All American Red Head

[Jean Kelly]

Patricia, Thank you so much, compliments from a true redhead (your tinyhead) are heartwarming. I think that not using any ochre, sienna, umber, or black on my palette may have helped with the reds not clashing. Also hair, shirt, and skin shadowed areas are created with the addition of a mixed violet in different intensities. I was tempted many times to grab the sienna or black so ended up hiding all of them in a tackle box!

Michele, you have been one of my inspirations. Watching your growth on this forum has kept me going many times. Thank you, and I'll get the cards now. I've been printing out postcards on a heavy weight matte paper and will be taking them around to all the area galleries. It's time to generate some paying work!

Kim, I've watched you struggle too, and cheered for you (a certain cowboy on the bordello porch comes to mind)! Thank you, I appreciate it.

Jean

[Michele Rushworth]

...will be taking them around to all the area galleries. It's time to generate some paying work!

Jean, I'm not sure that will get you anywhere. Most portrait artists get their commissions through word of mouth, not galleries. Many galleries are reluctant to establish a relationship with artists who work on commission. Check out the business and marketing threads for a dozen different ideas on how to get work.

[Jean Kelly]

Hi Michele, I'll head back there again. I can't do the art fair route because I can't depend on a fully functioning body. I may have to do some charity auctions, and I've been in contact with some of my old interior design clients (from my custom bedroom days). We have something called the "Parade of Homes" coming up here, and I'll see if I can get some of my work displayed. I have one commission coming in, but that's certainly not enough.

I also do animals, here's my latest: "The Gypsy Girl". I had her in the last show and could have sold it 10 times over. I may make a giclee of her.

Jean

[Jimmie Arroyo]

Jean, great job. He looks like one of those kids that'll say "bang, bang, you're dead" to complete strangers while shooting them with a plastic revolver after hiding behind clothes in a department store.

Michele's idea of cards with the closeup sounds like a good way to go. Good luck.

ps. You may even consider either a separate card or a two-sided one with the dog's pic. I don't know your area, but when I did airbrushing at the mall, parents would balk at the price of having thier child on a shirt, but pet owners never blinked.

[Jean Kelly]

Hi Jimmie,

He even has the "cowboy swagger" down! Thank you for the compliment, it feels good.

I know what you mean about the animal lovers, I've already had more paying dog commissions than I have people.

Jean

[Mary Sparrow]

Jean, this turned out GREAT! You should be proud of yourself.
I love the dog also.

I can comment a little on the use of the designer house. I have done several in the past, the last one I did was a couple of years ago. I went after the designer that had the living room and she ended up putting a 30"x40" portrait of my son over the mantle. I couldn't have asked for better exposure, he was hard to miss and I was told by the various girls that manned the room that more people commented on that than any other thing in the room, at which point they would make it a point to tell them I, a local artist, had done it. I can't say that I know of a SPECIFIC commission that I got from that, but I do know that it made a lasting impression. I just met someone the other day and was introduced as the girl that did the portrait in the designer house a couple of years ago and she immediately made the connection. I have run into that often. The interesting thing is that I had two portraits in that house, that big one and a smaller one up in a bedroom. I don't recall anyone really noticing that one. So my point is, go after someone that will give you a very visible spot.

About those animals, it is a strange thing isn't it? I just did our dog and my husband took it to the office, they all just HAVE to have one of their pets. Aren't these the same poor people that couldn't afford charcoal sketches of their grandchildren?

[Jean Kelly]

Thank you Mary, I think I'll start a thread on Parade homes in the business section.

The same thing happened with my husband and his business associates. I'm still waiting on two that started with dogs but have now progressed to the whole family, with the dog as a prominent member.

Jean