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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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How To Become An Actor From The Ground-Up

Have you ever had the dream of becoming a famous Hollywood actor or actress one day? Luckily for anyone with that dream, becoming an actor is easier than ever before. Although it is easier to become a professional actor, breaking into the industry still requires a lot of hard work. Alongside hard work is passion and dedication. If you are just starting to explore acting as a career. You must make it to Hollywood, then you should follow these rules in order to increase your odds of success.

How to Become an ActorStudy Acting In School

Though it's possible to get into acting without a formal education going to school for acting can be extremely helpful for actors just starting. By studying acting in school, you will get exposure to professionals, learn about standard techniques, and get more opportunities for open auditions. The school will also help you to build your resume, get exposure, and set up a network of contacts.

Hire An Acting Coach

An acting coach can give you more personal attention in order to work on your weaknesses and expand your strengths. Look for a coach with a lot of industry experience and connections if possible. Try to find someone with experience in multiple fields so you can train and get pointers in a few different areas.

Stay Informed About The Industry

Check out industry news regularly in order to stay ahead of the game. Websites like Variety, Backstage, Hollywood Reporter, and BusinessWeek can be very useful to find out about current trends in the acting business. You should also stay up to date on emerging playwrights and directors as well as any possible new theaters in your area.

Gain A Variety Of Experience

Seek out small playhouses and theaters where you live and audition for various roles. Contact your local theater (s) to see if they have any special events or seminars coming up that you could attend or volunteer for.

Join An Improvisation Class

Improvisation in a movie can often make the film much better or even iconic. Robert Deniro absolutely embodied his role as Travis Bickle in Taxi. But did you know that the classic scene of him staring in the mirror saying “You talking to me?” was completely ad-libbed?

The skills that an improvisation theater or group can teach you are extremely valuable for both new and experienced actors. If you ever have the misfortune to forget your lines halfway through a live performance, knowing how to improvise will be quite useful. Not only can you use improvisation when you are in crisis mode, but improv is a great way to learn what you are good at in acting and discover more about your acting range.

Get Your Headshots Taken

When I say that you should get your headshots taken, let me clarify by saying that you should have your headshots taken by a professional photographer. By using a professional to take your photos you can be sure that you have the best-looking pictures. Update your headshot every 2 or 3 years so that casting directors will know what you currently look like.

Create A Resume

Act in as many roles as possible in order to build up an extensive resume. Audition for commercials, music videos, and live performances so that you can pad your resume with lots of related experience. List your acting-related strengths or special abilities that you have such as dancing, singing, or dialects. You can list both paid and non-paid work, as long as it’s tied into acting or the performing arts in general.

Go Where The Work Is

If you want to work on Wall Street, you don’t move to North Dakota. The same can be said for the performing arts. Consider moving to New York, Florida, Los Angeles, Austin, or Atlanta if you’re in the United States. If you can’t move at this time or in the near future, start out by working in the local film scene or in areas that you can easily get to. In the meantime, you should be saving money so that you can move to a larger city where more acting roles are available and movies are made frequently.

Learn Several Different Monologues

Monologues can often be used to help get you cast in television, plays, and movies. They also allow you to quickly yet effectively showcase your talents. Take the time to look up several 1-2 minute monologues online. Choose a monologue based on the type of actor you are. For example, don’t read a monologue about a short man if you are a tall man. You should choose monologues that contrast in order to better show off your craft. Even if you always play the funny man, have a couple dramatic monologues ready to call on when requested.

Look For Parts In Commercials

Search for casting calls on websites like Hathart, Backstage, Hollywood Reporter, and Variety for local commercials. Be sure to dress for the part you’re auditioning for so the casting directors can easily picture you in the role.

Commercials are smaller roles, but it will give you exposure to a wide audience and get your face out to the public. Dean Winters can sometimes be seen as a cop on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but most people know and love him as “Mayhem” from the Allstate commercials, that douchey presence that can hilariously f**k up your day.

Join A Union For Performers

Join organizations such as AEA and AGVA. One of the good things about unions is they provide you with benefits and insurances while you are working. Once you have been a member for at least one year and have worked under a union, you will be eligible to join the Screen Actor's Guild. Annual SAG fees are $201.96 USD and 1.575% of the earnings you make in that year. Be sure to check with the union you’re interested in to see what their annual rates are.

Network

Build your reputation as a professional by networking. Reach out to others first and show a genuine interest in the people you know and meet. People in your network can connect you to available jobs and provide you with valuable insights about the acting business. Use websites like Hathart or Linkedin to connect with others in the acting community.

Increase Your Internet Exposure

You should always be trying to increase your internet exposure. Build a personal website with an easy to remember URL, like your name. You can quickly and cheaply create a personal website using WordPress or Squarespace. Set up a page on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram where fans can like and share your content. Use popular hashtags in your posts so you can get the maximum amount of exposure. Put videos of all your performances on YouTube. After building a social media presence, sign up on other acting-related sites like Actors Access to connect with people in the industry.

Develop More Skills

The more skills you have, the more versatile you will be and the more likely you are to land roles. Here are some skills that are particularly important:

Excellent communication: Acting is about setting a scene, conveying emotion, and connecting with the audience. Five-star speaking skills are critical.

