How You Can Sell Your Paintings

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Collective Works

There are a lot of things that you may want to focus on in life. For instance, you would like to get the chance to have your very own online business with the use of a tool that can help you out. Some are saying that the wealthy affiliate scam is not real but isn’t it that the results will always be different even for people who are doing similar things.

Your online business will always depend on the things that you are going to do. Even with the help of a tool that will allow you to sell your artwork better, it will still work if you could sell your art appropriately.

If you would like to sell your artwork online, here are some places wherein you can sell them:

Ebay – Do not underestimate the power of eBay especially since it is a place where people can bid for the items that they want to acquire. You can set the starting bid of your painting to a reasonable price so that you will get a profit when you sell it.
Amazon – This is considered to be one of the largest directory of online stores because it will allow you to sell anything that you want. Selling your artwork will not be an issue when you post pictures of your painting through the site.
Art Pal – This is known as a free gallery wherein people can look for art and actually sell art. You can sell your artworks here. A lot of times, you can get about 95% of the artwork that you have sold. This is a great place if you are selling artworks made by other artists and you are hoping to get a profit but if you are an artist, you can choose to sell your original artwork here too.
Cafe Press – If the artwork that you sell is unique and different from all the others, you can get featured on this site so you will gain the recognition that you deserve.
Etsy – This is a known site that caters to a lot of artists who are trying to sell their original artwork. If you love creating handcrafted pieces, you will have no trouble with selling some of your items through this site at all.

Of course, if you do not want to rely on other websites, you can always create your own site. Just make sure that you will use the right tools to create your website properly especially if you have no knowledge about coding, programming and website design.

Another option for you is to hire a professional who can sell your artwork. This is only recommended though if you have the extra money for it. A lot of struggling artists do not so you can always choose to do the options that are mentioned above instead.

If you do not sell your artwork immediately, you should not feel down. You should not feel like everything is going against you. Your time will come as long as you are patient and passionate about your artwork.

Art and Technology

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Collective Works

It is hard to think of traditional art as a technological advancement. However, the utilization of new tools beyond finger painting, and horse hair, are actually quite representative of the technological evolution that has aided in the creation of some incredible pieces of art.

As much as we would like to provide you with specifics on that evolution, we would be better served to offer you in-depth drone reviews. At least that way we could access some of the reports on the wee unmanned aircraft. Instead, though, maybe we will someday figure out how to paint with a drone, strap brushes to it and fly it around above a canvas dripping and swiping until our heart’s content.

Until that day, we would much prefer to point you in the direction of some interesting artists who are taking technology and art to a different level. Some of them are using computer technology while others are simply imitating it. The results are fascinating. We hope you will think so too.

Artists who Love Technology

The people on this list have some sort of technological affinity that drives them to create pieces inspired by technology on some level. So, without further ado, here are the artists we would like you to meet:

Mark Flood– This gentleman has been deemed a cultural prankster because he takes popular logos and then pushes them to the edge. He paints them in a pixelated form that almost makes you wonder if he isn’t part robot himself. Read more about Mr. Flood.
Parker Ito– Utilizing 3M Scotchlite fabric, he creates images that cannot be photographically rendered on a computer screen. When a photo of the piece is taken and digitized it often looks like an entirely different painting. He claims to love the internet but have a desire to show how it has altered traditional life and the objects that surround it.
Michael Manning– A touch screen tablet or other computer based format is employed alongside a program that acts as if one could experiment in oil painting. Manning uses his fingers to create the strokes on the screen and then prints the images on canvas where he adds acrylic brushstrokes to give the appearance of an actual painting.
Israel Lund- Photocopying machines must have really made an impact on this man. He has a thing for silk screening, squeegees, and canvas. His images look like they are photo copies complete with severe pixilation. Find out more about Israel Lund here.
Petra Cortright– Analog and digital tools are her mode of design. She is able to continuously modify her pieces on the computer prior to printing them onto interesting canvases, like aluminum. She is interested in exposing the greed associated with online consumption and her pictures often poke fun at memes and videos.
Cai Guo-Qiang– Interestingly enough, this gentleman is a fan of gunpowder. He specializes in images that are created as a direct result of a gunpowder explosion. He ignites the powder and then utilizes the images that are left behind by the residue of that event. See some of Guo-Qiang’s work by clicking this.

Art is what you make it, much as life is. Perhaps that is why we are ever curious about which follows the other. Regardless, art will be ever changing as we continue to think ourselves more advanced.

