artists & art materials

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1 ACTIVE ARTISTS artists & art materials USA 2009 report sections: The International Art Materials Trade Association (NAMTA) is the leading association of art materials retailers and suppliers and is the co-sponsor of this study. Executive Summary Active Artists Art Materials Retailers Art Materials Suppliers All report sections are available to NAMTA members at American Artist magazine has been the primary resource for artists since 1937 and is the co-sponsor of this study. Hart Business Research is a leader in creative industries research and independently produced this report.

2 Contents 3 Overview 4 How to Use This Report 6 Definition of an Active Artist 7 Who was Surveyed 8 Artist Market Segmentation 9 Number of Artists 9 Total Number of Active Artists 9 The Bigger Picture: Adults Who Created Art 10 Professional Artists 11 Art Students 13 Growth in Number of Artists 14 Spending 14 Total Active Artist Spending 15 Total Spending Per Product Category 16 Spending $ Per Artist 17 Artist Spending Growth 17 Spotlight on High-Spending Artists 19 Spending $ Per Product Category 22 Spending % by Product Category 23 Spending by Retail Type 28 Frequency of Purchase 48 Materials and Tools 48 Paints 49 Drawing Materials 50 Supports, Surfaces, and Sculptural Materials 51 Digital Tools 53 Artist Feedback on Art Materials 55 Brand Loyalty 56 Proficiency 59 Motivations 59 Why They Do Art 61 What Inspires Artists 63 Art-Related Activities 64 Learning 65 Reading Artists Magazines 66 Using the Internet for Art 69 Artists Life Cycles 69 When Art Begins 70 Who Helps Budding Artists Begin 72 Impact of Art Classes 73 When Life Sets Aside Art 29 Artist Feedback for Retailers 30 Local Art Supply Store Feedback 33 Online Art Supply Store Feedback 34 Crafts Chains Feedback 35 How to Generate Store Awareness 36 Artists Works 36 Time Spent 37 Types of Artworks Created 41 Number of Artworks 46 Artwork Styles 47 Uses of Finished Art 74 Artists Other Creative Activities 76 Artist Demographics 79 Conclusions 82 Appendix A: Comparison with Other Reports Appendix B: Artist Materials Wish List (See separate document.) Copyright 2009 by NAMTA, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this report in whole or in part in any form is strictly forbidden without the sole written approval of NAMTA. A R T I S T S : : C O N T E N T S 2

3 Report Overview See each report section for details. Art Materials Suppliers Manufacturers 280 Importers and others Distributors Art Materials Retailers Art materials storefronts 900 locations Online art materials stores 260+ Crafts chains 2,000 locations Bookstores etc. Thousands Active Artists (4.4 million active artists spent $4.2 billion related to their art.) Professional artists 600,000 Recreational artists 3.2 million College art students 600,000 Definitions: Manufacturers = manufacture at least 1% of inventory. Importers and others = importers, outsourcers (manufacture under contract elsewhere), branding companies, etc. Distributors = only resell finished products. Art materials storefronts include independents and chains. Crafts chains include only those that sell art materials. Bookstores etc. include only those that sell fine art materials, mainly college bookstores but also hardware stores. Professional artists = sold most of their artwork. Recreational artists = active artists who weren t professionals or students. College art students = taking art classes at college/university to earn a degree. Segment box widths are roughly proportional to dollar value of that segment. See each report section for details and calculations. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 3

4 Overview Introduction This section of provides a detailed picture of active artists in the United States at the end of This section is based upon the results of a 2009 survey of 2,714 artists as well as analysis of recent government data. NAMTA and American Artist commissioned this artist report because there had been no comprehensive information published about artists and their artworks since the late 1990s. Some who read this report may be surprised that artists think about their art in terms of what they make, not in terms of the art materials used. The art materials industry has traditionally looked at the market in terms of traditional art materials categories. These do not cover what today s artist creates: paintings, drawings, mixed media/collage, handmade books and cards, three-dimensional art (using art fabrics, sculpture, found objects, etc.), murals, functional art, communication art, and digital art. Possibilities for growth and evolving with the market will open up to suppliers and retailers who focus on the market in terms of what artists make. This report provides the market information that will enable them to do so. How To Use This Report 1. Determine how you are doing and what to do about it. Art materials businesses owners and managers first should read the report summary. The summary provides the information necessary to determine how your business is doing and make plans for how to do even better. There are also suggestions for how to support the growth of the market. 2. Understand and serve the 21st century artist. Both retailers and suppliers should read this report section, The Active Artist, to better understand and serve the needs of the market. Artists have changed considerably in the past 10 or 20 years, and you need to know who they are today for your business to do well today. 3. Compare your business with your peers. Retailers should read the section Art Materials Retailers to explore what other art materials retailers are currently doing and gather best practices and business ideas. Suppliers should do the same with the section Art Materials Suppliers. This definitely is not your grandfather s industry, and you need to know what has changed underneath all of the old assumptions. 4. Get to know your business partners. Read the section about the other half of your industry. If you are a retailer, read the supplier section. If you are a supplier, read the retailer section. You will come away with a better understanding of your business partners and thus be a better negotiator, partner, and business success. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 4

5 5. Make a plan for growth and follow it. NAMTA, your trade association, and American Artist have invested a significant amount of money and time on your behalf to produce this report. This is an investment in you. Take advantage of it. Read through this report and select three things you can do right now to help your business. Do them. Keep the report summary on your desk. Even better, print out the whole report and refer to it when business decisions come up and you need more information. Get the people in your business together to formulate a long-term plan for growth and follow it. Think how much better off you will be in one year, five years, or 20. Special Thanks A team of ourstanding industry experts volunteered their time and knowledge for the development of the surveys and this report. NAMTA, American Artist, and Hart would like to thank David Pyle of American Artist (Interweave) and NAMTA board members Eric Zelenko, Ron Whitmore, Mark Weiner, Frank Stapleton, Louis Reeves, Hayley Prendergast, Richard Goodban, Kim Fjordbotten, Marcello Dworzak, Don Dow, Mark Ball, Beth Bergman, Robert Antovel, and Sid Smith (executive director of NAMTA). Hart would also like to thank Vicki Hopewell, report designer; Carol Rolland, report editor; Diego Baca, the 2009 intern at Hart; and artist advisors Tracy Felix, Doug Holdread, and Amy Metier. QUICK PERCENTAGE TUTORIAL Much of this report discusses percentages, so here is a refresher about how they work. Think of percentages in terms of a pie sliced into 100 pieces. So 100% is all the pie; 50% is half the pie; 25% is one-quarter of the pie; 48% is a little less than half. Another way of looking at percentages is in terms of X-number out of 100; for example, if 33 out of every 100 stores have magenta roofs, then 33% have magenta roofs. QUICK AVERAGES AND MEDIANS TUTORIAL Surveys of retailers can inspire strange data from those who complete the survey. One retailer said it had 2,000 employees; another said it had a 100,000-square-foot sales floor for one store. These inaccuracies were relatively few on this survey. The best way to deal with outlying data like this is to use medians instead of averages. Medians are also a more accurate picture of the typical situation. Medians are middle values, like a highway median: if you lined up 81 of your friends across a highway in terms of height, person number 41 would be the median height. If you calculated the average height of your 81 friends, you would add up all their heights together and divide by 81. If one of your friends is 200 feet tall, however, the average will be higher than any real person other than your Martian giraffe friend. So, this report mostly uses medians, as they aren t affected by extreme values. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 5

6 Definition of an Active Artist (for This Report) It is almost impossible to agree on a definition for artist. For the purposes of this report, given that it is for art materials suppliers and retailers, an active artist is defined as someone who is actively engaged in art (uses artist Web sites, reads artist magazines, shops at art materials stores) and has completed artworks (nearly always at least 10) in any of the following categories: Oil paintings Acrylic paintings Watercolors Pastel drawings Drawings using pencil, colored pencil, pen, ink, markers, etc. Mixed media or collage Murals, wall art, graffiti Handmade books, cards, albums Functional art Three-dimensional art painting or drawing on found object, sculpture, fabric, etc. Conceptual or installation art Communication art or graphic design Digital art As for the more traditional forms of artworks, 81% of the respondents had completed paintings or drawings and 68% had created paintings. Artist could also include fiber artists, jewelry artists, metalsmiths, and many others who express themselves in a creative way with materials. However, given that most art materials suppliers and retailers don t currently sell to these segments, they are left for another report. Note, however, that many of the artists that created art in the above bulleted categories also created art using fibers, beads, metals, wood, and many other materials. Indeed, the 21st century artist is different from the 20th century artist. Read this report to understand how different they are and what you need to do to meet their needs. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 6

7 Who was Surveyed IMPORTANT: These are active artists, not just anyone who used art materials Other studies of art materials consumers have used national household surveys, where a survey is sent to tens of thousands of American households asking if anyone in the house has done any art lately. If anyone do at least one artwork, a follow-up survey is sent that asks in depth about the art and art-related spending. The result is survey data that tends to underrepresent those who spent the most and created the most artworks. In contrast, this report and the survey it is based upon set out to capture the most active (and attractive) part of the market: active artists who create a lot of art and spend the most money on art supplies. The survey was made available to active artists through art magazines, art-related Web sites, and art supply stores. Leisure Artists (Described mainly in crafts reports based on national household surveys) Active Artists (Described in this report, spend more and make more artworks) 2,714 artists completed surveys; nearly all did 10+ artworks 2,920 people responded to the artist survey between April 21 and June 10, ,714 of these respondents were retained, as they had completed at least one project in the artist categories on the previous page. Most of the 206 that were rejected did only fiber arts, quilting, beading, or metalwork. Note that 2,610 of the artists (96%) had completed at least 10 artworks in These artists created art in a median of four or five different categories. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 7

8 Artists came from art Web sites, magazines, blogs, and art materials stores Survey respondents were recruited from a wide range of sources. No single source contributed more than 20% of the respondents. The major sources of survey respondents were e-newsletters, mailings, Web sites, and blogs from the following entities: American Artist Plaza Artist Materials Cloth Paper Scissors Quilting Arts Art materials retailers, including Artisan/Santa Fe, Jerry s Artarama, Wet Paint, Art & Frame of Sarasota Art materials supplier Web sites, including Golden Artist Colors Artist Web sites and blogs, likely including Etsy, Joggles, QuiltArt, About.com Painting, Stampington, Surface Design Association, Wet Canvas, Robert Genn, Yahoo groups, Facebook, Ravelry, DeviantArt, Art Calendar College Art Association Web site link, art teachers Bangor Daily News article Artisans Sought for Web Survey Artist Market Segmentation Traditional segments are professional, recreational, and students Art materials suppliers and retailers have traditionally viewed their market as consisting of three main segments: professional artists, recreational artists, and art students. In reality these overlap significantly. For the purposes of this report, the following criteria were used to define these segments: Professional artists = mostly sold their artwork (367 respondents) Professional artists were identified as those who were not students and indicated they mostly sold the art they finished in This was the result of their answer to the survey question, What did you do with the art you finished in 2008? They could indicate mostly, some, or none regarding whether they sold their art. Recreational artists = not students or professionals (1,970 respondents) Recreational artists were identified as those who were neither students nor professional artists. They thus sold some or none of their art and were not taking art classes at a college/ university to earn a degree. Half had recently taken an art class or workshop in college or in the community and not related to a degree. 60% had sold some art. Students = taking art classes to earn a degree (377 respondents) Student respondents were identified as those who indicated they were taking art classes at a college or university to earn a degree. This was the result of their answer to the survey question, What do you do that is related to art? Keep in mind the students who responded to the artist survey had a median age in their 40s, demographically closer to the typical art workshop attendee than to the median age of 22 for all postsecondary degree students. A R T I S T S : : O V E R V I E W 8

9 Number of Artists Total Number of Active Artists About 4.4 million active artists in USA (2008) This is the population of people for whom creating art is a significant part of their lives. As noted in Definition of an Active Artist (p.6), they created 10 or more artworks per year, read artist magazines and Web sites, and shopped at art materials stores. The total was estimated as follows. Total active artist spending on art materials in 2008 was $1.25 billion. (See page 14 for market size calculations.) Active artist median spending was about $285 on art materials. The $285 was calculated as a weighted average percentage of the artists in the survey sample: 14% were professionals, median spending $400; 72% were recreational artists, median spending $260; and 14% were students, median spending $300. So $1.25 billion divided by $285 is 4.4 million. This total does not include occasional artists, those who may do one or two artworks a year and do not view art as a major part of their lives. These occasional artists are not the core market for art supply stores or fine art materials, so they are not part of this report. The Bigger Picture: Adults Who Created Art About 17.6 million adults painted or drew in USA (NEA, 2002) This figure includes the 4.4 million active artists noted above. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) sponsored the 1992 and 2002 Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts. The report noted 8.6% of adult respondents said they were involved in painting, drawing, sculpture, or printmaking in The NEA projected this to about 17.6 million people nationally for Ten years before, in 1992, the percentage was about the same: 9.6% (projected to a population of 17.6 million). The NEA notes there was no statistically significant difference from 1992 to (Source: page 37) The same NEA report indicates 1.6% of the 2002 survey respondents said they were involved in painting, drawing, sculpture, or printmaking and displayed their artwork publicly. So, about 19% of artists, or about 3.3 million people, displayed their artwork publicly in 2002, according to the NEA s national survey. (Calculation: 1.6/8.6 = 19%, 19% of 17.6 million = 3.3 million) Active artists, the subject of, were about three times as likely to display their artwork publicly: 68% of active recreational artists said they displayed their artwork outside their home. The above numbers fit together as follows, like a Russian nesting doll. At the center are the 3.3 million artists who displayed their artwork publicly. This is a subset of the 5.6 million active artists. Active artists are in turn a subset of the 17.6 million adults who painted or drew. A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 9

