I feel that artists, unlike other professions, do not really need to spend a lot of time writing up detailed business plans. Yes, it helps to goal set, but I prefer to keep things more flexible.  I have gone the “detailed” route in the past, but a lot that I had planned on never happened, or changed. Sometimes this resulted in a loss of money. Its not that I planned poorly, or did not plan enough. On the contrary, maybe I planned too much. In any event, I have changed my stance to not having things set in stone. To map out ideas, not definitive details.  However, I have learned to just put some simple principles into play that are good for any artist to follow.

Projecting Costs

When I decided to turn my art hobby into a business, I looked into a lot of options. I weighed my options between dedicating a work space out of my home vs. renting a space in a more commercial part of town. I looked into having a dedicated business line vs. making my cell my work number. I looked into paying a marketer to get my name out there, being as that I was new and all. I actually really wanted to have a space outside the home, a studio with all the bells and whistles. In the end, I opted to keep my overhead low, and I have one room in my house as my artist space. Ultimately, I have learned it is not necessary to have a brick and mortar commercial studio. With the advent of the web, online galleries, email, facebook, blogs, etc, one can also take care of a lot of their own marketing as well. AND save a lot of money in the long run. I would have incurred a lot more debt at a faster rate the other way. It works for some, but in the end, I am grateful I remained flexible and did not push hard for the other plans, that might have made me close my business doors when the recession hit.

Keeping Overhead Expenses Low

Artists are pretty lucky! These days, it’s not too difficult to keep our overhead expenses low. With a website portfolio, online store, email newsletters, blog and home studio, my expenses are fairly manageable. When I have taught classes, I have done so at a location where everything was set up and all I needed to do was appear! I don’t need that expensive store front, an expensive 800 number. For me, I too have the luxury of not needing artist’s supplies, being as that my fractal art is created with the computer. I do have upkeep of my machine, however, so that in the end does balance out. But all in all, it is fairly easy to keep expenses managed.

I do have to make sure I do have a bit of an inventory on hand, as I like to do art shows. However, I have learned along the way. Tents and grids can be rented, vs. purchased outright. It is a thought to bear in mind that might be more feasible for some. I was lucky enough to find a store that sold used grids. They looked like new, but were half the price! It is not important to have an overkill of prints. Unless you do a lot of shows a year, you do not need to print hundreds of prints. I learned this the hard way. I printed a LOT of prints, but only do a handful of shows a year. I still have inventory from four years ago that has not moved yet. It’s hard to justify printing more, newer items, until the older ones sell. At the very least, I do alternate where I do shows, geographically, so the older images are new in towns I have not had an art show at before. One artist I saw at a show had a wonderful idea. He had a banner printed, filled with his art images. These were available then for special order. On hand, he had lesser expensive items that sold like hot cakes. Everything $20.00 or less. I have done something similar; I have a CD slideshow with my entire portfolio on it that I run on a small DVD player at shows that offer electricity. I can then focus on having some of my most popular pieces available for purchase within the booth, but I can keep my printing expenses lower, by having a visual of all else I have to offer in an eye catching video.

Yearly Projections

Any good business plan begins with an accurate projection of the annual costs to run said business. As an artist, this means how much you will spend on supplies, printing, framing, education, promotion, advertising, showing or exhibiting your work, and keeping in contact with collectors. Try to spend realistically as you are starting out. It is ok to dream big, but do not spend emotionally because of it. If you do not plan out the things you need ahead of time, and keep an eye on your annual projections, you could end up wasting money and overspending. Eventually you will want to make a profit! Sooner than later, preferably!

Being Professional

As stated earlier, artists are blessed to not have to spend a lot on overhead. In comparison to other businesses, our start up costs are minimal. However, if you decide to become a professional artist, you do need to make sure to take care of a few things. Like register your business in the state you live in. Get your tax ID number. Hire a good accountant that specializes in small businesses. This is an investment I would recommend not skimping on. I understand a lot of bookkeeping basics, but when it comes to things you can and can not write off, and keeping it all in order, it is sooo helpful to have a professional make sure that all my ducks are in a row.

