Art Instruction And Reference

This is an invaluable "how-to" book. From the psychology of selling to legal matters, it covers it all. The amount of information is overwhelming...I went through it with a highlighter checking off the sections that were applicable to my needs, and then read those sections in depth. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned professional, you'll gain a lot from this and will maximize your potential and earning power. Being an artist today requires the kind of knowledge contained in this volume, because the competition is fierce. Perhaps you have more talent than the next guy, but if he has the marketing skills, the world will be looking at his art instead of yours. Get this book and make the most of your artistic gift !

There are a lot of artist out there that need to know what this book has to offer. It gives advise on how to organize yourself to making a sale. I found a lot of the information very helpful. As an artist I know my art, this book gives insights on all the rest. Pricing, marketing, licensing, grants etc. Also gives other resources that detail specifics of the art industry if you are not finding what you need or need more in depth information.

I highly recommend this to an artists looking for insight on how the art industry works and how to work within the art industry in a professional capacity.

In preparation for teaching a class in marketing for creative professionals I purchased this book. Although it says it was revised in 2000, I found some egregious errors, one of which was a listing for a book that's out of date and out of print. Carroll Michael's book, How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist, is a far better reference and empowers the artist in his/her efforts. Smith tends to buy into some of the 'starving artist' concepts and, instead of cheering artists on, creates some real barriers to success.