Save Money by Making Your Own Frames, Stretched Canvases and Wood Canvases

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Collective Works

Making art is one of the best hobbies out there. Painting relaxes you, it gives you something wonderful and fun to do when you are bored and you create something completely unique that no one else has ever created. But this fun hobby does not come cheap. Student artists will mess up a bunch of expensive canvases, waste a lot of expensive paint and work their way through scales of brushes on their journey to perfecting their skills. There is no short cut to learning art. You need to practice to become good at art and you need good products to practice. A great way to save on the expense of creating art is to start making your own canvases and art frames.

Tools you need for DIY canvases or frames

Router table – With a router table you can cut decorative designs into wood or for smoothing the edges of the wood. The router tables are great for woodwork because they are super easy to use and they allow you to do difficult and dangerous wood cutting much safer. The router table will allow you to make fantastic looking frames or prep wood canvases. On http://www.toolsaroundthehouse.com/reviews/best-router-table-guide/ you can have a look at all of the best router tables that are currently on the market.

Drill – You will need a good drill to assemble canvases or frames.

Hammer – A hammer will also help you with the assembly of some canvases and with the adding of brackets to wood canvases for hanging.

Sander – With a good sander you can create smooth wood canvases and beautifully shiny wood frames.

Make your own painting frames

Painting frames are extremely expensive. With a Router table, drill, hammer and sander you can make just about any frame design you want. You can finally start to frame your paintings yourself or perhaps even start making some great extra cash by selling frames.

Make your own stretched canvases

It is much cheaper to make your own canvases than to by pre-frame canvases. All you need is fabric, primer, wood panels, nails and nail glue. You can prep and make your canvases in any shape and size that you may need.

Give wood canvases a try

Paintings on stretched canvases or fabric canvases are a somewhat new method of creating art. In the past, artists like Vincent van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci used wood panels for painting. Wood canvases are ideal for painting since they can last for centuries but are no longer in use by artists because of the weight. You can make your very own wood canvases at a fraction of the cost of normal canvases. DIY wood canvases are ideal for student artists since they are so cheap. All you need is a wood panel, saw and a sander and you can make as many canvases as you need. Audrey Kawasaki is a modern artist that uses wood canvases for her artworks. Her works are tremendously popular and is even used in scales of tattoos, calendars, art prints, phone covers and much more.

What is Pop Art?

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Collective Works

We have all seen the wonderful portrayal of Marilyn Monroe done by Andy Warhol. It has an almost comic look but a great addition to any retro home. Pop Art started in the fifties and was a movement marked by a fascination with popular culture that appeared in the post-war community. It started in America but caught on pretty quickly with the bright colors it offered and spread to the UK. The pop art paintings didn’t only show people but also included common household items like washing powder, soda pop and other items. This form of art descended from Dadaism by mocking formal art in a sense while depicting as previously mentioned regular everyday items that were for sale in supermarkets. Click here to take a look at the Marilyn Monroe portrait done by Andy Warhol.

There are a few artists that got involved in the movement that include Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg who painted flags and beer bottles to display their creative side. The British artist, Richard Hamilton used magazines and defined Pop Art as popular, transient, low-cost, witty, young and sexy. The artist that was responsible for putting pop art on the map and made it incredibly famous was Andy Warhol. He portrayed screen prints of coke bottles, soup cans and film stars. It really was a movement that mocked established art. It can be imagined that art critics really had a field day with pop art by never seeing it as true art because it lacked the quality that famous fine art painting had in those days.

Pop art was almost always considered as commercials because of the items that were painted. Take a look at more examples of Pop art here. These artists also set themselves apart from abstract art in those days and proudly stated that they had no interest in being part of any type of art whatsoever. If say for example a pop art campaign was launched for medical treatment it would be colorful and would grab everyone’s attention. If you are on the lookout for some fantastic medical treatment and great outpatient surgeons take a look at Surgeons In Beverly Hills.

Today Pop Art is incredibly famous and we can all agree that it is absolutely stunning and definitely a form of art that should be treasured. There is nothing more interesting than a couple of rogue artists deciding to start a movement and create art that was considered to be so extreme and out of the ordinary that they were considered taboo. Most comic strip artists are famous today for the art they create and it is funny that there is no longer any form of controversy attached to this colorful type of art. We can honestly thank these artists for their addition to the history of art and it also leaves us wondering if it didn’t happen would we still be limited to the world of conservative and accepted art? Thanks guys, you made a change!

How to Make an Art Studio in Your Home

Posted on October 15, 2016 by Collective Works

Thinking of converting a specific corner of your house into an art studio? Here’s everything that you need to know!

