Pinterest Saves, Follows, and Favorites

Aside from all of my digital art websites, I have a lot of different social media outlets to keep up with. One of them is Pinterest. I started using Pinterest several years ago without really knowing what it would do. It included Garden, LIT Capitol Hill, Pet Portraits, LITDigitalArt, Iran, England, France, Copenhagen, and Baseball Autographs Boards. Several boards were made up of photographs I’ve taken while traveling, the rest were art related. Then I changed over to the business version when my digital art was introduced several years ago. So now there are boards from Etsy, cool Stuff, Artist Collab, and other art related subjects. Any time there is activity on these boards I get an email notification about what it was. Someone may have liked a pin, a pin may have been saved, or a weekly activity shows the top pins and impressions. I always try to follow any one who likes anything of mine. Pins of Borzois are saved to “my favorites” board. You can also review your personal stats and do a lot more with Pinterest than I do. One of my dog portraits seems to get the most mileage. The goofy dog portrait gets high marks. It was one of my favorite paintings because looking at that face just makes me smile and I’m guessing it has the same affect on everyone else who likes it. Pinterest is just another way to get noticed, but I’m not so sure it’s translated in to anything more tangible. 

Twitter, Tweets, and Updates

I'm always looking at statistics at work and for my hobby. At work, I track and report on all kinds of performance measures. I did that in health care too in Milwaukee - as a clinician and as a regional director.  A lot of decisions were and can be made using this objective data. It's a full time job keeping up with social media related to my digital painting websites. Last week the views in my Etsy shop were significantly higher than "typical." I really couldn't figure out why. Then I got the weekly twitter update and that also showed a spike in views. I had posted a picture of us sitting on the Capitol steps watching the concert for valor on my iPhone. The photo happened to be of Jennifer Hudson with the Washington Monument in the background. Using the hash tag #concertforvalor, it became a part of the thread the evening of the concert, and received a lot of attention. Because my twitter page is linked to my Etsy site, some folks jumped from one site to the next. I don't have a lot of twitter followers, but have been working on that this past month. Whenever my blog is picked up by DC Blogs, the number of visits always increases. So what does this mean? I need to try to connect with key events, get smarter using hash tags, and keep working on all these websites. So if you are reading this blog, check out the links and be a part of a statistic! I'm keeping my eye on all of them!

Business Cards

I have a business card for my real work, but I have to be honest - I don't use it very much. I also have a business card for my digital art. I used them for ads in the Hill Rag a couple years ago, but they were recently updated with new photos and information. I can't say I use them that much either. I have one displayed on my web page. They do represent my favorite subjects - a cat, a dog, and a Capitol Hill fixture townhouse. That townhouse belonged to our son and his family. It just sold last week in a day or less. I don't think I'll be changing it because I really liked that house. The one place I do use my business cards is at the Wagtime Shop across from the Navy Yard. They are tucked in between all the portraits that are on display there. I didn't save all my business cards over a thirty year health care career, and eight more years as a civil servant. But I did save all the name tags. I wonder what the future of the traditional business card will be. For some reason, I like the last one the best. 

Special Digital Art Delivery From the House Office Building

One of the advantages of creating digital portraits is that the finished image is a jpeg file. This file is then attached to an email and sent to the customer. There is no shipping cost and the image can be used over and over. However, once in awhile someone will request a hard copy. In those rare instances I print the image on photo paper in three standard sizes, place them in a protective sleeve, and enclose a business card. I do have an option to print mailing labels at home, but because I work at the Library it is just as easy at this time to walk over to the House Office Building to mail the package. And so I did mail one this week to send Willie's portrait to his owner. I also sent a copy if the receipt to the customer to let them know it was on the way and It should arrive today. What's also nice is the fact the image can be uploaded to a variety of websites to create non traditional items to display the art - like cards, coffee mugs, or even pillows. But I think I like the comments I get about the artwork the best. "I printed a copy  on regular 8 1/2 x 11 paper on my Epson Printer and took it to work today.  You garnered a lot of compliments.  I am so happy with it." The iPad came along while I was living here on Capitol Hill. I have a feeling I would have done the same in Milwaukee, except I might have created the mailing labels at home because the post office was a lot farther away and much less convenient.  

A Hand Delivered Painting

Usually when I get a request for a painting it is delivered by email in the form of a jpeg image. The image is sized so it can be printed up to about 18x24. What makes digital art so useful is that it can be displayed in so many different ways. I use websites like a Fine Art America to test different mats, frames, stretched canvas, metal, and card options. And the image can be used over and over again. Minimally it can be used on most electronic devices and printed on a desktop printer. I had a recent local request that was a little different than usual. Because this individual is quite special, he gets special treatment. I printed five variations of the same painting, put them in plastic sleeves, and wrapped them in a raffia ribbon. My plan is to hand deliver the finished project. Unfortunately my printer is capable of printing only up to 8 1/2 x 11. But the jpegs are always available to take to the local printshop once a final decision is made. I'm hoping he likes the work. It's made me think about product presentation - which is very different than an email attachment. 

Business Cards - Do You Still Use Them?

I've had business cards professionally since I can remember. There was a time when hard copy business cards were widely used and distributed with all kinds of specially designed cases to carry them in.  But I'm at a different place in my career and so is the world and how it does business. Yes, I still have hard copy cards from The Library of Congress. It uses a consistent template. But for the artistic side of my digital painting "business" I have designed a few cards and spent the weekend remaking one so my signature logo is the focus. Since I love to create pet portraits from photographs the first couple reflected that design. I also do buildings, people and scenes. So the logo used on my websites and Facebook business page made most sense. I can't say I really used any of them except as an advertisement in the Hill Rag. But just in case anyone sees a pet portrait at the Wagtime Shop and wants to know who was responsible, I'm thinking to place a few alongside my paintings there using an alligator clip. As for anyone else - do you still use them? They just don't seem practical anymore. 

Six Hundred Facebook Likes

I set up a Facebook business page about 18 months ago. The idea was to promote my digital paintings and create a place to showcase work "in process," finished projects, link it to my other websites like Pinterest, Etsy, You Tube, Fine Art America, and also throw in some DC photos I take around town. It's taken some time but I finally hit the 600 "like" landmark. It really takes a lot of work and a lot of attention. Every day the page is updated with something, including any reference of my paintings in treasuries showcased by my peers in Etsy. I always ask my customers if they would allow me to use their finished commissioned paintings as samples in my shop and on the page, and most of them do. So if any of you would like to help me reach the next milestone and beyond, please check out LIT Digital Paintings and click the "like" button. I would be forever grateful! If you're looking for a one if a kind gift for someone, please let me know that too!