Read more about the article #98 Trying Out New Tools and Materials
Bonus Episode #98 Trying Out New Tools and Materials

#98 Trying Out New Tools and Materials

When working to develop your artistic style, it’s a good idea to try a lot of tools and materials. I try high flow acrylics, air brush medium, and watercolor markers, and I explain what they are and what I think of them. I also recommend my favorite kinds of pens and paint pens. Mark making has become very popular with mixed media art, and I suggest many tools and techniques you can use.

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, CastBox, or Stitcher.

Here are some paintings I did trying out new materials.

The three purple ovals were made using Golden dioxazine purple high flow acrylic.
The interior of the flower is high flow purple dripped on, then I used the handle end of a brush to pull the purple out to make the veins. On the outer edges of the flower, I used a small brush to lightly apply the paint.
OK, ignore the fact that the leaves on the stems look like arms. I made the stems by turning the canvas upside-down and using a brush to put on a heavy line. Then I blew on it to make it drip down. This worked very well because the high flow acrylic is so thin.
The gray circle behind the flower is opaque gray high flow acrylic. I applied it using a brush, but was really surprised at just how opaque it was.
The gray lines were applied using a paint tube pen tube that I filled with the opaque gray. It applies like a paint marker. You can see where it's thicker in the middle, but it flowed over on the edges.
The light dots were made by mixing airbrush medium with titan buff fluid acrylic. The medium thinned out the paint.
Golden high flow acrylics, as they come in bottles, and an acrylic pen tube that I filled up with the gray acrylic.
Golden airbrush medium and watercolor markers.
I used watercolor markers on top of a dry watercolored page. I drew on the marker and then brushed water over it.
Here I drew with the watercolor marker and I didn't put a lot of paint over it, so you can still see the red lines and the purple lines in the bottom left corner.
Here you can clearly see the blue lines I made with the watercolor marker.
These are the paint pens I like to use.
I also use the gelly roll pens and Sakura glaze pens.
Here's an example of a painting I did that was embellished with Posca paint pens and Sakura glaze pens.

You can visit the Golden Paints website to learn more about their paint products.

The gelly roll pen website lists all their pen offerings.

On Instagram, look for hashtags that may give you some art ideas, like #poscapaintpens, #markmaking, #sakuraglaze, #gellyrollpens, #highflowacrylics. You can also find process videos on YouTube.

Read more about the article #97 Sara Schroeder: Art Supplies and Instagram Tips
Episode #97 Sara Schroeder: Art Supplies and Instagram Tips

#97 Sara Schroeder: Art Supplies and Instagram Tips

Sara Schroeder is an artist living near Miami. She developed her art style by taking online art classes and playing with different art supplies and tools. She now consistently posts her artwork on Instagram, and has her artwork displayed in galleries. This interview is filled with art supply suggestions, Instagram tips, and shoutouts to many inspiring artists.

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, CastBox, or Stitcher.

Sara Schroeder

Sara can be found on Instagram under @saraschroederart.

Sara also has another Instagram account called Old Book Revivalists. You can join in the fun altering old books by using #oldbookrevivalists.

You can also find her on Facebook.

Since we talked, she has now put a bunch of art prints up in her Etsy shop.

You can find some of Sara’s art at the Heart of Delray Gallery in Delray Beach, Florida.

Sara started developing her art skills by taking classes through Creative Bug. They have an option of $7.95 per month for an unlimited number of classes. Sara particularly liked the classes by Lisa Congdon, Flora Bowley, and Pam Garrison. You can search the classes by artist here.

Sara took the class The Heart-Centered Art Journey by Devon Walz. While that class isn’t offered right now, you can find others on her website.

I mentioned artist Tracy Verdugo and her 100 Days of Abstracts. It was actually #thirtydaysofabstracts and you can find it here.

If you do a search on Instagram, you can find other 100 Day challenges that you might want to try.

Sara likes to listen to Andy J. Pizza’s podcast called Creative Pep Talk. You can find lots of business and Instagram tips in his episodes.

Sara mentioned a few inspiring artists that you can find on Instagram. They are worth looking up.

Clair Bremner

Melissa Doty

Devon Walz

Birdy Fitzgerald

Read more about the article #96 What is Email Marketing?
Bonus Episode #96 What is Email Marketing?

#96 What is Email Marketing?

Email Marketing is using email to promote your products or services. It can be argued that email is more important and a more reliable way to promote your business and convert that promotion into sales. I will explain how you can get names for your list, give recommendations for email software, and suggest what to include in a newsletter and how to create one.

