I've made a poll on facebook asking what my next painting colour should be. I want to try a colour or shade I haven't tried yet.
The options so far are:
-Light or Fresh Green
-Custard Yellow
-Pale Blue
-Plum
Feel free to answer the poll or add your own options.
Thursday 29 November 2012
Tuesday 27 November 2012
Sewn Secrets
I've been working on some textile pieces. Im using the shapes of a few embroydery rings to give nice even shapes and sizes. I want them to appear quite traditional in this way - to look like the colour has faded from the thread. The fabric is quite a pink toned cream and the string is white so they are more different than the pictures show.
I'm using frames at the moment so they dont appear too scruffy but I might try putting poles in the top and bottom and hanging them like you would with a quilt.
As the title suggests they contain secrets with the letters sewn horizontally, vertically then upside down so they are completely unreadable. I'm thinking of picking a few of the words from the secrets as titles, so the one above would be called "The Only Thing" Which seems quite cryptic but I know exactly what the secret is about.
The thread is mortician sutre thread which I've been experimenting with staining with natural dyes like blackberries. And the canvas is from the protective bags woven coffins are stored in. It's quite nice fabric, very soft and it degrades as you sew it as it rips quite easily - which I like.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
I'm using frames at the moment so they dont appear too scruffy but I might try putting poles in the top and bottom and hanging them like you would with a quilt.
As the title suggests they contain secrets with the letters sewn horizontally, vertically then upside down so they are completely unreadable. I'm thinking of picking a few of the words from the secrets as titles, so the one above would be called "The Only Thing" Which seems quite cryptic but I know exactly what the secret is about.
The thread is mortician sutre thread which I've been experimenting with staining with natural dyes like blackberries. And the canvas is from the protective bags woven coffins are stored in. It's quite nice fabric, very soft and it degrades as you sew it as it rips quite easily - which I like.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Monday 26 November 2012
Example Simple Business Card
My business card is very simple with minimal information on it. It isn't very exciting and would do it much differently now but I got over excited making them.
I would definately include much more colour but leave the text more-or-less the same.
I'm going to pop up a trial business card that I will make when I use up all my current ones.
Incase you are wondering what the weird smudges are its where I crudely took off my phone numbers and email address.
I would definately include much more colour but leave the text more-or-less the same.
I'm going to pop up a trial business card that I will make when I use up all my current ones.
Incase you are wondering what the weird smudges are its where I crudely took off my phone numbers and email address.
UK Art Competitions 2013
This post is a list of art competitions that I want to keep my eye on over the next few years.
It's subject to being changed and added to as I find more competitions. I think art competitions seem like lots of fun so I'm going to go for a couple this year and even more once I finish university.
I'm going to try and cover a wide variety of mediums (from found object work to photography and everything in between) but obviously I might miss some by accident. Feel free to tell me about any I should include.
The competitions are ordered in relation to their submission deadlines.
1) 31 December 2012 Environmental Photographer of the Year - Photography only.
2) 11 & 12 January 2013 Lynn Painter-Stainer Prize - Painting and Drawing only.
3) 31 January 2013 Parliament Art House (Primary School Students only) - any 2D medium.
4) 28 February 2013 Discover Wildlife - any medium except photography.
5) 2nd April 2013 The Lumen Prize - any medium.
6) 11:59pm on 1 July 2013. The Derwent Art Prize - Pencil Only (graphite and colour).
7) 2013 Date not posted yet. Salon Art Prize - any medium, including sound - new competition details coming early 2013.
8) 2013 dates not posted yet - but calls for entrys begin mid december. BP Portrait Award - Paint only
9) 2013 Date not posted yet. Photography and Artwork.com - Any Medium.
10) 2013 dates not posted yet. ING Discerning Eye Exhibition - not sure about mediums as threy haven't released the info for the 2013 competition.
11) 2013 Date not posted yet. Brick Lane Gallery - Any Medium.
12) 2013 deadline already closed so apply for 2014 exhibition - details not posted yet.Cork Street Open Exhibition - any medium that doesnt need electricity to run.
A good website to visit for exhibition dates is isendyouthis.
A good Blog for competition dates called Making a Mark.
It's subject to being changed and added to as I find more competitions. I think art competitions seem like lots of fun so I'm going to go for a couple this year and even more once I finish university.
