It could be argued that this Post should be in the Comments section of The Art Department ( which it will ) but I am seeking a broader coverage, and indeed input from SFN Members.
At the tail end of last year Neil Whitehead Sheila Walsh-Blackmore and myself discussed the option of launching an online Arts magazine to display the superb work already published here in the Art Department Gallery.
Followers of the Gallery and mirror FaceBook page would be in agreement in that the quality of artistic prowess from our Members far out-strips that of amateur status.
The works of Jon Lisle-Summers, Les Orton, Ian Palmer and many others should be ( or already are ) enjoyed by countless more. We wanted the Mag to celebrate the creativity in our midst, and to stimulate healthy debate and offer handy hints.
Clearly, our idea was to have a monthly publication, very much with the agreement of SFN, to promote the ART Department and its members, some of whom show here
For pure practicalities I am running with Village Online ( an aborted project of my own from last year ) The base artworks are set up, and the name has already had some pre-launch publicity... too good to waste.
I do have most artists files on system, as some feature on the free Art Portal thewebcircle and I also help administer the Art Department's FB page. Page proofs available shortly!
So, as always....watch this space.
Ron Birks
for and on behalf of the Art Department.
Hi Susan, You may have just seen the announcement that Sheila has been made Editor.... 5 minutes into the job, and the Chief has got me making a plague already!! So Press releases or Articles can be Posted here, or indeed sent by PM is what I would guess, but she will advise. I do believe Sheila has read your article on Ian... thank you again
Ron
OK, thanks, attached here unless you or Sheila asks me to send it elsewhere.
Hi Susan excellent stuff, thank you,
I do believe that Sheila has been put forward as Editor, but that has not been confirmed as yet... however whilst the final 'Terms and Conditions' guide is shorlty to be published, I would guess the articles would go to the editor, but are easy to pick up from here as I believe notices are sent to the principals.
Let me check as to the state of play
Ron
Hi, I've done an article on Ian - its really just an overview of how he got to where he is without any real detail. I think you said somewhere that you would be looking for further articles on all the artists so I didn't want to put in too much detail, plus it may be that its too long as it is, in which case I can it right back. I'll try to attach it here but if I can't, where shall I send it?
Thank you again Mirela,
There are going to be some very fine artists showing... Do you paint? I know you are a designer and photographer.
Details on submitting are to be published here shortly.
I really like this cover too and the painting!
I have been away for a little while, I really like this well done again!
Hi All,
I hope you are all having a good weekend. The final touches are being put to our 'Guidelines' with thanks to Sheila, and in the meantime I have opened an account with ISSUU ( pronounced Issue as in tissue )
The account is in my name, but that makes no odds as 'account' holders can have an infinite number of Publications of which SFN Art-Village Online will be Art Department's own.
This publisher's system differs from the previous ones that I have used, so I am conducting various tests before we can publish to any sort of finished Magazine.... which is in progress, but with still much to do.
I am currently ( very slowly ) following this video blog, which may be of interest, or conversly, here is a link to the main ISSUU site, where you can see endless Magazines on a multitude of subjects.
If anyone has not seen such Magazines before, I'm sure you will be very impressed. See you through the week!
Ron Birks
Such a nice lady too, I just love that style, the canvasses are immense!
TSK...'course you're pretty... why don't you make me a nice cup of coffee and we'll sit down and talk about it...my lover
Els paintings are wonderful
that's great NO PRESSURE!!!!
@ Susan and everyone. Thanks Susan very encouraging indeed. I'm sure you will appreciate that this 'open' development method we are employing is not the way a new Publishing House would go about a launch..but it's the very comments we are receiving that are helping the Principals shape the Magazine as we go forward, so thank you indeed.
I did have a brief but exacting telephone chat with Sheila this morning, during which we have addressed certain issues. Sheila has a vast experience in the publishing world, myself more in the field of internal and external communications for the likes of WH Smith, Motorola etc.
Reading Sheila's reply below..I would not worry about a word count at all, a few lines, a paragraph, a half a page... the grid allows for most eventualities and the number of pages is expandable.
One thing that we did hit on was that we feel it best not to 'tell the whole story in one go' which will enable us to perhaps do 'series' such as 'Artist in his Studio' ..part one, part two etc or 'Artist approves proofs at the Printers'....'Preparations for the Paris exhibition' etc.
Sheila in the meantime is constructing a 'guide' with a set of easy to follow procedures.
No problems, will start working on that over the weekend...
Hi Susan. Thanks for that. Yes can you please do an article about Ian. We haven't decided on word count, so I will have to ask Ron what (if any) are the maximum amount of words to allow juxtaposition of image beside article, etc.
Looks good and interesting to read other people stories, it makes it all more human/ approachable (can't quite think of the right way to describe but all good!). Just shout if you want me to do an article about Ian
Article by Sheila Walshe-Blackmore
Darling ...you can't say Bum on here unless it's hyphenated as part of say al-bum on a justified column of text....OK my precious? how's the ironing?
