Summer heat, overzealous fertilization, or dog urine can cause even the most beloved lawn to turn from lush green to dreary brown. Painting your lawn green is a quick fix that can restore it to at least a version of it's former glory.
Instructions
Prep and Paint
1. Prepare the lawn by mowing the grass and removing the clippings with a rake. If your lawn mower includes a mulch bag you can forgo raking the lawn.
2. Use a hose to wet areas surrounding the lawn, such as driveways, walkways and patios. This prevents the paint from adhering to and discoloring non-grass areas.
3. Mix the paint concentrate in a bucket with water, follow the directions on the bottle. Some brands have different mixing ratios of paint to water; pay careful attention to the instructions.
4. Pour the paint mixture into the sprayer. Be careful not to spill the paint. Wear gloves to protect your hands; do not allow the paint to come into contact with your hands or clothing, as the paint is permanent. Shake the sprayer to ensure the paint is thoroughly mixed with the water.
5. Spray the paint on a small test-patch on your lawn to see how it looks, check the functionality of the sprayer, and practice your technique.
6. Apply the paint to the rest of the lawn. Utilize a grid application, overlapping the previous line by 50 percent to avoid sparse application. Repeat to darken the color to your preference.
Mixed media art includes collages like this piece.
By definition, mixed media art is any form of art that combines two or more mediums in one work. Use of the term began circa 1912 with Cubist collages and the art of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, but these men weren't the first to create mixed media art. Assemblages and collages are forms of mixed media that are popular in the 21st century.
The Earliest Mixed Media Artists
Although they weren't called mixed media artists, artists of the Byzantine Empire, 330 to 1453 A.D., often used gilded gold leaf on their paintings, mosaics, frescoes and manuscripts. The arts stagnated through the Dark Ages, but flourished with the coming of the Renaissance. In addition to working with tempera, a paint medium that dates to ancient Egypt, oil painting became popular. Many artists applied gold leaf to painted wood panels to achieve vibrant skies or shining halos on religious panels.
Cubist Movement
The Cubist art movement began in Europe during the early years of the 20th century. It broke from centuries of traditional painting by depicting objects as three-dimensional images that could be painted from multiple points of view. Space was no longer limited to the flat canvas; by using an analytical system, artists could fragment and redefine viewpoints.
Picasso's First Mixed Media Piece
Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque are considered the fathers of Cubism. Working separately with no communication between them, both artists created works that were similar. By breaking down art to dimensional points of reference, they worked with form and space rather than realistic images. In 1912 Picasso created his first true mixed media piece, "Still Life with Chair Caning." He pasted paper and oilcloth to canvas and combined them with painted areas.
Picasso's Later Work
Beginning in 1912, Picasso applied mixed media techniques to dimensional sculpture. The "Glass of Absinthe" done in 1914 is a vertical piece with many disparate objects assembled together, while "Still Life" involved gluing scraps of wood and a piece of upholstery fringe together and painting them. More realistic is his 1923 piece "The Lovers" which was done using ink, watercolor paints and charcoal on paper.
Mixed Media in the 21st Century
This fabric assemblage is mixed media: fabric, dried grass and dimensional elements.
Drawing from the work of early artists, mixed media is now an accessible art form for both professional and amateur artists. Assemblage and collage can be found mixed with acrylic and watercolor painting, rubber-stamped art, sculpture and altered books. Fibers, torn papers, inks, glitter and beads are finding their way into works of fine art and commercial pieces like greeting cards and quilts. The future of mixed media, it seems, is limited only by the imagination of artists and whatever they can get their hands on.
When making fine art such as bowls, vases or sculptures, a kiln is a necessity to ensure that your work will dry the proper way without cracking or breaking during the process. The Skutt company makes a line of electric kilns that you can use in your art studio. These kilns produce a high heat that you can implement in your artistic work. In order to use the kiln, you must familiarize yourself with the controls.
Instructions
1. Prepare your ceramic or clay work to go into the Skutt kiln before you begin operating it. When your work is ready to be inserted into the kiln, connect the power cord from the device to an open and working AC outlet. When you do this, you will see "PF" appear in the display window to indicate the device is on.
2. Press the "Enter" button to clear the "PF" message. Now press any button on the control pad, and the internal temperature of the kiln will begin to flash on the display. Press the "Enter" button again and then the "Cone Fire" button to set up the kiln for basic cone-shaped items.
3. Enter the "Cone Number" for the type of material you are using by using the number pad. This number is determined by how thick the material is and how high the temperature needs to be. Press "Enter" when finished. Press the "Slow," "Medium" or "Fast" buttons to choose a firing speed for the kiln. Press "Enter" once again.
4. Use the number pad to enter in a hold time. This is the amount of time you want your work to be in the kiln. Enter in the hours digit first, followed by the minutes. If you want to monitor the kiln yourself, enter zero. Press the "Enter" button when finished.
5. Insert your work into the front of the kiln when the internal temperature begins to flash again. Once your work is in place, press the "Start" button and the kiln will fire to the appropriate temperature for the amount of time you specified.
Drawing the Mona Lisa with a grid is a good way to produce an accurate rendering of da Vinci's master work. The use of grids dates back to the ancient Egyptians. It continued through the Baroque Period and remains in use by artists today. Gridding ensures accuracy and perspective to the art subject. A grid also allows you to enlarge or minimize the reference work to the size you want for your final piece. Each block of the grid gives you a reference point to concentrate on and provides a foundation you can use to stay focused on each aspect of the Mona Lisa drawing.
Instructions
Create the Grid
1. Measure 1/2 inch between each horizontal line.
Place dots down the sides of the Mona Lisa reference photo, ½-inch apart, using a ruler as a guide. Use the fine-tip pen to draw horizontal lines connecting the dots across the reference photo.
2. The completed graph consists of equal sized horizontal and vertical lines.
Place dots ½-inch apart along the top and bottom of the reference photo, using the ruler for accuracy.
Use the fine-tip pen to draw vertical lines connecting the dots from top to bottom.
3. Place dots 1 inch apart down each side of the sketch paper using the ruler as a guide. Use the 2B pencil to draw horizontal lines connecting the dots. Use very light pressure on the pencil to prevent scoring the paper.
4. Place dots 1 inch apart across the top and bottom of the sketch paper, using the ruler as a guide. Use the 2B pencil to connect the dots with vertical lines, using very light pressure.
Draw the Mona Lisa
5. Choose a square on the reference photo grid to begin your drawing. Find the corresponding square on the sketch paper by counting across and down the number of squares on both the reference photo and sketch paper grid.
6. Draw details by referring to the reference photo grid.
Examine the details in the Mona Lisa grid square you chose. Begin drawing the reference square details with the 2B pencil into the matching square of the sketch paper. When drawing one of Mona Lisa's eyes, for instance, outline the edge of the iris and pupil first. Look for contrast, highlights and shadows. Apply heavier pressure on your pencil for dark shadows and lighter pressure for mid-tones. Leave the white of the paper to show the lightest highlights. Working in the highlights gives the eye a translucent quality. Continue working toward the outer and inner corners of the eye.
Continue analyzing each square of the grid with this process until all the grid squares are complete.
7. Erase the grid squares when you are satisfied with the details of each square. Adding as much detail as possible to each grid square will result in an accurate rendering of the Mona Lisa.
Fat men tend to be pear shape from the weight being located in the midriff.
Not every character in cartoons is slim, and knowing create a variety of character styles will add to a style toolbox. The same rules apply for creating fat cartoons as thin cartoons except the body is proportionally larger. A male's weight is usually centered around the midriff and a women's weight is normally centered on the thighs and breast. These techniques may be applies to people cartoons or to other characters such as animals or fantasy characters such as dragons.
Instructions
1. Draw an action line to determine the action line of the fat cartoon character, for example if the figure is dancing, draw a horizontal line. (Reference 1 & 2)
2. Draw in a pear shape along the action line for a male body and a barrel shape for the body of a female. (Reference 1)
3. Add circles to represent different body parts such as circles for the head, hands and feet. Draw the head smaller than the body.
4. Create large ovals for different joints such as the knees, elbows and shoulders.
5. Connect the body shapes to add definition and details. For example, draw a line on each side of the oval for the knee to connect the hip and foot.
6. Adjust lines to create a fat effect and erase any lines not needed. Reinforce remaining lines with a black pen.
Byzantine mosaic art flourished between the 6th and 15th centuries.
