Lest I seem like I have a rather large ego here I want to continue posting about my background. I'm almost done so bear with me or read on!
During the time I was at Jim's I got involved with an artists run organization. This was a marvelous experience and I found another mentor in the group's leader - Scott Holman. Scott was amazing and I got onto the groups Steering Committee. This is where I got most of my experience jurying exhibitions. Artists would send in their images and we would choose, in a fair blind juried process of voting, during a time of non-digital images. Scott also let me in on free seminars on running non-profit arts organizations, on grant writing and I learned to write press releases. I got my feet wet in a very, very big way. The bug for organizing and non-profit arts had hit. Scott decided to leave as the leader and the steering committee was having a passionate debate on where to go from here. I met with a fellow steering committee member and asked his honest opinion of me as leader and he said to go for it. Wow! I told Scott I wanted it and he was very welcoming.
However the other steering committee members were not. The minute Scott left feelings started to turn. Perhaps also because, admittedly I was not ready for the position. This was after three years of very close involvement in the group. Jim's was closing as well and I needed to change my personal focus. After Jim's closed these words kept coming into my head "Women's Studio Center", "Women's Studio Center" and they wouldn't go away. I knew I had to do something so I spent the Summer researching. Should I go for profit or not-for-profit. I had no choice. Non-profit arts was my calling but if I was to do it again I had to start my own an do it right from the start.
I finally decided to go not-for-profit and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I knew that I didn't know anything about accounting so I sent for course catalogs from several schools. Imagine my excitement when I found that New York University (NYU) had an entire Certificate program in Arts Administration. Some schools get great teachers and some schools get great names. NYU gets both. My teachers were from places like The Public Theater, Lincoln Center, The American Museum of Natural History and the head of philanthropy at Verizon. Amazing. One class was in the board room of the Whitney Museum of American Art. Ask me how sorry I was when that class was over. I decided not to get the Certificate in the beginning because I'd always been a bad student but to do the homework anyway. I got an easy A+ in the first class and that was it. I decided to go for the Certificate which I achieved in the Summer of 2002.
I think one of the most valuable courses I took was called The Business of Art and we went around to galleries all over the city to interview and hear what gallery owners had to say. Andre Emmerich came to the second class. I wanted to get on my knees and say a prayer. To me he was a god of the art world at that time when dealers were considered akin to used salesmen. To me they were as big personalities as the artists - like Brancusi and even Picasso. He was at the time of my class considered the ambassador to the art world. Sotheby's had bought out his gallery and hired him as an advisor. It was so enlightening to hear what gallery owners had to say. We met owners from galleries that had been in business for generations to galleries that were new. Galleries that handled modern art and estates to galleries that handled old masters, primative art and more. It was amazing to hear that they are people too and take an even bigger risk than the artist. Think about it. They have overhead beyond your imagination, including rent, payroll, printing, ads in places like the NYTimes and ArtNews. If they don't take those ads they're sunk. One gallery owner even said you had to pay if Gallery Guide decided to feature your gallery that month. It was random and exorbitant. They charged for every little thing. That's a lesson for you to learn as an artist. Charge for every service small or large.
So more about how I started and ran and concluded Women's Studio Center in the next post....
August 24, 2009
August 23, 2009
More About Me
I am your personal navigator in this world of art, and this is why I'm telling you so much about myself. I hope it's interesting and you are enjoying reading this part of my journey.
As I said I went to the School of Visual Arts for one more year to study Art Education. It was an amazingly valuable experience in so many ways once again. I learned about creating a lesson plan, how to plan for one day, for a week, a year. How to use a limited resource of supplies to do creative things. How to excite children and people about making art and mostly how to talk about art as a social need. This was the late 1980's/early 1990's when there was no money for art in the Education Department in New York City. In order to avoid having the art programs cut we were taught to talk about how art can save lives. How art is in our daily lives. How art is a huge factor in the New York City economy and more. We not only had to teach art but had to pitch to our principles, their supervisors, peers and more.
One day I was student/assistant teaching in a school on the Upper West Side. The classroom broke out into a frenzy. My co-operating teacher and I worked to gain control of the classroom. It was "art-on-a-cart" so we didn't have our own classroom. Rather we had to go from class to class with a cart of art supplies and bring our program to them. The classroom teacher would see us as an opportunity to get a break and the kids would see us as an opportunity to misbehave. Why pay attention to someone who won't grade you and who you don't see on a daily basis? One kid was standing in front of me with a "loaded" paintbrush. I can see him now. I can see him waving it at a fellow second grader going "bang! bang! bang!" Instead of running over to the desk, climbing on top of it and yelling "Stop it! Stop it! Everyone sit down! Stop it Now!" I turned to the kid and asked "Is that thing loaded." He smiled and said "Yes." I said "Well then, go over to the sink and unload it."
Okay, I had too much of an imagination for that job and to much of an inner child to instill a word I hate "discipline."
That summer I made a decision to stop everything and just go into the studio for a few years. To try to make it as an artist. I had been going Wednesday nights to a studio on the Upper East Side called "Artists Studio Center" run by a marvelous man, James Youngman, since I graduated from Long Island University. I had been going there several times a week that summer. In mid-July Jim asked if I'd watch the studio for the month of August while he was on vacation - actually I think it was more like 2 weeks. He gave me a space to make art in exchange. I said yes. How could I turn this down?
Artist Studio Center was a collaborative studio that Jim ran with 50+ artists. The least amount of experience of making art was 20 years. Some had as much as 50 years. There was even an artist who had started in The Bauhaus in his 90's. I couldn't believe this opportunity. A lot of other younger artists walked into the place, looked around, and simply saw a bunch of older people. I saw Margit Elsohn who had been creating ceramics for 40 years - who escaped Czechoslovakia into France and then over the Pyranees into Spain and then to the US before she created art. I saw Rhoda Boyko who had been a knitter for Vogue Magazine but was now a sculptor - she always had knitting needles and yarn of some kind with her though. There was Gertrude Lang who had the space next to mine. She seethed creativity and was using found objects all over the place to make her work. At the age of 82, she was an avid chocoholic and always insisted that I share whatever goodies she had at 4pm. For my 35th Birthday she presented me with two bars of chocolate form Zabars.
