haha since I have got myself that blog to post real life concerns on, it seems I have nothing to make journals about anymore!

but I was a little tired of seeing my face every time I logged on here. no more face please.

hopefully thinking about moving up a gear with art soon, as in venturing into the "art world" as they call it.
I have been asked to submit some work for an exhibition in London (this was actually a huge billboard that was to be placed near the Tate Gallery!) I have missed the deadline for that one I think, but I have been given an opportunity here for future exposure and I'd be mad to pass it up...

Of course in order to take part in anything I'd first have to sign up to the online gallery that organises these exhibitions, and any sales I make would have commission deducted, so yes sadly it does mean in order to make any money, I first have to spend it. I am beginning to understand the term 'starving artist'. (Not that I'm starving literally, just that I am starting to see that unless you are one of these lucky people who can make it on commissions alone, of which outside DA I have had none, then you have to be prepared to make very little, if only at first)

I was on a roll with the animal minipaintings, but I might have to reluctantly put those on hold, because I need to be painting larger, more saleable work. Because of the percentage of commission that would be taken off any sales I make (as would also happen in a conventional gallery), it is only going to be worth selling larger pieces at a higher price, at least through this site. I will probably save my smaller works for Affordable British Art which does not take commission off sales.

This is also bringing up a bit of a dilemma for me regarding pricing my work, which every artist finds difficult... what is too much, what's not enough?
As most if not all of my custom comes though DA I have tried to run my prices accordingly, ie probably not pricing them as high as I should do, because if I did I would not get any custom. But if I start venturing out into selling my work "in the big scary serious art world" I am going to have to bring my prices more in line with that, to make it worth my while. Therefore effectively cutting off any chance of getting any more commissions through DA. Number one golden rule of commissions/selling your art - you cannot have one price for person A and one for person B regardless of who they are - you must be consistent!

For example, as it stands I currently charge £65 for a 12x16" oil on canvas. Which sounds like a lot, but taking into account the works on this gallery website, none of which are under £200, and okay the subjects may be different but just going by what is there, or any other place I have seen art for sale, it starts to become clear that considering the time that goes into my paintings I should perhaps be charging significantly more than I am. (Which is a roundabout way of saying that there are people selling not exactly top fine quality work for hundreds!)

But what if I go ahead and raise all my prices and then I don't get any offers, interest etc... what then, come back to DA with my tail between my legs? (That would be funny... except it wouldn't really)

So yeah I am really undecided with all this at the moment. Every now and then I just feel I should start DOING something and making some kind of effort to get the ball rolling with this.

Oh look, an entry about art. lol