I have completely ignored this blog for ... um ... 6 years!   Well I guess I'm thinking about it again so maybe I will try to bring it back to life.  This will (once again) be devoted to just my artwork and related topics that interest or inspire me.  I hope to add more on a regular basis starting now.

  At this time I spend most of my online time on facebook ... mostly just wasting time browsing my time line and sharing cute animal pics, funny memes, and infuriating political crap.  Oh, I also share my art there too when I have new work to show.  Facebook is getting boring though so it's time to move back to my blog instead.

I have two new commissioned paintings, one finish and one in the final touches.  I'll be showing those here in the next couple days.  I also have two new commissions that I will begin work on soon and I will show progress on this here also.  In the mean time as I piddle around here and try to relearn how to use my old blog ... here is a nice commissioned horse portrait I did a few years ago.

This is "Buster" 14 X 18 oil painting.

On Selling Art

Getting started selling art  can be just as daunting a mystery for the expert artist as it is for the aspiring artist.  We artists tend to dive into learning our craft heart, soul, and body...willingly and with great pleasure and satisfaction.  We dream of being able to make a living off selling our art so that we can be totally and completely immersed in it.  Art consumes us and we can't get enough of it!   When it comes to selling that art, however, it is another matter entirely!  How much of what you create is still stacked in your closets, overflowing your walls, stuffed under beds, and, foisted off on friends and relatives?  If you are like many...many artists, myself included, there isn't room left for another single piece of art anywhere in the house, garage, attic, or, storeroom!  Selling it all would be wonderful, but, it seems to be so hard, in fact seemingly impossible, to sell even one little piece of artwork. 

 Art just doesn't sell itself, unfortunately, no matter how good it might be.  Nor do those lucrative commissions just fall in your lap.  If you have been trying to make money creating art, but, with no success, and, are becoming discouraged and frustrated, you are not alone!  I have had several crisis moments when the lack of success had me ready to just quit!  In fact, I actually did quit making art for 4 years because I was so demoralized that I couldn't sell it, couldn't even give it away!   (and, I really did try to give it away at the end of a very unsuccessful art festival...guy wouldn't take my best painting for free...just looked at me like I was insane and morally suspect, then walked away.  Hmmmm.  His loss!  I did sell that painting for a nice price some time later!)   I did finally start painting again, and once again, got to the point where I wanted to sell my work.  Again I faced the same problem...how to sell what I do. 

How do I get those commissions and how do I sell my non-commissioned art?  I was focusing on selling online on ebay at this point and still, selling was eluding me.  My work seemed to be as good, if not better, than work I saw selling for respectable prices, so, why didn't my work sell?  Then I tried lowering my prices to compete with other artists selling work for ridiculously low prices, and, just got more and more frustrated as I still was not selling.  Then , with my prices incredibly low at auction, hoping the work would be bid up to reasonable prices, I did sell one or two!   There was no joy in these sales.  Actually I felt miserable because I sold good work that took me days to produce for less than a days wage!  That is no way to sell your labors of love! 

Again, it all seemed so hopeless and unrewarding, and, I was beginning to feel I should just hang it up and not even try to sell my art.  I know many of you are going through this same thing, too, because I read your posts on art forums, blogs, and, facebook asking for help.  I'm no expert in selling art myself, as I still struggle daily with making money from my creations.  It just never comes easy for me, but, over the years, with help from many sources, I have learned some helpful tips on selling art that I would like to share here, hopefully to help anyone who is now struggling to get over that seemingly insurmountable hurdle to start selling thier art! 

First off, Don't give up!   Getting started selling can be really tough. I know what you are going through because I was there, too.   For me, it helped to join an online art group that was dedicated to selling and self promotion. Other artists experienced in selling (this was for selling on ebay specifically but there are many such groups you could join for help or mentoring) helped me over those beginner hurdles and gave some very helpful tips and encouragement that got me going again.   Also, understand that art is NOT a neccessity for most people - even if it is for us artists!  When the economy is bad, art is very hard to sell, but, not impossible.   People love art, but, even when times are not so tough, most are not actively looking to buy art, so, we have to get out there and work at selling it.   

    These are some very general guidelines on selling art based on my own experiences. 

