Recently, my good friends Adam Leipzig and Tod Hardin of Cultural Weekly asked me to contribute my thoughts to their new series, Culture: So What?!?

Each week, they will be asking thought-leaders from all walks of life to answer the question: What is Culture and Why Does it Matter? It was an honor to be their first guest. What a thought-provoking question! Here is what I had to say on this topic…

Whether we are aware of it or not, ‘culture’ affects every aspect of our daily lives. From the language we speak, the books we read, to the visual arts, music, dance, and the food we create and enjoy. But even more profoundly, culture is what we do, think and feel.

As a noun, culture is described as the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. Interestingly, culture as a verb means to maintain (tissue cells, bacteria, etc.) in conditions suitable for growth.

The idea of ‘culture’ was foremost in my mind when I decided to move our young family from the fast-paced lifestyle/culture of Southern California to a beautiful resort mountain town in Idaho.

After much consideration, I decided that the healthy mountain lifestyle had the culture and ‘conditions suitable for growth’ (for my young children). Although small in size, this mountain town is a microcosm of the big city, but without the rat race.

As an artistic family, we have benefited from the resort town’s interesting people, nationally recognized art galleries, along with top-drawer restaurants, the largest privately funded symphony in America, and a famous Writers’ Conference that brings together our generation’s finest writers.  Yet with all of that, my kids and I can easily escape from the ‘city life’ and into the serenity of the Rocky Mountains.

Our culture here enables us to understand and work effectively together.  It influences the manner in which we perceive the world and how we network within it. It is our collective experience as a society.

Sadly, in a world where Western culture is dominating and destroying indigenous cultures, cultural homogenization is on the rise. For example, one language dies every 14 days and by the next century nearly half of the world’s 7,000 languages will disappear in favor of English, Mandarin and Spanish.

Over the years, I have taught my children the importance of cultural diversity within our own community, country, and around the world. Nevertheless, human culture is subject to change, and should evolve away from discriminatory, inhumane, or environmentally damaging traditions. But the arts and crafts, religions, oral tales, histories, and cultural heritages of differing peoples should be preserved as a valued aspect of humanity. ~Lori McNee

*Cultural Weekly is a place to talk about our creative culture with passion, perspective and analysis – and more words than “thumbs up” or “thumbs down.”  Our mission is to draw attention to our cultural environment, illuminate it, and make it better through rich conversations.  We look at culture through the different lenses of media, money, technology and entertainment, always with prime focus on creativity in action. Cultural Weekly was founded and is published by author and producer Adam Leipzig.

You can also visit Cultural Weekly Radio and listen to my recorded live interview!

*****

Thank you for visiting FineArtTips.com. You can see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com, and let’s meet on Facebook  Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.! ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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Acrylic paints are some of the most versatile paints in the world, as they can be used straight from the tubes they come in, or you can thin them with water to create a lighter, more watercolor option.

However, no matter how easy they are to use, if you’re a beginner you’re apt to have no idea how to use them. The good thing about acrylic paints is that they are incredibly easy to learn how to use it, so you’ll soon be an expert when it comes to using them.

If you want to make your first experience of using acrylic paints easier, ensure you follow these handy tips:

1) Keep acrylics malleable

Acrylic paint can dry incredibly quickly, which means it can be very easy to waste paint if you squeeze too much out of the tube at once. To stop this from happening, make sure you only squeeze out as much as you need, and err on the side of caution rather than giving yourself more than you require.

When it comes to finding the ideal palette for acrylic paints, you can choose between using a plastic one or a stay-wet one. With a plastic palette, you’ll need to keep spraying a fine mist of water over the paint to keep it wet, whereas a stay-wet palette will keep your acrylic paint in its semi-liquid state.

2) Blot your brushes regularly

Whenever you rinse your brushes to change the color you’re using, you should get into the habit of blotting them with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. If you don’t do this, you’ll end up with rivulets of water running down your canvas and ruining your painting.

3) Paint over acrylic washes

If you use acrylic paint as a watercolor, by adding water to the paint before applying it to your canvas, you won’t need to worry about disturbing the effect once it has dried. Unlike actual watercolor, acrylic washes are insoluble and so can be painted over, whereas watercolor can be blotted off with water and so can be disturbed when painted over.

4) Blend colours quickly

Again, because acrylic paint has a habit of drying quickly, blending colors can often be pretty difficult. You’ll always need to work quickly when doing this, but you can lengthen the amount of time you have by applying the paint to a damp piece of paper or card when blending.

5) Create sharp edges

If you already have a layer of acrylic paint on your canvas and you want to apply paint over it, you can do so without worrying about disturbing the existing work, as we have already covered. If you’d also like to create a sharp edge to your second layer, you can safely use a piece of masking tape to cover an area and so prevent paint from being applied there.

There are lots of handy tips that you can find about using acrylic paint, and these five will help you on your way to becoming a genuine expert in this medium.

Guest Author: This blog was written by Aurora Johnson on behalf of Jackson’s Art, the art equipment specialists.

*Also, please visit the Royal Talens website for the best quality acrylic paints in the world!

Thank you for visiting FineArtTips.com. You can see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com, and let’s meet on Facebook  Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.! ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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For as long as humans have been making art they have also been creating self portraits. 30,000 years ago, prehistoric people decorated the Chauvet Cave in southern France and some of them sprayed pigment to make outlines of their hands in a very ancient form of self-portrait.

Ever since then, artists have been using their own image as a rich theme to develop their artistic skills and practice – Albrecht Dürer, Gustave Courbet, Egon Schiele, Vincent van Gogh, Lucian Freud – the list of master artists who have turned their hand to the self portrait is endless. Rembrandt made self portraits throughout his life, a wonderful record of one man’s self image over the years, while German painter Lovis Corinth painted a picture of himself every birthday resulting in aremarkable study of artistic development.

Lovis Corinth: Self-portrait with Skeleton, 1896

Painting your self-portrait is a brilliant project for developing your artistic techniques and, providing you have a mirror and the suitable materials, your model is always available. Choose a composition with just your head and shoulders with strong light on one side and experiment with different colored backgrounds; varying the color, light direction and intensity will produce different effects including reflected light and tonal shadows.

Preparing for your painting

Before you start painting you should decide on a pose, remember that you need to be comfortable in the position you choose, you need to be able to paint freely and keep in mind that it may be possible for you to adopt the pose for long painting sessions and should able to easily retake the position over multiple sessions.

Next you need to consider how you will approach the problem of depicting your own face – the face is, to human eyes, the most recognizable object in the world and we naturally read a great deal into the emotions concealed in subtle shifts in the face’s muscles, skin, eyes and mouth.

Frida Kahlo: Self-portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird

Consider what type of expression, mood and emotion you wish to convey and how this will be reflected in how you handle the paint, the colors you choose and the technique that you will employ. While you should spend time considering the emotions you wish to represent, the principal aim of this exercise is to portray your own face and head as an object in space, using color, tone and mark-making to portray yourself – the emotional impact of the piece should evolve from the careful study and rendering of the painting.

Choosing the shape and composition

Choosing how you will frame your own head and the design of the picture plane is crucial before you start work on the image. Imagine the mirror is the picture that you will be creating. Try placing your head in the center of the reflection, facing straight forward with equal space symmetrically all around.

