Web 2.
0 Networking Sites: They allow artists to hookup with existing members to gain visibility for their artwork.
Social networks are targeted at artists and art-lovers.
The artists using social networks effectively share artwork, ideas, etc.
with other likeminded creative people.
An explosion of social networks for artists on the internet lately has helped those artists using them tremendously.
They are considered a virtual artistic world for artists as well as those who appreciate artwork.
This networking aspect opens up a whole new world to discuss how they were inspired by other artists or why they have a passion for creating works of art.
A well designed site allows artists to post profiles, resumes and portfolios, and some allow the community to vote on the works of art that interest them.
Some sites also provide resources for finding real world museums and enables research to be done to help them further educate themselves in their creative process.
You can also search, read articles, leave comments, and post your own work.
Getting feedback on your work can be as important as your artwork.
The value here is finding out what people find the most interesting about your artwork.
The subtle points of interest, use of color, your primary focal point and many other areas you can use to help yourself to explain how and why you made the choices you did.
You can virtually get your points of view across to interested people whom may be in contact and/or who have a network of art friends/collectors which you can more easily persuade to buy your work, come to a showing or visit auctions where you might have a piece for sale.
Online Auctions: Here you can see what other artist are selling, what their asking price is and finally what it sold for by using the completed items check box on the left navigation bar after you're logged in (I'm referring to eBay on the completed items check box) once you've found the category/medium you work in.
There are also auction sites geared specially for selling art as well as the real world auction houses you've probably already heard about and are familiar with, however these are often used for higher priced works of art from artist who became famous after death, you are of course among the living and looking for those collectors who have that special insight into what may become a "diamond in the rough" just a bit down the road while you are still alive.
Online auctions also allow you to ask the artist or seller questions, see how they write their ads and find the ones that look best, possibly to emulate (not outright copy) to give you an edge over the competition and explain why this piece has greater value to collectors and potential buyers.
You can also get a feel for how hot a particular category, artwork style or why different mediums might be fetching the highest prices right now.
Press Releases: Writing about artwork is an art too! In the off-line world, gallery people are as sick of writing PR for showings and media as people are of reading them, this can be shear torture to readers and writers alike when the Artist's Statement speaks too much about wild dreams and/or their struggles! It's often best to have a third party PR specialist that sticks to the facts.
However, when pursuing a firm, helping them understand your passion, and personal style that you specialize in.
This can create a huge buzz that reaches the right people.
It is advised while social networks and online auctions are still evolving to get in on the action now.
These can help artists to not only communicate but have access and build bridges to a very large captive audience that share similar visions and kindle relationships which can quickly become bonfires.