Art Marketing Buzz » News/Book Reviews

Gallery Wraps for your Fine Art

Tim ONeill — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:10:12 +0000

I love the presentation of a piece that is gallery wrapped. Wraps may not be the proper scenario in many cases but…for taking things on the road for street fairs and other venues like that, I think they are great.

Some of the great things about gallery wraps for me as an artist are;

1-They save me money when I am putting together a show. High quality framing is expensive.

2-They save me time, time in production, packing and unpacking.

3-I can easily protect my paintings. Custom made boxes are very inexpensive and I dont have to worry about glass.

4-A nicely wrapped canvas presents a “neutral” piece and keeps the focus on my work.

Obviously there are some challenges as well. I can hear the moans, groans and gnashing of teeth. You really have to cater your presentation to the location and the show. I am not thinking that a show made up of 50,000 dollar pieces, and hosted in an Antebellum home would be the proper place for a gallery wrap. On the other hand a high end show in a contemporary home a gallery wrap will work great.

Another thing to point out is that you don’t have the opportunity to make a back-end sell on a nice frame. If you have developed or want to develop a nice back-end income framing is one way to do it. I personally work with a professional framer for my clients. I know I leave some money on the table doing that but…I don’t like to frame, I would rather paint.

So for my work, most of the time a gallery wrap is good for an initial presentation. Even if you don’t want to use wraps for your large upper end pieces you might consider using them for smaller less expensive pieces or even for a print series.

So if you are interested in a very cool inexpensive way to wrap your images, check out Hahnemuhle Fine Art. They have been a favorite of mine for the high-end paper for some time. This new system for putting together canvas wraps is awesome.

Here is a video from Hahnemuhle’s PR office. This original video didn’t have sound. Kari from PR informed me a new video will be out in September.

You can get this wrap system from your local art supplie shop or you can contact Hahnemuhle Fine Art directly for the nearest vendor.

Digital Paint Magazine Release

Tim ONeill — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:46:44 +0000

A new virtual magazine publication has just been released. Master Painter John Derry and myself have started Digital Paint Magazine. The online publication is sparkly and fun. John writes in his “From the Editor” section,

Websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, instant messaging, mobile connectivity…the world is indeed shrinking. We now have a wealth of communication channels to choose from. Print-one of the elder statesmen of communication-is facing a strong headwind in this brave new world. Digital Paint Magazine is a small step towards combining the format of a print magazine with the now ubiquitous stream of digital communication.

A major passion of mine is exploring human expression. Art is a unique quality that defines what it is to be human. We all express ourselves in some way. It may be as simple as the clothes we wear or the style of our hair. Some of us discover ways to express our inner feelings in word , song, and art. Digital Paint Magazine will offer a look at a variety of people that have found expression through the new expressive digital tools.

It is our hope that these featured examples of self-expression-as well as a variety of educational content-will serve to inspire our readers to join the expressive renaissance that we are now experiencing.

DPM is a work-in-progress. No doubt it will change as we learn from our readers, as well as ourselves. One of the great joys of life is that we are always learning, always growing, and always expressing ourselves. So sit back, enjoy the ride, and challenge yourselves to further explore your own inner expression.

Welcome to the Revolution!

John Derry

Well-said John! We are pleased that the first issue is out and are looking forward to our readers, viewers and listeners to get involved. We want to serve up what is wanted and needed. Let us know if we are on the right track.

Rembrandt Goes Digital

Tim ONeill — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:31:00 +0000

I have often wondered what some of my heroes from back in the day would have thought about the whole digital revolution. Would many of them have embraced the technology and utilized it for a whole new movement? If so which ones? There is no doubt that the mainstream would have scoffed and that an image using pixels instead of paint would have been banned from the high-end shows. The thought of a pixel entering the Louvre would have buried the nearest hospital with heart patients. (still does)

That being said I was delighted to see a new digital spin from an old master. The Complete Rembrandt Lifesize is a new exhibition that opened last month in Boesingheliede, near Amsterdam, Netherlands. Full sized digital reproductions of all known paintings (317 of them), 285 etchings and more than 100 drawings can be viewed in much like they left Rembrandts studio. How cool is that?

