TIPS & SNIPPETS
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https://www.cheryljohnsonartist.com/
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"If wishes were brushes
the whole world would paint."
What do you wish you would have known
at the start of your art career or now?
Art•Lessons•Now
Tips for artists. Secrets to painting.
There is a recurrent moment, for lovers of art, when we shift from looking at a work
to actively seeing it.
to actively seeing it.
The Inflation of Abstraction
The Met’s show of Abstract Expressionism wants to remake the canon.
The museum’s unparalleled collection spreads out in an enlarged space with updated stories to tell.
Values are More Important than Color
Value in art is essentially how light or dark something is on a scale of white to black (with white being the highest value and black being the lowest value).
Value is widely considered to be one of the most important variables to the success of a painting. Using Value is even more important than the selection of color (hue).
When you look at anything remember, you see objects and understand what those objects are because of how dark or light they are. Our mind rationalizes what we are see. When dark values are in balance and harmony with light values, your artwork will most likely be visually exciting and aesthetically pleasing.
B.L.E.N.D
Be Kind and Nice to Everyone.
Learn everything you can about art principles
Educate yourself every chance you can.
Network. Everyone needs a village or a tribe for support.
Don’t give up. Persevere.
Blend
Mix (a substance) with another substance so that they combine together.
"blend yellow with a tablespoon of blue and paint a Green Landscape."
Being an Artist
A Lifelong Journey
A Lifelong Journey
It is more like a marathon than a sprint.
Enjoy the run and along the way ask for a ride if you get tired.
The artist's road is very, very, very long. It really does takes a lifetime to develop your craft and anyone who tells you otherwise is just lying.
There is no right or wrong, win or lose answers.
If you are looking for the “right” way, know this. There are many. Everyone has ideas. Learn from everyone you meet. Ask questions.
WHAT'S YOUR ART BUSINESS BLIND SPOT?
Reflecting about your vision is crucial. Your vision as an artist might not be as clear as you think.
Keeping your portfolio up to date is crucial. We forget what we did. What was the substrate? What was the medium?
Oh yes, the size slipped our mind. Keep a list of size of substrate, materials used and date created.
Create a running list in word, docs or excel or spreadsheet. Add to it often. Paint.
After you create and paint, what then?
Make sure you do your research and be sure you are charging what the work deserves.
Think of dollars spent on materials and the time of creation. Do not just give it away. Price it fairly.
Learn to Mix Colors
Like a Pro
Like a Pro
1. Use different shades of the same color to create depth.
2. Create contrast with Light against Dark. Don't assume you have to go with white. Experiment and use light colors.
3. A darker hue can actually visually enlarge the space because it makes the image come forward.
4. Remember always add Dark to Light when mixing and combining colors. It requires only a small amount of a dark color to change a light color, but you need a lot more of a light color to change a dark one.
ADD ABUNDANCE
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear."
Franklin D. RooseveltFinding Your Inspiration
Maintaining an online presence is a must for any artist. Think about how you sell your art. It is difficult, we know but marketing is the key to online sales.
Powerful alone.
Better together.
Use Social Media
Instagram
Facebook
Market Your Art
It's O.K. To Advertise
Submit your work to online galleries.
Create a website.
Share on You-tube.
Marketing Takes Time!
Take Time To Make Time.
Take Time To Make Time.
On average, the best time to post on Instagram is between 2 PM and 3 PM CDT. However, the level of engagement you get can change dramatically depending on what day of the week you post. The best day to post on Instagram is Thursday, not just at 3 PM, but at 5 AM, 11 AM, and 4 PM as well
Artists Need to use Social Media
Keep Good Records
Being an artist is also being a business owner.
Trust me it takes time and effort. You have the ability to sell artwork directly off your site. iIt s not only possible but desirable and with that comes the responsibility of understanding the intricacies of the art market.
Today, paper is history and digital devices play a significant role in how the new generation of artists, collectors and curators are tracking, organizing and experiencing art. As an artist you will grapple with how to improve inventory and archival management processes.
OUCH Taxes!
The artist usually files a “Schedule C” as part of his or her regular 1040 income tax form. This is where you report your art income and expenses. As a self-employed artist, you will usually be required to pay estimated quarterly taxes using Form 1040-ES if your Federal tax liability is over $1,000 for the year.
Artists Need to Keep Good Records
Don’t Be Fooled by this Adidas Phishing Scam!
Email Scams, Phishing & Email Spam, Spam News |
A new Adidas phishing scam can fool the best of us. The messages claim that Adidas is celebrating its 69th anniversary and is giving 2,500 lucky customers a free pair of Adidas sneakers and a free $50 a month subscription. This is a scam to get you to click and explore.
DO NOT BE FOOLED
The scam is targeting users on mobile devices in specific locations. If the user clicks the link in the message and is determined not to be using a mobile device, they will be directed to a webpage that displays a 404 error. The scam will also only run if the user is in the United States, Pakistan, India, Norway, Sweden, Nigeria, Kenya, Macau, Belgium or the Netherlands.
Provided the user is on a mobile device and located in one of the targeted countries, a series of four questions will be asked. The responses to the questions are irrelevant as all users will be offered a “free” pair of sneakers after answering the four questions.
In order to be able to claim the prize, users must share the offer with their contacts on WhatsApp. Regardless of whether the user does this, they will be directed to another webpage where they are asked further questions and are finally offered a “free” pair of sneakers worth $199.
It is a scam to get your name and email.
DO NOT CLICK ON MESSAGE OR TEXT OR EMAIL IF YOU SEE THIS SCAM OFFER FROM ADIDAS SHOES.
Artists need to be careful.