Next, experiment with disrupting the symmetry by moving your head to one side, moving forwards to fill the reflection with your face and moving away from the mirror so there is more space around your image. Experimentation such as this gives you a sense of how you want to balance the image and how shape and composition interact with your intentions for creating a self-portrait.

Gustave Courbet: The Desperate Man c.1843–1845

Tone and color

Once you have settled on a composition, it’s time to consider how you will approach the color and tone of the painting. Look carefully at your skin – the face is not a monotonous skin tone, it is instead a patchwork of different colors, highlights and subtle reflected light coloring the shadows. Consider too that you are not only painting your face, the colors and tones of the space around you head will have equal importance in the finished piece.

Think about how you will use warm and cool tones: warm tones such as orange and red usually appear closer than areas that are painted in cool blues and grays, and areas with greater tonal variation also appear closer to the viewer – careful use of these effects can have a profound effect on a sense of space and depth in your painting. There is a large number of art textbooks available which explain all about color theory and artistic practice, and it is well worth researching and reading around the subject while you develop you artistic technique.

Materials

Now that you’ve given thought to the composition, color and tone of your painting you are almost ready to start work on your picture; you just need to decide on what type of materials you want to use. Ideally, you should experiment with a variety of different types of paint – watercolor, acrylic, gouache and oil – to discover which medium best suits your artistic style.

Style and technique

Finally, the style and technique you use will probably only become apparent once you start work on your self-portrait. Look at the work of other artists to find styles and themes that inspire you, and then start painting your own picture. The self-portrait is a project that you can return to again and again, developing your style and techniques and provides an invaluable record of your progression as an artist and as a person.

Guest Author: Claire Mills

*Thank you for visiting FineArtTips.com. You can see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com, and let’s meet on Facebook  Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.! ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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This month I am the featured artist in the New Wave Art Products newsletter, “Let’s Talk Art”. It is an honor to be featured along with with other professional artists from around the world.

I thought you might enjoy learning a bit more about me…

Let’s Talk Art! is New Wave’s interactive e-newsletter that provides interviews with professional artists from around the world.  In this edition we interviewed Idaho painter Lori McNee, artist & writer of the popular ‘Fine Art Tips’ blog.  Please sit back, and enjoy the read!

Lori McNee

Location:  Sun Valley, Idaho
Career:   Artist, Art Blogger, Social Media Influencer
Education:  SDSU

How would you describe your style of painting?
My broad spectrum of work includes still life, landscape, and plein air oil painting.  Most of my still life arrangements usually include birds or butterflies and are inspired by the Dutch Master techniques.  My landscape paintings range from plein air paintings to studio works reminiscent of the Hudson River School, and Luminist painters.  Recently, I have even added encaustic wax paintings to my repertoire. This medium is harder to control, so the paintings are more abstract in nature. I am enjoying the challenge!

 
Lazy Days, 12 x 24″, Oil on Canvas

When did you decide painting was going to be an integral part of your life?
My parents said I was born with a paint brush in my hand.  I have always loved to draw and paint. It all started when I was a little girl, I would save injured birds and nurse them back to health. Sometimes, I would try to catch the birds that flocked to our yard.  Out of frustration, I finally decided to capture the birds on paper with a pencil. I have been drawing and painting birds and nature ever since! In fact, today you can see birds in most of my still life and nature paintings.

Although I majored in Art is college, I still consider myself self-taught. I learned how to draw very well from my high school teacher, but in college, the curriculum was geared toward abstract art. As an aspiring realistic painter, I felt very frustrated with this and almost abandoned art as a career. It wasn’t until I was married with children that I decided to try my hand at art again. I started painting during their naptimes. My art gave me back a piece of myself that was lost. From then, I went on to apprentice with Master artists: Robert Bateman, John Seerey-Lester, Carl Brenders, Guy Coheleach, Scott Christensen and Jo Anna Arnett to name a few.

How has your work evolved over the years?
I first began my professional art career as a wildlife artist and illustrator. During this time I painted and illustrated for Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, The Wolf Education Research Center, various duck and trout stamps and a few books.  From there I began painting still life and landscape paintings. I am always stretching myself and experimenting with new techniques and mediums, therefore my work is always evolving.

Gazing, 36 x 22″, Oil on Canvas

Do you have a preferred color palette? 
Whether I am painting a still life or landscape, I use an extended palette while working in the studio. I paint with Cobra’s solvent free water-soluble oil paints (by Royal Talens http://www.talens.com/brands/cobra/ ), which are safer for my family, our environment and me.
My indoor palette consists of a cool and warm hue representing each primary color. For plein air work, I like to travel light so I only use the primary colors and titanium white. However whether in the studio or out in the field, I lay out my paints in the exact order each time so I don’t have to ‘think’ about where my paints are - reaching for them becomes a habit. Sometimes I will add a different color for variety, but I generally stick to my tried and true palette.  Titanium White, Naples Yellow, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Viridian, Thalo, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna, Alizarin Crimson

Do you have any specific techniques that have helped take your paintings to the “next level?”
Years ago my artwork made a big leap when I finally understood the interplay of warm and cool colors to create the illusion of light and shadow. Glazing has also added more depth to my work. Additionally, the time I have spent experimenting with different techniques and mediums has elevated my artistic knowledge and capabilities.

Do you find most painters struggling with any one specific problem? If so, what is it and what is your advice to overcome it?  
I work with a lot of amateur artists, and I do see a few common ‘problems’ among them. Poor drawing skills (please click here to read the rest of the interview)

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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 Inspiration for blogging can often strike at any time.  While lying in bed, sitting on a bus or walking through a grocery store, an idea may suddenly come that has to be acted upon immediately.

Since content is king with blogging, it takes more than just fancy premium WordPress templates to keep people coming back, it requires compelling topics.

A person can try to write down the idea or the topic, but by the time they get to the computer, the mood may have passed and it may be difficult to get it back.  Therefore, apps have been created to allow people to blog from wherever they may be through their phone or tablet.  This way, a person will never miss out on a topic they want to write about.

Tumblr

The first blog that was optimized for smart phones, Tumblr allows a person to easily and quickly upload content on the go.  It’s similar to Twitter in that regard, but offers the user more characters.  Twitter’s character limit can be confining, while Tumblr does not offer the same limits for a user.  This site has easy functionality and is the simplest to use.  It also allows people to share pictures and videos through their app.  As a combination of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can share all the posts and content with your Tumblr followers.  You can also synchronize this app to your social media accounts to share even with those not on Tumblr.  Some users report that the app tends to crash, but this seems anecdotal.

Dragon Dictation

Typing on a smart phone can be a bit of a pain, so this app allows a user to simply dictate what they want to type, and the app recognizes it.  This means that a person can easily multitask by speaking into their phone to blog while doing other things.  This hands-free blogging method is great for someone on the go who needs to keep their eyes up and not staring straight down at their phone.  This also makes blogging much faster than pecking at a Bluetooth keyboard.

Blogsy

This app makes blogging from your tablet a snap.  With an easy to use interface and the ability to drag and drop photos, videos, links, and other media, this app will allow you to blog on the go quickly and easily.  It is compatible with just about all blogging platforms, so no matter where you choose to blog, this app will work for it.  This blog is also compatible with Picasa, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms for easy sharing.  All of your friends on social media will know exactly what you are up to with this app.

