More water and Friday is here again

Tuesday saw the start of another 20x20 seascape. The reference was from a beach trip a few years ago and as an extra topping I changed the mood dramatically by adding morning heat from the rising sun. However, the reference reminds me this collection is more about indirect light than an eye popping sun.

 REFERENCE

END OF DAY

967 - 1 The camera doesn't love it like the eye - looks harsh.

My foreground wave was problematic from the start. Scraping it off was impossible. The heavy paint application dried within hours thanks to Griffin alkyd titanium white and Neo Megilp. Not sure how I feel about that, but when mixed, it does help regular oil colours set up quick - add Neo Megilp and it's even faster.

Wednesday 6:52am - early, but was time to fix it!

COMPLETED PAINTING

 967 OCEAN HEAT 20x20 oil on linen (7-15-15)

Perhaps a tad darker on the photo but the wave feels more true for the extra time spent on it.

Tonight is Crossroads bi-monthly opening night where a lot of art enthusiasts gather to enjoy themselves for a few hours. My little part is mostly framed Giclees now with a few originals mixed in and called The Private Collection Giclee. That will be a bit of a change from the past. The publisher did a wonderful job so I'm sure most won't notice the change.......except perhaps the prices;=)

If your in the area stop by 6 to 9 pm 2016 Staples Mill Road, Richmond, Va. 23230 804.278.8950

OCEAN HEAT is already available as a Giclee on Fine Art America  and my website under "Available Paintings".

Gotta get back to it!

July, like last month, seems like a speeding train with no stops to change. However, I am in the mood to jump off for awhile and smell the paint fumes again!

9:35 It's been awhile so 20x20 is a good starting point. I'll pick up where I left off on my air collection and see what happens. Plus I need some water paintings for a group show at the beach later this month. 

END OF DAY

966 Summer Showers 20x20 oil on linen (7-13-15)

I like the warm morning summer light in this painting. This Virginia beach view catches the morning sun rises and in the evening captures wonderfully reflected sun on the clouds. It could easily be an endless painting subject for any artist.

SUMMER SHOWERS is already available as a Giclee on Fine Art America  and my website under "Available Paintings".

The Private Collection Giclee

Good news, my new Giclee website is up and running!!

Many thanks to the FASO team for doing such a wonderful job modifying one of their enhanced templates to fit my needs. I'm sure as time moves on it will see many more modifications, but for now it's perfect!

Yesterday I did a (12) photo-merge on one of my favorite James River paintings #691. Never really managed a good photo before so yesterday was my chance to make it right.

 A NEW ADDITION TO THE GICLEE COLLECTION

 691 THE JAMES 40x44 oil on linen (7-17-12)

Moving targets!

Got a few of those circling the old art cave. It seems every move since I started this dividend thing has caused a ripple of other ideas to extend the concept. All related, all worthy, but before you know it you're racing down another path besides painting. Refreshing as it is, my painting is suffering for it. I don't think there is a solution to it other than continue on and make it happen! Usually you get stopping points after that. So all my time is devoted to doing just that.

Setting up my gallery/showroom with giclee's set it in motion faster than it should have. However, doing it and some simple marketing material I needed, quickly exposed loose ends and concept gaps. I ordered a nice 3-fold brochure to use as a concept piece. Have not received it yet and it's already out of step. Doing it was incredibly useful tho. It caused me to curate, make choices on what to use or not!

I realized how Fine Art America plays in this game - FAA is a great platform for prints of paintings collecting dust, sadly forgotten, but still shine when light hits them. We leave a trail of work as we move through different phases......at least I do. Generally, my paintings start selling in the second year. By that time I'm somewhere else. Unless there is some compelling aspect to a painting or its in a gallery, I forget it! I think this is a second chance for those paintings to shine.


The Private Collection Giclee is my baby because its about the cream, the quality, the presentation of originals or Giclee's capable of handling any BEST WALL. One of my main speaking points here and elsewhere is "Paint large and for the best walls". Of course few get the point or the reason to do it in the first place, so better for me because I do:=) Also, nice that there is a slot for anyone who wants to be an artist!

For me it took a lot of paintings to learn how. I started small and mastered each size until I could paint larger than standards 6x6 thru 30x40s. It took 3 years, everyday, before I had anything worthwhile and I'm still working on it.

I would have to paint (24) $500 paintings and a gallery would have to sell (24) to make what selling this one painting below did. It was one effort, one sale and took way less wall space.....I rest my case!

JUST SOLD!

