As mentioned on my studio practice blog, I've contacted a number of local venues hoping to hold an exhibition of my own. Old Red Bus Station got back to me, and yesterday I went to talk with the events organisers.
Set-up
• Some frames are available, but pins and wall hooks would be better
• A mixture of sizes for artwork would be easier to display (like a collage layout)
• Would be best if I set up on the day before, preferably through the day time
Dates
• May 23rd is the preliminary date
• It will also be featured on the itinerary for Come Find Us on 1st June
Selling
• If I am wanting to sell original works, ORBS take 20% commission, and I would need to provide a clear list of prices (e.g. on a spreadsheet)
• A space will be available to put out zines and smaller products for me to sell. Commission wasn't mentioned for these
Promotion
• Posters, flyers, social media. I will have to create these and send them over
• Labels for walls required (e.g. names of pieces, my name, medium, etc)
• I could also create a banner for the space
• ORBS will take care of creating events pages and circulating posters, etc
Launch
• A launch party is an option, and if possible, live music/DJ would be preffered
Friday, 23 March 2018
Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Website Progress
So far, I've tried out a few different website platforms including cargo, wordpress, and wix.
Out of all of them wix has been the easiest to use and has a lot of customisable options.
Although my website isn't live yet, I plan on getting it to where I want it to be before I publish and connect to a domain name.
I wanted a website that was quite straight-forward and free of too many widgets and design flourishes. I think the work should speak for itself and it should act as more of an online portfolio.
Images can go from simply being a grid-based gallery to clickable links. This allows me to go into more detail about the contexts of my projects, as well as displaying more images to show the breadth of the work.
I've also decided to keep a tumblr page for sketchbook work and process images. I'll see how this goes, as I think it could be a way of showing all of the work I do that may not be finished or 'website-worthy'.
Temporary link: https://brontleroy.wixsite.com/brontleroy
Out of all of them wix has been the easiest to use and has a lot of customisable options.
Although my website isn't live yet, I plan on getting it to where I want it to be before I publish and connect to a domain name.
I wanted a website that was quite straight-forward and free of too many widgets and design flourishes. I think the work should speak for itself and it should act as more of an online portfolio.
Homepage
This is the first real setup of the homepage. The images will be displayed in a grid format, pages are displayed clearly, and the header is professional yet maintains the messy character of my work.
Links and pages
Images can go from simply being a grid-based gallery to clickable links. This allows me to go into more detail about the contexts of my projects, as well as displaying more images to show the breadth of the work.
I've also decided to keep a tumblr page for sketchbook work and process images. I'll see how this goes, as I think it could be a way of showing all of the work I do that may not be finished or 'website-worthy'.
Temporary link: https://brontleroy.wixsite.com/brontleroy
Wednesday, 14 March 2018
How to do DIY | Emma Coffield
A piece by Emma Coffield for Convention, Habit or Custom newspaper by Andrew Wilson and Tody Lloyd. Referencing Jasper Joffe's video (see last post) on how to do DIY
page 26 [link]
-
"It goes a bit like this: empowering yourself and doing anything you like is good. Lots of publicity is god. Artworks as publicity stunts are bad. Fabricating DIY's rough-and-ready aesthetic is bad."
"Let's think of 'DIY' as a label, a series of claims even...
There are action-based claims, often used to highlight the physical labour involved in setting up 'DIY' art spaces and projects; for example the (re) building, endless wall painting and fundraising - a literal 'we did this ourselves'.
Then there are approach-based claims, highlighting a proactive ethos to artistic production and display i.e. Jasper urges his audience to 'do anything [they] like' without waiting to 'be asked'...
This second claim is a way of being, and a powerful one, as artists take on the roles and responsibilities traditionally associated with the museum or gallery curator, the dealer, the technician and the invigilator."
"In both claims...DIY arts activity draws upon the core values of a broader 'DIY culture' (Perdue et all 1997), namely collective organisation, rebellion, amateurism and anti-commercialism (the labour involved is almost always voluntary)."
