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24 Hour Art Challenge?

Woah! Big day. Lots happend. I'm shattered.

On the all critical selling front; think I've sold but, no cash in hand yet.

Painting I chose to paint is very difficult. I am exhausted again. It is not easy work. It is enjoyable work. I am physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.

My lack of spanish language skills almost got me into trouble as did the heather selling gypsies. Funny story!!!

Way to tired to post properly...will post agian tomorrow. Lots to report for those interested but, I'm fucked! Off to absorb the city with a bottle of beer or, summit. Friday night afterall innit. No friends in the new city yet. Well, possibly a few... tired....tired....tired....

Hasta Manaña.
 
Stanley Edwards said:
Hasta Manaña.
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Have a lovely weekend if we don't see you during. :)
 
Stanley Edwards - I think you are unusual and excellent!
keep it up, and try to get one of your paintings photographed so we can look!
 
Hungover today.

The gypsies final trick yesterday was to send not one but, two rent boys over to pester me and then tell passers by that I had sent for the rent boys and was a very bad man. Should have bought the lucky heather :D

But, sod them. I'm sticking with the pitch until I've finished my second painting.

My jeans are now filthy. I look a mess. And, today I feel it. No one will knock me down mind. Good support here. Strange how a ten minute session in an internet cafe can boost your confidence.

Cheers!
 
Stanley Edwards said:
Hungover today.

The gypsies final trick yesterday was to send not one but, two rent boys over to pester me and then tell passers by that I had sent for the rent boys and was a very bad man. Should have bought the lucky heather :D

But, sod them. I'm sticking with the pitch until I've finished my second painting.

My jeans are now filthy. I look a mess. And, today I feel it. No one will knock me down mind. Good support here. Strange how a ten minute session in an internet cafe can boost your confidence.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

honestly dude, it's amazing that we can read about people doing stuff like this, everyone would love to do this, and you're doing it

stick to your patch, they are just jealous cos they don't have anything to sell
it's really inspiring that you have just gone and done something like this :cool:
 
Just seen this thread . I really can't express how much I admire what your doing Stanley , I wish I had the talent and persistance to do it as well . Any news on getting a digital photgraph of your picture yet , I really want to see it now . Can you get pictures of your sketches as well , it would be great to see those too .
 
Pictures may have to wait until I'm set-up in a new flat. Very soon hopefully. I'll try and grab someone tomorrow. Perhaps I can get a couple of sketches scanned at one of the internet cafes.

Second painting turned out shit. Going to paint over the canvass with a nightime scene painted tonight. Need to have a decent display tomorrow. I'm looking rough and scaring the punters away. Must remeber mt presentation.

No sales at all today! An enquiry about teaching someone to sketch (third time that's happend since I started) may be worth pursuing for the future. It would be an excellent way to improve my spanish.

I'm still hopeful I can reach my target. Although, I would far sooner someone would hurry up and pay me for my proper work!

In a way I'm glad I was sort 'pushed' into trying this. Might never have tried it otherwise. Lucky I'm in a position to be able to try it.

Still having fun. It would be fantastic if I could make a living doing this and taking photographs.
 
Night painting was a bad idea - couldn't see what I was doing :D

Canvas scrubbed again and completed a four hour picture of Bib-Ramblas. Just as I was giving up on the day and the whole thing I was rescued by a sale from a very nice american family. €70 for four hours work will do for me. Should be collecting €150 tomorrow for the other painting. All being well I'll be in a position to buy more canvases.

If tomorrows sale happens (I'm fairly confident) I will have sold five sketches at €10 a go and the two paintings for €220. €270 total. Not far short of the target and good enough to continue with (because I have to). May even get a teaching fee tomorrow.

I need to buy new canvases. A new sketch pad, new pencil, new brushes and some more white paint. About €20.

Hanging on by the skin of my teeth and Sunday is far from over yet so, I'm off to sell again whilst I enjoy the cheapest food and drink I can find.
 
i admire what you do. that's indeed one of the romantic dreams i have. keep it up and keep us posed on the progress.

how did you do today?
 
I'm now slumming in an exceeding lully location in East Landan. Yet to go out and face the streeetz to see if i can sell any twee pickees of Cornwall to passing wannabees! ;) :p :D

keep it up. :)
 
Think I've reached my target and passed it!