Why It’s Important To Make An Art Studio

An incredible aspect concerning making art is that, as long as you have the required materials in hand, you’re ready. Be that as it may, while it’s cool to do some urban outlining or pull your knapsack up mountains for some scene painting, it’s frequently hard to locate the right space for imagination inside your house.

Consider it. You’re sitting at a table in your room, attempting to paint or acing another system in Photoshop that you’re sure will give you the effects that you want.

So far, so good. But your cellphone’s humming with another Facebook or Twitter notification, there’s something you need to watch on TV coming up soon and your child sister or sibling is just so irritating… also your parents might be disturbing you at regular intervals!

Sound familiar? Wouldn’t it be wonderful on the off chance that you could have a space free from every one of these diversions? The uplifting news is you can! What’s more, it doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg either. Choosing to make an art studio will give the space you truly need to build up your thoughts past the sketchbook and complete some real work. Why is it so imperative?

Since having an assigned innovative space to go to will help you build up an assigned schedule. Instead of considering art to be something you attempt and fit into your day when you have an extra five minutes, you’ll begin seeing the imaginative procedure as a job, yet an enormously pleasant one!

When you enter your studio, nothing else ought to matter other than the way toward making art. Leave your cellphone somewhere else and don’t stress over the clock.

Things to Consider When You Make an Art Studio

Once you’ve chosen to make an art studio, it merits taking some an opportunity to consider where it ought to be found and how it ought to look. Maybe there’s an extra room in your home or a side of the carport or basement where you could work? On the other hand, investigate the upper room… could all that jumble be gotten out to clear a path for your imagination?

A portion of the principle things to search for are:

Is there enough space for the art you need to make? In the event that you get a kick out of the chance to paint on canvas, it merits considering whether there’s sufficient space for an easel or a reasonable wall to hang your work on.
Is the heating working fine? Working in your art studio requires you to be completely comfortable in order to push the creativity further. Make sure that the heating works fine. If you’re facing problems regarding heating or plumbing, get in touch with Couer d’Alene Plumber. They have been in the business for 30 years and know their way around fixing all heating and plumbing issues for you without putting a dent to your wallet. They provide heating services, air conditioning and even commercial HVAC Additionally, they are licensed, bonded and insured so you don’t need to worry about anything.
Will you have enough space to step far from your canvas and consider your next brushstroke? Is the floor sufficiently solid to take the weight of your hardware?
On the off chance that you jump at the chance to work digitally, are there enough attachments for your PC and do you require you get a system link introduced? In the event that you have remote web, is there an adequate flag?
What’s the light like? The right lighting can be an immense resource when making art, so having a vast window is a noteworthy favorable position. In any case, don’t stress if your exclusive light source is power – that could work too!

Humanitarian Art Organizations

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Collective Works

The United Nations has established an Arts Initiative. They use art as a means of attaining their planning and development goals worldwide. They focus on serious human emergencies and operations that are offering relief in those situations. But, the UN is not the only entity that sees the value in art as a means of positively impacting the world as a whole.

Clean water is often a direct focus for these other organizations. If you want to learn more about clean water and the reverse osmosis system look here. But since most of the people in need of clean water are actually looking for wells and not purifiers, the involvement for these humanitarian establishments is considerably larger. More information about the process of purification can be found if you look here.

Humanitarian Entities Employing Art

While researching the concept of art and humanitarian movements we landed on Patrick Maxcy’s work. He is a Florida native with significant ties to humanitarian efforts across the globe. He was a high school art teacher but he now utilizes his art to raise awareness (learn more about him here). These are some of the organizations he has worked with:

Love, Light & Melody– This group unites artists of all modes to stand in the gaps for those who are living in poverty. They serve the communities they help by amplifying their voices and stories. That’s how they inspire the hope these individuals need.
Light Gives Heat– People in the west are being inspired to be the change they want to see. In so doing, people in Africa are being empowered. They encourage economic stability and other creative endeavors as a means of boosting morale.
Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic– This event has been in existence since 2000 after a 24 year old surfer, Tommy Tant, died unexpectedly from an aortic aneurysm. The proceeds of this event help provide scholarship money and support the Flagler County Food Bank and National Marfan Foundation. Find out more about this event here.
Art of Collaboration– Three organizations unite to form this one. Light Gives Heat, Sole Hope, and IamJ3 all participate. The concept is to bring the joy of street art to the people of Jinja, Uganda. They put elaborate and colorful murals in some of the least expected places.
Jedidiah– United with Made for Good, Jedidiah, is a collective of socially conscious companies that utilize retail sales to power their humanitarian efforts. They do apparel art and raise funds for various non-profits.
Sole Hope– This Christian run organization is designed to put close toed shoes on the feet of African children. They hold medical clinics and education for the people of Uganda. This is an organization well worth learning more about and investing in. Click this to see how you can help make a difference.
TOMS– The idea is that whenever a pair of shoes is purchased, a person in need will get a pair as well. People with purchasing power are being able to provide for the greater good of those who can’t do that for themselves.
Pangea Seed– Scientists, environmental activists, and artists are all part of this organization. The goal is to preserve sharks and various other marine species that are in danger. Learn more right here.

