# Need your Help! Opinions!



## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Ok, so there's a local art show going on in our town and i've been asked to display some of my pieces. Problem is, i don't have many of my own that i feel the average person would be interested in, as i do mostly commissioned pieces.
SO! I was thinking of painting up a few for the show. My question is, what sort of stuff would you guys personally like to buy? (horse scenes, dogs, head shots, backgrounds, etc). Keeping in mind they will be on 12X12'' sheets of canvas paper.

Or, if you have an super nice pictures that you would be willing to donate for a painting that would be great to! Keeping in mind that people who aren't necessarily horse people will be looking 
Here's the only one i have picked out so far, and i can enter 4. 

Feel free to upload any pictures of photos or paintings as references for ideas of what you personally like to see!


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## Poco1220 (Apr 6, 2010)

Horse scene silhouette types with nice backgrounds/Sunsets are nice! I know I won't buy photos of other dogs or horses usually since they dont look like mine. But silhouette types don't show markings 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I know people like stylized stuff, like Southwest art style? or pictures of a group of horses running across the desert?
BTW, I have the same dilemna. I have a lot of artwork in my portfolio, but other than the owner, it may not be of much interest to others.


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## Akuinnen24 (Jan 14, 2011)

I think a safe bet would be painting Arabians, Andalusians, Friesians, and Mustangs since those are the typical "dream horses" that any girl would love a painting of, whether or not they own a horse.  Ocean backgrounds, grassy pastures, or even a fantasy setting for a unicorn might be good.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Akuinnen24 said:


> I think a safe bet would be painting Arabians, Andalusians, Friesians, and Mustangs since those are the typical "dream horses" that any girl would love a painting of, whether or not they own a horse.  Ocean backgrounds, grassy pastures, or even a fantasy setting for a unicorn might be good.


 
Gag me with a spoon. And don't forget unicorns.


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## Horsesdontlie (Mar 11, 2011)

You have a lot of talent. I love that painting. I have personally always loved work done by Tim Cox They always tell some sort of story.



















I have a few images that I can throw out there for reference...if you desire. Though I don't know if this is what you are looking for. If you use any and they don't sell, I might buy. =)

Horse and Cat
Horse and Cat 2
Snow Landscape
Dogs
Dog
Dog Landscape


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## whiskeynoo (Mar 17, 2010)

Personally i am in love with fluid watercolor and drawing ink type paintings.








Ben tour's work ^
i love the illustrative yet loose style of working (if that makes sense)


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Thanks guys! I figured arabs, or a nice background would be a safe idea. I've just started using watercolor, so maybe i'll try a couple of those!


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## Akuinnen24 (Jan 14, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> Gag me with a spoon. And don't forget unicorns.


I know those ideas are a bit cliche, but I was thinking of the kind of paintings that a horse-crazy girl would want. At least I would have totally loved a painting of a spirited Arabian, or a unicorn when I was a teenager. 

Or for a more unique kind of horse painting, you could try something like this:









"The Play of Light and Colour" by alexandrabirchmore on deviantART


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

People who always paint horses like that need to walk behind one from time to time and watch the most romantic way their rectum extends with a turd and it plops , steaming, to the ground. Waiter! Reality check, please.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

*snorts* Thanks for the comic relief tiny - I am struggling to wake up at work today!!

As for painting ideas, I am doing the same thing at the moment, trying to extend from the usual commission work. I've been going around having a look at galleries and speaking to various people to find what is selling at the moment. Basically, not many people want a photo perfect portrait of a horse. If they're going to buy one, it'd be of their own horse or a very famous racehorse or similar.
What IS selling, is painting that can be hung up on a wall in someone's house and go with their decor. So at the moment, lots of sepia tones and slightly abstract work is what is selling around here with those tones being popular in houses. Rather than overloading with a million different colours, just using a handful of base colours and lightening/darking them to develop tones in a painting is apparently what people want at the moment, at least here in Aus. 

You need to think outside the square and do things that other people haven't done before. That's where I struggle as I've been boxed in doing straight commissions for the last few years and now trying to let my artistic license take over and come up with something bold and original is REALLY challenging me!!

Make sure you show us what you come up with


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## midwestgirl89 (Jul 7, 2009)

First off, congrats on the opportunity to display your work! What an accomplishment. 
And pretty much like everyone else has said, stylized art is pretty popular. Me personally, I love the one you posted. Close ups like that are a soft spot of mine. And pretty much anything that shows the bond between horses and people, particularly kids. 
Good luck!
And tinylily-loved your comment. Almost spit out my coffee :lol:


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Yes, that's just what i figured! I did another one up the other day but still have to make one more. My Grandma came down to visit last weekend and brought along some really nice, rustic wooden frames that just happen to be sized to fit 12X12'' paintings!
Can you say lucky?! lol
I've already got the eye and the silouette in them and they look cool. I think i'll try and do something like Kayty said, with the different colors next


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