10 Professional Artists About 600,000 artists that sold most of their work Hart calculated this estimate from the Artists & Art Materials artist survey data, as follows: 2,714 artists responded to the survey, all of them active artists. 14% sold most of their artwork. Hart estimated there were 4.4 million active artists in the USA in (see page 9.) 14% of 4.4 million is about 616,000. As a comparison datapoint, Etsy.com, a site for selling handmade items (including 412,000 artworks in August 2009), had more than 200,000 sellers as of January (Source: Comparison: 30,000 officially declared professional fine artists (BLS, 2006) The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides employment data for all occupations, including professional artists. The BLS noted 2006 total employment was 30,000 for fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrators. This includes salary, wage, and self-employed workers, and full- and part-time workers. 63% were self-employed. (Source: Occupational Employment, Training, and Earnings database at This data is based upon employer reports and BLS occupational surveys; these likely undercount the self-employed and part-time professionals. The bigger picture: 387,000 officially declared professional fine artists and graphic, digital, and craft artists (BLS, 2006) BLS total employment data for several occupation categories related to artists, as follows: OCCUPATION CATEGORY TOTAL EMPLOYMENT, 2006 Fine artists (including painters, sculptors, illustrators) 30,000 Graphic designers 261,000 Multi-media (mainly computer-based) artists and animators 87,000 Craft artists 9,000 Professional fine artist growth rate 10% forecasted for (BLS) The BLS forecasted a 10% increase in total employment for fine artists in , or about 1% per year. The other related occupation categories listed above are forecast to grow at about the same rate as fine artists, except multi-media artists and animators are forecast to grow 26% in A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 10

11 Art Students About 600,000 students taking art classes to earn a college degree Hart calculated this estimate from artist survey data, as follows: 2,714 active artists responded to the survey. 14% indicated they were taking art classes at a college or university to earn a degree. Hart estimated there were 4.4 million active artists in the USA in (See page 9.) 14% of 4.4 million is about 616,000. This number is similar to the number of students enrolled in visual and performing arts. (See below.) Comparison: 664,000 students enrolled in visual and performing arts (NCES) The National Center on Education Statistics (NCES) indicated there were 664,000 students enrolled in postsecondary schools in the field of visual and performing arts in At the 1% growth rate for college enrollment in general, this would be about 700,000 in Note this includes many majors other than fine art. This is the college group, however, that would be most likely to enroll in art classes. (Source: tables/dt07_222.asp) Core group: 122,000 students pursuing degrees in art (NCES) In the field of fine art in particular, Hart calculated there were 122,000 students pursuing associate s, bachelor s, master s, or doctorate degrees in art in , based on the NCES Digest of Education Statistics. (See page 12 for fields of study included for art.) Hart calculated the 122,000 total by taking the number of degrees conferred within the discipline of art for bachelor s degrees (25,756), master s degrees (2,954), doctorate degrees (20), and associate s degrees (1,758) in The total for each type of degree was multiplied by the typical number of years taken to obtain it. The number of art students increased by 4% per year in , so the totals were then multiplied by 1.08 to determine the total. The disciplines used for the number of students pursuing art degrees were as follows: Fine/studio arts, general Intermedia/multimedia Art/Art studies, general Sculpture Fine arts and art studies, other Printmaking Painting Ceramics, fiber, metal Drawing Jewelry arts Related group: about 92,000 design and visual communications students (NCES) Hart estimated there were 77,000 students pursuing bachelor s, master s, and doctorate degrees and about 16,000 pursuing associate s degrees in the related field of design and visual communications in Hart used the same NCES data sources and methodology that was described above for fine art students. The disciplines used for the design and visual communications totals were as follows: Design and visual communications, general Interior design Commercial and advertising art Graphic design Industrial design Illustration Fashion/apparel design Design and applied arts, other A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 11

12 Number of art degrees conferred grew 24% (NCES) Hart compared the NCES Digest of Education Statistics for and NCES changed the category methodology, but the categories map to one another as shown in the following table. The total for these fine art degree categories grew by 24%. Bachelor s, master s, and doctorate degrees conferred by degree-granting institutions in fields within the discipline of fine arts and art studies (Note: Some cells blank because NCES split data into additional fields between 2000 and Table does not include associate s degrees.): DEGREE DIVISION DEGREE DIVISION Art, general 12,922 Fine/studio arts, general 10,126 Fine arts and art studies, other 8,938 Art/art studies, general 13,835 Fine arts and art studies, other 1,510 Painting 878 Painting 1,010 Drawing 310 Intermedia/multimedia 767 Sculpture 352 Printmaking 221 Ceramics, fiber, metal, or jewelry arts 469 Ceramics, fiber, metal, or jewelry arts 599 Total degrees conferred 23,207 Total degrees conferred 28,730 Much bigger student picture: 2.9 million active artists took classes or workshops Hart estimated this as follows: 63% of the 3.2 million recreational artists (2,016,000), 54% of the 600,000 professional artists (324,000), and 89% of the 600,000 art students (534,000) said they had learned new art techniques in art classes or workshops in the past few years. Keep in mind a similar percentage of active artists learned new art techniques from Web sites. Whether these were paid online classes or free lessons/demos bears looking into. A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 12

13 Growth in Number of Artists Artist population growth 1% or more per year The NEA 1992 and 2002 Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts determined that a steady 9% of adults were involved with creating art. In that same period the Census Bureau reports the U.S. population was 255 million in 1992, 288 million in 2002, and 304 million in Population growth in the U.S. has therefore been about 1.2% per year over the past 16 years. With the percentage of the population involved in creating art steady, any growth has to come from population growth (about 1% per year). As an additional data point, the Census Bureau Occupational Information Network said there were 30,000 fine artists in 2006 and forecasted that to increase by about 10% from , or about 1% per year. That said, given the recent growth in the number of art students (4% per year), the overall artist population could grow at more than 1%. Comparison: National Artist Survey data showed 0 growth, The Artist s Magazine sponsored the National Artist Survey (NAS) every three years from 1985 to These were national household surveys conducted by NFO. The NAS estimated there were about 12 million people over the age of 15 who purchased art materials in 1997, about the same as they reported in So the NAS data showed no growth in the number of artists (art materials purchasers) Both the NAS and NEA data include both active and occasional artists. This report, in contrast, focuses on active artists, the core market for art materials suppliers and retailers. A R T I S T S : : N U M B E R O F A R T I S T S 13

14 Spending Total Active Artist Spending Total for Art Supplies Active artists spent about $2.1 billion to $2.6 billion on art supplies Art supplies includes paints, drawing materials, supports, brushes and other tools and durables like furniture, lighting, storage, framing, books, magazines, and videos. Higher future participation on the art materials supplier and retailer surveys will yield a more precise estimate, as retailer data is required to cross-reference with artist spending to build the estimate, as described below. The totals were estimated as follows, based upon data from the retailer and artist surveys: Art supply stores (independents and chain storefronts) had total estimated sales of $712 million in (See : Retailers.) 63% of that was from art materials (paints, drawing materials, brushes and other tools, and supports), or $449 million. Assume nearly all of those $449 million in sales were to active artists. Active artists made 36% of their art supply purchases at art supply stores. So if $449 million is 36% of total active artist spending on art supplies, then total active artist spending on art supplies would be $449,000,000/.36 = $1,247,000,000, or about $1.3 billion. Art supplies are 30% of total art-related spending by artists. So total artist art-related spending must be about $4.2 billion ($1.25 billion/.30). 29% of artist spending is on furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc; framing supplies and services; and books, magazines, and videos. 29% of $4.16 billion is about $1.2 billion. So $1.3 billion + $1.2 billion = about $2.5 billion for art supplies. The disparity between artist spending on art supplies ($2.5 billion) and retail sales of art supplies ($1.2 billion (See retailer section of this report.)) is likely due to artists purchasing much of their framing, lighting, studio supplies, books and magazines, and non-traditional art supplies outside of the traditional art materials industry distribution channel. The Bigger Picture: Total for All Art-Related Materials and Services Active artists spent $4.2 billion related to art This number is from the above calculations and includes art materials, furniture and other durable goods, framing supplies and services, classes and workshops, and materials used for art but not included under the traditional categories for art materials. A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 14

15 Total Spending Per Product Category 59% of spending on categories usually carried by art materials retailers Active artists indicated on the survey how much they spent on each art-related category listed below. These were then totaled per category and percentages calculated. These numbers are noted only to the nearest million, as they are accurate + or -20%. Active artist spending per category of art-related spending, estimated market size (2008): MATERIALS AND SERVICES CATEGORIES ACTIVE ARTIST SPENDING % MARKET SIZE Paints 10% $415 million Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 5% $208 million Brushes and other tools 5% $208 million Supports (canvas, panels, paper, etc.) 10% $416 million Furniture, lighting, storage, etc. 7% $291 million Framing supplies and services 12% $499 million Books, magazines, videos 10% $415 million Traditional art supplies total 59% $2,452 million Non-traditional art supplies (fiber, art fabric, beads, wire, ceramics, art glass, etc.) 9% $366 million Classes and workshops 25% $1,039 million Other (supplies, studio, travel, etc.) 7% $299 million TOTAL 100% $4,156 million A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 15

16 Spending $ Per Artist The Bigger Picture: Spending on All Art-Related Materials and Services Recreational artists spent median of $880 Recreational artists each spent a median of $880 on art-related materials and services in Professional artists and students each spent about $400 more than that. Art-related materials and services included the following: Paints Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) Brushes and other tools Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. Framing supplies and services Books, magazines, videos Classes and workshops Other (fabric, fiber, crafts, photography, travel, studio, etc.) Median amount spent by artists on art-related materials and services in 2008: ARTIST SEGMENT TOTAL ART-RELATED SPENDING, MEDIAN Professional artists $1,330 Recreational artists $880 Students $1,241 Spending on Art Materials Recreational artists spent median of $260 on art materials Recreational artists spent a median of $260 per person on art materials in Professional artists and students spent significantly more on art materials per person, but recreational artists spent the most per artwork. Art materials included the following: Paints Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) Brushes and other tools Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) Median amount spent by artists on art materials in 2008, and median amount spent on art materials per artwork (Note the per-artwork data is calculated from art materials spending per person divided by number of artworks, excluding digital, which can be in the thousands, and other ): ARTIST SEGMENT MEDIAN ART MATERIALS SPENDING MEDIAN PER ARTWORK Professional artists $400 $6 Recreational artists $260 $7 Students $300 $5 A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 16

17 Spending in 2008 Versus 2007 More than half of artists spent more in 2008 Slightly more than half the artists in each segment noted they spent more on art supplies in 2008 than they did in Only 10% to 15% of artists spent less in 2008 than in Percentage of artists that checked off the relative amount they spent on art supplies in 2008 versus 2007: YEAR SPENT MORE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS More in % 53% 58% About the same in 2007 and % 32% 28% More in % 15% 14% Artist Spending Growth Per-artist spending growth 3% or more per year (recession notwithstanding) This estimate is based upon two relevant data sets plus the above survey data. Consumer spending grew about 4% to 7% annually from 1995 to (Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis) Same-store sales growth at Michaels Stores, Inc., Jo-Ann Stores, Inc., and A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts, Inc. averaged about 3% for all three chains from 1998 through (Source: 10-K annual report filings. Thus a 3% baseline growth is assumed. But growth may be more than that, as the survey data indicated more than half of active artists spent more in 2008 than Spotlight on High-Spending Artists High spenders more prevalent among professionals and students High spenders were defined as those who spent $3,200 or more a year on art-related products and services (art materials, classes and workshops, furniture, media, etc.). 22% of professional artists, 11% of recreational artists, and 20% of students were high spenders. High spenders did twice as many artworks Median number of artworks completed by high spenders versus typical spenders (2008): KINDS OF ARTWORKS HIGH SPENDERS TYPICAL SPENDERS Paintings and drawings Artworks, all kinds High spenders spent relatively more online, less at crafts chains Percentage of each group s art materials spending done at each type of retail outlet (2008): CHARACTERISTIC HIGH SPENDERS TYPICAL SPENDERS LOW SPENDERS Art supply stores (not online) 34% 36% 32% Online art supply or crafts stores 29% 26% 12% Crafts chains (not online) 13% 20% 32% Other (bookstores, hardware, etc.) 24% 18% 24% A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 17

18 High spenders spent relatively more on furnishings and classes These high spenders spent an average of six times as much as the typical active artist overall, but 10 times as much on furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. They spent seven times as much on classes and workshops and nine times as much on other, which usually consisted of fiber, fabric, crafts supplies, studios, and travel. Ratio of high-spender versus typical-spender spending on various categories of art materials (2008): PRODUCTS AND SERVICES CATEGORY RATIO Paints 4 Drawing materials 3 Brushes and other tools 5 Supports 3 Total art materials 4 Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 10 Framing supplies and services 6 Books, magazines, videos 3 Classes and workshops 7 Other 9 All categories 6 High spenders did not use more different kinds of paint or drawing materials Average number of types of materials used by high spenders versus typical spenders, 2008: MATERIALS HIGH SPENDERS TYPICAL SPENDERS Types of paint used Types of drawing materials used High spenders learned more often from videos and art classes High spending artists more often than lower spenders learned new art techniques from every source, but particularly from videos, art classes, and other artists. Art materials businesses should keep this in mind as they decide whether to provide videos and classes. Magazines are good places to reach typical and high spenders, but not as good to reach low spenders. Percentage of artists who learned new techniques from various sources (2008): WHERE LEARNED NEW TECHNIQUES HIGH SPENDERS TYPICAL SPENDERS LOW SPENDERS Books 77% 77% 56% Magazines 74% 78% 58% Web sites 62% 65% 59% Videos (not online) 38% 27% 12% Art classes or workshops 81% 67% 43% Other artists 65% 57% 45% A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 18

