DO A JACKSON POLLACK DOODLE!

Since it's the week between Christmas and New Year's and most people are in a vacation or fun mode I have decided to post a link where you can create your own doodle in Jackson Pollack style! Be sure to come back here and post a comment after you've played!

This is a ton of fun, I wasted an hour doodling with this - it's free and just a kick. Play around with it, change your colors by double clicking, change the weight of your drip by pressing down harder on the touchpad (I used a laptop so I don't know what a mouse will do). If you have a wacom tablet it's really fun!

Read some books on the amazing art and the life of "Jackson Pollack"

Enjoy!

PROTECTING YOUR ART AND YOUR BRAND ONLINE

Artists preparing to go online with their art always face the possibility of having their original ideas and hard work stolen. It might just be one person who right-clicks their image to use for a card or post to their own site, it might be an unscrupulous art publisher from another country that plans to reproduce that image for their own profit, it could be another artist who would claim that work as their own.

Ultimately, if someone is determined to steal your art they will - but you can make it so hard for them that it's not worth the effort! Here are some steps you can take to protect your intellectual property on the internet:

• Splice your image into sections
• Keep your image size small - a resolution no higher than 100 (72 is best) and no larger than 6" x 8" (or 500 x 600 pixels+/-) at the largest dimension.
• Place a translucent (viewable but see through) copyright mark over the image in strategic locations
• Upload only sections of your enlargements
• Float an empty image box over the image to prevent right-clicking (this is a script that does not work in Internet Explorer)
• Add a javascript code to prevent right-clicking (this does not work in Firefox)
• Create your art pages in Flash, web design software that creates an animated page.
• Digitally watermark your art
  
• Block access to your image files on your website server
• Copyright your work
• Place your copyright notice (or a link to it) at the bottom of every page of your site/blog

None of these actions are a guarantee that your work will not be taken and used without permission for some purpose other than your original intent or desires. There are many ways to get an image off of the internet. Anyone can get them right off the browser screen, they can download the files that are used to create any individual page and they can get images off of flash animations and videos. Additionally, if someone wants your art for the purpose of stealing it from you for their own reproduction and profit they can simply buy a high quality image from you and proceed from there.

If you discover your work has been stolen you do have legal recourse, possibly without having a legal copyright. I am not an attorney so I cannot advise you in this area: however, be aware that this can be a costly and involved process that may or may not wind up in your favor. Beware of old wives tales regarding copyrights, the copyright laws have changed in recent years, particularly in regards to the internet. You can read up on copyright law at the U.S. Copyright Office.

Despite the risks involved, you should consider creating an online gallery or e-commerce store for your art. It is a growing avenue for promoting and marketing your work that could ultimately be one of your best revenue streams. As for me, I have decided to put my faith in the goodness of people and my ability to create new art so I'm always one jump ahead of anyone who steals my art or my ideas! But I keep my lawyer's number handy.

The PopArtDiva Cookies are now frosted!

Here's the cookies with frosting added. I happened to have some cream cheese frosting in the fridge so I let it get to room temp, spooned some into a baggie, squeezed it down towards one tip of the bag bottom, clipped a teeny hole in the plastic bag and used that as a frosting tip.
(Read first cookie post here)

Simple enough and everyone has a baggie in the house! You may not have the fancy cookie equipment but you can do a nice job without it!

BTW, I promised to publish my article on "How to Protect Your Art Online" tonight, but I had some surprise company and we had a few of my newest Millionare Martinis and got to talking about these cookies, so I will be posting that article sometime tomorrow! Tonight I'm exhausted from cookie making and martinis!

GET THE RECIPE AND INSTRUCTIONS HERE

YOU CAN MAKE ANYTHING ART: MY HOLIDAY COOKIES

MY BRANDED POP ART DIVA PAINTED HOLIDAY COOKIES!

There is nothing I do that I do not approach as an artist and that includes making my holiday cookies!