Posts

This app allows the user to manage multiple blogs at once, so if you’re someone who has several blogs covering many topics, Posts is for you.  It also allows you to manage comments and respond quickly and easily.  It allows a user to edit HTML, so if you are someone who wants to customize the code of a given blog, it is simple to do with this app.  It also allows you to blog while offline; posts are saved as drafts and then are uploaded as soon as the user is in a Wi-Fi area.

Typepad

Typepad is a longstanding blogging platform that is growing in popularity.  With this app, a person can update their blog in seconds while sharing photos or videos from their phone or tablet.  This app gives the user the same accessibility as the desktop version all from the freedom of their phone or tablet.

Guest author: Anny Solway is a dedicated writer at ThemeFuse – a web studio that creates original WordPress templates, that can be used out of the box. She loves to share blogging and technology  tips.

*****

*Thank you for visiting FineArtTips.com. You can see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com, and let’s meet on Facebook  Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.! ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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(photo: Håkan Dahlström)

At the beginning of each new year, roughly one in three Americans resolve to better themselves. “Getting Fit” is at the top of most New Year’s resolutions lists.

But, it sometimes becomes difficult to keep up the enthusiasm of an exercise regime. Nevertheless, artists and other creative thinkers might become more motivated by staying healthy and ‘getting fit’ after learning of the link between exercise and creativity.

While researching ‘creativity’ I have read that physical exercise in healthy adults may enhance creative thinking. But, many creative people (including me) have intuitively known this for years.

Artists, musicians, and writers have used bodily movement to help overcome mental blocks and to problem solve, including authors like Søren Kierkegaard, Henry James and Thomas Mann. 

Famed philosopher Henry David Thoreau was quoted saying, “the moment my legs begin to move my thoughts begin to flow – as if I had given vent to the stream at the lower end and consequently new fountains flowed into it at the upper”

According to research published in the journal, Frontiers in Neuroscience, people who exercise regularly are better at creative thinking. This result was determined by Leiden cognitive psychologist, Lorenza Colzato. She determined that regular exercisers fared better on creativity tests than did non-exercisers. 

Colzato: “We think that physical movement is good for the ability to think flexibly, but only if the body is used to being active. Otherwise a large part of the energy intended for creative thinking goes to the movement itself.”

Two types of thinking were tested, divergent and convergent thinking.

Divergent thinking represents a style of thinking that allows many new ideas being generated, in a context where more than one solution is correct. A brainstorming session is the best example.

Convergent thinking is considered a process of generating one possible solution to a particular problem. It emphasizes speed and relies on high accuracy and logic.

The studies proved that physical exercise provides the opportunity for mind-wandering, and allowing the mind to wander helps facilitate creative thinking and problem solving. People who exercise four times a week out perform people who do not exercise. Exercise trains your brain to be more flexible in finding creative solutions. (To learn more about the study, watch the video below).

Colzato believes that the test results support the famous classical idea of a sound mind in a healthy body. ‘

Colzato: “Exercising on a regular basis may thus act as a cognitive enhancer promoting creativity in inexpensive and healthy ways.”

According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention it is easy to meet the guidelines for aerobic activity. So if you are ready to improve your exercise and creativity, basically anything counts. Just be sure it’s done at a moderate or vigorous-intensity for at least 10 minutes at a time.

By picking physical activities you enjoy and that match your abilities, it will help ensure that you stick with them. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some examples.

(chart by: Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

*Activities that requires moderate effort are safe for most people. However, if you have a chronic health condition such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, or other symptoms be sure to talk with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

Thanks for your visit! You can see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com, and let’s meet on Facebook  Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.! ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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A New Year means new drawings, so to help you make 2014 your most creative year yet, I have rounded up 14 of my favorite drawing tips and techniques to kick-start your artwork and help you to achieve stunning results.

Pens and pencils at the ready…

Draw upside down

Nope, I haven’t lost my mind – drawing upside down helps you to ‘unlearn’ the bad habit most of us have of drawing what we think we see, not what we actually see.

For example, when drawing a portrait, children will often draw long hair as two strips either side of the face. Unless you have an unusually dodgy haircut, they are drawing what they know about hair rather than looking at the way it really is, i.e. it falls behind the neck, partially covers the face and shoulders, and so on.

The next time you are drawing from a photo, try inverting it. The new perspective it gives will help you to be more accurate. (read: Struggling with a Painting? Turn it Upside Down!)

Mirror, mirror

Similar to drawing upside down, frequently checking your drawing in a mirror will refresh your perspective and help you to see where you are going wrong. For example, when I check my portraits in the mirror I am looking for an approximate symmetry in the face; an oversized nostril is much easier to spot when you see it in reverse. If you need proof that it works, Leonardo da Vinci used this technique himself!

Experiment with different media

For a long time I drew in pen only, convinced that this was my style and the only way I could draw. A series of bad experiences with (blunt) pencils at university put me off all things graphite. However, when I finally challenged myself to pick up those pencils, they added a soft and blended effect that I could never achieve with pen. I’m a convert! (read: 10 Ways to Expand Your Artistic Repertoire)

Now, if I want a striking image I go for pen, and for anything more delicate I go for pencil. Which brings me nicely onto my next point…

Sharpen your pencils

Do your work justice and keep those pencils razor sharp!

Mould it

If you struggle with light and shade, get some modeling clay and mould it into the shape of your subject. It doesn’t have to be perfect – the idea to help you understand its shape looks from all angles and how the light source bounces off its surfaces to create shadows and highlights.

Light relief

Drawings are flat, but they needn’t look it. Turn your drawing into a map using contour lines – lines that indicate gradient. For example, if you were drawing a face, the ‘highest’ point would be the tip of the nose, so start here with a small nose-tip shape, then move out using expanding shapes. Lines close together indicate a steep gradient (e.g. the nose), while lines far apart indicate a gentle gradient (e.g. the cheeks).

When you are finished you will be left with something that resembles a ‘paint by numbers’ sheet. If you like, fill these areas in with the appropriate colors and shades, and you will end up with a very 3D-looking image.

Grid method

Keeping proportion is one of the biggest challenges when copying from an image. To eliminate the guesswork, measure out a square grid over the image you are copying and another on your paper.

Use light pencil so you can rub them out later. If the image you are copying is the same size as your paper, both grids should be identical; if it is bigger or smaller, you will have to scale your grid up or down to keep the same ratio: for example, if I am copying an A5 image to A4 paper, I would draw a 1cm grid on the A5 image and scale it up to 2cm on my paper, ensuring my drawing is exactly twice the size.

Once you have your grids, scrutinize the source image square by square, copying each one to the corresponding square on your own grid. This is a very methodical way of drawing and pretty time-consuming, but worth it to achieve a near-identical copy. It works by breaking the overall drawing up into manageable chunks – you may not be able to copy an entire image in one fell swoop, but I bet you can copy a 1x1cm square almost perfectly – then just repeat!

Use shapes

If you were asked to draw an elephant, where would you start? With the trunk? The ears? It is common to want to hone in on the details straight away, and while there is nothing wrong with this, by starting small you risk running out of space later on. For this reason it can be helpful to block out the drawing first using big, rough shapes. The elephant has powerful shoulder muscles, a huge head and thick legs, so these are what I would quickly block out first, before refining the shapes further and then moving on to the details.

Draw on the go

Being a perfectionist has its obvious advantages – you won’t show anything to your friends that you wouldn’t be happy to hang in the Tate gallery – but sometimes it can cause you to obsess over the minute details of your drawing rather than allowing yourself to make (helpful) mistakes.