Great memorization: Memorizing a script in order to perform long, unbroken scenes is a must for any actor.

Projecting your voice: Since audience members may be sitting rows away from the stage, work on enunciating your words clearly and loudly.

Improvisation: You need to be able to think on your feet for a career in acting so improvisation is a must-know.

Dialects: The best actors are always the ones that can truly embody a role, especially when it comes to perfecting the character’s accent.

Singing: Singing is a great skill to have, especially if you want to break into plays and musicals.

Dancing: Just like with singing, dancing is a great skill to have, particularly for plays and musicals.

Be Persistent

Talent is overrated. Persistence is always better than talent. Performers need to have a lot of grit and persistence in order to make it in the acting industry. Those actors who are willing to give it there all day after day will have a much greater chance of success than the naturally talented or the Julliard-trained actor who waits for opportunities to find him.

Additional Resources

Ace Your Audition-This site connects actors with a monologue for auditions.

Actors Equity Association-This labor union for actors provides help with benefits, working conditions, contract negotiations and more.

The Actors Fund-This organization helps actors with common issues, including housing, healthcare, social services, and financial assistance.

National Association of Schools of Theatre-This organization of schools, colleges, universities, and conservatories strives to provide a top-notch educational experience through proper accreditation.

National Endowment for the Arts-This independent federal agency offers to fund for a variety of arts across the United States, including theater productions.

SAG-AFTRA-The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists brings together two powerful unions to provide important protections and information to those in the entertainment industry.

#actor #acting #actor auditions #actor resources #become an actor

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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12 Items Every Serious Classical Dancer Needs

Dancing is an art form that many consider to be both a performing art and a sport. Dancing requires not just a resume and headshot, but some serious stamina as well. Utilizing the proper dancewear can greatly minimize the risk of injury while dancing.

Shoes

During an audition you never know what kind of dancing you'll be asked to perform, so it is important to bring a variety of shoes. In addition to your basic ballet slippers or jazz shoes, make sure to pack shoes for all the specialty dance forms you can do, such as tap or pointe work. A choreographer may suddenly want to see a different style, even if it wasn't specified in the audition notice, especially if your résumé indicates that you can do it. Ladies should also always have something with a heel.

Hair Ties

Though not in all cases, in most cases a dancer will need to have securely tied hair. Classical dancers in particular need to be meticulous in sporting a neat hairstyle that will stay in place and not interfere with the look or execution of their movements. Be sure to pack a small bag of hair essentials including hairpins, hair ties, and hair spray. Hair ties have been known to snap easily, and the last thing you want during an audition is hair in your face.

A Foot Stretcher

Dancers can sometimes lose foot flexibility in the arch. Using a quality foot stretcher regularly will help to maintain a strong arch.

Tights

Dancers often must wear tights during their performances. Dance tights are stretchy and easy to move in, but they also help to prevent blisters. In case of tears, runs, stains, or excessive sweating, you want to have a pair of backup tights.

A Turnboard

Master your pirouettes by practicing on a turnboard. Turnboards are a great tool that will help you to complete full or multiple rotations while you focus on spotting, balance, and posture.

Leotards

A basic leotard is especially useful during rehearsals or auditions. Leotards both make it easier for the dancer to move and for the instructor to see body placement.

Makeup

You may not wear makeup to class or rehearsal, but you'll be wearing it to auditions. Carry a small makeup bag for auditions just in case you need to do a touch-up.

Resistance Bands

Dancers need to be very flexible. To increase or maintain your flexibility and range of motion, look into getting some resistance bands. Inexpensive and highly effective, this is something that every dancer should use regularly.

Portable Ballet Barre

A portable ballet barre is a great buy for any serious dancer who wants to continue practicing outside of their rehearsals. The double barre is preferred over the single, as it will better assist you with stretching, port de bras, grand plies, etc. Get one of these for your home studio and see your flexibility improve.

Reading Material

Auditions can take forever and rehearsals can go even longer. For the downtime, always have a good book or magazine with you.

Snacks

A dancer’s schedule can often include long sessions. On the days when you're not sure when you’ll be able to grab something to eat, be sure to bring your own snacks from home on a regular basis.

Deodorant

Don’t be that person who is stinking up the dance studio. Keep a stick of deodorant in your bag at all times.

#dance audition #dance items #dance rehearsal

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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Signs Of An Art Scam And How To Avoid Them

With the advance in technology, scams are becoming more sophisticated. Unfortunately for the hard-working artists of the world, arts scams are becoming much more prevalent. Luckily, there are ways in which artists can protect themselves from being taken in by one of the many online scams out there.

Why Scammers Target Artists

Because artists take immense pride in their work and like to be recognized for their abilities, they make great targets. Scammers can be particularly charming and that’s what makes them more insidious. While you should never wear distrust on your sleeve, you should always approach any potential transaction with a bit of skepticism. When used correctly, skepticism can help you to recognize and avoid much of the skullduggery discussed below.

Most Common Types Of ScamsAuction Fraud

Like with selling or buying on Amazon, even the most legitimate of art auction websites will attract scammers. When selling your art, be wary of people who want to send you more money than the cost of the item then ask for a refund, who want to overpay for items, or who ask you to ship items to another country even though the purchaser is supposedly based in the US.

