KendraBurtonArt

Oil Painting Tips - Organizing Your Palette

2012-07-21T12:37:00.001-06:00

(laurenspindle.blogspot.com)

By P Merry

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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.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=P_Merry

Technique of Watercolor Painting WC01 GEN

2012-07-20T13:18:00.001-06:00

(thecoolhunter.net)

By John Blenkin

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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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Blenkin

Benefits of Painting Classes

2012-07-19T09:20:00.001-06:00

Benefits of Painting Classes

Painting by a student of Kendra Burton

Article written By Clara Berta

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!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clara_Berta

Oil Painting Without Brushes

2012-07-18T10:41:00.001-06:00

Oil Painting Without Brushes

(picture from artpromotivate.com)

By Ben A Jonson

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

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

2012-07-17T09:54:00.000-06:00

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

By 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.

For More Paintings, click here

Facts:

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/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lori_Mcnee

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

2012-07-16T11:39:00.003-06:00

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

By David A Schummy

(pic from alisaburke.blogspot.com)

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"

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Easily Decorate Your Sidewalk With Sidewalk Stencils

2012-07-14T10:24:00.000-06:00

Easily Decorate Your Sidewalk With Sidewalk Stencils

(More found at http://goo.gl/vAEsN)

By Lara Hill

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!

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Oil Painting For Beginners - How to Get Started

2012-07-13T10:01:00.002-06:00

Oil Painting For Beginners - How to Get Started

creativeportfolio.net

By Marian Lishman

So are you a total beginner to painting or do you have some experience in painting with other mediums? Well either way there are some key facts that you will need to start you off on the right track. To a certain extent you can do whatever you like with acrylics, just keep piling the paint on until you get what you are looking for but with oils it is slightly different.

So, to start with you will need some materials. The art shops have a huge selection of materials to choose from and this can be quite daunting if you don't really know what you are looking for. In addition to all the numerous paint colours you can chose from there are a wide variety of mediums, brushes, painting surfaces etc.

Paint

Let's look at paint to start with. There are 2 main types of oil paint in terms of quality - student colours and artist's colours. Student oils paints are often cheaper than artists as they don't use the expensive pigments and are produced in larger quantities. The colour strength might be slightly lower than artists' quality oils but really these are good enough if you are starting out and are often used by professional artists in conjunction with the higher pigment colours of artists' oils or as base colours before using artists' oils for the top layer. So to start off with you need only have a basic selection of 10 or 12 tubes of paint. You can often buy the starter boxes which contain a lot of the colours that you might need.

Painting Mediums

In addition to the paint you will need to get some thinners and also a bottle of painting medium. There are so many options with regard to painting medium but to start off with you can just chose to use linseed oil and as you go on and experiment more try different types of medium and how they affect the paint and help or hinder with your style of painting.

Brushes

So, then you will need some brushes. These also come in so many different types and sizes. It may well depend on what style of painting you are planning to do as to what brushes you need. For example if you are going to paint realistically in fine detail you may want smaller round brushes but if you are going to paint big abstract blended paintings then go for big softer flat brushes. I may be contentious in advising this but when you are just starting out, especially if you are just going to be testing out various techniques I would advise getting some cheap brushes to see what kind of shape and size you prefer to use. The main problems with cheaper brushes in my opinion are that firstly, some of the hairs may come out whilst you are painting and secondly, the brushes may not retain their shape as well. Advantages are that you don't buy expensive brushes that you subsequently decide are not the right type for you. Once you have decided your painting style and which brushes are suitable for that you can then buy the more expensive ones. For me, as an abstract artist, I also prefer the much softer (and for some reason cheaper) big brushes that blend the paint really nicely and don't leave so many brush strokes. I will use the brush firstly on a test painting and that will generally get rid of any of the lose hairs so hardly any will come off on my actual painting.

Support

Then of course you need something to paint on! The main choice in art shops is between stretched canvas and canvas board. There are obviously a lot of alternatives but to start with choose either a board or a canvas that is primed and suitable for oils (just read the label or chose one of the more common makes like Daley-Rowney or Winsor & Newton). Maybe choose a small one to start with just to get to grips with the medium.

Once you have your paint and your surface or support (canvas) you can start! You will also need a palette of some kind but you can use anything from disposable plates, to a piece of wood, a proper palette from the art shop or a book of disposable palettes (saves on messy palettes hanging around as you can just throw them away!). Plastic palettes are useful as they usually have little sections that you can pour your medium into and use whilst you are painting.