I'm going to try and cover a wide variety of mediums (from found object work to photography and everything in between) but obviously I might miss some by accident. Feel free to tell me about any I should include.
The competitions are ordered in relation to their submission deadlines.
1) 31 December 2012 Environmental Photographer of the Year - Photography only.
2) 11 & 12 January 2013 Lynn Painter-Stainer Prize - Painting and Drawing only.
3) 31 January 2013 Parliament Art House (Primary School Students only) - any 2D medium.
4) 28 February 2013 Discover Wildlife - any medium except photography.
5) 2nd April 2013 The Lumen Prize - any medium.
6) 11:59pm on 1 July 2013. The Derwent Art Prize - Pencil Only (graphite and colour).
7) 2013 Date not posted yet. Salon Art Prize - any medium, including sound - new competition details coming early 2013.
8) 2013 dates not posted yet - but calls for entrys begin mid december. BP Portrait Award - Paint only
9) 2013 Date not posted yet. Photography and Artwork.com - Any Medium.
10) 2013 dates not posted yet. ING Discerning Eye Exhibition - not sure about mediums as threy haven't released the info for the 2013 competition.
11) 2013 Date not posted yet. Brick Lane Gallery - Any Medium.
12) 2013 deadline already closed so apply for 2014 exhibition - details not posted yet.Cork Street Open Exhibition - any medium that doesnt need electricity to run.
A good website to visit for exhibition dates is isendyouthis.
A good Blog for competition dates called Making a Mark.
Thursday 22 November 2012
Practical Advertising for your Art
I am desperately lacking in ways to advertise my art work. At the moment it relies almost completely on word-of-mouth, which is nice because I know the people who promote me are truly passionate about my artwork.
However, I want to reach a wider, larger audience for both my pet portrait work and the type of art I am creating as a university project - which is much more personal and experimental.
So I got researching.
Currently I have tried a small bit of self promotion with limited success. There are many websites, blogs and books with tips on advertising and I am actually going to a lecture in January with my mum on the topic but I am going to write this blog today about things I have either tried or am going to try over the next year.
Business Cards
I have got a little box of a few hundred business cards - heres a photo of them, They're pretty basic. So I'll give the first bit of advice here make batches of cards rather than bulk amounts. If you have a large assortment of work it can be tricky to summarise this with just one piece. I suggest thinking about what you are going to use your business cards for - who is going to receive them.
So either make very simple and elegant cards with quality card, or even fabric. Maybe emboss the cards with just your name, website and phone number. I consider this to be for more established artists who are getting regular shows and selling quite a large amount of work. Or an artist who has more industrial or minimalist work.
Alternatively use numerous examples of your work for a number of cards - say as an example you make equal amounts of paintings and sculptures and you want one hundred cards - get half printed with a sculpture image and the other half with a painting. You could even choose a few paintings and a few sculptures so if the cards are spread out on a table at an exhibition visitors will be able choose the card with the art they like on it.
Don't get too carried away with making business cards though - don't get too many printed out at once as if your working style changes you haven't got a surplus amount of out-of-date artwork. I can say this for sure because I have around 300 cards advertising my graphite drawings when I much prefer making oil paintings now.
Make a book
This isn't to give out to potential customers like business cards but it is helpful to put in waiting rooms and on coffee tables with places you have a good relationship with. These don't need to be specifically "arty" places either. I'm considering making one to see whether my dentist would put it in their waiting room - they are animal mad and are close family friends. But it could be a cafe, restaurant, hairdressers - I could potentially have one in my parents waiting room of their business, since I have also made most of the artwork currently on their walls and could include this in my book.
rightbrainrockstar.com has a blog on the topic but I think he links to an American book making website, here's a link for UK version.
These books are also something you could sell, I haven't ordered one so I can't say what kind of quality they have but I'm sure it isn't bad. I'm particularly interested in this because in my second year at university I bound and hand printed my own book.
Start a Blog/Website and keep it up to date
This is important not because it raises your google rating (which it does) but because when someone takes your business card, or reads your book in a waiting room and they visit your website to learn more they want to see a nice easy to understand website.
My website is admittedly not that up to date, and I would be more willing to direct people to this blog but that is because I am not entirely happy with the website maker I made my site on, it's quite glitchy and complicated on some issues and too limited on others - although it is free for a year and does the job until I want to splash out for an expensive site. I am going to buy the web-address and make the site from scratch I think.