Through digital artistry we will have the ability to see the full painting where there was a sizeable piece of canvas missing, the vibrancy diluted by time re-instated, and hidden details not viewable because of aging pigment now emerge into view.

The digital imaging of each of the 687 reprints was supervised by Professor Ernst van de Wetering. The photos were made under strong light and digitally processed. The post processing made it possible to visualize details that would normally not be seen by the average museum visitor.

Whats really cool about this exhibition is the images are organized chronologically. The exhibition brings together works from more than 100 museums and collections around the world. We can get a glimpse into Rembrandt’s mind. It follows his 45-year evolution from a young painter to possibly the most famous master of his day.

The Complete Rembrandt, Life Size exhibition will run through September 7th. A cursory check of cheap flights revealed 500-880 round trip. Amsterdam anyone?

Original article by CCTV posted here.

A New Look to Sell Your Art

Tim ONeill — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:35:09 +0000

Hey all!

Thought I would give a shout out and let ya all know we are sportin a new look at the buzz. There is a bunch of work being done on the site. We have a new template up and the header will be complete with the new logo soon. The other thing that will be happening is the pages will be changed and updated to make it easier to find the posts you are looking for.

Learning the marketing techniques to sell your art has never been easier.

If you aspire to write, let me know and we may find a spot for you on the team.

until next time,

Tim

Digital Finger Painting

Tim ONeill — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:59:55 +0000

The link here is to a review of a very cool digital paint app for IPOD touch or your IPhone. I was first introduced to this when Jorge Columbo did the cover for New Yorker magazine last month. I was in the process of jurying for an art show that was on the bubble of allowing a “Digital Artist” in the show. I sent the youtube video with my juried pieces so they could see basically one process for applying digital paint. This link is the original article in MAC World magazine I saw, it has a time lapse video of Jorge painting the cover .

Here is another Iphone drawing video, this from 26 year old Harpo from Okinawa. Digital Paint Video

Very cool stuff-

Data Visualization Art

Tim ONeill — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 20:05:04 +0000

Very Cool and unique art using data. I have not seen much of this and had not previously considered it as art. Viewed in the manor presented I thought it was awesome. Click here it for your perusal.

Personal Art…Way Personal, Down to To the DNA

Tim ONeill — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:33:17 +0000

DNA Portraits: as Personal as Art Can Get

Is this the coolest thing ever? Check out this awesome article from Juan Carlos Perez, IDG News Service as printed on the PC World website.

Dec 5, 2008 3:40 pm.

The company, co-founded by a graphic designer and a molecular geneticist, makes high-quality portraits of its customers’ DNA, ready to be proudly displayed in the living room or office.

“DNA is the most unique element in all of us. What we produce is a person’s life code as a piece of art,” says Adrian Salamunovic, the co-founder with the artistic background. “It doesn’t get any more unique than that.”

Salamunovic came up with the idea on a whim, after seeing some DNA images produced by his childhood friend Nazim Ahmed at work, a biotech company specializing in digital biological imaging.

“I have a design and marketing background with very limited knowledge of genetics and when I saw these DNA images I saw art,” Salamunovic explains.

Ahmed liked the idea of commercializing DNA portraits as art, but figured it would be nothing more than a side gig for him and his friend.

However, since starting the company in 2005, they have sold thousands of portraits worldwide and employ seven full-time staffers. So, yes, Ahmed and Salamunovic quit their day jobs early on.

None other than New York’s Museum of Modern Art carries DNA art in their store and the portraits have also been featured in an episode of the hit CBS television show CSI:NY (Crime Scene Investigation: New York.)

Their DNA art products, which range in price from US$169 for Mini Portraits to $1,200 for the most expensive regular portraits, hold broad appeal.

Portraits have been sold to celebrities, big-name CEOs and regular folks of all ages. Some couples have asked for their respective DNA images to be blended into one portrait. Proud owners of Fido and Whiskers have sent in samples of their pets’ DNA. “We’re never surprised,” Salamunovic says. “We have such a wide range of customers.”