Byzantine mosaics are complex constructions of stones and cubes made from fragile materials such as glass. Use one of two techniques to make simple patterns for paper mosaics from elaborate Byzantine patterns. You can focus on individual components. For example, make a mosaic from an extreme close-up of eyes, nose and mouth. You can also consolidate small mosaic pieces into larger paper pieces.
Simple Faces
Look closely at the faces in Byzantine mosaics and you'll notice that the lines are actually very simple. Replicate this look with a line drawn portrait. Cut the elements, such as eyebrows, into several smaller sections and use them to create a paper mosaic.
Geometric Designs
Geometric borders often surround the religious figures in Byzantine mosaics. Crosses, stars and diamonds are common. Also common are line patterns with right angles, such as Greek key patterns. Circular medallions are another popular geometric design in Byzantine mosaics. Many circles contain pinwheel, swirl or concentric ring patterns.
Animals
Some Byzantine mosaics include simple animal shapes, such as fish or birds. Complex animal mosaics, such as lions, show larger elements of line and color when looked at from afar. Use these to create simple paper mosaic patterns.
Trailing Vine
The trailing vine motif is popular in Byzantine mosaics --- sometimes as an actual vine, but other times represented by repeated "s" shapes in two colors. Instead of the many small pieces that typically make up the shape, cut solid shapes and lay over slightly larger black shapes to create the look of black borders.
Updating your kitchen needn't be a time-consuming or complex process. Small changes, such as re-painting kitchen trim or molding, makes a big difference to your kitchen's look. When purchasing paint for your kitchen update, choose an oil-based paint, as it is more stain-resistant and durable than latex paint. Also choose paint with a semi-gloss finish since it is easier to clean than other paint finishes. Some paints also contain mildew-resistant chemicals; consider purchasing one of these if your kitchen tends toward dampness.
Walls
By painting your kitchen walls, you can drastically change your kitchen's appearance. If your kitchen walls have been covered in wood or plastic paneling, you can still paint them; simply fill any large scratches, lightly sand and prime them before applying paint. Bright colors give kitchens a cheery feel, so try classic hues like red, turquoise, pale green, orange, off-white and yellow. Keep this effect from being overwhelming by painting trim or cabinetry in a neutral white shade. Small kitchens feel larger if you use soft pastels
.
If you aren't ready to change the look of your whole kitchen, try painting just a single accent wall. Walls that hold a lot of cabinetry or which contain large banks of windows are recommended for this purpose, as the impact of painting these is less dramatic than if you paint a larger expanse of wall. In addition, you easily can paint over the walls if you decide that you don't like their new color.
Floors & Ceilings
Painting the floor or ceiling of your kitchen will subtly alter its look. If you would like your kitchen to feel cozier, paint your kitchen ceiling in a dark, warm-toned hue. Conversely, make smaller kitchens feel airier by painting ceilings in pale shades, such as white or baby blue. Unattractive kitchen floors are quickly transformed by paint. You can even paint over wood or plank floors. Accentuate these patterns with checkerboard designs or stripes.
Doors & Windows
Add panache to your kitchen by repainting your kitchen doors and windows. Revive pantry doors or interiors by painting as well. Use clear, vibrant tones, such as sea green, pale pink and desert orange.
Cabinetry
Repainting your cabinet doors or interiors can help brightly accent your kitchen. Before painting cabinet doors, remove them from their hinges, unscrew all hardware, and cleanse, sand and prime them. If your old hardware doesn't match your new cabinets, try spray-painting it in complementary colors.
Trim
If you aren't ready to apply bold color all over your kitchen, try adding lively zip to your trim. Cheer up ceiling molding, baseboards and backsplashes by applying jewel-toned hues. To paint tile backsplashes, first sand them and cover them with a super-adhesive primer.
Furniture
Re-painting your kitchen furniture can take as little time as a single afternoon. Try painting your kitchen island in a vivid shade, such as sun yellow or tomato red. Refresh old kitchen chairs or stools with a coat of white paint. Stain china hutches in jewel tones, such as dark blue or emerald green.
Refrigerators
Unlike other appliances, you can update refrigerators with regular paint. Painting your refrigerator makes your kitchen look instantly cleaner and fresher. To paint your refrigerator, begin by thoroughly cleaning it. Remove any rust, lightly sand it and paint with enamel in multiple coats. White makes your refrigerator look newer, while pale green or chocolate brown gives your refrigerator a more modern look.
Beautiful in any of the four seasons, a field is a relatively simple yet appealing feature of the landscape to render in paint, and is a good introductory subject for beginning painters. You may choose to make the field complex, up-close and detailed, with trees and rocks, or to limit yourself to the grass and topography of the land only. Either way, a pasture, with its swales and hillocks, is a fascinating subject for a painting, and one that is not overly difficult to master.
Instructions
Painting the Field
1. Mix 2 parts yellow ochre, 1 part burnt umber and 1 part ultramarine blue on your palette. Dip your large brush in this color. Paint a horizontal line about 2/3 of the way up your canvas or canvas board. In the lower section, apply this color in upward-reaching, curving strokes to create the illusion of grass blades. Fill in as much of the area as possible. Clean your brush.
2. Mix 2 parts ultramarine blue, 1 part alizarin crimson and 1/2 part burnt umber on your palette. Dip your large brush in this color. Apply this darker color to the empty spaces within the existing grass blades to create the illusion of shadow. Clean your brush.
3. Mix 2 parts yellow ochre, 1 part white and 1 part cadmium yellow on your palette. Dip your large brush in this color. Apply this light color sparingly to the existing field grass, using upward-reaching, curving strokes. This will create the illusion of lighter grasses and sun highlights. Clean your brush.
4. Sweep your dry, flat brush over the field grass, using upward-reaching, curving strokes. Blend in the places you desire. Do not over-blend. Clean your brush.
5. Mix 3 parts ultramarine blue, 1 part alizarin crimson and 1 part yellow ochre on your palette. Dip your small brush into this color. Apply thinly to some of the grass blades in the foreground of the painting to give them greater definition. Apply this color to outline any negative spaces between the grasses in the foreground. Apply elsewhere on the field as desired. Clean your brush.
Setting basic goals will help a painting business survive.
A painting business, like any other business, must apply for a license and tax ID number and get insurance. Also, it is crucial to set appropriate goals and objectives. For a painting business, three basic goals and objectives will bring success.
Marketing
New business owners are one group that should be targeted.
Create a unique company name and circulate it among prospective clients via both word of mouth and advertising. Flyers, newspapers and radio and television are all common marketing tools. Community newspapers, free newspapers, trade journals and business journals are all good options because they reach several groups, from homeowners to new businesses. Find residential paint jobs through regular newspaper advertising; find commercial jobs through business journal advertisements. Also, send press releases. Perhaps a media outlet will do a story. Craig's List is another good way to market a painting business.
Cost
Overhead costs should be low.
Keep your costs low. You are providing a service; thus, the customer's bill should include both tool and product expenses, including paint, brushes, rollers, tape, extra drop cloths and more. Ladders, scaffolding or other tools used on multiple jobs come out of your budget. Ideally, marketing is your company's biggest expense.
Good Product
Painting business need to remember their product and make sure painting is done well.
Do solid, professional work in a timely manner. If you don't, you will not have a profitable business, no matter how good a marketing job you do. Your finished product is what will cause clients to spread a positive report around town. Also, good customer service will help a painting business receive more jobs. Communicate well with your clients so they understand their money is well spent. Let them know exactly what steps you will take to finish the job and how much time it will take. Address any concerns and let them know they can ask questions as your work progresses.
Le Beau Touche Modeling Clay is a high quality, oil-based molding clay from Chavant Clay Modeling Products. It is softer than similar brands of clay, and stickier than other Chavant clay brands. It is also resistant to breaking and cracking at the right temperatures. These properties make Le Beau Touche clay ideal for art students and professional sculptors.
Temperature
According to the clay specifications listed on the Chavant website, Le Beau Touche is designed for use at room temperature. It retains its properties up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are working in temperatures greater than 90 degrees, use the Le Beau Touche HM clay instead. The HM clay is designed to handle temperatures up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Like all clays, Le Beau Touche hardens as it cools and softens as it heats. Unlike other clays, you can heat and cool the clay as often as necessary. To make your clay softer, set it under a lamp or put it in the microwave for no more than 10 seconds.
