Imagekind Blog | Buy, Sell, Create and Discuss Art

Friday Favorites – A Very Smashing Week!

nate — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:56:02 +0000

Friday is here again! And on Fridays, I share some of my Friday Favorites. Check out this week’s and you’ll see Imagekind seemingly pop up all over the place. From Smashing Magazine, to AOL Home and even USA Today. Also, don’t forget that today we celebrate a very special holiday in honor of one of my favorite foods animals; the delicious mighty cow. And if you missed the big announcement about Imagekind, make sure to catch it below.

AOL Home

Ah, AOL. It brings me back to my first forays on the internet. Anyway, AOL Home’s blog ShelterPop gets it exactly right in their blog post of 5 Sites for Affordable Art. Check out what they say about us below. We are super stoked for the inclusion!

Smashing Magazine

I love Smashing Magazine. And no, not just because they mentioned us in their 35 Beautiful Photography Websites, but because they are constantly posting super helpful and relevant content. They really live up to their motto to “Smash you with the information that will make your life easier. Really.” We are totally thrilled, and humbled really, to be listed among such amazing photographers as a place where they can sell their artwork online. We are glad we have built a reputation that supports such fantastic artists. Thanks Smashing Magazine!

USA Today

I wanted to give a quick and big congratulations to our own Rajesh Srinivasan for taking second place(!) in USA Today’s Picture America Contest. Well done Rajesh! You can see and purchase his winning image right in his Imagekind gallery.

Rainbow Passage by Rajesh Srinivasan

Cow Appreciation Day

I love beef cows. But today might just be one of those days when I put down the cow, and trade it for it’s feathery counterpart. Today, July 10, is Chick-fil-A’s 5th Annual Cow Appreciation day. The deal is, if you dress like a cow and go into any Chick-fil-A’s restaurant, you will get free chicken meal. So what’s this got to do with Art and/or Imagekind? HA! Very little… But to show our support of one of America’s best-loved animals, I thought I’d give them their day in the sun and feature some inspiring cow art on Imagekind! Heck, we have a whole homepage dedicated to them.

Holy cow! I was just told about this: The Cow Appreciation Day photo contest. I love it! If you submit a photo, upload it to Imagekind too! And please show me!

Major Updates to Imagekind

We hope you didn’t miss our big announcement this week. But if you did, no worries, I’ve got you covered. I mean, you could just scroll down a bit and see it on the blog yourself, but if that requires to much time and/or effort, here is the quick version:

We’ve removed the upload limitations and implemented unlimited uploads.
Premium Members can now create their own customizable Storefront.
We also unveiled our new Portfolio Manager to help batch-edit your galleries.

Need more details on the features? Check the actual announcement.

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Major Updates: Unlimited Uploads, Custom Storefronts, and More!

nate — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:47:54 +0000

Announcing a host of new features for artists at Imagekind!

Empowering artists to sell their artwork, their way, online, has been our passion from day one. For the past three years, we’ve focused on building one community for buying, selling and creating art. That’s why we are more than excited to announce today our newest features for artists selling their artwork through Imagekind.

Alright, here’s the low-down on all the amazing features just released:

We’ve removed the upload limitations and implemented unlimited uploads – no matter the account level.
Premium Members can now create their very own completely customizable Storefront.
That’s right, there’s more. We’re also unveiling our new Portfolio Manager to help batch-edit your galleries.

Need more details on the features? Keep reading!

Portfolio Manager & Image Upload Limits

Unlimited uploads for all members
Up to 3 galleries for free members
Manage all your galleries and images in the new Portfolio Manger
Select a single image, a gallery or any number of images and edit them all at once
Use drag-and-drop to change the order of your images and galleries
Move images easily from one gallery to another
Add tags, subjects, genres, medium and décor across multiple images at a time
Set default frame and canvas selections for multiple images at a time

Storefronts (For Premium Members Only)

Your own customizable storefront, with an easy to remember URL
Choose from a selection of themes, and personalize it to match your style
Easy to manage and update – change your storefront as often as you like
Add, remove and customize pages in your storefront
Pick the galleries you want available in your storefront, and keep more available in the marketplace
Edit the CSS of your storefront to make it look exactly the way you want
Track visits to your storefront using Google Analytics
Make money by selling ads with your own Google Adsense (or keep it clean and ad-free)
Collect your shoppers’ email addresses with mailing list sign-ups

Changes to Member Benefits

Unlimited uploads for everybody
Up to 250 galleries for Platinum Members, 100 galleries for Pro Members and 3 galleries for Free Members
Premium Members get fully customizable storefronts
Framing Commissions: 15% for Platinum, 10 % for Pro and 5% for Free Member accounts

Best of all? We’re still not done… Rest assured this is just the begining of our continued mission of empowering artists to create, discuss, share and sell their artwork their way!

