Five (More) Things I Have Learned Participating in Art Shows

So, it's been a bit too long since I have blogged. Sorry, I have no profound reason, just busy, I guess.
My most popular post ever was the one I did about the Ten Lessons I learned at Art Shows and Festivals, so I've been thinking maybe I should expand on that.

Here are Five More Things I Have Learned Participating in Art Shows and Festivals.

1. Avoid shows that are not well established in their area. If it's a first or second year, especially, most of the people there will be surprised to find the show, and you'll hear a lot of comments like, "Wow, I didn't even know this was going on! Is it just today?"

2. People will ask you all sorts of questions. They will want to know how you made your craft, how long it takes for you to make a piece, how long you have been creating art in your medium of choice, why you started in the first place, what kind of training you have or haven't had, and so many more things. They aren't necisarily looking for a particular answer, they're just curious to learn more about you and your craft, so don't get too nervous about things like whether or not you've had training, just be prepared with an intelligent answer and you'll be fine. What I hate is when I fumble for an answer to a question I hadn't thought of. That's the worst.

3. People love to tell little stories about their own experiences. So listen to their stories. Listen for clues about what they like, so you can use that info to help them find something you are selling that they would like to purchase.

4. Just because someone has looked at your display does not mean that they have understood everything they have seen. It is very likely that they did not even read that lovely sign that you made telling them about your prices or policies or drawing attention to a special deal you are offering. You might want to point it out to them verbally. Obviously you can't point out everything to everyone, but you can start with one thing and work from there.

And last, but far from least:

5. How you arrange your products has everything to do with how many people stop to look at them. People are especially attracted to items that are grouped into like colors, as color is a major factor for most people when they are deciding whether or not an item matches their taste and decor or wardrobe. It is important to put as much effort as you can into arranging your display. Set it up at home if you can and re-arrange until you are satisfied it is the best you can do. Think of how a successful retail store arranges their products. Study them, because they know what they are doing.

What do you do when you don't feel creative?

I want to ask you readers a question today!

What do you do when you need to get some art work done, and you just don't feel creative? I know I have done some of my best and some of my worst work during times like this!

For example, sometimes "forcing it" ruins my creativity and makes my work come out stale and boring. This isn't always the case, though! Sometimes I have a deadline to finish a project, and I just can't quit, and the pressure to keep going forces me to "loosen up" with my paintings, stop analyzing every brushstroke, and work with more intensity. One thing is for sure.. when I need to get in the mood to paint, nothing helps like cranking up my favorite music!

So what about you? What do you do when you don't feel creative? Do you come back later, or do you have some tricks up your sleeve to get the creative juices flowing? Please leave your questions or comments below!

When you're through leaving your comment(s), check out my website at lauraposs.com

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Value Studies

A value study is a great way to prepare for a new painting, and helps ensure that you will get the result you want when you paint your final painting. A value study is a sketch using only one color. Usually it will be smaller than the final painting, and done far more quickly. The advantage of a value study is that you take the focus off of the colors, and put it on placement and values.

I read about value studies many times before I tried it myself. I did one for the first time while at a workshop with Joe Miller. Now I consider it an important step in my artistic process.

I almost always do a value study of some kind for every larger painting, even if it's only with a regular pencil and shading. They're not always pretty, and are usually done very quickly. Pencil value studies, I spend maybe 2-5 minutes. If I paint it, maybe 15-20 minutes.

*Tip- If you do value studies with paint, don't choose a light color on your palette! You won't be able to create values that are very dark with a light color! My favorite choices for value studies in watercolor are ultramarine, burnt umber, sap green, and quinacradone gold.

The pics I have here are some of my favorites I've done. (And least sloppy!) I hope you enjoy them, and find them useful to get you started practicing your own value studies! :)

As always, happy painting! Leave your comments or questions below... don't be shy! I want to hear from you!

If you like, please also visit my website at www.lauraposs.com.

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Musings on Painting

“Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do.” This quote by Edgar Degas has been on my mind all day. I have found it to be so true.

When I first began painting, all I had to worry about was making the painting look "pretty". I used colors that pleased me and chose compositions from photos I liked.

Now that I have far more experience, I have learned that there's so much more to worry about! Sometimes I get really frustrated trying to create paintings with optimum composition, correct values, proper use of color and hue, and on and on it goes.

What do you think about this? Should one try to follow established "rules" to create art? Is it better to ignore the rules and simply follow your intuition and create something that pleases you? I want to hear your opinions!

To see my art, new and old, please visit my website www.lauraposs.com.

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How to stretch watercolor paper

Stretching watercolor paper keeps it from buckling while you are painting on it. It is not necessary for 300-pound paper, but lighter papers will buckle when they get wet. 300 pound paper gets expensive, so many watercolor artists buy 140- pound paper and stretch it to a hard surface.

There are lots of ways to do this. Today I'm going to share with you how I do it. I drew some little doodles in my notebook to help you see what I mean.

