Reproducing Your Artwork 101

Fifiteen scans — put together in Photoshop & ready to meld

What would I do without my scanner? I’d either be thousands of dollars poorer or have much crappier images of my work!

I’ve gone around and around on this one: how to get crystal-clear images of my art. It’s a concern for many visual artists and one that isn’t that easy to solve if your work is over 8 by 10 inches.

Here are a few options:

•  Get the work professionally photographed. I still have my doubts about the sharpness of detail you can get with a regular camera, so if you’re going to the expense of having a professional, I would make sure that they will be using a large-format camera. I really don’t have much idea how much this will cost you, but I do know that the cost will go down considerably if you have enough work to hire them out for a half day or a day.

•  Photograph it yourself. Yes, I know it can be done; God knows I’ve tried. But my results are worse than bad. There’s this whole “focus” thing, and then there’s the “shutter speed” thing, and I won’t even mention the “aperture.” All of these terms make me weep with the pain of the photographically inept. So until the time when I can figure all that stuff out, I’m skipping this one.

•  Take your work in to get scans made. This is by far my favorite solution! Many places that do large-format digital printing will also do large-format scanning. For about $100, you can get a high-resolution scan at full size. From there, you can use your image to make posters, enter juried shows, print greeting cards or anything else that you can think of! The price isn’t bad if you consider that even if your painting has sold, you still have the image — which you should own — to do all sorts of things with.

•  Put the painting on your home scanner. As much as I love taking my work into get scanned, $100 a pop starts adding up when you produce 2o to 40 paintings a year — OUCH! So  like many other artists I know, I put the painting on the scanner, and scan it myself. It works great! The resolution is super sharp, and the lighting and color is usually pretty good. Of course, this is all MUCH easier if your work is 8 by 10 inches or smaller — most of my work is not. So I place the painting down, and proceed to take scans of it in pieces.

I’m left with a handful of fairly large files that I need to reconstruct within Photoshop. I don’t know if I would suggest doing this if you’re uncomfortable with image-editing software. It takes some time, and it’s not an exact science. But you can save a ton of money and get really pretty great results.

Above is an image of all of the files put together, before I went in and merged them. As you can see, it isn’t seamless. That’s where some comfort with image-editing is important. I actually enjoy the reconstruction. The part I find tedious is the scanning, but putting the pieces back together is a little like working on a jigsaw puzzle.

Below is the finished image of Kansas, a 30″-by-30″ mixed-media painting on panel I completed recently. I also included an image of Oz. Both were named by my Wizard of Oz-obsessed daughter, who walked into my studio, pointed to the almost-finished paintings and announced,  “That’s Kansas, and that’s Oz.” I thought she was spot on.

Kansas. All the pieces back together again!

Oz!

Tags: image editing, Kansas, oz, Photoshop, scanning artwork, Wizard of Oz

ArtPrize: I Want to Vote You Up

Think & Of Me, two of the fifteen paintings I have at Peaches

No, it definitely isn’t Kansas! Last night — the opening night for ArtPrize — was great. Walking around Grand Rapids — a city that has already transformed so much since I’ve lived here — had a feeling more like New York last night. I saw many artists I recognized from the New York art scene, and many more who would fit in to that niche quite effortlessly.

My sister and I decided to do our voting last night, after we returned from the festivities. I must say, it worried me. I easily put in my vote for Yours Truly, having already set up my iPhone with the handy ArtPrize app. But Sue, who isn’t the type to sit in front of her computer screens for hours ( like some of us), found the whole thing kind of confusing. I’m not so sure she wouldn’t have just given up if I wasn’t there helping her.

So, a note to all who would like to vote:

1. Register in person at one of the registrations sites (you’ll find those here…), when you register, they will ask you for your email address, and then send you a password. You will need this password for step 3.
2. If you’re comfortable texting your vote, you can do that by sending your vote to 878787.
3. If you want on vote online; go and fetch your password that they sent to your email address & copy it.
4. Go to ArtPrize.com, and click on the left, where it says “vote online”
5. Then you’ll be taken here: where you will need to open an ArtPrize account (easy), and then you’ll fill in your email address and the password that they sent you.
6. Push the little “sign in” button, and you’ll be taken here: where you can type the artists name (I suggest; Nancy Tobin) and press the “search” button.
7. And here you are. Whew! Press the up or the down symbol (again, my suggestion is the “up”), and when it turns orange, you’ve made your vote!

You can vote for as many artists you’d like on the first week.

Good luck to all, and have fun.

I’ll see you at Peaches! Today I’ll be there from 3 to 7PM.

Tags: ArtPrize, artPrize Registration, Chelsea, iphone, Peaches, voting

ArtPrize- Registration

"Think" one of the fifteen pieces I'll be hanging for ArtPrize

This post is in the line of “passing on information.” (It’s really just cut and pasted from their web site.) Hope you find it helpful.

