Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Jasmine Work in Progress Part 4

Getting near the end. Here I added some leaf and vine shadows to the post. Most of the leaves have a reddish color along the edges like the color of the vines, so I touched them with a mixture of crimson and yellow ochre.

This detail shows that I darkened the shadows inside of the blossoms. Jasmine blooms are trumpet shaped. I also see that the leaves directly over the post need some clarification.

I think I'm close to being finished. There are many places where I can continue to work more details but I don't want to over work it. It's a struggle I've always had to deal with working with paint. There is a stopping point I have to find somewhere between the detail and impression. I'm trying to learn to be comfortable with my work though not necessarily content.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Jasmine Work in Progress Part 3

Here's where I discovered something I had forgotten...yellow paint is somewhat transparent. I began filling in some blooms and could see right through them. So I blocked in spots where the flowers will be with pure white and waited for some more drying time.After a few days I painted the blossoms and buds using titanium white, cad yellow and yellow ochre.I picked a couple leaves from a vine to match colors. Sap green, cad yellow, and yellow ochre. Lots more leaves to go! I see that the post needs some shadows before I get carried away with the leaves.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Jasmine Work In Progress Part 2



After a few days of drying I added some green for the trees in the background. In the foreground I added a layer of leaf shapes. I lightened the post with titanium white, payne's grey, sap green, phthalo blue, and crimson. That was about an hour's work.

Friday, April 10, 2009

"Yellow Jasmine on Cedar" - Work In Progress

I began a new oil painting two weeks ago and want to show it here as a WIP. I’ve never taken pictures of my paintings as I work, but the digital camera and computer make it easy and worth the time. I hope to analyze the progression and learn from it before I get too far into a mess.

First, the sketch. Fence post, a few vines and horizon lines.

Next, I filled in the sky and field.



Then the dark underpainting of the cedar post in the foreground. Also filled in some dark green shadowy places along the bottom where the thick jasmine vines will be.


This was about two hours of work. I've got to get used to the feel of putting the paint down. I don't want to be too skimpy with the paint like I have done before. At this point it needs to dry some.




Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Weekly Drawing # 11

I drew this panda bear last week as another animal for my wildlife portfolio. I'm pleased with him. Just can't get all of my pencil pics to scan the same.



Panda

8" X 10"

Graphite Pencil



I also drew some more small things with colored pencils for the latest embroidery design series, so I've been busy.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Dusting Off the Easel

I'm starting a new oil painting today. Considering the last picture I painted was about 20 years ago, this should be quite an adventure. I'm going to take pics along the way so I can see my work in progress. This is one of my reference pictures. Yellow jasmine growing on a fence post just down from my house.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Gallery Grand Opening, Ridge Spring, SC

Last Saturday was the Grand Opening for the Art Gallery, by the Art Association of Ridge Spring - AARS. We had a decent turn out, but not great. It's going to take some time to get people interested.

The Gallery is located in an old school building that I believe was built in the late 1930s or early 1940s. My daddy remembered it being built as the agricultural building when he went to school there. I think the building is quite charming! I'm know it has undergone some remodeling over the years, but the floors are hardwood and the walls are plaster. There are chalkboards in the rooms, and the largest room has one wall with a long section of wooden slats. Lots of windows on the front walls provide good lighting. There is also an old piano in the large room adding to the overall eclectic appeal. We should find out more history of the building to post in the foyer for the visitors.

We also hosted the 12th annual student art show in the Civic Center, which is right in front of the AARS building. That's a great old building too. It used to be the gymnasium but the basketball goals were taken down. It also has hardwood floors, and I love the exposed wooden rafters.


Black and white photos of the Ridge Spring Civic Center ceiling. The wood is painted silver.


I made a sale of the original Tiger pencil drawing although I only had the prints available at the time. Medicine Crow, Mama's China, Idaho Mountains and Hay, Wild Iris, Conch Shell and four of my African animals were on display. One of the visitors said about my colored pencil work, "...that Mary Rogers, she sends me!..." Now that's a hoot!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Weekly Drawing # 10


Tiger
Graphite Pencil
8" x 10"

This is my recent project. I drew the tiger as an addition to my wildlife portfolio, and as a possible embroidery design. I will have prints for sale in my Etsy shop.

I'm having some technical difficulty getting a good scan and print. Actually the scan is great but I have to tweek the image to find the right print to closely match the original. Still working on it.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Arts & Crafts of the Unemployed


The last few months have given me the time to do some crafty things. I made a pillow from an old t-shirt screenprint design. For sale in my etsy shop. I have some other t-shirt screenprints ready to stitch.



