Want to learn the exact techniques to create abstract art?

Many artists develop their own technique of how to create abstract paintings. We learn from our own trial and error and from the experience of other artists. I've just found this abstract art eBook/DVD combo that looks pretty good with techniques of how to create 108 different abstract paintings and I'm going to order myself a copy. It's just really good to see how others work and try different things.

Back in Dubai

So I'm back in Dubai for a month to take part in some art and craft fairs, I have a small hotel job to do and another opportunity or 2 for displaying and selling artwork. It has been a tough market in the Uk and I need to decide whether I should return to Dubai as there are more opportunities to actually make a living than there seem to be in the UK and an artist needs concrete sales to survive!

September Update

So Art on the Prom in Felixstowe went really well on 5th September - it was a lovely day although a bit breezy, but I made some good sales and thank everyone who came by. After that I went to see a couple of galleries in Felixstowe and will have my work in both of them by Christmas. In fact I had a piece in one of the galleries sell on the same day that I took it in! Very encouraging so I must get some more work done to go and see some of the galleries in Southwold and Aldeburgh.

In November I will be heading back to Dubai to do some markets and exhibitions so I also need some work to take with me there, plus there is the possibility of another hotel job over there. Busy times :-)

Busy Painting...

Sorry, long time, no post! I have been busy creating new paintings for the UK. The one in the post below was sold on eBay and I am continuing to try that out as a means of selling some more.

In the meantime I have moved onto a bit of a flower theme with a textured base, as can be seen in the picture here. I am also developing my leisure website with a subsite devoted to painting hints and tips which I am slowly building up. You can see the start of the Painting Tips Website.

On 5th September I am taking part in Art on the Prom in Felixstowe, so I am also busy doing paintings for that, fingers crossed the weather stays fine!

Finally, a new painting!

So, having moved back to the UK from Dubai (at least temporarily) I have finally got round to creating my first new painting here. I have been looking around at the popular colours here and I have started off with a teal abstract which is size 100x50cm. I won't be able to do much more though as all my painting materials are at my sister's house 100 miles away! I had to find some alternative texture to use and in this case used artex with pva and water.

A Rothko in Melbourne

So I am travelling around a bit at the moment and was in Melbourne a couple of days ago at the National Gallery of Victoria where they had Mark Rothko's No 37. I just love this painting, I don't know what it is about Rothko but I just never get tired of looking at his work. I'm going to be working on something similar for my own home I think once I get back from my travels.

Market at Festival City on 7th May

So I will be doing one more market at festival city on 7th May - this time we will be in the Ikea area and I have at least one big new painting as shown here. Come and take a look as there will be lots of artist and crafters there from midday til 7pm.

Sale Now On!

So as it is the end of the market season and the last market is tomorrow, I am having a sale of some of my paintings, well, all of the paintings that I have left! I will be away for a few months so I am trying to clear all of my stock. So, down at JBR tomorrow there will be some bargains to be had as I sell some things off for as little as the cost of the materials! I'll be there from 10am until about 8pm.

My Favourite Painting

So I wrote an article about My Favourite Painting Right Now which was inspired by the exhibition that I went to see at the Emirates Palace hotel as a precursor to the Guggenheim opening in Abu Dhabi.

Painting White Objects

This is an extract from an article you can find here...

When painting subjects that appear to the eye to be white, for example clouds, snow, white buildings or white clothing, some artists paint what they think they see rather than what is actually there. Taking out the white and grey paint is not really the answer.

The key is to experiment and to use a multitude of colours to represent your whites - try out different shades of blues and lilacs for shadows, maybe still interspersing with some greys and use these tones subtly so that they are not just put in as stark contrasts to the highlights. Subtle tinges of different colors will really give your painting much more personality and depth.

I can also recommend an in depth tutorial of how to paint realistically in oils

Craft Markets This Weekend

So I have a couple of craft markets coming up this weekend where I will be selling my arts and crafts. One thing I have learnt when doing these markets is that you really need to be prepared and have a strategy around selling at them - this will increase your chance of sales. If you want to sign up to a free newsletter about craft show success then check this out.

Selling Art on eBay

If you want to sell your artwork then selling it on eBay may be a good idea, especially if you are in a country where eBay has it's own site. However, there is often big competition to sell so here is an article with a few hints and tips to get you started.

How To Create A Squares Painting

Many people have admired and also tried to copy my squares paintings. Although they look simple to create they are not that easy to make look professional. If you want detailed instructions as to how to create a beautiful squares painting then these instructions are now available for only 10 USD. This 6 page document gives step-by-step instructions how to create the texture, what materials to use and how to apply them. It also shows exactly how to get the slightly 'worn' effect on the squares and how to make it really glossy (and which varnish to use). It includes detailed photos and 2 videos for everything you need to know. Once payment is made I will email you the instructions as soon as possible.