Tools and Utensils
Many art stores sell tools that are specially designed for sculptors, like clay shapers, ribbon loop tools and wooden finishing tools. However, amateur artists and professionals alike have used basic kitchen utensils for the same effects. Because Le Beau Touche clay is so soft and tacky, you can create a variety of textures with toothpicks, turkey skewers, butter knives and forks. You can smooth the clay with wooden or Teflon spatulas. Please note that you should never reuse designated clay tools in the kitchen.
Models and Photographs
The easiest way to create a realistic sculpture with Le Beau Touche is to work with a model or a photograph. Because the clay stays flexible and tacky, you can work with live models over a period of several days and never worry about your clay hardening prematurely. If your live model is another person, he can provide you with a critical eye and suggest improvements to your work. If you are working from a photograph, tape the photograph to a wall, or somewhere that is both easily accessible and out of the way. The photo will become caked in clay and unusable if you handle it too often.
Smoothing and Fixing Mistakes
Because Le Beau Touche is soft, it is easy to manipulate. However, overzealous smoothing with such a soft clay can result in small ripples around your project. To avoid ripples, keep a light hand when you are smoothing your clay. It is easier to prevent ripples than to correct them later. If your project already has ripples, you can try to erase them by adding another small, thin layer of clay and blending the new layer into your project. This works well with Le Beau Touche clay because the clay is naturally tacky. Chavant also says that you can smooth the clay with a little bit of solvent liquid, like turpentine or lighter fluid.
Finishing Methods
Le Beau Touche clay does not harden on its own, and the oils can sweat through your project if it is not finished properly. If you want to glaze or paint your project, you must spray it with a shellac or epoxy spray. These sprays create a hard coating around the sculpture. Once the glaze hardens, you can use any kind of paint to color the sculpture, from spray paints to acrylics and oil paints. Always test your glaze on a small piece of waste clay, just to make sure it won't damage your project.
Of the many features that are commonly available in newer graphic design programs, the layers feature is the most notable. This feature allows users to create different layers of images in one image, allowing for maximum design options. A newer feature to be added to the many already found in layers is that of a mask layer, which allows users to mask portions individual layers, within layers, all on the same image.
Instructions
1. Open the image file to add layers. To open a desired image file you will need to scroll to the “File” tab on the command bar and select “Open.” Browse to the image file that you wish to work on and click “OK” to open it.
2. Add a layer to image file. You will need to first add a layer in order to create a mask layer. To add layer scroll to the “Layers” tab on the command bar and choose the desired layer from the submenu.
3. Create a mask layer. Creating a mask layer is easy. Left-click on the desired layer that you want to mask in the layers palette, the scroll to the “Layers” tab on the command bar and select “New Mask Layer.”
4. Set the mask layer properties. Select “From Image” from the dropdown menu, which will open a mask layer properties box. You can select three different properties when choosing a mask layer: Source Luminance, which will mask the luminance from the source of the image, Any Non-zero Value, which will mask all negative values on the image, or Source Opacity which will mask any opacity that shines through from the image.
5. Select the desired mask layer attributes. After you have chosen the attributes for the mask layer, click “OK” to implement.
It is unknown why some whales display surface activity and some do not.
When you think of whales, you may imagine a large, lumbering creature with the girth of a school bus. Indeed, blue whales, the largest of the species, can reach 80 to 90 feet, but most whales are considerably smaller. Scientifically categorized under the order cetaceans, whales fall into two suborder classifications --- toothed whales and baleen whales.
Cetacean Suborders
The suborder of toothed whales contains most of the smaller whales, and this group incorporates dolphins. According to the Convention of Migratory Species, there are 72 toothed whale species. Outside the dolphin family, the smallest toothed whale is the dwarf sperm whale. The suborder of baleen whales is characterized by mammals with baleen plates for filtering plankton from water, rather than having teeth for feeding. The smallest baleen whale is the pygmy right whale.
Dwarf Sperm Whale
Dwarf sperm whales are of the cetacean family Kogiidae. They grow from 8 to 9 feet and weigh between 300 and 600 lbs. This species has a compact, stout body that narrows toward the tail. The dorsal fin is located midway down the back, with slight variations in shape for individual whales. Dwarf sperm whales have a sharklike snout that is pointed and conical. They have three pairs of teeth in the upper jaw and between seven to 13 pairs on the bottom. The flippers are wide, short and located toward the front of the body. Dwarf sperm whales are brownish to darker blue-gray and lighter, almost white-pink on the underbelly. Dwarf sperm whales have a single blowhole. While at the surface, they have a flat profile due to a level head and back. Their surface breathing offers no display and because of their shy behavior, dwarf sperm whales are rarely seen. They travel alone or in small groups of six to 10 animals. It is uncommon to spot them from a boat, and the lack of surface activity makes them difficult to study.
Pygmy Right Whales
The pygmy right whale is the smallest and most enigmatic of all baleen whales. Very little is known about this whale species, since only a few dozen specimens have been examined by scientists. Their almost identical appearance to the minke whale makes purposed sightings questionable. Pygmy right whales average 21 feet and weigh a maximum of 10,000 lbs. They are dark gray on top, and the underside is white. On the flanks of the pygmy right whale are two chevron-shaped markings. They have a small dorsal fin located toward the rear end of the body. The small, narrow flippers are darker gray than the rest of the body and the tail fluke is notched in the center. Pygmy right whales have been sighted in Tasmania and on migratory routes along the coasts of southern Australia, New Zealand, the Falkland Islands, South Africa and in some areas of Antarctica. This whale species is spotted singly or in pairs, although groups of up to 80 whales have been witnessed. Pygmy right whales do not exhibit breaching behaviors, nor do they display their flukes. Also unlike other whales, pygmy right whales swim by body undulation, (full body movements) rather than with repetitive tail thrusts.
Dolphins
If considering dolphin along with the order of whales, the smallest is the Hector's dolphin. This marine mammal grows to a length of 4 to 5 feet and weighs a maximum of 110 to 120 lbs. Hector's dolphins are found only in the coastal waters of New Zealand and are bordering on extinction. According to the World Wildlife Fund, only about 7,400 of these dolphins are left in the world. Hector's dolphins are easily recognizable with their rounded dorsal fin and distinct coloration. Their sides and back are light gray, and they have white streaks along their sides. The underside is light, almost white, while the face, fins and tail are black. On the face of the Hector's dolphin is an easily identifiable crescent-shaped mark.
While iTunes makes it easy to download album artwork and transfer it to your iPod, removing the artwork is a different story. There is no option to automatically remove all album artwork from iTunes. However, you can remove it from individual songs or albums. This is useful if iTunes downloaded the incorrect album artwork: after clearing it, you can replace it with the correct artwork. You can also clear album artwork to save space on your iPod.
Instructions
Clear Artwork from an Album
1. Open iTunes and select "Music" in your Library.
2. Select all of the songs from same album. You can either hold "Ctrl" and click each song in the album, or select the first song in the album, press and hold the "Shift" key and click the last song in the album.
3. Right-click on the selected album. Select "Clear Downloaded Artwork" from the context menu. Click the "Clear Downloaded Artwork" button in the confirmation window that opens.
Clear Artwork from Individual Songs
4. Open your iTunes music library. Right-click a song.
5. Select "Get Info" from the context menu. Click the "Artwork" tab to show the album art.
6. Click the album artwork, then click the "Delete" button to remove the artwork from the song file.
Silk screening is the ideal technique to print brilliant, dynamic images on a variety of materials. Also known as screen printing, the silk screen technique works well on paper, cardboard, T-shirts, plastic, metal, wood and ceramic. There are several methods for making silk screen stencils, or screens, for use in printing with a squeegee and ink.
Basic Silk Screen Technique
In silk screen printing, a stencil of an image is created on a screen fabric that is stretched over a frame. Screen printing ink is placed in the frame and forced through the stencil with a squeegee onto the surface to be printed. There are several techniques available for creating the stencil. Traditionally, the screen fabric used was silk. Today it is more common to use a synthetic screen mesh, readily available at art supply stores or from screen printing suppliers. The synthetic screen mesh is stretched over a frame that is usually made of wood or metal. There are many screen printing inks available. Different inks are used for shirts, paper, metal or wood. Some inks wash up with water, while others clean up with mineral spirits or other solvents.