Identity Theft/Phishing

Identity theft scams can take many different forms. Phishing schemes are particularly prevalent these days. This type of identity theft occurs when a scammer sends you an email pretending to be from a legitimate company or individual. This email will often contain some aspect of urgency to respond and will ask you to confirm your personal information by clicking on a link. Once you click on the link, you will be taken to a website that looks very official but is actually a fake. These websites will then attempt to gain access to your information.

Non-payment For Items Sold

In order to pull off this scheme, the scammer will normally offer to pay for the artwork with a cashier’s check or a money order which can take up to three weeks to clear. Once the cashier’s check inevitably bounces, the artist is left without the payment he or she was expecting and without their art.

Overpayment

An overpayment scam is when someone purchases a piece of art from you, then tries to overpay, normally with a cashier’s check, a money order, or some other form of 3rd-party payment. The scammer will suggest that you just refund them the difference. Once the person discovers that the money was not received, the unsuspecting artist has already provided the refund and lost their money.

Red Flags Of A Potential Art ScamNumerous Grammatical Errors

Many email scams will read strangely, with odd or generic phrasing. When trying to deduce whether you might be getting involved with a scam, check for blatant spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. A lot of these scams tend to originate abroad, so keep an eye out for those types of mistakes.

Asking For Personal Information

When someone asks for your personal information, an artist should always consider that a red flag. In this day and age, it is very simple to conduct a secure transaction without ever needing to provide personal information to a potential buyer.

Email Being Delivered To The Spam Folder

An email being delivered straight to your spam folder is perhaps the most obvious red flag. If the email ended up in your spam folder, there is definitely a reason for it.

Connection To Countries With High Rates Of Scamming

If the person or company you are corresponding with is connected to a country known for scams, you may want to be on your guard. Countries that have a high instance of scams include China, Indonesia, Nigeria, India, and Brazil.

Incorrect Information

Scamming emails can sometimes be vague or get important details wrong. When the scammer is sending the same email to thousands of artists, there is a good chance that they may make a noticeable mistake, such as a painter being contacted about buying one of his songs.

The Name And Email Address Are Inconsistent

Sometimes you can sniff out a scammer if you notice that the name of the person sending you an email and the email address they are using are not the same.

The Person Will Pretend To Be In A Hurry And Want To Purchase Immediately

This is partly to fluster you and give you less time to think, but it’s mainly because if they know the check they’re sending you is going to bounce, or the credit card is stolen, they need the transaction completed before the bank catches on and you find out.

How To Avoid Being Scammed

If dealing with a business, be wary of emails that come from private email accounts such as Yahoo or Gmail. Professional companies have their own domain names.

Confirm the domain name is registered by searching on Whois Domain Lookup. The owner of the domain should be visible and there should be clear contact information.

Research the web and social media for reviews from other users.

Be sure that the company has a physical address and a contact person.

Search for the contact person’s name and see what you can find out about that person.

When selling items, use escrow services and track any shipments you send to ensure delivery.

Always check that the sender’s name and email address match.

Never give away your credit card or bank account information, your personal address, or your social security number.

If you are suspicious at all, try Googling the email address of the contact you’re corresponding with. You can also check Stop Art Scams, which is regularly updated. Because scammers send so many emails, their email addresses often become associated with the art scam they’re running. It’s always a good idea to check if that email address has been blacklisted anywhere online.

Always be firm about following your usual method of payment. Politely explain that you’re not willing to take payment through cashier’s checks or money orders. Oftentimes, an art scam will center on the method of payment suggested by the scammer. If you stick to your normal and safe method of accepting payments they are more likely to give up on the scam and move on to easier pickings.

Never accept overpayments.

Never ship your work until the payment has been cleared with your bank.

Resources To Confirm That Something Is Legitimate

Whois Domain Lookup –confirm that a website domain name is legally registered

Stop Art Scams– a blog by artist Kathleen McMahon that catalogues common art scams

FTC Complaint Assistant– submit a scam complaint to the FTC

Better Business Bureau– tips on avoiding art scams

Conclusion

Like all things in the world, art scams are becoming more refined by the day. It is very important for you as an artist to protect yourself. If you follow the advice laid out in this article, you will be able to better avoid art scams when selling your art.

#avoid art scams #internet art scams #email art scams #online art scams #protect your art #email art scams about buying art #how to avoid art scams online #stop art scams

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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20 Artists Who Failed Miserably Before They Succeeded Big

As Winston Churchill once wisely said, “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”

Anyone who has achieved anything great or has changed the world in some way has made a choice to embrace failure as a stepping - stone to accomplish his or her goals. Successful artists understand that every failure brings them one step closer to achieving their goals. Here is a list of 21 performing and visual artists who failed miserably before they succeeded big.

Charles Schultz

Before he created the beloved series, Peanuts (featuring Snoopy and Charlie Brown), cartoon artist, Charles Schultz was rejected by his high school yearbook. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, Schultz used that failure as motivation to create the comic series he became famous for. Today, the revenue from Peanuts has generated over $1 billion a year. Schultz’s high school actually went on to put a statue of Snoopy in the main office.

