There are several things that I wish I knew when I started out seriously pursuing art after I retired as a physical therapist. At first some of this does not sound necessary if you are an amateur or hobbyist. As you continue to grow as an artist and sell your work, things change. I admit that some of these things sound obvious to most people but I was clueless. Here is my list in no particular order of priority.

Number 1: Paint to standard sizes. I am a mixed media artist now but my first love is soft pastel. When you work on paper, it is so easy to just cut a piece of paper to your liking. After I painted about half a dozen pieces that were worthy to be framed, I took them to a framer. Wow, was that a sticker shock! Custom framing is very expensive especially when the sizes are nonstandard. That leads to the next point.

Number 2:  Learn how to properly frame and do it yourself. Fortunately, I took my pieces to the Great Frame Up. The shop owner taught me how to assemble the frames and to put the hardware on the frame correctly. You can find quality standard size frames online. Buy the hardware at your local hardware store and make your framed work look professional. My personal opinion is that an unframed gallery wrapped canvas should be at least and inch deep and 1 1/2 inches is better. Galleries are very particular about proper framing as they should be.

Number 3: Join a local art league or group. Art leagues are very helpful in many ways. They can provide camaraderie, lessons,  and opportunities to show your work. The one I joined also showed me how to frame and hang art.

Number 4: You must have a web site that you control. Twenty years ago a web site was not as important as it is now. My first web site was set up by my son who is a web page designer. However, I had limited control over it and he had very little time to update photos or adjust text. I admit that part of the problem is that I am technologically challenged. I needed something easy and that was FASO.

Number 5: Focus. For those of us who like to experiment, we can perpetually take classes in every medium and style of painting. That leads to knowing a little bit about a lot but not a lot about anything. In the beginning of your art career, it is good to try many different things to discover what you enjoy. Then, focus on the medium that you enjoy the most. Once you have developed skill in that area, then you can expand to others.

Number 6: Learn how to photograph your work. This was the most difficult thing I had to learn. I couldn't afford a professional photographer. You need photographs that accurately represent your work if you are going to submit to shows, for an inventory, and for your web site. Learn an editing software like Photoshop. I find it indispensable in adjusting color, cropping the image, adjusting file size, etc.

Number 7: Keep good records. You can purchase software specifically made for artists. I use Excel spread sheets for an inventory, income, expenses, and mileage related to the business of art. I keep two images of every piece of art that I consider to be worthy for sale. One is a large Photoshop file. This one is easily adjusted to the size requirements for a show. The second image is a small JPG for the web site or social media.

Number 8: Come up with a system for storing and organizing finished work and do that immediately. It seems unnecessary at first but, as your inventory grows, it can be difficult to locate a specific piece when you need it.

I will leave you with one thing I did do in the very beginning. I decided that I was not going to let anyone criticize and discourage me from creating art and that included me! Far too many people allow a teacher or their inner critic stop them from pursuing their art. Don't let that happen to you.

Enjoy!

Sue and Suzy, the artist with the split personality

I was given a limited palette for a commission. The painting was to compliment the decor of a room. The style was was to be abstract or nonrepresentational. The colors were black, a steel gray, a muted blue, red, salmon, and a neutral like a Titan Buff or light yellow ochre. I included a little iridescent silver as well (artistic license).

This was a very good exercise. Here were a couple of my initial attempts on small canvases. Two are nonrepresentational and the third is an abstracted landscape.

The client liked the "flow" of the first two paintings but wanted a few changes in the color. The first one was too dark and the she liked the teal in the second. That was not part of the original colors. Here are the next two attempts making the changes. These are large canvases. The first is called "Finding the Dream." The second is "Holding on to the Dream."

I will soon find out if these are acceptable to the client. It is a good practice to limit yourself to a set of colors and then try to express yourself in different ways with this selection of color. It opens your mind to new ways of seeing things and to a variety of possibilities. I do not use red very often but I like it in these pieces. Perhaps I will use it more often in the future.

So, try picking a limited number of colors and include one or two that you usually do not use. Then try different subject matter and styles  using those colors. Also try varying the value and intensity of the colors and paint small pieces. When I paint small I find that I take more risks. You might just find that this exercise will change your work for the better. Let me know how it goes.

Do something creative every day!

Sue and Suzy the artist with the split personality