Steemit as a New Stage for Craft
In a world curated by the resolution of your computer screen... creativity can be a hard thing to capture. Steemit is changing that. With Steemit, we have an rapidly evolving resource that helps to break down the barriers that have prevented many artists from fully embracing the digital landscape. An artistic utopia could be closer than you think! It’s still very early (if you’re counting in STEEM-years) but platforms like this one will serve as catalysts to propel creatives into the 21st century.
90% of Art is Process
Value has traditionally been assigned solely to the final product. But a real work of art is about the story and the process. Steemit gives value to the narrative hiding behind the canvas.
Endless sketchbooks, bar napkins, eraser residue, smudges, study models, late nights, early mornings, crumpled-up paper and globs of paint that dried too quickly. These preliminary stages of the creative process make up an invisible 90% that is rarely shared with the world.
The “process” in art can be where the best stories are hiding. It’s where the artist’s rigor, passion and craftsmanship are brought to a boil. The “final” piece is just a small window into a much bigger landscape. With Steemit, artists are finding a platform to share the stories beyond the frame.
Artists - this is so important. You should be rewarded for 100% of your work and not just the final 10%. Steemit gives provides you an opportunity to monetize your discovery and exploratory process!
Value & Feedback
When I first opened Steemit I was excited to see that “art” and “photography” were in the top 5 trending topics. I half expected “catmeme” and “selfie” to be there instead. (I mean honestly, it’s tough to open a social platform from scratch in 2016 and not be bombarded by cat memes… although, for the record, I do on occasion enjoy a good cat meme...)
Ahem, anyway, seeing “art” and “photography” in the trending column was one of the central reasons why I decided to join the platform. What it showed me - is that here, creativity has enormous value. This growing community of Steemians genuinely appreciate and want to see behind-the-scenes stuff just as much as the final product. In my own work, I’ve found that those moments of chaos and not-quite-yet compositions are the most honest. As an artist, those moments stand out the most to me. They are where you learn, grow and hone your craft. When the final piece is framed, published, or installed… there’s a moment where you step back... stare back at it… and admiringly see every flaw, every smudge and bruise, even as others don’t. You see your final work and think about all the stories hiding behind the pane of glass now protecting it.
Steemit isn’t a polished art gallery or a quiet museum… it’s more like a communal work desk. It’s a place where you can share raw thinking and receive constructive and honest feedback.
Share Your True Work
During my first few weeks on Steemit… I was posting single images with little to no description. I was making 10 cents here and there when a staple-Steemian by the name of @fairytalelife reached out to me and challenged me to do better by my work. She said “what is your process?… tell me everything!”... and that really woke me up. In that moment I realized that this place isn’t instagram or twitter. I can’t just post a final picture or sum up a produced image in 140 characters.
I thought... as an artist, this could be a major opportunity. Here, you can share your work in the moment, just as you are creating it. You can write about it, take a progress photo, share an idea or inspiration. In most cases honest content receives honest feedback and actual value. That’s an unprecedented thing for an artist to be able to tap into. By finding value in process the Steemit platform could revolutionize the way artists are able to work and support themselves. In this community, your work can be elevated in an unprecedented way.
For the artsy Newbies of Steemit! If you're wondering what in the world to post... Start simple. Try introducing your creative work with three basic rules in mind. Use these rules as building blocks to carry your craft even further.
Posting Art on Steemit… 3 Helpful Tips!
1. Thumbnail Image
- The first image of your blog post is important! Design it in a way that will seduce people into clicking it. Make it colorful, beautiful, contrasty. The thumbnail might look small on a feed but this little rectangle of real estate is our first glimpse into your unique and artsy world.
2. Art From Start to Finish (3-5 images)
- Select a handful of good quality images / examples of your creative and discovery process. Show us a little bit of the behind-the-scenes action. It's okay if your desk is messy! If you have a smart phone or camera, try experimenting with a time lapse. Play around with different ways of representing your work and see what sticks!
3. Write 300 words
- Writing is tough, but an important part of relaying your ideas. Take a moment to sit and write down the thought process behind your art. I promise you, this exercise will help you in describing your work better (not just through blogging, but IRL also!)
Have FUN. MAKE friends. Seek out other Steemians with likeminded interests and begin communicating with them through comments. And most importantly... STEEM on!
