Naming a piece of art

Easter Bunny
4 x 6 Oils on panel
copyright Jeanette Jobson

"Titles do not give a just idea of things; were it otherwise, the work would be superfluous."

-- Gustave Courbet

I've played around with some oil paints today with varying results. Oils are something I used a lot of years ago and have tried my hand at a few times recently. I love the texture and smell of turps, but I still need lots of practice. I was buoyed by the sale in November of one of my first oils in 20 years but haven't done a lot with it since.

This little piece is inspired bya ceramic rabbit found at the supermarket today. I liked the round shape and the simplicity of it, as well it will make up part of centrepiece for the Easter table tomorrow.

Then naming it... Sometimes titles for art come easily and almost name themselves, as it did with this piece. The subject, the season, it all fell into place without effort. Sometimes its very difficult to come up with a suitable title. So how do you choose a title for a piece of art and what weight does a title hold with keep the viewer's attention or buyer to reach for their wallet?

Some artists choose from a variety of methods of naming their art piece. Here are a few that I've come across.

1. Use a name found on a paint chip. This can have some merit, as designers spent months coming up with paint lines and titles for them. I don't know the merit in 'borrowing' the names of even if copyright could come into play on that one, but I know the names of paint become more and more interesting over time.

2. For landscapes, use the name of the place. This can cause some argument as the buyer may insist on knowing the exact place and whether it is there in their knowledge or not. Buyers also like to create their own story around a scene and putting a geographic name to the piece may spoil their illusion.

3. Use a single word for each art piece. This can become part of your style and make people remember you. Its rare to run out of single words, but you may have to spend some time creating the story around the title.

4. Generic titles are difficult to catalogue and not good for marketing your work. Not may people will search online or in a catalogue for Work # 563 or Abstract 728.

5. The Influence of Titles On How Paintings Are Seen. The title of a drawing has significant impact on the face it presents and the viewer's perception of it.

Bastard Paintings by Michael Corbin

Robert Genn's article on naming a drawing.

I do title my drawings and paintings. Partially it is the connection with the subject of the piece, or what I interpret as an action of the subject. Sometimes, the colour plays a role in it and sometimes the piece has a name almost before I begin to draw.

I believe that the name of a piece is part of its appeal and interest. It can pull in a viewer and give them direction or set the stage for thoughts around the words that make up the title.

How do you name your art pieces? Do you name them or are they generic pieces?

Wet or dry?

Northern lights over Flatrock
copyright Jeanette Jobson

About once or twice a year, we see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). Its not the spectacular light show that is seen further north, but it is amazing as shades of red and green ripple across the night sky. I tried taking a photo of it but I hadn't used a tripod so the result isn't that impressive. However, it does give you an idea of what it looks like.

The local art association is holding a one day spring exhibition and sale of work on March 30th and I'm trying to decide what I'll put it, framing etc. and all the usual flurry that goes beforehand. I'm getting a bit better at preparing in advance, but there is usually something going wrong the night before or morning of the exhibition.

I have been lucky with the exhibitions I have participated in this year and have sold pieces or had interest for commissions out of them. My love is graphite and I find there is a niche market for that medium that is a bit tricky to access. There is the thought by many that pencil drawings aren't in the same league as paintings. In the same way, there is a thought that relegates all forms of painting as amateurish unless it is oils. I so wish subjects and mediums could be appreciated for their own appeal and not compared to other types. There is such snob appeal in art, it frustrates me a lot at times.

My other love is coloured pencil and that is a relatively new medium. While growing in strength through public exposure and acceptance, there are still quarters who look on CP as a medium for children or amateurs. All we can keep doing is educating people about art and the various supports and mediums available and showing them how they can be used.

Tradition is difficult to change and there will always be the 'painting over dry media' camp and vice versa. My point is that neither are superior or inferior than the other. Simply different.

I like dry media for convenience of use. There's little set up or clean up, they're portable, reasonably priced and they provide me with challenges to achieve the same values and colour ranges as other media do.

Which camp are you in? Wet or dry?

Bath time

I was cataloguing some files tonight on another computer and came across this little video clip of Blizzard, the orphan gosling that I became surrogate mother to a couple of years ago. This was his first introduction to water. I put the dish of water in front of the fire so he wouldn't get cold. Yes, I know, I know...

