Helpful Links Because I don’t go into a lot of detail about the brushes or paints that I use, preferring to leave it up to you to choose what works best for you, I’m listing some websites that you may find helpful in making those decisions. I wasted a lot of money purchasing paints and brushes on other artists recommendations, only to find that while they were comfortable using a certain brand of paint or style of brush .....I was not. There are no rules, its what works best for you. Asked in 1905 what colors he used, Claude Monet said: "The point is to know how to use the colors, the choice of which is, when all's said and done, a matter of habit." Below are a few links to help you learn about color. Brushes About.com has some great information on different types of brushes and their uses. http://painting.about.com/od/artsupplies/ig/Intro-to-Art-Paint-Brushes/ And I have to say that Jerry’s Artarama has a most impressive selection from which to purchase. http://www.jerrysartarama.com/discount-art-supplies/online/2 Canvas You can do an online ‘search’ for places to purchase canvas. Here are a couple. http://lakearts.com/MURALCAN.htm http://www.allenscanvas.com/?gclid=CIqj1pKzlJECFShsGgodV3Q7QQ I have even had good luck finding great deals on canvas at ebay http://stores.ebay.com/Art-Supply-Canvas-Outlet_W0QQ_trksidZp284Q2em158QQtZkm Color Theory An excellent website on color theory http://www.worqx.com/color/ Quick and to the point http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html Excellent information on colors and what they will do, plus lots more http://www.wetcanvas.com/ArtSchool/Color/ColorTheory/Lesson11/index.html Perspective This is kind of a fun site if you’re just learning about perspective http://www.olejarz.com/arted/perspective/ http://painting.about.com/od/artsupplies/ig/Intro-to-Art-Paint-Brushes/http://www.jerrysartarama.com/discount-art-supplies/online/2http://lakearts.com/MURALCAN.htmhttp://www.allenscanvas.com/?gclid=CIqj1pKzlJECFShsGgodV3Q7QQhttp://stores.ebay.com/Art-Supply-Canvas-Outlet_W0QQ_trksidZp284Q2em158QQtZkmhttp://www.worqx.com/color/http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.htmlhttp://www.wetcanvas.com/ArtSchool/Color/ColorTheory/Lesson11/index.htmlhttp://www.olejarz.com/arted/perspective/shapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_3shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_5shapeimage_2_link_6shapeimage_2_link_7shapeimage_2_link_8
My intention here is to provide advice and support to those who are just beginning to take their first steps to becoming a mural artist and that these simple and easy to understand videos will help to eliminate the fears and trepidation that sometimes come when taking those first steps,. The instruction is given using short video demonstrations, and in these demos I use inexpensive acrylic craft paints (used for detail work) and regular latex wall paint (used for the large areas ie sky, ocean, etc.), so you can practice to your hearts content before investing in professional grade products. If you’re looking for glitz and glam you won’t find it here. I create these DVD’s myself, no big production crew, no big fancy studio, no pretense, just me, my camera and my mac (I love my mac :-). Click on the red box below to go to the dvd’s and then click on the links to view samples and/or purchase the videos. You’ll need Quicktime 7 to view the sample videos. http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/shapeimage_3_link_0
Purchase securely using your PayPal account or a credit card (you do not have to sign up with Paypal to use your credit card on their site) To Purchase DvD’s Videos are anywhere from 30 to 53 mins in length. Fav Books Books I wouldn’t be without ****************** This book is great for showing how to add texture and realism to your work. Graham shares beautiful photos and techniques in this must have gorgeous book. I learned a lot about trompe l’oeil painting from this book. Hard to find but worth the search! A great collection of copyright free animal illustrations from nineteenth century sources.
Painting the Secret World of nature
                            by John Agnew
The Painted Ceiling by Graham Rust
The Painted House by Graham Rust
 Perspective by J M Parramon
 Animals selected by Jim Harter
  Click Here
Artist Forums Forums are a great place to get and give advice...share photos of your work....talk to other artists....learn. Here are a few good ones for muralists: http://www.fauxforum.com http://www.houseoffaux.com http://www.muralsplus.com http://www.fauxforum.comhttp://www.houseoffaux.comhttp://www.muralsplus.comshapeimage_8_link_0shapeimage_8_link_1shapeimage_8_link_2
Finding Work Its not always easy. Artists provide a luxury service that not everyone can afford. You will spend as much time (if not more) marketing yourself as you do on your painting. So if you’re not good at that?......find someone who is and hire them to promote your work. Know what your strengths are, you don’t have to be good at everything, but you do need to work. So if you suck at it?.....get help. That said.......... * Take as many classes as you can. Ah...can’t afford classes? Let your fingers do the walking and look for free online art instruction, there’s lots out there. And spend time visiting those artist forums. This is a competitive field and you need to be the best at what you do. Never stop learning.....nobodies that good. * Keep a good portfolio of your work. No jobs yet you say..............get some canvas, tack it on the wall and paint. Do one, photograph it, paint another. Can’t afford canvas?..... buy a can of primer and paint directly on the wall....paint a mural, photograph it, prime it out, paint another one. Create a collection of samples of your work. You need to be able to show people what you can do. * Websites are good for two reasons. 1. It acts as an online portfolio and can weed out people who are not interested in perhaps your style of painting, and save you the time spent traveling to a location. 