Hi Lilla and the studio ladies!

I just wanted to share my new wall decals for Land of Nod. They spotted my Television Tiger piece our Etsy shop and wanted me to expand and do another animal. I had always had it on my do list to play with more animals in the rainbow/vintage tv style. Remember the old color bars on the tube tv’s? This is totally dating me HA! but I don’t mind. I’m proud to be a child of the 70’s :) Anyway, I was super siked to see the lion in a spread of the spring catalog! It’s so fun and I love the whole chromatic theme. Also, I wanted to share the original gouache painting so you can see the evolution. I liked the painting but I wanted to change the colors to something less expected and make it more graphic.

xo,

Sarah

Hi Lilla,

Here’s little map with some of my favorite spots here in Atlanta for Creative Loafing.

-Mike

We are thrilled to announce our first ever LIVE MATS event and hope you will join us for a very special day! Make Art That Sells: The Global Art Gathering will bring together leading experts from the art industry with artists from all over the world, to explore how to build a flourishing art/design career by making great art that is commercially viable. The event will be held at the stunning Brighton Dome in Brighton, one of the most creative cities in Europe, on June 12, 2015.

This exciting new one day event will bring together leading experts from the art industry with artists from all over the world, to explore how to build a flourishing art/design career by making great art that is commercially viable.

Led by host Lilla Rogers, one of the top art agents in the US who has sold art for products worth over $100 million, this event is not to be missed. It will be a special opportunity to get an insight into what art sells and why, how to find more joy in your art and make a healthy living from your creativity. This is a chance to connect with other artists, grow your community and build your creative confidence.

***HURRY: The first 50 people to register with either standard package will get a signed copy of Lilla Rogers’ book ‘I just like to make things’ – first come, first served!***

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE EVENT?

The day will be packed with inspiring talks, panel discussions and Q&A sessions with top industry experts like art director Margo Tantau of MidwestCBK. There will also be a host of networking opportunities, an insight into the Lilla Rogers Studio Global Talent Search, a live art review and trend presentation by Lilla Rogers, fun surprises and an amazing buzz! PLUS Lilla Rogers will give a trend presentation and a LIVE review of artwork featuring a handful of the attendees.

WHY THIS IS WORTH IT FOR YOU

• You will learn insider secrets from people who buy and sell art every single day
• You will get specific advice on how to make your art more commercially viable*
• You will hear personal stories and lessons learned which will inspire and uplift you
• You will forge valuable and nurturing connections with peers from around the world
• You will get a professional level assignment to complete ahead of the event as a new portfolio piece
• You will come away more confident and motivated, knowing what you need to do next to make great art that sells

*Please note only a handful of artists will be featured in the live review, but review content will be relevant and applicable to your own work

Find out more by viewing our event brochure here – we hope to welcome you to Brighton in June for the art event of the year!

Hi Reine,

Joanne, Susan and I went into Boston today to get our UK visas for the “The Global Art Gathering” live event in Brighton this June. We stopped here for lunch and saw this amazing mural!  The event will be held at the stunning Brighton Dome in Brighton, one of the most creative cities in Europe, on June 12, 2015. This promises to be a great event and tickets are starting to be bought up.  Please find more info. here on this incredible opportunity here

xo,

Lilla, Susan and Joanne

Hi Lilla,

My book “20 Ways to Draw a Strawberry and 44 Other Elegant Edibles: A Sketchbook for Artists, Designers, and Doodlers” is out and for sale here.

xo, Zoe

Hi Lilla!

I’m so excited to share that my first ever book ’20 Ways to Draw a Doodle’ (published by Quarry Books) is going global! Last week I received a copy of my book with something a little different about it… it’s in Japanese! So cool. I’m thrilled to see fun doodling spread around the world!

You can buy the book in my shop (it’s already a bestseller), with the option to add a personalised message!

Love Rachael x

When we launched our Make Art That Sells classes less than two years ago, we had no idea how rapidly they would become the go-to training for artists wanting to make their art more commercially viable whilst staying true to themselves. Over that time we have built up a huge bank of resources and industry insight, so we decided to create a dedicated home for it. Cue our shiny new site MakeArtThatSells.com, the home of resources, advice and courses for YOU.

The site is packed with free resources including Q&A with industry experts, top tips for building your career, inspiring videos to keep you moving forward. You can also find out more about our hugely popular online courses, the 2015 Global Talent Search and our upcoming LIVE event (yes ‘live’, as in we’ll all be in the same room – it’s going to be awesome!) We will also be using the site to showcase the incredible work of our talented alumni, and celebrate their successes as they grow their businesses.

Make yourself a cup of coffee, take out your notebook and spend some time exploring, learning and growing. And keep visiting, as we will be releasing fab new resources on a regular basis!

We are committed to helping artists all over the world build successful careers with their art, so we would love it if you would help us spread the word. To encourage you to do this and to celebrate the launch of our shiny new site we have put together a huge giveaway which runs for one week only. See our special giveaway page here for details of how to enter – there are THREE chances to win one of these awesome prizes:

1.  An iPad Mini
2. A free place on the Make Art That Sells online course of your choice
3. A free place in the 2015 Global Talent Search and a signed copy of Lilla’s book ‘I just like to make things’

Fancy one of these fab prizes? Find out more and enter here!

We look forward to seeing you around MakeArtThatSells.com often, and hope it helps you build confidence in your own career and make more great art that sells!

Lilla and the Make Art That Sells team

xo

Hi Lilla and everyone at the studio!!

