How to Make Art Prints

Making art prints using free software is super simple, and you can create any size imaginable to either print at home or send to a professional print shop.

This method will walk you through how to edit the clear photograph I showed you how to take last week using natural lighting (see it here if you missed it) and then format the image for high dpi printing and to include a white border of any size.

I'm using a Windows PC for this tutorial so the photo editing is done on the free software that comes with it. You can use any program you like for that step though. The second part uses paint.net, a free program you can download here, to increase the print quality and create the white border.

3.29.2019

Nervous About Showing Your Art?

Remember that video I did just a few weeks ago that was chock full of art biz advice? Well I wound up having a great discussion with a viewer as a result of it regarding her own upcoming art show. This fellow artist is awesomely motivated and she and I have communicated quite a bit via YT. She really finds my vids useful and is always quick to comment on and compliment them (which fills me with joy!).

Anyhoo, not only is the vid full of excellent advice, but I think our chat in the comments is worth sharing too for anyone who may be a little nervous showing their own art at an event.

Yay! I really love helping fellow artists so much!

If I can ever help you out feel free to drop me a line in the comments, here, or in my email caleigh@caleighbirdart.com. And don’t forget I now offer Art + Art Biz Consulting if you’d really like someone enthusiastic in your corner helping you leap those hurdles :)

3.27.2019

How to Photograph Artwork

Photographing artwork is surprisingly easy and is actually best done with neutral and natural light, which I will show you how to find outside. This technique is great because you don't need any fancy equipment at all. Any high resolution digital or smart phone works wonderfully during the right time of day.

And make sure you tune in next week too because I’m going to show you how to turn your bright and clear photographs into prints from editing to formatting all using free and easy software.

Prints of 'Farina' painting available here.

3.22.2019

New 3D Oil Painting :: Dip In the Abyss

Just a wild ride of a 3D painting for you today. Definitely a bit more free than my usual works but I had a blast experimenting:)

Nothing on this piece was really planned, I just kind of went for it with each layer of resin. What do you think? Is it fun and mysterious or too busy to focus?

I'd love your opinion in the comments!

3.15.2019

Art Consulting Now Available

Aloha friends, big news today! I am now available for fine art and art biz consulting! Yay!

I am constantly getting asked advice from how to prepare for an art opening to how to 'be more professional' to basic technical skills. Now I am here for you one-on-one and face-to-face through Hangouts or Skype to help tackle any obstacles between you and the art or art biz of your dreams.

Make sure to check out all the options for working together here

And by all means, keep leaving me questions and comments here and on YT! I am thrilled to share my artsy knowledge with this wonderful community any time:):)

3.8.2019

New Painting :: 'Heartbeat'

'The Sun, the Moon, and the Heartbeat In Between’ takes up a space somewhere in between real and imaginary… sleepiness and wakefulness… lightness and darkness…

Straddling the warmth of the sun and the cool of the moon in a deep state of bliss actually describes my close friend Emsy in a perfectly poetic way. She is the meditator and the adventurer, the muse and the artist, the old soul and the young spirit, the calm and the excitement.

Using the acrylic resin allowed me to bring the found Luna Moth and the doily held with her elevated left hand into the third dimension. not to mention the shining night sky magically illuminated by the sun’s rays.

oil on Belgian linen panel with mixed media in acrylic resin; framed, 12x15 inches, 2019

Take the 3D tour:

3.6.2109

5 Tips for Small Business Artists

Aloha fellow up ‘n coming artists:) Today’s video is especially for those who are interested in turning their love of artistic creation into a small business.

I’ve been navigating my own art biz for just a few years, but even in that short time I have learned so much that I wish I would have known starting out. If there’s one thing I think a lot of us have in common as newbies it’s that we tend to run around in a million directions at once not really knowing how best to focus our efforts and wind up wasting a lot of time.

I think a bit of bouncing around is totally necessary as each artist will find their own flow differently, but today I want to at least impart 5 little nuggets of advice to help navigate your own small art business.

So enjoy the video and then scroll down for notes

1. Don’t spread yourself too thin

When first starting out many artists are given the advice to ‘be everywhere’ online in order to share your artwork with as many people as possible (ex. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Deviant Art, Pinterest, YouTube, Tumblr, Etsy, Society 6, etc). Now it is true that building an audience is the most important thing you can do for your art biz, but it’s actually much more effective to find 2-3 platforms where you think your target audience is most likely to hang out, then put forth your best, most professional efforts there. The worst thing you can do is sign up for so many platforms that you are unable to keep things updated so when folks do find you your page is an unloved, archaic mess. What a tragedy!

