At some point, every artist eventually considers selling the art that they produce. Some personal works will always stay in the possession of the artist, but others may be created for commercial sale.

But lets’ face it, every work that you produce is personal. The artist will always put a bit of themselves in every piece that they create. So for some, the thought of selling their work and “letting it go” to someone else is unbearable. For these artists, putting a price on something that you have literally poured yourself into is unimaginable.

The good news is that you don’t ever have to let go of the original work to share it with the world – and make a profit from it. Instead of selling the original work, you can sell prints.

The print market is huge and for years, it has been out of reach for many artists. In the past, you would have to find a print manufacturer to produce, distribute, and sell the prints for you. Or you could purchase prints directly from a printer and sell them yourself – but distributing them on a large scale was very difficult. These routes are still taken by some artists today, but if you want to maximize your profit, then the best solution is to print and sell them yourself.

Before we explore the options, let’s discuss the type of prints you’ll want to provide to your patrons.

Fine Art Prints

There are many options for printing your work. Your patrons will demand quality and you’ll want to provide them with this. For this reason, your prints will need to meet the industry standard.

The best approach is to provide Giclée prints. Giclée (pronounced “zhee-clay”) is a process of printing that ensures a high level of longevity and quality to the print.  It is also very “true” to the original work of art.

If you are are unfamiliar with Giclée printing, it simply refers to a high quality print, typically produced on a modern, large format inkjet printer.

For most of us, the standard inkjet printer in our homes will not produce a Giclée print. It may be capable of producing a beautiful reproduction, but not necessarily one that is considered a “Giclée”. To create a high quality Giclée print, several conditions must be met concerning the printer, the ink, the surface, and the resolution of the print.

Printer –  Giclée prints are typically produced using large format inkjet printers that feature small spraying apparatuses that apply the ink precisely and match the colors equally well.

Ink – The ink must of high quality and considered “archival”. This is typically achieved using inks that are pigment-based instead of dye-based.

Surface – The surface is also important as a Giclée print must be printed on an “archival” surface. This could be watercolor paper, rag paper, canvas, or any specially-designed printing paper that is labeled as “archival”.

Resolution – Most digital photos are recorded at a resolution of 72 dpi, or “dots per inch”. While this resolution is acceptable for digital photos, it is not up to the standard of a print, which needs to be printed at a minimum of 300 dpi. The resolution, however, can easily be altered using a photo editing program such as Photoshop or Gimp prior to printing.

Printing Through a Print Company

Since there is a small barrier for entry into the print market, you may consider having a print company produce Giclée prints for you.

Printing reproductions of your work through a printing company can be expensive, but also worth the investment in some circumstances. You’ll need to be fairly sure that you can sell your prints before making the investment of using a print company.  If you are sure that you can sell, then the quality of the print is fairly reliable.

There are several costs to consider. Many companies charge for the scanning and color matching of your work, sometimes referred to as a “setup fee”. Depending on the company that you work with, you may have to purchase prints in bulk. This is not always the case as some companies allow you to purchase individual prints, but at much higher cost. Most offer discounts on bulk printing, so it makes sense to purchase many prints. Beyond the cost of setup and printing, you’re also likely to have to pay for shipping. You can see how the prices can soar very quickly.

If you can charge enough for your prints to make a profit beyond the costs of printing, then using a print company offers a bit of reliability and quality assurance.

Print Your Art With Your Own Equipment

Because the cost to use a commercial printing company can be expensive, many artists opt to make their own prints.

One thing to carefully consider is the quality of the print. You do not want to produce prints that are not a good investment for your buyer. This means that you’ll need to produce prints that are high quality and will last for years.  As mentioned before, the quality of the print all boils down to four factors:

• The quality of the printer
• The quality of the paper
• The quality of the ink
• The resolution of the print

Another factor to consider is the quality of the photo or scan of the work. The scan or photo must be as “true” to the original as possible. This means that you may have to do a bit of editing to the photo or scan using a photo editing program.

