How do you tell if the art you’re trying to sell or buy is good?
In the consideration of artistic expression, whether as creator or spectator, the most important factor is the ability to tell the difference between what is true quality and what is merely a novelty.
Novelty is that which may have popular appeal but fades in its importance with the passing of time. Quality, on the other hand, is that which often, in spite of unpopular or controversial inception, increases in its importance with the passing of time.
Quality in art is the ultimate truth expressed through an individual’s unique experience of existence. Its success in expression and transmission lies in its potential to communicate more than its surface values.
There are certain elements to any painting that makes it work, learn the three elements that Dr. Mark Sublette looks for in every painting before he buys. The tricks of the trade are shared through this highly informative video, great for beginners to serious collectors.
Without getting into a fundamental philosophical discussion, there are a lot of ways to approach this question.
Technical Skill
The first approach is perhaps the most common: how well-executed is the piece in terms of technique? How realistic is it? A lot of early or experimental works fall apart quickly because the technique is bad. Maybe the paint is not mixed right, so it falls off the canvas or the sculpture collapses because it isn’t well constructed.
Scott M. Levitt, Director, Fine Arts, Bonhams & Butterfields, Los Angeles:Quality, quality, quality. This is the mysterious and subjective key to good art. In all periods of art, there are good and bad works of art. I find that defining quality in representational art is easier than in modern and abstract art. The other keyword is looking. Everything looks good when you first start looking at art, as you have nothing to compare it to. As you hone your eye, you begin to distinguish between good and bad. The more you look at art, the easier it is to determine what is good and what is bad.
Also, there are two schools of thought as to what is good and bad. Some people believe that good and bad are personal distinctions and entirely in the eye of the viewer. Others believe that there is good art and crap art and no one can tell them otherwise. I think the real answer is somewhere in between, and this is based entirely on the quality of the eye of the viewer.
Each area of art requires its own set of criteria when determining good and bad, i.e. painting, sculpture, printmaking, craft, conceptual etc. Personally, I hold originality to be important in this determination. For contemporary artists that can be tough. Most of wh Become a supporter of this podcast: https://anchor.fm/roger-keyserling/support This podcast is sponsored by Flipboard
from eCom Tips Podcasts http://bit.ly/2Gdd4yF
via IFTTT
How do you tell if the art you’re trying to sell or buy is good?
In the consideration of artistic expression, whether as creator or spectator, the most important factor is the ability to tell the difference between what is true quality and what is merely a novelty.
Novelty is that which may have popular appeal but fades in its importance with the passing of time. Quality, on the other hand, is that which often, in spite of unpopular or controversial inception, increases in its importance with the passing of time.
Quality in art is the ultimate truth expressed through an individual’s unique experience of existence. Its success in expression and transmission lies in its potential to communicate more than its surface values.
SO WHAT IS GOOD?
Without getting into a fundamental philosophical discussion, there are a lot of ways to approach this question.
Technical Skill
The first approach is perhaps the most common: how well-executed is the piece in terms of technique? How realistic is it? A lot of early or experimental works fall apart quickly because the technique is bad. Maybe the paint is not mixed right, so it falls off the canvas or the sculpture collapses because it isn’t well constructed.
Scott M. Levitt, Director, Fine Arts, Bonhams & Butterfields, Los Angeles:Quality, quality, quality. This is the mysterious and subjective key to good art. In all periods of art, there are good and bad works of art. I find that defining quality in representational art is easier than in modern and abstract art. The other keyword is looking. Everything looks good when you first start looking at art, as you have nothing to compare it to. As you hone your eye, you begin to distinguish between good and bad. The more you look at art, the easier it is to determine what is good and what is bad.
Also, there are two schools of thought as to what is good and bad. Some people believe that good and bad are personal distinctions and entirely in the eye of the viewer. Others believe that there is good art and crap art and no one can tell them otherwise. I think the real answer is somewhere in between, and this is based entirely on the quality of the eye of the viewer.
Each area of art requires its own set of criteria when determining good and bad, i.e. painting, sculpture, printmaking, craft, conceptual etc. Personally, I hold originality to be important in this determination. For contemporary artists that can be tough. Most of what is being created today are, in my personal opinion, not very original. There is originality in contemporary art, but it is tough to find.