Getting good at doing very quick 'impressionistic style' stuff on smaller canvases that tourists don't seem to mind carrying home (or, at least that is the theory).

Taking a break to visit a laundrette - my clothes are a mess. A week of sprawling on pavements wrecks your jeans and shoes. Also, have an appointment with an estate agent shortly. The days don't end here until about 11PM as far as selling goes. It seems the start and the end of the days are best for catching the punters.

Will report last thing tonight and see if I'm ready to enter phase 3. It can only get tougher.

Best thing about this whole 'situation' is that I'm getting to meet loads of good people. That is one of the hardest things to do when you move to a new city. On the other hand I am rapidly becoming known as 'the scruffy english guy with that painting' :D

Tiring as it is, it is a great way to live. Hope I get to the next phase - the alternative really isn't worth considering!
 
Aaaaaargh! Fucking school holidays. How's an artist supposed to concentrate with all that raquet?

Struggling :(

Occassional low moments and a very strong desire for me own bed. Beer break. Beer.

Some of the more 'established' traders have started taking a little more interest than I would like now the better cash has started coming in. I try to be discreet out of necessity (I'm only really doing it out of necessity). I may just be getting a bit paranoid but, I suspect some kind of intervention with the next all important sale. Intervention from one side or, the other???

Gotta get that sale. Staying positive. Just.
 
No sale :(

I'm stuck in phase 2. Reaching targets is one thing, sticking to budget is quite another :D

Current position; Just enough to pay for a hostal for another a week (and must repeat that this hostal is well fucking nice for €20 a night - you'd pay 3x that to get the same in a 3* hotel). If you're not into mini bars and plush crap.

Anyway, stuck in phase 2. I have two very good paintings to sell but, no working budget. However, with semana santa upon us and an expanding tourist population I'm happy with the situation. And, besides the weather is getting warmer for sleep-outs if required. Erm... shouldn't happen.

No sale but, I have just completed my best work of the challenge yet.

Learning what sells and how to sell. Wondering how Vincent managed??? If he didn't sell what was he living on?

Keep seeing great photographs that I'm tempted to paint. Then realise they are great photographs because they can't be painted. Will take a camera out tomorrow regardless.

I've found a winning formula for selling. Learned loads already. Will post up the low down when I've finished. If only I knew at the start what I know now.

Just about hanging on in there financially but, producing works that I never thought I was capable of. People keep looking at me like I'm mad though! I am innit. You gotta be to be an artist.

Still enjoying the lows as much as the ups.

Hasta manaña.
 
The 'how to sell' theory.

Day to concentrate on selling. Lack of materials to do anything else.

1. Choose a good site. Close to a busy thoroughfare but, obviously not where people are going to trip over you.

2. Make a good display. I have one large canvas with a very geometric, striking composition that will grab attention from a distance and one small canvas with an impressionistic style painting of the scene people are walking through. Lots of supporting sketches to draw people in close enough to start talking. The more there is to look at - the more people will look. Thus, spending more time with you for a chat and making others think that you have something worthwhile looking at!

3. Keep yourself occupied. Don't put people off approaching by waiting for them to come to you and watching them. I've got an old sketch pad that I'm just rubbing out and re-drawing.

4. Pricing. Has to be affordable but, you have to make a profit. Large canvas has a price 'tag' of €170 to sell at €150. Small canvas (which is the one I hope to sell) is for €70 (€6 canvass plus 5 hours work). An easy to carry size.

5. Smile :) (regardless).

6. Sell yourself as well as your product. If people have started talking to you then they must be interested in you and your paintings. Talk about them but, also be equally interested in their work and life etc.

7. When they're fully absorbed in looking at your paintings grab their handbag or, wallet and do a runner. Or, go for the sell. If you don't sell give them a business card or, some kind of contact info. You never know they may come back. A regular pitch is very important. Loads of people ask if I'm here every day/week.

OK. That's the theory. Will be testing it this afternoon as soon as the sun has eased a little. Could really do with a €70 sale at least to buy new canvases and materials. And, a hat. Sun is getting stronger by the day. Seen a nice panama model that could be customised :D

Luego.
 
:( :( :(

Failing miserably at the moment. Sales plan doesn't seem to be working. Think I need a tressel or, an easel or, a gallery or, summat???

