Blondheim Art Original Landscape Painting

18x24 inches
oil on canvas
silver frame
1500.00

Purchase: HERE





Painters Tip



Saving a Painting


Sometimes we just start out badly in a painting. It is often because we are rushing to get to the detail part when we can make it pretty.

There are some common mistakes that I see over and over again at my workshops. First, the student applies too much paint to the surface before he/she should, making it thick and unmanageable very early in the process. Another big problem is over blending, particularly for oil painters. Dabbing the paint rather than laying on clean strokes is another common problem.

If you have a problem area in the painting,applying more paint will not help. You must carefully remove the paint from the area and start again. Take a rag, paper towel, palette knife or Q-tips and wipe it down to the bare surface of the canvas in the offending area. Then you have a second chance to repair the offending part. The paint must have a surface to hold to.

More on fixing tomorrow......

Blondheim Art Oil Painting Paynes Prairie State Park

8x10 inches
oil on panel
silver frame
500.00
Purchase: HERE




Painters Tip


Painting Workshops Continued


One of the things you should do is to actually follow through on assignments. I like to assign students to buy a journal before my workshops and begin writing in them about two weeks before we start. I want them to get into the habit of recording thoughts and ideas for paintings, questions they may have for me, thumbnail sketches, color mixing swatches, notes about products and equipment they use or want, etc. etc. I taught a recent workshop where 2 out of the 17 attendees brought a journal and actually recorded anything in it. This is typical for painters who attend workshops.


I also send home a notebook full of information about paintings and exercises which will help them improve on their own time. I can only imagine that several of the notebooks are never used again after the workshops.


In order for you to fully take advantage of the workshop experience, and soak in everything the instuctor has to offer, you must go into it fully prepared to complete assignments. If you do not fully engage in the process, you will miss most of the learning experience. Be diligent and disciplined in your approach to learning.

Blondheim Art Original Plein Air Landscape Painting

8x10 inches
oil on linen panel
silver frame
500.00

Purchase: HERE




Painters Tip


I just got home from a workshop weekend. I absolutely love teaching workshops. The interaction with students is fantastic, and seeing fresh new work is so exciting. Here are some observations for those of you who want to have the outdoor workshop experience.

Pack only what you really need. Painting is hard work and moving from location to location is more difficult if you are not organized with equipment. If you do not have a file cart on wheels, get one from one of the Office supply stores. They are essentially a box on wheels with a collapsible handle.

If you do not have a portable drying box, slotted for panels or canvas, get yourself some pizza boxes in various sizes. They work great.

Be sure that you have appropriate clothing that is comfortable and easy to take off for warmer weather. Your shoes should be very comfortable because you may be standing for hours.

You will need to have spring clamps to hold your canvas onto the easel in wind. You will need a heavy weight to bungie to your easel.


More about outdoor workshops tomorrow......

Blondheim Art Original Floral Acrylic Painting

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 shipping included

Purchase: HERE




Painter's Journal


I will be away for two days, 1/27/07 - 1/28/07, to teach a Workshop here in North Florida. It is going to be great fun and there are painters coming from Alabama, Georgia and Florida. It is always wonderful to meet painters I don't know. I will return with my regular postings on Monday 1/29/07.

My annual studio sale is in progress at EBAY Just type in Blondheim Art to see the sale paintings.

All of the paintings start at 4.99 with no reserve and free shipping. They are all plein air studies and original. I hope you will enjoy the sale.





Painters Tip


Consider your strengths and weaknesses


analyzing your work a bit may help your progress. Pay attention to comments others make to you or others about your paintings. It won't take long to figure out your strengths. Viewers will give them to you over a period of time. Mark the comments down and think about them. You will see your strengths emerge. For myself, the comments I get most often are , luscious color, composition, and beautiful light and contrast. Those are strengths for me and I utilize them in my work, focusing on those strengths. I can deduce these as my strengths because those are the comments I get over and over again.

