Saturday, July 21, 2012

Oil Painting Tips - Organizing Your Palette

(laurenspindle.blogspot.com)

By 

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Organizing your palette when using oils is an essential skill to learn. It seems trivial but a well organized palette will make your painting easier. How you organize your palette is up to you. Every artist has their own preferences and there is no "best" way to organize your palette. It is purely a subjective matter. There are however, a few rules that should be followed.
The first obvious thing to consider is the palette itself. It should be made from non porous material to prevent oil being absorbed into the palette. Palettes come in all materials from glass to wood, which you choose is down to personal preferences just ensure it's non porous. Think about cleaning the palette; how easy will this be?
If you're just starting to paint it's a good idea to start with a small section of colours. Too many colours on a palette can be confusing for the novice painter. One of the frustrating mistakes novices make is trying to mix too many colours on a palette which leads to muddy colours.
Start off with a limited palette and add more colours as you become more experienced. Which colours you choose is up to you a possible choice would be: Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Cadium Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Ivory Black, and some Greens. Also titanium White is essential. You'll need a larger tube of Titanium White because you'll be using this to lighten up the other colours.
Lay your colours out on the palette the same way every time. You will soon get to know where they are without having to look at your palette. This will also ensure when you get into the flow of painting you will not be slowed down by having to look where your colours are.
Put your colours at the edge of your palette and squeeze a good amount of paint out. It's frustrating having to stop and squeeze more paint out every few minutes, so don't shrimp here. Use the interior of the palette for mixing your colours.
A good idea is to squeeze your paints out in lines rather than blobs. As your painting progresses your colours will become contaminated with each other. By squeezing them out in lines you can take paint from the edges and always have a line of pure colour.
Wipe your palette knife regularly so you keep your colours clean and prevent them from becoming muddy. It's also a good idea to wipe your palette clean at regular intervals with alcohol. Oil paint is difficult to remove if it is allowed to dry.
The kind of palette you use and the way you lay your paints out are essential to your enjoyment of painting. Take your time over this decision and don't skimp on buying a good palette. You will be using your palette all the time so you want to be sure you have a good one. As you increase in experience you will soon become proficient in colour mixing.
Paul Runs the online art supply store http://www.artscraftsandhobbies.co.uk He is a keen painter and has an interest in helping novice painters. He lives in the north of England.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Technique of Watercolor Painting WC01 GEN


