Which Piece Do You Want to See on eBay?

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Which art piece do you want to see offered next on eBay?
	"Metalic Magic" Original mixed-media painting
	"Journey" on metallic paper
	"Fire" on metallic paper
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 "Metal Magic" ©Froshay

 "Journey" ©Froshay

"Fire" ©Froshay

What is a Gesture Drawing?

 Use Gesture Drawing to Break out of a Rut

Are you in a rut? Want to loosen up and get your creative juices flowing? Practice gesture drawing with this fun, easy method. Use your television! You can capture gestures of figures, animals, scenery or still life settings whenever you need a creative boost.

Speeds You Up
You'll have to move fast and creating gestures from TV will push you to be quick. All drawing will come from the flash of a partial memory. Sketch while the program is running and move from one gesture to another. 

Hint
Draw small and draw fast. Spend no more than 30 seconds per each sketch. In fact, it's even better if you allow yourself to spend only 10-20 seconds on each gesture for the first 20 sketches.

Keep in mind that these are just practice and most of them will not look like anything in particular. This is totally okay!

The Whole Point of this Exercise
You are Training Your Eyes to See and Your Mind to Hold an Image long enough to capture it in just a few seconds. You are not (I repeat NOT) trying to create a pretty picture so let go of that illusion from the start.

Variation
Once you have warmed up by creating 30 or so small, quick gestures (all while all the images on the TV are in motion) then (and only then), try this variation: Use your DVD or VCR to freeze an image for a closer study. Stop an image and take 45 to 60 seconds to create a gesture, then move on.

Freezing the image from the start and trying to create perfection will be the first inclination for a beginner because of the fear of not getting things 'right'. The analytical (left) brain will try to remain in control and wants to be perfect - but remember - your left brain can't draw.

Creativity is Allowing Yourself to Make Mistakes.
Giving yourself permission to create mistakes relieves you of the burden to be perfect and opens all kinds of doors to Seeing, Growing and most of all, ENJOYING!!

How to Loosen a Stuck Paint Cap

Paint Cap Stuck on Tight?
There are several ways of loosening the cap from a tube of paint, whether it's oil, watercolor or acrylic.

I'm sure you've already had the experience of trying to twist the cap only to have the tube twist and split instead. What can you do?

Well, if you haven't broken the tube, try one of these techniques:

• First, try getting a better grip on the cap with a rubber gripper (like they sell in the kitchen ware department)
• Of course you can give it a go with pliers or a nutcracker (handy tools for your paint box)

• A gentler method might be to invert the tube in water (cool for watercolors - hot water for oils or acrylics), soak for a few minutes and then use the rubber gripper or pliers

• An old method is to heat the metal threading area using a flame (and I don't recommend this unless you are adult and know what you are doing). You also have to be very careful not to melt the cap...

By Far the Best Method
This is the easiest and less troublesome way to handle the situation. Squeeze all the paint up to the top of the tube and roll the tube up snuggly. You can use a Tube Wringer, or run a pencil or brush handle to squeeze the paint towards the lid. Grasp the whole tube with one hand and try unscrewing the cap with that rubber grip, pliers, paint rag, whatever. Having the paint tightly at the top helps to prevent the tube from twisting and breaking.

Once you have the cap off, clean the dried paint from the threads and from the cap. Rub the threads with petroleum jelly to keep the paint from adhering in the future.

Still Stuck?
If all else fails, make sure you've pushed all the paint to the top of the tube, then cut the bottom end off of the tube. Use what you need and then close the tube, cover with plastic wrap and secure the bottom with a bulldog clip.

And finally, save a few of your good caps from empty tubes - just in case you've split (or melted) a cap.

How to Donate Art for Charity

Last week I posted Donate Your Art and Get Great Exposure! I've had questions from readers who really want to donate their art to a great cause and asked how to go about it...

Is This a Good Thing for my Career?"
There is one thing you want to keep in mind when donating your Art for charity..... you don't have to just give it all to them. Let them know that you need a certain dollar amount for the work, so you aren't working at a loss - unless you are willing to donate your work as well as the proceeds.

It's okay to ask for, at minimum, the cost of your supplies. They can start the bidding or auction at your cost, plus a beginning donation from the bidder. 

