October 6th, 2008 artsbook
If you want to paint someone’s portrait, you will find it to be a very specific project as you are trying to capture the essence of someone specific. The technique and the style of how you present the subject matters a lot in your painting and should therefore not be distorted or incomprehensible. Learning how to paint portraits would mean a different curriculum than painting abstract or landscapes, so it is important that you know certain tips and techniques so that you have an idea on what to do and how to make your portrait the best it can be. A lot can be accomplished with just a handful of cheap modern art supplies and a vision of what you want.
Observing the Subject…
Painting a portrait requires you to really look at your subject and see what makes he or she unique and worth painting. It is important that you develop your observation skills because you will be deciding on what to do with your subject and how to manipulate him/her and his/her surroundings to make a good painting come to life. Do not attempt to get every last inch of the person you are painting onto the canvas. There is no need to reproduce each line or wrinkle. Choose only the striking elements of the person’s face for inclusion.
People Painting…
A lot of art students who learn to do portraits, whether with an oil or acrylic based paint set, have a problem with the skin of the subject. Even beyond that, they must also study the finer points of light and shadow if they want to draw the image out of the canvas. With regard to mixing paints for skin tone, there is really no specific formula that you can use since people come in different skin tones and textures. The only solution is experimentation until you come across the perfect concoction to fit the person you are painting. Other aspects of a person that can take time to get right are areas such as the ears or the upper part of the nose. Like I said, experiment and try out different ways on how to paint the body and the face to be able to come up with your own formula for paint mixtures and your own style in painting features.
A Simple Backdrop May be Best…
Your subject might be sitting in front of something a little too busy. If you are planning on adding this background to the portrait, be sure not to put too much detail in because it will distract you and you will suddenly realize your focus isn’t on the subject anymore. What you can do in addition to this is to craft the colors that surround the person with the goal in mind of highlighting him. As it is with photographic works, if you are capable of properly implementing areas of light and shadow into your paintings, they will most certainly have a more pronounced effect on anyone who sees them. Making this real impact on a viewer is what every artist strives to achieve, no matter what the chosen subject may be. It’s what makes creative endeavors so rewarding. Where else can you achieve such a response using nothing more than a quality cheap stretched canvas and a handful of other low-cost supplies.
Tags: art, painting, portrait painting
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October 5th, 2008 artsbook
Outlet stores could have sprung up from country potteries that sold their less than perfect products as “seconds” for reduced prices. Stoneware jugs, crocks and churns are examples of a utilitarian antique pottery that spanned the early 19th century through the Civil War and beyond. They progressed from being one-man made to being mass produced by the hundreds in large factories.
Collectors can trace this ceramic from a rippled hand thrown ovoid jug to straight sided assembly line advertising crocks. Maker’s marks and capacity marks were often impressed or stenciled on factory products. These wares were heavy and inexpensive and were often sold door-to-door on the back of a wagon. One of the first decorations used from the early 19th century until about 1840 was a scratch design known as sgraffito. A sharp wire or nail produced the simple design. Other decorations favored by collectors are slip-trailed (raised) or painted designs of intricate blue flowers, birds, animals or scenes that are charmingly naive in their rendering. By the 4th quarter of the 19th century, time was recognized as money and decorations might be only a casual stenciled swirl unless a special gift was ordered.
As modern conveniences developed, stoneware containers dwindled in popularity. Glass containers and bottles became common place by the 1840s. By 1860, glass was actually becoming less expensive than stoneware in cities and by 1880, factory made oak iceboxes lined with metal revolutionized home refrigeration causing crock stoneware to lose more business. In 1919, prohibition effectively destroyed the stoneware whiskey jug and beer bottle business.
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Tags: 19th century crock, antique pottery, crock stoneware, personal property appraiser
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October 5th, 2008 artsbook
Sometimes things happen in life that require a little encouragement. For people who are religious, much of this encouragement comes in the form of angels as religious figures. Angels are beautiful examples of the unseen forces that can truly be of support and help to those in need. If you have a loved one that needs a special gift, an angel music box is a great gift for consideration.
Kinds of Angel Music Boxes
The Ardleigh Elliott Company designs many beautiful angel music boxes. One such group of angel music boxes is from the Seraphim Angelic Inspirations Music Box Collection. It features classic angels whose purpose is to provide comfort during difficult times. For example, these angel music boxes are wonderful to give to a woman who has just beaten or is still going through breast cancer.
These angel music boxes were designed by Gaylord Ho, who is a Master Sculptor of Seraphim Classics. These boxes are made out of Heirloom Porcelain, and are decorated with bands of 22 karat gold. The fight against breast cancer has several meaningful symbols attributed to it, and these music boxes are also decorated with some of those symbols.
Additionally, each angel music box sculpture is hand-painted, which makes it all the more precious. Each music box is also inscribed with prayers of healing and of strength. Each music box comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, and is hand-numbered. For those that are curious about the inner workings of the music box, the eighteen-note musical movement can be viewed simply by opening the lid.
Each of these special edition angel music boxes measures 6 inches in height. The song that each music box plays varies, but, for example, the first music box in the series, entitled “Hope,” plays the song “You are the Wind Beneath My Wings.” That music box is also inscribed with a famous prayer, the “Serenity Prayer.”
For thousands of years, the figure of the angel has been a source of strength and comfort to many people who are in need. These special music boxes - like Anastasia Music Box -are meant to calm the fears of those who are going through difficult times. By giving a loved one in need one of these special edition angel music boxes, you are telling them that they are not alone and that you support them, and that, is indeed a precious gift.
Tags: Angel Music Boxes
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