This is excellent advice @voronoi. This quote in particular: "Steemit isn’t a polished art gallery or a quiet museum… it’s more like a communal work desk." - is a very insightful way of pointing out the value of Steemit.
Steem: Earn value from your art process, not just your art. Love it!
Thanks so much for the kind feedback @heymattsokol :D
Glad you enjoyed the post!
Love this! "Earn value from your art process, not just your art"
Your comment reminded me of something Dave Ramsey says- that opportunity is often overlooked because it shows up wearing boots and coveralls, looking a lot like Work!
Steemit is perfect for artists!, as a musician i have learned this platform suits me perfectly, it suits all kind of artists! :D
Musicians especially. There's a ton of behind the scenes work when it comes to writing / composing / producing a song. That information has value!
Exactly
I am working with some artists and hopefully they will do just that - show behind the scenes and all the work that goes into writing and producing a song and then making a music video @edenmichelle @leelektrik @owenkay @danshaw
Looking forward to seeing/hearing how you are using the platform. This thread has started some ideas brewing in the back of my mind, but actually seeing some possibilties realized would be a big plus.
You have a strong point. But won't instagram be a better avenue for you to promote your art though?
To that very reasonable question, I say this... How much $ have you made through instagram? If you're super lucky, you can get a commission or a show through posting religiously on instagram. But that's relying on a third party to spot you and hire you. Insta doesn't pay you. Steemit literally does. It might not be hundreds of dollars at first, but if you're persistent you can get there!
Another point, have you received good feedback on instagram? The comments are mostly emojis. On Steemit, you can receive productive feedback AND actually have a conversation like you and I are having right now!
Jeez. That was hands down defeat. You sure know what you are saying. When I praised instagram though, I was talking about the exposure to a global audience. You have to admit that instagram is a far bigger community than steemit right now
Haha sorry I didn't mean it to be an overwhelming response. You're absolutely right that the global audience is way larger. But in terms of real artist empowerment, Steemit takes the cake.
Why not use both? Each has its advantages. Maybe one could even promote his/her Steemit profile through Instagram. Give a sneak peak on Instagram and leave a link to a Steemit profile with more detailed work.
I feel that with ig, the art is seen and forgotten about in 30 secs. We are new her and we saw the art today! We were not distracted.
Awesome post! I totally agree. Joining steemit was one of the best things I did to let my creative potential flower :) Resteemed :)
Thank you @yoganarchista! That means a lot coming from you :D
Well, I just started drawing, sketching and doodling last month. At first, I was writing stuff about my art, then I stopped writing at all. Maybe, I should add thoughts about my work again. Thank you @voronoi! Upvoted and resteemed!
Add your thoughts! I'd love to hear the backstory of your self portrait :)
Hahaha. You checked it already. I'll try to add some. Thank you!
Great piece, as a newbie i find it truly inspiring thanks alot
Glad you enjoyed it
Steemit is an amazing way to express yourself and make a passive income from what you love doing :)
Amazing art BTW
Cheers and have a blast ^^
Thanks for the kind feedback! Cheers!
Hell yeah! I mentioned this in my very first post a few days ago, bon voyage the idea of the starving artist. Great article!
Bon voyage starving artist, let's flip the script!
Thanks @voronoi you have inspired me to dig a little deeper and express my music! 😎 Great Post!
Hello @voronoi !
Great advice, I'm resteeming!:)
I also started posting a brief lessons about graphic design, check it out if you're interested!:)
Definitely, I'll check it out. Thanks for the resteem :)
meep
Thanks for the post.
I'm new for Steemit.
I like creating so much but I really don't know what can I do with Steemit actually.
I'll try to post my works here.
Awesome, give it a go!
Hello, thank you for the advice, I am new here and also exploring is there any opportunity for artist, designer, illustrator etc. I am very happy and feel lucky when see this post!
There's a lot of opportunity! Use Steemit as a chalkboard to test out new ideas and share your thought process. Enjoy!
I have been absolutely pleasantly surprised by the art community here so far. You encapsulated the idea well here.
I am continually shocked at how pleasant, thoughtful and supportive people are here. That's a hard thing to come by as a creative person!
exactly! I'm feeling more inspired to create and share
great points. very agreeable.
I'm launching the chat channels for artworks offered for sale.
don't know if it can work though, since Steem, as you said, is more a collective projecting and shareing community.
Great article @voronoi. You raise some interesting points about showing the process behind the work.
