As I write this blog, its half an hour before the paintings for this year's solo show are available to view and buy online. This gives an online audience the opportunity to buy or reserve paintings 2 weeks before the exhibition previews.
Buying art online from a small image on a screen is a risky prospect for most people. Owners of any of my paintings will be familiar with the quality of work 'in the flesh' and will no doubt have no concerns about committing to buy in this way. If you're unsure, just contact the gallery and you could register an interest in a painting in order to better guarantee it's availability to you at the preview night. Please note that those wishing to commit to a purchase will take priority. Hope to see you all on Friday 31st August 2012.
In the mean time, here's a few teaser images...
UPDATE: Images for exhibition are now live and available >> TRANSITION
Websites like DeviantArt and Redbubble (and many, many more) have changed the opportunities available to artists, designers and photographers to have their work available as reproduction prints.
It used to be that capital expenditure on a print run would mean you had to be sure of a mass market for any image in print. But these days anyone can be a micro-publisher of their own art and make profits without any outlay at all. Not only will in not cost to offer your prints to the world, but it will be relatively hassle-free as the site deals with everything.
DeviantArt (based in the US) and redbubble (based in Australia) are the 2 sites I use to provide prints to a worldwide consumer base. DeviantArt is the biggest online artist community in the world.
Both these sites provide prints in various forms: canvas prints, paper prints, framed prints, greetings cards, postcards and so on. In addition to this, deviantArt also offer coasters, fridge magnets, jigsaws etc. while Redbubble offers iphone cases, t-shirts, hoodies, kid's clothes and seems to add different products all the time.
Photographing Your Artwork
I often get asked about the best practice for photographing paintings so here's an at a glance list of tips for recording your paintings in digital format;
>> Use a good quality dSLR camera (full frame sensor if possible but are pricey)
>> Use a good quality lens. (I use a canon 50mm)
>> Without professional studio lighting, outside on an overcast day is best.
>> Do not shoot in direct sunlight.
>> Clean your lens
>> Use a tripod
>> Use the 2 second timer so that when you press the shutter, that force won't jolt the camera at time of shot.
>> Use 'Av' setting and set to a mid range aperture (8-11), the camera will do the rest.
>> Set the lowest ISO possible (100 is fine)
>> Post production in Photoshop or any image editing software will likely be necessary.
>>Lastly, if your going to offer the really big prints (deviantArt do a 30" canvas) then even 18 megapixels might not be enough. For this you can pan the camera around the canvas from a tripod pivot point taking 6 or more photos which overlap. These can be seamlessly stitched using photoshop (file>automate>photomerge then select the series of photos). For this, make sure the focal length of the lens is a minimum of 50mm. The more "zoomed in" the better as it reduces the lens distortion of wider angle lens which can be a nightmare to stitch. The resultant file will be as many megapixels as you want for massive prints in high detail. Sites like deviantArt and redbubble will detect the size of your file and only offer print sizes appropriate to print clearly from. Do not attempt to just upsize the pixels of a smaller image, it will not be approved as good enough quality.
example of coaster from deviant art
Marketing Your Prints
Do not rely on the traffic from other users of the artist sites to sell prints. You will sell very few this way. Instead, gain the traffic to your prints through links from your own website, blogs, twitter and other social media etc. These will be potential customers already interested in your work.
Quality
So what's the quality like of these deviantArt prints? Well I've kindly shot a couple of videos reviewing deviantArt products I recently ordered of my own paintings in print in the form of a framed print and coasters, here they are...
FRAMED PRINT
COASTERS
You can View my deviantArt and RedBubble prints here:
My New book is titled 'Scottish Landscape Painting' and depicts a selection of work completed between 2009 and 2011. Alongside these images are a selection of my 'instagram' shots. Instagram is a photo sharing app for the iphone. I use instagram to document daily activities around the studio, in galleries and on location. In the book you are able to get not only great full colour images of the final paintings themselves, but an insight into my sketchbook work, inspirational photographs from my travels, and work in progress shots from the studio.