Weaknesses are more difficult to discern because most people won't say your art sucks!! However, If you begin to look at art that you like and compare it to your own, you will quickly start to see your own shortcomings. I know that my perspective is poor, though I practice it often. It is jut a flaw in my work or a weakness. I also do tonal work poorly, though I admire the tonalists greatly. My tonal work often looks dull and dead.

After you do a bit of analysis you will know which areas you need to practice and improve. Don't avoid them. Instead, practice them all the time. There are few perfect painters. Some are certainly more talented than the rest of us but we all have some sort of flaw in our work which we have only to discover and work on improving.

Blondheim Art Original Oil Landscape Painting Palms

8x10 inches
oil on panel
silver frame
500.00

purchase: HERE




Painters Tip


Evolving In Our Process


I believe that painters who are open to new ideas, will evolve in their painting process. I started out as a drawing major in art school and did many years of painstaking, photorealism drawings. I became bored with the process and progressed to fresh new drawing experiments, which were less fomulaic. I painted some large abstracts in art school which were quite bad of course. About 15 years ago, I did a period of very loose pastel paintings for a couple of years. They were primitive, primary colors, mostly palms, and I still run into people who wish I was still working that way. I then began playing around with oil landscapes, and became a plein air painter about 13 years ago. I did that exclusively for about three years. I was very much into the whole phenomenon of being a "plein Air snob". After a time, I felt the alla prima method of working lacked finesse and refinement. It is great for studies but I really felt that I could be a better painter by doing multiple sessions on location with drying time in between and eventually realized that studio work was wonderful too. By using location work and studio work, I have the best of both worlds. My style has refined itself too over the years, though it is still unmistakably mine.


I give you this history to point out that a good painter evolves through stages and processes throughout their career. That does not mean that they go willy nilly from one style or medium to the next, with no rhyme or reason. Many of the stages go on for a number of years, gradually evolving from one to the next. Sometimes they are so gradual that the artist never notices, but makes the discovery when seeing older work in someone's home.


Developing style takes years of work and some maturity. What you are doing as an emerging artist may not be what you will do in ten years. Even if you are doing the same medium and subject ten years from now, the work must grow and mature with effort and time.

Blondheim Art Original Acrylic Floral Painting Daffodils

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping

purchase: HERE





Painters Tip




If you are serious about realistic painting and want to learn a lot of technical information, recipes, and mediums, you should bookmark www.studioproducts.com HERE


There are lots of art forums online and most of them are geared toward beginning through intermediate painters, but the Cennini Forum at Studio Products is for advanced painters or those who wish to reach that pinnacle.


I don't work for the company and they are not my sponsors, so I get nothing from promoting them, but their products are first class. I learn a lot by reading their forum and studying their recipes. You will too.

Blondheim Art Original Acrylic Floral Painting

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed 115.00 shipping included
Purchase: HERE





Painters Tip


Protect Yourself


For those of you who are thinking about opening your studio to visitors or teaching classes, you must protect yourself against liabilities,theft,and lawsuits.



Check into getting studio insurance and public liability insurance. To me it is a necessary evil to write that check every year. I have clients and students in and out of my studio all the time. There is always the possibility of injury or theft. A fall or broken bone can cost thousands of dollars.



Do not assume your homeowner's or renter's insurance will cover you because when you run a business as an artist, it won't. If you do not have an open studio where friends, clients, or students come, then you will not need the liability insurance, but you will need protection against theft.


If you have people coming in and out, be sure that you take precautions around the studio with chemicals, flooring, steps, lighting, to protect yourself and others from harm.


I do not encourage visitors to bring their small children to my studio because it is not child proofed. I do not teach children so it's not a great idea to have them hanging around where oil paints and solvents are sitting out on tables. If you teach children's classes, you will need to be very careful about what is around the studio. Believe me, if they can get into it, they will.