19 Spending $ Per Product Category Professional Artists Professionals typically spent $180 on paints 80% of professional artists noted on the survey they purchased paints in 2008; they spent a median of $180. The average professional artist spending on paints was $347. (Remember the median is the midpoint value of the group. The average is considerably higher than the median because some professionals spent a lot on paints, which pulled up the average.) 4% of professional artists spent more than $1,000 on paints; 12% spent more than $500. Professionals typically spent $175 on supports 80% of professional artists noted on the survey they purchased supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) in They spent a median of $175, average $311. 5% spent more than $1,000 on supports; 14% spent more than $500. Many professionals spent as much on framing as on paints and supports 51% of professional artists noted on the survey they purchased framing supplies and services in Professional artist framing supplies and services purchasers spent a median of $325 (average $890). 19% of professionals reported spending more than $1,000 on this category. Workshops were major expense for many About half the professional artists reported they spent money on classes and workshops, a median of $300 (average $642). 14% of professionals reported spending more than $1,000 on this category. Other (studios, supplies, travel, fiber, crafts, etc.) is a huge spending category Other was a major expense for 49% of professionals, with a median of $500 (average $1,130) in spending on fiber/fabric, other crafts supplies, general supplies, travel, photography, and/or studio costs. 22% of professional artists who spent money on other spent more than $1,000. Percentage of professional artists who made purchases in each category, and median spending per category by purchasers (2008): MATERIALS AND SERVICES % WHO PURCHASED MEDIAN SPENDING BY PURCHASERS Paints 80% $180 Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 76% $50 Brushes and other tools 78% $100 Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) 80% $175 Art materials 92% $400 Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 51% $100 Framing supplies and services 51% $325 Books, magazines, videos 83% $100 Classes and workshops 48% $300 Other (1/4 fabric or fiber, 1/4 crafts supplies, 1/2 studio, supplies, travel) 49% $500 A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 19

20 Recreational Artists Recreationals typically spent $100 on paints 79% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased paints in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $200). 1% of recreational artist paint buyers spent more than $1,000 on paints; 5% spent more than $500. Recreationals typically spent $100 on supports 83% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased supports in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $180). 5% of recreational artist support purchasers spent more than $500 on supports. Recreationals spent as much on books, magazines, videos as on paints 84% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased books, magazines, or videos in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $213), about the same as they spent on paints. 4% of recreational artist book/magazine/video purchasers spent more than $500. Classes and workshops biggest spending category for many 56% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased classes and workshops in 2008; they spent a median of $300 (average $569). 11% of recreational artist class and workshop buyers spent more than $1,000; 27% spent more than $500. Less than half purchased frames, but spent almost as much as on art materials 43% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased framing supplies and services in 2008; they spent a median of $200 (average $402). The recreational artist median spend for art materials was $260. 6% of recreational artist framing supplies and services buyers spent more than $1,000; 17% spent more than $500. Percentage of recreational artists who made purchases in that category, and median spending per category by purchasers (2008): MATERIALS AND SERVICES % WHO PURCHASED MEDIAN SPENDING Paints 79% $100 Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 76% $50 Brushes and other tools 75% $50 Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) 83% $100 Art materials 92% $260 Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 44% $100 Framing supplies and services 43% $200 Books, magazines, videos 84% $120 Classes and workshops 56% $300 Other (1/4 fabric or fiber, 1/4 crafts supplies, 1/2 other) 30% $400 A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 20

21 Students Students typically spent $100 on paints 83% of degree-seeking student artists noted on the survey that they purchased paints in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $213). 2% of student paint buyers spent more than $1,000 on paints; 7% spent more than $500. Students typically spent $100 on supports 85% of recreational artists noted on the survey that they purchased supports in 2008; they spent a median of $100 (average $201). 5% of student artist support purchasers spent more than $500 on supports. Major student expense was classes and workshops Two-thirds of students listed their expenses for classes on the survey. The median was $600. The average was much higher, about $1, % of students spent more than $1,000 on classes. The other one-third of students must have omitted listing classes and workshops as an art-related expense, probably due to not understanding the full scope of the question. Percentage of students who made purchases in that category, and median spending per category by purchasers, 2008: MATERIALS AND SERVICES % WHO PURCHASED MEDIAN SPENDING BY PURCHASERS Paints 83% $100 Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 86% $50 Brushes and other tools 78% $50 Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) 85% $100 Art materials 93% $300 Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 52% $75 Framing supplies and services 43% $200 Books, magazines, videos 81% $100 Classes and workshops 67% $600 Other (fabric, fiber, crafts, etc.) 27% $350 Comparisons Between Artist Segments Professionals spent the most per person in a few categories Each professional artist typically spent twice as much as a recreational artist or student on paints, brushes and other tools, and supports. Artists in all three segments typically spent about the same amount per person on drawing materials ($50). A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 21

22 Spending % by Product Category The Bigger Picture: Art-Related Materials and Services Spending on traditional art materials was less than one-third of artist spending Professional and recreational artist spending on paints, supports, and drawing materials was about 30% of their total spending on all art-related materials and services. Students spent a smaller portion, 21% of their art-related budget, on traditional art materials. The other two-thirds of spending was mainly on classes and workshops; books, magazines, and videos; framing; and furniture. Biggest chunk of professional artist spending was on framing Professional artists spent proportionately more in two areas: 1) framing supplies and services, and 2) things related to their art business such as photography, travel, computers, software, office supplies, and studio costs. Paints was their third biggest expense, tied with art business costs. Biggest chunk of recreational artist spending was on learning Recreational artists spent proportionately more on learning than professionals did. Recreationals dedicated 33% (versus professionals, 21%) of their art-related spending to classes and workshops, and books, magazines, and videos. Framing was the third biggest expense. Biggest chunk of student spending was on classes (of course) Students invested almost half their art-related spending in classes and workshops. They spent proportionately more on furniture and other durables, perhaps because they were in a phase of acquiring the necessary infrastructure for being an artist. Paints was their third biggest expense. Percentage of artist spending by category of art materials and services (2008) (Top 3 for each segment are in bold.): SPENDING CATEGORY PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS Classes and workshops 13% 21% 45% Books, magazines, videos 8% 12% 6% Framing supplies and services 19% 12% 6% Paints 12% 11% 7% Supports (canvas, panels, board, pads, paper, blank books, etc.) 10% 10% 6% Furniture, easels, lighting, storage, portfolios, etc. 6% 7% 15% Fiber, fabric, thread, etc. 6% 7% 3% Other (photography, travel, computers, software, office supplies, studio costs, etc.) 12% 7% 4% Brushes and other tools 6% 6% 4% Drawing materials (pencils, pastels, pens, markers, ink, etc.) 4% 5% 3% Ceramics, glass, beads, wire 5% 3% 2% TOTAL 100% 100% 100% A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 22

23 Spending by Retail Type Usage of Different Types of Retailers Highest percentage of artists shopped at art supply stores At least 80% of artists in each segment shopped at art supply stores (independents or chains). Note these are combined in the first graph segment. Artists in each segment shopped at a median of four different types of stores. Most often those were online art supply or crafts stores, crafts chain stores, local independent art supply stores, and art supply chain stores. Only 5% of artists purchased art supplies at only one type of retailer. Percentage of artists in each segment who shopped (spent money on art supplies) at these types of retailers: 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Art supply stores sum (independents + chains) Local independent art supply stores Art supply chain stores Crafts chain stores Online art supply or craft stores Hardware or home decorating stores Bookstores or college stores General Merchandisers Other (fabric, quilt, bead, thrift, online) 82% 84% 90% 63% 63% 71% 56% 56% 68% 69% 74% 75% 79% 70% 70% 48% 41% 45% 30% 40% 50% 32% 33% 37% 29% 27% 26% Professional artists Recreational artists Students A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 23

24 Store Visits Versus Spending Artists were most likely to shop at art supply stores and spend the most there Artists were most likely to shop at art supply stores (84% of recreational artists shopped there) and the highest percentage of artists spending (36%) was at art supply stores. Artists were equally likely to shop at crafts chains and online, but they spent half again as much online as they did at crafts stores. Percentage of recreational artists who spent money on art supplies at the three major retail types versus percentage of spending at each (2008): RETAIL TYPE % OF ARTISTS WHO SPENT THERE % OF ART SUPPLIES SPENDING Art supply stores (local independents + chains) 84% 36% Crafts chain stores 74% 18% Online art supply or crafts stores 70% 28% Spending Percentages by Retail Type One-third of art supply spending at art supply stores All three segments of artists spent about one-third of their art supply dollars at art supply stores; this consisted of local independent art supply stores and art supply chains and did not include online stores. About one-quarter of art supply spending online This varied significantly across artist segments. Students spent the lowest percentage online (20%), professionals the highest (35%), and recreationals in between (28%). Remaining one-third of spending at non-art-supply retailers The total percentage of art supplies spending at non-art-supply retailers (crafts chains, bookstores, college stores, hardware, home decorating, general merchandisers, others including fabric, quilt, bead, and thrift stores) varied across artist segments. Students spent the highest percentage of their dollars (44%) in these non-art-focused outlets. Percentage of recreational artist spending by retail type (2008) (data in table on page 25): Other Bookstores or college 7% Hardware, home dec, general merch 5% 7% 28% Online art supply or crafts stores Crafts chain stores 18% 19% 17% Art supply chain stores Local independent art supply stores A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 24

25 Artist Segment Spending Differences by Retail Type Professional artists spent equally online and at art supply stores Professionals spent about one-third of their art supplies dollars at online art supply or craft stores and another one-third at brick-and-mortar art supply stores (independents and chains). Professional artists spent a higher percentage of their dollars online than recreational artists or students. Recreational artists store habits in the middle Recreational artists don t differ much from professionals and students in their spending percentages by retail type, except recreationals were less likely than professionals to shop online and more likely to shop at crafts chains. Students least likely to shop online; favor college stores and other retailers Students were significantly less likely than professional and recreational artists to shop for art supplies online. Students were more likely to shop at college stores and non-art-related retailers (fabric, quilt, bead, thrift, general online stores). Percentage of art supply spending by retail type (2008): RETAIL TYPE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS Online art supply or crafts stores 35% 28% 20% Local independent art supply stores 18% 19% 22% Art supply chain stores (not online) 16% 17% 14% Art supply store subtotal 34% 36% 36% Crafts chain stores (not online) 11% 18% 15% Other (fabric, quilt, bead, thrift, online) 9% 7% 12% Bookstores or college stores 2% 5% 8% Hardware or home decorating stores 6% 4% 6% General merchandisers 2% 2% 2% TOTAL 100% 100% 100% A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 25

26 Recent Changes in Spending by Retail Type About half of artists reported spending shifted more online Online stores (art supply or crafts) had the highest percentage of artists in each category state that their spending went up for this retail type. The growth picture was consistent, as only 5% 15% of artists in each category said their spending decreased online. About one-third of artists reported spending shifted more to independents Students were more likely than professionals or recreational artists to report the percentage of their spending at local independent art supply stores went up in the past several years. The picture was slightly mixed, though: About 20% of artists said their spending went down at independents in the past several years. Percentage of artists in each segment who reported the percentage of their spending went UP in the past several years at these kinds of stores: 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Online art supply or craft stores 48% 44% 56% Local independent art supply stores Art supplies chain stores Crafts chain stores 31% 30% 22% 26% 27% 25% 29% 28% 38% Other (fabric, quilt, bead, thrift, online) 28% 23% 35% Bookstores or college stores 15% 19% 26% Hardware or home decorating stores General Merchandisers 19% 16% 25% 15% 11% 12% Professional artists Recreational artists Students A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 26

27 One in four artists noted spending down at some retail types About 20% to 25% of artists in each segment noted the percentage of their spending went down at each retail type except online, other, and hardware or home decorating stores. Percentage of artists in each segment who reported the percentage of their spending went DOWN in the past several years at these kinds of stores: RETAIL TYPE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS General merchandisers 21% 25% 28% Crafts chain stores 24% 23% 26% Local independent art supply stores 24% 22% 20% Art supplies chain stores 22% 21% 22% Bookstores or college stores 23% 20% 20% Hardware or home decorating stores 13% 17% 19% Other (fabric, quilt, bead, thrift, online) 11% 15% 15% Online art supply or crafts stores 6% 10% 14% A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 27

28 Frequency of Purchase Typical artist purchased art supplies once or twice a month The median frequency of purchase is once a month for recreational artists and twice a month (every two weeks) for professionals and students. Art students are the most frequent purchasers of art supplies, with 51% buying them at least twice a month, compared with 43% of professional artists and 31% of recreational artists buying twice a month. Relatively few artists purchase art supplies less often than every couple months. Percentage of recreational artists who reported purchasing art supplies at various frequencies in 2008: Percentage of artists who reported purchasing art supplies at various frequencies in 2008: PURCHASE FREQUENCY PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS At least once a week 18% 15% 24% Twice a month 35% 26% 27% Once a month 21% 23% 21% 9 times per year 10% 11% 9% 6 times per year 9% 14% 9% 3 times per year 6% 9% 9% Once a year or less 0% 2% 1% Recreational artists spent average of $38 per purchase Hart calculated this by dividing the amount each artist reported spending on art materials (paint, drawing materials, brushes, supports) by the number of times purchased per year. Spending on art materials per purchase (2008): MEASURE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS Median $24 $20 $20 Average $49 $38 $37 A R T I S T S : : S P E N D I N G 28

29 Artist Feedback for Retailers Overview of Retail Feedback Artists want a wider selection of art supplies from everyone Artists were asked what they would like stores to change so the stores could serve artists better. One suggestion they had for all three store types was to carry a wider selection of art supplies. This was the #1 or #2 issue for both local art supply stores and crafts chains. Local art supply stores and crafts chains have similar issues Local art supply stores and crafts chains shared four out of their top five issues, but with different rankings. Online art supply stores had different issues than storefronts Online art supply stores shared only one top-five change request with local art supply stores and chains, and that was wider selection. Three of the top-five online store issues were unique to the online environment. Top five changes active artists would like each type of store to make (2009): (Note less-mentioned changes are in smaller font.) CHANGE RANKING LOCAL ART SUPPLY STORES ONLINE ART SUPPLY STORES CRAFTS CHAINS #1 Carry wider selection of art supplies Lower shipping costs Better quality products #2 Need one in my area! More information per product Carry wider selection of art supplies #3 Lower prices More special offers More knowledgeable staff #4 Fewer out-of-stock items Easier ordering and navigation Fewer out-of-stock items #5 More knowledgeable staff Carry wider selection of art supplies Lower prices A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T F E E D B A C K F O R R E T A I L E R S 29