See also: How to Edit Photos of Your Art

Printers for Giclée Printing

If you are considering creating your own prints to sell, you may consider investing in your own printer. When shopping for a printer, look for those that utilize pigment-based inks such as Epson’s UltraChrome K3 inks.

(Some of the following links are affiliate links which means we earn a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost to you.)

Here are a couple of options…

Epson Stylus Photo R3000

Epson Stylus Photo R2880

Marketing Your Prints

Once you’ve created your prints, you’re ready to sell them. Of course, there are many options on how to go about doing this.

You could sell them directly to patrons at local arts and crafts shows and this approach can be lucrative. But it also requires quite a bit of work. In this case, you have to print your work ahead of time, set up a booth, and spend your time at the booth.

A better approach may be to utilize the internet and the vast amount of potential patrons out there. You can sell your art through Etsy and market it through your own website. You can print the prints as orders are placed, maximizing your profits and your efficiency.

I’ve already written extensively about these subjects in the past, so I’ll link to these resources below…

• How to Build Your Own Portfolio Website (without coding and in just a few minutes)
• How to Market Your Art
• How to Sell Your Art on Etsy
• How to Price Your Art

Summing It Up

The barriers for artists to enter the print market are eroding fast and anyone that is producing quality art can begin selling their own prints. The term “starving artist” should eventually become a thing of the past and only refers to those that are not taking full advantage of the opportunities that are available to creative people today.

Image Credit – Copyright: photoncatcher / 123RF Stock Photo

Artists are different from non-artists in so many ways – right? Well that’s the perception anyway. The truth is that anyone can become an artist, no matter their experience or “talent”.  With knowledge, practice, and a dedication to the craft, anyone can learn how to draw or paint at an “expert” level.

However, in order to reach this level, the individual must possess all, or at least several, characteristics that are frequently observed in successful artists. This means that the individual may be required to acquire some or all of the traits in order to find the success that they desire.

These traits, just like the skills associated with drawing and painting, can be acquired. You don’t have to be born with them – although a few are.  We are adaptable. We can be or become anyone that we like.

These characteristics are fairly universal across all of the arts – music, dance, and theatre. They are not confined to the visual arts. In my years working with artists and student-artists, these characteristics are consistent.

Artists Take Risks

One of the most notable characteristics of an artist is risk-taking. Risks are not taken by the artist without some considerable thought however. The risks taken by the artist are calculated and based on experience.

Picasso was a risk taker. He was not afraid to make drastic changes in his art. But the risks he took were well-calculated. They were not reckless, but they weren’t safe by any measure.

If we are to adapt the characteristics of an artist, we must also must be risk-takers. They can be small – we may try a new medium or subject. Or they may be big. The artist finds excitement in risk and takes them often.

Artists Are Not Afraid to Make Mistakes

Fear is one of the most crippling emotions felt by an individual. Fear keeps us physically safe at times, but it also hinders us from experiencing so many wonderful things in life. Think of all things that you have considered doing in life, but didn’t because of fear.

Artist aren’t completely fearless, but they do recognize that mistakes are part of the creative process and they aren’t afraid to make them. Every work that has ever been created is not without at least one flaw.

So many of us stop at the first sign of an imperfection. The frustration grows and the work never gets completed. Artists don’t stop at this moment. They carry through, recognizing that no work with be perfect, nor should it be expected to be. Mistakes are noticed and may be amended, but they are never a reason to give up.

Artists Are Not Afraid Of What Others Think

To a certain extent, all of us are concerned with how others thinks of us. If we said we didn’t, we’d be lying. However, an artist does not fear the opinion of others. In fact, they crave feedback. They want to hear what others think – no matter if it is negative or positive.

They use the feedback as a means for improving their craft and don’t take what is discussed personally. They are able to look at their work as a product, instead of an extension of who they are as a person.

