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Writing the Perfect Artist Bio

An artist bio is one of, if not the most effective marketing tool you have at your disposal. While it is true that in Web3, we get the opportunity to showcase more organic or varied versions of ourselves, having a well-written artist bio helps pitch yourself effectively to collectors, gallerists, brand partners, and more.

Let’s get started.

Why an Artist Bio?

Your artist bio is often the first piece of information available to both current and prospective collectors. While we are limited to 150-160 characters for social media profiles (i.e. Twitter and Instagram), a longer bio of 60-140 words fares better in other circumstances where you get to showcase your work.

Importantly, your bio is also an effective summary of your resume, and should be an easy-to-understand digestible paragraph that leaves the reader with a basic TL;DR of who you are.

After reading your bio, the reader should want to know more about both you and your work, while also having a greater appreciation of your portfolio given the added context and perspective.

Key Ingredients of an Artist Bio

A successful artist bio needs to summarize your practice. This includes a few things, such as:

• Medium(s)

• Themes / Influences / Inspirations

• Techniques

Additionally, the first half of your bio should focus on what is most significant about who you are as an artist and your work. While achievements and accolades are important, those are better off after the artist and their work.

Camille Chiang has a great example that summarizes an artist’s practice in under 60 words.

Once you have nailed your opening statements, feel free to supplement your bio with additional accolades, including lists that you have been included in, brands you have worked with, and more.

Be selective about the achievements you include - while you want your audience to have a good idea of what you have accomplished, you also want to make sure you highlight your top achievements so it doesn’t read like too long of a laundry list (a good problem to have!).

Check out how photographer Brittany Pierre lists her various achievements in her bio, where she selectively highlights well-known organizations in the NFT space.

Tips and Tricks for Perfecting Your Artist Bio

#1: Incorporate your voice

Most artist bios are by default written in the third person, and should read as if someone else is writing a bio about you. That said, this “person” should be someone who is passionate about your work, while still maintaining an honest and authentic tone of voice.

Should you prefer to write your bio in the first person, your bio still needs to contain all of the key ingredients. Check out this example below from artist Fernanda Boccard, which is written in the first person.

#2: Avoid selling yourself short

There is no need to sell yourself short even if you are not a full-time artist. As such, omit unnecessary information about how you are just starting out or how this is just a hobby to you, even if it is.

Remember - You are an artist, no matter how often you make art or how much you make from it.

Have confidence, and avoid using phrases like “I hope you like my work”. Your bio needs to demonstrate that you are indeed proud of your work.

#3: Avoid hyperbolic praise

Similarly, avoid the other extreme of using hyperbolic praise, especially if it is unsubstantiated. Such statements may work when a third party is indeed writing a bio about you, but is unlikely to be as well received when you are writing it yourself for inclusion in a personal website or as part of a submission for curation in a gallery or exhibit.

Examples include:

• Artist X is considered one of the most important artists in the emerging field of AI art.

• Artist Y is widely known for their effective use of color.

#4: Have bios of varying lengths

It is always useful to have bios of varying lengths so that they can be used for different purposes. We recommend having bios of at least 3 different lengths.

Check out how Amber Vittoria conveys her artistic practice across different lengths for different platforms.

• 30 words: Used in social media profiles, this version of the bio need not have complete sentences so that it can fit within the tight character limits of platforms like Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and more.

• 50-60 words: This is a perfect length for platforms like HUG that house multiple artists, as collectors are likely to have a shorter attention span as they explore different artists at a time. Even then, make sure to include your medium, theme/inspiration, and technique.

• 100-150 words: Longer bios are perfect for your personal website or when submitting yourself for consideration at a gallery show. This version can also include a few personal accolades and achievements.

#5: Make use of AI to improve upon your bio

With AI now readily at our disposal, feel free to use tools like ChatGPT to improve upon your artist bio. This can also be a great tool for shortening or lengthening your bio.

Check out this example of how we used ChatGPT to reduce HUG’s Director of Creator Programming Michael Littig’s artist bio from over 80 words to less than 50.

While AI is an incredibly powerful tool, it is unlikely that its immediate output will be perfect. Make sure to edit, edit, edit, and invite friends and family to proof read your bio to ensure it describes you in the best way possible.

#6: Don’t let your bio get stale

Especially in a space as quickly evolving as NFTs, make it a part of your practice to revisit your bio regularly. Check back every few months to re-assess what the most important aspects of your practice are, especially if you are expanding into a new discipline or displaying at an upcoming exhibition.

Closing Thoughts

While crafting an artist bio is a writing practice, it is very much tied to storytelling.

This Thursday, we are excited to host 2 incredible artists Aoife O’Dwyer and Unickate on Twitter Spaces to share more about their origin stories and artistic practice. We will draw upon their experiences to put these tips into action.

In the News

Industry News

• Decentralized Twitter alternative BlueSky is gaining steam as it aims to become an open protocol for social networking. Learn more about what BlueSky is.

• One of the winners at the Sony World Photography Awards 2023 revealed that his submission wasn’t a photo at all, and was instead generated by artificial intelligence (AI). Read about why German artist Boris Eldagsen made this submission and ended up rejecting the award.

