No One Said it would be easy

“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs … one step at a time.” - Joe Girard

Turnips, roots

About This Painting: About five years ago I started a series of paintings called organic vegetables paintings and roots in watercolors and oils. Most of the work has been sold and I think I am ready to start painting roots in a new way. The first in the series will just be a lines of different root vegetables and then I will see where my twisted little mind takes me.

Turnips
9x12 watercolor on 140 lb watercolor paper

Media: watercolor

Size: 12 in X 9 in (30.5 cm X 22.9 cm)

Price: $50 USD

How to Purchase:

click here to bid on this painting

Or, send me an email

All Work ©2006-20014 Art by Delilah

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

Fisherman painting Demo

Fisherman

About This Painting:

Fisherman
5x7 oil painting on linen mounted on a museum quality panel

Media: oil painting

Size: 7 in X 5 in (17.8 cm X 12.7 cm)

How to Purchase:

click here to bid on this painting

Or, send me an email

"post your opinion in the comments" Or, send me an email
Thank You:
Art by Delilah, with a Passion for PaintingAll Images © 2006-2014

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

Painting Demo of a Strawberry

Strawberries

5x7

Click Here to Bid

"post your opinion in the comments" Or, send me an email
Thank You:
Art by Delilah, with a Passion for PaintingAll Images © 2006-2014

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

Painting an Orange in oil paints High Speed Demo

Orange Still Life No. 3

About This Painting:

Orange Still Life No. 3
oil painting on canvas panel
5x7

Media: oi paintng

Size: 7 in X 5 in (17.8 cm X 12.7 cm)

Price: $50 USD

How to Purchase:

click here to bid on this painting

Or, send me an email

"post your opinion in the comments" Or, send me an email
Thank You:
Art by Delilah, with a Passion for PaintingAll Images © 2006-2014

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

Work in Progress

I have been working on the large fish painting, one fish at a time.

I have been picking just one fish an working on that area. This weeks I started with this fish.

I added some more color to the base.

I started adding more layers of color.

This little fish is starting to have some visual texture.

I got this far and now have to wait and let this area dry before I can add more glazing to it.

Now it's time to move on to another fish.


" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

How to Grow as an Artist Part . 2

Space: Find a space that is always yours--where you can set up and work in continuity. It need not be large, but it ought to be yours.

Artists studios like office spaces are as diverse as the people who work in them. There is no hard and fast rule as to how they should be laid out or what you should have in them as essentials!

I know one artist who turned a very small unused closet into their art space.

Depending on the art one creates, the height of the space is important.
My studio in Florida only has 8 ft ceilings and this is a big problem for me. I do a lot of watercolors when I am Florida or plein air because of this issue.There is always a way to create if painting is your passion.

Studio spaces outside the home fit into three categories. A "private studio space" (which means the space does not have regular times when it is open to the public) is strictly for experimentation, conceptual and technical development, and physical production of work.

 A "studio/exhibition space" is similar in its creative nature to a private studio but is regularly open to the public and showcases pieces specifically from the artist who works in that space.

 A "studio/gallery space" is where an artist creates works in the space and features those artworks as well as pieces from artists who produce elsewhere.

And don't forget if this is not in your budget try Plein Air painting it is truly wonderful.

When working with oil paints and solvents, ventilation is always recommended but more so in a small space. An exhaust fan can help move the air from inside the studio outdoors and stepping outside the studio for frequent breaks is good practice as well. I personally do not use much in the way of solvents. I only use them at the end of a painting session to clean my brushes and they are kept in an old coffee can with a lid.

Lighting :
In the event that your studio does not offer good natural light as mine does not in Michigan because I work in the basement  and it lacks windows.I also work at night so I have replaced standard incandescent light bulbs with full spectrum lighting. Full spectrum does just what it says and provides the full spectrum of sunlight to mimic natural light helping you to see the true nature of your colours. In recent years the cost of full spectrum lighting has come down quite a bit and is affordable.

The storage space:
It would be wonderful if you sold everything you painted and didn't need this but alas you will, if only for blank canvas. I will go into greater detail on different kinds of storage areas in another blog post.

Fell Free to post a picture of your creative space I know I would love to see it.

Florida Studio 

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

How do you grow as a painter?

First, I can say, it’s a solitary path.

What do I mean? I mean, we are alone in our work as painters. It’s a private journey, that can’t escape its source from within. The source is who we are. We must be mindful to this fact. It is where we find ourselves at any given time. This is the beginning of our work to grow as painters.

Are there practical habits that can help us to grow?

The number one thing you must do is:

1.Time:
Set aside a time every day. It should be at least an hour, preferably a lot more. Include weekends and statutory holidays.

This may be the best place to begin. What can you do to mature as a painter in a practical sense? Practice drawing from a live model and still life as often as you can- weekly if possible, daily is even better.

limited and closed. " POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

Finished or Abandoned

Leonardo da Vinci famously said, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

Oh I have lots of them, poor babies left in the bath water.

