Lessons from History that we can use Today…
Pre. S. (If there is a “P.S.” can I make up a “Pre. S”?) – There is a challenge at the end of this blog post and I hope you take it!
My son is taking Western Civilization this year. They’ve been learning about Plato, Socrates, Aristotle and many other thought leaders of Ancient Greece. Their views still have value today and much of who we are today is based on the foundation of what they were doing back in 420 BC – give or take.
Then today as I was doing my usual morning – check email, check the spam box in case I missed email, check in on Twitter and Facebook – something weird happened. All of the sudden people where telling me why we should pay attention to things from 50 years ago. Not 40, not 25, both of these people talked about things from 50 years ago.
Well one thing, that’s cool. But two within 2 minutes? That makes me take notice. And they were both about creative people. I felt compelled to share.
The first thing that drew my attention was a tweet from @Franciskus: Happy 50th birthday, Asterix! with a link to an article on “The History Blog”. Well that just put a HUGE SMILE on my face! Asterix is a French cartoon character from Gaul who lived in the one village that resists being divided into three parts by Julius Caesar. The antics that ensued!
When I was a junior in high school (a mere year older than my son – how can that be?) I lived in France as an exchange student. I remember reading Asterix and seeing an exhibit at some museum in Paris featuring scenes from some of the stories. Great character from across the pond if you care to check him out. I’ll be dusting off my copy (I know right where it is!) and taking a trip down memory lane.
Off Twitter and on to check in on Facebook. There I find my friend Marty Fahncke‘s news feed say this: Reading Why ‘Charlotte’s Web’ Suddenly Matters to Marketing (RT @lihsa) – which was actually posted on Twitter and then listed to Facebook so I don’t know who to give credit – except that I saw it on Facebook. Well that’s another title that brings you back so I clicked on the link to see what they had to say. I couldn’t figure out what one had to do with the other and needed to know!
It was an interesting read about not being too full of jargon in your writing, being authentic and being clear and concise… (hmm… perhaps this post is a bit chatty… oh well! I’m on a roll.) Then at the bottom… 50. I didn’t realize that EB White, author of Charlotte’s Web* and Stuart Little* was also the co-author of The Elements of Style – which has a 50th Anniversary edition*.
So what’s the point, you ask? The point is, I believe that with all the changes and advances in technology these days – where last week can become irrelevant online, we sometimes forget that that isn’t true across the board. There are things that remain valid for thousands of years (back to Plato and Co…) as well as 50.
So today I challenge you to find something else celebrating a 50th Anniversary and find it’s relevance or lesson for today. And I would love for you to share it in the comments since I’m completely intrigued as to why 50th Anniversaries have come to my attention today…
Here’s to your search & your creative success!
– Tara
* FTC DISCLOSURE: the Amazon links are affiliate links and by clicking them I would earn a commission if you make a purchase.
Great Blog Plugin – Apture.com
Have you noticed the cool little pop-up windows I recently added to the blog? If you hover over the symbol next to red words, you can see what I’m referring to without having to click and open a zillion windows. (OK, maybe not a zillion, but a few.) If you decide you want to learn more, then you click and open extra windows.
What do I use? Apture.com 
This is a free feature I learned about at BlogWorld and is available for any blog platform. It takes about 3 minutes to install and maybe 10 to figure out how to use it. Then you are all set and can have cool pop-up windows on your blog too. If it’s good enough for the New York Times, isn’t it good enough for us?
Just wanted to pass that tidbit on… now back to creating!
– Tara
P.S. I’ll be blogging soon about the new FTC rules regarding disclosing whether a blogger gets paid or free products for promoting products and services on their blog – but just so you know, I am not compensated in any way by Apture, I just think it’s a great service! (Wait! They did give me a t-shirt at BlogWorld…)
"The Trade Shows are coming!" "The Trade Shows are coming!"
This time of year often feels a bit like the famous ride of Paul Revere through the streets and countryside “The Red Coats are coming!” But for me, it’s this ever growing louder voice of “The Trade Shows are coming!”