"To put it another way, there are certain methods, values and approaches that are legitimately 'DIY', and adopting these legitimate methods allows so-called 'DIY' art spaces and practices to be recognised as such; they become familiar."
"DIY is not inherently 'bad' - but it is not inherently 'good' either. All systems have strengths and weaknesses, results and implications, and need to be interrogated."
"What does it mean to be involved in 'DIY' arts activities? What actions are behaviours are perceived as 'good'? What forms of rule breaking are surprising, or unacceptable?"
"Do some artists feel compelled to behave in certain ways to gain admittance? What attitudes to artists involved in 'DIY' have towards money, reputation, careers - and what might these attitudes result in?"
"DIY arts practice isn't new. To call an art activity or space 'DIY' does not automatically make it a valuable gesture of resistance and camaraderie."
"Can artists re-examine this path, and find fresh routes to as yet unknown destinations?...but first, you need to find a way to do, and think, for yourself."
page 26 [link]
-
"It goes a bit like this: empowering yourself and doing anything you like is good. Lots of publicity is god. Artworks as publicity stunts are bad. Fabricating DIY's rough-and-ready aesthetic is bad."
"Let's think of 'DIY' as a label, a series of claims even...
There are action-based claims, often used to highlight the physical labour involved in setting up 'DIY' art spaces and projects; for example the (re) building, endless wall painting and fundraising - a literal 'we did this ourselves'.
Then there are approach-based claims, highlighting a proactive ethos to artistic production and display i.e. Jasper urges his audience to 'do anything [they] like' without waiting to 'be asked'...
This second claim is a way of being, and a powerful one, as artists take on the roles and responsibilities traditionally associated with the museum or gallery curator, the dealer, the technician and the invigilator."
"In both claims...DIY arts activity draws upon the core values of a broader 'DIY culture' (Perdue et all 1997), namely collective organisation, rebellion, amateurism and anti-commercialism (the labour involved is almost always voluntary)."
"To put it another way, there are certain methods, values and approaches that are legitimately 'DIY', and adopting these legitimate methods allows so-called 'DIY' art spaces and practices to be recognised as such; they become familiar."
"DIY is not inherently 'bad' - but it is not inherently 'good' either. All systems have strengths and weaknesses, results and implications, and need to be interrogated."
"What does it mean to be involved in 'DIY' arts activities? What actions are behaviours are perceived as 'good'? What forms of rule breaking are surprising, or unacceptable?"
"Do some artists feel compelled to behave in certain ways to gain admittance? What attitudes to artists involved in 'DIY' have towards money, reputation, careers - and what might these attitudes result in?"
"DIY arts practice isn't new. To call an art activity or space 'DIY' does not automatically make it a valuable gesture of resistance and camaraderie."
"Can artists re-examine this path, and find fresh routes to as yet unknown destinations?...but first, you need to find a way to do, and think, for yourself."
DIY as Artistic Practice, not Aesthetic
• Talk about doing it yourself, how you can set up a show, how you can set up anything from an art fair, to a magazine, to your own Tate Modern
• 24 Paintings in 24 Hours (first show out of RCA)
• Artistic practice as DIY - idea of communicating the urgency you get in the studio
• Find ways of getting through to people, breaking down the barrier between a bunch of dull paintings in a gallery, and actually feeling something
• Led up to this idea that you can do pretty much anything you want
• It's not DIY like, I like B&Q, to knock up a bit of woodwork, its DIY as the idea of empowering yourself to be able to do anything you like
• A lot of friends and students say "I want to do a show" "how do I do a show?" "how do I get my work out there?" - who do you want to show the work to? what do you want to achieve?
• You can choose to do it yourself - thinking outside of galleries, someone's got to give me a show
Free Art Fair
• Set up my own art fair. What's the most diametrically opposed thing to the Frieze Art Fair? Which is all about sales figures, giving away the art at the end.
