Are You Getting A Paycheck From Faa?

Lot of questions in here.

Commission check? - yes. (not a paycheck as I am not employed by FAA)
Where do I fit in? - In my own space.
How can I get a dozen more advocates for your work? Create intriguing and unique work that stands out from the pack.
How did you get lucky? Persistence.
Blog? Yes it's the overall best way to build an online presence - http://http://www.dogfordstudios.com/

Yes I am getting a paycheck from FAA!

Seriously I don't know how anyone finds my work since I rarely can find it with specific keywords search here on FAA.
But find me they do and I sell more prints and originals than I ever dreamed.

Jeff you are very fortunate to have an "agent" in England :)

I don't blog. Coming up with something to say regularly that someone would want to read sounds like too much work!

But I do market regularly. Pinterest posts work the best for me and maybe Facebook a little.
I use keywords and Google knows me.
The marketing works since the proof is in my sales :)

Jeff,

I do not paint. I do not point a camera. I do something very different. Specializing in odd ways of using PS.

My marketing to people of means is actually totally new to me. In the NY area people buy the craziest art. Put me in coach. Show me the money.

I may fall flat on my face. It is risk taking. I have very little to lose.

I am not a big writer, so blogs become an image dump. I tried to make my blog into a magazine. It was work without a large enough audience. Then the EU passed the GDPR, which for a magazine going out to the EU with EU stories was too risky. I did not personally have model releases. I shut it down a few weeks ago. I have better more direct marketing to work on.

To answer your question, do I get a paycheck from FAA? Not yet. Or very rarely. I have not made a living from this. I love working on it.

Dave

I am not getting a 'paycheck' this month, unfortunately. I wish that my sales were good enough here to earn a payment every month. That is my goal but it is slow in developing.

Yes, I do think my work is good enough to hang on someone's wall.

No, I don't blog. I tried it once and just couldn't get into it.

I do market all of my various online offerings on Social Media, mostly Twitter and FB but also some on Pinterest and Instagram. I am also starting to market locally but I do not live in a very 'artsy' area.

I hope that has answered your questions. I'm not sure what would be your point in asking them. Blogging may work wonders for one person and not at all for others so I don't think my lack of a blog is what is keeping me from sales here.

Only one payday this year so far and it was small. I've been developing a portfolio of a new style of art I hope will generate a following, maybe it won't but I figured I'd give it one big final push before I decide to stop trying to make a business out of art. As to where do I fit in? I have no idea, perhaps nowhere.

Edit: I missed the blog question. When I was using more traditional mediums I blogged, but since I don't paint as much anymore I haven't blogged much the last year or so. I blogged because that was what you were supposed to do, I don't believe that anymore. I'm not writer, my blog didn't really seem to do anything for me. That's just me, obviously blogging works for others.

Yes, I earn a paycheck. I haven’t missed a monthly payment in several years now. Hoping that streak continues. Yes, I think my work is good enough for someone’s wall, though they don’t always buy the ones *I* would buy. I honestly have no idea what got my sales started almost 7 years ago. At that time my online presence wasn’t what it is now. I do have a blog but I haven’t updated it recently. Need to get back to that. Been a couple months.

I'll see a paycheck today , and a much better one next month due to a good sales streak.

Who, and how, or why, IDK..... here, Face Book and Pinterest .
I think paintings hit people on an purely emotional level.
The comments I consistently receive regarding a purchase is that " it reminds them of.... "

I want to blog, I seriously need to get my act together - & figure out the easiest site to use.
( I just managed to wipe out my computer last week by giving it a cleaning - that is how bad I am with anything that has buttons )

Your work is wonderful Jeff - I wish you the best.

Most of the members here, Jeff, don't get a paycheck every month. So I think the best question to ask, or answer, is how is your art making a positive difference in your life and the lives of others. The paycheck is a byproduct of this, and the blog, as we can see so far from previous posts in this thread, is an important aspect in making your mark and being found.

I'm not a big fan of Seth Godin, but in his recent podcast he talk about how to have a blog or website in this post Google era. Some very good points well said better than I ever could.

https://www.akimbo.me/blog/season-2-episode-1-permission-and-seo-and-blogs

Do I have a blog? Yes. In fact I share my thoughts on Flickr a few times a week, and from that I do a blog entry a few times a month. Not to mention all I do with my mailing list. But it has to start by doing it for yourself, and its not about the call to action or to make a sale.