If you have hard floors, use restaurant rubber mats, not rugs on the floor. Rugs are easily tripped over. Keep debris picked up, the trash emptied and objects put away. Keep walking paths clear of sharp or breakable objects. A neat studio is easier to manage with people coming in and out, and safer.

Blondheim Art original Floral Landscape Acrylic

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00
Purchase: Here






Painters Tip


Signing Your Work


Back in the day when I was starting out, I had a huge sprawling signature on my paintings. One of my dealers was kind enough to chastise me about the signature. People weren't purchasing my work because of the gaudy signature on it, not because they disliked my paintings.



I decided to do some unscientific polling on preferences. I talked with artists who were pro, dealers, and a few museum people I knew, as well as art patrons. They all agreed that a signature on the actual painting was very important, with real paint, not markers or stamps. They did not like large signatures and preferred the last name only. Not lots of initials, multiple names or worse cute names like art by Suzie, or first names only. They also disliked a lot of scrolly writing with angles tilts and flourishes. They preferred cursive rather than block printing.


Now I try to keep it simple with my last name only, not large enough to be annoying. I pick the left or right bottom corner, in space that is not too busy in the painting; high enough so that the frame rabbit does not cover the signature. I try to select a paint color which is harmonious or at least neutral.


I use a very small signature brush, making the paint very thin, like ink, but not thin enough to run. I sign the painting when it is tacky enough not to have the signature disappear into the paint below. Practicing writing a clean cursive signature should be done on scrap panels until you get it right.


I never date my paintings unless a client asks me to. I write the date on the back if requested, along with any pertinent information such as historical locations.

Blondheim Art Original Landscape Oil Painting

12x16 inches
oil on panel
silver frame
800.00

Purchase Here
Painters Tip


What interests you?


I am always baffled by artist who say they have trouble thinking of what to paint. I can't imagine running out of interesting things myself. I have a huge library of reference photos, some of places I travel and some of parts and pieces of subjects which I want to study in detail. I also have shelves high in my studio which hold lots of old crockery, toys, and generally weird things to pull down and set up in still life arrangements.

If you enjoy cooking, the produce section of a supermarket or a cooking shop will send you into orbit with color and texture.

If you love flowers, go to a botanical garden or plant nursery with easel or camera in hand.

If you love portraiture or figure work, there is always a group who shares models around, usually for 5.00-10.00 a session.

Your studio and art supplies alone make interesting subjects on a cold rainy day.

If you are a landscape nut like me, get to know the farmers and ranchers in your part of the world. Most of them will be happy to allow you to photograph or paint on their lands.


Paint what you are interested in and you will always be inspired. Don't try to hitch your wagon to what is popular if you have no interest in the subject or style. You will do inferior work because your heart isn't in it. Paint what you love and it will show in your work. You are unique as an artist, so there is no need to copy anyone else.

Blondheim Art Original Acrylic Floral Painting Snapdragons

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping
Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com





Painters Tip



Donating Art to Charities

I donate about 15 paintings a year to various worthy causes in my north central Florida area. There is little to be gained from donating work other than the ability to help others with your talent and skill. In the 20 years I have been donating, not one direct sale has been produced. I do it because I am a giver and for no other reason. I don't doubt that it makes people feel positive about me as an artist, but it does not produce clients or sales for me directly. I'm sure there are exceptions. Other artists may have ha better luck than I.



I have a browse bin in my studio where I put older paintings and paintings of lower value. I allow organizations to choose work from that bin. I insist that they come out to my studio to choose a painting from the bin. I do not deliver donated work. By forcing them to come to the studio, they are exposed to my better work which is hanging and framed. I have made sales this way to the people who pick up the donations.


I also insist on receipts from the organization, and the name and address from the purchaser to add to my mailing list. Organizations often send me tickets to their fundraising events. I never use the tickets myself. Instead, I send them to loyal clients as a little surprise gift. They greatly appreciate my gesture, which creates good will.


