ArtofJohnFrench - My Own Art Studio
I'm always on the lookout for new places from which to share my art. Now, I want to send such links to COLLECTORS!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Seven Ways to Avoid Competing On Price | Blog | Daily Dose | Entrepreneur.com
Seven Ways to Avoid Competing On Price | Blog | Daily Dose | Entrepreneur.com: - Sent using Google Toolbar
More on the previous blog post!
More on the previous blog post!
The Dark Side of Discounts | Entrepreneur.com
The Dark Side of Discounts | Entrepreneur.com: - Sent using Google Toolbar
I'm thinking about some kind of sale to coincide with The Purple World Art Exhibit on November 15 in Ishpeming.
The main points that I got from this article were:
1) Discounting trains buyers to pay less and wait for sales.
2) Discounting devalues your work.
3) Discounts are good for bundles, like two or more paintings.
I currently offer discounts to repeat buyers, but not new buyers. That works well keep repeat clients, but not to attract new clients.
I'm thinking about some kind of sale to coincide with The Purple World Art Exhibit on November 15 in Ishpeming.
The main points that I got from this article were:
1) Discounting trains buyers to pay less and wait for sales.
2) Discounting devalues your work.
3) Discounts are good for bundles, like two or more paintings.
I currently offer discounts to repeat buyers, but not new buyers. That works well keep repeat clients, but not to attract new clients.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Late Friday Funday- The Bard and the Wolf Witch
Very often I find inspiration in many places, then pull it together for one painting. It's great fun for me to piece these different elements into one painting.
My fantasy painting "Bard and the Wolf Witch", available on my Art of John French Fantasy page, is a perfect example of the marrying of many inspirational parts into one painting.
First, a word about the style. At this time I was experimenting with glazes, trying to get a stained glass feel. This inspiration came from a trip to Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland is full of Tiffany Stained glass windows, peppered throughout it's once rich architectural landscape. Louis Tiffany used some unusual chemical processes to create the pains of glass. The effect is deep, rich color and atmosphere.
I accomplished a similar feel by outlining major portions and regions with dark paint. Then I layering thin glazes of pure color over other color, and blended two colors together in each region. The original glows!
Next, lets talk about the background: Near the town I live in is a huge network of abandoned iron mine sites. There are miles and miles of tunnels running underneath the rocky hills. as a result of ths undermining, one of the hills is pealing away from itself, like a rotting onion. This has left some narrow and very deep crevices on one side of the hill. Iterestingly, a lot of the iron ore from these mines was shipped to... yep, Cleveland!
I increased the scale of this already incredible feature and added a waterfall to it. I knew I wanted some sort of conflict to take place on the log. I decided it should be wild physique against calm, spiritual intellect. To further enhance the opposing and conflicting ideas, I decided one should be female, the other male.
The female came easy. She's based on some sketches I'd done much earlier. I gave her a fatastical wolf as a companion. As for the male, it was time to go back to Cleveland!
Like most cemeteries, Lake View Cemetery (thanks, Stephen Bay) is a haven of art, architecture, culture and history. Lake View is the final resting place of President Garfield, John D Rockefeller, Eliot Ness, and many other wealthy Cleveland socialites. The statue below is a grave marker of one of these people from a time when Cleveland was more affluent. I believe it's St.John. In one hand he holds a large book, and though you can't see it here, there's an Eagle perched at his feet.
I mirrored the statue and replaced the book with a harp. Now I had a revered and wise bard, searching for something, and on finding it is challenged by his polar opposite.
The result isn't a clash of good and evil (as someone recently pointed out to me at an art show, wolves aren't evil). It's more of a clash of cultures and of spirituality; a clash which puts both sides on the brink of destruction!
"The Bard and the Wolf Witch" is available directly from the artist for $325.00.
My fantasy painting "Bard and the Wolf Witch", available on my Art of John French Fantasy page, is a perfect example of the marrying of many inspirational parts into one painting.
I accomplished a similar feel by outlining major portions and regions with dark paint. Then I layering thin glazes of pure color over other color, and blended two colors together in each region. The original glows!
Next, lets talk about the background: Near the town I live in is a huge network of abandoned iron mine sites. There are miles and miles of tunnels running underneath the rocky hills. as a result of ths undermining, one of the hills is pealing away from itself, like a rotting onion. This has left some narrow and very deep crevices on one side of the hill. Iterestingly, a lot of the iron ore from these mines was shipped to... yep, Cleveland!
The female came easy. She's based on some sketches I'd done much earlier. I gave her a fatastical wolf as a companion. As for the male, it was time to go back to Cleveland!