New Paintings For An Exhibition

So I am working on 3 new paintings for a joint exhibition in Dubai that starts this weekend. Attached is the first one which is finished. The 2nd one needs edging and varnishing and the third one is just drying. They are all in my trademark 'watery' style that I have used for a couple of years although recently I have been doing more textured work. This time the technique was specifically requested so I have been working on these. To see how I create this type of work have a look at this acrylic technique article.

Make Money Drawing Caricatures

If you want to make some extra money as a caricaturist on the weekends, then Covent Garden Market Dubai has an opening next season at their street market. If you think you might need a bit more training then have a look at this best selling guide to making money as a caricaturist by someone who has been drawing for 30 years. For info on the market contact info@coventgardenmarket.ae.

Guardian Article About Art Dubai

There is an interesting about Art Dubai 2010 by the UK Guardian newspaper. See it here.

Amazing 3d Tattoo!

So I was sent this picture of an amazing 3D tattoo. Not one that I would have I have to admit but the artistry is amazing! I am tempted to have another tattoo done and there are some awesome designs on this tattoo design website. Take a look if you are thinking of having a tattoo, it's important to have a design that you are happy with for the rest of your life!

Suheil Baddor at Art Dubai

Last night I was chatting to UAE based Syrian artist Suheil Baddor who has some paintings at Art Dubai. He is a great character and I love his work. In fact the picture attached is one of his paintings that has pride of place in my living room. He has been invited to exhibit in many places and having just returned from Jordan, he is off to Greece this weekend. I am also proud to say that he has one of my paintings in his home!

Locations of Markets in the UAE

If you want to check out or take part in some of the markets that are happening in the UAE then check out this gulf news article giving details of arts and crafts, flea markets etc

Art Dubai 2010

So last night was the VIP Patrons night which I was luck enough to get an invite to. It was an amazing night with a real buzz and fantastic food and drink provided by Jumeirah Group. There was, as always, some really inspirational art on show that made my just want to come home and get my paints out. It also always makes you think a bit differently about materials to use in your art, for example the airfix figures and barbed wire that was used in one piece of artwork. Really the possibilities are endless! Go take a look if you get a chance or if you are elsewhere int eh world make sure you visit an art fair near you!

Art Dubai

So the 4th Year of Art Dubai starts this week and I am lucky enough to have VIP tickets to the patrons evening on Tuesday night which I am very much looking forward to. Will have to get dressed up and check out what new art they have this year. There's always some interesting stuff there and some food for inspiration. I'll try and get some pictures and/or video to post.

Creating Texture

I use a lot of texture in my paintings but I don't use gesso as it is expensive and too thin. Read my article on creating your own texture to find out what I use for the base of my paintings.

Art Fairs in Dubai and In General

Is it me or have art fairs just become an excuse to shock or create weird and wacky stuff just to create a stir? I talk to so many people who don't know where to buy original art - just simple, one off pieces for their homes. But in terms of exhibitions and fairs it seems almost like painting is going out of fashion these days, it's all about installations and other kind of 'trendy' stuff :-) nothing wrong with them but people just seem to be trying to push the boundaries of what everyday people think is art but throwing something radical in just to stir it up and maybe create controversy. I guess it depends on what the purpose of the exhibition is, to sell or to entertain or maybe even to shock. DUCTAC have an exhibition of this kind starting on 11th March. Will be interested to go and have a look at this anyway.

If anyone does want simple, original art for their home then maybe come take a look at Arte in Times Square Centre on Friday 12th March, midday til 7pm.

Colour Wheel

One of the essentials of being a good artist (I think!) is to know the colour wheel and at least some of the basics of colour theory. I will be posting an article on this shortly but in the meantime here is a basic colour wheel.

New Article Published on Using Acrylic Paints

I have had a new articled published on eZine Articles entitled Acrylic Painting Tips - 11 Tips to Help Artists. You can find it here.

New Leisure Website

So the first version of my new website is up and running. It is all still a work in progress but I have decided to release it as it is to kick things off. It has lots of ideas about leisure activities, focusing on arts and crafts, golf and health and wellbeing to start off with.

Selling Your Art Online

One thing I want to investigate this summer is selling my art online through eBay. As I am likely to be out of Dubai and in the UK for a few months I will need some form of income so selling online seems the logical step. Ebay is the most trusted and frequently used portal so I will be trying to sell my art online there. I'll keep you updated with my progress...

Article on Starting off in Oil Painting

I wrote an article on how to get started in oil painting. This gives you some ideas about paints, brushes, mediums etc that you would need to start painting. You can see my article here.

Selling My Favourite Paintings!