"Here is the good news - we all have room to grow - success is a journey, not a destination." -- Zig Ziglar

Flickr Journal https://flic.kr/s/aHsmkXUWoN

Blog https://frankjcasella.pixels.com/blogs/welcome-to-frank-j-casella-artist-photography-blog.html

Are you getting a paycheck from FAA? Yes, every month

Do you think your work is good enough to hang on a visitors wall? Yes, based on input and results.

So where do you fit in? Exactly where I want to be.

how can I get a dozen more? Get your work in front of people who have interests in line with what you create.

How did I get so lucky to get someone who in love with my work to this degree? They had interests in line with what you create, and they saw your work.

do you blog why or why not? No, because I'd rather spend time making artwork than blogging.

I'm getting an FAA paycheck this month and have gotten a paycheck every month for a few years now. Mostly all random sales.

I guess some of my stuff is good enough to put on a wall since people keep buying things and I have had interior design companies go to my portfolio multiple times for their clients. Where I fit in I won't speculate since so much of this is subjective.

I don't blog mostly because I know I won't keep up with it and honestly I don't really have anything that interesting to say. I'd much rather spend my time editing and uploading new work, or out in the field with my camera. Heck I'd rather be going back and improving and re-editing of some of my older images (which I do frequently).

I am not getting a paycheck this month. I got one in March though. ..well technically April for March.
I think my work is good enough to hang on walls. I don't think anything is like.... beyond amazing, museum worthy..but.. i think some of the photos i have are pretty damn good for being a hobbyist photographer.
Where do i fit in? I mean i know there's a lot of people on here that are a heck of a lot better at this than me. And that's okay. :)
I don't blog. The reason why? I don't think i'd have enough interesting to say about my photography. Honestly most of my photos are taken from my backyard. No real 'Story' to most of my photos. Plus if i opened a blog i feel like i'd start talking more about my personal life like my disability, struggles etc. If i was out traveling the world and taking photos in other countries i might have a blog. But my photography life isn't that interesting aside from going to see some old amusement parks.

I haven't put in the real work yet to know... although as dumb luck would have it, I sold a few things here.

BTW: many years ago I was a semi-known artist in the San Francisco East Bay and had gallery representation did shows and contests (contests were rigged). Back then my portfolio was 11 images (seascapes) and I made sales. I did cold calls or called ahead for an appointment. In the gallery game all they are interested in is making money and if your art would sell (even then you did all the work). Only in one instance was there a gallery director that seemed interested in art... and I went to many!

I don't get a "pay check" from FAA although I do earn a reasonable income with my images locally.

I do have a few pet peeves..., but that's a whole different discussion which have already taken place, but has had me rethink as to where I put my efforts. This is normal I would think, in any business venture.

Despite my limitations, I was beginning to generate sales here but the last 2-3 years seems to have gone in the opposite direction. I may have some ideas about that...but that's all they are, ideas and nothing concrete. There's a lot of competition...no denying that. I have found work-arounds to keep costs down (like shipping) which has helped me continue garnering sales otherwise.

I don't blog, though I'm sure I'd do well if I did, it's just that I'm a caregiver for my wife, thus available extra time can be a challenge and often comes at a premium.

I do sell more locally, on a personal level, then all of my online sales put together. I "take orders"...thankfully, folks now seek me out for specific images or have a "wish list". I wish I had more time on my hands to weed out some of my earlier works... which, I'll agree, are questionable. However...I was making sales.

I have my work on many walls other than my own, I have my own studio/gallery (I had the rear portion of my garage finished) and for a small village, has proved to be a bonus... not many places to display works here.

I sell plenty during the summer markets here to tourists and can do $700-$1000 for a 3hour period of show-and-tell. The Christmas holidays are also a good time for me.

Being retired takes the stress off, whether I sell or not will not make a difference as to whether I'll eat or not. But if I were to not be selling, I certainly wouldn't be spending the kind of $$ I do on gear.

End of the day... I thoroughly enjoy what I do and where I get to do it.
My greatest challenge is to *remain grateful* that folks value my images to the point where they're willing to shell out several hundreds of dollars.