This is a great read it really validates how I like to show my art, the end product is great but its the little bits of your soul all along the way that makes it really become meaningful, I adore opening a window for people to see the gears turning, thank you for this post, it totally made my day :-)
I'm so glad! This place is so supportive and eager to learn about those little bits we typically hide away. There really hasn't been a good social platform to share it until now. Cheers :D
Solid insights and advice. I totally see how Steemit is an excellent fit for artists of all sorts. As a cartoonist, it has instant appeal to me personally too. Thanks for breaking it down into easy to digest tips for the community.
Absolutely, glad it could be of help. There are some great cartoonists on here, welcome and enjoy!
I love Steemit and this is very inspiring thank you for kind words ;) Resteemed and Followed
aww @voronoi this is soo cool and helpful! Instant upvote! :)
Very helpful, thanks! I just started creating art a year ago and am always looking to learn from others. I think (especially for a medium like this) progress shots and written explanations are fantastic ideas!
@voronoi Thanks for posting this... I got my husband to sign up and we are waiting for his approval. Only one step away. He is an artist and will love this article. ¯_(ツ)_/¯Resteemed
Thanks so much for your support!
Wonderful post! I have a friend (@luckyfellow) who could greatly benefit by some of this advice.
I wonder if SteemIt could be a workable alternative to Patreon for getting artists paid for their work.
I see a lot of users have accounts on both, I feel putting a focused effort in Steemit might pay off longer term for any artist just because Patreon itself is a pretty full market
That's a good point. Patreon is a good option for the current financial system, but SteemIt does feel more like the future for artists.
I agree with that. I think Steemit has all of the monetization tools already built-in to the system. There should be a subscriber service, or little tip buttons that add means of supporting folks beyond upvotes. I have a hunch that the upcoming "communities" feature may play a big role in transforming this...
Thanks for your advise....i have been using this like instagram...and yes i have seen u get more feedback when u write a bit more in the post... so i will apply it... thanks once more!
Great tips. You know what - I've shared some poetry and pictures on here, but never have gone into details to the thinking and ideas behind them. Thank you I think a new avenue has just opened up for me.
I think what I love most about Steemit is that from what I've seen so far and that you have touched on here, is the constructive criticism people provide you with. Which is awesome for artists like yourself. Great post, keep it up!
Pretty much been doing all this for my art post... Though it pretty disappointing how most artists on Steemit havent gotten the rewards they deserve all because they don't have a nice write up and stages of progression.... Thanks for spreading the
world...
Dang I love your posts @voronoi. You have such a great way of sharing yourself and your artistic inspirations. The info you shared here is truly of great value and such a great boost to anyone wishing to improve their artistic posts. I love how art is appreciated here on Steeit too. One day I will draw and color with you!
I love this post! I can't wait to share more of my art (and the process of making it) :)
Your work is great flo! Looking forward to more :)
Thank you so much, glad to hear you like it!
Really great advice
Glad it could be of use!
brilliant, just brilliant. and i feel your compassion by doing this post.
thank you @teamhumble that's very kind
it takes one process to make our creative art. it comes from another place to then pass it on to others. good job! :) smile, time to make more coffee.
Cheers to that! Haha
Very good tips and information, thank you.
Excellent! Great article!
Steemit is good for artists and also for us non artist that are learning to appreciate all the types of art.
meep
Nice post, I'm a new member here and i would like to thanks all
Nice tips! :)
meep
precisely
meep
Hello my friend
Happy day .. nice this post
yeah man
Clear and practical text. Thank you for the tips.
Steemit no just good for the artist....but all types of users....upvote and resteem for your post..
Steem and Steemit definitely could help out the starving or new artist looking to get that big break.
Maybe helpful for you, @nadejdaalienor?
This post received a 21% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @voronoi! For more information, click here!
Thank you, this is very encouraging! I'm figuring out how to use Steemit as a designer and how Steemit can work for me in return and this has given me some ideas!
I did not even start this Steemit as a creative venture in mind at all, but after being here almost a year arts and crafts and creativity just comes out, as I did this last night just for Steemit https://steemit.com/batman/@cryplectibles/crypto-collectibles-presents-batman-toy-from-mcdonalds-happy-meal
Great article
I am trying to produce artwork with my son
This is so helpful.
Congratulations @voronoi!
Your post was mentioned in my hit parade in the following category:
Thanks for the info! Re-steemed and upvoted!