Friday Favorites are my weekly wrap-up of the cool happenings going on around Imagekind over the past week. This week we launched “images not for sale.” Also, don’t forget, from now until September 21, you can get 20% off custom framing. Cheers!

Images Not for Sale

This week we released images not for sale. Now, artists can upload their artwork that they would like to showcase, but not offer for sale. Some reasons artists might want to choose the “not for sale option” include:

1. Show off commission works
2. Display works in progress
3. Example images
4. Work to showcase on other sites
5. etc.

For full details, including a video on how to setup your images for display only (not for sale), check out the forum post announcement.

20% off Custom Framing

Great news! In celebration of Fall, Now through September 21, you can get 20% off custom framing at Imagekind. If you’re an artist, now is the perfect time to let your shoppers know of the discount.

Friday is here again! And with Friday comes my Friday Favorites. Imagekind is all over this week! The new edition of Art Calendar magazine is out and you can check out our exclusive ad. Also, discover Imagekind artists on the iPhone!

Imagekind in Art Calendar

The recent issue of Art Calendar magazine just hit the stands. And if you’re a subscriber, you might just notice a familiar face showing up within its pages! That’s right, Imagekind has a full page spot in the July 2009 issue. What’s best? The issue is focused on Social Media and “Marketing Art in the Digital Age;” exactly what Imagekind is all about!

See a larger version here!

Imagekind Artists on the iPhone

The new iPhone 3G S hit the market just the other week. And with it came the on-rush to grab one. I know a few people who got one (don’t worry, I’m not giving into the craze just yet, I’m still keeping it real) and while they were showing off me all the unnecessary cool features, I noticed something truly cool:

Imagekind artist Mr. Roctopus has his image “Trunk vs. Trunk” included on the background app available in the iTunes store. So, if you’ve got an iPhone, download the free app and check out some sweet art by our very own Mr. Roctopus!

Celebrating the Fourth

At Imagekind, we like to have fun and rarely pass up the opportunity to celebrate. So we’re not wasting any time this Fourth of July! That’s why we’re kicking off the celebrations with Free Shipping* on orders over $15! Use promo code 4July09 at checkout.

*Applies to U.S. ground shipping only. Promotion expires July 6, 2009 at Midnight PDT.

Practicing artists that build a brand for themselves stand out from the rest of the group. An artist’s brand is a unique way of marketing yourself as something different, exciting, and recognizable. No matter what your preferred medium is, the first step in building your brand is developing your own identifiable image making style. The goal is to make your work recognizable as your own, so when somebody sees it they think “Hey! I know who made that!” Everything that you can do to achieve this will help you!

The Villes by Camilo Bejarano

1. Where to Start

Not sure how to make your images more uniquely YOU? Take a look at the art that is being made right now. How do you fit in? How is your art different? Keep a list of what you like and don’t like, and be sure to reference it often when making new work. If you create work incorporating similar themes, you will start to see your style showing through.

Pinecone River by Dan Turner

2. Make it Come from You

Incorporate your personality and sensibilities into your style. If you are a meticulous, detail oriented person, let that quality work for you! Make very detailed images! If you are boisterous and spirited, your work should reflect that. If you are not sure where to start, ask a friend to describe your personality traits, and work from there. Sometimes just a small change can really make your work stand out. Developing a unique style starts with with discovering your own personal style.

Boxed by Ross Farrell

3. Practice Makes Perfect

Practice, and make as many images as you can to perfect your technique. Learn from your mistakes! Pay attention to what works and what doesn’t in your artwork. Make sure to keep a record of your successes so you can look to them for inspiration in the future. Trial and error is one of the best ways to discover your style. If you’re looking for a sign from the heavens to declare what your unique artistic style is, I am afraid you’ll probably be waiting a very long time. One of the best ways to discover your style is to continue refining it through trial and error; practice.

A Specious Origin by Jerry LoFaro

4. Invest in Classes

Enrolling in an art class can be very exciting! Even if you are an expert in your craft, enrolling in a class can give you alternate viewpoints on your work. Your classmates can offer opinions and critiques of your work to help you grow as an artist. Taking artistic classes are helpful because they can give you that perspective on your artwork that you don’t always see first hand. Having other people around you can really help shed light on your style.