• It mostly consisted of phoning people up and saying "this is my idea, do you want to help out?" and people respond out of kindness, or because they like your idea
Joffe's run-down of DIY
1. Idea (talk to people, do they respond). Listen to their feedback.
2. Artists (don't ask don't get)
3. Venue (pound shop or Barbican)
4. Press Release (keep it simple and descriptive)
5. Tell people (website, social media, local media, national media, think big, think small) What do you want to happen? Selling or writing or people seeing or what? Keep approaching PR from different angles
6. The show's the thing. Do is because it's worth doing. Leave some energy for the hang.
7. What next? Repeat yourself ad infinitum or do something different
• The most important thing is art. There's no point in all of this unless you make some decent art
Collaborations and Commissions
• Other people have good ideas, and you learn stuff from them
• Giving up some of the control by working with others can make good outcomes
• The more stuff you do, the more you come up with ideas and new ways of working
• Publicity is good because people find out about what you're doing, but it shouldn't be solely designed for that
• 24 Paintings in 24 Hours (first show out of RCA)
• Artistic practice as DIY - idea of communicating the urgency you get in the studio
• Find ways of getting through to people, breaking down the barrier between a bunch of dull paintings in a gallery, and actually feeling something
• Led up to this idea that you can do pretty much anything you want
• It's not DIY like, I like B&Q, to knock up a bit of woodwork, its DIY as the idea of empowering yourself to be able to do anything you like
• A lot of friends and students say "I want to do a show" "how do I do a show?" "how do I get my work out there?" - who do you want to show the work to? what do you want to achieve?
• You can choose to do it yourself - thinking outside of galleries, someone's got to give me a show
Free Art Fair
• Set up my own art fair. What's the most diametrically opposed thing to the Frieze Art Fair? Which is all about sales figures, giving away the art at the end.
• It mostly consisted of phoning people up and saying "this is my idea, do you want to help out?" and people respond out of kindness, or because they like your idea
Joffe's run-down of DIY
1. Idea (talk to people, do they respond). Listen to their feedback.
2. Artists (don't ask don't get)
3. Venue (pound shop or Barbican)
4. Press Release (keep it simple and descriptive)
5. Tell people (website, social media, local media, national media, think big, think small) What do you want to happen? Selling or writing or people seeing or what? Keep approaching PR from different angles
6. The show's the thing. Do is because it's worth doing. Leave some energy for the hang.
7. What next? Repeat yourself ad infinitum or do something different
• The most important thing is art. There's no point in all of this unless you make some decent art
Collaborations and Commissions
• Other people have good ideas, and you learn stuff from them
• Giving up some of the control by working with others can make good outcomes
• The more stuff you do, the more you come up with ideas and new ways of working
• Publicity is good because people find out about what you're doing, but it shouldn't be solely designed for that
Careers Fair
I spoke with Liz from East St Arts today at the Careers Fair. It was really useful, and gave me a small insight into the opportunities that are potentially there for me, and ways in which I can have a career in the creative industries and also expand my practice.
What should I continue to do?
Mentoring, help with proposals, exhibitions, networking, contacting people, studio visits, shadowing organisations and curators...
Places and People
• Yorkshire Sculpture Park
• The Hepworth
• Surf Studios
• Assembly House
• East St Arts - temporary space applications
• Newbridge Project, Newcastle
⤷ Andrew Wilson
⤷ Toby Lloyd
• Navigator North, Middlesborough
• Artist House 45
• Leeds Print Workshop - Kirsty Williams (Administrator)
• Patrick Studios - Rose George (Writer)
What do I want to look at further?
Independent Publishing
⤷ Setting up a press or publication
⤷ Who can I talk to?
⤷ How does one person do this from scratch?
Exhibitions and curation
⤷ For myself, and for others
What organisations could I work for? Where could I fit?
What should I continue to do?
Mentoring, help with proposals, exhibitions, networking, contacting people, studio visits, shadowing organisations and curators...