Make sure to login to your Imagekind account and check out all the features. Including the new Portfolio Manager and Storefront. Want your own customizable Storefront? Upgrade your Imagekind membership!

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Trivia Tuesday – You Ruined It!

nate — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:41:03 +0000

Trivia Tuesday is a weekly feature where I try and stump our readers with interesting art facts. Test your knowledge of the art world and let’s see if you have what it takes to be an art master.

Question: What was on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel before Michelangelo painted over it?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

**polls close next Tuesday, 7/14/09 and the correct answer will be shared then.

Last week’s poll answer: #3; The MoMA

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Friday Favorites – Happy Fourth of July!

nate — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:50:03 +0000

It’s Friday! And with Friday comes my Friday Favorites. This week we celebrate America’s independence. Fireworks, friends, and family are all part of the fun. Get your camera’s ready for the firework shows and be safe!

Happy 4th of July!

Fireworks are not only beautiful to watch on the Fourth of July, they can also make stunning artwork. If you’ve ever wondered how to photograph fireworks, make sure to check out the Digital Photography School’s top ten tips. Once you’ve mastered the art (or just want to get some advice and feedback), post them in your Imagekind galleries.

Check out some of my favorite firework and Fourth of July artwork on Imagekind:

American I by Dallas Drotz

Capitol Fireworks by Notley Hawkins

Fireworks by Tommi Arina

9/11 Flag Painting by Erin M. Foltin Brackett

fireworks by maddie_mae_4

Fireworks over San Francisco by Can Balcioglu

Also, in celebration of The Fourth don’t forget that you can still get free shipping at Imagekind until July 6*. Just use promo code 4July09 at checkout.

*offer expiresJuly 6th at Midnight PDT. Valid on US ground shipping only and not cominable with any other offer.

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Artist Interviews – Harry Kikstra: Incredible World & Travel Photographer

nate — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:17:19 +0000

Harry Kikstra is an outstanding photographer. Simply looking at his Imagekind galleries will confirm this claim. His photographs provide a glimpse into a world that many of us may never experience. Whether it is in the heart (or head) of Tibet or the vastness of America, his breathtaking shots will leave you in awe of our planet and all there is to enjoy about it.

Bio: Harry Kikstra is a climber/expedition leader/ photographer/ filmmaker/ producer/ writer/ public speaker/ cyclist and many other things that have to do with sharing the beauty of the outdoors. I have climbed the 7 continental highpoints and have traveled a lot and will not stop soon, though normally I am based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

His personal site, ExposedPlanet.com is not only a way to show his portfolio, but also to share the beauty of our planet. Nowadays negative press & media might make people scared of everything foreign or different: culture, religion, people and the places themselves. This xenophobia is taking over our lives and prevents us from seeing the real world as it is: a wonderful place with beautiful people. There are no bad or evil countries, religions or people. There is bad and good people in every culture, including your own.

I hope I can share a bit of the amazement I have enjoyed while traveling the 7 continents.

1. What is your inspiration? What keeps you making art?

The wonderful world around me. The desire to share the new places I visit, new people I meet and a deeper knowledge of places and people I already knew before. Positive things like colors and culture, but sometimes also negative things like injustice and anger.

I started my photoblog ExposedPlanet.com not only as a way to show my portfolio, but also to share the beauty of our planet. Nowadays negative press & media might make people scared of everything foreign or different: culture, religion, people and the places themselves. This xenophobia is taking over our lives and prevents us from seeing the real world as it is: a wonderful place with beautiful people. There are no bad or evil countries, religions or people. There is bad and good people in every culture, including your own.

Makalu from 3rd Step on Everest

2. What made you decide to be a Photographer?

I always loved to take photos, but it got reinforced by positive feedback on my images. I noticed that my audience got intrigued by my photos and got curious about the stories behind it. Also I love the power of images, just a still moment can say more than a movie of an hour. Besides I love the technical aspects of photography, cameras & lenses & post-processing, trying to teach and improve myself constantly.

Taschi Dzom Hells Angels, Tibet

3. How does Travel influence the way you see the world and your art?

It is the catalyst. It opens up a virtually endless array of subjects and stories and enlightens me. It is the best education you can ever get. Many Westerners do not appreciate that our freedom to travel is one of the highest freedoms there is. They take it for granted and do not use this freedom. Those who do not travel do not realize they are stuck in a box, of which walls and windows (if any) are tainted by commercial media and politics. Step outside and look further.

Practically speaking I need to carry a laptop and an external hard disk as well. As it is very likely that if one gets lost stolen or submerged in water, the other will too, so I also use an online backup service. Also, when climbing to high altitude, the weight of the cameras and lenses are a burden, but that is worth it.