What to Paint

So, now you can start. But what do you paint? If you are really just starting out then you may want to get a book that gives you a step-by-step guide as to how to paint a particular scene or painting, then you can learn the methods used to bring the painting to life. Otherwise you may have a favourite photo or a picture from the internet or even an old master that you want to recreate. I really think that trying to copy something that someone has already done is a good way to learn about techniques as it pushes you to try and think about how to do something and in doing so you learn these new techniques that you might not have learnt otherwise.

Layers

Whatever you are trying to paint, you should use a number of layers to build up the painting and not try to complete it all in one go! When I say this I mean the following: For the first layer, use the paint 'watered' down with thinners. This is starting the painting using the 'fat over lean' method. In basic terms when you apply paint, the most oily layer (fat) should be on top of the layer with least oil (lean i.e. containing thinners) underneath. If you don't use this method then your painting might subsequent have cracks in it where the different layers of paint dry at different speeds.

There are many different schools of thought as to how to actually paint and what colours to use and this article is not going to be encompassing enough to go through those. Basically on the first layer apply it with thinners in a loose manner (i.e. the painting does not have to be precise at this stage). The main aim is to cover all of the canvas with some paint to provide a foundation. As you apply more and more layers - the number of layers is up to you - the paint should have more oil in it as you go on. So for example in the next layer you could use half linseed oil and half thinners as a medium and then the layer after linseed oil with no thinners.

Cleaning Brushes

The common school of thought is to clean brushes with turps or a specific brush cleaner. However, I find it better (I think on the environment as well as the smell and keeping the brushes for longer) to use soap and warm water. Soap can be just a simple soap or you can use washing up liquid. Make the brush wet then build up a lather with the soap. Rinse out the paint with warm water and repeat until the brush is clean.

Oil paints do take a reasonable time to dry - particularly if you compare them to acrylics. Paint with more thinners in will dry quicker however and you can also buy mediums that will make the paint dry quicker (e.g. liquin). The first layer with thinners should dry reasonably quickly, particularly if you are using earthy colours. It is up to you if you wait for the layers to dry, quite often this depends on the type of painting you are doing, or if you add subsequent layers on top of the wet paint. If you do this then just be careful to work in definite strokes and to clean your brush often so that the paint does not 'muddy' and mix layers together more than you would like.

Summary

So in summary, for the complete beginner in oils I would say this. Get yourself a box of student oil paints, some thinners, some linseed oil, a palette, 2 or 3 brushes in different sizes, and a canvas. Choose a subject or get a book that gives you step by step instructions. Paint in layers 'fat over lean'. Keep practising!

There have been lots of books written on the subject and I would advise you if you are really serious about painting with oils to get hold of one that gives you all the detailed information but this article is just to give you a few hints and tips to start you off.

The author has been a professional artist for 5 years and supplies paintings to individuals, interior designers and hotels in addition to having a passion for art spanning over 30 years!

For more info on beginning oil painting and which supplies to get check out my other articles: How To Use Oil Paints and How To Make Oil Paint Dry Quicker.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marian_Lishman

Lessons on Painting - Oil, Acrylic or Watercolor?

2012-07-12T09:51:00.001-06:00

Lessons on Painting - Oil, Acrylic or Watercolor?

(click to learn to paint this seascape)

By Julie Shoemaker

Very often when people tun to the internet for phrases like lessons on painting, acrylic painting lessons or learn to paint with oil, they are beginners and have not yet chosen a favorite paint medium. Its a good idea to play with a variety of styles of art to get an understanding of which materials and medium you prefer. Although oil is perhaps the oldest form of paint medium, newer styles, such as watercolor and acrylic have made it easier and faster to produce artwork. Many artists however still struggle with the question of choosing oil over watercolor or acrylic.

There are pros and cons of using oil paint in your works.

Pros

Oil paintings seem to be the favorite and most respected mediums in the sought after arena. When people hear the terms watercolor, acrylic or oil painting, they automatically deem the oil painting as a better category.
Oils produce vibrant, soft, rich and beautiful colors.
The colors blend easily. They are easy to manipulate on the canvas and can be worked so there are no hard lines or edges.
Recent technology has introduced an oil paint that is water soluble or water mixable. This means that artists can still use oil paint but avoid using toxic solvents and thinners, replacing them with water!