I always make sure that my business cards and brochures are available at the fundraiser.


Recently, in this area some of the organizations are giving the artists a wholesale fee and taking their money from any bids higher than the wholesale price set by artists. That is a very nice way to do art auctions and everyone wins, including the artists.


Make the most of your donations by utilizing them in your marketing. I have the charities I support on my web site. If you are a generous person, don't be afraid to show it to others.


My advice is to go into donations with a spirit of generosity, expecting little in return but the satisfaction of knowing you are helping others in need. Pick and choose organizations whom you feel are deserving and stick with local or regional organizations.

Blondheim Art Original Oil Landscape Wekiva River

14x18 inches
oil on birch panel
silver frame
1000.00+50.00 shipping

Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com




Painters Tip


Juried Exhibitions continued....


Commitment and follow through


If you are going to take the time, expense and trouble of entering a juried competition you need to do it right. Set aside the painting(s) which have been accepted and get them framed, labeled with appropriate information on the back, wired for hanging, and wrapped for protection. Make an inventory list and get all needed paperwork together in an envelope. Do not put said paintings out into galleries or market them until the show is over.

Why do I write this? :>)

A few years ago, dumb me sold a painting which was supposed to go into a show. I put it out in a gallery a few months before a juried exhibition, forgetting that I had entered that particular painting. By the time I got the notice that my painting was included, it had been sold. That was foolish and unprofessional of me. I learned my lesson. I know artists who have entered juried shows and then found that it was inconvenient to deliver and follow through. They just don't bother to show up with the work.

All of these stupid moves give artists a bad reputation. We all make mistakes but to deliberately blow off an exhibition is unforgivable.

Be as professional as possible in your art business and learn from others' mistakes.

Blondheim Art original acrylic landscape painting Palms

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping

Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com




Painters Tip


More on Juried Exhibitions.....


You have decided what your motivation is for entering. You have done your homework on the judge and the cost of shipping the paintings to and from the location, if applicable. Now you must read the brochure from cover to cover at least twice, highlighting the important information.


Why do I write this?


Once a few years ago, I entered a top regional show, coveted by all, and was accepted. I was so smug and proud of myself. My hubris knew no bounds until I realized that the painting I had submitted was two inches larger than their size restriction allowed. I was horrified. I called the director, begged and pleaded, even offered to send a substitute painting. Of course they said NO. My lack of attention to detail cost me a fine exhibit for my resume and possible prize money.

You must follow the directions to the letter if you are to commit to the exhibition.


More on juried exhibitions tomorrow.....

Blondheim Art Original acrylic landscape painting

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping
Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com




Painters Tip


Juried Exhibitions



I don't do many juried exhibitions these days, preferring to do invitational exhibitions instead. There were many years that I did do juried exhibits. Why should an artist do them?


Resume Building-It is a good way to fill out your resume, especially if you are an emerging artist.


Exposure- If you are interested in moving into a market where you are not known, some folks will see your work.


Building Workshop Possibilities- If the exhibition is in an art center you may build some interest for teaching future workshops. Sometimes art center directors will take an interest in your work and ask you to teach at the center. Before you enter the competition, it would be smart to prime the pump by sending out your workshop brochures and resume to the director.


Sales- This is a remote possibility. Yes, people do sell at some juried exhibitions but they are usually well established in that locality and would likely sell wherever they show locally or regionally.


Awards- Certainly possible. I have won my share, but just as possible not to win. There is little consistency for awards at these juried exhibitions. The money is not huge either. If you are looking for award money you will be better off to do outdoor festivals. At least here in Florida. The prize money is substantial for outdoor shows.


Be careful and do your homework before you enter. These shows can be expensive and bring you little in return. Find out who the judge is and find out whether he/she is likely to have interest in your style or subject. You should be able to go to web sites for shows to find the judge's credentials. Google search their name and see if anything pops up. I judge several shows a year in Florida and Georgia myself.


