I'm constantly evaluating what I do in art, critiquing, changing, considering pricing, marketing and the whole creation process and trying to understand what I want to concentrate on and what to leave behind.
Small paintings fill my voids when time or inspiration for larger pieces isn't there. But I wonder if I'm wasting my time on these little pieces that should be better spent on the larger ones. No, perhaps "wasting" isn't the correct term. Its more like procrastination.
Creating a small painting is a little like sketching. It captures a moment in a fairly short time frame and doesn't demand a long time commitment or lengthy planning. In itself that makes them appealing, but its also easy to get lost in creating small pieces instead of concentrating on major works.
So I've decided that I will put the small pieces aside and step back from Daily Paintworks for awhile to allow myself to work on some ideas for other pieces and a series planned for the summer. Until June 30th, these and other original paintings will be available from my gallery in Daily Paintworks, so if something catches your eye, you need to grab it now as it won't be available again until an open studio or other opportunity arises in the future. Most pieces in the gallery are 5" x 7" and are priced very reasonably and in a variety of mediums.
Enjoy browsing and if you have any questions, just ask!
3 comments:
I know exactly what you mean, Jeanette. When I spend two months working on a piece, and I see other artists posting new ones every other day, it makes me wonder what's wrong with me, and I get a little bit discouraged. But it's similar to a writer, working on a novel versus writing short stories. Think of it that way! I hope to hear more about whatever project you dig into next!
Jeanette and Katherine, I agree with both of you. My watercolours take me a long time while I can whip up a mixed-media painting very quickly. I have to put a higher price on my watercolors, but watercolors don't sell as easily as acrylics or mixed media pieces...so, from a marketing point of view, there is more potential financial gain from the faster pieces. On the other hand, I really enjoy getting lost in a watercolor and I feel more satisfaction when I look at my larger watercolors...How to find the right balance?
I do learn from both types of experience and both types of paintings are necessary, but not at the same time. It's a pendulum effect.
Jeanette, I always look forward to seeing your work on DailyPaintworks and I will miss it!
Arrrggggh Blogger had a blip and posted my response several times and now I've deleted the original response.
In a nutshell, there is a fine line between creating small works to increase sales and visibility and concentrating on larger pieces with more impact. No doubt I'll still do a few small pieces but find the market is flooded with them lately, a bit like the print market and its difficult to be seen when there are so many "artists" out there, both good and bad.
Right now I want to concentrate on some larger works that I can connect with - I hope.
Post a Comment