Flirting with business

Recently I have decided that I need to venture into the world of business in SL. Just to see what it's like, you know. It was at this point in proceedings that I realised that a) I had no idea how to get into business and b) I had no idea what sort of business.

I ruled out creating stuff, because that's really not my thing. I'm crap at drawing so the idea of effectively having to draw stuff in three dimensions brings me out in a cold sweat.

Something I am interested in in RL that I thought would translate into SL was art. I like making pwiddy stuff that people like to look at, and particularly abstract art, or at least art where the subject is not immediately obvious, maybe from an unusual angle or only part of a familiar object or poncey stuff like that.

I wasn't sure about quite how to do that in SL so I decided to try my hand at creating some abstract art from outside of SL and importing it. I plurked a couple of demo images, to gauge interest, and when the feedback was positive I decided I had my business. But that still left point a) from above - namely I had no idea how to get into business.

Fortunately, I do have one or two friends who are successful business women in SL and while I swung on a tyre on a rope the other day I had a fruitful conversation with one particular lass who was particuarly helpful. (You know who you are, and thank you!) I tried to not let the bear behind me overhear, of course. I didn't want him nicking all my ideas and my friend's useful tips.


I have another friend who is an artist in SL and sells many wonderful pictures and ornaments adorned with her art. (Her shop is just round the corner from the bear incidentally.) She was also most helpful in advising me to forego the leaping-off-cliff notion of renting a shop right away and advised galleries would be the places to go - both in terms of selling my art as well as picking up ideas in terms of where's good to sell stuff, how much stuff costs, what else is out there etc etc.

So, I think I have a long way to go. It's clearly not just a case of saying "hey, I'm selling stuff" and expecting the cash to pile up at my door. I have a lot of research to do. But, I think I have taken the first step. In fact, for me, it's definitely not about the money. It's probably all about wanting to make stuff that others like. It'd be nice to brighten up people's day with my work. And also, a bit of approval and appreciation is always good for the self-image too, eh?

So, here we have it, the first taster of a few pieces of my work. There's plenty more where these came from too.


Wall art? Textures for photgraphers? Both? Mebbe.