30 Local Art Supply Store Feedback Top Four Changes Artists mentioned four desired changes about equally: wider selection, locate a store in their area, more competitive pricing, and fewer out-of-stock items. Local art supply stores need to address these issues to be competitive with other types of retailers. 1. Provide wider selection of art supplies. The most-mentioned change artists would like to see local art supply stores make to offer a wider selection of art supplies (more variety). This was more often mentioned by students, which makes sense, because they are the segment most likely to be creating a wide range of art (according to survey results). 2. Locate a store near them! One in seven artists noted there is no local art supply store in their area. This is probably an accurate (but if anything, low) estimate, as about 85% of artists said they had made purchases at an art supply store. Some had certainly made these purchases at a distant art supply store. This points to a great opportunity for the industry to prioritize areas in the USA that need art supply stores and to support retailers willing to locate there. 3. Offer more competitive pricing or change perceptions of price. This change is almost as important as the first two. Artists are certainly choosing to shop at other retail types because of art supply store prices. One can look at two areas of possible solutions. Marketing solution Make it clear to customers that your prices include shipping and online prices do not. As noted in the next section regarding online store changes, artists view product price and shipping cost as two totally separate things. A marketing effort may help artists see that though online prices may be lower, online shipping costs are higher, and thus total price may be higher. Industry solution Perhaps the industry (NAMTA) can work with suppliers and retailers to develop ways for suppliers to serve smaller stores efficiently and thus be able to pass along the more significant discounts they typically give to larger accounts. The alternative is to help smaller stores get bigger or affiliate and thus qualify for better supplier discounts. 4. Ensure more products are in stock. This change is also almost as important as the first two. Artists noted that art supply stores need to have fewer out-of-stock items. They are really annoyed when they need a particular color or item that their local art supply store officially stocks but does not have the day they go there. This could be especially frustrating for artists who are traveling some distance to a local store. (See issue #2.) Students were less bothered by out-of-stock items. A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T F E E D B A C K F O R R E T A I L E R S 30

31 The following list of the top 10 requested changes is ranked by the number of times artists mentioned them. The relative number of mentions means, for example, that wider selection had roughly twice as many mentions as knowledgeable staff. The actual number of mentions is not given, as an open question like this gives reliable qualitative and ranking results but not absolute percentages or numbers. Relative number of mentions artists made of these requested changes so that local art supply stores could serve them better (top 10 requests): REQUESTED CHANGE RELATIVE # OF MENTIONS Carry wider selection of art supplies/more variety 8 Need one in my area/too far away now 8 Lower prices/competitive pricing 7 Fewer out-of-stock items/more in stock/complete inventory 7 Knowledgeable staff/know more about art/give good advice 4 Carry products for my particular kind of art 3 More classes/workshops/tutorials 3 Better quality products/need more professional, high-quality products 2 More special offers/special sales/coupons 2 More product demos 1 Ratings of Local Art Supply Store Attributes All three artist segments gave similar ratings of store attributes Professional artists, recreational artists, and students had very similar ratings as to whether their local art supply store was fine as is or needed improvement regarding various attributes. The only attributes where they differed significantly were convenient hours and reasonable prices, both of which students were more likely to rate as needing some improvement. Most urgent areas for improvement are prices, classes, and inspiration The three areas that artists most often checked off as in need of significant improvement were Frequent buyer or bulk discounts, Store offers classes and workshops, and Store inspires me to do more art. Artists also checked off that some improvement was needed in the similar areas of Reasonable prices and Always something new and interesting. Local art supply store strengths are people, convenience, and quality The attributes that artists most often rated fine as is were in the areas of people (pleasant and knowledgeable staff and a store that feels like part of the community), convenience (hours, location, special ordering, well-organized), and high-quality products. (See graph on next page.) These are fairly durable advantages for a retailer, once they have the right people, place, and products. In contrast, the areas for improvement can be changed more quickly: lower prices, offer classes, and provide more inspiration. A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T F E E D B A C K F O R R E T A I L E R S 31

32 Percentage of recreational artists who said their local art supply store was fine as is for each attribute: 0% 50% 100% Pleasant staff Convenient hours 80% 74% High-quality products Store feels like part of local community Willing to special order Store well-organized; easy to find products Store is easy to get to, convenient Staff knowledgeable about art and art materials Staff member always available; no waiting Most products in stock 73% 71% 70% 69% 67% 64% 59% 55% Store inspires me to do more art 50% Wide selection of products Always something new and interesting Reasonable prices 48% 46% 45% Store offers classes and workshops 44% Frequent buyer or bulk discounts 37% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T F E E D B A C K F O R R E T A I L E R S 32

33 Online Art Supply Store Feedback What Changes Artists Want The one big desired change: lower shipping costs Artists mentioned lower shipping costs more than twice as often as any other issue. This may be limiting the amount artists are willing to buy online: 70% of recreational artists bought online but only spent 28% of their art supplies dollars there; in comparison, 84% of recreational artists purchased at art supply stores and spent 36% of their art supplies dollars there despite the perceived higher prices and shortage of locations near them. The interplay between price and shipping costs is complex. Artists mentioned lower shipping costs eight times as often as they mentioned lower prices online, despite the fact that shipping costs are part of the total paid for an item. Artists (like most consumers) seem to view price and shipping cost as two completely separate things. One solution is through pricing methods that follow the way customers think. An example would be to offer a price discount if they pay for shipping, or a shipping discount if they pay the regular price. Experimenting with price versus shipping costs may help customer satisfaction significantly in this area. Other desired changes: product information, selection, deals, and navigation Online art stores should confirm their store setup is one of the best, rather than one of the laggards that artists were talking about. Online retailers should check if their store has indepth product information and easy navigation and ordering processes. Online stores should also ensure they provide a wide selection of art supplies and enticing special offers and sales. Note, however, that it was mainly students who mentioned wanting more special offers and lower prices. Relative number of mentions artists made of these changes so that online art supply stores could serve them better (top 10 requests): REQUESTED CHANGE RELATIVE # OF MENTIONS Lower shipping costs/mailing costs/free shipping 8 More information per product/more description 3 More special offers/special sales/coupons 2 Easier ordering setup/easier navigation 2 Carry wider selection of art supplies/more variety 2 Lower prices/competitive pricing 1 Fewer orders wrong or late 1 Fewer out-of-stock items/more in stock/complete inventory 1 More discounts, bulk pricing 1 More classes/workshops/tutorials 1 A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T F E E D B A C K F O R R E T A I L E R S 33

34 Crafts Chains Feedback What Changes Artists Want Two most important changes: product quality and selection Artists would like crafts chains to offer better quality and a wider selection of art supplies. Recreational artists mentioned this the most, particularly the need for professional grade materials. This could be limiting the amount of money artists spend at crafts chains. Indicative of this is data from earlier in the report: Crafts chains have the biggest disparity between visits versus spending. 74% of recreational artists made a purchase at crafts chains but spent only 18% of their art supplies dollars there. Third most important change: more knowledgeable staff Artists would like crafts chains to have staff who are more knowledgeable about art supplies and can give good advice. This is of almost equal importance with the first two changes. Crafts chains weak in these areas compared with art supply stores These three areas of weakness for crafts chains (lack of product quality, product selection, and knowledgeable staff) put them at a significant competitive disadvantage against specialty stores in the art supplies market segment. Given that specialty stores for art materials pull in 36% of sales to active artists, and crafts chains only 18%, crafts chains need to improve before they are serious competitors to specialty art materials stores. Relative number of mentions artists made of these changes so that crafts chains could serve them better (top 11 requests): REQUESTED CHANGE RELATIVE # OF MENTIONS Better quality products/need more professional/high-quality products 8 Carry wider selection of art supplies/more variety 8 More knowledgeable staff/know more about art/give good advice 7 Fewer out-of-stock items/more in stock/complete inventory 2 Lower prices/competitive pricing 2 Carry products for my particular kind of art 2 More classes/workshops/tutorials 2 More special offers/special sales/coupons 1 More new products/offer new products as soon as become available 1 More discounts, bulk pricing 1 Need one in my area/too far away now 1 A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T F E E D B A C K F O R R E T A I L E R S 34

35 How to Generate Store Awareness Make sure store is seen and heard Three-fourths or more of artists in each category first heard about their favorite art supply store either by seeing it or hearing about it from someone. Web sites and magazine listings helped another one-fourth find their favorite store. Art students were more likely to have used wordof-mouth; This was the only difference among the three artist segments on this question. Percentage of recreational artists who checked off they first heard about their favorite art supply store this way (Note percentages total 112%, as some artists selected more than one source.): A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T F E E D B A C K F O R R E T A I L E R S 35

36 Artists Works Time Spent Recreational artists spent about 7 hours a week creating art Professional artists spent twice as much time as recreational artists creating art in About one in four professional artists spent more than 30 hours a week. (Keep in mind the definition of a professional artist used for this report: They reported selling most of the art they created in They could be working part-time as artists.) Percentage of each segment that reported spending a certain amount of time creating art in 2008: PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS More than 30 hours a week 23% 5% 11% hours a week 18% 9% 15% hours a week 23% 20% 24% 6 10 hours a week 21% 28% 25% 1 5 hours a week 16% 38% 25% Median 16 hours a week 7 hours a week 11 hours a week A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 36

37 Types of Artworks Created Overview Note to art materials industry: Artists think in terms of what they make! Artists do NOT think in terms of art materials. They think about art in terms of what they make, things like paintings, sculptures, chairs, etc. They use whatever materials they like, including what the current art materials industry makes but also other stuff. This other stuff is where the art materials industry can find further growth. Most artworks were paintings, drawings, multi-layered, or other Recreational artists who responded to this survey noted they made a total of 183,184 different works of art in % of these were multi-layered (mixed media/collage, handmade books, cards, scrapbooks, or 3-D art); 23% were drawings; 17% were paintings; and 18% were digital art. This does not include the other 72,492 artworks that recreational artists listed under other (mostly quilting, beading, jewelry, photography, and other creative forms). Percentage of total recreational artist artworks in each artwork category (2008): ARTWORK CATEGORY % OF RECREATIONAL ARTIST ARTWORKS Oil paintings 5% Acrylic paintings 5% Watercolors 7% PAINTINGS TOTAL 17% Pastel drawings 3% Drawings using pencil, colored pencil, pen, ink, etc. 22% TOTAL PAINTINGS & DRAWINGS 42% Mixed media/collage 9% Handmade books, cards, scrapbooks 14% 3-D art (painting or drawing on found objects, sculpture, fabric, etc.) 7% TOTAL MIXED, HAND, 3D (MULTI-LAYERED ART) 30% Murals, wall art, graffiti 1% Functional art (painting or drawing on furniture, kitchen items, etc.) 3% Conceptual or installation art 0.5% Communication art or graphic design 6% Digital art 18% TOTAL 100% Two clusters of artists: painters, multi-layered artists If one looks at the full data set of all the art created by the 2,714 artists surveyed, two clusters of artists emerge from the overall picture. Artists who painted usually created two of the following types: oil paintings, acrylic paintings, or watercolors. Artists who did any multi-layered art (mixed media/collage; handmade books, cards, or scrapbooks; or 3-D art) usually did two or three forms of multi-layered art. Retailers and suppliers less familiar with multi-layered artists should get to know them because they are a substantial market segment. A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 37

38 Participation Rates Per Artwork Type Artists typically created four or five different types of art Professional, recreational, and student artists created a median of four or five different types of art per person. Most artists participated in painting or drawing More than 80% of artists created paintings or drawings. A higher percentage of students than recreational or professional artsts participated in each form of painting or drawing, except oil painting, where the participation rate was highest for professionals. Percentage of artists who created at least one artwork in different types of paintings or drawings in 2008: 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Oil paintings Acrylic paintings Watercolors 35% 27% 34% 46% 39% 54% 43% 42% 53% ANY PAINTINGS 69% 68% 80% Drawings using pencil, colored pencil, pen, ink, etc. 61% 57% 79% Pastel drawings 24% 25% 40% ANY PAINTINGS & DRAWINGS 81% 81% 93% Professional artists Recreational artists Students A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 38

39 Participation rate was also high in multi-layered art Almost as high a percentage of artists created multi-layered art as created paintings. Multilayered art (for lack of a better term) includes mixed media or collage, handmade books, cards, scrapbooks, or 3-D art (painting or drawing on found object, sculpture, fabric, etc.). The high participation rate in multi-layered art found through the 2009 artist survey may be higher than in the typical active artist population, as a significant number of survey respondents came from Web sites that emphasized this art form: Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts. That said, there were still many painting and drawing artists in the respondent population: more than 80%. Percentage of artists who created at least one artwork in different types of multi-layered art in 2008: 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Mixed media/collages 53% 53% 66% Handmade books, cards, scrapbooks 51% 52% 54% 3-D art (paint or draw on objects) 45% 41% 51% ANY MIXED, HAND, 3D (MULTILAYERED ART) 79% 75% 82% Professional artists Recreational artists Students A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 39

40 Many artists have embraced new art forms About one in five artists created murals, functional art, communication art, or digital art. The 1997 National Artist Survey made no mention of digital art or any of the other art forms listed below. Retailers and suppliers would do well to make sure they serve artists needs in these new or evolving areas of creative expression. Percentage of artists who created at least one artwork in different types of art in 2008: 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Murals, wall art, graffiti 22% 15% 21% Functional art 40% 29% 33% Conceptual or installation art 8% 4% 13% Communication art or graphic design 25% 17% 37% Digital art 23% 22% 36% Professional artists Recreational artists Students In addition, some created quilts, jewelry, photographs, and other crafts Artists were able to note on the survey any other kinds of artwork they produced. About one in five artists filled out Other. The Other category of artworks consisted of a wide range of creative endeavors: about 20% were quilts; 10% jewelry; 7% photographs; and about 10% beading, sculpting, fiber, and fabric. Keep in mind the quilts were likely the contemporary art type, based on the stunning quilts seen on the artists Web pages submitted by respondents. A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 40

