Importance of Arts And Crafts for Your Young Child

By Bimla sheokand
Arts and crafts play is the most exciting time for the preschool student. The creative bug takes over and the imagination climbs to new heights! As an educator for these young students we must find new ways or maybe old ones rejuvenated, to incorporate targeted goals while having fun. Some of the most incredible times evolve from the simplest activities created using home made mixtures.

Bubbles and more bubbles, whether blown through a straw or wire hoop, happen to be one of the most appealing summer time thrills in the preschool setting. A very easy but beautiful work of art comes from placing a narrow cup in the middle of a large piece of craft paper. Fill the cup with safe colorful bubble making ingredients and give the budding artist a straw. Have the student blow an overflowing amount of bubbles up and over the top edge of the cup. Watch out for the giggling that this activity could bring about or more than just bubbles will be on the craft paper. Variations to this activity include using several different colors of bubbles - allow the paper to dry between blowing sessions. Once the art has dried, decorate the walls with cut outs that reinforce your lesson plans. For more details pl visit the site.

Pudding paint is also a popular 'condiment' in the preschool or home school class. Using vanilla flavored pudding, add a couple of drops of food coloring to tint for a rainbow palette that will excite even the ficklest of artists. Again using craft paper, Cut out shapes that will supplement your chosen lesson theme. Paint the shapes and decorate with sugar 'glitter'. This has always brought about rave reviews.For more details pl visit the web site .

Preschoolers love to create clay style bowls to give as gifts. These items are among the most economical pieces a student can create that are three dimensional. Once you have chosen a favorite clay recipe and tinted it (unless the artist will paint the bowl when dried), assign a shape for the base. Example: If working on the square, have the student create a square base to build up the sides upon. The variations to this activity can include sensory items. Add small rough items to the clay prior to the building of the bowl or add peppermint oil to the clay for a sensory excitement explosion. This is an arty item that no one will every become tired of creating because of the endless variations.

Although these are truly fun and exciting activities, the possibilities are endless. Using the many home spun concoctions we can instill a love of creating while reinforcing the educational or developmental goals of the preschool aged students . Never forget that FUN is always a wonderful foundation to build upon! As we know arts and crafts play a very important role in the physical and mental development of preschooler kids , and thus it enhances the ability of creativity in the children .


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Metal Art Craft- Old World Metal Art and Craft Directory

12 December 2008: Metal Art Craft, a non profitable organization from North America, is proud to announce the launch of the company website www.metalartcraft.com. The website is an online directory resource where all information related to metal artists and studios can be found. Facts and data about different metal artists of North America including blacksmiths, tinsmiths, coppersmiths, sculpture artists and art foundries can be found in the Artist profile section. The resources available in this section of metalrtcraft can also be sorted by name, location or date. All this information can be accessed by visiting the page http://www.metalartcraft.com/profiles.htm/. The website also offers a platform for metal artisans and studios to promote their work. Artists can display their metal art work and discuss in details about their techniques and superb metal craft skills. Artists can also upload their complete profile and tell about their past metal craft work. They can all provide detail about their current art pieces they are displaying. These benefits can be availed by submitting work on http://www.metalartcraft.com/submissions.htm/. These details can help the visitors in better understanding of the artist and his craft pieces. It also gives an opportunity to potential customers to conceive the idea behind the art in a better manner. They can thus reach the right metal artisan through Metal Art Craft. They can also express their interest and appreciation for metal craft pieces they like. Other websites can also benefit from Metal Art Craft. Different websites can exchange links with us which may benefit the whole Metal craft community. The exchange link offer can help in promoting the products and services related to metal art and craft work. For more information on the link exchange program, one can visit http://www.metalartcraft.com/links.htm/. To navigate the new visitors on the website, site map is also available. The site map can help the new visitors in locating the exact information they are looking for. New visitors can visit http://www.metalartcraft.com to check the site map The company Metal Art Craft launched the website www.metalartcraft.com with a single goal in mind, which is to bring and help the whole metal art and craft community under one roof.

Oil paintings on canvas - the process of creating a masterpiece

Oil painting is a technique that has been used by eminent artists to create some of the finest artistic works we have ever known. Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper”; Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and “Café Terrace at Night”; Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam”, are all famous examples of oil painting. It is a difficult process, but once it is mastered, an artist can undoubtedly create oil paintings that are far superior in quality than water color paintings, acrylic paintings and other artistic mediums.
The Initial Preparation

Oil painting is a much superior technique of painting than other processes, such as, water color, charcoal sketch, etc. The linen canvas used in the best quality oil paintings is durable and stiff, letting the artist paint comfortably on it. Also, the pigments used in oil painting are of a special kind, which binds well with the oil used as a base. Linseed oil or walnut oil work best in oil painting. At times resin is combined with the base oil (the product is called varnish) to make the finished product glossy in appearance. The canvas is prepared by stretching it slightly and mounting it on the drawing board with clamps. The paint is mixed with oil and left for some time, allowing the paint to combine properly with the oil.

The Painting Process

In oil painting, the strokes need to be applied steadily, but with measured pressure. Extra pressure put on the brush will end up smudging the color in the finished product. On the other hand, if the pressure is too little, sufficient oil may not be absorbed in the canvas, thus shortening the life of the finished painting. Oil painting thus requires sufficient dexterity on the artist’s part to be done properly, and the correct pressure to be applied can only be determined through continuous practice.

The Finishing

Once the painting is complete and it has dried, the artist usually coats the entire painting with a coat of clear lacquer. This process is called “varnishing”. This process is performed even if the oil used in the painting already had varnishing resin mixed into it. This makes the painting waterproof and greatly extends its life. This finishing must be uniform; any spot left out will gradually degrade the painting over time. Once this process is successfully completed, the varnish is left to dry. Gradually, the colors set perfectly and the varnish dries up, leaving a smooth, glossy finish to the painting.

Creating an oil painting can be a tedious and expensive task. But done successfully, it can leave behind a true masterpiece that is valued by collectors for years after its creation.

Order customized oil paintings on canvas and art reproductions at wholesale prices from GlobalWholesaleArt.com.

