CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO -- FROM STUDIO TO PLEIN AIR



Poblanos Autumn, 12" x 9"

 (With thanks to The Pastel Journal where this was originally published.)

A man stands at his easel painting the breathtaking vista before him. The sky is bright blue, the day calm and warm. His black umbrella punctuates a field of green and yellow grass near shady cottonwood trees. The mountains are a sweep of cobalt and lavender, topped with crisp white clouds. It looks ideal. No wind. No rain. No bugs. No dust. It’s no wonder painters wish to paint outside on such a glorious day.

But the fact is that it can be uncomfortable painting “en plein air”—meaning on location. Dust does blow, bugs do bite, the sky darkens or the wind blows. It takes planning and energy to drag the easel, pastels and umbrella to the car, drive to a location, lug your gear to a spot, set it up and take it down, then drive home again, usually tired and sometimes unsatisfied with the day’s work.

Working in the studio is usually far less challenging than location work. There, you can control the environment and are able to settle down to work. Lighting conditions remain stable and you can take the time to carefully plan and execute a painting, which can be difficult when working outside. There are no burrs clinging to your socks or stray dogs wandering under your easel, no wind or rain to contend with. Studio work is much less physical, and if nothing comes of the day’s work at least you haven’t spent gas money to do it.

So why do so many painters go through all that to paint outside?

It’s simpler to paint a striking locale from a photograph, yet open-air paintings have a depth and range of color impossible to find in any photograph. Photographs taken at the same time and location look accurate but often are unsatisfying. We’ve come to believe that the color in a photograph is somehow more real, when in fact the interpretation of colors that the artist brings to a painting is far more valid. Shadows are frequently too dark or light areas washed out in a photograph. Paintings made on location have an appealing variety of colors, in shadow or sunlight.

Color is made from light. Painting in the natural sunlight reveals the complexity of the colors all around us. As you look into the shadows you can see details, though they are cooler and darker in value, while the light areas are luminous and glowing. Although most painters prefer to work under the shade of an umbrella or in the solid cast shadow of a building or other object, it’s not impossible to stand in the open sunlight and paint. Light and color go hand in hand. Light is the key to color, which is in turn the key to mood in a painting.

Still, plein air painting takes some getting used to. The almost overwhelming amount of subject matter can result in crowded paintings with no focal area. No piece of paper is adequate to the task of painting the whole world -- or even the western horizon alone. It’s necessary to limit the scope of what you paint on location. Rather than trying to do a painting of the road that leads to the house with the shade trees and flower garden, and the mountains beyond that with the clouds building up to a storm, it’s better to select only parts to paint. Choose the road leading to the house one day. Move closer and paint the garden another day. Then take on the mountains and clouds on a day when they are spectacular.

Even within the context of your chosen subject -- say the mountains and clouds -- use some tried-and-true methods to limit what you paint. Frame the world with your hands or use mat corners to block out portions until you can see clearly what will fit on the paper. Select a visual landmark where you can place your viewfinder, putting the corners in the same position repeatedly so that you can renew acquaintance with your selected bit of the world when needed. Some artists like to look through an empty slide mount. Because you have to close one eye to do this, your field of vision flattens, which sometimes makes it easier to see shapes as interlocking puzzle pieces.

Paintings composed using photographs often look different from those painted outdoors. They contain details that are easily ignored when painting on location, such as the grass directly in front of the easel and the branch overhead that protrudes into the picture plane. The camera lens puts the world out at arm’s length, pushing everything away from the viewer, changing the perspective. The point of view of a plein air painting seems grounded, as though you can sense the easel sitting in the dirt, and extraneous details are easily ignored.

Instead of attempting to complete a painting while on location, it might help to begin by making color and composition sketches on site. When you work quickly and freely you are freed from the desire to paint the perfect finished version of the view. Take along your camera to record details of the place but paint to record your personal response to the colors you see and select the viewpoint and details you want to include. The photographs then become an aid to your personal vision rather than commanding the image. In the studio you can use both photos and sketches to make a finished painting.

Once you discover the pleasure of painting on location and see the merits of color and composition done there, in all likelihood you will be willing to pack your gear and drive out to that special spot or spend time searching out a new one. The delight of seeing and the pleasure of recording your surroundings will begin to outweigh any annoyance and distraction you find there. You probably won’t abandon your studio but you will likely discover that location work strengthens what you do in the studio.

