ArtBistro

It seems to me that there are two different kinds of artists in the world: Those who are quick to describe what kind of artist they are (”I’m a post-Marxist, Conceptual, feminist painter whose work is a inquiry into the notion of the organic…” ok, whatever) and those who just want to shrug and avoid the question all together by saying ...

How do you price an original painting or drawing? You’ve just completed a new work and – lucky you! – there’s someone interested in buying it. But how do you price your work in a way that’s fair to both you and your collector? There are very few hard-and-fast rules in the art world, except when it comes to pricing, and ...

We see everyday how ethics come into play in big business and politics. Usually there seems to be none, but ethics do exist just the same. Of course, there are personal ethics that most of us have as well, and those are a personal choice. But, what about those grey areas of design ethics? How do we make sure we're practicing ...

Maintaining good mental health in the design world is interesting to me. Although I believe that a little bit of sick or twisted mental health can be a good thing for design and creativity, I also have to say that, as in everything, moderation is the key. I hate that part. In my past and through my "upbringing" in graphic design, ...

Valerie - ArtBistro manager- asked me if I had anything in particular to say about education or perhaps even some sort of “How to survive art school” sort of talk that I could convey on this site. I have to say that I really don’t have such a thing just sort of stored up in my head and even wondered if ...

I am often asked to give advice to aspiring designers hoping to make it in the industry. I have always found this to be an awkward question for me to answer because even after 10 years, I still feel like I’m an aspiring designer myself. So when I’m asked that question I tend to think back to my early days; I ...

How did you do on the Van Gogh quiz? These were not very easy questions! Congratulations if you did well. To help you learn more about this most prolific painter, here are the answers to the Van Gogh quiz, "Are You a Van Gogh Expert?":http://artbistro.monster.com/news/quizzes/show/63 It is possible that Van Gogh has had an influence on every living artist today. h4. ...

I was speaking recently to a young artist who asked me to take a look at her webpage. Despite having had it professionally designed and having spent countless hours getting everything about it just right, she found that nothing was really happening for her – she had no leads and had made no connections that she could connect back to the ...

Remember when you were a kid? At this time of year we would be excited to go out with Mom and get our school clothes and supplies for fall. Even though the summer months were filled with fun and swimming (in my case), the anticipation of getting new stuff for school made the waning days of the season worth it. What ...

The fall can be a great time to do an open studio. The cooler weather and its associations with going back to school can add to the sense that September brings with it a whole new beginning, and a great opportunity to recharge your studio practice. And knowing you have a bunch of people coming over to see your work is ...

Remember how in my last entry I was oh so intimidated and pretty much exposed a lack of confidence to the world? Ladies and gentlemen, those feelings of fear have surrendered and bowed down to me! I am enjoying every single minute of my class, both in class and outside of it. I have become so obsessed with photography now and ...

When I was in school, it was not uncommon for me to work throughout the night either studying or working on a design project. I found that at night, I could work much faster than I could during the day. In fact, I found that sometimes the quality of my work was better at night than it was during the day. ...

Pack that Portfolio When we get ready to graduate from those long days of design school, it's time to think about our portfolios. What do we include in there? What kinds of work should we show? Do we just throw every project in it? I have a few thoughts on this and want to share them with you. h4. The Best ...

*Step 1. Find Schools You Want to Attend* Most colleges and universities offer fantastic scholarships. So the BEST way to search for scholarships is to narrow the list to include only those schools you’d most like to attend, then research their awards and financial aid options. Many scholarships from corporations and nonprofits also require detailed information about your academic plans, ...

If you’re applying for graduate school, you’ll have to write an artist’s statement. But how do you put your studio practice into words? I recommend the following exercise to my undergraduates as a way to figure out what they need to include (and exclude). Divide a big, 18 x 24 inch piece of drawing paper, into six columns and label each ...

Deciding whether or not to freelance full-time after graduation is a decision that most designers face. Working as a freelancer certainly has a lot of benefits; being your own boss, working from home, and setting your own schedule are some of the perks that freelancers like to brag about, but freelancers will also complain about how hard it can be. Running ...

If you’re a senior in college or finishing your second year of a MFA degree, I don’t have to tell you that the end is almost near. Depending on where you go to school, you probably have between five and seven weeks before the semester is over and you’re cast out into the “real world.” So what are two things you ...

h2. Being original This is a continuation of my previous column in which I looked at our need to be different as a condition of "considering ourselves creative.":"http://artbistro.monster.com/education/articles/7380-how-to-be-original" In it I shared an example of a Bielenberg-inspired “think wrong” technique for uncovering new and authentic ideas. Of course, there is no single method for generating new, interesting and relevant ideas, but ...

Let’s say you’ve created a body of work and now you’re itching to get it out there and seen by the public. You’d like to be represented by a commercial gallery, but how do you get them to notice you? First things first: Make a list of a few – three or four – galleries you’d be interested in working with. ...

As part of our series, ArtBistro Interviews: read our latest interview with designer Michael Bierut- Michael Bierut is a partner in the New York office of the international design consultancy Pentagram, where he has done graphic design work for a wide range of clients including the New York Times, Princeton University, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Saks Fifth Avenue. His ...