How To Draw For Kids - Tips to Help Kids Draw

If you feel teaching how to draw for kids is beyond you because you believe that you are unable to draw yourself (I believe that being artistic can be developed just like muscles) do not worry and read on.

While artistic drawing is an amazing skill, even more amazing is the different styles and artistic interpretations that can be found among many of today's young kid artists.

Within each stage in a kids life, art is viewed through many different lenses, each a different perspective colored by experience, perception and growth of ones artistic skills.

Encourage your kids to look at and copy other peoples work. When your kids carefully look at someone else's work it will help to improve their work very dramatically. When doing a copy kids are forced to see things that they do not normally see and this is a very good way to learn how to do it themselves. They just need to remember not to claim it as their own.

Have your kids keep a book close by and work sketches and drawings in it as often as possible. This is something that works very well for keeping track of ideas and for future inspiration.

Make sure that when your kids bring a new drawing or painting to you that you respond with positive encouragement, never criticize your kids work.

If you do not want to shoot your budding artist down make sure you never use comments like these:

What's it supposed to be?

It's not as good as (the next guys) drawing is it?

Why are you wasting your time with this? (the next guy) is the real artist in the family/class.

Oh well, never mind. You will do better next time.

If you are using any comments like these or any kind of critical or discouraging remarks, change them into positive, reassuring and encouraging comments.

Keep plenty of art supplies handy for your kids to use. Any art projects that your kids create will help them develop creatively and to develop their fine motor skills which are necessary for drawing.

Encourage your kids to draw every chance you get. Never force them to draw and paint and they will progress through the stages of creative development quite well. Let your kids develop their drawing naturally.

An interesting thing with regards to kids drawings is that all children appear to progress through the same identifiable creative stages which demonstrates just how innate the desire to express ourselves creatively lies within all of us.

Every kids believes that she or he is an artist, just try asking a class full of kids who is the artist and watch every hand go up.

Children will reach a point called Crisis Period of development where they are trying to create realism without the required skills they must learn to do so and they begin to lose interest in drawing or painting. At this point it is now necessary to begin formal art instruction to learn those skills. This usually happens around the age of 10 to 12.

With how to draw for kids encourage them to keep going get them into classes, explain that it takes time to develop their skills. It is all about trial and error, and lots of practice.

Author: Bryon Zirker

About the author:
Lost Manuscript Resurfaces, Over 190 Pages on Drawing, Sketching, Oil & Watercolor Painting and Different Modes of Seeing - Revealing All The Secrets of a True Art Master! The Right (and the Wrong) Way to Learn Painting and Drawing.
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Original Abstract Art - How to Start

By Bryon Zirker

Interested in painting a piece of original abstract art (art created by you)? You know that you have never done so before. Well read on for a few some tips that may be able to help you reach that goal.

To create an piece of original abstract art, you must develop a strong imagination and good sense of creativity. Original abstract art skill include the ability to mix different colors, shapes, and textures together and create a complete art piece that represents something in particular. When putting down paint for this form of art, a lot of skilled artists begin in different ways which depends upon what they might be feeling and how their imaginations flow. One simple way to begin is to think of an object that you wish to paint. Now take that same object and abstract it.

Imagine in your minds eye that the object is a blur and paint these shapes and colors. Add different shapes and colors to the painting to make it more abstract. Another tool to assist you is music. This helps many artists begin their artwork.

The rhythm of which the music is played usually influences how fast or slow an artist paints in a session. Music also influences the actual painting. If for example, the music is loud and fast, the painting can be bright and loud. When the music is of a slower type, the painting might come out dull and somber. Abstract Art is the most freely formed type of artwork, no right or wrong about it, it just is. You must let your mind take control and do the work. Surprisingly you can come up with very creative spontaneous work when applying this thought.

First time, get started this way...... One you are going to need gather your materials. This allows you to get all your thoughts together into a visual state for others to see. Get over to your local art supply store. Pick up a the best paint brush you can afford. The paint brush will be an important tool to getting your painting started.

Two is going to be the paint. Some abstract pieces are full of vibrant colors; while others could be black and white...this is your choice and your choice only! That is the beauty of abstract art, you can do whatever you would like, there are no rules to follow. Go and buy the best professional paint that you can afford, no the student paints.

If you opt for acrylic paint remember that it dries very quickly so you can over paint your creation many times.

Three would be what you would like to paint on. Anything from basic paper to primed paper, or even a canvas. Since you are a beginner, and painting on a canvas could be a bit expensive, I would start by painting on paper. There are many different types of paper depending on which medium you choose to paint with. Ok now start your original abstract painting. abstract expressionism is a very popular type of abstract art. Painting with no plan at all. Painting by the seat of your pants if you will. This creates true one hundred percent abstractness as your brush takes over and thoughts from your mind go right onto your paper.

Take time to study your original abstract art painting while painting it. Take time to stand back and see what you have created. This is important as you will be able to see where you wish to go with it and to justify the image you are trying to put down.

Author: Bryon Zirker

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Lost Manuscript Resurfaces!

Abstract Art Blog

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Abstract Art - A Brief

By Bryon Zirker

Abstract art combines a beautiful visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a definite degree of independence from visual references seen in the world today and in the past. Western art was typically underpinned by the logic of perspective during and after the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century. Abstract Artists of the day attempted to reproduce an illusion of visible reality.

