About this PWAS Artistry Spin Blog
New to Blogging? Want a few basics to learn what it is and what you can do with it? Read on my artistic friend...
Why a PWAS Blog?
We understand that not everyone is computer savvy or has the time to get on the computer every day/or very often. Jobs, artwork, family, etc can certainly take up (way too) much time in a day! My intention here is to help you, help PWAS which helps YOU in the long run...well, the PWAS Members 😉 and visitors.
There are plenty of reasons to have a blog, including:
- To archive and document PWAS and (her) Members
- To build the PWAS brand
- To learn new art skills with "How Tos" and more
- To learn more about PWAS
- To meet the PWAS Members
- To discuss interesting art topics
- To inspire the PWAS Members and audience
- To inform the curious about what PWAS is and what it does
- To promote PWAS, PWAS Members, and PWAS Art Events
It all boils down to Learn and Earn I suppose. From earning more visitors and learning more about art.
Let's move on to some Blog Basics...it's features, navigation, search, etc.
Blog Navigation
"Top of the Blog, to ya"
At the top of the Blog is the most recent post that has been published. That is a big feature with blogs. Home is the beginning of any blog, beginning with the most recent first and working backwards in time. Also in the top navigation on Spin, we have Pages which include information on:
- PWAS Membership
- Displaying your artwork - how to hang info
- Art NTK - list of Art Need to Know items
- PWAS Themes for the Clearbrook Center of the Arts gallery
- Schedule - tentative PWAS Blog Writer schedule of posts
- Comments - and Blog Guidelines
- FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions about PWAS
Top of the Blog Navigation
At the bottom of the Blog is the forward and backward navigation and to go back to Home.
Bottom of the Blog - Left Side "Newer", Home, Ride Side "Older"
Blog Search
There are actually many ways to find topics of interest on Spin. The two most obvious though are "Search This Blog" and "The Spin Labels, Tags, Keywords..."
Search This Blog
The Spin Labels, Tags, Keywords (click to find topics)
Both of these features are located in the right navigation. Using either of these features should give you any of the Spin Blog Posts containing those keywords. The Tags are displayed with the larger most used keywords down to the smaller less used keywords. We do have an option to display the number of records per keyword, which is turned off for now.
The Artistry Spin Blog Archive will list the posts by year and month if you ever want to look back at past posts:
Blog Archive for All Posts
How to Comment
Please comment! Ask a Question! Get a discussion, opinion, or thought going on our art posts. Below each Blog Post next to the Published Date is either "No Comments" or if someone else has commented already "Comments"
Blog Post with One Comment
Blog Post with No Comments (yet)
Click on it to open the Comments option. My screenshot here may show more here than you would see (depending on if you have a gmail account), but enter a comment and select if you want the Notify me option ticked, then Publish. The Spin managers check all comments so we will stay clear of spam, so you may not see your comment immediately.
Post a Comment - it's EASY!
"Notify me" should let you know by email probably if someone responds to your comment. You could always check back on the post alternatively.
Reasons to Comment include:
- To ask a question about the Blog Post
- To add information about the Blog Post
- To discuss the topic at hand on the post
- To help the lonely Blog Writers know you liked the Blog Post!
Give it a try, let us see your comments!
See the Page about Comments and Blog Guidelines for more info.
How to Share
Sharing a blog post helps spread the word through your contacts on whichever social media platform(s) you use. At the bottom of each post, see the social bar options:
If you click on the option, a popup window opens so that you can easily share the post to your own Blog, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest account, especially if already signed in. You can even select to Mail it to a friend(s).
I do highly recommend the hashtags on Social Media, here are a few I use and they vary depending on who and where its going and the subject of the post:
#PWAS #PrinceWilliamArtSociety #acrylicpaintings #paintings #artworkforsale #artforsale #ArtfortheHome #ArtsAlive #HyltonArtsAlive #OccoquanArts&Crafts #TallOaksArtShow #virginiaartists #Photography #VisualArtsNOVA #WoodbridgeVAArt #LakeRidgeVAArt #PWCArtists #SupportLocalArtistsVA #NOVAArt 🖼🖌🎨📷
And I do use the appropriate Emojis! 🖼🖌🎨📷 There are a gazillion options for these so use the appropriate ones.
The more you Share, the more people that see the Blog/Blog Post. The more that see it, the more that can help to increase traffic to -any- of our events and gallery.
Sidenote: I call the main Social Media Sites the Big 5: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube. PWAS has all of them except a YouTube channel at the moment. AND if anyone in PWAS wants to help with that, LET US KNOW!!
Also, see the upcoming Blog Post 21: How to Share a PWAS Blog Post on Twitter.
How to Link
Depending on your platform, your linking options can vary, but please do link to our Artistry Spin Blog. The internet LOVES links. It works off of who links to who links to who and links to who.The quick example I can give you on the Blogger platform is this:
Linking to Artistry Spin
You have the option to link something 2 different ways depending on what you enter in the Text to Display:Example:
OR
Paste or search for a link line is: https://www.facebook.com/
I do click the check box for "Open this link in a new window", then click "Apply".
Ta-da! You have created a link!
While you are linking to Artistry Spin, grab that "Proud Member of PWAS" badge and get it on your website too!
A Member of PWAS Badge
There are a couple ways to do this. Right click on the image and Copy the Image and place on your site along with our URL: https://artistryspin.blogspot.com/ or Save the Image then upload it to your site with the URL.
How to Like
There is not a "Like" button on the Blog thus far, but you can certainly Like on the Social Media available. The Social Media links are available in the right navigation.
My Blog List
Do you have a blog too? Send your blog URL (or Blog Feed URL) to us with your Blog name and we will get you listed. The blurb should auto update with it.
Do you have a Blog too? Get listed!
How to Like
There is not a "Like" button on the Blog thus far, but you can certainly Like on the Social Media available. PWAS Members
The list of "PWAS Member Shared Links" on the right side navigation is by the artist's choice. Some artists choose to maintain their own websites, some have a link to the PWAS website, others choose their own options. If you are a PWAS Member and are not listed here, let the Blog Writers know. Send your full name and ONE URL and we'll add you.
PWAS Member Site Links
Pageviews and Our Followers
At the very bottom of the page is "Your Pageviews" and "Our Followers", which of course, we continue to hope increases as time moves on.
Bottom of Page: Pageviews and Our Followers
A Few Questions about Blogging with PWAS
1. What if I want to share something I have written about (my) Art?
Well gosh, just send it to the Blog Writers: Donna Liguria and/or Ana Quispe or the PWAS email and we would be very happy to work with you to make it happen!
2. I have an art image, art joke, or art image to share, what do I do?
Again, let us know, we would be very happy to post it for you or combine it with other posts. OR you can see us on the social sites and share it with us there. Those are posted on the right side column.
3. I have a suggestion or a correction about something on Artistry Spin, what do I do?
Email us and let us know about your suggestions. A comment about the topic of the Blog Post would be a way as well. We are human, we make mistakes, an email for a correction would be appreciated though - we'll fix it as quickly as possible.
Local Art: Visit us at Clearbrook Center of the Arts at Tackett's Mill in Lake Ridge, VA on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 – it’s free to see the artwork! Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment!
Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA specializing in acrylic painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects. Visit her Blog at https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/.
Author: Ana Quispe
A local artist in Woodbridge, VA, a member and Vice President of PWAS.
Photography/Video Credits:
Images by Donna Liguria
