Plans for 2011

The first thing I did for 2011 artwise, was to alter the construction of the year-plan. So applying more steps, but only 1-2 sentence per step looks more simplified, easier to read. I then, hope I will manage to re-read it more often than I did my 2010 plan!

So:

Again: I have to limit time on PC! I am going to follow specific sites and maintain my own, but otherwise...

In 2010 I managed to make a montly workplan that actually worked for me. It seems to me, that the way written things are constructed means a whole lot for succes or failure for me.
I am certainly going to use this again.
I don't know how other artists do this, but I have so very many ideas and plans, that if I don't make some kind of plan I will go nuts.

Working in series. This is also very important for me to remember. I am a person that can be easily distracted (born in gemini might cause this ;)) and I must admit, that my eager to try out a lot of things, works against this goal. That is also why my idea of a calender is not yet a reality. Even I did make a tablecalender for 2009, I want to make a calender with more similar images than all kinds of animals.

My printsales has been going up, so try to keep it up.

I like to enter competitions and shows, but I am often out a bit late, even missing some deadlines. I will try to be more organized here too.

Now that I am joining an artclub, I'll have at least one pathway to exhibit. And I should do more in the exhibit direction - contact possible places.

I will increase my activity on my facebook artsite. I've been concentrating mostly on my homepage and blogs, neglecting FB a bit. That must change.

Summing it up :

Off the computer and go to the drawingtable

Use the new montly plan for what to do and use deadlines

Work in series, possibly for a calender

Advertise for prints, cards and originals

Start drawings or paintings for competitions/shows as early as possible

Exhibit locally = contact possible places

Use Facebook artpage even more

With this I look forward to a new year and I also wish all of my fellow artistfriends a fruitful and happy year with your artwork.

Lene Abstractions

A little advertising for my blog Lenes Abstractions.

The Blog has been quiet for some month, but there are new work on it now.
Lene Abstractions

Review 2010

Once again a year has passed surprinsingly fast as we soon hit 31. december! As I've done before at this time of year, I've found my plans, dusted it off and re-read, with the intention to see how I did.

And once again I must admit that making plans are one thing, following them are another.

A goal I made in 2009 was to participate in shows and competitions either on-line or in RL. I entered 14 shows online. I did not find any local shows to enter.

Accomplishments:

April: my graphite drawing “Mille - poodle” got a 12. place in Guestgallery’s International artshow: Realism. A show with hundredes of entries. Votes by public.

Juni: My oilpastel painting “He’s my Favorite” - jutland horse, got a 2. plads i Fine Art America Online competion: “Magical horse”. Votes by public.

Juni: My graphitedrawing “Playtime?” got a 4. place in Fine Art America Online competion: “Dogs”. Votes by public.

It seems the public liked my work more that judges. I entered a couple of judged shows, but didn't make it.


I used my sketchbook more this year. Even it hasn’t become a habit yet, I am satisfied so far. I also came up with a montly workplan that satisfied me, making it much easier to stay focused.

I build sites with sale of originals, prints as well as items with my prints on it. Especially I am happy with my printsales.

I contacted an artgroup in my area and was accepted as a member. That means groupvisits to artgalleries and musems and also participation in their yearly show at Easter. I look forward to that in 2011.

I did quite a bit of computerdrawings for my new blog Tegneriet and my new pin-up blog.

As mentioned above I started 2 new blogs. Both my A Zoo blog and homepage got tranlated into a danish version. I also started the danish blog Tegneriet and a pin-up blog.

I held a portraitcompetition for my readers and had a great response. I loved to draw the winner in graphite: The lovely dalmatian Sigurd. A competition for viewers/readers to win a print did not work at all.

I closed down my petcommission site, and have not decided yet to re-open it, as I have a lot to work on otherwise. I might repeat the competition mentioned above, though.

Working in series was also a goal, but I just completed one new for my Chameleon-serie. I am not too satisfied with that number!

And now off to look at the 2011 plan!

Prints

I am very happy and grateful whenever a customer buys one of my prints. All buyers are anonymous on my Imagekind shop, therefor I will to thank you here. If you are one of my buyers out there, I sincerly hope that my drawing or painting brings you joy.

Gentle giants as prints

My "Gentle Giants" drawing is now availiable as a print.

Two gentle giants - irish wolfhounds - standing in surroundings representing the breeds long history back in time; old castle walls and heavy old wooden door.

Imagekind store

Merry Christmas

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year

Your opinion please

I would love to have your help.

I am allowed to use one graphite drawing for a show.
I find it can be very hard to choose myself, and therefor I ask for your opinion.

Which of the 3 graphite drawings do you like the most?
You can apply why, but don't have to.

"Gentle giants - irish wolfhounds"
"Black like arabian nights"
"Dalmatian"

Macaw in watercolor

My macaw watercolorpainting are finished. I really had to watch my step, not to put in more details.

It has been more difficult with the bird, than with my chameleonpaintings (photo of two). Partly due to the feathers.

Beside that, the paintingtechnique has been different with fewer layers, which results in a less transparent painting.

It has been an interesting experiment though, but I find that glazing layers gives me a more satisfying result than mixing more concentrated watercolors. At least when I wish to paint a loose watercolor.

Macaw in watercolor

I finally have time to work on my macaw painting.

I have started to define the feathers, but I take care not to be to detailed, as I do want a loose watercolor.

I also add a shot of my palet-plate. It works perfectly. Much better to work with than my usual small watercolor-mixing palets!

Macaw in watercolor

An update of my macaw painting.
I have painted layers of warmer reds and yellows.

I had hoped to be able to announce a winner of my win-a-print competition,
but I had no answers.

Macaw in watercolor

Here is an update of the macaw. Right now it has a beautiful pink color - very - flamingo-like! However, I'll soon paint with more redorange ..

I have not completed the backgrond, but will wait untill more of the foreground are finished.

Macaw in watercolor

I finally started a new project, after I finished my latest drawing.

Jeg want to experiment with watercolors, and find the macaw so lovely colorful, that it became my motif.

I really like the combination of crisp graphitestrokes and the watercolor, even the graphite can be hard to see, when you're not close up. I want a loose painting, not too detailed and precise. And watercolors are great for that. It is also interesting with a mix of soft and sharp edges with the colors.

I love the transparency watercolors can give. Look at the leaf in the close-up shot.

I bought a couple of large plates to mix on, as I've started buying watercolors in tubes rather than pans, and I want to be able to make larger puddles with the colors.

Here are shots of the plate, my brush, a pic of the composition and a close-up as far as I am now.

Danish website

Finally I can introduce my website in danish, and hope my danish readers will appreciate that :)

A Zoo kunst