Mostly Free Resources for Artists & Writers
Here’s a list of my go-to people.
Folks who aren’t “big hat – no cattle.”
Most of the sites and services are free.
Those that cost anything here are ones that I’ve bought myself and think are worth the money.
This list does include the rare affiliate link.
Let me know if you have any favorite websites to add.
Free Resource for Painters, Art Journalers, Collage, Mixed Media and Assemblage Artists
Free Resource For Artists Who Are Tired of People Stealing Their Images
Drew Kimble, the blogger behind Skinnyartist.Com feels your pain and has some great hacks to handle the problem.
Check out his article: Stop Stealing My Sh*T!
Are you sick of Facebook? 
Want to Know How To Thrive Without It As An Artist?
Read This: Bye Bye Facebook: How Artists Can Succeed WITHOUT Social Media
Or Is it Instagram That Makes You Want to Shake Your Fist At the Sky?
Check out this great post by artist and Charmed Studio subscriber Nicole Peery.
Why I’ve Decided to Stop Putting My Art on Instagram
Need free, gorgeous, legal, museum-quality images of maps and fine art?
Check out Apollo Magazine‘s free list of museums, libraries, and archives that have released high-resolution images into the public domain.
Free Resource for Artists: The Charmed Studio Podcast
Just named a 🏆 “Best Visual Arts Podcast” by ListenNotes.
Want Free Light Bulb Moments While Folding Your Laundry?
The Charmed Studio has a shiny new podcast designed to help you write better, sell better, and feel better — by being yourself.
There’s no “How to Create an Especially Slippery Sales Funnel” here, just fresh information, humor, and inspiration for heart-centered artists; with me, Thea Fiore-Bloom.
Press play if you want a ten-minute fix that could increase your chances of selling your art by … 10,000 percent.
Check out more episodes for The Charmed Studio Podcast on Simplecast, Spotify, and Itunes.
Instagram Help From Donna Moritz
Check out Moritz’s blog if you feel you are putting a lot of effort into social media but getting few results.
Moritz is a spitfire of a marketer from Australia who does not come off like a used car salesman. She actually has a soul.
Are You A Bookworm Like Me? How I Said Adiós to Audible.
Free Unlimited Audio and Kindle Books for Artists With the Libby App, Free is Way More Fun.
There’s only one thing easier than visiting the library: bringing it to you. Meet Libby, an app that lets you log in to your local library to access ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines, all for the reasonable price of FREE. Sign in, link your library card, and go—it’s that simple. Great for creatives, this keeps me company in the studio.
Great Free Resource For Artists: Alicia-Joy Blog
Marketing as A Vehicle For Change
By author and powerfully unconventional copywriter Alicia-Joy.
This woman can help you break the code.
Check out her article:
You Don’t Need More Email Subscribers: You Need More Connection
Canva: Free, Graphic Design Platform
I make many of my own images for The Charmed Studio blog for free.
Canva allows you to use templates to make your Newsletters, Pinterest Pins, Facebook graphics, E-Books covers, Class Announcements, Coupons, Show Announcements and Instagram Story covers look uniform, unique, and professional.
There is a small learning curve for those not born in the 1990s or later— but it’s worth the temporary frustration.
Try pulling the look of your website and brand together with Canva.
Why You Shouldn’t Create A Newsletter (And What To Do Instead)
This controversial yet convincing article is a must-read for artists by Jon Morrow.
While you’re at it check out Morrow’s free resource on how to come up with great titles for blog posts.
But social media and newsletter writing can stress you out so maybe try this:
Excellent, Free Meditation App
Check out 3 powerful meditations – just for artists here on the Charmed Studio Blog.
I also use this new, free app called InsightTimer. They have a library of 19000 free guided meditations at the moment. This app may be the technological ticket to help us jumpstart and keep up a self-loving, daily meditation practice. 🙂 But read Insight Timer’s most recent privacy policy to make sure you are cool with it. It keeps changing.
Want to learn S.E.O. This Year? Really Good, Free Resource For Artists
I’m not on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.
The only reason you found The Charmed Studio was via the grace of the gods, through a friend, or because I have put hours into S.E.O.
If it is remotely exciting to you please try S.E.O too.
I bet you’ll see your numbers jump up.
Want an easy video-based, S.E.O training for non-techie types? Go with Yoast’s FREE SEO for Beginners Course taught by wonderfully, non-glam, earnest Dutch Gen Z people who break it down into really easily understandable chunks, with lots of cartoons-all on short, digestible videos. (Great for visual learners like me.)
Totally Free.
The Charmed Studio has a good introduction to holistic SEO for heart-centered artists here.
Run out of Ideas on What to Blog About?
