Monday, May 12, 2008

Newsletters Don't Write Themselves


I spent part of yesterday with my Mom which was nice. Then I spent a good part of the day working on future newsletters. It is a real effort, but I feel it is worth it.


The first newsletter was hard in that I was coming up with a format and concept that could carry forward. The next few were relatively easy since I had ideas for articles from questions that my students asked me. The colors and tools were ones I used all of the time. Now it gets trickier. I make lots of notes to myself when I think of something. I get inspired by what I read. I get inspired by the art supply catelogues. I get inspired when I paint. I am sure most writers go through this, especially ones that need to produce something on a regular basis. When I go to put an edition together I pull out all of my reference materials, I pull out my paints and I put on my thinking cap and go for it. When I am in a mood to write, I try to put together several issues or at least the colors or the articles or the tools.


For example, by doing the single hue blue painting, I found I had several blues that I have not yet incorporated into the newsletters. So I now have some ready for future issues, but I hate to do all blues in a row, so I try to mix up the colors. Colors are the hardest part now. I am glad when companies come up with new ones for me to try and then to write about. One of these days I will need to write more about specific mixtures (which I have done some already) rather than a color right out of the tube.


Tools are getting harder too. I try to focus on ones that my readers may not have tried before and/or ones that I find very useful but also ones easily available. So I need to be more creative for that category.


Any suggestions are gratefully accepted. Any comments or questions as well. I hope the effort I put into my newsletters reflect in how useful my readers find them. Past issues are available on my website http://www.artistjackie.com/

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