Cheers!

~Michel Soucy

Yes, we receive a payment every month for about five years now. We upload new art every day and are well past 5000 fine art photography and digital art pieces. We don’t blog but do have a Celebrate Life Gallery Facebook page. We feel so blessed to have two major licensing companies representing us and our art, both of whom found us here. Our advice is to be prolific but always high quality in each and every piece you upload, lots of relevant keywords, and great descriptions for every art piece.

I don't get a "paycheck" from FAA usually. I'm here for other reasons.

I can't upload volume -- not quality volume -- the way photographers can. That's a fact of life for me and other people who paint/draw etc. instead of choosing to do photography.

Also, once I upload art onto FAA, there is a good chance that it counts as "published," for copyright law purposes, since it's offered for sale. That's a gray area, I'm not 100% certain that's the case.

If it does count as "published" once it's posted on FAA, then that affects my ability to register it with the Copyright Office in the future. It's kind of a "Which comes first, the chicken or the egg" situation. If I were making a ton of sales on FAA, then it would be worth it to pay to register, then post. Or, alternatively, since so much art gets infringed anyway, I have the option of just taking the risk of compromising my future ability to register, and posting/publishing anyway.

Of course, if I don't post it that pretty much seals the deal that it won't sell online...LOL. So how, then, do I know whether it will sell without first posting it? I don't. It's all a guessing game.

For the majority of my artwork, I don't post it online -- which preserves it's unpublished status. I can register it in the future, if I think that will be worthwhile.

Meanwhile, I have an online portfolio that is representative of my work, and a discussion forum that's good for hours of entertainment, and I'm happy with the status quo.

Disclaimer: As always, not legal advice.

People who do art can't post new stuff every day.

sales aren't coming in as nice as they could be. may was terrible, june is, i don't know... is my work good enough? of course it is. do i have any on my walls... no. i have no space, i'm not actually into art. i'm getting plenty of views, so maybe after people stop spending money on things like food and college graduations they can splurge on art. and yes i have a check.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

There are some amazing answers in here. Blogging
It's usually not about me, it's not about you, it's about the people you want to help or entertain with your blog. Along time ago I was asked by my publisher to volunteer to be their first blogger. I'm like, what's a blog? They said you'll figure it out, just talk to people... That was their basic direction, I guess. My other guidance was to tell people about where the fall colors were showing up in New England. I tried to be helpful and in one article I had a brainstorm and tried to be funny and they said it was wonderful, do it again...

Let us just say Brainstorm summed it up because I wasn't able to repeat. So I stayed with helpful. The next year They had me start a month early and gave me some money! Well, this continued for about 4 years and we parted ways. I started my blog using the name they gave me. Jeff-Foliage.com

Basically, as a photographer, I have a lot of fun and passion for the subject since I have been writing about fall foliage in New England for 12 years and I still have people reading my blog.

Now... why blog at all? To connect with people. That is the single best way to make a sale. They need to find you and they find your website here on Pixels/FAA and how can you make a connection? You really can't but with a blog, you can talk about anything in the world and link back to your artwork. They make a connection with you through your written word.

First, what some of you have said rings true for every one of us at one time or another. Too busy, yup. Too tired, yup. Nothing to say, Yup. I've felt all of those things.
Now to Michel and Alice...
You both have similar issues, Michel, as a caregiver, you have the most demanding job in the world. I did that for my dad for about 3 years before he went into a nursing home. I know your pain, at least in part. But you know something, you have experience that others are just approaching and millions of people are in your shoes or similar shoes. You can offer links to answers, and suggestions on how to handle things. Every once in a while you might talk about how your art helps you cope. I don't do calls to action or anything like that. I offer to help people plan their trips to New England in the fall and I show them my artwork with links back here.

Alice, you say you have a disability, you are not the only one and yes if your blog is all about "Woe is me" and "Why me"??? Then you're right. people won't read it. But you can talk about sources of strength that you have found. Tell people about your day and a little victory over some aspect of your disability from today. If you have a particularly brutal day then tell them that you can't write that day and you will later when it's better. Talk about the positive things in your life, family, faith, or your roses in the garden. Help people understand what make you tick and try to help them connect with you... Will you have 100 readers by the end of a month? maybe not but the more you write, the more Google will capture what you say and log it into their system.