41 Number of Artworks Median Number of Artworks Recreational artist median: 36 artworks Recreational artists created a median of 36 works of art in (Remember, a median indicates the value at which half the artists were higher and half were lower.) The average was 93 (total number of artworks divided by number of artists). These works of art could have been in any or all of the 13 listed categories. Recreational artists who created art within each category created a median of between two and 10 projects. These numbers varied tremendously, with four recreational artist categories yielding the most artworks: drawing artists; creators of books, cards, and scrapbooks; communication artists; and digital artists. About 8% to 12% of the artists in each of these categories made more than 100 works last year. At the lower end of the production spectrum, half or more of the recreational artists in five categories made fewer than five works last year: acrylic painting, pastel, murals, functional art, and conceptual/installation art. Professional artist median: 75 artworks Professional artists made the most art per person. Professionals created a median of 75 works of art in The average was 182. The average is so high because quite a few professionals made a lot of art: About 20% of professional artists created more than 250 works of art per year. The typical professional artist who painted made about 20 paintings per year; 8% of professional painters made 100 or more paintings a year. Student median: 57 artworks The amount of art students made was between recreationals and professionals. The average was 143. Though the per-student median amount of art is in between professionals and recreational artists, students in each art category varied in whether they produced more or less art than recreational artists. Students were especially likely to have created more drawings than recreational artists. Conversely, recreational artists made more handmade books, cards, and scrapbooks and pastel art than students did. Side note: Most artists doing more art now than in the past All three segments of artists reported that about 75% of them are doing more art now than in the past, 20% about the same, and 5% to 10% are doing less now. This correlates with about the percentage of artists who said they spent more/same/less money on art materials in 2008 than in Of course, the survey respondents are all people who are sufficiently positive about their art to fill out a survey, so there is a bit of positive bias here. See graph on next page. A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 41

42 Median number of artworks varied by kind of art Median number of artworks created by artists active in each category (2008): Oil paintings Acrylic paintings Watercolors ANY PAINTINGS Pastel drawings Drawings using pencil, colored pencil, pen, ink, etc. ANY PAINT & DRAW Mixed media/collage Handmade books, cards, scrapbooks 3-D art ANY MIXED, HAND, 3D Murals, wall art, graffiti Functional art Conceptual or installation art Communication art or graphic design Digital art Professional artists Recreational artists Students A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 42

43 Professionals: Percentage Who Did Various Quantities of Artworks Percentage of professional artists in each art category who created various numbers of artworks: Oil paintings Acrylic paintings Watercolors Any paintings 1 or 2 22% 22% 21% 9% 3 to 9 29% 32% 27% 22% 10 to 24 25% 22% 29% 26% 25 to 49 13% 13% 10% 22% 50 to 99 6% 6% 8% 13% 100 or more 5% 5% 4% 8% 100% 100% 100% 100% Pastel drawings Drawings using pencil, colored pencil, pen, ink, markers, etc. Any paintings or drawings 1 or 2 30% 6% 4% 3 to 9 38% 26% 14% 10 to 24 19% 25% 20% 25 to 49 7% 15% 24% 50 to 99 5% 11% 18% 100 or more 2% 16% 20% 3-D art painting or drawing on found object, sculpture, fabric, etc. Any mixed media, handmade, 3-D art Mixed media or collage Handmade books, cards, scrapbooks 1 or 2 17% 10% 13% 6% 3 to 9 27% 27% 30% 16% 10 to 24 31% 28% 22% 25% 25 to 49 11% 7% 10% 16% 50 to 99 10% 9% 9% 13% 100 or more 4% 19% 16% 23% Murals, wall art, graffiti Functional art Conceptual or installation art 1 or 2 44% 29% 61% 3 to 9 32% 31% 23% 10 to 24 10% 15% 10% 25 to 49 6% 6% 0% 50 to 99 5% 8% 6% 100 or more 4% 12% 0% Communication art or graphic design Digital art Other All artworks 1 or 2 19% 13% 3% 1% 3 to 9 23% 27% 16% 4% 10 to 24 27% 25% 13% 10% 25 to 49 12% 12% 19% 18% 50 to 99 8% 5% 10% 20% 100 to 249 6% 8% 23% 28% 250 or more 5% 11% 16% 20% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 43

44 Recreationals: Percentage Who Did Various Quantities of Artworks Percentage of recreational artists in each art category who created various numbers of artworks: Oil paintings Acrylic paintings Watercolors Any paintings 1 or 2 25% 32% 25% 13% 3 to 9 32% 36% 34% 33% 10 to 24 24% 23% 26% 29% 25 to 49 10% 5% 8% 14% 50 to 99 5% 3% 3% 7% 100 or more 3% 1% 3% 4% Pastel drawings Drawings using pencil, colored pencil, pen, ink, markers, etc. Any paintings or drawings 1 or 2 35% 11% 6% 3 to 9 36% 29% 22% 10 to 24 20% 29% 29% 25 to 49 6% 12% 18% 50 to 99 2% 8% 13% 100 or more 1% 11% 12% 3-D art painting or drawing on found object, sculpture, fabric, etc. Any mixed media, handmade, 3-D art Mixed media/ collage Handmade books, cards, scrapbooks 1 or 2 21% 21% 25% 10% 3 to 9 36% 29% 38% 28% 10 to 24 26% 25% 23% 26% 25 to 49 9% 10% 7% 16% 50 to 99 4% 7% 4% 10% 100 or more 4% 8% 2% 10% Murals, wall art, graffiti Functional art Conceptual or installation art 1 or 2 50% 41% 67% 3 to 9 36% 35% 21% 10 to 24 12% 17% 11% 25 to 49 1% 4% 1% 50 to 99 1% 2% 0% 100 or more 0% 1% 0% 100% 100% 100% Communication art or graphic design Digital art Other All artworks 1 or 2 22% 21% 8% 1% 3 to 9 31% 29% 34% 11% 10 to 24 26% 24% 29% 22% 25 to 49 6% 9% 13% 23% 50 to 99 6% 7% 5% 20% 100 to 249 8% 7% 8% 15% 250 or more 2% 3% 4% 8% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 44

45 Students: Percentage Who Did Various Quantities of Artworks Percentage of student artists in each art category who created various numbers of artworks Oil paintings Acrylic paintings Watercolors Any paintings 1 or 2 24% 27% 27% 12% 3 to 9 43% 44% 35% 33% 10 to 24 21% 21% 22% 31% 25 to 49 9% 5% 12% 16% 50 to 99 2% 2% 2% 5% 100 or more 2% 0% 2% 2% Pastel drawings Drawings using pencil, colored pencil, pen, ink, marker, etc. Any paintings or drawings 1 or 2 38% 9% 2% 3 to 9 42% 19% 15% 10 to 24 13% 30% 28% 25 to 49 6% 15% 23% 50 to 99 1% 13% 16% 100 or more 1% 14% 16% 3-D art painting or drawing on found object, sculpture, fabric, etc. Any mixed media, handmade, 3-D art Mixed media/ collage Handmade books, cards, scrapbooks 1 or 2 24% 19% 24% 13% 3 to 9 37% 34% 37% 26% 10 to 24 22% 20% 23% 28% 25 to 49 11% 13% 10% 20% 50 to 99 4% 5% 4% 9% 100 or more 3% 8% 3% 9% Murals, wall art, graffiti Functional art Conceptual or installation art 1 or 2 53% 43% 76% 3 to 9 29% 36% 16% 10 to 24 13% 13% 6% 25 to 49 3% 3% 2% 50 to 99 0% 2% 0% 100 or more 3% 2% 0% Communication art or graphic design Digital art Other All artworks 1 or 2 15% 9% 5% 0% 3 to 9 40% 37% 24% 3% 10 to 24 22% 30% 32% 15% 25 to 49 5% 5% 10% 23% 50 to 99 7% 9% 16% 26% 100 to 249 7% 5% 8% 21% 250 or more 4% 5% 5% 11% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 45

46 Artwork Styles Artists typically work in three different styles All three segments of artists checked off a median of three different styles of their artworks. Professional, recreational, and student artists each had the same top five styles: Representational Contemporary Traditional Expressionist or abstract Decorative The three segments differed somewhat in style of artworks Professional, recreational, and student artists differed in their art styles in a few ways. Professional artists more often than recreational artists checked off the contemporary style. Students more often than professional and recreational artists checked off expressionist/ abstract, modern, and conceptual styles. Artists were able to write in additional styles under Other. These varied widely, but about 10% were impressionist and 10% realistic or realism. Percentage of each segment that checked off these styles of their artwork in 2008 (relatively high percentages across the segments are in bold): PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS Representational 44% 43% 46% Contemporary 52% 42% 49% Traditional 41% 39% 38% Expressionist or abstract 32% 38% 54% Decorative 37% 34% 33% Primitive or folk 20% 18% 14% Modern 22% 17% 30% Conceptual 12% 15% 24% Fantasy or manga 14% 12% 16% Other 17% 11% 11% Religious 16% 9% 10% Surreal 8% 9% 13% Urban 10% 7% 10% Latino or Hispanic 3% 2% 1% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 46

47 Uses of Finished Art Most artists displayed their art or gave them as gifts Professional artists were more likely than recreational artists and students to get their art in front of the public. More than three out of four professional artists displayed their art elsewhere (galleries, shows, etc.) or donated it for charity fundraising. Recreational artists and students had similar end-uses for their art, except students were more likely to put their art in storage but less likely to donate their work for charity fundraising. Retailers could gain additional revenue from supplies for display and gift-giving These end uses indicate opportunities for art materials retailers to support their customers and generate additional sales. Given that about 90% of artists give their artwork as gifts, art supply stores should sell giftwrap, ribbons, and cards. Given that nearly all artists display their art at home, stores should always sell framing supplies and other ways for artists to display their work, including perhaps attractive push-pins or display rails. Percentage of artists in each segment who did the following with the art they finished in 2008: 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Displayed in my own space 90% 96% 97% Displayed elsewhere 68% 68% 84% Put them in storage 46% 62% 70% Gave as gift to someone 91% 93% 89% Donated for charity fundraising 46% 59% 78% Sold 67% 65% 100% Professional artists Recreational artists Art students A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S W O R K S 47

48 Materials and Tools Paints Artists typically used two kinds of paint Artists typically used two kinds of paint out of the seven listed, most often acrylics and watercolors. Less than 20% of the artists in any segment used more than three kinds of paint; fewer than 10% of artists used aerosols, tempera, or encaustics. This data points to opportunities to introduce artists to other kinds of paint that they aren t currently using. Stores may want to co-locate acrylics and watercolors, given how many artists use both of them. Percentage of artists who used various kinds of paint (2008): 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% ANY PAINT 83% 89% 93% Acrylic paint Watercolors Oil paint 59% 66% 74% 50% 58% 60% 40% 35% 43% Gouache Aerosol paint Tempera Encaustic 20% 18% 24% 10% 9% 11% 4% 6% 9% 5% 5% 8% Professional artists Recreational artists Art students A R T I S T S : : M A T E R I A L S A N D T O O L S 48

49 Drawing Materials Artists used a wide range of drawing materials Within the drawing category, artists used a wider range of materials than for painting. Professional and recreational artists typically used three different kinds of drawing materials and students used four out of the seven listed. Artists that used at least six out of the seven drawing materials were more common among the students: 24% of students, 14% of recreational artists, and 11% of professional artists used at least six kinds of drawing materials. Colored and drawing pencils were the most popular in all three artist segments. Students used the widest range of paint and drawing materials Almost half the students (45%) used at least seven different kinds of painting and drawing materials out of the 14 listed versus only about 30% of professional and recreational artists. Percentage of artists who used various kinds of drawing materials (2008): 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% ANY DRAWING MATERIALS 80% 87% 92% Colored pencils 51% 62% 69% Drawing pencils Pen and ink (drawing and calligraphy) Markers Pastels (soft) 57% 61% 44% 43% 55% 33% 43% 49% 29% 34% 46% 78% Sketching charcoal Pastels (oil or wax) 29% 32% 17% 27% 31% 50% Professional artists Recreational artists Art students A R T I S T S : : M A T E R I A L S A N D T O O L S 49

50 Supports, Surfaces, and Sculptural Materials Artists used a wide range of supports and sculptural materials Nearly all artists used some type of support/surface, and typically used about three different kinds out of the seven listed. The most popular structural materials were paper, stretched canvas, fiber, and found objects. About half the artists surveyed used fiber (yarn, thread, wire, basketry, fabric, etc.) in their artworks. That said, most of these fiber artists also noted they painted and drew. Percentage of artists who used various kinds of supports, surfaces, or sculptural materials (2008): 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% ANY SUPPORTS/SURFACES Paper Canvas (stretched) Decorative paper or collage materials Blank books or cards Panels (canvas-wrapped or cardboard) Panels (wood or conservation) Plastic film ANY SCULPTURAL/MATERIALS Fiber (yarn, thread, wire, basketry, fabric, etc.) Found objects Wood, metal, plastic, or other formed materials Ceramics 54% 58% 38% 44% 47% 40% 44% 47% 27% 30% 31% 37% 27% 38% 11% 12% 13% 62% 66% 68% 44% 53% 50% 44% 49% 48% 35% 36% 37% 17% 12% 19% 85% 91% 96% 72% 79% 86% 70% Professional artists Recreational artists Art students A R T I S T S : : M A T E R I A L S A N D T O O L S 50

