September 24, 2020

Well it was time I updated my blog with recent news, new paintings and cool announcements. Where to start?

This past 2 months, I have been active painting digitally on my iPad Pro. Working on garden images and flowers,  Japanese falls and lush gardens and paintings of pets for friends and clients.

I also started creating a digital catalog of my images / prints. Currently I have about 18 pages of images for a total of 35 pieces of art! On average I try to paint 2-3 hours a day if I can. Alot depends on how I am feeling in the morning (I still struggle with kidney pain, vertigo and balance issues since my 4th stroke). I am now totally blind in my right eye and have about 50% in my left. Its very narrow. But, I love art and will work hard to bounce back and continue paintings. Lead by example my Dad always said. He passed away from cancer a year ago.

My paintings and art gives me energy, hope and sheer pleasure. Dealing with health challenges has forced me to adjust my lifestyle and length of time I can paint. My typical day allows me to spend a few hours painting followed by a couple of hours in the afternoon. If I have energy I try to spend 1 1/2 hours before retiring for the night.

The majority of my digital work is created in Procreate using the Apple pencil. I have recently upgrade my version of Procreate to version 5X. The changes are absolutely stunning and incredible. They really get the needs of the artist!

One aspect of my paintings that continues to grow is the textures and patterns of my brushes. I now use upwards of 18 to 22 brushes per painting. Many are brushes I have bought from brush designers for Procreate.  But I am proud to say I am creating many of my own custom brushes.

For many of my paintings, I create or use reference photos. I will take 4- 5 images and mockup an image that pleases me, then using this mismatch of images, I start sketching out the basic shapes.

Most of my images contain layers of different components. For example, when I create a Japanese garden, I will have layers for trees, bushes and foliage, rocks and boulders, bamboo and any shrines or rock cairns. Over top of these images I will include shadow layers, washes of digital colour, bugs and insects, water falls, water mist and rainbow effects. Painting can get very complex.

Most of my digital prints are printed on matte photographic paper but I also can now print on actual canvas. This prints of both materials are reproduced in a print shop facility in Ontario. This allows me to produce high quality work that is reasonably priced.

As I have currently over 35 paintings, so ordering and having hundreds of prints on hand is very expensive. So currently I order in stock (weekly) and its delivered to me in 7- 10 days. I keep about 15 different prints in stock.

Pricing is an art! Rather than charge a huge amount, I have reduced my prices so that my art is affordable for most people. Not unlike myself, spending $150-$200 on a print in these Covid times is tough for most people. I would rather see 100 prints shipped at $40-$50 each rather than sell 10 for $200 each. Many people still need to mount or frame these prints.

So based on my current health, and the fact I would desperately like to build my art sales, I am hoping the low prices and broad range of topics I paint will make people. In addition to painting art, I would love to teach art and share my 25+ years experience marketing businesses. I hope to assist local artists and then expand to other areas in Canada and the US. Watch for details on my facebook page (www.facebook.com/gordon.currie ) or Instagram (www.instagram.com/gordonfcurrie )

In the early years of painting, I sold a significant amount of art all over Canada but also in the United States. With the challenge of Covid, social issues and crime, it makes marketing…… a challenge. New technologies are helping and more people are buying and staying home. The next 2-3 years will be interesting with provincial and federal elections and the US elections.

In closing, take a moment and consider going through catalog and choosing a print or two. As my work progresses and becomes more widespread, I am sure it will keep its value and appreciate in value.

Enjoy!  And thanks

Gordon