Welding Sculpture

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I didnt realy know where to put the so i put it on the section. I am kinda artist and do make some sculptures sometimes out of leftover parts and scrap metal. I was wanting to know if anyone has made any money by doing this kind of art i looked around the net and found so sculpture that are 11" x 5" for $800 im not joking at all.
Reply:There's definitely money to be made, but you'd be best off having a "normal" 9-5 job and just doing that stuff on the side. Every item you make has it's own buyer, and finding that buyer may take some time, especially if you aren't in buyer rich environments like Commiefornia...Miller Performance AD Helmet - Camo Edition Soon to have: Jackson HSL 100 - Forest Digi CamoMiller Thunderbolt AC/DC((Currently at welding school))
Reply:well since i dont have a 9-5 and their is now work where i live this sounds like a great idea if i can sell my art for 200+ online i will be very happy
Reply:Originally Posted by mafiacustomzwell since i dont have a 9-5 and their is now work where i live this sounds like a great idea if i can sell my art for 200+ online i will be very happy
Reply:Not to be a party pooper, but the stuff that gets the bucks isn't just thrown together. There is thought and story behind it. And surfing the web and copying others isn't being an artist, not that that's what you're planning. Also building the stuff is about 10% of it. I shyt you not. You have to think up the stuff, have the skill, the tools, the space. You have to get your work seen by people and galleries which requires public shows and getting accepted into juried shows. That's all time and money. At least 50% is people skills. I can talk to any person in any situation, on my own initiation and at the least have a business card in there hand at the end and that's not using car salesman, cheese methods. You have to be able to talk to clients and make them see what you see or see what they want to see. Sometimes it practically takes sock puppets and writing it out in brail a shoving it up their arses but you have to have the people skills to do it. Takes practice and some people are just not the type.If you really want to do it. Have a frank discussion with yourself and if you can tick most of the boxes, then go for it. Ultimately doing it is what it's about. When I hear some ignorant person say "I could make that", I say, "sure, but you didn't THINK to do it" Make stuff that you like, cause you'll have a lot of it kicking around the house in the beginning.  Make gift's for friends and family. That can often lead to work for there friends, and so on.Start small. Find a little local art show to do or even a craft show at xmas. Get's you in the public eye. Giving stuff to charities is a dead end. They promise exposure and this and that but ultimately, artists are for the most part the last demographic that should be ask to donate anything. As for regular work, it takes money to make money. There's always work out there, just waiting for a person to take it.  A  job is a job, is a job. And right now, in this economic time, it is even harder to be an artist, unless you're a beer making artist or naked dancing artist!!!Good luck.200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:Amen, brother Jman! Amen! Originally Posted by jmanHmmm, yeah... Selling online is 'not easy'.  If you can find a market then you will be the exception to that rule (don't get me wrong, there are many..), but generally 'Internet Sales' are usually more 'Gravy' than Potatoes.  Your Potatoes will be in your Local and Surrounding Craft Shows and Fairs, Galleries (if you can get into one or two) and believe it or not,..even 'Farmers Markets'.  The 'impulse' buyers and the ones that can 'see and touch' your pieces will be the ones who are most likely to purchase them!  This does require a good bit of traveling to get your 'Name out there', but it can make a MASSIVE difference in the 'long-term' prospects of 'retirement' down the road...  I'm not kidding.As a Gallery owner for several years, I can tell you that most peoples 'Good Taste' is usually 'all in their mouth'!  You would NOT BELIEVE what people think is 'Good Art' and even though I HATED and DESPISED selling some things,... they OUTSOLD 'much better quality' ART by 2 or 3 to 1 !!  I had people come into my shop and buy a $2000.00 limited Edition and put it into a HIDEOUS $60.00 Frame...  People are just 'Funny that way'.. so it Pay's to make 'limited amounts' of 'things' that you might not be crazy about and of course, It's always good to 'test' the market.One thing you should REALLY not take for Granted are the 'Small Ticket Items'!!  The big things Sell too (obviously less so in quantity...) but it's the 'Impulse Buys' on 'Smaller Ticket Items' that WILL generate 'consistent' "NET INCOME" or in other words... 'Working Capital'.  The reason for this is two-fold, first because you can MASS produce these smaller pieces in a day or two (assembly line kinda' thing) and second, because the MARK-UP is 'Big' when taking into consideration both your 'material' and more specifically your 'TIME' when you're 'In the Zone'.Cheers,
Reply:Originally Posted by bert the welderAmen, brother Jman! Amen!
