Studio Journal
Practical guidance for contemporary artists on documenting, exhibiting, selling and preserving their work.
A practical journal for working artists
The Studio Journal is written for artists who want to spend more time in the studio and less time wrestling with admin. It gathers the practical knowledge that sits around a contemporary practice: how to document and manage artwork, present work online, exhibit and sell with confidence, market a practice without losing its character, and handle the professional side — pricing, copyright, valuation and long-term records.
The articles are practical, plain-English and grouped into five working pillars. Each pillar covers one part of a professional practice in enough depth to be useful, without overstating what’s involved.
Explore the Studio Journal
Archive & Documentation — How to set up and maintain a reliable artwork record system, capture provenance as work moves out into the world, issue certificates of authenticity, and keep a long-running archive that supports sales, exhibitions, valuations and estate planning.
Artist Websites & Online Presence — Practical guidance on building an artist website, presenting a portfolio and CV, and being found by the right collectors, curators and galleries. The focus is on calm, credible sites that represent the work as carefully as the work itself is made.
Exhibiting & Selling — Preparing artwork for exhibitions, navigating open calls, approaching galleries and understanding consignment, alongside selling directly through a website or studio in a way that gives buyers confidence.
Marketing & Promotion — A restrained view of artist marketing: a workable plan, well-made images, clear artwork descriptions, an email list looked after with care, and a measured approach to social platforms.
Professional Practice — Pricing, copyright, valuation and insurance, and the standards that quietly hold a practice together over years rather than seasons.
Build a practice that is easier to manage and share
The articles in the Studio Journal share one underlying idea: a professional practice is built from small, consistent decisions about records, presentation and standards. Good documentation makes sales smoother. A clear portfolio makes submissions stronger. Considered pricing and reliable certificates make collectors more confident.
Vault Canvas is built around the same principles — artwork records, provenance, certificates and presentation kept together, so the practical side of a practice supports the work rather than competing with it.
Pillars
Latest
- How to Price Your Art: A Practical Guide for ArtistsA practical guide for artists on how to price paintings, original artwork and commissions — with a working formula, worked examples and UK gallery, VAT and Artist Resale Right considerations.
- Authenticating Artwork: A Practical Guide for Artists, Buyers and CollectorsA practical guide to authenticating artwork: evidence, provenance, certificates, artist records, expert authentication and how to keep better artwork records.
- Artwork Archive Software for Artists: How to Choose the Right SystemA practical guide for artists evaluating artwork archive software — features that matter, when spreadsheets stop working, and how to choose the right system.
- Artwork Condition Reports: How Artists Can Record, Track and Protect Their WorkLearn how artwork condition reports help artists record damage, condition, photographs, shipping, exhibitions, sales, insurance and artwork history.
- Digital Asset Management for Artists: How to Organise Artwork Images and FilesA practical guide to digital asset management for artists: organise artwork images, file names, portfolio assets, certificates, records and backups.
- Artwork Inventory System: How Artists Can Organise, Track and Manage Their WorkLearn how an artwork inventory system helps artists organise artwork records, images, prices, sales, provenance, certificates, exhibitions and editions.
- Artist Record Keeping: A Practical Guide to Managing Your Artwork ArchiveA practical guide to artist record keeping: artwork records, images, prices, provenance, certificates, sales, exhibitions, editions and archive systems.
- Artwork Documentation Checklist: What Artists Should Record for Every ArtworkA practical artwork documentation checklist for artists: what to record for each artwork, including images, dimensions, provenance, certificates, sales and condition.
- Email Marketing for Artists: Build Your Collector ListA practical guide to email marketing for artists — how to build a mailing list, what to send, how often to email, and how email fits alongside social media, your website, exhibitions and online sales.
- Social Media for Artists: Promote Your WorkA calm, practical guide to social media for visual artists — how to choose platforms, what to post, how often, and how to connect posts back to your website, mailing list and exhibitions without letting social media take over.
- How to Create an Artist Marketing PlanA practical, calm guide for visual artists who want a manageable marketing plan that connects their artwork, website, portfolio, exhibitions, sales channels and follow-up into a repeatable routine.
- How to Write Artwork DescriptionsA practical guide to writing clear, specific artwork descriptions for websites, portfolios, online sales, open-call submissions, certificates and long-term artwork records.
- How to Photograph ArtworkA practical, plain-English guide to photographing your own artwork for websites, portfolios, online sales, open-call submissions, prints, social media and archive records.
- How to Prepare Artwork for an ExhibitionA practical, checklist-led guide for artists preparing accepted work for an exhibition — covering records, labels, prices, certificates, images, condition notes, packing, delivery and follow-up.
- Artist CV and BiographyHow to write an artist CV and biography for websites, portfolios, open calls and galleries, with practical examples and structure.
- Limited Edition PrintsHow limited edition prints work for artists: edition sizes, signing, numbering, certificates, records and selling prints professionally.
- Artwork Valuation and InsuranceLearn how artwork valuation and insurance work, what records support value, and what artists should document before exhibitions, sales, shipping or claims.
- Copyright for ArtistsA plain-English guide to copyright for artists: who owns the work, what happens when you sell, how commissions and licensing affect rights, and the records that protect you.
- How to Build an Artist Website: A Practical Guide for ArtistsA practical guide for visual artists to building a professional website that presents work clearly, supports enquiries and sales, and connects public presentation with a serious studio archive.
- Artist Portfolio ExamplesExplore what strong artist portfolio websites have in common, from image selection and navigation to artist statements, artwork pages and clear contact routes.
Reference
Plain-English definitions of the terms artists meet when archiving, exhibiting and selling their work. Start with Provenance.