Cons

When using traditional oil paints, your works can take weeks, months or even years before they are complete. This is because the oil that is used in the pigment dries very slowly. Artists apply consecutive layers and often wait for them to dry before continuing. This is most often the case when doing portrait work.
Solvents and paint thinners used for paint and brushes can be harmful to your health. Be absolutely sure to use proper precautions and ventilation if using traditional solvents and paint thinners.
Mediums such as linseed oil is mixed with paint pigment to produce a consistency of product the artist desires. Too much linseed and the finished piece could wrinkle, too little and the paint is too difficult to maneuver. Getting the correct proportions could be a problem for beginners.

As you can see, there is quite a bit involved when painting with oil. Be sure to make your job easier by selecting a painting lesson that offers tricks of the trade and details from start to finish. Click Here for all your painting resources. http://www.IamPainting.org

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Oil Painting Tips - How to Paint Leaves

2012-07-11T09:46:00.001-06:00

Oil Painting Tips - How to Paint Leaves

By Rizwana Mundewadi

Painting leaves is one of the most important part in any floral or nature painting. Looking at leaves closely one gets to understand the structure and textures in leaves which would other wise go unnoticeable. When you think of painting leaves remember they are not just outlines in green. Begin with close observations on different types of leaves and then begin painting leaves. Here are a few oil painting tips for beginners to get the perfect leaf.

First tip for painting leaves is to begin by observing different types of leaves. Go to parks, gardens and nature trails and observe different types and shapes of leaves. This will help you understand that a leaf is not just something that is filled with colour green. From the observations select any types of leaves you would like to paint. It would be best if you are a beginner in oil painting to keep real leaves in front of you to get a realistic nature painting. If you are painting a particular flower then do appropriately choose their respective leaves for best results.

Since a new artist would not get the shapes of leaves correctly it would be better if you draw a leaf on your canvas or paper before beginning to paint leaves. Once you have the structure then you can also draw few ridges and dividing lines in between for guidance during colouring process. Now you begin colouring which is the most difficult part as many experienced artist's also have to try hard to achieve the best results while painting leaves. Keep the nature concepts clear and understand that there are no outlines in nature. Hence you will make a light outline of your leaf with a darker shade of viridian green. This works best for many artists' as viridian green is a best green and also merges easily in any other hue or shade of green.

Begin with filling your leaves with lime green or sap green closest to your model leaves original colour. Here there are no rules and each artist can select a different green or make a new shade in green to get the closest green of your model leaf. After the basic filling or colour you can use another shade of green to paint the ridges in between and also sections with the main dividing line. Most important tip for painting with oil paints is that once the leaves are painted let it dry and observe the final effect, as many times the fresh oil painted leaf will look bright but on drying you may not get the same effects and you would like to over paint it with a darker colour. Finally paint the outline with free strokes of a darker shade of your leaf to get the neat boundary of your painted leaf structure demarcating its presence in your oil painting.

Some artists also paint the inside first and then go painting the outline, whereas some prefer to begin from outside and then fill up colours while painting leaves. There are no hard and fast rules for techniques in painting leaves and any method works as long as you get the perfect leaf!

Rizwana A. Mundewadi is a freelance Healing Artist and writer. She has been writing articles related to art, feng shui, symbolism, home loans and gardening. Her aim is to facilitate harmony, prosperity and good luck through her healing paintings and added to these are suggestions for hanging paintings in the right place for best results.
http://healingartistraz.blogspot.com/

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Oil Painting For Beginners - Tips To Help Start Oil Painting

2012-07-10T09:28:00.005-06:00

Oil Painting For Beginners - Tips To Help Start Oil Painting

By Vincent R Davis

Oil painting is a beautiful medium for anyone who wants to start expressing his thoughts and emotions via painting. Oil painting for beginners can be a rewarding experience if the right tips are given beforehand.

In this type of painting, you will need to be able to get hold of the right materials to begin painting. You will also need to learn about some basic techniques and styles that you can use and incorporate into your own artwork so as to bring out a unique representation of your thoughts and emotions via the canvas.

The Canvas And The Materials

When starting a passion or a hobby for painting, you will need to get hold of the right materials to use. You will need a set of paintbrushes, palette knives, oil paints, a palette, and a canvas. You should be able to find the appropriate materials that will help you come up with an artwork entirely your own.

