| Author | Content |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
January 25, 2008
12:46 PM Post #4452407
| Hey guys,
I know I haven't posted much since I put my drawings up. I've been overwhelmed with work and battling bronchitis etc.
I think I am about to make a big decision to go back to painting murals full time. I'm in a j-o-b I detest and must make a change. Since I don't really have the financial stability to be without steady income, I am planning on starting marketing first and try to book several clients before I leave my job.
Anyone have any words of advise or encouragement?
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
January 25, 2008
6:51 PM Post #4453931
| Just for a visual, here is one of the walls I did in a little boys dinosaur room a couple years ago. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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fleurone
Brooksville, FL
(Zone 9a)
January 25, 2008
7:47 PM Post #4454092
| That is brilliant, go for it and get painting again, start enjoying |
katiebear
mulege
(Mexico)
January 25, 2008
8:09 PM Post #4454169
| Jim - I also think your work is incredible. If there are decorator's in your area you might contact them. If you prepared a flyer with a picture like the one posted here you could give it to decorators, contractors, whoever. You could go to where the money is and pass flyers out to kids. Perhaps you could approach restaurants or other public places that might be interested or would let you put up a flyer. If you did a restaurant where people could see your work you could get referrals from that. You could refer people who are considering your work to go there and see it "life-size."
Like many artists, you are probably better at art than at selling. You need to establish a network, I think.
Hope these ideas help. It's just what came up off the top of my head.
Getting started is hard and selling can be discouraging. Be sure to keep coming here and posting your work and getting the encouragement to continue. Are you interested in teaching? You have such talent that if you can share it by teaching you should be able to find students. If you have several irons in the fire it might provide more financial security.
katiebear |
Jazzpunkin
Springfield, OH
(Zone 5b)
January 26, 2008
5:49 AM Post #4455703
| Another thought would be not to drop your J-O-B until you get some commissions.. But youa re good enough that you HAVE to make it.. I think that making up some cards or brochures and taking them to decorating firms is an excellent idea. I also don't know what the cost is to get a booth or display at a home or designer show but that might be worth it.. make a mural for the show and have brochures.. |
Kathleen
Panama, NY
(Zone 5a)
January 26, 2008
8:24 AM Post #4455786
| I agree with Jazz and katiebear - incredible work.
A thought about the home show idea - find a decorator who would let you work with them on their booth - let them pay for the booth. If they had one of your paintings, it would be the most popular booth at the show.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
January 26, 2008
8:32 AM Post #4455795
| Thanks! Those are great ideas. So far I have made: postcards, brochures, mini portfolios, biz cards, and 30 or so signs. lol. Can you tell I have been wanting to do this for a while. I planning to put up a website soon - hopefully this weekend.
I really like the restaurant idea. A family friend owns a couple here in town. I'm trying to get in with her so keep your fingers crossed. I thought it would be a good idea to talk to someone who is working full time as a muralist. So I talked to a guy in Dallas and he told me his number one source of business is from his ad in the Dallas Child magazine. We have a magazine like that here so I am also planning to look into that.
I'm also thinking about having some magnets made for my vehicle.
Fortunately, I have everything I need to paint, so I can focus on the marketing expenses.
Jazzpunkin, I LOVE the idea of being in the home show - except it just passed. Hopefully, by the time the next one comes around I will have enough business that I can affort it because they are really pricey.
Katiebear, I do like teaching. I taught drawing at Michaels, but I kept getting a room full of little kids. Nothing wrong with little kids, but it was a medium to advanced class. But I can put a flyer at the art supply shops and see what happens. You're right, If I have a few irons in the fire, it can't be a bad thing.
-James
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
January 26, 2008
8:33 AM Post #4455797
| Kathleen,
We were posting at the same time. lol.
That is a GREAT idea. Then I wouldn't have to worry about the cost of the booth, or at least maybe only a small portion of it. Thanks! |
Jazzpunkin
Springfield, OH
(Zone 5b)
January 26, 2008
6:06 PM Post #4457796
| Hmm Maybe you can put an age range on your classes. State that due to the advanced level of the course, exceptions have to be preapproved by you. |
katiebear
mulege
(Mexico)
January 26, 2008
8:00 PM Post #4458256
| You might enjoy a class geared to little kids. Advanced finger-painting. REally. You could give them a good start. The challange is in getting a group that can work together so you don't feel like a baby-sitter. Or maybe a parent-child group.