One day you may find yourself standing in a green and yellow field under an umbrella, painting cobalt mountains on a perfect day. No wind. No rain. No bugs. No dust. Then you will know why painters go out on location so often.

Coronado, 12" x 9"

________________

Materials for Plein Air

lightweight, portable easel
stone sack or empty gallon jug with twine
small palette of pastels (~125 half sticks)
small drawing board, clips, clamps
paper cut to 9x12" or smaller
11x14" newsprint pad with clips OR Clearbags (to transport paintings)
umbrella, clamps
spray bottle (to keep cool)
camera, sketchbook, charcoal, pencils, viewfinder, red filter
wet wipes, paper towels, tape, tools
sunscreen, bug spray, hat OR gloves, scarf, extra socks, jacket
large plastic bags (rain protection, garbage)
cooler, water
folding chair (if watching a demonstration)

Back yard plein air.

Many people ask me about my easel and palette setup for plein air. I keep it fairly simple. I use the Anderson Swivel Easel, which works perfectly for my height (5'4"), and an old Rembrandt box filled with half-sticks and smaller bits of pastels that I open and set on top of the easel. I carry most of my supplies in a rolling box. (I have carried things in my backpack, too, but I do that less often now.) I try to keep things simple, lightweight and portable, although I pack a lot into my car so I have it when I need it.

Painting with mast flat.

My well used plein air palette.

I enjoy the Anderson Swivel Easel because I can swivel the mast around 360 degrees, allowing me to simply turn another direction without rearranging my easel, or lay it down flat and paint looking over it, standing to one side of the easel. (In windy conditions this can be quite helpful.) It's lightweight, only around nine pounds empty. I often cut paper and tape it in place on my board, one piece on top of the next, so that I can start painting the moment I arrive on location. Then I simply remove that piece, slip in into the newsprint pad or a Clearbag to transport without smearing, and I'm  ready to begin the next one.

I prefer to do color sketches rather than trying to make a "finished" painting. I record the scene as soon as I'm set up and starting to sketch, taking a photo as I see the view from the easel. I record another shot at the end of the hour (if I paint that long--rarely any longer), so that I have two photos and a color sketch to use in the studio if/when I make a finished painting. However, having freed myself from the mental straitjacket of painting to a finish on location, ironically I'm far more inclined to paint what I consider to be finished work. The three paintings shown here, for instance, were painted entirely on location, with no further work in the studio. 


Corrales Acequia, 9" x 9"

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE -- CRITICIZE YOUR WORK

Self-criticism is a skill every artist needs to develop. The ability to look at your work dispassionately and see clearly its strengths and weaknesses is a tool that serves the artist as much as her easel or palette. The goal is to be honest without being overly brutal -- or too lenient.

It’s difficult to determine why it’s easier to dislike certain parts of a painting than it is to find those we value. However, most of us can go more quickly and easily to the things we don’t like about a piece. We need to develop a means by which we can evaluate the painting, something we can rely upon to help us find problems and see where we need to enhance our skills.

THE GOAL

Each painting should have an objective, some target you’re aiming at in this single piece. Setting goals helps you know where you’re headed and how close you came to hitting the mark. Your goal might be broad, such as painting realistically or capturing the quality of an object or mood of a place. Or it could be as specific as having put the detail in all the right places or utilized heightened contrast in value. You might be attempting to paint new subject matter, say landscapes, or trying out a new kind of paper or other materials. You might be attempting to use more brilliant color or broken color, or perhaps you need to concentrate on painting foregrounds or perfecting trees. Whatever the issue, first ask yourself where you were heading and where you ended up.

You must try more than one painting to achieve any goal. Challenges take work and time. If after your first attempt you’re not satisfied, look carefully for those things that worked and why they worked, then paint another one that aims at the same purpose. Most of us are not likely to succeed on the first try -- and even when we do, that probably will not give us the skill to be able to do it again. So don’t give up. Dare to keep on trying.

Hold onto your first attempts at something new in order to be able to compare later on. Consider this “research and development” a good way to approach something new. You can more clearly evaluate your progress when you have a basis for comparison. So slide the first attempt or two under the bed or into the back of the portfolio and pull them out later on so that you can see how far you have come.

THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF

Be willing to learn things you don’t know. This is a lot like walking to the edge of a cliff in the fog, not knowing how far you might fall. Until you’re willing to risk failure, trying something that you’ve never done before or something that you have had no success with in the past, you can never learn it. Many times we stand at the edge of the thing we don’t know and imagine it to be a cliff when it’s only a curb. The failure can be relatively painless in the face of what we can learn from going there. After all, how much do we learn from success and how much from failure? A baby learning to walk falls down quite a lot, but once he finds his balance he uses the skill for a lifetime. We will assuredly use the skills we develop, but we learn the most when are in the fumbling, falling-down stage.

DO NOT TOUCH

Once you think your new painting is fairly complete, spend some time looking at it, reviewing the goals you set. This time should be spent only looking, not making changes. Let your eye come to see the strengths of the painting over a period of time. This might mean that instead of setting it on the easel to review, where you could be tempted to grab a pastel to correct it too soon, you should instead set it somewhere away from the studio. Spend time with the piece, walking past it at different times of the day, in different lighting situations. Live with it a while until you have some sense of the good things you see there, as well as the things you know need changing.

When you see what needs to be changed, think about the solutions you might use. Too often in our haste to rid the painting of the offending portion we snatch a color and cover it up or wipe out that part altogether without taking the time to think. Stop and consider at least two or three possible ways to correct the problem. If color is the difficulty, what additional colors layered over might cure it or what color might replace the existing one? If it is a compositional problem, how might you rearrange the elements? Whatever the trouble, taking the time to think of several ways to treat it will help increase the knowledge and skills you must have as an artist.

When you’ve arrived at a decision about the changes to make, try the first way. If that seems not to correct the issue, try the next solution. Rational, well thought-out decisions are the instruments by which we learn.

FALL OUT OF LOVE

Never become so devoted to any one part of a painting that you’re unwilling to sacrifice it to the betterment of the entire work. These little icons of success can often be the obstacles that hold us back from progressing. No matter how successfully painted, if the sheen of light on the river is too light in value, distracting the eye from the center of interest, you must take it out. No matter how beautifully rendered the lacy edge of the foliage, if the sky shining from behind is too dark, it must be replaced. Too often we esteem the one part that succeeds and forget to reach toward the success of the whole.

Most of us tend to be somewhat enamored of those paintings that make it past the first few revisions. We’ve put considerable time into the painting and may find irresistible what has been achieved. Now we should wait until we have fallen out of love with the piece before continuing to evaluate it. This might be a good time to put the painting away for a long enough time that you forget that first blush of pleasure. When you can look at it more dispassionately, in a manner that’s detached enough to admit the flaws alongside the strong points, bring it out for a final evaluation.

THE CRITIC

Now is the time the painting should be subjected to the opinions or advice of the critic you select. Learning self-criticism does not mean you never ask another person to criticize your work. In fact, having a critic you trust is important. You can learn a lot about how and what to criticize by working with a good critic.

Find someone who can consistently help you grow and has your best interests at heart to help you evaluate your work. Whether this is an artist friend or a professional teacher you pay to critique a small body of work, do not neglect this aspect of learning and evaluation. You have to seek criticism in order to grow.

Do not ask for an opinion about a painting or body of work until you are ready to hear and use the advice. Nothing is gained by asking for guidance you intend to refute. To defeat this, be sure you know what you value in the piece and what parts you want help changing. Instead of approaching the critic with a helpless “I just don’t know what to do” attitude, it might be more helpful if you point out those things that please you and are working, as well as those you feel need improvement.

The opinion of an untrained critic can be valuable as well. If a neighbor steps into your studio, ask what she thinks of some aspect of your piece. Again, this might work best if it’s specific rather than general. Asking a question about the color or composition elicits a less ambiguous reply, but be open to hearing whatever comments come. Children can be particularly candid -- and often helpful in their forthrightness if the artist is willing to be open.

A LIFETIME SKILL

Criticizing your work is a skill that must be developed alongside the painting techniques you need to succeed. Being able to evaluate what works and why, as well as what needs improvement, is an ability you can develop with practice.

