To blog or not to blog?

[Joan Breckwoldt]

I am wondering about the value of having a blog, either within a website or someplace else with a link to a blog. I have noticed a lot of artists have a blog today, especially those who paint daily and sell their paintings on the web. I'm wondering if there are any applications of a blog to portrait painting?

I built a website and having a blog (a place where I posted what I was painting and related ramblings) seemed like a good way to get people to come back and visit. I also thought having a blog where I talked about what I was painting, how much I enjoyed painting, etc. (but not as sappy as I'm making it sound) would be a good way for potential clients for portraits to get comfortable with me. I do not expect anyone to purchase my art over the internet, my website's main purpose is to be a site where people can see more of my work and my prices, procedures.

Well, now I'm wondering how much value, if any, is added to my website by having a blog. There are very few people who read it regularly, and most of them are not even in the same state as me. I enjoy reading other artists' blogs, I have about TEN on my computers favorites list and check them regularly.

I am now tempted to just do away with the blogging part of my website. Also, does a blog make a site look amatuerish? If I model the high end portrait painters, I notice they don't blog.

I would love to hear some thoughts on blogging.

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

I don't think it would help you at all. Art marketing is about reaching the specific type of client who would/could buy your work. You can put a very personable "artist's statement" or "About the Artist" section on your site and that would probably be enough to help prospective clients feel comfortable about calling you, if they like the work.

[Alexandra Tyng]

Joan,

I never thought of blogging until an artist friend (Nancy Bea Miller, a forum member) pointed out that it would be a good format for the "recent news" section of my website.

Before I switched to a blog, my "news" had to be updated by my website designer. The problem was that I wanted to add news frequently, and each time I added an item, I had to pay her. I needed to add items approximately once a month. Obviously if you are computer-savvy or you don't mind doing it all yourself, you could figure out how to do it without bothering your website deigner. But in my case, I didn't want to learn how to do it myself, and I kept putting off asking her to do the updates.

I had always enjoyed Nancy Bea's blog, but since it was different from what I wanted, I didn't think of it as a solution to my problem until she suggested it. My designer hadn't thought of it either, but once she looked into it, she liked it so much she made one for herself as well as for me. Now when you click on "recent news" it goes to my blog. The tone can be anywhere from formal to informal, and you can add images. I love it. It is so easy even I have no trouble remembering how to do it.

Check out my website and see what you think. It really all depends on what kind of an image you are aiming for. Personally I don't worry about what is appropriate in the portrait world, because my art is also about landscape and figurative work. In fact, my blog gives me a way of linking the different genres and the collectors and potential clients of each genre. They get to see who I am as a whole, rather than just a piece of me.

My blog is free and it is through blogspot.com.

[Sharon Knettell]

You read my mind!

I have been thinking about this very process. I am going to have to revamp my web-site to emphasize my paintings.

I do like the idea of the blog, because many people ask me what am I doing lately.

However I have no idea how to do a blog.

By the way that Shoosic Harbor sp.? landscape is spectacular.

[Michele Rushworth]

Hmmmm, Alex, now you've got me thinking. Your blog is very well done. I've seen so many that were a mishmash of stream-of-consciousness drivel with a few badly done photos plopped in without much thought that I wasn't really aware of the potential. Yours is both professional and friendly -- a great combination.

My website's "In the News" section is growing quickly and this may be a perfect solution.

Joan, I retract my earlier statement!

[Joan Breckwoldt]

I'm so glad to see these wonderful replies, it is really helping me decide whether to keep my blog or not. I'm going to keep it. And I enjoy doing it, so that was the conclusion my husband and I came to last night too.

I started my blog back in January and called it 'new work' as part of my website. I would post new paintings there and talk about them. Then a couple of months ago I got a blogspot blog but found I couldn't manipulate my photos as much as I liked, so I just put a link on my blogspot to my website and continued blogging on my website.

Last week I switched the blog part of my website from the page I called 'new work' to the homepage. Many people didn't realize I had a blog and I think people just don't take the time to navigate a website, nobody seems to have any time these days! So I figured if I put it right there in front of their faces when they opened my website, they would realize I was blogging and come back again to see what was new. I'm not sure this is the best decision, I used to have a single portrait on my homepage.

So, how best to integrate a website and a blog? There are many ways to do it, I would love to hear comments on the way I'm doing it - the 'blog in your face' method compared to 'blog as link' method, which I had a week ago and can easily go back to.

Alexandra, I read every entry on your blog. I have been to your website a number of times over the past 6 months and I guess I never went to the recent news section, I usually just look at your paintings.

Joan

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Blogging can be a lot of work, but I totally enjoy it! I started because initially I wanted to get a place where I can collect all the information that I have come across over the years. Sort of a central archive area for reference. Having a really bad memory problem, I constantly end up rereading things and this was a way to keep the stuff that's important to me in one central, easy accesible location.

I have had a "WIP"section on my web site for the longest time, because clients really enjoy seeing the progress of a painting. But then a funny thing happened. More and more artists started to ask me how I did this or that or if I would be willing to teach them. I was surprised by the response, but find it a great way to share what I have learned. It also stops me from taking shortcuts, now I have an audience and pressure is on to push myself even further. I see a great benefit in this alone!

My hits on my blog have sky rocketed and it has a lot to do with people subscribing to the RSS feed and linking. This helps to create a web presence and increase the chances of people actually looking at your web site.

My website's function is like that of a gallery. It represents the collection of my work. There is a link from there to my Blog for those who enjoy reading. I try to add other things such as book reviews, cool links anything that might make the experience of reading enjoyable.

I am still waiting to be discovered! LOL

[Nancy Bea Miller]

Hi everyone! I'm in favor of blogs. Alex Tyng has already mentioned my idea of using a blog as one's "News" site. I'm glad its worked out so well for you Alex! It's quick to set up a blog, free (if you use certain providers like Blogger), and easy to use. You can put in pictures, photos, text, links to museums or organizations..whatever! If you want to see what I am talking about, take a look at my news blog, which I link to from my website: http://www.genrecookshop.com/news/blogger.html

A lot of the "painting a day" folks use a blog as an easy way to showcase their daily output. It's much less effort than constantly ftp-ing images, writing html and altering a website page.

Sometimes a personal "how I do my work and live my life" type blog can attract people to one's website. In fact, I even once made a sale through someone finding my personal blog (http://www.genrecookshop.com) and being interested enough to then check out my painting website. I've met other artists around the world, and also have been invited to participate in some shows, all due to friendly contacts made through this blog!

[Michele Rushworth]

The only downside I can think of for the idea of using a blog for the "news" section of one's website is that really important events/awards/commissions get buried over time with more recent things, regardless of their importance. It does seem easy to create and maintain, though.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Michele,

I think you have an excellent point.

I was calling my blog 'what's new' with a link on my homepage to it and I'm not sure that really explained what I was doing - which was blogging. I have another webpage on my site I call "Charity and Events" where I post upcoming charity events where I'm donating a painting/portrait and shows. I have no need for a place to post awards. Not yet anyway.

I decided, for me, that I either need to use the word BLOG to let people know what I'm doing or put my blogging on my homepage. I have put my blog on my homepage, along with photos of my new work. Now we'll see if that gets me more traffic. My theory is that people might like to read a blog, but don't take the time to find it. So now visitors can't miss it.

It does get difficult, doesn't it, to keep everything somewhat streamlined, clear, and easy to navigate.

Joan