Hello dear readers and subscribers, today we'll be demystifying the role of the size of paintings. You can find our service for personalized career advice for artists here: www.contemporaryartissue.com/product/cai-advisory-report/ Unfortunately, we had to close the discount within 24 hours due to the amount of orders. The current waiting list 10 to 12 weeks. Thank you for your orders! To conclude, feel free to read the article version of this video here: www.contemporaryartissue.com/the-truth-about-painting-sizes-and-your-art-career/ If you have any further questions, I look forward to answering them in the comments below. Chat soon! All my best, Julien
When I was at art school, we used to joke that there should be a sign above the door saying "If you can`t do it well, do it big; if you can`t do it big, do it several times"; as students we worked on large scale if we could, as many of us realised it may be the only time in our careers we would be able to do so. When I graduated, I worked on modest scale out of practicality, not artistic limitation and watched other graduates who couldn`t adapt sadly fall by the wayside. I learned that a good idea can work on any scale - big isn`t always better - but "several times" is a good option too!
@ramonaengels9277 Yes; working in series - for me, anyway - is a way of maximising and exploring an idea. Not all artists can do it though, as some fear they are simply repeating themselves - the idea has to evolve, each work capable of standing as a separate piece. The joke also alluded to students who produced triptychs or other multi-panel works - often stretching an idea beyond it`s actual sustainability. All part of the learning process - make one`s mistakes early, in the relative safety of the school and not in the public forum of the galleries!
@Yelochre2I love your insights. In case you ever wanted to start your own chanel to share more good thought stuff on the creative process, I'd be there 🤓 ❣️ And @contemporaryartissue, thx for this video.
@xgalvanenohm5250 not anymore unfortunately, lots of untalented and unskilled people who are well connected, claiming to be “artists” and selling their works for a lot of money to use in money laundering.
@user-yb8vr2ip2t 'forgot' = none of their teachers were aware of that option and / or told them. But it would be hard for a graduate's ego to dismantle your own piece...
An artist friend gave me really good advice about scale: she said that the size of the work has to match the scale of what the work is trying to convey. In other works, if your intent is more personal and intimate, then it makes sense for the work to be smaller, and so on.
As an artist I prefer painting large. I used to paint small and nearly got carpal tunnel, my doctor told me to stop painting. To force myself to stop using my wrist I painted big in my small room ; 40x60in or so. It’s cured my wrist pain and I enjoy using my whole body for painting now
I can relate to this. Aside from painting, I also sculpt and write in order to create film works. The only artwork I find to be the most challenging are my written works since I need to have things written down to show cast and crew. Larger works also require more physical endurance and this also helps me in managing any possible weight gain; which I’m prone to. Thank you for sharing your thoughts ❤🎨 Cheers to creation!
Large canvas allows you to use wider range of stroke sizes. It also allows you to control the gesture with whole hand, not only the wrist. And it does attract your eyes.
As an impoverished artist, there are principally two reasons I paint small: cost of materials and size of my studio. Scale can be intrinsically important in a work of course, but if a wealthy artist haughtily tells you he doesn't consider how much money he will get for a large painting compared with a small, he's totally lying.
Maybe when it sells that they are more thrilled than when selling a smaller work-it's only human. But I don't think a lot of true artists-and a lot of 'true artists' are successful/wealthy as well-think like that when creating the works. It also depends if you take into account how much more time they have to work on it. For instance, I can paint my smaller works that sell for $2,000 in just 3-4 hours. Simultaneously, the larger work that sells for $8,000 takes me around 30-40 hours, and from what I hear from my colleague-painters I am not the only one. So the bigger price is justified and larger works does not necessarily mean more money for your time.work. Thank you for tuning in and sharing your thoughts here. Have a great day!
@contemporaryartissue, As an artist I like to paint Large sizes not because of how much money I will get out of it but because I can express more than the rest will settle.
In art school our teachers always want us to go bigger, bigger, bigger. It’s extremely expensive as a student and in the end we dont have the space to keep our work, no one buys them and in the end we have to overpaint them or throw them away. When painting small though, we get worse grades and no prices or invites to display our work at the local art clubs and museums.
Exactly this. When doing sculptures you have the additional problem that small work often needs a pedestal, which is *not cool*, so you'll end up spending the majority of your time with your teacher thinking about increasingly convoluted ways to elevate a small object 1m off the ground
@contemporaryartissue Agreed. Have they heard of Forrest Bess? Albert York? I don't understand why these teachers insist on this. They're totally out to lunch.
This video is a sample of what’s wrong with art today. That anyone thinks they need the opinions of snobby sounding art know it all’s is evidence that there’s that untouchable level and there’s reality where most of us actually live. Art sales are seeing a retraction but it’s a sign of economics and nothing else. Art is a luxury and when economies tighten luxuries are the first to feel it. Size does matter, most people love big paintings but don’t have space for them, so small to medium is what’s in demand if any.
Man this video hit hard. Ive just moved out of my studio in Brooklyn back to making smaller works in my apartment because of this very reason and now im storing all bunch of unsold larger paintings. But it’s all part of the journey and definitely a learning experience.
As someone fortunate enough to be able to acquire art I can offer my thoughts. I do have some larger paintings (though not massive) but I’ve reached a point where I have to look for smaller work, even by well known artists. I’ve used the “big paintings” wall space, and I don’t want to start using storage. It’s difficult when I see great larger work, and I have to pass on it, but there are some amazing small paintings out there. Next time you go to a museum think about the sizes you’re looking at. Smaller work is a lot easier and cheaper to transport, even if it’s crated and moving internationally as well.
I would argue that creating small-scale artworks can be much more challenging because you're trying to convey an idea within a very limited space. These pieces are great for exploring nuanced complexities and developing your style, but eventually as an artist, you reach a point where it feels like your creativity can’t be contained-you want to break free from those constraints and create something bigger and more expansive. And often, with success comes the ability to fund larger projects and project your ideas onto bigger canvases.
Most private collectors or buyers don't have the wall space or the room size and depth to accommodate large canvas pieces. Transporting large pieces from the studio is also difficult. Large pieces do offer true to scale that can be very effective and compelling however depending on the subject matter. Smaller pieces offer intimacy and so there is a balance somewhere in the middle depending on the goal of the artist. It's all about format and presentation. Painting large pieces comes with perfecting technique from experience.
ahhhh yes painting large is completely impractical for an emerging artist and yet i LOVE IT! I started on 60x60cm for my first solo and now had 9 works that are 200x200cm and they were SO much fun to paint. I also had some smaller ones but the large ones are much more fulfilling to work on. I have no idea how id go back to smaller sizes, it's like ive forgotten how to paint smaller! I feel like I don't have enough space.....