I did complete a portrait including Blizzard a couple of months ago. I had done the original drawing in my Moleskine then redrew it on regular paper as I liked the composition.

Tea vendors

Tea merchant

coloured pencil & pen
copyright Jeanette Jobson

Have you noticed how everyone these days has to have a cup of coffee in their hand in the morning in public? Where did this come from? Don't we have the equipment at home to make coffee and don't we have coffee makers at work? Why do people have to stop between home and work and buy coffee?

The coffee then is too hot to drink in the car so you need to wait 20 minutes to even take a sip without losing the lining of your mouth. By which time you're at work or wherever you're going and then you have to balance the hot coffee cup, your purse, laptop, mail and whatever else you're carrying and open the door without dropping anything or spilling coffee all over yourself. And people do this why???

It seems there are coffee vendors all over the world and this image of a tea merchant in New Delhi is no different than the Starbucks or Tim Hortons of the western world. Except that there isn't a drive through, which is a good thing!

In May 2007 India's Supreme Court banned street sellers from cooking food on the pavements of New Delhi to clean up India's chaotic capital.

The ban will hit at the heart of daily customs of thousands of eaters in the capital, where breakfasts and lunches like pan-fried parathas and samosas cooked in vats of hot oil are served on the streets to hungry customers.

One exception will be made for the quintessential Indian tea vendors, although the court says they must now serve their drinks in disposable glasses and cups.

Here, there are similar problems with Tim Hortons franchises which are so busy in the morning that they cause traffic congestion from backed up queues at the drive throughs. Most places sell more things than just coffee. You can eat three meals a day there as well as the usual snacks so even drive throughs aren't speedy.

I have a problem with drive throughs. They're not 'green'. Its another waste of resources as you sit and let your car idle as you wait in line. And the physical act of parking and walking to the shop is hardly a hardship as its no more than 5o feet at most in many car parks - and quicker than the drive through.

I adore coffee and make it at home and at work, but I rarely stop along the way or turn up at meetings and work, cup in hand. I just don't understand the rationale for being unable to wait til you get to your destination to get coffee or tea. Or is it simply another trend?

Paper

Beached boat

Black and white charcoal on mi-tientes 9 x 12
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I have too much on my mind and couldn't sleep last night, so I was up at 3am drawing and this beached boat is the result.

I'm trying to use up a pad of Canson mi-tientes paper which I really don't like much. I can't bear to throw things away, so I'm using the smooth side and am running out of darker colours which I prefer. There are strange yellows and oranges in this pad of paper which I've never considered using as backgrounds, but they may produce interesting results. I'll have to experiment with some warmer subject matter.

What do you do with paper you've bought and dislike? Is it kept in the back of a drawer to languish or do you persevere just to use it? I still have some paper that I haven't used yet sitting in my art cupboard. Perhaps those of us who want to get rid of what we don't want or try out new supports need to organize a paper swap!

I haven't used the coloured Canal papers yet, but have recently had a few ideas for it. I also bought a sheet of Yupo watercolour paper some time ago. I've heard good and bad reviews of Yupo, but I guess I'll have to try it myself to find out what its like.

I may have some time to do that tomorrow as we're in the midst of a powerful snowstorm right now with winds up to 120km and up to 60cm of snow expected by tomorrow. After which a day of freezing rain is forecast. Not fun. Because freezing rain in that quantity brings down powerlines. Keep your fingers crossed.

Popcorn and snow

Popcorn Trio

Graphite, Canson paper 8 x 4
copyright Jeanette Jobson

More snow! And more due tomorrow!! I'm moving. Anyone who lives in a more temperate climate and who would like to adopt an artist for a few months, let me know. I can cook, clean and knit as well...

I struggled through unplowed roads today to teach my drawing class and of course, everyone called in to say the weather would prevent them from attending. So I did some shopping at Costco which was blissfully empty for a change then came home. This afternoon I made my winter treat - popcorn. I love the salty taste and crisp yet soft texture of the popped kernels. In the leftovers of the bowl I rescued a few of the expanded kernels to try my hand at drawing them.

It was quite enjoyable. Popped corn has a very sculptural look to it that goes unnoticed as you eat handfuls. Drawing anything and everything, as always, provides an opportunity for close scrutiny and lets me really understand the folds and angles.