(thecoolhunter.net)
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Technique of watercolor painting is intended for a wide variety of painters from absolute beginners to more advanced painters. Although the texts are specifically for watercolorists many of the matters discussed are of interest also to both painters in oil and other mediums.
This series of articles is about Technique.
Technique is the way a task is performed. It includes dexterity of hand and brain to successfully work tools and materials to reach the objective desired in the finished work. Brain is controlled by Mind the creative aspect of intelligence.
An Artist is a painter who has developed a high level of technique. An Artist therefore is a good painter by definition. A good painter is one who has good technique. A painter who has a poor technique is a painter but not an Artist. An Artist is one whose work is Art. Art is not a differentiation between trades such as between plumbing and masonry. An Artist is a Master painter and a master of technique.
Which would you rather trust - an airline pilot who has poor control and understanding of the way a plane flies or one who has studied and been shown by trained trusted and experienced pilots who know how to do the job properly.
Many painters dismiss technique believing striving for this undermines their creativity. Creativity cannot be undermined. Creativity is more powerful than any lack of it. The search for higher levels of technique is an essential process needed before contact with full artistic expression can be attained.
Watercolor painting is a delightful medium to work. It helps the individual to open the eyes and see the subtlety and power of the natural and our so-called manmade world. It is suitable for all ages and classes of persons. At its best its ablest proponents can stand comparison next to the greats in any other medium. This does not mean the best painters in oils are the best in watercolors and vice versa. The skill required for watercolor painting stands on its own and can panic the most able of oil painters.
When a watercolor painter applies a wash to the ground [paper] the water energizes the pigment into having a life of its own. To an extent when the pigment moves it also often seems in addition to have a will of its own. An oil painter dabs some pigment on a canvas ground and the pigment just stays there dumb as if it has no intelligence. The oil painter has to impart energy into the work for success while the watercolorist to some degree allows energy to emerge from some mysterious place within the painting.
Watercolors are suitable for most subjects. They are also suitable for most persons at any age. Yet the medium does have its own set of unique restrictions.
For example to be able to control a wash the painter normally has to be within arms length of it to maintain this control. The oil painter can step back twenty feet to judge its effect and this will not make the slightest difference to the position of the paint. This is not so with watercolor for two reasons. One the painting must be vertical to judge it from a distance and by the time this is viewed from almost any distance most of the painting will be on the floor.
The other drawback is the maximum size of the ground. Painters in oils seem to have no practical limitation as far as area of canvass is concerned. Graffiti is testament to this. I know of no watercolorist graffiti culture. Rolls of watercolor paper can be bought but I think only for suppliers to cut their own sizes for retailing or reselling painters' blocks.
One subject loved by watercolorists is the landscape. There are many aspects to this. The four elements of antiquity are Earth Air Water and Fire. There is nothing about oil here therefore oil is evidently in some other sub-category. The actual natural landscape contains three of these elements and can be proved to be so every day of the week by simply looking out of the window. The watercolorist uses water and without it watercolor painting would not exist. This gives the watercolor painter a unique bond with the natural landscape and the water it contains in land sea and air in all its forms such as ice water vapor and steam.
Watercolorists are also preeminent in the painting of natural history subjects. This is because the medium is more easily capable of precise work. Early watercolorists perhaps concentrated on flowers and foliage. This suited a drier use of the pigments and made the medium suitable also for those who were not so creative but were patient and content to paint as an extension to their interest in freehand drawing.
Many painters from these beginnings became creative painters. They included middle and upper class women well educated in writing singing and needlecraft. It was their social class who were largely involved in the expanding sciences. Graphic images were needed to spread scientific ideas to the wider public for its support. This entailed printing from engraved plates copied from drawings and paintings to satisfy the wider demand for illustrated books of all kinds both before and after the invention of photography.
Only the very best watercolorists are able to paint portraits. This is a nightmare area for most watercolorists. There seems to be two types of watercolorist portrait painter. One who paints very dry and produces precise images whose subjects are easily recognizable.
The other is the free impressionistic portrait that looks as if it has been completed in a couple of minutes. Often these are bleary looking subjects apparently in the advanced stages of decomposition. A painter is either a natural for portrait painting or best to leave it alone. I leave it alone!
Architectural painting is also a natural subject for watercolorists. The subjects lend themselves to spontaneous technique if the painter understands the significance of architectural details. Also the long slow painstaking rendering of measured work is very satisfying. Architectural perspectives are well know for their dramatic effect and use for promoting designs in competitions.
Modern impressionistic painting is a natural watercolor outlet for the watercolorist. In spite of what many think this type of painting is very structured. Like a sentence a painting is an idea but conveyed in paint. An idea that has no structure is not an idea. Most impressionistic paintings are simply moods a sense of being. A sense of being is simply the brain wafting around using energy to no purpose. A mood is without consciousness.
Art is the expression of heightened consciousness.
Some painters think or feel all they need to do is to relax in an artistic pose and the result will be a work of Art. This may in rare cases be so but in the majority what will be expressed will be only a distortion caused by illusion. It is in fact self-delusion expressing an illusion.
In a gallery show a viewer may ask you if you have anything in purple because of some wallpaper problem they have in one of the bedrooms at home. This poses a problem because the temptation is to go off in a hurry and paint one. Sympathize with but ignore.
Then again when you have completed a painting you think is the best you have ever done a stranger perhaps might tell you he sees a white stallion in your painting rearing up into the clouds and wants to know what your precise thoughts of this horse actually were at the time. The truth is you have no idea what he is talking about. It is surprising how simple it is to construct some sort of metaphysics to explain this horse.
On one occasion I was sitting in my studio gazing idly at the wall when from a very acute angle one of my paintings of trees in a wood came into sharp focus. What I saw instead of trees occupying most of the area within the mount was a magnificent beautiful nude sixteen-year-old girl with pure pink-white skin sitting laid back in the arms of a most revolting looking equally nude but hairy leering devil. So be careful.
Pictures seem to be a record of all our thoughts at their time of painting. Perhaps these images are not what we believe to be hidden away deep in the unconscious part of us but they may well lurk there. Let us always be careful what we think because what we think as well as what we have thought in the past is part of what our paintings and we ourselves are today.
Technique takes time to develop. The search for a true technique will lead us along many blind alleys and a lot of watercolor has to flow under the bridge before we even get near to where we think we wish to be.
This is why the emphasis here is on Technique and part of this technique is drawing - the basis of all painting. Painting is drawing with paint.
Next Subject: Technique of Watercolor Painting WC02 WATER
John Blenkin is a retired architect and is now a watercolor painter and article writer. His interests are wide covering both technical and philosophical subjects. He also writes online articles on the technique of watercolor painting. http://www.freefolios.com/ foka@spidernet.com.cy