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, CastBox, or Stitcher.

Who has an list of email names?
Who has actually used that list for email marketing?

I'm going to practice what I preach, and in the next two weeks I will be sending out a newsletter to my email list. I'll include some sneak previews of upcoming interviews. If you'd like to get on my list, please sign up using my Contact Form.

I interviewed Desha Peacock in Episode #95. She emphasized the importance of email marketing. If you would like to have her FREE Email List Building Training, use this link.

Read more about the article #95 Desha Peacock: Creative Business Coach
Episode #95 Desha Peacock: Creative Business Coach

#95 Desha Peacock: Creative Business Coach

Desha Peacock is a creative business coach who works one on one with creatives. She also provides online classes, and offers retreats in Mexico. She actually spends part of her year in Mexico. She tells me how she got into coaching and goes into great detail describing all of the wonderful things that she offers creatives.  

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, CastBox, or Stitcher.

Desha Peacock

Retreat house in Mexico. (Photo by Kiova Staley)
One on one coaching session with Michelle Berkey (artist) at the Sweet Spot Style retreat.
Desha's book: Your Creative Work Space. (Photo by Jo Chattman)
Meeshie during an interior design retreat.
Creative Retreat guests: Margaret Byrdie, Cami Boyett, Christine Martin (interior designer), Mary Van de Wiel (branding expert), and Jessica Hitchcock (artist). I interviewed Jessica in Episode #89.
Desha with Mati Rose McDonough. Their chance meeting in Mexico sparked a desire to work together.
Desha with Margaret Byrdie.

Desha Peacock’s website is Sweet Spot Style.

Be sure and read about her course offerings and go to her website if you’d like to get on the waiting lists for her next classes.

Her business Facebook page is Sweet Spot Style, and you can find her on Instagram @deshapeacock.

Desha has some free resources to offer. One is a free 20 minute clarity call that you can schedule to talk to her and see if her coaching would be right for you. 

The other is a free training to help you grow your email list.

Desha spends part of the year in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and that is where she holds her retreats. Here is a map so you’ll know where that is.

Desha referred to the book The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte. Here is a link to its Amazon page.

Desha has partnered with artist Molly Hatch to offer her Thrive online class. Here is a link to Molly’s website so you can learn a little bit more about her.

Here is a link to Desha’s books on her website so that you can order your own copy.

Here are some great takeaways from this episode:

  1. If you can find just one person in the world who is doing what you want to be doing, then you know it is possible.
  2. Once you figure out what you want to do, you have to be confident enough to claim it and go for it.
  3. Desha follows the philosophy from The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte: Connect first with your core desires, and then you do things that help you have a desired feeling. You’re going for a feeling and not a thing.
  4. Desha refers to that as her lifestyle intention, and she refers back to that every day to make sure she’s on track.
  5. Your creative workspace is very important to the output of your creativity.
  6. She uses the platform Teachable for her online courses. It provides a way for the students to have discussions with one another during the class.
  7. Don’t rely just on your Instagram and Facebook followers for your entire list. You should also develop an email list, because those people will be your superfans and you can control and maintain the engagement regardless of what the social media algorithms do.
  8. People buy three times more from email marketing rather than social media marketing.
  9. You may think of email as the old school way of marketing, but it’s still number one.
  10. An email list will help you develop the relationships so that you can make bigger sales in the future.
  11. Work on one or two social media platforms and get really good on them before you move on to another one.

Desha really emphasized the importance of having a good email list. I will be talking about that further on my bonus business episode #96.

Read more about the article #94 How to Self-Publish a Book of Your Art
Bonus Episode #94 How to Self-Publish a Book of Your Art

#94 How to Self-Publish a Book of Your Art

Self-publishing a book of your art can be a great addition to your business brand. In this episode, I describe how you can design your book, what to consider when looking for a publisher, and what you should consider before starting this venture.

Listen here or download from iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, CastBox, or Stitcher.

 

This is Lara's first book that she self-published.
This is Lara's second book.

Both of Lara Chapman’s books are available through Amazon.

Lara used Adobe InDesign to design her book and Adobe PhotoShop to resize her photos. She bought them through a creative package of software called Creative Cloud.

Lara used BookBaby to publish her book.

Lara researched other books to find one that was similar to what she wanted to create. That took her to the website of Chuck Beard. One of his photography books is called Abandoned Pittsburgh. He’s definitely worth a look.

You can hear my interview with Lara Chapman in Episode #93.