Blossoms on Parade 20 x 16 Outdoor painting

The Art of Stained Glass

As with all forms of art, its beauty is defined by the sensations it arouses. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect in the art of stained glass is in its versatility. It's durable, yet fragile, challenging, but yielding to the experienced hands of the artist. I discovered this form of art some seven years ago when my girlfriend and I decided to take a series of evening classes at a local stained glass retail store. We took six classes and I have been hooked ever since.


If you are in need of a way to take away the stresses of everyday life I would recommend stained glass as great way to download and at the same time get into a new hobby. It is a form of self-meditation. The steps you'll follow in arriving at your finished work of art will teach you self-discipline, and provide a great sense of artistic achievement. And if you're like me, you will not be able to get enough of it. That's when you'll want to expand out and begin doing projects for others.

But be careful, once word gets out that you're into stained glass, all of your relatives (you know the ones) will be the first to ask you to make them something. Actually, it's not so bad at first, because they make great test cases and you'll want to experiment.

Where to begin? I suggest a visit to your local stained glass retailer. While not all towns have one (here is a great business opportunity for you) a look into your telephone book should yield a location or two or you can perform an Internet search for local retailers. Start by inquiring into whether or not they run classes. Most retailers usually do because it's a source of increased revenues to them (they know that you'll probably be buying your supplies from them). Cost of classes will be relatively moderate for the same reasons. Check out your local County Colleges as well. My instructor also taught night classes there.

TIP: Bring a friend with you; it will add to the fun and you'll be able to compare notes.

The place you'll be taking the classes from will no doubt also provide you with the basic beginners kit, which will contain the tools needed to get you started. Expect to find a glass cutter; there a variety of types and you should choose the one that your most comfortable with. I have tried a variety myself but in the end settled for the basic non-oil filled type. A breaker, similar to pliers, is used to snap off the glass after being scored. A specially designed scissor is used to cut out your pattern, and of course a soldering iron is used to join the cut pieces of glass together. Expect to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $100.

There are other items that you'll need along the way, but they will be available to you during your classes, such as the grinder, which is used to grind down excess glass, not removed by the cutting process and to polish off the edges of the cut glass. This last part is important because of the foiling process that takes after the glass is ground down. Foiling is a process whereby the copper foil is placed around the edges of the ground glass. The foil is sticky on one side allowing it to adhere to the glass. The purpose of the copper foil is to provide a surface for the solder to stick too.

A word on foiling. Most of us are familiar with the traditional form of stained glass that we have encountered in churches which employ the use of a lead came between the glass pieces. Copper foiling is an alternative to the lead came and is no doubt the first place a new student to the art of stained glass will begin. Only after one has mastered the foil, should you proceed to the came. Besides, foiling is a much easier process, especially for the beginner. I still prefer this method over the came method.


There is a little more to the art of stained glass than what I have described thus far, but the fundamental steps outlined below will give you a basic outline on what to expect.

Plan your design; will it be for a window, skylight... the possibilities will astound you. Let your imagination take you,

Sketch out your design or use a bought pattern available through your retailer,

Cut out the individual pieces from your pattern using those special scissors I mentioned earlier,

Apply the cut pattern pieces to the glass to be cut,

Using the glasscutter, score and break (not in the literal sense) each piece

Grind off the excess glass

Foil each piece of glass

Solder the pieces together

Clean your work, and

Display your masterpiece!

You will soon come to discover your own favorite step in the art of stained glass. For some, it will be in the designing stages, that challenge of coming up with your own unique design. For myself, my love for the art lies in the cutting of the glass. There is a final moment of truth that comes after you have scored the glass with the glass cutter; this is the part where I hold my breath. As you force the glass to run (I'll explain that in another article), you'll begin to see the glass crack along the scored line as you hoped it would. With all things in the universe being wonderful, the glass breaks as you had intended. Occasionally it won't; that's the breaks! But don't worry, glass is relatively inexpensive and you'll get it the next time.



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About this Article Author:


Keith Londrie II has put up an informative web site about stained glass at www.stained-glass-info.info/ Please feel free to drop by the web site to learn more about stained glass. Keith Londrie II klondrie @ yahoo.com www.stained-glass-info.info/

Pencil Drawing - Drawing Tips Used By Pros

The art of drawing has been alive since ages.

Right from the men who used to carve in caves long back until the modern age where we use brushes and oil paints to make humans alive on the paper.

There have been different forms of drawing created, out of all of them pencil drawing is at the base stage.

This article shows you some simple tips that you need to keep in mind to come out with a high quality pencil drawing...

1. Keep It Light.

It is extremely important that you make the first outline that you sketch absolutely light.


This makes sure that you can erase incase you have made some errors without getting the paper to clutter up with creases.

2. Do not Rest.

There are many artists who have a habit of resting on their hand on the drawing paper while they are drawing.

You should not do this because this makes the paper untidy when you tend to erase your pencil drawing on that portion later on if you make some errors.

Moreover, the moisture and sweat that sometimes comes out of your hands tends to spoil the quality and cleanliness of the paper.

It is important that you also do not rest on the parts of the paper where you have already done your drawing.

This tends to form smudges on the areas where you rest on your hand and this literally spoils your drawing tremendously.

3. Get A Piece Of Cotton.

Rather than using fingers to smoothen the shades it is advisable to use cotton instead.

4. Sharpen Your Pencil.

To make some fine additions it is extremely important that you use sharpened pencils as this gives a terrific look to your drawing.

In addition, wipe the end of the pencil once you have sharpened them to remove the extra granite cluttered out there...

- Failing to do this might literally get your drawing untidy, and you will in turn have to erase the extra lines getting formed up due to this.



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Jamie Wyeth - His Portrait Paintings on Canvas

Jamie Wyeth was fortunate to become a gifted portraitist probably because of the many painters in his family who must have inspired him. Oil is a medium which he seemed to love to use in his works. He did not take portraiture lightly and always spent many an hour with his subjects. Whether he painted an animal or a human, this Brandywine artist won appreciation for his portraits and succeeded in becoming well-known like his father and grandfather before him.
The art of the 21st century American painter James Wyeth - who loved the oil medium on canvas - is highly realistic. He is the artistic inheritor to the Brandywine School, consisting of painters who worked to portray the people, landscape and animals in rural Pennsylvania and Delaware. As artistic talent ran in the family and Wyeth himself had great technical talent, it was not surprising that he had his first solo exhibition when he was just 19. Though he has many critics, those who appreciate his work see it as timeless, bereft of faddism and based on classical canvas painting methods.

