Art, Inc.

The Essential Guide for Building Your Career as an Artist

By: Lisa Congdon, Meg Mateo Ilasco - editor, Jonathan Field - foreword

Narrated by: Lisa Congdon

Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

You don't have to starve to be an artist. Build a career doing what you love. In this practical guide, professional artist Lisa Congdon reveals the many ways you can earn a living by making art - through illustration, licensing, fine art sales, print sales, teaching, and beyond. Including industry advice from such successful art-world pros as Nikki McClure, Mark Hearld, Paula Scher, and more, Art, Inc. will equip you with the tools - and the confidence - to turn your passion into a profitable business. 

Learn how to: set actionable goals, diversify your income, manage your bookkeeping, copyright your work, promote with social media, build a standout website, exhibit with galleries, sell and price your work, license your art, acquire an agent, and much more.

©2014 Lisa Congdon; Foreword copyright 2014 by Jonathan Fields (P)2019 Tantor

Tell me something I didn't know...

Really, tell me something I didn't know. I guess this was too basic for my tastes. I was expecting more... and not just all the bullet points that were provided like mention of copywrite, accounting, other creative services... Those are pretty much given about just about all business. I was expecting stories and advice about finding the right niche, connecting with an audience, working art fairs or something like that. I kept hitting the fast forward button...

Exceptional book

Exceptional book with great info. especially for new artist ! I've listened to it over and over and learned something new each time !

If you need...

If you are transitioning from hobby to money making or just starting out, this is a book to read first! I found it very useful to plan out a basic outline for beginning the process!

Only 1 chapter worthy of purchase

Chapter 3 on audible (Chapter 1 in book) is the best chapter. The other chapters give you basic advice given many times before in other books and blogs.

Lisa Congdon for the win!

Very insightful! She’s great! She reads the book herself. I’ve been a fan of Lisa for a few years and I bought the softcover book version awhile back but never read it cover to cover, so I decided to listen to this while I was drawing and I listened to the entire book in one day. There are different sections offering helpful advice on different aspects of making a living as an artist. Now I know exactly what the book has to offer and I can go back to it to find specific information as I make my journey into becoming a full-time professional artist.

Straight Forward

I've been a professional artist for years and still got plenty from this book to either implement or consider going forward. She gives it to you straight with great tips and practices!

Solid info. Dull everything else

Lots of good info, and basically zero fluff. So very dense with great advice. But it's about as exciting as a robot reading a textbook. I just can't suffer through the dry presentation and monotone narration.

Great resource for new artists!

I Loved it! Lisa clearly conveys her experience in a very simple and straightforward way.
Throughout the book, Lisa approaches many aspects of the art business that I was totally unaware of. She explains every point at the same time that she gives smart tips on how to navigate them.
This book is definitely an amazing resource, bringing valuable gems to any artist's toolbox.
If I could point one only downside is that I wish every single section of the written version was narrated on the Audible version. I loved it so much, that I also purchased the Kindle version. Which is why I figured out there are some testimonials by experienced artists, curators, publishers, etc. that are not narrated.

Not to diminish the final outcome of the Audible version. I'm happy I own both versions.

I totally recommend it!

Alex Ferror

Great and practical information for artists!

I just finished listening and will listen again as if I’m in a lecture - to take notes. Lisa gives great and necessary information and insight to artists who want to be strategic and intentional about their art all while avoiding the “starving artists” mentality often associated with such endeavors.

One of the top best of its kind!

Excellent work on the book, well thought through, very well written and pleasantly narrated. The book is compact yet it’s packed with helpful detailed information and insights, and quite interesting overall. Highly recommend. Thank you!

Practical Guide

Practical and no nonsense approach to many aspects of becoming a professional artist, more for beginners but established artists can also learn from it.

It’s all in the voice

This is a great book probably to read but a bit dull to listen to. Maybe it’s the narrator’s voice? I’d still buy it though as it has valuable information to help any budding or seasoned artist further their revenue streams.

A good overview of things to consider

A good summary of work as an illustrator without going into unnecessary details. Was useful.

interesting

a lot of interesting information, don't expect inspirational ideas or moving words. this is business!

Disappointing

Quite uninteresting and content-less. I’ve seen reviewers calling it concise, but it just doesn’t go into depth into anything. I also feel snubbed paying for it, and then the next week it’s on the included list.

Concise and to-the-point

The information was concise and to-the-point but I would have someone else narrate.

Lisa Congdon is ace...

Yes she is... And she is also very generous in sharing her wisdom and experiences in this audio book.
I'm going to listen to it one more time to make sure it has really sunk into my artist brain.
Thanks Lisa!