Abstract Painter.Art Educator.
David M. Kessler Fine Art
If you’ve ever wondered how to create an abstract painting composition, this video and pdf are for you!
After recording this video, I realized the flooring I use is not rubber, it's actually foam - just so you know.
My studio floor is concrete, so when I first began using the studio, my knees and feet would hurt after a long day working. I decided then to find something to put on the floor to help ease the pain of standing for hours at a time.
Read MoreOne of the most difficult things to do as an artist is to develop a baseline for your pricing when you begin selling your work. There is no magic formula for pricing, but I include here a two-step process for getting an most accurate baseline for pricing.
Read MoreShipping Costs for Artwork
I get asked lots of questions about shipping cost that are divided into 2 basic categories: 1. Should I charge a cost for shipping my paintings?; 2. How do I add shipping costs to my website?
Let's address the first question: Should I Charge Shipping Costs?
First, let me say that I do charge for shipping for all of my physical products, which include paintings. I know that we are in the Amazon era, and it's something that I discuss with my students with regard to having a great payment and shopping cart system on their websites.
My business model however, is not the same as Amazon. They have millions of people paying them $119 a year to help them cover free shipping costs for their customers. They also have negotiated special shipping pricing from the US Postal Service.
Here is the way I approach it as a business owner. Shipping is a business cost. I build my own boxes to ship paintings in - actually two boxes for each painting - an inner box and an outer box to better protect the artwork. I spend time driving to the next town over to get the cardboard. I spend time making the boxes. I spend time taking the package to the post office of the UPS store for shipping. If it takes me two hours to do all that, I just burned through $300. Someone has to pay for the time, plus the cost of shipping, or I'm losing money.
Let's say, as an artist, I just can't bring myself to charge my customers for shipping. What are my options? If you aren't going to charge for shipping, then somehow you have to build in the shipping costs to your paintings. That sounds logical and easy, but is it really?
Suppose I ship internationally and domestically. I may be shipping a painting to my state or a neighboring state, or I may be shipping to Australia or New Zealand. How on earth can I possibly build in a price for each painting taking those factors into consideration? You'll most likely have to build in a price to ship to Australia into every painting - but is that fair for the customer who lives in your state? Why should that customer pay the same cost as the person in Australia? It isn't equitable, is it?
Shipping cost is another piece of leverage that you can use in case someone asks for a discount on a painting (there are always folks who do). Instead of offering to discount the artwork, you could offer free shipping instead. This keeps your art priced the same, while you simply discount a service associated with the art.
How do I figure out how to add shipping costs to the prices on my website?
This question is more difficult to answer because each website provider's platform is different. If you have a more sophisticated plan or provider, they may automatically add the carrier's shipping cost based on weight data that you input. Other platforms may require you to set up a shipping data chart to upload for the correct shipping costs. Each platform varies, so each will be different. Investigate your platform to determine the best way to apply the costs - don't be afraid to ask the folks in customer service to assist you.
Let me know how you address shipping cost for your customers.
If you'd like to learn to more about abstract painting and art business, then please join me for a painting workshop: (You can view a list of 2018 workshops HERE)
As always, thanks so much for your support!
David
P.S. If you you'd like to learn how to paint abstracts in the comfort of your home or studio, Abstract Painting Academy is my online course:
Abstract Painting Academy is the next best thing to a live workshop event. You can find out more by Clicking Here.
Design Fundamentals for the Artist EBook. My Newest Ebook is filled with in-depth information on the five major Design Fundamentals of Shape, Value, Color, Edges and Center of Interest. Exact, practical, easy to understand instruction on how to implement each fundamental to make your paintings better than they have ever been.
Available HERE through Amazon for $6.99.
If you're an artist and have a website you have probably been contacted by scammers trying to steal your artwork. If you've been contacted before, you know what to look out for. This video is mostly for those who have not encountered this yet and don't know how to spot a scam.
Read MoreHave you ever tried to paint your feelings about a place or an idea? I do that quite often and so it is with this painting. While in Seattle in the fall of 2017, I awoke to a foggy, misty-moisty day (I know that is commonplace in the Pacific Northwest). There was something about the view out of my 27th story hotel room looking out toward the sound - or lack of view.
Read MorePrimary colors, Yellow, Red and Blue are the three colors from which all colors are made - that's what makes them primary - you can't mix any colors to get primary colors. We probably first learned about them in elementary school, but what was the last time you thought about them before doing a painting?
Read MoreA question I receive often when teaching workshop is how to make neutral colors and use them in a painting.
First, let's define what is meant by "neutral colors." Neutral colors are not earth toned color like Burnt Umber or Burnt Sienna. Neutral colors are those where the color is made more gray (neutral) by the addition of the complementary color.
Read MoreI've talked many times before in my videos about the importance of contrast in paintings, and how contrast makes paintings pop. One of the most effective ways to create needed contrast is through manipulation of value. Value is the degree of light and dark in a painting. The more contrast between the lights and darks in a painting, the more the painting will pop. Think about the work of Vermeer or Rembrandt.
Read MoreIn abstract painting (and all other painting) contrast is king. Contrast gives your work more interest. I've said this before: without contrast, your work is boring, and boredom leads to sleep. Contrast leads to interest, and interest leads to engagement by the viewer.
Contrast can take many forms: big vs. small; thick vs. thin; light vs. dark; intense vs. dull; color contrast; value contrast; edge contrast; size contrast; shape contrast. Contrast helps your work be more powerful, more visually appealing and helps it to pop off the wall.
Read MoreWhen you own your own art business you can build it around whatever is the highest priority for you. One of the highest priorities for me is freedom. Freedom to do what I want when I want. The freedom to work on the projects I want to and say no to the ones I don't. The freedom to make my own decisions and create the kind of business that I want. I spent 30 years in the corporate world, and cannot imagine being chained to a desk in a cube farm any longer. It just isn't me (and it really never was me).
Read MoreRead our Copyright Statement and Privacy Policy
Copyright 2009-2022 David M. Kessler Fine Art david@davidmkessler.com
