Andy Knill Art News Update 7th July

This week has been the week for deliveries and new plans regarding publicity. Based on the business cards last week (see 1st July Update post) I now have a tshirt design to wear for events / around town to promote discussion, business possibly. I have some prototype business posters to develop further as an idea. For events where I use a table to sell from I now have a banner to fix to the front of the table making it very clear who I am and how to contact me. I will leave images until I am using these at an event itself so should have some photos for the next weekly update. 

My new canvases order has arrived so I can start my commission work  and producing more panoramic landscapes.  I have a meeting today and some clients from PAW have come back to me for a photographic piece too so there is more work in the offing. I am back to sketching most days and have also started a new “Skies” sketchbook to keep an ongoing record of local skies. This will help me develop skills with different media as skies have been a weaker area to date. Yesterday I practised water textures between customers at my river job.

Saturday 8th sees me spending the afternoon at The Arty Bazaar at the Boilerhouse galleries site in Corfe Castle behind the Swanage Rail station. It is a new event for me and hopefully one that may become a regular event.

In the next week then I need to arrange more meetings with clients, work on commissions, sketch and just enjoy my lovely surroundings.

If you see any examples of work that you like either here or on the Facebook page please email me on andy.knill@gmail.com or ring on 01929 481539. Sales can be direct, mailed… the key idea is that I want to expand my customer base. 

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AndyKnillArt News 1st July 2017

Well PAW number one has passed, by the end of it I was elated but also weary after 16 consecutive days. I produced a range of art pieces including cards and original canvases. Sales and visitor numbers were far in excess of anything I would have hoped for prior to the Open Studio.

I took some time off initially but in the last week have started sketching again more frequently. I attended The Swanage School Summer Festival on the 24th June. The weather was not helpful but I got to speak about my art but sales were very disappointing. Today I was at the Rempstone Road Craft Fair I have done previously. This was a make a decision day – was it worth an £8 table fee and 6 hours of my time? In the end yes. I sold cards including some new original ones. 

Then a couple expressed interest in the original of the Shore Road beach Huts, a price was agreed. On seeing a sketch I had done of the south side of the bay they also commissioned a canvas 30×80 cm which I will start on as soon as my new canvas order arrives. I hastily rearranged my bookings for the next four craft fairs as this proved you just need one person to walk through the door…


I have also now received my new business cards which replace my previous slips of paper with contact details on. I started to use these today and will endeavour to carry them at all times. I have also ordered some clothing with AndyKnillArt on so that I can self publicise wherever I go and back it up with the business cards.


During PAW I ran a competition to win a free art print, few entries were received and the winner was chosen as M. Summerfield aged 9 whose design will grace my PAW 2018 silk flag design. I await a response on their choice of print.

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AndyKnillArt News from PAW 2017 Day 16

Sunday 11th June

So a final day – drier, slightly less breezy and some sunshine. I opened up and almost immediately found myself redirecting people to the Coffee concert at Encombe House – my studio signs obviously work.

Friends from rowing visited included the buyer for my Swanage Regatta Fleet original – prints / cards will be available if there is the demand. My first larger original sale. A number of walkers came in and other artists including Chris Davenport and Carlotta Barrow. I sited. Chris’ husband was able to choose a free original card as visitor 250.

I then had a commission request for three Father’s Day cards from another PAW artist – no sharing until delivered. Subjects were a Heath beetle, a series one Land Rover and Concorde – so not without their own challenges.

The day finished with sunshine and then I went into the village to remove my yellow signs until next year and have since rehung the photo canvases around he house in their usual places.

This week I will do a tidy up conclusion piece – PAW has been a learning curve, a great chance to discuss my art, create many more new pieces and enjoy the feedback on the pieces that I have done and my style.

So in summary:

– new working studio

– 252 visitors

– 37 canine visitors

– over £400 taken in sales
Many thanks.
Andy

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AndyKnillArt News from PAW Day 15

Saturday 10th June

The penultimate day. A dry start and calm when I visited Swanage early on,  back in Kingston the breeze became stronger and the sun went in. Twice today the gusts were enough to blow my silk flag from its pole, luckily it didn’t go far. A mixture of walkers and art visitors today, lots of great chats and I thank. My visitors for those throughout the two weeks.

Today purchases were cards and two of my sample promotional items – a key ring then later a fridge magnet. I had 18 visitors and 2 dogs, I sketched, designed a new logo for the Swanage Depression Support group that I attend and also played my cello for the first time in several years – it was mainly still in tune.

So an evening spent at the Swanage Fish Festival and tomorrow marks the end of my first PAW. I wil be doing 2018 from the same studio and will have a wider range of work and yptopics by then too. So I look forward to welcoming as many visitors as possible tomorrow. At 19 or more I could reach 250 visitors, a nominal revised target. At 34 dog visitors so far, I would love to greet more tomorrow.

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AndyKnillArt News from PAW 2017 Day 14

Friday 9th June

Nicer weather, still a bit blustery. Today I would like to thank my visitor from Poole and I wish you well with your craft plans and yes that’s it, one visitor. I drew some new original cards and did further work on editing and identifying possible pictures for clients looking for a photo canvas image. This afternoon I also got to visit the Burngate centre briefly and win a small soup pot in their tombola. I then went on to Angelika Seik who calmly says about 30 years work which just confirms that I am at the very start of my journey. I also sign up for another Saturday June event with the Summer Festival on June 24th at The Swanage School.