"Fire" ©Wendy Froshay

Pricing
The last time I was asked to donate a giclee (not an original) for a silent auction, my out of pocket expense was $500. That was for printing, color proofing, stretching, framing and delivery costs. I wasn't prepared to donate $500 out of pocket to the charity, however, I was prepared to donate everything over my costs.

Keep in mind that too high a price can scare bidders away. People often come to auctions looking for a bargain.

So set the minimum acceptable opening bid and selling price as low as possible. If you need $400, have them start the bid at $250. Let them know that it should only sell when it reaches $400. If it doesn't sell, at least you will have bids. It's totally embarrassing (and looks bad) to have no one bidding on your item.

Research the Organization
Do research on what kinds of items the organization normally auctions and how much they usually get for those items. If your costs are higher than what they can get, or what you have to offer is of little interest to bidders, then bids on your item will be low or non-existent.

If however, what you donate aligns with the organization and it's bidders tastes, you'll have a better chance of it being bought AND, of bidders becoming collectors.

OUCH!

I attended an art auction recently featuring some excellent and well known artists. Most starting bids began between $300 and $500 - however one was set at $2,700. This $2,700 piece got no bids.

The artist was from out of town and had flown across the country with high hopes for the auction. This artist did not do his research. Many other pieces went for much higher than $2,700 - but that piece went home with the Artist.

Attend a few auctions before donating. It will give you a better understanding of what to donate, what sizes sell better and how the process works.

Sometimes pieces are raffled off rather than auctioned. Here too you should research the charity - attend some of their functions. Get a feel for the crowd and for the organization.

Finally - remember to get a receipt for your taxes! 

Two 10 x 10 Metallic Horse Prints For Auction on Ebay w/ Free Shipping!

Before Thanksgiving, I offered one of my horse prints on eBay and it was a huge success with lots of bids! I had several people who were interested in bidding on other pieces of mine that they love, so I picked a couple and have put two more up! Depending on this this goes, I might do a few more... or these might be the LAST TWO I ever sell like this. So if you're interested ... place a bid!

10 x 10 Metallic Equine Prints

Hand Signed on the Back

Bidding starts at just $0.99!

FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the U.S.!

Running Free:

Racing The Wind:

The Hard Truth About Getting Exposure As An Artist

Winsor ©Wendy Froshay

I regularly received requests to donate to one "worthy" cause or another. The pitch? Participating in their charitable event will be "good exposure" for me as an artist. 

Someone once told me that "you can die of exposure." 

The Letter

Dear Artist: 

Each year, our Non-Profit Organization hosts “The Week of the Help-Us-Out”. This week-long campaign features our annual Conference on Helping-Us-Out and the Holiday Brunch (information is attached.)

Would you consider donating art for our Holiday Brunch Silent Auction. In return, The Non-Profit Project will honor your support at the event and on our website (see Holiday Brunch Invitation for details.) Please see the attached information.

On behalf of The Non-Profit Organization Board of Directors, I would like to thank you in advance for your consideration.

Kind regards,

Fill in Name

Executive Director

Koi Tranquility ©Wendy Froshay

A Better Way to Donate
 
Dear Executive Director of Non-Profit Organization asking for another Donation,

I am honored by your request and am frequently contacted for donations.

Yes, I will consider donating art for your silent auction as long as you offer a starting bid at my suggested market price with 50% of the full market price going to me. Everything above that can go to your cause.

Past experience has shown me that artistic donations which sell for low amounts tend to develop unrealistically low expectations on the true value of the art for those who attend and those who win the auction.

My current patrons then become unhappy because their purchases have been devalued... and I lose my buyers. 

FYI -  When an artist donates art, the IRS only allows them to deduct the actual cost of supplies to create that piece of art and none of the time, experience, education or overhead - that's nada for services rendered.

Artists cannot deduct wholesale prices, let alone retail (and trying to figure out exactly how much paint was used per square inch and how much wear on 3 brushes is kind of ridiculous), but such is our tax system. Many organizations who ask for donations from artists do not realize this.

It is much better for the artist to make an actual cash donation that can be fully deducted rather than to freely donate their art.

Note to the Artist:
It's interesting to know that these groups will pay their auctioneers, their staff and workers, printers, and for banquet rooms, plus pretty much everyone else involved - but those who donate are expected to give for free.

How do you feel about donating your art?