Stuck with two paintings I can't seem to shift but, they're to good to scrub. Not brilliant but, definitely worth a sale.

Not good. I need ideas and a big boost of enthusiasm and confidence.

This is hard at times. Not sure what next move will be. A bit stuck. Seems to be more people, just not getting the same interest.

A new pitch maybe, and a new bottle of beer or, a trip to Mercadona for a two euro bottle of wine (that has to be a bad idea).

Hmnnnnnnnnnn...
 
what about doing quick sketches of people - that seemed to work (you said before). low value, high turnover of people, keep wolf from the door.

what the fuck do i know anyway, buy some more cheep booze and decorate your panama.
 
Robster970 said:
buy some more cheep booze and decorate your panama.
Click to expand...

Seems best idea :D

Gave it another hour or, so but, no sale :(

Perhaps Tuesdays are bad days. Perhaps. May try talking to a few gallery people tomorrow (communicating sort of rather than talking!).

Better still. Maybe the cash points will start working again tomorrow??? That would be very reassuring.

Onwards and upwards!
 
Time to leave this for a while and get on with bureaucracy busting and form filling and stuff.

I'm definitley going to buy an easel and do lots more in the future. A bit financially precarious for a fulltime living even though I still believe it is possible if you give it time. And, you need to be good - better than I am at both painting and selling on the street.

I'll post up some photo's of the paintings for anyone interested once I've settled into my new flat.
 
Keep up the good work, I really admire you for trying to do something we would all love to attempt.

The photo's on your website are fab - can't wait to see some of your paintings :D
 
I'm full of a new enthusiasm! Made my favourite sale to date.

A young man leaving Granada to go and live with his family in Bolivia bought my painting of Bib-Ramblas to remind him of home :) Said he thought I had captured the feeling of his favourite square in Granada. Bless.

I still have the large canvas - a painting of Santa Ana Church at the top end of Plaza Nueva. I've lived with it for a while now and have become very reluctant to let it go. Think it will have to find a permanent home in my new pad to remind me of a great couple of weeks despite the financial hardship. Thoroughly enjoyed it and it's warmed me to this city and it's people. All the locals have been great - very encouraging.

Although at times it all felt a but hopeless there were actually only 3 days when I made no sale at all. Financially, it hasn't quite covered the full cost of staying in a hostal plus food and drink and materials but, it has paid for a large chunk of it. I'm probably down about €40 instead of €300. Not bad at all!

Will continue and buy myself an easel as soon as I've rescued all my furniture and belongings from storage and got settled. As a part-time income I'm definitely going to enjoy it.
 
Bought me another canvas innit!

Going all colourful this time. I have a weekend to kill and couldn't think of anything I'd rather do. Plus I might make a bit more cash. Hopefully finish painting number five tomorrow and sell by the end of Sunday.
 
If only I had a Euro for every time I've been photographed doing this (and filmed :eek: ). The local turismo people should employ a 'performance street' painter - the tourists love it.

Just visited a private gallery and got the stuffing knocked out of my painting confidence. Some very good and very original artists here. Seems bright colours and very stylised work is what sells for big bucks. However, that's a different league.

Killing time whilst I wait for the sun to move to the right place. Best way to do this would be to have four paintings on the go at anytime and work a rotating shift.

Think this thread may have run it's course now. Will continue painting and selling when I can (or, when I need to or, both???).
 
Good Luck Stanley, it's been very interesting following your art antics. Try to pop back now and then to give an update.

marc
 
I'm actually interested in getting one of your sketches if they are postable . Reading this thread is the most interesting thing I've read on urban in almost 5 years !
 
Sketches. Postable? Of course they are. I have a horrible/lovely feeling that I may be digging/painting myself out of this hole next week also. Must find somewhere with an A3 scanner.

Some local bod has started following me around. Do look a bit of a mess today mind.

TBH I would like to see this thread buried at the moment. However, if it has got to be done I might as well enjoy myself doing it. If it wasn't for the financial bit I'd be in heaven. As it is, I'm STILL in a friggin hostal. A nice hostal but, not me own pad and definitley not heaven!

My painting style is developing!!!
 
Semana Santa begins. Busiest Sunday I've seen in Granada. And, not one single sale. Not good. But, I'll keep trying.

The Romanians are getting ready to recruit me as a ballon seller :D
 
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