inside seeing a feature of myself and my demo of using coloured pencils on drafting film on my “Maxy Bubbles” artwork. The information is a couple of years old but so fantastic to be featured again!

Workshop worksheet

During January, a bunch of us had a great time emersing ourselves in the world of pencils for a WHOLE day here at my studio.
I had the absolute pleasure of teaching two workshops and I must say I really had such good fun sharing some of my experiences and techniques with others and talking pencils.

Here some of the worksheets from the day,  we covered things like strokes, pressure scales,  blending, complimentary colours, tips and tricks for achieving different textures and solvents. I was asked to also demonstrate how one would get fur happening in an artwork and which techniques to use for that.

One of the things I really enjoyed for the second day was to allow participants to chose and reference image and start work their way through creating that artwork based on all the exercises etc we had already covered.
I was able to watch and guide people through the vaious steps in creating an artwork and help them to see the “process” to learn by doing which is my favourite way of learning. It wasn’t about completing a finished work (cause to do that I would have to hold a workshop for a 3 days!) but it was about sharing with them how they can take their newly learned knowledge and use it for themselves in their own way. It was great to see when we did this the variety of styles and techniques that came out of everyone.

I also gave the participants a little takehome package to help them on their way I absolutely Loved it, I hope they did too!

For me the decider in whether to attend smARTist or not was – yes you can get lots of great information from a variety of sources all over the internet about how to improve your business (and yes if you want to make a living from your art you have to look at it like a business not a hobby or its never going to happen) and yes you can use some of this information available around the place but some of it just isn’t applicable in an artistic  / creative world.

smARTist provides specifiic useful information from other artists they share what they do in a variety of areas so that you can learn and work out how you are going to do it.

You might have read my other blog post about smARtist here.

Yesterday the special area for smARTist has just opened up and I am thoroughly impressed by the level of content and value I am seeing already and it hasn’t even started yet. There are only a couple of days left to register, the good thing is that you can download recordings and workbooks so if your not avaialble during the days smARtist is on you can still listen to the events and make use of the forums- the forums etc stay available until May 2011.

So i am going to leave it there but just wanted to put it out there if your an artist and want to start earning a living from your art definately check it out.

Here is a sales page which has recordings from a Q&A that happened the other day. – if you decide to register please click on the link via my sidebar on my blog so they can know where you have come from

I think its a result of rushing, having too much on your plate at once and also just too much information in your brain at once – I suffer from this VERY often!!! It also happens when creating or designing something you can just look at something too long and the when i post it on the blog or someone else comes along I see it in a new light and can see EXACTLY what is wrong with it!

I was surprised this morning (and yesterday on the AusCP site) when I was busily going along doing my usual check on things to find that things with the navigation and content were quite confusing and I didn’t have a clear concise message being put accross to my customers, on both accounts!!!

So now, (not that my schedule agreed) but I have a new navigation on the AusCP and here on my art site – I have a better Signup for newsletter section (in sidebar) as well as a Workshops page for people interested in my workshops as well as bits a pieces around the place.

So now, if your interested please sign up so I can stay in touch!!!

Last year I decided to take a chance and “invest” in my career and take part in a homestudy course of this thing called smARTist.

I have to tell you while I was skeptical of this initially, I was instantly glad I took a chance to learn more from some professionals about how to move my art career forward I can’t tell you how inspired I was and so much of what I have achieved this year has been due to this conference.

so what is smARTist?

smARTist is basically a online conference for artists, within the conference you get to listen to a bunch of professionals speak and GIVE sooo much information about various topics relating to art and the art business. Last year not only did I gain information but so many practical tips and advice and really validation about what I was doing and ways to improve what I was doing.
It was all from the comfort of my own home, I didnt have to go anywhere and what I liked best about it was that I could do it at a time that suits me (with two young children attending conferences is hard work). As well as that I could also go back and listen again and again to speakers that really had so much information and advice I really just need to hear them over and over. I often would play them as I was painting just to refresh my memory and get me out of that “lull or self doubting” phase we all go through from time to time.

smARTist 2011 is going to kick off again in January next year and they are about to release the early bird registrations for the conference on Dec 2nd, I would advise anyone who is serious about their art career to defiantely go along and take a look at what the conference has to offer.

There is a bunch of information for FREE you can already recieve NOW  in order to help you decide whether the conference is for you.  If you think you would like to attend this year and recieve the early bird discount, you really have to get in quick and signup for the interest list.
The interest list does not commit you to anything all it does is tell Ariane (the organiser) that you  are interested and allow her to email you the details when it becomes available.

Here are 3 reasons why to sign up for the interest list

Instead of Pre-events, I’ve set up a special smARTist 2011 Interest List.

757 artists have already signed up for the following three reasons:

1.           This is the only place artists will hear when registration opens. (Seats limited to 500 so we can keep a high quality of community interaction at the conference open and flowing.

2.           This is the only place artists will have access to the lowest possible registration fee with my one-and-only, Early Bird discount.

3.           I’ve planned a few delicious art-career surprises that artists can use right away – just for this list.

Even after the Early Bird discount launches, even after the registration page goes live, artists must first sign up for the Interest List to get that URL.

