Category: art

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Introducing the Birthstone Horses!

If you follow me on social media, you’ve seen my new series of horses I’ve been working on this year – Birthstone Horses. These are horses with coloring based on the birthstone associated with each month, and they also are bordered on two sides with sprigs of the monthly flower as well. I’ve been having so much fun working on this series so far. Actually, the original plan was to do one design a month throughout the entire year, but after I started working on the first one I was having so much fun that I just kept going. 

As of the time I’m writing this, I have 4 Birthstone Horses designs complete and am halfway done the fifth one. I’d like to introduce you to the first four designs and tell you a bit about the eight designs that are coming up in the series as well.

Garnet (January)

The first stone of this series is the Garnet. Garnet has been a popular stone in jewelry for a long time and has even been found used as beads in a necklace from 3000 B.C. The name of this dark red stone comes from the Latin word “Garanatus”, meaning “seed-like.” The gem likely got this name because small ones look like the small seeds that would be found inside of Pomegranate. Bohemia, which is now a part of Czechoslovakia, was a prolific source of Garnet. Many Bohemian castles and churches were decorated in Garnet. The stone was also popular in Victorian jewelry. It is said that Garnet is a powerful stone for curing many ailments, especially blood ailments, because of its deep red color.

Click the picture to buy a print of this work!

The January flower is the Carnation, which I chose to also color in the same reds as the horse of this January design. The Carnation has a history which dates back at least 2000 years. The January flower represents gratitude, beauty, pride, divine love, and feminine energy. Carnations have a dense, hardy core surrounded by feathery soft and delicate petals. 

Amethyst (February)

Amethyst once was a stone that could only be worn by royalty. Amethyst is included in royal collections all over the world, from Ancient Egypt to modern Britain. It was once more prized than ruby and sapphire. The name Amethyst comes from the ancient Greek word “amethustos”, meaning sober. It was believed that wearing one of these beautiful purple stones would prevent the wearer from becoming intoxicated. The stone has also been associated with controlling evil thoughts, increasing intelligence, and even keeping warriors safe on the battlefield!

Click the picture to buy a print of this work!

The flower that is associated with February is the Violet. Violets were cultivated around 500 B.C. by the Greeks. Today, there are over 500 species of violet, including those known as “pansies”. Violets symbolize modesty, spiritual wisdom, faithfulness, and humility.

Aquamarine (March) 

The third design in this series is the first one where the stone and the flower weren’t the same color, so I was nervous to get going on this one. However, once I started coloring I realized that this combination of light blue and brilliant yellow was just gorgeous!

In the 19th century, the more green varieties of Aquamarine were the most popular. But now the more blue stones are the most desired. The largest Aquamarine stone ever found was discovered in Brazil in 1910, and weighed 243 pounds. Greeks and Romans knew the stone as the Sailor’s Gem, and it would ensure safe passage across stormy seas. In 1377, the stone was widely regarded as a cure for poison, and it was said that even wearing the gem as a pendant or ring would work. It was said that Aquamarine could cure many ailments, including stomach upset.

Click the picture to buy a print of this work!

The Aquamarine horse is bordered by March’s flower, the Daffodil. Daffodils are associated with new beginnings and the coming of spring, since they are one of the first flowers to bloom after winter’s frost. They are grown all over the world and have been the subject of poems and songs. In China, the Daffodil symbolizes good luck, prosperity, and good fortune. 

 

Diamond (April)

Diamond gets its name from the Greek word “adamas”, meaning “invincible”. Diamonds come in a wide range of colors, including black, blue, red, pink, purple, and yellow. The color of a diamond is influenced by the impurities present in the stone. Diamonds are one of the hardest substances on earth, and wearing one is thought to give the wearer better relationships, inner strength, balance, clarity, and abundance. Some ancient peoples believed that diamonds were created by lightning, or that they were the tears of god. During the Middle Ages, diamonds were thought to have many healing powers, and to cure ailments of the brain and pituitary glands. It was believed that heating a diamond and taking it to bed with you would draw toxins from the body. Diamonds are the king of birthstones, and are the most widely sought after gems.

