A Seahorse with Style

This is a quick little blog post where I create a new and different work (not my usual watercolor).

I LOVE white pen on black paper. I have several images that you can check here. Rolling the gel pen across the paper's surface is fun, which I find relaxing.

Seahorse first phase (0.35 sec)

Seahorse 2nd phase (0.24 sec)

Finished Art

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Art supplies used in this drawing:

• Black Paper - CraftMore Cardstock 8.5 x 11 inches 25 sheets

• Uni-ball Signo Broad Point white gel pen 6-pack

• Transon Acrylic Paint Markers - 8 pack (4 white and 4 black)

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6 Tips to Make your Commissions Joyful.

My first sale, after I started painting seriously, came through the Facebook page of a local coffee

shop that invited 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 (minus the brush and paint splash) 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 who wanted to know if I would accept $40 for the bee. I told the owner, "no." The lady returned to the shop and purchased it for $50. Lesson learned.

One of my first commissions came from a friend who wanted this as a gift for her grandson. The challenge was that this would not be a traditional format; the canvas would be on a chair.

This baseball-themed artwork was a big hit with the family.

Commissions seemed to grow as I shared my work on Facebook and other social media. Maybe the first rule to understand is common sense: You won't have a buyer unless they know what you do.

Tip #1 - Timing is Key

Be responsive and follow up on your leads immediately. Most of the time, people will find your art displayed somewhere. It triggers something in their head that they want a similar thing done, either as a gift or for a blank spot in their home. If someone expresses interest in buying one of your pieces, but can’t make a deposit or payment right away, take down their contact info and follow up with them by the end of the day/event. Most people who buy art don’t “need” it. It’s a luxury item that is often an impulse buy — they fall in love with the art and must have it. But if you wait too long, the infatuation can fade or even transfer to another item. If the art is intended as a gift, timing is even more critical. I learned while working in advertising that no matter how well your product is advertised if you don’t make the sale at the right time, you’ve missed the chance. But luckily, people are more willing to wait when it comes to art.

Tip #2 - Don't be shy to state your terms.

First off, licensing terms should be made clear. Does the client want the right to reproduce the artwork for commercial use/sale? They may think owning the artwork is the same as owning the license to reproduce it as they see fit. It’s your job to educate them if this is the case. Most artists retain their licensing rights for their work even after a sale. But an unaware client may take your commission and innocently reproduce it on T-shirts or publish it for commercial use without informing you first. That will lead to a sticky situation that could be avoided.

Having a written contract containing the details of the commission is essential to make sure everyone sticks to their part of the deal. Explain that paying in advance is essential, allowing artists to purchase materials and cover their initial expenses. To elaborate on the price, the artist will probably list the prices of other pieces as a point of reference. I have a baseline price for my typical artwork, a 9x12 inch image, matted and framed to an 11x14 inch frame, ready to hang.

It's fair to ask for payments upfront for as much as 50% to cover the cost of materials and time. This payment will help the patron and the artist stay invested in the piece and build a credible professional relationship.

#3 - Know Exactly What You're Being Asked to Do.

Remember why the client chose you, and don’t doubt your ability.

• DO take a creative license — this is why you were hired!

• DO start with concepts or sketches for them to approve before moving on to costly or large-scale work.

• DON’T check in too often, or seem unsure of yourself or your ideas, as this is an open invitation for your patron to suggest their ideas or perhaps drag you along a creative journey that isn’t yours. They’re trying to help, but it’s probably doing the opposite. (I have experienced this scenario recently).

#4 - Cherish your good clients, and learn to manage your difficult ones.

Not every commission will go smoothly, but don’t let a few bad experiences ruin the potential for great ones.

This is a learning curve that will take experience, but here are some cues to watch out for. The good clients will insist on paying you up front, leave a lot of the artistic license to you, and give you a broad spectrum to work with without interfering with your creative process.

Hang on to suitable clients, as their trust will inspire you to be more creative, resulting in more portfolio pieces, and you’ll love what you do even more.

The bad ones will try to dictate how you do things, change their minds after you’ve already started, or micromanage your work. They insist they’re just trying to help. Good client management skills and educating your client on your process — like what you DO and DON’T need from them regarding creative input. It is crucial to keep integrity in your work.

#5 - Know Your Market.

What type of art do you enjoy creating the most? What type of art are you best at? This should be your true market.

One of my favorite commissions came from a Facebook post where a friend shared her dog prancing around a bed of daffodils in their garden. Whoop, I thought this would be a great painting. I did this and did not expect it to turn into a commission.

I made a work-in-progress video and sent it to her. She asked if I could have prints made, as in notecards. This turned into a $200 commission, and I gave her the original. She now refers me if anyone is interested in having a pet portrait.

#6 - Pricing

Ugh. This is a BIG burden in my head. It's too low, and I'm not doing justice to my work. Too high, and I price myself out of the market.

You can find a plethora of articles on pricing your art. I will share what I finally did. I found a local watercolor artist in a similar style and started by browsing a gallery with working artists. The result is that my base price was a bit low. I have since upped the base price, and no one has pushed back. While browsing, I saw that the gallery has monthly exhibitions, and I submitted some artwork. I took First Place, and this was another huge confidence builder.

