In order to be a successful painter you need to work at it, as you would for any other career. Here you'll find information on painting competitions and exhibitions, career development, organizations which offer funding, and the various art organizations you can join.
If you want to get an art gallery to represent you, you'll need a body of work showing you have a distinct style and sufficient paintings. Artist Martha Marshall has an exercise that's ideal for creating a body of work.
Answers to all the questions commonly asked by painters about copyright issues, including painting from photographs and source material for collages.
Getting a painting to the stage where you’re satisfied with it is hard, but putting a price to it can be even harder. How you decide to approach it depends somewhat on your personality. Here’s how I judge the options.
Want to start selling your art but not sure about how to price your artwork? Start with these 10 commandments on art pricing from Robert Genn.
Are there any rules about what title should you give a painting? Canadian Artist Robert Genn gives his thoughts on titles of paintings.
Adding your signature to a painting is like adding a stamp to it that reads "finished". But is it really necessary and what should it contain?
What does the artists signature on your paintings look like? See other artists signatures and share what you do here.
If you're struggling to get realistic or accurate colors in the photographs of your paintings, these tips may help.
Why art is something that can taught (and ought to be).
What are the major differences that mark someone as an amateur artist rather than a professional?
What a juried art show is like from a judge's point of view.
If you want to sell lots of paintings, what subjects should you be painting?
Tips on writing an artist's statement for a particular painting and for your work overall.
We all know how much fun it can be to spend as much of our available time as possible painting. But every now and then it’s good to spend some time to give what you have done a good hard look.
How many paintings to you need to have completed before you can approach a gallery to sell them? Find out in this Painting FAQ.
What makes someone ‘officially’ an artist and not merely a dabbler in paints?
An interview with author and artist Rhéni Tauchid, on publication of her second book on painting with acrylics, which will no doubt also be a bestseller.
What does it mean to be an artist-in-residence, and is it something a professional artist should aspire to?
Is it worthwhile attending art school or not? Will you benefit from attending art school full time, or can you learn just as much by yourself and through short courses?
Is being an artist a realistic and achievable career? Can anyone really make it as a fine artist, and what other options are available?
Selling Paintings: Do Large or Small Paintings Sell More?
Wouldn’t it be great if you had your own web site? If only you could afford a web designer. If only you were a computer genius.... Just three months after Steve Roberts and Lynda his artist wife were thinking these very same thoughts, they had a web site up and running. Find out how...
Setting a price for a painting is hard. If you overprice your work, you may not sell anything but, conversely, if you underprice it you may not recoup your costs or get taken seriously.
If you need slides of a painting to submit to a competition or to a gallery, you could hire a photographer to take them for you. But it’s worth trying yourself first, because it’s a lot cheaper.
Is it worth creating art or Giclee prints of your work and what does it involve? Artist Denise Macgregor shares her experiences.
How do you sell a painting by a famous artist? Find out here.
Details of the annual BP Portrait Award painting competition held at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Artist Cindy Kokemor-Aucoin describes what she found when she ventured into her art studio after Hurricane Katrina had struck in August 2005. What she found among the devastating was surprising and led to an appreciation for paper made from rags rather than woodpulp.
Did you know artists have been entitled to a royalty when a painting of theirs is sold, if certain criteria are met? Find out more about Artists Resale Rights here.
Although these articles are written with graphic designers in mind, there are plenty of tips relevant to painters who work on commission. (From About.com Graphic Design.)
Can't afford to get a professional photographer to take photos of your paintings? Then read these tips on taking digital photos and try it yourself.
If you want to give the best possible impression of your work on a website, take a look at these 10 tips on presenting your work professionally.
Once you've read this article on the "habits of successful artists", take a browse through the links near the top of the page for related features. Good stuff from the New York Foundation for the Arts!
Tips on ensuring that a painting stays in good shape, from the Canadian Conservation Institute, including tips on handling a painting, storage, display, backing board, and framing.
Tips on ensuring that art works on paper stay in good shape, from the Canadian Conservation Institute, including how to prevent damage, matting, and storage.
