Nothing to do but plan, sketch and do more sketching. Two months so far of being away my easel and palette loaded with colors. Two months maybe more of resting and rehab. I have taken to sketching heads and landscapes, hopefully the landscape will become paintings when I am back in front of the easel working with my oils again. The heads I sketch are keeping me sharp for when I am beginning one of my figure paintings.
Checking out what others are doing is another thing I am able to do via Facebook. I love seeing the art others are posting and reading what they are doing and going through. I love seeing art being posted with "Sold" with it. I get mixed feelings when an artist post questions about not selling art. Some artists choose subjects that are too out of the mainstream. They love their subject and their style of painting, but cannot deal with the idea there are few collectors out there for them. I question myself every time I begin a sketch of one of the gentlemen that caught my eye at Jake's. They are a hard sell for me especially when I do them and file them away. I love doing them, but I understand why someone wouldn't want a sketch of a stranger hanging in their home. A full blown portrait is even a harder sell. Takes a true art lover and collector to buy a portrait of a gentleman covered with tattoos.
A friend just called it quits, put everything in his studio up for sale, paints, brushes, easel, everything. Years of study in Florence and in New York and he quits it all. I do not have an answer, just more to think about. I have friends who hold down full time jobs and paint on weekends.
What works for me isn't for everyone, so I keep my opinions and suggestions to myself. Making a living from art is no easy task. Each artist has to look closely at themselves and their art and see where it fits in to the art scene. I have to make adjustments at times, take commissions which I really hate doing. Portrait commissions for me is letting someone into my mind and soul, telling me how things should be.
I tend to bend over backwards to please the person commissioning me. I like being able to paint my model's eyes blue when they are nearly black, or give them blond hair when it's actually dark brown. Some times artists need to change.
