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?