A bio is like a website\u2019s About Me page, and if you have an online portfolio or store yourself, it can be used to introduce the audience to your work. You will also find that competition submissions, gallery exhibits and press releases that you are involved in will typically ask you for an artist bio, so it\u2019s good to have a little something prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While creating a portfolio of your work, you\u2019ve probably also come across phrases like an \u2018artist CV\u2019 and an \u2018artist statement\u2019. Both of these are different to your bio, so it\u2019s important to ensure you\u2019ve got all three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An artist CV<\/strong> goes into depth about your education, jobs and awards in bullet point form \u2013 just like a typical job CV. Your artist bio will essentially be your CV in long form, but only highlighting the significant areas that are relevant to your art and you as an artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An artist statement <\/strong>is similar to the bio but can change depending on the situation. It may be more specific to elements of your work rather than your work as a whole. If you were exhibiting your work at a gallery for example, and each piece within the collection has a theme, your artist statement would talk about your creation of these pieces only, and the inspiration for the specific pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An artist bio will talk about you, your inspiration, and your achievements as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similar to writing a CV, it can feel a bit cringeworthy or boastful writing an artist bio, but it\u2019s really important to show off your confidence and belief in your work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help get the balance right, ask yourself the questions below. Find links between the life-based and art-based answers, then form these into material for your bio. For example, you may find that you were born and raised in the city, but love to escape to the countryside, which is why your art is more rural and nature inspired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asking yourself these questions and finding links may help you understand how to write your artist bio in a way that is personal to you. It might even uncover the roots of your influences, and why your art is the way it is \u2013 and this is the perfect information to write about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also mention your biggest achievements in your field: Have you won any awards or contributed to any exhibits?<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have space, add some upcoming ideas, so your audience can see your passion and enthusiasm to keep moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You are an artist. Whether you are self-taught or qualified. Whether art is your full-time career or just a hobby. It\u2019s important to remember to have confidence and not worry about trying to prove yourself against other artists when creating your bio. Your art and who you are is what\u2019s important. No matter how often you make art, or how much you earn from it, you can call yourself an artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll find a lot of different answers to how long your bio needs to be. Some will advise it\u2019s a whole page while others will say a few paragraphs or as short as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you aren\u2019t certain, you could have several versions of your bio to suit different sites. For example, your profile on Contrado is perfect for a 100-word bio. Meanwhile, your About The Artist page on your own portfolio site could go into more detail and reach 600.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Truthfully, there\u2019s no real right or wrong when it comes to how to write an artist bio and how long it should be. However, it is good to keep it concise and let your art do the talking. You don\u2019t want to overload your customers with information about <\/em>your work, when they could be looking at<\/em> it instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re still not sure on what length to go for, take a look at some short and long artist bio samples and see which ones engage you the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How to write an artist bio will depend on the audience you\u2019re working with. If you are selling your art and designs on different products at the market or your website, it\u2019s likely your customers aren\u2019t just other artists, so make sure you don\u2019t get too technical. Have someone with no art background read over your bio to see if they can still understand what you do, and what you\u2019re trying to portray through your art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep your tone of voice professional, but also personal. Your personality, and your art’s personality, should shine in everything you put out to the world \u2013 including your writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"write](\"https:\/\/www.contrado.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/2-4.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the difference between an artist bio, CV and statement?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"what](\"https:\/\/www.contrado.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/3-5.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to write an artist bio and what to include<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
One thing to note:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"writing](\"https:\/\/www.contrado.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/4-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow long should my artist bio be?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Know Your Audience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"know](\"https:\/\/www.contrado.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/6-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAdditional Tips:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"sell](\"https:\/\/au.contrado.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/sell-your-art-1-1.jpg\")
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