Walt Disney

The man who gave us Mickey Mouse and Disney World started his career as the artist nobody wanted to hire. His first animation company went bankrupt. A news editor fired him because he believed he lacked imagination. After this setback, Walt Disney decided to form Disney Brothers Studio with his brother Roy. Disney Brothers Studio later became called the Walt Disney Company. In 1928, five years after creating the Walt Disney Company, Disney created Mickey Mouse. The rest is history.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey made his standup debut at a comedy club called Yuk Yuk’s, which he completely bombed. After 11 years of trying to become an actor Carrey finally got his break in 1990 when he was cast on the show, In Living Color. In 1994, he got his biggest break yet to star in Ace Ventura. It was that role that helped to catapult him into stardom.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is one of the best-selling artists of all time. She has 6 Grammy awards under her belt and 13 MTV Video Music Awards. Before accomplishing all of that, Lady Gaga was dropped by Def Jam records after only 3 months of signing on with them. Def Jam Records believed that her over the top style of dress and music would not appeal to the masses. Lady Gaga stuck to her guns and it clearly worked in her favor.

Fred Astaire

Born in 1899, in Omaha, Nebraska, Fred Astaire is another famous failure. Astaire was supposedly rejected during a Hollywood screen test. He was told that he “Can’t act. Slighty bald. Dances a little.” He kept working at his dancing and acting and was finally able to create a successful career from it.

Beyoncé

You know you’re big when you are known as the queen. But even Queen Bey experienced her fair share of initial failures before she hit it big. Before she was Queen Bey, 12-year-old Beyoncé was a member of the group Girls Tyme. The group appeared on a 1993 episode of the talent show, Star Search, and lost. A group called Skeleton Crew beat out girls Tyme and clearly Beyoncé never forgot the loss. You can actually see a snippet of that loss in her music video for “Flawless.”

In a 2013 interview, Beyoncé called the loss “a really defining moment in my life as a child.” She went on to say, “At that time, you don’t realize that you could work super hard and give everything you have—and lose.” She added: “You’re never too good to lose; you’re never too big to lose.” She didn’t allow that setback to define her and today Beyoncé has 22 Grammys to her name and is worth $355 million.

Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z

It would be a disservice to talk about Queen Bey, without also mentioning the Jigga Man himself. Although Jay-Z is considered to be one of the most successful rappers of all time, his early life was characterized by an unstable family life and a string of failures that led to him dealing drugs. Because no record label wanted to sign him, Jay-Z started selling CDs out of the trunk of his car. After every major label had turned him down, he decided to found his own label called Roc-A-Fella Records.

Charlie Chaplin

Born into poverty in 1889, Charlie Chaplin’s father abandoned the family, leaving his mother to care for the family alone. Throughout his childhood, Chaplin was forced to go to a workhouse, an institution in the UK where the indigent worked in exchange for room and board. During this time, Chaplin participated in stage plays. Eventually, Chaplin made his way to Hollywood, California where he was continuously turned away and snubbed, only later to become the greatest silent-film actor to have ever lived.

Sylvester Stallone

After moving to New York City in the 1970’s to pursue an acting career, Sylvester Stallone seemed to experience nothing but rejection and failure. People would tell him that he couldn’t act, that he talked funny, and even that he walked strangely.

Stallone was rejected at least 1,500 times by everyone that he met in the film industry. He would sit for hours on end in offices just to wait to the see the person who would ultimately reject him again. Stallone ended up homeless. He lived and slept in the bus station for three weeks while trying to save money for an apartment.

After writing the script for Rocky, he was offered more than $300,000 if he agreed not to star in the film. He refused time and again. Rocky Balboa is now the pride and joy of Philadelphia and even has a famous statue that is a major tourist attraction. You know you’ve hit it big when a major U.S. city wants to build a commemorative statue of a fictional character you created and starred as!

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley has sold over 1 billion records worldwide; however, his rise to the top was rife with failures. When Elvis was 18-years old, he recorded a demo with Sun Records, but nothing came of it. A year later, in 1954, he recorded another demo, which also floundered. That same year, Presley auditioned for the Songfellows quartet, but was rejected. When his father asked him what had happened, Presley stated, “They told me I couldn’t sing.”

Through a friend, Elvis eventually met Eddie Bond who helped him to find a gig as a vocalist in a professional band. They arranged some recordings, but nothing came of it until months later when Presley performed Arthur Crudup’s blues number, “That’s All Right.” That performance got the attention of a professional DJ, which jumpstarted the career of the “King Of Rock And Roll.”

George Lucas

George Lucas is the creative genius behind the Star Wars franchise and the Raiders Of The Lost Ark. But his feature film directorial debut in 1971, THX 1138, lost more money than it cost to make. Undeterred, Lucas’ next film, American Graffiti, was a huge success. Even still, his newly gained clout wasn’t enough to persuade two different studios of the viability of his next project, Star Wars. Eventually, 20th Century Fox approved the script. When it was released, Star Wars went on to become the highest grossing film of all time.

Jerry Seinfeld

After graduating from Queens College in 1976, Jerry Seinfeld tried his hand at standup during an open-mic night in New York City where he froze on stage and forgot his jokes. He was then booed off the stage but he didn’t let that stop him.

