The Corporate Concept I Use to Make a TON of Art
I’ve noticed my art studio practice exists in two distinct phases: R & D. If you aren’t a corporate person, you may have never heard that phrase, but it means Research & Development. I have found that both phases are super important for my art. Today, I’m going to break down how you can utilize the principles of R & D in your own work, especially when it comes to developing a collection or series of works.
So what is R&D for an artist?
R&D is the process of boiling down the media, style, color palette, size, and subjects that will define my next body of work. Let’s say I have an idea for some new art I want to make, or a direction I want to move towards. Initial research is super important!
Phase one: Research
During this phase, I spend time on Pinterest or Google, finding out if other artists have done something similar. This is for inspiration, not copying! I will look at the materials I could use and price them out. I’ll create sketches and concepts, and sometimes make prototypes to see if I even like them.
Phase two: development
Once I have decided I want to move forward, with my supplies and plan in place, I start making the thing. This phase often happens in a series, and the art I make in this time period I call “sketches” or “experiments.” I often find that my brilliant idea from 3 AM is way harder to execute than I originally thought. I may need to gain skills in a new medium. I also need to make many of something to figure out my unique voice, explore the materials, discover new possibilities, and (this is key) eliminate possibilities. Often these works are just trial runs. Once I understand the look and style that I like, and I know I have the skill and tools to create more, I can start the series!
Phase Three: creating a series
A series is a developed body of work. It is a collection that was obviously made by the same person, exploring the same concept and visual themes. Over the course of an artist’s career, they could make many series. Some may be directly influenced by the last series, but most will require an element of R&D. Some artists perpetually stay in the research or experiment phase, and never move into the more intense, development and collection-generation phases. However, professional artists will see the value of a series, and always be moving towards it.
I think artists should get paid, and to help you with that, I wrote Pricing Your Art Made Easy. It’s a handy guide that will give you some practical tips for pricing for your art, which can be tricky! You can check it out by visiting HERE, or by clicking the button below!
