Author Topic: Finding original art  (Read 19658 times)

MgoSam

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Finding original art
« on: August 21, 2013, 07:26:13 AM »
I enjoy art and would like to purchase original paintings. This isn't for an investment (I don't know nearly enough about the art world), but for their beauty as decorations and their originality. It would also be an added bonus if it helps support a local artist. That said, the prices can be very high (for obvious reasons), does anyone know ways to find cheap artwork?

The two options I have thought of, going to garage sales/craigslist haven't yielded any luck, and none of my close friends paint.

Thank you for your help.

Rust

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2013, 07:31:32 AM »
You can commission a painting from a university student.

MissStache

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2013, 07:32:07 AM »
You can find nice stuff on Etsy sometimes- I know a few artists who sell through there.

Also look for local art schools/university art departments.  Sometimes they have sales for their students.

gecko10x

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2013, 09:04:39 AM »
Local craft/art fairs. Where are you located?

There's also tons of stuff on Etsy, but it might be difficult to find someone local that way.

EK

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2013, 09:08:25 AM »
Local craft/art fairs. Where are you located?

There's also tons of stuff on Etsy, but it might be difficult to find someone local that way.

Actually you can easily shop etsy by location.  Go to the art section, select the type of art you're looking for (painting, poster, pencil drawing, etc), and you will see an option to shop by location.  You just type your area code into a little box and it will show you all results from that particular area.

Micheal

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2013, 09:43:26 AM »
deviantart.com allows you to purchase prints of artists work pretty cheaply with he proceeds going to the artist.  Artists who work in a physical medium also generally list an etsy link to the work for purchase.

JoshuaSpodek

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2013, 09:50:17 AM »
Make your own!

http://joshuaspodek.com/art-interpretation

With the time you're putting into research, you can make some simple pieces, learn some art in the process, and enjoy yourself.

The local artist you'll support will be yourself!

Who cares if it doesn't look like a Monet. You'll have a story of self-empowerment. What Martha Graham said about dancing applies to art too:

"Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion."

swick

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2013, 09:56:28 AM »
Contact the community arts councils in your area, they should have  a list of artists. Some may also have artist run gift shops and galleries as well. Local artists will also often donate to silent auctions and fundraisers.

Villanelle

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2013, 09:58:54 AM »
http://www.novica.com/ has lots of stuff from around the world.  Some is crazy expensive, others not so much.  Check out local galleries in smaller towns or less expensive areas of your town.  I don't know what your price range is, but you can often find stuff that isn't exorbitantly expensive. If you live anywhere near an art school contact them and see if they have a gallery or periodic art sales.  Search for art fairs near you.

I love shopping for and occasionally buying art.  It's something we love to do when we travel as well.  One of my most prized possessions is a watercolor purchase in Monte Marte in Paris.  It was literally still wet when we bought it.  (We had to sit at a cafe and have an expresso and a croissant while it dried.) It cost about $125 (it's maybe 18X24, so fairly large) and we have a photo of the exact same scene from the painting, though the photo is far less surreal than the art. 

Of course, I spent a ton getting it matted and framed, which is why I'm taking a class so I can do that on my own from now on. 


totoro

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2013, 10:05:57 AM »
I second being patient and persistent with CL.  I have purchased a number of original pieces of art this way.  Two of the paintings I purchased for $60 each on CL are valued at around a $1000 each (what the artist's work sells for in galleries).   

I have some paintings from a friend I used to work with who has subsequently become quite well-known.  Finding art that appeals to you by artists starting out is another way to go.

You can commission  a local artist.  I did this and had a  picture of the kids and their friends painted - it was $350.  I think we are going to do this again.  All the parents enjoy having this painting/copy in their home. (came with the right to copy)

I have also purchased art in other countries.  In Eastern Europe prices are less than here.  In some parts of Asia as well. 

One thing to consider is the cost of framing.  Framing is expensive.

I have collected art for about 20 years now.  Over time my tastes have changed.  I donated one to a school fund raiser silent auction and it raised a fair bit for a new school bus.  That felt good.  I will probably advertise these works on CL when I get around to it.

swick

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #10 on: August 21, 2013, 10:29:12 AM »
Ahh the framing part...yes finding cheap art isn't always the problem, getting it framed is!

Seems to be a disappearing skill that people pay huge money for. I may look into taking a course at some point.