806 Koi & Lily 48x44 oil on linen (3-22-13)

No question its possible to paint (24) 8x10s in the same time but I would still have them and so would the gallery.....they don't really sell any better and take up a lot of wall space trying! No question they have value and certain appeal, but in the end it's just clutter! Generally, people who can afford original art are looking for a special work to hold a special wall, not a montage where the eye has no place to rest.

BTW, I believe that to be the primary goal with the majority of the people who walk into any gallery....excluding artist and perhaps collectors, another moving target!  

About to see it on the walls!

My long term dividend plan covers (3) working fronts.

• Licensing - publishing company's 
• Global broad market - Fine Art America 
• Gallery quality giclee for those special paintings.

The basic building blocks are in place except the last one where I see it on the walls! I'm through the proof stages and tomorrow my first (9) full size giclee's arrive from the printer. Next week I hope to have them hanging on my gallery walls. The plan is to mix original works with canvas prints as a single exhibit with the expectation of broadening my affordability without resorting to small works as my only option. I'm not totally sure this is a gallery option tho. I think most would rather sell originals. However, from a designers standpoint, a challenging project to make it visually work for any market. . My kinda thing with some presentation and style..:=)

I'm after visual quality without canvas embellishment for this particular group of reproductions. If it looks good on the walls it will mark the beginning of  THE PRIVATE COLLECTION.... my own special after market design project. 

THE PRIVATE COLLECTION will be the same size, high quality reproductions on canvas as the originals and presented equally. They won't be displayed in typical bargain bins or behind mats. They will be framed, on the walls and available framed (or not) in different sizes on special order.

My Richmond Gallery is the testing pot....not looking too bad so far.

 A FEW WORK-IN-PROCESS  PHOTOS

My canvas prints went beyond my expectations..... not shiny or cheap looking. The canvas surface marries well to the reproduction.....perhaps my biggest concern. Aside from some minor colour adjusting I have a product...:=) Those big crisp100mb plus tiff files were worth every cent. I just hope my own photo-merge files hold up as well......

In frames on the walls they look good.....you have to look very close, 6 to 12 inches close, and then it's still a hard call. In other words, there is nothing contrived to make the mind say NO........

Every painting shown is available in print. Some of these are the originals. So that part worked well together.

STRETCHED AND FRAMED

All three are canvas prints

This is a small sampling of the canvas print line of available works. How to get that across and have visible inventory in the same setting is the next challenge. No question there's a lot of work left but the concept is shaping up nicely.

The retailer has the responsibility to show how a product is intended to be used first and foremost...... canvas prints stacked in endless bins are less appealing and about price. However, if  also seen on a wall framed, then those bins become about selection and personal preference.  Just have to figure out how to do both and do it in this space!

Photo merge

WOW! Photo merge, what a tool and simple to use in Photoshop! I been playing with this since last Sunday morning 8, 10 hours a day. Each time I learn a bit more beyond some basic stuff I got from it in the first place. By simply taking (2) shots using photo merge I can double my digital capture even on small 16x20 works. What were good with a single frame become exceptional high resolution print worthy files. For larger work the easiest and fastest way is breaking it down to smaller sections and merging those separately. The largest project so far was a 60x48 canvas which required (20) detail photos merged into groups of (4) and finally merged as one which resulted in 98mb digital capture. It has to be done left to right. Aside from some cleanup noise, like white dots in shadows it's a very clean operation.

THE CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL WORK, THE BETTER! Right now my camera is set at 36" with my adjustable lenses, even closer.

The only issue so far, photo merge requires something identifiable to merge with......large expanses of an almost single colour won't work for bigger canvases......even the camera has a hard time getting focus points in that situation.

I believe a hand held scanner could be the real answer which moves into the 3D canvas printing arena. Still in research mode there.
  
Photoshop has a video under HELP that gives you the basics.

CROP EXAMPLES OF 36X30 PAINTING

 

CROP - ONE PHOTO RESOLUTION 

Digital capture 300 dpi - 3010x3612 pixels - 5.86mb

 CROP MERGING  (9) DETAIL PHOTOS

Digital capture 300dpi - 6610x7932 - 29.7mb

LARGER CROP - ONE PHOTO RESOLUTION (36X30)

LARGER CROP MERGING (9) DETAIL PHOTOS

What is so exciting about all this is how it will print full size at 36x30 using a high resolution 300dpi merged 29.7mb print file as opposed to a single frame 300dpi 5.86mb camera file (which it won't).