On the plane home from Las Vegas on Sunday, I started making my plans for some upcoming trade shows. I’m committed and signed up for SURTEX in May so I’m starting to make my art target wish list. (What new art I want to have to bring to the show.)
AmericasMart is in January. (Really EARLY in January – we’ll practically still have New Year’s champagne in our hands!) I’m not exhibiting but will be attending so I started a target wish list for that as well.
CHA is in the end of January – still deciding if I will be attending. It has a + / – list. Figuring out where to spend your $ is serious business!
And don’t forget Licensing Expo in June – June may seem far, far away but I have a sneaky suspicion it will sneak right up on us! It will be in Las Vegas again this year…
Through Twitter, I found a blog post by “The Trade Show Guy” that had some good advice we could all consider. It’s called, “23 Pre-Show Marketing Promotions, Tactics and Ideas” – CLICK HERE to see what he has to say.
Of course don’t forget I created an eBook and there is a teleseminar replay available about “How to Maximize Your Time and Investment in Trade Shows” – specifically talking about how to do art licensing trade shows – which are a little different than your average show. You can get one or both of the products - CLICK HERE for all the details.
Regardless of whether you walk or exhibit at a show or how you prepare, I wish you much success in the coming year! It will be here before we know it!
– Tara
Another AMAZING "Ask" call with Paul Brent…
Poor Paul! I think I threatened to hang up on the man two if not three times during the October “Ask” call. But it’s all his fault really… he just gave SUCH GOOD INFORMATION that I would have been satisfied if my line went dead and I didn’t hear anymore. (And that was at the 6 minute mark!) He really out did himself this time and I’m not just saying that. I was again, blown away.
Around 4:30 when I was getting ready for the call, I was tired. Just plumb tuckered out as my grandmother would say. So tired I was heading into “why do I do all this?” land… not a fun place to visit. But after getting on the call, talking with everyone who listened live before our prompt 5:30 pm PST start, and then listening to Paul Brent, I am INVIGORATED! Ready to paint! Repeat! Create! License! He filled my glass to overflowing!
So what is all the fuss about? Here is what we covered:
• Trends – life cycle, spotting, when to jump on board or let them pass you by
• How many collections does Paul paint a year?
• Create a variety of patterns & styles or stick with one starting out?
• How do you make landscapes commercial enough to license?
• How to you differentiate yourself and stay unique?
• Can you submit to more than one company in an industry at a time?
• How often can you contact a manufacturer? Are there rules or guidelines?
• When did Paul decide to exhibit at SURTEX and what was his business like up until that point?
• How do you advertise your art?
• Is the economy affecting who you work with and what themes manufacturers are looking for?
• Do US copyrights protect us overseas?
• Should a company that exhibits at the Stationery Show but wants to get into licensing exhibit at SURTEX?
• How should an artist market themselves without an agent?
• Should you include a contract when submitting art for review?
• How should you format collections of 4 images?
• Are there colors to avoid or that are harder to reproduce on products?
If you missed it, or if you listened live and couldn’t take notes fast enough, the replay is now available. It is only $15 through October 31st and then goes to $25. Worth every penny, I promise. If you want to get your copy, just click the button below.
Here’s to your creative inspiration and success!
– Tara
P.S. -the website Paul referred to when talking about trends is www.trendwatching.com
P.P.S. – November 18th is with me, go to www.AskTaraReed.com today and get your questions in.
How's your glass? Half-full or half-empty?
I love Gray’s Anatomy. And Bailey? Well she’s just the coolest. That woman can keep it together in the face of some serious adversity. Be tough as nails or soft and compassionate depending on the needs of her patients.
On October 15th, Bailey had to fly a patient to California – right onto the set of Private Practice. (Another guilty pleasure!) In Right Here, Right Now we really got to see both sides of Bailey.