And, just in case you've ever wondered, here is an explanation of why corn pops - or more the elements that need to be present to make it pop. The explanation of how the white part of the corn is created could be a little offputting...

The gelatinized starch granules do not explode, but expand into thin, jelly-like bubbles. Neighboring bubbles fuse together and solidify, forming a three-dimensional network much like a sink full of soapsuds. This is the white fluffy solid we eat.

Still life - food

Garlic, artichoke hearts & capers
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I made the mistake of going to the stores today. I needed a new microwave as my other has about as much power in it as a mouse's biceps. Of course, I didn't consider that its a week before Easter and people were hauling off loads of chocolate as if it were going out of style. That, coupled with the fact that yet another snow storm is due tomorrow, turned normally sane people into insane people.

I never understand that hoarding obsession that overtakes people at the thought of a holiday or impending house arrest due to a storm. Its only a day. ONE DAY! But people stock up as if its the end of the world.

In the end I got my microwave, despite jostling crowds and no staff assistance, to get the monster box into a trolley and then into the car. So now I'm playing with food again. I had a couple of jars and the sun was coming through the window so I experimented with reflections and colours. I'll see how they translate into drawing soon.

And yes, you see into my tastes - literally - in food, but not necessarily eaten at the same time.

Spring

Cherry Spring
6 x 6 Canson
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I so often work in monotone and as a rule I love it. But I craved some colour. Perhaps it was the snow day yesterday that flattened my vision of spring for another few weeks but sparked my need to put something bright on paper.

This is a 6 x 6 piece done in coloured pencil on Canson paper. The cherry is my throwback to realizm and the background - well I'm not sure quite what the background is or even if it is finished yet. The background has an abstract feel to it, which is far removed from what I usually do. But the colours pop and create my own version of spring.

Baby portraits

Kiora

graphite, Canson paper 11 x 14
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I've had this start of a portrait of Kiora, my grand daughter, on my drawing board for a couple of months. So last night and tonight I decided it was time to see if I can make a go of it.

Ninety percent of my portraits are done freehand, with the other 10% being gridded if they are complex or commissions where I know an exact likeness is very important. This was freehand and I'm not 100% sure about the eyes just yet. Kiora had just woken up from a nap in the car seat and was staring balefully at the photographer with a serious look.

I still need more practice on drawing babies and she's a good way to get this in. It also forms a lasting memory of passing time in her life. This portrait commemorates her first birthday which was in January.

Comfort zone

At my life class last night I was able to draw instead of monitor and instruct as needed, so it felt good to get back into it again. I am always itching to draw at the classes when I teach. Its ingrained.

I was determined to come to grips with broader sweeps of charcoal as well as a more detailed sketch of the model's face. I resorted to pencil for my face study. Graphite is my comfort zone and I distinctly relax when I use it. Its like sinking into a comfortable chair. I know what it does and what to expect from it. I know the same from charcoal, but I tend to use it in a tighter way on a smaller scale.

Going large, 18 x 24, let me experiment and puts me outside my comfort zone. Its always good to be stretched outside that zone and see what comes of it. Sometimes its good, sometimes the results are less than wonderful.

As always we start out with one minute gesture drawings. They're never my favourite, but like broccoli, you have to do it cause its good for you. I tackled some 20 minute poses in charcoal, using the side of it to achieve shading without a lot of line.

Finally, I rewarded myself with the last 20 minute pose in graphite. I wish I'd had longer with the face, but there's always another time.

Older artists

Office interior
Graphite, Canson sketchbook
copyright Jeanette Jobson

"Age gives you the freedom to do some things you've never done before. Great work can come at any stage of your life." (Will Barnet)

There are a number of individuals who have discovered or rediscovered art at 50 plus - including myself. The benefits of aging upon creation are interesting. Having lived longer means that you have been exposed to more life experiences, both visual and emotional and this can impact how you translate concepts into visual form.

How does your work change as your get older? Or does it? Do physical frailties affect artistic practices? Is your style recognizable over time?

Photoshop Recreates Aging Impressionists' Eye on the World

There are also some interesting articles and projects specifically for and about older artists which give a greater insight into the joys and challenges of being an older artist and can be translated into any population anywhere in the world I believe.

