In the studio

I love seeing inside artist studios. I think it reveals so much about the personality of the artist, which is then reflected in the work they create. It also gives a peek into the process the artist uses as well. How cool is that?

So I was thrilled when I fell upon this link via Twitter this morning! The Huffington Post has two articles sharing artists' palettes and their work - one showcasing New York and one highlighting California.



I thought I would jump on the bandwagon, and share my own palette! I paint with acrylic and LOVE lots of color. I use a cut piece of plexiglass for the palette itself, and always keep old towels nearby. My water dish is a bit gamey, but has served me well all of these years.

So what does your palette look like?

Of routines and treasuries

if i could say it in words there would be no reason to paint... - etsy treasury

click to see the rest of the treasury


Yay - I've been included in two treasuries today! I've been working overtime to connect more thoroughly with other artists online, and feel like this is a first sign of success.

In that light, I'm really trying to hash out an art routine that fits into the rest of my life. This is turning out to be a lot more complicated than it sounds. How many hours a day do I spend on painting? How many do I spend on the business side? I tend to go feast or famine (currently in the overdoing it stage), but I really want some kind of middle road so that I don't burn out over time and neglect my other responsibilities.

I've been goaling to paint 2 hours a day, but have been working closer to 5 hours a day. Of course, I'm spending another 5 hours working on my blog, twitter, networking with other artists, prepping prints, and a whole lot more.

This makes me hugely curious about the habits of other artists. How much time do others spend creating versus building the business?


Longing for Ocean - etsy treasury

click to see the rest of the treasury

Shipping & Handling

I recently sold a large 36" x 48" painting and thought I would document my packing process for shipping!

 

Here you can see how we first layered parchment paper over the entire painting. We attached them together with staples using hospital corners, so that nothing was actually affixed to the painting itself. (you can see the note I tied to the stretcher bar, for the new owner) I like parchment paper best because there is no worry about wax or paper residue accidentally sticking to the painting. I just need to find a cheap source for larger sheets!

 

We then layered the front and the back of the painting with a flat sheet of corrugated cardboard. Another layer used blueboard insulation. Its light, cheap, and very sturdy - its also used as modeling base for model railroad builders and ball joint doll makers!

 

We taped those three layers together with regular box tape and then cut up an unbroken box, and used its corners to protect the entire new bundle. Corners can be the most vulnerable part of a painting in transit.

 

We procured a very large mirror box from Pier 1, and placed the whole bundle into it, stuffing large quantities of crumpled newspaper around it. I'm sure we could have used lighter packing material, but this was what we had on hand that day - and it was free! (I painted out the printed info on the box, to minimize any shipping confusion)

We then dropped it off with Fed Ex Ground and sent it on its way. I'm glad to report that it arrived safe and sound. :)

If anyone wants to chime in with their packing tips and tricks, I'd love to hear them!

Failed project

I had been feverishly working on my entry to the Forbes Fabergé-Style Egg Contest. I was really liking the direction it was going, which looks soooo amazing in person. (I really need to learn how to take better photos!)

I had planned to line the inside with fabric, and the bottom half was going to hold a butterfly perched on a flower - both dipped in resin.




I found out about the contest late, however, so I was working right up until the deadline. Unfortunately, my epoxy resin coating the egg itself never totally cured, leaving it sticky and impossible to work with thereafter. My egg entry was ruined, and would need to be tossed. With no time to make another, I was devastated!

I've had my fair share of mishaps in my art career, but for some reason this loss hit me particularly hard. :( I had been so excited about getting this egg into the contest! I really thought I had something unique to offer.



I'll probably make another go at it again at a later date. I was too happy with it to dump it completely. I have other projects with approaching deadlines, however, so I'm going to focus my energies there for a while.

In the light of friends

I went to visit a local friend and artist today. (Patience) It was so nice to just sit and chat about our lives, to catch up on our art careers, and to talk about the world at large. We travel in several of the same art circles online - so its easy to talk, without having to explain everything. What a joy.

I love having my online communities, but boy, I sure do wish I could sit, have some coffee, and really relate face to face. You just can't replace the energy that goes on in person.

One of the things I was able to share with Patience was my success with my brand-spanking-new lightbox! I had been saving for a professional light tent for a while, when I stumbled across some instructions online for a stupidly cheap DIY version! I made it yesterday, in time to photograph my matchboxes, and BOY what a difference it made.

I had fun playing around with the box, arranging little still lifes with some of my favorite collection. I just love teeny boxes and pottery!!



So in the near future, I'll be heading over to help take pictures of her wonderful papier mache creations, that really need good lighting to fully appreciate. I'll be sure to share some of them when we get them done!

Stamp paintings

Im happily in the process of making my stamp paintings! You can see the stamps I made, in the back there - two birds, pussy willows, and a grass blade. I even carve them so that I can use both sides.

These paintings already have 4 or 5 background layers done, and most have 6 or 7 layers of stamping done as well.



I actually paint directly on my stamp with acrylics. I try to get that perfect balance of "not too much" and "not too little" paint. :)



Then push down on the canvas, making sure all the edges and middle parts get solid contact. I'll stamp over with several other colors, until I get it just right.



Once the right mix is achieved, we have a completed painting ready for etsy!! (will throw it up there tomorrow)

Studio time

So witht he reconstruction on my room, I'm giving it a whole new look. I've painted the walls a light shade of green very similar to the greens on this site! I'm just loving it, and I want to keep some continuity with all of my storage boxes.

I buy them on sale, so they are a hodge podge of colors right now. I've been getting some scrapbook papers at a discount as well, and I'm decopaging them onto the boxes for a seamless look.



It'll take a while, but I'm excited about it. After I finish the boxes, I'll work on the shelves and then some curtains and a new bedspread. Its so nice to have a room that really reflects me!