What to charge

As the exhibition looms close on the horizon, I am trying to tie up all the loose end. The only major task left to do, was to bar code all the paintings ready for any sales to be processed in the Cathedral shop. The process of selling is a bit complex in the Cathedral, as we, the exhibitors are not able to take any money. All purchases are dealt with through the shop, which means that would-be buyers have to take a docket with the appropriate bar code down to the sales staff, pay for the goods and then bring the receipt back to the Chapter House to collect their purchase. As Wells Cathedral is the only Cathedral in England to have the Chapter House on an upper floor, and the stonesteps have been worn into some very strange shapes over hundreds of years and are very steep, this can be a bit of a chore. In some cases I tend to walk down to the shop with the client and the painting, so that they do not have to make a return journey. This can only happen when there are two of us behind the desk and this year that will not happen very often! All this depends upon trying to explain to non-speaking foriegners why I cannot accept the notes they are offering me, especially for my boxes of cards.

The cards are a great product. They are A4 folded to A3 and there are 8 designs in each boxed set and I sell them for £10.00.Every year I sell out completely so each year I produce a few more boxes and this year there are 30 of them. I hope to sell all of them and the profit (not as much as you would think!) will just about cover all my incidental costs such as advertising, printing, postage, petrol etc.

I try to make the boxes as professional as possible, the card is bought pre-folded and comes with proper card envelopes. Each box is lined with tissue paper and the boxes are white glossy 'book boxes' (size of a standard paperback book)

The above pictures show the box lid design and the selection in the box which is pasted on the base.

Back then to the last remaining task: sticking on the bar codes. This can only be done after I have put the paintings into price groups and decided what price to attach to each group. I find this so hard to do. I do not want to undersell my work, but do not want to appear as if I think the work is worth hundreds. Also, I am aware that times are quite hard financially for lots of people at the moment. And I do want to sell some paintings so that I make a few bob for the cathedral to encourage them to ask me back again next year. Finally I do want to re-coup some of the outlay involved in framing about 85 paintings and mounting another 30 or so.

Some artists measure the painting and charge by the square centimetre, but I find this very unsatisfactory as I always feel some are better works than others even though they are the same size. Also the acrylics often do not have a frame so different rules seem to apply. What I have tried to do is produce a range of sizes and hence prices without compromising the way I want to paint. Although this year my paintings do seem to have grown in size somewhat and therefore I feel I have to charge more for them.
We shall see if I have got it right, although I am sure that the different month this year will have a knock-on effect on sales (last year it was the beginning of July)

As my friend, Jan, is unable to take part this year (she is the landscape painter, to my flower painting) I have included a number of pictures which are not in my usual exhibition range, and I have include one here for you to look at.

'Bottlemania'  Collage on Fabriano Extra white

Golden Lake

In response to a conversation I had with Peter Ward (http:watercolourfanatic.blogspot.com), about the possible disappearance of Quinachridone Gold, I had a look at replacing one of my favourite colours, Maimeri Golden Lake with a more readily available alternative. I love the Graham paints so looked at the possibilities within their range. As a consequence of reading Peter's latest blog, I thought I might share my findings with you.
I compared the two basic colours, Maimeri Golden lake and Graham Nickel Azo Yellow, and as I use the Golden Lake primarily to mix greens, I mixed the Azo Yellow from Graham with all the blues in my palette to see if there was a good range to satisfy my needs. The results are shown below. At the same time I also bought Azo Orange from the same range, and thought you might like to see those results as well when mixed with the blues. I found the Graham Azo Orange much brighter and less opaque than the Cadmium Orange I had previously used and am delighted with the lovely greys to be achieved.

The Bockingford Paper has no significance, jut a free pack picked up somewhere! It is quite difficult to mix absolutely equal strengths of paint in each test, but I think enough shows to make my point.I am happy to use the Azo Yellow until I discover something better, and the Graham paints are lovely to use.

Just to keep the floral interest alive, the background to the Orchid picture below was done completely with mixtures of Golden Lake and Indigo, both by Maimeri

Composition

We are often being told that the composition on the thirds has the most impact and I have always tried to think about this when doing my drawings for the flower paintings. Also the advantage of having an uneven number of elements. Just recently, however, I find myself painting groups of flowers where the finished work does not conform to these two basic rules.

I suppose that all rules are made to be broken from time to time, and the more experienced one becomes, the easier it is to get away with it. I would be please to hear what you think about the composition of the paintings below, where most of the flower interest is in the top half of the painting. Maybe its just that tall blooms lend themselves to this type of composition.



Another 2 Hours!

As promised, the results of trying to put together a couple of small (for me) paintings for our limited space exhibition later this month. Lots of things on and so not a lot of time, so another 2 promised 2 hour sessions to see what I could put together. Here are the results. Now I feel justified in making up my allotted number with a couple of large paintings to advertise my August exhibition.

