Koi Joy, watercolor fish painting lesson

Koi Joy, watercolor fish painting lesson

Creating Magnificent Colorful Backgrounds In your Painting

     One of the many techniques of painting and catching the buyers eye is to target your background.

        Sometimes it is an image and sometimes it is a stoic color combination. What I would like to talk about 
today is painting backgrounds for still lifes , portraits, animals and bird paintings. I usually say portraits of these images but other artist just call them paintings of the specific subject.    

     The traditional style of painting, and this is what many artist are taught, is to use a color harmony that will compliment your subject in your painting. For example , If you are painting a red cardinal the compliment of  red is green. So the traditional way of painting is to use greens in your back ground. I am going to include an example

of cardinal with green background.

 The Smart thing to do would to be to use analogous colors along with your green. This means to use any three or four colors next to green on your color wheel to  create the color mode of your painting.

These paintings are of the traditional compliments of the color green with analogous colors in a red Cardinal painting.

Analogous colors of green blue and yellow background.

Another analogous color combo harmony.


This is a great color combination but  there are a couple of other color combination harmonies that look well as a background.

 You can use the subjects color and just go with the analogous of the subject in the background. Lets look at a red cardinal with the analogous of blue red and yellow. Here are some examples.

  .

  

Analogous red mixed with blue creates purple and a touch of yellow for contrast.

Another tried and true is a color combination of yellow mixed with its compliment of violet  creating a neutral yellow. You can combine or mix  any combo mixture to create either one of these backgrounds in the following paintings . One part yellow with two parts violet or one part violet with two part yellow. Just make sure you can add white to this to make it lighter.

 
    

         

Now these background color harmonies are true and tested . However this does not mean that the color wheel police will arrest you if you do not use these three harmonies. Lately there have been several different techniques of background color combinations and I am going to show you some.

This artist used analogous related to both bird colors.

here is another 

                                      another color combination

You can apply these complimentary color harmonies or analogous
to all painting even other subjects . Here are some examples:

Remember find your own niche or style. I just hope this will help you to decide a background you would like to use. Or maybe try some of these other backgrounds to add a zest to your painting.


Good luck painting and tell me about your color combinations. 

Post your background colors to the comments. I would love to see you paintings. Belinda

How to Get A FREE RAZORBACK PAINTING

Win a chance at this Free Razorback Canvas PAINTING.

  

  

Get a chance to win this 11 x 14 razorback canvas painting by entering your email as a follower for this blogspot.

All emails will be grouped together and randomly picked for this months give a way painting of the razorback.

So good luck and welcome if you decide to post.

Getting Customers for your art, Version II : EXPOSE YOUR SELF

Okay people/artist The truth will set you free. And the Truth is: No longer is the discovered artist realistic. We do not have any Granda Ma Moses Artist .Where an art gallery owner was driving through the country side and noticed her infamous art in a merchantile store and then she became famous. There is so much competition in the art market these days. So, you have to expose yourself through marketing strategies to become the professional you want.But Don't be afraid. Because there are answers.

So I am going to  give you some advise from an average artist  making money from my art.

I have a strategy. And like I say ,you do not have to be a business major or art major to learn this.

Free marketing and entreprise is what our country is made of. It is Americana, and that is why people come from 3rd world countries to our Country ,to make a good living and even sometimes become Millionaires. So if they can do it we can too. But , and it comes with a but. You have to expose yourself ,  and work very hard at exposing your self , and don't wear your feelings on your shoulder . Because you will be rejected several times and also you will be successful several times.

So with that thought, I will give you today one step in getting customers to your art.


WEBSITE, WEbsite, website: you must have an artist website to sell your art online. Find a cheap website that you can set up your art digitally  as a gallery. Most of these websites will have an application so every time you post a new piece it also post on your facebook page and your list of friends will see this. I cannot  say enough about an artist website. 
First and for most, Get a website. Websites have a one year fee. Save your money buy the website and digitally place your art on there. They will exhibit for you , give you a place where people can search for your art, by your name or subject theme of your painting. But you have to help market your art yourself.


Also  websites will help you to document , record, and file your images that you may want to sell duplicates. This is  very useful in selling tools. Sometimes youwill have a request for an  image several times and with your website you can have a place that will make a duplicate.


The website helps to expose you to the customers that visit this website. Some art gallery websites are Imagekind, Fineartamerica.com, folotwist.com etc. Check them out on stats and see who has the highest traffic. This should help you in your decision to join.