Places and People
• Yorkshire Sculpture Park
• The Hepworth
• Surf Studios
• Assembly House
• East St Arts - temporary space applications
• Newbridge Project, Newcastle
⤷ Andrew Wilson
⤷ Toby Lloyd
• Navigator North, Middlesborough
• Artist House 45
• Leeds Print Workshop - Kirsty Williams (Administrator)
• Patrick Studios - Rose George (Writer)
What do I want to look at further?
Independent Publishing
⤷ Setting up a press or publication
⤷ Who can I talk to?
⤷ How does one person do this from scratch?
Exhibitions and curation
⤷ For myself, and for others
What organisations could I work for? Where could I fit?
Sunday, 4 March 2018
Creative Presence Crit
What's going well?
• Zine - more immersive form of a 'business card', more of a finished, tactile product
• Being selective - knowing what you don't want
• Branding - how your work is represented
• Instagram is suitable for you - quick to upload, include process images, up-to-date
Areas for Improvement?
• Don't upload work if you don't want to
• Show process to online audience - timelapse, videos, interactive
• Physical, real connections are just as valuable - people reaching out for zine trades and swaps, print fairs, interest in person
Thoughts
Although I've created prototypes of printed materials and have examples of online presence, the crit threw up a few concerns for me.
I don't want to create work on current events to increase exposure, I don't want to utilise trending hashtags if they have nothing to do with the work. Although there are tricks you can use to increase page traffic, followers, and the like, if it's forced or an uncomfortable effort on my part it's not worth doing.
Are you real if you don't have 10K followers?
Do I go off grid?
I think that the idea that there are right and wrong ways of using these platforms is restrictive and stifles people from working and promoting themselves naturally.
Of course, if photos are badly lit and of poor quality, or pages on a site are confusing and hard to navigate, it goes without saying that that's a problem. People work in different ways, which means there will be different outcomes.
Thursday, 1 March 2018
AOI Talk
Notes from yesterday's AOI talk with Lou Bones.
Web & Social Media
• Image-based is best, as predominantly viewed on mobiles and tablets.
• Contact pages - Email, social media links. Contact forms can deter people from getting in touch! Used by big businesses to filter out queries.
• Blogs are optional, but if used, keep updated.
• Personal projects are important, don't put up work you dislike.
• Pages - simple is best, avoid having too many subpages and click-throughs. Email on homepage shows method of contact right away
• Twitter - the creative community use this well. A place for dialogue (discussing issues and trends), and to have a voice
Work & Clients
• Study the industry and discover where your niche is (organisations, brands, editors, art directors)
• Select clients that your work is appropriate for.
• Address clients by name, not formalities (Sir/Madam). Approach as a professional and not a student, no need for a huge intro. Speak business to business.
• Sending physical promotional material is always interesting for recipients.
Freelance & Business
• Apply for sole trader status if earning from your business.
• Register for income tax 3 months after your 1st commission.
• Annual tax returns (end of January)
⤷ Pay tax on what you've earned
⤷ You can claim back on your business outgoings (e.g. Adobe, materials, studio, travel, cultural expenditure = exhibitions, trips, cinema...)
• Next year, this becomes 4x annually. There are apps that can help (Quickbooks, Zero)
⤷ Keep all relevant receipts
⤷ Keep all relevant paperwork, contracts, invoices
Copyright
• The right to copy, reproduce work. This is automatically granted to the creator.
• You lend out / license your artwork to client for a length of time, for a specific format (e.g. on a billboard for 6 months)
• Copyright isn't applied to an 'idea' or 'style'. A generic illustration is hard to protect.
Copyright Infringement
• Be careful of stock images or photography, if it resembles the source it is infringement.
• Celebrities, their likeness, and unofficial merchandise can be taken down
Copyright Assignment
• When you relinquish your copyrights to a client.
