Learning to paint. . .

I have always been a hands-on learner. 😄  So when I decided I wanted to learn to paint I did not do a bunch of research or watch a bunch of instructional videos. I mean I watched Bob Ross as kid but who didn't?  😉  I always liked the idea of "happy little trees". 

But me being oh so Me just had to do things my own way.  I saw a clearance going out of business sale sign on an art store last year and I decided I wanted to check it out. I had driven by the store pretty regular it's in a plaza with other shops I use often, I had previously thought "hey I should check that out someday".  So the day I saw the closing sign I was a bit sad but thought "hey last chance".  I went in and wandered around a bit, having no idea what I was really looking at or looking for just wandering wide eyed admiring all the things I didn't have a clue how to use.  😊  

I spotted this really cool portable easel case thing and it was soooo discounted that not buying seemed like a waste.  So I bought it, then realized I had no idea how to even unfold it let alone use it, and that I didn't have any supplies or even a clue about painting.  I spent weeks staring at the box wondering if I was completely crazy, if I really wanted to start down this road. In the same weeks I also went shopping with 55% off coupons at A.C.Moore and JoAnns and picked up some watercolor paints, a pack of assorted shaped/sized brushes, some canvases, you know the things I thought one would use in painting. 

After I compiled the assorted supplies I then went back to the mental debate of what was I thinking, I'm no "artist".  I decided I'd just try and see how it turned out, I have no training or technique or general clue even really but I decided I was just going to have fun.  

 So I set up the easel, loaded it with my supplies, opened the paints and went to town in my living room.  No fancy studio, no fancy lights (at the time) just playing with my paints while watching TV.

But honestly I love the way it turned out.  I am not an artist I still do not claim to be an artist but I have now made some real art, even if it was purely by accident.  😛  Oh and it was purely by accident, in school I was never good with portrait stuff, faces and features I just sucked.  However, in my randomly swirling paint to make space-scapes I somehow ended up with this awesome pair of lips whisper from the depths of this black-hole.  I fell in love with the completed piece and it's mine, it's hanging in my upstairs hallway.

I let that fester, I went back to jewelry and wire trees and living my life, but every night on the way to bed I walk past this painting and it makes me think and it makes me smile and it makes me want to paint more.  

And I have been off and on, in between other things.  I sent one to a good friend because she was very complimentary on my facebook pics and really seemed to like them. 😇  She took a photo of it hanging on her wall and shared it on facebook, said she loved it. 

I have since done some research because I was considering selling them, so I wanted to get a price range and see how the artist-y types write the descriptions and stuff.  What I learned is the price range I had in mind is really low compared to most others.  Also reading their descriptions about priming and treating canvases and such made me realize I don't do any of that, I have no idea what they are even talking about. "Holy crap I'm doing it all wrong"  😞😟😕

So I did some more research and reading and then investigated my supplies.  Whew I'm ok, somehow I lucked into pre-primed, pre-treated, pre-stretched, kiln dried canvases.  So all those confuse-y step they were talking about I don't have to do it's all done for me.  Thank heavens, I felt like a total choad for a while there.  Now I've determined I'm just going to keep doing me my way right or wrong, for better or for worse.  😉

Happy February. . .

Happy February to all, Valentine's day is almost here.  

I've made some new trees, I've made some new earrings, I just keep adding things.  I have finally broken the 150 listing mark, now let's just hope it triggers some sales.  ~LOL~  

I've been enjoying playing with my paints on the side.  I really like the space-scapes there's no way to go wrong as long as it looks cool in the end, it's not like painting portraits or trees or "real" things.  I'm also thinking of doing some just totally random abstract art. 

I am actually reconsidering whether or not I should try to sell them.  I mean they are hard to photograph, but art is so subjective.  But as long as I stick to the 8x10 or 11x14 sizes shipping shouldn't be too high.  