Russ

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #11 on: August 21, 2013, 10:44:25 AM »
Make your own!

+1, this is what I'm doing for my new place. What I've done is neither very original nor very good, but I did it myself and am having a bunch of fun.

The last time I painted anything before last Saturday was probably in grade school. You don't have to be a pro.

dragoncar

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #12 on: August 21, 2013, 12:53:38 PM »
eBay has tons of stuff, and you can usually tell the difference between originals and the mass produced crap (just based on the listings)

zinnie

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #13 on: August 21, 2013, 01:57:57 PM »
Local artist studios, art fairs, etsy, and ruby lane are all places I've gotten art. Some of these are more expensive than others, clearly, but I've found that as long as you look hard enough you can find reasonably-priced items.

dragoncar

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #14 on: August 21, 2013, 02:31:36 PM »
Also I don't know how cheap is cheap but/

http://www.collegeartonline.com/

KingCoin

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #15 on: August 21, 2013, 03:27:10 PM »
I'd strongly consider high quality, graphic, screen prints over cheap paintings (which 99 times out of 100 look like cheap paintings). Better to get something that looks clean, sophisticated, and pops on the wall than something that looks salvaged from a flea market.

Some recent purchases:
http://www.theworldsbestever.com/2013/03/18/revok/
http://www.blkmrktgallery.com/store/photo.php?path=1095.jpg&title=Dave+Kinsey
http://www.postersandprintsblog.com/postersandprintsblog/2013/8/16/blanca-gomez-nadadora-print-available.html
http://thegreatdiscontent.com/-/2013/img/faile/ballets-de-faile.jpg

Your taste may vary, but you get the idea.

I'd also be wary of buying online without a return policy. Compressing a 3ft x 3ft painting into a 3in x 3in computer graphic often has the effect of making it look far more crisp and detailed than it will appear in person.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2013, 03:37:27 PM by KingCoin »

totoro

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #16 on: August 21, 2013, 03:59:59 PM »
I'd strongly consider high quality, graphic, screen prints over cheap paintings (which 99 times out of 100 look like cheap paintings). Better to get something that looks clean, sophisticated, and pops on the wall than something that looks salvaged from a flea market.

Some recent purchases:
http://www.theworldsbestever.com/2013/03/18/revok/
http://www.blkmrktgallery.com/store/photo.php?path=1095.jpg&title=Dave+Kinsey
http://www.postersandprintsblog.com/postersandprintsblog/2013/8/16/blanca-gomez-nadadora-print-available.html
http://thegreatdiscontent.com/-/2013/img/faile/ballets-de-faile.jpg

Your taste may vary, but you get the idea.

I'd also be wary of buying online without a return policy. Compressing a 3ft x 3ft painting into a 3in x 3in computer graphic often has the effect of making it look far more crisp and detailed than it will appear in person.

I generally don't buy prints myself.  I really appreciate and can tell the difference vs an original and I know what I like.  My husband couldn't care less.  He has an excellent ear for music though and remembers the lyrics to most songs.

I think that art, like music and food, is personal.   One of the paintings I recently purchased from CL for $60 was a similar original humming bird by this artist: http://www.pegasusgallery.ca/artist/Derek_Heaton.html   It sells for over $1500 in the gallery.













KingCoin

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #17 on: August 21, 2013, 04:19:10 PM »

I generally don't buy prints myself.  I really appreciate and can tell the difference vs an original and I know what I like. 

FWIW, most screen prints are "the original" as that's what they're designed to be, not an imitation of a painting. So we're talking an Andy Warhol, not a poster of a Monet. They generally have more presence than a giclée print, which is more or less an inkjet printout. I also own a number of paintings, but it's more challenging to find pleasing paintings at a low price point.

I dig the Derek Heaton. I think that's exactly the kind of graphic work that looks good on a wall vs the typical inexpensive stuff you find on ebay like:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Oil-Metropolitian-Painting-/221271254690?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item3384cb66a2
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Handpainted-Landscape-oil-painting-Impressionist-art-canvas-painting-L146-/321190584432?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item4ac8736070

totoro

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #18 on: August 21, 2013, 04:28:41 PM »
I don't like numbered prints as much as original watercolours/acrylics/oils.  I do own some, but just do not enjoy them as much as something hand-done and original for whatever reason - probably psychological in part and partly the technique/look.  I agree screen prints are generally nicer than posters or prints. But what I think doesn't really matter in general because how much you appreciate it is what counts.  I do have some paintings of sentimental spots that I love looking at not as much for the technique as the memory.  I plan on collecting more of these.