                                        'Anemone Japonica' Watercolour on Fabriano Extra White
                                                                        22cm x 32cm

                                     'Cherries and Grapes'. Watercolour on Fabriano Extra White
                                                                18cm x 27cm

I keep telling myself that I now have enough paintings for all the projects I have in hand and I can take a rest and do a bit of cleaning or something, but there is that compulsion to always do 'just one more' so I will not say 'that's it folks' because I am sure it will not be!

2 hours on a Saturday Afternoon

I have enough paintings stacked in the attic for the exhibition in Wells Cathedral in August, but we have a club exhibition approaching, which will be held in our painting venue. There will not be a lot of space, and my paintings are generally in frames 20" x 16" or 26" x 20" so they are relatively large. Also I do not really want to eat into my stock for Wells.
I have been working for the past 3 weeks and have done no paintings, so the need to deal with the withdrawal symptoms and the need to find 4 or 5 smaller paintings for this local exhibition, made me make time on Saturday afternoon to try to produce something which would fit a 12" x 16" frame max.Not something I am very good at!
A garden full of early roses seemed a good starting point, and I set to, without any pressure, and the usual ....its only a piece of paper....... if it doesn't work.

What a nice surprise, when 2 hours later, I was able to think 'That will do!'

Now all I need to do is produce a couple more and the problem will be solved. I will show you the others if they turn out well enough, but here is the first.

                                            'Alexandra Rose'  approx 12" x 9"  watercolour on
                                             Fabriano xtra White

Developing A Style

At Art Club this week we were asked to produce a painting of white china on a black ground, any style, any medium. At the end of the session, all the paintings were put up for our usual group chat and appreciation session. We have found that we can all learn lots by looking at each others work, asking questions about technique and composition, and because it is a really positive exercise, even the weakest members are happy to take part.

As one of the organisers of the group, it has often fallen to me to lead this session and sometimes suggest discussion points. When I have done this, I have nearly always been able to put a name to a painting for at least two thirds of the group. The beginner's work is sometimes a bit more tricky as they have not yet developed a distinct approach to their art.

I hesitate to use the word style as I am not sure that even the more established painters amongst us always paint in the same way.

This was highlighted today as the confines of the white china and black ground seemed to do away with all the usually recognisable paintings, and I would not have known whose painting belonged to whom, except that I finished a little early and had a wander around all of the group.

So, what I am asking is this......At the level at which a club like ours paints, are we really developing a style of our own or are we simply working in a way which reflects the work of artists we admire. Had they never put paint brush to paper, how might we have developed? Are we capable of painting in a really individual way which would be easily recognised as 'ours'.

I am sure that for all the years I have been painting, there are lots of different ways in which I produce paintings depending on the subject, the medium and my mood. I say thank goodness for that. it keeps me fresh, encourages me to try new things and stops me trying so hard to paint in a certain style that I lose my way completely.



I have put together half a dozen paintings of the same basic subject. Are they recognisable as mine?  Am I developing a style of my own, or am I just striving to produce work based on those artists I admire.

I actually do not care. I do not think anything except my health would stop me painting, even if I never sold another painting!

Developing A Style

At Art Club this week we were asked to produce a painting of white china on a black ground, any style, any medium. At the end of the session, all the paintings were put up for our usual group chat and appreciation session. We have found that we can all learn lots by looking at each others work, asking questions about technique and composition, and because it is a really positive exercise, even the weakest members are happy to take part.

As one of the organisers of the group, it has often fallen to me to lead this session and sometimes suggest discussion points. When I have done this, I have nearly always been able to put a name to a painting for at least two thirds of the group. The beginner's work is sometimes a bit more tricky as they have not yet developed a distinct approach to their art.

I hesitate to use the word style as I am not sure that even the more established painters amongst us always paint in the same way.

This was highlighted today as the confines of the white china and black ground seemed to do away with all the usually recognisable paintings, and I would not have known whose painting belonged to whom, except that I finished a little early and had a wander around all of the group.

So, what I am asking is this......At the level at which a club like ours paints, are we really developing a style of our own or are we simply working in a way which reflects the work of artists we admire. Had they never put paint brush to paper, how might we have developed? Are we capable of painting in a really individual way which would be easily recognised as 'ours'.

I am sure that for all the years I have been painting, there are lots of different ways in which I produce paintings depending on the subject, the medium and my mood. I say thank goodness for that. it keeps me fresh, encourages me to try new things and stops me trying so hard to paint in a certain style that I lose my way completely.



I have put together half a dozen paintings of the same basic subject. Are they recognisable as mine?  Am I developing a style of my own, or am I just striving to produce work based on those artists I admire.

I actually do not care. I do not think anything except my health would stop me painting, even if I never sold another painting!