I am currently working on redesigning my website paulkeysar.com and hope to have it up in the next couple of weeks. Until then, I am not updating it with new content. The new website will have a new look and new features. I will no longer have a news page on my website. All news will be posted to my blog.
I received a comment from Ellen who asks, "I see that you paint on linen. I have only used canvas. What is this linen all about, and can I buy it in an art supply store?"
You can buy linen in the same forms as you would buy canvas—primed or unprimed, pre-stretched, by the yard, or in rolls. I usually buy mine from Dick Blick, and most major art suppliers carry a wide selection. I always buy primed linen or canvas to save time.
Aside from what you are willing to spend, probably two of the most important factors to consider when purchasing linen or canvas is the weight and the texture. There are light to heavy weights and extra-fine to large grain textures. I am most concerned with the texture, and I prefer extra fine because I like the smoothness and the way it takes the paint. I am still searching for a suitable linen or canvas with a texture I enjoy and a price I am willing to pay.
Canvas is usually made of cotton. Linen comes from the flax plant. Cotton is more readily available and can be cheaper to manufacture into canvas, whereas the flax plant grows best in Belgium and France and takes more resources to produce. The fiber strength is stronger in linen, and linen is better for archival purposes.
All said, I think linen looks better than canvas, and there are affordable linens out there. You just have to do some research, look at some samples if possible, and figure out what will work best for you.
What type of linen or canvas to you prefer? Please leave a comment...
Cattle in Winter
5" x 5" (drawing size)
9 7/8" x 9 7/8" (mat size)
Graphite on Paper
© 2007
I will be posting one drawing for sale per week. I'm starting with a few drawings I have had hidden away in my sketchbook. If interested in purchasing, please email me at info@paulkeysar.com or call 704-596-1286.
Welcome to 2009! Hard to believe February is almost gone. I did not do a good job at keeping up with my blog last year or email newsletters. It's easy to let things get away from you if you get out of the habit of doing them. I have been evaluating things and coming up with a plan to be better organized this year.
I have also been evaluating my goals for my art, and will be starting a couple new series of paintings this year. Along with a new direction in my art, I decided I needed an updated website and blog. My wife is working on a website redesign of www.paulkeysar.com, and has just finished updating this blog, now titled "Working Through Art".
I decided to call it "Working Through Art" for two reasons. 1. My occupation is an artist. 2. I don't have this artist life figured out yet, and I will share some of my experiences with you through my blog. I hope writing about my experiences helps me work through some things and gives you some insight into what it is like to be an artist. I also hope to encourage other artists who might be going through some of the same issues.
I value your comments and welcome your questions. Please feel free to leave a comment, send me an email, or give me a call (studio - 704.596.1286). I'll do my best to get back to you in a timely manner.
Here's a struggle that I am constantly facing. I would like to have a body of work to approach galleries with, to participate in solo or group exhibitions, and to market to collectors. Galleries usually want a minimum of 15-20 paintings when reviewing new artists. You need a good number of paintings to be in an exhibition. And what I have learned in the past year, is that it is important to create series of work. I have several ideas for a few series of paintings that I am working on now. In opposition to that, is the need for immediate income.
Art is a very expensive profession. I have three tubes of paint that I am out of, and they cost about $120 total. Not many people realize the supply cost that goes into creating a painting. I go through almost a set of brushes per large-size painting. I prefer linen to canvas. Then, there are the obligatory monthly bills—the cost of living. The immediate need for income surpasses the need to build up a body of work. I feel like I am caught in a spin cycle, trying to fight my way back on top of the water.
To fulfill my immediate monetary needs, I take commissions, I sell my work to interested buyers, and I teach. I like doing all three. Commissions are important because you know that the work you are creating is already spoken for, with a partial deposit. Direct sales are the goal of every artist. There is nothing more satifying for an artist than to create a piece of work and have someone fall in love with it and claim it as their own. I also enjoy encouraging beginning artists in the foundations of painting, helping them grow in their understanding and skill.
However, I have recognized that to make it to the next level, I need to do more. I need a great body of work that sets me apart in the crowd. So, I am trying to figure out how to do it all. I think it is important to set goals and revisit them daily. What shows do I want to enter this year? What kind of advertising do I want to do? In what galleries would I love to be accepted? I guess I am recognizing the need for a business plan. Artist's don't like to think about business much because it leeches away the creativity. I am blessed to have a wife who helps me with the business side. I don't know how people like James Gurney do as much as they do, but it is encouraging.
I must find that balance between immediate need and future goal. I must document my goals on paper and revisit them daily to keep myself on track. I'll let you know my progress...
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