Bailey’s going through a bit of a tough patch. (Sort of like the economy… there, I said it!) Her husband went off with a mom from a playgroup, in part because her work demands too much of her time and she is left with little for her family. So now she’s a single mom of a toddler, attending at Seattle Grace and in California because Izzy about killed her patient who had been waiting for a liver for 3 years! (I like to keep the drama in my life on the tv set – with an on / off button – and these two shows always provide!)
But since this isn’t “Soap Opera Review”, I’ll get to my point that relates to artists…
A theme that went through the espisode was Bailey saying that her cup (and the world’s cup) was ‘half empty’. To me, that meant she felt defeated, empty, struggling to fight the good fight. I also believe that she is usually a “cup half full” kind of person, as am I. Maybe that’s why I was so struck and empathetic with her when she sat on the deck with Addison, telling her that her cup was half empty and she just didn’t want to talk about it.
I think people have a pre-disposition. You either naturally see things as ‘half full’ or ‘half empty’ – it’s like it’s biologically embedded in people. Or maybe we are trained that way by our parents. We could probably have a whole nature vs. nuture debate about it.
But to continue the road to my point: I believe that no matter what your natural inclination, everyone has both at some point in their lives.
I’m normally a “glass half-full” kind of person. But sometimes, my vision blurs and things look half-empty. I hate when that happens! But as I said, I believe it happens to all of us at some point.
Maybe you get tired, run out of energy and all the sudden the world looks ‘half-empty’. I know this can happen to me when I’m sick or after a trip that requires every ounce of energy and enthusiasm I can muster.
So what can you do about it? When you find yourself in a ‘half-empty’ state of mind, here are five strategies to get back to the ‘half-full’ and happier side of life:
- Unplug. Take a break and let your body regain it’s energy. If you keep pushing yourself to the max, how do you expect to recoup the energy you have put out there?
- Pamper yourself. Pampering looks different to everyone, do what works for you. Maybe you go to the gym, get your nails done, get a massage or acupuncture, go to a movie in the afternoon or stay in your pjs all day. Whatever works for you, DO IT!
- Surround yourself with “half-full” people. Avoid people that you know will let you wallow in ‘half-empty land’. They are probably wonderful people overall – family, friends, neighbors – but they aren’t good for you right now. Go find some very optimistic, energetic and upbeat person and just bask in the light of their energy! It’s contagious and you will find yourself feeling better – I promise!
- Read. Find something that inspires you or whisks you away to another time and place – letting you escape the circle of half-emptiness your brain is in. Be it a blog and book or magazine – whatever works!
- Create. If you are reading this blog, you are most likely an artist. Get lost in creativity. Try something new. Experiment. Play!
May you live your life seeing things around you as ‘half-full’ most days and when the lens changes to half-empty, may you find the way to fill it up again!
Here’s to your creative success!
– Tara
Introductory pricing on "Product Mock-Up Magic" ends on Tuesday!
Don’t miss the great introductory pricing on “Product Mock-Up Magic” – it ends at the end of the day on October 20th. Lots of people have taken advantage of the $67 introductory price – I’ll have my hands full when I head to the post office on the 21st to mail out the packages!
In case you missed the original blog post… here are all the details and a little video again…
What you get:
• 46 Photoshop™ (.psd) or PNG files with professional photographs of stationery, tabletop and gift industry products. The backgrounds have already been removed so they are ready to use for presentation and portfolio mock-ups.
• 9 video tutorials with more than 2 hours of ‘over the shoulder’ live-streaming instruction. Watch artist Tara Reed apply patterns and learn from a few mistakes along the way! (Then you will feel better when you make them too – right?)
What you need:
• Photoshop™ (the video tutorials show CS3 screens but the concepts should work with most professional versions of Photoshop™)
• Art that you want to show on products.
The tutorials focus on placing repeat patterns and borders on the product photos but you can use the same concepts for more illustrative art as well. If you don’t know how to create repeat borders & patterns and save the patterns to the pre-set manager in Photoshop, I highly recommend you consider working through the Repeat Pattern eBooks before buying this product.
• CD drive on your computer to access the product photo files and video tutorials.
