Creation of Adam by Michelangelo

Creation of Adam by Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, better known simply as Michelangelo, is a truly momentous work which fits into very any art history study thanks to it's prominence with in the Renaissance period, which itself was crucial in shaping the development of European artists who have since followed on from where that movement left off. This article will aim to cover all the key elements of the Creation of Adam painting as well as considering which other works were highlights with in the artist's long and highly distinguished career.

This painting was a central piece which is surrounded by many other panel paintings which together form an incredible array of Renaissance art which is an inspiring sight to see for those lucky enough to see it in all it's glory. Those unable to do that may consider art reproductions instead, and there has naturally always been a great interest in print reproductions of his Creation of Adam original as well as other photographs of the overall setting.

The artist would have taken huge amounts of time planning this piece and needed many helpers to achieve such a huge overall coverage of the ceiling with relatively primitive instruments available. Many of the Renaissance painters re-visited their work on several occasions in order to feed their desire for perfectionist levels but this would have been much harder to do here because of the installations needed to continue work on these ceiling paintings whilst simple paintings in their own studio would obviously be far easier to experiment with at the artist's own leisure.

It is pleasing to see so many people even today still being excited by the work of Michelangelo and understanding the qualities found in his career, even though his life was so long ago and that art styles have moved on so much towards the abstract and expressionists movements which we also now have. There have been considerable numbers of new movements since around the middle of the 19th century which have taken the principles of art further and further from the work of the Renaissance, but there still remains a strong interest in the masters such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael. Italian art has so far failed to match these high points and so it is unsurprising that this country remains so proud of what they achieved with classic paintings such as the Creation of Adam as discussed here.

Creation of Adam is ready to buy as a framed fine art print from Creationofadam.org which also offers some in-depth discussions of the painting itself as well as more on the rest of the career of Michelangelo as well.

Incidentally, the Creation of Adam painting is currently amongst the most frequently reproduced of all paintings in the history of European art and so it is unsurprising that so many websites currently offer it in a great range of different mediums just to suit your precise taste.

Original article

Collecting Art - A Matter of Perspective

Collecting fine art is all a matter of personal perspective. What appeals to one individual might not necessarily appeal to another. However, there are two prevailing schools of thought when collecting fine art: the first is, you should learn to buy what you love; the second is, you should learn to love what you buy.

Since there is no right or wrong answer to this debate and it is just a matter of personal preference, my first reaction is to say, buy what you love. With all due respect, you do not buy a couch or a bedroom set because it is a good investment, you buy it because it makes you feel comfortable. Whether you sit on it, lay on it, or sleep on it, the chances are, when you walk through the door you do not ponder if you made a sound investment.

Well, fine art is no different. In essence, it is a piece of wall furniture. Nothing more. If it makes you feel good then that is what really matters; and, you made the right choice.

I have a very close friend who just spent about $30,000 on a beautiful oil painting from a contemporary artist because it reminded her of her father. She asked me, did I do the right thing? As I answered, yes, the second question out of her mouth was, will I ever get my money out of it? My answer was simple: will you ever get your money out of the living room set you bought? The conversation should have ended there, but it did not. She then asked, would you have done the same? My answer was honest and direct. No.

As for myself, I would have bought a masterwork: a Rembrandt etching; a Durer woodcut; a Picasso linocut; or, a Chagall lithograph. Not just because of the return on investment, but because I love masterworks. For me, it has mostly been about possessing a piece of history.

In my mind, fine art, no matter how fine, is a piece of wall furniture: still glorious; beautiful; personal; and, comfortable. A masterwork, however, because of its place in history is a piece of wall property; and, to me, that is what makes masterworks so appealing.

Far be it from me to judge anyone's taste in fine art. I cannot even follow the simple math when it comes to paint-by-numbers. But with so much importance put on the new millennium catch phrase ROI or Return on Investment, it is much to my benefit that collecting masterworks is my preference.

The expression, if you buy what you love then you can never go wrong, is ultimately true. Collecting fine art is a deeply personal decision. But, regardless of your fine art collecting habits, if you do not feel richer as the work of art hangs on your wall, then you have made the wrong decision.

For B. Mathew Are, collecting and selling art has not only been a way to make a living, it has also been a way of life. Durerpost inherited its name because Albrecht Durer's place in art history, but the author's love for masterworks and fine art is all encompassing. Please feel free to visit us at http://www.durerpost.com/.

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Some Things To Consider When Buying Oil Paintings For Your Home

When you are deciding to buy oil paintings for your main residence or vacation home, there are several things you need to keep in mind as you are making your considerations. Not only on the piece of artwork itself, but also the entire home. Such things as the decor that is currently in place and any other types of art that you already have in the home. This will allow you to give thought to all of the oil paintings you are considering and also help you in determining what pieces will match in the space and which options are going to best fit into the space.

The first thing to consider is which room the canvas art will be hung in. If there is very little furniture in the space, choosing the brighter and bolder colors in the oil paintings you are purchasing, will help the room pop and stand out. For a room with heavier amounts of furnishings, something lighter and with a simple or plain design will make for a subtle effect in the space. You must also consider the colors of the walls in the room, in order to ensure things will not clash and that the oil paintings match the space entirely.

The next consideration is the subject or theme of the art and paintings. Whether it is something in pastels and lighter colors for a large living or dining room or an expansive landscape style piece for a bedroom or hallway of the home, these are just some of the factors to consider as you are determining what to buy. Of course each home owner will have their own taste and style, but making sure the theme and colors match the space is key when choosing the right oil paintings that will fit the space you are attempting to fill with art.

Making sure to measure the spot or area you plan to hang a painting in and obtaining the dimensions of the canvas art before buying it should also be done. Depending on the size of the room and what other art or pieces of decor are already present in the space, making sure the oil paintings are not too large (or small for extremely large spaces) has to be determined prior to the purchase as well. Writing down the measurements and marking the walls in the home before purchasing ensures it will properly fit the space.

A final tip when buying oil paintings for your home is to choose the material which best fits the space. Whether you choose art that has been done on canvas or purchase a print of the painting that has been printed on paper will depend on you personal preferences, budget, and the overall look of the piece. This is more of a personal choice and will vary based on the space you are placing the oil paintings in. Prints will need to be framed under glass and that is another consideration too.

When deciding on oil paintings for your home, you should consider these and any other factors which are important to you personally, in order to ensure you find something you will truly love and something that fits well into the space you are displaying the painting in.

Teresa Bernard has been a fine art artist of original oil paintings since her preteen years. Since then she has gone on to create a name for herself as an accomplished artist and has sold her paintings across the US and world wide. Her paintings can be viewed online at http://www.bluemoonwebdesign.com/.

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How to Commission a Horse Portrait From an Equine Artist

Commissioning a portrait of your favourite horse is a wonderful way of honouring your equine partner and of gaining a beautiful piece of original artwork at the same time. Equestrian art has been shown to hold its value, so if you choose your equine artist carefully your portrait will also be an investment, not that you'll ever want to part with it of course!

The first step is to choose your equine artist. There are a wide range of styles and media out there. Some artists favour a very natural almost photographic style, while others interpret moods and feelings with a freer style. Look at several portfolios before deciding, and go with your gut feel and what you like.

Commissioning a portrait of a specific horse is different from just buying an equestrian painting. First of all you want to know that the artist you're thinking of is experienced in portraiture. A good portrait will capture those little details that make your horse unique: the expression in the eye, the prick of the ears, the arch of the neck.

Ideally your artist should be able to meet your horse before starting the painting. While a good photograph can also be an effective starting point, there is nothing to beat spending some time with a horse, observing his or her individual characteristics and seeing him from all angles, perhaps taking a series of photographs to work with. So if at all possible choose an artist from your area, so that you don't have to add huge travel costs to the commission.

A portrait can be done without meeting the horse if circumstances dictate. Perhaps this portrait is to be a memorial of a dear friend that is no longer with you. In this case look out the best photos you have. Provide the artist with pictures taken from several different angles, in motion and still, close up and full length. The more detail you can provide, the better chance the artist has of creating a life-like portrait.

Discuss all aspects of the painting with the artist and get a price quoted on that. Prices will depend on the size of the canvas, the medium used (oil paint, acrylics, mixed media, watercolour and so on), the framing requirements and the complexity of the subject. Do you want a head and shoulders portrait or a full length portrait of your horse in motion? Do you want a realistic background of the stables or a familiar landscape, or a creative swirl of colour and mood? Some of these things will depend on the signature style of the equestrian artist that you've chosen.

Once all has been discussed and agreed, leave the rest up to your chosen equine artist and then enjoy the completed portrait on your walls ever after.

Kit Heathcock, freelance writer, is writing for Rachel Dubber, a well-known equine artist and photographer, with a lifelong passion for horses. She creates a wide range of stunning horse art, photography and sculpture. Currently based in Cape Town, South Africa she portrays the individuality of each equestrian subject, both for portrait commissions and for her own art.

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The Three Best Affordable Acrylic Paint Any Level Artist Can Use To Create Beautiful Paintings

As an artist I have used all sorts of acrylic paint ranging from the basic thin acrylic paint to the more expensive strong coat paint such as Golden. Most of the acrylic paint I use has been cheaper acrylic paint - it gets the job done just as well as the more costly professional acrylics.

