In reality, this is an excuse for not wanting to learn and a demand to become a mommy for the author of the masterpiece, admiring and sighing with each curl and spot. I've already mentioned a couple of times about the requirements for the quality of execution, in the context of watercolor. A good work equals productivity plus quality. This is closer to me, of course. I don't discuss the quality criterion by default.

But what about productivity? Well, the main glitch of the dilettante is a fairly large number of works, all of the same level. There are many of them, and they are not needed by anyone, primarily by themselves. And at this stage, I usually hear that you just need to draw a lot, and then… Who gives these pieces of advice and why? It's a mystery to me. Then it will never happen. There's a joke. When a person is asked at an interview how many characters per minute he types. And the answer is 2500 characters, but it turns out to be complete nonsense.

So it is in creativity. The process of drawing itself is not an end in itself. It should result in a clear and high-quality work. It's very desirable that it reflects the original and nature. And it's very desirable that it reflects as accurately and without errors as possible. And not just me doodling here. A lot of low-quality work is meaningless. Accept it as a fact. This is the stage of the dilettante. And we smoothly move on.

Professional

An artist who produces and creates quality works. And this can be learned at any age. I'm very glad about this and I know a lot of inspiring examples of wonderful artists. This is the artist's labor.

"Give me a discount." This topic is as old as life itself. Our song is good, let's start over. And what's there to draw, think of a brush on paper. And why are you tired, just give me a discount. And why not draw with a pencil, it won't cost you anything. Do you recognize it?

Usually, I joke it off. Of course, I'll give you a discount, and you'll come to my house and do the dishes and clean up. Or yes, sure, here's a stack of my bills, go to the bank and please pay them. It's a great idea to suggest they buy groceries for me at the store and bring them home for me. They might as well cook while they're at it.

– "Give me a discount!"

– "Of course, I'll give you one. Will you pay my bills, at least for the phone or gas? Would you like that?"

Oh, and this phrase works! Try it! Or answer like this:

– "Of course, I'll give you a discount. When's payday? I'll come by, and you'll give me a portion of your salary."

– "Why is that?"

– "Because my profit is included in the price of the painting. If I share my profit with you, then you'll share your salary with me."

Clients quickly come to their senses. Tested. You can add: will you buy medicine for my mom, here's the prescription, and also the bill from the clinic.

Sometimes they argue that someone else is giving a discount. And what's that got to do with me? Why should I do what they're trying to impose on me? I work for money. The watercolor is fantastic, the price is excellent.

Here's where attention comes in. For some reason, this client came to me instead of staying with someone else. Why? There are clients who try to bend you to their will. So what? That's their problem, not yours. Usually, they just don't want to pay for your work. They value their own. Art is not milk or bread, or medicine.

The client is a specialist in their field, and I am in mine. For those who have their own website or paintings published on social media profiles with prices, it's convenient to do the same. I ask: "Have you seen all my works? Have you checked the prices? So you're aware of the prices, right?"

Here's another one of my stories. When a lady tried to explain to me that the price was too high. And the arguments: "As if anyone buys this. Look at the painting by a famous artist, his winter landscape costs several times less! Who is he, and who are you! Is this what you have? Watercolor?? A painting, miss (she addressed me), is done in oils, but yours is who knows what!" In general, she came to me with these texts for a week. Just a common troll. Clearly not my client.

Remembered another case.

– "Gal, draw me 5 pictures, I really need them!"

– "What? About what? (I look) I understand, it will cost (I name the price), it'll be ready tomorrow."

– "Are you kidding me? Do you really think I can't find someone else to do it?"

A week passes, she appears with a stack of drawings and throws them on my desk:

– "Look, here they are! Tanya made them for me! And not with a pencil, but with a pen!"

– "How much did you pay Tanya?"

– "Me? Pay? Oh, she did it for me for free, unlike you!"

Normal, right? In reality, it's Tanya's personal business how much she charges for her work. What's that got to do with me? Why should I spend my resources just because someone wants something for free? When they approach me like this (asking for a discount), I can suggest negotiating. Yes, suggest your options, let's discuss. Respect yourself and others, value your work and time.

Learn to sell your paintings, and you'll get both money and pleasure.

– Hello, Galina. Where should I start selling paintings?

– Hello. Start with studying the materials in our group and in the educational courses. There are videos and texts on many topics, so take advantage and get started.

Dear artists, I don't know your specific situation and requests. But I know for sure that my methods are applicable to you too. I'm sure that among all the materials you will find what suits you personally. It's proven. Imagine you're at a buffet, choosing what you want from a fully laid table. Convenient, isn't it?

I can't give you a detailed personal answer just based on the request "Hello, Galina. Where should I start selling paintings?" because I'm not a fortune-teller, and I'm not a telepath to provide recommendations without knowing the artist, their work, and the situation. Moreover, I don't engage in personal chats. Here are some possible responses to your question:

– I don't know where you should start personally.

– Maybe you need to continue what you were doing.

– Or something else, there are plenty of options.

– What have you been doing before this, where, when?

– What results have you achieved?

– And now, what are you expecting to achieve?

– Publish a post in the group with your question to have a useful discussion for everyone. If you want something specific for you, come for a paid consultation, we'll analyze your case, and you'll get a personalized step-by-step action plan.

There's a wonderful way to ruin your page. Sending spam. These are messages with unsolicited information, flooding the inbox or private messages of other users in the network. Remember, there's always a *report spam* button or its equivalent. You could get banned, have your account deleted, or blocked. Or you might get dragged into arguments about whose art is more artistic, or whose watercolor is more watercolor-y. I've experienced both ends of that spectrum pretty quickly. And I learned my lessons fast. So, how should you properly communicate in social networks?