This accumulation of unfinished works is a byproduct of my artistic temperament.

Once I’m in process, I can easily overwork a painting by constantly making changes and adjustments.The colors will become muddy or licked down.

So I like to set it aside for awhile and let it rest so I can look on it with a fresh eye. I eventually lose track of my initial concept I should take notes write a journal and start a file for each WIP (work in progress) and the direction I wanted to take the work to. It is easy to destroying a painting that had shown a lot of promise.

I like to have more than one painting going at a time, at least four. I find this very beneficial for me, the side effect is an accumulation of unfinished works. Because all of a sudden I get focused on a new series, idea, or commission. Instead of staying interested and focused on a couple of paintings at a time, I tend to amass dozens. I am a very prolific artist so this works for me.

But wait what about the baby in the now luck warm water waiting for the final scrub ,drying and  a little powder on it's bum?

I started this painting a year ago in my Studio in Florida. I was painting a series of fish at the time. This little guy 24x48 was not done when I went back to my Michigan studio so I left it in Florida not wanting to move it with wet paint. It has been sitting in a corner of the studio.

Abandoned, all alone . I have decided to work on one fish each day until I have it completed.

It will take a few weeks but I will get this painting completed. Today I am working on this Fish.

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

Pansy Painting Demo

I am trying to get better at making videos. It is a challenge but I view it like painting the more of them I do the better I will become. So I hope you can bear with me as my skill level at video making get betters.

This is a very high speed demo of a still life I did of some pansies in oils.



The Finish painting

10 x 8

oil painting

Thanks for stopping in

Delilah

with a passion for painting

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

Toning a Canvas Demo

The number one mistake all beginners make is buying a pre-stretched canvas or canvas board from a discount book store and not unwrapping it and giving it another coat of gesso.

 The number two mistake is leaving the canvas white when they start painting.

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com All work © 2006-2014

Art Thieves on the internet

1) As long as you have images online, somebody can download them and use them illegally.
I have found a Chinese  Firm that has taken three of my paintings and is making illegal copies of the art work.

Printing Mart is a scam company ripping artist off and selling very poor copies to the buying public by stealing images of art work and making a profit from it.

If you are an artist Please check to make sure you work has not been stolen. If you are a collector avoid the site.

The copyright notice at the bottom of my site, plus the fact that I have posted the images on my blogs with your names is sufficient copyright notice.

Technically, no notice is legally required - I made the work and I own it - but posting a notice on your site is still a good idea. You also have the option of registering your images with the U.S. Copyright office, which gives you a little more legal leverage if you do decide to take legal action for copyright infringement - see http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html


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Tone your Canvas, then paint.

Start with a toned ground. It can be grey, brown, red or whatever, and it can be wet or dry. When you prime your canvas with a colored ground, you won't have to fight the white.

 Leave the fighting of white to the watercolorists. This way, there will be a significant tone on all parts of your canvas--happy accidents or paucities will occur, and the ground becomes part of the overall effect.

It's nice to see a bit of it peek out on the canvas.

Typical colors used as a ground are ochre, sienna, burnt umber and neutral grays.

I like to use terra rosa. Try different tints and see if you fall in love with a special color.

I often tone my canvas for the next day or week at the end of the day using up little bits of left over colors from my pallet.


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Become a better painter today

You are solely responsible for doing the work required to become better.

So what have you done today to become a better painter? Each step leads you closer to the goal.

Bowl of Pears

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Painting Tip

art·ist  

/ˈärtist/

 

Noun A person who produces paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby. A person who practices any of the various creative arts, such as a sculptor, novelist, poet, or filmmaker.

How to start your oil painting:


 Start with a toned ground. It can be grey, brown, red or whatever, and it can be wet or dry. When you prime your canvas with a coloured ground, you won't have to fight the tyranny of white. Leave the fighting of white to the watercolourists. This way, there will be a significant tone on all parts of your canvas--happy accidents will occur, and the ground becomes part of the overall effect.

I like to use a rose color. The tone is your chose experiment with different color grounds. I sometimes just take what ever colors are left over on my palette at the end of the day and tone a few panels for the next week,

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Photo Bags for your watercolor

Originally submitted at Jerry's Artarama Art Supplies

Clear Art & Photo Bags   In the past, protecting your art was a time consuming and cumbersome project. Now all you have to do is slip your art into these bags and fold over the flap which has a resealable adhesive strip on it. In just seconds your art is placed in a safe environment a...

Krystal Seal Art and Photo Bags

Keep it Neat make it professional

By Art by Delilah from Michiga on 1/3/2014

5out of 5

Pros: Best
Cons: Best
Best Uses: Work
Describe Yourself: Professional

Great for keeping watercolors neat and clean.

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Rest Not

"It is good to always take life with a grain of salt, plus a slice of lemon, and a shot of tequila." anonymous

As our year closes, I consider resolutions, or mark my moments of recognition what I did well what I could do better. How to best move foreword for next year. do I need to reinvent the wheel or are some things really working for me.