If the judge is a working artist, he/she will be more likely to choose a variety of styles and subjects from traditional to modern. Judges from university art departments are more likely to have a bias in favor of contemporary abstract art. There are many exceptions on both sides of course.


More on exhibitions tomorrow......

Blondheim Art Original Landscape Acrylic Painting

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping
Purchase at: www.lindablondhim.com




Painters Tip


Seeing Shapes

If you can’t figure out how to draw or paint something, think of it in terms of basic shapes. Can you find any geometric shapes which will help you to put things together in the object? The chances are that you will. Let’s say that you want to draw a pitcher or a vase. It you look at how wide it is and compare it to how tall it is, you will either have a square or rectangular shape that you can use to start with.


Then look for the negative spaces between the edges of the actual object and the rectangle or square you are using. The form starts to emerge out of the basic box shape you started with. You will also see these geometric shapes in the figure, animals, houses, trees and other objects. It is a great way to start.

Blondheim Art Original Acrylic Landscape Painting

8x10 inches
oil on panel

500.00
availale at Arceneaux Gallery, Birmingham, Alabama




Painters Tips




Mixed Media Fun


Using dual mediums can be a real blast. I love playing with colored pencil and pen together. They are perfect marriage for the cartooning I love to do. Other great combinations are watercolor and pastel. I love to put thin transparent oil glazes over acrylic but there have been several arguments back and forth about the archival problems of using oils over acrylics. I'm not going to take sides on that because I am no archivalist. Most of the time I keep the two as totally separate mediums. I also like acrylic with ink on top.

Have some fun playing with mediums together. Mixed media is a terrific and fresh approach to technique too.

Blondheim Art Original Landscape Painting Lake Scene

14x18 inches
oil on canvas
silver frame
1000.00
Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com




Painters Tip




Proportion and Scale



It can be very difficult to place complicated objects in a busy composition. Here is what I do. I take the largest element and place it first, where I want it to be and then build in the composition around it. That is a fairly simplistic approach because there are all kinds of complicated issues involving scale, proportion and perspective, but it really does work fairly well.


The other thing I do is constantly compare objects in the scene to each other. Is one wider, shorter, taller than the one next to it? What is the basic shape of the object? Thinking of major elements as flat shapes at first, will help you to figure out their proportions compare them to other objects.


Lastly, use a long brush handle or a dowel rod to compare sizes of objects when you are painting from life out on location. It is so handy when viewing distant objects and comparing them in width and height. It also helps you with scale in your painting’s picture plane.

Blondheim Art Original Oil Landscape Painting Palms

10x10 inches
oil on Deep Gallery Wrap Canvas
Wired and ready to hang sides painted light blue.

550.00





Painters Tip



Live with it for awhile


I saw a discussion about where artists like to hang their work at an online forum recently. I think it made a good point that we need to have a stage for our paintings to hang for a bit. We need to be able to look at them in their glory, properly framed and hung in a furnished room. It's not always possible to keep them long enough for that, with sales taking priority, but I sometimes keep paintings in the studio for months just because I like them and want to live with them awhile.

Find a spot on your wall for the latest painting to hang and keep changing them out. Be sure to put a frame on them and enjoy them for a bit before they go to their new homes.

Blondheim Art Original Acrylic Landscape Painting

Palm Hammock
5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping




Painters Tip


Teach by Example

For artists who teach painting, the best advice I can give you is to teach good painting skills by example.

Are your materials clean and organized when you meet students? Do you have the right supplies? Is your working space reasonably tidy and comfortable with good lighting and climate controlled?

Are you on time and ready to paint when they arrive?

Do you use your own work to instruct? I always paint with students so that they can see my process as well as theirs. I stop at various stages of the painting to explain my choices of composition, palette, and the decisions I make as I process through the painting. I prefer to paint right along with them rather than to make them sit through demos. I want them engaged in the process as much as I am.

Do you use hand outs and written materials to enhance your lessons?