James Wyeth was born in 1946 in Chadds Ford, a Pennsylvania town and had an upbringing similar to that of his father. After having had public schooling up to the sixth grade, Wyeth was tutored at home. For his art education, he would proceed to the studio of his aunt Carolyn. In 1963, Wyeth did a painting on canvas of a local railroad worker entitled “Portrait of Shorty.” That same year, he also made paintings of a man with severe learning disabilities and of a hermit quite advanced in age. In addition to making these two works translucent and giving them a polished surface, Andy had created them with accuracy that was part and parcel of the German oil on canvas technique of the 16th century. His portraits in the 1960s and 1970s portrayed his subjects’ powerful humanity.

To Wyeth, painting portraits involved “not so much the actual painting, but just spending the time with the person, traveling with him, watching him eat, watching him sleep.” Two of Wyeth’s more well-known canvases include “Portrait of a Pig” and John F. Kennedy.

Wyeth’s paintings of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy became one of the most well-known pictures of the public icon. To create this image of the President, he studied both films and photographs of the late President for as long as three weeks before putting brush to canvas. Following the exhibition of the ‘Portrait of Pig’, Wyeth painted other animal portrayals including “The Raven”, “Angus”, “10W30”, “Islander” and “Newfoundland.” In 1973, he painted “Pumpkinhead - Self Portrait”, his self-portrait. He finished another light-hearted depiction of himself entitled “Pumpkinhead Visits the Lighthouse” in 2000.

In the year 1975, Wyeth took advantage of a tour to the Soviet Union to make the acquaintance of dissident artists. In 1976, the paintings which Andy Warhol and Wyeth painted of each another were on display at the Coe-Kerr Gallery. Wyeth currently resides in a lighthouse in Southern Island from where he produces a great amount of his current artworks on canvas.

Painting is one of the most relaxing and rewarding pastimes. When painting in the traditional way with oil paints it is most convenient to use a Stretched Artists Canvas which is built to a high standard and pre-primed. Article Source: http://www.artistsblankcanvas.co.uk/Art-Articles/Jamie-Wyeth.html



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Oil Paintings Reproductions UK By : Yougesh

There is a large misconception that the concepts oil paintings and affordable do not go together. This misconception is based on past knowledge, from times when art was only found in museums and in the homes of high society people. However, this perception has gradually changed, and as time went on, society has realized that the concept of affordable art does exist, and people can decorate their homes with affordable art alternatives.

The most popular affordable art alternatives are the oil paintings reproductions. Master pieces created by famous artists are no longer restricted to museums and private collectors. Nowadays, the wide public has a large selection of affordable art at art galleries and online art stores: high quality oil paintings reproductions.
Many places sell oil paintings reproductions of famous artists but also those of less famous painters. All the oil paintings reproductions have been handmade by an unknown artist. Companies hire hundreds of artists particularly for this purpose. This is the reason why this affordable art form is available in many shapes and sizes, in all colors and themes. As a result it is no longer a difficult and intimidating process to change the interior design of your home, or add some color and character to a room. All that you must do is select the painting that is right for you and your room and you have altered the appearance of the room or home.
Before one goes about purchasing the affordable art alternative it is very important to define, in advance, the general criteria’s that you want in your oil paintings reproductions. You must first decide the function of the room, and then match a painting that will achieve that function best. It is always a good idea to keep the color scheme in mind, in addition to the mood of the room. For example, when purchasing an oil painting reproduction for children’s bedroom, it is advised to choose cartoon style oil paintings reproductions, preferably with bright colors, and not a classic Picasso painting.

Although, oil paintings reproductions are more affordable than original paintings, they are both equally majestic. The vibrant colors, sharpness of the images in the painting have a dramatic effect on all those who enter the room. In addition oil paintings reproductions easily translate the image into feelings and mode to the surroundings. Such as a mellow pastel oil painting will create a quiet withdrawing area, and a tranquil landscape, other scenic painting will be the right environment for an office space. All wall décor, and mainly oil paintings, have an impact on all those who enter the room. It is important to remember when choosing oil paintings reproductions, that neither the subject nor the colors should create an overwhelming feeling to the room. There is much significance to the location in which the oil paintings are hung. Careful not to clutter the paintings, this can cause confusion in the room instead of the mood that you were originally aiming for.

In addition to oil painting reproductions being the affordable art of choice, and a more realistic way to decorate one’s home, they also make a special and one of a kind gift. Many artists that make the oil paintings reproductions also make commission oil paintings. In other words, you can ask the artist to make the picture according to your specifications. For Instance, have the artist add your friend’s portrait to a famous scenic painting, originally made by a famous artist, as a unique wedding gift.
Keep in mind that the process of creating handmade oil paintings reproductions is long and can take up to several weeks to finish. All oil paintings, whether they are originals or reproductions, are made with layers of oil colors. Each layer is heavier and thicker than the one before. It is necessary to wait for the paint to dry between one layer and the other. But in most cases the results are worth the wait.

Having the option of giving a loved one a unique gift such as oil paintings reproductions has always been popular among the art loving community, and lately has been growing more and more popular throughout different classes of society. If once it was considered prestigious to give an artistic oil painting, today it is considered to be an affordable artistic gift for anyone and for any occasion.

It seems that the importance of wall décor and intuitive feeling that one receives from his surroundings have been tied together throughout history. If once people could admire the beauty of oil paintings from afar, the growing trend of oil paintings reproductions has given the average person an alternative. Now any person has a chance for an affordable artistic creation in their home. With oil paintings reproductions as an affordable art alternative, wall décor are no longer the privilege of high society and the more wealthy folks. We all can have a more beautiful home to come to and entertain at.

Article Source: http://articlestoreprint.com


Information about the Author: Take a decision, buy oil paintings and Oil Paintings Reproductions. It will be a good investment. Linda Mc Luci Smith will help you to take a right decision. Many galleries around the world sell famous Paintings.