These came about some 20 years ago when I was dealing with those weird shapes you get in the cookie dough after using your cookie cutters. If you reuse that dough and roll it out again it you add more flour and that can cause dry and tough cookies. Since I make huge batches of cookie dough this was an issue.

And then an inspiration hit me! Why not make abstract cookies out of those really interesting shapes? So, instead of Christmas trees, stockings, Santa, and other traditional cookies for the Holidays I give out my Special Painted POP ART DIVA Sugar Cookies! They are really the best tasting sugar cookies and it's my own special recipe using sour cream, the taste is heavenly and not too sweet. You can add icing details - which I plan to do later today - on some for a little more sugar.

The thing is - people will not eat these! They save them for years, hang them on their trees and don't throw them away until the bugs come calling! I tell them I'll make them more next year - eat them! But they don't! I will probably have to make some plain ones for them to eat!

Yes, I do use food safe coloring and dedicated brushes for the painting! I don't want to poison my friends during the Holidays!

GET THE RECIPE AND INSTRUCTIONS HERE

Glass Blowing in Ancient Egypt

This is interesting - they've recreated an ancient Egyptian glass furnace. This was a cool article for me because i love Egyptian art and I absolutely love glass art.

Unfortunately, I will never become a glass artist, so it is one of my favorite types of art to collect. I'm especially fond of drinking glasses, martini glasses in particular as I am also The Martini Diva as well as being a normal challenged artist!

I actually have an original Dale Chihuly piece I bought many, many years ago and it's one of my prized possessions. I also have many lovely pieces from fellow artists I've met on the circuit - sone of my favorites being pieces by my friends Ed and Carolyn Earley. They do the most incredible slumped work and Carolyn does glass beads that are miniature works of art.

Anyhoo, enjoy the article!

I AM DOING AN ART SHOW IN SEDONA THIS WEEKEND

I am currently freezing my patootie off at a local art show here in Sedona. It's actually not that cold but sitting in a booth all day doesn't aid in warming you up. I actually carry a propane heater for occasions such as this! One of the hazards of doing the art show circuit is weather - hot, cold, rainy, snow, tornadoes, hurricanes, you name it I've experienced it during an art show. Along with the additional hazards of critters, creeps and curmudgeons! It's all part of the game.

I plan to post information about doing art shows for a living on this blog for those who might be thinking about this method of selling art. I've been doing fine art and craft shows since 1981 and have done them across the country. I've done most of the major shows and thousands of smaller ones. And I have made my primary living at this since 1985 so I have a lot of experience in the marketing of art through art shows.
Stay tuned, subscribe in a reader for the latest posts and sign up for my PopArtDiva newsletter (there's a form on the right) which will have the latest on all my sites and blogs.

I will get some links to Craft Fair Guides and other resources when I can dig them out of my files!

LET'S GET LEGAL - Copyrights, Trademarks, Contracts, Ad Infinitum

Eventually all artists need legal help. There are three options for getting legal information and help:

• Paid Legal Advice: An intellectual property lawyer (for trademarks, copyrights, contracts or - God Forbid - litigation.
• Free legal advice: Wishful thinking unless you have connections or a relative in law school or can manage to find a retired lawyer at the Small Business Administration
  
• Do It Yourself: Time consuming and overwhelming, but the price is right and you learn a lot
  

I have found several sites that have helped me in some situations:

• NOLO, this is an online legal resource that has lawyer directories, online forms for a fee, and some pretty decent free advice in certain areas (not necessarily relating to art, but helpful nonetheless.)
• The United States Patent and Trademark Office: This is where you can go to find out how to file your copyrights, trademarks, service marks and patents. Believe it or not you can research and file your own trademarks and copyrights and for considerably less than an attorney would charge you, trust me, I know, I've done it both ways!
• SCORE: This is a group of 10,000 or so retired or working business owners, professionals of myriad industries that volunteer their wisdom and business acumen from their years of experience. This is associated with the Small Business Administration of the U.S. government. I've gotten some help putting together business plans and such from here.
• CEGUR: I discovered a few free contract forms here which can be downloaded or printed. I myself have not used these contracts - I pay an attorney - so I cannot vouch for them. But here they are if you have no other options. The forms are on the right hand side in a scrolling frame. No guarantee this link will always work, btw.