After that month Jim returned and I summoned up all of my courage, never even having an incling of a hope that he'd agree and said "How would you like a full time assistant in exchange for the space to make my art?" He agreed. "Wow!" I was so excited! I learned so much from him and he was the most generous mentor an artist could ever hope for. He taught me how to run a studio, how to frame art, how to organize and mount an exhibit - from shipping to putting the nails in the wall and more. The only thing I stayed away from was mounting sculptures. That was Jim's creative outlet and he was a master at it. I saw him mount a 100lb stone on a pivot onto a base that could turn. He was a sheer genius at it. The studio closed in 1998 to the great sadness of everyone there. Jim later told me that he would have fought the lease for the space with the landlord if he had been feeling better. I still feel as if he is with me on many levels.
As I said I went to the School of Visual Arts for one more year to study Art Education. It was an amazingly valuable experience in so many ways once again. I learned about creating a lesson plan, how to plan for one day, for a week, a year. How to use a limited resource of supplies to do creative things. How to excite children and people about making art and mostly how to talk about art as a social need. This was the late 1980's/early 1990's when there was no money for art in the Education Department in New York City. In order to avoid having the art programs cut we were taught to talk about how art can save lives. How art is in our daily lives. How art is a huge factor in the New York City economy and more. We not only had to teach art but had to pitch to our principles, their supervisors, peers and more.
One day I was student/assistant teaching in a school on the Upper West Side. The classroom broke out into a frenzy. My co-operating teacher and I worked to gain control of the classroom. It was "art-on-a-cart" so we didn't have our own classroom. Rather we had to go from class to class with a cart of art supplies and bring our program to them. The classroom teacher would see us as an opportunity to get a break and the kids would see us as an opportunity to misbehave. Why pay attention to someone who won't grade you and who you don't see on a daily basis? One kid was standing in front of me with a "loaded" paintbrush. I can see him now. I can see him waving it at a fellow second grader going "bang! bang! bang!" Instead of running over to the desk, climbing on top of it and yelling "Stop it! Stop it! Everyone sit down! Stop it Now!" I turned to the kid and asked "Is that thing loaded." He smiled and said "Yes." I said "Well then, go over to the sink and unload it."
Okay, I had too much of an imagination for that job and to much of an inner child to instill a word I hate "discipline."
That summer I made a decision to stop everything and just go into the studio for a few years. To try to make it as an artist. I had been going Wednesday nights to a studio on the Upper East Side called "Artists Studio Center" run by a marvelous man, James Youngman, since I graduated from Long Island University. I had been going there several times a week that summer. In mid-July Jim asked if I'd watch the studio for the month of August while he was on vacation - actually I think it was more like 2 weeks. He gave me a space to make art in exchange. I said yes. How could I turn this down?
Artist Studio Center was a collaborative studio that Jim ran with 50+ artists. The least amount of experience of making art was 20 years. Some had as much as 50 years. There was even an artist who had started in The Bauhaus in his 90's. I couldn't believe this opportunity. A lot of other younger artists walked into the place, looked around, and simply saw a bunch of older people. I saw Margit Elsohn who had been creating ceramics for 40 years - who escaped Czechoslovakia into France and then over the Pyranees into Spain and then to the US before she created art. I saw Rhoda Boyko who had been a knitter for Vogue Magazine but was now a sculptor - she always had knitting needles and yarn of some kind with her though. There was Gertrude Lang who had the space next to mine. She seethed creativity and was using found objects all over the place to make her work. At the age of 82, she was an avid chocoholic and always insisted that I share whatever goodies she had at 4pm. For my 35th Birthday she presented me with two bars of chocolate form Zabars.
After that month Jim returned and I summoned up all of my courage, never even having an incling of a hope that he'd agree and said "How would you like a full time assistant in exchange for the space to make my art?" He agreed. "Wow!" I was so excited! I learned so much from him and he was the most generous mentor an artist could ever hope for. He taught me how to run a studio, how to frame art, how to organize and mount an exhibit - from shipping to putting the nails in the wall and more. The only thing I stayed away from was mounting sculptures. That was Jim's creative outlet and he was a master at it. I saw him mount a 100lb stone on a pivot onto a base that could turn. He was a sheer genius at it. The studio closed in 1998 to the great sadness of everyone there. Jim later told me that he would have fought the lease for the space with the landlord if he had been feeling better. I still feel as if he is with me on many levels.
August 21, 2009
About Me
I would like to share my background with you. I have been an artist--as I like to say--since I could hold a crayon. I have been creating something in different ways, shapes and forms since I can remember. I went to college for art, lived, breathed and drank and ate art and everything I have done until this moment has included artistic endeavors.
I have always been greatly influenced by my surroundings. Lucky enough, to have grown up just a half block from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and within a short bus ride to 57th Street in the 1970's and 1980's when 57th Street was where the "Blue Chip Artists" sold and Soho was the place where you could always find cutting edge art. The difference between me and other artists and buyers of art was that the art dealers were as much celebrities then as the "blue chip" artists. André Emmerich, art dealer extraordinaire and now considered the ambassador to the art world, was as much of a celebrity as Pablo Picasso himself. To the buyers and sometimes the artists at the time, art dealers were viewed as something akin to used car salesmen.
In high school when my contemporaries were buying Seventeen and People magazines and I bought Art News and Art in America. I was so hot for gossip about the art world, artists, galleries and even the auction houses. Some people had back yards - my peers played in Central Park - while I wandered the great halls of the Metropolitan. I was and am fortunate enough to have a father who besides being a well respected physician is a passionate sculptor and on weekends we'd go to 57th Street and see the galleries. My strongest memory was seeing a Brancusi's Bird in Flight right there in front of us, in all it's glory. If we'd touched the bronze no alarms would have gone off and we wouldn't have been ushered out the front door by guards excited about finally having something to do besides sitting in front of great art. It was amazing.
