Artists, Digital Media, and Problematics of Art Exposure
Elizabeth Knachel
It’s no secret among artists that using social media and digital tools can boost the exposure of their artwork. With new social media tools such as Pinterest gaining fast popularity and digital storefronts like Etsy leading in online art sales, exposing artists’ work has never been easier or faster. Although beneficial to online users, there can be some drawbacks to using this rapid technology for the artist. In this essay, I will explore the benefits and drawbacks of artists using of social media sites, and well as the benefits and drawbacks of sites such as Etsy, Pinterest and Facebook. I will also take a look at more artist friendly options for artists to use to expose and display their artwork.
To better understand how artists display their work today, it’s best first to take a look at art history and how artists allowed audiences to see their work centuries ago. In the 18th and 19th centuries, artists would showcase their artwork in traveling art exhibitions, which were temporary exhibits that bridged the gap between art, artist, and the audience. Such exhibitions presented photographs, drawings, paintings, visual art, and sculptures by individual artists or multiple artist collections.
These exhibitions were typically held in museums (if it was a traveling museum exhibition of borrowed work), private galleries, art clubs and coffee houses. Artists also displayed their work much like traditional artists display their artwork in private galleries or contemporary galleries today. These two forms of galleries allow artists to sell their artwork usually without a charge to the general public. It is a wonderful way for the artist to connect with their audience in a more personal face-to-face environment.
Even though these art shows, galleries, and traveling exhibitions still exist, there is another art display that is gaining quick popularity among artists and online users. Digital galleries and social media sites have all but taken over how people view artwork. Online users are able to access thousands of digital archives, including those of artists from all over the world, by searching and browsing different social media sites and search engines. Artwork, in a virtual sense, is at the users fingertips like never before.
There are a few overall benefits the artists have by displaying their artwork through digital media. First is that digitally displaying artwork is inexpensive. Artists can set up their own pages with minimal to no cost. Second, artists can gain maximum exposure to hundreds of thousands of online users, including other artists. Third, a quicker/faster way of networking can help boost recognition and art sales. Finally, the user and artist connection is fast and easy through the exchange of simple emails and web addresses.
Although these are all benefits for the artist, social media websites may ultimately be more user friendly than artist friendly. Some of the major drawbacks artists should consider before relying heavily on online tools is the competition. The competition to get noticed by users/art buyers increases as thousands of new artists join gallery sites every day. Suddenly the user is bombarded with new artwork and new artists. So much so that it’s hard to keep track and see unique artists for who they are, unique.
Users can navigate and search through artwork as never done before, in a very quick amount of time. Not only can users see piece by piece of a collection, they can see most if not all of an entire collection in one sitting. Scanning artwork is a very fast process for the user as the average person only spends several seconds looking at each item. This means that users may spend little to no time actually looking at and observing each piece.
Another drawback is the digication of artwork itself. Although looking at and purchasing artwork online may be successful in some ways, why would people actually need to buy artwork when they can copy and paste and image and display on the computer or streamline it onto a flat screen TV?
Digication of artwork can also translate into laziness from the artist. It’s impossible to just post work online and expect to get notice. Recognition takes time and reputations need to build in order to be more successful as an artist.
ETSY
To look at the benefits and drawbacks in more detail, it’s best to observe the social sites themselves.
Etsy has hundreds of thousands of artists who are current members from all over the country and the world. Etsy works as an online store for artists who would like to sell and expose their artwork online. Artists are able to display their artwork in small galleries and set their own prices for each item
The benefits of Etsy are that it does more than just connect the artist with the buyer, it also allows artists to check out other artists, network, and blog. As seen above, the work is displayed by the artist so the user can see the full collection available for purchase. Etsy does a very good job of making it easy for the user to browse and purchase all different types of artwork. Artwork can be displayed by category, colors, local availability, curated lists, and by gift ideas. There is also an easy to find search bar and “Featured Seller” section with an artists profile and picture included.
Unfortunately the competition for artists is fierce on Etsy. There are currently 1,201,394 items listed as “Art” on Etsy. With this amount of items, a search for something can become overwhelming for the user. In a fast paced world, it’s very easy for artist’s work to become lost, especially if they are at the end of the listed items.
Pintrest is a fresh, upcoming social site that allows users to tack their favorite items onto a virtual pinboard.
From there, they can also add other user’s items to their board. This has offered a wonderful forum for artists, considering that the format of Pinterest itself is a virtual gallery. Pinterest also allows users to “Like”, “Comment” and “Repin” items so artists can review feedback immediately. Overall, Pinterest offers great networking interaction among artists and users.
However Pinterst’s format may add confusion and clutter to someone’s Pinboard and items (such as art) may sit there for long periods of time. For the artist this can mean that once initial activity wears off and their artwork has been pin and shared, nothing may happen moving forward. It’s fun for the users to share work, however the competition once again arises as artist try to expose their work and continue to rejuvenate interest.
Facebook continues to be the leading giant in Social Media across the board with over 400 million users worldwide. This means that there are maximum exposure benefits. Facebook also allows specialized advertising rights, therefore artists can pay a fee and have their artwork exposed to millions of Facebook users. Facebook also allows the artist to create a separate page with a reliable web address such as www.zillypalz@facebook.com and allows unique social networking opportunities by linking to other social networking sites as well (Twitter, LinkedIn). Most users are also very familiar with the Facebook platform, eliminating new user errors for the artist to contend with.
With that said, Facebook is definitely lacking when it comes to being “artist friendly”. By posting to Facebook, the artist cannot simply expect that they will get noticed or any traffic. With so many users, it’s best that the artist try a hand in traditional art shows, then direct traffic their Facebook page. Facebook also doesn’t have a streamlined gallery format, as mostly everything is done through the “Photograph” feature. Facebook advertising also costs money, and those costs can add of very quickly depending on how many the artist would like to reach.
Overall the Facebook format is not practical for artists to display neatly to users. So if Esty, Pinterest, and Facebook doesn’t offer the best solutions for artists to expose and display their artwork to the public, what works?
In person referrals mixed with an online presence is key. Both essentially go hand in hand. Artist should have their own website displaying their gallery. Essentially it’s a free standing, non competitive option.
This allows the artist to customize their own website and modify any aspect of their image. This particular website was created through WordPress and hosted through a separate server. The cost is relatively cheap and offers extreme customization, including customized URL addresses such as the artists name.
Personalized websites can also link to all social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc so the artist is not missing out on social media opportunities. Personal website addresses can be added to professional business cards handed out during art shows, resumes and portfolios. Finally, forums such as WordPress also allow blogging and the selling of artwork, much like the capabilities of Etsy.
An artist cannot go wrong with their own personal website. It allows them to expose their artwork online, connect to social media, customize their own features, create galleries, and blog. To reach and connect with other artist, artists can join more art based online organizations such as Prismacolor.com which offers fun designing competitions, feedback and rating options, art downloads, featured artists, and more. Basically it’s a site for artists, by artists, who enjoy using Prismacolor products.
Sometimes, despite all of the digital media and social media options artists have, there is nothing better than a good old fashioned art show where the artist and the public can come face-to-face. Nothing can take a way the personal experience one feels when they see artwork up-close. With that said, digital media can and should be used as an enhancement of the true art experience. Not as the exception to the rule.