2. If you’re diligent in keeping your site high profile (search engine friendly), I have been contacted for prospective work that way. * Always, always, carry business cards. As soon as someone says what do you do.......hand them a card. Tack them up on every available public bulletin board you can find. OK........maybe high end clientele won’t find you that way, but smaller jobs help pay the bills, and it helps get your name out there. * Charge appropriately for your geographic area, and your skill level. Be confident when pricing a job, but realistic. You can ask ten different artists what or how they charge for a job and get ten different answers. There is no set formula, you need to be honest with yourself about where you are skill wise, and you need to know what people are willing to pay where you work. I myself, prefer to know what a client wants to spend.....I ask for their budget. I don’t want to waste time designing something that maybe they can’t afford, or designing several sketches to give them options to chose from. I like to use my time efficiently. I like to get to the point and get to work......whats your budget for this project. * Use your vehicle for advertising. I have my business name and info on the back of my truck along with a business card holder... http://www.vehiclecardpockets.com .....they work! Park in very public places. There’s a playground down the street from where I Iive, on a Saturday/Sunday morning its a great place to park my truck for the day. I like to do children’s rooms. * Try to land a job doing a mural in a big and busy restaurant. Its by far how I got most of my referrals, and years later, still do. Send out that pushy friend you’ve hired to market your work (to find a restaurant in need). Make sure its high traffic, but with locals, not tourists (if you want local jobs), and that they are customers in a higher income bracket.....folks who can afford to hire a mural artist. * And of course, contact design firms and contractors in your area. Send them a cd of your portfolio if you can, or at least a brochure and business card. http://www.mybrochuremaker.com (free) http://www.vehiclecardpockets.comhttp://www.mybrochuremaker.comshapeimage_9_link_0shapeimage_9_link_1
Need a live demonstration? Can’t make it to a class? Now you can schedule a live one on one video chat for private instruction. Simply email me to set up a convenient time and let me know what you need help with. Once our connection is tested for compatibility an appointment is scheduled. Then choose from the options below to secure your time slot......its that simple. ********************************************* 10 mins..................................................... 20 mins..................................................... 30 mins..................................................... Purchase two thirty minute sessions at once, use them together or at different times. ....................................................... Help does not have to be directly related to MuralClassesToGo dvd’s. .............................................................................................. Purchase the 10 dvd set and receive one full hour of live video chat help free!!mailto:karenhetzer@mac.com?subject=live%20chatshapeimage_10_link_0
New! Live online help! ichat*AIM(maybe?)*skype $5
$15$15www.apple.comhttps://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=karenhetzer%40mac%2ecom&item_name=videochat30&amount=20%2e00&no_shipping=0&no_note=1&tax=0&currency_code=USD&lc=US&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=karenhetzer@mac.com&item_name=videochat20&amount=15.00&no_shipping=0&no_note=1&tax=0&currency_code=USD&lc=US&bn=PP-DonationsBF&charset=UTF-8shapeimage_13_link_0
$25 $45
Share Your Own Tips Those of you who stop by regularly know my site changes all the time, which probably means I don’t have enough work to keep me busy :-) Anyway......I stumbled across a free forum builder site while looking for I can’t remember what, and started playing around with it. Not sure I’ve set it up properly (let me know) but I’ve left a few topics on it that I hope fellow artists will contribute to, and you’re welcome to add your own. My intent? Certainly not to compete with the big boys :-) It doesn’t matter to me how many (or few) people participate, its just a place for folks to leave some helpful tips of their own, things that have worked for you that the beginning muralists may not have thought of trying. Just one good tip could change the direction of someone’s career/life. Its not meant to be a place for ‘pats on the back’ or ‘warm and fuzzy hugs and kisses’, no flowery vailed critiques of your work. or even who has the cutest avatar, thats all available elsewhere when you need it. As was once said.. “Just the facts ma’am”. Sometimes we just want to know.......HOW? So if you’ve got some great tips/advice on how to make it in this business, you can share what you’ve learn here. I’m still asking myself..”how do those guys find those really big jobs?!” http://karenhetzer.freeforums.org/ http://karenhetzer.freeforums.orgshapeimage_16_link_0
Helpful Hints * Most large art supply stores carry canvas on a roll, you can also find it online. I recommend painting on canvas, if it turns out well, you have a product you can sell or even reproduce as prints. Some clients prefer their mural be painted on canvas, realizing that if they were ever to move, they could simply remove it and take their investment with them. * Whatever surface you are painting on make sure it is properly prepared before you begin work.......holes or cracks repaired and primed, and a nice base coat. * Painting a mural on top of a ‘flat’ wall paint is very frustrating, your paints will quickly be absorbed making blending near impossible. Go for a nice satin base coat whenever possible. * In most situations I prefer a clean white surface to work on.......try painting a blue sky on top of a yellow wall and see what happens. * There are many tools available to artists to make their job easier, learn about them and use them, its not cheating. I love my projector, it saves me time and my clients money. http://www.essentialvermeer.com/camera_obscura/co_two.htmlshapeimage_17_link_0
Want to share some of your own tips? See Below.
<@:<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-2903384615660890"; /* muralclassestogocode */ google_ad_slot = "1883730680"; google_ad_width = 728; google_ad_height = 90; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script>:@>http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.jsshapeimage_19_link_0