Set goals and remain open to possibilities. Be willing to take risks and look for the things you need to learn or improve. Take the time you need to see your strengths and weaknesses, to decide rationally on a course of action and pursue it or try varying solutions. Find a critic you trust and listen to the advice you receive.

As an artist, you have a lifetime of challenges and new growth ahead. Do not neglect the art of self-critique.

How to Criticize Your Own Painting

Before you change anything...

As you look at a new painting consider many possibilities before changing anything. Analyze these and consciously decide on changes before doing anything. Then ask the following three questions:

1. Where are the places of harmony and movement? What has succeeded? Which part is most pleasing to you and why? Are there places that you especially like?

2. Where are the places that jump out? What causes this? Think of two or three ways to correct the problem.

You may stop here and make the needed changes if you feel you have enough ideas and information to go on. If not, try step three, but be sure you know what you like and don’t like before asking anyone else.

3. Show the painting to a critic. This should be someone you trust to tell you the truth, trained or untrained, or can be someone off the street whose opinion you know nothing about. The idea is to get a fresh viewpoint, not to determine the majority opinion. Ask people to help you see problem areas before you make changes, then develop a plan and learn from what you try. This is a way to aid in the development of your own opinion.

Do not stand in front of a painting and “try things.” This rarely results in improvement. Instead, make brief note of the possible changes in each piece and consider what will happen if you try them. Willy-nilly changes sometimes work, but often you can’t sort out why.

Take the time to ask questions about the painting, then move around and try different ways of looking at it before you pick up a pastel.

When you’re ready, make the needed adjustments.



Questions to ASK about the painting

What was my goal in this painting? What is it about the place or the photograph that made me want to paint it?

Was there a feeling or mood I wanted to express here? Did I succeed?

What is my center of interest or focal point?

Have I used detail in the appropriate places to enhance the focal point, or is the painting overly detailed and boring?

Are there a pleasing variety of textures and lines? Do they enhance the focal point or overwhelm it?

Is there a good range of light to dark values? Do they form an interesting abstract pattern?

Where is the area of highest contrast? Where do the darkest dark and the lightest light come closest together? Is this enhancing the area of greatest interest?

Are the four landscape values presented accurately? Is the sky light, the ground medium-light, the mountains medium dark and the trees dark? If not, why not?

What palette of colors have I used? Are the colors in this painting generally bright, muted, dark or light? Is it mostly warm or cool? Would some variation improve it?

Did I begin with a strong underlying abstraction of shapes? Did I retain them throughout the painting? How might I improve this in the future?

Is the shape and size of the paper best suited to this composition? Would this painting be stronger if I changed the format?

What movement occurs in the painting? Is it interesting? Is it organized and complete? How could I vary the shapes to improve the movement?

Are the negative shapes in this piece interesting?

Are there a compositional X that traps the eye or a V that points the eye off the page?

Do I have a visual treat at the apex of any visual path such as a road or stream? Does it move the eye or stop it?

Is the linear perspective correct?

Is the aerial perspective correct -- lighter, bluer, less detail, less contrast, softer edges? Is there a sense of “air” no matter how shallow the depth?

Are there little objects sitting on the windowsill of the painting?

Are there any places where the painting is unresolved and mysterious?

Are there places where color jumps out or there are needlessly interesting details?

Are there any haloes?

Are there any wallpaper patterns?

Is there any object cut in half or less? If so, why?

Are there any unintended repetitive shapes?



Different ways to LOOK at the painting

Squint your eyes to lose detail. Is the underlying design of shapes and values strong?

Use a red filter to look at your painting, your photo or at the world so that you can see values. Remember that any reds will turn white or very light in value.

Stand back far enough that your painting looks no larger than a postage stamp, even if you have trouble seeing that far. Take ten steps closer. What has changed? Take ten steps closer. What has changed? Repeat. Notice how distance changes your perceptions. At what distance is the painting strongest and why?

Trace the movement by closing your eyes for a minute, then tracking where your eye begins and ends in your painting. Try this several times until your eye moves easily around the composition. Name the kind of movement: horizontal, vertical, circular, etc.

Look at the painting using only your peripheral vision. Stare at a point to the side of it.

Turn your painting upside down and sideways. Look for the abstract elements of color and design.