Smart Suit by K Mitchell

5. Find your Niche

If your focus is on selling, pay attention to developing images that will fill a niche market. In other words, provide artwork for a group of people looking for your particular style. Discovering your niche is about the epitome of developing a unique style; they are closely related. To discover your niche, focus on what type of subject matter you find yourself drawn to. Your niche is a perfect place to help discover your unique style.

It’s Friday! And with Friday comes my Friday Favorites. This week, check out how you can get your hands on Percy Jackson book cover art by Imagekind artist John Rocco, the illustrator for the New York Times #1 best selling series.

John Rocco and the Percy Jackson Book Series

The Lightning Thief - Percy Jackson Book Cover

The Percy Jackson books are a five-part children’s fantasy series that have been gaining in popularity over the past several months. The series recently reached #1 on the New York Times children’s bestseller list and is an enormous literary hit for both children and young adults. If you have not heard much of the series yet, you most likely will in the ensuing months as talk of a movie heightens. On his sixteenth birthday, Percy Jackson, the main character in the story, discovers he is the descendant of a Greek god and sets out on an adventure to settle an on-going battle between the gods.

Now fans of the series can buy Percy Jackson book cover art for each of the 5 books! John Rocco, the illustrator for the series is a longstanding member artist on Imagekind and is selling the cover illustrations as framed and canvas art prints. You can read more about this special offering in the press release issued here.

Whether your a major fantasy and sci-fi fan, or a follower of the book series, John Rocco’s prints are really stunning. John is the illustrator and writer of several other children’s books and you can find out more about him on his personal website: roccoart.com.

With Imagekind Create you can print and frame your favorite photos – a perfect gift for Mother’s Day! And, with our current free shipping* offer, you can find framed gifts for well under $15.

Send mom your favorite picture framed (or on canvas!) and if you order before May 4, we’ll cover the shipping for you! Just enter promo code MDAY09 at checkout.

Also, don’t forget to visit our special Mother’s Day art collection. We’ve compiled some of our most popular art that is sure to inspire any mom this Mother’s day!

*Type promo code MDAY09 in the promotion box at checkout. Promotion expires May 4, 2009 at 11:59pm PT and cannot be combined with any other promotion code. Limit one order per person. Promotion code must be used at time of checkout to apply. Your order must be placed during the promotional period to qualify for this special pricing offer. Free shipping promo applies to US ground shipping only. Not valid on greeting cards.

Looking for more ways to market your artwork for sale on Imagekind?

Now you can keep your fans and friends connected to your art on Imagekind with Facebook!

We’ve just launched a new option you have on Imagekind to connect your art on Facebook. If you’re a member on Imagekind, and have a Facebook account, you can easily post your new art on your feed. It’s a simple way to help market your art to one of the largest audiences online: Facebook.

It’s all automatic and there is little you need to do. Just follow the steps below.

To start marketing your artwork for sale on Facebook, follow these simple steps:

1. Login to Facebook.com. Make sure to check the “Remember Me” box at the top before clicking “Login”
2. Login to Imagekind
3. Upload new art to your galleries, join one of the Imagekind groups, or add a member’s image as a one of your favorites
4. A box will pop up that asks if you want to allow Facebook access. Click “Publish”
5. That’s it! You should see the images on your activity feed on Facebook.

After you allow access, here is what you should start seeing show up on your Facebook feed:

• New images you post for sale in your galleries
• Groups you join
• Images you favorite on Imagekind

The opportunity to make a living from their artwork is a dream come true for most artists. A dream Imagekind continues to make a possibility for thousands of artists on the site and around the world. That is why it is a natural fit to team up with Ariane Goodwin Ed.D, founder, organizer and host of the third annual smARTist Telesummit and provide this resource for artists.

This is truly an excellent event for artists of all levels to join and learn how they can take their art career to the next level.

Eileen Bettelheim, marketing director of Imagekind.com says, “Imagekind is excited to team up with smARTist for their third annual Telesummit. The Telesummit presents a great opportunity for artists to take their art careers to the next level. This is what Imagekind is all about – helping artists sell their work online.”

By joining the smARTist Telesummit, artists will learn very helpful and very practical techniques on how to sell their artwork. With a panel of eleven experts, you can be sure every artist will walk away with a head full of knowledge on how to advance their art career.

You can find more information about this joint venture that is sure to benefit all artists, by reading the official press release.