Pre-Valentine's Day Sale

Valentine's Day will be here before you know it, so leave time for shipping and order early.  

I made pretty "flyer" style picture announcements for the social media pages like Facebook, instagram, and Pinterest.  

I think I may try to make a couple more, not sure which listing photo to use and I'll need to come up with another tag line too.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year !!

In 2018 I plan to make some personal life changes, not likely to impact RainbowMaille on Etsy . . . too much.  ~LOL~  

I want to shift focus somewhat, while I plan to continue making and selling chainmaille and the wire trees, I plan to take up painting.  I am actually excited about this prospect, I bought the easel and stuff months ago.  I did a few test projects over the summer Franken-Art and I really like how they turned out.  I have so many ideas of different things I want to try.  💫

I'm not sure if any of them will make it to the store for sale or if my walls will just end up covered in it.  Art is so subjective just because I like it doesn't mean anyone else will and it doesn't mean anyone will want to pay for it.  ~LOL~  I do know that the ones hanging in my hallway in their little shadow boxes are never going to be for sale because I'm attached to them.  💖

I am leaving the "gift wrap" option available in my shop all year round, since most of my ribbons are solid colors and not really "Christmas-y" I think I can keep it holiday neutral. 😉

Pinterest. . .

I've started using Pinterest for RainbowMaille, but since I've never been a "pinterest" person prior to this I'm finding the whole thing a bit odd and somewhat annoying.  ~LOL~  😄  

However, Etsy's new social media tool includes Pinterest so I thought I'd give it a go.  I have created multiple boards because I like to organize and keeping my cats separate from my art seemed like the thing to do.  https://www.pinterest.com/RainbowMaille/ 

I don't know how to get followers, unlike instagram where I've made it over 160 followers in the last year not exactly a huge following but better than the 2 on pinterest.  ~LOL~  😄  Short of paying for advertising and doing the facebook "boost" post thing I'm not sure how to get my stuff seen on pinterest.  😖  Worse yet, I am paying to promote some, so I've gotten some views and a few re-pins/saves but over half of them are mis-labeling my stuff. 😕  Like my wire trees which are clearly called out as wall art and home decor but people keep saving them to jewelry boards.  😟  My chainmaille has been saved to beaded jewelry boards in spite of the fact that there is not a single bead on it.  😵  It's making me nutty, it's not OCD compliant at all. ~LOL~ 😄

I'll keep trying and keep posting but I'm not sure it's doing much good.  I know all social media stuff takes time to build a following and be effective but good grief. (and yes that's a Charlie Brown impersonation)  😉

Happy Holidays to all . . .

It has been a good holiday sales season thus far, as Christmas comes and goes I realize my work is never done.  While many others will spend the holiday weekend blissfully lazy and enjoying family gatherings with days off of work, I will be once again editing all of my shop's listings.  😏  

Changes to tags, keywords, holiday, occasion, etc. as I shift from Christmas to Valentine's Day and re-work the gift wrapping description to apply all year round.  

Yep I have to edit all 140 listings. . .again, this is a continuous thing shifting focus with the seasons.  Happy shoppers are completely un-aware of the work on the backside of a business, they search, they find they buy, it seems to easy to them.  ~LOL~

Christmas is creeping closer. . .

We are in the grips of a winter storm and for once I'm glad to not have orders  😇  as I'd really rather not drive my shiny new car in this muck. ~LOL~

I've re-created the mini rainbow trees, I've made a new gold and pink super cute tree with fancy new butterflies that just got listed yesterday.  😉  Today I'm planning some new chaninmaille, we'll see how far I get with my plan. ~LOL~  

I've been working on establishing a Pinterest presence and it's an odd place I haven't quite figured out.  I post and pin and link back to my listings and I have seen some traffic from it, but I'm not sure how to get more people to save and re-pin and share. 

Pinterest is a bit like this blog I keep trying but it doesn't seem to have much of an audience. ~LOL~