So please go along and checkout smARTist, make sure you click on my links so they know where you came from

To signup for the interest list, get access to a bunch of goodies and find out more information please go to smARTist Telesummit 2011 – Interest List

I have been reviewing of my online profile as well as my business model of late. It’s an ongoing process one which I started at the beginning of the year, I find it so interesting that I can meet people who relate to me for example in my design experiences and yet will have no knowledge of my artworks and vice versa even though I have multiple links in my signatures and websites to all of my work.

So it is with this in mind, that I wanted to highlight to you about your “profile” and how it may differ from what you think people know to what they actually do know about you. From a sales point of view if they have bought from you before do they also know that you sell something else that may also be of value to them?

How does this relate to you?

Well my assumption is that if I have been conflicted and confused then so has everyone else. I enjoy connecting with people online and I understand that my business and my communication needs to be tailored to specific interests or I will lose people. 

So the above, is a diagram to show who my business is and what I do.  I ask that you can unsubscribe / subscribe to your interests as you see fit from now on my information will be tailored.

Here are the links:

creative hardt

web: http://www.creativehardt.com
Blog: http://creativehardt.com/index.php/blog/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/creativehardt
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/creative-hardt/118629191482463
RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/CreativeHardt
LinkedIn: http://au.linkedin.com/in/belindalindhardt

Belinda Lindhardt artworks

Web: http://www.belindalindhardt.com.au
Blog: http://www.belindalindhardt.com.au/wp/index.php/blog/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/belinda_lind
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BLindhardt.Art
RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BelindaLindhardt
RedBubble: http://www.redbubble.com/people/belinda

Australian Coloured Pencils Network

Web: http://www.colouredpencils.com.au
Blog: http://www.colouredpencils.com.au/index.php/blog/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AusCP
RSS: http://feeds.feedburner.com/AustralianColouredPencilsNetwork
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Australian-Coloured-Pencil-Network/135305676505583
Australian Coloured Pencil Directory: http://www.colouredpencils.com.au/index.php/directory/

Central Coast Art Society:

I am also a commitee member and webmaster for the Central Coast Art Society:

Web: http://www.artcentralcoast.asn.au/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CentralCoastArtSociety

I keep hearing that I should focus on 1 thing and try as I might I just can’t do that.
I enjoy different aspects from all of the above and if i was to do only 1 I am not sure I would fully be able to appreciate the other.
My argument to the “do only 1 thing theory” is also that many of these thing exist because of the other and they each fuel another.
In the past I have as a business owner I have chosen to put too many eggs in one basket which just hasn’t worked out so now I am trying a few things.

A NOTE to self : In saying  all of that, I know that I MUST focus on the above.  They have been chosen for specific reasons, there is a process and vision behind them all.

I invite you to please follow what you enjoy, I will not publishing content across all blogs / sites unless its relevant, as all of the above have specific purposes so information is not relevant across all areas.

Back to you.

In looking at how its happened to me, What about your profile as an artist, business or persona?
Is your profile different to what “YOU” think it is?  Have people been surprised about some of the things you ALSO do, like what has happened to me?

TIP: It’s sometimes hard to know why someone is coming to your site,  a nice way to start to find out is to do  a survey. I did this earlier in the year here is my link to:
Why are you visiting this website? - Click here to take survey

So that’s about Belinda…. Was there something here that you didn’t know that I did?

Perhaps something that you would like to see more of?
Would love to know about it, please leave your comment.

I found myself asking this question the other day as I walked around amongst other beautiful artworks.

Putting myself in the position of the buyer not just for the perception of my own art but also if I was in the position to buy any art which would I buy and WHY?
I didn’t quite answer my own question…

Today, I came across this article from Empty Easel -  Why Would Someone Buy Your Art?

What do you you think?
Have you bought art before? If not why ?
If so, why did you choose the art you did? and did you buy an original as opposed to a print ? Why?

Pondering the questions please let me know your thoughts

It’s past the middle and towards the end in the creative process when I often take the time to pause. It’s tempting to sign it off as finished tick another thing off the list.. but I “know” whether its done yet or not. “Knowing” is not dialogue its a gut feeling I have learnt to trust my gut and know when I am truly done, only then I can be satisfied and move on.

At the moment I am not done I am pausing to absorb what needs to be done further before I take the next step.
Technically I have sprayed with a few coats of workable fixative, this allows me to seal whats there already (the green was smearing everywhere as I was working) as well as allows me to add more layers particularly on areas where there is quite alot of pencil already. It kinds seems to put a bit of grit onto whats there if that makes sense. I find this spraying process also helps later on when I give some final coats of protective & UV varnish to my work for added protection Some artists I know have had problems with wax of the pencils showing through, but I have never had that problem I think the workable fixative at this points prevents this somewhat.

The is an art to pausing,  I am learning to love it

So this past month I have been busy, has it really been over a month? Oh yes it has.

