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Writer's pictureAnnie Mason
5 min read

Meet the Artist - David Zydd



Meet the Artist. The place where I introduce YOU to an artist through a virtual interview. Our featured artist is David Zydd. *Note: The images in this post link to David's product shops.





 

David Zydd

Budapest, Hungary





  • Who are you, and what is your background?

Hi, my artist's name is David Zydd. I've never wanted to be an artist; the whole thing came by accident.


My story began at elementary school. Maybe my drawing skills were a little bit above average. But then we had to paint out our drawings, so my work became below average. In high school, I made a few pretty good drawings when I was sitting in brutally boring Literature or Mathematics classes. (When I hadn't fallen asleep.) I had Literature problems while reading many books and I've also tried writing. I also had problems with Mathematics, where I almost always wrote down the correct results, but I didn't know (and I was not interested in) how to calculate them.


Nonetheless, I got into college and graduated as an architect. That's why I hated drawing for the next 10-15 years. I've even boycotted my graduation ceremony: the school was very difficult, however, we didn't learn anything useful about our profession.

My story continues one decade later. I've worked for 10 years in the building industry. When my last employer didn't pay my salary for almost one year (This was very common in the building industry in Hungary at that time.),


I started to think about building another source of income. I wrote blogs, I tried Google Adsense, affiliate marketing, and numerous micro-revenue sites. I also tried 3D modeling. Then - accidentally - I've met with vector graphics. It was in the fall of 2013. I immediately started to create vector images, and a few months later, I started selling vector images on Shutterstock (right after my honeymoon). I had engineering and programming jobs at that time. I also joined the Mensa organization in Hungary and included it in my CV to get the positions.


I've experimented with many styles, some of which looked artsy. So, I finally joined Society6 at the end of 2014. Two months later, I finished my last job as an employee and became an entrepreneur. In the last months of my employment, I spent more time with my business than the company. I have no remorse because the company worked for financial institutions. :)



Very First Works

Meanwhile, I played beach volleyball at the semi-pro level. My best results in the Hungarian Championship were 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th places. I played in the championship in 4 different decades. When I was very good, there were 1 or 2 much better players. When the competitors were a little weaker, I was also weaker. :)



  • What is your favorite medium?

I only use SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) vector graphics. It's more like programming than drawing. I type in words and numbers, and then nice, colorful graphics appear on the screen. After a few attempts, I added a very unusual twist: I used a PHP programming language to write SVG files. This way, I can add much randomness to my artwork. Any other programming language would be suitable to accomplish this. It must be capable of writing text files. I chose PHP only because it was pretty simple to install in a comfortable environment. So, I write a little (sometimes simple, sometimes complicated) algorithm, then I run it several times. When I like the result, I keep the image.




  • Has your practice changed over time?

Currently, I use the 8th generation of the methods to create my vector images. The 1st was to write the SVG file directly. In the 8th generation, I wrote the software (it runs in the browser) for myself. I can easily connect existing algorithms; then, I change a few parameters, and the results are very different. Usually, there is minimal programming in the process. This program is primarily for stock graphics, but my newest artistic works were also created this way.


The program copies and moves the files, making the needed conversions (.EPS, AI, JPG) almost automatically. Then I click and type for a few minutes, and the software creates titles, descriptions, and 40-50 keywords for dozens of images.


I can create even 500+ brand new images with titles, descriptions, and keywords in one day. However, I make it very occasionally. I spend less than 5% of my work time creating, and more than 95% goes to uploading, marketing, and other boring tasks. Since the birth of my second daughter, I have very little time. The lockdown even halved this...





  • What do you most enjoy painting?


David Zydd logo

I love to do experiments with geometric shapes and colors. My artist logo represents this.
















 



Sometimes, I dare to try "normal" artwork when I create images without randomness, but I do this only occasionally. For example, I created minimalist line art for my daughters last year.



  • What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

I was an architect, facility management expert, virtual constructor, and GDL (Geometric Description Language) programmer. The latest gave me the idea of the whole vector programming thing.


Then, I worked as an engineer and as a SQL database programmer. During college, I was a waiter, callboy, etc... for short times.


  • What food, drink, or song inspires you?

I've never thought about drinks or foods as inspirations. :)


My favorite drink in the colder half of the year is red wine; in the hotter half, it's beer. (Except Heineken-owned brands, for political reasons...) My favorite food is ribs and fatty meats.


My favorite music styles are power metal and folk metal. These are sometimes very inspiring music, but there is no way to connect this inspiration to my artworks. :)


  • What has been your favorite response to your work?

When my family members like my artwork, I hope I can differentiate between politeness and real enthusiasm. :)


Of course, everyone's mom will love her son's/daughter's work.




  • Professionally, what is your goal?

My income is around 80% from stock vector graphics and 20% from artwork. My goal is to reverse this proportion in favor of art. And I'd like to spend more time with creation and experimentation.


I can make hundreds of artworks in a few hours. But I have no idea which is the best of them. I'm very bad at choosing the good ones. So, I'm open to collaborations with anybody who would like to browse and sell my artwork with a 50%-50% revenue share.

