Tagged: canvas art

Best Online Art Galleries for New Artists

1. gallerytoday.com
They have been in the business since July 2003 and have been connecting buyers and collectors with artists all over the world. They sell masterpieces of famous artists but don’t get intimidated. They are open to newbies and can help you find your niche.

Image source: http://www.gallerytoday.com
Image source: http://www.gallerytoday.com

2. art-3000.com
This online gallery is open for all artists and photographers who wanted to showcase and sell their work of art. They started as a small group of artists and decided to invite other artists to join them and created a network of various artists, buyers and enthusiasts. Registration is free and they do not charge commission on sold artworks. How cool is that?

3. saatchionline.com
Saatchi online is derived from London’s famous Saatchi Gallery. They created this to allow artists to display their work to art lovers even if they are in different parts of the world. It also serves as a support group for artists who are aiming for international audience.

4. newbloodart.com
Founded by fine arts graduate and art tutor, Sarah Ryan in 2004, newbloodart.com was created to help emerging artists sell their masterpieces to the general public. This online gallery also serves as a tool for the founder to communicate with other artists most especially with the young and new ones to help them, in a way or another, to launch their careers.

 

Stompin' At The Savoy by Shelly Bedsaul Image source: http://www.ebsqart.com
Stompin’ At The Savoy
by Shelly Bedsaul
Image source: http://www.ebsqart.com

5. annameenaghanart.com
Created by a contemporary artist, she believes that art should be accessible to anyone and that it ought to be talked about. This free online gallery welcomes all kinds of artists to display their artwork in her website and sell them without any commission. The website is also very interactive wherein clients can leave comments and can personally get to know the artists.

6. ebsqart.com
ebsqart is the social media for artists. Aside from a portfolio site, this online gallery also serves as an online community for artists wherein they share opportunities and even new skills. This is a site where famous and new artists merge and talk about their passion for art. Various artists around the world can freely showcase their work on the site where art lovers can easily browse on them.

How to Promote your Canvas Art via Twitter

Venice-Oil-Painting-0086
Venice Oil Painting 0086

The Information Age makes it easier for artists to connect with other artists, their clients, and other people interested in art. Many social media websites are available that artists can use to their advantage. You can introduce your canvas art, connect with the community, promote your pieces and exhibits, and more.

Twitter is a microblogging service that’s one of the most popular social networking site.  Currently, there are 500 million users of Twitter, 200 million of which are monthly active users. Twitter is an excellent venue for you to network and market your work and these tips can help you expand your online community and advertise your art works.

Tip 1 – Share yourself and your work in progress. Share links to your artist blog, website, and other helpful links to artists. If you’ve posted a new article in your blog, or had an interview, include its link in your tweet. You can also share information about the piece you’re currently working on. Tell about your inspiration, what techniques you are using, incorporate a picture of what it looks like, etc. People want to get closer to those whom they follow and sharing these helpful and personal information can get you closer to your community. Once you’ve finished with your art work, tweet the link where people can see and buy the item.

Tip 2 – Tweet announcements. Announce events which you are involved in and those in your online community. If you run an etsy shop, selling a new art, or having a public appearance, tweet it. Let your followers know where you are and what things that are keeping you busy.

Tip 3 – Grow your community. Establishing an online presence is no overnight work. Patience is key to growing an engaging online community. Search for people who are interested in art, who are into art, and businesses related to the art industry. If you follow people, most likely they will return the favor by following you back. Build relationships with them by communicating with them about art and other topics. Twitter lets you start partnerships with your audience, which grows your personal and professional networks.

Tip 4 – Be an active member of the community. Twitter has tools that encourage interaction among the community. Reply to tweets, retweet, post comments on other people’s messages to let them know that you’re there in Twitter and are valuing the information that they are telling.

Tip 5 – Hold contests and giveaways. Everybody loves winning and getting free stuff. What better way to engage your community than holding a contest. You can offer one of your piece as a prize. Two of the easiest contests are the RT (retweet) to win, and Follow to win contests. Twitter contests can create more traffic to your community and increase your connections which also promotes your work to more people.