And here are some books every artist or photographer should have at hand:

Graphic Artists Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines

2008 Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market

2008 Photographers Market

I hope this helps a little, it can seem like a big, bad business world to us creative types but selling art is a business as well as something you love. Treat it like a business and not a hobby or a pastime and success will be your friend.

Well, I've been a little legal eagle with my first two posts, haven't I? Must be the weather! I promise tomorrow I start the FUN STUFF!!!

Technorati Profile

IF YOUR ART GETS STOLEN

Every artist who displays their work, be it at an outdoor art show, gallery or wherever, runs the risk of having their art stolen. I have had a few taken over the years in one manner or another and I can tell you it is a frustrating and disheartening experience. You have lost hours, maybe months, of work on a piece that you painstakingly created and have nothing to show for it except, if you were smart, a reproduction in some form. And all you can write off on your taxes is the cost of the materials if you fill out a police report! Your time is not of any monetary value to the taxman.

There are some steps you can take that will make you feel better and might even aid in the recovery of the stolen article.

• There are websites where you can register your stolen item, I found two of them. One Stolen911 is free, the other The Art Loss Register appears to charge a fee
  
• You can also place a listing on Craig's List or other sites of that nature
  
• You can post a notice with a photo of the stolen item on your blog, website or profile page
• File a police report - it probably won't get your item back but you'll need it for your taxes
  

I posted a colorful notice on my booth at the art shows with a big headline saying: "HAVE YOU SEEN THIS ART? It was stolen at....." and I continued with the details of where and when it was taken underneath a photo of the art. Of course, that didn't get my art back, but I felt better and it had the added benefit of indicating that at least my art was good enough to steal!!

If you've had something you created taken from you, I extend my heartfelt empathy to you. I also invite you to make a comment and tell me your story. Hey, it's another way to tell the world, it might help other artists to prevent it happening to them and it will make you feel better! Photos will not be posted - that's what the links above are for, but your story could be invaluable information to a fellow artist.

HERE'S MY PLANS FOR THIS ART BLOG!

THIS BLOG IS A FREE RESOURCE DEDICATED TO HELPING OTHER ARTISTS SELL, MARKET, PROMOTE & CREATE THEIR ART!

I've been an artist my entire life. When I was given my first box of Crayolas I was hooked. I've been a professional artist, in one form or another, for nearly 40 years. I've been a graphic designer, an illustrator, a fine artist, and digital artist and I've worked all two dimensional media and done some sculpting.

For the past 28 years I have participated in the fine art circuit throughout the United States, from California to Florida. I've traveled all over the country doing most of the major fine art shows, sold to galleries, licensed my art and created ways to promote my art. In the process, I've learned a lot about selling art, marketing art and promoting art and I've had some pretty interesting experiences and met some unique and wonderful people.

At the present I am also building an internet enterprise that centers around my Pop Culture Art along with some of my other interests, and I use my art skills in every part of this venture from web design to marketing and promotion.

With this blog I am hoping to give aid to other artists in their quest to make money from their art. ("How to sell my art" is one of the top search requests!) This is a free resource for selling art, marketing art, promoting art, creating art, discussing art, finding art shows and learning more about art. If you just want to do art as a hobby you can still benefit from the art tutorials, projects, tips and discussions. This blog is for, by and about artists of all kinds.

I will post resources for finding art shows, recommend art books and art materials, I plan to do art video tutorials, I will tell some amusing and scary stories about doing art shows, I'll introduce you to other artists, I'll post links to helpful art sites and much, much more as I get new ideas about blogging art.

This is just the beginning so grab your crayons, don your smock, get your creative juices flowing and come join me on the journey!