Diane Clancy's Art Blog

I also want to figure out how to share in a particular personal way that Neda at Papiers Collés excels at. I truly enjoy reading how she shares her soul. Not every day, not every post, but I feel she brings in the personal in a very special way (and so do some of the other bloggers I read too – like Sue O’Kieffe at Sacred Circles Mandalas.)

Flower Essence II, Digital © Diane Clancy

I read a post – right at the beginning of my short blogging life – that talked about how this person’s favorites blogs were the ones who combined information, techniques, thoughts and the personal – blended in a way that is interesting (I have no idea where I read that.) I guess I had that idea in my mind. Also, I see which blogs I enjoy reading the most and strive to do similar writing here.

This is a follow-up to yesterday’s post about whether to start naming my posts based on content rather than image… But then again, often in comments, I (or someone else) have written quite a lot of additional information. There is quite a bit about copyright in the Winterberry in Flowers post. Just so you know and can go check it out if you have been wanting some info about copyright for artists.

And this (the above) is a funny little example – the post was about pointing people toward Chris O’Byrne‘s post wanting to know what info people want to know about Art Marketing, and then, there are several long comments in the post about artists and copyright.

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: Neda, Sue O’Kieffe, copyright, Chris O’Byrne, Papiers Collés, Sacred Circles Mandalas, personal sharing, art marketing

This is the second in a set of 4 – they should probably be a video – to have them progress from one to another … that is on the mythical list that I probably need 5 lifetimes to complete. But, I have another question for you … again …

Flower Essence I, Digital © Diane Clancy

I am reconsidering my initial way of organizing this blog. I started out making the names of the posts the names of the painting I was sharing with you. Seemed reasonable to me. But then sometimes I have talked about a certain topic and then it is not so easy to find the post again. So I am thinking, perhaps I should (from now on end) start naming the posts more related to the content rather than the image.

At the beginning the names and content weren’t as different, because I shared a lot of info about techniques that I use to create images … but now that is rarer. And people have been asking me questions about how to do this and that – and I love that! So I am being drawn into posting in ways I couldn’t foresee.

I am asking you, because I feel that those of you who have contributed – by reading and by posting – are part of this blog. It is not just mine. So I want it to work well for all of us who enjoy it. Thank you!

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: video, blog, organization

This digital painting was created in Studio Artist. It has been one of those days of working hard but not having a lot to show for it. So I needed to have a change … so here is a totally different kind of image. I like the way this pink relates to the flowers in the top image (currently) in the “mini-shop” – the kitty in the flowers.

Flower Essence III, Digital © Diane Clancy

Susan Elkin got her Etsy shop set up today and also got her blogspot blog personalized. She sat next to me and I guided her through the process. It was actually very gratifying because now she has a whole new appreciation for why doing all this online networking and figuring things out takes so long. I am extremely grateful!!

I have listened very carefully to the feedback I have gotten on the “looks” of the blogs and I am trying to find a theme for this WordPress blog that is conducive to a clearer look. I need one that can have my Conundrum I image in a banner (currently the second image in the Etsy “mini-shop” on the side). I like that with the little shop you can see some of my paintings very easily.

So I am trying to figure out a theme so that I can get a look more like my Blogger blog – I like that look and I have gotten a lot of positve feedback about that look. But I find that extremely tiring. But I will get through it all! Thank you again for being with me in this process!

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: digital painting, Studio Artist, Susan Elkin, blog, WordPress, Etsy, Blogger

Good news on the painting front! I finished the pastel image that I have been working on … “Reflections in Blue IV.” No – this is not that image – it still needs to be photographed before I can show you. I have only posted Reflections in Blue I, if you would like to see the first painting in the series. Once I get the painting photographed, I will show them fairly close together so you can enjoy them.

Animals II, Digital © Diane Clancy

I didn’t get any feedback on my question about the different WordPress looks for blogs … yesterday’s post has the details if you would like to check it out.

I also want to remind you of Chris O’Byrne‘s request for feedback – with the offer of a free book for anyone who responds. Details can be found in this post.

