Painting on the AT & producing a book.

[Gauguin]

Dear Hikers and friends
I have an idea for a project I would appreciate some feedback on. In 2012, I’m planing to hike the A/T South to North and then on into Nova Scotia, Canada, being a Brit I’ll only have a 6 months visa. While on the trail I want to paint mainly watercolours and pencil sketches. I’ve already received some real positive feedback from other postings on this subject and would appreciate all your thoughts and ideas on my plan. As I hike; I will stop at various beauty spots and places of interest and paint. If I cover 10-15 miles a day I’ll be happy. Since I won’t be rushing I finish I’ll need fewer, although some rest days, and I can forward sketch books and finished paintings on ahead to my folks in Canada. Lots still to think about and plan.
What do I need from you guys?
Well, I know there a mine of information just on WhiteBlaze and I know I’ll meet a lot a real interesting folks on the trail but as well watercolours and sketches I want to include anecdotes, trail law, poems and as many of those wonderful trail quotes as I can collect. I also want to know what you would like to see in such a book. I want people to buy it, look through it and say, Yeah, I saw that, I slept there or I heard someone say that. Were such a book available, priced around $20-25 would you buy it?
Looking forward to hearing your comments:
Regards
Hiking Gauguin
www.morrisjensen.com

[Snowleopard]

You do realize that this has been done (sort of) in the 1840s by WH Bartlett -- Brit visiting USA and doing watercolors on the AT. Of course the AT didn't exist then, but he did make it to a number of places on the AT. He's best known for engravings from his watercolors. You might like his original watercolors better than the engravings; I think they're all in museums in Britain. http://www.philaprintshop.com/bartle...hite Mountains

I'm not sure how well the book would sell. Certainly Bill Bryson made money at this. If you're a very good writer you might do well. I have no idea at all how a book that is mainly your art would sell.
Some suggestions:
Have you published a book? A track record makes it easier to get published.
Do you have have agent?
Sell the original art. Contact galleries along the AT in some of the artsy trail towns.

I like your paintings. How much do you sell them for? What's a dh?
Good luck. --Walter

[jnl82381]

I just looked through your galleries and if the book was priced at $20-$25, I'd buy it. I think your best bet would be to make it kind of a coffee table book. One that sits out and is a conversations starter when people come to visit. I've actually got two of them out right now, an aerial photography book of the AT and Earl Shaffer's "Calling Me Back To The Hills". When people come over they look at it and admire the photographs. I'm sure if they were filled with quality art of the AT, they would be just as impressive and inspiring.

Good Luck

[Marta]

http://www.amazon.com/Womans-Journey...0222816&sr=1-1

Here's a book of sketches and text. Not exactly the same thing you're planning, but a beautiful, interesting book. You might want to contact Cindy Ross for her advice and suggestions... She is involved in ALDHA and usually comes to The Gathering.

[Gauguin]

Hi Walter, Well, I figure once every 70 years is a good space between such a book, and I’ll certainly be ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’, as it were. Bill Bryson’s Walk in the Woods was my intro to the Appalachian Trail and I have listened to his tale over and over again. Wonderful stuff! I’m not that amusing, I not really out to make money and would be more than happy to have any serious profits go to some worthy cause. In the United Arab Emirates, where I learnt to paint, I assisted a couple of good causes and it made the whole experience richer and more interesting. Anyway, need to get the book published first before I start giving away all the profit. J
I haven’t had a book published before, I have sold over 300 paintings, been interviewed on local UK and Dubai TV, produced calendars and greeting cards. Getting published isn’t so difficult nowadays, Amazon does a good deal and is competitive in the world of vanity publishing, and they also act as your agent. The original artwork would be up for sale, however living in the UK / France it will take some organizing to sell to galleries along the AT, I plan to research them and send a few examples via email. Put out some feelers as it were. I’ll certainly visit them while I’m on the trail.
A ‘dh’ is a dirham, (3.65 AED = $1.00) I was selling framed originals paintings for around $130. Yes, that was cheap, but I sold a lot and to people who brought visiting family and friends to my home gallery to buy a souvenir painting again and again. Most of this money went on booze and loose women, the rest I just wasted on paint, paper and framing the next batch.
Thanks for your reply: Morris
Hi JNl, Thanks for your reply. I had chosen the coffee table format like you suggest, (about 9 ins x 12ins or 23 cm x 30 cm - landscape format) I’ll look up those books you mentioned.

Hi Martha, I looked up Cindy Ross’s book. Thanks.

[Rick Hancock]

I think that most trail enthusiast would be interested in your work if... the price was reasonable and of good quality. Also you may want to include artwork that hasn't been seen in every AT book. There are 50,000 pictures of Katahdin, shelters, rivers, etc. You need to find that niche that no one else has found. I'm not an artist, wish I was, I'm 55 and still draw stick figures, but I know what appeals to me. I did purchase "Uncommon Places" by David Muench back in the early 90's, paid $40.00 which I thought was a lot but it does have great pictures.

[Gauguin]

Thanks Rick. The artwork will be all my own but not only of popular places, I want to include sketches and small paintings of basic camping life, muddy boots, a coffee cup and biscuit (cookie). I've also found several photos posted by WhiteBlaze members which would make good paintings, A hiker walking into the misty woods, a group crossing a bridge at Fox Crossing. In due course I'll approach people and seek permission to reproduce their photos in watercolour for the book. This will not be a quick project, as you say there are thousands of places to paint and I'll have some tough decisions to make. Then I have to walk the trail myself, seen these places, felt the heat, cold wind and most of all smelt the air. I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in.