There are so many tangents to branch off on; I could write a lot more on this topic. But for now, I will leave you with the above thoughts, and will add more blog entries expanding upon things, should there be a need or a request for it. J

Go out and make it a Fractalicious Day!

~Kimberly

Technorati Tags: art, art business, Business, Business Plans, Cost projection, Digital Art, Fractal Art, Fractalicious, Kim Hansen, Kimberly Hansen, Kimberly R. Hansen, Kimberly Rae Hansen, managing, overhead, professionalism, projections

“How do I protect my artwork from being stolen from my website?”

If you have an online portfolio or website displaying your art, or post images of your artwork in your blog, or anywhere else online, I bet you have asked yourself this question. And for good reason. As artists, we have to protect our art, whether it is on display online, or hanging on an art gallery wall, or being licensed to a manufacturer.

The sad, unfortunate truth however, is that images are just digital pixels. Bits and bytes, if you will.  Once you put an image online, there is nothing you can do to prevent it from being downloaded, copied, and even stolen. Once a website is loaded into a browser, computers download everything on that page. Including the images. Once artwork images have been loaded into a browser, they can be copied and saved to the viewer’s computer.

Here is a list of things that many artists try to do to protect their art. Many think that they are failsafe, when in fact they just are not.

1. Disable right-clicking on images

Website providers will tell you that disabling the right-click option will stop thieves from pirating your images, because with this function disabled, an art image thief can not right-click and select “Save Image.”

This is a myth. Every keyboard has a key marked “prt scr” or “print screen.” It is a little extra key up near the F keys or above the number pad. This special, little key does what it says. Its function is to copy everything visible on the computer screen, including images. Once the key is pressed, the images on the screen are copied to the computers internal clipboard.  An image thief can then “paste” the screen images right into their favorite image editing program.

The same holds true for images that are uploaded into flash movies or you tube videos. They are not safe from download either. The nifty little print screen key can copy them as well.

1. Place a watermark over images

While a watermark might it more difficult for an art image thief to re-sell your artwork, it won’t stop them entirely.  Anyone with Photoshop and a little patience can remove a watermark from a photograph or art image. The larger the watermark, the more difficult it might be, but the larger the watermark, the more it hides or distorts your art image, making it difficult for prospective clients to see. It can partially ruin your artwork in an attempt to protect it.

I still use a watermark on my images. A small segment in a section of the art piece that is more obscure; a part of the fractal that is less detailed. I like to use my website address as the watermark. I figure a little advertising as to where the image came from never hurts. But I know it is not a deterrent to art image thieves. Not really.

1. Add aggressive copyright warnings below images

I do recommend adding a copyright notice at the bottom of every page of your website. It is helpful should legal action become necessary. However, copyright warnings will only deter an honest thief; a half hearted one who understands intellectual property rights, and actually cares about it. Copyright warnings will not physically protect your work at all. It will just help in court, should things ever get that far. I still see artists pasting these warnings all over their web site, under all their images, in hopes that the law will protect them. It will, to a degree, but tracking down internet theft is a tricky business, if not nearly impossible.

IS there a workable solution for online image theft?

While artists can not prevent image theft, they can at least be in control of the quality of the images released into cyberspace. How? It is imperative to keep image sizes small, and resolution quality, low.

For instance, in my online fractal art gallery, I size my images to be no larger than 600×600 pixels, and a resolution of only 72 dpi, or pixels per inch. This is a large enough size and image quality for clients to comfortably view the art, but small enough to prevent an online art thief to do much. If someone downloads one of my images, the best quality picture they will be able to print is a 72dpi image of about 8×8 inches. It certainly limits their use options; the image will be small, and not very crisp. Conversely though, 72dpi is perfect for web browsing. A 72dpi art image will look just as crisp and clear in an online portfolio as a 300dpi image. The difference is in the printing. No one would be able to profit from an image that small and undefined. This is by far, the best deterrent for would be online art thieves.