After I achieved my Bachelors of Fine Arts from Long Island University/Southampton Campus I went to gdid graduate work in Graphic Design and Advertising at the School of Visual Arts, eager to learn how to make a living some way, any way possible in the arts. I believe this experience gave me not only a heightened sense of design but a distinctive understanding of marketing and selling - something every successful artist must have.
During this time I also gained invaluable experience as a salesperson for Sam Flax and later A.I. Friedman Art Supply stores. As a salesperson I got direct person to person contact with artists on a daily basis. I also had conversations directly with the vendors - representatives from venerated companies like Winsor & Newton and Grumbacher to mention only a few (that is not an official recommendation by the way). The vendors were eager to have an artist sample their materials so I got lots of freebies. We also received a 40% discount. Since I was still living with my parents at the time guess where my entire salary went...right back into the company of course.
My education at The School of Visual Arts was amazing! I gained so much from it but one of my teachers ferreted me out. She said "You have to decided whether you are a fine artist or a graphic designer." Why can't I be both? I thought. I wanted to bring back what I was most passionate about - combining art and advertising. Bringing the beauty of the posters of the Arts & Crafts, Mission, and Art Nouveau periods to Billboards and print advertising. Wouldn't have sold. So I went back to the School of Visual Arts for a year of Art Education. More about that later.
While I was working at A.I.Friedman and Sam Flax I found that I had this strange desire to help artists. Not just help them create but help them to become the famous artists that they had every right to be. I acheived great satisfaction out of helping an artist to find just the right white to mix with the pthalo blue they'd just purchased or to gain the effect they desired in their painting. It was not just "Oh! I've made a great sale!" It was "I've helped an artist make something today that will change the world!" That was true excitement.
I have always been greatly influenced by my surroundings. Lucky enough, to have grown up just a half block from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and within a short bus ride to 57th Street in the 1970's and 1980's when 57th Street was where the "Blue Chip Artists" sold and Soho was the place where you could always find cutting edge art. The difference between me and other artists and buyers of art was that the art dealers were as much celebrities then as the "blue chip" artists. André Emmerich, art dealer extraordinaire and now considered the ambassador to the art world, was as much of a celebrity as Pablo Picasso himself. To the buyers and sometimes the artists at the time, art dealers were viewed as something akin to used car salesmen.
In high school when my contemporaries were buying Seventeen and People magazines and I bought Art News and Art in America. I was so hot for gossip about the art world, artists, galleries and even the auction houses. Some people had back yards - my peers played in Central Park - while I wandered the great halls of the Metropolitan. I was and am fortunate enough to have a father who besides being a well respected physician is a passionate sculptor and on weekends we'd go to 57th Street and see the galleries. My strongest memory was seeing a Brancusi's Bird in Flight right there in front of us, in all it's glory. If we'd touched the bronze no alarms would have gone off and we wouldn't have been ushered out the front door by guards excited about finally having something to do besides sitting in front of great art. It was amazing.
After I achieved my Bachelors of Fine Arts from Long Island University/Southampton Campus I went to gdid graduate work in Graphic Design and Advertising at the School of Visual Arts, eager to learn how to make a living some way, any way possible in the arts. I believe this experience gave me not only a heightened sense of design but a distinctive understanding of marketing and selling - something every successful artist must have.
During this time I also gained invaluable experience as a salesperson for Sam Flax and later A.I. Friedman Art Supply stores. As a salesperson I got direct person to person contact with artists on a daily basis. I also had conversations directly with the vendors - representatives from venerated companies like Winsor & Newton and Grumbacher to mention only a few (that is not an official recommendation by the way). The vendors were eager to have an artist sample their materials so I got lots of freebies. We also received a 40% discount. Since I was still living with my parents at the time guess where my entire salary went...right back into the company of course.
My education at The School of Visual Arts was amazing! I gained so much from it but one of my teachers ferreted me out. She said "You have to decided whether you are a fine artist or a graphic designer." Why can't I be both? I thought. I wanted to bring back what I was most passionate about - combining art and advertising. Bringing the beauty of the posters of the Arts & Crafts, Mission, and Art Nouveau periods to Billboards and print advertising. Wouldn't have sold. So I went back to the School of Visual Arts for a year of Art Education. More about that later.
While I was working at A.I.Friedman and Sam Flax I found that I had this strange desire to help artists. Not just help them create but help them to become the famous artists that they had every right to be. I acheived great satisfaction out of helping an artist to find just the right white to mix with the pthalo blue they'd just purchased or to gain the effect they desired in their painting. It was not just "Oh! I've made a great sale!" It was "I've helped an artist make something today that will change the world!" That was true excitement.
A New Direction
I have decided to take this blog in a new but not so different direction. I am still going to write about the business of art addressing it to artists, but I am also going to make it more of a diary of my journey as an Artists Career Coach. It is my goal to serve you in the best way I can. I will give you chapter to chapter reviews of what I am reading and why, to thoughts about the business of art and what we can all do better.
I will not only write about business but about technique and motivation. For the world at large does not always understand the creative professional, there are not many places that you will find inspiration and the motivation to keep going when such formidable forces such as family, friends and respected peers and mentors are telling you that art is not lucrative and you will never succeed. We all know that's not true. With determination and guidance you will definitely succeed. There is no doubt about that. You will just need to go to the right places and make the right decisions.
How can you make the right decisions without information? Well...I hope to give you that information as best that I can. Please feel free to contact me at: info@theartistobjective.com and to comment along the way. I definitely welcome your feedback. I want this to be a conversation between you, the artists and me, your personal navigator in this complicated world of art.