I've taken some random photos that I may sell as prints or use as reference photos for paintings. Some of them will go to the wetcanvas reference library. You must be a member to have access, but it is a wonderful place to find copyright free reference material.


Made a doggie sweater for Jip. It's his baseball jersey, #87. Not the best color combination but it's what I had on hand. He's so humiliated to wear it.
I also made a pine cone bird feeder with peanutbutter and birdseed. It was very clever looking and rustic. The pine cones hung from beautiful varigated earthtone yarn. I ended up putting the whole contraption on the ground because the poor little birds couldn't hang on and get the seeds. The pine cones would spin round and round when the birds lit on them.
The bowls I painted for the charity auction did well I think. At least the zebra striped one went for $40. I didn't find out how much the sunflower sold for.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Marketing Strategy for Artists' Prints

I've been researching the ins and outs of selling prints of my artwork. I found some very helpful information through Wet Canvas that I want to share.

This marketing plan was written specificly for artists wanting to sell their prints but have very little experience in marketing, selling. Dennis Brady was gracious enough to write and post this information on a forum thread about pricing prints:

Selling Art Prints - a market strategy

Provide a selection. Start with prints of at least 6 different paintings. You can do just prints but it would probably work best if you did prints and Art Cards at the same time.

Set the lowest price you can tolerate. This is essential to attract initial interest.

Don’t consign, but instead offer an “Unconditional return option”. Grant full credit exchange for anything returned undamaged. That removes the risk the retailer will be stuck with unsold stuff.

Offer a “30 day trial offer”. Agree on a sufficient size order to put up a good display of your work on net 30 days terms. At the end of 30 days, the retailer either pays for the entire order and you now have a steady relationship or they pay just for what they sold and return the rest.

Grant exclusivity. Give each outlet exclusive rights to your work within a specified territory. It’s big country. There’s no reason to have several outlets near each other competing to sell your work. If they retailer has exclusively, they work harder selling your work.

Select outlets. Instead of looking only at galleries that now sell prints, examine the possibility of selling through outlets that don’t now sell prints but might be interested in adding them to their product mix. Don’t just pick outlets that you think are prestigious. Pick ones you think at mostly likely to be able to sell your work. Many of those prestigious outlets have owners that run the business as a hobby and sell very little stuff. That’s why they want everything on consignment.

Be courageous. Don’t be afraid to walk into a shop with a portfolio and an armful of stuff wearing a big smile and greet the owner with, “If you can spare a moment, I have something I’d like to show you”. Some will be difficult - a few even snotty - but most will thank you for coming. Retailers thrive or die on whether or not they have something fresh and innovative for their customers. For anyone that feels nervous about such cold call sales, practice with friends. Have someone play act the part of a hesitant/reticent buyer. They can use different reasons for not buying while you practice possible responses. Some reasons for declining to buy:
...We’re already overstocked
...Sales are slow and we’re not buying anything.
...We’ve never done well selling prints.
...We’ve never sold prints.
...We sell only “known” artists.
...We only buy at the shows.

Sales can be fun. Don’t approach it as a distasteful task. Embrace it as an adventure.

Adopt a good attitude. If you think it’s unfair that you buy all the materials and do all the work while the retailer does nothing but sell it and still get as much as you do, then stay away from wholesale sales. If you think retailing is a great gig, open a store and learn the reality of the relentless overhead. When you sell to a shop, you form a partnership in which you each have a separate duty. You make it, they sell it. Approach the retailer with that attitude and you will form mutually profitable partnerships.
By Dennis Brady http://www.debrady.com/

Here is a link to another great article: How to Produce and Sell Prints of Your Artwork, by David Sullivan. It's much too long to post here but worth the effort to read thoroughly, if you are really serious about prints.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Super Bowls for Cancer


Some of the artists from the Art Association of Ridge Spring are participating in the 6th annual Taste of the Twins, January 31. This year’s theme is “A Super Bowl, A Super Taste to Kick Cancer.” We have decorated bowls that will be auctioned at the event to raise money for cancer research. I’ve never been to Taste of the Twins but I understand there will be volunteer chefs cooking special treats for all to sample. Sounds like fun.

Gwen Power, Joanne Crouch, Deborah Reeves, Donna Hatcher, and ME


My bowls are painted with acrylics. They're painted, signed and dated on the back.


Wednesday, January 7, 2009

My Embroidery Designs are Now “World Famous!"

Last March I got the job of making designs for a safari collection for an embroidery company. I completed the job, got paid (cool!) and sat back to wait for the release. It was originally scheduled for October, then rescheduled for February. Then out of the blue I was surprised to discover through my Amazing Designs email newsletter last week that they were released for January! I was so excited watching the newsletter open up, (waiting on my slow rural dial up to load) I got a little teary eyed. The surprise was wonderful though!


