ArtProMotivate

The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money Review

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Have you had a chance to read Chris Guillebeau’s ebook The Unconventional Guide to Art and Money? This happens to be one of the best books I’ve read on the subject of art promotion… and I wish I had it years ago. Chris is the well admired author of The Art of Non-Conformity blog.

Chris says that there are many valid reasons for creating art. Not all artists want to make money with art. Some use art as a pass-time or hobby. But, there are a large group of artists who would like to support themselves and their family doing what they love.

The vast majority of artists coming out of art school have not learned how to promote themselves (I know because I was one of them!). Every year over 30,000 artists graduate from art colleges in the U.S. alone. But although they have talent, they are not trained in how to represent themselves or how to build connections.

Most end up giving up art altogether or working at daytime jobs unrelated to art. Those who continue in their art career have to learn by trial and error, or look to other resources, such as the Guide to Art & Money, to learn what it takes to market art.

Solanges Jolicoeur - Life Painter - Figurative Non-Anecdotic Subjects

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Solanges Jolicoeur

Caribbean Islands/Haiti

Mediums: acrylics / pastels

Style: figurative, non anecdotic subjects

I began drawing, then painting at a very early age. As long as I can remember, painting has always been part of my life, even when I was not a professional yet.

Gingerbread © Solanges Jolicoeur

those charming houses made of bricks and wood that resisted the passing of time and disasters, are rarely renovated and disappear gradually.

As a child, I used to make my own greeting cards: Chinese ink for the contours and shadows, color pencils and decorating edge scissors were the magical materials that gave me the feeling of being a professional artist.

Beside painting , I am an art collector and antiques lover, I have numerous personal activities like sports (from racket sports, combat sports (judo) to motorized (off road), I also like internal tourism into cultural sites that inspire me.

Art.com – Buy Art Reproductions Online by Famous Artists

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

One time, to see the paintings of famous artists, one had to visit museums or art galleries. These days it is possible for anyone to hang a reproduction of a famous artwork in their own home, and be inspired by it anytime.

I like to surround myself with my favorite pieces.. which aren’t just my own. I also own reproductions by Picasso, Monet, Dali, Van Gogh (can’t afford the originals… yet) and originals by a few contemporary artists.

One of the most popular sites to buy reproductions of famous paintings is the site Art.com.

Art.com is an established online print on demand site for the works of artists past and present.

How to Evaluate Abstract Art

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

There are a lot of uncertainties when evaluating abstract art due to the constant changes that happen and the plethora of techniques available. Labeling an abstract hard would indeed be a pretty tough task, because not only do those who are not fond of art find it tough, it holds an obvious difficulty even to those who deal with art very often. Abstract art possesses a type of uniqueness that causes people to have great divisions in their opinions and perceptions of it.

Abstract art is not a solid form of art, nor does it have any hints of logic behind it, this illogicality here refers to the fact that abstract art is able to convey expressions that do not exist in the realm of logic. In other words abstract art does not necessarily need to reflect situations in a logical way (some ‘logical’ examples include societal, governmental, economical or even moral issues). Just as when a perfect square is drawn, the reliance on logic is inescapable, but the four-sided picture is just an abstract creation of several lines combined, not that it is required to have any need for logical explanations or a theme.

Abstract art represents a counter-logic visual experience that does not have a theme attached to itself, as for the process of creating this visual experience, it requires logical considerations and appropriate approaches to be done. On top of that, regardless of the type of abstract art done, it will require logical thoughts of the human brain to modify the various elements of art in the process, the certainty of logic in the process of creation and the different forms of abstractions possible reflecting an illogical pattern is most distinct characteristic of abstract art.

By Kajal Zaveri

Famous Blind Artists who Paint in Spite of Blindness or Vision Impairment

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Recently, I posted about the fears some artists have: What do Artists Fear

The response to that post has been overwhelming! Most artists fear how their paintings will turn out, if they will be accepted by peers… or whether they will make any money from selling art.

But, there is one real fear that many artists are facing, that is losing one’s eyesight and even going blind.

This is a comment from Harry van Deelen.

“A few years ago I have had an red and painful eye, the oculist told me that I have a rheumatic ignited eye, I get medication and still is my left eye going backwards I need special glasses for it. And the oculist told that it happened that the next time the other eye will get an ignition. In that case I have to started directly with medication. I am certainly afraid for blindness, because such is the case by more artists. For a virtual artist it is one of the most important things that can happened.”

Harry van Deelen

5 Famous Paintings with Mother and Child - Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms!

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Sat, 11 May 2013 22:13:00 +0000

A very Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and grandmothers reading this today. Motherhood has been a topic of many famous paintings and sculptures throughout history.

