Here are some of my wishes that I’d love to have members fulfill for the Oil Spiel!

Tips on Techniques – you may think a simple idea like using a razor blade is too trivial to send, but I find most artists love to find things around the house that they can apply to their artwork. Look in your tool box or bag share your favorite idea!

Articles – on any subject. They don’t have to be just on the use of the medium. Do you write articles on other art related subjects? Composition? Color? Mixing oil pastels to achieve certain colors? Promoting yourself? Press Releases? Sizing images for show submission?

Workshop Information? Would love to hear about workshop experiences…what new trick was learned? New substrates? Favorite part of the workshop? Demos or hands on painting? Locations?

Any new oil pastels on the market? How do they hold up in comparison to the likes of Sennelier or Holbein?

What’s on your easel? Pics of latest work would be fun to share.

Plein Air? How do you keep the oilies cool in the summer? How to minimize the set up?

Traveling with the Oilies? How to pack them or do you ship ahead when possible?

ok….you can see that I have a lot of ideas!! but not enough time to tackle the list on my own.

Members!! I need you!!!
carly

I could do something on travelling with oil pastels if anybody is interested. Thats surely a subject I know at least something about.
RG

How about an article showing various methods of underdrawing/underpainting for oil pastels? I’m sure many of us have developed our own approaches, but I’m not really aware of what anyone else’s might be.

Have there been any issues of The Oil Spiel published in 2010? The last I received was the November/December 2009 issue.

Forgive me if this has been suggested before, but I’m wondering if the Society should think about publishing content in a blog format rather than just the static webpage and separate newsletter? Something along the lines of the Artist’s Network/Pastel Journal blog. This would enable many contributors to post and members could subscribe via RSS to be automatically notified about updates without Carly or anyone else having to send out e-mail notifications? It would also mean content would be created throughout the year rather than everyone having to wait for the newsletter, so news of what the OPS and its members are doing would be more timely and frequent.

I’m not sure what impact this might have on members’ willingness to pay dues – but it must surely be be possible to restrict access to the OPS blog community to paid-up members only?

Just thoughts …

Just wondering who I contact (Pat? Carly? Tatiana? or someone else) about getting something posted to the Oil Spiel blog. Thanks!