You need a hard backing surface to stretch the paper to. I use gatorboard (aka. gatorfoam board). Gatorboard is similar to a super-thick piece of foam board, but it has a much stronger outer surface that will hold up a lot longer than foam board. It's lightweight, easy to staple (and remove staples from), and doesn't mind getting soaked, so it's perfect for this purpose. (You can find it at various art supply stores under different names, or you can order gatorboard from Cheap Joes Art Stuff, at http://www.cheapjoes.com- my favorite place!)

Other supplies: water, stapler and staples, masking tape or artist's tape, watercolor paper


Steps:

1. First I cut my paper to the size I need, and lay my gatorboard flat on a table or counter.

2. Next I hold the paper under cool, running water in the sink or bathtub, moving it around until it's thoroughly wet everywhere on both sides. I really let it run over it for a couple of minutes on both sides, so it gets nice and soaked. (Some artists choose to actually soak their paper in a tub of water.) After I've done this on both sides of the paper, I hold it up by one corner and let the water run off until it stops running and starts dripping. Then I hold the opposite corner up for a few seconds, so the excess water settles back onto the paper more evenly (vs. being pooled in one corner).

 

3. Then I lay the paper flat on top of the gatorboard and start to watch what happens. (Note- loose sheets of watercolor paper should be the same on both sides. Paper removed from a block or pad may have a front and back side.) As it buckles (ie. creates big wrinkles or waves), I tug gently on the sides to flatten it back out. If some areas (like corners) are drying to the point where they lose their sheen while other places are still very wet, I'll mist them with a spritz bottle to make them shiny again. Once most or all of the paper has absorbed the excess water and is no longer shiny, it's time to start stapling it down.

4. I start stapling the paper to the gatorboard along the outer edges of the paper. First I put a staple in the middle of one of the shorter sides of the paper. Then I turn the board around, pull on the opposite side until the paper is taut, and put a staple directly across the page from the first one. When pulling the paper tight, I tug on it just enough to see it strain against the staple. If you pull more, it will tear the staple out. Next, I repeat the process on the longer two sides of the paper, starting in the middle of one side, then pulling taut and doing the opposite staple. I do the corners next, using the same process of pulling the paper taut each time. It's a bit like stretching a canvas or even something like a drum.

If by the time I've stapled the centers of all four sides and corners, one of the first staples needs to be adjusted, I just pull it out with my fingernails, pull the page taut, and put another staple in. For a large piece of paper, I'll often do 3 staples in the middle of each side before moving onto the corners, such as in the drawing below.

Once the centers and corners are finished, I simply go around the rest of the paper edges with my stapler, placing staples about 1/2-inch apart al the way around the page. If I do them too far apart, sometimes wrinkles/buckles will pop up between staples as the paper is drying and that's frustrating.

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5. Next I just have to let the paper dry completely before it's ready to use. This can be sped up with a hair dryer, if desired. Don't try to draw on it until it's completely dried!

6. For a finishing touch, I tape the edges of my paper with masking or artist's tape, covering the edge of the paper and all the staples. This keeps water and paint from running under the paper while I'm painting, and also makes a nice clean edge all around my painting when I am done. When I finish painting, I simply remove the tape, pull the paper off the board, and remove the staples. (You can remove the staples first if it's easier. I have a tool that makes it easier to remove them after taking the paper off the board.)

Happy painting! Leave your comments or questions below... don't be shy! I want to hear from you!

My art: lauraposs.com

Etsy shop: lauraposs.etsy.com

Facebook: facebook.com/lposs.art

My first impressions of Etsy

I recently embarked on a new venture... the wide world of Etsy. If you don't know, Etsy is a website that provides internet "shops" to small business people who are selling their own handmade items, vintage items (at least 20 years old), or craft supplies. It's a little like ebay, except crafty!. It's a lot like a regular craft show, except online instead of outside, and instead of paying large booth fees, you pay a small listing fee (20 cents per item, for a four-month listing), and then a small percentage of the sale price when you sell an item (3.5%). There are no membership fees or other fees for your shop, which makes it very accessible for everyone.

My first impressions of Etsy? I love it! ♥

Here are some of the things I like so far.
The shops are well organized and easy to navigate. For each item you list, you are allowed to upload 5 photos for no extra fee. (If you've ever listed with e-bay, you'll appreciate that!) You are able to create all your own "shop policies" to determine how shipping, returns, and so on will be handled. There are tons of ways people can find items they're looking for, beyond the old search by name or category. My favorite tool is a page filled with dots of all colors where you can move your curser around the page, and when you see the exact shade of a color you are looking for pop up, you click on it, and then Etsy looks at the thumbnails of all the items currently listed, and shows you any items it finds that have a significant amount of that color. How cool is that??

