Time Estimates: Avoiding Last-Minute Stress

Last week in "How to Work With an Artist Rep & How An Artist Rep Works" Aletta de Wal of Artist Career Training posted information from Art Rep Margaret Danielak who shared a recent "shoe on the other foot" experience. Margaret is usually the one reviewing portfolios, but this time she was submitting a portfolio of her late father's paintings to a local gallery.  The work was accepted (yippee!) and because she knows how long it can take to put all the pieces of a show together, she prepared well in advance. By the time the paintings were due at the gallery she had  "...already printed the showcards...and sent out a major press release...and taken care of reframing/framing most of the work so that I do not have to stress about it..."

As you become more successful you'll have bigger "To Do" lists. Get in the habit now of putting a time estimate on each task and then add it to your calendar. Big Hint: However much time you think you need to complete a task, double it. Seriously.  

I use iCal (I'm on a Mac) and you can use any digital calendar and task lists you have on your computer.

Here's what I do: I start with the date of the event and work backwards (for stuff to get done before the show) and forwards (for stuff to do after the show) and calendar in the whole process. For example: mailing the show cards, having them printed and in my hands, getting artwork to the printer, creating/sending the email version, and creating the card artwork.

As you gain experience in how long things take, and as you acquire master files that you can adapt in the future, you'll save a lot of time, money and stress by being prepared and planning ahead, and you can get back to creating your art.