Thanks for this. I sometimes watch videos on RUclips of art shows, museum exhibitions, and galleries around the world. Often the works are large, and I would say to my wife, "Where are they storing those huge canvasses? What collector can fit them in their homes? The art supplies must cost a tremendous amount!" It is good to hear you encourage up-and-coming artists to work at resonable sizes. Thanks again.
Giant works are made for corporate showrooms, waiting rooms, banks etc etc etc. Most artists don't have enough dosh to buy huge stretchers, canvasses and the paint to cover them. Never mind studio space large enough to cope with tons of humongous paintings.
In art school a few of my professors would say... that's great.. make it bigger. I would go to Home Depot and buy building materials for large canvases so it wouldn't cost me a fortune, and made them the size of my truck bed. I'd have to do 2-4 canvases per week. I stopped working big because I don't have anywhere to keep them. Two summers ago I went to Amsterdam and saw 6 Johannes Vermeer paintings at the Rijksmuseum. I had studied his paintings for years and was surprised by how small they were in real life. Needless to say I'm done working large.
I usually use 16×24 canvases. Not too big. Not too small. I read art magazines, and am aware that popular art is usually 5-10x larger than that, but im broke and am focusing on quantity rn. I can learn more if i can paint as often as possible
I started with 24x30, but felt confined a bit, so started stretching canvas on the wall 48x100. The big size really lets you draw shapes with your body much more than just the hand. I am still committed to my 24x30 bit though, so cut them to size afterwards, 3 for the price of one. Still haven’t finished the 50 foot roll of 48inch I got and already planning on a contraption to hang a 100 inch roll from the ceiling so I can paint 1 giant continuous painting. Luckily I don’t sell them so no worries about breaking the secondary market, :)
Large is easier for initial impact especially if an artist isnt very good and there are many like that. Smaller requires at times more work and thought.
art market is insane. As an artist I wish my art was affordable and accesible to people. Ain´t painting for being used as money laundry or sell for profits. That´s disgusting. Art is an spiritual thing. A conexion with matter, earth and heaven. This mad world blows my mind. I khow personally the case of an artist who can ´t storage well his paintings and all of them got water damage, craks and mold. This is very sad. I only work with textile and reclaiming materials, it´s not fashionable but it´s more ethic to me.
5:40 this is not because they are pretentious and ‘better’ - proceeds to explain exactly why they are pretentious - to artificially inflate the price of paintings.
the value of an art piece is equivalent to its expression of idea, style, themes, contents, and especially the establishment of the artist, very rarely based on sizes. we can't sell artwork like a piece of land or a fabric material.
We have extensively covered the topic of pricing art in some other videos on our channel-feel free to give them a watch for more information. Have a great day!
Interesting video. One other point with larger canvases is that they will need more room to view, more room to breathe. A large canvas in a small room will dominate it and you would not be able to move far enough away with most works to make sense of them. Smaller works can fit in anywhere so private collectors are a better fit. Also, as an artist myself I always think that people buying works only for the purpose of investment aren't the best people to purchase your works. I always prefer buyers buying because they love your work and will give it the best home.
I’m an artist an honestly I prefer smaller scale paintings (but I’m a miniature lover!) it’s much more intimate and detailed I think size will affect your art so at the end of the day you need to choose a size that makes sense to your message. Also it’s much easier to save in the studio while waiting a buyer! I always say to people around me my main goal is to bring back the art of small/miniature paintings to contemporary art scene but of course it’s not always easy! There’s a lot of people that don’t truly value the smaller pieces but then there’s a lot out there that love them :)
Always be yourself above anything else, and be yourself radicaly. If you adore miniature art, go for it 200%. Small scale works are also in vogue, especially for small to medium-sized galleries, so go for it!
Sadly miniatures, or even small paintings are not really valued in our capitalist western cultural mindset. Miniatures are highly valued in India and the Middle East, where people will recognise that tiny paintings take as much time and possibly more skill to make than large ones.
I have realized this. I agree on the allusion of greatness. Only people with mansions can afford to buy a large painting. Many new artists tho are doing very large and they become known for large pieces.
Scale also affects the way in which the works are painted. I always paint 2 sizes at the same time and see how the scale affects the painting. Things that really work on one scale will be tried on the other.
Excellent point. Sometimes a certain subject requires a very specific scale, and therefore, it's worth revisiting a painting on a different size canvas. Thank you for sharing this here!
I feel that my best work has been done on very large canvases....96" x 48" and up. But, the expense is hard to deal with and having the space can be prohibitive. For me, working small is very restrictive and unsatisfying. So, I have settled on 48" and 38" square and it seems to fit my style, my pocketbook, and my sensiblities. It's too bad.....but compromises are a fact of life whether we like it or not.
Don’t forget proportions. The golden ratio has enduring appeal for a reason: it describes the deep structure of nature and our bodies. 24 x 36” is a good size for my paintings, not perfect, but a standard size canvas and frame, therefore economical ( and often found on sale).
No ordinary person, and certainly not most collectors, would buy a large painting measuring over 100-150 cm. Medium-sized canvases are ideal for effectively realizing your vision. A large canvas does not necessarily indicate great talent or a grand perspective. As an art dealer, I have learned from experience that a large painting should only be created as part of a planned project or commission. Large canvases tend to be unsellable.
In the process of working with mark making material on the surface. There are things, and modes of doing and working that just look better because they will have the larger sized surface available to work on to resolve the idea the material is being used for. But, that's also not always true with scaling up intent.
Size in art matters. In art, size is more than just a measurement, it's a powerful tool that can transform our experience and understanding of the subject! And of course absolutely massive, large works are all the rage among collectors, galleries and museums!
Love this! After severe life disruption to my art effort, preparing to resume painting, while working on personal style development, with a vision to develop my initial body of post-art college work, & while studying contemporary art, this topic is perfectly timely for me. I appreciate this video, as it revealed many important factors to consider as the basis for decision making that I was not considering on my own, plus providing a sense of what a good plan may look like in working in a range of sizes..... One thing art college did for me was to push me into experience in working larger, which I found valuable. Blessings. Peace. Love all you art world people out there.
It also depends largely on the chosen medium. I'm usually working with fine liners, rollerball pens and watercolour. Highly detailed. Best suited to a small canvas. People are often impressed by the details being so small and intricate and get drawn into it, peering closer, like looking into a miniature world. In contrast I've painted walls and large canvases with spraypaint, and recently with brushes. I really love painting big, but I'm not in a position to do it regularly. It's something I can aspire to, and look forward to. The info in this video was super helpful, and reassuring that my small art works are actually a pretty sensible size for now.
