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The Art of Art Blogging

Are you planning to start a blog to further your artistic career? The Web is a great place to share your pieces, thought process and personality with the world. You can use your blog to market your art, sell art online, and gain a following of fans and potential buyers. Here are some tips for starting your blog:

Create a mission statement
Many magazines and websites have mission statements that say what the publication is about. Some of these are public and visible on the site or print copy while others are just known and understood by their creators. When you start your blog, think of the reason you are making it. Do you want to gain a larger audience? Are you hoping to showcase your work so you can share the site with people that run an art residency or maybe become featured in an online gallery? All these factors will influence what you post on your site, as well as the tone.

Choose a platform
There are many blogging platforms to choose from: Tumblr, Wordpress and Blogger are just a few examples. You could also simply include a blog on your artist website by adding a page specifically designated for your blogging. If you plan to post mostly photographs, such as shots of your work and interesting galleries that you attend, look for a blogging platform with themes dedicated solely to photography. For those looking to add writing, choose a more multi-media focused theme that works with photos and articles. Not sure which platform to choose? Ask other artists what they use and why. They will likely have advice on the triumphs and pitfalls of various sites, allowing you to use their insider information to make an educated decision on which platform is best for your blog.

Create your blog
Now that you've chosen a site to host your blog, you must make a login and go through the sign-up process. Once you're in, choose an appropriate theme and start customizing. Select a color palette that works well with your posts (photos in particular). Also be sure to add an "about the artist" page in which you include a bio and links to your artist website and social media profiles. Add your contact information, such as an email address, so potential buyers or people looking for artists to exhibit work in their gallery can easily get a hold of you. Consider placing your artist statement on this page as well.

Start posting
Some bloggers choose to post on a strict schedule. Other people are much better at blogging when they do it on a whim and happen to have the motivation to post. Try different methods to find what works best for you. Just be sure you share any information about upcoming events that your work is featured in, such as international art competitions or juried art shows. This will spread the word about your work and hopefully help you gain an audience and a following.