Ummm, "Chocolate Lounge", now there is a good reason to move to Texas. Again, lots of great ideas and straight shooting in your informative article above. Thanks Meredith! I can think of one free web site that may be acceptable, at least for those just starting out, googlepages. Free, 250MB in total size, no image ads (heck no ads at all I have seen yet, but I expect that to change to at least Google's hard to notice text ads eventually.) I have no connection with google, and am no expert on web sites, so do your own research and only use what it right for you. Keep in mind Meredith's ideas above, they seem pretty darn good to me!

that is very awesomesecne!!1

You seem to be outdoing the energizer bunny, LOL! You definitely are throughing lots of energy at this!

Great idea and presentation. My web presence is hosted by Has Web. I pay about 70 bucks a year for huge space and huge file transfer, and it's worth it. I previously used a free space and I hated all those adds and popup crap. It takes away from what you're site is about. If one is really serious about even simply displaying their art let alone selling it, I too recommend a space of your own. I really would love to sell some of my artworks but I really don't have a lot of time on my hands. But I agree with your approach!

looking up Meredith. I think you have the brains and desire to succeed

Well Meredith you know where I stand & you know I agree about the web site thing being I had mine for 10 years. Again your words are wisdom, but as with anything else it takes money to make money as well as hard work & a lot of time & patience. Nothing happens over night especailly success :)

LOL...good luck Meredith :)

KEEP ON MEREDITH !!!! I'M WITH YOU !!!!!

real cool work

You have a point about exposure and fame spreading, I saw an exhibition that Graham Nash did of his photography and he had some terrific stories to tell. The place was packed mostly because people had heard of his music and were curious about his art. There were some great stuff there. I have been trying to get more exposure by doing things in different media. I've been using Poser for animating characters in videos and I'm trying to get it on Current TV which pays pretty well and I could use some help getting votes for it. I had some success with using stuff I made on Cafe Press involved in advertising events and I spread some posts around and did some blogs, someone saw it and decided to buy some for a contest they were having for the event. I'm getting into doing murals and banners that will go on walls, doors and street light poles in very large format (4 feet by 8 feet) that should get a lot of exposure from those walking by then that see it.

you have or whoever will have a lot of work to do for quite a while, things like this take a lot of commitment, time, funds, colaboration of many artist, will be great if you get this great thing up and going my friend... did you ever get ahold of Chris?

You chocoholic you! ;) Lots of good information Meredith! Thanks!

Congrats on the Chocolate shop...Now I've someplace to shop if I ever come visit. LOL

LOL Dennis I fully agree with you! Meredith thanks so much for all the so very interesting information and the time you invest to submit us all your professional know how you have!

I agree with you dear Meredith !!!! And thanks for the info :) Good day

I'm wait, how to You go on... There are some thing and parameter, which strongly student book like, ( for Me ) but i very like your guide! Thank You, Meredith!!!

Lots of interesting ideas. The Saatchi gallery looks good for young artists (that doesn't include me, sniff). d'ArtPlans is a pretty confusing gallery to look at. I'll check out some other sites. There's one called www.yessy.com that sells art online as well as craft items.

There are two worlds online. The imported world of materials and the native world of mouse painters. The imported one rests on business licenses and locally owned corporations. The native one is treated as news and thus content which news paapers don't pay for. Nor do they reveal their sources. Meredith you are back to the coming of brick and mortar stores. Wake up! There is no store at Renderosity in that sense. This is the shadow world of downloading. People have to believe the works can survive changes in earmarking and encryption even as "non-compete" clauses proliferate to enforce crumb snatching when the inside turns outside. Good drawings are once upon a TIFF. Good color is 16 meg funneled through a 256 limit. Obj's that mingle with pz3's while 3ds dances with jpg and pp2. It's all fine until FAT ends. The 8inch doubled sided discs languish and the 2-1/2 floppies curl their toes. Server farms end up in land fills. The cached memories of million viewer sites are found in warehouses tumbled on their sides.

Excellent realization Meredith......!!!!

Very inspiring Meredith and I would imagine it has taken a great deal of effort and patience from you. to get this far. I know you are doing it already and I'm not frightened of hard work. You could give this advice to allsorts of businesses. not just the art community. I would like to send a link to this page, to a colleague of mine, with your express permission. Steve :o)

Awesome !!

I am with you but remember i am a lazy hippy..lol..I havent read this much for months..I will satrt at my website and see what i can do..Thanks!

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT #3: I have posted the following: Have people seen these posts in the 'rosity galleries? They involve serious plans and discussions on making money with our digital art. If that is something of interest, you ought to check these out. http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1374085&member http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1375105&member http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1376239 Just to clarify, this is not about setting up competing competing Web sites like 'rosity or (this site); it merely raises the possibilities that artists might find markets for the work they create. at RuntimeDNA, PlanetVixens, PoserPros, and Daz.

Excellent work!!!!!!!!!!

I don't have a web site or have ever had one, but this info will help me or anyone else go in the right direction. The wallpaper for free makes sense, as anyone can screen grab it for themselves, I always put a logo and copyright on my artworks, I know that is not 100% foolproof either, but that's a start ! I agree with having your own exclusive site with NO pop-ups or dorky ad's, they put me off looking at the site very quickly. You are really doing the 'hard yards' thank you for that and I hope more artists can help and join in ! ~Cheers~ :o)

I like the website inforamation. I have two paid sites and this is helpful as I'm trying to turn them into profit makers (or at least pay part of their own way).:) The reason for two is that I'm trying to decide which will give me the best service and the most of everything for my money. When I decide, I'll drop one and upgrade the other. I want to do an onlie store but the charge-back thingy if someone wants to rip you off is a put off. BTW:I've created a special folder named :Meredith" in my mailbox just for these ebot notices so I have them handy. :)

Jeepers Meredith you have done your homework this is something for us all to think about. I need my name on my pictures for a start. I appreciate all the hard work you are doing I really do :) Cathy xoxoxo

I think that this series is a great idea. I havent seent anything that I disagree with yet. Keep up the good work.

Hey Picasso got famous through exposure, he is one of the few none starving artist of his time. Would you allow Mondrian or Pollock to paint your house??? Sylvester Stallone and Madonna both own a Kostabi, who was a curator and not a painter, he had other people paint and he would sell them as his own, these artists were genius of their time!!! You hit several points which is quite good Meredith, and I don't know why people consider blonds as dumb!!! Marilyn Monroe, whose not a true blond was very smart and talented, Lucille Ball, whose not a true red-head but a blond!!! Hey Meredith, I think you should have this all published, books on making money sells!!! Brilliant idea Meredith!!! Hugsss Frankie ^_^

I think that's the best news ever for a self confessed chocoholic LOL:) we won't see you for weeks now you'll be to busy cramming you face with chocolate loveliness lol:) great news ... and informative post and that's not just the choco heaven LOL...