FRAMING DIGITAL ART

On Friday I collected my first 4 framed digital prints. I am very pleased with the finished product. Now to find a gallery that’s interested!

These are single-edition prints. I wanted them to be unique and special. I guarantee that they are “one-only” artworks. It’s taken me a lot of time preparing these images and I have enough at hand to hold an exhibition. Getting people interested in this type of art is going to be a challenge.

Each archival artwork, (approx 80cm x 60cm framed), has been professionally valued at between $550 and $600.

I have treated each work as a stand-alone image and have had them framed as you would for any painting or drawing of similar size.

How do you convince the art market that this work is worth buying?

Art is a complicated process of thinking, doing, presenting and marketing. Not everyone likes to be involved in all these stages, that’s where galleries come in and if they do their job, everyone benefits.

Nexs week I shall hit the road and search for a retailer.

Richard

FRAMING

I currently have 5 examples of my “not-so-recent” work on display at the Launceston Art Society’s headquarters at Eskleigh. ‘                                                                                                        “Deja Vous”, is an exhibition that gives members to show some of their older work that has been previously exhibited and not sold. It’s a great idea and 80 paintings are on display.

The issue of framing os one of the many challenges that artists face. Do I frame everything I produce? Do I choose the most expensive moulding? Do I need to frame my work? These are some of the questions we have no doubt asked ourselves from time to time.

I always frame my coloured pencil paintings with double, neutral mountboard and a frame that highlights my work. Framing is never a cheap exercise unless you use cheap frames. Cheap frames usually look cheap and rarely enhance a painting.

Coloured pencil paintings need to be framed the same as any other painting under glass. Let’s face it, in a gallery all artwork on display is competing with one another for attention.

I don’t mind if people asked me what medium I work in. They are often surprised when I tell them that it’s coloured pencil!

I know times are tough, but try not to cheapen your beautiful artwork with a second-rate frame. Be proud of what you do and make sure that you frame it appropriately.

These days I produce less work, better work and I’m careful what i frame and display in galleries. I want to give those who buy art value for their money. Shouldn’t we all?

Richard

GLOVER ENTRY POSTED

On Tuesday I sought the services of a local JP in Hervey Bay and completed my entry form for this year’s Glover Prize. It’s now in the mail system and I expect it will arrive at Evandale, Tasmania, early next week.

It wasn’t easy completing an entry while I was so far away from my studio, but I persevered and I am pleased with the result. I have had a few phone conversations with John, my framer in Launceston. He has everything in hand and I’m looking forward to seeing the result when I return home in March. If my drawing doesn’t make the final list I shall enter it in another art award.

No, today’s drawing has nothing to do with my Glover entry, but it is associated with my planned entry for next year’s Glover Prize.

The cottage featured is near the historic town of Oatlands in southern Tasmania, and it’s this town that has inspired a large drawing that I wish to undertake not long after I return to Tasmania. I’m not revealing what my theme is except that it’s about convict history and the local landscape.

Saturday: Time for a jigsaw.

Richard

TROPICAL ABSTRACT COMPLETED

Tropical Abstract

Polychromos coloured pencils on white Canson pastel board   60 x 40 cm

My first true, tropical abstract is ready for framing and I found this drawing particularly satisfying to create, so much so that I’ve begun another, quite different one.

As with all of my abstract work, this one is based on the landscape. This time it’s a section of sand and water from Etty Bay, not far from Innisfail in Far North Queensland.

There are 3 distinct layers in this drawing.

Bottom: Fine grains of sand. Top: Fragmented foam floating on water. The middle layer is based on the bubbles one sees where waves break on sand.

The colour palette is deliberately bright, representing the tropical location.

On Monday I will post the first article and photo of my next ‘tropical abstract’.

Tomorrow: An update from my Glover Diary.

Richard

IS THE PRICE RIGHT? Part 3.

Lake Lilla, near Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, from my ‘early’ days as a colour pencil artist.

Today I offer some examples as a guide to pricing one’s paintings.

Example 1: Retail price $300, commission 40% – $120, framing $65, artist receives $115.

Example 2: Retail price $600, commission 40% – $240, framing $120, artist receives $240.

Example 3: Retail price $900, commission 40% – $360, framing $170, artist receives $370.