The Photo Emulsion Stencil
Most commercial silk screen stencils are made with the the photo emulsion technique. This technique involves a light-sensitive emulsion that is evenly spread over synthetic screen mesh. After the emulsion dries, a film positive with the design is placed face down over the screen. Usually a piece of heavy glass is placed over the film positive to ensure close contact between the screen and the image on the film. A bright light is shined on the film positive and emulsion-coated screen. The light hardens the emulsion except where the image on the film blocks it. After exposure to the light, the stencil is developed by spraying with warm water. Excess emulsion may be blotted off the stencil using newsprint. When the stencil is completely dry, it is ready to be used in silk screen printing.
The Paper Stencil Method
The paper stencil method is a good way to try silk screening. It is great for craft projects or beginners. It is easy and inexpensive. The design will be cut from paper using an art knife, such as an exacto knife, or scissors. For a durable stencil, waxed paper is best. Symmetrical designs can be created by folding paper and cutting away from it. The cut out wax paper design is placed on top of the item to be screen printed. A blank silk screen stencil frame is placed over the cut out design and item to be printed. Ink is added and a squeegee is used to force the ink through the stencil.
The Screen Filler Method
The screen filler method is great for designers who can think in terms of composition and negative space. The design can be drawn on a piece of paper with a pencil. Once the design is drawn, the paper is placed under the silk screen stencil. Ideally the bottom of the screen will be above the paper, not touching it, to avoid smearing and blobbing the with the screen filler. The screen filler is carefully painted directly onto the silk screen stencil in the areas where ink will be blocked. Any area left open is where the image will print. Screen filler is available from art supply and craft stores.
Chalk will wash away with the rain, to protect the sidewalk.
A concrete sidewalk is a giant outdoor canvas for a street artist. With just a box of pastel chalks, a cloth, water, can of hairspray and a range of techniques --- an artist can make impressive temporary masterpieces to share freely with the passing spectators on the sidewalk gallery.
Preparation
The first stage of creating a chalk picture on the sidewalk is to draw a white outline of the image to be filled in with colored chalk pastels. Street artists often copy from a picture of an existing work such as from the great masters -- from Michelangelo to Pablo Picasso; or the work may be an original illustration. She may rule out a square grid on the printed picture reference and then increase the grid size on the pavement to keep the dimensions of the image in proportion to the printed copy.
Shading
A street artist needs to work quickly for he is always at the mercy of the weather conditions. The technique of shading is used to fill in areas of the chalk picture with color and shade. He will use the side of the chalk to shade quickly across his selected area. The more pressure he applies to the chalk, the darker the shade will be. Conversely, with less pressure applied to the chalk, he creates lighter graduated tones.
Blending
Another important art chalk technique is to blend colors together to create smoother color transitions. The artist will shade an area with one color, then introduce a second color chalk pastel into the mix. Hence, she shades over the first color with the second and blends the two colors together with the help of blending sticks, tissues or an old cloth.
Wet Effect
Chalk pastels are dipped into a container of water for up to 6 minutes, until the tip of the chalk pastel is soaked and softened. Then, the chalk can be applied to the sidewalk like paint. In this technique, the colors will be easier to blend together and also will be able to cover large areas of the concrete canvas.
A 3D floor plan illustrates existing space in a room.
Three-dimensional (3D) room drawings are used in all types of media such as animation, comics and architecture. With three-dimensional drawings, you can create art that is easily recognized by viewers as it relates to real life and perspective. In order to draw a 3D room, you will need to understand distance and space. By following a few simple steps, you will create a 3D room drawing in no time.
Instructions
1. Place a point in the middle of your canvas or paper. This is called your vanishing point. The vanishing point is the farthest distance point where everything in space disappears.
2. Draw a small rectangle around the vanishing point, using a ruler. Make sure that each line is drawn straight and they are the same length. Connect four lines on the outside the rectangle on an angle. Each line will be connected to the four vertices (angles) of the rectangle. Use the point that you just made and your ruler to create even lines on the vertices. This will create your walls.
3. Create a door. Go back to your point. Place your ruler vertically on the point and move the ruler on the walls that you just created. Draw a vertical line for the side of the door. Draw a horizontal line for the top part of the door by starting at the point that you just created and slanting your ruler on the vertical line that you just created for the door. Draw another vertical line for the door.
Repeating elements in a photograph creates rhythm, which attracts the eye.
Landscape photographers bring out the beauty of form, shape and design in a landscape. From home gardens, to golf courses and parks, a landscape photograph introduces a viewer to the layout of a landscape using provocative techniques, such as unity through shapes. The most successful ideas for landscape photographs come by valuing the aesthetics and basic principals of photography.
Curves
Capture a landscape by concentrating on the curves and form of the scene. For example, if you are photographing a side yard with a round birdbath featured in the center, look for similar curves you can include in the photograph.
Stand to the side of the yard, for instance, and instead of shooting the picture with the birdbath in the center, include a portion of the curved hedges surrounding the yard, or a round bush and the birdbath to the left or right of the photo. Lead the viewer to the object by giving her a glimpse of how the landscape shapes fit together as a whole.
Interior to Exterior
Take a photograph of a landscape from inside a home or other building. If you are taking a picture of a new landscape design in your backyard, shoot it through a window in the kitchen, a bedroom or from the sliding glass door to the deck. The perspective will help viewers understand the depth of field, the view of the patio or garden area as seen from indoors. This approach will also add an artistic element to the photo, if it is shot with correct lighting.
Repeated Images
Shoot the image of a patio, deck or landscaped pool with repeated images throughout. Using a mimetic-like approach to photography, you can attract a view to the rhythm in the photo. For example, if you are shooting a pool-side shot showing the flowers and shrubs surrounding the pool, include a row of similarly shaped, sized and space pots in the image. The pots will give a line of continuity in the photograph, a center from which the viewer can go back and forth to view the other details in the image.
Populate the Landscape
Landscape photographs usually do not feature people in them, so that the viewer can concentrate on the landscape design. To make your image unique, take a photograph of an outdoor landscape, such as a patio arrangement or a backyard garden area, with people.
For example, when you photograph the layout of a garden and garden path, include a man gardening with a spade on one side of the garden. On the other side of a garden, a woman may be picking apples from a home-grown apple tree. Ensure that you emphasize the landscaping and that the people in the photograph only give interest and a helpful sense of space to the photo.
The proper paint and paintbrushes are important for creating realistic images in tole painting.
Tole painting is kind of folk art that originated in New England in the 18th century and is defined as decorative patterns or image painted on metal or wood household items. When using tole painting techniques to create images rather than just patterns, it's important to add texture and layer to your painting in the form of proper shading. The correct tools and techniques will help you achieve a realistic image. Rich acrylic paints and the proper brushes are necessary for shading in tole painting.
Instructions
1. Sketch on a sheet of paper the image you'd like to paint. Mark the parts of the image that will need to be shaded differently, whether darker or lighter. The object of shading is to paint a realistic image by creating depth. Shade the sketch with a pencil as you would shade in your painting or mark the areas you will shade with some identifying information, for instance, put an "l" for lighter and a "d" for darker.
2. Transfer this template for your image on the item you're painting. Use a light-colored pencil that you can see but that is not too dark. Create the outline of the image.
3. Decide what colors you'll be using to paint this image. Choose one base color, for instance brown, and choose three or four variations of that same color. Prepare these by mixing paint colors. Use white to lighten the base color and black or another dark paint to get a richer shade.
4. Paint the base color onto the pencil template you've drawn on the item you're painting. Paint evenly using a flat brush. Allow the first layer to dry. Thoroughly clean the flat brush of all paint.
5. Begin shading using the flat brush. Use a technique called "sideloading." Load a heavy layer of paint of one of the colors you've mixed onto one side of the flat brush. Dip the other side of the brush into water. Roll the brush onto the part of the image you're shading. The painted side of the brush will create a rich hue where it lands that gradually diminishes as you roll to the watery side of the brush. Allow the paint to dry.
6. Use this technique wherever you wish to create gradual shading on the image. Blend with water or a lighter color any areas that have not been shaded gradually enough.
Sfumato, from the Italian word, sfumare, "to tone down" or "to evaporate like smoke", refers to a painting style which was coined by Leonardo da Vinci. Sfumato paintings can be recognized by the blending of colors and tones which are so subtle, the transition between shape and shadow cannot be perceived. The most famous example of this method of painting is da Vinci's, "Mona Lisa."
Color Palette for Sfumato Paintings
Mid-tone colors are the basis for this type of oil painting technique. The easiest selection of colors to work with comes from a palette of earth tones. Starting with neutral grays and browns for the under painting, glazes can then continue into a small range of earthy greens, blues and browns which all stay within a similar tonal range. These colors, if painted in a value scale would fall within the same narrow range almost creating a monochromatic feel.
