Undervaluing yourself.

And if you are going to approach a gallery by the digital route, do make sure you've done a little research first - don't send out a generic email starting To Whom It May Concern, and offer your paintings of yachts to a gallery specializing in abstracts, or your racing-car artwork to a gallery specializing in sea-scapes: or at least, get out and visit the gallery, see what they're offering, with any luck bump into the manager or owner and build up such of a connection as you can. The company did publish a Q & A video session with a gallery owner a little while ago, which I found very interesting - I don't know if it's still on the site without looking, or perhaps on the Leisure Painter/The Artist Facebook page - worth seeking out.

I understand I do open my mouth to much.,I know its not nice to discourage our enthusiastic beginners ,but I find selling paintings to be a pain to me ,.it cost to much .I could never make money on them ,so why bother,,I know my limitations , people have not been buying art for years ,,,maybe investors ...one time artists were not as prolific ,,,,who is not an artist today--I am among the hoards ,, I remember when I foolishly thought one could make money selling art, cost more in bus fares to drag your stuff to a show, to see the silly prices of paintings ,,some leaping with delight at selling their first painting for ten pound, ,,,, mind you I get more out of art than money ,,its called enjoyment

I think, Alan O, that this is the point, really - indeed, we had a chat about this a while ago on the 'phone if you remember: if you're going to do this to make serious money, still more if you're hoping to make a living from it, you've got to go for it like a business, because that's what it is; you need to pursue gallery openings, buy advertising space, promote yourself, get your tax affairs sorted out, ensure you get the right framing. And even then, as we know, you might not get consistent sales - it doesn't even depend on how good you are, I'm afraid; we've all seen some work that sells which we wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole: it's sentimental, sickly, twee, featuring big-eyed pathetic moppets, or badly painted romantic landscapes in lurid colours .... and it sells because too many people have too little taste; and possibly too much money. But whatever the quality of the work - and of course there are very good artists out there who do make some serious cash - I just can't be doing with all that any more! I've got my pension, I sell the occasional picture, but I'm damned if I want to be running a business again: and you can get trapped into painting what's expected of you, rather than what you want to do - in some respects this might be a good thing, forcing you to look beyond your favoured subjects and treatment, but it can have the reverse effect, and imprison you in churning out paintings in a particular style because they sell. You don't do that, I don't, I don't think anyone who contributes to this site does - but we can take a look at Facebook and find some who do. Now then - I still believe in charging a realistic price for your work, and not undercutting yourself and others by offering it on the cheap just so you can stick a red dot on the frame - I think that's not a million miles away from vanity publishing - making a loss so you can claim you're an author, just have to see your name in print: underselling yourself financially in order to boost the ego. Very, very occasionally nowadays, I have an article in a newspaper (as in, the last one was around three years ago!), or online. But I still claim the National Union of Journalists' payment rate, if it's a proper news outlet. Snag is, three quarters of the time these days you're expected to work for free - this is what the internet has done. I'm not going to write anything requiring work and effort for peanuts, though; and IF I sell a painting, I won't let it go for the price of a Marks & Spencer's instant dinner, either.

I do agree with Robert .,you need to do it as a business ,I know a few guys who spend a fortune on slick adds .buying publicity from a specialist firm, they make money , they do wonderful web sites ,,yes, money talks if you have enough of it to engage these guy .,,Andre you are with me ,, nudge nudge ...,,,,,,,,,sorry but my pension has not come in yet I never thought it would cost thirty pounds would you take a small gift instead of money ,,I have just come out of work,. will you take twenty five pounds for that one, I didn,t want that one I wanted the other, my wife wants to send it back. I want one for my daughters birthday would you take twenty pounds I am a bit short this week could you go and do me painting of it. .I want to surprise my wife on here birthday I am so used to this .some people will say anything over the internet it is not personal its load of crock

There are indeed a lot of time wasters on the internet but I have had some good commissions via that route and have only just despatched another piece. The trouble is I don't rely on income from art and haven't the desire at my age to spend time and put up with the stress of promoting my work any further than I already do. I get enough sales along with demos and the odd workshop to pay for the hobby plus a bit of spare towards holidays so I am quite happy.