24 Hour Art Challenge?

[Stanley Edwards]

Yay! Sold the large painting of Romanilla. A personal favourite that I thought would never sell. Bargain price but, the guy seemed to genuinely like it. Art shop is closed so, I just have three small paintings to shift tomorrow.

I needed that. A small celebration drink is called for. Or, perhaps a bargain two litre vino tinto from Mercadona. €2.10.

 

[Cid]

Lluve, lluve, lluve. The rain is back. A little worrying. Rain can hang around for days on end in this part of the world. Hopefully this lot will pass soon.

I need a rain plan?

Paint interiors maybe? Or try dabbling in some abstracts... I dunno.

Alternatively get a 2 euro umbrella and tape/tie it to an easel (if you have one yet) or you (if you don't). Depends how slanty the rain is. For displays you could probably make some kind of contraption out of cheap umbrellas and discarded wood. Would add to the eccentricity factor too.

 

[jms]

this just keeps getting better, its really a pleasure to read

keep up the good work - you could make a book out of this

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Feeling much happier now. Rain looks to have gone - lovelly evening if a little breezey and chilly. No €2.10 for two litre booze. 45 Cents for a litre has done the job I wanted

Looking forward to another days selling. There is a quality quintet playing in the square this weekend so, all 'Viva Espania' singers have been banned Thank fuck!

Really happy that my favourite painting went to someone who actually liked it. The only other person who liked it was the Austrian painter and he has no more money than I do.

Bed and telly. Saturday night I know but...

 

[Stanley Edwards]

One sale this morning. I am left with just two small €15 paintings to sell by nightfall. Would be good if they sold.

Special day for me today. Not becuase it's Easter Sunday. A day to remember my father and do something he liked doing. That means a big fat Havanna and a few 40 year old single malts this evening

I'm sure I saw Cloo's double here this morning. Very strange! Big Easter Sunday or, Santa Maria or, whatever it is celebrations. Bib-Rambla is full of old men wearing Lacoste sweaters and young children jingling terracotta bells.

Off to just chill and contemplate whilst hopefully catching a casual art punter. It is a Sunday afternoon for taking it easy.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Villa 3 - Blues 1. Somethings still matter!

A qucik note on what I've learned whilst spending many hours in the square. Money comes first as ever. There are Five essentials of life that people seem more than happy to pay for;

1. Food.
2. Drink.
3. Entertainment.
4. Information.
5. Helium filled bits of plastic crap that either blow away, blow up or, just blow down. They look pretty cool disappearing into the blue mind. If I had money to waste also I'd probably waste a bit on a balloon or, two.


Very quick note. There is of course much more to life but, it can wait a while yet.

Just enjoyed a very nice vino tinto and tapas in my very favourite bar. They're very, very, good people running that place. Set-up nicely for a few single malts and fat tobacco smoke.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Aaaargh! Effin banks and bank holidays. This is getting very frustrating.

Things you learn spending many, many hours on the streets of Granada part 2; The local police sometimes work plain clothes and sometimes in uniform.

You spend this much time people watching and you get to see the very worse and the very best of human behaviour.

There is a lot of dog crap on the pavements here. There are a lot of dogs. The number of puppies to grown dogs is very disproportionate. Having lived in the mountains and valleys for some time I have no need to wonder what happens to most of the puppies when they get bigger. Sadly, far to many are simply abandoned in the wilds.

Some people wear tiny puppies as adornments. Quite literally nothing more than an accessory.

Nothing better to do than keep on painting today.

--/

A very testing day. Bloody cold and windy. Rain has been threatening all day and I've been getting plenty of unwanted attention.

One sale. Bought a small oval plate to paint. Not enjoying it today. To cold.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Horribly hungover. Still no access to money. Still no one pays me (fuckers). Duff enquiries for photographs are not helping either.

Good to see Cloo and GSV even if I was already totally wasted when they knocked on my door

Two paintings to sell. Still the only way forward at the moment.

 

[hiccup]

Horribly hungover. Still no access to money. Still no one pays me (fuckers). Duff enquiries for photographs are not helping either.

Good to see Cloo and GSV even if I was already totally wasted when they knocked on my door

Two paintings to sell. Still the only way forward at the moment.

Hope they bought something

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Hope they bought something

Bought me nice glass of red wine. That'll do

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Steadily selling one picture a day. Which is OK but, not enough.

Tried approaching a gallery today (a really shit one) and got a resounding NO.

Dropped all my pencils, sharpner, rubber and an entire sketch pad into the small river that runs alongside the Alhambra. Irretrievable.

Not a great day but, I do have a lovelly new painting to sell.

A huge financial crisis has to be avoided! May even have to sell a baby Contax

 

[dada]

hey got an empty spot on the street that i could join? i wouldn't compete with you, i would do portraits.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

hey got an empty spot on the street that i could join? i wouldn't compete with you, i would do portraits.

Where to sell from is the hardest part. Or, selling is the hardest part.