Nepali Girl with amazing eyes close up

4. What programs and tools do you use to create your photography? What equipment do you use?

I switched to Digital 4 years ago, until then I was mostly using slides on my Canon Eos3. After the canon 20D & 5D, I am now using the 5D mark II, a wonderful machine. As I am traveling I am space and weight limited, and need to make a selection of lenses, so I take only my favorites for a fairly broad range: 16-35mm zoom, 50mm fixed and 135mm fixed.

Of course, often opening and closing the shutter only takes as little as 1/8000 of a second, I spend much more time afterward with processing.
Before I used PhotoShop, but now I am very happy with LightRoom, as I do not need all the PS features, mostly I alter only the basics like contrast and fill light, I do hardly ever use any layer masks etc.. I have created some panoramas as well, using LR, PS & Hugin. I can spend hours tweaking one photo, while several hundred others are waiting

Panorama: Horseshoe Bend of the Colorado River

5. What is your favorite thing to shoot?

Life. I specially love to capture mountains and kids. It is always difficult to explain to others why I choose to climb mountains (I have climbed the ‘7 summits’, the highest mountain on every continent, including Everest), so I try to show it instead.
Kids are the same all over the world, just their surroundings are different, but I love the honesty & joy in their faces.

Everest from BaseCamp Tibet after snow

6. Which artists inspire you & what are your favorite pieces/artists on Imagekind?

I am a fan of originality and truth, both can move me. I really have no favorite artists, as a favorite style would probably mean that many images will look alike. But am always positively surprised by pieces or art I encounter while browsing Imagekind and random photoblogs. I think there is a lot of talent around that are not famous. The digital world has changed the artist landscape I think.

Denali Summit Ridge from the summit, Alaska, USA

7. Who is your target audience? What do you do to market to them specifically?

I have never shot specifically for a target audience and do not know who they are exactly, so maybe you should contact my buyers on Imagekind and ask them! I just shoot my images and upload them to my websites, specifically ExposedPlanet.com, where I link to my Imagekind gallery.

That site is very popular, though it is very basic and has never been promoted by Google advertisements, fancy tricks or software. It is just the content that makes people come, I think it has page-rank 6 from Google at the moment.

I think my viewers are travelers, or people who want to be inspired by travels and want to know the real stories, not what the media wants you to believe. The most images I sell are my landscapes, I think a lot of travelers & climbers buy these, as most do not take heavy equipment up high mountains like I do… I do market the photos from my other website, 7summits.com, which caters to climbers & hikers.

Currently I am not updating my portfolio much, as I am traveling by bicycle from Alaska to Argentina (now in Mexico), but I do post images on my travelblog and some of them are already available on Imagekind as well.

Babushkas waiting for coins near Red Square, Moscow

8. Are you a full time artist, do you participate in Galleries and Shows?

I organize Mountaineering expeditions, and run several websites, this takes up a lot of my time. I am a full-time traveler though, have been on the road/mountains for the past several years and will be for the years to come. I work from the road (literally) and therefore it is hard to organize shows and galleries, that’s why Imagekind is so great. I guess I need a manager for the real-world galleries/shows (any takers?), as I am sure it will be great. Many of my images need a large size print before you can truly appreciate the scenery.

Chinese borderguard at Tibetan border

9. Do you belong to any social networks? How is it working for you?

I am very suspicious about copyrights management and therefore I have stayed away from Facebook (and most photo competitions). I am on LinkedIn and sometimes share advice on the forums. I use Twitter (@ExposedPlanet) to make some quick blog updates and to share some images, but mostly I use it to search current events.

What is getting more important for me are the social travel networks, such as CouchSurfing.org , WarmShowers.org (for traveling cyclists) & HospitalityClub.org . These are wonderful ways to meet local people, who not only offer free places to stay, but they take you to the real sights, not what the brochures want you to see..

My real social network is the world. We are all connected, but we only have one life to enjoy it.

I hope I can share a bit of the amazement I have enjoyed while traveling the 7 continents. The more I see, the more I know I still have to see and I will. Life is too short to focus on not-existing enemies & fears.

My images show some of the varied culture and nature that is to be found on our 7 continents. I hope that it will sparkle your imagination, make you curious or even just educate you a bit, being maybe the 3 most important aspects of society in my view. A picture can say more than a 1000 wars and can maybe help understand the world around us. It’s a small place, so maybe we can make the best of it together.

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Trivia Tuesday – Right Side Up

nate — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:54:31 +0000

Trivia Tuesday is a weekly feature where I try and stump our readers with interesting art facts. Test your knowledge of the art world and let’s see if you have what it takes to be an art master.

Question: What famous museum hung Matisse’s ‘Le Bateau’ upside-down for 47 days before an art student noticed the error?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

**polls close next Tuesday, 7/7/09 and the correct answer will be shared then.

Last week’s poll answer: #3; Medium

Check out these other related posts

Friday Favorites – Imagekind in Art Calendar and Artists on the iPhone

nate — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:27:52 +0000

Friday is here again! And with Friday comes my Friday Favorites. Imagekind is all over this week! The new edition of Art Calendar magazine is out and you can check out our exclusive ad. Also, discover Imagekind artists on the iPhone!