51 Digital Tools Digital tools are now commonplace About half the artists in each segment used two or three of the following digital tools for creating art. Less than 20% of those who had any sort of digital tool had just one. Percentage of artists who used each type of digital tool to create art (2008): 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% ANY DIGITAL TOOLS 55% 61% 68% Printer 51% 58% 63% Scanner 43% 48% 57% Graphics software 35% 36% 51% Professional artists Recreational artists Art students A R T I S T S : : M A T E R I A L S A N D T O O L S 51

52 Computer used as an important artistic tool About 75% of the artists who completed the survey used their computer to help create art. Given that most surveys were completed online, where computer-savvy artists were more prevalent, the percentage of artists overall who use computers to help create art is probably lower than 75%. Artists used their computer mainly as a tool to improve their artwork, reproduce it, or supply materials and ideas. They used their computers for art in four main ways: Digitally manipulate artwork. Transfer or print image onto fabric or other materials. Print images and text to use in mixed media or collage. Reproduce/print artwork, often as printed editions or as postcards. Very few artists used their computer for digital drawing or painting without using any traditional art materials. The percentage was higher for students, but still only 6%. About 10% of artists used the computer to generate photos for art reference while painting or drawing. Professionals and students who did this usually manipulated the photos first, by cropping, combining photos, changing size, contrast or color, etc., to get it closer to the artwork they envisioned. Recreational artists tended to use photos as is. Percentage of each artist segment who used their computer or printer to create art in these ways: USE OF COMPUTER OR PRINTER PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS Digitally manipulate artwork 14% 24% 21% Transfer or print image onto fabric or other materials 12% 24% 8% Print images and text to use in mixed media or collage 13% 17% 21% Reproduce/print artwork, especially as postcards 20% 15% 19% Graphic design 15% 13% 14% Photography 5% 13% 4% Work up ideas 12% 12% 16% Collect ideas for art inspiration 5% 10% 8% Use/manipulate photos for art reference 11% 9% 10% Make guidelines/templates/base image 1% 6% 8% Upload artwork to show online, , put on CD 8% 4% 6% Document or keep inventory 3% 4% 2% Make promotional materials 7% 3% 4% Build collages on computer 1% 2% 2% Draw or paint digitally 2% 1% 6% No, don t use or no comment 28% 24% 21% A R T I S T S : : M A T E R I A L S A N D T O O L S 52

53 Artist Feedback on Art Materials Summary thought: Add unconventional art materials to your store Artists wrote in which art materials they had become more interested in recently or would like to try, and which ones they had become less interested in recently. The following data shows that artists share a significant growing interest in less conventional art materials categories. If an art materials retailer does not sell fabrics or fabric surface art materials, inks, encaustics, ceramics, digital tools and supplies, fibers, found/recycled objects, printmaking supplies, or metal, that retailer has ignored 10 out of the top 15 most promising categories for sales growth. Retailers should therefore consider adding any of the following art materials: Fabrics fabric and supplies for surface design, image transfer, painting, dyeing, collage Inks pen and ink, alcohol, colored, stamp, acrylic Encaustics Ceramics, pottery, clay Digital software, tools, and supplies for digital grounds, manipulation, painting Fibers, fiber art Found objects, recycled materials, repurposed materials Printmaking, screen printing, silkscreen, block print Metal metalwork, metalsmithing, glass and metal, sculpture, metal Mixed results for oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastel Several of the often-used categories of art materials (acrylics, oils, watercolors, and pastels) received mixed feedback they showed up in the top 10 most-mentioned lists for both more interested in and less interested in. This is probably due to the sheer number of artists using these materials, which means a significant number would be starting or stopping using them at any given time. A higher number of students reported becoming less interested versus more interested in oil paint and watercolors. The opposite was the case for professionals and recreational artists. Strong growing interest in fabric art, not in commercial fabric The third most-mentioned category of greater interest is fabrics, particularly in terms of surface design, image transfer, paint, dye, and collage. Artists also mentioned fabrics as something they were less interested in lately, but most of the time they particularly meant commercial or traditional fabrics. Keep in mind a significant number of art quilters responded to the survey. Hot interest in encaustics, found objects, printmaking, metal, dyes These five art materials categories received relatively high numbers of mention for artists having become more interested in them. At the same time, they received very few mentions under materials that artists were less interested in. Printmaking included screen printing, silkscreen, and block print. As for found objects, about half the artists surveyed used them, so it may be worth considering how to add found objects (and recycled or repurposed stuff) to art materials retailers stores. A R T I S T S : : M A T E R I A L S A N D T O O L S 53

54 Mixed positive interest in inks, collage, digital art, fibers These four categories received a relatively high number of votes for something artists were more interested in or would like to try. At the same time they received some votes under decreased interest. Note that inks included pen and ink and alcohol, colored, stamp, and acrylic ink. Retailers and suppliers should definitely consider increasing their offerings in these four areas. Artist Feedback: Wish List for Art Materials Improvements Art materials manufacturers should look at Appendix B Go to NAMTA.org and download Appendix B from the report area. It includes valuable information for suppliers. Artists were asked which categories of art supplies they wished were better. They listed hundreds of product improvements and new product ideas. They are organized in the appendix under the following categories: Paints Brushes Canvas Panels, board, wood Drawing materials Paper, pads, books Framing Some of the more often-mentioned ideas were art-friendly printer inks, paints that work well on fabric, easier to use watercolor paper, supports that do not need frames, colored pencils that dont t break, better colored pencil sharpeners, and brushes whose bristles don t fall out. A R T I S T S : : M A T E R I A L S A N D T O O L S 54

55 Brand Loyalty Professional artists were most brand-loyal Professional artists were more likely than other artist segments to say they always bought the same brand. Recreational artists are the least likely to always buy the same brand. Artists were most brand-loyal with oil and acrylic paints Professional and recreational artists were more likely to say they always bought the same brands of oil paints and acrylic paints. Students paid less attention to oil paint brands. Less than one-third of artists were brand-loyal in any category Brand loyalty in paints and colored pencils is relatively high. In comparison, the 1997 National Artist Survey brand-loyalty data indicated significantly lower loyalty percentages for oils, acrylics, colored pencils, watercolors, and paper. This was possibly due to the 1997 respondent group having a smaller portion of active artists. Percentage of users who always bought the same brand in these product categories (2008): PRODUCT CATEGORY PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS Oil paints 37% 30% 25% Acrylic paints 39% 28% 32% Colored pencils 35% 23% 30% Watercolors 31% 23% 24% Pads and paper 30% 19% 24% Drawing pencils 22% 16% 22% Markers 30% 16% 24% Pastels 20% 12% 14% A R T I S T S : : M A T E R I A L S A N D T O O L S 55

56 Proficiency Overview Artists know drawing and painting but are going digital, too Half or more of the artists surveyed noted their skill was intermediate or advanced with drawing pencils, pens, ink, and markers; mixed media; acrylic painting; and colored pencils. About two-thirds of artists in each segment had either not used or considered themselves beginners with gouache/tempera or sculptural materials. This could point to an opportunity for retailers to introduce existing customers to these media and thus increase sales. Percentage of artists who noted their skill level was intermediate or advanced with the following media: 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Oil painting Acrylic painting 49% 37% 45% 51% 62% 63% Watercolors 56% 45% 52% Gouache or tempera Pastel drawing 35% 21% 28% 42% 34% 50% Drawing with pencils, pens, ink, markers 73% 65% 83% Colored pencils Mixed media 57% 50% 53% 68% 65% 66% Digital media 31% 40% 52% Sculptural materials 27% 38% 38% Professional artists Recreational artists Students A R T I S T S : : P R O F I C I E N C Y 56

57 Painting Skill Levels Percentage of artists who said their skill level was advanced, intermediate, or beginner with these paints: PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS OIL PAINTING ACRYLIC PAINTING WATERCOLORS GOUACHE OR TEMPERA Advanced 28% 34% 25% 13% Intermediate 22% 29% 31% 22% Beginner 28% 21% 26% 31% Never used/no response 23% 16% 18% 34% TOTAL 100% 100% 100% 100% RECREATIONAL ARTISTS Advanced 14% 17% 14% 5% Intermediate 22% 35% 31% 16% Beginner 31% 28% 35% 28% Never used/no response 32% 21% 19% 51% STUDENTS Advanced 14% 20% 16% 8% Intermediate 31% 43% 36% 20% Beginner 36% 27% 35% 38% Never used/no response 19% 10% 13% 34% Drawing Skill Levels Percentage of artists who said their skill level was advanced, intermediate, or beginner with these media: PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS PASTEL DRAWING DRAWING WITH PENCILS, PENS, INK, MARKERS COLORED PENCILS Advanced 16% 43% 24% Intermediate 26% 30% 34% Beginner 31% 13% 19% Never used/no response 28% 14% 23% RECREATIONAL ARTISTS Advanced 9% 27% 15% Intermediate 24% 38% 35% Beginner 30% 20% 24% Never used/no response 36% 16% 26% STUDENTS Advanced 13% 40% 24% Intermediate 37% 43% 43% Beginner 31% 9% 17% Never used/no response 20% 8% 16% A R T I S T S : : P R O F I C I E N C Y 57

58 Other Art Media Skill Levels Percentage of artists who said their skill level was advanced, intermediate, or beginner with these media: PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS MIXED MEDIA DIGITAL MEDIA SCULPTURAL MATERIALS Advanced 32% 15% 17% Intermediate 33% 25% 22% Beginner 9% 30% 31% Never used/ no response 26% 30% 31% RECREATIONAL ARTISTS Advanced 21% 10% 7% Intermediate 33% 21% 20% Beginner 19% 33% 33% Never used/ no response 28% 36% 40% STUDENTS Advanced 29% 21% 13% Intermediate 37% 31% 26% Beginner 15% 28% 39% Never used/ no response 19% 20% 23% A R T I S T S : : P R O F I C I E N C Y 58

59 Motivations Why They Do Art Artists do art because they have to and it makes them feel better Artists were asked why they do art. One of the most-often-mentioned reasons was because I have to they have to create art because it is who they are. The other often-mentioned reason for creating art was for personal well-being. They simply enjoy it: It makes them happy, helps them relax, and can be an escape. Motivations differ across artist segments Professional artists significantly more often (versus recreational artists and students) mentioned income as a significant reason why they do art. Professionals are more driven by I have to create. Students are more driven by the need for self-expression and that they simply enjoy doing art and feel better afterward. Recreational artists are more driven to do art because it relaxes them and they feel a sense of accomplishment. Retailers and suppliers: Use the whys for marketing and new products Art materials retailers and suppliers could make their marketing more effective and improve their products by listening to these whys. This will increase sales and serve artists better. Art supply businesses could market art as an activity to current non-artists who need something that makes them feel better. Half the recreational artists and students surveyed said they created art because it made them feel happy and relaxed. This is far better performance than the typical pill! Every mental health practicioner in the country should have information for their patients about how to get involved with art, maybe even a beginner s art kit to sell. Art supply businesses should make sure their promotional materials, packaging, and communications echo these whys back to artists and validate them: It is who you are. Enjoy it, relax, express yourself, feel talented. Art supply businesses could improve products, extend product lines, or add complementary products that help artists better attain why they do art: Be creative, enjoy what they re doing, relax, express themselves, and feel like they ve achieved something. Sell products that do these things and success is assured. Conversely, avoid things that make artists feel uncreative, tense, or dumb. Make sure instructions are easy, classes are available, and products work as advertised. See table on next page. A R T I S T S : : M O T I V A T I O N S 59

60 Many motivations for doing art Percentage of artists who mentioned these reasons why they do art (top five for each segment in bold): REASONS PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS I have to (create) 42% 37% 35% Who I am 6% 2% 5% Personal wellness 17% 20% 28% Enjoy it, love to do it, makes me happy 10% 21% 12% Relaxing, calming, grounding, relieves stress 4% 7% 9% Coping mechanism, escape, outlet/release 0% 0% 4% Stay busy, sense of purpose 3% 4% 1% Energizing/exciting 34% 52% 54% Achievement 6% 4% 6% Good at it, feel talented 0% 8% 1% Sense of accomplishment 3% 6% 2% Challenging 6% 8% 8% Satisfying, fulfilling 15% 26% 17% Communication 7% 11% 17% Self-expression 3% 3% 0% Making people happy 3% 3% 1% Sharing with others 13% 17% 18% Income 21% 1% 5% Beauty/creating beauty 4% 0% 4% A R T I S T S : : M O T I V A T I O N S 60

61 Immediate Inspirations to Create Art Artists are mainly inspired by what s in their heads What most often inspired or pushed artists in all three segments to start a particular artwork was what went on in their heads: dreams, thoughts, or ideas. Nature, other artworks, and events are big sources of inspiration The outside world is also very important. Nature, animals, plants, parks, and other outdoor places provided inspiration to many. Other artwork, in a gallery, museum, and other locations, was one of the top four inspirations for artists in each segment. Professional artists are often pushed by the need to make an income or requests from customers. Students are often inspired by classes or seminars. How retailers can help inspire more art creation Art materials retailers could support what inspires artists to create more art and thus use more art materials. Stores could consider adding the following to their retail environment or offerings: Thoughts and ideas stimulators thought-provoking books, brainstorming sessions, listings of offbeat events, etc. Guides and brochures for local nature areas, parks, zoos, arboretums, aquariums Art outings, trips Listings of art galleries and museums Books of art Artworks on the walls, bins of completed artwork, samples, store gallery Photographs bin of old calendars, donated photos from customers, etc. Classes and seminars Samples of art materials See table on next page. A R T I S T S : : M O T I V A T I O N S 61

62 Wide range of inspirations to create art Relative number of mentions of what inspired or pushed artists to start a particular artwork (top five for each segment in bold): PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS Dreams, thoughts, ideas Nature animals, plants, national parks/other outdoor places Other artwork Photographs Personal events memories, family, travel, pets, friends, gifts People (as subjects) Colors, shapes, lines, lighting, etc Classes/seminars Talking to other artists Magazines, catalogs, books, newspapers Sales/income commissions, customer requests Objects everyday objects, furniture, fabric, materials used for a project, architecture Art materials Galleries and museums Entertainment TV, movies, song lyrics, music, poetry, quotes Cultural themes and motifs pop culture, history, religion, holidays A R T I S T S : : M O T I V A T I O N S 62

