The first place that you might consider would be checking with local galleries to see if they sell individual works. Some of the local galleries might allow you to sell there for a small percentage, but others might be dedicated to only one specific artist. Since you are going to be trying to sell your paintings though you will not hurt yourself by calling them up and asking or even better yet stopping in with samples of your work.

The second place to check into would be the internet. Now with the internet you will probably end up competing with artist around the world for the amount of money that people have to spend on paintings. However, you can be very successful in selling products on the internet if you are able to market your art properly and find the market that you will do best in. You can also check to see if there are any specialty art websites dedicated to selling art only. If there is find out the fees that they charge because they will typically rank higher than if you were just starting out.

The third place to look would be in some of the local smaller coffee shops. Now this does not mean to go into the large chain coffee shop in your neighborhood, but see if you can find one that is locally owned. Depending on the area you might find that this can be very profitable for you and the coffee shop. Not only that the locally owned places might not even charge you to put items in the shop to sell.

The fourth place would be to utilize your own front yard. Now doing this might seem to make yourself feel a little bit cheap, but it could be the way that you end up selling your first painting and getting your art out in the world. This is a good method if you are just starting out and if you have high levels of foot traffic in front of your home.

The fifth place would be to check into the local area flea markets. Many painters and artist like to utilize these as a place to sell there art because of the number of people that go to them. Since you are going to have this increase in foot traffic you will want to be prepared for sales and possibly even to receive orders of art work that people will want. Finding places to have your original art for sale is not as hard as it seems. The five locations that were mentioned are all great ways to start selling your art, but not the only places either. You will just want to weigh the many options that you have available for your style before deciding on one.

Tags : Artist, Original Art, Paintings

Most of the time a picture that is straight on to the subject lacks an appealing dynamic and will likely make the subject seem wider than they are. The easiest way to eliminate this is to have your subject stand at an angle to the camera. The face should be slightly tilted to one side as the subject looks directly into the camera lens. Pay attention to the the size of the subjects eyes. There is always one eye bigger than the other. Make sure the smaller eye is closer to the camera to make it appear bigger.

Diffused light will make all the difference in a photograph. A slightly cloudy day will provide a huge soft filtered light. If you are indoors try shooting a subject with the light from a window. Avoid direct light. Position the subject at an angle to the light source and don’t be afraid to try a few different angles. Side light can be dramatic and make a person’s face seem thinner.

If you have a zoom camera you may like the effects a zoom camera will have on your subject. Zooming in makes a shallower depth of field and will blur the background making your subject “pop”. Also zooming will make the subjects body look more proportionate like it should. Also decideif you are going to get a shot of just the subjects upper body, three quarter length pose, or a full length portrait. Too often people don’t get in close enough to make a shot more personal. Make sure your camera can zoom in enough to fill the frame with a person’s head and shoulders without being too close to them.

Have your subject avoid standing on both feet evenly. It is better if they put all of their weight on their back and have a slight bend in their front leg. Whatever you do, do nothave your subject put all their weight on their front foot. Make sure they are slightly bent away from the camera and that they are holding their back up straight. If you want to capture the subject sitting down try using a stool or a bench to encourage good posture. What ever you do avoid straight lines. Eyes should not be perfectly parallel with the ground and neither should the shoulders. If you are taking pictures of a loved one make sure and be positive and bring out the best in them so they will smile from the eyes. This will be evident in a picture. If it is somebody you don’t know as well, make sure and compliment them and find things to connect with.

Tags : Paintings, Photograph, Portrait