J L Meadows, every posting day is BS (hopefully I can say BS and not run afoul of her ladyship...) except for those who don't have a life. I'm hoping to get 3 articles published this month. Just three... My 2nd one goes up tomorrow and later next week a contest announcement. Then I'm done till July.

In the beginning, it's best to be more regular but as I have been doing my foliage blogging for a fair while now, that people just find my blog when they are searching for something fall foliage related. Sometimes they stay around and sometimes they leave. I also see what they click on in Wordpress so I know if they click on an image link out to my AW.

Heading to bed and I'll try to get back here on Sunday night if possible... Fathers Day and all...

Examine again why you don't blog and if interested post why and maybe I'll have an idea about it... Thanks for tuning in...

Yes, yes (and I only own one, my album cover because it was an album cover), I try not to, god no I despise blogging.

___________
Susan Maxwell Schmidt
So-so Board Moderator and
Artist Extraordinaire

Are you getting a paycheck from FAA?
Yes, I think every month for about 6 years now.

Do you think your work is good enough to hang on a visitors wall?
I'm blessed and thankful that people find my photography good enough to hang in their homes and businesses.

So where do you fit in?
I'm pretty sure I'm right where I should be. My main focus is architectural and landscape photography mostly in Boston and the New England countryside.

How can I get a dozen more?
I think I need to get more into the local art show scene where I can get to people one on one. People and companies are finding me now via my social media sites but I need to reach out farther.

Point 1, blogging.
I tried it and failed. I simply don't have enough discipline or time to contribute to a blog on a regular basis.

I will keep this long... :D

I receive a paycheck of a little amount every month for a while now, which is good, I mean better than nothing :D They are small because I rarely sell prints, they prefer to buy my originals than prints, but they buy sometimes some additional products. I am on the way to make a living from it, but not from prints and products, but still using AW as my only website. So I am always try to create new ideas, which can bring more people to see my paintings and buy some prints. But I end up selling more originals, whatever step I make, and I dont know yet how to sell more things from Faa. (we are never satisfied yes? :D

My paintings are loved and appreciated by my niche audience but they are not that type which would sell as huge prints to living rooms. I am still very happy, in July will be one year that I let go my originals, and I sold so far 63 of them. What I dont know, why they dont buy more prints or products, after they are asking for directions, where to buy them. I dont have huge markups, so are we too expensive, or it is the shipping cost? ( other day I shared allover my 6 existing cat zodiacs, I received 500+ likes in a Fb niche group with several shares, 200+ likes on Ig, tons of comments and private messages, and I didnt sell a single postcard at least which they could frame? I know the shipping more expensive than a card, but I cannot go cheaper. I know also is not good to be cheap, buy my audience is not wealthy people with luxurious homes and cars, they have cats lol.. So I dont think to be more expensive would help in my case.)

I would like to have more, and I mean by more any kind of sale on FAA. I think I sell enough originals, and have weekly now commission requests, so what is missing, that I would like to sell more prints and products from my colorful nonrealistic cats from my Cats Of Karavella Collection! But honestly sometimes I dont know what else should I do except to make more interesting paintings in my niche, which will worth to spend on them more prints and products. So I want to create yet that "must have" universal cat art! I am determined, because I would love to be once find by search here on Faa, because I believe none of my sales come from search but by my activity on SM. So my aim is to be somehow higher in search here if somebody looking for cat art. But I have doubts that I would be able ever to overpass the artists who joined several years before me, and occupying the first 10 pages.

I am where I would like to be, and enjoying the path I chose to walk on. I have plans, and I wont stay put until I achieve them. :) And I am lucky that I found a collector through my IG activity, who bought so far 11 originals from my Colorful Cat Art, which I made purely for my pleasure, and not with any intention to boost my sales on Faa. I am also fortunate, that I could prove to my hubby, that I am able to make a living from it, even if I have now only some hours for it, so when my little one start preschool in September, I wont need to go to work in his office, but I will be doing my things which I really love.