Oh , about selling/marketing yourself. The websites cannot do it alone and you do have some competition with other artist. However the more views you have for your art the higher you will be put into the search engine and will been seen first in the keyword search.  When I say Keyword search this is a word visitors put in the search  to see a specific type of art they are looking for. Examples: Landscapes, Primitive, watercolor , etc.

The Keyword search will be a great strategy for your views. 
Some WEbsites will have a stats report on a Key word that is used most often. When describing or titling your art make sure you use a keyword that is popular,such as: Primitive art painting, Original Landscape Painting. Research your keywords.


 The next step in exposing yourself is to get some printed cards of your art and profile. In other words, Get some Business cards of your art business. Because in order to be successful you have to treat your art like a business. 

Everytime you sell a painting or any art place the card on the back of the work.

  Everytime you go to a wedding shower give a painting or art gift. Place your card on it.

Everytime you see a friend and they ask you how you are doing give them a card.

 Everytime you meet a stranger incorporate in your conversation, that you are selling art and give them a card.

 If you are a facebook  member,and most everybody is , take a digital picture of your card and post it on your status.

 You will be amazed at how many people will visit your site. And this increases your exposure on the website for more hits.

So now that I have gotten your head to spinning and I know you are adding some new stratgies to these and tweeking the ones I mentioned. Get out there, get busy, and get exposed. But remember Rome was not built in a day and it will take some time. Don't give up and come back for some more strategies . This is only one of many. See Yah Belinda

Popular Art Paintings, Contemporary or Traditional

I once read that a survey was taken  about what subject the majority of people liked and bought in paintings. I'm sure this was a marketing survey. However the survey showed  that people voted on landscapes as there number one popular paintings. HMMMM? But does that mean contemporary or traditional?  I don't know. But I am assuming, that there is a market for both. And both markets are very popular.
     Markets are what artist , when selling, target and try to attract for sells.Two target markets in the many  subject of landscapes are contemporary and traditional.
 Some images of contemporary landscapes are, what I call skyline landscapes.Paintings of the horizon line with a large foreground . A beautiful array of color and images between the sky and land. 
       

EXAMPLE  AMERICAN RICELAND  BLAWSON

Another image of a contemporary landscape  is the  emphasis of color in your landscape  and a focus of foliage in trees.In the last couple of years ,the tree has been  a focus of interest and emphasis in many contemporary paintings.Such as,this other example of  a contemporary landscape.

These are some contemporary landscapes you might want to practice painting  or incorporate into your own contemporary style.

You can also go to the website www.art.com and they will display the most popular art they are selling on their site.

Also  the market of the traditional style of landscapes still exist. 

The traditional style is just a realistic image painted to capture its  beauty  by the artist. As you know. Whether perspectively, or from a season, or a specific place the traditional style is still  very popular and sell well.

Examples of traditional landscapes.

Even though  landscape paintings are the most popular

style of paintings by collectors and buyers, it is not limited to one type. And with this , it gives an artist a wide menu of 

different techniques and specific images to paint.

One good way to continue your art career is to find an artist that you like his or her subject. Paint a couple of paintings looking at their style  and you will see that your painting is different. Even though it is the same image it is your style. This is what is called apprenticing under a master. You can pick up some painting skills in image layout and color mixing by following another artist. This is a good way to study subject, media, and creating your own technique.  Good luck with your painting.

 Next blog is of a step by step painting.

To purchase any of these images go to :

www.belinda-lawson.fineartamerica.com  and more images at Etsy.com.belinda57

Painting Barns ,A rebirth of an old art market.

Believe it or not barn paintings are seeing a recent rebirth in the art marketing field. Years ago , probably back in the 60's and 70's people loved barn paintings. People loved them so much they had collections of barn paintings.
I don't know whether this is a rebirth of our heritage or a recollection of what people see  in our country.
Surely barns are an Icon of our history and we are the farmers and universal food producers of the world.  But artist, barns are back.
Artists if your painting are seeing a low in sales , try some subject matters of barns .
 Primitive paintings of barn are great. And  just landscape paintings of barns do well also. 
Some paintings really get more interest, if you stick a tractor in there or some farm implement. 
The first barn painting I sold was of a barn with two trucks parked in front parked in a field.
You can even paint barns in abstract form and do well. 
I have posted some of my barn paintings on this blog. Examples of barn paintings. 
And more of them are listed on my ebay store The county art loft at
stores.ebay.com/countyartloft  seller sweetcollectibles.
visit my store and please sign up for email on my blogspot. and ebay store.