For consistency, contrasting colors, complimentary colors and intense colored paints such as bright reds should be avoided. Black and white is used to help modify tones within the colors, narrowing the palette, yet offering some variation.
Sfumato artists tend to use dark umber browns to show the illusion of objects in the distance. Mixing umber brown and ultramarine blue paints will create an interesting variation on black.
Techniques
Painting in very thin layers of glazes over a solid under painting is the most effective way to create a smoky illusion. Glazes refer to oil paint that has been thinned down to a watery consistency. This can be achieved with a number of thinning vehicles, though linseed oil works very well. After the under painting is completely dry, the first layer of glaze is added and allowed to also completely dry prior to adding additional glazes.
Patience is the most important attribute to this technique of painting. Depending on the climate where the artwork is made, it may take several days for each layer to dry completely, which is the key to successful layering. It is suggested to work on several canvases at once for artists practicing this technique.
When painting facial features, there should be no outlines, and very little definition between shapes. Instead, distinctive features should be softly blended variations in tone and color. In the case of shadows, darker browns can be blended to show depth. Colors can be swapped to help with the illusion. Burnt umber and ochre can be used for lips instead of red. Moss green and burnt umber can be used for eyes in place of blues.
Filbert and fan brushes are ideal for blending out edges. Greater detail can be achieved using smaller brushes. Da Vinci was known to have painted upwards of 40 layers of glazes while painting "Mona Lisa." His painting technique was not typical short or long brush strokes; instead he used tiny dots to convey the minutest shadows.
Rembrandt painted many self portraits throughout his life.
The artist's self portrait is as individual as the artist painting it. However, despite the individuality of these paintings and drawings, artists use several common elements to serve as backgrounds for their works. If well-selected, the background sends as much of a message about the artist painting the portrait as the face of the artist does.
Purpose
Artists paint self portraits for a variety of reasons. For some, a self portrait represents a chance to paint and draw the face without having to pay a model's fee. For others like Rembrandt and Picasso, the self portrait stood for more than that. One of Pablo Picasso's most famous self portraits came from his Blue Period. This period for Picasso indicated that he was moving into a different direction and establishing an identity of his own as an artist. Even more than Picasso, Rembrandt painted many self portraits throughout his life. According to the Rembrandt Van Rijn website, Rembrandt's many portraits represent not only the self-expression that Picasso's Blue Period portrait did, but also intense self reflection over the course of many years. This self reflection included visual musings on the ideal self, as a narrative and as a metaphor. The background that the artist chooses in each of these cases depends on the message he's trying to convey through the work as Picasso's and Rembrandt's work demonstrate.
Plain
Sometimes the most telling background for a self-portrait is no background or rather one that just features a color that highlights the artist standing in front of it. Picasso painted his Blue Period portrait in front of a blue background --- a trademark color for him during this phase of his artistic development. Although an artist chooses a plain background, it doesn't necessarily mean bland. Sometimes the color itself is chosen, because it conveys a specific message. According to color theory, all colors have some meaning. An artist with an understanding of how color affects the viewer psychologically will select a color for the background of a self-portrait with this in mind.
The Artist's Studio
The artist in his element offers one of the most interesting backdrops for a self portrait. Artists like Norman Rockwell and Jack Vettriano have painted themselves in their studio working on a painting. These portraits give the viewer a glimpse into the private world of the artist. The view of the studio depends on the artist and what they want to portray in their self portrait, which means the studio could be neat and orderly or just bordering on chaos. Additionally, as in the case of Rockwell's triple self portrait, it gives the artist a chance to show off some of his artistic influences; this self portrait features the self portraits of artists like Rembrandt as well as Van Gogh.
Metaphor
Metaphor isn't limited to just prose. The artist painting the self-portrait has the option of playing around with visual metaphor and symbolism in her work. The background of the self-portrait provides visual clues about some event or theme that was important to the artist at the time. One of the masters of self portrait as a metaphor was Frida Kahlo, who put her own face into her paintings. She stood in front of a variety of backdrops, including in front of a jungle with monkeys and turbulent waves of a symbolic sea. Kahlo herself suffered a serious accident, which inflicted her with pain for the remainder of her adult life. For example, it was in "The Broken Column" that Kahlo put herself in front of the barren desert and portrayed herself in the nude from the waist up with a broken column in place of her backbone. The backgrounds of these self portraits give other artists clues about use visual elements in the backgrounds of their paintings to convey metaphorical meaning in their work.
Roads and rail lines are classic subjects of one-point perspective drawing.
Until the Renaissance, artists had not worked out the rules for making a two-dimensional drawing convey three-dimensional space. This is why medieval drawings often have a strange sense of scale, showing people as large as the castles they are attacking. However, artists during the Renaissance realized that parallel lines appear to converge as they become more distant. This is the key to successful perspective drawing. However, it is also important to know which lines should converge and where.
Instructions
One-Point Perspective Drawing
1. Use one-point drawing when drawing objects or scenes in which all the visible faces of objects, other than those facing directly outward towards the viewer, are angled inward towards the center of the scene. An example would be drawing a room when sat facing square on to the back wall, or looking down the street from the middle of the road. Do not use if you also can see the faces pointing outward from the center.
2. Set a point in the middle of the drawing just above your horizon line. First draw the faces of the objects that face you directly. Draw these without distortion; keep the square front of a building square without changing any of the angles.
3. Draw any lines that convey depth leading away from the edges of your forward-facing shapes. Align them all with the point above the horizon you drew first. Line up the ruler between the corner of the forward face and the point and draw the line as long as you want the object. Notice how the lines converge. Link the vertical lines with horizontal and vertical lines to show the rear edge.
Two-Point Perspective
4. Use two-point perspective when you can see both the inward- and outward-facing faces of objects; for example, when standing facing the corner of a building with the walls receding away from you in different directions.
5. Draw two points with which to line up the perspective lines, one at each side of the paper. If you will be drawing objects close to the paper edges it can be better to set your points off the paper. Draw them on the table and keep the paper in place.
6. Draw faces that are facing toward you as before using horizontal and vertical lines. However, lines that recede away to the left should now be lined up with the point off to the left, and vice versa to the right.
Isometric Drawing
7. Use isometric drawing to convey accurate information in three-dimensional drawing. This is helpful for drawing plans or schematics. Use isometric dot paper. Turn it so that the longest distance between dots on a line is on the horizontal.
8. Draw shapes with their corners on the dots. Position objects diagonally so they have one vertical edge closest to you. Start by drawing the closest vertical edge between the vertical dots. Now draw receding lines above an object by going from dot to diagonally and upward, if the face you are drawing is above the object, or downward if it is below.
9. Continue drawing upward or downward when drawing the edges that come inward to join at the rear corner of the shape. The isometric scale keeps all lengths in proportion; a line between two neighboring dots counts as the same length whether it goes horizontally, diagonally or vertically.
Experiment with colors and shapes to make exotic sea creatures.
Sea creature projects for kids range from the realistic to the imaginative. Many crafting projects for kids use items found in most households, such as paper, paints and glue, and need no more than some imagination or inspiration to get started. Encourage kids to explore color and texture through creating fantasy sea creatures, as well as making realistic drawings and models of recognizable creatures.
Balloons
Balloons make realistic octopus bodies. For quick octopus creatures, blow up the balloon and tie the end and tape long streamers to the knotted end to represent tentacles. Paint a face on the balloon using either acrylic paints or permanent markers. Another method is to use the balloon as a form for a paper mache model. Make paper mache using a flour-based glue and strips of newspaper, covering the whole balloon, except for the tied end. Cover the balloon with two or three layers, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next one. When the paper mache is dry, pop the balloon and remove it from the form. Attach the tentacles and paint a face.
Paper Plates
Use paper plates to make sea creature mobiles or dioramas. For a diorama, use two paper plates. Cut out the flat base from one plate and replace it with a circle of clear plastic to form a window. Paint the second plate sea blue and stick on cut-out fish shapes, seaweed shapes and sea shells. Glue the rims of the two plates together so bases face outward. For mobiles, paint or stick fish shapes on the surfaces of the plates. Pierce holes in the top of the plates and hang them from a wire coat hanger, using different lengths of fishing line.
