Sellers of a lot of paintings. How long take to paint?

[CrazyDaizy]

Hia Folks

For all of you who paint and sell your paintings (particularly the smaller wildlife pictures) how long does it take you to paint each one?? And what draws people to buying your paintings?

I used to love painting birds and animals, and would love to start up again with a possibility of selling them. But where do I start?

Ideas and inspiration gratefully received. Thank you

[Happywrap]

Hi Alison,

It's a tricky one as length of time depends on your own style of painting. For example if you were trying to create a photo realist painting in oil it could take months. Whereas a watercolour could be completed quicker due to the nature of the medium. Acrylics can be quick drying, but it you use slow drying mediums to make them behave more like oils and get glazing effects for example, then it will take longer. The quickest I have completed a painting is 2 days, and the longest was one I worked on about 2 months but it was a large pixelated painting. I'd say the average time for the ones I've sold is about a week, and I mostly use acrylic with mediums in to slow the drying time a bit.

Something to be careful of, when I've tried to knock a painting up quickly to get into an exhibition or sell, I am disappointed with the results. But when I am really enjoying the work and exploring the paint and subject it seems to work much better. So try not to get too stressed about timescales as it may take the spark out of the work.

[DarkFlights]

Well unless you become the next Picasso, you'll probably never make even minimum wage, but don't let that stop you! I've rarely sold anything; people are very wary of shelling out for a real painting, it seems, when they can go and buy mass-produced printed "art" on canvas from places like Wilko's. You have to try to appeal to the true art buyer.
Try joining a local art group, they often have exhibitions where you pay only a small amount if you're a member, and these can sometimes be well-represented in the local press.
Another thing to consider is joining groups on LinkedIn for advice, there's a great one called ArtBiz, it's not an open group though so you'd have to join and have your comments vetted, but don't be shy. I'm in that group, and they let me spout nonsense occasionally! In fact, there's a jolly good discussion going on there at the mo about hanging work in restaurants and cafes, would be well worth a look.