I think there have been lots of good suggestions. I like brain-storming, so I'm just adding ideas as they pop up.
katiebear |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
January 27, 2008
6:16 PM Post #4461706
| Hey guys.
I built my new website today. Would love some feedback.
Shoot me a dmail and I'll send you the link.
Thanks!!!
This message was edited Jan 27, 2008 4:32 PM |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
January 29, 2008
10:12 AM Post #4468744
| Good Morning everyone,
Good news. I posted an ad on craigslist and I am already getting calls. I have an appointment this weekend with a lady that runs a small daycare out of her home. She wants 3 rooms done. She was telling me that she knows some of the kids parents will probably want some work done as well.
But the biggest news is that I took the plunge. I was sitting in my office (j-o-b) writing my marketing plan and I realized that there was NO way I was going to be able to do both. So I typed up my 2 week notice. Then I got nervous and just saved it as a draft. I decided to wait until the end of the day. When the time came I decided to send it. Then of course spell check popped up and gave me another opportunity to cancel it. But in the end I sent it anyways.
Of course now my boss wants me to call her this morning...
It's risky I know. But I think that if I am against a wall it will be more motivating to me. Does everyone think I am nuts? |
katiebear
mulege
(Mexico)
January 29, 2008
11:13 AM Post #4468928
| I think you're waking up. This is your life. It is not a dress rerhersal.
It all sounds wonderful.
katiebear |
Jazzpunkin
Springfield, OH
(Zone 5b)
January 29, 2008
11:28 AM Post #4468987
| I think that if you don't give it a shot you will always regret it |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
January 29, 2008
11:35 AM Post #4469032
| This just popped up at the bottom of my home page, and I was curious so I dropped by...
How exciting!
I'm posting because I had an additional suggestion with regard to getting your works into restaurants, stores, etc... If you can't persuade an establishment to feature your mural front and center (always the best option), see if they'll go for putting on in the restroom... and then make sure they have a stock of your business cards (perhaps right there in a little holder by the sink or mounted on the wall by a little plaque). I've come across stunning murals in a couple of restrooms, commented on them, and been asked if I was interested in contacting the designer -- so I think it must be a workable marketing strategy. And you can get a lot more creative in a restroom... |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
January 29, 2008
11:41 AM Post #4469059
| Thanks Jazz and Critterologist.
That's a cool idea. I'm going to be out marketing to restaurants within the next couple fo weeks and that is not a bad idea at all.
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critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
January 29, 2008
1:43 PM Post #4469667
| Some restaurants might be ready and willing to invest in a mural to spice up their decor... but if they're in a busy location, especially in a "classy" neighborhood, it might be worth your while talking your way into a commission to do the restrooms, even at a fairly reduced rate, just for the advertising angle. But don't do it free, or they'll think you don't value your work. |
Tir_Na_Nog
(Zone 9b)
January 29, 2008
1:49 PM Post #4469701
| You are a gifted artist! I LOVE that dino mural (totally wish I still lived near you, I'd HIRE YOU!!!!)
Had a friend up north who is quite good as well and what she did was do a fireplace mantal mural on a small wall at the town library. Well it's right at the entrance so no one can miss it. She even painted a PAINTING (lol) of the library to "hang" over the mantle. She didn't charge but gets to leave her business card at the library. AND she (or family) contacted the local newspaper about the artwork she was donating to the public library.
She was so inundated with work she raised her rates $10 more an hour and still had plenty of jobs. |
critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
January 29, 2008
2:13 PM Post #4469800
| That's great!
Donating your time/materials for an installation at a public place like a library is a different story... that's a charitable contribution that says you *do* value your work, and so do the people who let you put it up! |
confident_realm
Houston, TX
February 1, 2008
2:04 PM Post #4482654
| Let me know how it goes. I have been trying to quit my "day job" for years. Got any photos of your murals? 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
February 1, 2008
2:17 PM Post #4482701
| Again, thanks for all the great ideas. I am writing my marketing plan and I am including all of them.
Confident_realm,
I know it's not the wisest thing I have ever done, but I know myself, and I will never do it as long as I keep my day job. I have lots of examples of my murals. Another member told me that we aren't supposed to post links to our own websites, but another was kind enough to post it here: [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]
Katiebear,
I took your advice and yesterday I posted an ad online for the drawing lessons, I already have one student lined up. I'm wondering if I should teach one on one or in groups.
