how much art is "worth". Often artists are torn when assigning a price that both justifies and honors their work, while being marketable and competitive enough to help them keep working. This conflict can often contort an artist's vision, influencing them to sell themselves short, compromise on their views, or produce art that they have no connection with in order to keep the income sustainable. I love Hyde's philosophy of art being a gift instead of a commodity, and the ramifications that term has on an artwork's creation and true value- after reading it, it certainly influenced my approach to my own art, and inspired me to to shift my business expectations accordingly to honor and respect my artistic vision first.

2. Making It! Case Studies of Successful Canadian Visual Artists, by Chris Tyrell

Photo of Making It, found from Carollyne Yardley's blog

"I was amazed by the stories of artists, but what truly amazed and moved me was the generosity of everyone with whom I spoke and their willingness to share insights into their experience. Marina Bychkova excels in niche marketing; Ross Penhall, by changing media, dramatically increased his creative efficiency and his income. Richard Tetrault’s career is a perfect exemplar of community involvement and the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards that social interaction can bring to an artist’s career." 
- Chris Tyrell, 


If you ever want to see real examples of real artists making it and their stories, this is the book for you. While it doesn't go in-depth with the step-by-step process of being successful, Tyrell's interview with various Canadian artists illuminates the many unique possibilities of how to become a successful artist, often found off the beaten path. Each individual story is inspiring and thought-provoking, and almost establishes a connection between the reader and the artist - unlike reading other step-by-step books, the stories almost absorb you into the artist's experience, as if you were living it yourself.

3. The Handmade Marketplace, by Kari Chapin


http://karichapin.com/books/


Now this book is an absolute must-have. Even though it isn't specifically for fine art, Kari Chapin does an excellent job exploring all the steps and possibilities of selling your  handmade arts and crafts from your home, and at an introductory, easy-to-digest level. It gives you a broad sweep of everything, from pricing, to online marketplaces and their pros and cons, getting a business licence, etc. My favorite snippet from this book is how Kari even explains how to define success for yourself, and how to plan your business accordingly. My current copy is sitting by my computer every day, bursting with post-it notes and tabs.


And there you have it! Our top 3 recommended books to help you begin navigating your professional artistic journey. Have a recommended book of your own? Let us know in the comments below!


And if you've already read these and are rearing to go, we can sort out all your fine art and archival scanning and printing needs!  Just click on our website link to go, or  give us a call - we're always happy to help!

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
www.CanadaOnCanvas.com 
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

StockPhotoSet #2 - Spa-aaah~ & Relaxation!






Today's theme is Spa-aaahhh~  & Relaxation. Sometimes all you need is that one perfect picture help you (and your clients) take a deep breath. Lower your cortisol with these beautiful photos that are commercially licenced for printing - and best of all, they're free!

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9utq6ova3jwe6tr/AACFq4CBKqMJkudPFW2cVHDda?dl=0

Downloaded and ready to print? Simply upload the image you would like to print onto our Uploads section here. We have a wide selection of materials to outfit any room in nearly every aesthetic, such as canvases, art prints & frames, and plaque mounts. If you're in an especially modern environment, try our glossy metal or wood prints!


Got your piece and ready to hang it? Snap us a photo, we'd love to see you and business in all its splendor! Post it to our Facebook group!





KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 
www.CanadaOnCanvas.com
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday 

Monday, February 20, 2017

Happy Family Day!




Happy Family Day everyone! From everyone here at KeenArt Media, we wish you all a wonderful time with friends and loved ones today!




Looking for a family photo to hang on that wall? Whether it's professionally photographed or selfied from your cellphone camera, at CanadaOnCanvas we can print full, large size canvases of your favourite family photos. Visit here for more details!




KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
www.CanadaOnCanvas.com 
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday 

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Have you heard yet? We have a new Paper Sample Packs! ($29 + shipping)


Complete with 3 different types of images to help you better visualize how your print will look, our new paper sample pack certainly packs a punch! Printed on 14 different types of materials  and showcasing a Granger Rainbow Chart, as well as RGB, CMYK and Grayscale swatches, this sample pack should help in determining the perfect material for nearly any project. The complete pack is now available at an introductory price of $29, + shipping and handling ($19).