And, if you want to learn more about the UN’s endeavors in the realm of art and humanitarian efforts click this.

Be a Healthy Artist by Investing In a Blender

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Collective Works

A lot of famous artists had terrible health issues. For some reason most of these artists with health problems struggled with mental health issues. Artists spend hours in front of their canvasses in a tiny room. This alone is enough to make anyone crazy. They also battle terrible depression since they create beautiful works of art where their own bodies often lack the appealing look that they desire. If you are one of these artists who create gorgeous works of art but struggle with your own personal appearance then it is time to start working on your flaws so you don’t end up like Vincent van Gogh who cut his own ear off. One of the easiest ways to transform your overall look and feel is to lose some weight.

Get a blender for weight loss

Eating healthy is just as important as working out when it comes to losing weight and looking great. When you eat healthy you don’t just shake those unwanted pounds, you also improve your hair density, your skin gets a healthier and more vibrant look and your general mood improves since your energy levels are alleviated. A blender can help you achieve that desired body because blender meals are the easiest health meals that you can prepare and there is such a great variety of blender meals you can make.

Where to find a good quality blender

You can visit https://blenderreviews.us to look for a good quality blender. The site is loaded with information on all of the best blenders currently on the market and even features some comparison articles where the different blenders are discussed. These comparison articles are terrific for guiding you to the best possible blenders that will make your weight loss goals as easy as pie.

Detox with detox smoothies

The smartest way to start your new diet is with a detox. During a detox all of the unhealthy toxins are wiped from your body and your stomach shrinks a bit which makes it easier for you to maintain a healthier diet. With a blender you can create fantastic green smoothies and detox smoothies that will help you stay vitalized even though you are basically only consuming greens.

Diet with blender soups

Soups are great for losing weight since they contain a lot of water which hydrates you and helps your stomach feel fuller. When you blend soups you can easily mix and match healthy ingredients and perhaps even hide away the taste of some of the veggies that you hate such as broccoli and spinach. Soups are also great for weigh loss since you can enjoy them on the go by simply pouring them in a cup.

Enjoy healthier snacks

There are surprisingly many meals, snacks and drinks that you can make with a blender. You can enjoy tasty sorbets, smoothies, mousses and you can even use your blender to mix ingredients for health muffins and health pancakes.

When you have a blender on your side you can still enjoy your art and be a lot healthier. Plus you will have a lot more time on your hands for creating art since blender meals and snacks take up a lot less time than other food types.

The healing power of art

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Collective Works

When I visited the National Gallery in London I found myself staring at Sunflowers by Van Gogh. It felt as if it was there for a mere 5 minutes and in reality I was standing there for an hour. I couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful colors and the creation of such a talented artist. I was somehow calm and completely relaxed by the painting. I am usually a person that goes through life rather stressed and pre-occupied. On that day I realized that for me art really has a magical healing power. This is applicable to admiring someone else’s creation and painting your own masterpiece. It is actually scientifically proven that art is a form of healing for sick people and especially for those that have mental disabilities. Read more about the healing powers of art.

Medical and health insurance claim form with stethoscope on clipboard

Art is incredibly influential to all of us as it helps us to break down barriers and get rid of insecurities. There are those individuals that prefer a life of isolation and a lot of the time they can only portray themselves in an artistic creation. Art can also allow these individuals to let go of their melancholy emotions and in turn become more sociable with others. It is a fact that painting a picture or creating one can calm just about anyone and this includes people that suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. Obviously it is necessary to get one of the best health plans if you are ill and to do that you might find help by taking a look at Medical insurance Florida. This will be your first step to a healthy you, a great health insurance policy. Secondly you need to seek the right medical attentions and once you are being treated for the ailments that you suffer from you can engage in art. This will take you through the hardships and will keep you calm during your healing process.