There are some differences between the more affordable and expensive acrylic paints, like buoyancy, but overall some more affordable acrylic paints can still get the job done just as well as the more expensive professional acrylic paints. If you are a student or novice, buying affordable acrylics will be your best choice, especially when you are developing your painting skills.

Personally, most of the acrylics I use is very affordable. I paint with a palette knife and the main thing that I want any of my paints to have, whether cheap or expensive, is good pigment and to be thick enough to create some great textures. When I paint I like to layer my paint over my surface using the palette knife, sort of like layering icing on a cake, and most of the cheaper acrylics allow me to do that. I could buy acrylic paint that you see at places like Walmart - the ones that are in the small cylinder tubes. Those acrylics are just too thin to paint with - they are for crafts only.

For artists that want to paint on a canvas or hard surface I would suggest getting paint from your local art supply store or online like at Dick Blick or Mister Art; both of those retailers have all brands of paints at affordable prices. Before you start buying acrylics here are some brands of cheaper acrylic paint that are available.

Liquitex's Basic

One of my favorite acrylics is Liquitex Basic - it has been around for a long time. What I like about Liquitex Basic acrylic paint the most is that you get a lot of paint in their tubes and if you are close to running out in a particular color you can easily cut the bottom of the tube with scissors and get the remainder of the paint from the tube.

The paint is nice and thick and you can easily add different mediums to change the consistency of the paint. I use Liquitex Basic acrylic paint all the time and find it offers among one of the best for the values on the market. I would recommend Liquitex Basic acrylic paint to anyone using a fair amount of paint in whatever art they create.

A2 Chrome Acrylic Paint

A2 Art Students' Acrylics are another specially designed acrylics for the needs of students, beginners or hobby painters who wish to avoid the expense of buying artists colors, especially during the earlier stages when they are learning how to handle paint. A2 acrylic paint has not been around along as Liquitex's Basic yet still provides the same pigment and consistency as any other professional paint.

A2 derives from the popular brand Atelier, which I have used well. A2 is a little thinner than Liquitex's Basic but it's just as effective. A2 and Liquitex's Basic are similar in a lot of ways, but a little different in body and pigment.

Depending on where you purchase A2 Chrome, you may be able to get it for a lower price than Liquitex's Basic and you will not spend over six dollars for a four ounce tube. I encourage you to try both and see which one you like more.

Chromacyl's Acrylic Essentials

Chromacyl's Acrylic Essentials is the thinnest of the three paints. I know of a lot of artist who add different mediums like molding paste or heavy body gel to enhance the paint.

I really haven't used this brand of paint. I just know that it is thinner and great for creating loose painting and adding appliqu to a surface, sort of like Jackson Pollock. Many school teachers use Chromacyl acrylics for their students, but well known artists use it too.

As with the other two acrylics, it depends on what you are trying to do with your painting. Chromacyl's Acrylic Essentials were developed for the middle school teacher because it has good solubility, intense color, and rich consistency for painting, printing, and sculptures. As an artist you can use Chromacyl's Acrylic Essentials for the same reason - just keep in mind that it is a little thinner than other acrylic brands I mentioned earlier.

All three bands are all great and affordable to use for your paintings whether you are a student, beginner artist or professional. I would suggest that you test them to see what works for you.

I use a palette knife with Liqutex's Basic and Chroma A2 when I might use a more expensive acrylic paint. I add different mediums to these two brands to make the paint thicker and more pliable like Golden or Liquetex's Professional Acrylic Paint, but both paints still work just fine with what I'm trying to do with my palette knife. I'm still able to make nice textures and bold strokes with the Liqutex's Basic and Chroma's A2.

If you are looking for some great paints that are inexpensive, I encourage you to try the three that I mentioned in this article. There are several others out there but I have found these three brands work well for me and for my other artist friends.

If you are an artist or someone who wants to know more about painting with acrylics, sign up and get free weekly painting tips using a palette knife at http://painting-with-a-palette-knife.com/

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Peter Max - The Psychedelic Pop Artist

Peter Max artwork is among the most admired art in modern world. This is because people have found inspiration in his paintings as they look for ways and means towards a better world. Peter Max art, the better world, has inspires those of that want to drift off into a peaceful world. It is easy to get lost in Peter Max's bright pop art. His art is surrounded with love and compassion for the environment. One of Peter Max Paintings, flag with heart, has been adopted by those of us that believe in freedom. Peter has been a long time crusader for peace in our world. Flag with heart is one of the most popular paintings amongst Americans across their nation.

His works of art can be found in many international art exhibitions and galleries. The 'liberty head' has inspired many to get involved with the democratic changes in their respective countries and communities. His paintings convey such a strong message that many can not ignore. This helps to challenge many who thought that they have to wait for help from others to solve their problems. Once you have understood the need to change your situation, you will find that the moment you set to work on the situation, help will flow from unexpected quarters to ensure that you have succeeded. This is why his art, such as, umbrella man, and, hearts, have such acclamation among crusaders for natural justice. In case you are facing a mountainous challenge, I believe that peter max art work has a link that would change your darkness to noonday light. This is because; most of his paintings will inspire and motivate you to initiate action towards a better life.

One of peter max paintings that have also been popular is the flower. This has actually influenced many who felt trapped in odd and lifeless situations due to its 'real life' effects. The beauty of the multi- colored flower painting inspires one to look for opportunities beyond the set limits and expand one's horizons and imagination. This can change a hopeless situation to a golden chance where life will never be the same again. If only one is ready to accept that there is away out, life will always provide a second chance. This rates the flower painting outstandingly above other peter max art because any of us can work out impossibilities to life time achievements that will brighten his life.

If you are art lover and want to buy original Peter Max art and paintings, then logon to OriginalArtBroker.com. They offer original art and paintings of world famous artists like Peter Max, Dale Chihuly, Leroy Neiman etc. Visit site and get your favorite artist's original painting at best prices.

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Art as Flaws or Mistakes in Nature and Design - Philosophical Dialogue

Many devout religious people believe that God created the heavens and the earth, and he made everything perfect. Well, guess what? I don't want to live in a perfect world where every tree of the same species is exactly the same, were every blade of grass goes exactly straight up, or where every human, bird, and insect of each species is exactly the same. Personally, I revel in the variety; the nuisance of perhaps what some might say from a philosophical level is a mistake or imperfection. In other words thank God for the mistakes, even if God supposedly created everything perfectly.

(FYI: Before I go much further, I am a nonbeliever, so don't jump to any conclusions on my comments here).

Have you ever looked at a caricature of an individual? Have you noticed that the artist accentuates the flaws, or the unique characteristics of that person? In many regards it's very obvious to tell who the person is, if the artist has done a good job, because those differences are something that our mind recognizes, perhaps our mind and memory use those differences to imprint the memory of a face, something that human minds are very good at.

Now then, there are some types of art where everything is in exact order, but the best art (giving away my personal preference here) is that which beautifies the mistakes in nature, or perhaps one might call the design flaws, which makes our world unique, which makes every tree slightly different, and which makes our world what it is. Can you imagine a world where everything was the same, and would you even wish to live in that world? Some religious folks say that heaven is a place where everything is perfect, I'm sure glad that world doesn't exist here on Earth, how about you?

Now then, I don't wish to be one to trample on anyone's religion, but rather to point out that it is the small flaws and mistakes in nature and design which makes the world interesting, unique, worthy, and beautiful. Without getting too sentimental on this point I would like you to take a few moments and think about this, as you create your own art, and ask yourself; does it pass the test? Is your perfect sunset slightly off, just enough to make it look real?

How about when you draw a tree in one of your paintings? How about if you were to create a sculpture, which wanted to be absolutely perfect? Would it be we revered if it were, or would your sculpture be called a "lifeless statue" robotic-like in form? Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Creativity Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

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Hand Painted Rocks Make Beautiful One of a Kind Gifts - How I Started Painting Rocks

Did you ever try painting on rocks? It is a fun craft for the whole family to enjoy. What's so nice about painting on rocks is that rocks provide a great canvas in that if you don't like what you paint the first time, you can just keep painting it until you like what you see! I love painting flowers on rocks and have been inspired by the master at this, Lin Welford. She has written and published some amazing books on the subject.

Way back in the summer of 1972 I went on vacation with my two best friends (who happened to be sisters) to stay for a week in their trailer on their property in the mountains of upstate New York. They had 117 acres of land and we spent the days playing in the creek, picking strawberries, climbing hills, exploring, playing volleyball and badminton, watching the clouds change, talking, laughing, and just having a blast not having to be anywhere or do anything in particular.

Their mom, or Mrs. P. as I called her, was an avid sewer and very crafty as well. One of the crafts she had for us to do while upstate was collect rocks and pieces of slate down by the creek. She brought paints and brushes with her from home (since there was no Michael's and A.C. Moore back then) and it was there on a beautiful day in upstate New York that I painted my very first rock.

It was a painting of blue and yellow flowers in a basket. My parents absolutely loved it and put it on display on a picture stand in their living room. It is still there today in 2011, almost 40 years later! Painting on rocks is a fun craft and hobby for all ages. You don't have to be a Picasso and you don't have to even paint well to make a beautiful rock painting.