Those that shudder from other people’s thoughts or close themselves off from critique will never grow. Successful artists recognize that their “audience” is important and that their art is not “just for themselves”.

Artists Are Motivated

Perfecting a craft is hard work and takes time. Artists recognize this and do not expect immediate results. They understand that the process of creating may be enjoyable, but it does require hard work.

Artists are motivated to keep pushing forward. They have their eyes on the goal and they put in the hours to reach it. They are incessantly considering how they may improve and are taking action to do so. Over time they develop confidence in their work.

Artists recognize that there is no “magic bullet” or shortcut. If they are to be the artist that they desire to be, they must be in it for the “long haul”. They must be motivated to stay “on course” long enough to reach their destination.

Artists Are Ambitious

Not only are artists motivated to reach their goals, but they also set them very high. Some goals may never be realized, but this is accepted.

The ambition of the artist is not self-rooted. Instead, it is about the art. The ambition is cultivated from a love of the creative process – not from self promotion. In this way, the ambition of the artist is pure.

Ambition may start slow, but it grows over time, as works are created – as possibilities present themselves.

Artists Are Observant

Over time, artists begin to see the world differently. They notice things that are often overlooked by others. They may find joy in things that others find mundane. As they learn to “see”, in order to draw, their perception of the visual world changes.

Shadows, light, colors, and lines become the filter in which the world is viewed. Objects are analyzed and are no longer taken for granted.

Because of this heightened observation, they may also notice changes in how they perceive other people, relationships, and other aspects of life. They see people in their life in a different light and notice aspects about them that may have been overlooked previously.

Artists Are Original

Artists do not always come up with original ideas, but they learn to present them in original ways. They may borrow from others, but present ideas or subjects in new ways. This differentiates artists from “craftsmen”. In this way, artists are innovators.

Because they are innovators, artists are also problem solvers. Throughout the creative process, challenges present themselves. The artist is able to adapt and create original solutions, which result in a unique product.

The artist does not always accept standard approaches, although these may be best. Instead, they are open to new approaches and techniques and experiment frequently to discover what works for their vision.

What’s Missing?

We make the assumption that skill makes an artist. This simply isn’t the case. Skill is often the result of an individual that possesses (or acquires) these characteristics – no matter what the craft. There are artists all over the world at vastly different skill levels. Although their skills are at different levels, they are all artists.

Skill, in any field, can be learned and developed by anyone. It takes hard work and dedication and it isn’t easy. But it is accomplished by having the right mindset and by developing the characteristics of an artist.

You may make a judgment about me here, but when I was younger I would experiment with changing my handwriting. In fact, for a period of time, I changed my handwriting so frequently that my teachers started to question if I was “outsourcing” my assignments.

I guess I enjoyed the change up. It made the mundane reports I was writing a bit more exciting. (Yes, people “hand wrote” reports in those days.)

Looking back, I think that it was about more than changing my handwriting. As strange as it may seem, I think it was more about defining myself.

Marks are Expression

We express ourselves through marks that are made with our own hand. Marks are personal. We each hold tools differently. We each think differently. We are unique.

Handwriting is so unique that we accept it as a check for identify. Experts in handwriting can identify the person who wrote the word just by examining the mark on the surface.

As I experimented with different styles of handwriting, I was trying to “find” who I was through the marks that were made. My handwriting said something about me. I think I recognized that somehow.

Art is no different. When we express ourselves through the marks that are made – they are personal. They are unique. They are ours. They say something about who we are.

It’s easy to look at works of art that have been deemed “famous” and identify the artist that created them. Especially when we consider the works of artists such as Picasso and Van Gogh. The mark clearly belongs to them – it is their style.

But what many of us fail to recognize is that this style only developed overtime, after experimentation, after they found it.

Would you recognize the painting above as a work by Van Gogh when compared to his works that are considerably more famous?

Look at how much Van Gogh’s style changed in just seven years…

Picasso’s story is even more extreme shifting from Realism to Cubism, which ultimately made him famous.

