Aug

Whether you are James Bond Graphic Artist for a company, a freelance illustrator on your own or a portrait artist working Tales from the Crypt or on the side, you may have been (or still could be) guilty of one of these mistakes that many artists make:

1. Having no clear direction for yourself as an artist.

No matter what talents a person has, you ball jointed dolls have some type of plan or goals for the use of that talent. The more talented and skilled you are, the evident it is that your talent has a purpose. Many artists never take the time out 1933 Goudey baseball cards set a plan for themselves as artists. Could be taking a class to improve your skills, or getting X amount of paid projects per month. The point is, set a plan and then work that plan.

2. Not having a web presence to show your work.

Its a shame that many artists strike up conversations with people interested in their work, yet they cant send this person anywhere on the web to view their portfolio. Whats worst is that many of those same artists use the net everyday. In this day and age, the person who can connect with prospective clients the fastest is the artist that has either a paid or free internet portfolio that promotes you as an artist.

3. Not clearly identifying your audience.

Many other business people make this mistake quite often. When you invest anything in order to advertise or market yourself as an artist, you must be sure that you know who is MOST LIKELY to do business with you. What is the average age? What is their average income? What do they like about your work, etc? The answers to these and a few other questions allow you to target your marketing strategy to those most likely to respond.

4. Not following up with people whove expressed interest in their work.

An artist that sells their work or services is a business person. Following up with an email or phone call with prospects just makes good business sense.

5. Not keeping in contact with former clients.

Who else to buy your work now than someone that has already bought from you.

Tony Snipes is an Artist, ministry leader, Illustrator and founder of "The Kreative Kingdom", whose goal is to help artists seek God's purpose and plan for their creative talent.

Tony's newsletter/discussion group "Art Lessons From God!" discusses topics related to:

-The artistic gift God has given artists.
-Why God has given us our artistic talent?
-What does HE want us to do with it?

"Art Lessons From God" can be found at: http://kreativekingdom.org

You are Wizard of oz playset proud owner of a quality piece of jewelry. You want the piece to last through years of wearing, and you know 1957 Topps baseball cards it needs specific care. Here are some common-sense ways, and a few you may not have thought of, to care for your gold, silver, and gemstone jewelry.

Rings with gemstones and diamonds that are raised high need particular caution when wearing to be sure that the ring does not catch on something and have the stone pulled off, or worse yet, your finger cut! Be especially careful when working around machinery or electricity. Hard working hands can come in 1972 Topps baseball cards with many objects that may scratch or dull the surface of the ring or gemstone, including common chemicals such as bleach or ammonia. If your work day or sport is hard on your hands and jewelry, perhaps you should consider leaving the ring at home, even if it is your wedding ring,

When applying lotion or make up or using hair spray, take your rings off. Some cosmetics will get "goo" in the small places and will make the stones look dull. Definitely take off your rings if you are working with any hair product that contains ammonia or bleach, as these will turn sterling instantly black, and dull the luster on pearls!

When you wish to clean lotion residue or dirt from your jewelry, warm, soapy water in a small dish and a toothbrush is a good way to scrub away the dirt. If you have soft stones, such as lapis lazuli, pearls, turquoise, or opals, soapy water is the best, rather than chemical cleaners. Be sure to use a small dish and not the sink, or you may be saying bye-bye to your stone or ring as it goes down the drain.

An ultrasound cleaner is a small box that has a motor that produces ultrasonic waves through a Video Games solution and bubbles away dirt and stains. It works well on hard gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. It effectively knocks off the dirt in tiny cracks and crevices that a toothbrush can't reach.

A steam cleaner blasts a small jet of steam and air into the tiny places in a setting. Composite stones are two or more layers of stone fused together, and stones such as these should not be placed in an ultrasound or steam cleaner or be chemically cleaned. Opals are often fused to another stone to give the opal's strength, and the fusion could be damaged by harsh cleaning.

Interim care of your gold, silver and gemstone jewelry is something you can do yourself periodically. But it still does not take the place of a good cleaning at a jeweler's where the integrity of the setting points can be examined, the gold and silver polished with a good jeweler's polish, and the stones checked for cracks, scratches or any damages. A jeweler may be able to discover a possible problem and take care of it before the ring has become irreparable or lost.

Each http://www.Personalized-Jewelry.com item is made to your exact specifications and made even more special with the personalization you choose. Create your custom piece to include a loved one's name, a wedding date, a birth date, religious occasion or words that inspire or touch your heart.