I am not good in blogging, I tried. I was thinking to write something to be on WP, and Google with Blogger. And it took lots of time, as I am not a writer, I cannot entertain, my english is not good. So I post occasionally to my free WP, just because if I search for myself it is on google quite high. I prefer to use my time which I would spend on writing a blog, to make new art or to chat on SM with people already following my work, to gain their trust to order from me something in the future.

ps. whoever read this, sorry for being so long.

http://www.dora-hathazimendes.pixels.com

i would love to blog but....

1. i have no time.
2. the stuff i know attracts the wrong kinds of people. i have a website that only gets other photographers. never updated it, ran out of time.
3. you have to have new update almost on the hour to really get people going, at least at first. skip some time and you lose people fast.
4. i would have to advertise the blog to make it effective.
5. the content would have to be very good, to keep people's attention.

i think its better to get onto someone else's blog so it doesn't look commercial. for a long time i thought of making a colorizing blog, things i'm making etc. but i still have yet to get to it. my mind just won't let me focus on something like that.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Thanks Jeff....

"It's usually not about me, it's not about you, it's about the people you want to help or "

Very true....

I've often wondered about blogging about my situation/circumstances as both a caregiver and an artist.

My very *first* consideration though is my wife's feeling about making her ABI (Acquired Brain Injury) more public than it already is. It's a delicate subject. Her self-esteem has been greatly affected with feelings of insecurity. I spent many years of my sober life (34 years) reaching out to others who may benefit from my experience(s) and it had dividends for both myself and the receiver of my efforts. Now...as much as I'd like to write about our circumstances in some fashion, I need to think hard about this....especially how quickly stuff gets around on social media. In this regard...it's about her, not me or others.

Lots to to think about, I have no issues expressing myself, conveying my thoughts, etc..... and am always looking for ways/outlets without putting my wifes' sense of security at further risk.
There's room though, to be creative about how I might *write it all down*...and who knows...may even prove to be therapeutic. :)

Thanks for the post Jeff....

Michel

Getting a paycheck or not doesn't matter that much to me. Being retired I can visit different countries and enjoy the journeys.

I am in Edinburgh at the moment, will visit the castle in 30 min.

Was recently in Vienna enjoying the art and culture there.

Now live in Spain also enjoy visiting Paris and London.

There are enough people blogging about everything something I once did.

Blogging about SEO was one of my favorite things to write about.

Now I don't bother linking anthing anymore I have deleted most of my online presence and enjoy the more important things in life instead.

nope, only get a check once in a while mostly around Christmas but that doesn't keep me from trying.

Well I was at least selling 1-2 a month then it seems sponsorship was eliminated. Haven't made a sale in 2 months now. I at least will have my work displayed for 3 months at the Redmond Library in Jan.

Blogging

Probably good for business but bores me to tears usually and would make this seem like a job.

Blogging is boring, but think about it, we spend time talking here on the forum, why not use it to blog more? It's hard to find compelling subject matter.

Lisa, I have a good readership using Kathy's posts on the magazine. It gives one sentence, or even word, exercises that people are using as inspiration. For all bloggers and writers :-)

https://ourartsmagazine.com/category/literature/writing-tasks

I agree Lisa, I use to blog, blogged a lot even but I didn't enjoy doing it and could see no benefit from it. Unfortunately blogging is like everything else on the internet. It's not a matter of "post it and they will come", you have to play the networking game with blogs too in order to get much of an audience.

Thank you, Abbie. I'm checking it out now.


David, I know, right! It's bad enough practicing my painting techniques and having that go south and now I have to practice writing, which I'm terrible at, and showing this humiliation to the world at large. I want to jump right off this ship at times.

I do think I'll check out Abbie's link.

David and Lisa... Blogging is not for everybody and it has taken me years to build my site up but I also REALLY LOVE MY TOPIC... I go cuckoo for New England Fall Foliage so I really enjoy talking to people all over the globe...
Oh I just published another article tonight: https://www.jeff-foliage.com/2018/09/fall-foliage-comment-to-win-september/

But like I said it's not for everybody. David, what was your subject? If it was a "Here's my art and why you should buy it" then that would answer the question. But seriously what was it about? Was this something that if you gave up painting today (And you are quite good in my book) Could the subject of your blog take over as your new passion.

