Teaching an art workshop is a great way to share your own technique with the community as well as a way of making extra income as an artist. This can also be a good way to boost your presence and increase your art sales.
- Offering a unique workshop by sharing your own method or a particular technique that you have mastered. Make sure that you are able to convey your lesson in a clear and concise manner. Each student needs to come away with a finished piece of work in the time frame allotted.
- Planning is key to conducting a successful workshop. Make sure you have prepared properly by making a list of all the equipment you need and practice your workshop with friends or family at home in order to insure that you are able to convey your ideas in the time frame that the workshop will run.
- Make your workshop fun and social. Prepare the space by adding your personal touches such as soft music in the background and break the ice by asking attendees to introduce themselves to the group at the start of the session. If the workshop participants had a good time they will be more likely to attend future workshop and to recommend you to other venues.
- Insure individual attention. Small workshop groups will allow you time to be able to work with people individually to help participants make small corrections to their techniques. Make sure you give plenty of praise and encouragement as many people are trying new techniques for the first time. As they build confidence their technique will continue to improve.
- Think Outside the Box! Think of ways to introduce and teach your technique in a new way. You may be a watercolor artist and decide to offer a workshop in watercolor doodling or making cards using watercolors. With so much competition you want to be creative and come up with a workshop offering that is unique and will appeal to a broad audience. You may also want to enhance your program by bringing in special snacks or giving each of the participants a hand made print as a token of your appreciation. Above all don’t forget to have fun and make it a workshop that they will never forget!