While what you say is true, there is one issue I had hoped or expected you would bring up. Large works are not of course easier, since doing anything right takes work, but you can get away with more. Not only do you not have to dot every single i because most observers will be impressed enough to be generous, but it will be easier to see which i's need dotting and you will have a more pleasant time doing the work which needs to be done to make it beautiful. Obviously I have issues with the time argument in your video. When you use large muscles to make marks, the marks do go down more quickly. I and my friends though do find people are pickier about small work and sparse work, so it usually ends up taking similar amounts of time for small and large pieces. The other points, of course, I have no argument with. But the ease of working in large strokes is, I think, an issue you should consider.
Cool video! I just stumbled onto your channel (and subscribed ;-) ). I guess it makes sense what you mentioned. However I would like to add one major addition: paint the size YOU as an artist enjoy. Yes, of course there are numerous (commercial) reasons not to paint big but if your heart isn't into miniatures (extreme example) then don't paint them! I strongly believe that artists should paint what-, and however- they LOVE to paint. It will bleed through into your paintings. And it's that twinkle in the end that can really touch someone.
Focus on the quality of your work, not the size. Good art will move an artist’s future to where it is suppose to go. If you want to paint BIG become a house painter, you will get paid well.
I say screw the art world, the art market. Work small generally, but work big if the right opportunity arises. If you work small you get to keep your work and experience it in years to come as a full body of work. Be true to yourself. Do not conform.! Many financially successful artists are terrible artists and when you realise this you will give up the immature idea of art world success.. Position yourself in such a way that you can say NO. Say YES on your own terms. Get a part-time day job, save some money find a cheap work space. Sustainability is key. The art market is a dishonest hyped up fashion based industry within an unstable civilization so why put your faith in it? Work small, work private, do it for yourself.
Well said! It's such a turn-off when you see work that reeks of commercialism. The challenge should be producing good work within the canon of painting!
Exactly, size will change depending on what your art demands or in which size it thrives, but also how your audience is shifting over the years. Thank you for watching!
this is super helpful. thank you! i create mixed media collages. my largest piece is 60" x 20" and everything else is 12" x 12" or smaller. i used mostly found or thrifted materials so there's not a huge cost to create but I am having difficulty finding studio space to work on the largest piece and storage space for it too. I never even considered the cost to ship it to different shows. totally makes sense why it's more practical for emerging artist to make smaller works. I'm going to stop comparing myself to Bisa Butler and Kara Walker lol
was such a joy to see someone cover all facets of this subject in a simple and effective manner.. totally mirrors our approach and learnings from a solo show that we mounted just a few days ago..
Thank you so much for providing this video. I really appreciate your insight and I greatly value your advice addressing all of those topics artists that are too shy to ask. It is so incredibly helpful for artists, like myself, to hear from someone who understands the gallerists' point of view. I know that there are many videos about art, but I truly cannot think of anyone out there who addresses subjects like art size, prices, etc. in such a perfectly framed and professional manner. I have been following you for some time and I find your videos to be a real treasure. Again, thank you.
I’m a commission artist and most of my pieces are in commercial spaces. I often get requests for large pieces. In most cases, the pricing works for the client. When private collectors reach out to me, they can’t wrap their mind around the cost of crating and shipping. It’s almost half the cost of the art. Therefore a $3000 piece has a shipping and crating cost of $1500. It upsets me too. I wish it was cheaper but I don’t control the cost of wood or UPS.
I have no gallery representation, minimal connections and am quite poor, but my biggest piece im working on right now is 8x12ft, it's my dream project and I'd like it to eventually be 60ft long. there's just something about working large
Looking at galleries, one thing is very clear. The price for larger canvases rise much faster than the actual size. It's not a linear progression. So what did I learn? You can make much more money from large than small. There you go.
Thank you, as always, for your addictive and informative art world videos. On this topic, a colleague of mine until fairly recently painted Very Large acrylics on canvas, on average about 7’x 5’, up to 15x 8’. Her ex-partner managed an art building so she had a great studio space and as a result of consistent practice became known in her city with movie set-dec scouts. She has rented her work in over thirty movies and tv shows. They are priced high accordingly and she has earned a decent income from this practice. However, she has not been able to connect with a commercial gallery, or shown her work in gallery exhibitions because her work is too large for most group shows and is priced incongruently to her art world/CV experience. She is now in her 50s, split from her partner and is now caught in a professional conundrum having a much smaller studio and dozens of paintings in a paid storage unit. She’s had a wonderful period of time with this work but change can be tricky…it’s important as part of your art practice to learn to adjust to surroundings, both financial, in relationships and in studios. Cheers to All artists, who despite the odds still find ways to create!
Thank you so much for watching and for your most kind words. A very interesting and relevant anecdote. You are 100% right, as an artist you must be able to adapt to almost anything. Use your creativity to solve the problems you are dealing with. Cheers!
@contemporaryartissue @siobhanhumstonart - maybe it's time for a multimedia retrospective with clips from the movies/tv shows on display adjacent to the artworks.
@Hahawebforsa that could be interesting. I’ve also rented my work to the movies and tele and I can say that it’s less about quality or contemporary relevance and more about pairing artwork to the character’s taste, as well as set colour scheme and how the camera ‘sees’ the work (no gloss medium, for example). My friend’s work became popular partly bc of its neutral palette and mid-century modern sensibility which passes as currently modern…think Kline and Motherwell.
@siobhanhumstonart That makes sense. To my way of thinking, it also potentially provides more multimedia fodder and broadens the potential audience. An accompanying seminar on the artistic preferences of movie and tv producers or art directors, and the reasons why, would add interest. If your colleague is willing and able to surmount any self-conscious reservations about the 'quality' of the artwork, this could have the makings of a unique exhibition with wide popular appeal.
100% depends of the idea(subject)- how immersive the artwork should be. Otherwise is just doind a simple job in order to sell and survive. If the onstitutions does not see it this way the better start doing it.
as a professional artist in NY from 1983 to 2003 big paintings where the norm. I always had some 2 or 3 small paper works going side by side of the big works . It helped me get out of the center stage and look at other possibilities. I said paint the size of a queen size bed . You made your bed now sleep in it.
Good info. thanks for sharing. Plus large works are expensive to make. When failed its a few hundred $ in the garbage. Only make if the work seems to have a reason for the large scale.. not just to impress.