The Sotheby’s Institute of Art in New York released a 210-page report on December 3, 2007 titled Above Ground: Information on Artists III: Special Focus New York City Aging Artists.

Claiming to be the first-ever study to examine the lives of elderly artists in New York, the report is based on information gathered from 213 New York-area artists, ages 62-97 (146 of these were professional artists), on everything ranging from health insurance and legacy planning to identity, satisfaction and professionalism.

Dale Copeland is creating a 2009 calendar created from 12 images selected from artists aged 65 and older worldwide. Offer up your work and your bio and your image may be chosen.

Robert Genn's article in The Painter's Keys: The Aging Artist

Sue Smith's blog - The Ancient Artist

Random Thoughts of an Aging Artist

The National Center for Creative Aging

Aging through the Eyes of an Artist

Visual Artists Research Unit - Artists are ill-prepared for getting old


Books
Aging, Creativity and Art: A Positive Perspective on Late-Life Development (The Springer Series in Adult Development and Aging) by Martin Lindauer explores the relationship between aging and creativity among artists .

Aging Artfully by Amy Gorman.

The book challenges stereotypical perceptions and expectations, and documents that old age can be gratifying and filled with creative expression

Supply source

Matt
charcoal, conte, pen & ink
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I justify my stash of art supplies by the fact that I live on an island and have problems accessing some of what may be basic art supplies to others who may find them in an easy trip to a local art store. Yes, I can find the basics here and the variety is growing, but then I read about or see other types of paper, paints, pens, etc. online or when I travel and I realize that there is a void in my supply source locally.

I use mail order a lot to get art supplies, both in Canada and the USA or when I travel, I do my homework beforehand to make sure I know where the best art supply stores are and ensure that I'm within easy distance of getting to them.

There are challenges in shopping online. I can't soak up the atmosphere of the store. I can't browse and touch and see the supplies. I can't touch the paper to feel its weight. I have to trust the colour on my monitor not my eyes when choosing paints, coloured pencils or pastels. I have no impulse purchases, no bargain bins, I don't see the 'specials'.

With the Canadian/US dollar being pretty much on par now, I can can cross border shop more easily, but savings are often negated by shipping, duties, and brokerage fees. However, the USA often has supplies that I just can't access in Canada. Or not at a price I want to pay in Canada. So I usually do some American shopping a couple of times a year and suck up the fees that go along with it just to enable myself to access a wider variety of supplies.

I have a number of art supply stores that I mail order from and the list could be endless if I had the time to track them all down. But I wonder where are the REALLY good ones? Where are those little backstreet gems that you whisper about to others as you don't want to spread the word too far in case the exclusivity you've created becomes the norm?

Its time to share what you know with others.

• Where is the art supply store that you frequent locally?
• What is your online source for art supplies?
• What makes them unique and what keeps you going back?
• Do you have a wish list of art supply stores anywhere in the world that you'd like to explore?

I have some of the sources that I use on my Squidoo lens, but that will be growing as I find more and explore their possibilities.

Sketches

Cabo San Lucas

black and white charcoal on mi-tientes
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I've been practicing a lot with charcoal lately on tinted paper. I like the extremes of darks and white highlights that let the paper do most of the work and save time. I wanted to let the heat of the scene come across in this image. The orange paper and the highlighted sheen on the face seem to do that without a lot of effort on my part.

I'm in the midst of reviewing parts of my art life and trying to rearrange life to give myself more time to create. I'm slowly making progress but haven't gotten to grips with anything meaningful in terms of a drawing or painting in awhile. I have some ideas floating around, but they don't seem to settle for long and I end up doing sketches like the one above.

While I get frustrated at lack of time, sometimes deadlines are the incentive that move me forward and make me produce. Seems there's no happy medium at the moment.

Insomnia

Storm clouds
Charcoal on mi-tientes
copyright Jeanette Jobson

Insomnia seems to be present a lot lately and it has both benefits and drawbacks. In the predawn hours I can achieve a lot once I get some coffee and my head clears a little. The disadvantage comes later in the day when fatigue sets in early.

This is the result of this morning's early rise. I quite enjoy drawing with charcoal lately. The tinted paper fills the midtone nicely and allows me to create contrast with lights and darks.