I can provide hundreds of - even unique - images for this collaboration.





 

Thank you so much, David. My readers are grateful that you shared your vector graphics with all of us. Colorful, symmetrical, spiraling visions to dazzle the eye.


Readers, be sure to visit all of David Zydd's sites:


Society6: Mandala Magic by David Zydd https://society6.com/davidzydd

Contact: davidzydd@gmail.com




Visit all the MEET THE ARTIST posts.



Please, Pin it! Comment below this post.








by Sean Adams | Peter Dawson | John Foster | Tony Seddon Paperback, Illustrated




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Writer's pictureAnnie Mason
6 min read

Commissions, Sales, and Gifts; oh my.

I am not an expert on commissions. Not by a long shot. However, I will attempt to lay out some thoughts and situations that will give artists some criteria I have settled on in the last few years. This might prevent buyer's remorse when asking an artist to paint a portrait of a loved one, dog, or cat. The buyer and the artist can have some agreement on what they each expect from each other: Deposit, how long it will take, expectations, framed (or not), work in progress, and any questions.


Looking back on my "career" as an art teacher, I don't see an artist. Why? Because I was busy with lesson plans, checking materials, working with a classroom teacher who might want the art lesson to piggyback with her animal life cycle curriculum, and balancing the school district's K-6 art curriculum schedule. The only times that I was called on to be an "artist" was when a classroom teacher "solicited" (as in, begged me) to do her bulletin board. {cough}


Now, I am an artist who paints almost every day. I have more than 300 paintings or drawings in my portfolio unless I have sold them or given them as gifts.




As I began to think about this post, I realized that I have sold or given more images than I remember. That's a pleasant feeling because I haven't had a bad experience with doing commission work. Not like the time I volunteered to take photographs for a neighbor's wedding. My photography was quite good. However, I didn't have any sort of agreement or contract, took no deposit, and didn't consider the stress level of taking photos of an event that you can't have a "do-over." This is a recipe for a disaster. A verbal walk-through with the bride/groom instead of the parents of the two would have been beneficial. Long story short, the reception hall had fluorescent lighting, which cast a green tone on everything. The parents were horrified at the photos and refused to pay me anything for them. Lesson learned: put things in writing.


Let me show you some of my commission works and give you a taste of how I feel about them.



My alma mater, Westfield (Massachusetts) State University, invited alumni to join a gallery show in their new administration building. The show's theme was "The Garden". I was due to visit my hometown area, so I submitted this acrylic painting called "Sage". It is a 16 x 20-inch canvas. I love this because I decided to create the illusion of a basket weave on the whole design. I was pleased with how this added visual interest.

I knew that we could sell our work at this event. Hmm. What to price this? I had no idea. I priced it at $75. When I arrived at the gallery, my painting was on the wall. It was among the smaller works displayed. And it was among the smallest price tags by a lot! Most were $300 or more. "SAGE" sold, however! Was it the most affordable? Probably. Would it have sold if the price was $175? Probably.



More recently, the Facebook page of a local coffee shop was inviting artists to bring in their works ready to hang. They listed how many they would be able to display. This "Queen Bee" watercolor and pen painting, 7 x 5 inches, looked nice in a simple black frame. It was among three others that I displayed, and I priced them all at $50. The coffee shop got a call from someone asking if I would accept $40 for the bee. I told the owner no. The lady returned to the shop and purchased it for $50.






This next painting was for my niece. She has two Bichon Frise dogs, both rescues. One is a tripawd, and gets around pretty well. She had a picture of the two dogs on her back porch with a stuffed "friend" between them. I gave her the original for a Christmas gift. She loved it. Priceless!




Our church was having a dinner / social event with a silent auction to raise money for a worthy cause.


This watercolor Virgin Mary is 5 x 7 inches, matted with a gold frame. The final auction-winning bid was $50, a disappointment in my mind.
















I have talked about this in an earlier post:

Dick and Rick Hoyt This duo is the father/son team that has changed the running events world. Dick and Rick ran their first event in 1977. After they were done, Rick told his dad, "When I'm running, I feel like I'm not handicapped."


Rick was a student in one of the schools where I was the art teacher. He was an amazing young 9-year-old. Little did I know how he and his dad would change the world.


After I reunited with them in Rick's apartment many years later, my husband took a picture, and I drew father/son in charcoal pencil. It was a gift to them from me and hung on Rick's wall with so MANY other photos and mementos they have as a world-famous running team for athletically challenged bodies. Dick Hoyt died on March 17, 2021.






I sell my artwork at Heather Boutique in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia. (see my story on Heather Boutique) The image on the right is an original pen & ink that I brought for this Trunk Show, an event where the artisans Heather has featured in her shop can show their wares. I brought my greeting cards and seven original works, framed and ready for sale. This piece called "Floraison" (french for flowering) was purchased shortly after the shop door opened for the day. Wow. Was I excited? Yes, indeed. The work is 18 x 18 inches framed. I had worked out a rolling scale for the time, materials, and size. Articles about how to price your works are out there to read, but this one helped me take the emotion out of it: Do's and Don'ts of Pricing Your Artwork. I still use this "formula," the shop owner is pleased because it keeps my work consistent throughout the store where it is displayed. "Floraison" sold for $150. I sold four original works at this event. My prices at the shop are reasonable and take into account my time, materials, and skill.