I would recommend Blurb books to anyone looking to record colour images in a book format. Their print to order method means books will be more expensive than 'off the shelf', but they're still surprisingly affordable for the quality. This latest one of mine retails at around £27 for softcover and £34.50 for hardback. The book is 7 inch square and its 120 pages are printed on premium paper and full colour.
You can get a virtual look at 15 of the pages using the widget above.
Limited copies of the book will be available at the preview of my Solo exhibition in Hamilton on the 30th September
I recently blogged about my new miniature oil on board paintings. Now, I am happy to say that I now have an online store available from my website powered by the artists' online store 'Big Cartel'.
At any time there will be a selection of unframed oil on board paintings available exclusively from the studio. They are easy to deliver unframed so shipping is free to the UK and free for more than 1 item worldwide.
Check my previous blog post for an idea of how to frame it up when it arrives!
Since the European network of Galleries, 'Carré D'Artistes' contacted me interested in my work, I have been producing a collection of small oils on board. I've been happy with the results and have generated lots of ideas for bigger paintings to emerge later on. Normally I wouldn't sell my small working sketches which normally don't leave the sketchbook. This means I'm usually very free and experimental not worried about them being too polished, so I'm trying to keep that freedom and life to them even though these will be going to galleries.
It's great to be able to offer original work at such an affordable price. The sizes and prices will be as follows:
10cm £59
15cm £98
20cm £162
30cm £298
I took my first 2 10cm square studies to my framer Ian Kenny in Hamilton. The Images at the top show what a great job he did. I told him to frame it to the best standard he could, so he used:
Gallery-gold frame : Archivally shadow-float mounted : Hand painted bevel detail : Museum grade uv Waterwhite glass
The little studies, once framed, came in at £195 and both sold to a quick customer the same day.
So the popularity of these studies does mean that some will end up in my usual Scottish outlets. So nip in, choose a frame for it and take it home for an affordable price. Alternatively you could pick one up online by checking my facebook page (link on the border of this blog). Just leave me a note on the image you like and I'll reply with a link to a buying page and have it delivered unframed at no extra cost!
I'll be sending out a tweet when work is delivered to the galleries, so make sure to follow @scottnaismith or check my twitter feed on the home page of my website.
Here's the proposed billboard to advertise my upcoming show at the Riverside Inverclyde Gallery, Greenock on 2nd October 2010. Small changes to colour and correction to spelling (of enlightenment!) to happen before in gets printed and stuck up. More photos to come once it's up.
If anyone would like an invite to the opening on the 1st Oct, leave me a message on my 'contacts page of my website: http://www.scottnaismith.co.uk
I recently had a request from a client who looked for advice on where to look when buying more paintings. Despite this sounding a little like walking into Tesco and asking to point you in the direction of a good supermarket, I didn't take it the wrong way! The customer was in the process of commissioning a painting from me, and any collection needs a bit of diversity, so I took it as the compliment it was intended! Thought I would publish my response on this blog in case it may help anyone else out there!
(I did list some names of artists to avoid, but thought it might be best to omit them from this blog!)
It may be a matter of personal preference, but I can give you an idea of some of the Scottish artists out there I respect and who's work I admire:
Christopher Wood
If I was to hang 1 abstract work in my house, I'd like it to be 1 from him. Great use of colour, some unusual processes. His work is great if you can afford it! (2-2.5 x price of my work). His website is excellent and regularly updated:
I teach alongside Craig at Reid Kerr College Creative Arts. He has a "Wasps" artist's studio in Hanson St, Glasgow. I regularly poke fun at him for not having his own website! but you will find him on the web in various other sites. The best representation of his current work would be:
Just been shortlisted last week for the Aspect Prize and looks likely (in my opinion) to end up winning. A mixed bag of work, some I'm not keen on, some is really striking. http://www.axisweb.org/seCVWK.aspx?ARTISTID=5243
Jim Wylie
I've always admired his clean, bold brushwork and use of colour. Based in Ayrshire, he paints mostly Scottish Landscape. Lots of his work around the web and is reasonably priced.