MgoSam

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #19 on: August 21, 2013, 07:28:03 PM »
Thank you!

The tip for Etsy is great, I didn't realize you could search locally for items. This way if I do find an artist I like I can probably see his/her pieces in person and buy them on the spot (if they are ok with that).

Now comes the question of knowing how I want to spend. I'm certain that with any painting, any guest might ask how much was spent, which might lead to the "YOU SPENT THAT MUCH!" I should add that I have frugal friends, so it wouldn't take too much for them to think that it was a waste.

That said, I have a surrealist painting that my exgirlfriend made for me many years and it is an absolutely beautiful piece. Though  we broke up and rarely speak, this painting is one of my most cherished possessions. To be honest, this is what inspired my respect for original art. Glad to see that so many mustachians do as well.

For the original print, thank you for that idea. I will look into it, and agree that it might look equally amazing and might be more practical.

Does anyone know better ways to frame? I know that poster stores have premade frames that might work in some cases. Would an option from a custom frame job be instead looking for paintings of the standard frame sizes, or instead looking for think canvasses that don't need to be framed?

dragoncar

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #20 on: August 21, 2013, 07:56:11 PM »
Thank you!

The tip for Etsy is great, I didn't realize you could search locally for items. This way if I do find an artist I like I can probably see his/her pieces in person and buy them on the spot (if they are ok with that).

Now comes the question of knowing how I want to spend. I'm certain that with any painting, any guest might ask how much was spent, which might lead to the "YOU SPENT THAT MUCH!" I should add that I have frugal friends, so it wouldn't take too much for them to think that it was a waste.

That said, I have a surrealist painting that my exgirlfriend made for me many years and it is an absolutely beautiful piece. Though  we broke up and rarely speak, this painting is one of my most cherished possessions. To be honest, this is what inspired my respect for original art. Glad to see that so many mustachians do as well.

For the original print, thank you for that idea. I will look into it, and agree that it might look equally amazing and might be more practical.

Does anyone know better ways to frame? I know that poster stores have premade frames that might work in some cases. Would an option from a custom frame job be instead looking for paintings of the standard frame sizes, or instead looking for think canvasses that don't need to be framed?

Well for paintings you can gallery wrap them... I personally like that look.  Or just make your own frame.  I bought a painting (overpaid) that came with a wooden frame that looks like some pieces of pine painted black.  Later I bought a similar painting from the same artist at 1/4 the price (sale sale sale!).  Problem with art is there's no good way to really value it unless you are talking about collectors items... and even then not so much.

KingCoin

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #21 on: August 21, 2013, 09:17:26 PM »
Now comes the question of knowing how I want to spend. I'm certain that with any painting, any guest might ask how much was spent, which might lead to the "YOU SPENT THAT MUCH!" I should add that I have frugal friends, so it wouldn't take too much for them to think that it was a waste.

I wouldn't worry too much about what your friends think. And you can always answer evasively ("It's priceless!") or jokingly ("Larry Gagosian offered me $500k, but I'd sell it to you for $400k, since you're a friend). That said, don't blow a ton of money on art, especially works that don't have an active secondary market. Like so many purchases, it can quickly lose it appeal as the novelty wears off or your taste evolves.

Does anyone know better ways to frame? I know that poster stores have premade frames that might work in some cases. Would an option from a custom frame job be instead looking for paintings of the standard frame sizes, or instead looking for think canvasses that don't need to be framed?

I was recently quoted $600+ to frame a large work on paper from a couple frame shops which made me balk. You can find some good alternatives here:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/best-inexpensiv-127483
I'd avoid a cheap looking plastic frame. You can often find nice and very inexpensive frames on ebay just by searching your desired dimensions.


I'd add that sometimes it's best to find some artists you like and then scour the web for inexpensive examples of their work, rather than wading through mountains of artistic detritus on ebay, etsy, and craigslist.

gooki

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #22 on: August 22, 2013, 01:44:23 AM »
I've bought my wife an oil color painting from eBay. Fooling nice, stupid cheap.