Image source: www.oilpaintinghouse.com

5 Marketplace to Sell Your Canvas Art Reproduction

Thomas Kinkade Original landscape oil painting ( Natures Paradise ) Art print reproduction on canvas wall decor Photo credit: www.aliexpress.com
Thomas Kinkade Original landscape oil painting ( Natures Paradise ) Art print reproduction on canvas wall decor
Photo credit: www.aliexpress.com

Recreating famous painting is very challenging. You have to capture every detail even the style and brush stroke to make it almost incomparable to the original painting. This will make your reproduction stand out and more convincing to buy. But where can you really sell your reproductions? Here are some suggestions that can help you find your potential buyers.

thorbeckeplein-art

1. Annual Fair
Let’s just say you don’t have the money to rent an art gallery or to pay for registration fees for exhibits and competitions, don’t be discouraged but be resourceful instead. Why not showcase your artwork during your local annual fair? It’s the best time to attract local patrons and a great way to let your community know that there’s a budding artist in the neighborhood. This might not give you the big break you are waiting for but it’s a good start. Don’t you think?

2. Online Art Galleries
Online art galleries are readily available throughout the internet. Aside from it’s easy to join, it’s also more affordable than setting up your own website. These websites can provide exposure of your recreations to collectors that frequently visit their site. Remember that you will be dealing with financial transactions with these websites as well so choose the most trusted.

3. Local Gift shops/Souvenir Shops
You might think it’s not a good idea to display your artwork in a gift shop or a souvenir shop but think of the possibility that a tourist or someone looking for something extraordinary to buy for a gift may enter the door. Find a shop that sells other quality items and with a great ambiance to match the quality of your artwork.

4. Join Art Exhibits and Competitions
Remember, exposure is the key. Joining these events puts your art in front of a variety of audiences. A lot of artists got their first break through these exhibits and competitions even if they were not a winner. But winning an award has its advantages for you will have something to add to your profile which proves the quality of your work.

Art market in Budapest www.budapesttimes.hu
Art market in Budapest
www.budapesttimes.hu

5. Art Galleries and Museums
You have done your efforts to reach potential clients in all walks of life. Now, it’s time to get noticed by the “cream of the crop”. Having your paintings displayed in an art gallery is a dream come true for a new artist. This will allow you to meet other artists and enthusiasts that can give you feedbacks and can even help you expand your client lists. To have your work displayed in an established gallery helps establish class and reputation of your precious artwork.
Creating and selling art reproductions will always have its pros and cons. Be ready for critics who will scrutinize your work but don’t let negative word get in the way. Remember that it’s all part of being a budding artist.

How to Clean your Paint Brushes

Canvas-textureAside from canvas, one of an artist’s most important tools is his/her paintbrush. Your paintbrushes are your investment and you have to take good care of them so you can use them for a long time and you get your money’s worth. It’s a waste of money if you just leave your brushes after painting and they end up worn and unusable next time you paint. If you clean your brushes and store them properly, you can lengthen the lifespan of your brushes.

After painting, it’s wise to clean your brushes and store them well. Here are steps on how you can clean your paint brushes.

1. Prepare the things you need. Get your paint thinner, turpentine, or mineral spirits, a small container, and some old newspapers or tissue.

2. Wipe off excess paint from your brush using the newspaper or tissue. Gently squeeze the bristles from the ferrule (metal part of the brush) to the tips. Keep squeezing the brush but not too hard as to pull on the bristles.

3. In a small container, put some thinner, enough to dip in your brush. Rinse the brush to loosen more paint. You can use lukewarm water if you used a water-based medium in your painting. Important: Don’t use hot water since it can expand the ferrule which causes the bristles to fall out.

4. Wipe off excess paint with more newspaper. Squeeze off the thinner from the brush.

5. Wash the brush using a mild soap (liquid soap can also be used). Put soap on the brush and gently create a lather in a container or your palm. Let the soap penetrate the bristles to loosen more paint. Use disposable gloves if you’re concerned about possible absorption of Cadmium into your skin.

6. Rinse and repeat until there’s no trace of coloring coming out of the brush.

7. Shake off excess water and use the newspaper to get most of the water out of the brush.

8. Gently re-shape your brush head to its correct shape using your fingers.

9. Leave the brush to dry at room temperature and store it bristles-up in a jar.

Important:

  • Clean your brushes immediately after painting.
  • Don’t leave your brushes soaking in thinner since it will weaken the glue holding the bristles together.
  • Be patient when cleaning your brushes. Rinse it several times to get off the paint.
  • Use separate brushes for oil painting and water-based mediums.