Mothers deserve to be honoured today, and everyday throughout the year.

This post is a tribute to all our mothers!

Innocence (L’innocence) - William Adolphe Bouguereau (1893)

William Adolphe Bouguereau was a popular French traditionalist and painter.

He often used classical and mythological themes and made common use of the female form in his realistic paintings.

His painting here entitled Innocence depicts a mother holding a lamb and her baby, both symbols of innocence.

How to Use Postal Services to Mail Art Cheaply and Inexpensively?

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:32:00 +0000

As you probably know, the costs of shipping art can get quite costly depending on how its shipped and where.

Artists have asked me this question several times:

How can paintings be shipped through the postal service, especially to international locations, at as less of a price as possible?

Here are a few basic tips from myself.

If you use the post office often, please share your own advice with other artists…

Tim smith - Highly Detailed Hand Drawn Portraits in Graphite Pencil

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:35:00 +0000

Tim Smith

Northamptonshire England

Mediums: Graphite pencil, acrylic

Style: Realism

Hi my name is Tim smith - I live in Northamptoshire, I am a self accomplished pencil portrait Artist with over 15 years experience in drawing portraits of various subjects including pets, birds of prey, people, architecture and even carp. I specialise in highly detailed hand drawn portraits in graphite pencil but I also create paintings in acrylic medium.

Where is a Good Place to Get Art Prints Made?

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:31:00 +0000

I recently received a question about creating and selling prints. Its kind of an open ended question which can have different answers depending on the person answering.

I have a question Graham. I have asked this no. of artists but none has answered it honestly. The truth is I am new in this selling business and I want to sell my work on my own too because selling from these online websites like Fine Art America, you don’t make much.

My question is which is a good place to get your prints made so that you can give people a better price than Fine Art America and you make some profit as well. I have tried places like Office Max but they don’t offer too many choices in prints.
Thank you
Sonali

Sonali is asking this question.

Do you know cheap, affordable places to get art prints made?

Kelly L Hendrickson - The Inspiration of the Story

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Kelly L Hendrickson

Minnesota, Upper Midwest, USA

Mediums: Mixed Media Textiles

Style: Representational

I’ve always had a creative bent even when running my own company as a Meeting/Event Planner. Then I started dyeing fabrics and soon discovered Art Quilts. The world of art was calling and I could not resist jumping in with both feet. Closed down my company, built a studio and never looked back. I went from art quilts to incorporating those textiles on painted canvas. Now I’m continuing that journey by adding in found items or anything that enhances the story of a particular art work.

As an Artist, What do you Fear the Most and How do you Deal with Fears?

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Fri, 03 May 2013 17:37:00 +0000

Fears are a normal part of life. We all have fears of one sort or another. As artists, we may fear about not selling or having creative block – not being inspired. We may be afraid of not being taken seriously, ridiculed for creating certain artworks and even have self-doubt. For commissioned pieces, we may be afraid we do not live up to our customers expectations. Many artists (especially on the internet) even have great fears of their artwork being stolen.

It is important to face fears head on. May be you remember the television show Fear Factor, which pits competitors in a contest to face some of their deepest fears. These may be fear of heights, fear of bugs, fear of the dark, and more. In every episode, the competitors faced a variety of fears. The one who overcome all of them usually won the grand prize at the end.

Being an artist may at times seem like an episode of Fear Factor. Along with the thing we love doing (creating art), we are facing the things we may hate. For some these may be dealing with the public, selling art, and everything which deals with business. But we have to learn to face some of these fears if we want any degree of success.

Lets start the discussion.

James Bell - An Artist and a Work of Art - Live Performance Painting

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Fri, 03 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

James Bell

London, United Kingdom

Mediums: acrylic, canvas, board, kettle, brushes

Style: live and abstract

London based, James Bell is a live performance painter that creates his dynamic work during art exhibitions and various events. He thrives on captivating an audience as he dances and throws paint. Some describe his work as 'quirky' whilst others prefer the term 'endearing'.

Darnley Gallery Performance © James Bell

Early memories creating:

I am a very nostalgic artist. I have vivid memories of the art room during my years at primary school, which were some of my first times learning about paint. I would often receive merits and certificates for my work which I suppose led me to take art seriously at a young age.

How can an Artist Know if a Painting is Finished?

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:20:00 +0000

This is one of the most commonly asked questions for artists, but can be one of the most difficult to answer.

How can an artist tell when a painting is completed, and doesn’t need to be worked on anymore?

For myself, this is difficult to answer.

Many times I reach a point where I just know that a painting is finished, and immediately begin working on something else.