• You can't even used in a portfolio or online
• Instead, offer licenses (e.g. "Yes you can use this piece for 3 months for £3000")
• Clients ask for copyright assignment usually when they don't want to pay the correct fee. Don't give all rights to the client, this is a rights grab.
Moral Rights
• Right of Paternity: The right to be identified as the creator
• Right of Integrity: The right for your work not to be mistreat / changed / edited / cropped
Rights Online
• Low res files (72dpi) are still good for the web, but prevent people from stealing and printing - as it's unsuitable for print
• Use copyright symbol on all pages; blog, instagram, website... (© Bronte Hall 2018)
Contracts
• Written = Good Verbal = Bad
• Use for every job, big or small (use Acceptance of Commission form)
• WHO is going to do WHAT by WHEN and for HOW MUCH, and state your basic rights.
• You can amend a contract, don't send work before seeing a contract! Once work is sent, you have agreed.
• Invoices aren't legally binding, contracts are. They are also written evidence
Ask a Client
• Where will the illustration be used?
• How long will it be used for?
• What size and format purpose?
Web & Social Media
• Image-based is best, as predominantly viewed on mobiles and tablets.
• Contact pages - Email, social media links. Contact forms can deter people from getting in touch! Used by big businesses to filter out queries.
• Blogs are optional, but if used, keep updated.
• Personal projects are important, don't put up work you dislike.
• Pages - simple is best, avoid having too many subpages and click-throughs. Email on homepage shows method of contact right away
• Twitter - the creative community use this well. A place for dialogue (discussing issues and trends), and to have a voice
Work & Clients
• Study the industry and discover where your niche is (organisations, brands, editors, art directors)
• Select clients that your work is appropriate for.
• Address clients by name, not formalities (Sir/Madam). Approach as a professional and not a student, no need for a huge intro. Speak business to business.
• Sending physical promotional material is always interesting for recipients.
Freelance & Business
• Apply for sole trader status if earning from your business.
• Register for income tax 3 months after your 1st commission.
• Annual tax returns (end of January)
⤷ Pay tax on what you've earned
⤷ You can claim back on your business outgoings (e.g. Adobe, materials, studio, travel, cultural expenditure = exhibitions, trips, cinema...)
• Next year, this becomes 4x annually. There are apps that can help (Quickbooks, Zero)
⤷ Keep all relevant receipts
⤷ Keep all relevant paperwork, contracts, invoices
Copyright
• The right to copy, reproduce work. This is automatically granted to the creator.
• You lend out / license your artwork to client for a length of time, for a specific format (e.g. on a billboard for 6 months)
• Copyright isn't applied to an 'idea' or 'style'. A generic illustration is hard to protect.
Copyright Infringement
• Be careful of stock images or photography, if it resembles the source it is infringement.
• Celebrities, their likeness, and unofficial merchandise can be taken down
Copyright Assignment
• When you relinquish your copyrights to a client.
• You can't even used in a portfolio or online
• Instead, offer licenses (e.g. "Yes you can use this piece for 3 months for £3000")
• Clients ask for copyright assignment usually when they don't want to pay the correct fee. Don't give all rights to the client, this is a rights grab.
Moral Rights
• Right of Paternity: The right to be identified as the creator
• Right of Integrity: The right for your work not to be mistreat / changed / edited / cropped
Rights Online
• Low res files (72dpi) are still good for the web, but prevent people from stealing and printing - as it's unsuitable for print
• Use copyright symbol on all pages; blog, instagram, website... (© Bronte Hall 2018)
Contracts
• Written = Good Verbal = Bad
• Use for every job, big or small (use Acceptance of Commission form)
• WHO is going to do WHAT by WHEN and for HOW MUCH, and state your basic rights.
• You can amend a contract, don't send work before seeing a contract! Once work is sent, you have agreed.
• Invoices aren't legally binding, contracts are. They are also written evidence
Ask a Client
• Where will the illustration be used?
• How long will it be used for?
• What size and format purpose?
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