Image source: About.com

Why Buy Canvas Art Supplies in Bulk?

shipping-blank-canvasesAs a struggling artist, you are always in the lookout on how to get canvas art supplies at less costs but without sacrificing quality of the items. One advice that you can consider is buying in bulk. Carefully choose which art supplies you want to buy in bulk to avoid having too much of an item which would just collect dust in your studio. You may be put off by the upfront cost but here are the advantages of buying wholesale:

1. Less cost per unit. Bulk buying is economical in the long run. If you compute the price of an item bought in wholesale, you will see that it is cheaper than when you buy the same item per piece. Bulk buying means you are not paying for each item’s individual packaging, labels, advertising, etc. This savings adds up money to your wallet and you can get cheaper deals when buying in bulk.

2. Environmentally-friendly. In line with number 1, bulk items lessen the impact on the environment. Manufacturing every piece of art supply takes enormous energy and resources, from packaging to storing. The Environmental Protection Agency revealed that we generate about 80 million tons of waste every year. All the boxes, containers, and cans which we throw end up in landfills, and you can help Mother Nature by buying in bulk since you reduce waste from getting to these landfills.

3. Save time. Bulk buying also means fewer trips to the art store. It can be annoying when inspiration strikes but you can’t start painting because you don’t have all the supplies you need in your studio. You’ll have most of what you need at hand so you not only save your time, you also save gas money and wear on your car. Instead of spending your time in the store, you spend it in engaging in your artistic and creative pursuits.

Tips for buying in bulk:

  • Organize your inventory. List the art supplies which you frequently use (canvas, paints, turpentine, etc.). You can also use this task to free some space in your studio for the items which you will be buying in bulk.
  • Check out art supply stores about their wholesale policies. Inspect the items which you can buy in bulk and see at which store you can get the most savings.
  • If your local art store offers a membership card since you’re buying in wholesale, you might want to consider getting one. This card can give you future discounts and incentives.

Tips for Building a Successful Online Artist Profile

writer

When it comes to building an online business, artists should include in their priorities writing a quality profile. It may seem not as important as creating your canvas art, but if you want to increase your success rate selling your pieces online, then you have to spend some time drafting your profile.

Here are some tips on how to build an impressive online profile:

Tip 1 – Create an engaging profile. Write about some interesting details about your life, focusing on how you were led to the painting business. Tell why you paint, how do you use your paintings as an expression, and write in the first person narrative (I, we, my). If your site visitors can connect with you on a personal level, they are more likely to purchase your art than those who don’t have that kind of connection.

Tip 2 – Edit your profile. Don’t write a long, complicated profile. Read it to a friend first and if he loses interests after awhile, then you’ll know you’ve written a lengthy one. Ask for your close family and friends what they think about your profile and consider their comments.

Tip 3 – Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. There are websites such as SpellCheck.net which you can use to check these things. Don’t post your profile until you’re sure it’s free from errors. It shows that you care about the littlest details and are serious about your business.

Tip 4 – Use effective keywords in your content. Keywords are important in getting high rankings in search engines such as Google and Yahoo! Using the right keywords will help people find you across the web. Include top keywords which attract people who you want to buy your art works. These will drive qualified traffic to your website. The more popular the keyword, the more traffic it will bring you.

marshall_kerry_james
International renown artist, Kerry James Marshall

Tip 5 – Include your best photo as your profile image.  Use a good photo of yourself.  People are visual creatures, especially in the online world. We want to see the person behind a blog or website. Seeing your profile picture lets other people know that you really exist and they will be more comfortable communicating with you if they have a picture in their mind of how you look like. It’s difficult to connect with someone whom you don’t know how he/she looks like. Eventually, you will have the occasion to meet your clients, so they should connect your profile photo with you in person.

Image source: http://mileswmathis.com/ and http://newsgrist.typepad.com/

Shipping Canvas Arts

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Shipping your canvas art may be a bit tricky. You have to deal about your work’s safety, security, packaging, etc. If it’s your first time to deliver a piece to a gallery or your customer, here is a list of shipping companies offering several services in packing, transporting, and even storing art pieces. Not all carriers are listed but this list should give you an idea where to start.

Artex Inc. Artex is one of the country’s largest fine art service provider. Founded in 1990, the company employs museum-trained professionals and specialists to provide a comprehensive range of services in art shipment. Artex has offices in Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, and Los Angeles.