At other times, when I return to a painting, I suddenly realize that the painting does not need additional work. I think this is because I’ve had some time to distance myself from the painting before returning to it. At other times, I see something that needs to be changed in a painting I thought was completed. Then there are paintings that I’ve overworked, and wish I’d stopped painting much earlier.

Artmatch - New social E-commerce Network for Artists

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Artmatch.me is a new social, e-commerce network for artists, galleries and art lovers/collectors - a new way of connecting the world with art.

Artmatch contains all the things one would expect from a social and marketing site for artists: Fully featured portfolios, uploading artworks, artist statements, ability to search artworks, messaging, and more.

Shana Stern - Fluid Movements - Dancing through Paint

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Shana Stern

Austin, Texas. USA

Mediums: Fluid Acrylic

Style: Abstract

I'm a 42 year old, full time mom of an amazing 8 year old boy, Walker Riley. I've had MS for over 13 years which has rendered me blind several times, plagued with severe fatigue, sensory issues and disturbances, nerve pain and numbness in limbs. No longer able to write for a living, the need to be creative was overwhelming and so I turned to painting. But not being able to hold a pen for long, also means I can't hold a paintbrush for long so I began experimenting with making my own fluid acrylics, and ways to create certain shapes, movements and effects. Once I created the method I use - the "madness" completely overtook me and now practically everything I own is stained with paint. My floors, furniture, clothes, TV, books…. But I love it.

Omnia Scroll Exhibition 3 - Brighton Jubilee Library

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

A few months ago (last November), I posted about Omnia Scroll, a collaborative exhibition of international artists unlimited by nationality, race, or background. At the time, they were holding their first exhibition at Brighton Jubilee Library, UK. (Nov. 14, 2012 – Dec. 18. 2012).

Since I posted about that first exhibition, (Omnia Scroll 1) there was another held at Art Studio, Venezia, Italia - March 2nd to 16th 2013, which further added to the participants, size and diverseness of the scroll. The third collective exhibition will again be held at Brighton Jubilee Library - May 1st to 31st, 2013.

Lisa Zadravec Artist - Telling Stories With Art

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Lisa Zadravec

From Washington, DC, Northern Virginia area.

Mediums: colored pencil, oil. I like to try my work on many different surfaces.

Style: Narrative Realism

The need to tell stories is big in my roots. I come from a family of writers, I tell mine in pictures. Though a realist I am not bent on photo realism, in this age of technology, why not just print a photo out on canvas. I guess you call it painterly or expressionistic, letting the artist's hand show in the strokes and the pencil marks.

The Other Sister © Lisa Zadravec, colored pencil, gouache on mattboard - This is my daughter turning 18, graduating wearing the Anne Bolyn Necklace her teacher promised her for doing her work, poppies are a symbol of remembrance.

I am art-school trained, taught traditionally, oil painting in the Maroger medium method, but I find I like to work most in colored pencil. I do so with the same layering I would use if painting. I am not a big purist media. I use gouache. I draw on different surfaces, Kraft paper, birch, matt board. Once I was inspired by an artist from Africa who did a family portrait on leather. I loved that the material suited the skin, all the colors of skin in the family. I searched for a paper that would do the same for my daughter’s skin and it was the rough surface of mailing paper. I rubbed school chalk into it to make it glow. I drew with school pencils and pens and student grade watercolors. It is the technique not the materials. It is the artist’s eye and hand.

Build an Art Website Series – Creating a Free Online Portfolio with Wix

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

A while ago, we shared a series of posts on how to create a fully functional art website with Wix – from start to finish.

Wix is a powerful website builder which can be used to create free websites. They also have various upgrade options to instantly turn the free website into a professional one.

Included here is this whole series of posts.

Naming a Website

Fix Pictures in Photoshop

HTML5 Slideshow

Build a Keyword List

Social Network Buttons

Create Artwork Gallery Pages

How to Create an Artist Bio Page

How to Make a Contact Page

Sabina D’Antonio – Art Inspired by Life Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Sabina D’Antonio

USA

Mediums: acrylic/medium on canvas

Style: Abstract

I am a self taught and self representing artist working in Abstract Art. As an artist and photographer, it is my experience in life that inspires my art.

Can you tell us about your first remembrance of creating?

With my Mother. She would be on one side of the room cutting up a pattern and sewing, while I would be painting or drawing.

Second Online Youtube Art Exhibition

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

10 artists and artworks have been chosen for our second online video exhibition. We have been accepting submissions for curated video slideshow exhibitions. The online art shows are promoted at our Youtube channel, Facebook page, Google+, Twitter, and more. The first video was very successful, having received 249 views and 15 likes at Youtube, and 541 views at Slideshare.