One of the best things about painting flowers and plants on rocks is that almost any size, shape and kind of rock can be used, from the smoothest and roundest of river rocks, the irregular shapes of field stones that you can find at your local stone center (in the "misfit" pile for discounted prices), to even the chunky uneven rocks you might find at a building site or on the side of the road. Rocks are everywhere!

One of the nicest things about painting on a rock is that if you don't like how it's coming out you can simply wash the paint off and start all over again until you like what you see. You can also use a stencil to guide your painting which really helps. In my opinion, all painted rocks are as special and unique as the people who create them. They make beautiful one of a kind gifts that just about anyone would enjoy.

To learn more, please visit my webpage. If you need help getting started, just contact me through my Squidoo page: http://www.squidoo.com/hand-painted-rocks

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Artwork Design Can Be Very Important When Creating A Silk Painting

A lot of people choose the appropriate equipment and study a 'how to' book, or go to a class, when facing the challenge in art of learning a new skill. This challenge is emphasised even further when they try to produce a product e.g. silk painting that will sell commercially. Artists must make their artwork design an important part of their finished product, rather than simply producing a test or experimental piece and considering it as a work of art.

Beginners must be able to draw to be able to produce good artwork design and should never neglect this skill. However it is difficult to find out just how to create a design from your drawing efforts.

If you go to an art school it can take years to complete a course on drawing and design and these skills are not readily found in any distance learning programs either. To capture the attention of the potential client, silk painters are more likely to depend on the lovely flowing, iridescent colour they can easily achieve, rather than depending on artwork design to enhance their work.

Many people discuss if silk painting is simply a craft or if it can be a work of art. It is more likely that silk painting will continue to be classified as a craft than a work of art, if quality artwork design is not evident. For an artist to demonstrate their creative intention they have to depend on more than the accidental flow of colour on their silk 'canvas'.

This is probably a very argumentative statement I am making, but in silk painting where much of the effect depends on the accidental flow of colour, I believe it to be an accurate statement. Regardless of how effective and exciting the finished results are, it is difficult to consider silk painting as a work of art unless it is underpinned by strong artwork design. Developing a 'signature' so your art work is recognised with your own 'brand', will require solid artwork design to be evident, and this in turn, will help you sell your work.

When an artist develops strong artwork design they are better able to demonstrate their creative abilities and capture the interest of the public. Occasionally an artist does have success by entirely developing their art work with the accidental use of their medium, but this does not happen very often. An artist needs both flair and competency to make sales and this is seldom achieved without the use of artwork design.

A solid work of art will be completed by artists who obviously have knowledge of the elements of design. The elements in question are line, colour, texture, tone, shape and direction. Artists need to understand the effect of all of the elements of design before choosing the ones they wish to emphasise in their works of art.

By practicing a variety of drawing skills, artists can greatly improve their artwork design ability. Experiment by drawing with a ruler to make all your lines straight; draw with the opposite hand that you normally write with; draw with a continuous line (don't lift the pen until you are finished) and use both hands at the same time. By using a light box to combine two or more of your drawings, you will find it easy to create a unique artwork design.

The right side of the brain is mainly used to develop our creativeness and imagination. Because we do not use the right side of the brain very much, the left side (controlling thinking, logic, communication etc.) becomes more highly developed at the expense of the right side. Be creative with your drawing skills as well as with your designing will further enhance the beauty of working on your silk painting.

Barbara is an Artist specialising in silk painting. She won seven of the Australian Gift of the Year Awards and developed a strong business from her art designs; at one time having 16 licenses from such companies as Shelta Umbrellas, Laurantino Bags and Fresca Scarves. She now paints commission pieces only and runs online silk painting courses. http://www.silkpaintingbygabogrecan.com/

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Three 'Secret' Ways to Gain Creative Freedom by Setting Yourself Limits

Being clear in my mind at seven years old that I would be an artist, I drew and painted all the time. Sketched everything and anything I saw or imagined. Not until my career as a professional artist was well underway did I begin to narrow my focus.

The first and most important focus was on the subject matter of my paintings. People were clearly my main interest - they figured in a majority of sketches and watercolours made in childhood right through to the oil paintings of my first gallery shows. People, their behaviour, their emotions, their stories. My subject matter was now set but it was still too random, too vast a field to give my work coherence. What I needed was a linking narrative

It had to be something of such passionate interest to me that I would stick with it for a considerable time. It also had to be something onto which I could apply my own interpretations, add variations out of my own perspective, not simply provide a painted description of the writer's words. You will no doubt share that impulse - to speak with your own 'voice' as an artist.

History shows that the Masters of painting did just this. They drew inspiration from a Book, an epic collection of human stories. My own choice was closer in both time and place. I chose the stories of Australia's pioneers as told by Andrew Barton Paterson in poems and tales that have become part of our national sense of identity. The 'Banjo' inspiration kept me fuelled with material for three major series of paintings. Published in three hardcover books, they accompanied my compilation of A.B.Paterson poems.

The second limit I decided on concerned the colour range I would choose from to use in my paintings. To develop a 'signature' palette, I restricted my choice to just nine pigments. They are two Whites, a Black, two each of Yellow, Blue and Red.

The third limit was on the sizes of my canvases. You may think this a trivial point but it had enormous benefits for my work and my career. Here's why: By 'standardising' my canvas sizes, I developed a habit of visualising a new work along compositional lines that fit those sizes. For me, it's a standard three, plus an occasional extra-large and an extra-small.

Important here is that, like me, you need to recognise the dimensions that suit your style. This is easy to do. Just look at the sizes common to most of the paintings you've made. ( Oh, you do keep records, don't you? ) Another great advantage is that with standard sizes, you can order frames in bulk, knowing you'll produce works to fit them. Not least, standard sizes help you and your gallery to set a benchmark for pricing of your works.

Dorothy Gauvin is an internationally acclaimed Australian painter in oils who specialises in an epic theme of Australia's pioneers. See images of her 'Life-Story' portraits, an ABC of homemade tools for painters with arthritis, plus tips and advice for aspiring artists and collectors on her website at http://www.artgallerygauvin.com/

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Dark Arts and Pictures

Darkness is a subject and it is an element present in almost everything. It is most commonly said that everything has a dark side to it. Same concept applies to the field of art and literature.

Dark images, paintings and pictures are created by human imagination of the dark side. Pictures depicting blood, murder, killing, drugs, and rape show the dark side of human nature. It shows the extent of evil that a human mind can think and a human body can perform. And it makes us relate to human nature more closely.

Images that depict isolation, loneliness also reflect darkness. More often we see paintings of a dark hill or scenery containing a dark tower on a winding hill and our mind wanders to the realms of darkness. Sometimes even a single picture or portrait may reflect darkness depending upon the viewer's perception. Pictures of demons, wolves, vampires, bats, black cats, witches, deserted houses and graveyards are based completely on the artist's imagination. What makes up this imagination? All these elements are related to dark stories, urban legends and myths that we hear in our childhood. His imagination could also be an outcome of his suffering

The beauty of dark art is that it makes you sink into deeper imagination of objects associated with darkness. When I see a dark picture or a mysterious painting, my mind wanders to the scary moments from my childhood and I get goosebumps just to think about it. For many years I lived in a house that was right next to a graveyard and all the windows opened up to the graveyard. It didn't bother me in the day but at night I dreaded going near the window. So now whenever I see the image of a graveyard those haunting memories come back to me. Similarly, images from a dark movie remain imprinted in our minds and whenever we see a dark portrait or a dark picture we immediately associate it with something or the other from a horror movie we had seen earlier. And human curiosity makes us dig in deeper into the picture until we start seeing the picture through our imagination. You must have come across a picture or two in which you were able to see things that were not actually there; that's the power of imagination which a dark picture bring out in us.

If you are a dark lover then you can imagine what most people may not be able to do so in a simple dark picture. Dark lovers love to imagine themselves in a dark moment, a dark incident and that is exactly what they do when they see a piece of dark art. Gothic art is also an example of dark art whereby darkness is reflected in extremism, negativity and self-destruction; it shows the dark powers of human soul.

to see some of the best Dark Pictures on the internet, please visit Lover of Darkness.

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Silk Painting Can Be Made Into A Profitable Business

It is difficult to make a living from art, even silk painting. Most artists work towards an exhibition where they can display and sell their art. But as the gallery usually gets 33% and the framer gets 33%, there is only 33% for the artist and it may have taken them a year to paint sufficient work to have an exhibition.

The main way to build an income is to commercialise your work. This means that you paint to suit what the customer wants, rather than what you want to produce. And the marketing of your product is very different too. You do not necessarily depend on an exhibition but may decide to sell via retail outlets and/or the Internet.

I found silk painting easily allowed me to satisfy potential customers; specifically the tourists. Silk is light weight, therefore makes a great gift for the traveler to 'pop into their luggage'. Tourists wanted something specifically 'Australiana' so I concentrated on Australian fauna and flora for my motifs. As I was a 'kid from the bush' (I even had to do correspondence schooling), the subject matter suited me to a 'T'!

Tourists also wanted something that was not too expensive and was eye catching. I had no difficulties making my work eye catching as the colour of dyes on silk painting is nothing short of extraordinary! But when it comes to low priced product, artists always struggle. They put so much time and effort into their work that there is no way they can get paid a reasonable amount for their labour.