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Benefits of Painting Classes


Benefits of Painting Classes

Painting by a student of Kendra Burton
Los Angeles Painting Classes could help a person develop himself. While therapy and psychotherapy in general have a lot of benefits, the idea of art therapy has shown to be successful in a variety of ways which differ from conventional therapy practice. There are many purposes of art therapy concerning curing, but the benefits may surprise you if you've never heard of art as a kind of therapy. Art therapy sets itself apart as a way of therapy by using the creative process of art and having a lower barrier to entry since any person could be imaginative in some form or another.
Art therapy could be particularly good for children as younger individuals are usually less capable and less comfortable expressing themselves via words. While art therapy can helpchildren greatly, it can also be very helpful to adults. Really, any person can benefit from art therapy. Even if you're using creative arts as a means of expression without the aid of an art therapist, there are still a lot of benefits available. From billboards to magazine advertisements, television commercials to company logos, creativity along with art are just as much a component of advertising as slogans. A person in Japan might be unable to read the word McDonald's but will quickly recognize the firm's Golden Arches.
Parents have to think about art therapy on a continuum having art on one end and therapy on the other half. Anybody--a teacher, a parent, a friend--can give art materials to a child and the activity itself is going to be healing. Children get to show themselves and a child feels good if they make something they are pleased with. The other side of the continuum is a therapeutic activity which uses art to find out about the child and her circumstances, like the illustration using the family drawing. In that circumstance the therapist is applying the drawing to better understand the youngster's notion of family.
A recent research noted that students who take arts courses generally have higher scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test compared to those who do not. It continues by saying the more arts programs a student takes, in most cases, the higher his / her SAT scores. That the arts in fact tend to improve students' verbal and numerical skills can be seen only as a bonus by those who by now value the arts for more cosmetic motives. Knowing traditional art media is essential. While the process of creating art with a computer differs from drawing, painting or sculpting, mechanics as well as techniques stay the same.
Los Angeles Painting Classes could help you learn new things. Studying art prepares students to make their own unique art by way of their chosen medium. Art is truly universal, which is among its most effective strengths; it really can benefit everybody and each and every business. Art is the most effective way to connect across language and cultural obstacles. This causes it to be well suited for business and professional applications. Interior designers develop rooms which are good to look at. To do this, they must understand artistic principles. From how the actual furniture is arranged to the colors chosen for a room, interior designers must combine principles of design along with artistic creativity as well.
Clara Berta is a world renowned mixed media artist that focuses on los angeles painting classes, lessons and everything else. Interior designers simply adore this modern art and she is also in demand for her popular mixed media artist in Los Angeles. For anyone who loves art, she definitely does not disappoint!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Oil Painting Without Brushes