Do you study your subjects and themes? I try to study much more than my students do. The more I learn, the better I can help them.

Do you spend time with them looking at good art and introducing them to painters they may not know about?

Do you work at their level of understanding?

Do you encourage them to draw and sketch at every opportunity?

Do you encourage them to keep a journal/sketchbook to write notes in and to do quick sketches?


I try to do everything possible at my workshops to make it a fun and educational experience. I run a tight ship with a timeline for activities. I stick to the theme and stay on task so that students get as much as possible out of the experience.

If you are thinking about teaching art, make a check list and think about what your students will expect and need to get the most out of their experience with you.

Blondheim Art Original Landscape Acrylic Painting Road

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping
Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com



Painters Tip




Sometimes we can actually grow up.


I have been shunned by a promoter for about four years for their paint outs in north central Florida. It is a situation of political intrigue, back biting, and the usual problems that many artists find themselves embroiled in on the local art scene. I'm sure this happens to most of us now and then. These particular paint outs are wildly popular and almost all of the paintings are guaranteed to sell, bringing in 50,000.00-80,000.00 each time.

To make matters worse, all of my friends are invited from around Florida. The folks that I paint with at many professional events. I get to hear all of the stories and the bragging about huge sales, and worse, the sympathy from them all that I am rejected and banished from all of the fun.

Of course, I have been bitterly angry about it for 3 years, but something happened to me this year. I don't know how to describe it. I guess at the ripe age of 57, I have decided to grow up.

I got the notice from one of the artists participating about the latest paint out and her commiseration. For the first time, I really didn't feel anything about it at all. It was a great sense of OK. This has nothing to do with my life so Who cares? I was astonished with my own maturity.

I have been rejected many times in my long career and have had many victories so I suppose it is a balance in life and career that I seek. Each time I feel the sting of rejection, I must be more determined to overcome the setbacks and to move forward.

Artists must understand that we are often rejected by our own communities and must go away to succeed. Most of my sales are not in my own town but elsewhere.

The next time you have a career situation that is a thorn in your side, be patient, let it work through you and allow yourself to be hurt and angry for awhile. Then move on to things that really matter.

Blondheim Art Acrylic Landscape Painting

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping.

Purchase at : www.lindablondheim.com



Painters Tip



Painting Labels

What should you put on your painting before letting it get away?

There are a lot of opinions on this.

I think it is very important to put a label which includes your contact information. I use little printed labels that have my name address and web site.

Some artists like to include their telephone number but I am not a fan of telephones and would much rather communicate through email. I have had the same web site URL for many years, so no matter where I may live or travel, the email is easy to find on my site.

Some artists like to use elaborate labels with bios and archival information. That's fine too.

I prefer to use a separate invoice for paintings I sell, which has an image of the painting, the product information for the support, paints, and varnish. archivalists will have the information should the painting need cleaning or repair at a future time.

I include the price, size and any relevant information regarding historical facts about the scene I have painted.

Some artist use what they call a Certificate of Authenticity instead with a seal and very official looking script. That seems a bit pretentious to me, but whatever it is called, the information is there for the owner of the painting, should they need it.

With my invoice, I include a copy of my current resume, bio and statement along with a business card and brochure in a flat manila envelope. I do this because people are proud of their original art and like to share information about their favorite artist with friends, business associates and family.

Blondheim Art Original landscape painting acrylic Palms

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping

Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com





Painters Tip


More on Workshops....

You should research the teacher you will be studying with. Take the time to look up references and testimonials about the teacher.

Remember that a fantastic painter can be a not so great teacher. A moderately good painter can turn out to be a fantastic teacher. You need to be sure that the teacher fits your style of learning and working. Some teachers are not organized and fly by the seat of their pants. That’s fine if you are comfortable with a haphazard approach to learning. If you need to learn from someone who is very organized and thorough, then you will need to find the right teacher for a more organized workshop with good time management. It is all too easy to spend time with a teacher who is sweet and loving but, who doesn’t get much accomplished. You discover that you have had a lot of fun but didn’t learn much.


