5 Ways to Get Your Art Published

Art Advice > If you want to get your art published and seen around the world, follow these suggestions from your team at PleinAir Magazine!

5 Ways to Get Your Art Published

Tip #1: Put Your Art In Front of Us
For many artists, probably the number one reason their work hasn’t appeared in the magazine or on OutdoorPainter.com is that they’ve never submitted their work for consideration. Yes, we scour the globe to find plein air artists doing extraordinary work, but don’t sit back waiting for us to find you. If you send us a submission package on your own, your chances of at least being considered for publication are 100%. So, even though the odds for publication may not be high, they’re much higher for those who send work than for those who don’t! To learn how and where to send your submission and to whom, check out our submission guidelines.

Tip #2: Tell Us the Story
Along with examples of your art, your submission package should include a letter of introduction. Tell us your bio (how long you’ve been painting, your art education, a link to your website, etc.) and then explain in brief what you think the article would be about. How would your story be unique or inspiring to readers? Is it a special focus on buildings, snow, or clouds in the landscape? Do you have a unique approach to finding a scene? Do you go rock-climbing or take other extreme measures to get to your favorite painting location?

Tip #3: Pay Attention to What is in the Magazine
It helps to have an awareness of the kinds of things we publish. Sometimes we get pitches for articles that might find a place in other magazines, but definitely not ours. We always appreciate proposals that demonstrate an understanding of our editorial needs and practices. Also, it’s good to know what we’ve recently published so you can avoid a repetitive idea.

Tip #4: Make Sure Your Website is Up to Date
Think of your website as your online portfolio, allowing not only potential clients but also editors the opportunity to browse your work. I mentioned that we scour the globe to find great artists. Well, one place we definitely scour is the Web. For example, if we admire a painting at a plein air event or in a press release, but we’re otherwise unfamiliar with the artist, we’re unlikely to plan a feature on that artist based on a single painting. But, if we can find a website that shows more of his or her work, that may be all that’s necessary to initiate an article.

Tip #5: Participate in Events
We attend a number of events in a normal year. Not only are they great opportunities to find new talent, they’re great places for us to be “flies on the wall,” listening to the concerns, challenges, and questions that are on plein air painters’ minds today. I attended my first Plein Air Convention and Expo in Santa Fe a couple of years ago and came away with a list of exciting artists and topics to feature, based on conversations I had with attendees and faculty.

What’s your favorite way to network? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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