AUTHOR: Alisha
TITLE: Making the Brand, Part Two
DATE: 2/24/2005 07:35:00 AM
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Ok, I've rambled about why I think branding is important... no, scratch that... ESSENTIAL for artists and craftspeople. Now, it's time for me to back that up by showing you WHAT I mean.
You've got art brands. Then, there are craft brands. I suppose in most respects it is easier for craftspeople to brand themselves, particularly practical craftspeople like jewelers, potters, or weavers. Their medium goes hand-in-hand with traditional marks of entrepreneurship: business cards, signage, web sites, and letterhead.
But as you can see below, even artists like recently revived media mavens Christo and Jeanne-Claude need a professional image.
Galleries can do this for artists. Reps and consultants can as well. However, most artists don't have this luxury. And appearing professional means trying to look like you know what you are doing or have been in the creative world for longer than you actually have. Looking at these names, you can see that a simple logo, choice of script, OR font can create this lasting impression.
When you really think about it, it's just plain irresponsible to be a working artist today without the benefit of a branded identity. We know first impressions matter and art is a business filled with thousands of first impressions. To be successful you must make every first impression count.
Look at how these well-known creative minds have moved their name from a simple series of letters to a B R A N D statement that says, "Remember me. I'm not going anywhere."
Eric Fischl :: the late Richard Avedon :: painter and graphic artist Alex Katz
So, what kind of impression are you creating? Do you try to build your brand with consistency and clarity? Or do you just simply stick with trying to make good work and hope the rest of your career will magically fall into place?
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