Using networking sites to expose your artwork more
With all the networking sites out there, I've come across a few art type networking sites recently and wondered if they are any good? Well, the two that I don't know about so far... Maybe some of you can tell me of your experience with these networking sites and if they have given you any worthwhile exposure for your art. I know any sort of showcasing of your work is a good thing, especially if it's free... but as many websites as I've joined in the last few years, my head is swimming with trying to remember all my links! Yes, I've book marked them all, but it just seems a little monotonous to sign up with all these similar sites... I just need to think about the exposure or the possibility of someone new discovering my work, which is definitely a good thing. And I've actually gotten laughed at by someone with all the websites I've signed up with (And you know who you are!!) ... "How many websites have you signed up with Jelene, like 98? Good gosh!! I can't keep up with all your pages!"
Why do I sign up with so many of them? It's an opportunity for free ads for your artwork!! SO I say, why not?
Here are the networking sites I've signed up with, starting with the oldest ones I've been with so far...
http://www.myspace.com/jeleneart (This site gets a bad rap, but I think it's a great tool for networking with other artists and is easy to find artists with similar interests. I've also gotten several consignment deals and a few gallery interests in my work through myspace)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeleneart (it's free, but I upgraded to the premium acct. because I love flickr so much! Flickr is a great tool for showcasing your newest works. They have groups where you can add your artwork images to, which also exposes your work to different people that aren't on your contacts list. Just be sure to not post links or information of your item or artwork is for sale underneath your flickr photo. It's against flickr rules. But you can post an url to where you have the item for sale at, in your flickr profile.)
http://jeleneart.deviantart.com (I don't update this page very often - plus I found it confusing to update my pics, which I've noticed they have changed the layout when you upload so it's all together on one page... so I guess it's different now.)
http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/jeleneart (This site is actually a part of a site called www.ning.com - which is a group of people that can make their own "group" sites on certain topics... This one indiepublic, which is a group for independent self- representing artists- I found it confusing on the ning network, when you wanted to sign up with another group on ning. You have to completely sign up again, for that particular group and it makes you a new profile page... I don't understand why you can't just have one page, not one for every single group. But I guess that's what makes this ning site different that other networking sites)
http://etsylove.ning.com/profile/jelene (Another ning social group for Etsy users to network. I haven't logged in or updated my page in awhile)
http://www.talentdatabase.com/jeleneart - (This is a pretty cool and nicely laid out networking site for visual artists. It gives you a gallery and links you to other artists that you can bookmark as your favorites. I also like the "soap box" feature, which is basically a place to put a quote)
Networking sites I'm not with... but are some possibilites for art exposure:
http://www.impnow.com/
http://www.facebook.com (I was signed up with facebook a long time ago, but didn't find it as easily accessible to find other artists with similar interests. You can't view their page unless you get them as your "friend" first.)
http://www.humblevoice.com/ (This site looks pretty interesting)
http://www.instructables.com/ (This is more of a DIY of people showing how to do things, however it could be good exposure of your work)
http://www.nakedandangry.com/ (I laughed when I saw the name for this site! But basically it's like a designer's site, where you can submit your own for different products... kinda like threadless, except other products, not tees)
http://www.threadless.com (I actually have a page on here, but I never did anything with it. I see where people get hugely (Is that a word, hugely? umm no) involved with threadless with creating and submitting tshirt designs... but I never got into much. It could be great exposure for your designs though I think)
If you have any other ideas or know of other networking sites that I have not listied here, make a comment and post the url of the site you are referring to.