Visual Art Trader gives you your own artist website when you join so this is also a really good option for any artist unless you want a personalised URL like mine.
The only other issue with your website is that the general public won't stumble onto your website through google - and if they do you can't guarantee they want to buy your work. So you need another form of promotion to direct traffic to your website.
Another really good method to gain fans and perhaps even customers is through social media like facebook or twitter. Facebook is basically an online version of word-of-mouth promotion. If one friend likes your work all their friends can see it so you have a huge potential audience. It allows you to engage with your audience rather than having a one way conversation like on this blog. Questions and answers can go both ways on social media.
See my previous post on ways to make your facebook page stand out from the crowd. Or this one by rightbrainrockstar (again I know, but that site is just so useful) on artist websites.
Enter Art Competitions
Late October I started researching art competitions to enter and was disappointed to find most 2012 deadlines were in early November so I am going to start entering and making note of ones to enter early next year.
The best one (in my opinion) is the RA Summer Exhibition. My friend from my foundation course got a sculpture piece accepted and it just seems like good fun as well as good exposure.
I have an ever growing list of competitions to enter here. I will then post photos of my entries and how I do in them.
Connect with Artists
This is related to all the other tips in this post. Like artists pages on facebook, link their websites on twitter and comment on artwork you like. These relations are nice but can also be useful, if the artists work is similar to you in anyway you can use them as examples to learn from.
Speaking of which heres mine.
You can emulate successful artists and also connect with artists in a similar position to you to help you price your art, join communities or find galleries that like the kind of work you produce.
Other Reading
I will update this as I find other useful websites on promotion.
16 ways to get your art noticed
However, I want to reach a wider, larger audience for both my pet portrait work and the type of art I am creating as a university project - which is much more personal and experimental.
So I got researching.
Currently I have tried a small bit of self promotion with limited success. There are many websites, blogs and books with tips on advertising and I am actually going to a lecture in January with my mum on the topic but I am going to write this blog today about things I have either tried or am going to try over the next year.
Business Cards
I have got a little box of a few hundred business cards - heres a photo of them, They're pretty basic. So I'll give the first bit of advice here make batches of cards rather than bulk amounts. If you have a large assortment of work it can be tricky to summarise this with just one piece. I suggest thinking about what you are going to use your business cards for - who is going to receive them.
So either make very simple and elegant cards with quality card, or even fabric. Maybe emboss the cards with just your name, website and phone number. I consider this to be for more established artists who are getting regular shows and selling quite a large amount of work. Or an artist who has more industrial or minimalist work.
Alternatively use numerous examples of your work for a number of cards - say as an example you make equal amounts of paintings and sculptures and you want one hundred cards - get half printed with a sculpture image and the other half with a painting. You could even choose a few paintings and a few sculptures so if the cards are spread out on a table at an exhibition visitors will be able choose the card with the art they like on it.
Don't get too carried away with making business cards though - don't get too many printed out at once as if your working style changes you haven't got a surplus amount of out-of-date artwork. I can say this for sure because I have around 300 cards advertising my graphite drawings when I much prefer making oil paintings now.
Make a book
This isn't to give out to potential customers like business cards but it is helpful to put in waiting rooms and on coffee tables with places you have a good relationship with. These don't need to be specifically "arty" places either. I'm considering making one to see whether my dentist would put it in their waiting room - they are animal mad and are close family friends. But it could be a cafe, restaurant, hairdressers - I could potentially have one in my parents waiting room of their business, since I have also made most of the artwork currently on their walls and could include this in my book.
rightbrainrockstar.com has a blog on the topic but I think he links to an American book making website, here's a link for UK version.
These books are also something you could sell, I haven't ordered one so I can't say what kind of quality they have but I'm sure it isn't bad. I'm particularly interested in this because in my second year at university I bound and hand printed my own book.
Start a Blog/Website and keep it up to date
This is important not because it raises your google rating (which it does) but because when someone takes your business card, or reads your book in a waiting room and they visit your website to learn more they want to see a nice easy to understand website.
My website is admittedly not that up to date, and I would be more willing to direct people to this blog but that is because I am not entirely happy with the website maker I made my site on, it's quite glitchy and complicated on some issues and too limited on others - although it is free for a year and does the job until I want to splash out for an expensive site. I am going to buy the web-address and make the site from scratch I think.