Challenge yourself to draw quickly and – yes – imperfectly, by taking yourself to off to the zoo, the park or even the bus and drawing on the go. Human and animal subjects will never stay still for long enough for you to worry about perfection, giving you just enough time to sketch a quick study of your subject before the scene changes.

Disclaimer – if you are drawing humans, make sure they are happy for you to do so (sleeping commuters are fair game). The object here is quantity, not quality, which may not come naturally to you, but will give you tons of useful reference material to take home and develop.

Draw negative space

Another way to gain a new perspective on your subject is by not drawing the thing itself, but the negative space around it. This works particularly well when using thick, heavy media such as charcoal. You know those optical illusions that look like a candle stick or two faces, depending on how you look at it? This shows how negative space can provide an interesting drawing in itself.

Mouse hole drawing

If you’re stuck in a rut and lacking inspiration, try and view the world through a mouse’s eyes – how different would your shoes look when viewed at ground-height, bringing the colors, textures and even the tiny scuff marks into sharp focus. How intimidating a pair of Jimmy Choos would look towering over you! Or how about a bird’s eye view – different again. The possibilities are endless; stop drawing things as you and step into the mind-set of someone or something else. Bet your still life drawings are ten times more interesting!

New dimensions

Drawing big and drawing small are very different disciplines. Try drawing to the dimensions of a postage stamp, then do the same drawing on the largest sheet you can find.  Do you notice the different techniques and observations that come into play at each size? You may find one much easier than the other and discover a new niche for your artwork.

Go digital

Whether you just want to touch up a drawing or to create the whole thing digitally, technology can be a great addition to your artistic repertoire. Adobe Creative Suite is the industry standard design software and it is well worth downloading a free trial of Photoshop (for editing) and Illustrator (for creating). Gimp is a free alternative to Photoshop, or for more basic filters, try Picasa. Just take your drawing, scan it onto a PC or Mac and experiment. The things you can do with Creative Suite are pretty mind-blowing so rather than read me list them here, search online for free tutorials to help you get started.

Start a portfolio

Finally, if you only try one thing as an artist in 2014, start a portfolio. Stop discarding your sketches and half-finished projects and start filing them properly. You owe it to yourself to keep a well-presented record of your work with the triple benefits of feeling more organized, protecting your drawings from coffee rings and dog-ears, and being able to flick through and see your progress over the weeks, months or even years. (read: How to Create a Powerful Portfolio)

Hope these tips provide you with some inspiration for the New Year – good luck and happy drawing!

Guest Author/Artist: Vikki is a freelance illustrator specializing in portraits and animal drawings. She has studied drawing at university level and currently sells handmade eco-friendly greetings cards from her online shop while working alongside artist Stuart Morris.

***Thanks for visiting FineArtTips.com. You can meet me on my social media sites > Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.  Or see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com.  ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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(The following tips also apply toward linen).

Stretching your own Canvas versus Pre-Stretched Canvas

First we will discuss the things you should think through when evaluating the possibility of stretching your own canvas as opposed to buying pre-stretched.

·       Space

If you want to stretch your own by yourself then you need to find some workspace. However, if you are interested in purchasing pre-stretched canvases, then you need to have extra space for storage.

·       Cost

Usually it is more cost-effective to do the stretching by yourself because it can save you a substantial amount of money in the long run. The only caution in doing this is that you have to buy the canvas in bulk , and stretcher bars, which means more advance expenses.

·       Skill

There is a learning curve in stretching your own canvas.  This means it will take time for the beginner to stretch it, but eventually you will learn and after that it won’t be too hard.

·       Flexibility

Stretching it by yourself will give you a wider range of options.  You will be able to select the suitable brand, size, quality and texture of the canvas. At times, the type of surface you want to paint on is not available in pre-stretched.

·       Time

Stretching does takes some time.  You should ask yourself just how valuable is your time. Also, determine whether or not the amount of savings justifies your time stretching the canvas or not. One point to keep in mind is that the quality of the canvas will help determine your time worth spending stretching and doing-it-yourself. For example, if you are buying a lower quality canvas then it would be worthless to spend your valuable time on stretching.

·       Quality

If you are looking for canvases of higher quality, your options will be limited and the available options will be expensive. Furthermore, the quality of pre-stretched vary a lot, plus some pre-stretched canvases can get creased or sag from time to time.

Mounting your Canvas to Panels versus Pre-Mounted Canvas Panels

Another option for artists to consider is whether you should purchase pre-mounted canvas panels or mount your canvas to panels by yourself.

·       Quality

There are many high-quality readymade panels that are available through a number of sources. These high-quality panels are skillfully mounted using special glues that are safe for the canvas and the art.  It is much easier to find great quality of pre-mounted panels than it is to find high-quality pre-stretched canvases.

·       Time

The amount time required to mount your canvas onto the panel is considerably greater as compared to stretching your own canvas.

·       Skill

It requires some skill to learn the mounting procedure of canvas to panels, and during the initial phase the quality of mounting might be of lower quality until you get some experience. With all of this, it is still more cost-effective to mount your own canvas onto panels.

Guest Author: This Blog post was written by Howayda Alame on behalf of FN Prints, where people can buy posters and canvas online.

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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“Marketing” is an intimidating word for many visual artists. Marketing probably finishes in a close 2nd behind “selling” as one of the least favored pastimes for any painter, sculpter, or potter.

In all honesty, “anything” that draws creatives away from their artistic process is often viewed as utterly contemptible. Am I exaggerating? Perhaps, but perhaps not…

There are other artists who view marketing and selling as necessary evils in todays economy.  Although they don’t like this aspect of the art business very much, they know that they have to embrace marketing to succeed.

When there is such tension and distain for the process of marketing and selling, it is little wonder that many creatives do such a bad job when it comes to promoting themselves and their work . It’s difficult to perform any task well when you do not really care for it or enjoy it.

Unfortunately, although an artist may be creating amazingly crafted, simply incredible works of art, without a successful marketing and sales strategy, their bank balance will nearly always suffers.

I want to break from the rhythm of this post and ask you a few really unusual questions… (go with me)…

• Have you ever disliked a person immensely even though you did not really know them at all? Perhaps there was just something about them that simply pulled your chain and rubbed you up the wrong way. Or perhaps you make a superficial judgement about that person and their inherent lack of value to your world.
• Have you ever been wrong about a person that you’ve chosen to dislike? Have you ever found that once you got to know them you actually loved them? Did you find that once you got them into a different and perhaps more relaxing environment, that your walls came down and you got to see them from a different perspective?
• What if “Marketing” was actually a person who you disliked immeasurably upon first impression?

Perception is everything, we don’t like someone not necessarily because of who they are BUT more probably because of who we think they are.

I think you may hate marketing because your perception of him is quite possibly wrong. Let me be honest with you

I would dislike Marketing too if…

• He stole me away from my artistic process (the one I love) and affected the quality of my work(life).
• He forced me against my will to be false, to be untruthful, to lie or to exaggerate.
• I would not enjoy his company if we were completely incompatible and our hearts spoke a completely different language.
• I would hate spending time with Marketing if he always left me feeling inadequate and insecure.

Many of the artists we work with come to us with a terrible perception of Marketing, it’s a necessary evil at best, a terrible enemy to their sacred artistic process at worst. The truth is, if that was how I believed “Marketing” to be, I wouldn’t want to spend anytime with him either AND yet I do this job for a living.

