Showing posts with label The Getty Center. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Getty Center. Show all posts

Friday, September 1, 2017

6 Ways to Get Published



I enjoy writing - I published 22 Zines (small magazines for family & friends) from 2000 to 2015, before starting my blog. 
Following are 6 ways I shared my writing in print, was paid for a few, and you can do it too!  
- Basics are listed at the bottom: how you can send your writing to magazines.


1. Submit to a major magazine
I submitted my article to several women’s magazines and received rejections. My husband noticed the celebrity magazine, The Star was having a series on ways to improve your life. 

My volunteering article had the same theme: Help Others, Help Yourself, about how you can learn doing many jobs by volunteering. I submitted, they edited, and paid me $300.



2. Submit to Trade Magazines also called industry newsletters or journals.

In 2001 I learned White Vine Letters, a type of calligraphy. Fast forward twelve years, I thought about writing an article to include historical facts. I asked the teacher I had in 2001, Karla Hamilton, she said to go for it. 

I added a short how-to and was accepted in the book arts and calligraphy trade journal, Bound & Lettered. I was paid $100 in supplies from John Neal Books, White Vine Letters, 2013.


RubberStampMadness is a rubber stamp trade magazine. For the article I wrote, Sculpting the Image, 1992 - I was paid $40. - how carving a rubber stamp compares to sculpting in clay.



3. Write instructions 
I wrote instructions for a class I taught July 2016 & made $300 for one session teaching people how to make this book. 




4. Write for Newsletters 
Association for the Calligraphic Arts - Newsletter, Artist Demonstration at The Getty Museum, 2004. Before I visited The Getty I checked the Event Calendar online and sent an RSVP to attend the demonstration.


For Ampersand, the journal for The Pacific Center for Book Arts, I wrote The Thrill of the Swap, 2008 about the joy of swapping my handmade books.

Also, for the Houston Calligraphy Guild's newsletter, Handscrit, I wrote Eraser Carving, about how carved rubber stamps can be used with calligraphy. I just re-submitted my article to another trade journal.



5. Write an anonymous article for a Public Relations Rep. I wrote an article about the Cinco Ranch Ladies Club Craft Group meeting that I led for The Cinco Spirit, Crafting in Katy, 2017.



6. Print your own magazine
I wrote Zines for family & friends, see my 3 blogs I wrote about publishing, writing & designing ZINES:





Basics:

Go to the Magazine’s web page to be sure what type of articles they print. After you found out if the magazine is right for your masterpiece, go to the About Us page where you will find the various Editors listed.

Writers Market, updated annually, is especially helpful. The 2018 edition sells for $25 from Amazon.

Please let me know if my suggestions helped you in any way!
©Anne Rita Taylor 2017

Friday, August 18, 2017

Medieval Techniques Up Close

By Max Ehrmann - Artwork by Anne Rita Taylor ©2017

I was recently invited, along with a few bookbinders, calligraphers & artists, to visit the Rare Books Collections in the MD Anderson Library of the University of Houston. It was very inspiring! I highly recommend visiting. Be sure to schedule a tour!

My biggest surprise was actually handling this Medieval book from the 1400s: Reims Book of Hours. When I visited The Getty Center and The Huntington Library in Los Angeles, their books were under glass and opened to a particular page. By the way, the medieval period lasted from the 5th to the 15th Century.


Lisa German, the Dean of Libraries at UH and Christian Kelleher, the Department Head of UH Special Collections were very informative about their Special Collections. So exciting to learn about these treasures! Go here to learn more about Special Collections at UH: 
http://libraries.uh.edu/branches/special-collections/rare-books/




When I attended a demonstration at The Getty Center in Los Angeles, white gloves were worn while handling a piece of ancient art. Sylvana Barrett demonstrated how gilding and paints were made in the 1400's - here is her website: http://www.cennini21.com





I authored an article in the Newsletter for the Association for the Calligraphic Arts in 2004 about the two hour demonstration. Focusing on the painting of St. Andrew by Masaccio in 1426, Sylvana showed us how historically authentic materials: gold leaf, egg tempera, and terre verde pigment, were used.





Sylvana explained that distemper was pigment mixed with rabbit glue. Painted on fabric - it has a dry look such as The Annunciation by Dieric Bouts in 1450. It looks as if the paint could flake off, and is kept under glass.

Artwork by Anne Rita Taylor ©2017






With their limited art supplies, unlike the range we have now, it is amazing what the Medieval monks were able to accomplish six hundred years ago! 


Please let me know if you have any thoughts about these historic treasures.


See more of the UH Digital Library here:
http://digital.lib.uh.edu/collection/reims/item/437/show/21
©Anne Rita Taylor 2017