Here’s a video that shows you a little more…
Check it out now while there is a ‘pre-production’ price of $67 if you order before October 20th (products will ship on October 21st). Even a few freebies thrown in too. So go now… learn more!
Here’s to making things easier!
BlogWorld Keynote: The New Celebrity. What we can learn for our own social media interactions
The official BlogWorld Description:
The Reawakening of Artistry: Using New Media to Make Consumer Media Significant – Again
With the avid consumer migration away from traditional distribution channels and mechanisms for the support of artistry, how can established and emerging artists reconnect with fans to not only sell and promote their work, but also shift participation from fandom to community. Join Brian Solis with special celebrity guests, Soleil Moon Frye, Jermaine Dupree and Anthony Edwards as they explore how new media tools and communities are ushering in a renaissance for traditional media while also inspiring its evolution into new formats and distribution platforms and channels while enhancing relationships between artists and fans.
The panel included: (the links are to their twitter accounts)
Brian Solis, Anthony Edwards, Jermaine Dupri, Soleil Moon Frye
My take-aways:
OK, here we go again. Welcome to my brain. 
I’m just going to let what I remember about the session flow…
First of all, it was a great panel of articulate, engaged celebrites from TV, music and film. Brian Solis was a fantastic moderator and started the discussion saying that when celebrities first got on social media it was very inauthentic – assistants were in charge and they were all branding and commercial messages. But there is a shift and the point of the panel was to talk about that shift and how celebrities can and do use social media.
Some points that stuck with me:
Do your own social media – don’t outsource it because people can tell.
Don’t talk about using the restroom but let people get to know you.
Keep the “We” in Social web and not just the “Me” in Social Media.
You make the rules in how you interact with others in Social Media. Yes, there is freedom of expression but if it is your blog, Twitter or Facebook, you decide who gets to say what. Don’t take abuse.
Be kind and remember that even though you might be interacting with your thumbs, act as if you are face-to-face – keep respect in your interactions always.
Social Media is about sharing and connecting in real time. Put yourself out there in a way that makes you comfortable.
Social Media has eliminated the need for a lot of middle-men – market research on fan base, etc. can be done by you, online.
Your message is instant and worldwide. The internet is shrinking the world and helping people connect like never before.
So what do I take away from all this, for use by me, personally? A non-celebrity but artist looking to connect with my consumers?
Let others get to know me without giving out information that I think is too personal. It is ok to put boundaries around how you relate.
Don’t be afraid to be myself. Some might not like it but they won’t be my consumers, friends and fans anyway and that’s ok.
Help and connect with others. Social Media will work best when it is a two-way street – you can’t just throw your own stuff out there and expect to get anywhere. Share. Help. Relate. Talk.
I make the rules. You can play the “Social Media Game” anyway you want so don’t let others tell you how it has to be done. I was once told I HAD to have separate twitter accounts for business and personal. I always disagreed and never did it. By my rules, it is about letting people know me and I am a combination of life, fun, work and sharing.
Attending BlogWorld has been a great way to step outside of the ‘artist’ box and see what is going on in a lot of different industries. I’m sure I’ll be processing everything for quite some time.
Would love to hear your thoughts on all this. (Oh yeah… one person said our blogs are only as relevant as our comments – hope not! I think I get more email feedback than blog comments so my rules say – it’s still ok. I believe I help people – even if sometimes that is only me by processing things in print!)
What I'm learning at BlogWorld that is relevant to artists…
I just got out of the keynote address at BlogWorld called “The Death & Rebirth of Journalism”. It was a panel talking about traditional media (newspapers, tv news, magazines etc) and new media (blogging, social media, etc.) The panelists included Brian Solis, Jay Rosen, Hugh Hewitt, Don Lemon, and Joanna Drake Earl. Here is what I remember, what made an impression and what I took away from it. (And a “Thank You” to BlogWorld and the panelists for all the fabulous food for thought!)
It felt a bit like sibling rivalry (new vs. traditional media) and panels like this trying to be the parent, show both sides and make everyone get along and see the good points and value in each child. (Hopefully it will work because there is a place and need for all.)