There are also many workshop teachers who use workshops to sell their paintings. They have a good brand name, spend all their time demoing, showing slides of their work and selling paintings to workshop students. They are not there to teach but rather to promote themselves. There is nothing wrong with selling paintings to students at workshops, but teaching and learning should be the focus.


Be sure to fit your experience level to the right workshop too. You may feel overwhelmed with information if you are with a more advanced group. Beware of workshops which offer Beginning-Advanced levels in the same workshop. These teachers are just trying to bring in numbers. Beginning – intermediate or intermediate – advanced is a better choice. It is nice to have a variety of levels so that students learn from each other but putting the most experienced with beginners is unfair to both.

Blondheim Art Acrylic Painting Palms Landscape

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping

SOLD




Painters Tip


Getting Ready For A Painting Workshop

If you are planning on attending a workshop soon you will need to be prepared. I recommend that you make a checklist of items you will need. As you gather the items, check them off as you put them in your car.

Paints
Palette
Easel
Brushes
Canvases
Notebook or journal with pens and pencils
Sketchbook
Solvents (for oils)
Bottled water
Spray bottle with a few drops of retarder for acrylics
Paper towels
Chair( If you are a sitter)
1 trash bag for each day. Supermarket plastic bags work great.
Pizza boxes or drying boxes for wet paintings.
If you are painting on location you will need bug spray, sunscreen and a large wide hat for protection from sun.

The usual traveling items like clothing and toiletries
Cash or credit cards for expenses like hotel, meals, gas.
Camera
Notebook computer if you have one. At night you will want to write notes on what you studied that day. It will stay fresh in your mind and not be forgotten.

Your instructor or workshop facilitator should send you directions to the workshop location, maps, supply lists, motel list and receipts for payment.

You should spend some time before the workshop writing down questions you might want to have answered by your teacher, along with thoughts about your goals and focus for the workshop.

More on Workshops tomorrow.........

Blondheim Art Acrylic Painting Ormond Beach

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
unframed
115.00 includes shipping
Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com




Painters Tip



Brush Care


Take care of your brushes whether they are high quality or not so good. Take time to wash them in between painting sessions. www.studioproducts.com sells a wonderful soap called Ugly Dog. It is excellent. If you don't want to buy a special soap, use a mild dish washing soap.

I put the soap on the brush without any water first and work it through the hairs thoroughly. Then I add just a bit of water so it will suds up. I clean and work it throughout the bristles for awhile before rinsing. Then I do the process again. After they are rinsed out, I smooth the bristles, lay them out and let them dry good before storing them again.

I use the same process for my oil brushes and acrylic brushes.

Blondheim Art Original Landscape Painting Palm Arboretum St Petersburg Florida

12x16 inches
oil on panel
800.00

Purchase at www.lindablondheim.com



Painters Tip

More on Pricing


I personally believe that consistent pricing is smart. Charging extra for a painting that is exceptionally good is confusing for patrons if it is the same size as paintings you usually sell for less. Patrons will want to know why it is higher and doing that implies that not all of your work is of good quality.

Instead, I would classify work as studies or as finished paintings to explain the difference in pricing. As a location painter, I do many quick studies in small sizes, and I do price them a bit lower than finished , more refined paintings. I make it clear that the finished paintings are worth more. I usually put the studies in my browse bin.

Blondheim Art Original Landscape Painting Cape San Blas

14x18 inches
acrylic on Birch Board
silver frame
1000.00

Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com


Painters Tip



More On Pricing


Some artists use formulas for pricing their work and that is really the easiest way. Charging by the square inch works well, but what you must do is lessen the square inch cost as you go up in size. If you keep all sizes the same price per SI you will have some mighty expensive large paintings which may not sell. For instance, If you charge 4.00 per SI you would have an 8x10 inch painting for $320.00
That formula for a 30x40 painting would make it worth $4800.00 As an emerging artist you will not be able to command that price most likely. By staging the SI price from high for small works to lower for large works, You will be ok. There are lots of artists who will disagree with me on this but that is the way I do it.

