Everybody knows that technology changed the way we live, the way we do stuff, the way we interact with our friends and family, the way we study, the way we spend our spare time. But did you ever think about how did technology has changed our creative process? How did it change the art practice – from inspiration, to creation, to selling art and relations with the collectors?
For my Goodfairyart business technology made tremendous impact. In fact, it changed EVERYTHING! In this article I will tell you about seven ways how has technology changed how I make and sell my art!
- DIGITAL CAMERA
When I first started to draw in our art studio as a child, our main source of inspiration was our own brain and books. In summer we had field trips outdoors to the old buildings or parks and did plain air sketching. In winter our teacher would place some still life objects for us to paint. That is basically it. These days everything changed with the help of the camera. Wherever I go I always have my phone with me and when I see something beautiful, I always take a picture. I collect my favorite vacation pictures or pictures from local walks. I can refer to them from the comfort of my home to get inspired.
- SCANNER
Scanner is an essential tool in my studio. I scan my watercolor paintings with high quality settings, so my hand drawn images turn to digital files. These files I can safely store on my computer or cloud storage. This is how technology changed my art – original images may fade or get damaged over the years of storage; however digital files can be safely stored for years to come.
- Procreate software
After I scan the image, I edit it in Procreate program on my iPad with apple pencil. If original painting was too big and I scanned it partially, I combine the parts in one image using Procreate. Besides, with this software I remove background, enhance or change the colors, make collages from different artworks, create patterns from watercolor elements, add text and personalization and much more! With the help of Procreate my original drawings can be dramatically enhanced and transformed to fit the needs of my collectors.
- Gimp software
After I have my final image, I use mock ups to display it. Instead of spending hours of work on professional photography I use ready made mock ups from different creators and use them to display my prints in nice-looking environment. When my collectors see photos of my already framed art in living rooms, nurseries, kitchens or bathrooms, they get better idea of how can they use my art in their own home. I use free program called Gimp to insert my images in the mock ups, but you can use Photoshop if you have access to it.
- Websites to sell art
Thanks to Internet there are many online opportunities to sell your art. Instead of spending hours at local art markets to reach your collectors or approaching the galleries to showcase your art, you can display your art in a minute on numerous websites. I sell my art on countless websites, but my main sources of income come from my own website and my Etsy store.
- Printer
After I scan my images, I use my specialized studio printer to create premier quality prints. I use museum quality inks and thick 100 pounds paper. It allows me to achieve stunning quality prints which last for up to 40 years on display and up to 200 years in storage. Thanks to my printer I can reproduce my art many times so more people can enjoy my art in their homes!
- Social media accounts
I started to actively use my social media accounts around a year ago and I can say it is a great boost to my art business. Not only I nurtured extensive community of like-minded people, I also raised awareness about my brand and built trust from my collectors. I use my Instagram and Facebook accounts, as well as TikTok. I recently started my YouTube channel as well to share my watercolor tricks and tips with fellow artists. I am confident that social media is the future of the artist’s career. As can be seen, that people follow people. So, the best way to get recognition is to create a strong network of people who like you and what you do.
To sum up, this is seven ways technology has changed how I make and sell art. But they are not the only ways. Every day new technologies and software are created to ease our life and empower us to produce more and better art. So, I am trying my best to keep up with new technologies as they come.
On the whole, thanks to astonishing technology changes in my art I am able to serve you better! Check my Goodfairyart store for my whimsical watercolor prints for your home!