Over the next three years Seinfeld honed his standup skills. This eventually led to an appearance on an HBO Special for Rodney Dangerfield, and afterwards, to a role on the sitcom, Benson. In 1988, Seinfeld created the semi-fictional series about his life with co-creator Larry David called Seinfeld. By 2002, TV Guide ranked it as the greatest show of all time.

Harrison Ford

When Harrison Ford headed to Los Angeles to establish a career in voice-overs, he failed to secure any jobs, but he stayed in the area. After two years of working odd jobs and small-time gigs, Ford landed his first role as a bellhop in the 1964 movie, Dead Heat on a Merry-Go Round. However, studio executives were rough on Ford, telling him that “he would never make it in this business.”

But Harrison Ford refused to give up. 9 years later in 1973, Ford landed his breakthrough role in George Lucas’s film, American Graffiti. Because of that role, and his relationship with Lucas, Harrison Ford was able to build a highly successful acting career. George Lucas later cast Ford in Star Wars and the Indiana Jones series.

Kerry Washington

Before being catapulted to stardom with her lead role on hit drama, Scandal, Kerry Washington was fired from a pilot she filmed after it was picked up. In an interview, Kerry mentioned that, “Before Scandal, the only other two pilots I’d ever done were shows that got picked up, but I got fired,” Washington said at the Hollywood Reporter‘s Emmy Roundtable, “They recast my character on both shows.” That would certainly be a tough pill to swallow once, let alone twice. But Washington proved that tenacity and perseverance can help you to overcome any failure.

Madonna

After dropping out of the University Michigan School of Music in order to pursue a career as an artist, Madonna started working at Dunkin’ Donuts in Times Square. That job was hilariously short-lived because she was fired on her first day after squirting jelly on a customer.

With only $35 in her pocket when arriving in New York City, Madonna searched for other work. She took random jobs, primarily as a backup dancer for modern dance troupes. One night, when she was returning home after a rehearsal, she was even robbed by two men at knifepoint. Needless to say this discouraged Madonna, but it did not deter her.

She landed small singing parts and performed with bands such as the Breakfast Club. Eventually she caught the eye of Sire Records founder, Seymour Stein. In 1982, at the age of 24-years old, she debuted her single, “Everybody,” followed by, “Burning Up,” both which became huge club hits. Since then Madonna has become one of the world’s wealthiest music artists with a net worth of $800 million.

Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg is, without a doubt, one of the most successful American filmmakers in history. Nonetheless, he was rejected from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema Arts, not once, but twice. He finally went on to graduate from Cal State University in Long Beach. Spielberg eventually received an honorary degree from the film school that rejected him and is now worth $2.7 billion.

The Beatles

The Beatles were rejected by numerous record labels including Decca Records, which said, “guitar groups are on the way out” and “the Beatles have no future in show business.” Five months after that rejection, The Beatles signed with George Martin from Parlophone and released their first in a string of hits later that year entitled, “Love Me Do.” Since then, The Beatles have sold more singles in the UK than anyone else, and have moved more units in the US (more than 177 million) than any other group.

Jon Hamm

Following his move to Los Angeles, Jon Hamm couldn’t land a single gig. He was so unsuccessful in finding acting work that his talent agency fired him. Hamm began working as a waiter and had contemplated giving up entirely on the acting business, considering himself to be a major failure at the time.

During the time he had been considering quitting acting for a more stable career, Jon found work on Mel Gibson’s movie, We Were Soldiers. It was after getting this role that he decided to stick it out in show business.

Good thing he did because he eventually landed the role of a lifetime with 2007’s Mad Men, turning him, not only into a famous actor, but a cultural icon. When he was cast as Don Draper, Hamm stated that he was at “the bottom of everyone’s list.” Hamm’s story shows that keeping hope alive can lead to amazing results.

Katy Perry

In 1999, at the age of 15, Katy Perry dropped out of high school after completing her GED in order to pursue a music career full time. She signed with Red Hill Records and debuted a gospel album called, Katy Hudson in 2001. After the album only sold 200 copies, Red Hill Records closed its doors just a few months later.

When she was 20-years old, Perry signed with another label called Java to work on a solo record, but her record was shelved. Afterwards, Perry signed with Columbia Records, and recorded new music over the next two years. But before the record was completed, she was dropped from that label as well.

Katy Perry’s big break finally came in 2007 when she signed with Capitol Records. In 2008, she released the would-be-hit song, “I Kissed a Girl.” What seemed like an overnight success at the time actually took nine years to accomplish.

Vincent Van Gogh

For most of his life, Vincent Van Gogh believed himself to be a failure. Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime. Despite that, he kept painting and finished over 800 pieces. Now everyone wants to buy them and his most expensive painting is valued at $142.7 million.

Luckily for the artists of today, you probably wouldn’t need to die before becoming recognized for your work.

#art #artists who failed #artists who succeeded #successful artists

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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11 Habits to Be a Successful Artist

As Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” But what are the actual habits on how to be a successful artist?

How to Be a Succesful Artist 101

Why is it that some artists are more successful than others? Some believe that luck or talent determines success. In reality, it’s the habits that successful artists have that set them above the rest. Below, see the 11 habits that help artists create a successful career.