I sort of move around pàinting pictures whilst leaving stock on display. This approach works well. But, I only have one painting left now and I think hostal fees are going to wipe my float clean.

Basically, this is a very workable idea. You need a good stock to present. A regular pitch and you need to be able to divide your time between painting and selling effectively.

More competition is good. The more paintings for people to stop and look at, the more people stop and look. If I was starting from scratch and had enough cash in hand to keep ten canvases on the go at any time I could easily net €60 a day. Plenty to live on here.

Definitley a future in it.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Not a bad day. Sold two pictures. Both very cheaply - a small tile painting for a tenner and a small canvas painting of Plaza Neuvo for €15. It was a beautiful little painting and the nice man from Holland got a fucking bargain.

Met a painter from Ireland here for three days whilst he tours Spain on a working holiday for 6 months. Really nice guy. Even gave me a nice sketching pen.

Then found a good skip with a plentiful supply of tiles. Tried sketching on one. Liked the result so much that I tried cleaning it in one of the many drinking fountains here. Said 'waterproof' on the pen. Turns out it wasn't but, I achieved a nice effect accidentally. German lady thought it was my technique.

Plan is to return to skip and hoard a few tiles. Less paint than canvas. Obviously they don't cost anything either. Hopefully complete and sell three tomorrow. May even try the sketching on tiles again. They're very quick and easy and would be an easy sell at a fiver a go.

I'm still hanging on by the skin of my teeth financially. Need to turn things around very quickly. Somehow?

 

[Robster970]

Stan, you're an enterprising fucker and you better not run out of money or else I'll have nothing interesting to read about during the day.....

you'll be painting the plates next in the tapas bar once the tiles have run out.....or alternatively you may have to go on the game....

don't give up, there's always a way....

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Fucking hell!

I've lost so much weight. Despite a very unhealthy diet of cuñas cakes for breakfast everyday. Bananas for lunch. Cheese, bread and wine for supper and a bit of tapas if I'm lucky. It's very physical work! My jeans are hanging half way down my arse. That's cool isn't it? They're ready for the bin. Or, perhaps I can stick some boarder/painter/graffiti artist label on them and flog for a ton?

Given up on waiting for my bank account to fill Thinking about a plan to make more money. Pretty sure that 10 canvases would produce a net profit of €45/day. If I could get there I would have enough to move into a flat in a month.

As things stand, I have €7.85 in my pocket. Two small paintings to sell (hopefully for €20), three tiles for completing today (hopefully to turn into €30. Red, blue and white paint. Very little yellow (€2.75 to replace). Brushes are still good. And, I have the new sketching pen given to me yesterday. If I can turn that lot into €50 by tomorrow I can buy new yellow paint and a good selection of canvases. Pick up a few more tiles also.

Desperation moving me forward really but, I'm still having a great time

Need new clothes mind!

 

[Stanley Edwards]

News to report;

Sketches on tiles seem to go down well. Two quick (but, small sales) this morning. Plus, an invitation to supply a small souvenir shop. Only problem is that this very nice, waterproof, permanent sketching pen takes forever to dry. Actually, not the only problem but, the primary problem. The other problem is the shear bulk of the tiles - they're a pain to carry around.

Solution 1 - a Steadler Lumcolor ultra fast drying permanent pen. Not quite as nice to use as the other.

Solution 2 - no solution yet. Nevermind.

Plan for this afternoon is complete 10 x 30 minute tile sketches to present to shop tomorrow. Think the best I can hope for is an S.O.R. arrangement but, that could keep a fiver a day trickling in giving me more time to paint and sketch. Worth a shot.

Not sure whether to invest in a canvas yet?

For some reason I have a ferocious appetite today. First stop the Pasteleria for a big fat cake.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

I've quit for the day. Very productive. Tried speed sketching onto small square tiles. One every ten minutes and they're selling at €3!

Picked up a small commission. Guaranteed €30 to collect tomorrow so, I've spent my last pennies on a canvas and new yellow paint for the commission. Good thing is I can complete that and sell to passing tourists at the same time. Hopeful to collect €50 by end of tomorrow and buy lots of canvases. Got more tiles than I can carry now.

And, my apetite has subsided. Don't think I have worms anymore.

 

[jms]

Brilliant

Love the tiles idea, great stuff
Keep up the great work, as ever its fantastic reading your account

 

[marco mark]

Stanley this really is great reading & the first thing go to after work when on urban, you deserve a sticky

keep writing & good luck 2morrow

 

[Stanley Edwards]

The sun is evil!

My scalp is stinging like it's been bitten by a thousand wasps. An expensive trip to the chemist is required. Should have bought a cheap hat.

Collected cash for commission and sold just three tiles. A little disappointed with that but, I shouldn't be. One of them was a very drunk sketch of a park at night As well as a tube of healing cream I need new brushes and red paint. The brushes seemed to disintegrate on this very cheap bargain canvas (only a Euro but, another false economy).

I also need to wash my clothes. I am a total mess.

