Miniature Art Cards - Watercolor and Pen and Ink Cats!

Yesterday (after I fixed my facebook page) I got to something I've been wanting to do, these collectible minis.They are called ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) and are 2.5" x 3.5" in size.

They started out as a trade.  They are baseball card sized and artists traded them among themselves.  Then a few years ago, they really took off and collectors began buying them. I did a ton of them a few years ago and sold all but 2 that I listed on ebay! Most of the buyers were other artists, and honestly, it was such a boost to my art confidence that OTHER ARTISTS were collecting my work!  And bidding for them!!  I sold them for as much as $65 plus each! 

Then, I got too busy having to do the day job and let it go.

I am trying out yet another medium and love it. I am also going to try out some local farmers markets and the Golden Nugget Antique/Art flea market near New Hope over the bridge in Jersey. I want to bring my samples of portraits and my painted canvas pieces but think some small pieces might prove popular too.  They can be collected in books, but the ones I have traded or bought from others I have put on those inexpensive wooden easels you can get at craft stores and boy, did having some super original art ever brighten my work cage..I mean cubicle.

Meanwhile, here's one of them.  I have them for sale in my Etsy shop, and will try out ebay, too, where I just sold a miniature portrait commission.  Have to keep all the art "balls" up in the air, sell a little here, and a little there, and I might never have to go back to that work cage... :D

Thanks for visiting my blog!  Here's where to look if you'd like to see more of my pet and childrens portraits.  Email me if you'd like to commission a portrait or buy any of my work HERE or visit my etsy shop, which has an easy checkout system using paypal.

My Most Popular Pet Portrait! Scooter-Mania!

Accoring to Google Analytics, Scooter is the most popular pet portrait I have ever done! Scooter-Mania was huge...but not long lived!  Here's what happened...

I am not especially computer literate.  I do my own pet  portrait and childrens portrait website but it's a template from godaddy and I don't have to know any kind of web hosting program.  I like it because I can move things around and add things easily.

So it took me years to install Google Analytics on it which gives me a report of what is being looked at on my site.  Now, it doesn't tell me WHO is visiting, it just tells me what is being looked at. 

And SCOOTER was WHAT everyone was looking at the first few days!!   I was a little surprised to learn that this older portrait was wildly popular the first few days I got the reports!  Of all of the images on my front page and in the other pages, EVERYONE was clicking on Scooter to see him even larger.  Scooter had more clicks than all of my other animal and childrens' art put together.

So what do I do with this info?  Rush out and get Scooter reprints and sell them on the corner?  Scooter t-shirts?  Scooter book and movie deals?  Well, sadly, Scooter-mania has died down.  Scooter is back to getting just about the same attention as all of the other dogs on my site.

So what does THAT mean?  I think someone with a dog that resembles Scooter surfed onto my site and emailed all their friends and family and said "look at this dog I found on an artist's website! Doesn't he look just like my "Mr. X?"  And they all came and looked and said "yup, that's Mr. X alright."  :D 

So I think it's easy to over analyze analytics!  But it sure is exciting to think that people are getting to my site via emails from friends!  Please, feel free to help me out that way!  (And please, quick, just click on Scooter, he must be missing the Scooter groupies!)  Scooter and I both thank you.

I'm artist, Robin Zebley.  I specialize in portraits and art of animals and children.  To commission a detailed and personality-filled portrait, just email me HERE!  To follow my blog, just click to your right.  To visit my childrens and pet portrait site, click: http://robinzebley.com/. Thanks for visiting!  I hope you enjoyed!

Little Bitty Art

A few years ago, I was painting and drawing tiny art cards and selling them on ebay. I love it! There's those who caution that selling on places like ebay or etsy could hurt, not help, your art career. But to me..part of having an art "career" is doing whatever I feel like! Here's a few samples, most of the photos are on a disk somewhere...


Plus, it meant I was drawing or painting every single day. Since they were "aceos" (3.5" x 2.5"), each piece took hours, not days. And it was so much fun to watch people fighting over my work! I was so lucky, 98% of my pieces sold, and almost 100 people got to own a piece of my original art at a VERY affordable price!
I honestly can't tell you why I stopped and I'm going to do them again. I don't know if there's still a market for them, but I'll find out! I think it complements, not competes with my pet portraits and woodcut prints. So tune in soon for new aceo-sized pieces.
Meanwhile, I am WAITING on pins and needles for my Yorkie portrait to be opened up by her "mom". Mailed it out to her summer home, so I'll post it as soon as she gets it. She does get first peek!Thanks for visiting my blog! I'm American Animal Artist, Robin Zebley. I'd love to draw or paint YOUR pet, my site is: HERE. Just email me and we'll get started! Click on the top right of this blog to see my woodcut prints of animals! And follow me! Just click on the "FOLLOWING" button on your right. I truly appreciate and value every visit, and hope you will pass my info on to anyone who might be interested! I depend so much on word of mouth...put on that thinking cap...hmmm...how about a gift? ....hmmmm!! :D If you'd like to read my whole blog, just click on the banner at the top. Thanks again.,Robin