We alos got one from a local online auction site. Again well price, beautiful work.

If you don't care who painted it, or future value, but simply want fantastic paintings to adorn you home, I highly recommend buying on line, directly from the artist. Either from their own site, eBay, esty etc.

dragoncar

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #23 on: August 22, 2013, 02:02:47 AM »
I've bought my wife an oil color painting from eBay. Fooling nice, stupid cheap.

We alos got one from a local online auction site. Again well price, beautiful work.

If you don't care who painted it, or future value, but simply want fantastic paintings to adorn you home, I highly recommend buying on line, directly from the artist. Either from their own site, eBay, esty etc.

As stated before, I agree.  There are so many people out there creating works that aren't "interesting" to the high art community but are nevertheless beautiful that they have almost no real value. 

I'll add, however, that if you really like a certain famous work, you can have pretty good reproductions made overseas that use the same medium and painting technique as the original.  The details won't be exact, but it's a "real" painting similar to the original.  Ethically dubious, I suppose, but then again I don't have millions to drop on an original!

Micheal

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #24 on: August 22, 2013, 08:32:08 AM »
Or make the frame yourself, just need a miter saw, or miter box, and a router, a few finishing nails or glue, or a friend with these and the talent to use them, even a large frame will only take a few hours to make at most.

Mr Mark

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #25 on: August 22, 2013, 09:21:00 AM »
I've found some nice pieces at a local auction house that has regular auctions mainly from estates of pretty wealthy people.

And an afternoon at an auction is free entertainment, if you're very disciplined! ;-)


MgoSam

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #26 on: August 22, 2013, 09:29:28 AM »
Hey,

I found a local artist through a good friend of mine. Her artwork is more abstract. The pictures I have seen are absolutely beautiful. One painting of hers that I like is 24 x 28 and she is charging $200. I have no idea if this is a good price?

She usually has an auction going on for one of her pieces, it is a phenominal piece. The auction ends on the Sunday, current bid is $100 and the "Buy Now" is $250. I like the piece and if the bids dont' change, I hope to place a bid of around $140 on Sunday.

KingCoin

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #27 on: August 22, 2013, 11:35:59 AM »
Hey,

I found a local artist through a good friend of mine. Her artwork is more abstract. The pictures I have seen are absolutely beautiful. One painting of hers that I like is 24 x 28 and she is charging $200. I have no idea if this is a good price?

She usually has an auction going on for one of her pieces, it is a phenominal piece. The auction ends on the Sunday, current bid is $100 and the "Buy Now" is $250. I like the piece and if the bids dont' change, I hope to place a bid of around $140 on Sunday.

Let's see it! (I promise not to buy it.)

If it's worth $500 to you, then $200 is a great deal.

nawhite

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #28 on: August 22, 2013, 11:39:03 AM »
My wife sells art on Society 6 http://society6.com/AllisonPiperWhite

There are some very reasonably priced prints on there because a lot of the artists are just people looking for side income instead of professionals.

Mr Mark

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #29 on: August 22, 2013, 12:11:19 PM »
Try this place, they do online bidding and will ship. They are totally reputable. I've been there several times.


http://www.dumouchelle.com/

GuitarStv

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #30 on: August 22, 2013, 12:13:13 PM »
Make your own!

+1

I am planning on going this route myself during the next break of free time I get.

EMP

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #31 on: August 22, 2013, 12:25:20 PM »
http://manolobig.com/2010/06/30/portrait-of-a-fat-lady/

This has some good info about finding someone to paint your portrait.  I imagine most of the tips would work for other paintings. 

As well as this quote, "say what you will about Fascism, at least they had a unified aesthetic."  <3

mustacheme

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #32 on: August 22, 2013, 01:23:01 PM »
In the area I live in I find amazing art at street fairs and sometimes at local art shows (summer ones usually held in parks etc). I like the fact that you can chat with the artist, who is typically manning their own booth, at these events.

I have also purchased art locally off of etsy.com. The last etsy art I bought cost me a rather un-mustachian amount to frame, but it is still one of my prized possessions.

swick

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #33 on: August 22, 2013, 02:47:35 PM »
Hey,

I found a local artist through a good friend of mine. Her artwork is more abstract. The pictures I have seen are absolutely beautiful. One painting of hers that I like is 24 x 28 and she is charging $200. I have no idea if this is a good price?

