Contents of Art Business News - MAR-APR 2012

As the most requested magazine in the industry, Art Business News stays true to its mission of reporting the latest industry news and emerging trends driving the fine art market. ABN: The art industry's news leader since 1977.

Page 31 of 67

ABN
STOP RIGHT THERE!
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12
MISTAKES TO AVOID
BY GARY T. KERR Every successful artist must be doing
something right. But knowing where one has gone wrong is equally important. As you map out your own creative milestones, be conscious of the missteps that many art- ists make—and how to avoid them.
1. SIGNING YOUR ART WITH JUST YOUR INITIALS • When you sign your art with just your initials, what you're saying is, "I'm not ready for the big time yet." It's okay to sign a variation of your name, i.e. John Joe Smith or J.J. Smith, but keep it consistent. And don't use a Sharpie to sign your art!
2. NOT FRAMING YOUR ART •
Representational art should always be displayed in a proper frame, even if it's a minimalist, fl oater-type aff air. Framing your art adds value, and art that's framed well is less likely to have an interested buyer balk at the price.
3. MAKING ENDLESS TOUCH-UPS • Once you've fi nished a piece, leave it alone. No piece of art is ever 100 percent fi nished. Tinkering is irresistible, and it takes discipline to walk away. But being able to do so is the mark of a great artist.
4. MISCOMMUNICATING DIMENSIONS • Always communicate image dimensions accurately, with height stated fi rst and width second. It's not inter- changeable, so stick to this standard.
MARCH/APRIL 2012