What the customers have in common is appreciation for the unique and for art, Salamunovic says. “We create one of the world’s most unique products: art that happens to be portraits made from a sample of your DNA,” he says.

That, of course, could give pause to people concerned about privacy, since, as we all know, our DNA holds very sensitive information about our bodies, including our predisposition to certain health problems.

The DNA 11 co-founders from the start designed their business with these concerns in mind. People get their DNA sample by swabbing the inside of a cheek and sending the kit back to the company, which in turns forwards that to the external lab it works with. The sample is identified only with a serial number and, shortly after the customer gets the portrait, the entire kit is destroyed.

Moreover, the portrait is made from snippets of a person’s genome and there is no way to reverse-engineer the image to come up with revealing information about the subject, Ahmed says. Although the appearance of DNA 11′s art in a CSI:NY episode helps to crack a case, the scenario is poetic license.

That is not to say that the scientific element gets short thrift at the expense of art. DNA 11 offers customers what it calls the GenePak option, which can isolate four specific genes: the “sports” gene called ACTN2, expressed in all of a person’s muscle cells; the “brain” gene, called IGF-2 and associated with intelligence; the “love” gene, called NGF2, which triggers romantic feelings; and the “hair” gene, called MC1R, which determines hair color.

GenePak portraits also come with a booklet that explains the lab process and the genetic significance of the piece. But even without the GenePak, Ahmed feels that DNA 11 portraits implicitly help advance knowledge and awareness about genetics.

“Our artwork is very much an introduction to genomics through a medium to which everyone can relate to, which is art,” he says. “Exposure to genomics at a very interactive, entertaining level sparks people’s interest to learn more about genetics.”

So, if penning a string of lachrymose verses doesn’t quite give that aesthetic catharsis you’re seeking, and if pouring it all out to your journal fails to deliver an emotional release, it might be handy to have a framed snapshot of your DNA on the wall that you can point at and know that piece of art is, literally, you, and no one else.

Buffalo Bill Artist Rendezvous Call for Entries

Tim ONeill — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:09:20 +0000

This is an event that will bring your Art to a new level. What is an Artist Rendezvous? Well the Buffalo Bills Artist Rendezvous is in North Platte, NE. This event is put together to bring Western Artists together with Western models. The artist and actors/models work together to organize scenarios for photographing, those images then are used as resource material for the artist. This event is in during the week of NebraskalandDays, which is a celebration of Nebraska’s western heritage. June 20-22, 2009. This is a unique opportunity to meet high-end professional artist working in the western genre. Care is taken to limit the number of artist to 50 to ensure a specific market is not flooded with the same model/location/scenarios. Artist and models are on an invitation only basis.

Artist work directly with the actors/models to create the scenario they have in mind. The event is 250.00 for artist if they sign up by January 31, 2009. After that the entry fee goes to 300.00. That covers the three days of opportunity to work with the actors. The actors are paid by the artist who work with them. So each model will makea different amount of money. A person who has a unique look or regalia may be utilized more than someone else. For Artist bugeting purposes generally artist spend 2000.00-3000.00 in the weekend in tips. A good rule of thumb is $1 a minute forthe actors time. If the model or actor has equine or another animal then it may be 2$ a minute. It really works nicely. It may sound like a bunch of money to some but you are getting access to a model in period western gear, If you work with that model for 15 minutes it will only cost you 15-30 bucks. Oh and also this particular event is held at Buffalo Bill State Park in North Platte. We will ahve access to the barn, cabin and house for images. We also have 240 acres next door with 3/4 of a mile riverfront that we will utilize, and finally we will be able to access the Historical museum grounds where there are over 20 buildings to be used. As an additional benefit there is also an established art show that artist can jury into to make good use of time and travel expenses. The Nebraskaland Days Governors Art show is at the Qualty Inn and Suites Sandhills Convention Center. The art show is a separate event not associated with the rendezvous. We are working together though to make a better opportunity for artists. The participation fee for the Governors Art show is only 100.00 and includes a 16′x4′ space to display your work, admission to an Artist’s reception and Buffalo Bill Rodeo on Thursday, June 18 and a buyers reception on Friday June 19. Their will also be a 25% commission for any sale or commissioned work arranged during the show.