My friend has been doing smaller paintings recently because that's what sells, especially in current economic times, even galleries recommended that. The annoying thing for him is that it takes nearly as much time/effort as a big piece but the price tag is smaller, especially as each piece requires initial idea, not just more material space etc. And also on that note, isn't it unfair how size can dictate price? Like show 2 pieces and that piece should cost more because its bigger!
How *interesting* to find this vid today, after talking about painting sizes with some of our artists, at work... Which prompted me to translate a quote by HR Penck, one of the Neue Wilde 'school' of 1980s Germany: "Bild klein - kommt nix rein, Bild groß - viel Moos." However, by that stage, having been 'excommunicated' by the DDR and used by West Germany as part of their Cold War/'Western' PR efforts, he already was 'successful'. A different kind of "social politicisation" of artists is still going on, but being used for commercial gain by bigger players is probably more likely, these days - and there are some excellent informative videos out on YT abou that. I hope/wish in the NL the artistic landscape does look like what you describe, and the art market is driven, moved and inspired by more than politics and speculation, @contemporaryartissue.
As an artist in photography, I concur. I shoot medium format for the specific purpose of creating large works. Even in photography, you have to pay to play. $5000 printer, $6000 camera, $3000 lenses, expensive archival papers, and expensive framing and transport. All so I can offer my collectors the ability to take in the whole scene at a distance or the detailed components up close.
I think 20x24 inches is a good size to be marketable. Big enough to show atmosphere. Small enough to fit almost anywhere. I used to deal in antiques. Large furniture was hard to sell because, no matter how beautiful or how cheap the price, the purchaser needed the room to place it in their home.
One of the first things our painting professors obligued us to do was work on big canvases. By the time you were a third year student, very few had not yet worked on a, at least, 200 x 200cm canvas. I used to draw in the smallest formats possible too, but once I was forced to enlarge the surfaces I painted on it felt so liberating. Nowadays I mostly work with those sizes, 200 x 150, 250 x 180, etc. i loooove it. i feel like it truly suits my artistic needs. however i do dislike that most art contests and prizes won't accept any measure over 195cm, plus what you said of storaging, gallery not rinking it and prefering smaller bits, etc.. ☹☹☹
You're absolutely right, it can truly be liberating for some artists it just feels right. Concerning the issue storaging, perhaps I'll cover this in a future video to help artists have an efficient studio practice both in terms of resources and space. Have a great day and keep doing what you love!
In your case going big is essential because it serves your concepts and painting style and give you the best possible creative environment. It's not for everyone and this idea that bigger is better regardless of the artist or their style and concepts is absurd and stifling.
Great content, and very good explanations of the causes I would also add that for beginner artists it is much easier to explore his artistic style and subject with smaller medium format
its certainly a real shame that just slapping colored mud on a piece of canvas got this complicated. i am not trying to worry about 90% of this stuff i just want to make work i am proud of and hang out with people who's work really makes me excited and inspired, it is so discouraging to have to play all these stupid games to just be able to do this stuff for a living. i do thank you very much for laying it all out for us here, though, in a much more digestible and understandable way, as we will all have to learn it one way or another.
In order to paint big, I used very cheap materials and it actually helped in my commentary : I painted on plastic (the ones you use when you paint your home) with the cheapest industrial paint I could find or "petrol" andit worked well !
This is exactly why the current art world is a swamp. Artists are forced to size their work in favour of the market rather than in service to the concept. This hierarchy of mediums (oils>acrylic>watercolour>drawing>printmaking) is all just a crock, as is the hierarchy of artists and the bigger is better paradigm.
I love all of your videos but this one in particular speaks to me. Would it be possible to have one talking about canvas construction? I have seen dozens of videos with dozens of methods, but is there one or more that good galleries prefer? You have spoken of some issues in other videos, but a more comprehensive explanation would be very helpful. I always have the impulse to turn art I like around on the wall to peek behind.
A Keifer only works as a work of art , when it is big. A small Keifer simply would not be very impressive. Same with a Ruben. But a Vermeer needs to be small. A Vermeer is like a Diamond and a Diamond needs to be small.
![ЦИФРОВОЙ ЦИРК 9 СЕРИЯ Финал [ТРЕЙЛЕР] Реакция](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fqzypkJo5qU/mqdefault.jpg)
Hello dear readers and subscribers, today we'll be demystifying the role of the size of paintings. You can find our service for personalized career advice for artists here: www.contemporaryartissue.com/product/cai-advisory-report/ Unfortunately, we had to close the discount within 24 hours due to the amount of orders. The current waiting list 10 to 12 weeks. Thank you for your orders! To conclude, feel free to read the article version of this video here: www.contemporaryartissue.com/the-truth-about-painting-sizes-and-your-art-career/
If you have any further questions, I look forward to answering them in the comments below. Chat soon!
All my best,
Julien
I know an amazing artist in her 90s. I asked her about the size of her work once and her casual answer was, "that is what fits in my Subaru."
Tru dat…
😂😂😂
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
When I was at art school, we used to joke that there should be a sign above the door saying "If you can`t do it well, do it big; if you can`t do it big, do it several times"; as students we worked on large scale if we could, as many of us realised it may be the only time in our careers we would be able to do so. When I graduated, I worked on modest scale out of practicality, not artistic limitation and watched other graduates who couldn`t adapt sadly fall by the wayside. I learned that a good idea can work on any scale - big isn`t always better - but "several times" is a good option too!
do you mean by „several times“, many different versions of an idea?
@ramonaengels9277 Yes; working in series - for me, anyway - is a way of maximising and exploring an idea. Not all artists can do it though, as some fear they are simply repeating themselves - the idea has to evolve, each work capable of standing as a separate piece.
The joke also alluded to students who produced triptychs or other multi-panel works - often stretching an idea beyond it`s actual sustainability. All part of the learning process - make one`s mistakes early, in the relative safety of the school and not in the public forum of the galleries!
@ thank you for explaining this to me ❤️
@Yelochre2I love your insights. In case you ever wanted to start your own chanel to share more good thought stuff on the creative process, I'd be there 🤓 ❣️
And @contemporaryartissue, thx for this video.
Artistic success is based on who is representing you as the artist. And their buyers.
Thank you finally
Don't forget one important Word ... TALENT !
@xgalvanenohm5250 not anymore unfortunately, lots of untalented and unskilled people who are well connected, claiming to be “artists” and selling their works for a lot of money to use in money laundering.
But what is never said is - you still have to sell yourself to your representative or gallery.
Rule number 1: paint the size that best serves the painting.
Rule number 2: there are no other rules.
Art colleges are crammed full of over-large paintings that the (home returning) graduates couldn’t fit in their parent’s cars.