2. Follow journeys of ‘Goal Artists’

We all have artists that we hope to emulate one day either by style, success, or both, and that’s a very healthy thing. It’s great to have idols! Especially in the crazy world of professional art where there really are no set rules or protocols for building a prosperous and fulfilling career it can be incredibly helpful to have people to pattern after.

My advice is to pick 2-3 of your favorite contemporary artists whose style and/or target audience matches your own and who have also achieved a high level of your ideal of success. Remember that success looks different to every artist so it is important that you get kind of specific with this ideal; it won’t do you any good to emulate an artist being granted huge sculptural instillation art contracts when you are trying to paint pet portraits for celebrities. (You can love any artists’ work without trying to replicate their careers :) )

Then simply research and follow each artist consistently. Find their website and check out their CV or Exhibition/Awards roster to see potential venues to apply to or contests to enter. Sign up for their email list to hear about where/what they’re showing next. See if they teach workshops or college classes, or even jury for certain exhibits. Find them on social media and stay abreast of upcoming projects. How do they market themselves and their artwork? How do they get their audience excited about new artworks? What are specific ways that they engage with their audience?

Since basically everyone is all over the internet these days it is easier than ever to see how your idols are advancing but please, no matter what, do not ever make the mistake of comparing yourself to them. It can sound cliche, but it is very true that no two artistic journeys are ever the same. Gathering inspiration or references from favorite artists is fantastic, but you have no idea how exactly they got their start, how their socio-economic background influenced their educational opportunities, or how they may be connected either through location, schooling, or lineage. Circumstances are always different when peering from the outside in, so use your goal artists as just that, inspirational goals… not rigid one-size-fits-all rules.

3. Practice, expand and grow!

Now I know this one may sound obvious, but I honestly think this is one of the easiest ways that we can get lazy as artists. Once we are finished with official schooling it can be very easy to stick with our usual routine of style/materials/subjects/techniques and not keep branching out but it is really important to do so. We as artists need to be challenged regularly and we should always be striving for improvement, which comes with never ending practice.

Of course as we build an audience we want to stay true to the artwork that brought their adoration to us in the first place, but don’t forget that although we as humans like what we are already familiar with, we also need growth and change to keep our interest piqued. Trying out a new medium or a different subject within your same style is a great way to expand without alienating your audience. Or maybe use your artwork to collaborate with a clothing designer, children’s book writer, local event or good cause. The bonus is that by trying new things you will inevitably expose new people to your artwork along the way. Win win!

4. Be consistent

This is soooo much more important than I think a lot of young artists give credit. There are literally thousands of other artists all vying for your audience’s attention and if its been too many days/weeks/ or (dog-forbid) months since they’ve heard from you they are not even going to remember you when they move and need new art for their walls or when their sister’s birthday rolls around and they want a custom portrait created.

Consistency is also one of the best and cheapest ways to look professional. Literally just showing up on a predictable basis with quality work will put you head and shoulders above so many ‘amateurs'. Plus social media algorithms loooove consistency and we all know we need to be pleasing the mysterious algorithm entities as much as we possibly can!

5. Say yes

Often times in our lives we are presented with jobs, gigs, or opportunities that perhaps don’t specifically align with our end goals which we tend to say no to out of lack of interest or sub par compensation. Now I will never advocate for obvious time-wasting or being taken advantage of, but there is something to be said for getting out and doing as much art-related work as possible during the early stages of one’s career.

The thing is that so many random seeming opportunities morph and push us in unexpected directions and often turn into surprising and unique learning endeavors. Not to mention that as young artists we absolutely need to be exposed to as much of the business side of the fine art world as humanly possible (especially since art schools teach bupkis about the biz aspect of things). Also, working in any creative sector will garner more and more personal contacts who will in turn present you with more artistic opportunities. It can be a very exciting and lucrative cycle indeed!

My advice is to branch out into as many creative endeavors as you can handle reasonably and with quality. Never take on more than you can do well by giving only half efforts as your reputation will proceed you and could cost you excellent opportunities in the future. Just do your best and have an upbeat attitude and people will be thrilled to hire you again and again.

Skippity-do it’s as easy as that folks! Show up to your own life consistently and enthusiastically with your best effort and you should do great! Yay!

