Filed under: research | Tags: , business plan, competition, creatures, design, feature, websites
As a result of work on my business plan assignment thoughts have turned to what is already out there and why would anyone want what I make.
Firstly I found this lady: DEBI VAN ZYL – and I sort of wish I hadn’t as she is working along very similar lines to what I am envisaging. Interesting to note that she has sold out of all her creatures online. I am going for a similar handmade look but with a more commecial feel in relation to the additional features, such as the eyes. I love the proportions of body to legs in these!
SOFTIES CENTRAL – this place is great, I am going to get my creatures featured on here as I think they’d fit in really well. Brilliant to see what else is out there and get links to individuals websites.
Who doesn’t know about DONNA WILSON and her whacky creatures. I have to bear in mind she is well established and has been doing this for years but her pricing is useful and the online interview invaluable. It feels as though I read her article and then decided to follow suit… it’s frustrating when you find you’re not entirely unique!
Filed under: session | Tags: aims, business plan, design, make, money, objectives, planning, practice, presentation, profile
Professional Practice, Planning & Presentation – this is the section that makes me panic inside. I don’t know what happened at the session today. Last week I had my goals up on the screen, felt clear and relatively confident about what I wanted. Today my mind went to mush with the enormity of the task before me – The Business Plan. Thankfully we are putting it together in chunks, part of which is to be handed in as our first assignment later in November.
Here’s the main rub: My Aims.
We indentified three main aims of why we want to go down the art-as-career route. To raise our profile, to make money and for self fulfillment (the love of creating work). So far, I have been designing and making for the love of creating. Sure recognition (without serious self promotion) has been nice, as has been the times when I get paid for something I make – but it really has been for the joy of learning new skills, experimenting with different materials and giving to other people.
I now have to find a way of telling my brain that this is not enough – unless I REALLY want to stay in the admin 9-5 job for the rest of my days (No.)
So the priorities (my new mantra) will go like this: I am going to raise my profile to sell my work and make money, I get an added benefit in that I love what I do
How lucky am I?!
But….the sneaky pre-Connect part of my brain says “But what if the money and the raising of your profile makes the designing and making a chore, no longer pleasureable…?” Well, I won’t know until I try and there are so many different ways of going about this that I can always change my plan.
Actions for the week – Research shows & exhibitions to attend :: Write artist’s statement :: Look further into what my options are for my objectives
