New Content on IAMAG Master Classes Online: Blender Master Class - Animate a 1950s Cityscape with a Classic Car

In this Blender Master Course, Šime Bugarija guides you through creating 1950s-style city scenes and animations. You’ll work on two projects: a quick, flexible scene and a detailed, reference-based one.

Details: Click here for more information

If you don't want to become a member and want to only access this course, it's available for $14.99, with unlimited access to the tutorial and all resources.

For our premium subscribers or those with the Lifetime option, this new content is available without any extra charges. If you're interested in knowing more about Lifetime access, which gives you access to more than 700+ hours of content and all future content produced by IAMAG, please check this page.

Thanks to all who support IAMAG! Becoming a Lifetime member enables us to continue adding more quality content to our platform.

Worst and Most Damaging Advice You Could Give to Artists About Their Online Presence

Many artists feel pressured to establish an online presence quickly in today's fast-paced digital world. However, this rush often leads to bad decisions and misguided strategies. Below, we will explore some of the worst advice circulating among artists about their online presence and why it can be detrimental.

Some advice and examples may sound repetitive, but I've tried to explore them from different angles.

Misconceptions About Establishing Social Presence

Social Presence Needs Time

- Bad Advice: "You can build your online presence in a few weeks if you follow the right strategy."

- Reality: Establishing a meaningful social presence takes time. Even with a solid strategy, it typically requires at least three months to see significant results. Patience and consistent effort are crucial.

Bet on One Platform

- Bad Advice: "Pick one social media platform and put all your efforts there."

- Reality: It's risky to rely solely on one Platform before confirming it will work for you long-term. Diversify your presence to safeguard against platform changes or failures.

The Dangers of Following Bad Advice

Switching Platforms Too Soon

- Bad Advice: "Leave your current platform and join this new one immediately!"

- Reality: New platforms may not have a guaranteed future. Leaving established platforms can lead to losing the audience and progress you've already built. Such advice is particularly harmful to young or inexperienced artists who might not recover from the setback.

Confusing Young Artists

- Bad Advice: "Follow the latest trend without question."

- Reality: Young artists are already navigating the complexities of AI and other technologies. Misleading them with poor advice adds to their confusion and can hinder their growth and development.

Losing Established Presence

- Bad Advice: "Abandon some of your social media accounts."

- Reality: If you've spent time building a presence on a platform, abandoning it can erase your efforts and disconnect you from your audience. Maintaining consistency across platforms ensures that your work remains visible.

Understanding Social Networks and Audience Reach

Restricting to One Network

- Bad Advice: "Stick to one social network to build a dedicated following."

- Reality: Restricting yourself to one Platform limits your audience reach. Each social network attracts different demographics, and expanding your presence helps you reach a broader audience.

Targeting Only Artistic Communities

- Bad Advice: "Only post your work on artist-specific social networks."

- Reality: While these platforms are valuable, they often cater to the same audience. To grow, you need exposure to a larger, more diverse audience, including potential clients, collaborators, and recruiters.

Job Seeking Strategies

- Bad Advice: "Post your portfolio only on art-focused job boards."

- Reality: Recruiters and studios use a variety of platforms to find talent. By limiting your job search to niche networks, you miss opportunities that exist on broader, more general job platforms. ( some artists don't even post on linkedin where most of the recruiters are )

The Public Nature of Your Posts ( More a basic Reminder )

Remember, What You Say is Public

- Bad Advice: "Express all your thoughts and feelings openly on social media."

-Reality: Many people still don't realize that most social networks make their posts public. Posting strong opinions or negative comments can harm your reputation. Future recruiters and clients might see your posts and form a negative impression of your mindset. Being mindful of your public persona and how your posts reflect on you professionally is essential.

Avoiding Negativity

- Bad Advice: "It's okay to vent your frustrations frequently on social media."

- Reality: Constantly complaining or posting harmful content can create a negative perception. Recruiters and clients look for positive, solution-oriented individuals. Negative posts might lead them to question your attitude and professionalism.