                          Barn with a tractor !!!!

Barn with a new twist 

                            Abstract barn

                            Primitive barn

                        Winter Barn

       Visit my website and store for more ideas.
        happy barn painting. Try it. Belinda Lawson

WHAT IS A PAINTING STYLE, A NICHE!!!

      Many market advisors talk about a painting style. They say: get a niche so your collectors will follow you and keep returning to purchase your art. But what does that mean? Well , my intrepretation is this:  One, the subject you paint often or Two, the technique of your painted image.

       When I say subject ,I am talking about , do you paint dogs portraits, landscapes, nostalgic scences, seascapes or whatever? And only that? Some artist are known for there landscapes. Some artist are known to be wildlife artist. That's okay. But don't sell yourself short. Building a business ,it is important to focus on a subject matter sometimes to create your clientele. But do you have urges to paint other subjects ?Are we ADHD and jump around on subjects ?And why not?  Should be versatile to be a great artist?I say why not  paint differen subjects,because ,I feel when I paint a certain subject  all the time ,  I am killing  or muffling my creativity.

        Same thing with technique or style. I often  think that technique is the way your paint. Just like Van Gogh and his non blending brush storkes. That is the well known impressionist charateristic of that  technique or style. But his vibrant not blended brushstorkes are his passion or aethestics of painting.  You can see hisself or character in his work.
        Can you change the aesthetics?  Your aethetics  is what  makes a painting yours. In college we had to recognize artist by their style and technique. For the great artist it was not hard . Each one of them has a technique. That's what made them great. But remember ,each artist was taught or apprenticed by some other artist and then they took pieces of  learned technique and formed their own technique.

                OH my!!!Whether you find  or stick to a subject is your decision. A lot will probably be determined by the success you have using  and selling your paintings. If you do well painting dog portraits you may not want to change your subject. But I believe that you can never get rid of your aesthetics you might change a technique, subject or style, but you cannot change your aesthetics.  Your aesthetics , is your passion, your person. And some people passion is what draws  collectors  to their art .  This is  something  that is seen by the viewer , a piece of yourself that goes into every painting. And creates a feeling, whether pleasurable or tragic, and enhances an   experience of your art . Find your aesthetic ,and style, subject, niche, of your painting will not matter . Will It?

    Good luck and Great Aesthetics painting.

Please visit by art ist web site ; Belinda-lawson.fineartamerica.com,

or 99 cent sale at The county art loft Ebay stores

www.stores.ebay.com/countyartloft
please subscribe to my blog

Painting Flowers and Foliage Technique

               

All art stats  profess  that the most popular type of art paintings are images of foliage or flowers.

Whether it is watercolor flowers /foliage or acrylic, or oil.

Many collectors love and covet a flower/ foliage or painting or two.

Lately, there  also is an interest. big interest in small wrapped canvas of wild flowers and leaves.

So this says , maybe  an artist should have a work of 

flower or foliage painting to display and or sell to collectors.

A great collections or work sometimes consist of seasoned images, such as weather, of flowers and foliage.

Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.

Really I love my foliage images ,because I like painting them in watercolor.

The watercolor images are drawn leaves on the 140 lb paper .

You can use a tracing pattern the type you buy at a craft store. 

Or go outside and pull a leaf out of a tree.

I just pick a certain leaf and free draw it on my paper.

Then I mask it out with rubber cement . An art supply that you can buy easily from Walmart .

I like using rubber cement because it leaves a texture , after I remove it with my finger or eraser, that helps creates the value in my leaves.

Then I pick out my color for my background and paint the background in blotches , dark and light. 

After this I drop  jewels into the wet paper. I use contrasting colors from the background.

A jewel is a watery load of color that you squeeze from your paint brush and let drop onto the paper and run where  ever. It is cool.

I suggest you as an artist , try painting foliage or flowers and try the jewel technique in your background. YOU MIGHT LIKE IT .

You can work with this and create  your own style with the jewel technique. Its always fun to experience and explore. And it will make you a better artist.

Give me feedback and tell me how it went. 

Also you are always welcome to  visit my website:

belinda-lawson.fineartamerica.com and www.stores.ebay.com/county-art-loft

have fun arting