Successful Artists Practice Daily:

It takes a lot of failures to make great art. Andy Grammar wrote 100 songs before he wrote his smash top 10 hit, “Honey, I’m Good.” This goes to show that the best artists practice their craft every day. No matter what else is happening in their lives, successful artists have the discipline to practice. They even do it on days when they’re exhausted and don’t feel like it.

Successful Artists Are Continually Learning:

This is one of the most effective ways on how to be a successful artist. The art world is always changing and successful artists must change as well. Learning about new techniques and trends can help artists immensely when it comes to maintaining a competitive edge. Reading is a great way to find new ideas for art projects or to learn more about the industry from experts. If you don’t have time to read, look into taking online courses or listening to podcasts and audiobooks that can help to expand your knowledge base.

Successful Artists Let Go Of The Notion Of Perfect:

There’s an old saying that perfect is the enemy of the good. Nothing could be truer. When someone is constantly trying to create a perfect work of art, they are much more likely to not finish the project at all. Instead of attempting to make the next great masterpiece, artists should instead just create. The best way to learn whether something will work is to take action and measure the results.

Successful Artists Visualize Success:

People have the unfortunate habit of being their own worst enemy. Successful artists can create the habit of success by visualizing themselves already having achieved that picture of success. Studies have proven that visualization works. Something as simple as creating a vision board can help a person to see all of the goals they plan to achieve and motivate them to take daily action to achieve those goals.

Successful Artists Practice Self-Care:

Successful people take care of themselves. Managing stress and staying healthy helps successful artists be their most productive selves. Self-care includes but is not limited to meditation, eating healthy, exercising, and getting enough sleep. People with great minds know that they have to make their physical and mental health a top priority in order to perform at their best.

Successful Artists Are Persistent:

Successful artists are those that are resilient and persistent. Art is highly subjective and rejection is unavoidable. Those that succeed in the end are the ones that take each rejection or failure on the chin and keep at it.

Successful Artists Wake Up Early:

Artists that succeed at the highest levels tend to be early risers. This is because the earlier you wake up, the fewer distractions you will encounter. Waking up early also gives an artist the time to practice self-care routines that will help make them more productive throughout the day.

Successful Artists Have A Positive Attitude:

Successful artists know that the body achieves what the mind believes, so they always try to maintain a positive outlook. They show gratitude on a daily basis and keep in mind that positivity helps them to persevere in times of doubt and fear. You become what you think about most, so artists should take great care in thinking positively. In order to stay positive, start listening to motivational videos. It’s also good to read inspirational quotes that can help to keep your spirits up.

Successful Artists Treat Their Art Like A Business:

Successful artists treat their art as an entrepreneur would treat their business. They know the value of organization and having detailed plans on how to make a living. If you haven’t already, you should sit down and write out a detailed plan that includes your artistic mission, your target audience, how you plan to build your brand, people you’d need to contact, your budget layout, and many other business aspects. You should utilize all of the technology available that makes it easier to automate routine tasks that still need to be completed.

Successful Artists Set Goals:

Successful people are those who set goals that are measurable. Whether it be creating a new piece of art every week or selling a certain amount of pieces, a successful artist sets a variety of short-term and long-term goals. If they aren’t meeting their goals, they find new ways to achieve their targets. Commit to putting your goals down on paper and tracking them regularly to make sure you’re heading in the right direction.

Successful Artists Network:

Successful artists see the value in networking. For artists especially, networking can be both a source of inspiration for new ideas and a valuable way to make contacts that could help in landing their next job. You don’t need to attend a corporate-like networking event in order to take advantage of networking. Artists can volunteer with local arts organizations, sign up for a class, or join online networks.

#habits of artists #success habits #successful artists

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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Is Interactive Art the Wave of the Future?

Technology is transforming everything from marketing to museums. Bringing interactive narratives that immerse and encourage public participation.

With these forays into the mixture of tech and art, today’s artists are pushing to other creative boundaries. For this reason, it allows artists to be more expressive and relatable art.

Interactive art is an art that is controlled or manipulated by viewers or environment. It is increasing in popularity across the nation and the globe.

Interactive Art Informs and Delights

The Living Light exhibit in Seoul, South Korea allows people to control the exhibit by texting messages to it. As a matter of fact, it also provides real-time information about the air quality in the surrounding neighborhoods.

As air quality improves, a section lights up, giving neighborhoods a fun way to work on improvements while tracking progress and enjoying the installation.

This is just an example of the many ways interactive technology and art provides learning, improvement, interaction, and creativity in one beautiful package.

Sensity

An installation at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London uses real-time data from the museum’s own environment. This is the museum’s source to create works of art from the humidity, motion, light, vibrations, and more.

Just the act of entering the museum and observing the installation will cause fluctuations in the art.

And that’s part of the popularity of interactive art. The fact that observers can play a part in the art’s changing form or function.

Interactive art is drawing crowds

In part, due to its strong potential for sharing on social media and it’s “fun house” flair.

And that, of course, is a good thing.

More people being drawn to, and involved in the creative endeavor. They bring inspiration and imagination to the masses, not just to those well-off enough to afford art for their homes.

