16 Jan 2011

Here is the final question from last weekend.

Question 5: What is this artwork called, and who commissioned it?

Answer from these choices;

1.The Physical Impossibility of Life in the Mind of Someone Dying. Charles Saatchi

2. The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living. Stephen A Cohen

3. The Shark. The White Cube Gallery

4. The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living. Charles Saatchi

13 Jan 2011

Using up another one of the questions.

Q. Who did this in 1830, and using what medium, and title?

A.Hokusai, wood block print, title The Great Wave off Kanagawa

12 Jan 2011 Lapiz Lazuli

Here is the third of my 5 part arty-farty quiz, first shown on my Facebook fan page last weekend.
This is just for fun.
Question;  What is or was the very expensive colour obtained by grinding up lapiz lazuli, and what replaced in the early 19th century? 

Answer; Ultramarine and French ultramarine. 
This quiz was probably better presented using the original FB design where I have written four answers to each question and you had to choose the correct one. The trouble was that the FB app was unpopular because it requires users to allow access to all personal details. I wonder why? Answers on a postcard please, or, my comments box below. Thanks :-)

11 Jan 2011 A special date!

Today is one of those 'interesting' dates. One-one, one, one-one. Or 11/1/11.


Also it is day two of the arty-farty quiz Q&A.
[Recall that I presented a Facebook quiz using a FB app on my fan page.]
It was not popular!
Hey ho. You win some and you lose some.


But I have already written the art related  Q's and Answers.
So here is the second one for your amusement.


Q What nationality was Beek who illustrated the Enid Blyton Noddy books? 

A. Dutch, real name Eelco Martinus ten Harmsen van der Beek (1897-1953)


My Facebook fan [business] page is not the same as my Facebook profile [social] page. 
I wonder how many blog followers are following Facebook as well. Hmmm?

10 Jan 2011 Results of quiz.

The trial run of the weekend Arty Farty quiz went down with a dull plop. 
I was trying out a Facebook application that supplied the design formula that deterred you because FB expected you to submit too many personal details if you tried to do the quiz. 
So I will probably NOT do that again.
The Q's and A's are here, just in case you are curious. One a day all this week.


Question 1: Name the artist of this picture and explain why artist Anna Boch is involved. 

Answer: Anna Boch bought Van Gogh's Red Vineyard for 400 francs in 1890. The only painting that he sold while alive, [reputedly]

8 Jan 2011 Arty Farty Weekend Quiz

Here is a link to my Arty Farty Weekend Quiz. 
Just for fun! 
No prizes, except a feeling of justifiable smug pride if you answer all 5 questions correctly.


http://www.facebook.com/ColinRuffellArtist?v=app_19827163485&ref=sgm

Please let me know how you get on.

5 Jan 2011 Another Q and A

The answer to yesterdays quiz question is that UK stamps are the only stamps worldwide that do not have the country name on them. 
The monarch's head has appeared on every British stamp since the 1d Black heralded the arrival of the world's first "one price goes anywhere" postal service in 1840 .

Todays question is; Why would an artist use a filbert?

4 Jan 2011 More about quiz questions

My mate 'Dave the Quiz' writes quiz questions for a living. 
But he is not an art expert. 
So sometimes the art questions are not as challenging or interesting as they could be. 


Have you got any suggestions for art questions?

I reckon that the Q's should be graded 'easy', 'medium', or 'hard'.


You can check out and discuss this topic on my Facebook fan page discussion section.
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=122614404465769&topic=51

4 Jan 2011 Quiz questions.

I went to my usual Monday night pub quiz last night. The questions are set by my old buddy 'Dave the Quiz'. I enjoyed that, so.....
Maybe I will just pop one of his quiz questions up here on a daily basis to see how you like it.
Today's easy quiz question is; 
What distinguishes a British postage stamp from all other stamps in the world?  
Answer tomorrow.

3 Jan 2011 VAT rise tonight!

The dreaded VAT rise tonight will push up prices of paintings and prints....IF you buy them from a VAT registered gallery or website. Hey ho! Sigh. Just say to yourself that all the money goes to small children in hospital, and is not wasted by the government. That way it hurts a little bit less.


For a couple of days I have been working on my upcoming seminar for the Spring Fair in Birmingham in just four weeks time. My subject is Art Business and Licensing. 
Here is a still from my Power Point slide show.

1 Jan 2011 New Year, new painting, new print!

Happy New Year!
I've been finishing off the new painting, and then adjusting and developing using Photoshop to make a good print for my customer.
What do you think of it?