63 Art-Related Activities Overview Art colors many dimensions of an artist s life Artists are truly artists art is embedded into their lives in many different ways. Most artists (more than 80%) created, visited, and read about art. Art guides their interactions with others: More than two-thirds socialized with other artists. Nearly half spent time with art-related online communities, such as on Facebook. About half attended an art guild or group, belying the idea of the creative loner. More than half sell their art, despite not being professionals. About half collect art. Percentage of recreational artists who noted they did these art-related activities (2009): (Data from table on next page.) 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Create art 96% Visit art galleries, museums, shows 85% Read about art 82% Spend time with other artists 67% Sell your art 60% Attend classes, workshops (in college or community) Travel to see art Submit entries to galleries, museums, shows Attend art guild or group 55% 52% 47% 44% Collect art 42% Spend time with art-related online communities (on Facebook, etc.) Teach art 28% 40% Attend lectures (in college or community) 23% A R T I S T S : : A R T- R E L A T E D A C T I V I T I E S 63

64 Activities Overview by Artist Segment Artists in each segment take classes and workshops, and sell their art Professional artists were more likely than the other two segments to have sold their art (yes, that s how we defined them); submitted entries to galleries, museums, or shows; and taught art. These activities confirm that the population identified as professional artists in this report indeed fits their expected behavior. Students were similar in that way. Art students were more likely to have taken art classes to earn a degree and to have attended classes or workshops or lectures. Percentage of artists in each segment who said they did these art-related activities: ACTIVITY PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS Create art 98% 96% 98% Sell your art 98% 60% 67% Submit entries to galleries, museums, shows 68% 47% 53% Teach art 46% 28% 39% Spend time with other artists 76% 67% 78% Spend time with art-related online communities (on Facebook, etc.) 53% 40% 49% Attend art guild or group 48% 44% 49% Take art classes at a college/university to earn a degree 0% 0% 100% Attend classes, workshops (in college or community) 42% 55% 70% Attend lectures (in college or community) 31% 23% 51% Visit art galleries, museums, shows 87% 85% 94% Travel to see art 62% 52% 65% Collect art 54% 42% 49% Read about art 84% 82% 86% Learning Artists used average of three to four sources for learning new techniques More than half the artists in each segment used the following resources for learning new techniques, with the exception of videos (not online). Students favored art classes, of course. Recreational artists were slightly less likely to learn from other artists. Percentage of artists in each segment who learned new art techniques from various sources in the past few years: PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS Magazines 72% 77% 69% Books 71% 76% 70% Web sites 64% 64% 63% Art classes or workshops 54% 63% 89% Other artists 62% 55% 59% Videos (not online) 24% 27% 25% A R T I S T S : : A R T- R E L A T E D A C T I V I T I E S 64

65 Reading Artists Magazines Although the survey was online, nearly all respondents looked at magazines 87% of respondents noted that they looked at or read at least one art-related magazine, typically more than three magazines apiece. Top five art-related magazines Magazines were ranked according to the number of respondents who mentioned they read or looked at them. Note that some print surveys were sent to American Artist subscribers; these resulted in fewer than 10% of respondents. Several Web sites that are related to magazines listed links to the survey, including Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts. The five mostmentioned magazines were as follows, in alphabetical order (2008 paid circulation also listed): American Artist 41,000 The Artist s Magazine 160,000 Cloth Paper Scissors 49,000 Quilting Arts 65,000 Southwest Art 57,000 Top 20 art-related magazines Magazines were ranked according to the number of respondents who mentioned they read or looked at them. The 20 most-mentioned magazines were as follows, in alphabetical order: American Art Review FiberArts American Artist International Artist Art Calendar Juxtapoz Art Doll Pastel Journal Art in America Quilting Arts The Artist s Magazine Somerset Studios Art News Southwest Art Belle Armoire Threads Cloth Paper Scissors Watercolor Drawing Watercolor Artist A R T I S T S : : A R T- R E L A T E D A C T I V I T I E S 65

66 Using the Internet for Art The Internet is an indispensable multi-use tool for artists Artists used the Internet for a wide range of art-related activities, usually eight or nine out of the following list of 13 uses. More than three-fourths of artists found ideas, purchased art supplies, or learned new techniques. For many, the Internet is a sort of Swiss army knife of art. Businesses in the art world must be similarly plugged in Clearly, suppliers, retailers, and publishers in the field of art must be equally committed to the Web. Artists used the Internet for many commerce-related activities beyond just purchasing. More than half found out about new products, researched technical questions about art materials, researched what to buy, and found local art supply stores online. Percentage of recreational artists who checked off using the Internet for art in these ways: 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Get ideas and inspirations 87% Purchase art supplies 80% Learn new techniques 77% Find out about new products 69% Find out about art shows and events 68% Research technical questions about art materials 63% Research what supplies to buy 62% Communicate with other artists 56% Gather images to use in art 55% Find local art supply stores 53% Promote or show your art 35% Have your own Web site 32% Sell your art 28% A R T I S T S : : A R T- R E L A T E D A C T I V I T I E S 66

67 Professional artists used the Web as a selling engine Professional artists were more likely than recreational artists and art students to promote or show their art online, have their own Web site, and sell their art online. (Two-thirds did so.) Art students are significantly more likely than other artists to go online and gather images for use with their art. They are also more likely to go online to find a local art supply store. Percentage of artists in each segment who used the Internet for these activities: USE OF INTERNET PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS Get ideas and inspirations 85% 87% 91% Purchase art supplies 86% 80% 82% Learn new techniques 76% 77% 82% Find out about new products 74% 69% 76% Find out about art shows and events 77% 68% 75% Research technical questions about art materials 69% 63% 69% Research what supplies to buy 69% 62% 72% Communicate with other artists 75% 56% 64% Gather images to use in art 50% 55% 70% Find local art supply stores 57% 53% 70% Promote or show your art 67% 35% 49% Have your own Web site 64% 32% 42% Sell your art 66% 28% 39% Most popular Web resources These were ranked for each artist segment according to how many artists mentioned them when asked which art-related Web resources they reviewed. All three artist segments listed nearly the same top five Web resources (Web sites, blogs, e-newsletters, and/or online communities): American Artist* Etsy.com Facebook Quilting Arts* Wet Canvas (students had Deviant Art instead) *Keep in mind that the Web sites and newsletters for American Artist and Quilting Arts (and likely Etsy, Facebook, and Wet Canvas) included links to the survey and thus were significant sources of respondents. A R T I S T S : : A R T- R E L A T E D A C T I V I T I E S 67

68 Professional artist top 20 Web resources The sites were ranked according to the number of respondents who mentioned them. Sites are listed in alphabetical order. The sites that are only on the professional artist top 20 are starred. Absolute Art* Etsy American Artist Facebook Art Calendar Fine Art America* Art Deadline* Flickr Artfire* MySpace* Cheap Joes Quilting Arts Cloth Paper Scissors Robert Genn Daniel Smith* The Artist Magazine Deviant Art Twitter* Dick Blick Wet Canvas Recreational artist top 20 web resources The sites were ranked according to the number of respondents who mentioned them. They are listed in alphabetical order. The sites that are only on the recreational artist top 20 are starred. About.com Jerry s Artarama American Artist Quilt Art* Art Calendar Quilting Arts Cheap Joes Ravelry Cloth Paper Scissors Robert Genn Deviant Art SAQA (Studio Art Quilters Association) Dick Blick Stampington* Etsy.com The Artist Magazine Facebook Wet Canvas Flickr Yahoo Groups Student artist top 20 web resources The sites were ranked according to the number of respondents that mentioned them. They are listed in alphabetical order. The ones which are only on the student artist top 20 are starred. About.com Flickr American Artist Jerry s Artarama Art Calendar Plaza Art* Cheap Joes Quilting Arts Cloth Paper Scissors Ravelry Deviant Art Robert Genn Dick Blick SAQA Etsy Utrecht* Facebook Wet Canvas FiberArts* Yahoo groups A R T I S T S : : A R T- R E L A T E D A C T I V I T I E S 68

69 Artists Life Cycles When Art Begins Artists get hooked as kids or teens 63% of professional artists said that art first became a regular part of their lives at elementary school age or younger. Nearly 80% of professional artists and art students got started before age 20. Relatively few people take up art for the first time after age 30. This commitment to a lifelong activity at an early age is consistent with Hart research in other creative and hobby activities. For example, 93% of knitting enthusiasts did their first needle arts projects before age % of stamp collecting enthusiasts began to collect stamps before age 20. Age when professional and recreational artists said art first became a regular part of their lives: (Data from table on next page.) 100% 90% Professional 63% by age 12 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% Recreational 52% by age 12 10% 0% Age Art materials community must advocate for school art programs NOW to ensure a strong future for art There is about a 40-year lead time to build a large and dedicated customer base for art materials. This is significantly more time than was required to build the Parthenon, so the industry needs to get busy. Today the biggest age group of artists is people in their 50s (one-third of the total); they were introduced to art as kids 40 years ago, in the 1960s and 1970s. A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S L I F E C Y C L E S 69

70 In general, the earlier in life someone starts an activity, the more likely they are to be lifelong enthusiasts about it. As shown below, 66% of recreational artists started as kids or teens versus nearly 80% of professional artists and art students. This is also the case with other lifelong activities. For stamp collectors, 84% of the members of the American Philatelic Society (the USA s largest professional stamp collecting organization) started collecting before age 20 but only 73% of stamp collectors who were not APS members. Note also that two-thirds of professional artists and students started at elementary school age or younger. This further points to the importance of youth art programs and art in American elementary schools to sustain art as a part of our nation. Age when artists in each segment said art first became a regular part of their lives: PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS Less than 6 years old 41% 29% 34% Age % 23% 29% % 8% 9% % 6% 8% Before age 20 79% 66% 80% 20s 5% 8% 4% 30s 7% 7% 3% 40s 4% 8% 6% 50s 3% 7% 5% 60s or older 1% 4% 2% Who Helps Budding Artists Begin Relatives or school art teachers help many artists begin Two-thirds of artists had either a relative or an art teacher in K-12 schools or colleges help them with their first significant artwork. About one in four had both a relative and art teacher help them. School art teachers are essential to nurture future professional artists School art teachers are even more important to artists who have made a career out of art. More than 40% of professional artists and art students got their first art help from a school art teacher. If school art teachers are taken away and parents no longer have time to create art with their kids, art will wither in the United States. Try this scenario: few and empty art galleries, threadbare art museums, no art tourism, kids with stunted imaginations, and adults without creativity. Basically, if teachers and parents no longer help kids with art, the population of artists could decrease by 65% that is the percentage of artists today who learned from relatives and school art teachers. See next page for graph. A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S L I F E C Y C L E S 70

71 Relatives and teachers helped artists with their first significant artwork People who helped professional artists with their first significant art or creative project (Note that about one in four respondents mentioned at least two helpers, so the percentages total more than 100%. Ideally, these slices would overlap on the graph.): No one 14% Art supply store employee 1% Friend 9% 44% Relative (sister, father, aunt, grandfather, etc.) Art teacher outside of school 16% 42% Art teacher in K- 12 school or college Percentage of artist segments who mentioned these people as having helped them with their first significant art or creative project: PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS Relative (sister, father, aunt, grandfather, etc.) 44% 43% 48% Art teacher in K-12 school or college 42% 34% 48% Art teacher outside of school 16% 18% 17% No one 14% 16% 12% Friend 9% 12% 12% Art supply store employee 1% 3% 3% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S L I F E C Y C L E S 71

72 Impact of Art Classes Art classes have great impact on art interest 93% of professional artists noted that art classes had some impact on their interest in creating art. This same percentage is the case for recreational artists as well. For art students it is 99%. Clearly, art classes are the fertile ground that sprouts and sustains artists interest in creating art. Impact of art classes, in school or in the community, on professional artists interest in creating art, on scale of 1 (no impact) to 5 (great impact): 1 no impact 7% 2 8% 3 15% 5 great impact 59% 4 11% Percentage of each segment noting the relative impact of art classes (in school or in the community) on their interest in creating art: IMPACT PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS ART STUDENTS 5 great impact 59% 49% 74% 4 11% 17% 13% 3 15% 17% 10% 2 8% 9% 4% 1 no impact 7% 7% 1% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S L I F E C Y C L E S 72

73 When Life Sets Art Aside Three-fourths of artists did little or no art at some point Various life stages got in the way of art for about three-fourths of artists. What usually affected them were the three Cs (well, one s a K): Kids, career, or college, but mainly raising kids. Recreational artists were most affected by life events, and professional artists the least. Percentage of artists who said they did little or no art during one of these life stages: STAGE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS Raising kids 20% 24% 24% Career 12% 16% 19% College 8% 6% 11% Illness or injury 2% 4% 5% High school 5% 1% 7% Other 18% 29% 10% No have always done art 34% 21% 24% Summary: The Artist Peak-to-Peak Cycle The trip from peak to peak The artist s life cycle of art interest can be envisioned as a trip from a peak into a valley and back up another peak. Based upon the above survey data, interest is high in childhood and in the mature years of the 50s onward, with a dip in interest somewhere in between. Elementary school age and younger The awakening Teachers and relatives help them with their first significant art project. High school and 20s Coming and going Some begin art for the first time, some put it aside. 50s and 60s Second awakening Kids are out of the house, career is established, more time for leisure activities. 30s and 40s Taking a break Raising kids and/or careers are main priorities for many. A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S L I F E C Y C L E S 73