Artworks San Diego. Artworks San Diego offers a full range of high quality art handling services. Art specialists are trained to safeguard art pieces and they have contingency plans for almost any problems that may come up while transporting the items.

Atelier 4. Atelier 4 has 20 years in the art shipping industry. Its flagship operation was established in 1989. Atelier 4 manages a 65,000 sq.ft. secure facility with climate controlled storage rooms for individual pieces or entire collections.

Atthowe Fine Art Services. Atthowe Fine Art Services is a third-generation business operating its facilities in Oakland, California. It has custom-designed warehouses which are temperature and humidity controlled. It provides services mainly in California and the western states.

Cookes Crating Inc. Cookes Crating is one of the country’s oldest and most trusted fine arts shipping company. It specializes in crating, shipping, installing, and storing fine art. It serves the art shipment needs of museums, galleries, and collectors for more than 35 years.

Crown Fine Art. Crown Fine Art specializes in the transportation, installation, and preservation of art works. It provides services to museums, art galleries, collectors, and auction houses. The company operates several offices including in the US, UK, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, and the Middle East.

Dietl International. Dietl International offers world-class international logistics solutions for complex shipping situations, including shipping museum-quality art works. Merging with Rock-it Cargo USA, LLC in 2008 strengthened its position in the logistics industry, acquiring additional resources such as in-house Carnet service, additional air and ocean routes, and specialized equipment.

Nippon Express. Nippon Express has transported the world’s most priceless masterpieces including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. The company has professionals in handling, packaging, and transporting these priceless items.

Racine Berkow Associates. Racine Berkow Associates is a global freight forwarder specializing in fine art transport and handling services. It provides services to museums, art galleries, and private collectors. RBA has offices in New York and Washington D.C.

Stebich Ridder International, Inc. Steibich Ridder is headquartered in New York City, co-founded by fine art handling expert Oliver Stebich, and industry veteran Katrin Ridder. The company utilizes the latest technologies and state-of-the-art handling solutions.

Image source: www.crownfineart.com

How to Handle Criticism of Your Art

nytimesinstallationpic-500x225

“When art critics get together they talk about Form and Structure and Meaning. When artists get together they talk about where you can buy cheap turpentine.”

― Pablo Picasso

Creating canvas art opens your world to others. Your work reflects how you feel, what moves you, what inspires you, what experiences you hold dear or not, and more. It’s opening up yourself to the world, and you should be prepared what the world will give back to you.

In the art world, people will say all kinds of things about your work. Some are great, some not so. Especially now that everything’s online, some anonymous person could just give negative criticism to your masterpieces and it can be annoying. These criticisms may even dampen your spirits in continuing your art. But, it shouldn’t be so.

Here are some ideas on how to handle your critics:

1. Don’t react right away. If someone criticizes your artwork, your automatic response would be to attack back. You get angry, defensive, or disturbed when you get criticism and you’ll have the urge to reply instantly. Don’t. Take a few (or more) deep breaths  and read again the comment (if the criticism is done online), or cool down first before saying your reply in person.

2. Ask some questions first. Questions like, Who is this critic? Do you know them? Are they qualified to judge your work? Are they potential buyers? Are they esteemed members of the art community? Or, are they just blabbermouths? See who are criticizing your art and get a little perspective on how they came about the criticism. Even if your critic is not qualified to judge your work, you  still have to consider what they say. If one of your goals is to get wider exposure, then selecting just a few “qualified” critics will not help you reach that goal.

3. Remember that criticism is not always about you. Keeping this in mind will help you become level-headed whenever someone criticizes your art. There are feedbacks which may even help you become better at your craft, so don’t get defensive right away. You can just think that your critic is having a bad day that’s why he overreacted in his comment to your art.

4. Think about the bigger picture. Don’t snap back every single time someone contradicts your work. Get something positive from this negative. Listen to these criticisms and over time, you will figure out a general response of the public to your art. You will see similarities on how people take your art and you’ll learn how to present yourself and your art to everyone’s advantage.

5. The real question to ask is what YOU think about your art. At the end of the day, it’s your work so the criticism worth listening to is yours. What really count are your determination, creativity, and commitment to your art.

Image source: http://hragvartanian.com/

How to Sell your Canvas Art on Consignment

Gorgeous painted pieces aren't the only things canvas is used for.

