May 2016 Art Thread

Oo it’s nice to pop in and see so many wonderful Artworks. :smiley:
Keep up the lovely work everyone.

Busy working towards a craft fair at the moment. So I’ve not had loads of time to make, but here’s a little doodly Twinkle and Gloomy version of Alice liddell. It was her birthday yesterday. She was the little girl Lewis Carroll wrote Alice in Wonderland for.

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Good morning, love your gloomy Alice Lowri, good luck with the fair.

Great little landscape Stephie, love the colours in that one. I found some really tiny frames the other day may have a go at doing some miniatures again, not done any for a very long time.

I finally got around to listing one of my new pieces

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Good morning :slight_smile: I’m stock taking this week - it’s a truly boring job but has to be done from time to time. I’ve found a LOT of ACEO’s that are not listed anywhere! I’m having a good think about my shop - the style, the photos, the writing etc before renewing my plus account in June.

Love that the textures in that Max, it looks like you had a lot of fun with it. @paperchainsandbeads

How was the fair / how is the planning of the fair going Lowri? @twinkleandgloomart

Good luck with that Steph. Your shop already looks great though. I did that myself a couple of months ago- when your shop looks extra shiny you feel more confident about it. I was ambitious and switched to white backgrounds! I loved grey backgrounds- but I found it really difficult to photograph my prints against it as it seemed to mess up the white balance even if I set it to that environment.

The fair went well thank you. I made a fair profit and had some lovely comments. I sold two of my new dollies and then one on Folksy in the evening. Now I need to pull my finger out and take stock to my stockists.

Oh- Ill add some art whilst im here:

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Good morning, glad to hear the fair went well Lowri, that one made me smile this morning :). Good luck with the stock take Stephie, I occasionally go through mine and always find something not listed lol! I’m looking at my shops too, daughter thinks I need to focus more on the handmade elements so I have been designing a new banner and working on a logo design, it’s not so easy lol!

just listed this one

The stock take went well, I had one listed that I couldn’t find (yikes) and a whole pile that seem to have fallen out of my shop somehow. I’ve also thrown a pile of ACEOs in the bin (!!!) and have tarted a few more up a bit.

This morning I’ve had a play with my photo style and am looking for comments over on this thread, I’m reviewing my photos, how do these look? I’d be grateful i you would pop over and let me know what you think :slight_smile:

Looking forward to seeing your new banner etc Max, you’ve definitely got the electronic painting skills!

Lowri I think that’s possibly how my daughter feels after a good night out lol. It’s a shame the grey was difficult to photograph as it does make a nice background. I’ve struggled with grey too, I can’t make it consistent enough.

Great work James…nothing better than spending the day painting or doing any kind or craft.
Since 2006 I have sold over 2000 paintings.
I have a lovely artist friend in Oz and she gave me some good advice.
Love what you do and others will love it too.
I have earned my living from arts and crafts since 1972…and loved every minute of it.
I have taught at adult educations centres and love what I do.
I hope that you enjoy your journey too.
Here is my favourite painting…all done from my (vivd) imagination…
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I should have done like you, Brenda, and focussed on doing the arty stuff full time when I was younger, although I was always doing something creative, whether t was craft fairs at weekends, or voluntary art work (had great fun painting murals on the outside school walls with the kids when I volunteered at a primary school lol!) But too many hours were spent working for other people!

I’ve taught dance, drama and arts and crafts at various periods - great fun, but I couldn’t be faffed with all the insurance and paperwork etc now. I like teaching kids, and when I ran my drama group the CRB checks came in during that time, which I was able to get through work as I worked with the Youth Service, but I was quite gobsmacked that in 12 years only one parent ever asked me if I was Police/CRB checked!

I fancied teaching through Adult Ed (I did admin work for them, so had good contacts) but again it had got to the point where there was so much paper work, and at our LA (not sure if all are the same) it was compulsory to have a first aid qualification, and I hated doing first aid (I used to have other people as the first aiders for the drama group lol)

Could I be bothered to teach now? I guess it would still be fun, and it gives a more steady income if paintings aren’t getting many sales, but to be honest I just want to spend the time doing my own work now, and getting through my commissions list :slight_smile:

Here’s one new one in my shop - I still have the original version of this listed, and someone wanted 6 like it, and I ended up painting 8 so that they could pick the ones they liked best as I did explain that I couldn’t exactly replicate the original each time :slight_smile:

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Thank you for your lovely comments, I am a great fan of your work, I paint but close up more botanical style, I doubt if I will ever master landscapes the way you do,just take it that I favourite all of your work all of the time.
Just noticed I am signed in as gingakats studio,atalanta nine to five is my other shop,I shall probably merge the two.
Thanks again,visits have been a bit sparse lately and your your comments brightened my darkness.Love the fantasy painting, I have just reached the big 7 oh but there is still room for fantasy in my life.

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James, I am fast heading to the same milestone…in December…I will need to renew my driving licence too…old age is grand and yes STILL plenty of time for fantasy stuff so you are in good company…we wrinklies should stick together.
Your work is fab.
I have just done this relist…
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That is fab,the light, composition,everything. I suppose you know about pricing your own work but I think it is worth much more. An old lady paid me to drink tea and eat her melting moments,she did allow me a ten minute work break each day however,otherwise she would talk at length and one subject was art pricing,she said think of your best price,double it and add 10% for good measure. She had been a high roller and moved in high circles,I saw by her manner,dress and possessions she had been there and knew how it worked. I could say more but these forums make the public domain and I might upset someone,she did explain what a farce the art world is,the real artists like yourself and others here never get the recognition they deserve because of it.

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I know James…but I have tried all price ranges without any improvement…such is life and being on a very low pension (I suspect you know all about those…mine is half what it should be due to a government loop hole…they diddled me and nothing could be done about…Spoke to everyone but no help) so I would rather sell and make a few pence here and there than sit waiting patiently for someone who could afford what my art might be worth.I’d like to see David Cameron surivive on £70 a week…so onwards and upwards…and more painting to be done.

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Afternoon everyone, loving the landscapes Brenda, I recognised the purple one straight away from your avatar :smile:

Wave to Sara, lovely to see you here and hello to James too

Im on the miniatures this weekend work in progress, tthink these are my tiniest ever, that’s a 5pence for scale :hushed:

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They wouldn’t survive on £70 a day,I can only have a car because I am still able to work on it for mot etc. But that is something,I have seen poor people half my age on sticks and in wheelchairs,I am lucky that way. Some that are working are worse off than me,minimum wage,maximum pay out,it’s a crime.

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I learnt a new technique today of using damp cotton wool to soften the edges of wet watercolours. It is really very effective and delicate, allowing more colours to be placed in the same area without turning to mud.

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I like that a lot,brilliant.

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I listed three paintings today…one a framed relist and two aceos…this is just one of them.
I also painted 9 watercolours…on a roll now…lol
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Lovely painting,glad you are on a roll,you have got more go than me,I have one in mind but haven’t got to it yet. I did Get a couple of nice shots of a little Holly Blue though which will help.