Showing posts with label Learn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Learn. Show all posts

Monday, February 15, 2016

Advice for young artists


I have been interested in art since I was a young child. My mother was and is very artistic. She encouraged crafts and anything creative and imaginative. Although I didn't know I would take my love of art into a more serious path, there are a few things I wish I could have been told about art and the art world when growing up.

So here is some of my best advice for young artists.


1. Date all of your work.
One of the best things is looking back at old work to see what I use to like to make and to see how much I have evolved as an artist.. Making sure you put a year on your art and it will ensure you know how old you were when you made something. Just TRUST me on this one!


2. Not every work has to best your best.
When I was younger, I would start a drawing or painting and it sometimes didn't end up how I wanted it, which art can sometimes do. This is something that even experienced artists deal with but I wish someone could have taught me this early on. Just because a piece of artwork doesn't come out the way you were hoping,  doesn't mean that you are not talented. Sometimes what we want it turn to out to be isn't even close to how it actually ends up being. Let it happen naturally.


3. Do not compare your art negatively with other's.
This is something that I use to do a lot but mostly to myself in my head. I rarely verbalized my feelings about how I thought my art wasn't very good because another person's was so much better. Please do not discourage yourself from creating art because of envy of another person's work.  Let it be inspiration that fuels you instead and one day you will be the fuel for someone else. 
(click for more on this image)

4. You don't have to be a realistic artist to produce great art.
So many people tell me they wish they could draw "they can't even draw a stick figure." This makes me so mad that many people think that they can't create art if it's not realistic.  Think of all the world's amazing abstract painters for example.  If you love art and practice hard enough,  just like anything in life, you can be successful at it.


5. Enjoy what you do.
At the end of the day you want to make sure that you are enjoying your art and the process. Making art is a freeing and meditative experience if you view it as such. The minute you start to stress or loose interest, think about trying another medium or even take it back to a simpler art like coloring. It will calm you and might just be exactly what you need to get you back on track with a happy inspired path to brilliant artwork.


If you think this helped you or could help another artist you know,  be sure to share and let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for coming by and if you would like to get notifications for my art blog hit the blue subscribe button at the top right of the page.


Until Tomorrow - Dream Away
Samantha Menzo
Cloud Nine Studios



Etsy featured art of the day:

Little Boys Nursery dream wall art 



Song of the day:


Color of the day:
new age - 1444

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Shipping your Etsy Products. Save money and ship safe!


Hello Hello! Welcome and I hope you all are having a great day so far! Who doesn't love getting packages? I know I do! Most of our regular mail today is all upsetting bills and advertising, but when you get a package it is something wonderful!


With having an Etsy Shop I deal a lot with the topic of packages and shipping. My shop is just starting to take off and in the last few weeks I have been shipping multiple Art Pieces in different mediums and styles. YAY GO ME!


This is the first time I have had to ship anything on a consistent basis and I am realizing how in the dark I am with options and processes of shipping. So I decided to do some research to find out exactly what is out there! I came across this video documentary on YouTube that is a bit long but I was interesting to watch and I can not believe the process it takes to ship a package!

(FedEx and UPS)

Every penny counts when trying to run an online shop and learning how to ship most safely and cost efficient is very important! Ordering your own supplies and packing your items yourself saves BIG! I sent a wine bottle out a few months ago that I had packaged myself and last week sent the same bottle that I had FED-EX packaged for me in person and the cost to ship was more than double! Both packages arrived in great condition, so it really saves to do it yourself!


Something that really helps boost your customer's happiness with the packaging is a personal message or thank you card! It puts that extra love into your package and it has been proven to drastically increase the amount of positive feedback to your Etsy Shop. It's the little things that really matter!


Figuring out how to package and ship your products is mostly a trial by error basis. My main questions that I am still trying to figure out is the differences between using Fed Ex , UPS, and Etsy Shipping Directly. Searching the internet and YouTube for answers have proven a little harder than expected. Already I can say that I prefer FedEx over UPS as far as customer service goes but am unsure at the cost differences. 


It's a learning process and the more I learn the more I will share with all of you! Stick with me and blogs and let's grow together. Also if you are a shipping pro let me know some of your secrets and trips or tricks! Which do you prefer? 

Until Tomorrow - Dream Away
Samantha Menzo




Etsy Featured Item of the Day:

Handmade Rubber Stamp Made With Love Stamp Heart Stamp Wooden Rubber Stamp Handmade Stamps by - PrettyTape



Song of the Day:
Dropkick Murphys - I'm Shipping Up to Boston


Color of the Day:
Decatur Bluff, Benjamin Moore, HC-38