Oil Painting Without Brushes

(picture from  artpromotivate.com)
As a known fact a paint brush is the most common mode of application of an oil color. However there are other methods also to apply paint on to a surface. This article speaks about the different methods of application of paint onto a surface other than the usual paint brushes.
Palette Knives
When you hear about palette knife you would be thinking about palette isn't it? Palette knives have been a traditional tool for mixing the paint. They are the most apt tool to be used for creating smooth and consistent mediums of paints. However there are many painters who use the palette knife in addition to be used as mixing tool, they straight use the palette knife on to the painting surface.
These knives come in different shapes and signs. They are also available in plastic. As far as the mixing is concerned one shape or size is more than sufficient but as the case of using it as a paint brush is considered, the selection of the knife is made in the same way as the case of selecting brushes is considered. There is no shape or size which we can say is right or the apt one for usage. Experimentation is the key if you are working with palette knives if you are considering working with knives. Try the different shapes and you can select the one that gives you the best effects. Generally small and thin brushes are best suited for lining and big knives are the best for loading on the paint.
Stencils
Many artists love using stencils in their paintings. This usage is loved by them especially when there is a usage of repetitive effect and stylish shapes. Stencils are a useful tool. There are pre made stencils available or you even an option of making stencils with your stencil kit. Ensure that you use the right materials for best results.
Stencil usage in paints is not a traditional method so there is no scope that you can find any tutorials for teaching you the technique of stencils. But is important that you keep in mind the fundamentals of the medium like the fat over lean. You might have noticed that in case the paint is thin in consistency then it stagnates around the edges, so in such a case it is important that you apply a thicker layer of painting. Stenciling is a very interesting art, however it is used as one of the under layers but it has amazing effects.
Rags, Sponges, Fingers
Rags, sponges and of course your fingers are all innovative tools in oil painting which can occupy the place of a paint brush.
Ben Jonson is a Copywriter of oil paintings. He has written many articles like Canvas oil paintings. For more information visit our site http://www.paintingmax.com/ - Contact him at paintingmax.ben@googlemail.com

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Water Soluble Oil Paints - Facts, Tips & Why I Use Them


Water Soluble Oil Paints - Facts, Tips & Why I Use Them


Expert Author Lori Mcnee
We have all been taught that 'oil and water do not mix'. However, rules are made to be broken in art and water soluble paints are rebels on the scene. But, your intelligent mind is probably still pondering, "How can oil pigments possibly be water soluble?"
The answer is this: The oil vehicle has been modified to make it soluble in water, eliminating the necessity for turpentine or other dangerous solvents to thin paint and clean brushes and other supplies.
There are still some painting purists who question whether or not these pigments are true oils, but I assure you they are. In fact, I have been successfully executing my paintings using water soluble oils with professional results for over 10 years. I made the smooth transition from acrylics to the new oils in my home studio so my family and pets were not exposed to toxic fumes. With an open mind and a little time experimenting, you might also enjoy the benefits of water soluble oils. Below, I will do my best to inform you of this remarkable paint from my own personal experience and with a little help from the technically informative book, "Painting with Water Soluble Oils," by Sean Dye.
  • Water soluble oil offers greater convenience and increased accessibility. Especially to people with allergies, home studios, students, schools and those who have avoided oils because of the toxic solvents.
  • Water soluble oils smell great, just like traditional oils!
  • Linseed oil is contained in both new and traditional oils.
  • Water soluble oils are real oils. They are water mixable, not water-based.
  • The new oils were developed to be used with water in the place of turpentine, mineral spirits or other solvents!
  • The vegetable drying oils have been restructured in water soluble oils which eliminate yellowing.
  • Like traditional oils, water soluble oils must dry through oxidation - absorbing oxygen through the air. Once dry, they are just like any other oil painting and should be treated as such.
  • Like traditional oils, water soluble oil paintings cannot be reactivated with water when dry.
  • New water-mixable mediums have been developed for water soluble oils: quick dry mediums (my favorite), stand oils, painting mediums and impasto mediums, linseed oils and alkyd mediums.
  • Traditional oil paints and mediums can be added to the new oils in small amounts of up to 20%-30% and still retain water solubility. Small amounts of traditional oil color can be added to these new paints affect the color or consistency.
  • The new pigments blend and mix extremely well.
  • When the new oils are mixed with water, it may at times appear somewhat cloudy until the water evaporates. Although I have read this complaint, it has not been my experience with these oils.
  • The fast drying mediums allow for plenty of time for blending but still make over-painting easier and faster.
  • Luminous, transparent glazes can be made by using the water-mixable mediums. Rich, opaque darks are easy to achieve.
  • Water-mixable linseed oil medium makes the new oil more transparent.
  • A loaded brush of traditional oils spreads much farther than a brush loaded with water soluble oils. This does not affect the look of the finished piece, only the actual painting process.
  • Water soluble paints produce fresh, bright, strong color. It is easier to avoid making 'muddy' color.
  • The new oils are easier to clean up.
  • Those with limited or no experience with traditional oils adjust to water soluble oils more quickly.
  • Depending on how thick you paint, the water soluble oils retain their elasticity and workability for up to 48 hours.
  • The new oils lack of the glossy appearance of traditional oils, but a final varnish is a quick way to replicate the luster of traditional oils.