So a lot of people ask me if I get attached to paintings and for the most part the answer is 'no'. I do have favourites out of the paintings I do but mostly I am glad that someone loves them enough to want them to hang on their wall and I take pleasure in the fact that they will look nice in someone's villa or apartment. However, there are a few exceptions to the rule where I really love a painting! Sometimes I will hang it in my flat in between markets if I have a place for it and the one I sold today was one of those paintings. So now I have a blank space on my living room wall where it is and a slightly sad feeling that it has gone :-( But as usual there are bills to pay and the couple who have bought it seem to love it as much as I did so that is OK!!

Dubai Jazz Festival - Arts & Crafts

So last night saw the end of the 10 day Jazz Festival at Media City where I shared a tent with fellow artist Carrie Wareham for the duration in the arts and crafts area. Sales were good and interest was high so I enjoyed it to the full together with the concerts - particularly David Gray. There were 8 tents in all so a good selection of paintings and jewellery for the festival-goers to pick from.

Excess of Art Materials!

Somehow I seem to have built up a lot of art materials! I think one problem is that I am like a child in a sweet shop when I get to an art shop and always have to buy something! So, having just had a tidy up of my oil paints I have 101 tubes!! Plus a bunch of various different mediums. I also have a whole load of acrylics as that is what I use most at the moment even though oils are my first love :-)

Dubai International Jazz Festival 2010

So this year the Dubai International Jazz Festival will take place at Dubai Media City from 10 to 19th February. For the duration of the event I will have a tent in the arts and crafts area which is in between the main and the secondary stage. For the first 7 days the event is free but you need to register for tickets. If you don't register then it is 100 dirhams on the gate. To register to go DubaiJazzFest.com. There are 500 tickets available for each night and already around 400 are taken so you will need to sign up soon.

For the last 3 nights (with the big names) tickets have been sold as follows:

50% of the tickets for the 17th of Feb featuring The Brand New Heavies,Charbel Rouhana, James Taylor Quartet, and U-Nam

70% of the tickets for the 18th of Feb featuring David Gray, Jane Monheit, Tizer, and Atilla Molnar

60% of the tickets for the 19th of Feb featuring James Morrison, Laura Izibore, Brett Dennen, and Marion Meadows

David Gray was absolutely awesome 2 years ago and I am really looking forward to James Morrison.

Getting the Colours You Want in a Painting

So some of the time I am just creating my own abstract works and I can pick and chose which colours I want to use in the painting so essentially the choice is mine, but at other times, say when I am creating artwork for hotels or interior designers, I need to include specific colours, maybe those that match the furnishings or decorations. Colour mixing can be a very difficult art sometimes and people often struggle with this. What I can recommend if you want to learn which colours are used to create a certain mix is to get a colour mixing book. Sometimes what you mix to get a certain colour can surprise you and for a quick reference to an exact colour I have found my colour mixing books in valuable. See the Amazon recommended products above for a selection.

Buying Art Materials in Dubai

As an artist I am often asked where I get my materials and what materials that I use. So for anyone new to Dubai or wondering where you can get art supplies from then the main shops I go to are Kazim at 'Magrudy's Mall' on Beach Road (near the flag past Mercato towards Diyafa Street) It is at the other end of the mall to Magrudy's on the ground floor and is a stationary shop but sells a lot of artists materials including canvases, oil paint, acrylic paint, artists papers, brushes etc. In fact almost anything you might want!

The other place I get my materials is Emirates Trading. They have a big branch near Maktoum Bridge and also smaller branches at DIAC, DUCTAC and Bin Sougat Centre amongst others. The nearest one to 'New Dubai' would be in the art centre at Mall of the Emirates, on the 2nd floor, access from the car park.

Guggenheim Exhibition in Abu Dhabi

If you get a chance before it ends (4th Feb) and you are a fan of abstract art then you must go and see the exhibition of more than 50 paintings from the Guggenheim collection in New York that are currently on display at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. There are some really amazing pieces there that just aren't done justice by photographs including some by Kandinsky, Klee, Pollock, Cezanne and Mondrian to mention just a few. You can really draw some inspiration from this exhibition and it bodes well as to what the Guggenheim will have to offer when it opens in 2013.

Back to the blog!

So it has been a while since I posted on this blog. A lot of things have happened in the last year most notably obviously is the financial crisis that has hit us all. Art has been no exception to this and for the last year the market has definitely been on the slide for original artwork both for individuals and corporate projects.

A lot of the hotels and residential projects have been delayed or put on hold and so interior designers are not getting so much work in as well as the art sourcing companies that are employed to find suitable artwork for hotels etc.

Things have been tough but it does look like they might be on the rise again. Having completed artwork in the last few years for 4 Points Sheraton, Marriott Harbour, Sofitel JBR and the Dubai Mall Hotel amongst others, I have recently been asked for quotes for 3 more hotel jobs so hopefully projects are being put back on the table.

I am still down at the market at The Walk at JBR every Saturday so if you are around come and see me there. I have a few new lines in smaller paintings and also the multi-coloured paintings that were received so well when I started them last year.