Let’s face it: the future of art, much like everything else, is going to be heavily digital. To stay ahead of the curb as an artist it’s crucial that you have a good online presence to represent your work in the best way! More people than ever before are buying art from online platforms (much like our amazing platform). Also, with the prevalence of social media platforms, these have become the de facto way to promote your work in the modern era. With all that being said, you may be wondering what exactly should artists be doing to showcase their work online? The Internet is a vast virtual space that may appear saturated with information and can be daunting. Not to worry! As usual, balthasart is here to help you out and make it all easy. Follow these five steps to promote visibility and create a successful online portfolio.
1. Focus on Your Photos
Getting good images of your artworks that you want to sell is absolutely essential in this digital world. A high quality photograph lets the buyer truly appreciate your work and purchase with confidence. Use only high resolution images when building your online portfolio (the balthasart standard is minimum 1500 pixels by 1500 pixels) so that you can really capture how amazing your piece is. Be sure to take multiple images of a piece to offer different perspectives and a better sense of the artwork.
2. Add a Dynamite Description
A description adds that personal touch to your online portfolio. Often, the buyer is not just looking to be struck visually, but to admire an artwork more deeply based on understanding the technique and inspiration involved in the creation of the work. Selling online doesn’t have to feel impersonal! Instead, use your online portfolio to share your passion, personality and expertise with your audience.
3. Create Structure Using Collections
There is way too much information flying around the internet so ensure your portfolio is clear and well organised so that you can attract attention. Give some structure to your portfolio by creating collections according to inspiration, theme, technique, date or whatever creative way that you want to organize your works. Arranging your works like this will allow collectors to navigate through your selection with purpose and see the full range of your talent.
4. Display What You Sold
An advantage of an online portfolio over a physical space is that even if you sell a certain piece, you can still display it! Sold artwork can be of great interest to a collector as older work can illustrate your artistic journey, show what you are capable of and further entice them to check out your other works. Furthermore, if you work on commission, a sold artwork offers another example of your artistic capabilities. On balthasart, you can list an artwork as ‘for sale’, ‘currently unavailable for sale’ or ‘sold’, so our artists are able to exhibit all of their art.
5. Keep it Current
It’s crucial to always make sure that your portfolio is current and updated! Updating an online portfolio encourages buyers to frequently visit your page and thereby increase visibility. In addition to this, often the internet uses algorithms to prioritize active pages over inactive ones. Not only should you upload images of new artworks, you should be sure to include recent exhibitions, prizes, publications and residencies that are important. These updates are paramount to creating a connection with new buyers and to maintaining a relationship with existing collectors.
There are so many benefits of an online portfolio. An artist does not need to compromise the human element of art by going digital! Instead, you can create a profile that is personal, well organized and a comprehensive reflection of your work. Also, just because you are embracing digital does not mean that you should neglect physical galleries and opportunities – artists have the opportunity nowadays to have the best of both worlds. With just a few simple hints and tricks you can embrace the online art market with confidence. At balthasart, we give you the opportunity to present a personalized portfolio of your works! If you want to promote your works and strike the next generation of art collectors, apply below!
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