Last week Lilla and I had a lovely Skype chat and she asked if I would take on a little challenge to complete and show her in a week’s time. I must admit I was a little scared when a one minute video was suggested, as I have not actually made a little movie before but in her lovely relaxed manner she assured me that it could be anything I felt comfortable doing – showing my process / talking about personal work / what I was working on at the moment…much like Sarah Walsh’s gorgeous video she made several weeks ago of her paper cut animals. Even though I still feel like I am rediscovering painting and not quite sure where it is taking me, I am addicted to it at the moment so I wanted to make a video focussing on this. Thank you for suggesting this challenge Lilla – once again I am inspired and so pleased I did it!!I hope you all enjoy it –

lots of love and hugs Flora xoxoxo

Welcome to our ‘Insight Spotlight’ column, where we share insights from industry experts in some of the hottest markets out there. This week we are pleased to offer expert advice from Margo Tantau of Midwest CBK

Primary Market: Primary market is Gift, Seasonal, & Home Decor. We sell to a mid range market, ie not at the top of the trend & style pyramid, but solid buyers, and frequent buyers. So we need to have art that we can adapt to their comfort level, while still bringing them along to a more creative place. This takes an artist that can be flexible and not cookie cutter. We are looked to for creative innovation, but not too out there, fresh but a little safe. That’s a tall order, but fresh creativity gets us there.

How can this market be lucrative for an artist?

The more depth in your portfolio, the more clients you will have knocking at your door. You are admired by artists, wholesalers, retailers. They are all paying attention, and watching. Don’t get too discouraged, just know that if it feels right to you, in your gut, it IS right. Just do more of it. Take different classes so your art is YOUR art. You can sell your own goods, license your art, & become recognized across many platforms. There are clients for everyone. Pretty exciting if you ask me.

What is going to be hot in your market in 2015 such as subject matter, colors, products?

Color, geometrics, indigo still, overlapping layers, florals, words words words. Small giftable product that are affordable & act as almost a ‘card’, but are more of a gift. Small dishes with words, notebooks, accessories, tokens.. things to remember another by.

What kinds of products/offerings are a growth sector for your company?

Again, small giftable product that are affordable & act as almost a ‘card’, but are more of a gift. Small dishes with words, notebooks, accessories, tokens.. things to remember another by. Reasonable. Also programs of things. Instead of a whole theme, ie a range of different products, I mean a selection of the same with different artwork. For instance a grouping of tea towels. A grouping of mugs. Easy to sell, eye catching, dramatic, affordable.

What do you look for when buying new art?

I won’t be a “me too”, I’ll be setting a trend or a style. Different, Fresh. Not a repeat. Something that people have to have. I fall in love with the possibility of it. I have to approach it differently than what I see in the market, but with a hint of some kind of familiarity. It’s a fine & importanta balance.

Is there any rhyme or reason to why some products sell well and why others don’t?

I wish I had a crystal ball. Usually the things I like the most sell the least. Biggest learning for me are what the majority of people will by. Who needs the money, and who wants the soul of a piece of work. Those are differentiating factors. Price value, good quality, or at least good perceived value.

What is the one thing you wish artists would do differently when pitching art to you? Or what do you love that they do when they pitch to you?

BE able to provide me MORE OF WHAT I NEED to get product developed, ie out the door to a vendor.
If the artist just gives me words or a pretty picture & its not a layered AI file or further, I have to hire someone to do it, and to design it. The more the artists brings to the table, the more say they will have in the final product/project. We are all running on a time & money crunch. Provide me more than just a pretty picture. I find this an extremely lacking skill in product development realm.

What one piece of advice do you have for artists trying to sell their first piece of art in that market?

Don’t be discouraged, be nice, be thoughtful of how busy the person you are approaching might be..knock on lots of doors, and back that one piece up with more more more. Show diversity, stand for the YOU that is your art. Be professional. Have fun. Ask questions.

About Margo

Retrace Margo’s career path, and you’ll find yourself literally all over the map. Margo blends a passion for art, design and the people who create it, with an understanding of specialty retailing, manufacturing, and the challenges of being an independent artist.

Margo’s love of possibility enabled her to turn the success of her unique Napa Valley retail store, Tantau, into a sought-after wholesale business. This favorite venture, Relish, represented unique small artists nationally and internationally, and specialized in product that would differentiate any retailer who chose to place an order.

Her success with Relish led to National Magazine work, and 4 years as Creative Director of Seasonal Decor Company, Midwest of Cannon Falls. She then joined Hallmark, where she served as Creative Director of Retail Product Development and led a new in-house manufacturing division.

Margo consults with artists and works with creative companies to assure successful growth. She has recently been called back up by Midwest-CBK to be the Creative & Design lead of the company, as they forge new and exciting paths in the industry while respecting their unique artful legacy. She’s madly enjoying the challenge.

Margo has been described as “Fairy Good-Mother to Artists Everywhere” … and she loves to live into that personality. It is this passion that guides her creative spirit.

Find out more at mwcbk.com

Margo is one of the esteemed judges on the Global Talent Search judging panel.

Want to learn more about making more commercially viable art whilst staying true to yourself? Join our acclaimed online course ‘Make Art That Sells‘, led by top agent Lilla Rogers. Class started this week and there is still time to join us! – find out more and register here!

Hi Lilla!

The new Print & Pattern Geometric book is out & I am honoured to be featured! My two page feature showcases my ‘Shapes & Squares’, ‘Textured Geo’, ‘Textured Abstract Ovals’ and ‘Circular Eccentric’ designs as well as mentioning my sister site Make it in Design. I am also proud to be featured alongside many of my students from ‘The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design (the e-course)’!

You can visit the Print & Pattern blog here for tons of inspiration and buy the book here!

Love Rachael xo