Friday, March 11, 2011

A little something for my fellow artists

So... it has taken my paintin hand forever to heal from a fall I took in January. I have pretty good movement in all my fingers except two which are now going to take longer to heal because my dog jumped on them tonight. I guess it could be worse. She could be a 150 pound mutt instead of a 70 pound mutt. Felt like 150 pounds though. Okay enough about my pain. I think I will dedicate this blog to the artists who visit my website in search of any useful tips...or not. I just started using Trekell paint brushes (the Red Sable and the Hog Bristles) and absolutely love them. They are long lasting, hold their shape and are very reasonably priced. www.trekell.com I've tried several different brands and some very pricey brands as well, but these are my new favorites. I like to paint on a high quality linen which I get from Signature Canvas www.SignatureCanvas.com (ask for Alicia...she is awesome) where you can buy it by the yard. Its a great way to sample the different types without selling your car to buy the whole bolt. For those of you who have never experienced painting on linen...its worth every penny. I get asked frequently about digital captures and scanning and who does a good job. If I need a clear hi-res digital file for reproductions, magazine ads and high end juried shows the absolute best place I have found is Artscans in Culver City, CA. www.artscans.com They have been around forever and their work is impeccable. Keep in mind, if you start out with a bad digital capture it will haunt you forever...especially everytime you try to reproduce it! No amount of photoshop can fix a poorly scanned piece of art. If any of you are photographers and are looking for instruction on how to improve...Jon Haverstick in Orange County is the man. He is not only an accomplished photographer, he is an instructor of photography and photoshop as well. Available in studio or on location. I can go on and on about how awesome his work is but you can see for yourself at www.pbase.com/haverstick Jon came to my studio and did a photo shoot with me in my work space and some head shots. Great for resumes and mag. ads.