I had a ready-made passion with New England Fall Foliage, I love to get up early and get on the road 3AM sometimes but as I now take my wife with me, it's harder to get out the door as early as she is NOT an early riser... Hmmm, I think that could be a new Article Early riser versus sleepy head... Hmmm have to work on that title.

But I think you guys and gals get my point. You HAVE to write about something that you have a passion for. Could I write about plumbing and the plumbing I've done in my house? Maybe for 4-12 articles and even then I may burn out before I was done with five...

Is it a subject that may solve peoples problems? Sure, just look at the Home Depot parking lot, but I'm not an expert and that would put me to sleep.

If you don't have a lot of passion for a subject then don't bother blogging. If you don't get excited over the subject and every neuron in your brain starts sparking ideas when a word pops into your head when you simply picked the wrong subject...

Lisa, I will be the first to say that my writing IS NOT Hemingway. I write in a conversational style that my editor at Yankee Magazine said worked well for blogs. You don't talk at people you talk to them. Just like we are having a conversation right now... THIS is blogging, plain and simple. Don't think because you are not an English major you can't blog... Geesh, I can't tell a verb from an adverb. But I know my fall foliage and over a hundred thousand plus to be exact as I write this I have had 104,620 people visit so far this year.
Each year visit my blog to answer their questions about when to come to New England to find Peak Fall Foliage... And Where! I don't know where in the world you live but have you ever wanted to go to New England to see the fall colors in person? (If you live in Vermont it's a moot point).
The dawn is just breaking, You are dressed in fleece and comfortable denim, your favorite hiking boot or sneakers. You load your easel, paints, and brushes in the car and stop at Dunkin for a pumpkin spice coffee and you head out to New Hampshire. It's still dark but as you drive you can tell the sky is getting lighter. You start to make out red and gold in the trees as you travel up Route 93. You get off at exit 23 and head towards Squam Lake on Route 25. This lake was also the site of On Golden Pond (Henry Fonda)
You get to the cabin you rented and you set up a chair and your easel with a view of the shoreline and the sun is just clearing the other side of the lake. A flock of mallards swims by and an old Maple tree is about half turned with shades or orange, gold and red in all the leaves. It's still cold as your breath mists in front of you and you clasp your finger around a warm mug of coffee... Where did you get the mug? Don't ask me Maybe there is another Dunkin Donuts around the corner from the cabin...

Like I said you have to have a passion for blogging and something of a good imagination. As you can see here it's past my bedtime and I'm rambling...

But I bet if you found the right subject you would find that inner muse that would inspire you and others...

Jeff Folger
Jeff-Foliage.com
Got Foliage?

A very interesting discussion especially for someone new here like myself.

So in answer to the original questions.....No I won´t be receiving a paycheck

Is my work good enough? Personally I think it is but all art is subjective after all

Where do I fit in? I´ve no idea but I like where I am and I love what I do

How do I attract future sales? Thats the $64 million dollar question.I suppose I´ll continue producing work and concentrate on marketing it more...oh and keep my fingers crossed

Blogging? Never done it but won´t rule out giving it a go

Actual discussion with my wife on multiple occasions.

Me- Want to go on a shoot with me.
Her-Sure, where are we going at what time.
Me- I have to be in place before sunrise.
Her-Have fun with that.

I quit asking.

Well JC as long as I don't ask her to drive she will make allowances. But usually I'll make allowances in how early I leave the house... I want her company so we work out compromises...

Dora and your cats... I read your story. Have you photographed all the original paintings before you sold them off this year?
I hope so. That way you can continue to see the prints in other forms.
Selling your original to me as a photographer is like selling your child. There is only one and never again will there be another just like it.

For photographers, the closest analogy is to sell the copyright to our image and we rarely do this.
For me I would charge between 1,000 or more dollars for me to lose my copyright to my work.
You should be pricing originals (in my non-painter opinion) way up there. There will never be another. It's one of a kind ...

I just seems to me that your work (all painters for that matter are creating one of a kind works? so unless you professionally photograph them so you can continue to sell them that these one offs should be very expensive.

Thank you for showing us how, why, and what you blog about.