Click the image to buy a print of this work!

The Daisy is the flower of April. Daisy captures the essence of Spring’s happy-go-lucky energy. Daisies also symbolize purity and innocence. In Norse Mythology, the Daisy is Freya’s flower. Because of this, Daisies were often given to new mothers. The Daisy is a composite flower, meaning that they are actually two flowers in one. The inner section is a disc floret, and the outer section is a ray floret. Because of this, Daisy also symbolizes eternal love. The phrase “fresh as a Daisy” comes from the petals of the Daisy closing over the center during the night and then opening again in the morning. 

 

Future designs

I will be continuing to do more Birthstone horses until I have all twelve months complete. Here is the list of stones and flowers I’m planning, broken down by month.

May – Emerald and Lily of the Valley

June – Pearl and Rose

July – Ruby and Water Lily

August – Peridot and Gladiolus

September – Sapphire and Morning Glory

October – Opal and Calendula

November – Topaz and Chrysanthemum

December – Turquoise and Holly

 

If there is interest, I definitely want to create a set of notecards and possibly a 2021 calendar with these designs once they’re finished! T-shirts of the first four designs are available and prints will be listed for purchase from my online shops soon as well. They would’ve been up already but I ran out of the plastic bags I put matted prints in to protect them and I’m waiting for my new shipment to arrive. 

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Art I’d Love To Try

Sometimes I feel like I have artistic ADD. I like to go from new art project to new art project, experiment with styles, mediums, subjects, and even going to completely different types of art! I’ve probably tried more different types of art than I can even remember, but there’s always something more that I’d like to try. In a perfect world where I had infinite time, money, and resources, these are the types of art that I’d love to try.

Leatherworking

I can remember looking at Tandy Leather catalogs and drooling over the leather stamping and carving tools when I was as young as middle or high school. I used to love getting those leather craft kits where you’d make a bag or a medicine pouch from pre-cut and punched pieces. But I always wanted to get the mallets and design stamps and make the elaborate, beautifully tooled pieces I’d see in the catalogs. I still love the look of tooled leather- have you ever seen the English saddles that are tooled like fancy Western ones? They’re amazing!- but haven’t ever had the time, money, or space to get into the craft. Maybe one day, but for now I will admire all the gorgeous works of leathercraft that talented makers create!

Photo from Parisot Sellier

Pottery

When I was in high school, we went through a stint of being interested in sculpting, specifically with polymer clay. I’m not gifted with sculpting, but sometimes it is nice to make something that’s got a third dimension to it. In my high school art classes we would sometimes do clay projects where we’d make pots using different techniques, none of which turned out well for me. I remember a coil pot that came out of the kiln having fallen over and was very sad looking. But even though I haven’t had a lot of luck with pottery, I’ve always wanted to try throwing a pot on a wheel. I don’t know if that fascination is because I watched “Ghost” a lot as a kid (Even though the ending of it terrified me and gave me nightmares) or what, but I’ve just always thought pottery wheels look like a lot of fun. A giant mess, but a lot of fun!

Bookbinding

My first job out of college was at an Office Depot, working in the copy center. I actually really liked that job, even though the copy machines constantly seemed to break and I attracted all the crazy customers, because I got to be creative sometimes and because I had access to all the really fun machines. One of the things I really liked doing was bookbinding, especially with the Perfect Binding machine that we had. You’d put the papers into the machine with the side you wanted to be the spine facing down, then load in a tape strip. The machine would hold the papers in place, heat the glue on the tape strip, and then fold the tape strip around the papers to make a book. And I loved it! I thought it was just the coolest thing, and I’ve wanted to try other forms of bookbinding ever since. I have a sketchbook that a friend made me a few years ago and he sewed the registers by hand. It’s one of my favorite possessions and I kinda can’t bring myself to really use it because it’s so special. So anyway, this is a long-winded way of me saying that I’ve always wanted to try other forms of bookbinding so I could make my own books and sketchbooks.

