Artisans who want to turn their passion into profit need look no with a combination of inspiration and practical knowledge--plus hundreds of images--this comprehensive guide offers the most solid and current information on the crafting business. It goes way beyond just the crafts everything is covered, from developing a product to drafting a business plan, from marketing to exhibiting in galleries. There are numerous interviews with prominent people throughout the industry, along with a discussion of craft economy as a whole and the challenges you might face along the way. Learn how to efficiently design your product, set up a studio, hire employees, and set prices. Crafters will appreciate the encouraging message on keeping one's creative spirit alive.
I came across this book at the library and will say it has a lot of great how-to-get-started tips and walkthroughs on how to go about making a living in crafts - though it is a bit outdated (obviously, it was written in 2006!). There were a lot of things that obviously changed in current day 2022 when it comes to making a living off crafts, or making a living for a business in general so I wouldn’t recommend this book for making a living off crafts in current day.
Also an example by outdated: the author saying re: web designer/developer *he*. The way I blinked in software engineer.
Although outdated, there are some key foundational knowledge that is as valuable today as it was then - the sheets provided at the end for Inventory, Pricing Sheet, Simple Costs Worksheet are all GREAT.
The numerous Perspective from a Life in Crafts featuring different artists in different areas of art were my favorite parts of the book. I ended up buying a few mugs - they’re adorable! I love the designs! - from one of the artists.
If you also love simple yet aesthetically cute mugs, cards, calendars, candle holders, vase prints, tumblers, plates, and bowls, join me in adding to cart: https://www.bethmueller.com/
A few quotes that stuck out to me that I liked:
A great website is always a work-in-progress.”
At the end of the day, the real power of the Internet lies not in the technology behind it, but in the profound changes it brings in the way people interact with one another. Page 127
I have always regarded craft history and craft activity as a great connector. Craft connects us as people across time and across continents. As our culture becomes ever more merchandized and our economy more service-and-information-oriented, it becomes even more important to develop hand skills, tool skills, communication and problem-solving skills which engage our physical and intellectual spheres. These things remain integral to a broad education and to the development of knowledge, patterns of thinking, and a sense of basic competence — which is, in turn, a key component of self-esteem. - Page 131
Unique work can also convince a buyer to take on a new product line. There are thousands of people making mugs, so a wholesaler buyer is likely to choose the ones that are in some way special: unusual color combinations, a quirky, but functional shape, or a special size. Page 133