The cost of art materials is factored in the artist’s return.

And of course here in Australia we have to pay 10% gst on all our art goods and services.

These figures are based on personal experience and may not apply where you live, but at least you can do some comparisons with your own situation.

Commission prices vary; the less the commission, the greater the return for the artist. The cost of framing can be rather expensive at times, but cheap framing makes artwork look cheap. Whichever way you look at it, one should consider framing one’s own work!

Larger paintings can be more ‘profitable’ for the artist as they usually sell for a higher price and the overheads are relatively lower. But should this be so?

In my next post on Friday, I challenge the notion ‘ does size matter?’.

Richard

PAYING COMMISSION 3.

The Great Western Tiers from Rosevale, Tasmania.

What are the responsibilities of art galleries?

One of my friends is having an exhibition later in the year. The gallery where he will be showing his work asked him to curate the exhibition and were going to charge him 33 1/3% commission. Can you believe that!!

Galleries must ‘earn’ their commission. They have a duty to promote the artist before and after the exhibition.

A couple of years ago a gallery was interested in my work. They wanted 50% commission, and I declined the offer. I did my sums and realised that if for example, I wanted $1,000 for one of my drawings (retail), the gallery would pocket $500 and I would receive $350, allowing for framing and art materials. This is not fair!!

A ‘good’ gallery should:

Have a broad, active buyers’ list.

Promote each artist on their website.

Provide professional invitations and catalogues, newspaper, magazine and radio advertising.

Provide a catered, official opening.

’Encourage’ each artist by retaining some of their work for interested clients.

All this isn’t free of charge and artists are expected to pay a fee, but this should be realistic and not just a ‘money grab’.

Tomorrow: What are an artist’s responsibilities?

Richard

FRAMING GREYSCALE DRAWINGS

The problem with greyscale drawings is that there’s no colour! How then does one frame this type of work to make it warm and appealing?

The answer is, use coloured mounts!

I prefer a coloured mount with a white insert if working on white paper or board. If you are using a coloured paper, repeat that colour as an insert inside your main mount. Always double mat(board) your work. It looks much better than a single mount.

For a frame, I often use a simple, matte black moulding; elegance without being too obvious.

Greyscale drawings can be dull and unexciting. Good framing will do wonders to any artwork.

Richard

FRAMING ABSTRACTS

Not all abstract paintings need framing, especially when painted on canvas. Large works have a strong visual presence and rarely need a frame. A clean painted edge usually suffices. I’m not a fan of leaving the sides of canvases ‘as-is’, as they often look ‘tacky’ and paint-splattered.

The current exhibition at Launceston’s Country Club Tasmania that I am curating, contains a mixture of framed and unframed abstract works that look good next to each other.

Abstracts on paper are a different matter. Framing can easily result in ‘traditional’ moulding being used. Abstracts are not traditional paintings and need simple, clean frames and neutral mounts.

Today’s featured painting is an acrylic on watercolour paper based on a rock formation at Hawley, on Tasmania’s North Coast. At 100 x 125 cm, it is quite large and heavily detailed, hence the simple frame.

Richard

EXHIBITION REVIEW

The Abstracted art exhibition currently on display at Country Club Tasmania, is a brave show and makes a strong statement  and a challenge to local artists to take risks and explore the unknown.

This is the first abstract exhibition at this gallery. There were 5 paintings sold on the opening night.

The work is generally well presented. Some of the canvasses however, would benefit from a strong, simple frame. There is evidence of risk-taking and experimentation. The work celebrates the accidental that often occurs in the production of abstract art. All artists have shown that at some stage they have taken control of their work.

What is hidden is the effort made by each artist in the production of this work. A lot of time was spent in experimentation and research. Problems arose and  were solved, challenges were set and were met.

What is not known is that these artists all come from a “traditional” background. They wanted a challenge and they certainly got one, met it head on and succeeded!

Abstract art is about process, the product is the bonus.

There is a strong organic feel to many of the paintings due to the influence of the workshops that the artists experienced where organic forms were often employed as starting points.

All of the artists show a firm understanding of technique and composition. Colours have been appropriately employed in each of the paintings in respect of their subject.

A exhibition well worth your inspection!

Richard

Curator, Country Club Tasmania