Fortunately “my friend” Marketing is not as you imagine him to be.

I actually believe that it’s time you got to know who Marketing really is, you’ve been giving him a bad rap for far too long! He is actually a good person and he wants to be your friend. His genuine desire is not to steal from you BUT to give to you. Will you lay down objections and give him one more chance?

Let me tell you about my friend Marketing…

• Marketing is artistic and he is very creative. He very much hates it when people misquote him and misrepresent him as boring, manipulative or just one big giant time suck.
• Marketing does not wish to steal from your artistry, he wants to give to it. He wants to tell you about your audience — deep, wonderful, mysterious things that will both inform your art and move you to an even richer, deeper, creative space.
• Marketing speaks your language and he listens well, but he needs to know you extremely well before he can speak on your behalf.
• Marketing actually desires to marry your daughter “Artistry,” he thinks she is lovely and he desires to be one with her. Together they wish to have many children, that travel the world forming meaningful friendships with people everywhere.

In Conclusion:

Perhaps your distain for Marketing is holding you back from the magnificent fruition of your dreams. Unless you give him a chance and become his friend you may never fully realize the joy of having your artwork provide for yourself and your family in a meaningful way.

He isn’t different and he isn’t weird, he simply expresses himself through painting on a different kind of canvas.

You can trust my friend Marketing. Please let him marry your daughter Artistry and you will have beautiful grandchildren for years to come!

Guest author: Geoff Talbot is a popular guest blogger here and the creator of, Seven Sentences

* Thanks for visiting FineArtTips.com. You can see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com, and let’s meet on Facebook  Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.! ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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Last year Anthony Meindl, Hollywood’s #1 acting coach wrote the inspiring guest post, “Where Does Art Come From?” 

A multitalented, creative person, Anthony is also the author of the new book, “Alphabet Soup For Grown-Ups: 26 Ways Not To Worry.”

…and he is my youngest son’s acting coach!

Recently, I was able to ask Tony two questions…

What inspired you to write the book?

I think we’re really experiencing this amazing Renaissance in understanding spirituality and creativity in scientific terms. A lot of that has to do with the technological advances in neuroscience that show what our brains are doing when they’re engaged in creative acts and also which parts of the brain are activated during meditation. They are very similar findings. 

We can all learn how to be more creative, emotionally expressive and joyful. We can all experience less stress and quiet the mind-numbing chatter that our left-brains create. This is science and it’s a spiritual practice. My work has always been about bridging the gap between the two and giving people accessibility to these parts of themselves that already exist. Oftentimes we aren’t aware of it.

The book came out of that desire to provide a funny, succinct, and hopefully useful set of practical tools for the average person who wants to change their life for the better, without feeling like they’re reading a how-to college textbook or a spirituality book that makes them feel badly about themselves because they aren’t yet living like a saint.

America seems to be in a “Great Spiritual Awakening”.  Do you think that’s true? And if you agree, what do you think is driving it?

I think one of the exciting aspects of technology (and science) is that we can get information to so many more people so much more quickly now and this kind of global prevalence and awareness leads to new movements. So I think on one hand, there have probably been amazing spiritual awakenings throughout history (I mean it’s all relative to the time one is living in), but the ability to spread the message and awaken people at such a huge level has never been achieved before.

I mean the Buddha walked from town to town spreading his message. On foot. Can you imagine? And he still reached so many people and touched so many people’s lives. Great teachings will find their way no matter what. Like seeds, they’ll be dispersed and fertilized and grow. For sure. But the internet certainly beats walking from town to town any day.

I do think also that the U.S. has always been about freedom and expansion and forward-thinking and has possessed an innate adventure-some spirit. I think it’s sort of hard-wired in us as a people, to seek something new. It’s kind of in our bones. Something not yet explored. I think there’s always been an openness to examine new ways of thinking and because of that America has created a fertile ground for people to move beyond rigid constructs and established doctrine to create new movements.

“…it’s never been easier to share creative works with other people.” ~Anthony Meindl

But, also I find this interesting contradiction in the American lifestyle which in itself has perhaps contributed to a very serious discussion about – and exploration of – spirituality. That is, for many segments of American society, people have experienced prosperity, safety, luxury, material abundance – the middle-class American Dream. And for many of these people, they have discovered that having it “all” is still not enough – and is also perhaps a myth they’ve been sold, to begin with.

Our own material success has simultaneously led to our own disillusionment with the material, realizing that “things” are not the source of joy we were taught to believe. Suffering creates seeking. It forces us to dig and search for meaning and understanding in areas of our lives that have been left unexamined. If you’ve always had material riches you don’t realize that there’s an inherent unsustainability in that whole dynamic. Or eventually you do, because the bottom always drops out.

From a media standpoint, our culture is built on the advertising machine that says we have to have all these things it’s trying to sell us in order to be happy, or fulfilled, or hot, or successful. Well what happens when you have all that and you’re still miserable and in pain and not really much fun to be around? So I think for a lot of Americans, the spiritual search has come out of their deep desire to connect to something that has more meaning than a Starbucks latte made exactly-to-order – and that’s through creativity, and it’s never been easier to share creative works with other people.

Guest author: Anthony Meindl is an award-winning teacher/actor/director/writer/producer. As Artistic Director of Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop (AMAW – voted best acting school in Los Angeles by Backstage Magazine) – where the ‘right brain rules’ – he is endlessly inspired by his student’s fearless creativity.

* Thanks for visiting! You can see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com, and let’s meet on Facebook  Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.! ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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Adriaen Isenbrandt (circa 1485–1551)

Triptych art is made up of three panels that are intended to be displayed together. A triptych is from the Greek adjective τρίπτυχον meaning “three-fold”.

The first triptychs were from early Christian art, which were a popular format for altar paintings from the Middle Ages onwards. Today triptych art is still defined as a work of art, usually panel paintings, digital art or photography divided into three sections.

When the triptych art form is applied to photography or fine art, there are no steadfast rules to a triptych display. One method consists of three mounted artworks in a frame, the 3 images are closely associated in subject matter and are displayed near each other. Alternatively the triptych can be a collection of three pictures featured in a singular image.

“Idaho Farm” by Lori McNee

Triptych art as a form is frequently used as a decor element in various interior design spaces. They can be beautifully placed in homes, offices and hotels.

The artist’s vision is paramount. As an artist, I can truly express my style or message in a much broader sense with a triptych image. There are no real rules in Triptych art and photography, anything goes.

I love working with these digital triptych’s. Something about working with three images in a single long artwork appeals to me. After I become rich and famous, I believe these works will be the reason why. Here are the three points that I have highlighted as to why I believe they are a successful vehicle for an art installation.

1. Great visual appeal: These images have an aesthetic appeal to them. They challenge the viewer to think about the design and challenge themselves to the meaning and movement of the piece. As the viewer looks from one panel to the next, they have to come to terms as to how the art speaks to them and how they can digest three different artworks in one composition.