She usually has an auction going on for one of her pieces, it is a phenominal piece. The auction ends on the Sunday, current bid is $100 and the "Buy Now" is $250. I like the piece and if the bids dont' change, I hope to place a bid of around $140 on Sunday.

Depends on the medium - Consider shipping and if it comes framed or stretched before you buy. 24 by 28 isn't a common size, so if it doesn't come ready to mount (some artists ship just the canvas and not stretched) you might want to look into framing costs first.

I got an amazing piece of art by an Iraqi artists who had been exiled to Syria and living in Damascus - because I was back packing,  I took the canvas rolled up. When I got home found out it was an uncommon size and the framer had to build the frame from scratch - it was almost double the cost of the painting to get it framed - totally worth it, I love it - but something to consider:)

ArtieStrongestInTheWorld

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #34 on: August 23, 2013, 05:39:49 AM »
Very good ideas throughout this thread.

Amazon also started a site where you can buy directly from galleries, including some very well-known artists (including some very hefty price tags).  However, you can also sort by price and it looks like there are some more affordable options there as well.

http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=6685269011

If you find something you like on there, it would be a good idea to call the gallery and try to negotiate the price, rather than buy it through the site.

JoshuaSpodek

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #35 on: August 23, 2013, 06:21:52 AM »
Make your own!

http://joshuaspodek.com/art-interpretation

With the time you're putting into research, you can make some simple pieces, learn some art in the process, and enjoy yourself.

The local artist you'll support will be yourself!

Who cares if it doesn't look like a Monet. You'll have a story of self-empowerment. What Martha Graham said about dancing applies to art too:

"Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion."

I was so busy hoping to inspire others with what worked for me I forgot to plug myself: Buy my art!

The reason I suggested making your own art, besides the do-it-yourself self-empowerment this web page is about, is how much creating my own art brought to my life. When I started I had zero formal art training (unless you count one class in junior high and one class in college). But I had ideas for what I could do with my medium. Eventually I had two solo gallery shows in New York, participated in shows across the country, had two big public art pieces in Manhattan, taught classes in my medium at prestigious art schools, and more.

Not everyone has to get into it as much as I did, but why not when you enjoy it so much?

And so what if you don't like it? So you wasted time painting a canvas. Is that worse than watching tv?

I still recommend making your own, but if you don't, Buy my art!

Here's some coverage of my most recent big public piece, done with some of my students from my class at Parsons -- http://joshuaspodek.com/union-square-in-motion-summary

Here's some footage from my last solo show in New York -- http://joshuaspodek.com/interview-leaders-software-art

Here's my art resume (sorry, haven't updated it in a while) -- http://joshuaspodek.com/joshua-spodeks-art-resume

Please ask more if you want. Or you can find more by clicking around my web page. I've focused more recently on writing there and I feel like the MMM spirit suggests making your own, but my art is beautiful, intriguing, fun, inspiring, and all that, at least in my opinion, so you won't go wrong with it on your wall.

KingCoin

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #36 on: August 23, 2013, 06:41:06 AM »
It can be fun to leaf through contemporary art auction catalogs to find inspiration. Rather easy to imitate are artists like Damien Hirst (his spot and spin paintings), Yayoi Kusama (infinity nets), and Gerhardt Richter (squeegee paintings).
« Last Edit: September 05, 2013, 09:49:16 PM by KingCoin »

MgoSam

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #37 on: August 23, 2013, 09:49:50 AM »
Speaking of imitating an art style, how hard would it be to imitate Pollack's works? I imagine having a canvas on the floor, standing on top of a tall ladder and drizzling paint? I don't know if it would be have the same effect as him but it might be fun.

Mr Mark

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #38 on: August 23, 2013, 10:14:38 AM »
It be fun to leaf through contemporary art auction catalogs to find inspiration. Rather easy to imitate are artists like Damien Hirst (his spot and spin paintings), Yayoi Kusama (infinity nets), and Gerhardt Richter (squeegee paintings).

+1

A contemporary art replication afternoon sounds awesome.