I will not only write about business but about technique and motivation. For the world at large does not always understand the creative professional, there are not many places that you will find inspiration and the motivation to keep going when such formidable forces such as family, friends and respected peers and mentors are telling you that art is not lucrative and you will never succeed. We all know that's not true. With determination and guidance you will definitely succeed. There is no doubt about that. You will just need to go to the right places and make the right decisions.
How can you make the right decisions without information? Well...I hope to give you that information as best that I can. Please feel free to contact me at: info@theartistobjective.com and to comment along the way. I definitely welcome your feedback. I want this to be a conversation between you, the artists and me, your personal navigator in this complicated world of art.
August 2, 2009
::::PROTECTING YOUR WORK - Copyright: An Overview::::
My next topic is how to protect your work. Whenever I give a talk about the internet or digital photography I will inevitably get questions about copyright from artists concerned that their art will be co-opted and printed out somehow for free. Knowledge is power, and gaining the knowledge will not only help you protect your work but profit from it as well.
Remember that according to a law that became effective in 1978 once an individual takes an idea and commits it to a surface or makes it into a living object - once the idea moves from being an idea into a real entity - the artist or creator owns the copyright. That's just great right? Try to prove that you were the creator in court without an official certificate from the US Copyright office. Next to impossible.
That said, before I move further into this, you will need to make a decision. What exactly would drive you to take someone to court for plagiarizing your work. Is it the principle of it or is there a certain amount that someone else would make would drive you to court? Think of the costs if you lose the case. You'll be stuck with the legal fees. Be certain you have a good case and can prove it.
The first step to proving it is to register your copyrightable property with the US Copyright Office. More information and filing online at www.copyright.gov I believe there is a discount for filing online. Once you have the certificate you'll have a lot more security. The US. Copyright Office will house your information at the Library of Congress. Their website is: http://www.loc.gov/index.html Some would say wait until you are plagiarized to register but I say it will then be too late. Do it once a year at least. Make it a habit of filing your copyright, as you would file your taxes. Protecting your work is protecting your income afterall.
The next question I get after I answer that is "It's the World Wide Web. That only takes care of the United States." Not necessarily true. The United States holds "Conventions" with other countries. What this means is that in many countries our copyright laws hold up. So for example if someone in London prints and sells your work for a considerable amount of money you may still be able to hold them liable for it. It depends on the country of course and this is part of my current research so stay tuned for details.
Under the United States Copyright Laws you have the exclusive right to:
1. Reproduce the copyrighted work in copies, records or tapes.
2. To prepare derivative works based on the copyrighted work. (This gets sticky for collage artists - another reason I'm making an extensive study of this).
3. To distribute copies or phonorecords of the copyrighted work t the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending.
4. In the case of literary, dramatic, and choreographed works (Performance, Digital, and Audiovisual Artists take note) pantomimes, motion pictures and other audiovisual works, to perform the copyrighted work publicly.
5. In the case of literary, musical or dramatic and choreographic works, pantomime, and pictorial, graphic or sculptural works, including images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, to display the copyrighted work publicly.
That's a lot to take in but essentially it means that you have the right to take someone to court if they profit from your work or display and distribute it publicly. There are also First Amendment rights stating that you have the right to control display of your work - in otherwords you have control of your image publicly. Your reputation, the way the public sees you as an individual, etc. Believe me this is important if you become really super famous as I know you will if you're reading this... Don't think that a major celebrity - like Andy Warhol - didn't think about this on a daily basis. His image was who he was!
Since that's a lot of information I will end this post here. More coming soon. If you want to know how to preserve your work online see the posts about Digital Photography. I believe I go into that, including digital watermarking but I will go into that again in a future post as well. Please let me know if I'm being helpful or how you liked this post. Please comment.
Remember that according to a law that became effective in 1978 once an individual takes an idea and commits it to a surface or makes it into a living object - once the idea moves from being an idea into a real entity - the artist or creator owns the copyright. That's just great right? Try to prove that you were the creator in court without an official certificate from the US Copyright office. Next to impossible.
That said, before I move further into this, you will need to make a decision. What exactly would drive you to take someone to court for plagiarizing your work. Is it the principle of it or is there a certain amount that someone else would make would drive you to court? Think of the costs if you lose the case. You'll be stuck with the legal fees. Be certain you have a good case and can prove it.
The first step to proving it is to register your copyrightable property with the US Copyright Office. More information and filing online at www.copyright.gov I believe there is a discount for filing online. Once you have the certificate you'll have a lot more security. The US. Copyright Office will house your information at the Library of Congress. Their website is: http://www.loc.gov/index.html Some would say wait until you are plagiarized to register but I say it will then be too late. Do it once a year at least. Make it a habit of filing your copyright, as you would file your taxes. Protecting your work is protecting your income afterall.
The next question I get after I answer that is "It's the World Wide Web. That only takes care of the United States." Not necessarily true. The United States holds "Conventions" with other countries. What this means is that in many countries our copyright laws hold up. So for example if someone in London prints and sells your work for a considerable amount of money you may still be able to hold them liable for it. It depends on the country of course and this is part of my current research so stay tuned for details.
Under the United States Copyright Laws you have the exclusive right to:
1. Reproduce the copyrighted work in copies, records or tapes.
2. To prepare derivative works based on the copyrighted work. (This gets sticky for collage artists - another reason I'm making an extensive study of this).
3. To distribute copies or phonorecords of the copyrighted work t the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending.
4. In the case of literary, dramatic, and choreographed works (Performance, Digital, and Audiovisual Artists take note) pantomimes, motion pictures and other audiovisual works, to perform the copyrighted work publicly.
5. In the case of literary, musical or dramatic and choreographic works, pantomime, and pictorial, graphic or sculptural works, including images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, to display the copyrighted work publicly.
That's a lot to take in but essentially it means that you have the right to take someone to court if they profit from your work or display and distribute it publicly. There are also First Amendment rights stating that you have the right to control display of your work - in otherwords you have control of your image publicly. Your reputation, the way the public sees you as an individual, etc. Believe me this is important if you become really super famous as I know you will if you're reading this... Don't think that a major celebrity - like Andy Warhol - didn't think about this on a daily basis. His image was who he was!