Its been awhile since I've tried drawing clouds and the filtered light drew me to this. On my drive to work in the early morning, I often see these rays of light hitting the surface of the ocean and always wish I'd had my camera with me or the chance to pull over away from the traffic to take a photo and capture that fleeting moment.

Teaching observation

In life class my instruction is loose and relaxed. I go from easel to easel, encouraging, guiding and instructing less experienced individuals on how to construct the figure in front of them, but so much of that instruction is teaching the person how to observe.

I use a sketch pad and show angles of limbs and body contours, how to measure and judge proportion, using intersecting body parts as markers and invisible lines to measure angles. Each time, I find it interesting to see how much people really don't' see when they look at the subject. When a correction is pointed out, it becomes apparent and they can refine their drawing, while I try to remember what I observed in my very early days of drawing.

I'm sure I was the same. I didn't see the subtle changes of value representing shadow or the slight curve of the torso, the angle of the leg, how it intersected with the foot or calf of the other leg and so on.

After 30 years or more of drawing, I can capture lines fairly well, but if I did not practice daily, that skill would slow and limit my ability to draw effectively. Some individuals who attend life class don't do any drawing between classes. Something that I am trying very hard to change!

There are a few commonalities in those learning to draw the human figure.

1. There is little knowledge of human anatomy and proportion. Facial features are not symmetrical or in proportion. Torsos and limbs are either lengthened or shortened and generally not in proportion to the rest of the figure.
2. There is a habit of getting caught up in detail and forgetting the global view, especially in very short poses.
3. The habits of childhood are still ingrained in the adult and they flow forward into the drawing. Whether 16 or 60, the 10 year old's drawing still prevails until practice and ability grows.
4. The ability to observe the reality of the subject and translate that accurately onto paper is not suffciently developed and it can be a source of frustration for the individual.
5. Overall shape of hands and feet are challenging to draw and many individuals don't know how to block in overall shapes then refine the digits. (my mantra to them is 'think mittens and socks!'

Victor
charcoal on newsprint
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I didn't manage much drawing on Monday night, due to my attention being with those drawing. These are a few very quick sketches done mostly to demonstrate a line or form to another person.

Visual art is a way of seeing and expressing that thing seen in a manner not given to everyone. That statement could be misconstrued as prideful, but anyone engaged in painting as a profession knows that isn't true. (Ed Pointer)

Cat scan

Tabby cat

2.5 x 3.5 coloured pencil on Stonehenge
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I have played with tiny drawings lately and am thinking of a small group of three or four in the same type of frames to exhibit at a show coming up at the end of March. These small drawings have impact in a frame that reflects their colour and gives impact to the piece. I'll be using a barn board frame in an almost khaki colour that is fairly deep, almost like a shadowbox in some ways for this piece. I just need a little mat to go around it and it will be complete.

The scan, as always, is disgusting and I'll take a photo if I ever arrive home or am at home in the hours of daylight. Work seems to capture most of my time lately and meetings are relentless an at all hours.

I did teach the life class last night, and didn't manage much more than a few lines in between doing the rounds of easels to help others. Next week, I'll be back on the other side of the easel and I can relax again!

Concentration

Sketches - kids drawing class
copyright Jeanette Jobson

Sketches - kids drawing class
copyright Jeanette Jobson

I love seeing the concentration on some of the kids faces when they're engrossed in the drawing process. That little tip of the tongue poking out from between clamped lips is the flagship for concentration. I don't know quite why that happens in some individuals when really concentrating. Its more prevalent in children than in adults and is an unconscious movement.

While the class draws, I take the opportunity to do a few quick sketches and their concentration usually lets me get away with it unnoticed. Spontaneous expressions and natural poses make for good sketches.

Shiny inspiration

When my muse decides to take a nap for awhile, I need to find other sources of inspiration and they turn up in strange places. Stores of all kinds inspire me. Especially supermarkets as they have piles of colourful vegetables and fruits and stacks of colourful tins or displays.

Today I was picking up some things at the supermarket and as I came around the corner of an aisle there was a self serve coffee bean display. The colours, shapes and reflections in the chrome made an interesting image, so I took out my cell phone which has a handy little camera in it and took a couple of shots.