Then the students forgot to just roll up the canvas and take it. Screw the frame .
@user-yb8vr2ip2t 'forgot' = none of their teachers were aware of that option and / or told them.
But it would be hard for a graduate's ego to dismantle your own piece...
In art school, we had a saying: if you can't make it good, you can make it big!
Literally showed this saying in the first few seconds of the video
An artist friend gave me really good advice about scale: she said that the size of the work has to match the scale of what the work is trying to convey. In other works, if your intent is more personal and intimate, then it makes sense for the work to be smaller, and so on.
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As an artist I prefer painting large. I used to paint small and nearly got carpal tunnel, my doctor told me to stop painting. To force myself to stop using my wrist I painted big in my small room ; 40x60in or so. It’s cured my wrist pain and I enjoy using my whole body for painting now
Me too
@ sorry to hear and I hope your wrist is doing better!
I can relate to this. Aside from painting, I also sculpt and write in order to create film works. The only artwork I find to be the most challenging are my written works since I need to have things written down to show cast and crew. Larger works also require more physical endurance and this also helps me in managing any possible weight gain; which I’m prone to.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts ❤🎨 Cheers to creation!
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Your pillow is breathing.
Large canvas allows you to use wider range of stroke sizes. It also allows you to control the gesture with whole hand, not only the wrist. And it does attract your eyes.
As an impoverished artist, there are principally two reasons I paint small: cost of materials and size of my studio. Scale can be intrinsically important in a work of course, but if a wealthy artist haughtily tells you he doesn't consider how much money he will get for a large painting compared with a small, he's totally lying.
I wish you success soon G.
Right
Maybe when it sells that they are more thrilled than when selling a smaller work-it's only human. But I don't think a lot of true artists-and a lot of 'true artists' are successful/wealthy as well-think like that when creating the works. It also depends if you take into account how much more time they have to work on it. For instance, I can paint my smaller works that sell for $2,000 in just 3-4 hours. Simultaneously, the larger work that sells for $8,000 takes me around 30-40 hours, and from what I hear from my colleague-painters I am not the only one. So the bigger price is justified and larger works does not necessarily mean more money for your time.work. Thank you for tuning in and sharing your thoughts here. Have a great day!
@contemporaryartissue, As an artist I like to paint Large sizes not because of how much money I will get out of it but because I can express more than the rest will settle.
Art is sold by the square foot. Almost like ordering wallpaper.
In art school our teachers always want us to go bigger, bigger, bigger. It’s extremely expensive as a student and in the end we dont have the space to keep our work, no one buys them and in the end we have to overpaint them or throw them away. When painting small though, we get worse grades and no prices or invites to display our work at the local art clubs and museums.
Exactly this. When doing sculptures you have the additional problem that small work often needs a pedestal, which is *not cool*, so you'll end up spending the majority of your time with your teacher thinking about increasingly convoluted ways to elevate a small object 1m off the ground
Sounds like a relatively narrow view from the end of your professors-sorry to hear that!
@contemporaryartissue Agreed. Have they heard of Forrest Bess? Albert York? I don't understand why these teachers insist on this. They're totally out to lunch.
could just make a bunch of smaller works and connect them somehow to make it seem like a larger work this will help with space i imagine.
@contemporaryartissue lol it's this way is lots of places. By chance I know someone going through exactly that, and we're in a random balkan country
This video is a sample of what’s wrong with art today. That anyone thinks they need the opinions of snobby sounding art know it all’s is evidence that there’s that untouchable level and there’s reality where most of us actually live. Art sales are seeing a retraction but it’s a sign of economics and nothing else. Art is a luxury and when economies tighten luxuries are the first to feel it. Size does matter, most people love big paintings but don’t have space for them, so small to medium is what’s in demand if any.
Man this video hit hard. Ive just moved out of my studio in Brooklyn back to making smaller works in my apartment because of this very reason and now im storing all bunch of unsold larger paintings. But it’s all part of the journey and definitely a learning experience.
As someone fortunate enough to be able to acquire art I can offer my thoughts. I do have some larger paintings (though not massive) but I’ve reached a point where I have to look for smaller work, even by well known artists. I’ve used the “big paintings” wall space, and I don’t want to start using storage. It’s difficult when I see great larger work, and I have to pass on it, but there are some amazing small paintings out there. Next time you go to a museum think about the sizes you’re looking at. Smaller work is a lot easier and cheaper to transport, even if it’s crated and moving internationally as well.
Полностью с вами согласна 😊
Thx,great to hear from your buyer's perspective.
When I was sculpting the bigger they got the more attention I got
That's wonderful, it means your work can stand strong on a larger scale and have greater impact. Congratulations!
I would argue that creating small-scale artworks can be much more challenging because you're trying to convey an idea within a very limited space. These pieces are great for exploring nuanced complexities and developing your style, but eventually as an artist, you reach a point where it feels like your creativity can’t be contained-you want to break free from those constraints and create something bigger and more expansive. And often, with success comes the ability to fund larger projects and project your ideas onto bigger canvases.
Most private collectors or buyers don't have the wall space or the room size and depth to accommodate large canvas pieces.
Transporting large pieces from the studio is also difficult.
Large pieces do offer true to scale that can be very effective and compelling however depending on the subject matter.
Smaller pieces offer intimacy and so there is a balance somewhere in the middle depending on the goal of the artist.
It's all about format and presentation.
Painting large pieces comes with perfecting technique from experience.
Some of my paintings just need to be done on a large canvas, some of them need to be done on a smaller canvas. That’s it for me
ahhhh yes painting large is completely impractical for an emerging artist and yet i LOVE IT! I started on 60x60cm for my first solo and now had 9 works that are 200x200cm and they were SO much fun to paint. I also had some smaller ones but the large ones are much more fulfilling to work on. I have no idea how id go back to smaller sizes, it's like ive forgotten how to paint smaller! I feel like I don't have enough space.....
Thanks for this. I sometimes watch videos on RUclips of art shows, museum exhibitions, and galleries around the world. Often the works are large, and I would say to my wife, "Where are they storing those huge canvasses? What collector can fit them in their homes? The art supplies must cost a tremendous amount!" It is good to hear you encourage up-and-coming artists to work at resonable sizes. Thanks again.
The pleasure is all mine! Thank you for watching and for your kind comment. Wishing you a great day
Giant works are made for corporate showrooms, waiting rooms, banks etc etc etc. Most artists don't have enough dosh to buy huge stretchers, canvasses and the paint to cover them. Never mind studio space large enough to cope with tons of humongous paintings.
Remind the small paintings of
Jan Vermeer van Delft and
how great he was.