2. Color: The color does a nice job of leading the eye from one of the images on the left to the ones going right. The subtle color of the first illustration to the blue tones of the second on to the thinner lines of the 3rd keeps the piece interesting . I believe these contemporary artworks do a better job than photo’s in the triptych format because I can alter the colors and transition of the piece. Unlike a photo which is basically one image cut into three sections.

by Marc Garrison

3. Great Wall Coverage: The problem with a lot of decor art today is you don’t get much bang for the buck. In other words, if you are going to invest in an artwork, you want it to cover some wall space. This triptych is a big enough file that it can be printed up to 6 feet long by 3 feet high. As long as the aspect ratio of 2 to 1 is adhered.

I’m sure you are asking yourself, what does this contemporary artwork mean anyway? I will try to give you my two cents worth. I like to work with the theme of transitions. I start with one simple design, then the second one becomes more complex – like how our life becomes more complex as we grow and reach our productive years. The final segment is when we have it all together or at least, that’s how it appears. Then we reach our maturing stage of life when we evolve again. Maybe not quite the way we had hoped but somehow we make it work.

Guest artist/author: Marc Garrison is an abstract photographer who enjoying digital technology and filters to enhance his images. He uses photography to express his love of the natural world.

* Thank you to Marc for an interesting guest post! Thanks for visiting FineArtTips.com. You can see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com, and let’s meet on Facebook  Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.! ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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The Scream

For many artists, the desire to paint is inevitably born out of an urge to represent the beautiful, to celebrate an event, or emotion in a positive light.

Yet for many others, as diverse as Salvador Dali, Francisco Goya and more recently the Chapman Brothers, the inspiration for art emerges from a far darker place, pain.

The medium of painting provides the ideal conduit upon which artists can express their emotions, both negative and positive, though often, it is the negative that remains imprinted upon our memories, the potent, the aggressive and at times, the painful.

Mental Illness and the Benefits of Art

In the 21st century, art has finally been given official recognition as a successful form of therapy  for treating mental conditions, such as depression and addiction. It is unsurprising that the process of creating art and of using painting to express emotion should provide such therapeutic benefits. The ability to express emotional pain through non-verbal means is an intensely cathartic process and those who progress through a program of art therapy often report feelings of ‘unburdening’ and of satisfaction at having produced something of positivity and permanence from their negative emotions.

Historically, many celebrated artists have also used their art as a way to free themselves of the torture of their mental state. A notable example is of course, Van Gogh, whose distinctive, heavy-handed brush-strokes and wild curling tendrils of paint has been much analyzed over the years; a painter who continued to produce art throughout his life, even during his stay at the hospital in Arles as a mental patient.

Likewise, Edward Munch represented his mental state in a particularly pronounced way on canvas, as can be seen in his work, The Scream. The artist himself comments “I was walking along the road with two friends. The sun was setting. I felt a breath of melancholy -Suddenly the sky turned blood-red. I stopped, and leaned against the railing, deathly tired -looking out across the flaming clouds that hung like blood and a sword over the blue-black fjord and town. My friends walked on – I stood there, trembling with fear. And I sensed a great, infinite scream pass through nature.”

Physical Pain Represented in Art 

Pain represented in art is not limited to the realm of the emotional. Many artists have used their work to convey a sense of their physical condition, and to demonstrate the torture of their pain in a far more effective way than language alone. Gustav Courbet, increasingly aware of his own impending death (a result of liver damage caused by heavy drinking) repeatedly uses the motif of a trout in his work; depicted ‘hooked and bleeding from the gills’ to represent his own physical state.

Likewise, Eduard Manet’s later paintings take on a far darker edge when he became aware of his own incurable condition (in this case, the much feared STD of the time; syphilis) as can be seen in the slightly eerie ‘Bar at the Folies-Bergere’, where a sardonic barmaid, at an infamous haunt of prostitutes stands boldly addressing the customer, and an acrobat’s disconnected legs hang precariously in the upper corner.

Perhaps more obvious was the work of Frida Kahlo, whose pain is evident in much of her work . Badly injured in her youth in a bus crash, physical torment was a daily burden for Kahlo, and she frequently represented this in her art, such as ‘The Broken Column’, where she depicts herself as quite literally gored by a broken column, impaled by numerous nails and quite literally held together by an awkward series of brace supports.

Using Pain as a Motivation for Your Art

As history has quite succinctly shown, mental and physical pain, far from being a hindrance in the artistic process, can be an excellent way of finding inspiration. Of course, in an ideal world, the artist would be free from burden, anguish and pain in his or her life, but in reality, it is likely that, at some point as an artist, you will experience negative emotions.

Instead of ignoring them, view it as an ideal chance to seize the paint brush and create something powerful and emotion-led. After all, it is one of the most wonderful aspects of Art and other forms of creativity, that negativity can be used to create something of great beauty and power.

Guest author: Claire Mills

****

Thanks for visiting FineArtTips.com. You can see my art on my website,  LoriMcNee.com, and let’s meet on Facebook  Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, on Twitter, Google Plus and on Pinterest. Be sure and check out and my fine art prints and notecards on Fine Art America.! ~Lori

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

This winter I have been working really hard at a new series of artwork – encaustic wax paintings.

Working with encaustic wax is a tactile, poetic, emotional experience. I am seduced by the alluring, organic translucencies of the encaustic medium. Labor intensive and difficult to master, the wax has a mind of its own, but this makes the medium even more exciting.

When painting with encaustic, I am embracing the ‘unknown’ and enjoy the experience of being out of control.

©2014 Lori McNee
Night Watch – Ravens
48 x 24
encaustic

Through countless hours of experimentation I have developed my unique encaustic painting technique, which conveys the ethereal, atmospheric qualities of the wax and the subject  - in this series, the birds. I am proud to display my new works alongside the amazing bird sculptures of Greg Woodard. Our work really compliments each other!

I hope to meet some of you in Sun Valley, Idaho at our Kneeland Gallery artists’ reception  Februray 14, from 5-8. The show will be hanging until until March 3, 2014.  Also showing will be talented painters, Shanna Kunz and Steven Lee Adams.  Come say hello!

 *Let’s also meet on Twitter, and on Google Plus, Pinterest, and join in the fun at Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page! Please checkout my art too LoriMcNee.com, or find me on Instagram lorimcneeartist.

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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The infographic above breaks down many of the traits between successful vs unsuccessful artists.

Although sometimes there are circumstances beyond one’s control, most barriers to success are self-generated and can be fixed.

Artists are naturally born to manifest. We have a thought, imagine it and make it come true on paper, canvas or out of stone. So why do we have trouble manifesting our art business dreams? The great thing about having a successful art career as a fine artist is that we can make it up! Just like we conceive a piece of art, we conceive our art businesses too.

Do you agree with the traits of Successful VS Unsuccessful Artists? Let me know what you think! ~Lori

*Learn more from me Twitter, and on Google Plus, Pinterest, and join in the fun at Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page! Please checkout my art too LoriMcNee.com, or find me on Instagram lorimcneeartist.

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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Studies have found that images bring in the most engagement on social media platforms. Images and graphics are also a great way to drive traffic to your website or blog.

But, have you ever felt as though you’ve run out of creative images and graphics or blogging ideas? Well, I have found 3 online tools that will help you get your blogging mojo back.  The following tools will inspire you to create viral content for sites like Pinterest, Facebook, Google Plus, and more!

Pixlr Express

Pixlr Express is the most popular online photo editor in the world.  I love Pixlr! It has become an indispensable creative tool for my blogging needs. Many people are not in the position to buy or download expensive photo-editing software. Pixlr is a great alternative, and it is so easy to use.

