Learn to Take a Better Photo When Submitting to Calls for Art
And Other Stuff
A simple Google search...that's often how easy it is to learn how to fix anything from your coffee maker or how to take better photos. And when it comes to this digital world and submitting your artwork into art shows, you are going to need to take NOT ok photos, but GREAT photos.
Some of the Do's and NOT Do's for Calls for Art
I found I did wander a bit in this blog post, as I sometimes (often) do. Nonetheless, you may find some sense to the madness, I hope.
A friend said the other day, after we juried an art show for the art gallery, there is a standard that an art show or an art gallery sets, that they expect the artists to meet and to exceed. It's sort of like when you go out to a fine dining restaurant where you had a reservation and waited 6 months to get in and they require you to wear a jacket. You would not get in wearing a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops. The restaurant is setting a standard, an expectation for the guests to be, well, professional.
That doesn't mean that the person wearing the t-shirt and flip flops is not a good person at all. If the person went home and changed clothes, he or she would certainly get in then right? They improved their presentation. Something to think about.
Do not include background, foreground - or anything AROUND your artwork photo.
WHY? The artwork is the star, the subject, the only thing that matters. Anything else detracts from it. Cute cat though, right? The Juror does not care.
Photo and Painting by Donna Liguria, called "East Coast Beach Sunrise"
What
is horizontal should BE horizontal. All computers and smart-butt phones
have editing of photos capabilities, so straighten those lines!
WHY? The Juror observing your art is wondering if you can paint a straight line.
This is how the actual photo was submitted, not the one above:
Photo and Painting by Donna Liguria, called "East Coast Beach Sunrise" with horizon correctly oriented in photo
Although the exact total dimensions are required when submitting artwork that is framed, the actual image photo of the artwork should NOT include the frame. Please reread that - do NOT include the frame in the photo. This is the cropped painting from the above framed artwork - and this is how the artwork should have been submitted below.
WHY? Because the Juror deciding if your art should be submitted into the art show can actually SEE how you executed the piece before they make that decision.
Photo and Painting by Donna Liguria, painting name, "No One Can Teach Riding so Well as a Horse" - photo is overexposed and not cropped
This photo (above) had very poor lighting and it faded the colors. The painting looks so much better in person, yet if I had submitted this photo...disastrous. Also, the photo is slightly angled and not cropped as it should be, so we are seeing the background again.
WHY?
The Juror does not/may not know the background of the art or you. Nor should it matter. He or she
does not know if the over exposed photograph is actually how you painted
it or not. The artwork cannot be clearly viewed.
I believe that most jurors would know there is some discrepancy when having to view things digitally, but it is up to the artist to present their art by taking the BEST photo of it in the first place. If the juror cannot see it well, your art could get by-passed.
This is an improvement below, do you agree? Even if cropping out some of the edges removes whatever is behind the artwork, you need to cut out the background.
Inappropriate Content - if the gallery asks for family-friendly, non-political, etc, it is probably not a great idea to submit a nude portrait even if it is so realistic it could walk off the canvas.
A few other important thoughts:
- What are you trying to say with your artwork? Is the message clear?
- The background in a painting is as important as the foreground and vice-versa.
- What is that odd 'blotch' on the artwork? Watch out for those shiny spots/ reflections when taking photographs!
- Does the title of the painting make sense for that painting?
- "Untitled" as a title could be terribly confusing for a gallery especially if there are other pieces called "Untitled".
- All of the important rules of composition are in play. Your artwork and the image you submit for your artwork should for the most part, play by those rules.
Please see Artwork Rejection for further reading.
Right to Submit, and YEH! I got in the Art Show, What Now?
Well, I could submit artwork here that made it into various shows, but we all know if we did or did not get in. And I have other blog posts about jurying processes here on the Spin. Instead at this point, are the things to be sure are done correctly at the last stages of having your art checked in to the show. Or, as the gallery sees the artwork in person...
Your Best Artwork - it should go without saying, and often we KNOW in our creative little hearts what is our best artwork and what we have hidden within the depths of our closets or studios never to see the light of day. Or the stuff destined to be over painted. Don't we all have some of those? For your best chances of being juried, always submit your best and always, always be improving.
Finished Artwork - edges should always be completed which means the edges should be either a solid color or bring the painting around the edges. Make sure all of your preliminary sketch work is erased or buried within the painting process as well.
Photo and Painting by Donna Liguria, called "Mountain Reflection"
Properly Wired Artwork - make sure you understand the requirements for that gallery and their wiring methods. And remember, not
all galleries are the same and their hanging methods could be VERY
different. Make sure your wire is not too high so that the hanging
bracket will show.
Side Note: It still tickles me when a painting arrives unwired...
Photo by Donna Liguria - the wire needs to be much lower. The artist will be tasked with redoing the wiring so that the bracket used will not show above the canvas.
Properly Labeled and Signed Artwork - Follow the labeling requirements which is often have YOUR label on the back of the artwork with your name, title, year, medium and price. Notice this one may be at your discretion, so a business card or label might work well. Some shows may ask for a front label with some of the same information or they may print their own for you.
Side Note: Remember, "if you liked it then you should have put a sig on it" - sing that to the Beyonce tune. Just sayin'. Put your signature on it!
Properly Packaged Artwork Prints - art prints should be packaged in archival bags (for safe keeping) and be backed with STIFF board to help protect the print from bending.
Properly Framed Artwork - typically gallery wrapped canvas will not need to be framed but follow the directions of the gallery/art show you are submitting artwork to. Frames can make or break artwork, so do some research on this topic as well.
Sorry to say but these topics are not as thoroughly written out as they could be, so again, do the homework, ask questions and learn what your fellow artists are doing right so you can avoid the wrong. There are no guarantees when submitting artwork for jurying into art shows and galleries, but it is a great idea to avoid the obvious wrongs...it could make the difference.
What I Found in a Few Moments About Taking Photos
Before starting this blog post, I did a quick Google search and I found these really great links on info from some fantastic online art resources on "Photographing Your Artwork". Wasn't that what this blog post was supposed to be about?
From taking pictures on cloudy days outside between 11 and 2 and having light kits for indoor photographs, someone also suggested taking the photo of your artwork BEFORE you varnish it too, which made sense to me.
Here is a YouTube video from Tyler Stalman from saatchionline.com that's really good.
We could all use a workshop on photographing artwork, so make that suggestion to your art group. Also while you are at it, make a suggestion box for your art group for goodness sake!
So, from the photographers and experienced art folks out there, what else would you suggest when photographing your art?
And now I have "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) in my head..."Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, o-ohh".
By the way, coming up next Blog Post- Cropping an Image Made Easy
Local Art: Visit us at Stonebridge Open Space Arts at 15000 Potomac Town Center, Woodbridge, VA - Open Wed to Sat 12-7 and Sun 12-5
The Prince William Art Society is a 50-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia.
Want to know how to get involved at OSA? If you are an artist (18 or older) living in Prince William County, or a are a member of a PWC art group, you are welcome to get on our next art show's emailing list. Send it to us, OR come by the gallery to find out more.
Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
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