Arts from many other cultures other European were accessible and showed many alternative ways of describing visual experience to the artist. Artists felt a need to create a new kind of art which would encompass the fundamental changes taking place within the worlds of technology, science and philosophy. Most of this occurring around the end of the 19th century.

Social and intellectual preoccupations in all areas of Western culture during these times reflected the social and intellectual preoccupations in all areas of Western culture. The sources from which individual artists drew their theoretical arguments were very diverse.

These terms are loosely related terms, nonrepresentational art, Abstract art and nonobjective art. The concept of abstraction points to a departure from reality in the presentation of imagery in art.

This departure can be only slight, or it can be partial, or it can be complete from the actual representation in accuracy. Even art that aims for the highest degree a similarity can be said to be abstract, at least theoretically, since perfect representation is likely to be a continuum of the elusive.

Total abstraction for the most part is anything but recognizable. Artwork which takes very small and subtle liberties, altering for instance color and form in ways that are conspicuous, is partially abstract. An example geometric abstraction one would not seem to find references to any naturalistic entities. Figurative or representational art and complete abstraction are 99.9 percent mutually exclusive. Figurative and representational (or realistic) art do sometimes contain partial abstraction.

In the cases of Geometric Abstraction and Lyrical Abstraction they are most often 100 percent abstract within the context of abstract art.

Author: Bryon Zirker

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Art Design Courses - What To Look For

Two of your major art design course objectives should first be an emphasis on your professional skills development and to gain the techniques, skills, methodology, and vocabulary that will be required for your success as a productive artist, designer, or scholar.

You second objective should be the development of critical judgment and historical perspective that you will need to become a problem solver. With art and design history mixed in with studies in the liberal arts and sciences, gives you the context for stimulating intellectual and creative thinking.

Art design is not simply about what you see, it is about what you can make someone else see. Find courses that start with the exploration of art design fundamentals, ones that provide the experience suitable for beginning as well as advanced artists. Once you gain a basic understanding of how to see and describe something in visual terms, you can investigate expressive and experimental directions in your art designs.

Working with the dynamics of color has significant implications in the work of artists, illustrators, craftspeople and designers. The course you choose should explore the issue of color by developing creative exercises, look at studies from nature, the human environment using collage, paint and other art media. Look for or request projects that will facilitate in-depth exploration of the role of light, the psychological impact of color on the brain, and how such factors as hue, value and intensity affect artistic design. Historical background should be provided via lectures and power point presentations.

As an artist you should be constantly researching new materials and inventing new creative processes to for a new piece. Find a multi-disciplinary course which will allow you to experiment with a lot of different media types in reaction to a specific site or location, for example, sound-based, sculptural, a drawing or a painting.

As for great artistic figurative sculpturing it must not be left untouched and let me say it does not just simply copy nature, indeed no, it takes the essential qualities that it needs from nature turning them into the beautiful visual language of three dimensional form. The artist's visual language is how the sculptor conceives of the figure and interprets anatomy. You must learn to think of the human body as an interconnected system full of layered forms. You will want to learn how to about combining close perceptual study of a posing model with a conceptual understanding of the human body's shapes and proportions, finally learning how to create your visualizations of the human figure. You really should include in your art design course studies critical thinking about what it means to represent the human body in your art.

Author: Bryon Zirker

About the author:
Lost Manuscript Resurfaces, Over 190 Pages on Drawing, Sketching, Oil & Watercolor Painting and Different Modes of Seeing - Revealing All The Secrets of a True Art Master! The Right (and the Wrong) Way to Learn Painting and Drawing.
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Abstract Canvas Art - Thoughts to Ponder

By Bryon Zirker

Abstract canvas art Paintings were becoming increasingly abstract during the centuries when abstraction made its final break through into the 20th century. Today in the contemporary art circles, artists are free to choose between a wealth of interesting new media, the feeling that abstract canvas art still harbours tremendous potential to translate the contemporary experience of life into a visual language that is universal.

Abstract canvas art is art that is not found to be an accurate representation of a form or object. This type of expression can be rendered in many different ways which can include the shape, color, and form. The artist will take the object and then either simplify it or exaggerate it based on his skills and experience. There are many different abstract styles. But in all there are three forms of these styles that really stand out. They are, Cubism, Neoclassicism, and Abstract Expressionism.

It is a curiously fascinating aspect of contemporary abstract art today that it can be a powerful means to reach all the hidden layers of non-objective experience shaping ones inner life. Many artists are finding that non-representational abstract art on canvas is very well suited to exploring and expressing emotions and the inner life.

Abstract art or abstraction. The creative Imagery that departs from representational accuracy to a variable range of many possible degrees Suprematism is as a Russian abstract art movement that is characterized by the use of just a small number of colors and a few fundamental geometric shapes used by abstract artists. Suprematism focuses on pure form and possible spiritual qualities it contains.

Irrespective of the chosen themes that are carefully painted in mixed media for the desired effects of simplicity and clarity of abstraction, the impact and directness of a physical and emotional events, are what we aspire toward. This is abstract canvas art.

Author: Bryon Zirker

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Oil Painting Instruction's That Will Have You Painting a Masterpiece in 5 Days Or Less!

So let's get started! These Oil Painting Instructions are a short cut version of the seven layer technique that utilizes all of its strong points yet shortens the process a bit to help you achieve a wonderful painting fairly quickly.

Day 1: You should already have a prepared ultra smooth canvas to paint on. Smooth because it always better fine details in the final layer.

You should also already have a simple subject selected, like a single apple, pear, or a couple of eggs. Draw your subject first in pencil, then in ink because your first layer of paint will wash away the drawing.

Once the ink has dried, I mix my first wash (imprimatura) using acrylics! This first under painting simply tones the canvas with an olive hue (burnt umber, yellow ochre, white, black) that is close to the average brightness of your subject.

How do you figure how light or dark this really is? Here's a little secret. Squint your eyes while viewing the subject and match it to the tone of your mixture.

Using a large brush quickly apply the paint and once the whole canvas is covered, then using a large mop brush, gently brush across the surface of the canvas and the visable brush strokes in crisscross patterns to eliminate any visible brush strokes.

Keep your brush clean by wiping off excess paint frequently. The dry mop brush will not lift a lot of paint but will smooth out the surface to <strong>hide the brush strokes</strong>.

Your finished washed imprimatura will be a very uniform color and tone with your ink drawing showing through. Allow this to dry. Use a hair dryer to speed that up.

Now you're ready for the Umber Under Layer. Using only burnt umber and medium (like Liquin an Alkyd dryer) begin painting using dark (more paint) in the shadow areas, and light (thinned heavily) paint in the areas in half shadow. Using a small round to do this.

Well lit areas require no paint application at this time.

And here's another secret.

While painting use this technique.

• Apply paint with one brush (a round).
• Use a 2nd brush (dry) to correct, move paint, blend or soften the edges (this is usually a filbert for me).
• Finally, utilize the dry mop blending brush to lightly stroke the surface which will soften all edges and eliminate brush strokes leaving a uniform tone and slightly out of focus painting. Your painting should look like a completed Sepia watercolor. Allow the painting to dry overnight.

Day 2: This next layer is called the Grisaille (gray or dead layer). Of all my oil painting instructions, this is your most important and should take your best effort.

You need to mix 3 to 5 intermediate tones of gray and have a white and a black.

The white should not be open, but white with a touch of gray. Again, using Liguin as an overnight dryer to add to your mixtures to speed up your process.

• Repaint over the previous layer but pay attention to the half shadows the most. Also add your larger details, defects on the fruit, stems, holes etc. Apply paints to your lights, then half shadows, then deep shadows will all be applied with the gray mixtures.
• Your painting will resemble a rough paint-by-the-numbers painting example as you block in your paint.
• Using your dry blending/correcting brush, smooth and blend areas that transition from light to dark. Keep your sharp edges where needed.
• After the correcting brush, use the dry mop blending brush to soften the entire painting and leaving you with a slightly out of focus black and white (gray scaled) painting. Allow to dry overnight.

Day 3: This is your color day! Again, use an alkyd dryer to mix with your paints.

Mix your colors for you subject. Have a dark and a light tone for each color. Apply each color in only the well lit areas, and deep shadows.

Don't apply paint to the half shadows.

Then using the correcting brush soften areas that are in transition to the half shadow allowing the half shadow (gray) areas to show through. The same for the dark areas.

Finally use the mop brush to soften the entire painting. Most of your fine details will be included in the layer. (But not texture!) Allow the piece to dry.

Day 4: Didn't I tell you that you can do this painting in 5 days or less! Well, today you will <strong>finish your painting.</strong> (Day 5 is to put a re-touch varnish on only).

This is your finishing layer. You will add only your brightest brights and darkest darks here. Especially around your focal point and points of interest.

Highlights on dew drops, highlights for window reflections, and deep shadows are completed here.

Apply the paint with your sharpest brushes and use very little if any correcting, blending, or mop brush blending.

Don't forget your signature! Did I mention Dew Drops? I have a wonderful quick lesson using only 2 brushes, 2 colors, and 5 strokes to create one. Details in the resource box.

Day 5: Make sure the whites are dry and apply a re-touch varnish to deepen your dark areas and protect the paint film. You're all done!

Do you need photo examples? Sure you do. In painting, words just can't describe any method without a visual aid!

My oil painting instructions are chock full of photo examples for this entire process. And the best part! It's FREE.

Author: Delmus Phelps

About the author:
Artist D.G. Phelps has been painting in oils for over 30 years. His website is devoted to helping artists find answers to painting problems. Join us at http://easy-oil-painting-techniques.org/free-art-lessons.html for some crazy easy tips in oil painting!

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Art supplies - everything you need to be creative

If you are thinking to embrace art as your hobby or if you are already a full-pledged artist or a teacher who is trying to fit in the limited budget, you will need to have the art supplies to cater to your craft. In various art depots you can find all the supplies you might need at great prices, from washable crayons and markers for youngsters, to paint brushes and drafting supplies. You can find anything and everything you need to create a line of fantastic works. There are art supplies shops where you can find everything that you need at one single place and they should be checked out first before you before you head downtown for your brushes, across town for your paints or online to collect your pens.

Art includes painting, coloring, drawing, modeling and just about every other creative process you can imagine so it is very important to have a source where you can cater to all of your needs at one convenient location. When trying to decide where to buy your art supplies, there are few things to be considered:

- Your source needs to offer both regular markers, for permanent projects, as well as washable markers, which are great for kids

- Your art supplier needs to carry a varied range of art supplies, from affordable but quality choices suitable for students and young aspiring artists to high-quality products for professionals

- The place you are considering to buy your art supplies from needs to be conveniently located so you wouldn't need to battle the afternoon or evening in your car through rush hour traffic, just to purchase a couple of items on your ever-growing supplies-list.

Author: Melanie Cath

About the author:
If you are thinking to embrace art as your hobby or if you are already a full-pledged artist or a teacher who is trying to fit in the limited budget, you will need to have the art supplies to cater to your craft.

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Tips That You Can Use For Your Painting Success

Painting for the first time? Wanting to be the next Van Gogh or Monet, but still starting out? Then you may need to have a lot of money to spend on lessons, a lot of time to spend in museums looking at the work of artists, a lot of time thinking and contemplating and getting inspiration, and a lot of practice as well. Your painting life is going to be as much perspiration as it is inspiration, so you will need to practice and accept that there are things that you still cannot do, and that it will take years for you to perfect.

There are also many ways for you to go wrong in your first foray into painting, so don't be discouraged if you aren't making a lot of progress at first. Here are a few tips that you can use as you start off on your journey to painting success.

- Make sure that you have the equipment - and the right ones, with the best quality. Sometimes, if you are starting off with a craft, you may want to save money. This may not work with painting, especially if badly made canvas can tear up, or poorly fashioned brushes can crumble or fall apart while you use them. With poorly made materials, you may think that you are doing something wrong or that your paintings are of poor quality, or that you can't paint - and you simply need better materials!

- Not sure what materials to get? Then start getting some mentoring. Are there any local painters in your area who are friendly, willing to share the secrets of their craft, and wanting to help you? You could work as an apprentice first, and then start asking for tips on the best materials for you to use. This mentoring relationship can grow into bigger, better things: you can help your local artist with his or her works, and understand the craft of painting from the point of view of the artist.

- Take time off for yourself. You might think that you always need to be at the right place and time to paint, but sometimes, you simply need to stay away from the world and clear your head. Take a hike, walk around your neighborhood, or relax and do a non-painting activity. Sometimes, the inspiration really can be overwhelming, and you could feel overworked.

- Practice! Your work can be as simple as that still life of fruits on your counter, or a beach scene of your local shoreline. Don't be afraid to try out new things and you'll only get better.

Author: Ilyn Quiambao

About the author:
Whether you are looking for readymade or professionally handmade Ready Made Canvases, you should only look for the top-quality types of this form of artist tool.

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Learn How to Paint - Quick Starting Tips

Learn how to paint with oils, I believe may be the ideal medium for beginning artists. Is is a great way to study, as your changes and corrections can be easily made. When you apply and later find unwanted passages of color, they can simply be scraped off the canvas without any injury to the surface.

Colors can be painted over another, your actual drawing can be corrected, and all the aspect of your light and shadow application can be experimented with..

Your painting session can be ended at any time, and picked up and continued at any time. Beginners more than not, make oil their choice without considering other media at all due to a reverence for 'true oil painting.' Many artists want to produce pictures that show the actual brush stroke marks and textures.

Even an artist that might lean toward a specific medium may find, as I have, that with oils he can gain a quicker study of color subtleties and can gain a basic knowledge which can later be applied to the preferred medium.. You will soon discover after some practice time, that there is more to oil painting than the visible quality of the actual brush stroke work. Your chosen surface type, preliminary stain preparation of the surface, and the underpainting process come together to affect the finished result.

Make sure in your initial efforts that you work in a direct way, particularly when you are painting outdoors. After awhile you might choose to experiment in the studio with various underpainting processes. Also when learning how to paint choose a good box to store the different oil paints, brushes, palettes, and panels. One very popular size for a paint box is 12x16 and another is 16 x 20 inches. Try to find a box with a lid that is grooved in order to hold a canvas panel.

Usually Paint boxes are available in wood and metal. You may find new plastic versions as well. The choice of a metal box will be more expensive and will last a lifetime. You can locate wooden boxes that are already painted or stained though they will cost more than unpainted paint supply boxes. If you choose an unfinished box, put a complete coat or two of a good varnish, on the inside and outside. This makes easier to wipe off left over paint for easy cleanup.

Author: Bryon Zirker

About the author:
Lost Manuscript Resurfaces, Over 190 Pages on Drawing, Sketching, Oil & Watercolor Painting and Different Modes of Seeing - Revealing All The Secrets of a True Art Master! The Right (and the Wrong) Way to Learn Painting and Drawing.
Get Your Guide Now
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How to Paint Animals - Basics - Learning to Paint

When painting animals with acrylic paint you will create a more realistic appearance if you use several thinned layers of paint. You thicken the paint as you want more detail. Think of your painting as a step by step process that is a three-dimensional object. It is important to realize that from the start. The first few layers of your painting will have an 'unfinished' look. Don't give up during this unfinished stage. For a realistic appearance you are going to need several layers.

In addition to applying several layers to achieve the look of fur, you need to use the correct colors. There are hundreds of color varieties depending on the amount of pigment you add. It is best to start with basic white, black, brown, red and yellow fur colors and build upon them.

You will need an accurate sketch or drawing of the subject you are going to be painting. If you can fee hand the drawing, great! If you are not so talented, that is ok too. Many artists use a grid to come up with an initial drawing. Either way, you absolutely need to start with a good drawing.

When you are satisfied that you have an accurate drawing go ahead and paint in the base color of the animal. The base color is usually light and gets darker as you build the layers. Don't worry about making it look like fur or hair at this point. Next, use a dark color such as black or burnt umber to fill in the outline of the eyes, deep shadows, or other very dark areas.

You will need to paint in the eyes, nose, mouth, paws, etc. If your drawing is detailed enough you should be able to do this by using a very small detail brush. Just outline everything and then fill it in with appropriate colors.

