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| ROSE SORBET Abstract Rose Series ORIGINAL ART 6" x 6" Ask about larger Originals or Prints in the same series. To view my Gallery or purchase this painting please visit Daily Paintworks. |
One of the things I constantly hear from buyers and curators is how important signature style is. When a buyer or curator is looking through a gallery online or offline they want to be able to identify a particular Artist without reading the information. Curious but true! With the advent of online Art marketing it is increasingly important to develop unique style, because thousands of pieces of Art are available at the click of a button. Buyers want their purchase to stand out from the crowd.
One of the components of signature style is signature colour. Whatever your medium, you must develop a unique colour palette so your work is instantly recognizable.
For this exercise, group your recent works together in one place. Artists who have completed the 30 in 30 challenge by making a collage of their January work, will find this easy. Click here and page down to Jan 31st to see many Artists who have done this. Or click here to use the Pic Monkey collage tool yourself. If you have an online gallery where you can see many recent paintings on one page, this will also work. If you sell through shows, exhibitions and galleries, you will at some point be able to photograph a collection of your work on a wall. Others may have to resort to leafing through a portfolio, or laying work on the floor to do this exercise.
Your signature colour could be pre-mixed by a manufacturer and come with a fancy name but it's more likely a blend of two or three pigments creating a distinctive look. You will also find if you squint and step back that your selection of colours amalgamate and create one colour from a distance, often this is what attracts buyers from across the room. Signature colour tends to change with the seasons, or as an Artist develops, so this should be done regularly to see if you're drifting too far from your look. It's particularly helpful to do this if you are having trouble selling your work.
Part of becoming an Artist is experimenting with colour combinations. Beginners often repaint sections many times until they are happy but experienced Artists mix by instinct and practice. Likewise, once you have identified your signature colour palette you will find it easier to choose supplies and eliminate certain aspects which don't sit well with you, without making an expensive mistake.
It's always fun to experiment, but remember that your previous customers search for a common thread. The patron's original purchase was partly made because it worked with their decor and they aren't going to redecorate their home to match the painting unless it is a David Hockney, but they may purchase a painting to match another they already own. A new series, using a different palette, may attract new buyers, but it could also alienate your precious loyal fans. By all means learn and grow but keep a modicum of commonality to your work.
Here are some links to famous paintings which use a distinctive palette
Matisse
Picasso
Botticelli
Leonardo
Have you chosen your palette for the "Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge" Challenge yet? Consider not only your signature colour but that of the Duchess.
Remember you will be able to submit your finished painting from 8th Feb. Go to my blog of Jan 31st to find out how. Have fun with it, Catherine is young and current, so avant gard may be just the right style for her. The original commissioned portrait was in a super realistic style (including wrinkles) but yours can be a Picasso or a Hockney.
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Cat # 12032 Rose Sorbet - Posted as # 9 on Leslie Saeta Weekend Post Feb 10th
Addendum:- Have you thought about your signature colour? Even if you're not an Artist it works for other things too like home and office decor.
ReplyDeleteFor my mother it's Tomato red and I was often dressed in it when I was a child. As a natural blonde it's not my best colour for clothes, but it is one of my signature painting colours, Cadmium Red Light - hence the illustrated painting, "Rose Sorbet". Mother went to the extent of decoration the walls of her bathroom in red, can you imagine showering in a small blood red room?
Although my father loved light magenta, based on his clothing and home decor choices, his signature colour was actually warm light blue which is also something I use a lot in my work.
However, my true signature colour is periwinkle/violet which is the tube of paint I continually have to renew. I even have several from different manufacturers. Violet appears in almost everything I painting, even "Rose Sorbet" has a tiny accent of it.
Interesting post, Sea. I agree with everything you wrote. I lost a lot of my old clients when I was developing my fracturing technique but gained considerably more as it came more consistent in my work. My little gallery ( for little painting) carries both styles and for as many tourists who come in and like the tighter, realist style , just as many like the impressionist fracturing. And if someone says how much they like a fractured piece, I ask right away if they are an artist. Usually they are.
ReplyDeleteMen usually like it more than women for some reason.
Red seems to be my color but turquoise is another I use a lot. I had already noticed a similar palette on quite a few of the collages made from 30 in 30 challenge. Isn't the topic of art fascination.
Thanks again for the great post.
Oh by the way I want to pass this on. The numbers which can be so hard to see in the comment moderation are not tracked so you can enter ANY TWO numbers and it will work TRY IT!
Very interesting feedback Julie. As you have probably guessed you are one of my mentors in this journey and I thoroughly appreciate your blogs; I look forward to reading each one.
DeleteI like fracturing but prefer it with a more abstract subject like "prismatic pool". I saw on another blog that it's also your favourite of 2012 so perhaps you will tend in that direction. Have you seen the work of Ruth Andre? I only realized recently that she uses wax with the pigment. I've also considered encaustic but I'm concerned about the toxicity and permanence of the medium.
That's interesting about comment moderation numbers. I often don't comment when I see them because I'm hopeless with letters and numbers. I just don't have the time to fiddle with it and I'm sure a lot of older people feel the same way.
Red and turquoise is the colour combination that always attracts me from across the room. Probably that's why I like your work. I tend to use the combination of light warm blue (turquoise) and violet a lot. I love the effect.
I find it hard to track who is following me by email but I hope you're on the list. I have some thought provoking blogs coming up.