Van Gogh’s style is unlike any other. He was influenced by the Impressionists, but he allowed his own unique mark to show through.

We Have Unique Styles

We all have our own unique styles as well – just like Picasso and Van Gogh. Sometimes though we feel that our “styles” aren’t good enough. In some cases, these thoughts can keep us from creating the art that we love.

Here’s a quote that was posted on the forum that inspired me to write this post…

“…But I feel as though a lot of my artwork looks alike,and its not necessarily a good thing. Whether it be landscape drawings or anything, I feel as they all have some of the same aspects to it, although its hard to point out, that make it look like ‘my’ work…”

There’s more to the post, of course. There is some frustration expressed. But to summarize, the artist feels that their work is somehow inferior. He recognizes that practice is required to improve, but feels that some aspects of his work will always be recognizable as his work.

Some aspects of your work should always be recognizable as your work – it is your style. And instead of it being repressed, it should be celebrated and developed.

We all have artists that we “look up to” – those that we want to emulate. It is good practice to have influencers.

However, we should recognize that we are different people and our marks will reflect this. If we become too caught up in making art with someone else’s voice, we may loose our own.

If you are not developing your own unique style, then you are simply copying someone else’s.

Sure, we need to continue to improve ourselves with a deeper understanding of the elements and principles and with more experience with subjects and media. But we should always listen to ourselves as artists and let our marks speak. And let them speak in our own unique voice, in our own style.

We may never be the world’s next Picasso or Van Gogh, but at least we know that the marks that we make are ours and belong to no one else but ourselves.

Color theory can be confusing if you’re “new to the game”. All of those colors and how they relate to each other can be quite overwhelming. But just the other day, I came across a site that makes color theory a bit fun and has actually turned it into a game. More on that in a moment.

Why is Color Theory Confusing?

I think the majority of the confusion stems from all of the names of pigments and all of the “made-up” names that some manufacturers assign to colors that they produce. What really is “Sky Blue” anyway?

The fact is color theory is based on generic forms of colors – Red, Blue, Yellow, etc. Color mixing utilizes color theory but the results of the mixed color are dependent on the actual pigments used.

For example, you may mix “Alizarin Crimson” (red) with “Cadmium Yellow” (yellow) to produce an “orange”. Or you may mix “Cadmium Red” (red) with “Lemon Yellow” (yellow) to produce an “orange”.

In both cases, you are mixing “red” with “yellow” producing an “orange”. However, the orange that results from both mixtures is different because the pigments of the paints are different. (We discuss this in a bit more detail in Module 4 of “The Watercolor Workshop”.)

But I’m getting off topic here. So enough about theory vs. mixing for now.

The reason I’m writing this post is to share with you a resource that I’ve found that makes a game out of color theory. But before I share it with you and in order to make the most of the game, let’s review a few basics on color theory…

Hue

The word “hue” is used to refer to the pure color without any variation in value or intensity. Theoretically, all hues should exist on the color wheel.

Value

The value of the color is altered when the neutral colors of black or white are added to it. It is essentially the darkness or lightness of a color. Tints are the result of adding white to the pure hue. Shades are the result of adding black to the pure hue.

Tone

Tone is very similar to value, but it can refer to various intensities of the color as well as the value of the color. Value is altered with black or white, while intensity is altered by mixing gray with the color.

Saturation/Intensity

Saturation refers to the intensity or strength of the color. A color in its purest form, without any neutral colors added, is considered fully saturated. Any additions of neutral colors change the intensity of the color, desaturating it.  Think “vivid” vs. “dull”.

Color Schemes

Color schemes are created by the relationships of colors based on their locations on the color wheel. While any combination of colors could be considered a “color scheme”, certain relationships exist that typically lead to aesthetically successful art.

*There are more color schemes that exist, but for the purposes of preparing you for the game, I’ll only touch on the schemes that are included with it.

Complementary

Complementary color schemes are made up of two colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel. Complementary schemes provide high contrast and are often used for sports teams and logos.

