PAINTING PLANS AND NOTES

PAINTING STRATEGIES AND PLANS 2008

Tuesday 12 Feb 2008

Painting Strategies
My competitive advantages are
• I have a growing record of successful sales
• I excel in small original, impressionistic paintings from life
• My plein air landscapes and ala prima flowers are professional-like
• I use quality art materials
• Large stretchers (36”x36”) have potential for further development
SCA Strategic Competitive Advantages (Uniqueness)
• What will I do about
“I excel in small original, impressionistic paintings from life“ and “My plein air landscapes and ala prima flowers are professional-like“
• Treat these qualities as my (SCA) and focus most of my action plans on them to develop related outcomes.

For 2008 I will focus on painting small plein air landscapes and ala prima flowers from life.

Small, means 8”x10”, 10”x12”, 12”x16”, 16”x20”, 20”x24” 24”x24” stretchers. Let the other possibilities go for the time being

E-Bay Strategies
My competitive advantage on E-Bay suggests that I should focus on the following
• Small, original, impressionistic paintings from life
• Australian landscape and flowers
• Only my best quality paintings offered. (E-Bay is not a dumping place)
• Limited sizes offered 8”x10”, 10”x12”, 12”x16”, 16”x20”, 20”x24” 24”x24”
• Low packing costs using AP boxes and cardboard wrapping
• Reasonably priced $70- $200 in the middle to high range
• Ready to hang, no framing required
• I can maintain a supply rate of one painting week
• Maintain 3-4 completed paintings with photograph, ready to list on E-Bay
• Set Listings for 10 days to close, if possible on weekend end evenings by presetting upload time for 20.30hrs AEST

Listing and commission costs based on 4 continuous 10 day listings over a month will be $60 month, plus E-Bay and Pay-Pal charges could total $75 month or $900 year.
Revenue based on three sales of $90 or ($270) month over 10 selling months (Dec/Jan out) $2700 year. (In 2007 I achieved up to 4 sales per month at times)
Contribution after E-bay and Pay Pal expenses for 2008 could be ($2700 - $900) or $1800 annual contribution.

Art Gallery Strategies
• Maintain those galleries already with my paintings Jahroc (4) The Australian Art Gallery (4)
• Look for 2-3 more eg Monet, Local Subiaco, West Perth and Sth West galleries

Ellis House Strategies
• Continue to develop and maintain “artist in residence” opportunities
• Aim to paint in Ellis House studio on Saturday and Sunday
• Paint out from Ellis House every second Thursday
• Consider painting from life” group. Say Tue or Fri with BYO lunch

Other Painting Strategies
• Paint out with the Thursday Painters group every other Thursday
• Paint at home studio Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri
• WA Society of Arts membership and exhibitions

Oils or Acrylics Strategies
• I am equally at home using either oils or acrylic paints.
• I prefer to use oils when painting on location and in the hot weather.
• I prefer to use acrylics when painting in my upstairs studio or anywhere where there is limited ventilation
• I like to use acrylics for small studies and for exploring concepts
• I can use acrylics for the under painting of large canvases that can be completed in either acrylics or oils.

Acrylic Paints, Mediums and Varnish
Acrylic Colours
• M Graham acrylics are my preferred acrylic paints. Golden Heavy Body Acrylics and mediums are equal in quality as an alternative.
• I have supplies of Golden Fluid acrylics and other brands to use up

My basic palette for acrylics
Cad Yellow Light
Cad Yellow*
Cad Orange
Cad Red*
Quinacridone Violet*
Dioxin Purple
Ultra Marine Blue*
Phthalo Blue
Phthalo Green*
Green
Raw Umber
Raw Sienna
Burnt Sienna
Light Red
Titanium White*

(* denotes my minimum or basic palette)

Mediums
• Matisse MM9 Acrylic Painting Medium - 250ml
Use to increase binder content of Matisse Colours when reducing them with water. (I use in place of water as medium)
• Matisse MM4 Gel Medium 250ml
Dries clear or mix with Matisse Colours to give a 3D high gloss glaze. (I use as an extender for light texture and palette knife work)

Varnish
• Matisse MM7 Polymer Gloss varnish (water-based) - 250ml
Use as a final varnish or can be mixed with Matisse Colours. Non-yellowing high gloss finish (I mix with 25% water to reduce gloss)

Oils
• M Graham paints are my preferred oil paints and mediums. Le Franc and Old Holland are equal or better in quality as an alternative. I have supplies of other brands to use up
• My basic palette for oils is

Cad Yellow Light
Cad Yellow*
Cad Orange
Cad Red*
Quinacridone Violet*
Dioxin Purple
Ultra Marine Blue*
Phthalo Blue
Phthalo Green*
Green
Raw Umber
Raw Sienna
Burnt Sienna
Light Red
Titanium White*

(* denotes my minimum or basic palette)

Mediums
• M Grahams Walnut Oil medium
• M Graham Walnut /Alkyd medium

Varnish
• Retouch varnish Art Spectrum spray can and brush
• Final varnish TBA