Genius.
Exactly!
And Klee!
In art school a few of my professors would say... that's great.. make it bigger. I would go to Home Depot and buy building materials for large canvases so it wouldn't cost me a fortune, and made them the size of my truck bed. I'd have to do 2-4 canvases per week. I stopped working big because I don't have anywhere to keep them. Two summers ago I went to Amsterdam and saw 6 Johannes Vermeer paintings at the Rijksmuseum. I had studied his paintings for years and was surprised by how small they were in real life. Needless to say I'm done working large.
I usually use 16×24 canvases. Not too big. Not too small. I read art magazines, and am aware that popular art is usually 5-10x larger than that, but im broke and am focusing on quantity rn. I can learn more if i can paint as often as possible
As a mostly unknown painter I have a storage problem. Until I am discovered (Ho,Ho) nothing more than 36X48. And, for me, that's big enough.
Fortunately, bigger does not mean better, as discussed throughout this video. In fact, small to medium-sized art galleries prefer smaller works.
I started with 24x30, but felt confined a bit, so started stretching canvas on the wall 48x100. The big size really lets you draw shapes with your body much more than just the hand. I am still committed to my 24x30 bit though, so cut them to size afterwards, 3 for the price of one. Still haven’t finished the 50 foot roll of 48inch I got and already planning on a contraption to hang a 100 inch roll from the ceiling so I can paint 1 giant continuous painting. Luckily I don’t sell them so no worries about breaking the secondary market, :)
Large is easier for initial impact especially if an artist isnt very good and there are many like that. Smaller requires at times more work and thought.
That furry cushion is breathing!
art market is insane. As an artist I wish my art was affordable and accesible to people. Ain´t painting for being used as money laundry or sell for profits. That´s disgusting. Art is an spiritual thing. A conexion with matter, earth and heaven. This mad world blows my mind. I khow personally the case of an artist who can ´t storage well his paintings and all of them got water damage, craks and mold. This is very sad. I only work with textile and reclaiming materials, it´s not fashionable but it´s more ethic to me.
5:40 this is not because they are pretentious and ‘better’ - proceeds to explain exactly why they are pretentious - to artificially inflate the price of paintings.
the value of an art piece is equivalent to its expression of idea, style, themes, contents, and especially the establishment of the artist, very rarely based on sizes. we can't sell artwork like a piece of land or a fabric material.
👏🏻
We have extensively covered the topic of pricing art in some other videos on our channel-feel free to give them a watch for more information. Have a great day!
Our minds can hold smaller works, but large works we behold
Wow you have said it
🌠
That's deep real deep😂
Interesting video. One other point with larger canvases is that they will need more room to view, more room to breathe. A large canvas in a small room will dominate it and you would not be able to move far enough away with most works to make sense of them. Smaller works can fit in anywhere so private collectors are a better fit.
Also, as an artist myself I always think that people buying works only for the purpose of investment aren't the best people to purchase your works. I always prefer buyers buying because they love your work and will give it the best home.
I’m an artist an honestly I prefer smaller scale paintings (but I’m a miniature lover!) it’s much more intimate and detailed I think size will affect your art so at the end of the day you need to choose a size that makes sense to your message. Also it’s much easier to save in the studio while waiting a buyer! I always say to people around me my main goal is to bring back the art of small/miniature paintings to contemporary art scene but of course it’s not always easy! There’s a lot of people that don’t truly value the smaller pieces but then there’s a lot out there that love them :)
It’s an art / a skill for itself to be
able to see art independently as
possible. Size isn’t a proof.
Imagine the late etchings and
copperplates of “the chief”,
Rembrandt van Rijn;
nobody noticed.
So beautiful…
Always be yourself above anything else, and be yourself radicaly. If you adore miniature art, go for it 200%. Small scale works are also in vogue, especially for small to medium-sized galleries, so go for it!
Sadly miniatures, or even small paintings are not really valued in our capitalist western cultural mindset. Miniatures are highly valued in India and the Middle East, where people will recognise that tiny paintings take as much time and possibly more skill to make than large ones.
@bluewren65
Well said.
Generally many thanks for this
informative cultural remark.
People always think Pollock is bullshit, until they see them in person. Size matters.
I have realized this. I agree on the allusion of greatness. Only people with mansions can afford to buy a large painting. Many new artists tho are doing very large and they become known for large pieces.
Scale also affects the way in which the works are painted. I always paint 2 sizes at the same time and see how the scale affects the painting. Things that really work on one scale will be tried on the other.
Excellent point. Sometimes a certain subject requires a very specific scale, and therefore, it's worth revisiting a painting on a different size canvas. Thank you for sharing this here!
Efectivamente el formato de cuadros medianos y pequeños se les hace insignificantes a los pintores renombrados.
I feel that my best work has been done on very large canvases....96" x 48" and up. But, the expense is hard to deal with and having the space can be prohibitive. For me, working small is very restrictive and unsatisfying. So, I have settled on 48" and 38" square and it seems to fit my style, my pocketbook, and my sensiblities. It's too bad.....but compromises are a fact of life whether we like it or not.
At Christie's and Sotheby's, high value modern art is often valued like carpet. The bigger it is the more they adore it.
Don’t forget proportions. The golden ratio has enduring appeal for a reason: it describes the deep structure of nature and our bodies. 24 x 36” is a good size for my paintings, not perfect, but a standard size canvas and frame, therefore economical ( and often found on sale).
No ordinary person, and certainly not most collectors, would buy a large painting measuring over 100-150 cm. Medium-sized canvases are ideal for effectively realizing your vision. A large canvas does not necessarily indicate great talent or a grand perspective. As an art dealer, I have learned from experience that a large painting should only be created as part of a planned project or commission. Large canvases tend to be unsellable.
In the process of working with mark making material on the surface. There are things, and modes of doing and working that just look better because they will have the larger sized surface available to work on to resolve the idea the material is being used for. But, that's also not always true with scaling up intent.
Size in art matters. In art, size is more than just a measurement, it's a powerful tool that can transform our experience and understanding of the subject! And of course absolutely massive, large works are all the rage among collectors, galleries and museums!
Love this! After severe life disruption to my art effort, preparing to resume painting, while working on personal style development, with a vision to develop my initial body of post-art college work, & while studying contemporary art, this topic is perfectly timely for me. I appreciate this video, as it revealed many important factors to consider as the basis for decision making that I was not considering on my own, plus providing a sense of what a good plan may look like in working in a range of sizes..... One thing art college did for me was to push me into experience in working larger, which I found valuable. Blessings. Peace. Love all you art world people out there.