It is also tough when the art market influences good and bad. I would like to say that monetary value determines quality, but unfortunately, they are often unrelated, as many factors can influence the value of artwork other than quality.
I think the best “take away” here is that if you want to know what is good and what is not, you have to get out and look for yourself and make that decision. Take a year… and make it a rule to visit museums and galleries every weekend and read art-related books and magazines as much as possible in as many art fields as possible. You will have your answer. If you don’t use this approach, you will officially have no eye or ability to make these distinctions.
Asking the deceptively simple question: “What makes painting a good work of art?”
Some artist thinks every work they do is a work of art, I say keep working and you may produce a work of art.
I think thatgreat arteither causes a viewer to think or to feel. If it doesn’t stir something up they may say ‘That’s nice’ and move on, and wouldn’t walk 10 steps to look at it again.
The illusion of depth/distance enhanced by:
Light & shade
Linear perspective: 1, 2 or 3 point perspective
The aerial perspective/atmosphere, volume color
Overlapping: closer form hides part of the distance from
Size: closer objects are larger
Position on the page: lower appear closer
Distinct edges become more diffuse in distance
The weight of the line heavier in the foreground
Foreground, mid-ground, background evident
Value contrast & chroma are higher in the foreground
Shallow focus, deep focus
Plane versus recessional composition
The plane has horizontal lines, as if on a stage
Blocks or holds back the viewer
Recessional has diagonal tension
2 point perspective at least
Movement into 3D space required
Invites the viewer into space
Movement in space
In & out of shapes/areas/form/color/value/lost edge
Up/down/across/zigzag/radiate
Color
Primaries, secondary, tertiary, complements
Hue, saturation, gradation, value
Tints, Tones, Shades
Warm/cool/temperature
Range, Key, Intensity, Chroma
Visual Phenomena/Color interaction
Halation, Vanishing Boundaries, Luminosity
Relative hue, Color deception
Local color, color constancy
Complements, vibrating boundaries
Unity, predictability, design, balance, focus,
Unique color combinations
Value
Range, key, distribution, focus
Visual Phenomena
Relative Value
Reverse gradations
Light and Shadow
Light & shadow must treat all things equally, that is how it creates unity in a composition.
Light & Shadow must be consistent in the following:
Source: nothing can be lighter than the light source
Position/direction must be established and held to.
Intensity must be consistent.
Color must be consistent.
Visual Phenomena and illusion
White light and shadow
Colored light and colored shadow
Functions
Aesthetics, unification, integration, relates, constancy
Illumination, focus attention, definition, modification
Form, value & color are observed only in the presence of light.
Light defines form & dictates value and color.
from KeywebcoShop – News Podcasts Blogs http://bit.ly/2Bm5b79-or-not-how-to-tell
via IFTTT
A plate of nachos is great…but a TOWER of nachos is literally next-level. Impress your game day guests by serving up this cheesy, spicy, full-of-flavor, app, made for sharing. It’s inspired by Guy Fieri, so you know it’s gonna be good.
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
MAKE THE BEEF
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Drain excess fat, then add garlic, cumin, paprika, and Cholula Original, and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and set aside.
MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE
In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir, 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, then continue to cook over medium, stirring constantly until thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in Cholula and 2 cups cheddar. Season with salt and pepper.
ASSEMBLE THE NACHOS
Set aside ½ cup of the pico de gallo, ½ cup of the cheese, and ½ cup of the sour cream, for garnishing the nachos.
In the bottom of a 110-oz. tin can spread a thin layer of cheese sauce. Using a ¼ of the nacho chips, make an even nacho chip layer over the cheese sauce. Top with ⅓ of the remaining cheese sauce, ⅓ of the cooked beef, ⅓ of the black beans, ⅓ of the remaining shredded cheese, ⅓ of the remaining pico de gallo, and ⅓ of the remaining sour cream. Drizzle with Cholula.
Repeat layering the chips, cheese sauce, beef, black beans, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, and Cholula two more times. Layer the remaining nacho chips on top.
Place a dinner plate on top of the can and carefully flip over and slowly remove the tin from the nachos, leaving a nacho tower behind. Top the nacho tower with the reserved sour cream, shredded cheese, and pico de gallo. Drizzle with Cholula before serving.