Like most cemeteries, Lake View Cemetery (thanks, Stephen Bay) is a haven of art, architecture, culture and history. Lake View is the final resting place of President Garfield, John D Rockefeller, Eliot Ness, and many other wealthy Cleveland socialites. The statue below is a grave marker of one of these people from a time when Cleveland was more affluent. I believe it's St.John. In one hand he holds a large book, and though you can't see it here, there's an Eagle perched at his feet.
 |
| I'm sorry, but I can't find the original picture I took and used. |
The result isn't a clash of good and evil (as someone recently pointed out to me at an art show, wolves aren't evil). It's more of a clash of cultures and of spirituality; a clash which puts both sides on the brink of destruction!
"The Bard and the Wolf Witch" is available directly from the artist for $325.00.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Friday Funday: A Greek Goddess for a Perfect Client.
Today I want to tell you about one of my favorite clients, and one of my more successful person to person marketing and sales experiences.
At the start of this year, I started a Google Adwords campaign to bring traffic to my website and some cash to my accounts. The ads attracted a lot of visitors, but no purchasers. So I constantly tweaked my ads, trying to appeal to a shopping sort of searcher.
I created an Adwords Commissions ad group, a sort of sub-campaign focused on attracting commission seekers. Soon after I was contacted by Rich. Rich had seen my ad while looking for art on Ebay. He asked me if I was interested in taking on an art project for him.
Of course I was!
First of course, I found out what he wanted. He wanted a tasteful nude for his study. No problem! I love painting figures, but it's difficult to sell them.
I asked him where he was from. Washington State, near Seattle. I told him a bit about myself and my area. We discussed the weather. I was dealing with snow. He had rain. Sometimes he had fog with his rain.
Then I asked him to please look closely at my work and make sure my style fit his needs. He replied that he already had, and that he was an avid art collector who would never rush into an art purchase.
He was qualified, we had built trust, and I was thrilled...and nervous!
He even sent me a picture similar to what he had in mind. It was a nude woman in a forest setting. I sent him a picture I'd taken near Canyon Falls in Upper Michigan. We agreed that his nude should be in a similar setting.
I added some much needed sunshine to Rich's painting. I took one last picture, making sure my camera adjustments were right and the photos were accurate. Finally, it was ready to send. Rich sent me the other half of the price, and I shipped it. I even took care of shipping for him.
After Rich got his painting, he let me know how pleased he was. He framed it and proudly displayed it on his library wall. He sent me a picture of it and allowed me to use it on my website.
At the start of this year, I started a Google Adwords campaign to bring traffic to my website and some cash to my accounts. The ads attracted a lot of visitors, but no purchasers. So I constantly tweaked my ads, trying to appeal to a shopping sort of searcher.
I created an Adwords Commissions ad group, a sort of sub-campaign focused on attracting commission seekers. Soon after I was contacted by Rich. Rich had seen my ad while looking for art on Ebay. He asked me if I was interested in taking on an art project for him.
Of course I was!
First of course, I found out what he wanted. He wanted a tasteful nude for his study. No problem! I love painting figures, but it's difficult to sell them.
I asked him where he was from. Washington State, near Seattle. I told him a bit about myself and my area. We discussed the weather. I was dealing with snow. He had rain. Sometimes he had fog with his rain.
Then I asked him to please look closely at my work and make sure my style fit his needs. He replied that he already had, and that he was an avid art collector who would never rush into an art purchase.
He was qualified, we had built trust, and I was thrilled...and nervous!
He even sent me a picture similar to what he had in mind. It was a nude woman in a forest setting. I sent him a picture I'd taken near Canyon Falls in Upper Michigan. We agreed that his nude should be in a similar setting.
Next, I had to perform a simple, yet difficult and important selling task: I had to ask for the sale. We agreed on a price and I asked for my customary ten-percent down. He sent me fifty-percent! He asked for several sketches before I started painting. I wanted a happy customer, so I obliged. Now I've made this is my standard practice.
Rich liked something like the last drawing, so I developed this sketch. Rich took to calling the painting "Persephone", after the Greek Queen of the Underworld. I took pictures often of Persephone and emailed them to him. Always we had a short, friendly conversation. Our snow was melting, making way for new snow. He still had rain. Sometimes he had sun around noon.
After Rich got his painting, he let me know how pleased he was. He framed it and proudly displayed it on his library wall. He sent me a picture of it and allowed me to use it on my website.
Rich in Seattle was my perfect client, and I think I was a good business man; Rich has asked me about doing another commission for him!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)