As you add layer upon layer to create the animal fur keep in mind the roundness of the shapes and the areas of light and dark. Start with a thin, watery version of the color and darken it as you work. Be careful not to end up darkening everything. Let some of each layer show through.

The final stages of the painting will show detail. Use a very small detail brush and paint in some hair or hair strands. A lot of times, just a few details of hair is all that is needed to send the viewer the message of fur. Don't forget to add whiskers, final highlights and shadows. Have fun and enjoy learning to paint animals.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org


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Do You Know What Your Creative Zone Is?

For each of us this may mean something quite different. It also may vary depending on the project we are working on. Allow yourself a little time to get it just right, and to figure out what works best for you. Keep in mind what works well for someone else me may not work for you.

You might find that you need to be working in total silence. Maybe you work well if you are jamming to your favorite rock music or maybe classical music is your thing. You will learn by putting yourself in different situations, and determining how you are able to obtain the best results in your work.

Setting up your work space may be as easy as finding a nice quiet place, surrounded by trees, and just the sounds of nature to inspire you. Others may work well with lots of color and clutter around them, giving them ideas in which they can feed their creative on. This too may depend on the project your are working on. Mix it up if you need to. You work space does not always have to be in one particular spot.

Start by making notes of when you felt your most creative. If you work well from late evening into the early morning, then by all means go for it. Maybe you are a morning person and do well first thing when you get up. If you can determine what works best for you, this will maximize your creative time and allow you to do your best work.

Author: Amy

About the author:
I am a decorative painter who is also the owner of The Painted House and More. I have over 16 years of total painting experience. I paint on my surfaces from walls to wine glasses.

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Abstract Painting - Landscapes from The Inner Light

The Impressionists were a genre of artists from the 19th century whose intent was to capture the effects natural light had on the landscape. To achieve this, they set their easels up outdoors.� They called themselves 'en plein air' artists which is a French expression that means 'in the open air.'� Some believe that painting outdoors expresses nature in a fuller way and allows the artist to capture the needed vibrancy and spontaneity in their work.� Today the contemporary landscape artists are very much still 'en plein air' artists, but there are a group of landscape artists that, while painting indoors, paint a light from a slightly different source.
These landscape artists tend to create work that is abstract or slightly abstract.� And to understand their source of light, you have to understand the abstract artist.� The abstract artist has a painting style that is all together very different.� The general consensus is that the abstract artist paints from within where there is more emotional and expressive energy.� So if indeed these artists are painting a light source it would make sense that they are painting not the natural light on the outer world, but an expression of the inner light from within. �

Artists and critics have yet to classify all the genres of abstract art.� So at this present time there does not appear to be a classification for abstract artists painting 'the light from within.'� But what does it really mean to paint this way? �

First of all, not every abstract landscape artist attempts to paint an obvious light source within their work.� And, those that do are generally unaware as to why they are doing it other than the fact that it may look intriguing.� But considering what the light source represents from those abstract landscape artists that have spoken about it, it is something very soulful and connected with the individual.� One way to explain it would be to say the light represent their our own souls connection with its source. �

You see, without trying to re-create reality, some abstract landscape artists go within themselves to reveal on the canvas an essence of nature and also the source of nature, all while they are aware that the two are a part of themselves.� The end result is something they consider spiritual, uplifting, or possibly healing.� Of course, this is not to say that 'en plein air' artists do not have these same emotions when painting, it's just a different way to express the light source. �

Author: Jaison Cianelli

About the author:
Jaison Cianelli is a contemporary artist who understands and embraces abstract expressionism into his painting style. He enjoys sharing thoughts and visual expression to brighten the hearts of others. He is represented by the Artists' Haven Gallery in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. You can view his abstract paintings online.

Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Abstract Painting & The Need For Expression

As human beings we create nothing of our own, but only partake in the great creative process as conduits.� So the creative position of the artist is a humbling one.� The artist is essentially a channel.� This can't be any more obvious than in the abstract expressionist artist. �

As you probably know, abstraction�indicates a departure from reality. �The need to produce and be a part of something other than the 'real world' is a natural desire especially in bad times. �In Europe before the 19th century abstract art wasn't even considered art.� And it wasn't until World War II that the Americans considered the idea or perhaps just found a need for this form of expression. � Jackson Pollock was at the helm of this new direction later called abstract expressionism.

While caught in the moment, an abstract artist is often times unaware of just exactly what he or she is creating.� Exploration, uncertainties, and emotions all play out on the canvas. � �Pollock once said, 'My method of painting is a natural growth out of a need.� I want to express my feelings rather than illustrate them.'� So for the expressionist, the visual outcome is important, but so too is the entire action of painting.� The action is like therapy for some - a means to channel feelings that need to be expressed for whatever the reason.

People question whether abstract art is actually fine art.� It's hard for some to get past the sometimes carefree appearance and non traditional methods of applied paint and foreign matter. But at the same time there is a huge following. � Perhaps the intrigue comes from a simple truth - that abstract art is a very raw and unique visual language, appealing both in its form and substance from which it came.

Author: Jaison Cianelli

About the author:
Jaison Cianelli is a contemporary artist who understands and embraces abstract expressionism into his painting style. He enjoys sharing thoughts and visual expression to brighten the hearts of people. He is represented by the Artists' Haven Gallery in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. You can view his abstract paintings online.

Article source: Free Painting Articles.

How to Mix Colors for Beautiful Paintings - Learning to Paint

Understanding colors and how to mix them will help you to create beautiful vibrant paintings. All artists have painting techniques, and they all involve color mixing and color theory.

The primary colors are red, yellow and blue. It may seem hard to believe, but all other colors can be created from just these three. This is why these three are called the primary colors.

Secondary colors are orange, green and purple or violet. These colors are created when the primary colors are mixed together. In addition, if secondary colors are mixed with primary, you create tertiary colors. In all, that's 12 colors!

Fortunately as artists, we do not need to mix every color we want to use in our paintings. It is important however to understand color theory and these basic mixing principles. The color wheel is a tool artists use to understand and visualize color principles. I suggest having a color wheel in your work area that you use for reference as you paint. It would be easy to make your own color wheel using the first part of this article as a tutorial.

In addition to the 3 primary colors, I suggest purchasing white, black and burnt umber (brown). So to have virtually every single shade and variation you really only need to begin with these 6 original colors.

To lighten any color, either dilute it with water or add white or another color that is lighter. Depending on just how much lighter color you add, you end up with dozens of shades. To darken a color, add black or a darker color.

There are many other aspects of correct color mixing, but like anything you need to understand the bare basics first. Color theory is definitely a good place to start. Have fun and enjoy learning to paint.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org

Article source: Free Painting Articles.

How to Paint Trees - Learning to Paint

Painting trees is possibly one of the first features that new artists attempt to put in their landscape paintings. Painting trees is not difficult, but you do need to follow a few simple guidelines.

There are two types of trees, deciduous and evergreen. Deciduous trees go through quite a few color changes and eventually lose their leaves every year. Therefore they look different and have different color foliage at different times of the year. Evergreens may change slightly, but in general look the same all year.

When painting either type of tree, look at the overall silhouette that the tree forms. Most of the time you will notice pockets and spaces where you can see through the branches. This empty space is called negative space and without it, your tree will not look accurate.

Start by painting in the tree trunk. You may not see too much of a trunk on an evergreen, but paint it in anyways. Usually a gray paint is a good choice for tree bark. Deciduous trees trunks usually do not grow straight upwards. Usually as the tree grows and becomes heavier, you will see it curve and bend. The trunk will also be larger at the bottom and get smaller up the tree.

When you paint the branches make sure that you overlap some of them. It depends on what type of tree you are painting as to the shape, size and direction of the branches. Branches, like the trunk, will be larger near the main trunk and get smaller the further away they grow.

Now add foliage. It would not be reasonable to think you could paint every single leaf on a tree. Painting foliage is dabbing clusters of paint here and there to make the viewer believe it is leaves. The trick is to add enough paint without filling in all of the negative space. You should use a few variations of color as you work. Chose color based on the season that you want your painting to express.

Adding pine needles is similar to adding foliage to deciduous trees. In general, you will start at the base of the tree and work upward. The reason that you should paint in the trunk first is because pine trees usually have fairly straight trunks and as you add the pine needles, you can follow the line without having your tree lean to one side or the other. Start to leave some negative space about half way up the tree and leave more near the top. You should see parts of the trunk. Now use a lighter color and add a few highlights.

One last tip is that trees often grow in clusters or groups. Overlap them in your paintings. Don't make your trees look like perfect round lollipop trees, or Christmas trees. Nothing is perfect and to create perfect looking trees, you need to show their imperfections! Have fun and enjoy learning to paint trees.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org

Article source: Free Painting Articles.

How to Do Glass Painting

Glass is so beautiful! Paintings too are eyes' delight! When glass and paints are combined, they create amazing works of art. The art of glass painting is becoming popular, especially with them who want to decorate their homes with an artistic touch. In fact, it is not very tough to do. You can create a beautiful painting in a day.

All you need to do glass painting is a little imagination and patience along with, of course, certain things like a clean piece of glass (size 8X8' is sufficient for the first timers), glass liners, paints, paintbrushes, nail polish remover, and a soft piece of cloth. You don't have to bother yourself in collecting these items. They are all included in the Painting Kits, that are so easily available in the market these days. Even before buying a glass painting kit, you'll have to decide what colors are you going to use for making your glass painting. If you are a first timer then you must opt for water-based color and get the beginners kit. Water-based paints, as compared to oil based paints, are easier to handle.

Basic Steps for Making a Glass Painting

1. After getting the piece of glass and the painting kit, clean the glass so as to get a smooth surface.

2. If you are not going to oven cure your finished painting then you need somewhat rough surface. Firing in a kiln can help oil paints dry and adhere better otherwise paints tend to peel or chip off. This can be countered by roughening up the surface a little with wet or dry sandpaper. Roughing the surface in this manner will help the paint adhere better and last longer.

3. Select a pattern which has clear outlines with minimum possible curves and pointed corners.

4. Trace the pattern on a piece of paper which is exactly the size of the glass piece. The pattern should be drawn exactly at the center with at least 1 or 1-1/2 inches margin on all sides.

5. Keep the glass on the patterned piece of paper aligning them perfectly.

6. Make outlines of the pattern on the glass with the help of glass liner. Use black glass liner for maximum clarity. These borders help in holding the wet colors within them and avoid spilling of the paints.

7. While doing all these, be careful not to mess up the pattern. If, however, it happens, swab the smudged part with cotton-wool dipped into nail polish remover and wipe away with piece of cloth.

8. Leave the pattern to dry up. It may take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours to get completely dried. It can also be blow dried for quickening the process.

9. Now use the colors to fill in the pattern with uni-directional strokes. Avoid taking too much of paint or spilling it. Any corner or part that is not painted can be seen from the reverse side by lifting up the glass. Be careful, not to hold the glass vertically to avoid dripping off the colors.

10. If any bubbles are made in the colors while painting, then pierce them with needle or a pin. They can also be gently brushed towards the outlines bringing them out of the borers and then wiping them away with nail polish remover.

11. Avoid applying two coats of paint in any portion of the pattern.

12. Allow the painting to dry for at least 24 hours.

13. After the painting has dried, place it in a cold oven. Set the oven to 160 deg C (325F). When temperature reaches 160C, time it for 40 minutes. Switch off the oven and allow it to cool. Once the oven is cold, remove the Glass Painting.

14. Alternatively, you can let the painting air dry only by not klin firing it.

15. You can use beads, glitter, and sequins into the wet paint before it dries for decorating the painting.

Not only paintings, this method, with little changes, can be used to make a painted stain glass window or mirror. You can even make glass painting greeting card and use it on any special occasion.

Author: Jeff A Hardy

About the author:
Find out large number of manufacturers and suppliers of painting kits and colors kits.

Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Step by Step Portrait Painting with Acrylics - Learning to Paint

Painting people takes practice. Painting people or portraits in acrylics is done by painting in layers. While you are building these layers, you may be tempted to give up too soon. As long as the features are placed correctly, painting portraits in acrylic just takes layers and patience.

Getting the person's features correctly is the most important first step in portrait painting. I suggest using the grid methods to do this. In this example, you are painting from a photo or picture. Use a pencil and lightly draw a grid with equal squares on the painting surface. Use another grid and place over the photo. The grid you use over the photo will likely be a much smaller one. On your canvas, within each square draw the lines of what you see. If you want even more accuracy, you can draw smaller squares within squares. When your drawing is accurate, you can erase the grid lines.

Step number two is the foundation. The foundation involves using a thinned layer of paint for the person's skin tone. The consistence of this paint should be like watercolor. This is the under painting. Dilute the flesh colored paint with water and establish the entire skin area. You will add layer upon layer until you have built your shadows or highlights. The way that you do this is to reduce the amount of water that you add or just use the paint full strength. You should be able to see the pencil lines of the facial features.

Now, use a darker flesh color and paint in the facial feature lines. Think of this stage as painting in the lines like a coloring book. After you paint in the features of the eyes, eyebrows, nose, nostrils and mouth you can work on the final layers of the finished painting. It is the final layers of the painting that bring it to life.

Study your reference photo and notice where the shadows are. Layer by layer add the shadows. Because you are painting a portrait, don't be afraid to add red, and even blue to mimic flesh color. Add some highlights to make features appear to protrude. For example, notice on the nose, there is usually very bright highlights. To indicate the roundness of cheeks, chins and the center of the forehead, use a few layers of whitened flesh color to add these very important highlights. The last bit may be a touch of pure white.

The last thing to do in a portrait should be your final pure white highlights. Usually a person's lips are moist and have a touch of pure white. There is almost always a touch of pure white in a persons' eye where the light is reflecting.

Remember painting people takes practice. Painting people or portraits in acrylics is done by painting in layers. Don't get frustrated if your first few portraits aren't what you expected. You will more than likely need to practice and practice. Have fun and enjoy learning to paint.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org


Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Acrylic Painting Techniques - Most Used

Just as there are thousands of artists, so are there acrylic painting techniques. No one can tell you exactly how you are supposed to paint. You can however learn a lot of painting techniques that will help you as you learn. Some of these techniques you will find useful and others you may chose not to use. I've listed a few of the most general acrylic painting techniques

Study your subject. When you are painting a landscape for example you really want to look at the variety of subjects. Look at the clouds, are they soft and fluffy, do they overlap and run into each other or are they several individual clouds. Look at the trees and foliage. Notice the overall shape. Notice the spaces where you can see through the trees, branches and leaves. Look at the hills and mountains. Notice the variety of colors and highlights. Notice how the objects in the distance appear duller in color. Do this with all the subjects in the landscape.

Under paint your canvas. Under painting is done so that you don't have to worry about white specs showing up in your work. You will use a warm color like burnt sienna. Cover the entire canvas with easy free strokes, even the sky area. Under painting the beginning canvas is one of the basic techniques that you may feel helps you a lot. Others may not use this technique. I use the technique occasionally but not every time I paint.

Start with the furthest objects. Starting at the top of the canvas and working downward helps you to apply the furthest objects first. The sky is obviously the furthest object. Paint in the sky and then work on the most distant land, hills, trees etc. These objects will be painting in while continually working downward on the canvas. The closest objects will be lowest on the canvas and will be largest. Remember closest objects can and should overlap distant ones. For example trees in the foreground will be painting over and in front of other things like hills and trees.

Work in layers. Working in layers is how I achieve my under painting. The first layer in the under painting is usually dark. You add a lighter color to the paint and add the next layer but don't cover up the entire first layer. Continue to do this until you have several shades, shadows and highlights in your work. This method works well when painting seas, land, or even snow.

These are just a few acrylic painting techniques that may help you along as you paint. There are hundreds of methods of painting so you shouldn't get frustrated if something does not seem to be working for you. Just keep it simple and have fun learning to paint.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org

Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Paint and Draw - A Beginners Prompt

So you have decided that you want to paint and draw. Maybe you are the sort of person that really enjoyed art at school though you discovered you were not one of the few that it came to naturally.