• Solana is accelerating development within its ecosystem through a technology known as xNFTs (Executable NFTs), which enable applications to be built and distributed as NFTs. Learn more here.

• Fine Art photographers join forces to launch NFTs to battle climate change. Learn more here.

• Toymaker Mattel is launching a dedicated NFT marketplace to make it easier to collect digital collectibles of Hot Wheels cars.

Tools and Resources

• Curious about how you can effectively grow your business using innovative creator tools from Web2 to Web3? Register for a free webinar with strategies on how to deepen & expand your audience.

• Still confused about the difference between AI art and AI-generated art? Check out this guide by NFT Now here.

• Need to speed up your workflow as a creator? Here’s a handy list 100 of ChatGPT prompts that can help you with creating more content, more efficiently.

• RunwayML recently launched their iOS app that allows you to use AI tools directly from your phone’s camera. Download it here.

Notable Creators

• Interested in the future of fashion in the metaverse? Read this feature about the Godmother of the Metaverse Cathy Hackl, who has worked with brands like Clinique, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, and more.

• British artist Damien Hirst’s new AI project, The Beautiful Paintings, which asked collectors to generate their own paintings, generated over $20M of revenue over a 9 day sale period.

• Artist Jack Butcher serves up another rambling (but insightful!) thread behind the evolution of Opepen Edition, and how it was an exercise in permissionless creativity, value exchange, networked art, experimentation.

Artist Grants and Opportunities

• Win up to USDC 2000 and an opportunity to collaborate with leading women PFP project World of Women! Get more details and submit your original art by May 8 here.

• Interested in launching art on the Avalanche blockchain? Apply to Avaissance, Avalanche’s newest artist-in-residence program which offers mentorship, resources, and other opportunities. Learn more and apply here by April 28.

• Get featured in the Daily Ralpha, a Web3 newsletter with a daily circulation of 75K. All you have to do is apply for your own HUG artist profile, and submit your interest here.

• Carroll Hall invites artists to apply for this unique opportunity and use Carroll Hall as your personal studio space to expand your creativity for their summer artist-in-residence program. Learn more and apply here by May 1st.

• Bethany Arts Community offers residencies to emerging and established artists for the development of both new works and works-in-progress. BAC welcomes artists working across any discipline and medium, including visual artists, sculptors, writers, playwrights, choreographers, musicians, composers, performance artists, filmmakers, and more to our Fall Multidisciplinary Residency. Any and all artistic mediums are encouraged to apply by April 26th.

• Post your best work to Creatively every week, let the community vote, and stand a chance to win a $5,000 cash grant each month.

This Week’s Art Drops

• Victims shot in eyes hold on to hopes by Soliiiart (1/1, 0.8 ETH Reserve): A moving piece inspired by the hundreds of protesters in Iran who mobilized against the killing of Mahsa Amini, a 21-year old Iranian girl in the custody of the moral security police.

• cassandra by Viscerina (Open Edition, 0.01 ETH): One of Viscerina’s final artworks that has been minted as a celebration of her incredible talent and a poignant reminder of her passing. All proceeds generated from this will be directed towards her medical and memorial expenses.

• Untraceables by Maybe Im Wasabi (1/1, Collection of 55, 0.1 ETH): A collection of 55 1/1s that is about the limitations we choose and accept in art and life, and meditates on creative and existential limitations, and their consequences.

• Baby Crocs by Joseph Penner (Limited Edition 100/100, 0.01 ETH): This small collection celebrates 1 year since the Cool Crocs mint, an animated cartoon-based project that provides educational content for children.

• Surrender by Saphera Peters (Limited Edition 15/15, 10 tez): Part of Saphera Peters aka Saf’s Surrender and Flow collection, Surrender is a piece about accepting that we are not in control of everything, and letting go and enjoying life as it happens.

• LOL™ AOIFE by Dust Monkey and Aoife (Limited Edition 10/10, 0.07 ETH): A collaboration between Dust Monkey and Aoife O’Dwyer as part of the LOL™ | & Co collection which features both digital and physical collectibles.

• Music Realm by Ayamehoon (1/1, 0.15 ETH): Part of the lore for Spirit Town that Ayamehoon has created, Haruko is the lead guitarist of Moonpanda Club who eventually transforms into the Music Cat Yokai who lives in Spirit Town.

• Diary by Checksy (1/1, 0.25 ETH): A piece about embracing one’s past self that is inspired by Checksy finding solace in reading their old diary when they were younger.

Creator Spotlight: Aoife O’Dwyer

Aoife (pronounced ee-fah) is an artist, designer, curator, founder and creative director based in Ireland.

She founded 1/1 PFP project The Foofees and makes art work that tries to imagine what lives in the gaps of human perception. Her work can be recognized through her distinct use of color, as well as her whimsy and weirdly cute characters of critters and femmes.

As an elder millennial she’s big on using animated GIFs, at least 3 emojis in all responses, wholesome, supportive vibes, meaningful connections and the power of Web3 communities.

Aoife uses she/her pronouns and is a queer ✦ neurodivergent ✦ feminist ✦ vegan ✦ fat ✦ femme.

Learn more about Aoife in her HUG Artist Profile or follow her directly on Twitter.

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