Find the first online art show here: First Online Video Art Show

Congratulations to all the artists selected for this video. Remember, if you have not been chosen for this online group show, you still may be included in an upcoming video. The best way to instantly find out if you are included is to subscribe to our Youtube channel.

Please support the artists by liking and sharing the video. Click the Share option beneath the video at Youtube to find various options, and even embedding code to include the video on a blog or website. Further details on how to promote Youtube videos are at this post: How to Get Likes for a Youtube Video

Abstract Ideas - Paintings by Evan Hawley

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Evan Hawley

Texas, USA

Mediums: Acrylic, Oil, Collage, Ink, Print, Watercolor

Style: Abstract Expression

Hello, My name is Evan Hawley, I am 24 years young and currently reside in Texas, I am a self taught artist who is learning more and more every day. My art is an extension of ME and by that I mean that I try to find myself in each and every piece of work I create, My pieces are very emotionally charged via color, texture, and subject matter. I try to pour all of my emotion into each and every work. I like to think that my paintings are a way for me to express my emotions to the viewer in a much more profound way than my words would ever be able to do on their own.

Gathering Grounds Art Contest – Permanent Art Installation

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

I have been asked to pass along information about an exciting one of a kind national art contest - Gathering Grounds Art Contest. Also included here are images from past community revitalization projects.

For centuries, public art has served as a catalyst for change and revitalization. Taking this notion to heart, Tully’s Coffee and its non-profit partner Pomegranate Center have been working together to create community gathering places infused with art. This year, to complement the community revitalization project Tully’s and Pomegranate are planning in Vermont, Tully’s is launching a first of its kind national art contest which will award two artists the opportunity to create a permanent art installation at the build.

Winning artists will receive $1,000 cash prize, $2,000 in materials to create their art installation, and a trip to Vermont.

Llael McDonald Artist - Gossip on Canvas

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Llael McDonald

Australia

Mediums: Oils, Charcoal, Ink

Style: Realism

Anderson Street Feast © Llael McDonald Oil on Canvas 2013
"The Anderson St Feast" is a work that looks at the antisocial aspect of the online social network and its effects on peoples attitudes towards each other in both the real and online worlds. The people at the feast are socialising but disconnected from one another by their mobile phones and iPads. They not only feast in the literal sense but also feast on the rises and falls of their "friends" in the online world of social networking.

I started painting at the age of seven. I was never good at sport or academia so I realised at a very early age that I was put on this earth to be an artist. I studied fine art at a private art/design school located in one of Melbourne’s colourful and busy Chapel St. The school was put together by a group of students, myself included, and teachers from another Melbourne design school who walked out on its board of directors in 1994 because of creative differences.

We started the Independent College of Art and Design in 1995 and had the creative freedom and environment that a lot of students dream about. I graduated one of the top students in my major of oil painting 1997 and have been exhibiting since 2000. My work is strongly influenced my surroundings.

I grew up in the Western suburbs of Melbourne and was considered to be lower class. There was a lot of drama and a lot of colourful characters around my neighbourhood and I guess that’s where I developed my interest in suburbia and it's characters.

10 Artists and Their Process of Creating Art

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

So far, over 140 artists have been interviewed and featured at Artpromotivate. We have also been featuring these in retrospective posts (such as this one) where the 10 most recent artists are featured again.

One of the things we ask these artists is: “What is your process of creating art, from the beginning of a typical piece to its completion?”

Listed here are the responses to this question.

Lana Grant

New York ; NY

Style: figurative

Mediums: oil on canvas & drawings

Process:

PAINTINGS - I paint with oil on canvas. Before I start painting I make small sketches to see what is the best composition to support my message. During painting I making changes until I am satisfied, I paint with heart, my brain is my gage.

My - DRAWINGS are made with different art material to ketch fast changing sunset to express and ting or short story, that inspire me

Skylar Tucker - Artist Trying to Put Beauty in a Chaotic World

noreply@blogger.com (Graham Matthews) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Skylar Tucker

Alabama, USA

Mediums: Watercolor, Oil Pastel, Charcoal, Graphite, Acrylic,

Style: Anything that I get inspired by.

Skylar was born Jan. 25, 1994. She has been doing art for many years. She loves watercolor, charcoal, and acrylic. She lives in Alabama, USA. She has won many contests. Her art defines beautiful. The constant question. What is beauty? She tries to recreate it. She loves bright expressive colors.

When was your first experience creating?

I was young. I saw a picture online and was like "Do you think I can draw this on my paper, Nanna?" She scoffed and said I might get close. Well an hour later, I had drawn it perfectly. My grandmother was amazed. She said "Well, we don't have an artist in the family!" From then, I knew I wanted to be an artist.