Sponsorships have been eliminated?

yep, due to spammers and abusers.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I'm still deleting my links from that... really missing it. I think half my sales came from those links.

well that's too bad

Well, all want it easier and life just doesn't work that way. So I just keep plugging away. There is no magic bullet that makes marketing fast, fun, and profitable with a minimum of effort.
Those who sell here have developed followings and those folks help by sharing their images. They don't have to buy, they just have to advocate for us at the right time.

I have no sales on FAA. I did want to post, if , for nothing else, to see the disclaimer!
I don't promote POD sites. I concentrate on selling my original paintings....less effort for far better profits.
If you want good advice on selling originals, however, I'm your girl.
Yes, I blog. WHY? I have held firm, all these years, that artists need to communicate with words as well....but that's a whole nuther topic to argue about. ;)

I get a small paycheck from FAA.....but I do very little marketing. The truth is- I hate social media. I have had better luck in the past selling locally. Whether my work is good or not- I have no idea. All I know is that I love creating it.

Unfortunately I haven't made any sales on this site :( I guess there's no harm in trying. I try to market but I'm still a total newbie to the whole thing. I haven't been here long so I'm trying not to get discouraged. I realize my artwork still needs to grow quite a bit. I guess it's not terrible but far from the best.

I think it's pretty awesome, Erika!!

Erika your work is great. You haven’t been here long but I’m sure you will sell if you get eyes on your work.

I do get a paycheque each month. Some months are better than others.

I’m not a writer so it would be a terrible chore to blog. If only I could think of something interesting to write about!

On the concept of blogging, that seems like work to me, and I don't think I am entertaining enough to engage readers.

@ Marlene how do you sell Originals with far less work than selling prints!

I sell Originals & Commissions on Etsy. I would prefer that my ready painted Originals would outsell commissions, but it seems people prefer custom paintings.
I was too busy with commissions, 4 a week, so I diverted my Pinterest traffic away from Etsy to my AW on Pixels.
The result was an immediate increase in print sales.
The 6 months before diverting to FAA I was averaging about 2-3 print sales a month, the 6 months after I have averaged 6 sales/mo.

I have my boards organized & my pins link to products so they are rich pins. It really takes no time at all to post right from our AW.
Pinterest is amazing free advertising!
https://www.pinterest.com/CarlinArtWatercolor/boards/

I'm with you about blogging feeling like work. I wish Pinterest worked for me. It must be the content of my art, not enough demand for the stuff that's specific and too generic for the stuff that's not.

I actually do better with selling originals on ebay, but that's not saying a whole lot.

Full disclosure, my "1 sale/month" is really "1/2 sale/month", or to be more specific, 1/4 print sale/month.

@ Jeff... You are really lucky to have the person in England that purchases prints and also does some “marketing” for you. I have a few relationships with interior design / art consulting folks but their need for my work is a little more sporadic and just not as consistent as I might hope for. I am very grateful for those opportunities though.

I think part of mission is to definitely find and cultivate those types of relationships. Sometimes we find those opportunities by contacting and building relationships with folks. I think things also happen by pure luck sometimes... someone contacts you out of the blue, etc. I think having quality work up on FAA / Pixels is a good way to attract buyers, industry professionals, etc.

I hear you... it gets a bit frustrating to figure out how to increase the relationships, the sales, the money coming in, etc.

All we can do is keep plugging away. Jeff, you have some wonderful landscapes... keep up the great work!

Carlin,
I've been selling for 45 years officially. I have a long list of satisfied owners of my work. I regularly send images of new work to them. I work with designers. I offer finder's fees. I keep them apprised of new work as well. I also do exhibitions. I'm very fond of LinkedIn where I've developed a niche market. I'm too old for the art fair route, but I made a killing there...only went to cities with people who were patrons of the arts and had lots of expendable income....and galleries representation. It has all paid off well.

I'm not sitting on SM all day, hoping for a print to sell.

I do write in a blog and sometime it is whatever rolls out of my mind. It tends to be a little less formal and more just about my thoughts and why I photograph the things I photograph. Some of what makes me tick as a person in a big ocean of other people. I do about a post or two a month, sometimes more or less... all depends.

I feel the blog is important for buyers but also for search engines and internet presence. But I have no way of backing that up with any extensive technical knowledge or controlled “experimenting”. Some people might be at that level... I just know enough to get by for the moment, haha.