Watercolor Painting Made Easy

Many beginning artists have trouble with one of the small techniques used widely in water painting called the wrist flick. This is the ending position of the brush stroke. Now pivot from your wrist push the brush tip up and away in a "flicking" motion. The last part of the stroke flicks out in a feathery point. Practice several times in each color you have. As you hit each stroke, vary the thickness of the strokes trying to imitate grasses, branches, or even feathers.

I, sometimes, rest my brush hand on top of my other hand for some of the brush strokes. Try this technique for stability and control of detailed flick strokes. Continue practicing the stroke on your paper. Be aware that a spectacular scene may grow naturally as you practice.

Along with suggesting grasses, branches, and feathers effortlessly, the Wrist Flick and variants are handy when rendering hair in portraiture or wildlife painting. A little Wrist Flicking can go a long way to finishing off a landscape painting. Too much can do a painting in before you know you've gone too far.

Masking is one of the most important techniques that you should master as you improve your water paintings skill. Masking fluid is the most common masking agent. It comes in colorless and in colors. Most artists use the colored so they can see where it has been applied. Others say the colored fluid is distracting or can cause them to alter the color of paints they use.

We know that the "white of the paper" is important. It creates the very light in the painting. White can easily get lost and once it is lost, it is hard to get back. Watercolor paints and paper have minds of their own - that quality of "happy accidents" is what makes this medium so much fun! (But also so difficult, some say the hardest, to master.)
A lot of artists will never use masking and others swear by it. Anything goes and whatever works for you to create the painting you want is okay. Experiment with all sorts of masking aids to find what works best for you.

What to buy: Masquepen Artist's Masking Fluid (has a nib); W&N MASKING FLUID (colorless); Daler Rowney Art Masking Fluid (colorless); SAA Blue Mask Masking Fluid; Miskit; Cheap Joe's Masking Fluid (very reasonably price!); Art Maskoid; Graphix Prepared Friskit Film; Pebeo Drawing Gum; Water Media Polyester Film Overlay; Incredible White Mask

Most of these and other masking aids can be found at the major online art suppliers.

We want you to have fun working on your watercolor paintings.

About the author:
The author, Mike Dodd, knows a great deal about watercolor paintings.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Watercolour Masters Then & Now In the wake of the successful Watercolor Expert, comes this new volume from Britain''s distinguished Royal Watercolor Society, offering a fascinating look into the mind and work of the world''s ...

my collection of art pieces

I've spent some time doing some artwork these past few weeks. Here's a collection of my art pieces. If you fancy one, why don't you give me an offer and I'll ship it to you.

peru1@shaw.ca

Day's Promise 24 x 24 Outdoor Painting Day's Promise 24 x 24 Outdoor Painting

Most famous Art museums around the world

Most Famous Art Museums around the World

By: saatchi gallery

Art museum is the collections of much variety of exhibitions and paintings. There are old art, new art, pretty art, art that makes us think or is even shocking. Anything that people experience turns up in art: love, war, eating, sports, nature, and faith, anything at all. Most museums are either free or have free days when you can go and enjoy the art. Commercial galleries are also free. Many places offer free lectures, either by an artist whose work is on display, or by individuals who are very knowledgeable in a particular collection on display.

At Saatchi Gallery you can see the List of Main Art Museums around the World as follows.

Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art is the leading advocate of 20th- and 21st-century American art. Founded in 1930, the Museum is regarded as the preeminent collection of American art and includes major works and materials from the estate of Edward Hopper, the largest public collection of works by Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson, and Lucas Samaras, as well as significant works by Jasper Johns, Donald Judd, Agnes Martin, Bruce Nauman, Georgia O'Keeffe, Claes Oldenburg, Kiki Smith, and Andy Warhol, among other artists.

The State Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg is Russia's premier art museum. It began life as the private art collection of the imperial family and was nationalised and greatly expanded after the Revolution. The Museum is housed in the buildings of the former imperial palace in the centre of St Petersburg.

Art Institute of Chicago
A world of art is on display––European and American paintings, sculpture, prints and drawings, photographs, textiles, decorative arts, and architectural fragments and drawings, plus the arts of Asia, Africa and the ancient Americas.

British Museum
The British Museum holds in trust for the nation and the world a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures. Housed in one of Britain's architectural landmarks, the collection is one of the finest in existence, spanning two million years of human history. Access to the collections is free.

Boston Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston was founded in February 4, 1870 and on July 3, 1876 opened its doors of its building in Copley Square, a John H. Sturgis and Charles Brigham-designed gothic structure of red brick and terra-cotta.

Author Resource:-> Find top most art museums and art exhibitions around the world . View Art Museums around the

world at The Saatchi Gallery – London contemporary art gallery.

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Civilizing Rituals: Inside Public Art Museums In a groundbreaking study, Carol Duncan explores the function of art museums as ritual settings and as cultural artifacts that are much more than neutral shelters for art...

The Evolution of Abstract Art and the Abstract Expressionism Movement

The Abstract Expressionism Movement, also called the New York School was exclusively an American abstract art movement that mainstreamed in New York City in the period following the Second World War. This movement was significant in the sense that it was the earliest American movement to declare non-dependence on European styles and to get a sway all over the globe. It also enabled New York City to replace Paris as the art hub. Prior to its reference to American art, “abstract expressionism” was a term used in the Berlin periodical named ‘Der Sturm’, in 1919. Arshile Gorky played an important role in inducing The Abstract Expressionism Movement. The abstract art works produced during the period of this movement are considered to be a combination of certain visual aspects of abstract European schools like Futurism, Synthetic Cubism and Bauhaus with the self-expression and emotional strength of German Expressionism. Though this abstract art was a mixture of a number of styles, its basic philosophy was to search and seek out answers for questions relating to human existence.