Check out these 51 Free Blog Post Ideas for Heart-Centered Artists
Top-Notch Free Resource: 250 Places To Sell Art Online
What Is Your Favorite Blog For Artists?
Here’s one of mine.
“Explorations of the Ineffable” written by artist and self-proclaimed “sparkle seeker,” Jen Jovan.
Deep, tender, often hysterically funny, dives into what truly matters in life – usually in under 3 paragraphs.
How does she do it, people?
3 Lies That Can Block Your Creative Practice
By Hali Karla
1. I’m not a “real” artist.
2. There are more important things and people, to spend my time, attention, energy and resources on, than my art.
3. I need to make a living from my art for it to be a valuable pursuit or good use of my time.
Sound familiar?
If you join Hali Karla’s email list you can hear her great audio on these 3 creativity-crushing lies and how to toss them out a window and thrive.
But there is a bunch of grounding and inspiring videos and other material of Hali’s that I also recommend on her Free Creative Practice Resources Page that you can access even if you don’t subscribe to her blog.
Hali’s website is an unusually grounded, real-deal corner of the internet for artists to cozy up in.
Check it out when you have had it up to here with the art biz gurus.
Resource For Artists Feeling Lethargic and Discouraged
I love this post on Medium written by Charmed Studio subscriber and creative coach Chey Rasmussen:
Great Art is a Numbers Game:
Quit trying so hard to make perfect art and just make art. Lots of it.
Writing Coaching For Artists
The Charmed Studio offers inspiration-packed, down-to-earth writing coaching just for artists with award-winning magazine journalist and artist Thea Fiore-Bloom, Ph.D.
I help artists create sparkly new About pages, meaningful blogs, and entire books. I specialize in joy-first writing, a painless rules-free method of mine that supports heart-centered creatives like us to be weirdly prolific and make our dreams come true.
Get in touch to see if I am taking new clients.
If you are a Charmed Studio Subscriber and we’re a good fit and I have an opening, let’s have a session together and I will wave the fee for the call.
Get in Touch with me here.
Free Resource For Artists Who Want To Blog
Best Podcast For Bloggers Who Want To Launch a New Blog Or Earn Income From Their Existing Blog.
Darren Rowse has been my smart, ethical guide through blogland.
Check out his free “31 Days To Build A Better Blog” podcast course. It’s a treasure and it gave me the push I needed to launch my blog.
My free Blog Tool Kit for Artists may help too.
Free, Fresh, Inspiring Videos on Raising Your Consciousness, and Your Prices
Check out Maria Brophy’s prosperity mindset video series on YouTube.
Brophy also has some of the best, real-deal art licensing info on her blog.
Free Resources for Jewelers & Metalsmiths
Several of my jeweler and metalsmith subscribers suggest:
Metalsmith Society Blog
Metal Museum Blog
Modern Metalsmithing Blog
Rio Grande Blog
Halstead’s blog
Resource for Writers Who Want to Get Paid for Their Writing
Best Online Membership Site For Writers Ever
Founder/Writer Carol Tice offers the best writing classes and business of writing classes I have ever taken, period.
I owe much of my success in magazine writing to The Den. Stay one month or one year. I pop in and out irregularly for short spurts of inspiration and information.
The Den helped me improve my writing, learn how to make grown-up money writing, and find a positive, informed community.
Great for fiction and non-fiction writers of all levels. Super for learning to promote yourself or your work without being or feeling “sale-sy” or inauthentic.
Free Resource For Artists on New, Upcoming Art Competitions
The up-to-the-minute exhibition, competition, grants, and employment opportunities for creatives.
Want a weekly list of legit, grown-up opportunities?
Submishmash Weekly is a free, weekly, curated newsletter bringing news and opportunities in publishing and other creative industries to artists, filmmakers, and writers.
Free Resource For Artists Who Want Info On Legal Stuff
Visit “Ask Harriete’s” Professional Guidelines Page for a jaw-dropping amount of detailed, free, info for artists on competitions, contracts, taxes, and other vital biz topics.
Resource for Artists Who Need Excellent Help Creating a New Website That Doesn’t Cost a Zillion Dollars
Your website is the number one marketing tool you’ve got as an artist, period.
You need to have a hassle-free, mobile-friendly website that welcomes your ideal readers and buyers.
If you want the quality, reliability, flexibility of WordPress without the tech freakouts — I would try Outstanding Setup.
It’s affordable.
I would say the money I’ve spent on Outstanding Setup is the best money I’ve spent on my business so far.
The Only Branding Book I’ve Ever Understood:
How to Style Your Brand: Everything You Need to Know to Create a Distinctive Brand Identity
by a brilliant Brit, Fiona Humberstone.
Definitely not free, but worth every penny. Thoroughly enjoyable, mind-expanding, and result-producing. Written for creatives by a creative. Game changer.