If you are not an artist and have no particular desire to indulge in painting you should consider visiting a few galleries and admiring other artists’ creations. This will also give you a feeling of enlightenment and calm. There are so many fantastic online galleries that present art from new artists which might just light up your life and any gloomy situation. Who knows, perhaps other masterpieces inspire you to try painting or sculpture. It is also important to note that we aren’t all as talented as Van Gogh or Monet and that our paintings might look like an amateur version. This is not what it is about though, the whole exercise is to put brush to canvas and to forget about everything else that is on your mind. You can also let all the bad things out with your art. Click here to take a look at some of the most popular paintings in the world. Art is a free form of expressing how we feel and a method to show everyone what we like or dislike. You don’t necessarily have to share it with anyone.

Get Your Art Seen by the World

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Collective Works

One of the biggest challenges facing artists today is getting their work seen by potential buyers. While art shows and galleries are great for finding local customers, it often takes something more to get your work seen across the world. If you want to expand the impact of your art, you need to publish your work online. If you are sure where to begin, consider these easy ways to start.

Websites to Sell Your Art

There are a variety of websites that allow artists to sell their works directly to customers. One of the most popular examples out today is Etsy. Etsy allows people to sell a variety of homemade goods including paintings, sculptures, photography, and more. It can be an excellent way to begin getting your work seen by a diverse audience. It also offers payment protection, helping sellers make sure that their transactions are safe. While the site does require sellers pay certain fees, most consider them to be quite reasonable.

Create Your Own Website

Starting your own website is easier than you may imagine. A variety of websites and platforms are readily available, allowing you to craft a site based on specific templates or from scratch without having to have coding skills. Some design sites are simple drag and drops, while others require a bit more time to become familiar.

While building a site is often free, you will need to have your site hosted by a service. Launch 3 Telecom cell site solutions offers dedicated hosting services, allowing your new site to have a home managed by professionals. That way, you don’t have to dedicate any of your personal resources to guaranteeing your site will be available when potential customers want to browse or buy.

Consider adding a blog to your website. This allows you to express the thoughts and feelings behind your work, as well as discuss techniques with interested visitors. Having a blog can help buyers feel more connected to you as an artist, which may connect them more deeply to your art.

Social Media

Social media can be the best friend of anyone trying to get the word out about their art. State a Facebook page to showcase your work and post the schedule of any galleries featuring your work. Use Twitter to announce when new pieces are available, and to share interesting bits of news about your work and inspiration. Post information about your blog on Pinterest to attract new viewers to your page, and to your work. Take photos of your pieces and send them out on Instagram. Social media provides so many ways to reach out to others, it would be a shame to let any of them pass you by.

DeviantArt Profile

If you want to join a large community of artists, you should consider a profile on DeviantArt. Millions of members share their works while discussing various points of interest along the way. You can also get feedback about your work, allowing you to hone your craft and see which pieces really resonate with those who view it. Take the time to look at the work of others as well, and see what sparks your interest. You may find inspiration that helps take your art to a whole new level.

How You Can Make Digital Art

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Collective Works

There are a lot of aspiring artists right now who would like to create digital art because they find it easier. There are a lot of features of digital art that cannot be found in other mediums of art. Of course, if you do not have the right tools, it will be hard to create digital art.

To start, you need the following:

A computer
The software or tool that will allow you to create digital art
Skills

Yes, you still need to have skills in order to create digital art otherwise, you would be making a few big messes. If you are not good at it initially, you should not worry because for sure, you can practice until you get the basics down pat.

The first thing that you have to do is to sketch the image that you would like to digitize on paper. If in case you do not know what to draw, you can always copy images online first for the mean time or do some changes to it depending on your preference. To check what other people at home are also copying and pasting online, you may use the right keylogger software.

The second thing that you can do is to scan your drawing so you can save it on your computer. Make sure that the quality of the image is the highest so that all the details will be clear especially when you trace it to be placed on your computer. It is best if you would use a tablet wherein you can trace your drawing.

Once you have already scanned your digital art on your computer, you have to outline it properly so you can see how it looks like in digital form. You can also choose the color of your outline and the colors of the spaces. Here are a few more tips that you have to remember:

Create various layers. It is not enough that you have your scanned image. You need to create the artwork layer by layer until you are happy with the way that it looks. You may have to separate the layers from time to time depending on the portion that you are placing an outline in.
Make sure that you will use basic colors unless you would like to create a pop art wherein the colors are all altered.
Add details that will personalize the art and will make it your own. At the same time, you need to add details in order to make your artwork stand out.
Do not forget to add some shading as well. The same with how you paint and draw, you need shadows in order to make your artwork realistic. The great thing about digital art is you can achieve the shadows that you want in an easier manner.
Once you are already happy with how your digital art looks like, this is the time when you should merge all of your layers before you save your artwork.

Do not forget to share your artwork with other people who are also interested in digital art. It can be fulfilling to showcase your skills from time to time.