There are many similarities of style between abstract expressionism art and the work of Russian artists of the early 1900’s, the most prominent being Wassily Kandinsky. The abstract art from this period of the movement is often characterised by giving the impression of being produced in an act of artistic spontaneity. The work of pioneers of the movement such as Kandinsky, Kunz and later Rothko dealt with the expression of subjects including spirituality and the subconscious. However, meticulous planning and conscious thought was often involved in creating the many of the well known works of art which define this period of the expressionist movement.In the 1930’s in North America, prior to the mainstream acceptance of abstract art, social realism art had been the prominent genre of art. Mexican social realists such as Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros together with the Great Depression strongly influenced the acceptance and widespread popularity of this relatively short lived movement. Preceding the Second World War in the United States there arose a time of political sensitivity. Due this change in the political climate social protest made through art would no longer be tolerated. In American society an artistic vacuum had opened and the abstract expressionism movement arose into the mainstream, showcasing at major galleries in New York such as The Art of This Century Gallery.

The abstract expressionist movement spread rapidly thorough the elite art community of the United States through its major artistic communities such including the San Francisco Bay area and California.During the period of The Abstract Expressionism Movement, several artists started experimenting with shapes and colour. They broke away from what was considered to be artistic, conventional painting and painted complete canvases in blue, orange or other colours.

Dripping, splattering and big brush strokes were characteristic features of Abstract Expressionist Art. The artists of this period preferred larger canvases positioned on the floor over canvases that were easel bound and moderate. The focus of abstract art within the expressionism movement was not the portrayal of objects but the portrayal of emotions. In the broad sense, Abstract Expressionism was of two streams – Colour Field Painting and Action Painting. Colour field painting came up in the beginning of the 1960’s and involved using shape and colour to create religious serene paintings that were devoid of representative subject substance. The composition of colour field works were huge coloured areas with no forms or signs. Helen Frankenthaler, Mark Rothko and Ellsworth Kelly were some painters associated with this type of painting. Action Painting was a painting stream that arose prior to Colour Field Painting (between the 1940s and 1950s) and practiced by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline. The driving force for the works of these painters was often considered to be the painters’ soul and life energy.

Abstract Expressionist Art appeared to be defiant, idiosyncratic and radical, and to some, nihilistic. The movement weakened in the 1960s while other movements such as minimalism and pop art arose in opposition to it. Despite the movement losing importance, a good number of abstract expressionist painters continued following its characteristic painting fashion for many more years. In addition, The Abstract Expressionism Movement profoundly influenced how some American artists of later generations used materials and colour in their Abstract Art.

About the author: Contemporary Abstract Art which has its roots in The Abstract Impressionism Movement is commonly used by contemporary interior design companies such as such as Interior Design Swansea. Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Abstract painting

Cedric Van Eenoo is an abstract artist, born in France in 1974. After Fine Art studies in France and England, he lives in Canada, USA, then Asia. He showed his work in Paris, Geneva, Tokyo, Montreal, New York. His paintings have a special use of line and color, his compositions are both minimal yet powerful.http://www.CedricVanEenoo.com

Homeright Paint Stick Kit 5 Piece Homeright Paint Stick Kit 5 Piece

Parrot Wall Art

Parrot Wall Art Create a dazzling display on your wall with this handcrafted metal wall sculpture of 3 colorful parrots that will add a tropical touch to your decor. Parrot Wall Art is 27" x 20". No air shipping on this item.

A Guide to Specialty Art Paper

Hi, my name is Michaela Blassnig from www.TheArtCanvas.net. I hope you enjoy this fantastic article on choosing the right Specialty Art Paper. Read below and if you’re interested in finding out more, visit my website at www.

TheArtCanvas.net.
Creativity is a tricky endeavor. To get the right look, you need the right materials. As any artist knows, anything can serve as a canvas, but for the truly exquisite look, you need something special. In this short guide, we’ll explain some of the art and craft products available and some possible applications for these products. Curious iridescent paper is certainly one of the oddest products on the market today. Normally, embossed iridescent paper is not so much a paper, but more like plastic or a thin, flexible and colorful metal, and as such, is well suited for sculpting and other crafts. Iridescent paper is often made by foil stamping and lasers on light-sensitive chemicals, and can only be used as a writing media with dry-erase or permanent marker.

Curious iridescent paper, however, will absorb ink and can be used for any variety of projects from drawing, painting and writing to crafts such as collages, paper mache sculptures and scrapbooks with a little extra flair and texture. Vellum makes a unique, translucent, and slightly iridescent paper for accenting crafts. Originally made from animal skin for scrolls, vellum has remained in common use to this day, especially in England, where British Acts of Parliament are still printed on nothing but vellum paper. Most modern vellum imitation is made from acid free cotton and is perfect for calligraphy and other projects requiring an antique or rustic look. Thin vellum paper and glue make a beautiful laminate for crafts such as scrapbooks and leaf catalogues. One of the medium vellum cardstocks of note is Bristol paper, a smooth, heavy pasteboard of fine quality. Originally made from pasted rag paper in Bristol, England, this hard stock is often the choice paper for technical drawings, but offers intriguing creative possibilities. Bristol is unique in that it is thick enough to have two working surfaces "front and back" that will not interfere with each other and each side can serve as its own writing or drawing surface. Artists working with friction-based media, such as crayon, chalk, or charcoal will want to use a rougher texture board, while smooth finishes are generally more suited to other types of media, such as inks and watercolor. For a breathtaking and unique look, silk paper provides a strong yet soft alternative to more mainstream options. Silk crafters have been making paper since the 2nd century, B.C.E., and it has stood the test of time.

Originally a product of China, it is the oldest of all luxury papers and is still in major use today throughout the world. It is truly amazing to witness the limitless creative uses artists and craft persons have found for silk paper. Machine embroidery, three-dimensional sculpture, jewelry, quilting, book coverings, collage, and mixed media are just a few of the possibilities, and the list is limited only by the artist's imagination. Globalization and increased efficiency in paper production opens up a whole new world of possibilities to today's artist. While at times the sheer bewildering array of new papers may seem overwhelming, for the professional artist or graphic designer who is willing to take the time to explore such oddities as McCoy silk papers, Curious iridescents, or Springhill vellum bristol, the results can be quite gratifying.

This is Michaela from www.TheArtCanvas.net. Thanks for reading this article on Specialty Art Papers! If you’d like to find out more, visit my website at www.TheArtCanvas.net.

