While I was seeking out expert advice for my blogging series article two weeks ago, clay and bronze sculptor Bridgette Mongeon gave me a great suggestion which I wanted to share today.
Bridgette suggested that artists could benefit from creating blogs specifically designed to chronicle the life of one’s work, or in some cases, the life of a single art project or art series.
She said that you don’t need to go out and purchase specific domain names or pay for web hosting when there are free alternatives available, like Blogger. In fact, she chooses to use Blogger as her blogging platform because the dashboard makes it easy for her to keep track of all her blogs at once, as evidenced by her Prairie View Panther Project, and her Evelyn Rubenstein Sculpture Project.
So what’s her reasoning for documenting the process?
Bridgette explained that primarily it’s because she’s a perpetual documenter. . . but she went on to say that documenting a project online also helps her sell her work, keeps her collectors excited and interested, and gives her legal ground to stand on if anyone were to claim that she “stole” their idea.
If documenting your art via blog sounds like something you might be interested in doing, here are 8 tips to get you started:
1. Name your blog after your art
While it may be tempting to use your first and last name as the title and/or web address of your blog, it’s best if you use the name of your project instead.
Let’s assume you’re working on series that involves 14 large canvases centered around the Greek Gods, and you’ve dubbed the series “Why The Gods Reigned Supreme.”
Your blog URL could then be whythegodsreignedsupreme.blogspot.com and your title could be “Why The Gods Reigned Supreme.”
2. Introduce your project
Your very first post should tell your readers what to expect when visiting your blog.
Explain that your blog is about chronicling your art series. Tell readers how you came up with the idea (even if it started with a theme for some art competition that you didn’t enter but was intrigued with) and show them some of the rough sketches and/or notes about your project.
3. Update your blog regularly
With a project such as this, you may not have a lot to say on a daily basis so don’t push yourself to share something every day. Instead, focus on offering some piece of tidbit once a week, even if it’s simply sharing your thoughts on how the project is coming along.
4. Talk about the process
You don’t have to wait until you have something on canvas to share it on your blog. You can offer up reference photos, or talk about a specific technique you’ll be using to create your piece.
5. Share sneak peeks
It’s also important to share photographs of your piece as you work on it, even if that means sharing the rawness of the piece, or showing a flaw that you need to fix.
6. Show yourself working
Aside from sharing sneak peeks about the project itself, show yourself working on the project. . . in all your painterly glory!
7. Make it fun
Did friends come over to check out how far you’ve come on the series only to pose in front of the camera, holding your piece and making funny faces? Ask permission to share those photos on your blog. And don’t be afraid to include the silly jokes that were made at your expense. . . as long as you’re comfortable.
8. Don’t stop once the project is complete
Once your work is complete, share several photos of the piece—from all angles—and talk about how great it feels to be done with the project. But don’t stop there!
Show your artwork in transit to the art show, the competition, or the new owner(s). Then show your art being unveiled, and properly displayed in its new home.
The key to a good documentary blog is to stay focused, to post regularly, and to have fun! One thing’s for sure. . . if you’re not enjoying the process, you will lose interest.
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