Imagekind in Art Calendar

The recent issue of Art Calendar magazine just hit the stands. And if you’re a subscriber, you might just notice a familiar face showing up within its pages! That’s right, Imagekind has a full page spot in the July 2009 issue. What’s best? The issue is focused on Social Media and “Marketing Art in the Digital Age;” exactly what Imagekind is all about!

See a larger version here!

Imagekind Artists on the iPhone

The new iPhone 3G S hit the market just the other week. And with it came the on-rush to grab one. I know a few people who got one (don’t worry, I’m not giving into the craze just yet, I’m still keeping it real) and while they were showing off me all the unnecessary cool features, I noticed something truly cool:

Imagekind artist Mr. Roctopus has his image “Trunk vs. Trunk” included on the background app available in the iTunes store. So, if you’ve got an iPhone, download the free app and check out some sweet art by our very own Mr. Roctopus!

Celebrating the Fourth

At Imagekind, we like to have fun and rarely pass up the opportunity to celebrate. So we’re not wasting any time this Fourth of July! That’s why we’re kicking off the celebrations with Free Shipping* on orders over $15! Use promo code 4July09 at checkout.

*Applies to U.S. ground shipping only. Promotion expires July 6, 2009 at Midnight PDT.

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RIP The King of Pop – Michael Jackson Dies at Age 50

nate — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:41:12 +0000

We here at Imagekind are all, like everyone I imagine, both shocked and saddened by the recent news of the death of Michael Jackson. It is like one of those days you never thought would actually happen, but when it does, it becomes almost too surreal to come to grips with. Though up and down in popularity and in and out of controversy and the public spotlight, his musical legacy was nearly unmatched. And for that he will always be remembered.

So, to commemorate his death we wanted to pay our respects with some of the posters and artwork of the King of Pop on Imagekind. Also, one of the greatest video musical feats ever, Thriller.

1971 - Michael Jackson by Rolling Stone Authentic

1983 - Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney

1983 - Michael Jackson

1987 - Michael Jackson

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31 Amazing Photo Manipulation Artists on Imagekind

nate — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:06:52 +0000

Wikipedia defines photo manipulation (#manip) as “the application of image editing techniques to photographs in order to create an illusion or deception (in contrast to mere enhancement or correction), through analog or digital means.” The Wikipedia entry continues on by saying, “Its uses, cultural impact, and ethical concerns have made it a subject of interest beyond the technical process and skills involved.”Most photo manipulation artists utilize various PhotoShop art techniques to create the varied and striking imagery.

Just browsing around the site recently I realized how many amazing photo manipulation artists there are on Imagekind. So, I thought I’d share my top 30.

Check out even more Photo Manipulation artwork for sale on Imagekind.

: No One Wanted To Be Sued by M Fortune

: Desperation by Josh Sommers

: on th way by miruna uzdris

: squid,seashell and crab by Pawel Wewiorski

: Dizzy crowd by Martine Roch

: Limits by Stephanie Bennett

: DREAMING AGAIN by METROFADER

: Dandelion by Melissa Nucera

: Corsairs from Sirocco by Bartlomiej Jurkowski

: Untitled by applephotogirl

: There’s Something In The Dryer… by Lisa KC

: decadence 03 by Lina Hansson

: Hope Springs Eternal by PhotoDream .

: Homeward bound by Catrin Welz-Stein

: My dream is to fly by Amalia Iuliana

: Everything inside never comes out right. by Karen Biggs

: Storm by Lydia Marano

: Just a Dream by Ana CBStudio

: La-la Land by Karen Ilagan

: Try to escape by Marja Sterenborg

: Untitled by Sarolta Bán

: brain pain by Lukasz Szyszka

: Official by Mike Orduña

: I am not a perfect man by O O

: True colors by jeannerin

: the hidden depths of being real by Vanessa Ho

: Daydreams by Krista S. Raak

: The Whisper by Neil Carey

: Greetings from Eastern Europe by Anikó Hencz

: Loss by WanderingSoul

One With the Earth by Day Seriani

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Trivia Tuesday – What’s the Mix?

nate — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:41:28 +0000

Trivia Tuesday is a weekly feature where I try and stump our readers with interesting art facts. Test your knowledge of the art world and let’s see if you have what it takes to be an art master.

Question: In painting, what is the name of the substance you mix with the paint to give it different qualities?

Paint Macro: 10 of 18 by Jef Harris

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

**polls close next Tuesday, 6/30/09 and the correct answer will be shared then.

Last week’s poll answer: #2; Photographic paper coated with gelatine and silver