Outdoor Montecito Painting

Montecito 20 x 16 Outdoor Painting Montecito 20 x 16 Outdoor Painting

Learn How to Paint Like a Master

Painting seems to be the most common of all home improvement projects that many take on and do themselves. Some people think that painting a room is not that difficult but in reality there are several things you need to keep in mind to make sure that the room you painted looks like it was done by a professional. As long as you follow a few easy steps and learn to apply a few techniques, you will find that your painting job will turn out just fine every time. First, it is always a good idea to plan out how you would like the end results to look when planning a paint job. You may also save yourself a lot of headaches if you plan ahead. By repainting a room, your are adding character as well as a new coat of paint so there are certain things to keep in mind when painting. If you want to repaint a smaller room you will want to use lighter colors as darker colors will make the room look smaller unless that is the look you are going for. Same with a larger size room, darker colors will make the room look as though it is smaller than what it really is. Also remember that paints come in different finishes and the finish you choose will greatly affect how the room is going to look. Paint finishes come in flat which doesn't have a shine, egg shell, which is slightly shinier, semi gloss which is shinier yet and then gloss which is very shinny. Using paint with a shinier finish will be much easier to keep clean. A semi gloss to a gloss finish would be best for rooms that are lived in quite a bit like the living room and kitchen or for kids rooms. You should always sand down your walls before painting to smooth them out. If you have never done this before you may think it is just a waste of time and want to get right to painting.

However, you really should continue to read this article before you go running off to paint that room. You will make certain that your paint job job will look smooth and free of rough spots by sanding down the walls before painting. Sanding the walls before you begin to paint will give them a nice smooth finish. Your next step would be to prime the walls after they have been sanded down and dusted off of all the sanding particles.

Many people decide to skip this step in order to save them time and money but it is important to do this just like it is sanding because the results will show when you are finished. Your paint job will look so much better if the walls were primed before the painting was done. Primers start out white but you can ask the person at the desk in the paint center to change the color for you based on the color you plan to use for the room.

Once you have the walls primed, you can begin painting by cutting in the ceiling. By this I mean you will want to outline the area in which you are going to paint with a border of the paint you are using. To do this you will need a chiseled paintbrush that is about two to three inches. A chiseled brush is not the same as a regular brush because it is not cut straight instead the bristles on one side of the brush are longer than those on the other side of the brush. Make about a three inch border around the area you want to paint. Now would be the best time to begin painting the ceiling.

To begin painting you will need to use a painting tray or have a 5 gallon bucket. It will be easier to use a paint tray rather than a bucket when painting a smaller room or area. The bucket is best when you are painting a large area. If you are using the tray just add a bit of paint to the deeper side and dip your roller into it.

After dipping your roller into the paint you will want to roll it against the slanted side of the tray, if you are using a bucket make sure you have a paint screen to roll the roller on to remove the excess paint from the roller. You want your roller to be completely saturated with paint but not to the point where it is dripping. After completing the ceiling you can paint the walls. You want to start with cutting in the edges of the walls just like you did for the ceiling.

Then one at a time just fill in the open areas. Once the ceiling and walls are complete you will want to take care of the doors and the woodwork. Start by applying painter tape around the area you are going to paint, this will allow you to make straight lines and keep the paint off your newly painted walls and ceiling.
Then just apply the paint lightly with long brush strokes.
By following the steps that I have outlined here the job may make take you somewhat longer, but I guarantee that you will be much more satisfied with the result. Have fun and let me know how it turned out.

Picture Framing Supplies Offer Excellent Savings

Submitted by slobac@gmail.com


For those who are avid artists, part of the fun of creating artwork is to show it off to friends, family and even a wider public. You may want to try your hand at framing your own artwork, whether photographs or paintings. It is not hard, especially when you take advantage of picture framing supplies like ready made photo frames, pre cut mat board or custom mat board along with mount board, as well as glazing.

Matting is a fun choice that you will need to make when you get ready to frame your work of art. You will first need to consider the type of art that you are framing. Generally, photographs are framed using wide white pre cut mat board or custom mat board. Other types of pictures can use more matting color if desired, which is readily available in both pre cut and custom mat board. You will also need to measure the frame in order to select suitable matting.
If you have a 12 x 18 picture frame, for example, you will need a mat board sized to fit that size frame. The 12 x 18 picture frame size is popular with the digital photography crowd, and it is a standard size for which you can find mats easily. Ready made photo frames come in different styles of moulding. You can select from simple yet elegant thin black metal, or you can go for wood stained in various finishes. The choice is yours, to best suit the feel of your piece of art. The mount board is used in framing as a backing to the piece of art. It is important to use archival quality products including mount board if you want your artwork to last far into the future. They are designed to capture harmful pollution from the air immediately surrounding the art, before it can damage the surface. They are also acid free, which prevents a host of deterioration issues that can come up if you are using paper products in your artwork.

Glazing comes in glass or acrylic. Acrylic varieties include those that protect the surface of your art quality photographs from harmful ultraviolet light damage, which can easily occur if the photograph is hung next to a window. Acrylic is also light weight, much lighter than glass, but it is not a resistant to scratches as glass, so you will need to decide which is more important for your particular framing purposes.

With such a wide variety of picture framing supplies available in both ready made and custom styles, you will be able to find a wonderful frame no matter what your budget that will look great.

Art Auctions For Sculptures

Art auctions are a great way to find new art for your home or office. I like to peruse the online auction sites for nice sculptures. I have found some very interesting items when Ive looked.There was a sculpture sold on eBay recently that was entitled Love. The art auction for this sculpture went above the estimated value. The piece was red and blue and made of polychrome aluminum. The French artists name was Robert Indiana. The art auction listed the item as six feet tall, six feet wide and three feet deep.I liked a hall stand that was carved from wood that I found in an online art auction. The carving depicted a playful bear climbing a fir tree. There was a young bear cub carved into one of the branches. The branches were there to serve as garment hooks and there was even a mirror on the piece in a carved oak leaf designed frame.There was an exquisite sculpture by a Russian artist that was sold recently in an art auction. The subject of the sculpture was a Bar Mitzvah boy and the medium was marble. I think that marble statues seem so timeless and elegant. It is an excellent medium for a sculpture.

The wife of artist Yitzhak Danziger signed a certificate for the brass sculpture her husband completed in 1969. Danziger is an Israeli artist. The piece looked very abstract to me.
It did not do very well in the art auction and sold for less than its estimated worth.

