How to make money out of painting history
OK, now you have learnt your craft and you want to paint paintings that you can sell either the original,
or the copyright. This may help you buy your round of drinks at the local tavern and perhaps, at last, put
a roof over the heads of your nearest and dearest. You might even have dreams of becoming a responsible
member of the community, regain the respect of those outlaws and in-laws who have long since given up
on you. How do you do this? Below are some of the methods I have employed that won't leave you feeling
like an absolute 'quack'.
l FILLING THE GAPS OF HISTORY
l MAKING ORDINARY THINGS EXTRAORDINARY
l ILLUSTRATING FABLES AND LEGENDS
l RECONSTRUCTING LANDSCAPES OF TIMES PAST
l PAINTING PORTRAITS AND COMMISSIONS
l PAINTING FOR DECORATION1. Filling the gaps of history
Don't let anyone tell you this is not a legitimate endeavor for a painter. Someone once spoke thus tome...
'How could you paint Shakespeare or Fletcher Christian,' they scoffed indignantly, 'did you ever meetthem or see them? You can't just go around doing that! Anyway, they died hundreds of years ago.'
I replied, 'I don't expect Leonardo met the Virgin Mary, nor to my knowledge did Carraviggo meet John
the Baptist, or was Michaelangelo ushered into the presence of God for painting purposes...! I also
expect neither Rembrant nor Rubens was present when Jesus was lowered from the cross'. And allthese things happened over one thousand four hundred years before they were painted.'
In fact it is the artists duty and obligation to do exactly these type of paintings and make thembelievable. Thus will we enrich history for those coming after us.
First of all let's look at portraits of those folks who were not captured by photography or painters of their time.
Perhaps most became notorious well after the event. Anyway here are two examples that have been used on
book covers, magazines and in television documentaries from which I gained financially by my agent selling a
limited copyright. The originals, of course, I usually retain and will will to my children.http://www.geocities.com/~jlhagan/lessons/formulahistory.htm (1 of 3)1/13/2004 3:48:58 AM