How to Become a Painter
When people hear you are an artist or a painter, they want to see what you paint and where it sells. If you’re ready to pursue your passion and take the leap into the art world as a painter and explore what it feels like to have your art admired or for sale, then a career as a painter might be for you.
Master the Fundamentals
To Grow Your Skills
To Grow Your Skills
Never Stop Imagining The Possibilities Of Art
Art lessons are known to help anyone succeed in life. Art can help improve additional skills such as problem-solving abilities and critical thinking.
Art lessons can change a person's approach to life and help you gain confidence. Explore a more open attitude towards life and learning. Also, learning is fun and creative.
MEASURE UP
Convert cups to ounces without doing math.
Type a conversion you need in Google Search, such as “14 celsius to fahrenheit” or “how many liters in a gallon” and Search’s built-in unit converter will handle the calculations.
Learn more check out Google Search
Focus On Your Art
Create a sustainable art practice that works for you. Come alive, even if you are busy.
You can make art the center or an important part of your life.
You can create more often and with More Joy Everyday.
Follow Your Muse
You can find your muse by tapping into and exploring your own innate creativity. In order to find your Muse or source of passion and inspiration, It is important to seek out people, experiences, and places that will inspire you and get your creative energy and juices flowing.
Through prayer, meditation, or simply deep thought, you can center yourself and find inner strength and power and understand your role in something creative, bigger and worthy.
What Is Important
One of the most important things is to choose is what to put in and what to leave out.
Decide what makes your painting important and what is just extra filler that you don't really need.
What can you do to make the painting more harmonious?
Decide where to exaggerate color and where to minimize color.
Think Values! Where do you want to increase the light and where do you want to decrease the light (and shadows as well)?
ART TAKES TIME
Remember that art making is the practice of taking steps over time.
This is how art is made. Layer by Layer, Stroke by Stroke, Idea following an idea.
When we take on something new that we don't have experience in, we are often a little nervous. Even though you might feel a little unsure, your passion and creativity is not. It simply thrives and is waiting to emerge. When facing a new challenge, look to your past work to see if there is a connection or a work you really loved creating. Often, the answers for the present challenge are in the prior work you have made.
Agnes Martin Said
"I sit here and wait to be inspired."
Isn't that what we all do.
Explore Lessons
For all artists creating a strong painting is more than just fancy brushwork. It all begins with a strong design. Study all the artists you can and learn. Traditional compositional devices are a great place to start but there is more to it than just following a standard formula.
Study, harmony, balance, composition.
Immerse Yourself
Get fully immersed into your creativity!
ALN-Art Instruction Videos, EBooks, Podcasts, Online Gallery.
Training to help you create gallery worthy paintings.
Creating unique powerful art
Together we will look at the world and sees things differently!
Embracing the unknown, inspired by our passion.
ALN Artists and Team Members guide you to:
Create Art that you are passionate about and brings you joy.
Paint More —Paint Along
You want to learn from real artists; who offer professional instruction to improve your skills as an artist.
You appreciate real, actionable information that you can use immediately to start a painting.
You want to paint colorful, strong, impactful paintings full of life and energy that have wall power and sell.
You appreciate clear, well organized, easy to understand, simple to implement instructions, procedures and techniques.
Notan originated with the Japanese as a yin-yang principle for creating designs in black and white. Both Cheryl the Ying and Jim the Yang have adapted the principle to modern painting by using it to plot both the lights and shadows, thus guaranteeing the balance of values in a painting.
It is important to learn to read what’s in shadow and what’s not in shadow and creating a Notan Study will help.
Then translate the notan into a range of values.
Lastly, determine which portions of the notan belong in the middle value range.
Create a notan value scale for fun.
Shift value ranges and keep values balanced as you paint.
Artists Never Stop Learning
“Explore all the ways you are unique. You may have put your creative energy away for awhile however, creativity is not something we ever lose, perhaps we just need to bring it out and plant it anew. Perhaps like a packet of seeds waiting to be planted and for the season to change.
Perhaps it is something that you have not thought about and you may have overlooked the idea of growing your skills. It is still inside you waiting to come out of the unused corner of your being. Creativity is like a seed that remains quietly within us all, patiently waiting, to be watered and nurtured. It is just below the surface of things. until now.
Art is a Lifetime Journey of Passion
How long does it take to make a living as an artist? A proverbial question with no right answer.
Your work will grow and evolve over time.
The more you paint, the more you will grow. Learn all you can, whenever you can.
Never stop asking, learning, growing, investigating, experimenting, practicing, trying.
Pursue your passion for a lifetime. It is worth it.
BE SURE YOU READ OUR BLOG
LATEST BLOG POSTS
Marlene Affeld our Editor and Writer is always on the search to create great articles you will enjoy. Also, you can learn so much so quickly.
Click here to read more BLOG
Are you an aspiring artist that hasn’t picked up a paintbrush in months? If so, ask yourself why.
Do you leap out of bed in the morning, embracing the day, or do you arise to just another long day to get through? Sometimes life sucks! We all have our story, and we all react to life experiences differently. We may not always control what life throws at us, but we can control how we react. Sometimes the best response is not to react at all. It’s called apathy.
The dictionary defines apathy as an absence of feeling, concern, interest, or emotion. Apathy is a state of indifference. Not to be confused with laziness, apathy embraces a suppression of emotion, interest, or concern. An apathetic person manifests no motivation, excitement, compassion, or empathy for anything or anyone. They express no interest in the spiritual, social, or philosophical aspects of their life’s journey.
Marlene Affeld 'Lil.'
Did you know she is a Gold Miner too?
Want to learn more about Marlene or Lil as she is known by her friends in Montana; see her website. You might even want to buy a Gold Claim.