If you don’t want to buy a super large can, you can also use a springform pan. Your tower won’t be as tall, but it’ll still be AMAZING.
“SMC” (super melty cheese):
2 cups Half & Half
½ pound Velveeta Cheese (cubed)
½ pound Smoked Gouda (shredded)
½ pound White Cheddar (shredded)
1 tsp Worcestershire
½ tsp Tabasco
Black Bean Puree:
2 – 15oz cans Black Beans (drained, rinsed)
1/3 cup Chicken Stock
¼ tsp Cumin (ground)
¼ tsp Chipotle Pepper (ground)
½ tsp Garlic (granulated)
Pickled Red Onions:
2 cups Red Onions (julienne)
½ cup Water
½ cup Red Wine Vinegar
¼ cup Grenadine
3 Tbls Sugar
2 tsp Salt Kosher
1 Tbls Dijon Mustard
Pico De Gallo:
2 cups Roma Tomatoes (small dice)
½ cup White Onion (small dice)
2 Jalapenos (seeded, minced – leave the seeds in if you like it spicier)
2 Tbls Cilantro (chopped)
2 Tbls Lime Juice
1 tsp Garlic (fresh minced)
1 tsp Salt Kosher
¼ tsp Black Pepper (freshly ground)
Trash Can Nachos:
16 oz/wt Corn Tortilla Chips (thick, good quality tortillas, large triangle pieces, fresh fried preferable)
3 cups SMC (super melty cheese)
2 cups Black Bean Puree
12 oz/wt Smoked Brisket (cubed) or substitute with your favorite protein like carne asada or grilled chicken breast or grilled shrimp
½ cup Guy’s Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
2 cups Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
¾ cup Sour Cream
2 cups Pico De Galo
2 Jalapenos (thinly sliced rounds, seeds and all)
2 T Pickled Red Onions (drained) Cilantro Leaves (garnish)
Prep-Ahead Tip: The protein, black bean puree, pico de gallo, and pickled red onions can all be prepped a day in advance before your event.
To make the SMC (super melty cheese), place a small sauce pot on medium heat and add the half & half. Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low and start by whisking in the Velveeta cheese until it fully melts. Once the Velveeta has completely melted add the white cheddar, smoked gouda, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce then continue to whisk on low heat till all the cheese is fully melted. Set aside and keep warm.
To make the black bean puree, use a hand immersion blender or food processor, and add ¾ of the rinsed black beans, chicken stock, and spices then blend into a puree. Fold in the last ¼ of the whole black beans for texture.
Make the pickled red onions: In a small sauce pot add all the ingredients except onions and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, pour the pickling liquid over the julienned red onions making sure they are submerged and allow them to pickle for a minimum of 90 minutes. Cover and cool in the fridge. To make the pico de gallo, add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and fold together.
Note: The goal in assembling the Trash can Nachos is to get a little bit of SMC, black bean puree, diced protein, Guy’s BBQ sauce, and shredded cheddar on every chip so each bite is loaded with fixings.
To assemble the Trashcan Nachos, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and on a non-stick baking pan lay out a single layer of chips. Begin dressing the chips by first drizzling the warm SMC over followed by black bean puree, shredded cheddar, diced brisket (or your choice of protein), and Guy’s Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ sauce. Place the nachos into the preheated oven and bake for 5-7 minutes until hot and melty.
Serving Suggestions:
If you have a used #10 can available, clean it thoroughly then remove the bottom and top (but leave the top hinged) making sure there are no sharp edges. Place the can on the plate, and drizzle some cheese sauce on a plate inside the can. Using a spatula stack layers of the baked trash can nachos inside the can to about 1 inch from the top. Garnish with a drizzle of sour cream, pico de gallo, sliced jalapenos, drained pickled red onions, and fresh cilantro. Serve by carefully lifting the #10 can reveal the stack of trash can nachos.
from KeywebcoShop – News Podcasts Blogs http://bit.ly/2MGTiwL
via IFTTT
There's no simple answer, but history has shown that there are practices that can maximize your chances of a productive, happy life.