Look at your painting in a mirror or use a reducing glass or binoculars turned backward. Look for the abstract shapes.

Put a mat around the painting or use wide masking tape to make a mat to cover any vivid color on the edge of your painting.

Crop parts of the painting to see if it improves.

Put your painting in direct sunlight. What happens to the colors?

Put your painting under artificial light at night and use a dimmer switch to see how the light levels change it.



Remember...

Have more than one painting to work on at any time. Give your mind room to wander from subject to subject as your mood changes.

Find your strengths and don’t try to do someone else’s work. Emulate techniques. Develop your own style.

Let go of failure and look to the future.

Relax. Have fun. Learn. Grow. Experiment.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR -- ART FAIRS

You’ve been painting in pastels for a while now and have taken some classes and workshops. Your teachers have encouraged you, some of your work has been accepted to a national show, and even though you haven’t won any prizes you know it’s time to start making a little money with your art. A good next step might be to begin with an art fair. Art fairs, or booth shows, are a great place to embark on selling. Shows allow you to step into the sales arena with a relatively modest cash outlay, effectively introduce your work to a local audience that can be receptive and supportive, and help you find the price range and niche your work may fill in the marketplace. Being accepted to a fair may be the boost you need to get your paintings finished, framed, priced and ready to sell, and could provide the opportunity you need to be seen by galleries as a selling artist.

First consider local shows. If you can, attend the show and take detailed notes about what you see. Try to picture yourself showing there. Ask the promoters or participating artists what has been provided. If this is an outdoor show, find out whether the artists supply everything from the ground up or if a structure is provided. Notice whether aluminum display panels, pegboard sheets or other walls are in place. Most of the time there are small tables or cabinets where customers may pick up cards or brochures and the artist writes up sales. Take note of the height, style, and sizes used to decide what works best. Look at the chairs. A tall, folding director’s chair is often the best choice, as it allows the artist to sit at eye level with customers.

Once you’ve found a show that interests you, request a prospectus. The application should tell you a lot about the show, even if you haven’t been able to attend. For instance, is the show held outdoors or indoors? Do you have to provide your own display system or tent? If this is an outdoor show you’ll need weather protection for your pastel paintings. Determine whether you can you drive up to a booth to drop things off, or will have to carry everything in from a parking area. Find out the cost of entering the show and the cost of the booth, including all your options. In a juried show you submit slides or photographs, or present examples of your work, and there’s usually a jury fee that is separate from the booth fee. You need to know exactly what you will get for your investment.

You also want to know a few things about the show and its history. How long has the show been in business? A successful show will have a good track record. How many artists do the promoters plan to host? You’ll be sharing the available dollars with the other exhibitors. Do they intend to balance art and craft exhibitors, or is this exclusively a painting show? The kind of work featured will determine the response from the community. Notice how many days the show runs and what hours it’s open to the public, and find out whether you may safely and confidently leave your paintings in your booth overnight or whether you’ll need to take down the show each day. If you were able to attend the show, refer back to your notes. What was the venue and were there many people attending? What physical set-up worked best? Were there walls or curtains dividing the booths? Most importantly, could you picture showing your art there?

Once you have applied to and been accepted to a fair, you have some important decisions to make. You will need to look into the various methods for displaying your work. Most artists use flexible, lightweight display panels that may be broken down and carried easily, but provide attractive wall space. Outdoor fairs often require you to provide your own tent, as well. Your notes should give you some ideas of what artists do at these shows. Consider the need for lighting, if the show continues into the evening hours. Be prepared to deal with weather considerations, as well.

You need to exhibit a range of sizes and prices. If you’ve already sold work in an exhibit use that as your foundational price. If not, you’ll need to decide on a fair price for your work. Review the notes you took where you carefully logged the prices of work similar to your own and be fair in your pricing. Don’t undersell too much or unduly overvalue your paintings. Decide whether you are willing to sell your pastels without a frame and if so at what price. Think about the possibility of taking commissions for your paintings if your subject matter warrants. If you’re willing to do this, establish your deposit and payment policy.