For example, Fine Art America is a global full service sales platform for the broad based market and their maximum upload is 25mb, which is adequate for most small to medium paintings like this one at 36x30 - perhaps even larger. It's the perfect venue for all those paintings sitting in dark closets to shine again.

I would certainly use the largest digital capture possible for any gallery quality work tho.

Grey days

Friday: Yesterday, I was in the mood to paint more than anything else. My gallery at Crossroads is ready for something to decorate the walls. Even there, the walls are painted a grey day colour from RH called PUMICE. It was a choice with the expectation it would make colour pop! I'm pleased with it because it's much lighter than before. You know how colour can be very saturated on a rainy day where greens are greener than in full sun? That's what I'm hoping for.

We are still in the proof stage before any Giclee's will be ready. I can't leave it bare, so over the next few days I have to figure it out. In the meantime I'm going to paint with that space in mind.....grey days.

 Maymont - Blue Iris

This was the basis for another large work called BLUE IRIS. I was painting plein air that day - not too successfully either. I spent more time with my camera because the sun was breaking through lighting this little side pond up. The reflections would not be ignored that day. My intention was to complete this little 30x30 canvas below in one session...not to be. I really needed it to setup before going any further.

  965-1

The brushwork is a very abstract movement and yet from 20 feet has a very realistic feel of space. I think this comes about because I'm working in depth layers..... Starting in the back, completing each layer as I move forward. Some work is lost but the end result exceeds the loss with sharper focus details which I'll do in my next step today. The foreground iris is the star and needs special attention to shine.

Today is about bringing it all home with detailed light and still maintain the abstract realism qualities.

Saturday: The painting was still wet, so working on it had pluses and minuses. Missteps are harder to fix or remove than it is with a dry surface. The painting looks finished and I did sign it, although there will be some noodling today. My iris reflections need to be updated to yesterdays work.

965-2

I only had the morning to paint, my afternoon was dedicated to gathering up work for my bare gallery walls.

COMPLETED PAINTING

965  Blue Iris and Morning Mist 30x30 oil on linen wrap (6-6-15)

Monday: The old guy learned something in Photoshop yesterday. How to get a very high resolution digital file using my existing camera. This image is 48 mg and comprised of (9) closeups using a stationary tripod, my Hughes easel with controlled horizontal and vertical movement. Photo merge tool uses sensitive content aware technology to make seamless transitions, AND IT WORKS!  I believe its similar to the panorama tool on many I-phones.

There is some shaping at the end like squaring things up - basic stuff.

I did another one where I merged (18) photos (original painting was 60x48) which was a bit trying, but I got it done with a usable 98mg jpg print file. My camera is 24mg, along with natural daylight from overhead skylights it captures the depth, colour and essence of the original to a "T". The texture of the brushwork is especially clean and crisp.

Much more to learn, but this is doable for any artist with a digital camera and Photoshop CS.5. However, the real trick is being able to move the painting and not the camera because you have to keep the distance and focus constant. The upside of moving the painting, the light stays constant in each shot.


 

Another version

Wednesday: I'm happy with my progress towards long term dividends. It took some time away from painting but it was worth it.

I have a week to paint before my loaned out gallery is back in my control. We're going to paint and resign the gallery - designer hat will come out to make it ready for my first exhibit of giclee's and original works. Perhaps another brick to my long term goal.

Today is a paint day. I'm going to revisit a large painting from last year and make another version. It's a local subject, the Chullily Red Reeds at VMFA Koi pond. I think it will fit well with my new collection. The 1st version was 72x96 horizontal. The new one will be a 60x48 vertical composition basically using the same reference.

8:02am time to paint!

DAYS END

 964-1 60x48 (5-27-15)

Thursday: I didn't get far yesterday other than some canvas ground rules set in place.

8:43am that time!

 DAYS END 

964-2

Friday: This canvas is moving along fast, my head was busy somewhere else but I was into the painting too...sorta on autopilot if you will. I guess using both sides of the brain for a change. When it happens, I work much faster, anyway, the painting's course is set. If I can get that pesky grass clump to work it'll stay - right now a bit iffy.

9:24am Time to do battle with that clump of weeds!

