Making a living from your art work can be tough at the best of times, trying to promote your work whether individually or as a group can also be costly and time-consuming, taking you away from your creative work.

Joining a group will help raise your profile and divide costs of displaying your work. With Online Artists you can also have a shared web site to display all your work and allowing different members (or a single designated group member) to log in and keep your group site up to date with your activities.

If your group doesn't have a web site it won't have any of the following:

• Creating buyer and gallery interest online
• News and exhibitions advertised to interested parties
• A way of collecting an interested mailing list of interested parties and private view invites
• No commission on sales
• Permanent online exhibition showcase to an international audience

1. How many time have you been at a party or function and you've told someone what you do and they've shown interest in your work?

If you don't have business cards or lug your porfolio with you wherever you go, you have no way of capturing their interest.

Unless you have a web site of course, then you could give the interested person your web site address and they can not only view your work, up and coming exhibitions and stay in touch via your mailing list.

People are much more likely to send an email or visit a web site than pick up the phone.

2. How many times have you wanted to approach a gallery or been asked for samples of your work that you have had to get photographs printed for? Or take work over in person?

With a web site you could approach any gallery, anywhere in the world with a full sample of your portfolio without even leaving your house. All you would need to do is give them your web site address and they can have a good look around and give you an answer within a day.

3. How many times have you missed potential sales at an exhibition because you weren't there at the time?

You probably can't answer this one but imagine perhaps you were busy at the time and potential customers didn't talk to you, with a web site they could take down your details and view all you work and contact you again.

You really can't afford not to have a web site, promoting your group via a web site is not an option it's a necessity.