Using Pixlr Express, I can easily crop, color correct, and edit my art portfolio. Plus, I can create interesting visual content using special effects, overlays, text, boarders and more. I can work from the Pixlr.com website, or from Pixlr app onmy phone where I can manipulate photos and then share them to Instagram, Facbook, Twitter, or any other social site. Then I post them to FineArtTips.com, and my social media channels. Here’s an example of a visual I created for a blog post and my Fine Art Tips Facebook Fanpage. 

Share As Image

Recently, I discovered another helpful tool that helps me make great visual images. Share As Image lets you highlight text anywhere on the web and easily converts it into an image. You can upload your own images, or use theirs. It truly is the easiest way to create viral images. Once the image is created, you can save it to your desktop, download the image, or share it on your social site. It is quicker and easier to use than Pixlr, but not as versatile.  I like using it for creative looking quotes and sayings.

Here is an example of a quote that I highlighted from my Twitter feed, and then a more elaborate visual I made by uploading an image.

 Canva

Canva is another amazing online tool that I just started using. Canva makes graphic design simple for everyone. Now I can create designs for Web or print. It is easy to design blog graphics, presentations, Facebook covers, flyers, posters, invitations and much more. 

Canva has hundreds of templates to choose from. Here’s the template I chose to make my first infographic for a recent blog post. Below is the result!

Images and graphics can go viral and help us grow our audiences. Plus, they make our lives more beautiful and fun! Give these 3 tools a try and let me know what you think!

For even more creative tools, you might like to read: https://blog.shareaholic.com/top-blogging-tools-pinterest/ 

***I hope to meet you on Twitter, and on Google Plus, Pinterest, and join in the fun at Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page! Please checkout my art too LoriMcNee.com, or find me on Instagram lorimcneeartist.

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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Whether your studio is a posh loft in a fashionable arts district or a spare room in the back of your house, there are times when you need to open it up to show it to others.

To visitors and clients, your studio is more than your creative and working environment; it is a reflection of your business and professionalism.

Most of my work is custom commissioned, and I used to always deliver the finished paintings to my clients rather than have them come to my studio to pick up the art.  Then last year I accidentally over booked my commission schedule.  Suddenly, I no longer had the time to leave my studio to drive around delivering paintings, so I made it a policy for my clients to come directly to my studio to pick up their art.  Not only did I save time, my sales increased dramatically!

Almost every client who visits my studio purchases one or more additional paintings from my inventory.  Many bring friends or family with them, who also purchase paintings.  The friends and family of the clients feel more comfortable buying art when they are with someone they trust who has just made a purchase.  The client’s enthusiasm tends to spill over to their friends, providing everyone with the emotional validation that enables them to make these extra impulse purchases.

Your studio must be clean before a visitor arrives, but there’s more to preparing for a studio visit than just tidying up.  Your studio is a reflection of your professional and business standards.  If you bring clients into your studio, then it’s more than a workspace, it’s also your reception room.  Look at it with a critical eye – what do you think strangers and potential clients see when they see your studio?  Are they seeing the workshop and office of a professional?  Does it give the impression that you’re organized, punctual, and business like?  Does it have an over all atmosphere that is reassuring to the client?  If not, it’s time to give it an overhaul!

Setting up the Studio 

First off, look at the furniture and how it’s arranged.  There needs to be some type seating for your guests, even if it’s just a couple of stools or some folding chairs that you can bring out at a moments notice.  A visitor that is sitting down will relax easier than one who is left standing.  And it’s equally important for you to sit down as well — if you remain standing while they are sitting they will get the impression that you are in a hurry or that they are imposing on you; as a result, they will feel uncomfortable.

Your studio probably already contains a work table, desk, shelves and cabinets, and easels.  But it probably doesn’t need the old coffee table, night stand, lawnmower, or other miscellaneous items that have migrated there from other parts of the house over the years.  If you’re not using those items, take them to the thrift store or have a garage sale.  Clear up the clutter!  If you just can’t seem to part with great granny’s curio cabinet filled with teacups, then at least move it into another part of the house or to the attic.

Now that we’ve cleared some space and gotten rid of some of the bulky items that don’t belong there, let’s look at some of the little things that are cluttering up the room.  You’ll still have those shelves and cabinets, so let’s organize how things are put away.  You can tidy up those shelves by getting rectangular baskets or bins that fit nicely in the space and will organize and hold your supplies like brushes, paints, tools, photos, etc.  Get a file cabinet for your important papers, and there are plenty of ready made options available for filing photos and slides in drawers, cabinets, or boxes.  Stacking or wall hung letter trays can provide some organization for those pending entry forms, applications, bills, and other items that are not yet ready to be filed away.

The Walls

Next let’s look at your walls.  We all have a tendency to collect art by other artists, but display it in other rooms in your house, not in your studio.  Believe me; the last thing you want is for your client to say “WOW!  That’s the one I want!”, while he’s pointing to a painting you received at last year’s Christmas exchange at the artists club.  Your client came to your studio to view your art, so make sure it’s prominently displayed on your studio walls.  You can also display some of your credentials, by framing and hanging some of your best newspaper or magazines articles, exhibit posters featuring your work, and having a space dedicated for hanging ribbons and awards.

You don’t want your walls to be too crowded, so the rest of your inventory needs to be stored in a way that your clients can easily browse through them.  This does not mean under the bed or in a closet!  Many artists use vertical storage racks, often building them themselves or having them custom built to their specifications.  I use a simpler method of arranging framed paintings by size, and leaning them in stacks against the walls that the clients can flip through.  Unframed paintings are best displayed in poly bags or shrink wrap, and placed in print racks or bins that the client can flip through.

Prints or posters should be displayed in a separate rack.  Be sure to have each piece neatly labeled with title, medium, and price.  Buyers are much less likely to question the cost or try to haggle if the prices are cleanly printed and clearly displayed on each piece.

Branding & Marketing Materials

Like any good sales room, you’ll want to have display fixtures to hold your business cards and brochures, and some acrylic stands displaying bio or statement.  Keep a full and up to date portfolio or catalog handy in your studio for the clients to browse through, and a binder filled with articles, reviews, and tear sheets is also handy.

The Lighting

Lighting is important.  All art looks best under natural light, so use full spectrum bulbs in your light fixtures and lamps.  I like to leave one large space open on one of my walls, so I can quickly pick up and hang a painting from my stock for the client to see how it will look at eye level.  This particular area could be set up as a comfortable alcove or sitting area.

Sales Tips

Be courteous to your visitors; take your phone off the hook while your clients are there so you won’t be disrupted, and if you have children, pets, or other animate objects like a husband, send them out or stash them away somewhere.

Your clients may have traveled a significant distance before arriving at your studio, so be sure to have an assortment of beverages to offer them and perhaps a tray of nibbles like cheese and crackers or grapes.  For the same reason, make sure your bathroom is clean and tidy with fresh towels. Also insure that they can easily find your studio by making sure your address is visible on your building or door, and you have large enough signage that is easily read. Even if your studio is in a residential area, you can usually put out a temporary sign for a few hours that will confirm to your guests that they’ve arrived at the right address.

I use two rooms in my home for my art business, one is a reception room where I store all the finished art and show it to clients, and the other room is my actual painting studio.  Before they leave I guide the clients through a tour of my work studio, showing them paintings in progress and explaining the painting process.  Clients love this, as it gives them a better appreciation and understanding of art, and it also personalizes the experience for them.  It allows the client to establish a bond with the artist, making it easier to close a sale.