I solved my problem in a very specific way. As my training was as an art teacher, I decided that I would teach others to paint in my style and therefore I could meet the growing demand and allow myself the time to produce works of art that could be sold at exhibitions. During my busiest time. I was producing silk painting for a variety of stores around Australia. I also held five exhibitions where my work sold out.

For my staff, I created the designs and painted a sample silk painting (usually a scarf shape). I clearly wrote on the original drawing what each colour was that I had used. Then I showed an employee how I would do it and allowed them to try completing a silk painting by themselves. I would watch and when necessary, give advice on how to get a better result. It would only take staff three or four attempts before they were able to produce a reasonable silk scarf.

Payment to the painters was by piece rates; they got paid per product rather than receive an hourly rate. Also, if there were mistakes made, those pieces of silk were sold at a market for cost only; so I never was out of pocket. This worked extremely well and I was able to provide thousands of silk paintings as product and make a comfortable profit.

As long as the artist is not too 'precious' and doesn't place a stigma on commercialising their skills to make a living, then the silk painting artist can make a good living.

Barbara Gabogreca is an artist, author, entrepreneur and supports home based business. Her silk painting sells well from her website and she has commenced a blog where she encourages other silk painters to write articles which she will publish allowing them to promote their work. http://silkpaintingbygabogrecan.com/

Original article

Edgar Degas Paintings

Edgar Degas was a stylish artist who sits somewhere between realism and impressionism but it was probably his choice of content as much as his style which helped to make him so popular. This article looks in the reasons for why Edgar Degas paintings are so popular currently, with reproductions of the best to be found right across the world in the homes of his biggest fans. It seems that in choosing a method which combined realism and impressionism the artist was able to really connect well with the mainstream who also approved of his content which was typically ballerinas in a whole manner of environments and different positions.

Degas found a real aesthetic quality in the ballet dancers who adorned so many of his paintings and there were interesting technical attributes which made them very suitable to his style. Firstly, their unusual positions provided a challenge to his accuracy as a portrait artist and there was also a gentle look to these feminine women which was ideal for his chosen artistic style.

As a sign of Degas' ambition, the artist also took on horses in another long series of paintings which show his strong motivation to push his anatomical skills as far as possible and to try to achieve the highest level of accuracy possible. The likes of British artist George Stubbs have shown the additional study needed in order to achieve results with animals and so it was no small undertaking for Degas to take this series of work on.

Edgar Degas paintings remain as highly respected and loved by both academics and art fans today as they have been and his style still feels relatively contemporary considering the length of time which has passed since his career came to an end many years ago.

We recommend that you take advantage of the resources online which cover Degas paintings in huge detail and will offer endless opportunities to learn more about this highly inspirational French artist whose work was beautiful and technically also very impressive. Besides this artist, there are also many related painters who you will most likely also enjoy to be found in the impressionist art movement which dominates art history of around the mid to late 19th centuries as so much exceptional art was created during this period by a whole selection of different artists whose style also seems suited to modern, contemporary tastes across the world.

Degas Paintings are available right now from DegasPaintings.org.

Original article

Cubism, Picasso and Michelangelo - What Links Them?

At the dawn of the 20th century, painters in Paris began experimenting with new ideas. Among others, Cezanne was breaking away from the idea of 'reporting' the world of nature in paint. He was cutting natural forms into geometrical 'bits.' Sisley was taking a scientific approach to colour, devising 'programs' to trigger a psychological response in the viewer. Seurat, in his too-short life, developed a method of placing tiny daubs of colour, each placed close beside its complement, so that the viewer's brain did the work of mixing these 'pixels' of colour optically. This became known as Pointillism.

'Bits, programs, pixels' - today, in the age of computers, it all sounds oddly familiar to us. Two influential schools of artistic direction arose in the 1890s: Impressionism and Cubism.

Cubism claims Pablo Picasso for its founder.

Picasso's stupendous output includes paintings and drawings, sculpture, collages and ceramics. He produced art prints and designed stage sets for ballet. His talent for self-promotion was at least as extraordinary as his energy for making art.

Michelangelo, the peerless sculptor, was also the architect of many of Rome's most famous buildings. St Peter's basilica in the Vatican is a draw-card for tourists but it may never have reached completion without the genius of Michelangelo.

After 40 years, construction had stalled because the original plans for its vital component - the enormous, iconic dome - proved unworkable. Michelangelo was called in to re-design the dome and his intervention wrought the engineering solution, combined with awe-inspiring beauty of design.

In his writings, Michelangelo modestly declared himself 'no painter.' He clearly identified his ability as a painter to be secondary to his work as a sculptor but he left us the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by which to judge his self-assessment.

Each of these men, so distanced in time, place, artistic style and personality, display two traits in common. They are:

1. Out-of-the-box thinking.

2. Ability to put ideas across by using the simplest language.

Michelangelo once gave this advice to painters: 'Painting most closely approaches perfection when it most closely resembles sculpture.'

Michelangelo wanted to engage people on their most human levels - emotional, intellectual and spiritual. To achieve this, he knew he must persuade the viewer to 'suspend disbelief' in just the same way a novelist does.

The artwork needs to tell a story with enough impact to capture the attention of the audience. It must be 'larger than life.' Yet it must be realistic enough to make us forget that it is an artefact - 'just' a painting or 'just' a sculpture, made by a human being 'just' like ourselves.

In painting, this trick depends upon the painter's skill at creating an illusion of 'depth' on a two-dimensional surface.

This principle held painting's Truth for hundreds of years.

Picasso told the world something different: 'Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.'

Cubism rests on the creation of a single picture plane, devoid of any sense of 'depth.' Shown in this shallow space, all objects are reduced to their simplest expression as cylinders, spheres, cones and cubes. Cubist pictures are deliberately detached from human sentiment.

They remind us we are looking at something artificial, not a representation of something we may encounter in life.

And of course, this is the truth about Art.

Art historians track Cubism as a radical avant-garde movement from its beginnings in 1906 to its final phase in 1921. From our vantage point today, fifteen years seems a short lifespan for an idea that caused such turmoil in the whole world of Art.

Michelangelo's art - especially his sculpted figures such as the 'Pieta' in the Vatican and his 'David' in Florence - has the power to take our hearts and shake our minds, 500 years later.

Dorothy Gauvin's oil paintings have been reproduced as high-quality, affordable, limited edition art prints. Four prints comprise the Waltzing Matilda series. Five prints comprise the Great Australian Horsemen series. See them at http://www.artofgauvin.com/

Get a free mini E-course in How to Buy Art Prints at http://www.artofgauvin.com/homemakers-guide-to-buying-art-prints

Original article

What Art Easel Is Best for Your Style of Painting?

Your Indoor Studio Easel

Customarily, the artist - especially when working indoors - uses a suitable easel or table to support the stretcher frame or board on which the canvas or paper has been stretched.

If your medium is pastel or watercolor, you don't want to make the mistake of purchasing an easel that accommodates a painting only in a vertical (or near vertical) position that is only meant for acrylic or oil painting.

For pastel work, an easel that has a forward tilting angle is best. For painting in watercolor, an easel with a work surface that can slant to varying angle degrees and can also be set in a horizontal position is needed.

Easels suitable for acrylic and oil painting indoors are available in several studio easel styles including A-frame, H-frame, Single- and Double-mast and Convertible. Those that are constructed of solid hardwoods provide the best support for medium to very large canvas or canvas board when working indoors.

If your indoor work space is too small for a studio easel, there are several styles of table easels that can be used for pastel, watercolor, acrylic and oil painting, as well as for drawing. Table easels allow artists to work on any flat surface including a kitchen table. When not in use, they are easy to store.

Your Outdoor Portable Easel

Working "plein air" on location outdoors requires an easel that is sturdy, lightweight and adjustable, as well as easy to carry, set up and breakdown for transporting to and from location. Adjustable legs with spikes aids in leveling and securing portable easels in the field on uneven ground surfaces.

Plein air easels for painting in acrylic and oil are available in several styles including tripods or sketchboxes and pochade boxes with tripod stands attached. Portable watercolor easels are also available for artists who also work on paintings positioned horizontally.

Portable easel tripods are usually made of rust-resistant aluminum or other metal, and sketchboxes or pochade boxes are made of wood with a tin lining inside the storage area.

In addition to your outdoor portable easel, you will need the following items to make your plein air painting experience comfortable.

Folding Sketching Stool - These come in several styles in metal or wood with a canvas fabric seat.Artist's Umbrella, Wide-Brimmed Hat and Sun Glasses - These will provide protection from sunburn and help to keep you cool when exposed to the sun.Drinking Water - This, or other sports beverages, will keep you hydrated and help prevent heat stroke.