Visual Art Trader gives you your own artist website when you join so this is also a really good option for any artist unless you want a personalised URL like mine.
The only other issue with your website is that the general public won't stumble onto your website through google - and if they do you can't guarantee they want to buy your work. So you need another form of promotion to direct traffic to your website.
Another really good method to gain fans and perhaps even customers is through social media like facebook or twitter. Facebook is basically an online version of word-of-mouth promotion. If one friend likes your work all their friends can see it so you have a huge potential audience. It allows you to engage with your audience rather than having a one way conversation like on this blog. Questions and answers can go both ways on social media.
See my previous post on ways to make your facebook page stand out from the crowd. Or this one by rightbrainrockstar (again I know, but that site is just so useful) on artist websites.
Enter Art Competitions
Late October I started researching art competitions to enter and was disappointed to find most 2012 deadlines were in early November so I am going to start entering and making note of ones to enter early next year.
The best one (in my opinion) is the RA Summer Exhibition. My friend from my foundation course got a sculpture piece accepted and it just seems like good fun as well as good exposure.
I have an ever growing list of competitions to enter here. I will then post photos of my entries and how I do in them.
Connect with Artists
This is related to all the other tips in this post. Like artists pages on facebook, link their websites on twitter and comment on artwork you like. These relations are nice but can also be useful, if the artists work is similar to you in anyway you can use them as examples to learn from.
Speaking of which heres mine.
You can emulate successful artists and also connect with artists in a similar position to you to help you price your art, join communities or find galleries that like the kind of work you produce.
Other Reading
I will update this as I find other useful websites on promotion.
16 ways to get your art noticed
Monday 19 November 2012
Creative Career Blogs to Read
So I've been catching up on a few other people's blogs for tips on improving my online visibility and also getting the confidence to actually consider the scary prospect of being an artist as a career. I've got a few of the best and most inspiring sites on here for anyone to have a look at.
Also I figured out how to make links properly. Finally.
So just click on the orange titles to visit the related sites.
1) 38 Amazing People who will help you quit your job and follow your Dreams.
I chose this blog post not because I have a job that I need to quit - I'm a jobless student, but the testimonials are inspirational and make me excited over the prospect of being self employed one day. It also gives a boost to my artistic dreams, which is always nice.
2) 8 Awesome Free Guides
This is a list of guides, making this a bit of an inception post - a blog list within a blog list. Also the whole site is a gold mine of really useful info - hence why it features twice on this small blog post. It has information about everything blog-related, creative career-related and many inspiring lists of things making this the main site I look into when I need to give myself a little online pep talk.
I will be using some of the practical posts it suggests and uploading the results as I go.
3) So you quit your job, now what?
Another job related blog. It's a blog about trying to figure out what makes you unhappy about your job. What makes you unhappy can be really tricky to put your finger on and knowing how to change the things that effect us negatively is something artists do quite often when creating our work to our own personal standards.
4) 8 Ways to Customise your Facebook-Business page
And lastly a very practical blog about how to make your facebook page stand out from the crowd with tips on how to customise the notoriously rigid structure of Facebook.
5) Making it
This is a wonderful post from literally the coolest website EVER. It's a very positive post from people who have been-there-done-that. They took a degree (fine art) that made them feel helpless in choosing their perfect careers. It gives good advice on how to set up a portfolio that contains art you want to be known for rather than work you feel you should make, or you have made as a project for uni or college.
Also I figured out how to make links properly. Finally.
So just click on the orange titles to visit the related sites.
1) 38 Amazing People who will help you quit your job and follow your Dreams.
I chose this blog post not because I have a job that I need to quit - I'm a jobless student, but the testimonials are inspirational and make me excited over the prospect of being self employed one day. It also gives a boost to my artistic dreams, which is always nice.
2) 8 Awesome Free Guides
This is a list of guides, making this a bit of an inception post - a blog list within a blog list. Also the whole site is a gold mine of really useful info - hence why it features twice on this small blog post. It has information about everything blog-related, creative career-related and many inspiring lists of things making this the main site I look into when I need to give myself a little online pep talk.
I will be using some of the practical posts it suggests and uploading the results as I go.
3) So you quit your job, now what?
Another job related blog. It's a blog about trying to figure out what makes you unhappy about your job. What makes you unhappy can be really tricky to put your finger on and knowing how to change the things that effect us negatively is something artists do quite often when creating our work to our own personal standards.