Reply:i live in a city that is 3 miles square im not joking this place sucks their is a 2 year waiting list for a job at mcdonalds to make 7.25 a hour. I worked at a body shop for 1 day it was a try out is what the guy said after the day was done he told me 40 a day in pay thats gay which is like 5.25 an hour. Their is no art shows fairs or galleries thats way the internet is my only way that means alot of shipping emails ect... but what is another choice move to a new area with no money no car nothing nope.
Reply:Originally Posted by mafiacustomzi live in a city that is 3 miles square im not joking this place sucks their is a 2 year waiting list for a job at mcdonalds to make 7.25 a hour. I worked at a body shop for 1 day it was a try out is what the guy said after the day was done he told me 40 a day in pay thats gay which is like 5.25 an hour. Their is no art shows fairs or galleries thats way the internet is my only way that means alot of shipping emails ect... but what is another choice move to a new area with no money no car nothing nope.
Reply:Yes, i think i'd move for sure. sounds like a dead end.  you have more to lose by staying there than you do walking to another city.
Reply:Yes, some of us do make a living at it.  It does take a while to get to this point.  Like 4 or 5 years....My site is www.kevincaron.com if you want to take a look.From the desk of Kevin CaronTrying to be the best me I can!www.kevincaron.comAHP Alpha Tig 200x MillerMatic 251Miller Syncrowave 200
Reply:Looks like Kevins got it down. Anyone can do it, but only those who are driven can do it long enough to make money at it. You have to enjoy doing it for its own sake before you can make money at it. Sure you might be able to make a hundred buck doing it and selling online, but you won't make enough to cover your expenses. Plan on having a years worth of work sitting around doing nothing before any gallery will talk to you, or you can go to an art show. plan on having a years worth of work that you have thrown in the scrap bin before your ideas congeal into something truly salable, truly good. That is where most people that want to be artists don't make it, they don't make enough stuff, and they don't scrap the ideas that didn't pan out. Me, I'm somewhere in between. I am a ironwork contractor who does artistic works. Some are my own ideas, some are the ideas of others, who don't have the skills or tools to make them go on their own. I quit a 15 year career to follow what I enjoy doing and it has payed off. I can make the bills and get the satisfaction of doing work that I enjoy. I am always looking for ways to work more in the shop and less in the field. Some have payed off, some have not. Ideally I would lve to spend summers working at my mountain cabin and winters in the city doing works that I box up and ship, but find I can't make enough money doing that alone. This is after years of experience too.Good luck
Reply:Mick120..      I was born in 1960. Missed the whole thing.   Didn't even know about girls until the mid 70s and by then it was too late!!From the desk of Kevin CaronTrying to be the best me I can!www.kevincaron.comAHP Alpha Tig 200x MillerMatic 251Miller Syncrowave 200
Reply:Like I said earlier, Amen. Originally Posted by jmanI say put yourself out there and do some odd jobs, making whatever CASH you can, then sell EVERYTHING you own and move.  There is obviously NO future for you there (or anyone else by the sounds of it...).  Your 'Stuff' can always be bought again, but making a life 'First' is the way to go (Job, Car, what-have-you).  The 'Short Term' might be tough (i.e selling your worldly belongings and leaving), but the Longer Term is your goal given the 'situation' that you're in...  You'd be surprised at how 'Quickly' you can turn around your life when you really want / need to...Cheers and Good Luck!
Reply:Heres a couple flower sculptures i made. Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by kevinacaronYes, some of us do make a living at it.  It does take a while to get to this point.  Like 4 or 5 years....My site is www.kevincaron.com if you want to take a look.