END OF DAY

964-3

Saturday: My attraction to this subject is obvious, I enjoy forcing colour in oil, and vermillion is at the top of my list. I love when sunlight makes colour go beyond capture, but that doesn't stop me from trying. People often ask me "Why Koi"? Because the sun light does the same thing to them as Chullily's red glass reeds do here......transparent and saturated beyond capture, perhaps

8:24 Time to paint

DAYS END

964-4

Sunday: Red reeds and weeds! I'm sure there's another day or two still ahead of me. Sometimes developing a subtle light pattern and feel of air washing down is a slow process. The illusion of depth is also showing up because at the same time I'm pushing and pulling my design elements hoping for that magical 3D effect. All this is nothing more than shadows and light using simple abstract marks on the canvas. My only rule there is it has to feel right! The process can get fussy looking up close and personal, but step back 15 or 20 feet and look at the bigger picture.....not so fussy then. Nice thing about the "step back", things that don't "feel right" SHOW UP!

The real mood and light path always reveals itself later in diminishing light when it gives up clues for the next session.

8:02am 

DAYS END

 964-5

Perfect mates

Monday:  Today will also be sign off day!

DAYS END - FINISHED!

(natural morning light progression)

 

7:00am

 8:30am

 9:30am

 964 Red Reeds and Blue Air 60x48 oil on linen wrap (6-1-15)

Tuesday: Yesterday saw more than a few interruptions, but the old guy prevailed against the barbarians and crossed the finish line! Gotta get a better lock on those gates!!

My week is used up. My Crossroads Gallery is in play again so time to step aside and work on my long-term benefits project. I hope the gallery painting is done. If it is painted, it's ready for signage......no clear idea what that will be either, other than it needs to tell a story besides Giclee's and paintings on the walls.  

This painting marks the 5th in my new collection which is definitely turning out about MOOD & GREY DAY LIGHT.

Downsizing opens up oportunities for others

This is an interesting take on downsizing by author Brian Sherwin. Well worth the read. The challenge most artist face is finding "THE MARKET" where we fit and are comfortable in. From my experience, I think it evolves with opportunity and generally sets our market value too. Brian is a constant, who helps artists navigate through the quicksand with wonderful moral support and ideas.

 http://theartedge.faso.com/blog/88234/downsizing-your-art-it-may-pay-to-create-small

It also made me think a bit. Why downsize in the first place? It's a fallback position for anyone including an artist!

Interesting word tho... it has broad meaning when it comes to a persons financial position or age, when point A to B need to be a short straight line. Perhaps all humans find themselves downsizing at some point. I like to think it also means there's another market out there... those on the way up filling those vacant spaces. When my clients downsized, which rarely happened because they most always enjoyed multiple homes, those "other" homes generally fitted particular needs depending on the experience they wanted in their lives. Likewise, square footage revolves around space planning and needs at every economic level. I'm not sure how that equates to art....perhaps affordability or lack of space if you are an avid collector and fill every square inch with art.

As an artist working in the 21st Century, my visual and communication range is global, true of anyone with a computer or I-phone. I'm not sure real-estate trends or even design trends have significant meaning.....unless it's global. What's happening on the East Coast is not the same as the West Coast or Hawaii or for that matter between New York and Miami or London.

Why look at the small picture when it comes to our careers or what we choose to paint and the sizes we'll offer? Somewhere out there is a market either broad or niche that will embrace us.

EYE CANDY - A NEW GICLEE
 

955 Koi and Lilies 56x48 oil on linen wrap (3-9-15)
  
Fine Art America is easy to use, quick delivery with a generous variety of custom options to fit any preference.

PURCHASE FROM FINE ART AMERICA

Working on future dividens

The first step was securing the digital capture. Mine were by "OLD TOWN EDITIONS". I had (12) high resolution images that required Photoshop intervention before anything else could happen..

PROOFING DIGITAL CAPTURES

Last week was busy indeed, proofing digital images for printing. Nice change from painting...actually very detailed and tedious work but interesting. Much of its repetitive use of a blemish tool so it gives you time to think of other things too. One thing is why its so important to do this particular job well, it lasts forever or at least it could. It's the basis for long term returns from a particular painting - making the master perfect is as important as the original painting itself. Perhaps more important in the long run. We artists have been granted a silent gift via our copy rights that is quite significant - few think about it beyond protecting our originals from unscrupulous copying. I personally think that is the most insignificant aspect to it. Our exclusive use of the image is monumental when you really think about it. We can sell reproductions of our originals well beyond our lifetime. Sounds too good to be true but in this case it is true... however, getting it done is a big job. A business unto itself and not something you simply tinker with when the mood strikes.

START MARKETING

Now that I have master proofed images, I have a product to sell! That means getting it out there in the system. After the digital master is ready, you gotta see it in print. I found lots of options there - outside services are abundant, plus we can use online platforms that do the whole thing like FINE ART AMERICA. I decided to start with them. They have been at it for a while; nice people, I used them a few years back....even made some sales. However, I was always having problems with my images not being quite good enough to complete the sale so I lost more than a few. Most digital cameras will do small works well enough, but not anything of consequence, so I moved on.