Image from Wikipedia

Music

I don’t think there’s one member of my family that is musically inclined. I had a cheapo recorder as a kid with a book of songs from Aladdin, but I wasn’t ever actually good at it. I’ve always wanted to learn how to play an instrument, preferably the piano/keyboard or the guitar. Keyboard might be better because it would require a little less finger strength (I’d assume?) and sometimes my hands ache just from working on a piece of art. Hopefully one day I’ll get a chance to play around with learning something, even if I can only play one song.

Woodworking

Am I the only one who loves putting together those cheapo furniture things? There’s something so very satisfying about creating something that’s useful, like a bookshelf or a desk. Which is why I’d love to learn how to do woodworking someday. Thankfully, I have a Dad who is willing to teach me how to use power tools, so this one is a definite possibility. I might be able to make something other than a particle-board bookcase at some point!

Are there any types of art or crafts that you’d like to learn? Let me know!

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How I Make and Mail Art Prints

Prints are an affordable way to collect art that you love. They are generally much cheaper than originals, depending on the printing method, and are usually more accessible than buying originals because there can be as many copies as the artist likes of that piece! Below is the step-by-step process that I use to take an original piece of art and turn it into a high-quality print, and how I safely mail that print to my customers. I like making my prints at home because I can carefully control the look of my prints and make sure that each one is as close to the quality of the original drawing as it can possibly be.

Making the print

Once I have my piece of art complete, I either scan or photograph it so that I can get it into my computer to make prints. For scanning, I use the scan feature on my Canon TS6020 to wirelessly send my image to my desktop. The most important thing to remember when scanning your image is to set the scanner to at least 300dpi so you’ll get a good print from the digital image. 

I use the photo setting on my scanner and set the quality to 600dpi, then send the image to my computer. 

Once my artwork is digitized, it’s time to make a print! Most of the time, I do this through the Print function in Windows 10. I simply open the folder where my image is saved, select the image that I want to print, right-click the file, and select Print.

Windows brings up a printing window with several options that usually suit my needs for simple printing. For the print that I’m creating in this example, I’ve selected an 8×10. Windows will automatically resize or crop the image so that it fits in those dimensions. 

I use a glossy, 230gsm photo paper to print my art on. The Canon TS6020 has a rear paper tray that I use both for photo printing and for printing labels, so I make sure I have my photo paper in the tray. Then in the printer properties, I set the quality to Photo Printing and make sure that the art will print on the paper in the rear tray. Make sure to change your settings to glossy paper for the best results, or your print may turn out streaky!

Now that my printer is done, it’s time to mat the print. All my 8×10 reproductions come matted so that they are ready to put into any commercially available 11×14 frame. I used to hate the matting process, but I’ve discovered a trick that makes it a lot less harrowing! I purchase mats for prints in bulk.

To start, I place the print on my desk or a table, with the bottom edge hanging off the table. (You’ll notice that I didn’t trim my paper down to 8×10 after printing. I do this so that I have more “wiggle room” with the matting, but you can trim your print down if you’d like) Then, I place one piece of tape on each corner, with the sticky side of the tape facing UP. It is very important to make sure that your tape is on the backside of your print and that the sticky side is up, or the mat won’t stick to the tape!

Next, take the mat and carefully put it over your art. I don’t put the mat all the way down just yet so that I can be sure it’s as straight as possible, and that there’s no white from the untrimmed paper showing around the edges. I also make sure that I place the mat so that my artist signature is still visible and not cut off. Once the mat is where you want it, set it down and reach under the mat and print to press the tape up onto the underside of the mat.

Now that the bottom bits of the print are stuck to the mat, I turn the print and mat over to the backside and put tape around the edges to hold the picture to the back of the mat. And now we just need to put a backing board behind the matted print and put the whole thing in a bag!