    To get commissions;
You need to get out and around the people you want to sell to. Go to horseshows, art festivals, ect. Set up a booth or just be seen sketching and painting in public areas...whatever it takes to get noticed by the people that will buy your art. Talk to them and ask about thier horse/kids/pets/ect and find what they are interested in. People will buy from YOU because they liked chatting with you and like your work, and...why not buy from you! When you find a topic of interest, ask them if you can paint/draw something for them.
Portraiture can pay well and keep you busy year around, but, you have to get out and talk to people, tell them you are an artist, show your work, act and look the professional, find out what they want/like, and...ask for the commission!
If you are not into commissions and just want to sell what ever you like to do, it is a bit harder, but, still works the same...show your work, talk to people...ask for the sale. When selling online, you still need to interact with your potential buyers by showing your work and telling about it in public forums, where your target clientel are, like FB, blogs, art forums, website, and, so on. Pimp your work in enough places on a regular basis and it will get seen and you will soon get a following of people who love your work...some of whom will want to buy it, too.

Some tips about pricing and selling.
*You need to set consistant prices on your work. If you have sold any work to date, use those sales as your basis to set consistant pricing for all your work. If you have not sold work yet, you can base your prices on what other artists that do similar work are selling for. There are many ways to set prices and it doesn't matter how you do it as long as it is consistant.
*Once you start selling, maintain your prices and don't lower your prices for special people or situations...this lowers the value of all your art, and, will upset your collectors when they see your work going cheap after they paid big bucks for it. What an art piece sells for in your studio should be the same when sold in a gallery, artshow, or, even to friends and family. Establish value to your art, by steadily increasing sales and prices...no lowering of prices (if you can possibly avoid it) and definately no yoyoing up and down.
* If you are selling well, you can increase your prices a little each year.
*Don't underprice your work. Never give it away or let it sell for less than a price you will be happy with.
*With art, the lowest price on the block does not usually translate into more sales. Trying to undercut the prices of other artists by selling your work for give-away prices can actually backfire on you. You may not make any sales because buyers perceive your work as amaturish, or, having something wrong with it...too cheap and you may not be able to give it away. Sometimes, raising prices can actually increase sales as some buyers won't even look at art if it is selling too low! (this is very true when selling on ebay)
* Selling art is not about the art! It is about the perception of the value of the art! People buy art because of its emotional value to them, or, intellectual value, or, even as an investment on your future greatness.
*Selling art for a price that is obvously too low, is obviously art that has no value. Pricing is a mind game...Show that your work is valuable and people will value it. Give it away, and, it will not be valued, or worse, will lose the value it already had.
*Don't give up on an artwork that just won't seem to sell. Just because it hasn't sold yet, doesn't mean it won't later. I've had work suddenly (seemingly) sell after languishing for months or even years. It seems just when I've about given up on them and start considering that big bonfire in the backyard, some angel art lover will buy it!

Don't give up!  Just re-evaluate what you have and what you are doing now. Make changes. Keep learning, and, keep trying! Good luck!

New Work - Red Roan Pegasus

I just finished this one for a swap.  It is 9x12 on canvas.

Click HERE to see a slideshow of this painting as it was painted.

Here it is in its new frame, about to go in its shipping box.

Sketchbook - Dog project - English Bulldog, Saarloos Wolfhound

I'm doing a little catch-up here as I've been slacking off a bit this past two weeks and had to scramble to get anything done for these projects. These are quickie sketches.

First is the Saarloos Wolfhound

and, English Bulldog

Breed A Week Project - Cleveland Bay

I finally got back to finish this one. I did start it several weeks ago when the Cleveland Bay was the current breed in the Wet Canvas project...just never finished it and ended up going on to other paintings. I tend to do that...a lot. Whenever something new catches my interest, I may stop what I'm working on to start the new project. As a result, I usually have several paintings in progress or just sitting in a corner waiting to be noticed and finally finished. Today, I tried to round up a few of those and did finish several that have been kicked around on my work table for the past month. This one is a 4x6 of a cleveland bay stallion ready for the showring.

Art Show Entry - "Balance"

I did this little centaurina not long ago, and, decided she would fit nicely in this show on EBSQ. When I think of 'Balance', dance is one of the first things to come to my mind. I think to be a great, or, even just a modestly good dancer, one must have great balance. And, what of a creature such as a centaur, if they existed? I have seen people dance, and, I have also seen horses dance...performing exquisite feats of strength, grace, and balance. What a cumbersome and un-balanced physique a centaur must be! How could it possibly be graceful enough to dance? My little 4"x6" oil painting "Exotic Dancer" shows it is possible!