Fish Frieze
Cut various fish, whale, shell, bubbles and seaweed shapes from colored construction paper. Make the shapes large, emphasizing shape rather than detail in the outlines. Add extra detail after the shapes are cut out. For instance, paint on stripes of white glue and sprinkle glitter onto the wet glue, or stick on sequins for sparkly eyes. Put removable glue dots on the backs of the shapes and use them for a changeable underwater scene on a bedroom wall.
Jewelry
Use polymer clay to create fishy jewelry items, such as pendants for necklaces. Either mold the clay into 3-D fish shapes or roll the clay flat then cut out shapes with a blunt plastic knife. Use a pencil to trace the outline onto the clay before cutting for more accurate shaping. Mold eyes and fins in different-colored clay and press onto the fish bodies. Pierce a hole in the top of the clay sea creature. Bake it in the oven following the manufactures instructions for time and temperature. When the shapes are baked and cooled, thread them on leather thongs or other decorative cords.
Many children enjoy learning about animals and science, especially if they get the chance to do experiments and play games. Games get the kids up and moving around, which may help them to remember key concepts. Students are also more likely to ask questions and want to learn more about the subject at hand if they are having fun. Many students especially enjoy learning about the ocean, since its inhabitants are so mysterious. Use sea animal games to excite your students even more; some games even allow the kids to get wet.
Tide Pool Treasure Hunt
This game can be modified for students of all ages. Students may require close supervision to keep wet sand off the floors; you can also take the kids outside for this game. Fill several large plastic containers with sand and water and hide little plastic sea creatures and real or fake shells in each one. These represent tide pools; make each tide pool from a different part of the world for an extra challenge.
Split your students into groups and give each group a tide pool. Instruct the students to find as many creatures and shells as they can in 3 to 5 minutes. Older students should be able to write down the names of their creatures and where they come from. Make picture references for younger students so they can place the creatures they find on the pictures.
Predator and Prey Role Play
For this game, split your classroom into four different ocean zones. The Arctic, Antarctic, tropical reefs and deep ocean are some good categories to start with. Split your students into four sections corresponding with the ocean zones. Have each student make two paper plate masks representing animals from his zone; make sure each student has a predator mask and a prey mask.
Get half the students in each group to put on their predator masks and half to put on their prey masks. Instruct them to act like their animals, with the rule that no one actually gets hurt or bitten. Jellyfish can say "zap" when they touch their prey and octopi can wrap their arms around fish and make munching noises. After a few minutes, tell them to switch roles.
Deep Dark Ocean
This game makes a great follow-up to studying the deep ocean. It helps the students visualize what the dark oceans are like. Ask all of your students to dress in black clothing the day you plan to play the game. Get some small flashlights (available at convenience stores), glow-in-the-dark plastic shapes, glow-in-the-dark paint and some glow sticks. Help your students make costumes using the shapes, black paper and the paint and the glow sticks. Hang black curtains or construction paper over the windows and shut off all the lights. Instruct your students to act like deep ocean fish. Then, with the lights still off, talk about why deep ocean fish look the way they do.
Take effective photos by concentrating on the composition.
Taking the best photos is not as simple as viewing and clicking. It takes proper planning of your composition, and visualizing your result, to shoot high-quality pictures every time. There are many things to take into consideration when setting up a shot, such as the compositional elements, focal point, lighting and focus. Practice incorporating these elements into your picture taking and in no time, they will come to you naturally. You will take the best pictures that will preserve your memories for future generations.
Instructions
1. Plan the composition of your picture. When composing a picture, think about the elements that will fill the picture plane, such as patterns, textures and lines. Patterns and textures create interest and lines create movement within a picture.
2. Determine the depth of field within the composition. Decide on the focal point, or subject of focus, for your photograph. To place emphasis on the focal point, decrease the depth of field by moving in close and eliminating background and foreground distractions. Only increase the depth of field when the background and foreground compliment the focal point in an interesting way.
3. Decide if you will be shooting the photo vertically or horizontally. Not all photos work well with the standard horizontal picture plane. Shoot vertical to capture subject matter that has some height to prevent cutting off interesting areas.
4. Study the light that is hitting your subject. Avoid lighting that is too bright, which can cast strong shadows on your subject matter or overexpose the photo. Take outdoor photos early in the morning or just before sunset for best results.
5. Decide on the compositional placement of your subject matter. There are occasions where the subject works well in the center of a photo, but strongly consider moving the subject from the dead center. Off-center subjects work well when the background and foreground details create additional interest.
6. Turn on your camera and flash, and focus the camera onto the subject matter. Most cameras focus automatically. Many cameras show a green ready light when the shutter button is pushed half-way down, indicating that the auto focus is ready. Press the shutter button halfway down, center your subject matter in the picture plane, look for the green light if applicable and press the button all the way.
Use sea creatures as the basis for a variety of art projects for kids.
Teaching about sea creatures through thematic units is common in many classrooms with young children. There are a variety of creatures that live in the sea, and you can use this concept to study a variety of academic concepts related to these animals. To enhance the unit, you can create a variety of art projects to go along with the reading, math and science lessons.
Octopus
Make your own octopus using a plain paper plate. Paint the plate a solid color using any type of washable paint. Glue eyes on the front, and then cut eight strips of paper to use as tentacles for the octopus. Color these the same color you chose to paint the body. Glue each leg to the back of the paper plate and punch a hole in the top of the plate. Tie clear fishing line to the octopus and hang it from the ceiling as a decoration.
Sea Anemone
One animal found in oceans throughout the world is the sea anemone. Create your own anemone using a plain Styrofoam ball. Cut the ball in half and use one half for your sea animal. Color the ball any color of your choice. Flip it over so that the flat side rests on the table, and use coordinating pipe cleaners to create the spines of your sea anemone. Cut each pipe cleaner into 3-inch strips and stick them in the top of the ball. Cover the entire ball using this technique.
Ocean Animal Scene
Create your own sea creature scene using crayons and watercolors. With your crayons, draw an underwater scene on any size paper, adding a variety of sea creatures. To make them authentic-looking, reference photographs of actual animals found in the waters closest to your area. Then, use blue watercolor paint and a large brush to paint over the entire scene. The use of watercolors will allow your crayons to come through, and create the look of the water to complete your drawing.
Balloon Fish
There are many varieties of fish that live in the sea. Choose your favorite fish and create a balloon representation of that creature. Pick an appropriate color balloon and blow it up, careful not to make it too full. Tie off the balloon and use this as your fish's body. Use construction paper to create fins and glue them to the side of your balloon. Add any other details to make your fish look realistic, and finish it off by drawing eyes on the balloon with a permanent marker. Create an entire school of fish using this technique.
Leonardo da Vinci was a great artist of the Renaissance period.
Understanding the characteristics of Renaissance art styles will make it possible to develop a deeper consideration and appreciation for the artwork. Artists of this time were concerned with different ways to create three-dimensional forms and add greater emotional impact to their paintings. The Renaissance art movement that spread through Europe from the 14th to 17th centuries has left a lasting impression on artists.
Perspective
Renaissance art gave high priority to a conceptualization called perception. Perception is the relationship between points on a grid; it places objects so that they appear along a vanishing point, creating three-dimensional drawings. One method of accomplishing this is to create buildings as if they were receding into the painting, as in Masolino's painting from the year 1425, "St. Peter Healing a Cripple and the Raising of Tabitha." Two buildings appear adjacent to each other with the same vanishing point. A vanishing point creates two parallel lines that allow an image to converge upon a single point.
Sfumato
Sfumato is a commonly used technique that appears frequently in Renaissance art. The technique creates a contrast between light and dark portions of the painting. The "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci, depicts this concept perfectly with the dark shadows that shade parts of her face. This technique lends a degree of emotional realism to the work and allows the artist to create an impression "in the manner of smoke," according to da Vinci.
Foreshortening
Artists of the Renaissance developed a technique referred to as foreshortening to create the illusion that an object was smaller than it actually was. An example of foreshortening, illustrated by using the image of a simple box, is possible. A three-dimensional box in which the edges are straight up and down does not create foreshortening; however, by angling the lines outwards to a small degree the box will appear shorter, even if the lines of the nonforeshortened box and the foreshortened box are the same length.
Chiaroscuro
Casual observers may confuse chiaroscuro with sfumato, since both techniques employ light and dark contrasts; however, with chiaroscuro the technique applies to the entire composition to create a sense of volume. For example, the edge of a woman's leg, darkened on the sides against a dark background, creates a three-dimensional form to provide contrast and volume. A major distinction between sfumato and chiaroscuro is the intent behind the shading: emotional realism versus volume and contrast.
