How I Pay the Rent

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Happy Friday Doodlebugerz!
This topic was sent in through the blog giveaway I had recently—Thank you! Short answer - my husband pays the mortgage! I pay for groceries, car payment, cable bill/utilities , business expenses.... we divided up the bills ages ago.

The majority of my income comes from my graphic design business. Right now on my graphic design plate are t-shirt designs for the orthoditists above, Billboards for Celebrity Homes (above middle brochure pages),  two 28-page magazines (top right is one of them) and a 12 page newsletter for the City of La Vista. I'm pretty sure another new home builder is going to have me do a watercolor of an aerial photo. I am excited about a possible new client with a postcard campaign they want designed. There are a few other clients - but that is a long enough laundry list.

I have been a graphic designer for 26+ years. Owned my own business for 16 of those years. I always new I wanted to have a creative career. WAY BACK then, becoming an illustrator was just too scary for me! I didn't have much interest in galleries back then either. For me, sharing my art is a much more vulnerable thing to do. I know many of you can relate :-D

Until very recently, I had a small part time job at a 'paint your own pottery place'. I liked the "mad money" and the families that came in to paint. I miss the kids! If money got tight, it helped to stabilize my monthly income.

Forever I have been walking around stores, looking at stuff with art on it and saying "I could do that!" My adult children can't remember a time when I didn't say that :-)

I am on the new end of art licensing and THRILLED to be here! It is the absolute perfect combination of art and graphic design for me. I love the challenge! I feel so very blessed to be able to do what I love and get paid too :-)

Thanks so much for stopping by - please comment below and tell me a bit about you. If you don't mind sharing how you pay the rent - please share! It might spur an idea in someone else.

Blogging - What I Have Discovered, (so far)

Confessions of a Right Brainer

I thought about blogging for a long time. I knew it is important to post on a regular basis - at least that is what folks who are experts on blogging say. I worried (still do a bit) about how will I come up with stuff to write about that may be helpful.

Blogging is great for marketing.  - Well, I am focusing mostly on other licensed artist. I would think manufactures etc. would be the ones to purchase my art... Of course I never know who is reading my posts unless they comment.

Reading/writing and spelling were my worst subjects in school - I thank god every day for spell check! :-D

So why did I start blogging? I wanted to have a record. A way to look back at what has happened to me in the last year(s) in the world of art licensing. Yep, I was focused on me :-) I find that when I am feeling like I am getting no where fast, It is great to look back and see what I did accomplish. Sometimes I let the bad things out way the good. Crazy that we do that. (Did you notice I lumped you in with me? :-) I also thought some of my graphic design stuff might be useful to other artists.

What I discovered is that I need art friends! This blog has connected me with so many more creative people in 6 1/2 months, than I have had since my college art days. (I am pert near 50 years old). I love it! The emails, comments and social media connections are fabulous. It is great to get other points of view.

(Sorry all you tough guys out there...) This is a great BIG, fuzzy, gushy THANK YOU for your support and input.

Make my day and follow this blog! - Thanks in advance for commenting :-D

5 Simple Newsletter Tips

Recently I sent out a marketing email to my graphic design clients. I thought all of you might be interested - we all do marketing as a part of doing business.

Write in the 3rd person. Take a look at newspapers and magazines for examples.

Little to no sales hype. Your consumers will see how great you are by the information you provide.

Keep it conversational. No need to wow them with your technical knowledge - you will seem less approachable.

Front page should pack a punch. Large photos are an easy way to grab attention.

No color - no problem. Black and white is less expensive to print and will work just as well.

Thanks for reading! ~Annie