For more help, read my article: How the Heck Do I Vote?

Go to the ArtPrize web site to pre-register starting September 14th!

You must be 16 years or age or older and you must register at the event to vote. You can pre-register on artprize.org (coming Sept 14) and save time activating your voter status at the event.

Voter registration stations will be available throughout the city from September 23-October 7.

Note: All locations have agreed to be open the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 23–Opening Night.

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
187 Monroe Ave
M-Su: 9a-6p

ArtPrize Headquarters @ Old Federal
155 N. Division
M-Th: 5p-8p, F-Sa: noon-10p, Su: noon-6p

Frederik Meijer Garden & Sculpture Park
1000 East Beltline NE
M: 9a-5p, Tu: 9a-9p, W-Sa: 9a-5p, Su: noon-5p

Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
111 Pearl NW
M-F: 8:30a-5p, Sa-Su: closed

Grand Rapids Art Museum
101 Monroe Center
M: closed, Tu-Th: 10a-5p, F: 10a-9p, Sa: 10a-5p, Su: noon-5p

Grand Rapids Ballet Co.
341 Ellsworth SW
M-Th: 9a-7p, F: 9a-5p, Sa: 9a-1p, Su: closed

Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
11 Sheldon NE
M: closed, Tu-W: 9:30a-5p, Th: 9:30a-8p, F-Sa: 9:30a-5p, Su: noon-5p

Grand Rapids Community College
Student Community Center off Lyon St
M-F: 8a-5p, Sa-Su: closed

Grand Rapids Symphony
300 Ottawa NW, Suite 100
M-F: 9a-5p, Sa-Su: closed

Grand Rapids Public Museum
272 Pearl NW
M: 9a-5p, Tu: 9a-9p, W-Sa: 9a-5p, Su: noon-5p

GVSU University Bookstore
401 W. Fulton
M-Th: 8a-6p, F: 8a-5p, Sa: 8a-2p, Su: closed

JW Marriott
235 Louis NW
M-Su: 9a-6p

Main Public Library
111 Library NE
M-Th: 9a-9p, F-Sa: 9a-6p, Su: 1p-5p

UICA
41 Sheldon SE
M: 9-8p, Tu-F: 9-10p, Sa: noon-10p, Su: noon-7p

Tags: Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, ArtPrize, ArtPrize Headquarters @ Old Federal, artPrize Registration, Frederik Meijer Garden & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids Ballet Co., Grand Rapids Children's Museum, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Symphony, GVSU University Bookstore, JW Marriott, Main Public Library, UICA

ArtPrize: How the Heck Do I Vote?

I’ve been asked the question regarding ArtPrize, so often; “How does this voting thing work?”

It’s all so new, and I didn’t quite understand it myself. But, I found these very helpful instructions on the ArtPrize web site, and thought I’d share them with you:

Anyone 16 years of age or older who registers in person at the ArtPrize event can vote. You cannot vote without registering at the event. There will be no charge for voter registration.

How to register

Attendees will be required to present a valid government issued ID in person at a registration station
ID can be drivers license, other state ID or passport
Pre-register on artprize.org (coming Sept 14) and save time activating your voter status at the event
There will be voter registration stations throughout the city September 23-October 7

Rules

Week 1 Voting – All Artists
Voting begins 6:00pm, September 23, 2009
You can vote on more than one work
You cannot vote more than once for the same work
Live results can be viewed online
Week 1 voting ends 11:59pm, September 30
Top 10 finalists will be announced evening, October 1
Week 2 Voting – Top 10, ONE vote
Voting begins after announcement of the Top 10, October 1
You have only ONE vote during Week 2
You may only vote among the Top 10
You may change your vote until voting ends
Results are concealed during Week 2
Week 2 voting ends 11:59pm, October 7
Winners will be announced at a gala event October 8

How to vote

Voting is entirely electronic (Instructions coming soon)
Vote online at artprize.org
Vote by text message (SMS) from your mobile phone
Vote by iPhone app
Note: Venues are allowed make Internet access and/or computers available for visitors to vote online
Vote by mobile browser

See you at the Gala!

Tags: ArtPrize, Grand Rapids Michigan, Peaches Bed and Breakfast, voting

Show Me How! Framing Archival Prints

One of the most asked questions on my Etsy shop is, “How should I frame my archival prints?”

There are many options:

Take your prints to a professional framer:

This is the easiest and (of course) the most expensive choice. You can go places like Michael’s craft store, the local art store or just look in the yellow pages for an independent framer near you. They will have tons and tons of choices for you to make: frame designs from contemporary to ornate and myriad mat colors and textures.

The choices can be a little overwhelming, and you may want to start by asking the person working there for suggestions. But keep in mind, they may want to sell you way more than you need to jack up the price. I usually feel that simple is best; cream or light-gray mat with a contemporary wood frame.

Frame it yourself:

This is the much cheaper route to go, and I think it’s not all that much more difficult to do. This is how I handle most of my framing.