Sometimes collectors want to see larger images of an artist’s works. If you feel you must have something uploaded that is larger, I would suggest watermarking, but just know that it all comes with an increased risk. At the very least, make sure that the image is saved at a lower resolution, and if you can, just stick with the lower-res, smaller images. Keep the high-res images for yourself. Do not be afraid to put your art out there online. It is a wonderful way to market yourself. Just remember to be smart about it!

Go out and make it a Fractalicious day!

~Kimberly

Technorati Tags: art, copywrite, Fractalicious, fractals, image protecting, Kim Hansen, Kimberly Hansen, Kimberly R. Hansen, Kimberly Rae Hansen, online art theft, online marketing, portfolio, watermark

What is it that keeps us going, striving, and reaching for our dreams and goals? What is it that keeps us down? Makes us stop or makes us quit?

Is it perseverance? Self confidence? Real or imagined success? Or something else entirely?

I look at where I was just a few years ago. I look at where I am today. I look at where I am headed. It is overwhelming sometimes. Shoot, if someone had told me just ten years ago that I would make my living as an artist, I would have laughed at them. Me? Create art? Yeah right, I don’t have an artistic bone in my body!  And yet, here I am. With the computer as my medium, I can in fact, create fractal, digital art that moves, touches and inspires more than just me! Amazing. It honestly does not feel or seem real a lot of the time. I always thought life had other plans, other directions. I never dreamed of following this path.

And as I roll down this path, I see it has changed, is still changing, before me. I marvel at the way things have just fallen into place with my Fractalicious ™ accessories line. It is all coming to fruition. I still am not quite sure how I am managing it all, other than I just keep taking baby steps forward. I look down the path and I can’t really see past the bends and the forks. It is both frightening and exhilarating.

I must remind myself to be flexible, bendy if you will, as I continue to navigate forward. I might have one vision of the “how” to achieve the desired outcome, and circumstance, life, God, the universe, whatever label you wish to adhere to it, certainly often has another! Often, it is a much better “how” than the one I have tried to concoct. The trick is letting go, and moving with that different flow. I can be a bit of a control freak. That is not always easy for me. I often get hung up on the “how” while floating down that river, and thus, take longer to get to the end.

While this all sounds all Suzy Sunshine and rosy, it’s not to say that I am not met with obstacles. I have this persistent nagging little voice in my head that tells me all sorts of ugly things. Some days it is harder to squelch it than others. It is not always easy to take that next step when I so want to falter. There are days when I really wonder if I am in the right place; on the right path. This is all just a mistake, right? Is it too late to turn around? Think I will just stop right here…lay down…call it quits…

We all have days like that, right? How is it that some seem to move forward more fluidly than others on days like this? Some seem to just let it all slide off their backs, and yet others let it affect them more strongly, causing things to slow down or stop entirely. Me? I am somewhere in the middle. I don’t ever fully stop, but I have had my slowed moments. Moments that startle me, get me thinking too much, slow my steps, cause me to sit and ponder and begin to chicken out or quit. Somehow I manage to stand up and take that next baby step, however. I figure eventually, I will be able to see around the bend. Maybe that next step right around the corner is THE step I need to take to get to where I am headed.

I could write and say what techniques I use to pull past it all. That is for another post, another time, as this rambling is well…long enough! But what I would love to hear is how YOU push past. What makes YOU take that step. And then the next. And the next. And the next? What tricks and tips can you share, personally, with the rest of us? I think that we can all learn from each other, derive strength and inspiration. Our paths all parallel, ultimately. Please, join in the discussion below!

Go out and make it a Fractalicious Day!

~Kimberly

Technorati Tags: accessories, art, Digital Artistry, flexibility, Fractal, Fractalicious, inspiration, Kim Hansen, Kimberly Hansen, Kimberly Rae Hansen, Momentum

If I have been quiet lately, it is because summer is a bit of a busy time of year. I just wrapped up a great show in Denver at the People’s Fair. Thanks to all who came out to support the festival, and stopped by to say hello at my booth. I even got to see an old friend I had not seen in twelve years. Talk about wonderful!

