Fine Art Blog

News and Opinions on published UK Fine Art

  • Mike Sibley’s book 2nd Edition Released – with foreword by David Shepherd

    Mike Sibley has just released the second edition of his top selling book “Drawing from Line to Life.” Mike Sibley is one of the UK’s premier canine artists, who works in the medium of pencil/graphite and has produced several top selling open and Limited Edition prints of canines and animals.

    This 2nd edition now features a foreword by one the of the UK’s most famous living artists, David Shepherd.

    Drawing From Line To Life – Book by artist Mike Sibley

    Mike states: “I am honoured to have received this endorsement of Drawing from Line to Life from the eminent and much respected artist David Shepherd.”

    This book actually works on several levels: a step by step instructional guide on how to draw art with Pencil/Graphite, an account of how Mike Sibley actually produces his amazing limited editions that sell worldwide – with actual ‘case studies’ of how he drew particular images and lastly it is a good collection of Mike’s actual work featuring more than 625 illustrations.

    The bullet points on the cover provide a good summary of content:
    “● Methods ● Materials ● Step-by-step instructions ● Techniques ● Philosophy ● From Line drawing to near-Reality ● Suitable for the Beginner to Advanced Artist”

    Drawing From Line To Life – Book by artist Mike Sibley

    I have spoken to Mike about this on several occasions and what is clear is the dedication, attention to detail and the actual man hours put into this book. Mike says it took over a year to complete and with the breath taking amount of detail in this book, I believe him.

    The book is Softback and is 288 pages and chapters in this book include:

    (1) An introduction to the tools of the trade and chapters on basic techniques
    (2) The philosophical and more advanced techniques
    (3) The Tutorial section: explanations and step-by-step demonstrations
    (4) Putting it all together

    All these chapters are then broken down into several logical sub sections.

    thank you

    Russell

  • Intellectual property & Copyright crackdown

    As of last month, April 7th 2007, Trading Standards Officers now have new powers in the UK (excluding Scotland) to prosecute criminal offences relating to copyright – and this will obviously include the copyright of art images.

    How is this enforcement going to happen? Well firstly the UK government is paying for 4,500 new ‘copyright police’ who will be carrying out raids across the UK as of April.

    Secondly, following recommendations in December 2006’s Gowers Review of Intellectual Property, responsibility for this type of enforcement has moved from the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) to Trading Standards Officers, giving them new power under Section 107A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. It will also give £5 million to law enforcement agencies to tackle copyright infringement.

    “From 6 April, there’ll be an additional 4,500 pairs of Trading Standards eyes watching counterfeiters and pirates,” said the UK’s Trade and Industry Minister, Malcolm Wicks. “This will mean more surprise raids at markets and boot sales, more intelligence, more prosecutions, and more criminals locked up.”

    It will be interesting to see how this new legislation affects both buyers and sellers of art. This will obviously help stop the illegal copying of original art, limited edition & unlimited prints. When such ‘copying’ does take place, these images are often illegally put on other products e.g.: Clock faces, mats, posters etc or simply reproduced and sold as art ‘prints’.

    I am personally not sure however how will effect things like the sale of mounted ‘cards’ and ‘magazine’ pages, being sold and more importantly ‘described’ as being art prints. I think this whole area is a bit grey and I’m not sure if the new Laws will affect the sale of that type of art. As far as my knowledge of the art business in concerned, that is the biggest ongoing copyright infringement that takes place.

    Further reading can be found here:

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/13/more_copyright_police/
    http://www.ipo.gov.uk/crime.htm
    http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/gowers_review_intellectual_property/gowersreview_index.cfm
    http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/uk_law_summary

    thank you

    Russell

  • Spring Fair 2007 report – Part 1

    Bit of a late one here but as I attended the Spring Fair in (4th – 8th February) I thought id mention something about it.

    At last year’s 2006 fair, suppliers of glass, mount board and mouldings were doubtless pleased the demand for stretched canvas art had finally ‘peaked’ with frames and framing related art products having a much better look-in, and once again they featured heavily at this years Spring Fair 2007.

    The stands of the major publishing houses were again displaying both framed limited edition art and also canvases but many of the prints and on canvas art had frames around them – time will tell how popular box canvas art (not requiring frames) stays.

    I was also very impressed as usual with the Washington Green Fine Art and Demontfort Fine Art stands this year. I find it amazing that these things are actually exhibition stands and not real buildings – I stared in wonder at the stands for a moment before I looked at the Art work itself!

    Although this point is open to some debate, ‘Male/ masculine’ art or shall we say art with colours and subject intended to appeal to a male target audience dominated the Art stands. Whole series of works had earthy brown tones and others had charcoal blacks and greys.

    Ill post more on this shortly.

    thank you

    Russell

  • The ‘Summer Fair London’

    This new mid-year Art buyer’s event the ‘Summer Fair London’ is to be held at London’s Excel Exhibition Centre 17th -20th June 2007 and is the sister event to the more well known ‘Spring Fair’ and ‘Autumn Fair.’ The event has recently reported that more National (UK) and International exhibitors will be in attendance.

    Some of the trade stand categories are to include: Art & card, Gift & Home Fashion and Fashion Accessories.

    According to the ‘Summer Fair’ website:

    “No other summer trade exhibition boasts such a mouth-watering line up of of international brands, many showing exclusively at Summer Fair London”

    If you are in the Art trade, you can register now on the their website and get free entry, saving you £15.00.

    thank you

    Russell