A fair is a wonderful opportunity to advertise your work. Show promoters may offer you a chance to advertise in their bulletin, an effective way to get your name in front of everyone who attends. Be certain to have excellent business cards with a color photograph of one of your paintings, as well as your name, phone, e-mail address and web page on them. A brochure that tells about your history as an artist and features more of your work can be made on your computer. You can use the show as a chance to build your mailing list, so put out a guest book where customers can record their name, e-mail or mailing address and comments. Be sure to send thank-you notes to anyone who buys a painting, no matter the size or price. This is a great way to build good customer relations in your community so that you can continue to enjoy the life of a selling artist.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE -- THE FIRST GALLERY



 Portfolio--present all one genre (remove the portrait.)


The long-planned day has arrived. Today is the day you approach your first gallery. You’ve painted those six excellent pieces, had your mentor critique them, and have them nicely framed. You’ve shopped the galleries to find the top four in your target market and found the one you most want to show in, as well as determining how it reviews work. You have business cards, a brochure with some details about you and your art, a résumé listing the few shows you’ve been in, and an artist’s statement, all organized in your portfolio alongside excellent photos of your artwork. Now all you need to do is show the work and pray like crazy it’s accepted.

If some of these suggestions seem daunting, I suggest you take some time to study information devoted to marketing your work. There are some excellent resources in print and online explaining the ins and outs of making cards, brochures, portfolios and prints, not to mention articles in arts magazines with handy tips and cost-cutting information. Be sure that whatever you do fits your personality and artwork. Try to think things through from the point of view of the gallery owner or director before entering the door.

I suggest framing five paintings in three sizes, two small, two medium and one large. Show paintings that have a cohesive look, presenting a nice show hanging together on a wall.

• Choose paintings that show consistent style. (Yes, you do have a style, even if you can’t identify it. Ask someone else to help you select the work if you can’t be objective yourself).
• Select work that overlaps certain colors or themes, but isn’t all identical (not six sunset paintings). Even if it’s your favorite painting ever and won a prize at the fair, if it sticks out as being too different it won’t complement the showing.
• Stick with one genre: all figures in the landscape, all still life, all portraits. This gives the gallery an identifier they can use to sell your work. Later you may add other subject matter.
• Be sure that your paintings are framed in a style that suits the area. Look around at what’s selling before you frame your work and take mat color and style of frame into consideration. Frame all of the work in similar frames and mat colors. You want a consistent, professional look, not a garage sale look. 
• Have reasonable prices in mind for each piece, taking into consideration the 50 percent commission fee you’ll likely give the gallery. Once accepted, don’t hesitate to ask the gallery director or owner whether these prices are in line with what she expects to get, or whether they want you to go higher or lower. Be flexible -- you’re getting valuable advice from a professional you plan to do business with, so such questions show you respect them.

Contact the gallery via e-mail, or call on a weekday morning, to ask about their policy for viewing new artwork. Some galleries schedule a review day; others are more flexible. You will most likely hear that they are not seeking new artists at this time. Don’t let that discourage you.

ON THE DAY

If you are given a review date, ask what to prepare and arrive on time with everything they request. If you decide to walk in and discuss the possibility of showing with a gallery director, qualify the galleries you’ve chosen before going there. Make sure it’s the right place, or at least in your top four choices.

Prepare to go into the gallery at a very quiet time of day, with a relatively small portfolio. Dress professionally, relative to the market you’re entering. Don’t go in your paint spattered, ripped jeans or lug in a large framed painting. You should be able to carry your portfolio in one hand or on a strap over your shoulder. The sales clerk or director will spot you as an artist a mile off, so don’t try to pretend to be a shopper. Ask if it’s possible to speak to the director or owner. As soon as she approaches, tell her your name and identify yourself as an artist looking for representation. Smile, look her in the eye and be prepared to hear that they are not accepting work at this time. Ask when and how she reviews work. Have a business card ready to hand her with a smile, and offer to leave photographs, if she seems interested. Prepare a small photograph album containing your ten best paintings in a cohesive style, labeled with title, size, and medium. List your contact information inside and offer to leave it with the director if she isn’t open to reviewing work.

If she’s open to discussion, take the time to talk. Ask questions about the work or the gallery. A little schmoozing is acceptable as long as it doesn’t take too much time and doesn’t draw the director away from clients. Ask if you can show the photos of your work, but have a small framed painting inside your portfolio, too. When you open the zipper to retrieve your photo album, make sure your painting is visible. If she is interested in seeing your artwork, do not spread paintings around the gallery floor unless the director tells you to, and never, ever interrupt anyone working with clients. You’re there to support the work of the gallery. Your spouse or a friend should help you retrieve paintings, and hold back all but the two you carry in—your two best, of course.