The artists and models will be invited by a jury process. If you have interest in application please contact Tim ONeill at topimages@msn.com. or 308-520-6512. You also can view the blog at http://www.buffalobillartistrendezvous.com/

Book Review-”The Dip” Seth Godin

Tim ONeill — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:36:55 +0000

Alright so first I will give you an apology for the funky formatting of this review. Weird. I know. I did this as a book report for one of my classes. I am finishing my masters degree. Weird. I know. At my age, not old by any means but not a typical college student either, I will not use the degree. It is the knowledge I crave. I have this bent to continue and learn marketing, copy-writing and that skill set that will keep me moving forward helping artist market their gifts. I learn more valuable information from being an entrepreneur and doing what I do. Th college enviornment is a different perspective. Art marketing is such a tiny little niche. As an artist I understand the need, as an entrepreneur I have a passion for marketing, not because of the logical-connect-the-dots-for-money, but because in and of itself it is an art form composed of the power of the word. In marketing art we utilize the power of psychology, sociology and many other sciences just like taking a brush to canvas or any other “technical” aspect of art uses science. I want to bridge that gap and utilize my right brain talents to combine the ever so slim left brain component in a synergy for producing and marketing art that I could not have had with either piece standing alone. Hence my passion for marketing. I digress, here is the review of Seth Godin’s, “the dip”

Critical Review “the dip” 1

Running head: Critical Review “the dip”

“the dip”

A LITTLE BOOK THAT TEACHES YOU WHEN TO QUIT (AND WHEN TO STICK)

A Critical Book Review by Tim O’Neill

Program Evaluation MGMT 551

Purdue State College

Critical Review “the dip” 2

Seth Godin’s book, “the dip” caught me off guard. I had heard the musings and rumbles,

felt the groundswell and partook in the many viral aspects of the internet launch of his

NY Times Bestseller but…it caught me off guard. His book has everything cool that

reflects the marketing genius of Seth Godin: The title creates curiosity, the title printed

without caps creates its own emotive response, (typically negative), it has a shamefully

simplistic dust cover and pencil drawn illustrations. Again, it uniquely screams, “buy

me”, “read me”. All typical of Seth Godin, what I didn’t expect though is content created

solely on a muse. No reference, or very little anyway.

This author, for those that don’t know him, is a phenomenal success by most people’s

standards. Seth has written a few New York Times bestsellers and is the editor of the Big

Moo, yet writing is not his main profession. He is the founder and CEO of Squidoo and

also one of the most popular bloggers worldwide. He is a serial entrepreneur. The target

audience for this book is not the folks who are content with mediocrity, or skating

through life on a whim. It is written for the motivated, those that want to stand apart and

excel.

The trail to Seth’s thought process is revealed in “the dip”. His basic premise is, be the

best in the world at what you do. I can hear many saying…yeah right. Isn’t there only

one best in the world? As Godin defines it, “Best as in: best for them, right now, based

on what they believe and what they know. And in the world, as in: their world, the world

they have access to.” (chap. 1, pg 10 “the dip”) The temerity of the statement “best in the

world” is unbelievable until you bounce it back on his prospective. Truly, best in the

Critical Review “the dip” 3

world can change according to timing, knowledge, the breadth of the “world” of your

potentialclient and other factors I would not have thought about. I happen to agree. In

fact, with his definition, it makes it believable, possible, even probable given time, effort

and a directed passion in your niche.