Definingsuccesscan be tricky because it’s so subjective. Some people want to make a million dollars a year. Others want to make a good living and have three weeks of paid vacation time a year so they can travel. Then there are those with the desire to build something of their own, and still others who want to find ways to make money passively so they can spend more time on their hobbies.
Realize that people don't care as much as you think they might.
Most people won't notice that you bought a new car or got a promotion, and you shouldn't be basing your happiness on their judgments any way. On the flip side, if they're showering you with attention, don't let it go to your head.
The Magic Of Changing Your Thinking! (Full Book) ~ Law Of Attraction
Everything that we repeatedly say to ourselves out loud or in our thoughts are an affirmation. The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a part of our brain that makes words that get repeated over time as part of our identity, positive or negative.
Just like sowing seeds in a fruitful garden.When we water and nurture the seeds every day, they will grow (most of them). That´s like repeating an affirmation. If you have a tomato plant seed…you plant that seed…water it (focus)…can you expect to get apples? No of course not. You expect to get tomatoes. That´s how our subconscious mind works. It doesn´t care if you want the seeds you plant to grow. As long as you water and nurture them (affirm repeatedly), they will grow.
Do Not worry about what other people think
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
It is hard to not let other people’s comments and opinions get you down at times, you are human after all. However, it clearly doesn’t help you when it comes to reaching your goals; with no confidence, it becomes twice as challenging. It is up to you whether you will allow others to make you feel less, it is your choice. Simply smile at the people who doubt and put you down and keep movingforward. Youcan’t strive to have everybody like you in this world.
Arranging your life around money won't make you happy.
Focus on your passion, not your paycheck. Freeman says he knew a man who spent his career amassing six figures in savings, but died of cancer before he could even touch it.
Big Platforms “Flip Products” Small Business Websites Matter and Offer More!
Saying small businesses are capable of offering more than the big giant platforms is true in many respects.
First
When looking for products in most the large platform search engines, you are provided with an item that is in your price range that’s the newest and best and promoted by them. This is neither good or bad however you really don’t get to see what’s available.
Second
The overhead costs and requirements put on sellers by the platforms is oppressive both financially and makes it difficult to provide new products.
Third
Those same micromanagement rules control everything. So much so that to comply we are not even able to provide all products to our consumers.
Fourth
This is the big one! As a business on your own platform, it is much more difficult to sell items or get traffic however you have hundreds of more tools available to you and the ability to share things within your site and listings far beyond any of the big platforms.
Website Tips
Here are the 10 most important things these experts say customers want to know and find on your website.
How your business is unique Answer the question “Who are you?” as interestingly and compellingly (and honestly) as possible. This includes writing management bios that mention your expertise, years of experience and any unique attributes or details that may set you apart from others.
A clear sense of what your company offers It’s incredible how many sites you visit and you’re not sure what the company offers, Make it a priority on your home page to provide at least general information about your products and/or services, with links to specifics on a Products page.
Contact information, including a phone number and physical location This, may seem like a no-brainer, but many companies are purposely vague about their location. Some prefer to do all of their business online and see no need to publish an address or phone number. Others are home-based or they worry that giving a street address or hometown will somehow hinder them. This is a must, and it’s one small way of building credibility and trust with the consumer. A phone number, a street address and even pictures go a long way toward building credibility. Showing a physical location, even one that no one will ever visit, comforts a customer that your business is real and legitimate. Provide a phone number that maps to that location, rather than just an 800 number.
Third-party validation This means customer testimonials, client lists, case studies, awards and recognition you’ve received, positive news clippings and the like. Potential customers indeed want to know who you do business with, and what current customers have to say about their experiences. Such items forge the underpinnings of trust.
Client lists are especially important if your customers are businesses. If you’ve got some big-name customers, people like to see that, But make sure you get approval from those you list as clients.
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) SSL is an encryption system that helps protect the privacy of data exchanged between a customer and a website. If you have an e-commerce site that Become a supporter of this podcast: https://anchor.fm/roger-keyserling/supporthttps://flipboard.com/
from eCom Tips Podcasts http://bit.ly/2B4FMP9
via IFTTT
Below is a list of things to think about and it gets complicated working online due to the vast amount of issues and things to consider.
This should help give you some points to focus on that are important and come up most often.