I found a lot of bronze sculptures in the online art auctions. Most of them were of people, but the ones I liked best were abstract. My absolute favorite was a Harry Bertoia bronze sculpture called Bush.
This piece is also known as a Brain or Coral. The bidding for this piece of art in the art auction was started at thirty nine thousand dollars. It didnt get a bidder.I saw little interest in the bronze sculpture art auctions for animal figures. Im not sure if the reasons they didnt get bidders were because of subject matter or because of price. Bronze is an expensive medium for an artist to work in and it takes a lot of training to be proficient.I have a favorite glass sculptor. His work goes for so much in online art auctions that I will probably never own a piece of his work.

Dale Chihuly is magnificent. There are permanent installations of his tremendous work all over the world.Crystal sculptures look more like paperweights to me.
Online art auctions for glass representations of animals and sea life are really neat.
My favorite art auction recently was for a hand blown glass jellyfish. It was magical.I liked another online art auction for optical crystal that had been turned into a work of art by artist Christopher Ries. The piece was small and called Lotus. It would look so pretty in a well lit display case.Im jealous of the buyer that gets to call this sculpture their own. They won the piece in the art auction for just under a thousand dollars. This artist uses blocks of pure, clear lead crystal cast from Schott Glass Technologies of Duryea, Pennsylvania.
It is truly amazing art.
His work is prominently displayed in numerous galleries and even in the Columbus airport in Columbus, Ohio.
Source: Free Articles

Beetles Yellow Submarine Poster

The Beatles : Yellow Submarine Poster The Beatles' Yellow Submarine Poster 23" X 35"

Monet's Lilies Set New World Art Record

Submitted by Osborne

Recently a late period work by Claude Monet was bought at auction for over 80 million US dollars at Christie's in London. The painting, entitled 'Le Bassin aux Nympheas' set the record for a painting by Monet. The previous record for one of the impressionist master's works was 41 million dollars. This record selling price kicked off a week-long auction of major artistic works.

When the painting was unveiled, hands shot up all over the auction house. Six would-be buyers bid furiously for the piece, speaking with their clients on their phones. When the price reached 70 million, one of the auctioneers told a women in the front row to take as long as she likes. The woman, Tania Buckrell Pos of Arts and Management International, ultimately won the piece for her company.Formerly owned by J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller, two collectors from Columbus, Indiana, the painting is one of the most important pieces of Monet's late period.

Monet signed and dated this and three other pieces from this time in his life, and put them up for sale himself. One of the other water lily garden pieces is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, while another is in a private collection. Sadly, the fourth painting in the series was cut in two shortly before World War II.
The painting was purchased in 1971 for US $320,000 and was kept in a private collection, away from public viewings. Mr. Miller died in 2004, and his wife died in February 2008, leaving their estate to their children. In their lifetimes, the Millers supported historic buildings in Columbus, turning the city into a showcase of modern architecture. The painting was likely auctioned off to help pay estate taxes.

Monet is considered to be the founder of the impressionist movement. In fact, the term impressionism comes from the title of one of his paintings, 'Impression, Sunrise'. A prominent art critic of the age coined the term as a derogatory statement, but impressionist painters gladly adopted the title.He developed his style while visiting the Louvre in Paris as a young man. He stayed at one of the local hotels in Paris France. Other artists had come to the Louvre in Paris in order to copy the works of the previous masters that covered the walls. Monet decided to sit by a window and create works based on what he saw outside. Thus, his impression of nature flowed onto his canvas.

Monet created his water garden as a method of rerouting a river. He chose a wide variety of water lilies in order to bring as many different colours to the garden. The decision to include so many different flowers implies that he purposefully made the garden for use in his work.

After Monet's death from lung cancer, his home and water lily garden was given to his heirs, who then donated the land to French Academy of Fine Arts in 1966. In 1980, the property was opened for public visits. Through the Fondation Claude Monet, the home was refurbished to represent the exact living situation of the artist at the time of his greatest work.

Outdoor landscape painting.

Morning Lace 44 x 32 Outdoor Painting Morning Lace 44 x 32 Outdoor Painting

Ansel Adams Photography

Buy artwork by Ansel Adams at Art.com


"Ansel Adams," wrote John Szarkowski, of the N.Y. Museum of Modern Art, "attuned himself more precisely than any photographer before him to a visual understanding of the specific quality of the light that fell on a specific place at a specific moment.

For Adams the natural landscape is not a fixed and solid sculpture but an insubstantial image, as transient as the light that continually redifines it. This sensibility to the specificity of light was the motive that forced Adams to develop his legendary photographic technique." His lasting legacy includes helping to elevate photography to an art comparable with painting and music, and equally capable of expressing emotion and beauty. As he reminded his students, “It is easy to take a photograph, but it is harder to make a masterpiece in photography than in any other art medium”. Adams's photograph The Tetons and the Snake River - Grand Tetons National Park has the distinction of being one of the 115 images recorded on the Voyager Golden Record aboard the Voyager spacecraft. These images were selected to convey information about humans, plants and animals, and geological features of the Earth to a possible alien civilization.

These photographs eloquently mirror his favorite saying, a Gaelic mantra, which states “I know that I am one with beauty and that my comrades are one. Let our souls be mountains, Let our spirits be stars, Let our hearts be worlds.” Realistic about development and the subsequent loss of habitat, Adams advocated for balanced growth, but was pained by the ravages of “progress”. He stated, “We all know the tragedy of the dustbowls, the cruel unforgivable erosions of the soil, the depletion of fish or game, and the shrinking of the noble forests. And we know that such catastrophes shrivel the spirit of the people…The wilderness is pushed back, man is everywhere.
Solitude, so vital to the individual man, is almost nowhere.”
View Ansel Adams Photography Posters at viewposters.com.

Art since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism

Who among those of us assigned to teach the survey of art history has not struggled with the very concept of the comprehensive overview? In many colleges and universities, a foundational survey nevertheless remains the bread and butter of the art history program, the centerpiece of a disciplinary practice that Henri Zerner described two dozen years ago as "an uninspired professional routine feeding a busy academic machine."

