New Paintings

Here are a couple of new watercolours I have been working on... You can find out more about them at my Etsy shop.

Japanese Irises

Autumn Stream

Notelets for sale online

I have decided to combine my greetings cards into groups and sell them as notelets.

This way customers can buy selections of 5 cards at a cheaper price than buying 5 individually - you can still buy them separately.

You can find them in my shop.

Landscapes, including Arran Sunset, Sailing by Jura,
Kintra Beach Sunset, Iona Blue, Walking the Dog, Findhorn

Landscapes including Out to Sea, Smokey Jura,
Arran Rains, New Year's Day Troon, From Morar

Wildlife including Highland Cow, Howling Like The Wolf,
Snow Leopard, Proud Peacock, Snowshoe Hare

Woodland including Bluebell Stroll, Autumn Acers,
Blossoms and Hazel, Bluebell Sunshine, Snowdrop Carpet

5th Blog Anniversary

As of today I have been writing this blog for 5 years!

Here are my 3 most popular posts...

3. Running Cheetah 

 2. Time Constraints

 1. Snow Leopard

 Happy anniversary to me!

Introduction to Traditional Media: Watercolour

I will freely admit that I find painting in watercolour extremely difficult. Even so, I've written an article on the subject.

Wildflowers by Tracy Butler

I do use watercolours, but I decided to interview several artists in order to gain different points of view and experiences. Their contribution to my article was invaluable; so a big thank you goes to Alma Wolfson, Jessica Wolfson and Sheila Gold.

You can read the article here.

Sketching at Kelvingrove Art Gallery

I decided to do some sketching at Kelvingrove Art Gallery.

I had my trusty fold away stool, conte pencils, a clipboard with different coloured paper on it, and most importantly my iPod and favourite music.

From a bronze bust

My music is the only way I can block out the rest of the world, and allows me to enter my own as I nod away to favourite songs.

Well, except when someone comes along wanting to look at my work. Most people do it subtly over my shoulder or as they pass, but this one was a new one. She stood right in front of me peering down and then asked me what I was drawing and why I had stopped. I took a deep breath, and calmly pointed out that I was drawing the bust directly behind her, and that she was standing between me and my subject, so I could no longer see it. She just shrugged and walked away. I think she was surprised I couldn't see through her.

I really did have  a brilliant day. Sketching away from the studio should be done far more often.

Introduction to Traditional Media: Oil Painting

My latest article, Introduction to Traditional Media: Oil Painting, is now available on the Tuts+ website.

Although I paint in oils, I felt I needed to turn to someone else to fill in the gaps in my knowledge. Laura Harrison, an experienced oil painter, allowed me to not only invade the sanctity that is her studio, but to also pick her brains. The image above is from one of her paintings.

Thanks Mum!

You can check the article out here.

Introduction to Traditional Media: Chalk Pastel

Another one of my articles has been published - Introduction to Traditional Media: Chalk Pastel.

Close up of a cheetah's eye. I used this as an example.

Chalk Pastel is my absolute favourite medium to work in, and I loved writing this.

My articles have given me a chance to explore materials I have always known in a different way. I've been getting to know their histories and looking at them from a beginners point of view has given me a new perspective.

You can find my latest article here on the Tuts+ website.

Enjoy.

Tuts+ Article, Introduction to Traditional Media: Pencils, Charcoal, Erasers and More

I've been a bit busy of late, so to my shame, I haven't been visiting my blog.

I have been asked to write a series of articles for Tuts+, an online tutorial company, 5 of them, all on the basics of drawing and painting.

My first (and please excuse the catchy title), Introduction to Traditional Media: Pencils, Charcoal, Erasers and More has now been published. I'm loving that not only can I write about art, I can have fun doing it and be informative at the same time.

The next four are all introductions to traditional media too, covering chalk pastel, oil painting, watercolour and acrylics.

I will let you know as they are all published.

You can read this article here.

Exhibition

A number of Scotland's best artists have been getting together for several years to exhibit in a village in Scotland called Kilbarchan, and have asked me to take part.

I've decided to take the leap, and have entered 4 paintings, all of which will be shown.

The private view is tonight, if you are about, from 1930 to 2130, but if you can't make it, the exhibition runs from this Thursday until Saturday. The details, and directions are below.

Hope I'll see you there.

Iona Blue

Iona Blue, oil painting

This is one of my favourite paintings, and I've just added it as a print to my Etsy shop along with Hungry Like the Wolf.

You can see my shop here - https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TracyButlerArt?ref=hdr_shop_menu.

I'm trying to get more involved in merchandising my work, so I'll let you know how it goes...

Tracy Butler Art available at Etsy

I decided to take the plunge, and now I have an Etsy shop.

So, pop along for a visit at Tracy Butler Art. At the moment, all my greetings cards are available, and I am currently working on uploading mounted prints and some originals. I'll keep you up to date as I add more.

Thanks for stopping by.

Goings On And Doings

I've got a few things up my sleeve just now, which is quite exciting - a new approach to work being the main one, and if it works, well, fingers crossed. I'll let you know how it's going if things are looking good, no, time for a positive attitude, when things look good, so watch this space. I am excited about it though.

In the meantime, I have a few paintings in exhibition at Smithy Gallery's The Affordable Art Show. If you want to check it out, you can find the details here.

This is one of the paintings...

Fallow Fields, oil on canvas, 30 x 30 cm

Framing. Sheesh.

A gallery is expecting some paintings for an exhibition, and although I have finished the paintings on time, I still have to get them framed.

And framing decisions are petrifying. What colour frame? What width?

A mounted and wrapped digital painting of a tiger.

Mounts are next - double or single, thick or standard, self coloured core (the card that runs through the middle of the mount board) or not? What colour mount? Should I add a mount at all, or go for a slip instead - a thin, second frame that the glass sits on.

And glass. What type of glass? Anti reflection which dulls the colours, or standard glass which reflects everything surrounding my painting. There is a new glass on the market now that is so clear that it's almost invisible, but it costs a fortune - should I risk using that?

Or should I just not frame the paintings at all and just mount them and wrap them, ready to sit in a browser, letting the buyer make all the decisions?

I'm going for a lie down now, my head hurts.