How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist

Book excerpt: The classic handbook for launching and sustaining a career that "explodes the romantic notion of the starving artist," (The New York Times) with a brand-new chapter on Internet art marketing Now in its sixth edition, How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist is the definitive guide to taking control of your career and making a good living in the art world. Drawing on nearly three decades of experience, Caroll Michels offers a wealth of insider's information on getting into a gallery, being your own PR agent, and negotiating prices, as well as innovative marketing, exhibition, and sales opportunities for various artistic disciplines. She has also added a new section on digital printmaking and marketing in this emerging field. Most notably, this sixth edition contains an entirely new chapter: "Art Marketing on the Internet." Michels offers criteria for selecting an ideal Web designer for your online portfolio and for organizing your Web presence, and shares proven methods for attracting curators, dealers, and private clients to your site. She also addresses vital legal concerns in the age of e-commerce, including copyrighting and registering your art, and finally, the appendix of resources, consistently updated online at Michels's site the Artist Help Network, is fully revised.