4) 8 Ways to Customise your Facebook-Business page
And lastly a very practical blog about how to make your facebook page stand out from the crowd with tips on how to customise the notoriously rigid structure of Facebook.
5) Making it
This is a wonderful post from literally the coolest website EVER. It's a very positive post from people who have been-there-done-that. They took a degree (fine art) that made them feel helpless in choosing their perfect careers. It gives good advice on how to set up a portfolio that contains art you want to be known for rather than work you feel you should make, or you have made as a project for uni or college.
Thursday 15 November 2012
I want a studio, not a garage.
My studio space - where I create/store work is my garage. I technically make all my work in the front room but I consider my garage to be my studio.
It's a mess at the moment - half finished projects and drying icing sculptures dotted about the place. It was also become a bit of a dumping ground for Christmas presents.
In the talk by the Visual Arts Trader man he made the point that this space is technically a permanent exhibition of my work and I should use it.
So I'm going to tidy it up, it really seems like a space I am not using at its full potential.
The occasions where people who like art - such as my fabulous grandmother Nanni Carole - pop over I want there to be a proper space for them to look around rather than a garage filled with some junk and a few art pieces in between.
The visual trader man also said they want to do an advertisement project where they give information on open studios - and I want to be ready for when this happens.
I think I'll make some racks to tidy up the clutter and maybe a few floor level drawer boxes. I'll post pictures up of the before and after and some tutorials of what studio furniture I make.
See examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
It's a mess at the moment - half finished projects and drying icing sculptures dotted about the place. It was also become a bit of a dumping ground for Christmas presents.
In the talk by the Visual Arts Trader man he made the point that this space is technically a permanent exhibition of my work and I should use it.
So I'm going to tidy it up, it really seems like a space I am not using at its full potential.
The occasions where people who like art - such as my fabulous grandmother Nanni Carole - pop over I want there to be a proper space for them to look around rather than a garage filled with some junk and a few art pieces in between.
The visual trader man also said they want to do an advertisement project where they give information on open studios - and I want to be ready for when this happens.
I think I'll make some racks to tidy up the clutter and maybe a few floor level drawer boxes. I'll post pictures up of the before and after and some tutorials of what studio furniture I make.
See examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Wednesday 14 November 2012
Online galleries?
At university on Tuesday we had a really interesting talk by the fabulously named founder of Visual Art Trader Chris Grant Peterkin (I'll pop the link at the bottom of this post for those interested).
He was talking about how everything is moving into more internet friendly ways - including the gallery and the buying/selling of artwork. He gave examples of these exchanges and interactions between real-life galleries/art fairs and online ones. As well as proof that people view art online before buying it or going to see it in its gallery setting because their busy lifestyles stop them going to physically visit galleries and browsing for art.
Basically it really inspired me to take better photographs of my artwork to let people - myself included - avoid the intimidating and sometimes plain complicated world of galleries for a while longer.
Not forever.
Just until I know for certain that someone other than myself likes my work.
So I'm going to sign up for it - it's only £24 a year for a student account or £48 for a standard one. They also don't take commission which is obviously really good.
The site offers a kind of categorisation of art style there are only four of them - abstract, representational, semi-abstract and semi-representational. This is good for the practical reason that general, casual art buyers generally want something for their home/office and they want it to be something they like - be it a big and bright horse painting (see links to my website if interested) or a big smudge of paint that matches their curtains but also starts to look like a landscape if looked at for long enough.
Taste sure isn't simple - but knowing that galleries are scary to buy from compared to Internet shopping sure is.
Anyway waffle over - Internet shopping is the future, so I'm going to brush up on photography skills and show off a little.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Visual Art Trader Website
He was talking about how everything is moving into more internet friendly ways - including the gallery and the buying/selling of artwork. He gave examples of these exchanges and interactions between real-life galleries/art fairs and online ones. As well as proof that people view art online before buying it or going to see it in its gallery setting because their busy lifestyles stop them going to physically visit galleries and browsing for art.
Basically it really inspired me to take better photographs of my artwork to let people - myself included - avoid the intimidating and sometimes plain complicated world of galleries for a while longer.
Not forever.
Just until I know for certain that someone other than myself likes my work.