My chipboard backs and print bags are made of 100% recycled and sustainably produced materials. I have been trying to reduce my plastic waste over the past few years and using regular print bags made me feel guilty, but I don’t like sending out my work without some protection around it! So when I found these bags from EcoEnclose, I knew I had to have them. They cost a good bit more than the print bags I used to use, but I think it’s worth it to use recycled and sustainable materials. 

Mailing the Print

Now that our print is matted, boarded, and bagged, it’s time to ship it out to another happy customer! My most important consideration when mailing a print is having it get to its destination without getting banged up, ripped, or dented.

To start, I take the bagged print and put it face down on a piece of foam board or cardboard. I’m using cardboard in the photo because I ran out of foam board (will have to go pick some up!), but I prefer the thickness of the foam board to regular cardboard. Next, I put a few pieces of tape on the edges of the bag to hold it securely to the protective board. I use my label maker to put a reminder to be careful when removing the print from the mailing board, just in case!

 

I like to include a packing slip either from PayPal or Etsy, so I print one for each order that I’m working on and use the bottom of the packing slip to write a quick thank you note. Every single order is so precious to me, so I like to include a little hand-written note along with it to express my gratitude.

I put two business cards in with the note as well so that my customer has them to give out to anyone else if they wish to do so.

 

Finally, I print out a label and slip the print (on its protective board), note, and business cards into a pretty butterfly-covered poly mailer. The label goes on the front, and the package is ready to go on to its new home! Sometimes I print out pre-paid USPS labels from Etsy or PayPal, but sometimes I print out a label and purchase postage in the post office, it really depends on if I have time to run into the post office or not that day. Smaller items like wooden ornaments almost always get pre-paid labels, because I can slip those packages into my mailbox and have them picked up. Can’t do that with matted prints, however!

I hope that this look into my print-making and mailing process has helped answer any questions you may have about the quality of my art prints, or about how safe mailing a matted print to you would be. I take pride in making my prints as high-quality as I can and getting them to every customer in great shape so they can be displayed immediately!

Disclaimer: This post includes Amazon Affiliate Links. If you make a purchase from Amazon after clicking one of my links, I receive a small percentage of the sale. This does not cost you anything extra, and helps keep my small business afloat. 

 

 

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RAWR in the New Year!

Rawr! I started a new series!

Yup, DINOS ARE COMING! I’ve had this idea rattling around in my head for almost a year now, but last year was so crazy that I just never got to it. I grew up with three older brothers, so we were all dinosaur-crazy growing up. I was 10 years old when Jurassic Park came out and I remember going to see that movie several times in the theater. I also saved my allowance for a few weeks so that I could get the “battle damage” Triceratops toy because Triceratops are my faves. 

I am also crazy over “Tyrannosaurus Sue” and would love to get to Chicago someday and see her in person. So that’s why I decided to start this new dinosaur series with Sue! These dinos are drawn on maps of either where a famous fossil was found, or where the dinosaur roamed in the world. Since Sue was discovered in South Dakota, I chose that map for her background. 

Also, sorry about the video quality on the above. I got a video camera for Christmas and this was my first attempt at doing an art process video with it. Obviously I need to either figure out what’s up with the exposure or I need more lighting on my art desk, because that entire video is very, very blue. I’ll figure it out! I got the camera so that I can do more art videos and other videos for YouTube, and I’m loving having something dedicated to film on instead of using up space on my iPhone. So let me know what kind of videos you want to see in the next year!

I hope you all had a safe and happy new year’s eve. I can’t wait to spend 2020 with all of you. Looking forward to another year with all of you!

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Liz Staley Studios 2019 Review!

2019 is almost over, and what a crazy year it has been. I’ve talked about some personal struggles already this year in another blog post, so I’m going to concentrate on reviewing what’s happened with Liz Staley Studios this year. 