Peter Howson
I've always admired his work since I went to a solo exhibition in the McLennan Gallery, Glasgow when I was 15 years old. It was then I told my mum "this is what I want to do".
His figurative depictions of various grotesque characters may be a little too much for some to live with, but I really enjoy his work. Despite working in such a wildly different genre of painting, Howson remains a big influence for me.
ONES TO AVOID!
As a rule, if you're not sure who is a real prospect, make sure the artist has a degree from an Art School. There are some good self taught artists out there but they are few and far between and stand a much poorer chance of being recognised or "making it". Also do a check on what galleries they show with. I show with scotlandart.com on Bath Street and DiRollo Gallery, Dundas St, Edinburgh which are both galleries who would not hang any substandard work. Some galleries are run by owners with no clue about art or any taste... check how long the gallery has been established, these galleries don't last long!
The Glasgow Art Fair, George Square (think it will be SECC next year)
You must get down to see the Art Fair. It gives a great selection and overview of Scottish Art from Commercial Galleries. It brings Galleries from all over Scotland and beyond under one roof. Galleries need to qualify for entry by submitting which artists' work they are hanging and so the vast majority is of a good quality... some do inevitably slip the net!
Hope this is of some use to you. Good luck hunting for paintings, the most important judge of artwork you own, is you! Number 1 reason to buy is to bring you daily pleasure admiring it. Instant appeal isn't always the best sign to buy, artwork, like music can be a "grower".
This year I have put an entry in for 'The Aspect Prize' to be held at Paisley Museum from Friday. I was keen to see the large 1 metre square painting, "Skye Crofts" once it was framed in the hand laid gold leaf frame I had chosen. So I decided to record the occasion on film for youtube, let me know what you think:
They are 15% off this week for a limited time only, so now is the time to get your hands on a set. The quality is great. They have a cork backing neat black edge, gloss finish and come in sets of 4 of the same image.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
ENLIGHTENMENT
10 years of Painting from Scottish Contemporary Landscape Artist Scott Naismith
New 120 page Book spanning 10 years of Scottish landscape painting is out now, just in time for a perfect Christmas gift. Includes guest writing from Richard Sunderland.
There's now 3 different calendars to choose from from RedBubble. All are £14.95 +p&p. Bought some to sell at my recent exhibition and all sold out. They look great. A3 size, ring bound with hanger and plenty space to write in. Makes an ideal Christmas gift. Takes a wee while for delivery, so order soon.
Showing for the 9th time at Ian Kenny Gallery, Scott Naismith will show a selection of work inspired by some recent trips to Barra, Skye, and Tiree. Since last year, Scott’s work has been represented at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI). In March a selection of 16 paintings were sold out at his first representation at the Glasgow Art Fair in George Square.
Life on Canvas Gallery is a brand new contemporary art gallery at 133 Comiston Road Edinburgh. They will be showing a selection of my new Scottish Landscape paintings at their Launch on the 28th August 2009. Other artists soon to be showing include Blair Thomson, Davy Brown, Steve Johnston, Mark Holden, Karen Willis, Kirstie Cohen, Jemma Derbyshire, Alfred Allan, Lillias Blackie, Elena Kourenkova, Lynsey Ewan, Lesly Banks, Pat Kramek....
Here's some photos from my joint Exhibition with Erni Upton in the West End of Glasgow. On show were around 30 oil paintings. Most were contemporary Scottish landscape with a small selection of Tuscany based paintings too. The Annan Gallery have since gone on to represent my work at the Glasgow Art fair in George square (2009) where they sold out of all 16 paintings.
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