An Inspiration For Painting

For any artist, there is a need for a specific inspiration in order to come up with an artwork beautifully. An inspiration is a kind of drive that will encourage you to paint a picture that is inspired by it. For many, oil painting is not only a talent, a skill, and a past time. It is more of a catharsis wherein they get to be able to express their emotions and thoughts into a more tangible substance.

Therefore, in order to come up with a meaningful artwork, you will need to find an inspiration - something that will inspire the ideas you put into your painting.

Oil Painting Techniques

Glazing is a technique wherein layers of different colors are placed on the canvas so as to come up with a color entirely different. This is done by place a first layer of color and then another, doing this up until a different color comes out of it.

Impasto is the technique used in order to come up with a painting that has its strokes heavily visible. This is done by doing heavy strokes of paint usually using the paint directly from the tube.

Toning down a canvas is important especially when a canvas looks too bright. Therefore, it is toned down using a toning substance. Generally, artists use a paint thinner to do so.

Summary

Oil painting is a beautiful talent and skill that enables you to begin out your thoughts and emotions into the canvas. However, there is a need to pick the right materials and knowledge in order to start doing so. You will need to learn about the different basic styles and techniques that will help you come up with the artwork that is the very representation of you.

Would you want to know more about oil painting for beginners? Find out more about oil painting techniques today!

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Kendra Burton Art Display

2012-03-05T16:54:00.000-07:00


Kendra Burton displaying Art

Kendra's Bio

2012-03-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

Kendra Parrish Burton has loved and studied art since her childhood in the beautiful rocky mountains and seeing the art of the masters in Europe. Her education, television work, and training with noted artists from America and other countries have given Kendra experiences which add to her ability in creating captivating works of art and in teaching others.

Prior to pursuing the field of fine art professionally, she spent seven years working in Architectural Drafting and Design as an architectural draftsman with her father's firm. There she learned about perspective, three dimensional design, and rendering. Being able to visit art museums in Europe, New York, and Washington D.C., and seeing the work of the masters first hand, has also influenced her art.

Kendra was featured in a series of Art Instructional video tapes filmed at KUTV and distributed nationally through Learn by Video Inc. Later, she completed a series of instructional oil painting programs shown on public television. Kendra has taught many seminars, workshops and classes through the years because she enjoys helping others discover their own creativity.

Her published art work displays different artistic styles. One is called "Joseph the Guardian", which is dedicated to those who tenderly care for all of God's children. Even though Joseph was not the birth father of Jesus, he played a significant role in His life as the caretaker and guardian of this most precious child. "This is particularly sentimental to me because my sister and her husband adopted a little boy from Romania when he was 2 years old. I also have cousins and friends who have adopted children with many different backgrounds." Many people find hope in this painting who have "blended" families.

Another art piece is entitled, "He Restoreth My Soul". The style is more impressionistic and textured. "It was the first painting I was able to finish after my twins were born, one having life threatening hydrocephalus who was left without the ability to walk or talk and had a feeding tube all nine years of her life."

One of the joys in her life has been to be able to be a member of the Finland, Panama, Oquirrh, Draper, and San Salvador temple mural artist teams working for Linda Curley Christensen.

I REALLY Appreciate the following KIND REMARKS:

2012-02-29T15:02:00.001-07:00

I have appreciated some very kind remarks people have said about my work...

"Both of my... daughters have adopted children... the paintings... gave me a new perspective of Joseph's role in the life of the Savior... Joseph was an adoptive father..." -Lynn, Washington

"Thank you ever so much for the... beautiful painting prints..." -Rose, Bangalore, India

Your painting of Joseph "...has the perfect look of love..." -Lucile, Utah

"This picture will be an "awakening" to our children of the importance of them as Heavenly Father's children" -Denise

"A lump came to my throat when I saw the... pictures... they will be treasured" -Olivia, Wyoming

"What a stunning and breath taking painting... " -Marie, Delaware

"The picture Joseph The Guardian really struck my heart... you are truly gifted as an artist to capture the feeling of the spirit" -Nina, Montana

"The beautiful pictures have a very special place in our home..." -Anne, Missouri

"Thank you for the great prints... the quality of the work is excellent..." -Buck, California

"Thank you a million times for precious ... beautiful pictures" -du Bon, Pennsylvania

Kendra Burton's Painting of Compassionate Christ

2012-02-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

To purchase your copy of Kendra Burton's painting "Compassionate Christ", goto: Kendraburton.com

More More Painting Videos, goto: http://goo.gl/OOqTS Check out my about.me profile!