Vanissa James is a visual artist working in watercolor painting and mixed-media. Vanissa's website, the Art Easel Guide provides easel price comparisons and easel reviews to help artists find the best art easels at the lowest prices online. For more info visit... http://www.arteaselguide.com/

Original article

The Secret Investment World of Art

The average art investor is not as wealthy-as one might think. How many people do you know, are able to run out and purchase a Pablo Picasso original? I don't know anyone who has even seen an original Pablo Picasso, let alone owns one. No, the average art investor is just like me, the average person; a regular hard worker looking for ways to invest money and retire well. When I say "retire well" I mean having the ability to keep doing all the things you love to do in life, even continue working...if that's what floats your boat. I plan on napping...a lot...when I retire! I digress. Back to art investment. What the average person like myself wants to know; is Art worth investing in? The short answer; YES! I know this because? Well, because we spend on average $22 billion dollars per year world-wide collecting the stuff. I would say, that's a worthy obsession. You don't have to buy those crazy expensive masterpieces painted by our dear friend Leonardo Da Vinci either, in effort to participate in the world of art investment. Although, I could handle a Monet hanging in my bathroom. Who couldn't, I mean it's breath-taking art right? However, back to reality; like me, you just need the right information to get started.

Statistically speaking, the best performing segments of the market over the last 50 or 60 years have been after the 1950's with Modern Art & Impressionism leading the way. I know, I know, you like the Contemporary Art circles, and I do too BUT, you have to be careful. Contemporary Art is by far the most volatile art market to invest in, with it's unpredictable swings in price. However, if you love the image, and it's a Limited Edition or an Original, you probably will see a return on your money in the long run. And hey, no one said you couldn't invest in your kids future right? Now, back to the artists. (in my opinion our most valuable resource) Hey, I think I heard you scoff!? If you don't believe me, look what's hanging on the walls of some of the finest five star hotel lobbies, or the walls of five star restaurants, and even the offices of important downtown city buildings; it's usually original works of art from local artists. Interior Designer's know their stuff! The fact is, corporations invest in art, but only the artist who sold their own works are bragging about it. Do I smell an investment secret? A perfect example is, the cruise ship industry. Every hallway, every restaurant, and decked-out foyer of each massive ship is adorned with original artwork, photography & sculpture. Why? Because art screams class, it screams culture and make-no-mistake-about-it, art is luxury. I don't know about you, but I love luxury, and basically that is why I need to be extra smart with my money. Remember that nap I mentioned earlier? I plan on taking plenty of them when I set sail to the Bahamas later in life.

Did you know, that over the last 150 years or so, art as an investment, has out-performed bonds, and has produced returns essentially the same as the famous S & P 500! Ya! I know, that's about 10% compounded annually. Do I have your attention yet? Now listen to this, Original Art today is actually affordable! Yes, my friend! And historically, lower priced art generally out-performs higher priced art; there is something for every budget, including mine. As long as I invest in Limited Editions or Originals, it is estimated my investment will grow in value over time. So, here is the big question; how much should a person invest in art? Well, I can't tell you how much of your money you should spend but, I will tell you this; the average art investor invests 10% of their net worth in arts. Really? Really? Would you be freaking out right now if I had said the average stock market investor invests more than 10% of their net worth in stocks? Probably not. Again why? Because, many people believe the stock market is a more secure investment than art. Not so. What you don't know is, that investors' view art investment the same way they view investing in gold. A safe bet. After the stock market crash in the 1920's, after 9/11 and the crash again in 2008-2010, art investment went up substantially, along with gold investments. It's weird how portfolio managers' don't mention that little tid-bit. Investors' see art as a tangible, hard asset, that can perform well in inflationary conditions and can hedge against currency risks. That means; Art is considered to be a safe place to put money when world events seem sketchy. Makes "Cents" to me.

I read somewhere, that in May 2010, a painting by Pablo Picasso sold for 106.5 million dollars, becoming the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction. Surpassing the previous record set in February 2010 of a bronze statue by Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti, which sold for 104.3 million dollars. Now don't let that scare you my friends; Maud Lewis (1903-1970) Nova Scotia, was selling her original folk art paintings from the side of the road for $3 to $5 a piece. Didn't I mention art for every budget? I don't think you can find any of Maud's original artwork for less than $50,000 to $100,000 in today's market. I would say, that's a fun stable investment arena, that more people should be talking about.

By Gina Kling
2012 Copyright Gina Kling, All rights reserved.

Gina Kling ( http://www.absolutelyart.ca/ ) is a strategist, author and artist.

Looking for art to invest in? Please visit Vancouver's Premier Fine Art On-Line Gallery-dedicated to supporting children & family charities through art sales.

Gina Kling, Creative Director

Original article

Fine Art Outlets

Painting with acrylic or oil paints is both a challenge and an enjoyable leisure or employment revenue for an artist. Ourself can enjoy our work. Onlookers and art critics may also enjoy our paintings. Historically fine art artists seemingly have the worse financial set backs when the economy is in a down pattern.

Fine art is a luxury purchase

As artists we realize the practical matter of money. Fine artwork is not the first item on the list when competing with food and shelter. It is very much considered a luxury purchase or a nonessential purchase when the basic needs for survival need to be met on a daily basis.

Art collectors are a possibility

Art patrons who are wealthy and can afford to purchase fine art are holding back on their cash. However, there are collectors who are willing to pay specialty rates or discounts and are looking for fine art outlets with these special offers.

Sorry, I am the average artist and do not fall into that particular tier of talent nor do I know any wealthy acquaintances. Like everyone else needing to survive, we take a detour and work at other jobs and our fine art becomes our hobby or part-time business.

The market will change

Do not forget that as artists we are very creative and we all know that sooner or later things will change. Should we still lack top shelf fine art this is the time to keep improving our skills.

The market will change bringing prosperity and there will be people willing to invest in unknown artists who have great talent.

What are the solutions?

Keep paintingPrepare and build future inventoryRefine our skillsExperiment with new or self developed techniquesContinue networkingOpen our idea and inspiration notes to meet new challengesKeep our education updated

Think outside the box:

Artists are blessed with imagination. We have the ability to transfer our mental picture with a paint brush dipped with acrylic or oil paints into a visual master piece on canvas.Take time to think and use these abilities to bring about positive ideas, solutions and changes.Keep up with the industry by reading your trade magazines and other paper sources.Network both online and offline with other artists to exchange ideas and work out practical solutions.Explore other outlets to market your paintings.Most importantly, keep painting.

Discover how to improve your acrylic and oil paintings as well as locating fine art outlets. Visit the hobbies section of Infotrish at http://www.infotrish.com/ and review Learn Portrait Painting with Acrylic & Oil Paint.

Tricia Deed, writer for http://www.infotrish.com/ brings you through internet marketing hobbies for your leisure, recreation, and business opportunities. I invite you to visit my web pages to review the various hobby companies. Do take advantage of their free giveaways.

Original article

Pablo Picasso - Pioneer of Cubism

'There is no new thing under the sun.'

This was the decision of Ecclesiastes, described in the Bible as a Preacher and a son of David, who was the second Jewish king. By this reckoning, Ecclesiastes had a vast history of human works to draw on, in the order of three thousand years of Art-making.

So, it would be understandable if he could find no new thing in the world of his time. All things had already been thought and said, everything done and made. Perhaps this piece of writing, this story, told and retold down the centuries is the source of our modern obsession with novelty.

It begs the question: by what standard is the originality of any work judged?

The definition of an original work - whether it be in any of the Arts or any of the Sciences - is that this piece stands alone, as unique, the one and only in its field. It is the theory never before conceived, the artwork never before expressed in any form or material. It has no precedent or imitation. It is new.

Evolution programs us to be attracted to new things.

Anything new - any change in our environment - presents a possible opportunity. The one who grasps that opportunity may earn immense profit on a personal level or even become a hero to the society at large.

Here, I'm thinking of a monkey group in Northern Japan which was the focus of a famous study some years back. When a hard winter left the animals facing starvation, the scientists supplied food supplements, strewn along a beach the monkeys inhabited.

Wet sand clung to the potato-like vegetables, making them unpleasant to chew. One genius monkey took her share into the waves and washed it. Free of sand, the food even tasted better with its seasoning of salt from the sea. Others of her group copied the monkey's new custom.

We humans call this effect 'Culture.'

Along with our fascination with the new, we've become hypnotised by a myth that insists: 'Originality is the mark of genius.' When we think of those two words in the field of Painting, one name dominates.

Picasso.

What image jumped into your mind as you read that name? I'd guess it was one of the famous works he made in the style we know as Cubism. Perhaps you envisioned one of his images of a woman's face with features weirdly out of place, as if seen in profile and front-on at the same time.

For me, the introduction to Cubism was a shock. It was a revelation. The sheer genius of it, the originality of it, made me wonder: what makes me think I can be an artist? I'd never come up with breath-taking ideas like these. Why go on painting?

The world must have been filled with young people thinking these same thoughts. Even now, untold numbers of people who would love to try their hand at painting hang back because they know they are not geniuses. They know they do not have Originality. They know this because art history tells them so. They live with regret.

I think their regret is based on a fallacy. Not only the facts about how Cubism was derived from earlier movements in Paris before the first World War and how heavily Picasso and Braque were influenced by images from African tribal art. I think the mistake goes far deeper and here's why:

Each time someone makes another painting of a famous structure, for example, the Sydney Opera House or the Eiffel Tower, that painting shows something new. The newness is in the emotional element the human artist adds to the paint he or she puts on the canvas.