Go for it! Thank you for your most kind, I really appreciate it. Wishing you the very best and blessings to you too!
Absolutely right. There are
some topics you just can’t
paint on smaller canvases.
Exactly! Thank you for tuning in 🙏
And some you cant paint on big canvases.
It also depends largely on the chosen medium. I'm usually working with fine liners, rollerball pens and watercolour. Highly detailed. Best suited to a small canvas. People are often impressed by the details being so small and intricate and get drawn into it, peering closer, like looking into a miniature world.
In contrast I've painted walls and large canvases with spraypaint, and recently with brushes. I really love painting big, but I'm not in a position to do it regularly. It's something I can aspire to, and look forward to. The info in this video was super helpful, and reassuring that my small art works are actually a pretty sensible size for now.
The work is best with the canvas you want to use.
While what you say is true, there is one issue I had hoped or expected you would bring up. Large works are not of course easier, since doing anything right takes work, but you can get away with more. Not only do you not have to dot every single i because most observers will be impressed enough to be generous, but it will be easier to see which i's need dotting and you will have a more pleasant time doing the work which needs to be done to make it beautiful. Obviously I have issues with the time argument in your video. When you use large muscles to make marks, the marks do go down more quickly. I and my friends though do find people are pickier about small work and sparse work, so it usually ends up taking similar amounts of time for small and large pieces. The other points, of course, I have no argument with. But the ease of working in large strokes is, I think, an issue you should consider.
"If you can't make them good make them big."
Cool video! I just stumbled onto your channel (and subscribed ;-) ). I guess it makes sense what you mentioned. However I would like to add one major addition: paint the size YOU as an artist enjoy. Yes, of course there are numerous (commercial) reasons not to paint big but if your heart isn't into miniatures (extreme example) then don't paint them! I strongly believe that artists should paint what-, and however- they LOVE to paint. It will bleed through into your paintings. And it's that twinkle in the end that can really touch someone.
Focus on the quality of your work, not the size. Good art will move an artist’s future to where it is suppose to go. If you want to paint BIG become a house painter, you will get paid well.
The art market is complicated.
Making art, conveniently, is less complicated.
I say screw the art world, the art market. Work small generally, but work big if the right opportunity arises. If you work small you get to keep your work and experience it in years to come as a full body of work. Be true to yourself. Do not conform.! Many financially successful artists are terrible artists and when you realise this you will give up the immature idea of art world success.. Position yourself in such a way that you can say NO. Say YES on your own terms. Get a part-time day job, save some money find a cheap work space. Sustainability is key. The art market is a dishonest hyped up fashion based industry within an unstable civilization so why put your faith in it? Work small, work private, do it for yourself.
It’s like you read my mind.😮😊
@Pretty-in-the-Fall...
...and mine.
Exactly. Why depend on the "authorities"? This isn't surgery or train driving, we don't need a licence to do it!
I Totally agree with your opinion
Well said! It's such a turn-off when you see work that reeks of commercialism. The challenge should be producing good work within the canon of painting!
It totally depends on the demand of your concept and requirement of your clients......
Exactly, size will change depending on what your art demands or in which size it thrives, but also how your audience is shifting over the years. Thank you for watching!
this is super helpful. thank you! i create mixed media collages. my largest piece is 60" x 20" and everything else is 12" x 12" or smaller. i used mostly found or thrifted materials so there's not a huge cost to create but I am having difficulty finding studio space to work on the largest piece and storage space for it too. I never even considered the cost to ship it to different shows. totally makes sense why it's more practical for emerging artist to make smaller works. I'm going to stop comparing myself to Bisa Butler and Kara Walker lol
thank you for explaining every point you make so thoroughly, and never assuming prior knowledge. always grateful for your videos
Thank you very much for your words of appreciation. At your service! 🫡🙌
was such a joy to see someone cover all facets of this subject in a simple and effective manner.. totally mirrors our approach and learnings from a solo show that we mounted just a few days ago..
Thank you so much for providing this video. I really appreciate your insight and I greatly value your advice addressing all of those topics artists that are too shy to ask. It is so incredibly helpful for artists, like myself, to hear from someone who understands the gallerists' point of view. I know that there are many videos about art, but I truly cannot think of anyone out there who addresses subjects like art size, prices, etc. in such a perfectly framed and professional manner. I have been following you for some time and I find your videos to be a real treasure. Again, thank you.
THE TRUTH ABOUT PAINTING SIZES: "There it is. See its size?"
I’m a commission artist and most of my pieces are in commercial spaces. I often get requests for large pieces. In most cases, the pricing works for the client. When private collectors reach out to me, they can’t wrap their mind around the cost of crating and shipping. It’s almost half the cost of the art. Therefore a $3000 piece has a shipping and crating cost of $1500. It upsets me too. I wish it was cheaper but I don’t control the cost of wood or UPS.
I have no gallery representation, minimal connections and am quite poor, but my biggest piece im working on right now is 8x12ft, it's my dream project and I'd like it to eventually be 60ft long. there's just something about working large
Looking at galleries, one thing is very clear. The price for larger canvases rise much faster than the actual size. It's not a linear progression. So what did I learn? You can make much more money from large than small. There you go.
Thank you, as always, for your addictive and informative art world videos. On this topic, a colleague of mine until fairly recently painted Very Large acrylics on canvas, on average about 7’x 5’, up to 15x 8’. Her ex-partner managed an art building so she had a great studio space and as a result of consistent practice became known in her city with movie set-dec scouts. She has rented her work in over thirty movies and tv shows. They are priced high accordingly and she has earned a decent income from this practice. However, she has not been able to connect with a commercial gallery, or shown her work in gallery exhibitions because her work is too large for most group shows and is priced incongruently to her art world/CV experience. She is now in her 50s, split from her partner and is now caught in a professional conundrum having a much smaller studio and dozens of paintings in a paid storage unit. She’s had a wonderful period of time with this work but change can be tricky…it’s important as part of your art practice to learn to adjust to surroundings, both financial, in relationships and in studios. Cheers to All artists, who despite the odds still find ways to create!
Thank you so much for watching and for your most kind words. A very interesting and relevant anecdote. You are 100% right, as an artist you must be able to adapt to almost anything. Use your creativity to solve the problems you are dealing with. Cheers!
@contemporaryartissue @siobhanhumstonart - maybe it's time for a multimedia retrospective with clips from the movies/tv shows on display adjacent to the artworks.