Some installations are so popular that people wait in long lines for hours, just for the experience of interacting with an exhibit.

And while these kinds of exhibits comprise a phenomenal new way for artistic ideas to be shared, they don’t preclude other, more traditional, art forms from capturing the attention and admiration they’ve always drawn.

In fact, some critics find interactive art to rely on sensationalism rather than a true art experience, while others claim there’s no “correct” way to view art.

No matter what the opinion, interactive art is here to stay.

#interactiveart #interactive art installation #public art installations #touchable art #touchable art installations

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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One-Hit Wonders Versus Successful Artists

Everyone is familiar with the term “one-hit wonder” in the music business. Artists like Chumbawumba (Tubthumping), Baja Men (Who Let the Dogs Out?), Vanilla Ice (Ice Ice Baby), and Psy (Gangnam Style) live on in cultural references for their respective decades but they’ve been otherwise sidelined. But what is the real difference between a one-hit wonder and a “successful” artist?

There are More One-Hit Wonders Than You Think

According to analytics, only a little over a third of 2,627 artists appearing on the Top 100 charts make it back to the list after the year their music debuts. Artists that made it back to that rarified stratosphere of Top 100 hitmakers in five or more years (approximately 7% or 187 artists) made up 34% of the Top 100 chart entries. This can explain why you tend to hear the same songs over and over again on the radio, when you know darn well there are thousands of choices. But making the Top 100 doesn’t guarantee success. Although nearly half of Top 10 hitmakers came back for another ride on the Top 100 charts , only about 20% of those debuting in spots 91-100 ever make a return visit.

Not Top 100, But Not Out of the Game

Despite not being on the Top 100, many artists with a one-hit wonder go on to have successful music careers. Jimi Hendrix is one of the most well-known to have done so, but there are a handful of others. This includes Sir-Mix-a-Lot (Baby Got Back), who’s been working quietly, yet steadily, in the music industry since his break-out hit. And since nearly 10% of the Billboard Top 100 songs in the last 30 years have been one-hit wonders, it begs the question of what record labels are doing wrong that so many artists lose their momentum after a stunning debut.

Success — Especially the Artistic Kind — is Individual

While many people look at one-hit wonders with derision, perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to judge. Having a Top 100 hit is no mean feat, and many of those who crest the charts go on to continue making music. Some of those “wonders” still have strong fan bases. They still continue to create popular music, even if it doesn’t reach the Top 100 charts. Other artists end up with one-hit wonder status even if they’ve had more than one Top 100 hit. So, it’s best to reserve judgement for the music and its appeal, rather than the number of hits. After all, where art is concerned, quality is preferable to quantity.

#music #music artist #one hit wonder

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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5 Online Tools to Help You Manage Your Art Business

Selling your art — and managing your art business — can be easy and intuitive if you take advantage of the many online tools available for marketing, management, and discovery.

We’ve curated five of the best online tools to help you take your business to the next level. Make managing the details a breeze.

5 Online Tools That Make Business Management a Breeze

Many artists don’t want to sacrifice crucial creative time to business management. However, taking care of your business — and yourself — is a must for healthy business growth and exposure to new opportunities.

Here are five easy ways to grow, manage, and cultivate your business with online tools.

Manage Your Money

While QuickBooks is the standard, new financial management apps are popping up to make tracking billing and payables painless for self-employed business owners or freelancers.

You can try FreshBooks, free apps like Wave, or customizable apps like Xero that are meant to grow along with your business.

Manage Your Social (Media) Life

Exposure via social media can be a lucrative. Also, a fun way to share your creativity with friends, fans, and prospective clients.

Make sure you don’t miss a post with Buffer. A fantastic scheduling tool that will allow you to manage all of your social media accounts and posts in one sleek dashboard.

Keep Tabs on Your Portfolio

Have pieces in several galleries? Planning shows, invoicing sales, and keeping track of what piece is where just got easier with Artwork Archive.

With scheduling, client management, sales, and accounting features, this powerful app will help you stay on top of all aspects of your art business. In addition, it can help you present an organized image to clients.

Nurture Your Creativity

You can’t be at your creative best if you’re not taking care of yourself.

Sites like Zen Habits and MindBodyGreen offer simple ways to keep yourself healthy, centered, and inspired.

Collaboration is King

Powerful inspiration is often a result of collaboration with other artists.

Joining an art community like Hathart is a great way to get insight, tips, and ideas to spark your imagination. You can also find the right partners for your next creative endeavor.

Tools that Elevate Your Artistic Expression

While these five tools will help you manage the financial, marketing, and personal side to your business, there are many resources available to artists of all kinds to enlighten, inspire, and excel.

#onlinetools #artbusiness #artmanagement #art

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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Don’t let fear of theft stop you from art collaboration or getting your solo work noticed — protect your art with these simple tips.

#theft of original artwork #art trends #art collaboration #artistic collaboration

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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How Using Emotions Can Make Your Artwork Viral

Every artist dreams of having their artwork go viral. Really viral. Around-the-world viral. We’d all love to become a household name like Weird Al Yankovic. Okay, maybe not exactly like Weird Al. Nonetheless, he certainly represents a good example of the notoriety viral art can bring.