Establishing an online presence as an artist requires thoughtful strategy and patience. Avoiding the pitfalls of bad advice can help you build a sustainable and impactful digital presence. Remember, diversification, consistency, and understanding your audience are key to long-term success in the digital realm.

Succeeding on social networks necessitates time and strategy. If you're serious about this, consider dedicating at least half a week to planning your content and another half day to creating it. If you're not prepared to invest this time, avoid the frustration of saying, "I post there, but it doesn't work." It's not about quantity but consistency. It's better to start by planning one or two posts per week and maintaining that rhythm than to post daily and then run out of content for weeks. Consistent, well-thought-out posts will help you build a loyal and engaged audience over time.

By avoiding the damaging advice outlined above and committing to a consistent, strategic approach, artists can navigate the online landscape more effectively and achieve their professional goals.

A Personal View on AI-Generated Images After a Tumultuous Year

The core of this year in the entertainment industry and its intertwined challenges with AI can be seen other than the legality of scraping or other legal issues; those topics have been explored and still will. I wanted to have a different angle and question AI's actual value.

I focus here on the artistic dimension, the heart of the website, services, and events I've been involved with for over ten years. After experimenting with various tools and solutions and browsing multiple services, I still believe that the benefits of using AI to generate images from scratch are still worth nothing.

I've observed a surge in websites and social media groups filled with AI-generated images, which often feels like a dive into a nonsensical world from an artistic standpoint. The trend of generating numerous images quickly and trying to market them cheaply only reinforces my belief that this reliance on AI for image creation is a trap. It benefits mainly the SaaS companies offering these services to hobbyists for a monthly subscription.

In a recent interview, the CEO of a trendy AI video generation company looking for funds says he prefers targeting the general public over professionals, which illustrates this shift. People who couldn't create an image from scratch now feel empowered yet gain little in return—no recognition, and if they attempt to sell their work, it's at rock-bottom prices, contributing to a market flooded with cheap AI images.

This isn't a new phenomenon. We see similar patterns in large malls where mass-produced, framed images from stock photo libraries are sold cheaply. It's the same with the deluge of photographs available for next to nothing.

The actual value of an image, illustration, or photograph lies in the idea, concept, composition, storytelling, and numerous other factors. Regardless of quality, an automated image or video cannot replicate the process involved in creation—the trials, errors, iterations, and decision-making that culminate in a finished artwork.

Those fixated on the result miss the essence of art, perceiving it merely as a consumable product. In contrast, carefully composed and conceived images reflect the creative process and the creator's personal choices, emotions, and experiences.

So, I would like to end with a positive note; in a landscape oversaturated with subpar or quickly produced images, it becomes ever more apparent that the actual value of artistry, born from meticulous craftsmanship and profound creativity, shines brighter than ever before.

Now is the moment for artists to dedicate effort to showcasing their abilities and the authenticity of their artistic journey to communicate positively.

As always, I remain committed to supporting this endeavor through my engagement on various websites, social media platforms, and events I oversee.

Live are coming back on IAMAG Master Classes, and we're happy to start a new series neet month with Stephen Silver
 
Pre-Register and Ask your Questions LIVE : Check the Official LIVE Page

I am excited to announce the much-anticipated return of the IAMAG Master Classes in Paris after a gap of 5 years ( https://www.iamag.co/iamag-master-classes-2024-paris/ ) . It's a celebratory moment for us, and we want to make the 2024 edition not just another event but a unique, memorable, and exclusive experience for all involved.

We're offering a unique chance to all early supporters to secure their seat at an almost 50% discount, including unique advantages, such as access to the replay one month after without extra charge.

We will announce the First part of Line-Up will be announced on August 30th, and the ticket will switch to a higher price.

Ready to join us? Take your chance to get one of these 25 Unique Tickets before it's too late!

Every Wednesday, a new theme on IAMAG Master Classes and a new bundle to (re)discover some of our content and get inspired by some of our artists. Check the collection here

This week you can (re) watch Mattias Adolfsson and Nicolas Weis, Live performance, and we would love to see your own sketches there!