74 Artists Other Creative Activities Beyond Traditional Art Artists see no separation between art and craft The artists who responded to this survey typically noted they do two of the following: sewing, home decorating, paper crafts, beading, jewelry, or pottery. These are usually called crafts, but artists view them as art when they do them. Only 89 out of the 2,713 artists surveyed used the words craft or handcraft to describe the kinds of art they created, even though their artworks often included fabric, ceramics, or wood. More than half of artists do photography Artists enjoyed photography both in and of itself and as a starting point for art. Many artists noted they used photographs to paint or draw from or to incorporate into mixed media. Photography product ideas for art materials retailers and suppliers Art materials retailers and suppliers should consider taking a closer look at how they can improve artists experiences with photography. Many print their photographs at home. A number of artists noted they wanted more art-oriented color printer toner colors. Printer toner could be an area where fine art paint companies could perhaps collaborate with printer companies. Retailers could offer the better ranges of printers and toners that work well for artists. Half of artists sew Half of the artists in each segment reported they enjoy sewing. This may seem like a surprisingly high fraction, but the data fits with other research. The 2006 Sewing in America report (sponsored by Sew News Magazine) using a TNS NFO national household panel noted that 21% of the general American population sews. In a creative segment like artists, the percentage of sewing enthusiasts would be higher. Sewing-related art ideas for art materials retailers and suppliers Art materials retailers and suppliers may want to consider adding sewing-related items to their product lines. This could include better fabric paints (requested on the survey under products they wish were better) and art-quality fabrics and threads. Serve the writer within many artists Given that more than 40% of artists write, art materials retailers and suppliers may want to consider providing more products and services that enable artists to combine writing and visual art. Some ideas are creative writing departments in art supply stores, journals that make it easier to combine artwork with text, or art scrapbooking that isn t like scrapbooking. See table on next page. A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S O T H E R C R E A T I V E A C T I V I T I E S 74

75 Artists have many other creative activities Percentage of artists who said they enjoyed these creative activities: PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS Photography 60% 62% 65% Sewing 52% 54% 54% Writing 43% 42% 43% Home decor decorative crafts, painting, etc. 45% 40% 42% Music 42% 38% 47% Paper crafts scrapbooks, cards, stamping, origami 34% 38% 40% Beading 29% 33% 31% Jewelry making (not beaded) 27% 22% 28% Other (knitting, gardening, quilting, cooking, etc.) 23% 20% 21% Woodworking 17% 14% 14% Pottery 19% 12% 23% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T S O T H E R C R E A T I V E A C T I V I T I E S 75

76 Artist Demographics Age Median recreational artist age was in 50s (baby boomers!) Professional and recreational artists had similar age distributions, with median ages in their 50s and less than 10% under age 30. This age distribution is significantly older than the US median age of 36 and 41% under the age of 40. (Source: data, US Census American Fact Finder) The art students who responded to the survey were significantly older than US students as a whole. The art student respondents had a median age in their 40s. 31% were under age % of art student respondents were age 40 or older, compared with 17% of all students enrolled at degree-granting institutions who were age 35 or older. (Source: 2006 data, The age of the art student respondents does fit the demographic profile of those who attend art classes and seminars (older and mostly female). A booming opportunity for art suppliers and retailers The baby boomers are a huge opportunity for art supply businesses. As noted before, interest in creating art builds steadily after people are done with kids and career and continues to peak into people s 60s and 70s. This gives the art materials industry from now until about 2030, when the last of the boomer generation hits 65, to leverage that demographic. (Baby boomers were born between about 1945 and 1964.) Age of artists who responded to survey (medians in bold): AGE PROFESSIONAL RECREATIONAL STUDENT 70 or older 8% 8% 7% % 28% 18% % 38% 29% % 19% 18% % 9% 10% % 5% 25% Under 20 1% 1% 6% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T D E M O G R A P H I C S 76

77 Education One in four artists had graduate degrees The artists who responded to the survey indicated they were more highly educated than the typical American adult. 54% of American adults ages 25 and older have attended at least some college, compared with 90% of artists who responded to the survey. (Source: American FactFinder, US Census data) More recreational artists than professional artists had completed graduate work. Less than 10% of artists in any segment had not attended college. Percentage of artists who noted various levels of education: PROFESSIONAL RECREATIONAL STUDENT Graduate degree(s) 22% 27% 23% Some graduate work 6% 11% 14% Graduated from four-year college 27% 25% 21% Attended some college or technical school 36% 27% 30% High school diploma or GED 4% 5% 4% Other 6% 4% 8% Income Artist median household income was $60,000 to $80,000 The 2008 median household income of artists who responded to the survey was $60,000 to $80,000, with the student median slightly lower. The professional and recreational artist incomes were significantly higher than the overall U.S. median household income of $50,000 for Percentage of artists who noted they were in each household income bracket in 2008: PROFESSIONAL RECREATIONAL STUDENT Over $100,000 19% 24% 21% $80,000 $99,999 15% 15% 15% $60,000 $79,999 19% 19% 14% $40,000 $59,999 19% 20% 16% $21,000 $39,999 20% 15% 14% Under $21,000 8% 7% 20% Gender Representation Most respondents were female The percentage of females in the respondent group was probably 10% to 15% higher than the artist population. Artist magazine subscriber demographics shed some light on this. An American Artist 2008 subscriber survey indicated 65% of readers were female. Pastel Journal s media kit indicated 85% of their 2006 readership was female. Percentage of artists who noted they were female: PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS RECREATIONAL ARTISTS STUDENTS Female 90% 86% 89% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T D E M O G R A P H I C S 77

78 Regional Representation Artist survey respondents from around the USA The regional distribution of the survey respondents is within a few percentage points of the regional distribution of the U.S. population. The artists who responded to the survey were slightly more likely to be from the West. Art materials stores, too, were also more likely to be in the West. (See : Retailers). Percentage of artists who said they were from various states, compiled into regions: U.S. REGION % OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS, 2009 % OF US POPULATION, 2006 Midwest 19% 22% Northeast 16% 18% South 36% 36% West 26% 23% A R T I S T S : : A R T I S T D E M O G R A P H I C S 78

79 Conclusions Key Findings About 21st Century Artists Art is now so much more than traditional art materials Recreational artists who responded to this survey noted they made a total of 183,184 different works of art in % of these were multi-layered (mixed media/collage, handmade books, cards, scrapbooks, or 3-D art); 23% were drawings; 17% were paintings; and 18% were digital art. This does not include the other 72,492 artworks that recreational artists listed under other artworks (mostly quilting, beading, jewelry, photography, and other creative forms). Computers and the Internet are the multi-use tools of art About 75% of the artists who completed the survey used their computers to help create art. Artists used their computers mainly as a tool to improve their artwork, reproduce it, or supply materials and ideas. Artists used the Internet for ideas, purchasing, and learning. Faded distinction exists between professionals, students, and recreationals 60% of recreational artists who responded to this survey noted they sold at least some of their artwork. 55% of recreational artists had attended classes or workshops. Art materials suppliers and retailers may need to develop market segments that better fit 21st century artists, perhaps based upon what kind of art they created (paintings, multi-layered art, functional art, etc.). Art materials retailers have great opportunities ahead Active artists spent about one-third of their art materials dollars at art materials retailers. This fraction could grow if art materials retailers made some changes. Provide what artists want: a wider selection of art supplies, a store in their area, more competitive pricing (this is partly a perception game!), and fewer out-of-stock items. Art supply stores can leverage what artists like about them, too: pleasant and knowledgeable staff, a community feel, convenience, and high-quality products. Stores should add classes to attract the 21% of spending on classes and workshops. Add gift cards and wrapping for the 93% of artists who gave art as gifts. Long live print media in the art world! 87% of survey respondents noted they looked or read art-related magazines, typically more than three apiece. This is especially surprising given that most respondents were recruited online. More than 70% of artists said they learned new techniques from books and magazines. Build the 2040 market: Advocate for elementary school art programs 63% of professional artists and art students noted that art first became a regular part of their lives when they were elementary school age or younger. 42% of professional artists and 48% of art students said an art teacher helped them with their first significant artwork. Today s active artists have a median age in their 50s. This indicates a 30-year lead time to build the artist market. The art materials industry therefore needs to support elementary school art teachers NOW as they create the market for A R T I S T S : : C O N C L U S I O N S 79

80 Quick Facts: Artist Numbers, Spending, and Artworks Numbers 4.4 million active artists 600,000 professional artists 3.2 million recreational artists 1.8 million took art classes or seminars (55%) 1.9 million sold their artworks (60%) 600,000 degree-seeking students taking art classes 122,000 art-degree-seeking college students Market growth about 4% per year, including population and spending growth Spending Active artists total $2.5 billion on art materials, durable goods, media $1 billion on classes and workshops $665 million on craft materials, photography, software, travel, studio Per artist $1,330 professional artists median spending on art-related materials and services $880 recreational artists median $1,241 student artists median By retail type on art supplies (recreational artists) 36% art supply stores 28% online 18% crafts chains 18% other (bookstores, hardware, home dec, fabric, quilt, bead, thrift) Artists works of art Number of artworks created, median for professional artists 36 recreational artists 57 students Kinds of art, as percentage of all art produced by recreational artists, % paintings 23% drawings 30% mixed media, handmade books, 3-D art 18% digital art 12% other Percentage of artists using various materials (recreational artists, selected categories) 89% paint (acrylic 66%, watercolor 58%, oils 35%) 87% drawing materials (pencils, markers, pastels, charcoal, etc.) 91% supports/surfaces (paper, canvas, books, panels, etc.) 49% found objects 53% fiber 61% digital tools (printer, scanner, graphics software) Materials of growing interest not regularly carried by art supply stores Art fabrics, inks, encaustics, ceramics, digital, fibers, Found/recycled/repurposed, printmaking supplies, metals A R T I S T S : : C O N C L U S I O N S 80

81 Appendix A Comparison with Other Artist Market Reports CHA Attitude and Usage Studies national household studies of crafters The Craft and Hobby Association sponsors quarterly reports that provide the results of national household surveys conducted by Ipsos-Insight, Inc. These Attitude and Usage Studies look at anyone in the USA who has done some sort of craft in the past year. In contrast, Artists & Art Materials USA 2009: Artists describes active artists, those who view artwork as an essential part of their lives and spend accordingly on art supplies. If the reports covered dining and restaurants, CHA covers anyone who dines out anywhere, including McDonalds and Burger King, whereas this report covers those who appreciate fine dining. The artist market size reported in : Artists fits within the CHA Attitude and Usage Study overall market size. The artist supplies market runs across many CHA categories, mainly painting and finishing, but also parts of DIY framing (of their artwork), as well as the use in art of cardmaking, rubber stamping, other paper crafts, paper cutting, quilting, and sewing. Thus there is no precise fit between : Artists data and the CHA Attitude and Usage Studies category data. NEA Artists in the Workforce included actors and architects An NEA representative gave a presentation at the 2009 NAMTA show in Louisville on the report Artists in the Workforce The data was misunderstood to represent the market of NAMTA s business members. It does not. Artists in the Workforce presents Census data about artists, but defines them as people who said their primary occupation (most recent job with the most hours worked) was any one of about 16, including actor, architect, fine artist, dancer, or author. This is way beyond the market of NAMTA and its members. The smallest NAMTA-type artist category the NEA report presents is Fine artists, art directors, and animators (census code ). The report indicates the population of fine artists, art directors, and animators in the work force decreased by 22% from 1990 to This is unlikely to be the case for fine artists (just one part of that total), as the Census Bureau Occupational Information Network says there were 30,000 fine artists in 2006 and forecasts that to increase by 7% to 13% from The number of art students is also on the rise. In comparison with the NEA report, : Artists covers a narrower set of artist types and defines professional artists differently. In this report professional artists are defined by whether they sold most of their artwork. This is different from people reporting it to the Census as their primary occupation. Professional artists in : Artists had median household incomes of $60,000 to $79,999. Artists in the Workforce notes a median individual income of $30,600 for fine artists, art directors, and animators. Average non-family household size is 1.25, so the equivalent is $38,250 on a household income basis. The professional artists who responded to had household incomes twice that. A R T I S T S : : A P P E N D I X A 81

82 National Artist Survey national household studies of traditional art materials purchasers The Artist s Magazine sponsored the National Artist Survey from 1985 to NFO Research, Inc. conducted the national household surveys. The survey collected data from households that said they were involved in art (8% of households) and had purchased art materials in the past year. Art was defined as being made with traditional art materials, a narrower definition of art than was used in this 2009 study. defines the market by what artists make, including anything from paintings to mixed media and digital art. So, the 1997 data is broader in one way (surveyed any and all people who had created art) and narrower in another (narrower definition of art). These differences is scope and definition make it somewhat difficult to compare the 1997 data with this 2009 study. However, the differences in themselves are an indication of how the market has changed. In 1997 the survey did not mention aerosol paint, gouache and tempera, encaustics, found objects, digital art, or the different types of supports and surfaces. Comparison of 1997 and 2009 data from the two reports: REPORT DATA Artist definition 1997 NATIONAL ARTIST SURVEY Purchasers of traditional art materials Artist market size 11.4 million people over age 15 purchased art materials (1997) Average amount spent on art materials per artist $140 (1997), equivalent to $188 in 2008 dollars (adjusted for inflation) 2009 ARTISTS & ART MATERIALS Creators of at least one artwork in wide range of art categories (96% did 10 or more artworks) 17.6 million adults created art (2002); 4.4 million active artists (2008) $466 (active recreational artists, 2008) Total amount spent on art materials (paints, drawing, supports, tools,but excluding framing) $1.3 billion (all artists but narrower definition of art, 1997), equivalent to $1.7 billion in 2008 dollars $1.25 billion (active artists only, but broad definition of art, 2008) Top five materials want to try Where usually purchased art supplies Airbrush, oil paint, calligraphy, sculpture, watercolor Craft/hobby shop or art supply store Percentage female 76% 90% Average household income $42,000 average (1997), equivalent to $56,000 in 2008 dollars Average age of respondent 42 50s Oil, acrylic, fabrics, watercolor, pastels Online store or art supply store $60,000 $80,000 median (2008) A R T I S T S : : A P P E N D I X A 82