Here is what I recommend for someone starting out in selling. I would do a fair amount of looking at other artists who are at your same level of skill and see what they are selling for in your market area. If you have been invited to show in a gallery, pay a visit there and check prices in the range of artists they are showing. Ask the dealer for an opinion. If you are not interested in showing in the gallery venue, check web sites to see what artists are selling for at about your same level. Visit a few outdoor art festivals to compare skill and price levels of other artists who are doing the same subjects. Try to set your prices a bit lower but not much. As your work sells, increase your prices a little each year, but only if they are selling regularly.

Raising prices is a risk. What you must do is be willing to sit on the work until the market catches back up to your price level. What will often happen is that you will lose your lower end market and move into another market. This can often take some time, an you must be willing to wait it out. In the mean time you can use some other strategies, by creating a lower end market for unframed miniatures which you can afford to sell at a more moderate price, or use a less prestigious medium than oils like small pencil or watercolor sketches. It is nice to be able to sell to small collectors because they will love your work and become devoted to it. Eventually, they will want to purchase a substantial painting from you.


I often get email from artists who need information on various topics. You are welcome to email me with suggestions for topics of discussion and I will write about them in Painters Tip for you. lindablondheim12@hotmail.com

Blondheim Art Original Oil Landscape Painting Palms

24x36 inches
oil on panel
gold frame
1900.00
Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com



Painters Tip



Pricing your work


This is a topic of endless debate among artists. Here is my take on it.

There are several factors which should go into pricing. The first being brand name recognition. Never underestimate the importance of that. Brand name isn't about skill, it's about brand. You can be a highly skilled painter with no brand name and your work will not sell for the prices that Joe or Sally can command because they are well known. Their work may not even be close to a good as yours but they will command much higher prices.

Another factor is location of your market. If you are living in an urban sophisticated market then the chances of higher prices goes up. If you live in a rural farm community you will have to market outside of that area or paint subjects which appeal to rural people. This is of course a generalization but true much of the time.

Do you want to wholesale your work or retail it and wait for sales? I know a very high profile, local artist who consistently sells her work at low prices. I believe it is more important for her to sell in any way possible than to charge retail and wait for sales. Being the most popular local artist is very important to her, so she is willing to sell retail at wholesale prices. Unfortunately, this effects everyone else's prices in the local market. I'm not willing to do the same so I must go else where for most of my sales. The question comes up in this situation, How much are we responsible to other professional artists for artificially raising or deflating value of art for everyone in our own communities?

Remember that your art will sell for what the market will bear. No matter what price you put on your work, that price is useless if no one buys it.

Tomorrow I will give some ideas on pricing for emerging artists.....

Blondheim Art Original acrylic painting Boat Shack

5x7 inches
acrylic on panel
115.00
unframed
Purchase at: www.lindablondheim.com


Announcement


Linda Blondheim Art Studio




Painting our Favorite Flowers

February 24, 2007 9AM-5PM
Breakfast and Lunch Included
75.00
9 spaces available
sign up at www.lindablondheim.com




All About Painting Trees

June 23, 2007 9AM - 5PM
Breakfast and Lunch included
75.00
7 spaces available
Sign up at www.lindablondheim.com





Painters Tip


Warm Up


The next time you go into the studio, take out your sketch book first and do a series of warm ups with a pen or pencil. Make circles, ellipses, triangles, cylindrical shapes, lines, texture, edges soft and hard. Think about all of the shapes you use every time you paint and practice a bit for about 10 minutes.

It will not only help you to practice much needed drawing skills, but it will prepare you for the work at hand, freeing you up from distraction and other things you were thinking about.