Artists can sell canvas art on consignment. You may have thought of consigning art but are not clear as to what goes in and out of this arrangement.

Consignment is defined as “an arrangement whereby goods are left in the possession of another party to sell. Typically, the consignor receives a percentage of the sale (sometimes a very large percentage).”

When consigning art, you provide your canvas art to a gallery or shop. When the item sells, you get a portion of the retail price and the  rest goes to the consignment venue. Usually, a 30/70 split is agreed upon, where the artist gets 70% of the sale price of the artwork. You can agree to make the split higher, but not higher than a 50/50 split.

The main advantage of consigning art is you can make more profit from it compared to selling it completely. When you sell your art on consignment with a dealer, you can get around 60-70% of the retail price and even as much as 80% or more if there is high demand for your work.

The drawback of consignment is you make money only when your piece sells. Also, the consignment venue is not pressured to sell your work since they didn’t have any investment in it that they need to recoup.

Things to Consider:

Consignment Venue

  • Choose a trustworthy consignment venue which has a good chance of selling your art. Avoid consigning to a venue which will just use your art as free decoration with no intention of selling it.
  • The gallery must have good lighting to emphasize your work.
  • Location is key. Shops along tourist districts can have a better chance of promoting your work to more people.

Consignment Agreement
Here are important details to include in your contract:

  • The consignment commission percentage. Be specific and list the portion which you and the gallery will get.
  • Contact details of both parties.
  • Term of the contract. Specify when you will drop-off the piece to the gallery and when you need to pick it up if it doesn’t sell. It is normal to get the artwork if doesn’t sell within 6 months to a year.
  • The retail price of the piece. Make sure that your paintings are offered at a fair price. It should at least cover all your expenses (e.g. art supplies, rent of studio, etc.).
  • Terms of payment. Define when and how you will receive your payment once the piece is sold. Usually, the artist receives payment within 30 days after the purchase of artwork. Identify whether you want to receive cash, cheque, via PayPal, or bank transfer.
  • Insurance requirements. Either or both you and the consignment venue should have insurance for the items. In case of fire, flood, or any disaster, your artwork will be safeguarded by insurance.

Tip: If you are consigning several items, create a master list of every item that you will leave at the gallery, including its prices.

If you’re not a “sales” person, consignment might work for you. In consigning art, you let other people to promote your artwork and you get your money when it’s sold. It may be time consuming at first, especially if you consign to several shops, but after to drop-off your artworks, you can continue creating more paintings.

Choosing the Right Canvas Size for your Painting

untitled-1937-4_Pablo-Picasso
Untitled 1937 4 By Pablo Picasso

“The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.”
– Pablo Picasso

Local art suppliers offer a wide range of sizes for canvases. This may intimidate amateur artists and overwhelm them with the variety of choices in a store. You can paint on any size of canvas but you need to know the canvas sizes available. One advantage of using standard canvas size is that its frame is readily available in a store. You don’t have to pay extra to get a custom-sized frame.

To be able to select the perfect canvas size for your painting, here are some information about canvas sizes. Artists use the height x width measurements when specifying the dimensions of a canvas or frame.

Here are the common canvas sizes (in inches):
Small sizes
5 x 7
8 x1 0
9 x 12
11 x 14
12 x 16

Middle sizes
16 x 20
18 x2 4
20 x2 4

Large sizes
24 x 30
24 x 36
30 x 40

If you’re just starting to paint, try using the 18 x 24 canvas size. It has the right size and proportion for a beginner. Experienced artists may opt to use the 30 x 40 size since it is large enough for a professional painting.

Landscape painter Stapleton Kearns suggests using six stock sizes when painting. You can choose two sizes from each category and you can buy premade frames from your art retailer. It’s easy to purchase and store these frames in your home so whenever you’ve finished with a painting, a frame is readily available for it.

If you want to use a different size of canvas, custom-sized canvas is also available. There is no stopping you from creating your art beyond the limits of standard canvas sizes. Your art supplier can provide you the canvas you need based on your requirements.

Aside from standard size canvases, CanvasLot provides custom-built and hand-stretched canvas at an affordable cost. If you need a huge canvas, whatever your specific needs, they can provide it. A custom-made canvas does not need to cost you an arm and leg. Many art students and children buy their art supplies from CanvasLot since they offer an excellent range of products at a discount.

Image source: Picasso Paintings