1. Go to an art store or someplace like Michael’s (even Target has cute frames!) Go to the section where they have “ready-made” frames. (A ready-made frame is a frame that is all ready for you to drop your art or photo into.)
2. Take your prints with you. It’s much easier to lay the print over the frame to get an idea of what size you’ll need.
3. Here’s where you’ll have some choices. I’ll go though a few options:

Here we have an 8 x 10 frame, with one of my prints that is on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. You would need to trim the paper down to fit into the smaller frame. This option doesn’t leave any room for a mat. Not my favorite choice.

Here we have the same 8 1/2 x 11 inch print, but we’re using a larger frame with a mat. This is a beautiful Nielsen-Bainbridge* frame called “Tribeca” — that I found on Dick Blick’s online store for $26.99. It’s 11 x 14 inches and comes with a pre-cut, archival mat that with an 8 x 10 opening. All you need to do is open the back; slip the print behind the mat’s opening; use a little tape to secure it into place (you can get archival tape at the art store); and put the pieces back together. You’re ready to go.

If you’ve ordered the larger prints, you can do the same type of thing, but on a larger scale. Above is one of my 12 x 18 inch print (it comes printed on a 13 x 19 piece of paper.)

This 12-x-12-inch print looks great in the Nielsen-Bainbridge Poster frame. This frame doesn’t come with a mat, so I had one cut to size. (See the questions and answers below for more on the subject of mat boards.)

* I like the quality of the Nielsen-Bainbridge frames: They have a wide selection of finishes, colors and styles, and they use all archival materials.

Common Questions

Should I show the edges of the print or should I cover them with the mat?

My prints are all intended to have the art “float” inside the mat. This is the traditional way to display prints. This way you can see the variations around the edges of the art, and and also show the artist’s signature. If you’d prefer to have the art come to the edges of your mat, please just let me know and I’ll adjust the size of your print.

Why are mats usually wider at the bottom?

Weighting, or giving more space to the bottom of the mat, gives the piece a feeling of solidity (almost like a pedestal for your art to sit on.)

What if the frame doesn’t come with a mat?

This is where I think spending a few bucks on a custom cut mat is an excellent value. Just take your frame and your print over to the framer and ask them to cut a mat to fit! The Nielsen-Bainbridge, Tribeca Poster frame in the image above didn’t come with a mat. The frame is 20 x 24 inches, but my print’s image was 12 x 12 inches, so I had the framer cut me a mat to fill in the space between. The price for this was under $10 — well worth it for a professional look!

What if the frame comes with a mat, but it doesn’t fit my image?

Same answer as the question above!

I don’t like the cheap-looking acrylic that came with my frame.

Some lower priced frames have very flimsy “glazing.” (Glazing is the term used for the clear stuff that goes over your artwork to protect it — it’s usually glass or Plexiglas.) Here is another situation where the framer is your friend. Ask herto cut a piece for you to fit — it shouldn’t be more than a few bucks.

Glass or Plexiglas — what’s better?

Glass is heavy, and breakable. I usually choose Plexiglas for all my pieces. You can even get it with a UV coating — to add an extra layer of protection from sun damage.

Ready to dive in? Here are some great resources online to get you started:

Dick Blick: They have a huge selection at all price points.

American Frame: Here you can order all your framing components in the exact sizes you want, and they send everything ready for you to put together. Not as cheap as the ready-made frames but still cheaper than having a framer do the whole thing for you.

Jerry’s Artarama Another art store, similar to Dick Blick.

Or…

Forget all the framing fuss and get one of my Posh Panel Prints instead. They’re ready to hang right out of the box!

Tags: American Frame, Dick Blick, Etsy, How to Frame Prints, Jerry's Artarama, Michael's, Nielsen-Bainbridge, Prints, Target

That Thingy on the Right

Just to clarify…

This Thingy on the Right………………………………………Not This!

It’s been called to my attention that some folks are having a hard time finding the place to leave a comment on my new blog — yikes!

Blogging is all about a conversation, and the idea that people may not converse — for lack of knowing how — saddens me to no end. Many of you who are close, heard me talking about the fact that I was re-doing my blog. Some of you took a peek as I was working on the transition from the protective hand-holding of Wordpress.com to the sink-or-swim Wordpress.org (I’ll talk more about this process in another post.)

Very, very long story, short — after trying out many themes (pre-designed templates) and not getting them “just right” — here is where I settled. Good or bad, for now this is the place I will be. I’ve had enough thinking about how my blog should look, how it should work and how to get it to work like I want it to!

So, although that little Post-it thingy in the upper right corner of every post is a darn cute way to show how many people have commented, it really isn’t very intuitive. I’ll keep it ’cause it’s darling, but from now on I’ll be adding this to the end of every post…

Click here to leave a comment!

Tags: comments, Post-it, Wordpress.com, Wordpress.org