Now, I am preparing for an upcoming show in just a few weeks; NicFest. Here are the show details and where to find me!

Where is the festival?

NIC Fest is held on the grounds of the Nicolaysen Art Museum & Discovery Center, 400 E. Collins, in Casper WY.

When is the festival?
Friday, June 25 from 5 to 9 p.m.
Saturday, June 26 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, June 27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where do I find fractalicious art and accessories?:)

Booth #2 in the big tent, same spot as in years past. You can’t miss me! I will have the new watches and scarves available for those that have not seen them yet. You gotta touch them, they are scrumptious and an absolute delight to wear!

I am feeling particularly festive and generous; the drawing at the People’s Fair went so well, I need to do this again for the folks of Wyoming! Be sure to stop by and register, I will be giving away another piece of fine fractal art.

I am looking forward to seeing you there!

Go out and make it a fractalicious day!

Kimberly Rae Hansen

Technorati Tags: accessories, art, Art Festival, Casper, Fine art, Fractal Art, Fractalicious, Kim Hansen, Kimberly Hansen, Kimberly Rae Hansen, NicFest, Scarves, Watches, Wyoming

My son and his friend were having a heated discussion in the game room. I knew it was important when I no longer heard the sounds of guitar hero filtering throughout the house. They were hashing out the importance of education. Not about their current Jr. High School education mind you, but rather, college.

One felt that college was important. To go, get good grades, get a good job. The other felt that one could make a good living with just a high school education. As he put it “Why do I want to take classes in school in something I don’t like? I have to do that already!” They came into the other room to confer with my husband and me, asking about our own personal backgrounds.

My husband has a college degree in engineering. He spent five long years getting that done. I, on the other hand, went to college for a semester and a half. My mind set was similar to the statement above. Why should I have to take all this math and science when my interest is in English and the arts? It was not for me, I ended up going a non traditional route: Massage Therapy School. With a focus on just my interest at that time, I was happy, and for many years, I had a good career working with healing people.

They asked if I returned to school to learn art after I was no longer able to physically work as a massage therapist. Their eyes glistened, eager for the answer. I told them no. That did not mean, however, that I did not educate myself. I took online classes to better learn the difficult intricacies of my chosen computer medium. I studied fractals and fractal art. The formulas. Other artists. But I did not pay a ton of money to go to college to get a fancy art degree.

How do you do it? One asked. How do you sell your art or do a show if you don’t have the degree? Well, I told them, I have passion instead. Integrity. Honesty. And a product I believe in with all of my heart. I have a good working relationship with my clients. I try to have good relationships with people in general. I have a love for humanity, and I like to think it shows. I am constantly learning. Constantly working to improve my craft. I still educate myself. Always.

I went on to explain that there is still something to be said for all the hard work it takes to go to college. There is a lot of respect behind that. But college is not for everyone, and if you have drive, you can be just as successful with it or without it. The trick is following your heart, giving it your all, and never giving up. Now, if you want to be a doctor, I would highly suggest medical school! There are some things you just can’t do without that formal educational training. But there are a lot of options out there.

I watched them wonder out into the yard to toss around the baseball. I could hear their voices through the open window. They had switched perspectives, and were now playing devils advocate opposite of what they had earlier thought they stood for. I just had to smile. They have a few years left to sort it all out. Heck, I know I am still ever changing and learning and growing myself.

I am happy with the choices I have made. The world still sometimes views that degree as the end all. I see artists who pad it in their resume. Right before they list all their gallery exhibits. It makes it look like you have to get the degree to get the show. Sure, it helps as it does in many walks of life, but if your work speaks for itself, in the end, it really does not matter. Just go out and live your life the way that you are meant to. Go to college if it speaks to you. Or go out and make your own way if it does not. There is no right or wrong. But either way, you just have to DO something, go out and make it happen!

Go out and make it a fractalicious day!

Kimberly Rae  Hansen

Technorati Tags: art, Degree, Education, Fractal Art, Fractalicious, fractals, Kim Hansen, Kimberly Hansen, Kimberly Rae Hansen