So I'm going to sign up for it - it's only £24 a year for a student account or £48 for a standard one. They also don't take commission which is obviously really good.
The site offers a kind of categorisation of art style there are only four of them - abstract, representational, semi-abstract and semi-representational. This is good for the practical reason that general, casual art buyers generally want something for their home/office and they want it to be something they like - be it a big and bright horse painting (see links to my website if interested) or a big smudge of paint that matches their curtains but also starts to look like a landscape if looked at for long enough.
Taste sure isn't simple - but knowing that galleries are scary to buy from compared to Internet shopping sure is.
Anyway waffle over - Internet shopping is the future, so I'm going to brush up on photography skills and show off a little.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Visual Art Trader Website
Medusa
As promised, I uploaded my Medusa piece onto youtube.
Enjoy and let me know what you think.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Enjoy and let me know what you think.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Monday 12 November 2012
Fine art project - third year
I have started my third year and final year of my degree. I started about a month ago. It's quite exciting. Esspecially since I am loving my project.
I have decided to look at Morbid Curiosity - about people's fear and fascination with death and all that goes with it.
So far I have looked closely at the surgical tools of the trade - forceps of different kinds, mortition needles and cotton thread used for procedures.
I have used the forceps in sculptures made of royal icing - reflecting a long tradition of feasting that carries along all cultures.
I have dyed the thread with a variety of natural and native plant dyes. Being affiliated with green cemeteries. Making this a tradition for myself. I have then used the thread to make textile portraits.
I have looked at waste products of the trade - using the canvas bags woven willow coffins come packed in, as a material to use. I have also got some pacemakers and some mud from graves to work with.
I have looked frankly at gravestones and how they are deconstructed selves. We get simplified and perfected after our deaths. I wrote a long list of words I strongly associate with myself. But I was unsure how to use them.
I started making patterns for writing or sewing the words until they are unrecognisable and blend into a mess. I then started thinking about secrets, how they define me more. I want to layer the words of my secrets - the ones I would tell no-one. So far I am liking how it looks.
I'll pop a few photos up when I have them. And I am going to make a short video of a slideshow of my medusa piece.
See examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
I have decided to look at Morbid Curiosity - about people's fear and fascination with death and all that goes with it.
So far I have looked closely at the surgical tools of the trade - forceps of different kinds, mortition needles and cotton thread used for procedures.
I have used the forceps in sculptures made of royal icing - reflecting a long tradition of feasting that carries along all cultures.
I have dyed the thread with a variety of natural and native plant dyes. Being affiliated with green cemeteries. Making this a tradition for myself. I have then used the thread to make textile portraits.
I have looked at waste products of the trade - using the canvas bags woven willow coffins come packed in, as a material to use. I have also got some pacemakers and some mud from graves to work with.
I have looked frankly at gravestones and how they are deconstructed selves. We get simplified and perfected after our deaths. I wrote a long list of words I strongly associate with myself. But I was unsure how to use them.
I started making patterns for writing or sewing the words until they are unrecognisable and blend into a mess. I then started thinking about secrets, how they define me more. I want to layer the words of my secrets - the ones I would tell no-one. So far I am liking how it looks.
I'll pop a few photos up when I have them. And I am going to make a short video of a slideshow of my medusa piece.
See examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Tuesday 28 August 2012
A few more pieces of art work
Decided to use pretty colours.
"Pink Chestnut" - August 2012
"Purple Bay" - August 2012
Not the most inventive titles, I know but hopefully that'll come in time :)
I read that you should properly date your pieces and title each piece, even if it is titled "untitled". Hence the dates and titles.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
"Pink Chestnut" - August 2012
"Purple Bay" - August 2012
Not the most inventive titles, I know but hopefully that'll come in time :)
I read that you should properly date your pieces and title each piece, even if it is titled "untitled". Hence the dates and titles.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Monday 13 August 2012
A Little Charcoal Grey
Today I am working on creating a few charcoal pieces, I'm producing them to provide my etsy shop with photograph examples that aren't commissioned pieces.
This is a sweet little grey Welsh Section D that I will sell as a framed piece at some point.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Wednesday 8 August 2012
How to take a Photo in Preparation for a Commision
Thought I'd pop this page into my blog to direct people on how to take a good photograph for my paintings or sketches, using my own little gaggle of pets.