Traditional art is culturally significant. Fine art references to European traditions are in oil paintings, sculpture or architecture. Traditional Latin American art describes the indigenous cultures that produce baskets, masks and pottery as well as paintings. Traditional art symbols incorporate native myths or stories.
Architecture
Statues are traditional art of Europe.
Examples of traditional art are found in types and styles of housing. Architecture strongly links geography and art.
Pottery
Pottery is a traditional art in many cultures.
Decorative pottery is stylized according to geography and culture. Greek vessels of pottery and Native American earthenware pottery are examples of traditional art forms.
Painting
Silk painting is a traditional art of Asia.
Painting in oils and acrylics is traditionally considered a European art form. Asian paintings have traditions of silk and rice paper painting.
Drama
Theater and ceremony are types of art representative of culture. Theater is art that defines social norms.
Masks
Traditional art forms of masks are found in many cultures.
Traditional arts of Africa, Asia and America include masks for ceremony and decoration.
Disney's "Aladdin" is filled with colorful images and characters. The one character that sums up the entire feel of the world of Aladdin is the genie. This colorful and powerful character acts as the spokesperson for magical and wondrous world of Aladdin. Learning to draw this character is a must if you want to capture the feel of high adventure and endless surprise that is central to Aladdin's tale. You can create the genie by using a relatively simple basic frame and adding more details to this magical creature as you go.
Instructions
1. Create the basic frame of the torso using a large upside-down triangle shape. Make this shape wide at the top and then thin and wavy at the bottom to create the characteristic "smoke body" of the Genie. Add the head with a large oval shape on top of the chest.
2. Draw the guidelines for the arms with two curved lines coming off the upper right and left side of the chest. Add hands with oval shapes. Draw a cross or "T" shape cross the face to block out where the facial details will go.
3. Add cylinders to the upper and lower arms to thicken the frame. Draw ovals for the eyes on the horizontal line of the facial guideline. Draw the eyebrows with sideways teardrop shaped lines. Add the nose with a slightly diagonal "V" shape. Create the mouth with a curved line under the nose and add the lower lip with another curved line below the mouth.
4. Add the pointy ears of the genie with two triangular shapes coming from the left and right side of the head. Add the goatee with two lines across the upper lip and coming down to the chin. Add a spiral onto the bottom of the chin.
5. Draw the hair with a band at the top of the head attached to a thin, flattened question mark shape. This shape should come to a small point at the end.
6. Draw parallel lines around the arms and add the arm bands with two curved lines across each wrist. Draw the waist sash with a band across the waist. Ink all of the lines you wish to keep. Let the ink dry and carefully erase the pencils.
7. Color the illustration using art markers. Use blue for the skin, yellow for the arm bands, black for the hair and red for the sash.
Turn your regular cloth napkins into a work of art with screen printing.
Screen printing is a unique way to create handmade images in batches, instead of making only a single image. Use screen printing to put your images on different materials and objects around the house. You can also personalize things such as cards, clothing and housewares. Choose images that are easy to identify and can be created in single or very few colors.
Household Items and Clothing
Freshen up some of your household items and clothing by screen printing unique designs onto them. Pillowcases, dishtowels, T-shirts, ties, tote bags and aprons all can be printed on especially if they have a single color to begin with. You may want a different pattern for each one, or you could make them all match. Choose a favorite image, such as a tree, animal, or natural item that can be easily identified when printed.
Quotes
Have a favorite quote that inspires you? Screen print it and put it up on the wall. You can use fabric, paper or other materials to print the quote onto. You can play around with the words making some larger than others.
Place Mats and Napkins
One idea for screen printing is to create an interesting dining experience by screen printing place mats with each family member's name on them or an image of something they are interested in. Fabric napkins are not only environmentally friendly, but they can also be screen printed with names or images. Even the tablecloth could have screen printed images across it or around the border.
Greetings
Send personal greetings by printing your own cards. You could screen print a number cards with one design that is suitable for many occasions, so that you always have cards handy for the upcoming birthday or celebration. If you're more enthusiastic, create different cards for various occasions such as birthday, anniversary or Christmas.
Use pencils, markers or crayons to add doodles to your scrapbooks.
Doodling may not be a waste of time, after all, as it adds youth and a funky artistic twist to traditional scrapbooking methods. Many scrapbookers have decided to take a doodling approach to decorating pages rather than using the common stickers, stamps and embellishments alone. Give it a try on one of your scrapbook pages.
Child Doodles
Create a colorful scrapbook page for your family. Give your child a set of colored markers or crayons and a blank scrapbook page. Give her only the colors that you want included on the page, and ask her to draw something specific that relates to the pictures you're planning to put on it. For example, specify a house if your pictures are of the whole family. Arrange your pictures on the page the way you normally would, and then add extra embellishments if you like. The result will be a scrapbook that not only holds your photo memories, but also the child's artwork.
Word Collage
Place your photos on the scrapbook page in any way you want. Add a few ribbons, stickers or other embellishments. Leave most of the page blank around the photos. Use a pen or colored marker to hand-write descriptive words or names of people and things that either relate to the pictures or are things you like. For example, around the photo of you and your best friend, write words and phrases like "friends forever," "best friends," or "best buds." Write words in random styles, like bold print, cursive, bubble letters and block letters.
Tattoo Doodle
Create fancy and delicate designs or rough and rugged shapes.
Create a scrapbook made up of interesting and increasingly popular tattoo art. Tattoo art has become very fashionable, as clothing designers have begun incorporating tattoo-like graphics on trendy t-shirts and purses. Draw your tattoo art from some of your local tattoo shops, or get inspiration from body art that you've seen on other people. Choose tattoo-type images that wok well with the photos on the page. For example, if you are making a page for your mother, draw a classic heart with "Mom" written inside.
An open-mouthed rooster draws the eye because it appears to be crowing.
Storybook roosters awaken farmers at the break of dawn. They can make a great sentimental addition to a farm scene or used for a home-decor stencil. Chickens or roosters have also traditionally been popular as a theme for decorating kitchens. Knowing draw a rooster can give your decor a custom feel without the custom price.
Instructions
1. Draw a slanting horizontal ellipse. Slant the ellipse with the higher side on the left.
2. Draw an upside-down right triangle from the bottom line of the ellipse. Start on the right edge of the ellipse and end in the center of the bottom line.
3. Draw a short vertical rectangle down from the tip of the triangle. Start the rectangle just above the tip so you enclose the tip inside of the rectangle. Draw three horizontal, acute triangles from the lower left side of the rectangle. Draw a fourth triangle on the right side of the rectangle.
4. Starting from the tip of the left edge of the ellipse, draw a slanted line up and to the right. Draw a circle around the end of the line and cutting a third of the way down the line.
5. Draw a diagonal line from the top of the circle to the half way point of the top line of the ellipse. Draw a small right triangle from the lower left edge of the circle. Draw a long upside down "U" shape between the triangle and the diagonal line from Step 3.
6. Draw a line from the small triangle to the diagonal line made in Step 5. The line should start at the triangle and go up away from the circle then back towards it. This will almost make an acute triangle but curved at the tip. Before the line touches the circle again, bring the line back up higher than it peaked the first time and then back towards the circle again. Do this until the line ends on the start of the diagonal.
7. Draw an upside down trapezoid from the top right end of the ellipse. The trapezoid should slant to the right and be the same height as the diagonal line drawn in Step 3. The trapezoid should also be a quarter of the width of the ellipse. Draw a line similar to the line in Step 6 along the top line of the trapezoid.
8. Erase all interior lines that separate the shapes from one another. Round the points of all intersections to make one smooth, continuous shape.
9. Draw a small circle inside of the head. Draw a quarter circle, rounding down and to the left, inside the body of the rooster but not touching any of the outer lines.
10. Draw a line from the bottom line of the body parallel and to the left the first leg. Outline the rooster in black, and erase any remaining pencil lines.
11. If desired, color in your rooster using dark reds for the body's feathers and dark greens for the plumage.
Western art began with early humans drawing in caves. Over thousands of years, Western art techniques evolved from simple, crude cave paintings to detailed realism with linear perspective. Artists used many techniques and media to depict the world around them. Classical sculptors created beautiful images of the human figure with marble. Art techniques developed as different types of art materials became available. Modern artists work with unlimited varieties of materials and techniques.