So what is the dip? Well, really a type of summative evaluation on a micro scale. It is an evaluation of personal goals, and where you are in terms of reaching them… as you’re striving for them. Andy Wibbels, another blogging expert and internet marketing guru defines the dip like this, “It is the escape velocity to superstardom. It is the ritual hazing of academia. It is passing the bar exam, getting your 2 top abs visible and then wanting to go for the whole six pack, memorizing a complete piano concerto or taking a microbrewery macro.” (Wibbels, Andy. May 29, 2007.) I love that. Seth explains it in a different manor though. It is the point after which starting a new project the newness wears off and the doldrums of commonality and repetition cause an introspective look at why you started the “project” in the first place. That is the dip. It is the “keep your eyes on the prize” mantra that I learned as a kid. Seth drives further though to say that just a few curves can define most situations you face while striving for accomplishment. There is the dip, which I have explained. The cul-de-sac, which as its name implies, means you work on and on and go in circles with out much change in the view. There are other curves explained in “the dip” but these two account for the bulk of the situations in our life’s.
Following the rabbit trail of Seth’s way of thinking we also then bump into quitting. He believes that quitting is not a bad thing and in fact “strategic quitting “(chap. 2, pg 16 “the dip”) is one of the unbidden secrets of success. The evaluative process comes in determining what types of situations cause you to want to quit, and when it is beneficial
Critical Review “the dip” 4

to quit as opposed to trudging onward. Likewise if you know what potential hazards the dip will throw at you, part of the evaluation process will be determining whether to start down a specific path to begin with. As an entrepreneur I find comfort that someone has recognized the power of quitting and put a different spin on a typically vilified taboo. While Godin is not encouraging serial quitting he is in fact suggesting an introspective evaluation of present circumstance to help determine if you are in a cul-de-sac.
In conclusion Seth’s book really did catch me off guard. I expected a little book chocked full of numbers, graphs and systematic scientific evaluation. What I found was an insightful peak at the way a multimillionaire in my field thinks, an insiders view of the various reasoning behind seemingly unsound decisions primarily based on anecdotal euphemism. It was a great read, motivating, thought provoking and totally unexpected. What does this have to do with program evaluation…everything.
For more information about the dip you can get another outside perspective from Guy Kawasaki at
http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2007/04/the_big_dip_ten.html, or hit one of Seth’s blogs at http://sethgodin.typepad.com/the_dip/, or http://www.squidoo.com/theDipBook

Reference:

Godin, S. (2007).the dip.
New York: Penguin Group.

(Wibbels, Andy. May 29, 2007. “The Dip” by Seth Godin (book review). Retrieved November 14, 2008 from http://andywibbels.com/2007/05/the-dip-by-seth-godin-book-review/

Dinner Conversation with John Derry

Tim ONeill — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 01:47:01 +0000

Hey all! As some of you know that have been following me on twitter or facebook I left the world of banking. I was a investment advisor with a regional bank and last Friday was my last day!!! i left my position so I could dedicate more time to building my online businesses. My new gig is with AAA where I am a field manager. I will be working alot less and have more flexiblity with time, not to mention less responsibility. So anyway with Monday being my first day I headed to Omaha to see the corporates. What a nice little get-a-way. As it turns out I was fortunate enough to get in touch with my friend John Derry. Many of you know John. He is an excellent artist and photographer as well as the co-creator of Corel Painter. We had the opportunity to set down and eat dinner. What a blast! It was great to chat with John and catch up with what was happening in his world. We talked about painter, painting, the history of painter, marketing, internet marketing, how to get some fine art prints out in the world, fulfillment, video production of “how-to” materials, putting together workshops and on and on. Poor guy. It was nice though, a 99 cent margarita and good conversation with a friend. What could be better?

I can let you in on a small secret. John has moved back to Nebraska, which is not a secret, and will be putting together some workshops. Some really fun stuff you cant miss. The secret though is John will be coming out with a very special fine art print. It will be offered and explained by John soon. What I can tell you is that this special offering will be put together for a specific purpose. It will be a way to raise some funds to offset the rising cost of Pam’s (Johns wife) Leukemia. You will want to be a part of this. We have the opportunity to own a really nice pice of John Derry fine art and at the same time be able to offer support for an awesome family and a pioneer in our industry. You can check out Johns site here. Also keep checking this blog as I will be doing a podcast with John as well. I am not sure when we will publish it but it will be recorded in the next several days. So stay tuned!