Dorothy Gauvin's oil paintings have been reproduced as high-quality, affordable, limited edition art prints. Four prints comprise the Waltzing Matilda series. Five prints comprise the Great Australian Horsemen series. See them at http://www.artofgauvin.com/

Original article

Learn How to Watercolour a Panorama Onto Some Birthday Cards

Getting Going:

To begin painting in watercolour, you need 3 simple objects;
· Some good beginners' materials
· A subject to paint
· A basic method

Equipment Needed:
A beginners paint tray of water colours could consist of the subsequent colours:
· Lemon Yellow Hue
· Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue
· Cadmium Red Hue
· Permanent Rose
· Alizarin Crimson Hue
· Ultramarine
· Intense Blue
· Viridian Hue
· Raw Umber
· Yellow Ochre
· Burnt Sienna
· Chinese White

Additional Supplies:
· 4 main brushes
· Paper
· Pencil & Rubber
· Board or Hard Surface
· Roll of Masking tape
· Water pot or container
· Flat Plastic Palette/Tray
· Reasonable size board for your Birthday cards

What to paint - Finding a subject:
Many artists find it difficult to be influenced by the ordinary everyday things. However, real artists can turn the very ordinary thing into something special by purely viewing it creatively. It may be a landscaping, a structure, an inside scene such as a dining room, or still life like vases or crockery. If you feel really confident you might want to attempt a portrait (of the person you're giving the birthday card to), botanical colouring or maybe even an abstract. Your painting does not have to be precise or absolute, remember art is in the sense of the artist not the critic.

Painting a Watercolour Landscape:

Landscapes are possibly the best for beginners and the following basic technique should be applied. Four general principles are valid while colouring a landscape.
Your View - As an artist you're looking to produce a visual illustration of your chosen scene, it is not a clone but an illusion of what you're painting. Remember, it is how you see it and paint it that makes it a unique work of art for your birthday cards and even canvas.

Aerial Perspective - Take time to look at the landscape you would like to paint and you will notice 4 elements emerge. Initially the objects further away will appear smaller. Second, the distant items will not be as detailed. Third, colours become less vivid the further away they are. Fourthly, as objects diminish their tones become paler and less contrasted.

Composition - Use your pencil to create an outline of the landscape. Be sure to set out a horizon, middle and foreground within your landscape. In general, this follows as the horizon being the background of the painting with the horizon line being about two thirds from the top of the page. Most beginners start drawing the horizon half way up the page - although our eye-line only sees 30-40% of the "surface matter" in any given scene and the rest is sky.

After you have drawn the basic out-line of your scene, the colour is now ready to be applied into your picture.

Choosing a paint tray of colours:
The popular practice is to retain a broad paint tray of around twelve colours and add to it for specific necessities. For example, you will notice that a lot of birthday cards are aspired to be bright in colour and therefore you may wish to include some brighter contrasts to your work.
When you have obtained the initial palette, the subsequent thing is to find a suitable board.

Which board?
Watercolour board is mould made board and is often acid free giving it an extensive life without wear and tear. The board is pre-sized making it possible for the artist to sponge and rub-out (if necessary) without damaging the board.

Basic Technique:

Squeeze a pea-sized amount from your water-colour tubes or dab a damp brush into your watercolour pan - best to start with 3 primary colours - a red, blue and yellow.

Use a round brush and start placing some blue on the sky, before dabbing the colour with a wet handkerchief to produce cloud shapes by opening out the colour.

After that, work onto the distant horizon line making use of subdued colours (i.e. thinned blues, grey and yellow diluted with water) then onto the onto the mid-ground area adopting more blues and green prior to moving onto the forefront using yellowy-greens and stronger, more vibrant colours - not thinned with a lot of water. Note: Should you be colouring a medium sized birthday card, you may want to downgrade the range of the out-line before beginning to paint.

After you have developed those colours you are able to then build up a sequence of layers to fit your needs. If you are very adventurous, you might wish to try the wet-into-wet technique. This is where the colours combine whilst they are still wet. It produces pleasing, delicate tones for your birthday cards and is brilliant for glum, atmospheric paintings in order to lighten up the cards for the person owning the birthday.

An added method, is generating a water-colour wash, which offers many special effects like, graduation, granulation and flecked. Avoiding being too technical, a wash is in fact where a colour alters as a consequence of the water content mixed with the pure colour. Such effect is formed by beginning at the top of a dry piece of paper. Paint a band of darkened colour (ultramarine blue), before adding more water to the brush and create a second band under the first. This should be continued until you have a graded wash i.e. the colour goes from dark to pale and occasionally clear. When colouring birthday cards, you don't need to worry over adding the words 'happy birthday', because the greeting may be placed inside the greeting card with the front showing your creative abilities.

Some Finishing Suggestions:

DON'T - fiddle around with the painting; once the birthday card is complete, do not add more touches thinking you will improve it.

DON'T - Let your palette become too wet.

The colour should be allowed to dry in between stages of application except for when you are employing the wet-into-wet method. Maybe use a hairdryer to speed up the drying process.

Continually refer to the object you are painting and to your work of art.

Start painting from the top of the board.

Always cleanse your equipment with cleaning soap and water.

Paint loosely; do not get drawn into precision. Bear in mind that it's a painting and not a photocopy.

Author and marketer for http://www.cardly.co.uk/ A company offering striking water-colour birthday cards

Original article

A Practical Guide To Caring For Your Oil Paintings

Whether they are masterpieces by some well-known artists, one of your own creations, a beloved artwork by a friend or relative, your oil paintings will need care to preserve their beauty and value. Such a painting should be considered an heirloom and can be expected to be passed down to future generations. Here are a few practical things you can do to make sure your oil painting lasts.

• Keep your painting away from direct sunlight. This means displaying the painting in a low-lit area of your home. If this isn't feasible, at least make sure your windows are covered with draperies or shades that filter out damaging ultraviolet rays. Other elements you to need to protect your paintings from are dust, large swings in room temperature, heat from a radiator, smoke and humidity.

• It is a good idea to change a painting's position now and then. There's nothing that says a painting or any work of art, for that matter, should stay in the same spot on the wall forever. Switch things around to give yourself a new fresh look at your paintings from time to time.

• Never hang your oil paintings over a fireplace or any place where they are exposed to soot or other dirt. For this reason, it is also best not to hang a valued painting in the kitchen where greasy smoke and dirt will collect on it.

• The best way to hang a painting is using a wire that stretches from one side of the painting's stretcher bars to the other side. Then it should be suspended from a hook that is sturdy enough to hold its weight. As a rule of thumb, most art galleries hang their paintings about 60 inches from the floor.

• Avoid using halogen lights to highlight an oil painting because the heat from a halogen light can damage the paint by causing it to dry out and become cracked or even flake off. Fluorescent lights are cool and more of them are coming in warmer colors.

• If the oil painting is on stretch canvas, panel canvas or wood it is very important to keep it away from high humidity. These materials swell when they are wet, then shrink when dry. This movement in the canvas may cause damage to the painting. For best results, keep all oil paintings in a room where the temperature and humidity levels remains consistent at all times. Also, oil paintings should be protected from mold, which is a risk in a house that is damp a good bit of the time or has poor insulation and ventilation.

• When cleaning the frame, be sure to use a soft paintbrush or compressed air. This will avoid scratching or chipping the wood or finish. Aluminum or lacquered wood frames should only be cleaned with a dry, soft, lint free cloth. Do not spray cleaner on the frame while the painting is being housed in the frame. It is best to remove the painting from the frame before cleaning.

• Oil paintings should never be touched with bare hands. If the painting has to be moved, it should be grasped by the sides of the frame using both hands. It should never be held by the top of the frame and especially not by the wire hanger that is on the back. To be especially safe, the mover should take off all jewelry or anything sharp to make sure the painting isn't scratched. They should also be very careful not to bump the painting. The surface of an old oil painting can crack or scuffed if it is bumped.

• If the painting needs to be cleaned, it is best to have a professional do that for you. However, if this is not convenient, be sure to use exquisite care when attempting to clean your painting. It is best to use a soft, clean paint brush or duster on the surface of the painting. Do not use a cotton cloth, which can leave damaging lint. It is best to clean from top to bottom.

• If the painting is damaged, the owner should call a professional in art restoration and conservation to repair it.

• The front and back of your oil paintings should be checked from time-to-time to make sure that there are no signs of mold, moth damage, or some other type of damage.

Teresa Bernard has been a fine art artist of original oil paintings since her preteen years. Since then she has gone on to create a name for herself as an accomplished artist and has sold her paintings across the US and world wide. Her paintings can be viewed online at http://www.bluemoonwebdesign.com/.

Original article

Affordable Oil Paintings Created Just For You

Owning paintings is not something anyone needs to do in order to survive. However, some art-lovers might be inclined to disagree. Artwork may not feed a person's belly, but many pieces can be, and are, seen as food for the soul.

A beautiful, original oil painting placed in just the right spot on the wall can change the entire ambiance of any given room. Impressing friends, family, and coworkers with just one unique piece is often one of the reasons collectors purchase paintings. Still, there are others who simply enjoy getting lost in the colors when they are all by themselves. Oil paintings can enrich the mind and they also allow people to display bits of their personality.