Today I'm back with FINE ART AMERICA. It's a simple upload, nothing more is required other than linking it up to my website because they do it all, including sales. They also just started an interesting commercial trade platform to accommodate large users, if you will, the wholesale market.

As you can see I already added a link and a slideshow to the blogs side bar at the very top. My website also has a new ARTIST CHOICE - GICLEE collection with a slideshow and a purchase link to FINE ART AMERICA.

I'm not sure how I fit in FINE ART AMERICA'S market, but it is exposure on a global scale and for now that can't be bad. BTW. the buyer or artist can buy non-stretched canvas prints and forgo all the other stuff at very attractive price points.

NEW GICLEE ADDED TODAY!

946 Koi & Lilies 36x36 oil on linen (1-28-15)

Professional digital capture using the large format "Better Light" system

PURCHASE FROM FINE ART AMERICA

This link leads you to the actual painting and all the many options FINE ART AMERICA has to offer including pillows......had to do it LOL!

I also added painting 946 to my website under "ARTIST CHOICE - GICLEE'S"

There are volumes of links and likes that effectively gets the word out. However it takes time to connect up all these different platforms like INSTAGRAM. The one I'm most interested in, but yet to figure out how to do, is a simple upload.... but I will because it's my next little project today or tomorrow.

All this takes time from my new collection - need to get back to it before I forget how to paint! Unfortunately I still have a few images to proof. So, the jobs not quite done yet!

Great week!

Sunday: Yesterday was a good painting day, I even unclogged a bathroom drain, my first ever! The liquid stuff never worked for me and only damaged finished surfaces - nuisance stuff all the way around. I bought a 15 foot drain auger made of coiled steel at Loews for the ridiculous price of $7.98.....worth much more in my opinion. The last plumber charged $168 to do the same job it took me less than 10 minutes to do........and there were (2) guys. I guess the other one was there for encouragement!

Guy's this thing works!

Yesterday was such a good day, I managed a 2nd session after lunch and my drain project. My lily pond is out of control too, I had to chop out some to give the fish a bit of room. The lilies are especially nice this year and blooming profusely, last year they bloomed well into the fall. So I think the fish and lilies have established a perfect ecosystem.

Not much room for pond inhabitants..

None of this has anything much to do with painting or my easel time yesterday. Soooo......my current painting is a seascape on a 56x48 linen wrap. This time it's not gloomy like the last one. I'm after the illusion of 3-D depth of warm sunlight drifting down onto sun drenched white caps. Right now I have the background in place, but my waves still need depth adjustments. I also used W/N Griffin alkyd fast drying white with Neo-Megilp so I could work over yesterdays work if need be. My normal oil white even with Neo-Megilp, which is also a dryer has a tendency to take a few days to setup enough to work over.

 I learned a little trick - the bottom part of the painting is too dark (overhead skylights)

I placed some white gator board at the bottom to reflect light back up on the painting. Now the lower waves are lighter and on target with the upper portion.

963-1 56x48 oil on linen wrap (5-16-15)

9:23am time to paint!

 DAYS END

963-2 partial view (5-17-15)

   
Monday: I was to pickup my digital captures and paintings from Old Town Editions in Alexandria, Va. today but I can't stop in the middle of a painting. I need another session on my waves. My foreground wave is looking pretty good, the 2nd wave is not quite right yet. I studied it for quite awhile last night and it works well in diminished light. That tells me I need to defuse my edges more. However, the trick today is merging the upper atmosphere with warm sunlight filtering down to my surface. In this case its an overlay application and the surface has to be dry for any reasonable outcome. Normally I would do this as a single action at the front-end while painting the sky. So if it should give me any problems there's a way out.

If I get done today, tomorrow I can change gears for a day or so and work on my other project.

7:52am time to paint!

 963 Summer Mists 56x48 oil on linen wrap (5-18-15)

Tuesday: My painting is done, signed off and cataloged...and I'm off to pick up my digital captures this morning in Alexandria...

A CLEVER IDEA

David Cheifetz

DAVID is a young artist I follow and started collecting, we both entered the profession about the same time. Over the top talented, he recently started an online solo exhibit with RSVP invitations and a timed chat room reception to boot. The first one, I couldn't figure out how to enter , but now its easy, just click on the the Un/Realism link on his site. 

Aside from the overall concept, the part I find brilliant is how David presented each painting visually......check it out!