Beth E Peterson
c/o Cattails Publishing LLC
484 Williamsport Pike #261
Martinsburg, WV 25404
USA
240-527-0900
Text and Artwork:
Copyright © 2008 Beth E Peterson.
All rights reserved.
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So...what'cha want to shoot the breeze about? We can talk about studios themselves.
Or about some of the other logistics of making art. Or, and oh boy is this a topic!,
artists on the web. And too, as artists we often need to do some study in order to find or strengthen our
own individual artistic voice. Study in aesthetics, art history and the artistic
process can be both a lot of fun and sharpen our own skills.
Take a look. And, if you have something to say yourself, please feel free to email your article to me.
The joy of a good bull session is to have as many people involved as possible!
Studios: Environment & Design
Lighting: One of the biggest, most frequently asked questions I've come across is about studio lighting.
Hey, well no bull, I'll shovel out the straight scoop about it here.
Toxic: Materials Handling & Ventilation:
Something all us artists need to know about is toxic substances and what to do about 'em.
This includes disposal of such stuff, as well as ventilation to keep us from beginning
to twitch like the Mad Hatter!
Easels: The types of easels available,
their joys and pitfalls, and what to consider when deciding on an easel for yourself.
Stretching Your Own Canvas: You know, I learned an awful lot from my dad, who is a painter himself. One
of the things he taught me fairly young was how to stretch my own canvas. If you're
interested, too, join me in a good stretch.
Storing Stretched Canvases: And, once they're stretched, how do you store them?
Find out some of the in's and out's here.
Stretching a Rolled Canvas: Awhile back, I was asked this question:
"Someone has painted a picture for me on canvas, and they sent it to me
rolled. Can I stretch this canvas?" This article gives my answer.
Logistics of Art
Copyright Basics: Hey, do you
know your rights? Your copyrights, that is! Everyone who creates,
whether that be written works, visual art, or music, needs to have at least a basic
understanding of copyrights, and the many shades of gray that we need to work to avoid.
Insurance Basics: Okay, I know no one wants
to think about all the disasters that lurk in the world at large, but, sheeze, you sure
don't want to be the one caught without having thought through your insurance needs as an artist.
Selling Your Work: Hold on now; quit jumping up and down -- you're giving me whiplash! I know nearly
all of us want to sell our work. But nothing is every quite as
simple and straight-forward as we would like. Read on, gentle soul...read on.
Record-keeping: Oh-ho. Here we go. Something most of us artists...'least-wise, the ones I know...hate.
record-keeping. But, I'm here to tell ya that there is actually something good to found in
all that...um...stuff.
Shooting Slides & Photos: Do you ever just wanna shoot your work? Suuure you do. And I'll give you a good
quick introduction on some of the best ways to shoot your work to get great slides,
photos and/or digital images.
Shipping Artwork: And hey, isn't it true that a lot of times artists shoot their work with the
hope of getting to pack it off to summer camp? (aka off to exhibitions and galleries)
Well, here's how to pack up your little gems and ship 'em off safely.
Thoughts on Printing: There are times when many artists want reproductions done of their work, whether that be fine art prints or calendars or cards.
How do you go about finding an appropriate printer? Well, I've some thoughts to share.
Are You Ready to Promote Your Art? Do you think this is
something you are ready to take on? This article asks some of the hard questions you should think about before setting off down the yellow brick road of art promotion.
Artists & the Web
Website Focus: The web is a high-impact, high-octane venue for an awful lot of folks. Alexsandralyn Stevenson is
here to tell you that if you want a successful website, you've got to keep focused.
Web Design 101: Okay, now that you have that focus and are ready to put a website together, how on earth do you do it?
Well, here's how to find the information and tools you need to begin coding your own dream site.
Image Formats: As you get going, you might want
to know more about the common image file formats used online, such as .J-PEG's and GIF's.
FAQ of Artists about the Web: I have heard several questions a number of times, about art and artists and the web. I'll share
those questions and my answers.
Art as History & Process
A Short History of Frames: Have you ever wondered where frames came from? Here is a brief
history of frames, um, picture frames, that is....and no, they did not come into being in a pumpkin patch. *silly*
Technique...or Process: What makes for good art? Let's
pull this in-the-closet topic out into the open.
Art History Quiz: Hey, think you know your art history? Well then, try your hand at this little quiz.
Edmonia Lewis, Sculptor: And you may also want to check out this brief biography of Edmonia Lewis, the first
known female sculptor of African-American and Native American descent.
I Got Style! Thoughts on style and what it is...and what it isn't.
What is Art: This is a question that has pursued many
artists over the past century, but it is a relatively recent question. Knowing the past may help us as we define the future.
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