Finding the right products to sell
Shopping cart platformslike Shopify have eliminated many barriers of entry. Anyone can launch an online store within days and start selling all sorts of products.
Amazon is taking over the eCommerce world with their massive online product catalog. Their marketplace and fulfillment services have enabled sellers from all over the world to easily reach paying customers.
Let’s not forget about eBay! They’ve simplified product search to show only a few results. The results of this are in the eBay Catalog goes to Box Stores and Chinese manufacturers within a couple of clicks for most new items. And since only a few show your sales chances are less, big time! Used and Vintage or if possible your own brand is needed to go big time now. If you have good repeat customers focus on those items too.
All of this has made it very difficult for retailers to source unique products unless you they decide to manufacture your own.
I found I needed to rethink how products are sold and add many more options.
Choosing the right technology & partners
Some online retailers may face growth challenges because their technology is limiting them or they’ve hired the wrong partners/agencies to help them manage their projects.
Digital marketing channelsare evolving. Retailers can no longer rely on one type of channel to drive traffic to their online store.
Attracting the perfect customer
Lots have changed including the way they consume content and communicate online. They get easily distracted by technology and social media.
Retailers must figure out where their audience is and how to attract them efficiently without killing their marketing budget.
Online shoppers don’t shop the same way as they used to back in the day. They use Amazon to search for products (not just Google). They ask for recommendations on Social Media. They use their smartphones to read product reviews while in-store and pay for purchases using all sorts of payment methods.
Competitor Analysis
“You can’t look at the competition and say you’re going to do it better. You have to look at the competition and say you’re going to do it differently.” – Steve Jobs
In this competitive world, there will be too many competitors who will be offering the same products and service as you. Unless you have the best strategy that differentiates yourself from other competitors; it will become difficult to survive. to fix this conduct proper and deep research of your competitors. Put your efforts in making strategy which enables you to shine brighter than your competitors. Use social media platforms, blogs, for promoting your products. Invest in promotional offers this will help to get more web presence and customers.
“Businesses with customer’s loyalty programs, on average, are 88% more profitable than customers who do not.”
Carry out research to find which new products are more in demand and remove old and unwanted items less in demand. By offering best & extraordinarycustomer servicescan even help you to be one step ahead of your competitors.
To survive in the competitive market, e-commerce companies need to distribute their own inventory to fulfillment warehouses, become extremely resourceful shippers, or find some unique products to minimize this problem. Because ultimately every online shopper expects fast and free shipping that too in lowest price.
Converting shoppers into paying customers
Driving quality traffic and nurturing leads is key if you want to close the sale. At a certain point, you need to convert those leads in order to pay for your marketing campaigns.
Retailers must constantly optimize their efforts in converting both email leads as well as website visitors into customers. Conversion optimization is a continuous process.
The headache of product return and refund
When the product is returned, due to whatsoever reason, whether a customer was dissatisfied or the product was damaged, the business suffers a heavy loss of shipment and reputation. Cost of logistics and shipping have always been scary for those e-commerce sellers who deliver the product for free.
Return and refund are also part of great customer services, therefore it will be a big mistake to underestimate them. The best thing you can do is build a strong returns policy. Below consideration should be kept in mind while designing returns policy:
Never hide your policy. Be transparent.
Use plain English that even understand by laymen. Not all your customers that will read the policy will be highly intellectual.
Don’t use the scary stuff in the policy like, “you must”, “you are required”, the too harsh policy may stop customer to purchase the product.
Outline what they can expect from you. Provide them with various options for payments and shipping.
Educate your staff about your return policy. So, that they can assist customers quickly and effectively.
Be prepared to face the cost of your mistakes. If the product is shipped wrong, then take extra efforts to make the customer happy.
The best advice to a small business owner… is never stop thinking about how to delight your customer. Not to satisfy your customer, but to delight your customer. And when you wake up in the morning, start thinking about it. During the day, think about it. At night, think about it. And then dream about it.
– Warren Buffett
from KeywebcoShop – News Podcasts Blogs http://bit.ly/2HwcChd
via IFTTT
How do you tell if the art you’re trying to sell or buy is good? 
-or-not-how-to-tell
What does it take to be successful in life?
Below is a list of things to think about and it gets complicated working online due to the vast amount of issues and things to consider.