One thing that really struck me was when they started discussing journalism education today. “Is it relevant and does it prepare aspiring journalists to survive and thrive in today’s market?” The answer I heard was, “Absolutely not”. Education needs to change because media is changing. Students today are being prepared for the industry that existed 5-10 years ago. (I doubt the parents paying the bills for this education would be happy to hear it!)
Why is that the case? Another part of the discussion talked about the “ice age” going on today. Things are changing, compressing. Magazines and newspapers and being cancelled in alarming numbers. We’ve seen this in the art & craft magazines for sure. Just last week (or maybe the week before?) Gourmet Magazine announced they will end publication after 70 years. Wow!
Media is in a big melting pot – Facebook, Online news, traditional print and Twitter all part of the mix now. You can’t just be a “magazine journalist” and expect to survive. How will all the current and future journalists be paid? With traditional employers becoming fewer, will journalists become bloggers being paid through advertising, joint ventures, and more? Time will tell.
But how does this apply to artists? And what is the message I found in this discussion of journalism, for the artist who wants to license their art?
I’m typing while it’s still reeling around in my brain so forgive me if I am swirling a little – welcome to my brain! Here is what I took from this talk that I would like to share with you:
Every industry is in flux. Our training and mindsets, even from a year ago, may not be enough to thrive in the next year or decade.
Keep learning. Watch what is going on in many industries and see what you can learn and use in your business. Promotion methods are ever evolving. As my sister loves to say, “This internet thing… I don’t think it’s a fad.” It’s not, it’s changing everything.
Look for new opportunities to use your art to help people using the internet. Some of their stuff is just ugly. As the internet evolves, the need for better graphics, design and art will grow. New opportunities to connect, brand and license? I think so and I’m watching for them…
Be aware of what you say online. People are watching and listening. Be constructive and not nasty in the way you choose to disagree. Channel your high school English teacher who taught you about debating, be nice and respectful and you will get that in return. Lashing out and being nasty will get you… either nasty back or no where.
Be true to who you are but don’t be stuck in who you are today. I really believe that the flexible will thrive so grab your proverbial yoga mat and limber up!
OK… my mind-dumb is done. I’d love for you to chime in and give me your ideas and observations. Talk to me!
Back to the “BlogWorld” – it really is a different place than the ‘art world’ – but fun and inspiring all the same.
Here’s to your creative success!
Tara
Feel free to learn from my mistake: WordPress.com vs .org
So here’s the deal… I was having major trouble getting a new WordPress.org database set up on my web host. I wanted to add a new blog to go along with a new project. (www.PrintYourOwnBunco.com) Frustration. Hair pulling. Hours slipping through my fingers.
I decided that I would stop the insanity and just use a free WordPress.com site. Cool. Got it all prettied up and organized.
Then I showed it to a friend who does a lot on the internet. Here is what she said, “Move your blog away from wordpress.com – if you intend to make any $$$ they’ll pull it out from under you – happened to me.”
Well YIKES! I certainly don’t want to spend all this time and energy building a blog to have someone pull the plug on it one day! (It is probably in the fine print somewhere but I was unaware of that subtlety between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.)
So the lesson you can learn from my mistake and hours I will never get back is this: before setting up a new blog, read the fine print. Some things to consider when making the decision:
- Will the blog be purely informational or related to selling products or services?
- How much flexibility do you want and need as far as the design and options?
- How much do you want to learn? (Don’t forget you can outsource getting things up and running …)
I love WordPress. Most of my internet marketing friends and networking contacts prefer it to most other blog platforms. But know which one to choose.
- fast & easy setup
- free
- apparently only for non-profit creating blogs
- self-hosted (you have to register and maintain a URL and get the nuts and bolts on your site)
- more variety of themes, widgets, bells and whistles (mostly free when you are up and running)
- the better option if income is part of your blog strategy
Now I know and you do too! Here’s to your creative success and informed blog creation choices!
– Tara
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