One Artist's Journey

I was thinking about this. Tell me if it is a good idea.

If you have a favorite travel photo you would like turned into an abstract painting, similar to what I have been doing the past two weeks, I can do that for you.

Price will depend on finished size (your call) and if there are people in the photo (portrait or in the background, etc).

If you are interested, you can contact me at shaun[at]oneartistsjourney[dot]com

I realize I have a problem if I want to be a professional artist. I don’t think I like selling my paintings (my babies). Painting/creating is such a personal matter that I think it is hard for me to sell my creations.

If that is the case, then I am going to have a difficult time being a professional artist. So, I need to come up with a mind game that helps me to be able to sell my paintings.

I could use the money – yes.
I like it when other people appreciate what I create – yes.
I want my paintings to have a good home – yes.
There is no way in the world I can display all my paintings myself – yes.
If my house burned down, all my art would go with it. If I sell it, I am spreading out the risk so that something would survive – yes. (Don’t laugh, I think the weirdest little concept is what will do it for me!)

If any of you reading this have an answer to my problem, please let me know in the comments on this page. I read all the comments you send, even if I don’t reply back.

Please don’t let this post discourage anyone from buying a piece of art from me. Perhaps you can be part of the cure.

Spent the morning getting all my new paintings posted to my fine art blog. Can I just share the steps it takes to get a photo online?

1) Create the art

2) Take a picture of it

3) Download the photo from the camera to my wife’s computer. there are invariably family pictures on the camera and she is keeping track of them on her machine.

4) Choose the best photos (straightest, best color, etc.) and put them on a thumb drive.

5) Transfer the photos to my computer.

6) Open the photos in Photoshop, crop the photo and make sure it is straight. Then optimize the color and contrast and change the size and export for the web.

7) Make sure the images go into the right folder. Drag the optimized photos into iPhoto

8)Drag the photos from iPhoto into iWEb where I have created my galleries for http:/www.shaunellsworth.com.

9) Import the photos into Wordpress (where I have my blog at http://www.oneartistsjourney.com) and then import the image into a blog post.

10) Double check everything. Make sure I didn’t forget or leave one out. Whew… done.

Now I am done. Time for lunch and then down to the studio for some “fun and natural” painting before the boys get home. And no, I don’t paint in the nude.

Abstract #9 - 12” x 12” Acrylic on Masonite - $200

I have been trying to so some fine art photography of my images so I can post them online. Posting them on the blog is not a big deal because the fine art images don’t have to be that big. However, I found a site called Imagekind, where they will do fine art prints from my photographs. As we say in the graphic design industry, “Garbage in, garbage out.” If I send them trashy images, people will get trashy prints.

So, today I went outside on the back deck, set up a sheet as a reflector so I could get more light and took high resolution photographs of my paintings and drawings.

Sorrow - 9” x 9” Acrylic on the rough side of Masonite - $200

Later, when I tried to color correct the images in Photoshop, I got close, but it still wasn’t perfect. Then I learned that my camera has a custom white balance feature. What that means is I can tell my camera what “white” is. I take a sheet of white paper out where I am shooting the images. I tell the camera that the paper is white and it resets itself so the colors should be more true to real life, based on the lighting conditions at that time.

It shouldn’t matter if it is morning, afternoon, or there is a yellow tinge because there is smoke in the air, whatever. I am going to res shoot everything tomorrow and see if I can get closer so i don’t have to do a bunch of corrective work in the computer.

Abstract #7 - 12” x 16” Acrylic on Masonite - $200

PAINTINGS COMPLETED TODAY: 2
PAINTINGS COMPLETED TO DATE: 18

First let me say that my art paintings for sale include everything you see on this site. If you see something you like, you can email me at shaun[at]oneartistsjourney [dot]com. I would be very happy to hear from you.

I worked on two abstract paintings today. I had absolutely no time but with my new-found determination to get into the studio every single day, I made some time and painted two paintings.

Abstract #8 - 16” x 12” Acrylic on Masonite - $200

I have been thinking about getting a star rating system for the site, then you can vote on pictures you like. That is good so I know what people like. It is also good because artists need validation. What do you think? PLease comment below and let me know if you would like to vote on my pictures. Thanks!

The two abstract paintings I did today were fun to do. I am trying to make up 10 years of lost time and get back the style I used in college. I understand things have changed; I have more experience, etc. But I really liked the art I created in College so that is my first goal. To get lose and instinctual like I was then. My wife said the two I did today reminded her of my work back then. Maybe I am on the right track.

I found a blog of a draftsperson. I really like her stuff, especially her koi and garden drawings. She uses really bright colors in her (pastel?) drawings. http://alethakuschan.wordpress.com