The First Painting I Ever Sold

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(Edited)

Wodenxsw.jpg

Many moons ago I used to work in acrylics. Oils were still viewed as expensive, too difficult and messy to work with.

I even used to build my own canvases, and in this case, I also built the frame. But more on the painting first.

The theme revolves around one of the most well known gods of Germanic / Norse mythology, Odin. But depending upon tribes, his name varied, Woden, Wodenaz, Wotun. Then there are endless bynames (pseudonyms) he was also known under, One Eyed, Wanderer, All Father, Grey Beard.

In his earliest forms he was wandering shaman, the traveller between worlds. The last developments saw him become the patron god of warriors and kings who would lead the hosts of slain warriors in the Ragnarok, the final apocalyptic battle between the forces of order and chaos.

My aim with this painting was cram in as much of the story elements associated with him.

Back to that frame. Each of those runes on the frame are hand carved. In the end, the frame took almost as much time as the painting itself.

Because I had invested so much time in this painting, it was actually very hard to sell it, even though that was the intent. The reason was that this was the first painting I ever sold. But I can say, that it became easier with each painting.

I assume the painting is still out there somewhere. I've lost track of the collector. Maybe I will see this little piece of personal history once again.

Leave a comment below, upvote and resteem if you like it.
More of my artwork can be found on my website. LeoPlaw.com
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16 comments
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I guess the first ones are always the hardest?

It took me a while to understand that the painting was hard for you to sell, was thinking it shouldn't have been hard to sell it's awesome XD

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There were buyers a plenty, but most were offering too little for it. That was a first hard lesson in how easily people undervalue the time and effort that goes into a handcrafted work of art. In this industrial instant now age, people can't conceive the effort.

What I had meant in the article was, it was hard for me to part with it because I was attached to it.

Truth be told, in the end I still sold it for way under of what I would sell it for these days. I guess that is an experience and confidence thing.

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So true, especially now in this age when we have everything manufactured in million pieces by machines

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Even more so now when people can afford to own a 3D printer.

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at least you have a good pic of it - I sold a bunch of paintings where I have no pics at all, and i cannot remember even which was the first one ..... oh, yes, now it comes to me, I was busking in Stockholm (around 1965), drawing in Gamla Stan on the sidewalk, but had a portfolio of (really awful) stuff beside me. Some girl bought one of them! Was good for a meal for me and a Dutch artists I had partnered up with that day.
Anyway, tweet - tweet and reposted
https://twitter.com/visionaryartcom/status/1299825539012792325?s=20

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Ha! You've done street art sales also. I didn't know that.

I was regularly out on the streets of my home town for a year or two selling prints of my artwork. Sadly that sort of thing is not tolerated these days and you need a license. I had plans of doing the same over here, but fat chance of that.

Thanks for the tweet and repost. =)

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uuu i love the mistic look it has to it, nice piece:)

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I love norse mythology and you caught Odin’s mystery, I don’t know which I love more, the old man or the frame with his runes. He had to sacrifice himself for those runes and give up his eye for wisdom.

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True, in the end I did not know what I was more proud of, the painting or the frame. I've never gone to that much effort with a frame since.

The runes on the frame retell part of the poem about how he came to get the runes.

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I know the story but I can’t read runes, I haven’t sacrificed an eye 😂😂😂❤️

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That reply definitely deserves an upvote. 😀

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👋 Hi @leoplaw, I was flipping through the blockchain and stumbled on your work! You've been upvoted by Sketchbook / a community for design and creativity. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon.

Join the Sketchbook Community

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