Since that's a lot of information I will end this post here. More coming soon. If you want to know how to preserve your work online see the posts about Digital Photography. I believe I go into that, including digital watermarking but I will go into that again in a future post as well. Please let me know if I'm being helpful or how you liked this post. Please comment.
May 23, 2009
::::The Frame::::
The construction of a frame is extremely important. It can make or literally break your work. The work itself must also be properly constructed. For example if your framing a canvas, the canvas should be stretched over the stretchers properly otherwise the frame will cause extra undue stress on the canvas.
I always recommend plexiglas, even in the case of pastels, charcoal and powdery, dry media. It's light weight and doesn't shatter. It scratches easier than glass but the shatter factor is important. Plexiglas, however, does have a certain amount of static and that can effect dry, powdery media intensely but you can purchase wipes and sprays that eliminate static from plexiglas. Plexiglas and glass are also known as "glazing."
With dry, powdery media - always use a mat and an under mat or acid free cardboard that lifts it away from the mat. That will allow for the excess to fall between the mats and not in front of the mat which makes it look terrible.
I prefer mats rather than spacers. You can guarantee that a mat will keep all of your work, no matter what the size is, away from the glazing. Spacers do not guarantee it, especially if the work is larger than 14" on either side. Sometimes an aesthetic or conceptual decision sometimes means that you don't want to have a mat. In that case you will use spacers which are plastic or cardboard pieces that lift the glazing from the mat.
Constructing wood frames is completely different from metal. Usually metal frames will have joiners on the corners and all you'll need is a flat head screw driver to put them together. Put three sides together. Then mat the work, and put the glazing over it. Slide it into the groove in the frame. Put the hardware into the final piece and put it all together. Tighten it and add picture wire. You're done and you have a wonderful metal frame. They come in all colors, sizes and shapes.
Wood frames are a bit more complicated but just as easy to put together but require a few more tools. You will always need a hammer, screwdrivers and an awl. Some will require you to use a drill to "predrill" holes for the screws to go into it. You will also need some Elmers Carpenter Glue and a wet paper towel. Put some newspaper or scrap paper on your surface. Pull out all the pieces and hardware and line them up. In fact this is a good idea when you are putting together anything.
You will see that there are spaces in the corners for a small plastic piece. Place some wood glue on one side of two soon to be adjoining corners of the frame. (Tip: Use it sparingly) Then place the corners together put the little plastic (or hopefully wood or metal) piece into two groves in the ends of the frame. Pick up the frame and wipe off the excess glue with the wet paper towel gently. Repeat until you construct the frame. Leave it overnight to dry - do not skip this step! Drying is very, very important. You don't want to damage your work with the glue or anything else.
When the frame is dry place it face down on a surface. Bang the awl with the hammer gently. It would be best to have a "framing" hammer for that. If the wood is hard you will need to use a drill to "pre-drill" the holes. This is creation of starter holes to screw the pieces that hold the artwork in. Then screw in those pieces. Also screw in the holders for the wire. Place the glazing and the work and the mat together into the frame. Move the pieces that hold the frame to the work, into place and tighten.
There is a myth that you should use a lot of picture wire on your piece. Don't! Pull it very, very taught. As tight as you can. The reason is that it will hold your work flat against the wall. Wrap the wire around the hardware on the frame three times if possible and then wrap the ends around the inner wire until it's finished.
After that I suggest putting bumpers on the bottom of the piece. These are little round, clear rubber adhesive shapes that hold the piece in place. You're ready to hang the piece on the wall! Next post will be about adhering your work to a mat, backing board and how to choose a mat.
I always recommend plexiglas, even in the case of pastels, charcoal and powdery, dry media. It's light weight and doesn't shatter. It scratches easier than glass but the shatter factor is important. Plexiglas, however, does have a certain amount of static and that can effect dry, powdery media intensely but you can purchase wipes and sprays that eliminate static from plexiglas. Plexiglas and glass are also known as "glazing."
With dry, powdery media - always use a mat and an under mat or acid free cardboard that lifts it away from the mat. That will allow for the excess to fall between the mats and not in front of the mat which makes it look terrible.
I prefer mats rather than spacers. You can guarantee that a mat will keep all of your work, no matter what the size is, away from the glazing. Spacers do not guarantee it, especially if the work is larger than 14" on either side. Sometimes an aesthetic or conceptual decision sometimes means that you don't want to have a mat. In that case you will use spacers which are plastic or cardboard pieces that lift the glazing from the mat.
Constructing wood frames is completely different from metal. Usually metal frames will have joiners on the corners and all you'll need is a flat head screw driver to put them together. Put three sides together. Then mat the work, and put the glazing over it. Slide it into the groove in the frame. Put the hardware into the final piece and put it all together. Tighten it and add picture wire. You're done and you have a wonderful metal frame. They come in all colors, sizes and shapes.
Wood frames are a bit more complicated but just as easy to put together but require a few more tools. You will always need a hammer, screwdrivers and an awl. Some will require you to use a drill to "predrill" holes for the screws to go into it. You will also need some Elmers Carpenter Glue and a wet paper towel. Put some newspaper or scrap paper on your surface. Pull out all the pieces and hardware and line them up. In fact this is a good idea when you are putting together anything.
You will see that there are spaces in the corners for a small plastic piece. Place some wood glue on one side of two soon to be adjoining corners of the frame. (Tip: Use it sparingly) Then place the corners together put the little plastic (or hopefully wood or metal) piece into two groves in the ends of the frame. Pick up the frame and wipe off the excess glue with the wet paper towel gently. Repeat until you construct the frame. Leave it overnight to dry - do not skip this step! Drying is very, very important. You don't want to damage your work with the glue or anything else.