However, I think the best thing I've found in my first few days at Etsy is all the information they have organized for you to read to help you be more successful. They have a blog and a forum, and they have compiled article after article in one place for you to find and read. These articles are immensely helpful, and it looks to me that they are all written by fellow "etsians" (Etsy buyers and sellers) who have been there, done that, and want to tell someone else how to do it the best way that they found. Very helpful!

If you have bought or sold from Etsy, I'd love to hear how your experience is or was. Don't be shy, let me know with your comments! I appreciate them so much!

My artist website:www.lauraposs.com
My new Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/shop/lauraposs

Words of Wisdom

"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary"

I love this quote. I try to keep it in mind always. These exceptional words of wisdom were spoken by our dear friend Pablo Picasso.

When I'm not sure what direction to take with my paintings I try to remember that it's my diary. I should paint it the way that pleases me. Everyone has a different taste in art, and you can not please them all.

http://www.laurposs.com

Ten lessons I learned my first year at art shows and festivals

Last year I entered a daring new world. I bought a tent and a bunch of other equipment, and I started looking for art and craft shows in my area where I could try to sell my watercolors. I had a great time, and I can hardly wait until spring, when I'll start another year of shows! Here is a list of the top ten things I learned last year.

1.Only sign up for shows that are specifically for arts and/or crafts. (Or whatever you're selling.)The more targeted the show is toward your particular art form, the better. Shows with lots of entertainment and food and cotton candy draw a big crowd, they are fun, and you meet fun people. However, the people coming to those shows are there for the food and fun, and maybe a little shopping, but they are not there to invest in art.

2. Put lower priced items out front where they will get people's attention, and stop them from assuming that all your art is expensive, which is what they will do if you have expensive art where they will see it first.

3.Don't stand out in front of your booth doing nothing. People seem to get the idea that you are waiting to "pounce" on them if they stop, so they don't.

4. Don't sit in your booth staring at people. The same reason as number 3.

5. Don't assume people understand what your artwork is. The difference between different painting mediums or what the functions are of your various pottery dishes, etc. may seem obvious to you, but that doesn't mean that the people who walk into your booth know what it is. Be friendly and tell them! If they stop to admire your artwork, you could say something like, "Hi! Just for clarification, the paintings you are looking at hanging on that wall are all original watercolor paintings." You could also point out what other things you have, if any (briefly! You don't want to smother them!)and then tell them that if they have any other questions you're here to help. Doing this accomplishes several things; you have opened a line of communication, helped them understand what they are looking at, and given them the idea that it's ok not to know about your art form, and that you are informative and helpful.


6. Bring lots of "backup supplies" like tape, safety pins, string, scissors, basic tools, and a step ladder. You never know when they will come in handy, and they are likely to be used at every show to help make sure everything looks perfect. They may even, at times, stop a bad situation from becoming a disaster

7. If you are doing outdoor shows, go ahead and plan for bad weather. In doing this, make sure you plan not only for precipitation, but wind.

8. Don't be insulted when occasional passerby comment on the high price of your art. A certain number of people will do this. They don't understand it's rude or don't think you can hear them, or something. Every once in a while they may even say something to you. Be prepared to smile through it. If you've done your research and feel comfortable with your prices, then you can explain to them that your prices are comparable with similar products from artists with your level of reputation in your area. If they don't agree, so be it. Don't sweat about it. Just make sure to always do your research on pricing.


9. Bring lots of business cards and/or other promotional materials, and hand them out liberally. Many of them will turn into later sales, especially if you have a website and also especially if you offer commissioned art.

10. Dress nicely, but wear comfortable shoes. You will be standing a lot. You don't want your smiling and greeting and chatting with potential customers to be hindered by a terrible pain in your feet!

To see my art or contact me, please visit my website www.lauraposs.com

Handprint

HANDPRINT: http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/water.html

If you enjoy watercolor painting, you have to check out this website. The main page claims " the world's finest guide to watercolor painting", and I cannot disagree. This site is created by Bruce MacEvoy. You can learn more about him by clicking on "FAQ" from the main page, and see his artwork by clicking "recent works" from the main page.

If you are new to the site, I suggest you hop on over there, (after you finish here, of course) and click on "intro" at the top of the list of links on the left side of the page. From there you can read a info about the site, and explore the site map.

The site map on this site is an extremely long list of all of the content within the site. You can click on anything on the list to see the page containing the information which interests you. This fabulously detailed list begins with links to a wealth of information about the tools and materials for watercolors. Paints, brushes, paper, pallattes- even including things like explanations of how the paints are made and guides to the many choices and brands available. There's also tons of instructional info like color theory and mixing, composition and design, drawing and watercolor technique, and lots more "how-to"s. Unbelieveably, that's just half of the list! They also offer an extensive directory of instructional books available, complete with full reviews, a directory of retailers for the watercolor artist, and one more incredible thing: a large online watercolor painting exhibit. Artists are chosen from the 18th century to today, and works and stories of their lives are there, on this amazing website, for you to study and enjoy.

Have fun!!

lauraposs.com