ARTchipel

With artist/curator Jacob van Loon’s help, we’ve centralized questions frequently asked by visual Artists who choose Tumblr as their platform to share work. Read below to see if any question you have can be answered:

How do I find Art blogs that promote Artists?
Tumblr aggregates influential blogs in their Spotlight section. Blogs gain a certain status if their owners post consistent, well-received material. Some areas of the Spotlight we have found useful are:
   Art
   Artists
   Comics 
   Curators
   Design
   Illustrators 
   Photography
   Typography

What are “tags”? What do they do?
Like other blogging platforms, Tumblr allows any user to tag their posts. Tags show up abbreviated by #hashtags at the bottom of every entry in your feed, and in varying places on the front end of the blog depending on your layout.

Using tags makes your posts searchable. This allows others to find your work. Tumblr also aggregates the most popular tags used on the entire website, and puts them in one place for you. These featured tags are moderated by tag editors*, who have the ability to feature work in this section daily. We have found the following tags to be a good resource for visual Artists:
   Art
   Black and White
   Comics
   Crafts
   Design
   Illustration
   Landscape
   Portrait
   Typography
   Artists on Tumblr**

*What is a tag editor?
Read the full explanation for the editing position here.

**What is “Artists on Tumblr”? If I’m an Artist, how does this benefit me?
Artists on Tumblr is a featured tag designed for just that – Artists that post their work on Tumblr. Adding this tag to entries that contain your own original artwork allows tag editors* to search directly for you. By using this tag, you better your chances of being featured as an Artist on Tumblr, which is beneficial for your networking purposes.

What blogs should I follow?
We recommend following ARTchipel, and browsing this page titled Tumblr Art Blogs To Follow.

How to find some really awesome Artists on Tumblr?
Take some time to look through Tumblr Spotlight Artists and Illustrators sections, track the feature tag Artists on Tumblr**. You can also browse directory-blogs such as Artists on Tumblr and Artist Directory, discover artists with ARTchipel’s monthly Tumblr artists discovery list, or learn more about artists that ARTchipel has featured on Tumblr Artist page.

Why do you post the work of other Artists?
ARTchipel is a curatorial blog, which acts as a reservoir for content that we finds aesthetically and culturally valuable. With full compliance, we post the work of many Artists from a centralized location, which acts as a resource for Artists, and patrons alike. Sharing the Artwork we choose in an online format presents the opportunity to convey ideas that not everyone has the opportunity to see or hear in person. ARTchipel also integrates itself directly with the art community on Tumblr, by inviting curators to feature some of their favorite contemporary Artists, every Monday.

What else can I do to distinguish myself on Tumblr?
Featured tags are the most popular tags that Tumblr users implement, meaning that on a daily basis; they can house high volumes of content. Tagging your posts with your name, or handle, automatically individualizes your posts, and makes your entries searchable by your own name.
• Consistency is key. Posting as frequently as possible will allow others more chance to see your work. Tumblr moves quickly, keeping pace with it takes some thought. Streamlining your other social media sites with your blog is also a good idea.
• Vagueness doesn’t improve your chances. Consider what you see when you walk into most Art galleries. Pieces are labeled with a name, a title, a date, and a medium where relevant. Your posts should reflect this structure.
• Give credit where credit is due. If you are posting your own work, make sure Tumblr knows it. If you are posting the work of others with curatorial intent, make sure Tumblr knows it. Protecting the integrity of Artists is at the core of ARTchipel’s interest, and it will benefit you to do the same.
• Provide some information about yourself, and your work on your page.
• Introduce yourself. Most users on Tumblr enable the ask box, which allows users to submit content and/or questions to other users. That function can be found in varying places on a Tumblr page, depending on the layout. Once you have established a network of blogs to follow, say hello. Introducing your work and giving a little information about yourself is beneficial. Letting another user know what you think of their work is also a good way to establish communication.

What are other ways to gain more exposure?
Some curatorial blogs accept submissions from Artists who work in certain genres, such as:
   Artist Directory – Fine Art
   Designers of Tumblr – Design  
   Drawing Architecture – Architectural Drawing
   Eat Sleep Draw – Illustration, Drawing
   Fuck Yeah Girly Art – Gender-specific Illustration
   Fuck Yeah Illustrations – Illustration
   Fuck Yeah Moleskines – Sketchbooks
   Ilustrativo – Illustrations
   PhotographersDirectory – Photography
   The Only Magic Left is Art – Fine Art
   Tumblr Open Arts – Fine Art

N.B. If you have some tips to provide for visual Artists, please contact us