When the frame is dry place it face down on a surface. Bang the awl with the hammer gently. It would be best to have a "framing" hammer for that. If the wood is hard you will need to use a drill to "pre-drill" the holes. This is creation of starter holes to screw the pieces that hold the artwork in. Then screw in those pieces. Also screw in the holders for the wire. Place the glazing and the work and the mat together into the frame. Move the pieces that hold the frame to the work, into place and tighten.
There is a myth that you should use a lot of picture wire on your piece. Don't! Pull it very, very taught. As tight as you can. The reason is that it will hold your work flat against the wall. Wrap the wire around the hardware on the frame three times if possible and then wrap the ends around the inner wire until it's finished.
After that I suggest putting bumpers on the bottom of the piece. These are little round, clear rubber adhesive shapes that hold the piece in place. You're ready to hang the piece on the wall! Next post will be about adhering your work to a mat, backing board and how to choose a mat.
May 17, 2009
::::Framing: Choosing a Mat::::
The first question when it comes to matting your work is esthetics. What color to choose? Whether to "float" the piece or cover the edges of your paper? What size will the mat be?
Ultimately framing is about protection. Making sure your work is safe from environmental damage. Matting your work will do this not only by covering the edges of the work (if you choose not to float the piece) and by keeping it flat. The mat will also keep your piece away from the plexiglass or glass (glazing). This is especially important if you use charcoal, pastels, graphite or other smudgeable materials to make your work. You can also use floaters (pieces that separate the frame from the piece without a mat) but a mat is the ultimate protection for your work.
Choosing a Color For Your Mat
There is a myth - mostly in academic circles - that all mats must either be white or off white. This is certainly not true. In the first place, why would Neilsen Bainbridge or Crescent offer choices in so many colors and textures (you can even get metallic, fabric and marbleized in some cases).
Think about your concept first and foremost. I once framed a brilliant pastel piece for an artist. It was 3" x 3" and depicted a shadow of a human figure on a toned white background. It seemed to me as if you were looking through a keyhole. We chose a charcoal colored mat that was 4 inches square, beyond the piece, on all sides and a metallic charcoal frame to match. It was extremely effective and pushed the concept. It was a beautiful piece and the frame really made a difference.
Secondly, think about the colors in the piece. I usually look for a pinpoint of a color, a spot of green in a corner for example, that an untrained eye would not see. I find that by matching that color it not only enhances the piece overall but can bring out elements that you wouldn't otherwise see. I find this trick remarkable sometimes and it can transform the piece into something that it was ultimately meant to be. Brilliant!
Of course, these two suggestions are just that. There are no hard and fast rules. Only you know the intention of your work and the best way to present it, so please have a part in framing the work. As I've said it can make or break the piece. I've seen artists hand frames over to the framer and the framer totally misses. A good framer will be a partner in making your piece sing and in your success. Remember always that a frame is the final "brush stroke" of your piece.
Acid Free
I addressed this in my last post but it is extremely important. Especially if you want to avoid mat burn or damage that can occur in a matter of one month. Materials are usually considered archival if their acid content is zero. PH is a measure of the acidity of a piece. High acidity is reflected in a low PH and vice versa. A good range is between 6.5 to 8.5. However your material should not register much below 7.0. It also depends on the quality of it's synthetic content and fiber as well.
Not only should you choose acid free mats, supports and materials for your work but adhesives as well. I used to use drafting tape and that was almost alright but the gum on the tape could have damaged the piece as it dried out and would cause burning in the long run. In my next post I will address how to attach your work to a mat and how to hinge the mat.
Ultimately framing is about protection. Making sure your work is safe from environmental damage. Matting your work will do this not only by covering the edges of the work (if you choose not to float the piece) and by keeping it flat. The mat will also keep your piece away from the plexiglass or glass (glazing). This is especially important if you use charcoal, pastels, graphite or other smudgeable materials to make your work. You can also use floaters (pieces that separate the frame from the piece without a mat) but a mat is the ultimate protection for your work.
Choosing a Color For Your Mat
There is a myth - mostly in academic circles - that all mats must either be white or off white. This is certainly not true. In the first place, why would Neilsen Bainbridge or Crescent offer choices in so many colors and textures (you can even get metallic, fabric and marbleized in some cases).
Think about your concept first and foremost. I once framed a brilliant pastel piece for an artist. It was 3" x 3" and depicted a shadow of a human figure on a toned white background. It seemed to me as if you were looking through a keyhole. We chose a charcoal colored mat that was 4 inches square, beyond the piece, on all sides and a metallic charcoal frame to match. It was extremely effective and pushed the concept. It was a beautiful piece and the frame really made a difference.
Secondly, think about the colors in the piece. I usually look for a pinpoint of a color, a spot of green in a corner for example, that an untrained eye would not see. I find that by matching that color it not only enhances the piece overall but can bring out elements that you wouldn't otherwise see. I find this trick remarkable sometimes and it can transform the piece into something that it was ultimately meant to be. Brilliant!
Of course, these two suggestions are just that. There are no hard and fast rules. Only you know the intention of your work and the best way to present it, so please have a part in framing the work. As I've said it can make or break the piece. I've seen artists hand frames over to the framer and the framer totally misses. A good framer will be a partner in making your piece sing and in your success. Remember always that a frame is the final "brush stroke" of your piece.
Acid Free
I addressed this in my last post but it is extremely important. Especially if you want to avoid mat burn or damage that can occur in a matter of one month. Materials are usually considered archival if their acid content is zero. PH is a measure of the acidity of a piece. High acidity is reflected in a low PH and vice versa. A good range is between 6.5 to 8.5. However your material should not register much below 7.0. It also depends on the quality of it's synthetic content and fiber as well.
Not only should you choose acid free mats, supports and materials for your work but adhesives as well. I used to use drafting tape and that was almost alright but the gum on the tape could have damaged the piece as it dried out and would cause burning in the long run. In my next post I will address how to attach your work to a mat and how to hinge the mat.