"Expedition: Africa"
Embroidery patterns by Amazing Designs

The company is Amazing Designs. They have been super to work with. I’ve posted a few of the original pictures on my blog earlier. The complete embroidery patterns are here. And to think…I was given the opportunity thanks to being discovered on an etsy forum talking about ACEOs and blogging…! It was something like, “I looked at your blog to find out what an ACEO is, and I like your work. Would you be interested…?” And of course I was! I plan to use some of the designs on pillows and wall hangings for myself, to sell and for gifts (family be forewarned). They are out there for anyone with an embroidery machine to use. I think it would be so cool to go to a gift shop or a craft show and see some item for sale with an embroidered zebra or giraffe or a jeep that I originally drew! This is fulfilling part of a dream I’ve had for several years. I’m working on another series now, so more about that when it’s time.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Major Artwork of 2008

Medicine Crow.....

I didn't realize how long I had been working on my drawing of Chief Medicine Crow until I looked back on a Wet Canvas post...from January! I completed the picture in December.


"Medicine Crow"
15" X 23"

Colored Pencil

This picture was such a challenge because the reference photo was black and white. The details of his clothing, his hair, and the coloring required some research and questions. Dondi gave me the most advice on what was what from his knowledge of Native Americans. I chose to change his clothing to something a little less formal. Honestly I was just lazy about the beadwork...I knew that it was probably very colorful and intricate. Without some closeup pictures I would have either overdone or underworked the details compared with the rest of the portrait. Overall I'm pleased with the outcome. My favorite parts are the feathers, the ermine tails, and the coloring and draping of the coat and sleeve. I'm satisfied with the hands and face, and the shadowy right side of the picture. I'm not content with the likeness of the facial features. My portraiture skills need improvement. Before I tackle another portrait I will do some quick studies of individual features. I also learned from this undertaking that it's not a good idea to stop drawing and start again after many weeks. Not only is it hard to get back into the mindset of the picture, but the colored pencil seemed to change over time, either flaking off or absorbing into the paper.

I drew this at the request of my sweet husband and I hope that he will love it hanging on our livingroom wall. (He will.) We want to have prints made to sell, but this original is just for Dondi.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Weekly Drawing #9



Ram

5" X 7"

Graphite Pencil



This week I drew a ram for my brother-in-law. It's part of a logo he wants to use on his new website that will be up and running soon. I spent most of the time on the horns shading the ridges or layers. The eye on the left side was a little troublesome, just getting the placement right. The rest of it just fell into place. Very enjoyable! One more animal head to add to my portfolio. It's a Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Art Show and Sale

The AARS art show has come and gone. There were around 16 artists participating. The Civic Center was transformed into a small town gallery decorated with Harvest Festival trimmings. Friday evening's meet and greet got off to a shaky start. We had rain all day. Then at the final setup time a wind storm came through blowing down trees and limbs, knocking out electricity, and caused a house fire a few blocks away. The festival shut down for the evening, but power came back on at the Civic Center and we stayed open. Needless to say our turn out was small. Saturday was much better. Overall it was a good “first” art show for the Association.


My husband made my displays, they're 4' x 6' overall, 4' x 4' display area. I love them!

Our gallery is now open too! We’re open on the weekends, and members are taking turns running it.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Weekly Drawing #8

My latest weekly drawing is an ACEO. This one is call "Touch Down" in colored pencils. I enjoyed the colors of this painting. It's for sale in my Etsy shop.



ACEO 3.5" x 2.5"

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Etsy Treasury

I'm on an etsy treasury! It's all about red, white and blue, get out and vote! I've been on a couple of them before but this one means a lot to me because my work was selected by a random etsian. The ones I've been in before were created by my etsy groups, TeamSC and ACETSY. Don't know how to get a picture of this treasury but the link will only last a few days. Click here! Debra Linker, the treasury host has a great shop too. She's an artist from Seattle Washington.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Etsy "Holiday Stocking Hunt"

The following is an anouncement from my Etsy Street Team...TeamSC. I think it will be a lot of fun.

"HOLIDAY STOCKING HUNT"
Mark your calendars for NOVEMBER 6TH ...and join in the fun!!!
Our South Carolina Etsy Street Team (TeamSC) is preparing for a fabulous holiday game for all etsians.
Everyone who completes the hunt will win a shopping spree just in time for the holiday season. The grand prize winner receives a gorgeous handmade stocking stuffed full of items donated by South Carolina Artisans.
Information and rules for the hunt are available right now on our blog. http://scstreetteam.blogspot.com/
Watch for the official forum thread on etsy under Promotions on Thursday, November 6th at 5:00 pm.