3.1.2019

Nude Hiking :: Part 2 (NSFW)

This may seem an odd place to share this adventure, but I have come to look at my blog as a bit of a journal so sharing this incredible experience with fellow art lovers like you seems somehow fitting….

Hopefully you caught this very special blog post from a few weeks ago featuring myself and two of my favorite sister artists hiking a super high ridge line on the Westside of O’ahu. All of the ethereal photos in that post were by my fellow nude hiker and professional photographer friend Stephanie Stein, but today I wanted to share the other photos from that epic day - the ones we snapped on our cell phones while eating lunch, taking photos, and just generally frolicking around.

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As I’m sure you can imagine, this was one of the best, most invigorating, and somehow transformative hikes any of us have ever experienced. To quote Emsy as she was climbing ever higher to stand proudly on teeny ledges jutting out over the valley below, “I’ve never been so naked in my whole life!”

In this artist’s humble opinion, being comfortably naked is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Too often in modern consumerist society we are told about all the imperfections that buying random products can solve without being lauded for who we are naturally.

I mean, it makes sense. It’s hard to sell bullshit to people who are content.

So that’s why it’s ever more important to find joys in our own ways in our own bodies. It’s hard to feel sub par within your body when it makes you feel powerful and exhilarated!

So if you can, try and find an unusual place to be naked soon! Whether you try a naked hike like us, decide to find a secret beach where you can sun your buns, or just sip some tea and read next Sunday’s paper in the buff in your backyard, taking a little time to be naked in nature will make you feel like a whole new person. Would love to hear your experiences in the comments!

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PS. If you’re curious, we hiked in regular clothes until we felt nicely secluded then disrobed and continued on. We also learned that at least shorts are needed on the way back down or else one must be prepared for a very grass-tickled bottom during steep descent areas ;)

2.27.2019

Life Drawing Demo :: Female on Purple Paper

For the first time ever I’d like to demonstrate how I create my life drawings using pastel and white chalk pencils in my fabulous homemade sketchbooks.

This entire process is incredibly meditative to me, from crafting the books myself to selecting which color to use with which pose, to finally picking the very best deep tone pastel to use with each paper. I am literally in dreamland when I get to draw from life.

Want to know more about getting a handmade sketchbook?

Stay in the loop and see sketchbooks in detail here

Gallery of available figure drawings

My Drawing Supplies:

*any purchases through these links helps support my channel- thank you!

Carbothello Raw Umber Pastel Pencil:

https://bit.ly/2pYbffp

White Chalk Pencil:

https://bit.ly/2BXnLmn

Mono Zero Eraser:

https://bit.ly/2DfU93e

Eraser Refill:

https://bit.ly/2SC64C0

Kneaded Eraser:

https://bit.ly/2WOwYWA

Canson 19x25' Muted Tone Paper Packs:

https://bit.ly/2SSAAJ1

Nude Sketchbook Flip Through:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljpP18HrWPc

See me test out a bunch of these different pastel pencils:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t98oRwjTvu8&t=343s

Check out this video about my favorite erasers:

https://youtu.be/yqcdDrq8Vcg

2.22.2019

Even a Broken Clock....

'Even a broken clock is right twice a day...'  

Don't sell yourself short. Sometimes things don't seem to go the way we want them to, but it's important to remember that even when things feel broken, disjointed, or downright disappointing, there can still be ways to find a positive edge - even if it is a bit silly and brief.

Now I am all about breaking up any stressful or 'oh-this-is-all-impossible' moods whenever I can with whatever positivity I can muster because sometimes as a small business owner it can feel like soooo much effort can yield such tiny results. However, I continue to remind myself that real growth is incremental.

I find that it helps to look at other areas of one's life where teeny tiny baby steps and slow growth have ultimately produced solid and definable results. When I find myself feeling despondent about the rate of growth for my small business, I honestly remind myself of my fitness journey and how after 5 years of taking it seriously I'm now in the best health of my life, or (as silly as it sounds) my dreadlocks, which have been growing for almost a decade and half and how long it took them to come to their full potential. 

I would love to hear about how any other creatives handle patience with incremental growth. Or tell me about something you've been patiently working on for a long time and is now coming to fruition. Yay! Let's inspire each other with positivity and growth! 

PS. I’ve recently had a few requests for my life drawings lately so I just posted a whole bunch of my latest ones in my Shop for only $28-48. See more here!

2:18:2019