Unbelievable. Anywho, I have been very busy this past month with pencils on the brain though I havent been doing any artwork.
Many of you may be aware I have started a while back the Australian Coloured Pencil network website. The site has been through a few changes and discussions regarding its future during the past year, everyone wants an Australian coloured pencil society but logistics of creating and managing one are somewhat restricted given logistics and location of willing members plus due to the fact that we are still a relatively small group of people.

Next best thing  was a redevelopment of a website, moving the existing site into more of a paid membership site. I would really love to continue providing the service for free, but I am not in the position to be able to provide this at the moment. So the choice was either redevelop or close the site all together.

So I have been busy building a site which contains: a forum, a member gallery, a directory, a membership system, a blog and other stuff to go along with it.
Anyone thinking of creating a website like this, even myself who is an experienced web designer and developer of over 15years has been surprised about just how long it has taken me to do and I am still not there yet! Tweaks, bugs, downloads updates the time to sort some of these out has been much longer than I would have thought. So I know there are a couple of business people reading this,  if you are thinking about this for your business be prepared!! And also be prepared that your web developer would have to charge for their time to sort these out. If  I had been charging for my time it would have been a costly exercise or I most definitely would have lost money – grrrr technical issues.

Now, the site has arrived at a workable stage – I have been so pleased to have the support of existing ACPN members who have supported me in the change over and become members of the site its been fantastic!

Head over to www.colouredpencils.com.au. You can visit the blog or signup for a limted time FREE membership. While I iron out all the bugs!

So that’s what I have been up to. I am glad to have a bit of a breather, still working on it but not as frantically as I have been. I am now able to concentrate on preparing for quite a few exhibitions I have coming up in September and October.  I have an idea for a new artwork but I am debating on whether to tackle it yet or get some other tasks out of the way first.

I have also had lots of inquiries regarding my workshops so I still have on the cards to offer some of my classes or workshops online. I am thinking it maynot be until the new year however? Or maybe in time for Christmas!!! Now there is an idea!

The end of the year will be here before you know it!

]]> http://www.belindalindhardt.com.au/wp/index.php/1853/coloured-pencil/feed/ 1 http://www.belindalindhardt.com.au/wp/index.php/how-do-you-keep-yourself-on-track-in-3-bullet-points/art-business/ http://www.belindalindhardt.com.au/wp/index.php/how-do-you-keep-yourself-on-track-in-3-bullet-points/art-business/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:19:13 +0000 Belinda Lindhardt http://www.belindalindhardt.com.au/wp/?p=1819 I wanted to share with you all a little system I have developed myself for keeping myself on track.

Before you roll your eyes at another way to make yourself feel bad for not achieving your goals -  have a think…At the end of the year do you want to feel great about getting all your “stuff” done? Or will you feel bad feeling like you failed ?

All it takes is 3 bullet points!

I am a mum with a young family, artist, business owner, etc etc etc.
It’s hard managing myself and to keep on track to my goals with all the things pulling me multiple ways.   I wanted a system that supported me and was maintainable rather than just made me more work!

Firstly I had to look at what I was doing and what wasn’t working. My focus during the year changes regularly, priorities change during the course of month to month opportunities arise that need to be jumped on. Then projects are completed and then the focus changes and I begin doing things which have now become a priority while I was off doing something else. It’s very easy to lose focus. 

Another factor I have noticed I need to do which I haven’t been doing is regularly  acknowledge what I have achieved and give myself a pat on the back, one thing I know about working in a small business and mostly on my own, no one tells you if you are doing a good job.
It’s sooo important that you  cause its rare that someone does it for you.
Relying on myself to “remember” these things is impossible.  If you create a system to allow me to do this then this is also a positive payoff for all my hard work.

So my little system allows me to Review what i have achieved, Outline the focus for the next month and most importantly Set a goal to have completed by the end of this Month.

So here is what i do…

I start with a word document at top with Month Goals in big letters at the top.

(I print out one for each month at the one time so I can just grab one when needed – you would be surprised at how much just being organised like that supports you in keeping on track if you are time poor).

On the page I have 3 bullet points they are the same each month with lots of space in between to write under each one.  (I purposely keep these in words like I am having a conversation with myself, and meaning that I can just write my answers means I don’t get put off by having to find files and open them up print etc.).

The points are:

1. How did you go last month?

2. What is the focus for this month for business & direction?

3. What do you need to have achieved at the end of this month?

That’s it! Its not THAT hard is it?

After I do that i pin it to my cork board next to my desk where I can see it. Periodically I will look at it during the month (without realising it) and remember what my goal is for the month, I have caught myself out a couple of times working on something that was taking up time that wasn’t on my list.

Then at the end of the month I replace it with the new one. I have also started to stick the next months sheet in my diary on the first day of the month so I remember to do it and if there is a task that I need not to focus on right now but I know needs to be done in a certain month, I will go ahead and write it on that months sheet so that when I get to it, I am reminded.

I file all of my “monthly goals” sheet in a file, that way at the end of the year I can do a review and I won’t have to think back on what I have achieved for the year – I have it there for me!

I have found this works for business / work as well as my personal goals and my art. For my art it can be about finishing a particular artwork or getting my website up to scratch.

Please leave a comment: Have  a different take on it? Let me know.