A few days ago, Alyson Stanfield featured one of my images and also some of my information on her blog. Pretty exciting! Going to keep it short tonight … thank you for stopping by!

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: pastel, painting, WordPress, Chris O’Byrne, Alyson Stanfield

I am curious whether you prefer the look of my WordPress hosted blog Diane Clancy or the look of this blog right here. I suppose they both look pretty nice, but I am lucky enough that several of you come and read and comment most days. So, I would like to know your input. I can’t do some of the fun whistles and bells on the other blog – and, obviously, I do like those extras!

Flowers V, Digital © Diane Clancy

Switching blogs here, I like the clean bright look of the Blogger blog I started the other day – Diane Clancy Art. At the moment I have put my Esty shop on the sidebar. I like seeing the bright colorful images there! Between the banner, the Etsy shop, and the painting in the post, I love the look. I sort of hate to post anything else because it looks so pretty – to me, at least.

Yesterday, I added more complete search capabilities to this blog (this one here). It now searches tags, comments, everything – not only the posts. So if you want to look at an old post and can’t find it (because I use the names of my paintings), now hopefully you can find it!

Thank you again for joining me on my journey!

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: WordPress, blog, Blogger, Esty, search

Another day with the computer here … As you know, shortly I will be setting up blogs for a couple of friends. So I have to know what I am doing and what the choices are. Toady I set a blog up at WordPress – they are hosting it. The address is dianeclancy.wordpress.com and the other new one is dianeclancy.blogspot.com (yesterday’s work.)

Bucky in Butterflies, Digital © Diane Clancy

It has actually been quite fun seeing the differences among the 3 choices. On this WordPress blog, that I host on my site, I can make lots of adaptations very easily because I can get right in to the guts of the code and tweak things to my heart’s content.

But on the Blogger blog, there are drop and drag templates that are quite simple to use. They have a lot of flexibility and you don’t need to know html to use this site. – (You don’t need to know html to host WordPress on your own site either – I want to make that clear.) – But I was frustrated at various times when I tried to make things happen that just weren’t going to happen. And I had to learn exactly how to work within its quirks – and when to give up.

The blog that is hosted on the WordPress site is interesting. They give you a dynamite set of templates right there. (So does Blogger) It is widget based so you can tweak the sidebar to your full delight. But I couldn’t figure out to add the little symbol for being on the Esty Sellers Ring. I don’t think I can do that there … I will have to make a widget (if I can) to make that happen.

So, it has been quite a journey going into the 3 cultures of these blogs. Thank you for traveling with me. Thank you to those who commented on the other blogs!

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: WordPress, Blogger, html

This is going to be a little of this and a little of that. Yesterday my business cards for the design business came and I love them! Thank you for all the help from you, the readers and commenters. I am still working on the business cards for the art business.  …  I love these blue peacocks!

Flowers III, Digital © Diane Clancy

At the moment my new blog is called Diane Clancy Art. I had run into a problem looking for me (Diane Clancy) on Blog Flux and Blog Top Sites, which recently merged. I signed up and then looked and looked for “Diane Clancy.” I figure looking for my own name I have a prayer of a chance of being on the top page.

But I never did find anything for Diane Clancy. So I started looking for key words I had put in – like “quilting.” My blog came right up for that. Then I realized that because my blog name is “Diane Clancy’s Art,” with an “‘s” at the end of Clancy, it wasn’t showing up for Clancy.

Two tidbits about about blogs (Neda, this is for you). One is think about the name you choose because it can either help or hurt you with searches. Be thoughtful about using key words in a way that can help you be found more easily. I just realized, at that site, I should probably list “Clancy” as a key word. That would be a work-around.

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: business card, blog, Blog Flux, Blog Top Sites, key words

After 3 days of catching up on organizing, I am ready to come back to the real world – computers … enough of sorting through and deciding where things go. That is hard enough on a computer – never mind the offline world. (Mostly joking). But I did go try something new on the web tonight …

Flowers IX, Digital © Diane Clancy

Because Neda of Papiers Collés asked me to write about setting up a blog (even though her blog already showcases her incredible collages), I decided I should go look at Blogger. So I did.