With cost going up on everything from gas to health coverage how do I price my work. Lots of question.One thing I am sure about I must work hard just to stay even...yikes!

"Rest not! Life is sweeping by; go dare before you die. 
 Something mighty and sublime, leave behind to conquer time." 
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.comHome Page Art by Delilah = http://www.artbydelilah.com

Make 2014 the best year yet

I trust your New Year is off to a robust and dynamic start!
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, spent time with
loved ones, had some fun, created good memories, and have
held on to the energy and optimism of that special time of year.

My sense is that for many people, last year was tough. It
seems that for much of last year there was a sense of
anxiety or stress in the air.

It's time to make 2014 the best Artistic year yet. Here are a few ways to kick off your art career in style:

1.  Look back over this past year to evaluate what worked for your small creative business, and what did not.  Did you achieve your goals? What efforts were most successful? What would you not repeat? What did you learn?

2.  Look forward by visualizing big picture goals that you want to reach for your business and the lifestyle that you want to live. Write these down as a long-term vision and also your vision for the next year.

3.  Set goals for the upcoming year, and write them down. Then, break these down into smaller goals by quarter, month or even week, so that you can check off your list as you complete them.

4.  Plan your attack by creating a calendar with weekly and monthly activities that will move your business forward. A marketing calendar, for example, is a great way to keep yourself continually motivated to reach customers, and stay consistent in your message.

5.  Add new designs to your collection. Most successful artists who wholesale offer 30% new products each year to waiting retailers who want to offer fresh, exciting goods to their customers. This is the time for product design and development. 

Start that new series you have been thinking about.

6.  Prepare marketing materials for the upcoming year, with discontinued designs deleted and fresh new products professionally photographed and ready to promote and sell.

7.  Check your inventory so that you can build stock of your bestsellers during the slow season. Remove old paintings from inventory.

8.  Make sure you are protected by reviewing your records. Do you have appropriate business insurance, and are you clear on what is covered? Are all your copyrights registered?Is your heath care up to date, with all the changes it's hard to tell where you stand on this.

9.  Plan your upcoming shows, both wholesale and retail. Your yearly evaluation should allow you to eliminate shows that did not produce. Review upcoming fairs and festivals, and start to plan a schedule that works for you.What galleries would you like to be in this year? Plan to meet with them.

10. Have professional photos taken of your work for jury purposes, marketing purposes and for your website. Consider having videos made as well, to share on your site and in your booth.

11. Review your website to make sure it’s up to date, and make any revisions. Is your collection completely represented? Are all links working? Make sure to add ©2014 to all your website pages.

There may be times where you'll need to type the copyright symbol, the
circled C (©) on your images that you want to upload online, probably 
even on a text document, website or blog to indicate your copyright.

©On a PC

If you use Windows, you must use the number pad to create special symbols. You can’t use the numbers at the top of your keyboard. So . . . To add a © on a PC, hold down the ALT key and type 0169 on your number pad.

Update: You can also use Ctrl+Alt+c on a PC, which seems to be the easiest way 

© On a Mac

Hold down the OPTION key and type the letter g.

12 . Connect with potential sales reps.
 This time of year, reps are re-evaluating their lines, and may be looking for new collections to represent. With new reps on board, you will need to provide them with samples and/or marketing materials .

13. Schedule assistance to strengthen and improve your business. Do you need a mentor to help evaluate your business plan, or create strategies? Would a virtual assistant be worth the investment for marketing and social media help? Do you need a good webmaster to build the website of your dreams?

14. Clean and organize your studio and office. Clear out all the clutter you’ve been meaning to get rid of, and set the stage for a successful upcoming year with a clean, orderly and inspiring place to work.

15. Take some time off to enjoy family, friends and holidays. A little vacation or R & R time is a great way to unwind, refresh and get ready for a terrific new year.

All work and no play makes for a very dull artist.

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Christmas

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. Calvin Coolidge Read more at



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Cock Fight

Cock Fight

About This Painting:

Cock Fight
24x20x1.5
oil painting on gallery wrapped stretched canvas

Media: oil painting

Size: 20 in X 24 in (50.8 cm X 61 cm)

Price: $960 USD

How to Purchase:

click here to bid on this painting

Or, send me an email

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com

Why do some people not create?

Where was the human potential lost? How was it crippled? A good question might be not why do people create, but why do people not create?" (Abraham Maslow, 1908-1970)

"God may work in light, but we mortals work in pigment. Getting the 

colour of the light through haze in front of a distant range of hills is, for 

many, the Holy Grail. It's not in the magic of some new pigment, it's a 

matter of looking, seeing, mixing, testing and adjusting.

Looking is opening your mind to your impressions.

Seeing is replacing what you know with what you see.

Mixing is the knowledgeable confluence of pigments.

Testing is comparing your preparations with the truth.

Adjusting is the will to fix your flagrant wrongs."( Robert Glenn)

" POST YOUR OPINIONS IN THE COMMENTS" or email me at delilah@artbydelilah.com