Did you know that there’s an equation of sorts that can help your art go viral? Let’s take an in-depth look at what viral art has in common.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR ARTWORK VIRAL

Science has shown that emotions are at the root of most things that go viral — whether those happen to be memes, Instagram photos, a dance routine, songs, or paintings. And there’s one particular emotion that gets us sharing faster — and that’s anger.

Jonah Berger, a Wharton School professor at the University of Pennsylvania says, “Anger is a high-arousal emotion, which drives people to take action. It makes you feel fired up, which makes you more likely to pass things on.”

You can see this effect in action with the viral success of Beyonce’s Lemonade album that addressed black empowerment. It is in Childish Gambino’s This is America song and video as well which touches on race-based violence. And, when Anoosha Syed depicted Harry Potter character Hermione as a woman of color and was trolled by racists, her picture went viral in the best of ways, with even Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling joining the fray in defense of the artist. The same anger helped another artist, Sophia Canning, go viral when she also posted a painting of Hermione as black.

Most things that go viral can also include surprise and intensity, elements that work well with strong emotions like anger and even awe.

HOW OTHER EMOTIONS CAN HELP YOU GO VIRAL

Anger is certainly the strongest and most effective emotion that helps someone’s work go viral. However, it isn’t the only one. Three of the best include awe, humor, and nostalgia.

Who among us hasn’t seen a video or image that hasn’t inspired an open-mouthed sort of awe? There are numerous examples to think of. One that immediately comes to mind, however, is the work of artist, Red Hong Yi. Her work with creating art out of tea leaves has not only become viral but was also featured on the recently released JPMorgan Chase Bank commercial, “Chase Presents Red’s Way.” The commercial focused on her creation, “Tiger in Tea Leaves,” completed that year, which she had dedicated to her father, whom she hailed as “the strongest man I know.”

Harkening back to the use of humor to create something viral, we can go back to Weird Al Yankovic. His parody videos of major songs have made him a household name. Weird Al isn’t the only one, though. The parody of Beyonce’s Lemonade album by Tituss Burgess on the Netflix show, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” is also a great instance of how hilarity can be a key to notoriety.

Lastly, nostalgia can play a huge part in getting your work noticed by the masses. Anoosha Syed’s and Sophia Canning’s showed how anger can make a piece of art go viral. But it also showed how nostalgia can play just as big a role. There are few millennials alive today who are not aware of Harry Potter at least, in any way. And, millennials are the largest generation of Internet consumers. So playing to their love of the past is a great way to get more shares.

But the same goes for other generations as well. Michael Jackson is an icon and there can be little doubt about that. Try to create a dance video showing some of his best moves and the costumes to match. Then, you’ve got the type a viral nostalgia all artists dream for. Last year, Ricardo Walker’s Crew posted a Youtube video that showed off some Michael Jackson’s best-choreographed dances. Needless to say, it was an immense hit and has garnered more than 9,000,000 views on Youtube alone.

Undeniably, adding some form of an emotional element to your art will help it gain notoriety.

#art #creativity #emotions #hathart

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catherinehathart-blog · 5 years

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Artistic collaboration Can Help You Stand Out Among the Masses

are battling for respect and recognition. Thus, standing out from the crowd may seem like a daunting task.

In fact, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) estimates there are over 2 million artists in the United States alone. That number includes musicians, composers, singers, designers, graphic artists, performance artists, and more.

And those are just the individuals we can track — that doesn’t include many indies and those just beginning their careers.

With that kind of competition, having an original vision or brand is crucial to your success. Here’s how you can start.

HOW ARTISTIC COLLABORATION CAN HELP YOU SHINE

There are several ways you can go about elevating your art and creating a unique mix. To catch the attention of the public as well, artistic collaboration is one of them.

In this case, collaboration means not so much as a partnership with another artist. Although, a melding of artistic styles or genres that combine to create something truly unique.

Lindsey Stirling, a violinist and performance artist, hit upon this technique when she stunned fans of America’s Got Talent with her choreographed violin performance — something that had never been done before.

Other artists use unconventional materials to create spectacular out-of-the-box artistic designs like Red Hong Yi did when she “painted” a tiger using tea leaves or created a mural on the wall of Facebook’s corporate headquarters using fire and chopsticks.

And finally, there are artists like Jabbawockeez, a silent, mask-wearing precision hip-hop dance group that wowed judges and fans of America’s Best Dance Crew to become crowd favorites and the eventual winners of the first season.

Perhaps they were inspired by Blue Man Group, a drumming group known for their full-body blue paint and lack of spoken words. While the two groups are both “masked” in some way and don’t speak, their performances are worlds apart. They give each other the freshness and originality that pops.

Thinking outside the box about your art and coming up with ideas that blur the lines between genres is a great way. Not only to hone your skills but also to develop something so original that people must take notice.

TRADITIONAL ART COLLAB — THE IDEA FACTORY

You can mix up your own skills and talents. Still, it isn’t the only way to collaborate your way toward something totally new and different.

You can pair up with artists within — or outside of — your genre to get the creative juices flowing. This kind of teamwork can be just what you need for your next ‘Aha!’ moment. Either music collaboration, performance art collab, or some other genre; the one that might make you a star

#art #art collaboration #creativity #hathart

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