@Hahawebforsa that could be interesting. I’ve also rented my work to the movies and tele and I can say that it’s less about quality or contemporary relevance and more about pairing artwork to the character’s taste, as well as set colour scheme and how the camera ‘sees’ the work (no gloss medium, for example). My friend’s work became popular partly bc of its neutral palette and mid-century modern sensibility which passes as currently modern…think Kline and Motherwell.
@siobhanhumstonart That makes sense. To my way of thinking, it also potentially provides more multimedia fodder and broadens the potential audience. An accompanying seminar on the artistic preferences of movie and tv producers or art directors, and the reasons why, would add interest. If your colleague is willing and able to surmount any self-conscious reservations about the 'quality' of the artwork, this could have the makings of a unique exhibition with wide popular appeal.
@Hahawebforsa yes indeed!
I paint ant size so they can transport it for me.
Thank you ! This was very helpful!
100% depends of the idea(subject)- how immersive the artwork should be. Otherwise is just doind a simple job in order to sell and survive. If the onstitutions does not see it this way the better start doing it.
as a professional artist in NY from 1983 to 2003 big paintings where the norm. I always had some 2 or 3 small paper works going side by side of the big works . It helped me get out of the center stage and look at other possibilities. I said paint the size of a queen size bed . You made your bed now sleep in it.
Good info. thanks for sharing. Plus large works are expensive to make. When failed its a few hundred $ in the garbage. Only make if the work seems to have a reason for the large scale.. not just to impress.
Spot on! Thank you for watching
Excellent !! Thank you. Love your Dog too !!
My friend has been doing smaller paintings recently because that's what sells, especially in current economic times, even galleries recommended that. The annoying thing for him is that it takes nearly as much time/effort as a big piece but the price tag is smaller, especially as each piece requires initial idea, not just more material space etc.
And also on that note, isn't it unfair how size can dictate price? Like show 2 pieces and that piece should cost more because its bigger!
A: Cost of materials and space, unless they have a patron or otherwise have money. Also, commissions can be meant to fill a specific sized space.
Ressources and your audience are indeed two key factors, beside the art itself of course.
How *interesting* to find this vid today, after talking about painting sizes with some of our artists, at work...
Which prompted me to translate a quote by HR Penck, one of the Neue Wilde 'school' of 1980s Germany:
"Bild klein - kommt nix rein,
Bild groß - viel Moos."
However, by that stage, having been 'excommunicated' by the DDR and used by West Germany as part of their Cold War/'Western' PR efforts, he already was 'successful'.
A different kind of "social politicisation" of artists is still going on, but being used for commercial gain by bigger players is probably more likely, these days - and there are some excellent informative videos out on YT abou that.
I hope/wish in the NL the artistic landscape does look like what you describe, and the art market is driven, moved and inspired by more than politics and speculation, @contemporaryartissue.
Thank you again Julian!
As an artist in photography, I concur. I shoot medium format for the specific purpose of creating large works. Even in photography, you have to pay to play. $5000 printer, $6000 camera, $3000 lenses, expensive archival papers, and expensive framing and transport. All so I can offer my collectors the ability to take in the whole scene at a distance or the detailed components up close.
I think 20x24 inches is a good size to be marketable. Big enough to show atmosphere. Small enough to fit almost anywhere.
I used to deal in antiques. Large furniture was hard to sell because, no matter how beautiful or how cheap the price, the purchaser needed the room to place it in their home.
24 x 24 is my jam personally
Good to know. I've often wondered what the connection was between an artist's success and the size of their artwork.
Thank you for watching!
That was so great! Thank you!
thank you for everything you do :-)
Thank you for the great advice.
One of the first things our painting professors obligued us to do was work on big canvases. By the time you were a third year student, very few had not yet worked on a, at least, 200 x 200cm canvas.
I used to draw in the smallest formats possible too, but once I was forced to enlarge the surfaces I painted on it felt so liberating. Nowadays I mostly work with those sizes, 200 x 150, 250 x 180, etc. i loooove it. i feel like it truly suits my artistic needs. however i do dislike that most art contests and prizes won't accept any measure over 195cm, plus what you said of storaging, gallery not rinking it and prefering smaller bits, etc.. ☹☹☹
You're absolutely right, it can truly be liberating for some artists it just feels right. Concerning the issue storaging, perhaps I'll cover this in a future video to help artists have an efficient studio practice both in terms of resources and space. Have a great day and keep doing what you love!
In your case going big is essential because it serves your concepts and painting style and give you the best possible creative environment. It's not for everyone and this idea that bigger is better regardless of the artist or their style and concepts is absurd and stifling.
Great content, and very good explanations of the causes
I would also add that for beginner artists it is much easier to explore his artistic style and subject with smaller medium format
I painted some giant paintings in my basement and now I cannot get them out.
Great advice, I think!
Gesture. I love elegant fluid strokes. Sometimes but not always whether it sells or not. Your comments were interesting. Thanks
I really appreciate your work, and it’s great you thought to talk about this subject, thank you!
I like this ratio concept.
its certainly a real shame that just slapping colored mud on a piece of canvas got this complicated. i am not trying to worry about 90% of this stuff i just want to make work i am proud of and hang out with people who's work really makes me excited and inspired, it is so discouraging to have to play all these stupid games to just be able to do this stuff for a living. i do thank you very much for laying it all out for us here, though, in a much more digestible and understandable way, as we will all have to learn it one way or another.
Very helpful information. Thank you again!
In order to paint big, I used very cheap materials and it actually helped in my commentary : I painted on plastic (the ones you use when you paint your home) with the cheapest industrial paint I could find or "petrol" andit worked well !
Never change your original accent
😍🤩😍🤩😄
I won't!
This is exactly why the current art world is a swamp. Artists are forced to size their work in favour of the market rather than in service to the concept. This hierarchy of mediums (oils>acrylic>watercolour>drawing>printmaking) is all just a crock, as is the hierarchy of artists and the bigger is better paradigm.
Anyone else recognize the background music from the Two Cents gets Distracted intro?
I love all of your videos but this one in particular speaks to me. Would it be possible to have one talking about canvas construction? I have seen dozens of videos with dozens of methods, but is there one or more that good galleries prefer? You have spoken of some issues in other videos, but a more comprehensive explanation would be very helpful. I always have the impulse to turn art I like around on the wall to peek behind.
Very insightful.
Thanks for this informative video. What are your thoughts on artists developing / exploring a line of prints?
A Keifer only works as a work of art , when it is big. A small Keifer simply would not be very impressive. Same with a Ruben. But a Vermeer needs to be small. A Vermeer is like a Diamond and a Diamond needs to be small.
Salamat po
They could just display all the small ones tightly to fill a large space.
It’s mainly because it’s the only way in which the work has any impact at all
Tack!