  • Added the Civil War Cavalry Horses, Vlaamperd, Brumby, Akhal-teke, Thoroughbred, Shetland Pony, Misaki, B’anei, Gypsy Vanner, Andalusian, and American Curly Horse to the Horses Of The World series.
  • Began the Dogs Of The World series, with the Welsh Corgi, Basset Hound, Shiba Inu, Siberian Husky, and Dalmatian early in the year, and adding the Australian Shepherd in December.
  • Unicorn and Krampus were added to the map illustrations, hopefully as the first in a series of mythological creature drawings.
  • Got accepted to Merch By Amazon and began selling exclusive shirt designs through Amazon’s marketplace.
  • Participated in “Equine March” challenge and completed a horse drawing each day of the month of March. These drawings are available as my first digital sketchbook, with artist notes about each prompt and how I chose to interpret them.
  • Added dogs, cats, birds, and cows to my commission resume.
  • Had an article published in The Barefoot Horse Magazine about my art and my horse, Glory.
  • Started selling patterned fabric through Spoonflower.
  • Began offering many new made-to-order products on Etsy, including coffee mugs, leggings, and backpacks.
  • Began offering my original pieces for sale on Etsy, too!
  • Started a coloring club on Patreon that provides exclusive new coloring pages each month.
  • Attended several local events, including horse shows and market days in neighboring areas.
  • Completed over a dozen commissioned pieces for satisfied customers of their own pets or pets of loved ones.

I don’t feel like I accomplished much, overall, this year. I certainly didn’t accomplish some of the goals I’d set at the beginning of the year. But, looking back on the list above, I actually made some big strides this year! I’m hoping to keep up some momentum going into 2020 and to start the new decade off with a bang. My next blog post will be the first of the new year, so have a safe and happy New Year’s Eve and I’ll see you in the next decade!

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What I Listen to When I’m Creating

I’m not one of those artists that can sit around in silence when I’m in my studio. I need music, a YouTube video, movie, or a show playing in the background pretty much every minute of my day. I can’t stand silence most of the time, and it’s very rare that I’m creating without anything playing from either my computer, tablet, or phone. Here are my top picks for what I listen to while I’m working away in my studio!

Music

I have a very eclectic taste in music, and I judge what I like on a song-by-song basis. This means that though I don’t like Country or Rap as entire genres, I do like certain songs from those genres. My most important criteria for music is whether it has strong lyrics. If I can connect with the lyrics and they move me or make me think of an experience in my life, or they tell a story, then I’m more likely to love the song.

My top favorite musical artist right now is an independent band called Icon For Hire. I stumbled across them randomly on YouTube one day and have been to two of their concerts, am a member of their Patreon, and participate in several of their Facebook Groups. Icon For Hire is fronted by lead singer Ariel Bloomer, an amazing song-writer and just an amazing human in general. In the beginning of 2019, she released a book called Turn Your Pain Into Art that I not only own multiple copies of (including the audiobook and a signed copy) but I have purchased it for several friends who deal with mental illness and self-hatred as well. I could write an entire blog post about this band and the impact they’ve had on my life, but maybe I’ll do that in a future blog! Instead, here are links to a few of my favorite songs from Icon For Hire.

Other musical artists that I like, in no particular order: Linkin Park, Panic at the Disco, Fall Out Boy, Katy Perry, Halestorm, Above Only, Against the Current, ONE OK ROCK, P!nk, Poets of the Fall, The Glitch Mob, Fefe Dobson, Mary Fahl, Disturbed, Savage Garden, Meghan Trainor, Breaking Benjamin, Beth Crowley, Owl City, Lindsey Stirling, Taylor Swift, Korn, Kesha, Avril Lavigne, Paramore, and so, so many more.

YouTube

I have a confession to make: I am a YouTube junkie. Right now I have two monthly subscriptions, and one of those is YouTube. I subscribed to it so that I could turn my phone screen off while a video is playing, and so that I wouldn’t have to sit through ads all the time!