(1) The survey text has been the indispensable corollary to this deeply entrenched yet problematic curricular offering. According to Mitchell Schwarzer in 1995, "The survey text is art history at its most grandiose, promising to reveal the complex truths of humanity through art. It is also," he continued, "art history at its most political, reducing cultural and individual differences to questionable hierarchies and generalities."

(2) When, five years earlier, Bradford Collins had addressed the challenge posed by the survey text, he, like Schwarzer, was writing about books that seek to present works of art in relation to the vast sweep of world history, and he noted, "The writing of a completely acceptable overview of art's history, impossible under any circumstance, has been rendered even more absurd by the growing pluralism within our field, which is why I think it may be time to rethink the entire introductory enterprise."

(3) The solution that Collins proposed, "a collection of separate, lengthy and in-depth analyses of major monuments, a book that would leave the issues of continuity to the individual instructor," introduces the possibility of an intellectually rigorous alternative to the dominant evolutionary paradigm, one that could be adapted to the most general of surveys or to a particular field within the history of art. "I can imagine, too," Collins wrote, "that such a book might include essays that offer competing points of view on a given work or monument.... Perhaps what we need in this area, given the methodological diversity within our field, is a range of quite different options."

(4) Some years later, Mark Miller Graham argued for a radical deconstruction of the traditional survey, which he condemned for its ties to "the authority of the panoptic gaze and the privileged perspective."

(5) First on his list of remedies is this advice: "Stop using the present generation of survey textbooks.... Those who teach the course must get hold of its agenda." Graham's list continues with calls to "stop fetishizing completeness"; "eject the canon and thematize the content"; "embody and engender the discipline of art history"; and, finally, "teach the conflicts ... the actual debate and disagreement that constitute the scholarly process."

(6) The authors of Art since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism have produced a survey text that responds surprisingly closely to many (but not all) of these prescriptions, establishing an ambitious new paradigm that solves some of the most egregious problems of the survey genre by challenging the reader to become actively engaged with the critical debates that are highlighted in the book. (Although the publication is available in a single volume, it can also be purchased as two separate volumes, the first of which deals with the period to 1944, while the second begins with 1945. My remarks here are prompted by volume 1, though many would be applicable to volume 2 as well.) That an actively engaged reader is being called forth becomes immediately apparent in the instructions--"How to use this book"--with which the book opens (pp. 10-11). Here, two text pages are reproduced with additional graphic signs pointing out features of the layout and organization that are intended to help the reader "follow the development of art through the twentieth century and up to the present day." As this wording would suggest, the presentation appears rigorously chronological, insofar as the material is organized into individual entries, each approximately five pages in length and keyed to a given year. The chronological organization is further articulated by the grouping of entries into decades, although a countermanding arbitrary quality emerges from the fact that some years have multiple entries while others are omitted altogether. In fact, as the "Preface: A Reader's Guide" (pp. 12-13) makes clear, chronology is just one of the book's organizing principles; its numerous cross-references encourage the reader to construct alternative paths to destabilize the sense of an unfolding narrative, establishing links across time to reveal the histories of, for example, national schools, particular media, stylistic developments, or thematic concerns.
Many cros-references call attention to the authors' introductory discussions of the theoretical methods that inform the entries, and these too, like the entries, are stand-alone essays by individual authors (pp. 14-48): "Psychoanalysis in Modernism and as Method," by Hal Foster; "The Social History of Art: Models and Concepts," by Benjamin H. D. Buchloh; "Formalism and Structuralism," by Yve-Alain Bois; and "Poststructuralism and Deconstruction," by Rosalind Krauss. Not only does this framework encourage the reader to focus on conceptual issues raised by, or in relation to, salient objects and events in the history of art, it also allows the authors to provide numerous compelling demonstrations of how theory and method can be applied in practice to structure interpretation.

palm beach flower garden outdoor painting

Palm Beach Flower Garden 20 x 16 Outdoor Painting Palm Beach Flower Garden 20 x 16 Outdoor Painting

Chandler the Artist

Here's my little one painting away. He loves to be creative on any surface, sadly even the walls!

Humpback picture

This is as close to heaven as I'll get to in this lifetime!

Humpback Paradise Canvas Art "Water Proof Surface The technology was developed over the last couple of years based upon the combination of High Definition/Resolution Digital Photography and the New imaging style of Giclee. GICLEE Giclee is the French word meaning: ""to spray or to squirt with a nozel."" Our process is performed and combined on a new style of canvas, with ink & oil combinations that give a unique water resistant, vibrant color & durable surface quality unsurpassed in the giclee canvas art industry. Our ink & oil combination also allows for a guarantee of ""no separation"" from the canvas surface for up to 100-years. UV PROTECTION Our process is also UV protected against direct sunlgiht fading for up to 7-years. FRAMING The framing used is a lightweight wood product with steel staples in order to securely afix the canvas to the frame structure. The product also has what's refered to as Gallery Wrapped Edging. This is the technique in which we wrap the canvas completely around to the back of the framework in order for the image to be viewable from any angle in the room. This also creates the ablility to need no picture frame around the artwork, thus allowing the it to be hung in more locations without having conflicts with other woods, metals or any other interior design patterns, surfaces or fixtures. Ready to Hang And Enjoy!"

Weatherproof horse print

My Old Friend 44 x 32 Weatherproof Painting UV-Protected Weatherproof Art!This reproduction is printed on a durable weather-resistant, UV-protected material. State of the art technology ensures crisp of a high quality art print. The frame-free canvas wrap style coordinates with any decor. The standard finish is a smooth texture. The durable surface wipes clean without harming the art and can be used in direct sun or high humidity. Hangs easily on any wall, including stone, stucco, brick, clapboard, even siding. Can also hang from most fencing materials, sheds, and gazebos. Additionally, you can give this piece the look of just finished art when you display it on an easel by your pool, in your garden, or patio. Also the perfect choice for indoor areas where constant moisture and harsh sunlight would damage ordinary art, for example, on your porch, in your sunroom, spa, indoor pool, kitchen, and bathroom. UV-protected with 5-year warranty Use Indoors direct Sun or moisture Universal mounting bracket included Durable surface easily wipes clean Made in USA - Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery Select From Sizes Below: