Print: Real Estate Postcard
Success Story: KauaiArtist
Success Story: KauaiArtist
Inspiring story about Marionette Taboniar (aka KauaiArtist) who has a fine art studio on Kauai and teaches classes as “Painting Paradise”. She sells fine art and creates graphic design, as well.
Marionette was recently commissioned by a major retailer, Victoria’s Secret, for a custom design for their swimwear collection. They found her through her Etsy shop, which is colorfully prolific. And here is what she did for them.
I took a class with Marionette once while in Kauai and once online (Painting Plumeria). She is an excellent teacher, friendly and knows exactly how to guide for all levels. I had a great time. She helped me over an artistic block and I painted a wildly colorful pineapple. Grateful for that, I do recommend her.
“Tropical Popsicle Pineapple” © 2011 Meagan Healy
Take Away Tip
Having your portfolio in one space online, connected with a social media network, enables people to find you. This can be any social media network. Etsy has a strong community behind it, in my opinion, as it is a collection of storefronts. Most people on Etsy have already done the work of setting themselves up as a business. There are others, too, such as LinkedIn with Behance.net
Also, be consistent about your marketing (also known as “sharing of your work”). Does it matter how you do it? In my opinion, no. Just as long as you do it, do it well, and do it regularly. You can have a lovely portfolio but unless people know to go and see it, it doesn’t matter how lovely it is. Social Networking or old-school face-to-face networking or both will be beneficial.
Myself? As a graphic designer, I have my blog and am currently connected with LinkedIn (Behance.net), Twitter, my client network and a face-to-face networking group.
App Review: “I will see you in Montmartre!”
“I will see you in Montmartre!”
Obvious State Studios has just released “The Paris Journal”, a digital book, as an app.
This is not an e-book. There are no words, except for a description of the project at the end.
Visit their blog to find out more about the project.
(click here)
The first chapter or episode features the Paris neighborhood, Montmartre. Nichole Robertson’s photographs and Evan Robertson’s videos walk you around in the morning, afternoon, and evening. (The videos are short, just short enough to be described as “moving pictures”.)
Quiet and atmospheric are the two words that this presentation evokes for me. None of the photos or videos feature any people. An empty merry-go-round spins. A metro-train arrives and departs, seemingly without any people on it.
Okay, so perhaps you see a hand or a foot, here and there. It’s not devoid of life, it’s just not focused on people as much as it is focused on experiencing the locale. I find this refreshing. I can have my experience through their eyes.
In addition to being designed well, this project also takes advantage of the digital app format technology, one that I have been especially interested in.
If you own an Apple device, you can download a sample of their first “chapter” to take a peek (Link to iTunes store with photos). According to their blog, they are in the process of creating an app for Kindle, Galaxy, and Android devices. (The viewer app is free. The in-app Montmartre chapter is $1.99.) If you don’t own an Apple device, until they come out with a compatible app for your device, take a look at their website or their posters and books that features similar photos and artwork on posters. Really nice work.