I’m subscribed to lots of channels, but when I’m working on art I like to have longer videos (thirty minutes or more) on so that I can get lost in what I’m doing without having to change the video a lot. 

I LOVE true crime and documentaries, so a lot of what I watch on YouTube is in the true crime genre. My favorite true crime YouTubers are Stephanie Harlowe (well researched, multi-part videos about cults and true crime), Danelle Hallan (focus more on missing person cases and solved cases), and Kendall Rae. 

I also like listening to The Mile Higher Podcast, which is about an hour-long or more and covers all kinds of topics from current events to true crime to the paranormal. 

For art topics, my favorite channels are NerdECrafter, Rafi Was Here Studios, Becca Hillburn, and Chloe Rose Art.

My favorite horse-related channels are The Budget Equestrian and YourRidingSuccess. Obviously I need to find more horse channels to follow! If you know of any good ones, drop a comment and share it with me! I used to follow Evention TV, but they haven’t put out new videos in a long time.

I follow a ton of other channels that are a mish-mash of movie reviews, video essays, business advice, anime reviews, legal videos, and a bunch more.

Movies and Shows

So if you hadn’t yet noticed, I have eclectic tastes in just about every facet of my entertainment. It should come as no surprise that I have a wide variety of movies and shows that I like to have on while I’m working. Just like with YouTube, I like to put something on and not think about it for awhile so that I can get lost in the art that I’m doing. This is why I also tend to pick things that I’ve already seen so that I don’t have to concentrate on what’s going on with the plot.

I like all kinds of movies, from animated to sci-fi to fantasy to comedy and more. To list out all the things my husband and I own on DVD and Blu-ray would take forever, so instead I’ll list out a few of my favorites and concentrate on mainly what I have digital copies of in Movies Anywhere (because that makes them easily accessible back in my office from my computer browser, phone, or tablet). I’ve written already that my favorite horse movie of all time is Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken (DVD). But also in my frequently watched are Krampus, Big Hero 6, The Croods, Pacific Rim, Deadpool and Deadpool 2, Spider-man: Homecoming, Wonder Woman, Ghostbusters (2016), Zootopia, Inside Out, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Thor Ragnarok, Into The Spiderverse, and Hocus Pocus.

Shows are tricky since I don’t have Netflix anymore, so I’ve been mainly limited to shows that I can find on YouTube. For YouTube shows, I like Hoarders and I Shouldn’t Be Alive. But, when I get my Netflix access back, I’m going to be back to watching my other favorites: Heartland, Criminal Minds, Free Rein, Voltron Legendary Defender, Trollhunters, Queer Eye, and Parks and Recreation.

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10 Gift Ideas for Artists

Disclaimer: This post includes Amazon Affiliate Links. If you make a purchase from Amazon after clicking one of my links, I receive a small percentage of the sale. This does not cost you anything extra, and helps keep my small business afloat. 

Artists can be difficult to shop for, especially if you don’t know them well or they’re an artist that continually changes mediums/subjects/tools. I have compiled a list of 10 gift ideas for the creative people in your life that I hope will inspire you! I have not purchased every item on this list, so please read reviews and use your best judgment before making purchases. I hope that this list will help you select a gift for a creative person in your life when you aren’t sure what to get them.

Roll Up Pencil/Brush Holder for the Artist On The Go

This 15 Inch Roll Up Paint Brush/Pencil Holder has 20 pockets and is great for the artist on the go. The great thing about these roll-up cases instead of a normal pencil case or pouch is that your artist can organize their tools by size, color, or any other criteria, so everything will be exactly where they need it when they get to their destination. This case comes in three different outer fabrics, all with an Asian flair!