I also did a sketch outside and this evening cut the main lawn area where I am now watching two hares, one at each end nibble on the remaining longer stalks of grass.



I also received feedback that original cards sent to a customer’s friends jphad been well received. I also received an Artist sample pack of merchandising, I have asked followers on Facebook to feedback and will be ordering a test set of merchandise to have at summer events to gauge their success.

Two days to go, I would like lots of visitors but I am conscious how many events are on locally this weekend as well.

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AndyKnillArt News from PAW 2017 Day 13

Thursday 8th June

Well a dry but breezy start so more grass cutting before opening up. Today I had 13 visitors, many walkers caught out by the conditions on the way out to the Tout. Wet and breezy. The weather did dry up for a period. The studio was so cool I even went back into the house to change, shorts and sandals were exchanged for warm trousers, welly socks, Wellington boots and another sweatshirt. It was a delight to talk with visitors again and emphasised the thing that has made PAW so special discussing my art, photography, reason for leaving my first career, mental health and art, and my medium of choice – Promarkers, there was definitely some pen envy today.


I spent time today on updating my accounts, editing and deleting photos as required. I also produced three new original cards and sold the one of St James’ church in Kingston village. I also welcomed Sue McLean and we both worked and chatted.


This evening the family went into the village to vote. Only three days of PAW to go and then collecting works from Etches and Rollington. My studio, well the photo canvases will return indoors, and I will discuss ideas on how to improve the studio so it is comfortable to work in. The door will not remain open everyday and this will help.

If you are able to and haven’t visited so far I will welcome you for a visit on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Been before? Revisits welcomed.

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AndyKnillArt News from PAW Day 12

Wednesday 7th June

A dry, blustery day. Today no purchases but 12 visitors and two more dogs. I have now passed 200 visitors and in recognition of this my 200th visitor chose a free original hand drawn card to mark the occasion.


Later I cut the grass so it looks neater for visitors for the last four days.

PAW 2017 has clearly been a success for me in my first year as an artist and first Open Studio event. Please still visit if you haven’t had the chance between Thursday and Sunday, I will close up at 4pm on Sunday 11th.

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AndyKnillArt News from PAW day 10/11

Monday 5th June / Tuesday 6th June

Monday had a few visitors and some card and a framed photo purchase. The main output was the start of a new rowing piece using a range of photos posted online about Swanage Sea Rowing Club’s Regatta on Saturday June 3rd. I am going to post the stages I did the picture in and comment as needed.


I have read about dividing source and canvas into a grid, but still did my usual visual estimating. This first step was to get all boats and the ground at the top if the picture on.


For the wet sand I decided a base layer of light grey would dull the colour. At this point I could draw the remainder of the boats but instead I invested time in some additional details.


Now I needed to extend the Gigs (rowing boats) themselves.


Then I tested pens to decide the palette for each club’s boat (s).


The final stages were completed on the morning of day eleven. The posting of stages on Monday evening had led to an offer to buy the original piece as well.

Finally, fine pen and ink details of the inside of each boat then colouring the timber interiors.

A very satisfying final composition and a sale too.

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AndyKnillArt News from PAW Day Nine

Sunday 4th June

Well not as many visitors but a chance to get on with more work. My first task to work on the clouds and sea areas of the Pre Regatta piece which is now reserved by a current sea rower. I also developed the hand-coloured range to show how the pen and ink cards might be used.

Completed piece.

Developing sea areas


Developing a palette of blues for the different sea areas and testing them to help choices to be made


Finally I tried a picture of a Red Kite from photos taken yesterday, it was not at a good enough standard to keep out.

Another busy and productive day.

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AndyKnillArt News from PAW Day Eight

Saturday June 3rd

A day with many sections. The morning began waking before 6am. Some guests were doing a charity walk starting from Swanage so we were in town before 7 a.m. to drop them off. So a walk and a chance to take photographs in the bay with Pilot Gigs arriving for the Swanage Sea Rowing Club’s rowing regatta. As a club member a little disappointing as I would miss the racing, volunteering but I felt a part as I chatted to fellow rowers on duty. Some of the photographs would hopefully be suitable as drawing material.

So home for studio opening. Another day when lots of walkers came across the studio as they went out towards Houns Tout headland. 32 visitors in total, so my best day so far. I enjoy the chance to talk to people about my art and photography and share my beautiful studio location.

In between visits I also started a new canvas – Before SSRC Regatta 2017. It is based on one of my photos and showcases two of the Swanage wooden Cornish Pilot gigs and also a Stand Up paddleboarder passing. I started with a fineline pen and ink drawing. I used a laptop to zoom into my photo and was able to see how the vegetation for example on Ballard Down has changed. I posted an image of the piece and received favourable feedback from friends on social media. To be completed on Sunday 4th, if I can get the sea area right, quite daunting but this piece shows the progress my work is making.


After the studio closed we went back into Swanage, watched the end of the last gig race and took more photos possibly to use for future pieces.

At the end of today I had been visited by 170 visitors and now taken £200 in sales.

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