Tips:

  • Take care when drying your freshly painted new oil or traditional oil paintings. Avoid dark or moist areas to prevent darkening or yellowing that is caused by the linseed oil.
  • Water soluble oil paints are perfect for travel, especially on airplanes. Many airlines restrict traditional and flammable solvents on commercial flights. Eliminating the need for harsh solvents makes water soluble oils easy to pack for painting on location whether by car, plane or horseback.
  • The plein air painter can keep paint on the palette for long periods of time without the paint drying out. However, finished paintings dry more quickly than traditional oil paintings which make these new paints even more desirable for the plein air painter.
  • Last summer, I used water soluble oils during my plein air painting workshop in France. I painted on canvas sheets which made my studies of Provence light and easy to pack for travel.  In the past, I have also used 300lb watercolor paper with two coats of gesso.
  • Acrylic gesso should be used as the starting ground for water soluble paints to ensure proper adhesion. For studio works, I prefer to paint on hardboard or Masonite panels for a smooth and rigid support, but I do use canvas and linen at times.
  • Hog bristles are good for under-paintings, but do not let them sit in water or they become mushy. I often use synthetic bristle brushes for large areas. For fine work synthetic watercolor brushes work well.
  • The new oils will remain water soluble after these specific mediums are used. Having said that, I have found that it is better not to mix water with the medium because using water makes the mediums sticky and the paint does not flow as easily. By the time I begin to add the oil medium, I usually abandon the water except for brush cleaning between color or temperature changes.
  • A few drops of linseed oil on the palette restore the paints to their original workable form.
  • All oil paint should be applied fat over lean to prevent cracking.
  • Use water to thin the new oils for laying in washes. Build up the oily layers after the under painting is dry. The new oils will remain water soluble after the specific water mixable mediums are used. 
  • Just like with standard oils, the new paints can be laid down in many smooth thin layers, called indirect painting or can be applied in a thick wet single layer called direct or alla prima painting or everything else in between.
  • Drying time is longer when a lot of white pigment or Naples Yellow is used.
  • The dark passages in water soluble oils sometimes 'sink' and lack the glossy appearance of a traditional oil painting. This is easily remedied by a final varnish.
  • I prefer Max Artists' Oil Colors by Grumbacher and Artisan Water Mixable Oils by Windsor & Newton. The characteristics of these brands are consistent with their traditional oil color counterparts. They both use all of the traditional pigments in their lines including cadmiums and cobalts. These paints deliver brilliant, luminous transparent glazes and rich, mysterious opaque passages to my work.
  • Holbein's Duo Aqua Oil has a rather firm consistency which makes them ideal for painting with a palette knife straight from the tube. The Van Gosh H2Oils have a softer consistency that is similar to acrylic paint. They are perfect for detail work without the need for adding mediums. However, for palette knife work, impasto medium is recommended.
  • I use non-toxic Turpenoid Natural on hard to clean brushes otherwise; "Dawn" dish soap does the job.  Baby oil is also a good cleaner, followed by soap and water. After, a little petroleum jelly conditions the brushes back to their original shape.
  • Rubbing Alcohol and a razor blade keep my glass palette fresh for the next painting session.
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding and appreciation for the benefits of water soluble oils. They are easier and less intimidating to use and deliver the beautiful results of  traditional oils. I encourage you to give them a try and let me know how they work for you.
Lori Mcnee is a nationally recognized professional artist who specializes in still life and landscape oil paintings. Lori shares valuable fine art tips, techniques and art business tips on her blog http://www.lorimcnee.com/ or http://www.finearttips.com/