May 2, 2009
::::Preservation: Making Sure Your Work Lasts::::
One answer I often hear to the question of why an artist creates is that they want something that will live beyond their lives. Even if this is not one of the factors driving you, it is very important for you to protect your art. Remember that making art is a generous act, and you should be sharing your message with the world, as long as possible. At least make sure it gets out of your studio in one piece.
Therefore, I cannot stress enough that the investment in archival materials, from making, to matting your works on paper, to how you stretch your canvas, to how you store and transport your work, protection, protection, protection! It's paramount!
Make sure the words "acid free" are on the labels of as many products you use in art making as possible. In addition to promoting the life of your work, it's also good for your health and the environment. It also adds value to your work.
There is a phrase used on works on paper effected by mats and cardboard that is not acid free and it's called "mat burn." This can begin to show in a matter of months to one year. The best way to avoid this is to use only acid free mats and materials. Most art supply manufacturers are now making their materials archival and many are making them of sustainable, environmentally friendly materials. It's also not that expensive, anymore.
A good general rule of thumb is that chipboard, corrugated cardboard and newsprint are not acid free. Be certain before you purchase any art or framing materials that the words acid free are associated with it.
I was an art teacher for a while and many artists would pick up anything and start "doodling" on it. They'd pick up a pad of newsprint and say "Oh, I'm just doodling." Keep in mind that when you're just "doodling" you are free and relaxed are probably going to make the best art of your life. Do not use newsprint. Use sketch paper that's acid free - it's just as inexpensive as newsprint. You can get these materials a my art supply store. Here is a link: http://www.theartistobjective.com/ArtStore/index.html
After 10 years experience in the art supply retail world, I have gone out of my way to choose only the best art making and preservation materials in the industry. You know that what you purchase from my art store is top quality and will help you in the quest to only make the best art possible.
Therefore, I cannot stress enough that the investment in archival materials, from making, to matting your works on paper, to how you stretch your canvas, to how you store and transport your work, protection, protection, protection! It's paramount!
Make sure the words "acid free" are on the labels of as many products you use in art making as possible. In addition to promoting the life of your work, it's also good for your health and the environment. It also adds value to your work.
There is a phrase used on works on paper effected by mats and cardboard that is not acid free and it's called "mat burn." This can begin to show in a matter of months to one year. The best way to avoid this is to use only acid free mats and materials. Most art supply manufacturers are now making their materials archival and many are making them of sustainable, environmentally friendly materials. It's also not that expensive, anymore.
A good general rule of thumb is that chipboard, corrugated cardboard and newsprint are not acid free. Be certain before you purchase any art or framing materials that the words acid free are associated with it.
I was an art teacher for a while and many artists would pick up anything and start "doodling" on it. They'd pick up a pad of newsprint and say "Oh, I'm just doodling." Keep in mind that when you're just "doodling" you are free and relaxed are probably going to make the best art of your life. Do not use newsprint. Use sketch paper that's acid free - it's just as inexpensive as newsprint. You can get these materials a my art supply store. Here is a link: http://www.theartistobjective.com/ArtStore/index.html
After 10 years experience in the art supply retail world, I have gone out of my way to choose only the best art making and preservation materials in the industry. You know that what you purchase from my art store is top quality and will help you in the quest to only make the best art possible.
February 7, 2009
::::Scanning Slides-serious advice::::
Many artists have slides and need to convert them into digital images. The problem is when you scan them yourself the result can be less than perfect - to be diplomatic -and it can be costly to have 100+ slides scanned elsewhere.
It is possible to do it yourself. I recommend getting a scanner with a slide scanning capability (as well as flatbed scanning). I don't recommend any brand in particular but I do recommend looking for one with a transparency scanner of 5" wide or more - especially if you have transparencies. The one I have isn't that large and it's been frustrating but it does scan 35mm negatives and slides as well as flatbed.
I don't like all-in-one printers. Most don't have slide scanning ability and suppose one part of the all-in-one should break down? Then you've lost more than one capability while you have it fixed. Today scanners cost as little as $99 but be sure you're getting good quality.
Make sure the scanner can create .tiff or RAW files. Read below to see what those are. You will get more resolution. You should always save and photograph images of your work as .tiffs because they're clearer. Again I speak about that below. Do not spend more than $200. You can probably get a good slide scanner for $150.00 When you think about what it would cost to send the job out, it will pay for itself ten fold.
Now for tips about scanning slides.
Remember that you are working with a very small image. 2" x 2" at the most. The problem is how do you scan such a tiny image and get the most out of it - in a 5" or larger image? You must always scan at 600dpi or more and then reduce it later. The more pixels/dpi you have to work with the better. Save the image as a .tiff or RAW file. This will give you more exacting color.
Click the "Moire" or "Descreening Filter" on the scanner window on your computer. This will remove patterns or lines that appear in some images. I recommend clicking that button no matter what you scan.
Always use the Professional Mode on your scanner - unless your scanner has trouble recognizing the image. It will allow you more capabilities. However do not use color adjustment or brightness contrast, etc. Use Photoshop or similar photo editing software for that. It does a much better job. I guarentee it, no matter what scanner you have.
Now it's time to hit the "Scan" button. Go for it! You should have a perfect image - taking into account the quality of the slide. Also remember that while Photoshop can work miracles, a bad slide, is a bad slide. Don't be afraid to file them under "G" for garbage.
Once you scan all of your slides, do keep one copy of each. You took the time and spent the money to have them shot after all and they are a good physical record of your art. Always also burn CD's of completed images of your work. A burned CD is as good as a slide. It cannot be erased. Remember my personal philosophy. To be organized, keep records of everything you do and get your images out there wherever you can. It's important! I will be writing on other topics shortly beginning with framing next week so do stay tuned.
It is possible to do it yourself. I recommend getting a scanner with a slide scanning capability (as well as flatbed scanning). I don't recommend any brand in particular but I do recommend looking for one with a transparency scanner of 5" wide or more - especially if you have transparencies. The one I have isn't that large and it's been frustrating but it does scan 35mm negatives and slides as well as flatbed.