Your pack will include the following paper types:

Fine Art
  • Fine Art - Hahnemuhle, Photo Rag 
  • Fine Art - Hahnemuhle, Textured German Etching 
  • Fine Art - Hahnemuhle, William Turner 
  • Fine Art - Hahnemuhle, Fine Art Baryta 
  • Fine Art - Moab - Entrada Rag Bright 
  • Fine Art - Moab - Entrada Rag Natural  
Photography
  • Photographic Paper - Metallic Paper 
  • Photographic Paper - Premium Luster 
  • Photographic Paper - Premium Glossy 
  • Photographic Paper - Premium Semigloss 
  • Coated Paper - Enhanced Matte
Synthetic Textiles
  • Fabric - Satin Cloth
  • Fabric Removable Adhesive - Peel n' Stick
  • Canvas

EXTRA BONUS: should your order of a sample pack result in a new print order of $99 and above, we'll reimburse the $19 shipping as credit towards your new order!


Got a question? We'd be happy to answer! Contact us at:

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
www.CanadaOnCanvas.com 
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Love is in the Air



For those of you who have ordered something from us for today, thank you letting us play cupid for your special gift this year. Happy Valentine's Day from all of us here at CanadaOnCanvas / KeenArt Media - we hope your day is bright with love and joy!




Check out our Ideas Gallery for that next big special day!

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
www.CanadaOnCanvas.com 
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday 

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

StockPhotoSet #1 - Food and Drink!



Whether it's your 100th branch opening or your first coffee startup, selecting stock photos to cozy up that atmosphere has never been easier. Welcome to our...




Today's theme is Food & Drink, perfect for bakeries, grocers, and coffee shops and restaurants! To download today's selection, simply click on the link below:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/35x375r7b5gjpyk/AACIGZcLNxE_dU-2GZuoovPJa?dl=0

Downloaded and ready to print? Simply upload the image you would like to print onto our Uploads section here. We have a wide selection of materials to outfit any room in nearly every aesthetic, such as canvases, art prints & frames, and plaque mounts. If you're in an especially modern environment, try our glossy metal or wood prints!


Got your piece and ready to hang it? Snap us a photo, we'd love to see you and business in all its splendor! Post it to our Facebook group!

Monday, February 6, 2017

Unveiling: The Weekly StockPhotoSet!

Whether you're looking to jazzy up your brand on instagram or decorating the new coffeshop, stock photography is one of the ways to find and express what you're looking for, without needing to take the photo yourself. 

Of course, looking through numerous stock photography sites can be extremely expensive and confusing. While there are some excellent stock photography sites that license their images for free even for commercial use and distribution, it also takes ages to comb through all the awesome choices before picking the couple few that perfectly accentuate your brand.

That's why we're introducing the...


Every second Wednesday we'll be scouring free stock photography sites such as Unsplash, Stocksnap.io, and Freestock, to bring your our top 5 favourites for your growing business or office! These ones are all A-OK to print and hang in your commercial space, and are all high enough in DPI to print on large canvas sizes. Just download them from our Dropbox link!

Ready to order? Some of our recommendations for business decor are canvases and plaque mounts. If you're in an especially modern environment, then our glossy metal prints would also look impressive!

Got your piece and ready to hang it? Snap us a photo, we'd love to see you and business in all its splendor! Post it to our Facebook group!

See you all this Wednesday for the release of the first batch!

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Promo: A Valentine's Coupon for All The Feels

 Happy February everyone!

As we enter another cool, crisp month, another special day is peeking over the horizon - Valentine's! If you're planning on ordering something bespoke for your beloved, we've got a coupon code here to help fill them up with all the warm feels:




Use our coupon code MYLOVE at checkout, and receive 20% off all regular priced canvas prints + art prints. Perfect for commemorating those travel photos of your journeys together, or transforming a couple of snuggling selfies from Instagram into memorable, celebratory pieces of art.

Or if you want to go above and beyond, you can go cloud-nine with a few heartfelt word clouds:









If you have any other ideas for a unique canvas gift, let us know! We'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can always reach us for at orders@keenartmedia.com to discuss your ideas, or head over to CanadaOnCanvas if you're all set to go. See you soon!

KeenArt Media Ltd. Toll Free: 1-888-533-6278 (KeenART)
www.CanadaOnCanvas.com 
Working Hours: Pacific Standard Time
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday
8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Friday