For artist, video is the fastest growing way to get found on the internet.

For artist, video is the fastest growing way to get found on the internet. With millions of videos available to view Day or Night Online, Videos cannot be ignored by any business, or for that matter artist. Youtube is the most popular video sharing site on the net, The One Big thing I have noticed is artist and art gets relatively few views.... its not the quality of the videos and slideshows but rather that artist don't have time to promote what they do... We just get to caught up in making art and just don't find the value of other aspects of being an artist in the modern world.. I have to admit that I'm just as guilty of this as any artist.

Making videos and slide shows is not difficult. Today online video sharing sites and tool make it easy to produce simple films in just a few minutes as well as lots of promotional tools to go with it... It is after all in the interest of sharing sites like Youtube who make revenue from the advertising space available on such sites. Video is useful for far more than just showing off what you do... Today Social Sites like Facebook and such a like are desperate for a piece of the action and are actively seeking video content, in fact almost every where video content has become prime real-estate online.

For artist, video is the fastest growing way to get found on the internet. it dose not need to be difficult just take a look at the videos i have recently done with the basic tools on my Mac and be surprised just how easy it is to put together a video that helps you to be found online and your work to been seen hopefully by millions.... 

Still Not Sure Video is for You, or for those wanting a little more information or just a good place to start why not pop over and have a quick look at  Youtube for Artist, part one an article from Artpromotivate ( a really good place for articles and information on promoting for artist ) that landed into my inbox today.

Thank you for contributing to this community I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes

A Simple Abstract Painting of Beauty

Painted in blues this subtle painting has a visual depth that seeks to explore how we see the world.  Abstract painting allows anyone to find the Simplicity of beauty in colour field paintings.

I have added this abstract painting to my website (see this web page here) partly because as a painting it attracts a vast amount of interest, even from those individuals who have little interest in abstract art or painting. 

Although colour field paintings are by the values of artists like mark Rothko or Numan, a pure and reductive abstract process this particular abstraction crates the feeling of an expansive landscape that holds a natural appeal that anyone one can appreciate and enjoy.

Colour field painting presents challenges to the abstract artist especially creating a large exspance of a shade or colour that still retains visual interest and excitement as this painting dose. The flat and very smooth application of the paint adds directly to the atmosphere that this colourfield painting offers the viewer.

As a landscape the subtle tones displayed in the large flat areas of blues that both hint towards the green and creates a comfortable visually stunning abstract painting that truly catches the interest of those who come into contact whit this stunning simple abstract painting.




Pleas feel free to contribute your comments. I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn and build on our successes

abstract painting

abstract painting, a photo by Mjo-art on Flickr.

this piece was inspired when I took down a shelf in the garage to clean it... The shelf was rotten but the surface was covered in grime and the rust marks from some old paint tins crating an interesting pattern and effects... I just had to get out my brushes and have a go... What do you think of this pleasing acrylic painting.

Acrylic paints on paper

Via Flickr:
Acrylic paint on paper painted as an exploration that I thoroughly enjoyed as an exercise in control and design

Visiting The Courtauld Gallery, London

The Courtauld Gallery

Being Out and about in London I sometimes find I have a spear hour or two to spend visiting a show or gallery, although this dose not seam to happen anywhere often enough, that said a few weeks ago I found just an opportunity to do just this.

We were meeting some friends in town but got to spend a while in The Courtauld Gallery which I have to say is always worth the time. Situated in Somerset House just off the Strand which in-itself is well worth the time and trouble of visiting for the art and cafes that are housed there.

However I degrees, we popped into The Courtauld to see the temporary exhibition that was on at the time... PETER LELY: A LYRICAL VISION and  THE DRAUGHTSMAN AND HIS COLLECTION  Sir Peter Lely the often forgotten 17th century artist at the court of Charles II was brilliant and well worth the time.

Then a whistle stop tour of the collection of world famous art that spans from the early Renaissance to the 20th century with a particularly fantastic impressionist collection that includes some very famous paintings by Cezanne, Van Gogh but for me seeing some of Kadinsy early works was brilliant too.

So if you get the time and happen to be around the Strand area of London I can highly recommend taking the time to check out Courtauld Gallery find them on your iPhone with this address

The Courtauld Gallery

Somerset House, 

Strand, London

WC2R 0RN

www.courtauld.ac.uk/gallery 

Girl with Pearls a Fugitive Sexy Painting

I don't normally do Commissions…. In-fact i try and avoid them like the plague. Lets be serious when someone asks for something in-particular, that means that already have an idea of what they won't and don't want and their always seams to be a time issue….

