#384

xanni@diaspora.glasswings.com

How to Title Your Art: Why Art Titles are Important

Artists often wonder whether to title their art. The answer to that question is absolutely positively YES. To begin with, a title always adds value to a work of art. At the very least, it gives viewers more information than they would have if the work was untitled. Think about it. If you had to choose between two very similar works of art, you liked them equally well, they were both priced the same, but one had a title and the other didn't, which would you buy? If you're like most people, the one with the title of course. Because the one with the title has "more" than the one without... and you're paying nothing extra for it.

Titles are also important because that they serve as introductions to your art, especially for people who know nothing about you, but who come across your work by chance or accident for the first time, like what they see, and want to know more. Good titles give them one more reason to initiate the want-to-know-more process. They help engage and encourage viewers to keep looking and learning.

And then there's the Internet. A major plus point of art with titles is that it's searchable on Google and other search engines. Untitled art is not. And the more opportunities you give people to discover your art, the more people will discover it. With these facts in mind, artists often wonder how to come up with good titles. Well wonder no more because here are some basic tips and guidelines for how to title your art

Via Cory Doctorow in Recomendo - issue #384

xanni@diaspora.glasswings.com

Maintenance: Of Everything by Stewart Brand

Books in Progress is what we call a “public drafting tool”: Drafts will be made available for comment from the public, allowing for direct collaboration between author and reader.

As a reader, you can comment on a passage from the text, or respond to another comment. The author will accept or dismiss these comments. Once the author implements comments, a new draft will be created and the current one archived. Helpful commenters will be thanked in print at the author’s discretion.

Books in Progress was developed by Works in Progress in partnership with Stewart Brand and Stripe Press.

Via Kevin Kelly at Recomendo - issue #384 where he wrote:

I’m enjoying Stewart Brand’s newest book which is about Maintenance: of Everything. However, the book is not done yet. Stewart is posting drafts of chapters as he writes them in a way that solicits feedback from readers. So not only can you read the book early, you can influence the book, as many readers have already. Everything, from your car to your local town, needs to be maintained, but is often neglected, so this book has something useful and pertinent for everyone in making maintenance more exciting. — KK