Shipping is now available.
ATCs Are HereThe Artists Trading Cards described in last month's Swan Song are in stock now. If you would like to see some really terrible examples of this mini-medium which has become a world-wide phenomenon, ask to see three that Orval did. (If you missed last month and don't know about ATCs, we have repeated an explanation near the end of this newsletter, or you can put the name into any search engine.)
Overstock Woes Not Totally Cured
As related last month, we somehow managed to double order UV-resistant, reflection control framing glass, a relatively slow moving (and usually costly) item. We have reduced that overstock considerably, but not yet totally eliminated it, so we are still offering it in several sizes (up to 24x36) at prices FAR below normal (in some cases below the price of regular reflection-control glass). And if you do ultra-minis that need glass, you can buy many sizes for them at ridiculous prices from our falloff from larger pieces.
Acquisitions, New Stuff, and Conflagrations
Houston Art, well known as purveyors of faux gold leaf, thinners, brush-care products, and a miscellany of other items has been acquired by Speedball.Strathmore Papers, by far the most active among paper manufacturers in supporting the green movement, has introduced a line of hemp-based charcoal pads. (They are actually 25% hemp, 75% recycled paper, and we are assured, despite the hemp content that they are not to be smoked.) These pads join Strathmore's growing list of recycled products, plus their Windpower line, papers made entirely with wind energy.The main manufacturing facility of Activa Products, makers of Celluclay among other offerings, has been totally destroyed by fire. The company plans to rebuild, and has told all employees that they will have their old jobs once the rebuiling is complete (a nice change, since they might easily have chosen to flee to the Orient).And just to toot our own horn, over the last 90 days Red Swan has more than tripled its stock of frames with glass and backer. These are mostly in the five or six most popular sizes, but open-backs are still offered in 45 sizes, the most of any place in the Southeaster United States.More About Ultra-Mini Canvas and Frames
Last month we offered a free 5" mini easel; free with the purchase of three of our 3" x 3" mini canvasses. We are broadening that offer to let you mix the two items in any way you choose and receive one of every four free. It can be four easels, four canvasses, or any combination.
Price Increases (Ouch!)
Unless you just awakened from a long coma, you are doubtless aware that the dollar's value has suffered mightily of late in relation to foreign currencies. That unhappy fact impacts the cost of just about everything we import from abroad (which is getting to be nearly everything except hamburgers), and naturally even for domestic production, shipping costs have skyrocketed because of fuel prices.
By early August you can expect significant increases in most canvas products, and a host of odds and ends that come from our Asiatic trading partners. We have aalready had firm notice of most of these, but look for lots more by year's end. We don't like it either, but neither you nor we can control it.
The Artist Trading Card Story
ATCs are miniature pieces of art that are traded around the world. Artists create, trade and collect art at organized swap events, either in person or online. The only official rule is that the trading card measures 2.5" x 3.5".
The movement started in 1997, when M. Vanci Stirnemann, a Swiss artist, created 1,200 cards by hand as part of an exhibit. On the exhibit’s last day, he invited others to create their own cards and trade with him during the closing reception. The movement has skyrocketed and many other artists now organize major “swap” events. Today, there are ATC swaps online and in almost every major city around the world. ATCs are traded, not sold. However, there are some artists who chose to sell cards. Cards that are sold are called Art Card Editions or Originals (ACEOs).
Of course you could always make your own cards, but Strathmore has made it easy by developing a line of Artist Trading Cards – downsized versions of the same Strathmore papers that artists use for their full-sized art, conveniently cut to the official trading size. Because all the rest of the materials needed to create the cards are staples of any art store, these blanks make it easy for artists to join this large and growing movement. The cards are available for a range of mediums – drawing, watercolor, acrylic, oils and mixed media collage.
From Red Swan's Own Dictionary
(Our Definitions for SALE, SPECIAL, PHOOLIUM, and PHOOLIUM COUPON)
(We will continue to post this notice as long as Phoolium coupons continue to exist.)
(Addendum on 9/15/07 - Some Phoolium coupons now are as high as 80%)
SALE: Signifies that prices have been reduced from normal levels for a specified and usually short period of time.
SPECIAL: We, and most other honest retailsers, use this to indicate prices which will remain significantly below normal retails for a longer and unspecified period of time. This may be because we were able to make a special buy or it may be for competitive or other reasons. Variations include introductory specials on new items, and closeout sales (which obviously will end when stocks are exhausted).
PHOOLIUM: A colorless gas designed to fool the unwary. (While colorless, it bears the unmistakable odor of scam.)
PHOOLIUM COUPONS: We don't use these devices to dupe the gullible, but they are a fact of life, especially in the framing business. They are run than 40 weeks a year offering some improbable number (usually 50% or more) off regular prices on frames and/or framing. In a sense they are true; prices are half of so-called regular, but the problem is that the "regular" price has been set so high that the apparent bargain is no bargain at all. (We have never ... repeat, never ... had a case where our regular price did not beat their coupon price.) And after all, any price that prevails more than 80% of the year IS their regular price.
Art-Related Websites
http://www.winsornewton.com Easily the best art site on the web. Tons of information. Fact-filled information from America's leading oil paint authority.
Learn about the new acrylic with controlable drying time.
All about the heat-fixable art paint that dries when you want it to.
A good page for information about Sculpey polymer clays.
Model builders and anyone interested in the Aztek line
of airbrushes should check this page.
Useful information from the makers of the world's best-selling acrylic.
This site shows impressive improvement from its earlier form.
Samples and coming class paintings from our wet-on-wet oil teacher
(By the areas best teachers ... no fooling!)
Takes you to the tips section of our web page.
For the Technically Minded
Here, courtesy of Golden Acrylics, are some web sites that explore, in varying degrees of technicality, just about everything art related. If you don't choose to explore them now, we have added them to our links page, so you can view them at ypur convenience.
Website of The Conservation and Art Materials Encyclopedia Online,
it catalogs art materials and provides information for both
museum professionals and the public.
http://www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/vismixmap.html
Shows and compares a variety of color wheels and color systems.
Although primarily intended for museum pros, artists may appreciate suggestions dealing with packing, storing, transport, and display of their art work, as well as health and safety issues.
http://www.artinfonet.com A good source for information for artists from the National Art Materials Trade Association (NAMTA).
(New links are added regularly. Check back occasionally.)