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List of all Articles in Art
Here you can browse through a list of all the article titles in this category, or maybe search for an article that you have seen before and want to read again.
If you can't find what you're looking for here then why not try our related categories section.
Art as an Investment:
After property, Art is considered the most profitable avenue of
investment by the "big boys", that's to say the fund managers
and guardians of pensions! At this level, money is in plentiful
supply and as long as it turns a profit all is well....
Cross Cultural Gift Giving Etiquette
Within the interdependent, global and multi-cultural marketplace of the 21st century, cross cultural differences in the approaches to and practices of business people across the world are important to learn. A lack of cross cultural understanding...
Find Collectibles, Antiques, Heirlooms and Art - Online Auctions or Offline
Every one of us has that special something that has been in the
family for as long as we can remember. It could be an antique
jar, a vase, or whatever. As far as we know they have been
handed down from generation to generation waiting...
Making a Child's Handprint on a Ceramic Tile
This is a fun craft to do with a group of moms and their kids, one child per adult works the best. Each mom will need:
---One soft brush, any size but 1/2" works the best
---One jar of "One-Stroke Ceramic underglaze", either...
Real Spirituality
My fiancee' and I frequent a restaurant in L.A. called Real Food Daily. The concept behind the name is that their food -- which is unprocessed, abundantly nutritious, and lovingly prepared -- is more authentic, more "real," than most other food....
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Faux Painting
Faux and Decorative Painting
Sponge painting
Sponge painting is great because it is easy, fast, requires little paint and materials, and did I mention it was easy? It can be used on walls, furniture, and accessories, and can give instant facelift to dull objects.
Don’t let anyone convince you that you have to go buy an expensive sea sponge to do this. I’ve used plastic grocery bags, cloth diapers, even old clothing…(Ok, now it’s called ragging, same technique, more subtle look.) But you can use a plain old kitchen sponge, and here’s the secret….tear away all the hard edges of the sponge, even tear chunks from the center to give it an irregular appearance.
Now choose your paint, and sponge! Remember to sponge sparingly at first, you can always add more later. Also, dab the paint off on your plate first, you only need a little paint on the sponge, or it will be too gloppy. Practice first on a paper bag, and remember to change the direction of your hand occasionally, the idea is not to get a pattern going.
Try combining sponge painting with stenciling or decorative painting, tape off a border and use it just there, you can even sponge paint over glassware with the new glass paints available at your craft store.
Marbelizing
There is a very simple technique to marbleizing that is popular in the home decorating world today, and you won’t believe how easy it is until you try it.
Simply choose two to four colors of paint within the same color scheme, one light, one medium, one dark.
Using a regular paintbrush, dip the brush into all the colors. Now simply pounce the paintbrush over the surface to get a mottled effect. It might help to keep a picture of a piece of marble nearby to refer to. Use the different colors to add shading, or tone down an area you think is too bright.
When finished with the surface, take a small artists liner brush, dip it into either the lightest or darkest color you used, (thin with a little water, if necessary) and paint veins by dragging the brush over the surface, wiggling it as you go. Don’t go overboard on the veining. Remember also to bring the veins over the edges for a realistic finish.
I think sealing it with a gloss clearcoat or polyurethane gives the most authentic look of polished marble.
Crackling
Crackling is very popular as aged finishes have become so much a part of showcasing warmth and history in our homes. It can be done without purchasing expensive crackling kits.
Crackled finishes are a simple chemical reaction. All you need are two colors of latex paint, one a base coat that will peek through, and one a top coat, that you will see the most of, and household glue. That’s right, direct from your kid’s art box.
Sand and prime your piece if necessary, then paint with your base coat. Remember, this will be the color the will just peek through, so it’s best if it contrasts with the top coat. Let dry.
Now mix household glue with equal parts water, and brush onto your base coat. This can be done easiest with a foam brush. Allow the glue to dry until just tacky, about 30 minutes.
Now for the reaction part. Brush on your top coat directly over the glue coat. Don’t brush over any one area more than once, you will ruin the crackle effect in that area. You should start seeing the crackling take place within a minute or so. The size of the crackles has a lot to do with your technique in applying the top coat, so experiment a little first. Long, smooth strokes tend to produce larger more dramatic cracks than short strokes, and
if you really want a subtle effect, try sponging or ragging on the final coat. Allow to dry overnight.
If you wish to further antique your work, simply dab or brush it with some wood stain, then wipe off. Repeat until you get the look desired.
You can seal with polyurethane or clearcoat, or coat it with common furniture wax.
About the Author
Kathleen WIlson is the editor of a free ezine and newsletter called The Budget Decorator, dedicated to the "budget impaired" home decorator. Visit her at http://www.thebudgetdecorator.com for more free ideas and projects, and for info on her workshop.
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