Tip 1)Use Natural light. Theres nothing worse than a flash making them over shiney, losing detail.
Tip 2)Get down to their height rather than taking the photo from above them.
Compared with...
Tip 3)Ears Forward.(not my horse, he just always tries to eat my camera)
Compared with...
Tip 4)An open mouth on dogs gives them a cute smile.
Tip 5)And if your animal is too wriggly and will not let you take a photo, a sleeping animal is just as cute as an awake one.
Tip 1)Use Natural light. Theres nothing worse than a flash making them over shiney, losing detail.
Tip 2)Get down to their height rather than taking the photo from above them.
Compared with...
Tip 3)Ears Forward.(not my horse, he just always tries to eat my camera)
Compared with...
Tip 4)An open mouth on dogs gives them a cute smile.
Tip 5)And if your animal is too wriggly and will not let you take a photo, a sleeping animal is just as cute as an awake one.
Another First - Gecko Sketch!
And another reptilian first at that.
Attempted my first gecko sketch, and my first square portrait.
A bit of a gloomy day, but the photo shows up none the less.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Attempted my first gecko sketch, and my first square portrait.
A bit of a gloomy day, but the photo shows up none the less.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Monday 6 August 2012
Reptile Sketch
So today I completed my first reptile sketch, I have drawn snakes before for my Medusa piece but not in graphite(pictures of which will be coming once I figure out how to photograph a 10 metre roll of paper, I'm personally thinking a slideshow type, where individual panels are photographed).
This is a little A5 sketch of a little brown house snake.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
This is a little A5 sketch of a little brown house snake.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Tuesday 12 June 2012
Hurrah! Yet another horse painting!
And hurrah indeed for unneeded exclamation marks.
I finally mastered orange in my quest for owning a rainbow menagerie of horses.
In other news I have created a new website showcasing my work, obviously it is a work-in-progress but if anyone is reading this you can have a gander here.
http://sasawtell.wix.com/sophieamyart
It takes a little while to load but its hopefully worth it.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
I finally mastered orange in my quest for owning a rainbow menagerie of horses.
In other news I have created a new website showcasing my work, obviously it is a work-in-progress but if anyone is reading this you can have a gander here.
http://sasawtell.wix.com/sophieamyart
It takes a little while to load but its hopefully worth it.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Thursday 31 May 2012
Possible Career Decisions
I have decided today that I would really love to be a digital designer of some-sort. I still need to email around and make a few more perminant decisions after a bit of solid advice and some more research.
I like the flexibility it gives me. I could potentially work in advertising then move to designing movie posters or book covers because the skills are transferable once you know the software.
So I've ordered Painter 12 along with a Wacom tablet. I'm going to experiment with a combination of oil painting, mixed media and then finally digitally painting the pieces.
I'm really excited for my stuff to arrive, just got to go computer shopping, as this old laptop of mine wouldn't have enough memory to hold the software and its resulting pieces of work.
In other news, the volunteer interview I went for was a bit of a waste of time. The person interviewing me was 15 minutes (at least) late, so i left. Bit of a bummer for a couple of hours driving but c'est le vie. I got to see some beautiful miniature wildflower meadows and a really healthy looking Rose Chafer beetle. So all in all it was a good day.
See examples of my work and keep up-to-date on my facebook or my flickr account
I like the flexibility it gives me. I could potentially work in advertising then move to designing movie posters or book covers because the skills are transferable once you know the software.
So I've ordered Painter 12 along with a Wacom tablet. I'm going to experiment with a combination of oil painting, mixed media and then finally digitally painting the pieces.
I'm really excited for my stuff to arrive, just got to go computer shopping, as this old laptop of mine wouldn't have enough memory to hold the software and its resulting pieces of work.
In other news, the volunteer interview I went for was a bit of a waste of time. The person interviewing me was 15 minutes (at least) late, so i left. Bit of a bummer for a couple of hours driving but c'est le vie. I got to see some beautiful miniature wildflower meadows and a really healthy looking Rose Chafer beetle. So all in all it was a good day.
See examples of my work and keep up-to-date on my facebook or my flickr account
Monday 28 May 2012
Yet Another Jewel Coloured Horse
I have completed two new paintings; one is much more successful than the other. The blue one which I am posting at the bottom of this post and a sunny yellow/orange one.