I don't like all-in-one printers. Most don't have slide scanning ability and suppose one part of the all-in-one should break down? Then you've lost more than one capability while you have it fixed. Today scanners cost as little as $99 but be sure you're getting good quality.
Make sure the scanner can create .tiff or RAW files. Read below to see what those are. You will get more resolution. You should always save and photograph images of your work as .tiffs because they're clearer. Again I speak about that below. Do not spend more than $200. You can probably get a good slide scanner for $150.00 When you think about what it would cost to send the job out, it will pay for itself ten fold.
Now for tips about scanning slides.
Remember that you are working with a very small image. 2" x 2" at the most. The problem is how do you scan such a tiny image and get the most out of it - in a 5" or larger image? You must always scan at 600dpi or more and then reduce it later. The more pixels/dpi you have to work with the better. Save the image as a .tiff or RAW file. This will give you more exacting color.
Click the "Moire" or "Descreening Filter" on the scanner window on your computer. This will remove patterns or lines that appear in some images. I recommend clicking that button no matter what you scan.
Always use the Professional Mode on your scanner - unless your scanner has trouble recognizing the image. It will allow you more capabilities. However do not use color adjustment or brightness contrast, etc. Use Photoshop or similar photo editing software for that. It does a much better job. I guarentee it, no matter what scanner you have.
Now it's time to hit the "Scan" button. Go for it! You should have a perfect image - taking into account the quality of the slide. Also remember that while Photoshop can work miracles, a bad slide, is a bad slide. Don't be afraid to file them under "G" for garbage.
Once you scan all of your slides, do keep one copy of each. You took the time and spent the money to have them shot after all and they are a good physical record of your art. Always also burn CD's of completed images of your work. A burned CD is as good as a slide. It cannot be erased. Remember my personal philosophy. To be organized, keep records of everything you do and get your images out there wherever you can. It's important! I will be writing on other topics shortly beginning with framing next week so do stay tuned.
January 2, 2009
More on Digital Photography
It's been a while since the last post so here I am again. Happy and Creative 2009. I have more tips about purchasing a digital camera, mostly from a class I took at Noble Desktop a few months ago.
Things to look for in a digital camera:
• More megapixels means you can make larger prints with good detail. 5-8 megapixels should be good but you may want more if you're doing professional photography as an art medium.
•The most important quality of a camera is image quality. Features can make a lower priced camera and a lower megapixel camera better than a high megapixel camera.
•Capable of high ISO - 800, 1600, 2300, etc. Remember the 35mm cameras? They had film speed. ISO is the equivalent of film speed. It means you'll have more options with adjusting for light.
•Clean detailed image with less "noise." Noise is the little dots around the edges around the image that shouldn't be there.
•Fast start-up time and fast focusing, and can take numerous photos per second.
•Controls and menus that are easy to understand and use.
• Long battery life. You can look for this in the number of photos per battery charge.
• Can save images as RAW. Very important otherwise you'll have only one choice to save your images in .jpeg. RAW also captures the most detail and the most pixels.
Accessories you will definitely need:
• Extra memory cards. I found this out the hard way. There I was on my trip to Jerusalem snapping great shots from the bus (you can see one below) and the memory card I'd been using for four years and emptied the night before said I had only 8 shots left. I'd only shot four! Where in Israel to get a low cost memory card? Yikes! Fortunately it was the last day of the trip and my cell phone also takes photos. It actually has a pretty good camera and I've taken photos of art with it but it doesn't compare to my Casio Exilim. I had a 256mb buy when I got home I bought a 2 gigabyte. When I get more cash I'll get a back up definitly!
• Extra rechargable battery - see the above. Batteries don't last forever. (When they do die please recycle because batteries have either lithium or mercury: both harmful for the environment).
•Mini-tripod - which are relatively inexpensive. If you are shooting art this is particularily important. Keep the camera steady while you shoot.
More on image types, resolution, what white balance and ISO is and many more things like that. Subscribe to this blog via atom feed or rss feed on the side to keep track.
Things to look for in a digital camera:
• More megapixels means you can make larger prints with good detail. 5-8 megapixels should be good but you may want more if you're doing professional photography as an art medium.
•The most important quality of a camera is image quality. Features can make a lower priced camera and a lower megapixel camera better than a high megapixel camera.
•Capable of high ISO - 800, 1600, 2300, etc. Remember the 35mm cameras? They had film speed. ISO is the equivalent of film speed. It means you'll have more options with adjusting for light.
•Clean detailed image with less "noise." Noise is the little dots around the edges around the image that shouldn't be there.
•Fast start-up time and fast focusing, and can take numerous photos per second.
•Controls and menus that are easy to understand and use.
• Long battery life. You can look for this in the number of photos per battery charge.
• Can save images as RAW. Very important otherwise you'll have only one choice to save your images in .jpeg. RAW also captures the most detail and the most pixels.
Accessories you will definitely need:
• Extra memory cards. I found this out the hard way. There I was on my trip to Jerusalem snapping great shots from the bus (you can see one below) and the memory card I'd been using for four years and emptied the night before said I had only 8 shots left. I'd only shot four! Where in Israel to get a low cost memory card? Yikes! Fortunately it was the last day of the trip and my cell phone also takes photos. It actually has a pretty good camera and I've taken photos of art with it but it doesn't compare to my Casio Exilim. I had a 256mb buy when I got home I bought a 2 gigabyte. When I get more cash I'll get a back up definitly!
• Extra rechargable battery - see the above. Batteries don't last forever. (When they do die please recycle because batteries have either lithium or mercury: both harmful for the environment).
•Mini-tripod - which are relatively inexpensive. If you are shooting art this is particularily important. Keep the camera steady while you shoot.
More on image types, resolution, what white balance and ISO is and many more things like that. Subscribe to this blog via atom feed or rss feed on the side to keep track.
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