Please Steal this Art #1 (Quote about Artists and Writers)

I found myself writing this message recently (below) in an email to a friend, because I felt it was important for her to take her creative life seriously. After that, I decided to make a piece of art out of it, since I believe it deeply!

If you find it of any value, please print out, pass on, edit it, put on your website or blog. Anything goes. If you want a hi-res version, leave comment below on where I should send it.

: ) -Kate

Surtex: Should Artists Walk the Floor?

I asked people again this year about the controversy of whether non-exhibiting artist should be walking the floor. Here is a sampling of what they said this year compared to last year.

- 50% of business cards collected was from non-exhibiting competition. I did not pay to be source of free information or consult anybody. I was there to talk to buyers.

- In past years, my booth has been inundated with artists looking to license their work. It hasn't been a problem, since most were polite and deferred to other booth visitors. This year - mostly likely because the show offered a full slate of licensing related programming during show hours - only one or two artists stopped by. I actually missed them. Some are talented, and these wandering artists have no booth to showcase their work so I don't see them as a threat.

- This was my first year exhibiting at the show. I had about 10+ artists approach my booth each day, which for someone exhibiting for the first time was very disheartening. The first day, more artists approached me than clients. Most of the artists who stopped by would stand in front of my booth and initiate a conversation, asking about licensing, how to get into the business, etc. I watched multiple companies stop and then just walk by, which was very frustrating.

- I was very shocked at how many artists who choose to walk the show haven't done their homework about the business, and barely understand what licensing is.

- I wanted to be respectful of those who were exhibiting, yet felt with airfare hotel and the $650 I had to make a few contacts. Most all were very helpful and friendly.

- I have never been opposed to artists approaching me, as long as they either do this when I am not talking to someone, or if they ask first if NOW is a good time.

- Over the years I have noticed that less artist approach my booth. This year I only had a few come by. I do not mind as long as they are extremely mindful of show etiquette. Last year myself and a few colleagues did create a hand out for artists coming to Surtex, that might be what you are referring to that was also shared online.

- I was VERY CAREFUL to just observe. I didn't try networking. I didn't bring a portfolio and handed out no cards, etc. After reading some of the "non-exhibiting artists shouldn't be allowed at Surtex" forum posts in different discussion boards, I was even too paranoid to pause in front of anyone's booth to even write down their URL or name though sometimes I'd try to remember someone's name until I got to the end of the aisle and THEN write it down.

- Over the years the situation with non-exhibiting artists had gotten out of hand. Know everyone is online sharing about there own experiences about Surtex. I think many artists have been really frustrated for this issue has cost them potential visits from manufactures.

- I went because those speaking at the SCBWI workshop on art licensing encouraged us to walk the show to see if art licensing was an area we wished to pursue.

- New artists should remember that this is not a club, it is a business, and for many people it represents their life’s work, not to mention their sole livelihood.

-If management want to encourage other Artist to Exhibit they simply can have organized tour for such on one particular date and Time.

- I was put in a pretty awkward position this year in particular, when several, different artists walking the show, but it's the lack of understanding about the show etiquette that really surprised me, when I was being nice enough to talk to them "a little bit", but then they decided to just sit down for a while to "chat" some more?




MORE ARTICLES ON SURTEX

On Using an ipad in your Surtex Booth

Tips from a First Time Surtex Exhibitor

An Artist's Thought's on Surtex: Jen Goode

An Artist's Thought's on Surtex: Jane Sarah Staffier

Doing Surtex: An Artist's Experience

See Surtex by Video

Tips on Exhibiting at Tradeshows for Art Licensing

TRADE SHOW BOOKS

Build a Better Trade Show Image
Professional recommendations for doing a tradeshow. Advice to take before you attempt one.









How to Design a "Wow!" Trade Show Booth Without Spending a Fortune
Simple tips for your first tradeshow booth.

Surtex: Should Visiting Artists Pay?

I asked people on Linkedin about their evaluation of Surtex, Here is a sampling of what they said about whether non-exhibiting artists should pay to get it:

- On the one hand we are advised that this is an investment in ourselves and on the other side we are examining our wallets and thinking about less costly alternatives that would successfully market our art.

- $150 may seem like a lot up front, but is not unreasonable in today's economic climate. From a business perspective, $150 to check out the show is still worth it.

- Being an artist is tough in any economic period. The entry fee as daunting for artists who want to get started.

- I am 1000% behind the expense to get in. Artists who pay nothing other than travel expenses, yet feel a sense of entitlement to come in and freely meet and greet new and existing business that the rest of us pay big bucks to snag, well, it smacks of freeloading to me.

- $ 150 was not that much for what I saw and learned but the second person with me should have paid much less.

- I didn't think it was too high a cost at all. I just saw it as a business investment since I was considering exhibiting at Surtex the following year. I think if someone's paying money for a plane ticket and hotel to NYC then $150 is just a small added on fee in comparison.

- I also agree with the $150 fee, I had very few artists stopping by, or "entrepreneur" types who ask me to work for nothing, except a "share" of their success, if it happened. If someone can't see spending the equivalent of a month's worth of lattes for this valuable experience, how could they think of taking on the expense of doing the show?

- I agree with show management about charging at least 150 dollars for artist to walk the show. The art licensing industry is not low budget industry to break in to. If an artist has the will to succeed at this I think they can find away to get the 150 dollars to come to the show, that is actually a drop in the bucket.

- I agree wholeheartedly with the idea of raising the fee. As a long time member of SCBWI, I consider the $150 a pittance compared to what we pay for those conferences.

- I would not have paid $150 for an event where I was supposed to stay in the middle of the aisles, not approach booths, not linger in front of any booth, not talk with anyone, not do networking.

(photos from Surtex website)



ADDITIONAL ARTICLES ON SURTEX

On Using an ipad in your Surtex Booth

Tips from a First Time Surtex Exhibitor

An Artist's Thought's on Surtex: Jen Goode

An Artist's Thought's on Surtex: Jane Sarah Staffier

Doing Surtex: An Artist's Experience

See Surtex by Video

Tips on Exhibiting at Tradeshows for Art Licensing

TRADE SHOW BOOKS

Build a Better Trade Show Image
Professional recommendations for doing a tradeshow. Advice to take before you attempt one.









How to Design a "Wow!" Trade Show Booth Without Spending a Fortune
Simple tips for your first tradeshow booth.

Photoshop Tip: Transforming One Image into Different Looking Images

Check out this article on Joan Beiriger's Art Licensing Blog. This is only an excerpt...to read entire article go to her blog post.

Using the warp (in version CS3 and above) and puppet warp (in version CS5) tools in Photoshop (PS) is a fast and easy way to change and distort the appearance of motifs. What is useful with this technique is that you need to paint only icons for a motif such as a flower + leaf + stem, duplicate them numerous times, and distort them by applying the warp tool to the icons.


This is a simple and fast method in creating different looking motifs to add variety to patterns and backgrounds. Note: In this tutorial, the warp tool will be used separately on the flower, leaf, and stem for better results. After the distortion is finished, they can be assembled into finished flower motifs.

Either create a flower and leaf in PS or scan a painted one and place on a layer in PS. Hint: Read "Photoshop Tip: Easy to Create Motifs for Art Collections" to learn a great technique in creating different looking flowers from one flower petal.

The flower blossom example at the left was created with this technique. A brown center was added and the flower was shaded with a combination of the dodge and/or burn tools and the drop shadow, inner shadow, and inner glow located in Layer / Layer Style option window.

...to read entire article go to her blog post.