Im thinking of posting a kind of goal driven to do list. Hopefully if anyone comes across my blog and reads it they'll have advice for me. Hopefully from people who have been there and done it, or who are going through a similar process.
I'm going to tick off the smaller goals as I post.
I also need to start my dissertation planning. I think I know what to write about, but I'll keep this blog updated about the research.
So yes. In the meantime heres my cob painting.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Im thinking of posting a kind of goal driven to do list. Hopefully if anyone comes across my blog and reads it they'll have advice for me. Hopefully from people who have been there and done it, or who are going through a similar process.
I'm going to tick off the smaller goals as I post.
I also need to start my dissertation planning. I think I know what to write about, but I'll keep this blog updated about the research.
So yes. In the meantime heres my cob painting.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
Wednesday 23 May 2012
The first Steps of my Career
Well more like the act of packing a adorable little polka dot handkerchief.
I actually wrote a CV *gasp* and sent it to galleries who were advertising for volunteers *double gasp*
But yes, I got a reply from a nice museum who want me to come to an information session. It may seem a little redundant getting an unpaid position but with art being such a sparse jobs market any experience is good experience. and I want to get the volunteer part of art hopefully out of the way.
I'm currently working for my family's firm, making adverts and their annual calender so that's technically creative experience too. I feel like I'm heading in the right direction. Even if I'm unsure of the eventual destination.
So yes, imagine me as a little art hobo.
Although I do have less time for actual art work, I figure a painting a week is a good aim.
I have completed a white, bay and black horse and have a dun and a chestnut all sketched up and ready to rock.
I want to get the dun done *giggle* tomorrow after a short trip into uni as I'll get home earlier than if I went into work. I'm thinking a nice mustard yellow for him. I know it isn't technically a jewel but ah well. It's nice and vibrant.
Also should I have a sign off signiture?
See examples of my work and keep up-to-date on my facebook or my flickr account
I actually wrote a CV *gasp* and sent it to galleries who were advertising for volunteers *double gasp*
But yes, I got a reply from a nice museum who want me to come to an information session. It may seem a little redundant getting an unpaid position but with art being such a sparse jobs market any experience is good experience. and I want to get the volunteer part of art hopefully out of the way.
I'm currently working for my family's firm, making adverts and their annual calender so that's technically creative experience too. I feel like I'm heading in the right direction. Even if I'm unsure of the eventual destination.
So yes, imagine me as a little art hobo.
Although I do have less time for actual art work, I figure a painting a week is a good aim.
I have completed a white, bay and black horse and have a dun and a chestnut all sketched up and ready to rock.
I want to get the dun done *giggle* tomorrow after a short trip into uni as I'll get home earlier than if I went into work. I'm thinking a nice mustard yellow for him. I know it isn't technically a jewel but ah well. It's nice and vibrant.
Also should I have a sign off signiture?
See examples of my work and keep up-to-date on my facebook or my flickr account
Monday 21 May 2012
Preview of my Jewel Coloured horses.
Baby Blue Mohawk. Thinking that white/grey horses will be done in this blue, or a light mint green. Basically I'm avoiding any paint with red undertones, as it could look a bit girly and Mo is anything but girly.
And also my baby boy, Jacko. I felt he should have a butch teal tone to show off his cute wall eye. he's back/very dark bay.
second post of the day :) I have completed another painting of a bay that's too wet and shiney to photograph.
See more examples of my work on my facebook or my flickr account
First Post on my new Blog
I thought I'd start a blog to keep my work up to date with the modern world. I have started experimenting with colour, producing very colourful, yet single toned equine portraits. Pictures of which I shall post once I have completed a couple more.
I also started thinking up what my third year university Fine Art project could be. My last one was about Narrative, focusing on the simple way storys get more and more complex, again I'll post pictures at a later date. I want to research Frankenstein and Im thinking of perhaps using it as inspiration to knit either different peoples facial features together or to combine human and animal features.
So hopefully this will develop through this blog, using it as an online sketch book.
I also have a facebook page and my flickr account
I also started thinking up what my third year university Fine Art project could be. My last one was about Narrative, focusing on the simple way storys get more and more complex, again I'll post pictures at a later date. I want to research Frankenstein and Im thinking of perhaps using it as inspiration to knit either different peoples facial features together or to combine human and animal features.
So hopefully this will develop through this blog, using it as an online sketch book.
I also have a facebook page and my flickr account
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