Monday, July 16, 2012

How To Stretch A Painting On Canvas Using Picture Framers Stretcher Bars


How To Stretch A Painting On Canvas Using Picture Framers Stretcher Bars

Stretching a painting on canvas is quite easy when you follow some simple steps. When a painting has been done on cheap canvas or some other poor material it is best to seek professional picture framing advice because stretching some pictures is challenging and awkward. In this article you will learn about how to stretch a canvas painting, how to choose and cut a stretcher frame and how to finish off the stretched painting so that you can hang it for display.
Artists have chosen various surfaces for painting on over the centuries ranging from raw plaster walls, wooden panels,paper and fabrics. When an artist paints on fabrics it is usual to prepare the canvas first with a primer. The priming layers are very important when it comes to providing not only the right surface for accepting paint but also to provide a long-lasting support that will not deteriorate easily.
As a quick overview to help you understand the nature of a painting on canvas the steps taken to prepare a traditional canvas are as follows.
The first step was to choose a suitable fabric. Artists preferred to use linen over other fabrics due to its strong fiberous construction and stability. Cotton canvas was a poor second choice when linen was unavailable. the fabric was traditionally coated with a sizing coat made from animal glue or pearl glue. These glues are made from gelatinous materials extracted from rabbit skins and other animal products. The aim of the sizing was to coat each and every strand of the fabric with a layer that when dry would seal and protect the fabric.
The second step was to make a mixture from rabbit skin glue mixed with dead plaster and whiting or chalk. Dead plaster is made by stirring plaster of Paris with water for about half an hour. When you mix plaster beyond its setting time you change the crystalline structure preventing it from drying out and setting like traditional plaster, hence dead plaster. The dead plaster has a different structure than the whiting that is added to the glue to make the artist's gesso.
The warmed mixture of glue, whiting and dead plaster was then applied to the surface of the pre-sized fabric. Several coats are applied in successive and alternate layers building up a smooth toothy surface that will accept paint. The trick to applying the gesso was to apply a layer and then wait for it to lose its glossy appearance before you applied the next layer. After several layers the canvas was set aside to dry.
Artists would often do this preparation to the fabric after it had been stretched over a supporting frame.
The fabric had first been stretched over a tapered bar called a stretcher bar.
It is important when stretching paintings that you choose a suitable stretcher bar that either has a rounded raised lip or a tapered bevelled profile.
If you just use a flat piece of timber for your stretcher frame you will create problems in the painting later by causing an impression line where the timber touches the back of the picture.
Modern artists often buy pre-primed artist canvas and linen that has a synthetic gesso coating on its surface. It is even acceptable from a conservation standpoint to use synthetic polyester fabrics rather than linen or canvas. These synthetics are more stable and durable than some of the organic fabrics.
One big problem is with developing countries where artists are unable to obtain quality supports. I often encounter paintings that have been done on cotton bed sheets, hessian bags and tarpaulins. These each present different challenges when trying to make them presentable.
Basically to stretch a canvas that has already been painted on it is necessary to determine whether the fixtures or staples you will use will go on the side or the back of the stretcher first.
The process of stretching a canvas involves either cutting and joining some lengths of stretcher bars into a frame or buying pre-cut slotted stretcher pieces from an art store.
The slotted corners are made with a sliding tenon joint that allows you to tension the canvas further after stretching over the bars. There are several methods of achieving adjustable corners to allow further tension to be applied to the canvas by expanding the corners..
NOTE: If you use a slotted variety of stretcher bar ensure you have it squared up before you stretch your canvas otherwise the painting will be crooked. Measure the diagonals to check squareness.If the frame is a parallel and the diagonal equal then it is square.
The painting is then positioned over the stretcher frame with the lip or tapered side of the stretcher touching the back of the canvas.
You then work gradually from the centre towards the corners using a staple gun or small tacks pulling the canvas as you go.
The trick is to work gradually on opposite and then adjacent sides only putting a couple of tacks in at a time.
Stretching pliers are a useful bit of kit for the job of stretching. They consist of broad- faced pliers with either a toothy grip or a rubber strip to grip the canvas. They are used to lever the canvas around the stretcher bar, applying tension, whilst you tack or staple the canvas to the frame.
Sometimes the staples or tacks can be on the back if you want to see the sides of the painting without putting an outer frame on it.
When you get to the corners you neatly fold the corners over using a Monroe corner where the two sides overlap a central tongue that is not fixed. The reason for this is if you wish to re-tension the canvas the corner must allow some expansion for the canvas otherwise it will tear.
Usually you would either then frame the painting or at the very least apply a dust cover of some foam board or other covering. The covering is important in the long-term to prevent dust building up on the back of the painting which in turn traps moisture and then eventually goes mouldy.
You can then fix some D rings and wire to hang the painting up.
Professional framers prefer to frame canvasses so they are not exposed around the edges. They also like to put the hanging device on the outer frame rather than the stretcher because hanging from the stretcher can cause bowing which then causes a ripple in the painting.
Hopefully this article has shed some light on the requirements and techniques to choose when stretching your paintings.
David Schummy, owner of Fix-a-Frame, is a qualified picture framer from Brisbane, Australia.
David authored 16 of the 22 modules the Australian Government uses to train picture framers. He has taught picture framing to professionals and hobby framers since 1991.
His latest DVD "Seven Secrets to Making Picture Frames" is available from http://www.fixaframe.com.au
Visit http://www.endurart.com for your Free E-Book "The 10 Questions To Ask All Picture Framers"