As you show the work, talk about what you do. If this idea is hard for you, discuss with your mentor or a friend two things you can point out about each painting. You want to give the gallery a sales pitch they can give to a client, something like the location of the subject matter, a special color you used, or an experience you had painting it.

ACCEPTED

The director just asked you to consign work. Now what? Be prepared to read over any consignment contract the gallery may want signed, which is for your protection as well as theirs. Don’t quibble over details unless you feel that what they’re suggesting is outside the norm. Read sample contracts so that you’re clear on what’s standard. There are many showing online that you can peruse ahead of time.

Carry two copies of a short, simple consignment form in your portfolio, left blank so that you can fill in the gallery name and address, as well as the titles, sizes and prices of your paintings, should the owner want to take the work immediately. Most often a gallery will offer you a form, since paperwork is part of what you’re paying them to do. Don’t be afraid to ask about policies such as how often the gallery pays its artists and whether it sends notice when nothing has sold. (Most don’t.) This is professional and expected.

They want to accept all your paintings today and ask if you can deliver a few more in a week or two. Many galleries prefer to have some back stock so that they can rotate work or show interested customers more paintings. Be prepared ahead of time. Have three or four additional paintings stored at home ready to frame. If you don’t have the work, be honest and let them know when you can deliver it. Do not run home to paint four more and try to deliver them in a week. It won’t work, trust me. If you have work available, show photographs or agree to send digital shots via e-mail as soon as you can. It’s best to develop a good working relationship with the gallery by asking which paintings the owners want to show. You can always slip in a couple of your other painting subjects when you consign, if you don’t mind framing them at the risk of having them turned down. Determine some standard sizes you will use so that you can replace one painting with another.

It’s always a good idea to ask when the gallery would prefer to accept deliveries of your paintings. Some busy galleries won’t consign on Saturday afternoon, for instance, so be sure to let them know when to expect you, and arrive on time. Whenever you show up at the gallery, carry framed work in with cardboard corners in place. (I carried my framed work in homemade canvas bags for years, sized to accommodate three or more paintings that I could easily transport myself. This allowed me to come in quietly and unobtrusively, without making too many trips, and I could quickly corral corners to carry away when finished.) Ask where they would like you to place the paintings. Stack your consigned paintings in one spot and request that the sales clerk or director sign your already-filled-out consignment form as you count and read the titles of the paintings to her. You can always line out anything that isn’t consigned, and initial beside the title, if she doesn’t want it. Even if the gallery has paperwork it wants filled out, I suggest you have a neat little consignment form of your own. If nothing else, they can copy titles and sizes from your typed copy. Save them time, trouble and hassle!

Once your business is transacted, clear out anything taking up space, and if you have time return to the gallery to look at the work. Notice the prices, review the framing styles, look at the lighting, the displays, etc. You’re in partnership with the gallery to sell work, so take note of the business. Ask what’s selling, and admire the work you see. Keep a consignment list in your pocket and check your inventory to see that it’s displayed, that the price is correct, and that it’s clean and well-lighted. If needed, problems with any of these issues can be taken up later, over the phone or via e-mail. Take a photograph of the wall holding your work for future reference, if the gallery doesn’t object.

CONCLUSION

There’s far more to dealing with galleries than I can detail here, of course. Some have likened a gallery-artist relationship to marriage, and there’s some truth to that -- aside from “‘til death do us part.” Your job is to provide good work, ready to display, in a timely fashion. Their job is to represent you well and show and sell your work. Each partner must do the job well to make the relationship flourish.

When you encounter problems, think through how you want to solve things and approach the gallery personnel with respect. Remember that you’re one of many artists they deal with, so try to maintain a strong working relationship that’s built on mutual benefits. Determine that above all, as much as it depends on you, you’ll keep your word and try to consider things from the other’s point of view.

When you find a trusted gallery owner who can market your work well, you may develop a longtime working relationship that benefits both of you. The bottom line is to always seek out how you can support the gallery. Be sure to express your appreciation for the hard work the owners do. Thank them for sales -- send an e-mail or write a little note once in a while. You are in this together.

