Wednesday February 8, 2012
Setting up a still life for painting isn't a matter of throwing few objects onto a table top and then starting. For a successful still life, you want to put some thought into the choices available to you.
Are you going to set up the light to throw strong shadows? What shape of canvas are you going to use and how does this influence the arrangement of the objects? Where are you going to set up the still life and will the viewpoint be from the top, side, or below? Read more in my article
How to Set Up a Still Life for Painting.
See Also:
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What is a Still Life?
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How to Set Up a Flower Still LifeImage © 2009 M Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, IncTuesday February 7, 2012
If you think you'd like to earn a living as an artist, using your creativity as part of your skill set, then this book is like attending an "Introduction to Your Art Career" workshop. Read my review...
Related Reviews:
• The Artist Gallery Partnership
• The Profitable Artist
Image © 2012 Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc.
Monday February 6, 2012
"Writing an artist statement is a loathsome yet necessary activity. It is a bit like cleaning your toilet. if you do it well, it will reflect well on you, but no one will really pay much attention to it. But if you don't do it, people will wonder if you are a responsible grown-up."
-- Margaret Peot, The Successful Artist's Career Guide, page 114
On consideration, I probably find housework more tedious than writing an artist's statement. While neither fill my heart with joy at the thought of tackling it, both are easier if done in small doses. Check your statement periodically and update it as your style, approach, preferences change.
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How to Write an Artist's Statement
Photo © Marion Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About.com, Inc.
Sunday February 5, 2012
When I started writing my
Learn a New Hobby article, which highlights the fabulous (free!) hobbies resources here on About.com, I resisted putting painting first because it would seem biased. The skills from other crafts are always useful for multimedia too...
Seriously, most creative people I know have a particular focus but work across disciplines and cross-pollinate, as it were. I find swapping paint for fabric and creating a pictorial quilt helps me focus on shapes and tones in a composition.
Here's a tree quilt from a few years back now as an example.
Photo and Design © Connie G. Barwick. Licensed to About.com, Inc 
