Fine Art Tips and Techniques
In this challenging economy, being a successful artist not only consists of creating great art, but it is also about creating a strong business. Unless you are the next coming of artist/business mogul, Thomas Kinkade, artists should think of themselves as small business owners. Small businesses that succeeded in 2009 were based on trust, longevity, and personal branding. With that in mind, I’ve researched some of the top websites for … [Read more...]
Many of us grow up attempting to be people pleasers. As artists we know that is necessary, however, how far does one take that? Seth Godin says that it is more important that you are the best in your category and that the category should be specific. People that share your vision will be gravitate to it. The artist's job is to lead it. Pleasing everyone is impossible, if not undesirable. As an artist, the questions you ask yourself … [Read more...]
~A Bit of Gold~ by Lori McNee A Bit of Gold 24x12 oil/board $2200 Available at Kneeland Gallery Each time I conceive an idea for a painting, I spend a lot of time creating the concept in my head. It might be the shape, color, or patterns of a vase or bird that spark an idea for a painting. At other times there is a hidden message that creates meaning for the painting. "A Bit of Gold" was originally inspired by the antique … [Read more...]
May the magic and wonder of the season… Bring joy, creativity and happiness to you… May the season be filled with abundance and inspiration… And stay with you, your whole life through… May the timeless message of Christmas… Fill with love within your heart… May you and yours be forever blessed… And share God’s gift expressed through art. ~With Gratitude ~ Lori McNee~ … [Read more...]
Alla prima, literally means ‘at first’. This term describes the ‘wet on wet’ painting technique, otherwise known as ‘direct painting’, where the artist completes a painting in one sitting much like plein air painting. Below is my process for alla prima painting. Follow these simple and important tips for a successful painting: First lay in the darks Keep the darks thin and transparent Paint dark to light Dark = … [Read more...]
Recently, I have had many requests to share the inspiration behind my paintings. The creative process of art and what goes on in the mind of the artist has always intrigued me. With that in mind, I have decided to feature a painting of mine at least once a week with a brief description of the original meaning, concept or inspiration. I hope you enjoy learning about my art... ~Hope Floats~ by Lori McNee Hope … [Read more...]
Egg tempera painting is traditionally seen as a difficult medium due to it's fast drying time. However once you get over the initial learning curve of how the paint handles it can be a very versatile medium for creating luminous works of art. Below are a few guidelines for anyone starting out. 1. Paint Thin and Dry Egg tempera painting is best applied thinly and a in a dry brush manner. Impasto techniques are not well … [Read more...]
Call it my artistic imagination, but I couldn’t help notice the similarities between the much publicized UFO sighting of a mysterious blue spiral of light over Norway and the famous painting, Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. On December 9, this strange phenomenon baffled residents and scientists alike. These images immediately brought Starry Night to my mind and I thought I’d have a little fun with it… I'm just having … [Read more...]
A sketchbook is an artist's best friend! Okay...well, sometimes. Other times, it is a pain in the neck, another one of those things you feel you should be doing but do not have the time for. You may be wondering why you should care. A sketchbook is a visual record of your ideas, your thoughts, your inspirations and your creative process. It is a collection of your creative endeavours, however formal or casual they might be. A sketchbook is … [Read more...]
When I first began on Twitter in March 2009, my main focus was to attract readers to my fledgling Fine Art Tips blog. My target niche was artists and art collectors. To my surprise, my tweets and blog posts began to capture the attention of a much broader audience. Why? My Twitter updates have an appeal that reaches beyond my own art niche market. Although I tweet about art, I have avoided falling into the trap of over focusing on my … [Read more...]
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