The result may be seen at Diane Clancy Blog (http://dianeclancy.blogspot.com) (as opposed to Diane Clancy’s Blog). I had been curious anyway what Blogger was like. I started blogging with WordPress and have been very happy with it. (Now I want a little of each – the story of my life). It all started when I wanted to have an image for myself when I comment on the Blogger posts … since most of the other artists do. I hadn’t realized that I could put a face to me so easily.

So, being there, they asked me if I would like a blog, and one thing led to another. It was interesting to see how it works. I know the 2 names of the blogs are ridiculously close, but I didn’t know what else to use, really.

People haven’t been posting the last few days. I am not sure if I am being boring or others have been busy too … or …. perhaps I am just being so complete in what I say there is nothing to add (joke) – I don’t think so. Please let me know if you would like a particular direction – I have been enjoying our dialogues very much.

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: Neda, Blogger, WordPress, Papiers Collés, Diane Clancy Blog

Today Neda of Papiers Collés wrote in yesterday’s post, “Diane, how about you have ANOTHER blog and you take people like me step-by-step through all this? I bet there are many of us in our 40’s and 50’s who really want to know more but are paralyzed the sheer amount of technical info? You can do it!!! Pleaaase!”

Flowers XIV, Digital © Diane Clancy

I am not going to start another blog, but I would like to keep writing about technical stuff as I learn it. Perhaps it will help someone else out. If people would like me to, I can certainly either share info as I learn it, answer questions to the best of my ability, or I could every several days dedicate a post to another piece of setting up a blog.

I have several friends who are planning on starting blogs soon. That could be one way of documenting the process in a way that might be helpful to more people. If I tag the information well, then someone can come along and use this as a resource – hopefully in relatively clear language.

I have met a friend online lately, Julie, and she has asked me to help her learn about copyright issues for artists. I repsonded to her that I would like to write some posts about that for 2 reasons. One is so that I wouldn’t have to write it several times, but also, more importantly, maybe other people would find it useful too.

Sue O’Kieffe of Sacred Circles Mandalas has also asked me to share more techniques on how I create some of my digital images. So perhaps those two things go together. I would be interested in people’s response. I know there are lots of resources out there about these things. But this is here and now and some people are asking. Thank you for sharing your feedback.

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: Neda, blogs, copyright, Sue O’Kieffe, Sacred Circles Mandalas, Papiers Collés

In yesterday’s post I shared my research of the day about feed readers and FeedBurner that allow people to subscribe to blogs so they can read the posts without going to the blog. Free newsletter subscriptions, often through FeedBlitz, are one way of subscribing. Another way of subscribing is to use a feed that brings the link right to a feed reader that you have on your desktop or web browser.

Flowers X, Digital © Diane Clancy

Today a reader shared another tidbit with me for making effective use of feeds. This reader stays linked in to a lot of feeds every day; he makes great use of them and has studied what works and what doesn’t – at least from his perspective.

He is suggesting that the feeds contain only a summary rather than the whole post. That way it still gives people motive for coming and visiting the blog. He added that it is different for people to read a post on the blog where there is a whole effect – I agree.

You may have noticed that I like bells and whistles and have several ways of displaying where people come from. I am totally thrilled that people from Australia, Europe, Asia, and Africa have visited this blog. I like that the tracking, maping extras show me that people come here.

I cannot, as of now, change my settings to summary – my server won’t let me. For myself, reading the feeds I have subscribed to from other sites, I am mainly using my own new feed reader to see if people have posted yet so I don’t have to go to their blog just to check. Then I like to go read the post in the context and atmosphere of their blogs. But I would like to keep knowing the different places people come from to look at my blog.

You might want to check out these two posts for more information – Ryan Healy and Chris O’Byrne.

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: feed readers, FeedBurner, FeedBlitz, technology, Chris O’Byrne, Ryan Healy, blogs