Big Life Image: Jester at the throne of the Rose Queen

Big Life Image: Jester at the throne of the Rose Queen

New site/blog

I have just started a new wordpress website, which will a how-to sitefor artists, so that people who are going from just being a recreational artist to actually making a business out of it (like me) can find out how to do so. Here's the new site, please check it out: www.theartcollaboration.com

I will be transferring a lot of what I've written from this blog to the new site, but it will be in a much more organized and easy to use fashion.

How to Ship Prints

Shipping prints can be a pain. I've had to go through some trial and error in this recently, so I thought I'd just write out what I've learned so far. Keep in mind that shipping original paintings is quite different, and I myself haven't even figured out the best way to do this, so that will be covered in a different blog post.

Shipping 8x10 prints (or smaller) is really easy, you just sandwich it securly in between two pieces of cardboard, stick it in a cardboard envelope and mail it off.

Larger prints are more difficult. Here's what I've learned:

1. You'll need to ship it in a cardboard tube, which you can get from the post office, a shipping store or even art stores usually. There are all different sizes so you need to get the size that will fit your print, in length and circumfrence.

Tube from USPS:

2. Then you'll want some brown packing paper, and you will roll your print up in the paper, and tape the roll so it doesn't come undone. You want the roll to be smaller than your tube, so the recipient can just slide it right out and the print does not get damaged.

3. I would then recommend taping a piece of paper right on the packing paper with your address and the recipient's address, just in case it happens to fall out.

4. Put your rolled up print inside the tube and tape it shut very well.

5. Then you just address it as usual and take it off to the post office or UPS for shipping.

Ready to be shipped:

5 Main Problems of an Artist: Getting Prints Made

At the beginning of this blog I went over 5 main problems I had encountered as an artist that I wanted to go over at various points in my blog. These are mainly situations regarding selling and marketing your art. In case you haven't been with me the whole time, here they are again:

Problem #1: How do you get prints made of your art?

Problem #2: How to get a good website without paying a couple month's salary for it.

Problem #3: How to really promote yourself and make your work known.

Problem #4: How to get your art in galleries, have art shows, and have your art displayed.

Problem #5. How to actually make money from your art and hopefully transition it into a full time job (if that's what you want). I figure this one will hopefully fall into place after I figure out the first 4.

Today we will delve specifically into Problem #1: How do you get prints made of your art?

When I was first conquering this problem, I did what I always do; I googled it. This came up with all sorts of stuff! Apparently there are many different kinds of art prints, including regular photographic prints, including limited edition prints, and then gliclees, which are basically an art print on a canvas, so it should really look like the original painting.

Anyway, long story short, I really just wanted some copies of my art work to sell, without going broke. I didn't need anything complicated or too fancy. Finally I got a referral from a friend for a good local printer (Chrome Digital). I looked up their website, called them, and found their prices were quite reasonable. So I've been taking my art to them for about 1 1/2 years now. They create perfect quality digital images of my art, and then amazing prints.

Some examples of the digital images from Chrome:

Then it comes to another important point, how do you ship prints? I have been going through a bit of trial and error on this recently, so I thought I would pass on what I've learned, but that is a whole story in itself so you'll have to look at the next blog post for this information.

Thanks for reading!

Multi-Panel Paintings

I have gotten back into doing multi-paneled paintings, and I'm lovin it! The one above is acrylic on six 4x4 canvas panels (making a total of 8x12 inches). I don't know why, but sometimes paintings are so much more fun when they are done on multiple panels.

Next I will be working on a much larger one, which will be on three 12x30 panels (the total painting will be 36x30). It will be space themed (possibly the Milky Way...) and I expect to have it completed in the next two weeks, so I will be posting more pictures.

Now I just have to figure out what is the best way to hang these. If anyone has any ideas, let me know. I will post it once I've figured it out.

Making Large Pieces of Art

I'm working on my largest painting yet! I have to say, this is a lot more difficult than painting on a smaller canvas or piece of wood.

To start with, I was worried about getting an even background color, because with a canvas that size (48x24) you obviously can't just use a regular paint brush. So I got a paint roller, just like the one's you use to paint your wall. I mixed the color I wanted for the background, then just rolled on the paint. This was a very fast method and it only took me a minute or two to evenly paint the whole background.

The only thing is if you want the background to be smooth, this method will not work because you end up with the tiny bumps, just like when you're painting a wall. Luckily I didn't need my background to be smooth.

I should also make note that I'm doing this painting with acrylic paint, because I need it to dry quickly. I would have loved to do it with oil, in which case I would have probably painted the background with a regular, large horsehair paintbrush, but due to the fact that I have no space to allow that to dry for a week or so, I went with acrylic.

Now I'm sketching my main subject for the painting, before I start to paint her on the canvas. Above is one of my sketches.

I plan to have this picture completed by my June 4th art show, and I will post regular updates as the picture comes along. It will be a mixed media painting, with acrylic.

Custom Collage Paintings

This is a custom collage painting I just finished for a co-worker, DB.

I have also done these for my sister, MM and several other friends (see my sister's below):

These are great keepsakes and presents for birthdays, anniversaries, mother's and father's day, and other holidays. For more examples, check out www.MEartist.com. Pricing is currently as follows:

$100 for a 12x12 custom collage painting

$140 for a 16x16 custom collage painting

$175 for a 20x20 custom collage painting

For pricing for larger sizes, please contact me through my website at MEartist.com.