Its the one reason I avoid doing Commissions and yet when I was approached by a woman to paint something "Sexy for My bedroom" I knew exactly what she was looking for… 

Girl with Pearls 

80 x 80 cm oil on canvas painting

She had seen several paintings of figures i have done over the years and was very interested… We sat and chatted over coffee, very frankly about what she was looking for and how she wanted to feel and look…     

I must admit I was initially resistant to the idea of doing a sexy painting for her bedroom and knowing her I doubted that it would be a private image…. She would show the painting to everyone…. and why not.

"I'm an Abstract Artist if you want portraits and such alike Im probably not the artist to ask" I challenged… She was having none of it and said or something along the lines of,  "Ive seen what you paint and I like it. Your Paintings convey a feeling a sense of action it's not just figures i want to see its all the questions and possibilities that they will pose that interest me". 

OK all I have to do is paint a group of figures having sex???? that are sexy, figurative, abstract and pose questions about what is happening? why? where? and even more no time limit …. What an interesting Challenge… what's is an artist to do..

This oil Painting is one of the trail pieces. a test so to speak, where I can explore different styles and approaches. I especially like the use of the wide black lines that surround the figure and the thick creamy green paint that created blocks and squares 

Ok its not to everyones taste, but that makes the world an interesting place…The Other paintings completed as studies for this commission so far are Five figures (hosted on website) explores liens and colours in a different way while Thrown Down is a volatile mixed media painting that brings together subtlety and raw energy and A Painting in progress which i'm currently still working on at the moment.

See more Modern or abstract paintings by the artist visit www.mjo-art.com for a unique collection of fantastic and diverse paintings as well as lots of articles and much more besides.

Thank you for contributing to this community I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes

Painting Three Acrylic Studies

These Three Acrylic Studies painted as working study for a larger painting to be completed in oils on a large canvas that was lying around is one way to focus the mind and sort out those little problems of composition and colour. 

It not that I normally intend to frame and sell such studies but the effect of the three acrylic studies paintings looked fantastic as a set, Each original acrylic painting are about 30 x 40 cm and priced at £65 each, although I would happily sell all three for £150 which would make a vibrant and warm set of paintings that would compliment any home. 

Working Study 1

Working Study 2

Working Study 3

One of the main reasons for using acrylics Paints is the fast drying times allowing any artist to turn out a number of test pieces in paint that consider tone and proportions, although often transferring such an image onto a larger canvas can alter the overall painting considerably.

In this case the Canvas measures 100 x 120 cm which is about as large as I cam manage in my studio at Hylands House.  I have prepared the Painting with a thick and textured layer of Acrylic colour and allowed this to dry throughly, creating a fantastic surface that should shine through the finished painting. 

Acrylic Studies have a valid and important part to play in the process of painting and perhaps all three of these dramatic and visually pleasing acrylic paintings have been very useful in making the larger piece more successful as an original painting.

Thank you for contributing to this community I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes.

Art Show Grand Opening

Add this date to your Diary Now…. 

12 totally Unique and Individual Abstract Paintings using the exclusive method developed by the Artist on specially prepared USB boards, creating fabulous texture.

Grand Opening 

21st December  7pm and 9pm…

Art Show Open to The Public

Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd 

from 10am onwards...

At

Hylands House Visitors Centre

Chelmsford. 

Essex, UK,  CM2 8QW

A unique painting method 

Painted in vibrant Oil's on a specially prepared USB board. This unique painting method uses specially prepared USB board creates a textured and cracked surface which produces a fascinating surface to work on.                                                                                                             

This New painting Process Developed over years of trial and error by the artist Mark Johansen has perfected a unique method of preparing an unusual surface on which to paint these fantastic abstract paintings.

By carefully Controlling the process of preparation Mark has created a painting surface that is highly absorbent and potently fragile, this however is Half the Charm of these unique Paintings, It take a good deal of Practice and Skill to get the detail and texture just right which is paramount for these Unique Abstract Paintings.

With different applications methods and approaches creates the fine cracks makes a crackle type finish or even smooth finish, if desired. In places he has even removed pieces of the boards itself and placed them in other arrears in the paintings adding to the Unique Character these Abstract Paintings have to offer any art lover. 

The process of Painting in oil paints and varnish is equally important as it helps stabilise the surface and yet if applied with great care still leaves the surface cracks visible if desired, that make these Characteristic Abstract paintings feel delicate and yet beautifully absorbing. 

Thank you for contributing to this community I deeply appreciate your valuable time as I realise that all comments allow us to learn from our mistakes and build on our successes