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Sponge Painting

Thursday, May 15th, 2008 by Alyice

Can you really make beautiful art with everyday household sponges and a few acrylic paints? According to Terrence Lun Tse you can! And that’s just what he proves in his exciting book, Sponge Painting.

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I originally went to the bookstore to find a few books on painting backgrounds as I have a few ideas that could use a little polishing but when I found Tse’s book, I had to buy it. It’s amazing what he does with an ordinary household sponge and how many beautiful effects you can create with nothing more than a rectangular sponge, a little water, and acrylic paints. In fact, I think it’s a great book for beginning collage artists who want quick, easy, and fun backgrounds for their collage work.

There are 20 projects in the book with 14 quick sponge painting demonstrations and four pages of getting started instructions.

The projects start with a photo of the actual painting you’ll be making and a description of that painting. It’s followed by a list of acrylic paints you’ll need to complete the project along with colored squares to help you match the colors correctly. Next you’ll see a few photos of the painting in progress and step-by-step instructions on how to achieve certain effects. Finally, you’re given instructions on how to critique the piece so that you can give yourself constructive criticism and make the changes necessary to go from “okay” to “wow”.

After showing the book to my daughter she asked if we could do a few projects together this summer. I can’t wait! It’s the first book I’ve shown her that she actually thought she’d have fun doing as a “mother-daughter” activity.

Alyice Edrich, Editor-in-Chief

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The Business Side Of Things

Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 by Alyice

Have you ever wondered how some artists are able to make a nice living doing what they love? Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “How do I get there, too?”

Art is such a subjective thing in that what one considers to be art another does not. And so, in order to succeed as an artist, one must be willing to be susceptible to the criticisms of others. That’s no easy task for an artist. Artists create with their souls and their works are an extension of who they are on the inside. It’s like that expression often used when someone is transparent in both body language and words. But instead of saying “She wears her heart on her sleeve” we say, “She wears her heart in her work.”

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I suppose that’s why you often hear artists of every gender, age, and media say, “I’d rather be in the studio.” It’s hard to be told how to create something. It’s hard to be told that something you created, in which you thought was simply brilliant, was missing its mark. And yet, those are things an artist must endure when building a business around their works.

That’s why I was excited to discover Alyson B. Stanfield’s new book, “I’d rather be in the studio: The Artist’s No-Excuse Guide To Self-Promotion.” It truly is jam-packed with thought provoking questions designed to make you think about your art in a whole new way.

Are you a hobbyist or are you an artist on a mission? Do you want your art to replace your income or do you simply want it to supplement your income? And if you do want to make an income from your art, how are you going to get there? These are questions you’ll ask yourself as you delve into Alyson’s book. And these are questions you’ll find answers to if you use her book as the home study course it was designed to be.

As someone who already runs a successful online business, there’s a lot of information I already knew, like using the Internet and the press to promote my business, taking advantage of blogs, websites, e-zines, and utilizing online networks. But there were so many other things that pertained specifically to the art industry that I did not know and that’s where I got the most bang out of the book. Like did you know that an “Artist’s Statement” could mean the difference between getting into a gallery showing and being turned away—even if your work was good? Did you know that too much talking during an exhibit, about your work could turn buyers off, but just the right amount could actually get you the sale? And did you realize that you can actually begin following up with past buyers—even if it’s been two years from the sale?

Seriously, if you are thinking about making money with your art, increasing awareness about your art, or taking your current art business to the next level, you’ll want to pick up a copy of “I’d rather be in the studio.” There’s some solid advice in the book. In fact, I have several pages earmarked for future reference.

Alyice Edrich, Editor-in-Chief

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