I've been thinking it's Friday all day. Only just realised it's Saturday. Saturday night has to be a drinking night so, I'm off to Mercadona for a 45 Cent litre of vinto tinto and a long chill in Triunfo Jardins.

The Irish painter found me again today. Really good guy. Gave me an apple and some sketching paper. Much appreciated. Seriously good painter. Check out www.davidbegley.com

I am just about covering costs at the moment but, really NEED to do a lot better. Just two new canvases tomorrow and a search for more tiles. Paint and brushes is going to set me back a tenner. A tube of savlon will be about €4

Perhaps I won't need to savlon after a vino tinto session?

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Chill in the park just got rained off. It was actually quite refreshing and soothing on my scalp but, I didn't want to look like the only idiot sad enough to sit in the rain sipping cheap wine. Although, the idea is still very appealing. May go back when no one is looking.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Sunday innit! Little art shop is closed. Scoured the skip and found just three good tiles. Off to sketch around town and hopefully sell at least five.

Went back to the park last night and got a little wet. Empty parks in the rain are very beautiful and somehow poignant.

Quick explanation as to how I ended up in Granada with no access to cash; long story cut short. I ended up living in the middle of nowhere with no telephone or, mobile for over a year (I rely on the internet for income usually). With an expensive photography habit to fund I inevitably ran out of money. Finally found somewhere to live with internet. Lined up lots of work then got thrown out Issued invoices that have yet to be paid (and suspect will never be paid) and left for Granada thinking once invoices were setteld I could get a flat. Every penny I have is locked away in equity bonds in the UK.

So, here I am. And, I need a minor miracle to move forward rather than subsisting on a day to day basis. It's the kind of pressure that motivates me mind. Sure I'll get there eventually. Despite occassional low moments I am thoroughly enjoying life

Lots of people going to church today. I'm sure there's money to be made there.

 

[jms]

Chill in the park just got rained off. It was actually quite refreshing and soothing on my scalp but, I didn't want to look like the only idiot sad enough to sit in the rain sipping cheap wine. Although, the idea is still very appealing. May go back when no one is looking.

Thats the funniest thing Ive read in ages

youre gonna run out of things to draw the rate you go at

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Thats the funniest thing Ive read in ages

youre gonna run out of things to draw the rate you go at

I've already sold five paintings of Iglesia Santa Ana and lots of tile sketches. Doesn't get boring - lots of different ways to paint and draw.

Tiles are a seller. There is a future in tiles. I believe tiles are the answer.

Sell ten tiles a day and I'm sorted. That is a very realiseable ask.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

*Permanent and waterproof.



*On MOST surfaces.


But, NOT tiles Hope I'm not going to get any return visits from unhappy customers.

I've bought a new set of pens. Black, blue, red and yellow. Nice little colour sketches as a momento of your visit to Granada. Nice size to carry in your handbag. Hopefully these pens (OHP, Glass etc) will be a bit more permanent. However, they have an eraser at the end!

Skip has gone. No problem. A brand new box of 25 tiles with perfect surfaces costs just €6.21. Plan to clear my stock and invest in a box of swanky new tiles. Sit and draw all day. Clear €50 comfortably.

With the exception of the pen problem this is a good earner. Anyone looking for a bit of spare cash in London should try it. They're an easy sell.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Couple of problems encountered.

1. The tile shop doesn't carry stock. Tomorrow evening at the earliest.
2. The tiles are a little larger than I thought.
3. Word is out that my tile sketches fade away

The new pens are better. Not waterproof though and that puts a lot of people off. Bloody hell - you wouldn't go putting sketches on paper in the sink.

Bought a few plates and bowls to draw on. There are still buyers even when they've been told not to wash them.

A small moan; I can tolerate being photographed. I can even tolerate people taking photographs of just the paintings. But, I am not going to put up with twats stomping their vans on my work. Next idiot gets grabbed by the ankles and slam dunked nose first into the pavement.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Have you considered a more porus tile and some clear coat? It could be that the tile isn't permeable enough to take the waterproof pen. Spray-on polyurethane should do.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Have you considered a more porus tile and some clear coat? It could be that the tile isn't permeable enough to take the waterproof pen. Spray-on polyurethane should do.

Yep. I think that is the solution. Had a bit of a stock clearance today. All non water resistant sketches have been sold cheaply on that understanding. Not made a lot of money mind. Really need my new tiles tomorrow. The new pens are pretty fast. Not waterproof though.

Sketches of the cathedral (which is a very difficult sketch) seem to sell as fast as I can draw. About 30 minutes a sketch to sell at €3 or, €4.

Drank to much last night. A bottle of beer only tonight.

Getting financially stressed. There is a Cash Convertors here! Twats obviously new I was coming. My cameras are in danger.

Hopefully a good day tomorrow with or, without a box of tiles. Small plates seem to sell.

 

[marco mark]

please don't sell your camera kit to cash converters, you get shit, sell yr body first, good luck


marc