Of course, you can factor in size, time, difficulty, and materials used. Whatever method you use to determine the price ensures you retain integrity in your skill as an artist.

Rhode Island - Stained Glass, Art, and Innovation

This series introduces artists associated with certain states; this one features the state of Rhode Island.

John La Farge

b. 1835 d. 1910

John LaFarge was born in New York City, the son of prosperous French emigres; his father was a refugee from the ill-fated Napoleonic expedition to San Domingo. LaFarge began drawing early, had intermittent instruction, and graduated from the Roman Catholic Mount St. Mary’s College in Maryland.

He studied law and received a Master’s degree in 1855. The legal profession did not appeal to him, however, and for a twenty-first birthday present, he began his art training with a year in Europe, where he entered the atelier of Thomas Couture. Returning to the United States, he studied with William Morris Hunt in Newport.

John La Farge reinvented the art of stained glass. In the mid-1870s, he began experimenting with stained glass, innovating in opalescent glass. He was awarded patents for his new methods in 1880 and 1883 despite challenges from his rival, Louis Comfort Tiffany. At the International Exposition in Paris in 1889, he was awarded a first-class medal and the ribbon of the Legion of Honor. The jury citation lauded him as: “…the great innovator, the inventor of opaline glass.

His first stained glass window for Trinity Church was installed in 1883, depicting Christ in Majesty on the west façade. This window was the model for the Window of Christ Preaching (1889) at Boston College.

Christ in Majesty by La Farge Trinity Church. 1883

Christ Preaching by La Farge Boston College Libraries 1889

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James Sullivan Lincoln

b. 1811 d, 1988

portrait of James Sullivan Lincoln by John Arnold 1906

American portrait painter based in Providence, Rhode Island. He has been called the "father of Rhode Island art" and the "father of art in Providence."

At age ten, the family moved to Providence, Rhode Island. Lincoln's father died when James was fourteen. Needing to earn money to support the family, James went to work for an engraving company in downtown Providence. Lincoln's job was to make the drawings for the engravings; his skill at drawing caught the attention of nearby artist C.T. Hinckley, who trained the boy in the painting.

[re: Wikipedia]

One of Lincoln's earliest clients (when he was 25) was wealthy Pawtucket industrialist Samuel Slater, known as the "father of American Cotton Manufacture" (see below).

Slater was pleased with this portrait, which began a long portraiture series for James Sullivan Lincoln.

Lincoln later became the first president of the Providence Art Club. After 1837, his work consisted entirely of portraits. He died in Providence in 1888.

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Helena Sturtevant

b. 1872 d. 1946

Couple on Horseback, First Beach by Helena Sturtevant 1893tevant

Sturtevant is best known for her light-filled paintings of the historic buildings and scenic coastline of her native state and her depictions of the sailboats partaking in the International Cup Races held in the waters off Newport, R.I.

Sturtevant’s formal artistic education occurred at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School and at the Colarossi Academy in Paris.

Second Beach by Helena Sturtevant

Following her schooling in Paris, Sturtevant returned to Rhode Island and set up a studio on her grandparents’ estate in Newport. In 1909, she became a member of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors.

Her exhibition history, notwithstanding any gender-induced biases, was extensive. In a review of one of her early exhibitions at the Copley Gallery in Boston in 1909, the critic noted, “Miss Sturtevant likes the effects of light in nature. Indeed, it is among the best of her qualities.

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I would be remiss if I neglected to note the establishment of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

The Rhode Island School of Design's founding is often traced back to Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf's 1876 visit to the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. At the exposition, Metcalf visited the Women's Pavilion. Organized by the "Centennial Women," the pavilion showcased the work of female entrepreneurs, artists, and designers. Metcalf's visit to the pavilion profoundly impacted her and motivated her to address a deficiency in design education accessible to women.

The school opened in October 1877 in Providence. The first class consisted of 43 students, the majority of whom were women.

RISD offers bachelor's and master's degree programs across 19 majors and enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduate and 500 graduate students. The Rhode Island School of Design Museum—which houses the school's art and design collections—is one of the largest college art museums in the United States.

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Samuel Slater

b. 1768 d. 1835

English American businessman and founder of the American cotton textile industry.

He immigrated to the United States in 1789, attracted by the bounties offered to workers skilled in cotton manufacturing. However, he was forced to keep his knowledge and skills a secret from authorities because, at the time of the emigration of textile workers, the export of drawings of textile machinery was forbidden by British law.

Slater established the first successful cotton mill in the United States (Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 1793). He subsequently established several other plants in New England and founded the town of Slatersville, Rhode Island.

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Art in Rhode Island

Known as “The Creative Capital,” Providence is every art enthusiast’s dream come true. Between the Tony award-winning theater group Trinity Repertory Company, the Festival Ballet Providence, and the Providence Improv Guild, you can catch a live performance every night of the week.

If performance art is not your thing, you can view over 100,000 art and design objects at the RISD Art Museum, part of one of America’s top art colleges. Burgeoning artists can also find their place at AS220, an affordable artist-run organization where artists of every level can take classes in everything from comic book illustration to ballet.

If Light Shows are your thing, visit the Waterfire installation. Made up of over 80 bonfires that burn on vessels atop the three rivers that pass through the middle of downtown Providence, the fire sculpture attracts tens of thousands of people every year between October and May.

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