Having a Creative Moment Apron

This fully adjustable “Stand Back, I’m Having A Creative Moment” apron is perfect for the artist who gets paint (or clay, or charcoal, or marker) on their clothes on a daily basis. It’s made of a polyester blend and the ties adjust to fit most people. I know that I personally hate getting my supplies all over my clothes, and this cute and colorful apron would solve that issue!

A Comic Sketch Book for the Budding Visual Artist

A 9×12 inch, 40 page Sketch Book with panelling and speech balloon templates is perfect for the budding comic artist in your life. The spiral bound pad lays flat to allow for easier drawing, and the paper is heavyweight and acid-free, meaning your art creations will stand the test of time without yellowing or deteriorating. The reviews do say the templates are a bit flimsy for younger children to use, so probably best for a tween or teenage artist.

Sketching (or Manga) Satchel with Included Supplies

This product has two versions: a “sketching” version and a “manga” one. Not only does this gift come with a canvas messenger bag, but it also includes various art supplies that will delight the artist who loves to draw. The sketching version comes with eight graphite and three charcoal pencils, one artist pencil wrap, three blending stumps, one sharpener, one eraser, one 8×10 inch artist sketching book, one sketching template, two triangle rulers, one 8 inch ruler, one protractor, and one grey satchel with adjustable strap. The manga version is about $10 more, but Includes 3 micro pens, 1 soft-grip gel ink pen, 1 soft-grip mechanical pencil, 1 pencil lead refill pack, 1 artist pencil wrap, 1 eraser, 1 8-inch by 10-inch manga character drawing book, 2 manga character templates, 1 black satchel with adjustable strap.

An Instructional Book for the Beginning Professional Artist

If you have a creative person in your life who wants to start breaking into art as a career, this book is for them. Reviews do say that the information contained is more for people who are just starting out with their art career and don’t have any idea of how to proceed because it’s very basic. But this is a good way to start dipping your toes into the business of art for the totally clueless. Get it on Kindle, Audible, or as a Paperback.

A Handy Tool for the Gallery Artist

Hanging framed art can be a hassle! So if the artist on your Christmas list is constantly hanging art (either on their own walls or in a gallery setting) then this tool can make it so much easier. This tool measures, marks the wall, and levels the framed art, and can even be used to create even spaces between frames. 

A Happy Little Color Changing Mug

Who doesn’t love Bob Ross? He’s so wholesome, and I find his voice very soothing. Even though I don’t paint like he does, I love listening to him talk and watching him paint. This Bob Ross Color Changing Mug goes from having a black background when cold to a beautiful painting when hot. It’s perfect for the artist who loves to have a hot drink while they work, or even as something for them to store their pencils and brushes in on their desk. 

Gloves that Improve Hand Comfort

All artists use their hands, and most don’t even think about the health of their joints or preventing arthritis. These compression gloves can help relieve hand and joint pain, and the open finger design makes them perfect for painters and crafters. They are also made of a lightweight cotton-spandex blend so they are comfortable to wear all day.

Hand Grip Strengthener for Continued Hand Health

Continuing on the subject of hand health, did you know that doing hand and wrist exercises and stretches can help relieve and prevent repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel? This set of hand grip strengtheners comes with 6 pieces, all color-coded and clearly marked with different resistance levels. 

Note: Please consult a physician before beginning any exercise regiment, especially if you already have arthritis or other health concerns!

A Gift For Any Artist Who Is Tired of Cheap Clients


 Okay, this gift idea doesn’t come from Amazon. Exposure Coins are actually made by an amazing friend of mine, and I think they’re amazing! Artists are often approached to do work for “exposure”, meaning they work for free with the promise that they will get advertising out of it. Now, I’m not saying that an artist should never donate their talents to a cause that they believe in, but I am saying that large companies who can totally afford to pay an artist should not be offering exposure in exchange for hard work! So if you have an artist in your life who’s also tired of being offered exposure instead of something they can actually buy food with in exchange for hours of their time, these coins are for them. They’ll get a laugh out of it, AND you’ll be supporting another artist at the same time!