Analogous

Analogous color schemes are made of 3-5 colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. Analogous schemes provide harmonious color relationships with little contrast.

Triadic

Triadic color schemes are made of 3 colors that are equidistant from each other on the color wheel. This relationship creates a triangle with the color locations on the color wheel. Triadic schemes provide high contrast.

Tetradic

Tetradic color schemes are made of 4 colors that are equidistant from each other on the color wheel.  This relationship forms a square with the color locations on the color wheel.

See Also: The Interactive Color Wheel

The Color Game

Ok, now to the game that I have come across. The game deals with how you perceive each element of color that we reviewed above. I’ll give you a bit of warning – it’s not as easy as it seems that it may be.

You are evaluated on how closely you are able to match the color, the saturation of the color, and the color schemes that are presented. There is a time limit and your goal is get an evaluation of “perfect” for each color match.

You are presented with a color or a group of colors in the center of the tool that you must match. The color winds down indicating the amount of time that you have left to make your match. Match the colors correctly by scrolling your mouse around the color wheel and get a perfect score.

The game becomes progressively more difficult starting with hue, before progressing to saturation, and then on to color schemes.

After you have completed each of the tasks, you are given a score. Here’s a look at my score the first time I went through.

You can see that I really struggled with “Analogous”, but I think it was because I was getting accustomed to how the tool worked. (That’s my excuse anyway.)

The game is quite fun to play and fairly challenging as well. So, are you ready to test your skills? Can you beat my score? Feel free to post your score in the comments below.

Play the Color Theory Game Now

We hear it all the time – “Draw or paint what you see.”

Seems simple enough, right? Just look at whatever your subject may be and put it on the surface. Artists and art instructors are notorious for telling their students to “just draw what they see”, often leaving the student with a confused look on their face.

For those of us that already know what to look for, this infamous statement makes perfect sense. It seems simple, because it is simple.

Many students however, simply do not know what to look for to “draw what they see”. They may see a still life, a landscape, or a person, but they don’t understand how take the visual information and turn it into a representational drawing or painting.

But once they know and understand what needs to be observed and recorded in the art, the “light bulbs” turn on.

In this post, we’ll look at six things to look for when creating an observational drawing or painting, so that you can draw what you see. (You’ll notice a theme here – if you’re really sharp.)

Look For the Shapes

For many of us, the first things we notice are the lines. This is how most of us first learn how to draw so it makes sense that we seek these out initially. We see the edges of objects as lines, which are referred to as contour lines. Our first inclinations are to draw these lines first, which often leads to a distorted shape of the subject.

I suggest that we skip the lines at the onset and instead look for the shapes. Sure, we’ll use lines to draw the shapes, but starting a drawing or painting by identifying the shapes often leads to greater accuracy.  Don’t worry, we’ll address the lines, but it’s often not the best place to start.

All subjects, no matter how complex they may be, can be simplified into basic shapes. By layering basic shapes and piecing them together, we can build the structure of the subject. The process of finding the shapes in your subject does take a bit of practice and training of your mind, but that’s what sketchbooks are for.

Here’s a simple example…

Oh yes – the hand. The subject of the hand strikes fear in every beginning artist because it is quite complex. But even this complex subject can be simplified into basic shapes that are quite easy to draw. It’s just a matter of identifying those shapes and piecing them together.

In the above example, a rectangle is drawn for the back of the hand. A triangle is drawn on the side of the rectangle, connecting the thumb. Organic shapes are drawn for each segment of the fingers.

• Watch this demonstration.

As we draw the shapes, we can also make comparisons to the negative shapes that exist around the subject. These comparisons and the adjustments that are made, will further improve the accuracy of the drawing or painting.

Once the basic shapes are drawn and laid out, we can now move on to the next thing to look for – the lines.

Look For the Lines

Now that we’ve identified the shapes, we can move on to drawing or painting the lines. Since the overall shape of the subject has been defined, we can concentrate on the quality of line that is created, without worrying about the shape created by our contours (outlines).