The environment in which you work has a direct impact on how you feel.  You’ll find that an organized professional studio space not only impresses your visitors, it will also boost your confidence.  An inviting and organized studio provides you with the motivation to conduct your business in a more professional manner.  As this healthy cycle continues, it will help you feel more energized, refreshed, and creative, and will inspire you to increase your productivity and sales even more.

Guest artist/author: Annie Strack is an Official Authorized Artist for the U.S. Coast Guard, an Artist Ambassador for Canson | Royal Talens, and a Contributing Editor for Professional Artist magazine. A Signature Member of 8 artist societies, her artwork has received hundreds of awards and hangs in over 1,000 collections worldwide including US Coast Guard, US Navy, US Pentagon, US Senate, Veterans Administration, and many more. She teaches painting at Artists’ Network University, and for other organizations in workshops and classes around the country. Her show “Painting Seascapes in Watercolor” is available on DVD and also broadcast on over 130 television stations around the world.

*****

I hope to meet you on Twitter, and on Google Plus, Pinterest, and join in the fun at Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page! Please checkout my art too LoriMcNee.com, or find me on Instagram lorimcneeartist.

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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After a long winter in my studio working with encaustic wax, it has felt great to plein air paint in the Caribbean this spring break.

This year I wanted to travel lightly beacause I knew my painting time would be limited on this family vacation. So, I brought my smallest pochade box, and also packed my favorite solvent free paints by Cobra Water Mixable Oils, and a handy 9 x 12 pad of Arches Oil Paper.

I have cut each sheet into quarters and have been painting mini 4×6 pieces. That way, I’ve been able to paint one quick little study almost every day.

I also love to take photographs along the way and post them to Instagram. But, nothing truly captures the emotions of a place like a plein air painting.

The plein air paintings below are my own little personal ‘slice of paradise’ that I will take home with me. When I return to the snow country, these studies will warm me up and make me smile. I will remember the warm tropical breeze, the vivid Caribbean colors, the perfumed air, and the soft sand between my toes while I painted.

“Plein air painting leaves an impression not only on canvas, but also in the soul.” ~Lori McNee

I hope to see some of you in Monterey, California next month at the Plein Air Convention by Plein Air Magazine! 

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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Come paint with me! It is my pleasure to be attending, speaking and teaching at the Plein Air Convention & Expo in Monterey on April 7 – 11, 2014.

Plein Air Magazine presents The 3rd Annual Plein Air Convention and Expo which will be held in Monterey-Carmel on the California coast.

I am honored to be featured in this event along with 70 of today’s finest artists. I will also be working with my friends from Royal Talens and instructing in Cobra solvent free paints. 

It will be a wonderful event you won’t want to miss. Below is the agenda for the Plein Air Basics Course that kicks-off the convention and will help you get started painting in the field.

I will be speaking about how to pack for plein air painting (painting outdoors), using water soluble oils, and social media tips, plus branding and marketing advice.

I hope to meet you there! You can sign up for the Plein Air Basics Course, or for the whole convention. Please click this link for more information about the Plein Air Convention. where you can buy your ticket to the whole event, or only the Basics Course.

Here’s when I will be speaking >

2:15-3:15pm Lori McNee
Tips and Tricks to Get Started In (en) Plein Air, Online and Off

After which, I hope we can paint together during the event. Please be sure to say hello to me! ~Lori

Meanwhile, I hope to meet you on Twitter, and on Google Plus, Pinterest, and join in the fun at Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page! Please checkout my art too LoriMcNee.com, or find me on Instagram lorimcneeartist.

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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Over the years, I have received little email ‘gems’ from Denver artist, Bob Ragland. Known as the Non-starving Artist in Denver, these emails are clever, concise, and loaded with nuggets of art marketing tools and information. 

This post is a compilation of those emails along with Bob’s Marketing Tools Of Non-Starving Artists list below. Bob has been featured on NPR, he has his own YouTube channel (see video at end of post), and he is active on Facebook. I hope you enjoy his wisdom and wit.

Bob says he has found the secret to weathering a financial crisis:

• He is big on doing simple business tactics and works on PR (personal relationships with customers) and marketing moves every day.

• Bob gets up everyday and gives his art career the best that he can give it.

• He may not be the best artist, but he gives the best effort.

• Bob says, “Art schools ain’t gonna do it.”

• Workshops would be great, if they had a nuts and boltsbusiness component.

• Bob insists that people will spend money no matter how hard times are.

• During recessions – people buy less, but they buy better.

• The most neglected part of art life is the mechanics of business. Please see Bob’s good ‘art brother’ Dean Mitchell. He’s a brilliant BUSINESSMAN.

• Send career updates to people.

  Live cheap, have skills and low, low bills – don’t have to do no bad art deals!

  Work on some home shows.
  Table top shows.
  Be practical.
  Keep cash.
  Business tactics win!
  Just do it.

• A few more thoughts from Bob: Read THE OUTLIERS by -Malcolm Gladwell- focus on 10,000 hours chapter.

  One of the other things that he notes is the idea of 10,000 hours.
  Every single person who has perfected his or her art form (athletes, computer programmers, and musicians) each has managed to put in 10,000 hours of practice time.
  This number has been one of the most notable patterns.
  However, each of the above people were also given unique opportunities to that allowed them to reach 10,000 hours of practice time.

Here are Bob’s Marketing Tools Of Non-Starving Artists

Check out Investopedia.com to learn about Art Futures. 

***Let’s meet on Twitter, and on Google Plus, Pinterest, and join in the fun at Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page! Please checkout my art too LoriMcNee.com, or find me on Instagram lorimcneeartist.

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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Traveling home after presenting and attending the 3rd Annual Plein Air Convention in Monterey, it’s hard to believe it’s already just a memory! I’m California dreaming of plein air painting…

The event was a fun, energized week of networking with over 700 artists, vendors, art business professionals, and like-minded people from all over the world. On stage and in the field, 70 of today’s finest artists demonstrated and taught their inside secrets in oil, watercolor and pastel.

Artists Christin Coy, Rusty Jones, Lori McNee, Georgia Mansur, Gene Costanza

It was great to spend some time with Plein Air Magazine’s brilliant publisher, Eric Rhoads. We had fun brainstorming and swapping art business ideas.

Lori McNee and Eric Rhoads

Produced and hosted by esteemed Plein Air Magazine, the Convention ran like a well oiled machine. The days were filled with demonstrations and instruction by prominent artists then afterwards, painting in the field along the California coastline. Carmel, Monterey, Point Lobos, China Point and Big Sur were just a few of my painting destinations this week.

Traveling and working with my new Strada Easel made plein air painting so effortless. Created by artist Bryan Mark Taylor, Strada Easels are durable, well designed, sturdy and cool – a sell-out at the convention and a favorite with the artists.

…I even had a little spare time for some sightseeing with my friends and sponsors from Royal Talens/Cobra Water Mixable Oils, Kyle Richardson and Don Nederland.

I’m already looking forward to next year. Until then, the photos in this post will have to satisfy my California Dreaming!

***Let’s meet you on Twitter, and on Google Plus, Pinterest, and join in the fun at Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page! Please checkout my art at LoriMcNee.com, or find me on Instagram lorimcneeartist.

Originally published on http://finearttips.com

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