The End

Now that the book is concluded I want to acknowledge the help and support of my family and friends.

My husband Dan has been of immeasurable assistance to me every step of the way. He helps me to keep my priorities straight, guiding me gently and lovingly to see the Lord's will in my life. I can't tell you how many times he has taken a question into consideration, prayed and then come back to me with wonderful Scriptural support. We discussed at length publishing this book free of any charge, giving it away to all, something many people would have viewed as merely an opportunity for income. Dan saw the bigger spiritual picture first and urged me to live what I believe. Thank you, my love.

I also want to mention the ways my son, Chris, has been of service. He's one of my finest critics and most supportive fans. He's honestly looked at my work, asked some good questions, occasionally attended classes I taught, and has always reminded me that I'm an artist, in addition to being a child of God, wife, mom and daughter. Thank you, kiddo. Sometimes I need to remember that.

Each week as I've posted these chapters I've also relied on the expertise of Phil van Hulle. We met online at WetCanvas, where he volunteered his considerable experience and expertise in editing the chapters. Anyone who writes knows the value of excellent editing. At first I reviewed all the changes one by one, but in a very short time I recognized that each change clarified what I was saying and was very respectful of the content. Soon I simply clicked on the 'accept all changes' button quite confidently. Phil, thank you so much.

And I want to thank all of the readers up to now and yet to come. I've received so many wonderful messages from people telling me they are learning and trying new things. I'm delighted to know how these chapters help the beginner get started or the more experienced artist move forward. I've even heard form a couple of seasoned pros that they're enjoying the exploration of some subjects.Your encouragement means a lot to me. Thank you to each and every one of you.

I've said it for years to my students. Now let me say it to all of you:

It's looking good. Keep going!

Deborah Secor
Albuquerque
October 15, 2010

Thanks...

I just wanted to post my gratitude for the many well wishes and thanks I've received for the book. 

It was a "labor of love", first from the standpoint of one who loves this vibrant and lively medium, and loves teaching others a few of the things I've learned about how to paint the landscape, but mostly out of love for Christ, who gave me a modicum of talent and provided me with the opportunities to explore and enjoy using pastels. It was His example that showed me so clearly that I wasn't to hold out, hold back or expect to gain income from the book, but that in giving it away I would gain more than I could ever expect otherwise. The truth of that is difficult to prove, but it's real nonetheless. Your thanks are truly appreciated.

Although due to family needs I have few chances to spend time in my pastel studio, I continue to teach classes once a week with a devoted group of students, and I pursue painting in gouache on my little dining room table. My mind roves over the landscape and technical areas I haven't yet explored in this book, and as a result I have several additional chapters brewing. I sincerely hope to write them and post them here as an appendix, of sorts.

If you have a question or idea you would like answered, or would like to propose an additional area of study in the landscape as its painted in pastels, I welcome your thoughts. Please understand that for the present I'm not in the process of writing, but as I teach and post on Today's Art Class blog, much of what I hope to write is beginning to coalesce.

And in the nearer future, I hope to begin offering online workshops in the landscape in pastel. Look for that to come to fruition in 2011 sometime. I'll post opportunities here as they arise, but if it's something you're interested in doing and you have a particular subject you'd like to explore (i.e. sunsets, reflections, snow, night, etc.) send an email to me at d.d.secor(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll add you to my mailing list.

If this is your first visit here, please page through the Table of Contents Links in the sidebar. If you're new to pastels, you might want to start at the beginning and explore the possibilities in order. Perhaps you're struggling with a particular subject and stumbled upon the information using an Internet search. Either way, I hope what you find here is of help and interest to you.  

Every student is a blessing to me. Teaching is a delight, and freely sharing even more so.
Deborah

Pastel Paintings Sale Blog

I've been painting in soft pastel for over 25 years. Long story short: no room to paint in pastels and an urge to move on. (God given!) I have a staggering pile of over 250 pastel paintings ~ credible, beautiful, fun artwork, bagged up and hidden away in the dark of my art cabinet. Take a look: Paintings for a Song

Corrales Acequia, 9" x 9"

Colorado Contrasts, 9" x 9"