You are free to visit as many local galleries as you wish, of course, but it can be difficult to find quality paintings at an affordable price. Online galleries are a perfect way to avoid possible crowds while still being able to view as many works as you wish. Buying online is simple as well. All you have to do is register, pick the pieces you want, and check out.

You have the option of purchasing the most popular sizes, or you may custom order the size you want. You can also feel safe and secure ordering online when you know the site you're ordering from has VeriSign SSL Certificates. No matter what size your painting is, no matter what images are displayed, you can trust that your order will be completed and be in your hands within fifteen to thirty business days.

Sure you could go to the store and pick up a few posters to stick up around your home, but even when framed it is not the same as owning something truly original. Every painting you see here is crafted by the creative hands of an artist. Many paintings may be of the same thing, but you can be sure each one in your order was painted just for you.

Modern, abstract, flowers, people, seascapes, still life, animals, landscapes, and even group paintings are all here for you to check out. All prices tend to be around the same amount, except for group paintings, which are higher because more pieces are involved. If you are on a budget, but you still wish to own and show off some amazing artwork, you just might be able to end your search here.

Purchase hand-painted art on canvas via the Internet now! You can find more information about a reputable online gallery at http://www.artpaintking.com.au/ today.

Original article

The History of Delftware

Delft Pottery is famous for its iconic blue and white pottery and antique delftware has been manufactured since the 16th century. The pottery was given its moniker because of the city where it had been crafted, the city of Delft in the Netherlands. The primary version of Delft pottery was in the form of low-fired earthenware and they were coloured with a small layer of opaque glaze. The most popular variety of Delftware consists of jars, vases, pictorial plates, and tiling which is the most famous Delft creation. Delft tiles are considered to be some of the most appreciated Delftware and there were 800 million tiles manufactured in a period of 200 years. If you are an admirer of Delftware you can still obtain a number of original Delft tiles in traditional Dutch houses.

Delft was generally known as the "Parent of Pottery" in England. There were primarily six distinct centers in Holland including Delft which were involved in manufacturing pottery. There was a time when a huge volume of Delft pottery was shipped to England. Delft became the most commonly seen name for any opaque fictile, and the affordable cost of Delftware made them especially prominent among all the classes in England. Delft pottery is known for its utilitarian uses as well as having artistic values.

The history of Delft pottery dates back to 1310 when it was utilized by the local people mainly. The art of Delftware was not only confined to Holland. Potters from various other countries like Germany, France, and England started creating Delftware. There was a major difference in the design as well as the shape of pottery from these countries. But in addition to the variance in shape and size, there was a significant difference in the craftsmanship of porcelain. The German potters excelled in this contest and developed a very fine porcelain blend in the Eighteenth century. Around the same time frame potters from England started working on Creamware exacerbating the levels of competition faced by Delftware. The so-called large producers were closed and by the year 1764 there were only 23 Delft manufacturing businesses still left in Holland. This number continued reducing and the Delftware industry in Holland experienced a huge decline as a result of the new level of competition.

The end of the Eighteenth century marked the end of many of the Delftware companies due to the new trends and effective manufacturing procedures of their rivals. Today only two Delftware factories are operational, one of them being the renowned Delftware company known as "Royal Delft".

Delftware were the pottery trendsetters of their period and it is really easy to recognize Delftware in traditional Dutch houses. The key credit goes to the large-scale production of Delftware. If you are interested in Delftware then it is advisable to get yourself familiar with the historical past of Delftware. The Internet can be quite a good source in your quest of understanding the history of Delft pottery.

Visit our website to find pottery classes near you! Does your pottery business or organization hold pottery workshops, classes, events, or meetings? Get indexed in our directory. It is completely free!

Original article

Learning to Watercolor - Preferred Tools of a Watercolorist

Sketchbook, Drawing Paper and Drawing Pencils

To plan a painting composition, an artist usually begins by sketching the subject on drawing paper or a sketchbook using drawing pencils. When satisfied with the composition, the artist can then transfer it onto a sheet of watercolor paper before beginning the painting. The outline drawing is then used as a guide for the composition.

Something as simple as newsprint paper and a standard lead pencil is sufficient for this purpose.

Watercolor Paper

Watercolor paper comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and paper qualities. Paper most preferred by watercolorists includes:
Watercolor pads of cold-pressed 90-lb or 140-lb 100% cotton, acid-free
Full or half sheets of cold-pressed 140-lb or 300-lb 100% cotton, acid-free
Optional: Watercolor paper blocks the same quality as watercolor sheets in a variety of standard sizes from 3.9 x 9.8 inches to 18 x 24 inches

Tools Used For Stretching Watercolor Paper
There are a variety of methods for stretching watercolor paper. But, the basic tools include a heavy board to paste, or tape and staple, a wet sheet of watercolor paper on to and allowing it to dry flat. The preferred tools include:
Drawing board or heavy "gator" boards
Glue paste or glue tape, stapler and staples or thumb tacks
Paste brushes
Blotters for absorbing excess water from the paper

Watercolor Paints

Artists quality watercolor paint, packaged in 5 ml or 14 ml tubes, is most commonly used by watercolorists.

A basic color palette contains one cool and one warm hue for each of the primary, secondary and tertiary colors in the color wheel.

Each artist over time develops a preference of color hues to use as their basic color palette.

Palette Tray, Plate or Cups, and Water Containers

These items are used to hold and mix watercolor paints and water to dilute the paints and for cleaning watercolor brushes.

Watercolor Brushes

The standard watercolor brush is made of natural animal hair. Pure red sable is the most popular choice because it handles paint well and retains its shape for many years. Watercolor brushes are also made of camel hair, pony hair, ox hair and synthetic hair.

Brush shapes used by watercolorist include:
Round: This is the 'all purpose' brush shape used for large washes to small fine strokes.
Flat: This brush shape is used for laying straight-edged shapes such as buildings and landscape horizons.
Wash: This wide-shaped brush makes laying large background areas quick and easy.

Masking Fluid

Masking fluid is a white or pastel tinted liquid that is used to coat and protect areas of white on the watercolor paper for creating highlights. After the masking application dries and the painting is finished and completely dry, the masking fluid is rubbed off to expose the highlights.

Watercolor Easel, Table Easel or Drawing Table

A watercolor easel or drawing table allows for working on a flat surface while painting wet-in-wet. It also has the ability to adjust the painting angle from horizontal to a slanting tilt for laying washes and painting in an upright position.

The alternative work surface can be a kitchen table, desk or any table-height flat surface and a table easel with adjustable tilting angles.

Vanissa James is a visual artist working in watercolor painting and mixed-media. Vanissa's website, the Art Easel Guide provides easel price comparisons and easel reviews to help artists find the best art easels at the lowest prices online. For more info visit... http://www.arteaselguide.com/

Original article

How to Select an Oil Painting Online?

Art painting collections are more and more popular to people all over the world. Original oil paintings have never lost their preeminent position as a prized possession for any art collector. More and more people like to choose the prefect canvas painting for home decorations. It is grace and fashion. But how does one select a good quality oil paintings online?

Online art galleries are everywhere, fake paintings are everywhere as well. To save yourself from over paying, it is important to choose a reliable online art gallery that has adequate credentials and testimonials. Then you need to choose the oil painting according to the following tips:

1. Decide in which room and on which wall you wish to hang the oil painting.

2. For a room with minimalist furniture, go for something bright. For a heavily furnished room, choose something light with a simple design. Also keep in mind the color of the wall.

3. You can also decide upon the subject depending upon the character and decorate of your room. For instance, a spacious living room with an adequate floor area and wide walls done in pastel shades would look classy with an expansive landscape. For your study which is lined with bookshelves with not too much empty wall space, you can pick an interesting still life or portrait and so on

4. Decide whether you want to buy an oil painting of a particular genre or a particular piece by a certain artist

5. Decide on the material of the painting. Make up your mind whether you want to have an oil painting done on canvas or on paper and browse the online art galleries accordingly

6. Measure and note down the approximate size of the space where you have decided to hang the painting.

7. Browse the gallery and check the paintings in their largest size to get an idea of the actual size.

8. Keep the resolution of your computer screen at the maximum setting when checking out oil paintings in an online art gallery.

9. Fix your budget. It will help you save time and target the paintings which fit into your budget.

10. Determine whether you want to buy framed artwork or unframed. For unframed paintings, shipping charges are relatively lower.

11. Read the policy documents such as privacy policy and terms and conditions of the online art gallery carefully. Check out the shipping rates, insurance and the return and refund policy in case you are not satisfied with the oil painting.

12. Check out the payment options and which credit cards and debit cards the online art gallery accepts. Check how long the shipping would take.

The most important is to find a good online shop, not only with the cheapest price, but also the quality and the service (shipping, return service, design service and so on) is the most important.

I can refer one online shop here at http://www.1paintings.com/

Grace your home with arts here! Share my experience, come here to have a discussion.
Confidence, Believing, We will be happy and beautiful

Original article

How to Paint With Acrylics

Well first of all you are going to have to pick the right kinds of materials such as brushes, paints, stretched canvas etc. You need to buy the right kind of materials and also the best kind of materials. Then you have to buy brushes. Choose brushes that are suitable for acrylic paint, they should be either flat or round. Try buying brushes with natural hair, they will do much better in the long run and they will not leave bristles on the canvas. Look around and see if you can find good bargains in your local art supplier store. Again if you don't know what your art supplier store is, just Google Michael's or Joanne and check out their nearest location to your zip code. If you need inspiration or want to look at some sort of example of acrylic or oil art, check out paintings of flowers, abstract art, landscape and fantasy fineart, etc.