The photographs below show my new style change to pen & ink with light color done with crayons or colored pencils. A blog post discusses this change of pace and style.

The first thumbnail is a commission by a family member. It is her son's home in northern Virginia that she wanted to give them as a Christmas gift. The size kept increasing as she ordered the purchase. It was one of my larger works (14 x 11-inch image, matted and framed to 20 x 16 inches. The total price, including the frame, was $230.00


The other is a neighbor's home. The couple is a good friend, and they are our age. The husband and wife have purchased other artworks of mine, and they continue to compliment me and ask how my painting is going. The pandemic has been hard on them as they have been unable to see their son. We have enjoyed eating with them during the year, but that has not happened during 2020. We are going to surprise them with the artwork of their home. It will be fun to see their faces as they are not even aware that I have done this. Price: A joyful surprise.





This is "Meatball." My daughter took care of this dog when the owners were away. I painted this watercolor of him shortly before he died. He was a sweet dog, and I loved giving this to his family.



Meatball



I painted this for a friend who lost a dog earlier this year, and recently got this dog, "Lassie". Her Facebook posted pictures of some flowers from her spring garden. I commented that I wanted to paint the flowers. Her friends (who know me) said, Yes, Do it! So, I did.


It's a gift, too.


If I reread this post, I guess I do "gift" more than not. My reward comes with the smiles and thank-you's, and that's why I paint.







The story is that I do love doing commissions. When the client is pleased, so am I. Everyone deserves to have an original piece in their home, commissioned or gifted. I put my heart and soul into the process and years of learning. I want the owner to love it.



Pin it, Please.











447 views
Writer's pictureAnnie Mason
3 min read

You can't have enough art supplies.

This

is an opinion.

My opinion.







 

The art supplies pictured here are my own. Many of the items link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate, earning from the reader's purchases here. I can comfortably say that I use all the products listed below, and I am confident that they are art supplies that you would enjoy at a beginner or professional level.



Let's start with basic supplies.



 


PAINTS



You can see that this set has been used. I bought this set in 2015, and it still serves me well. The link will bring you to a catalog of similar sets.


A Paint set which has 24 color pans along with a palette and a watercolor pen.
Sakura Koi 24 color Travel Set





I use these Winsor & Newton© watercolours are rich with high pigmentation. You can see that this has had plenty of use since 2019 and still have plenty of color. Recognizing the colors was a little harder, so I cut a piece from the wrapping on each pan and glued it above each paint pan. This set has a water pen, and the lid opens to a palette.



Winsor & Newton watercolour paint set 12 half pans
Winsor & Newton 12 half pan watercolour set


 


WATERCOLOR PAPERS





You can find more watercolor paper selections in the catalog search here.



 


BRUSHES



These are my go-to brushes, especially when using washes. Brushes come in 9 popular sizes—#0, #2, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12, #14, #16. This is an extremely versatile size range. It is perfect for professionals, artists, students, novices, beginners, and adults. Natural sable hairs have great liquid-holding ability, and soft and smooth blending gives you a perfect sable-like spring back and ability to hold its shape.




This set is perfect for details with your brush. I keep two sets so that I don't run out when a brush starts to wear down.











































Despite the fancy-sounding name, these brushes are a Value Pack on Amazon. I use them for paintings, wear them out, and then buy another 12-piece pack for under $20. (Eight brushes are shown here.)







You should clean your brushes! It keeps them healthy.






A Spiral Holder Suspends Brush Tips To Prevent Bending Or Deforming of The Bristles As They Hang To Dry Or Soak In Either Water Or Solvents. Great product.















DRAWING


I LOVE these watercolor pencils. They allow me to add shadows or detail in areas where I can draw colors and contrast. I sharpen these down to the nub. Beautiful colors. * Note the holder. My daughter bought me the holder, which looks like the "spiral shaving" leftover from a pencil sharpener. Very clever. Get yours here Clive Roddy.












These are handy for drafting, but I love being able to trace perfect circles in any situation. The erasing shield also helps to erase unwanted lines close to each other.






Speaking of erasing. I don't like to think about making mistakes...but I confess. I make them.





A picture of a Faber-Castell kneaded eraser in a plastic case.
A Faber-Castell kneaded eraser in a plastic case.



 

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Clicking the links

and making any purchase from this website will be an Amazon commission

for me but will have no cost to you.


 

Not necessarily needed, it's nice to have this equipment or these furniture items:








 

If you like to video your work-in-progress

or you like to do tutorials:









 


Good lighting:







 

Keep your artwork safe:


I own all of the products listed above. If you are thinking about any of these for yourself, for a budding artist in your life, or for a crafter of any kind, click through to Amazon and drop a product in your cart. I thank you, as I do get a commission for your purchase after the item has been shown and delivered.



 







Please, Pin it! or scroll to comments.









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