CeciliaW

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #39 on: August 23, 2013, 11:04:46 AM »
We have an awesome Saturday Market in Portland that has a lot of original stuff available. Also the Art Centers in other small towns, like Hood River or The Dalles have great original art and rotating exhibits. Oregon has some great talent.

dragoncar

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #40 on: August 23, 2013, 12:36:46 PM »
It be fun to leaf through contemporary art auction catalogs to find inspiration. Rather easy to imitate are artists like Damien Hirst (his spot and spin paintings), Yayoi Kusama (infinity nets), and Gerhardt Richter (squeegee paintings).

+1

A contemporary art replication afternoon sounds awesome.

I recently realized that my tastes don't require particular "skill" or technique to create.  I like rothkos and similar semi geometric colorful works.  I'm the guy who can go into a gallery, say "I can do that" and still appreciate the creativity behind the work.  But there's not much reason to pay top dollar for it.  Things would be much different if I liked realistic portraits or landscapes.

Joshua - cool stuff.

mulescent

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #41 on: August 23, 2013, 01:52:48 PM »
+1 for http://society6.com/

Lots of awesome stuff there, very reasonably priced and definitely supporting individual artists.

zinethstache

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #42 on: August 23, 2013, 04:29:00 PM »
I framed art for 15 years and now use a local Art supply store's mat cutter. I have my own $60 one which does fine for smaller mats, but having access to an oversized professional mat cutter is great! My husband framed a Ginormous mirror by routering out the channel for the glass. The same will work for any wood. Now he did not do the 45 degree corners, but the straight corners gave the mirror a shaker look that matches with our bathroom cabinetry.

So you can cut your mats, router out frames, even use a chop saw to cut the 45 degree corners, that works for both wood and metal. For Glass I just buy at that same art supply store. I have some standard sizes wrapped in butcher paper for future use. I have bought glass by the sheet and used up every inch of it cutting out smaller sizes. If you frequent garage sales, you can pick up a frame because you like its color. go home, and chop it down to size, toss the rest. I find artwork at work at the semi annual auctions. I like black and those seem to be readily available.

Also at the art supply places and Michaels you can by the simple metal mouldings in lengths, they come with the materials to put them together. You frame up three sides, sandwich your piece together, backing, art, mat then glass and slide it in. Close up the last side and voila... new art. I like to recycle home made art in my frames. I have so much art I make galleries on the walls, never have just one piece. I love when I get some art from my nieces and go find a great frame to swap it in. Their work looks awesome when frames nicely.

zinnie

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #43 on: August 23, 2013, 05:20:37 PM »
Thank you!

The tip for Etsy is great, I didn't realize you could search locally for items. This way if I do find an artist I like I can probably see his/her pieces in person and buy them on the spot (if they are ok with that).

Now comes the question of knowing how I want to spend. I'm certain that with any painting, any guest might ask how much was spent, which might lead to the "YOU SPENT THAT MUCH!" I should add that I have frugal friends, so it wouldn't take too much for them to think that it was a waste.

That said, I have a surrealist painting that my exgirlfriend made for me many years and it is an absolutely beautiful piece. Though  we broke up and rarely speak, this painting is one of my most cherished possessions. To be honest, this is what inspired my respect for original art. Glad to see that so many mustachians do as well.

For the original print, thank you for that idea. I will look into it, and agree that it might look equally amazing and might be more practical.

Does anyone know better ways to frame? I know that poster stores have premade frames that might work in some cases. Would an option from a custom frame job be instead looking for paintings of the standard frame sizes, or instead looking for think canvasses that don't need to be framed?

Just responding to the framing part--I've just gone to art supply stores and bought single lengths of wood frame for custom-sized paintings. Each piece is about $2-3 so the frame part is pretty cheap. You can just slide the pieces together with a little wood glue and then paint whatever color you like

I just buy mat and cut with an exacto knife. It's a straight cut instead of that nice edge, but you can't tell unless you get pretty close to it.

Rust

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #44 on: August 26, 2013, 10:24:56 AM »
Another thought on where to find cheap original art:

http://iwanttodrawacatforyou.com/

For $10 you can have Steve draw a cat for you.

Roses

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Re: Finding original art
« Reply #45 on: August 27, 2013, 01:06:18 AM »
Around here we hang out in cafes a lot and most of them have rotating art by local artists.  Every now and then I see something that really strikes me and I might buy it.  Or I may take a card and follow the artist for a while.  One of those artists that I saw years ago at a café has since shown at some great galleries around town and of course the prices skyrocketed!  How I wish I'd bought a cheap painting at that café long ago.