People tend to give me odd looks when I take photos of supermarket displays but so far, no one has said anything. I still have niggling worries in the back of my head of being escorted from the supermarket...

What I'd love to know though is when you take images of highly reflective surfaces, how can the photo be taken without the photographer showing up in the reflections? I know it can be done as I've seen professional photos of shiny objects that don't reflect anything but light. But how do they do it???
In my wanderings, I also came across a little pair of rubber ducks with a life ring. Into the cart they went too and I played around with a sketch of one of them in coloured pencil.

Where does your inspiration lie? A store? A cupboard? An activity?

Animal portraits

"Saved" (1856)

by Sir Edwin Landseer (1802-73)

In my own quest to find the perfect formula for animal portraits I wanted to examine what's gone before. And the first person who comes to my mind is the quintessential animal portrait artist, Sir Edwin Landseer.

Landseer was a brilliant animal painter whose work had added appeal in the Victorian age because of his tendency to give his animal scenes a moral dimension, such as this Newfoundland dog who is depicted as having rescued a child from drowning. So popular and influential were Landseer's paintings of dogs in the service of humanity that the name Landseer came to be the official name for the variety of Newfoundland dog that, rather than being almost entirely black, features a mix of both black and white; it was this variety Landseer popularized in his paintings celebrating Newfoundlands as water rescue dogs, most notably Off to the Rescue (1827), A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society (1838), and Saved (1856), which combines Victorian constructions of childhood with the appealing idea of noble animals devoted to humankind — a devotion indicated, in Saved, by the fact the dog has rescued the child without any apparent human direction or intervention.

This appeal of having animals representing human emotion seems to have carried forward in some areas, as some of the most popular pieces which are purchased are those in which animals seem to mimic human action or feeling, either in pose or action and props or the viewer identifies with the animal's predictament or situation.

There are of course many animal portraits that stand on their own without any strong emotion tied into them, but these tend to be more formal commissioned portraits that owners want to represent their living or dead animals.

How much does the 'awwwwwwww' factor come into play when purchasing or creating animal art? Does wildlife art have the same appeal as that of domestic animals? Does the setting play a factor in the appeal of a painting or drawing? How much does the viewer or buyer need to relate to the animal or the situation to make them want to inspect it further or purchase it?

Sympathy - Briton Riviere

Painted in 1877. The girl is the artist's daughter

Riviere was an animal painter, and was widely regarded as the successor of Landseer. He was also one of the few painters with an Oxford University Degree. He was the son of a well known artist. Riviere lived near to London Zoo, where he spent much time studying the physiology of animals. He painted glorified, romanticised pictures of wild animals. Another speciality was sentimental, rather humanised paintings of dogs, which found a considerable market. Rather surprisingly he only was narrowly beaten to the Presidency of the Royal Academy by Edward Poynter in 1896.

I've been reviewing how I present animal images and what my style is in comparison to some more traditional animal artist of the past. I think my images are mostly standard portraiture - simple images often without background, but I introduce the 'awwwww' factor in some drawings as well, such as Mother Goose or Eric. Animals in both of those pieces are represented in poses or interaction that is humanlike.

The Victorian painters seemed to have a sentimental view of animals and children and the interaction and I'm sure that appeal is still there today, but with a less intense view perhaps. I'll continue to examine animal portrait artists, both past and present and taking pieces from past and present, I hope to improve both the subject matter and the viewpoint.

Art series

Before the snow on Saturday, I was out in the woods burning off branches from trees that were felled to clear a new field. The snow was just starting and there wasn't any wind and it was quite peaceful.

I was enthusiastically adding branches to my fire and the flames were licking skyward on the dry boughs forming a golden curtain that I could see through so I had to photograph it. I should have brought some marshmallows for toasting...

The path out of the newly cleared field holds possibilities for drawing and painting as well.

I've been playing around with some ideas for a series of drawings. I keep talking about a series but never seem to come up with the goods. But I do have good intentions! Life rather gets in the way sometimes it seems.

Art series always appeal to me and they don't need to be huge numbers to be effective. I have some catching up to do to meet some of my goals for the year. I've only done one of the Flatrock series yet and still have another to produce for January. There are ideas spinning around in my head, I just need a few days to put them in perspective and see what is realistic and what is simply my imagination outdoing my ability.