What’s the story?

A painting hangs on the wall.

A person walks up to it, stops and stares.

A small card at the bottom of the frame announces the name of the painting and the artist.

The viewer must then comprehend the feeling of the artist into the message of paint and titles.

Will the “name” fit the viewer’s assessment of the presentation or just confuse the issue.

All art has a story, and that story must be relayed to its audience.

What is the story behind the painting of a small girl in a blue dress holding a flower?

Is this a portrait of a family member or a commission piece from royalty?

As an artist, the expression of the idea is in the graphic, but sometimes the viewer does not understand the process.

I’ve attended too many shows where the viewer judges the artwork on their own knowledge of shape, color, form and makes an evaluation, while the artist stands to the side and listens.

An artist trying to make a living of selling their artwork must realize this and make an effort to describe the feeling or motivation behind creating the art.

The story leading up to the creation may become more fascinating than the finished piece, but adds value to the presentation.

An artist selling their creations must also be a storyteller.

Presentation

After thoughts are made into ideas, the next step is the presentation to someone else. Presentation is the visual and sounds expression of the idea.

The presentation can inspire and compliment the service or product, while a bad presentation, even though the idea may be great, will ruin the chance of bringing the idea to fruition.

Back in the day, sketches and photo prints were rubber cemented onto white boards, covered in a flap of construction paper. These were placed on easels, and during the presentation to the client or organization, uncovered like a treasured surprise. The presenter had to express the excitement of the idea and engage the audience with additional notes on slides or written explanations in a darkened boardroom.

Today, presentations using video, sound, and animation, can dazzle the presentation, but does the message get across?

One, know your audience.

Two, make an organized outline

Three, double check your information

A presentation using the Internet can reach around the world and be interactive with telecommunication. With this technology, the presenter must be prepared to answer and give examples to every question.

Even with the most sophisticated software, the presentation must be brief, concise, and effective.