Okay now buy some acrylic paints, you also need to know your color wheel generally well before you start. Just know your basics such as yellow and blue make green etc. and you can figure out the rest by doing. Experimenting with colors will take a while but your results will be great in the end. Use good quality paints so the colors on your artwork will be vibrant. Also choose a good canvas. If you want a good piece or art you should probably try and find a stretched canvas that will maintain its look. You can also learn to stretch your own canvas, but that's a huge hassle so just buy one from the store (they're not that expensive especially if you find a good sale).

Decide what to paint. This is the most important part of the process. Again check out the type of original fine art that you like. For inspiration you can also look at some Contemporary Abstract Art Prints. Find a bright place with natural light. It should be somewhere in the basement or outside, a place that you are willing to get messy in. If not put newspapers on the ground but again my suggestion is using a place that you don't mind getting dirty because accidents always happen. Also get a palette or a paper plate (the cheaper way) to mix all your colors as you paint. It's much better to mix them on the plate before you put them on the canvas. Sketch basic main parts of the art work you are thinking of creating. Also start with your background first, paint your sky, wood, fields first before you concentrate on the details (back to front technique). Wait a while for those to dry a bit and then begin on the details (acrylic paints dry much faster than oil). In the end make sure you clean your brushes right away! If not the paint will dry and destroy those brushes.

These are first steps in the journey of painting Abstract ART with acrylic!

Original article

How To Choose Works Of Art For Private Residences

When browsing through countless artwork online with the aim of choosing a selection to put on display in your own home, you may feel a certain amount of confusion as to which to actually purchase. Trying to decide which would look best in a dominant position in your dining room, brightening your living room walls, and hung in your bedroom is not easy. No matter what type of decor currently dominates your residence, the tips put forth below should help you make a selection that you come to love and cherish.

You should begin by defining your space. What this means is that you should think about exactly where you will hang the art that you buy. It is likely that there will be many different color schemes and styles that could fit each of your rooms. Choosing the right selection is a subjective process that involves analyzing the space and surrounding decor and considering what activities will take place in the rooms in question.

For example, when searching for the perfect painting for your bedroom, think about what type of piece would be most effective at creating a harmonious and relaxing atmosphere. Popular choices for bedrooms include beautiful scenery and subtle abstract works. Always keep in mind that the goal should be to strengthen the bond between you and the living space.

You should think carefully about color. The aim should be for the artwork you pick to create a contrast between the colors used by the artist and those featured in the rest of the room's decor. If you have white walls, choosing a suitable picture will be easier than if they are a different shade. To get an idea as to what colors would work best, try printing out a sheet of paper that features different shades and ask yourself which suits the style of the room the most.

The current decor in your home may adhere to a certain theme, popular choices today include contemporary, minimalist, and rustic styles. Consider what type of subjects could be depicted in paintings which would help to add to the ambiance you have already created. Think of your home's decor theme like a story, and a new picture adds to the tale.

On a final note, choose the right size of oil paintings. The dimensions should be large enough so that the artist's skills can be appreciated, but not so big that the picture becomes over dominant.

You can find details about the things to consider before buying oil paintings and view our selection of animal paintings at http://www.artpaintking.com.au/ now.

Original article

Easy Paint Your Own Pottery Ideas - Spots and Dots Designs

Teapots, mugs, plates covered in spots and dots are extremely stylish and popular at the moment. Emma Bridgewater has her Polka Dot design and visit any household section of department stores you will see lots of spotty and dotty pottery designs. But did you know there are several very simple ways suitable for all ages and abilities to of paint your own pottery with a dotty or spotty design.

Finger print spots

Your fingers make some of the best dots on pottery and ceramics, plus it is something even the youngest child with a bit of help can do. The only thing you need to do before starting your finger print dots is to make sure is that your fingers are clean and free of any grease. When you change colours make sure you clean your fingers well. A damp sponge to wipe your fingers on works quite well. The spots created with your fingers may not be perfectly round but they are unique, stylish and completely personal.

Round Stickers

You can buy round stickers in various sizes easily and cheaply from stationers and they can be used to create lovely pottery with white spots on a coloured background. All you need to do is stick your round stickers all over the surface your dry and clean bisque (unpainted, unglazed pottery) in a random pattern. Rub the stickers to make sure they are securely attached to the pottery. Then paint all the surface area in your chosen colour, this can be done with a paintbrush or sponge. To get a nice solid even colour at least two coats of ceramic paint are recommended. Once the paint is completely dry peel off the stickers and your pottery is ready for glazing and firing. If you can't get manage to lift the stickers at the edge a good tip is to take a pin and stick it in the sticker and lift.

To get coloured spots on a white background you can use ring binder reinforcement ring stickers. Again these are also readily and cheaply available from stationers. Just stick the reinforcement rings all over your pot, but instead of painting the background carefully paint the hole in the middle of the ring binder stickers and then peel the rings off when the paint is dry before glazing and firing.

Stamping your Spots and Dots

Instead of using your fingers at a stamp for dots and spots, your could use other round objects by immersing them in paint and dabbing them on your pottery. At craft shops you can buy various sponge tools called dabbers and daubers which also make round spots. Other household items you could use to stamp spots on your pottery are cotton wool buds, the end of your paint brush or the flat end of a pencil. The object does need to be clean and free from grease for starting each colour. With the cotton wool buds it is best to use a new one for each colour.

Use Round Objects as Stencils

Using a felt tip pen or soft pencil draw around round objects to create a spotty or circle design on your pottery. All pencil and felt tip lines when you paint your own pottery will disappear when your pottery is fired. This is because the professional firing is done at over 1000C causing the pencil and/or felt tip to burn off. You can then either paint inside the circles or leave the circles unpainted and paint the background. Areas not painted will go a creamy white when fired, how white the background is will depend on the type of glaze and bisque used. You can buy stencils with lots of different sized circles but you don't need these, you could just draw round some pots, bottles or lids that you have in the cupboard at home.

With these simple ideas anyone can paint their own pottery and create some stylish unique spotty, dotty and polka dot gifts to keep or give to family and friends. Examples of all of these spotty and dotty paint your own pottery ideas can be seen at www.potsoffun.co.uk.

About the Author

Gillian Groom set up a mobile pottery painting company in 2001, since then she has painted 1000's of children's hands and feet on pottery. She now offers a mail order service so parents or children's groups can create their own pottery masterpieces and keepsakes. For more information on Gillian's paint at home pottery kits visit http://www.potsoffun.co.uk/

Original article

How Artwork Renovation Is Undertaken

Art recovery is difficult work. Although clean-up of the work of art is typically essential for the purposes of conservation treatment, it's usually carried out for other reasons and different decisions can be just as legitimate so far as how the painting is restored as long as it can be carried out safely.

Of course, the end results might look different. Like a renowned artwork restoration expert once stated: "every cleaning is an act of significant interpretation". Nonetheless, in many instances it's possible and appealing to proceed through all of the stages of cleaning and reveal unobscured original paint. The cleaned artwork can be in practically perfect condition, or it can appear distinctively alarming with its old damages still showing. Paint may also be original but not have its original appearance. Colors might have changed colour or faded or even the actual transparency of the paint may expose under layers not originally obvious to the human eye.

The art repair expert then has got another decision that he must make. How much restoration should be done? That is, how much of the old damage that should be concealed by brand-new paint restoration and retouching? Clean-up choices definitely determine how a painting might appear, but so too will the approach to repair.

Restoration needs to balance two contradicting options, those of legibility and authenticity. On the one hand, the observer wishes to see a composition undamaged by deterioration and decline. Yet on the other hand, it is essential to know which parts of the original is actually painted and which aren't. Both of these needs are often satisfied by the restoration specialist insisting on a comprehensive image document of the actual work to be cleaned, followed by full painting restoration.

If the full photographic image of the original isn't found or even can't be obtained, it is up to the individual painting restoration specialist to take some inventive liberties in line with the adjoining areas of the painting as a guide. This is actually the creative portion of artwork repair and one that can't be calculated with charts and graphs. A qualified professional is the difference between the work of art appearing like the original and it appearing like a painting that's obviously been retouched and repaired.

It generally requires several years of training and continual polishing of techniques to make a painting that looks like the original. If a piece of art is a few hundred years old, this is often much more of a challenge because the painting recovery professional may need to make their own paint to make it just like the texture and color of the original. This is where the imaginative part of the equation is needed. Like I said previously, the majority of painting repair is more art than science.

Painting repair specialists use these careful solutions to clean and refurbish priceless works of art along with humdrum works of art which might be seen at the neighborhood library. The caliber of their artistry can most likely be measured by the experienced eye, in most cases it is the novice that may observe the actual results of restoration that are more obvious. Nevertheless, art repair is an important and essential job completed by trained specialists to create historical works of art preserved for our children and grandchildren to savor and appreciate for a long time to come.

To get the best information on painting restoration, check out our website all about oil painting restoration here!

Original article