Prehistoric Art
During the Stone age, artists drew and painted on the walls and ceilings of caves. They made pictures of animals and hunting scenes. They painted with their fingers or with simple brushes made of vegetable fibers or animal hairs. They attempted to represent what they saw with crude materials on rock surfaces.
Classical Art
Ancient Greek art and sculpture developed in Greece around 600 B.C. Artists began painting scenes in murals and panels. Later, classical Greek artists focused on the human form as the primary subject and sculptors often worked in stone or bronze. Painters started to use linear perspective, which involved the attempt to show depth in a scene on a two-dimensional surface such as a panel.
Hellenistic Art
After the death of Alexander the Great, artists began using a more expressive style. Painters represented dramatic, heroic scenes. Painters of the Hellenistic period created mosaic art to represent battle scenes. Artists began to use modeling techniques with light and shade. Landscape painting originated during this period. Human figures still dominated, but the background landscapes were becoming more noticeable. Sculptures started using more naturalistic subjects, such as ordinary people and animals.
Dark Ages
Byzantine art developed around 450 A.D. Artists painted on panels and made mosaic art. They painted religious icons. Christianity became a primary subject of artists as they began to make illuminated Bible texts. They made intricate manuscripts with decorative illustrations and miniature pictures.
European Revival
Artists focused on religious murals and began using stained glass during the European revival period, around 800. They also painted with tempera on wood panels. Artists began using oil paints on panels for the first time.
Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance occurred primarily in Florence, Rome and Venice. Michelangelo was a Renaissance sculptor who worked with marble. Leonardo Da Vinci, a Renaissance painter, sculptor and inventor, worked in a variety of materials. Art involved religious or mythological subjects. Artists like Raphael began doing art that was less stylized, and more skilled and lifelike.
Mannerism
Religious paintings starting around 1530 were still prevalent. Academic art, also called the Old Masters style, began in the Academy of Art in Florence. Students drew copies of ancient Greek sculptures. They also copied plaster casts of sculptures by Michelangelo and Raphael. After drawing for several years, students were allowed to use color, but the color was limited and subdued.
Baroque Art
During the Baroque era, artists made more colorful paintings and their styles became more realistic. They did portraits, still life and landscapes. Later, during the Roccoco art period, the art was light and decorative.
Romanticism
Romanticism of the 1800s celebrated the ideals of the French Revolution. Artists such as William Blake, JMW Turner, Thomas Cole, and John Constable, began painting and drawing on machine made paper.
Modern Art
In the late 1880s, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissaro and others developed the techniques of painting light as it is seen in landscapes. They used loose brushstrokes and dabs of delicate colors. This was called Impressionism. Later, Georges Seurat began using small dots of colors painted next to each other. This was known as Pointillism. During the Post-Impressionism period, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gaughin and Vincent Van Gogh painted in avant-garde styles using vibrant colors and slightly abstracted figures. Henri Matisse, a Fauvist artist, worked with bright, primary colors and abstracted figures. Around 1908, Cubism art began when Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque made abstract, two-dimensional paintings. Art was no longer required to be representational. After that, Post-modern artists attempted to use many new media, materials and techniques, often questioning what art is.
Art appraisal schools teach students appraise jewelry.
Art appraising involves examining works of art and antiques, as well as other items such as gems and jewelry, to determine their authenticity and market value. Art appraisers usually specialize in a particular area of art, such as antique furniture or 19th century paintings. The first step toward becoming an art appraiser is earning a bachelor's degree in art history or fine arts. Next, investigate art history graduate programs and apply for an internship. Finally, secure a certificate in appraisal studies.
New York University
After finishing New York University's art appraisal program, students know all the essentials for becoming an art appraiser, qualifying them to work in art galleries, auction houses and insurance companies. They learn give objective evaluations of fine and decorative arts. The program includes specialized appraising such as European and American paintings, silver, Asian art, furniture, photography and books. Certificates are given after students complete six required and four elective courses.
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute in New York City has a program where students can earn its certificate of Fine and Decorative Art Appraisal, which prepares students for becoming appraisers. It covers a wide spectrum of personal property, movable property and decorative and collectible property, as well as a combination of all three types. Students come from throughout the country and world to participate in the program. Classes are small, but large enough to offer a wide choice of courses and teachers.
University of California, Irvine
The University of California at Irvine has an appraisal program where students receive specialized knowledge and hands-on experience. Students learn do appraisals for various specialized fields, such as estate tax, charitable contributions, damage claims and dissolution of marriage. To receive certificates, they must finish 15 units with four required courses, in addition to three elective units. Certificates are given for successfully finishing all courses with a C grade or better.
International Society of Appraisers
The International Society of Appraisers offers several courses in art appraising. Its Appraisal of Fine Art course stresses the main categories of fine art often encountered by dealers and appraisers. The course also focuses on art history and identify and research works of fine art, besides describing artworks. Students visit the National Gallery for a close look at various property categories they study. A written assignment and precourse reading are required.
Graphic novels are a new literary form that are often confused with comic books. Although both mediums utilize comic illustrations and bubble dialogue, graphic novels tell a single story while comic books are serialized. Graphic novels, which often cover social and political narratives, benefit from visual storytelling and the use of symbols to convey powerful situations that are otherwise left to the imagination in a memoir or novel. Illustrations in a graphic novel range from simple line sketches to detailed and colorful artwork.
Instructions
Sketch the Elements of Your Graphic Novel
1. Drawings bring characters and narrative to life.
Sketch each character from your graphic novel. Give each character distinct physical characteristics such as glasses, hairstyle, facial features, clothing styles and scars. Practice drawing several different versions of each character, then draw them with various emotional expressions.
2. Outline the plot of your story. The dialogue and storyline should be complete before you begin illustrating your graphic novel. Use the story outline to determine the scope of your illustrations. Create a sketch of each major plot point listed in the outline.
3. Draw a sketch of each important location from your graphic novel. Bring the environment to life with buildings, plants and animals that embody the mood of your novel. Remember that darkness connotes danger and depression while lightness represents growth, new beginnings and success. Environmental symbolism is a powerful visual storytelling tool.
Decide how many panels you will place on each page. This number does not need to be fixed, but much of the graphic novel will adhere to the number you choose. Many graphic novels have 6-9 panels per page. The size of your panels will be determined by the size of your novel and amount of fine detail you plan to illustrate.
5. Use blank paper to create boxes that represent each panel. If you have chosen to include six panels per page, draw six boxes on each sheet. At the top of each page create a place to note scene and page number. Under each panel leave room to note characters and dialogue references. Make enough photocopies for each page of your novel.
6. Draw a thumbnail version of each panel. A thumbnail is a rough sketch that conveys location, characters present in the panel, and the size of speech bubbles. Do not include fine details; those will be drawn in the illustration phase.
7. Notate characters and dialogue under each thumbnail. Dialogue can be notated by numbering speech bubbles with corresponding dialogue lines. Be sure to number dialogue in your script to match the thumbnails. Dialogue bubbles are read from left to right and top to bottom. Sketch your characters and speech bubbles on each panel according to this convention and don't allow the tails of dialogue bubbles to cross.
8. Consider the amount of space that dialogue will consume in each panel. Limit speech bubbles to one or two short sentences. Dialogue may need to be adjusted. Narrative can also be added to a panel; this is denoted either through a rectangular box or font written directly onto the panel.
Illustrate Each Panel
9. Illustrations convey mood, action, emotion and environment.
Mark your multimedia hardboard with measurements for an 8 1/2- by 11-inch sheet of vellum. These measurements will help you maintain perspective and ratio while you illustrate each panel. Tape a sheet of vellum to the hardboard.
10. Illustrate each page to fill an entire sheet of vellum. Be sure that your panel boxes are carefully measured and drawn prior to illustrating. The first stage of illustration is drawn with a mechanical pencil. Don't be afraid to erase mistakes or start over.
11. Complete your illustration with pen and ink. Use micron pens and felt tips for fine lines and use cartooning ink for thick lines. Denote negative spaces (black areas) with an X. The black area will be filled in Photoshop.
12. Leave space for speech bubbles, but don't pen them in unless they are accent words like "BOOM!" Dialogue and speech bubbles can be added with Photoshop to save time and create flexibility with font styles.
13. Scan your completed illustrations into high resolution Photoshop files. Manipulate your illustrations, add speech bubbles, dialogue and narrative, and add color if desired. Print your graphic novel at home, or pay a self-publishing service to bind your novel for you.