Using the shapes as guidelines, we can add the contour lines adjusting the thickness and thinness of the mark to create variety and interest.

The line quality that is produced not only enhances the visual interest, but also communicates the form and texture of the subject. When we observe the subject, we can pay close attention to subtle changes in the lines and add them, “as we see them”, in the drawing or painting.

Watch the leaf demonstration (Membership Required) –

• Part One
• Part Two

Let’s move on to the next thing to look for – value.

Look For the Values

It is important to note that the next few things that we’ll be looking for in our subject are all dependent on one another. So they may be all observed concurrently since they influence each other. We’ll start with value, since it is the greatest influencer of the other two. And if the value is accurate, then texture and form just “fall into place”.

Value is defined as the darkness or lightness of a color. It is how we actually see the important parts of the world around us. It is the value that tells us about the light, forms, and textures of the environment around us.

• Learn more about value

Finding the dark, light, and middle values in your subject and adding them in the correct locations in the art leads to accuracy.

• Watch this demonstration (Membership required)

Because it tells us so much about the light, getting the value as close as possible to what is observed is crucial. It is one of the most important things to look for when you are drawing “what you see”. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but try to match the observed values as closely as you can.

Look For the Form

The form of the subject is communicated through the value that exists on the subject. The relationships of those values tell the viewer about the form of the subject.

Most objects will have defined areas of value which can be identified.

Above image from “The Oil Painting Master Series” course.

• Highlight – The location on the subject where light is hitting most directly.
• Midtone – Area on the subject of middle value, often the local color of the subject.
• Core Shadow – Area on the subject in shadow
• Reflected Highlight – Locations of value lighter than the core shadow that result from surrounding objects or surfaces bouncing light onto the main subject.
• Cast Shadow – Shadows that are cast on surrounding objects or surfaces as a result of blocked or partially blocked light.

The positioning of these locations of value tell the viewer about the light and the form of the subject, so it makes sense that we should be looking for them on the subjects that we draw or paint. When we position them correctly, the illusion of form is created.

Look For the Textures

Just like form, texture is communicated in a drawing or painting by the relationships of value. The directional marks, whether they be made with a pencil or with a brush also play a role.

In combination, the directional marks and the relationships of value lead to the illusion of texture.

Above image from “The Colored Pencil Course”.

The directional marks that are made often “flow” over the form of the subject. These implied lines are sometimes referred to as “cross contour lines”. Not only do these lines communicate the texture on the subject, but they can also tell us a bit about the form.

Look For the Colors

Of course, the color is important in an observational drawing or painting and should be observed closely. The trick in applying the color does not necessarily lie in the observation, but instead in how those observed colors are to be mixed.

Above image from “The Watercolor Workshop”.

Mixing colors requires a bit of practice and experience with the medium. Different mediums require different mixing techniques. You don’t mix oil paints in the same manner that you mix colored pencils, for example.

And while matching the color as closely as possible may seem incredibly important, the value of the color applied is actually a greater factor. Colors can be completely altered, but if the value is matched, then the subject is still communicated.

Of course, with observational drawing and painting, you’ll want to match the colors as closely as possible. You don’t want to paint a portrait of someone and make them green (unless they are a Martian or are very sick). I include the image above to demonstrate the importance of value and to point out that if you’re off a bit with the color, it’s typically okay – as long as the values are close.

The Theme

Have you noticed a theme? If you’re keen, you’ve probably noticed that the six things listed here are six of the seven elements of art…

• Line
• Shape
• Form
• Value
• Texture
• Color

The only element missing is “space”, which is communicated through a variety of factors including placement, value, color, detail, overlapping, and size.

The key to “looking” lies in knowing what exactly to look for. When we create an observational drawing or painting, we communicate the subject through the elements of art.

It only makes sense that these elements are what we look for on our subjects when we “draw what we see.”