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roybird
Santa Fe, NM
February 1, 2008
2:32 PM Post #4482757
| HI. (I think I've been following confident_realm all over this forum this morning! l.o.l.) But, jmcdowell, I want to congratulate you on your job change! And suggest that you might be able to interest a feature writer at your local paper to do a story about your work. It would have photos, of course. I think people would be interested. If you did paint a small public work you could write a press release and have an opening. For that matter you might be able to do something like that for a private commission if the person was willing. Marketing art could be another thread. I don't know how to do that. Any interest? |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
February 1, 2008
2:42 PM Post #4482787
| Roybird,
That is another excellent idea. I was in the paper a couple years ago with a photo of me working on a portrait. The article was about craigslist, but they wanted to interview people who used it for marketing.
Another member actually started a thread about marketing art here:
[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]
I hadn't submitted anything to it, but now that I am making so many changes in my life, I think we should spark it back up.
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critterologist
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6b)
February 1, 2008
3:09 PM Post #4482865
| Although you can't promote your business by posting a link to your website on a forum, you can (and should!) add it to your memberpage. :-) |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
February 1, 2008
3:22 PM Post #4482899
| Brilliant. I hadn't even checked to see if I could have it on there. But now that I found out about it, you can bet I already added it. :) |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
February 2, 2008
9:45 PM Post #4488332
| Great new guys. I had my first appointment today and I was pretty nervous about it. Especially since I already put in my notice at work.
Well it went really well. I got the homeowners really excited and they kept adding more and more to the original plan. So after spending a couple of hours with them I have a confirmed contract that more than replaces a month of income from my job.
Even better, she runs a daycare from her home and she is confident that at least one of the parents will be interested in hiring me as well, AND her mother-in-law is an interior designer!
Hopefully this one job will turn into at least two additional jobs.
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katiebear
mulege
(Mexico)
February 2, 2008
10:05 PM Post #4488420
| Wow. Jim, that is wonderful. I guess it was the right time for you. How great to have it be taking off so fast. Breathtaking.
Keep us posted - and we want pictures!!!
katiebear |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
February 2, 2008
10:09 PM Post #4488438
| Thanks Katiebear! You can count on the photos. I am really excited about the ideas these people have.
I am doing a jungle or dinosaur theme in the playroom, cars in the son's room, underwater scene in the boy's bathroom, venice in the kitchen, and tuscany in the dining room. That's enough for at least a month!
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katiebear
mulege
(Mexico)
February 2, 2008
10:17 PM Post #4488480
| And you know everyone who visits - including all of the children's friends - are going to want their own.
kb |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
February 2, 2008
10:22 PM Post #4488502
| That's what I am hoping! Even better since she runs the daycare out of her house I can't work during her operating hours so it will be afternoons and weekends, which is fine by me. I can use my daytime to be out marketing or working on other projects! |
Kathleen
Panama, NY
(Zone 5a)
February 3, 2008
7:55 AM Post #4489422
| It sounds like you hit the "right place at the right time" lottery. Good job. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN
(Zone 4b)
February 3, 2008
12:06 PM Post #4490109
| I just looked at your web site, after you get your name out there you should have people waiting in line.
Does your city have a program for murals on buildings? You could check that out and apply to paint one. Lots more advertising.
I can't remember now has anyone mentioned hospital and clinic waiting rooms?
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jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
February 3, 2008
1:58 PM Post #4490524
| Hey Zen,
I don't know about the programs, but it is something I am already planning on looking into. I want to get the press releases going, but I think that will only work on public projects. |
roybird
Santa Fe, NM
February 3, 2008
7:51 PM Post #4491749
| Congratulations! I could really see one of your murals brightening up a pediatrics waiting room. The pre-school mural sounds very nice. What will you paint? |
jmcdowell
San Antonio, TX
February 3, 2008
8:13 PM Post #4491828
| Thank roybird. It's not really a preschool. The lady runs a daycare from her home, so it is the day care area. She wants a dinosaur theme floor to ceiling on 3 walls. I'll share the preliminary sketches once I get them going.
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roybird
Santa Fe, NM
February 4, 2008
3:27 PM Post #4494999
| Sounds good. You can't go wrong with dinosaurs! |