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Easily Decorate Your Sidewalk With Sidewalk Stencils


Easily Decorate Your Sidewalk With Sidewalk Stencils

(More found at http://goo.gl/vAEsN)
Gaming on a Sidewalk Stencil
Before the modern digital era, before the video games and the Internet turned children into pale, reclusive shadows of the outdoorsy kids of yesteryear, young boys and girls would look outside for their leisure. Eagerly leaving the boring comforts of home, youngsters would charge into the streets with their playmates, looking to join a pick-up game of hopscotch, tag or any number of other activities that provided exercise as well as diversion. Today, it may be a little more difficult to convince your son or daughter to head out and do something that doesn't involve a bright screen and some buttons. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that it's the easiest thing to start up a computer game - just flick the switch and click the icon, or slip in the disc, and you're ready to go. Conversely, a hopscotch game, for example, may require you to pull out some chalk, painstakingly draw up the lines and number them accordingly. And then, if it isn't already ruined by a couple of games and kids stomping about, it won't last long in any event, forcing you to keep re-drawing the hopscotch grid for future encounters.
Conversely, you can make your sidewalk hopscotch diagram much more durable, and professional-looking to boot. This can be achieved with a set of plastic stencils designed for a hopscotch game, and some quality paint that will stick to the pavement. Choosing which stencil grade to buy depends on how often you expect to be getting your kids to play hopscotch, or playing with them. If you think you'll be setting up a lot of games over the next few years, consider picking up a stencil of greater thickness, which will take much longer to wear out. Otherwise, for occasional forays into sidewalk play, pick a lesser grade of stencil, which should do the job adequately.
Since you don't want to be wasting paint on loose objects, like rocks or dirt that could just get pushed away or kicked about, make sure to clear the area of debris before you lay down the stencil. Bring a broom with you and sweep away the odds and ends. Once the section of pavement is clear, lay down the hopscotch stencil and pull out your paint. Spray the paint evenly, so that the paint does not cake or run due to poor application. Some folks recommend that you use a marking wand to paint on the stencil, which will expedite the task and make it easier. Before you start playing, make sure the paint is completely dry. You wouldn't want any children accidentally slipping on wet paint, or complaining that they got paint on their favourite shoes.
While a stencil makes a hopscotch game far easier to set up, be mindful of whether the pavement is wet, or if the weather forecast that day is for rain. In either case, you may want to forego the hopscotch marker painting. Don't fret, there's always going to be another day for you to make your hopscotch aspirations for your kid come true, as long as you care for your hopscotch stencil properly.
Lara Hill writes about unique arts and crafts projects. Pavement is an unconventional canvas for painting, but she enjoys art projects that are outside the box. Check out the variety ofsidewalk stencils available, easy enough even for beginners!