Welcome back to our weekly tip series aimed at honing both our artistic and business skills. I hope you had a chance to create your own vision board last week, did you try out the digital version, Milanotes? This is now my new favorite app!.
Now onto week #2 – In Daniel Coyle’s Book, The Little Book of Talent, * the second tip is to “spend fifteen minutes a day engraving the skill on your brain.” To me this seems so natural an innate for artists to watch others create. We are visual learners and love to soak in and absorb the creative process.
The book does suggest the engraving method where one is to watch “the skill being performed with great intensity until they build a high-definition mental blueprint.” So I won’t go into too much detail about this except for keep watch more art making videos!
For improving the business skills, I’m going to take a creative liberty with the title and offer a practical tip for any artist who is showing their artwork online. This week, I want to dive into a seemingly mundane yet profoundly significant aspect of our craft: naming our image files correctly.
Think of it as engraving your signature onto your artwork—except in the digital realm. The practice of correctly labeling your image files might appear trivial, but its impact on your professional identity and online presence cannot be overstated.
So, what does it mean to name your image files properly? Let’s break it down.
The Anatomy of a Properly Named Image File:
- Title: Begin with the title of your painting or artwork. This is the heart of your creation, the essence you wish to convey.
- Medium: Follow the title with the medium used to create the artwork. Whether it’s oil on canvas, digital illustration, watercolor, or mixed media, this detail adds context and authenticity to your work.
- Artist Name: Conclude the file name with your name—the artist behind the masterpiece.
Here’s an example: summer-day-at-the-beach-oil-painting-sue-smith.jpg
There should be hypens or underscore between each word.
The Importance of Proper Labeling:
You might wonder, why go through the trouble of meticulously naming your image files? Here’s why:
- Identity and Ownership: By embedding your title, medium, and name into the file name, you assert ownership and authorship of your work. It’s a digital signature, a mark that distinguishes your creations in the vast sea of digital content.
- Professionalism: Consistently labeling your artwork demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail. It reflects your commitment to your craft and enhances your credibility as an artist.
- SEO Benefits: As we’ll explore in a future blog post, search engine optimization (SEO) plays a crucial role in establishing your online presence. Properly labeled image files can significantly improve your artwork’s visibility in online searches, attracting potential buyers and enthusiasts to your portfolio.
When should you name or rename the file? It’s best to name the file right in your photo library, or after saving to your desktop and before uploading to any platform.
Conclusion:
In the digital age, where our creations are shared and discovered online, every detail matters. By engraving our information into our image files through proper labeling, we preserve our artistic identity, enhance our professionalism, and pave the way for greater visibility in the vast digital landscape.
So, fellow artists, let’s not overlook the significance of this seemingly small task. Let’s embrace the practice of naming our image files with care and intention, for it is in these subtle details that our artistry truly shines.
Until next time, keep creating and innovating.
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I Let me know what you think about today’s post and improving one’s skill by engraving it and the quick tip on best practices for naming your artwork.. Leave your comment below – Keep Creating !
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