See the Show:

http://www.ebsqart.com/ArtShows/cmd_208_Exhibition_Entries.htm

News Flash! EBSQ Blog Feature

Great news today! I am the featured artist on the EBSQ Spotlight on Animal & Wildlife Art on the EBSQ blog! Melissa Morton of EBSQ asked me to contribute something for the month-long feature on the artists of the Animal & Wildlife gallery, so...check it out!

http://blog.ebsqart.com/2009/04/30/ebsq-spotlight-on-animal-wildlife-art-kerry-lynn-nelson/

Dog Breeds - Yellow Labrador Retriever

I started this one a while back, along with a few other pieces for the differant projects, but, kept setting it aside to do other work, so, I finally finished it off. This is also an ACEO oil on birch, 2.5"x3.5". This is lifesized and a detail closeup.

New Work - Fantasy & Equine ACEOs

I just finished up these two art cards and listed them on ebay. The first is a pretty sorrel foal investigating an old fallen tree. "Sorrel Foal"

This second is a cute little centaur girl playing games with her favorite doll. "Playing Make-Believe".

These art cards are miniature artworks in trading card format of 2.5"x3.5", and, these two are done in oils on 3/16" thick gessoed birch wood panels.

Sketchbook - Shakin' Out A Loop

After finishing his run in a team roping practice, this rider shakes the twists out of his lariat, and, walks his big quarterhorse to cool out in preparation for his next turn up to rope. I will need to re-photograph this as this picture is reflecting light off the graphite on the right side which is why it looks lighter than the left.

Breed a Week Project - Norwegian Fjord

These Fjord horses are such distinctive-looking horses! They look like the horses of the prehistoric cave paintings, especially with thier manes cropped! I decided to do one of these in color and used prismacolor and Berol Verythin pencils. The other is in Eboney pencil. Both are in my permanent sketchbook, 4x6" in size.

NEW WORK - Gridiron Taurs

When I paint my centaur paintings, I try to imagine what they would really be like if they actually existed. In many of my depictions of them, I created a world for them of thier own, a world in which the centaurs must fight for world dominance against the blood-thirsty dragons in a savage post apocalyptic culture. Another scenario I like to imagine what they would be like in the world of Greek mythology taking part in everyday activities amongst the early human civilization. In a third scenario, like in this new painting, the centaurs are alive and well in present-day America! In "Gridiron Taurs" the Red team is trying to defend against a high-leaping lunge for the goal line!

"Gridiron Taurs" 6x8 inches oil on birch panel

Sketchbook - Marwari Horse

Here is one more for the Breed A Week project on the Marwari horses. I really enjoy exploring and learning about these differant breeds of horses! On each of these breeds, I have studied the breed characteristics and then viewed as many photographs of the horses as possible to learn the typical look and build of the breed. With this sketch, I just worked out my drawing based on what I had learned, not using any photo references, just working from memory.

and here is a detail from the full sketch...

The Store Plan

I've been selling my small artworks on eBay since 2005 Generally, I try to list new work for sale on eBay to end on Sundays, and, Mondays and have found that having them end on those two days have been best for selling as more people are online then. It is my one attempt at consistancy in my marketing, although I confess, even in this I tend to be inconsistant from time to time! In addition to eBay for selling my artwork, I am preparing to open an Auctiva Commerce webstore...soon. Ha! I should already have it up and running, but...well, let's just say it is a brand new site and is not as user (beginner!) friendly yet as they (and I) had hoped! I'm having problems getting the setup for shipping and other parts of the store done, so, for now it is in limbo as I am facing these problems by avoidance! But, I will have to stop avoiding these problems soon and get this store opened! I made a new years resolution and marketing plan to get this store up and producing as my main goal of the year...and time is ticking away...tick, tick, tick, tick...

Once the Auctiva Commerce store is up and running, I will be listing everything I have in it, small originals and prints, and all my larger paintings, too. I will continue to offer my smaller paintings on ebay for awhile, too, for a short listing run. After a week listing, any unsold small work on eBay will go into the estore next. All the larger new work and new prints will go directly to the estore. It is my hope eventually to get this new estore selling well enough to eliminate selling on ebay, but, for now eBay is still the only game in town...even with all thier new seller-unfriendly changes.

So, that is the plan. Now, to get it going!

The Creative Struggle

I don't remember who wrote it, but, I always recall this quote from something I read years ago;

"Painting is a series of corrections."

I know this is so true for myself and for many other artists, too! Everything I paint is a struggle to 'see' it right and I always have to make many corrections along the way before anything is 'finished' (being finished usually meaning I can't see anything more to correct at that time)! Sometimes, I'll do something I'm particularly proud of, until time-experience-education show me all its flaws. Learning to see it correctly, and, to apply what I see or know, is a constant learning process. I strive for perfection of form, color, composition, and character. I learn from each and every piece of artwork I complete, and, even if I never quite seem to achieve what I have in mind, I improve with each new attempt, getting closer to that elusive perfection I envision.

I produce my very best work, now-at this point in time, yet, future works will eventually eclipse the older. Still, each work must stand alone unique and a testament to my abilities at the point in time that I create them. I often cringe when I look at my older work, because I see the flaws that I couldn't see then - when I created it. I accept those flawed works, however, that I once was so proud of, because each painting was a triumph, too, a culmination of my experience and ability at that moment in time, and, a vital stepping stone of growth as an artist and the foundations to visions and direction for new work in the future. I truly could not paint what I do today if I had never struggled, persevered, and finally brought to a finish each and every artwork I did in the past!

Sketchbook - Roper - In the Box

This big palomino quarterhorse was all tensed up ready to explode into action, but, still as a statue, waiting for the calf to break from the chute and his rider to let him run! This is from a photograph I shot a few years ago at a local team roping practice.

Dog Project - Corgi

This is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi in oils, 4x6 on Mulitmedia Art board

Hackney Horse

"Hackney Horse"

5x7 oil on handmade birch panel

The ultimate high-stepping, extreme-action equine machine, the Hackney Horse is one of the oldest breeds. Developed in England hundreds of years ago as a durable, versatile and elegant coach and riding horse, the Hackney has influenced many of the modern American breeds of horses such as the standardbreds, morgans, american saddle horses and many more. Once a very popular and widespread breed, today the Hackney Horse is quite rare and considered an endangered breed.



In these close-up images, the woodgrain (vertical lining) of the birch panel shows very clearly, however, it is not this apparent in the physical painting. I sand the panels very smooth before I gesso them, and, they are also sanded again before they are ready to paint on, so, in fact these panels have very smooth surfaces except for the texture of the applied oil paint. The woodgrain is still visible and adds a subtle quality to the finished artwork, however, for some reason, the scanner and the camara always seem to emphasis the woodgrain, so, I just want you to know it is much more subtle than these photos show.

Brussels Griffon

This is the latest breed feature of the Dog project, a strange-looking little creature that just had to be the model for the Star Wars characters, the Ewoks! Ha! He was just too cute to resist! One more for the sketchbook.

These are the other dog breeds I sketched in my book, the Irish Setter and the Neopolitan Mastif. The Pug was painted in oil and was already shown on this blog.

No Chicken Scratch! The Sketchbook

I've always kept a number sketchbooks that I use to jot down ideas for new paintings or, just to dabble around in until I come up with something concrete that I want to do a finished painting of. I use these sketchbooks to do the planning and layout work, explore new compositions, try to work out anatomical problems and every kind of scribble and notation from art supply lists to mathmatical jottings. Mostly, they are just so much chicken-scratch that even I have trouble trying to decipher what I'm looking at! Ha! You know it's bad if even I can't tell what I just drew! Basically, my sketchbooks are not anything I would ever want anyone else to see, but, here are a few of the better pages from my 'work' sketchbook!

Planning ideas for mustang series

First idea sketches for Paint Horse Magazine cover competition


Guidehorse paintings study




Planning sketches for "Malpais Gold" painting

I've always admired other artists that keep wonderful sketchbooks with every page filled with exquisite drawings and beautifully rendered studies. Personnally, I never put that much effort into a sketchbook before, because I always considered them to be working tools. I've always felt that the real efforts should be saved for the final painting or drawing, and so, I just did quick thumbnails sketches for layouts or values and very rarely attempted even a halfway finished sketch. When the Horse Breed a Week Project was started on WetCanvas in January, I decided to start a new sketchbook with the goal of No-Chicken-Scratch! Every page would stand alone as a finished sketch or study and it would be filled with everything from the various projects, to life drawings, to purely imaginary fantasy art...all complete - no incomprehensibility. Well, we'll see how that goes! These are two pages from the new sketchbook drawn from life of my cats, Claw-dette (top) and Foxy FaeFey.

I had a Christmas gift certificate from my sister and brother-in-law to Barns & Nobles, so, I used that to get this wonderful hand-made, Italian leather bound sketchbook/journal with over 300 pages of perfect drawing paper.

I have just loved drawing in this book...once I got over the trepidation of 'messing up' this wonderful book! So far, I have only used black Eboney graphite pencils, but, this paper should also take pen & ink, and color pencils very well, and, if I get off my Eboney kick, I may try some other media in this. These two are my newest from the Horse Breed project, Appaloosa and Australian Stock Horse.

"Appy Roping Horse"

"Australian Stock Horse"