Are someone who is retired and has had a set of watercolors sitting on top of your desk or on a shelf for years. Maybe you are someone who aspires to have a go at some kind drawing and painting however you have no real idea in your mind of where or how to begin, and maybe you have had a bad experience with your art back in school and you think there is no hope now!

A lot people think to themselves that they are terrible at art when the fact is they just have not learned the basic skills needed. Maybe you enjoyed art at school and were encouraged to study science subjects instead. Some budding artists are fairly capable, almost without realizing it. They just do not understand the basic of how proportion works. You just need more practice so that you can get past the pin figure stage.

Make it a point to study and learn more about how to paint and draw. You'll learn some very interesting techniques and ideas. Beginner classes are recommended. There are all sorts of positive reasons for attending a beginners art class, going to a beginners art class will enhance your appreciation of the visual world.

You will definitely make new connections in the study of art and make new friends. In classes you will enjoy the chance to experiment with different materials and to enjoy some to yourself away from family for a couple of hours. In the beginning you do not need to pressure yourself into a full blown masterpiece by any means.

Author: Bryon Zirker

About the author:
Lost Manuscript Resurfaces, Over 190 Pages on Drawing, Sketching, Oil & Watercolor Painting and
Different Modes of Seeing - Revealing All The Secrets of a True Art Master! The Right (and the Wrong) Way to Learn Painting and Drawing

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How to Paint People Flesh, Eyes and Lips - Learning to Paint

Let's take a look at some step by step tutorials and techniques I use to paint people with acrylic paint. This acrylic painting technique lesson is about painting and does not cover drawing skills or address proportion to a great extent. If you learn to use the correct colors and shadowing techniques with paint on your finished drawing you should do fine.

First, you should start with an accurate drawing of the subject you plan on painting. Some artist use the grid method, while others free hand the initial drawing. One hint that you need to take to heart is this; If you don't have an accurate drawing, do not attempt to paint the person. You more than likely will not achieve a likeness if you don't have a likeness first in pencil.

1. The color of flesh. Once you have an accurate drawing, decide what color the flesh will be in the painting. Different artists use a different variety of colors. I suggest purchasing a good tutorial book that describes different ethnicities and colors for different flesh. A common cool light skin tone would be titanium white mixed with alizarin crimson with a touch of cadmium red. For a darker or warmer version of this you would add a touch of cadmium yellow medium. I have even added a touch of burnt umber to darken this skin tone. A common mixture for dark skinned people would be titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium red, and a touch of cadmium yellow medium. To darken the tone, add more brunt umber and cadmium red medium.

2. Painting the eyes. I like to start my portraits with the eyes. Every single time that you paint an eye make sure it contains these elements. overall shape, the upper and lower eye lid, the pupil, the sclera or white of the eye, the upper and lower lashes, the eyebrow, the corner membrane, and the catch-light or highlight. There are a lot of components of the eye and it is the most complicated facial feature to paint. If your painting is not to be too detailed, as in a very distant person, you can omit the eye lids the corner membrane and maybe even the lashes.

3. The lips. Lips can also make or break a portrait. To paint lips, first start with a drawing of them. Follow the facial proportion guidelines and outline the lips with a color you have gotten from the flesh tone but add a little more red or rose. Another good color for lips is a tiny bit of raw umber or crimson added to the flesh tone. Now fill in the lips with color. The upper lip will be darker than the lower lip. Be careful not to make the lips look too pink or red, unless the subject is wearing lipstick. Make sure to show a little highlight on the bottom lip. The more highlight you add, the more moist the lip will appear. Softly blend the bottom line of the bottom lip with the skin to make them look natural, there should be no hard line. Now add shadows directly above the top lip, and under the bottom lip and in the chin crease.

Painting people accurately is an art that requires much practice and patience. You should purchase literature for acrylic painting techniques that demonstrates these methods. Every artist is different so find out what works best for you. Good luck and enjoy learning to paint.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org


Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Setting Up Your Work Space

Before you begin your painting project, it is important that you start with an organized station from the very beginning. How it is set up will depend greatly on which hand is your primary hand and what is most comfortable for you. The position of the piece you are working on should be such, allowing you to be comfortable while working. No bending or straining should occur while you are painting.

As for the position of your water, brushes, paint, and any other tools, they should be located where it is easiest for your primary hand to reach. This area should be kept uncluttered to avoid any spills or mishaps. The items you use the most should be close to you. Other items that are not needed as often can be stored behind your brushes and paint, or even placed behind your project.

The main thing to consider when you are setting up your station is that your items are easy to access. They also need to be arranged to avoid running your hand or arm through the paint, or even knocking off one of the items from your work station. This could be a real mess if you were to knock your paint off! Take precautions to avoid disasters from the start.

Author: Amy

About the author:
I am the owner of The Painted House and More. I am a decorative painter and jewelry maker. I have over 16 years of painting experience. I paint on many surfaces from walls to wine glasses!

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How to Paint a Simple Seascape - Learning to Paint

Seascapes have always been a favorite scene for acrylic, watercolor and oil artists. Seascapes can be windy, calm, rocky, sandy, stormy or peaceful. There is no right or wrong way to paint a seascape. There are only techniques to help you along your way to creating you own seascape masterpiece.

The first thing you should do with your seascape painting is to sketch an outline of the composition onto the paper or canvas. A seascape painting is usually more interesting if the horizon is not placed in the center of the scene. This means that either the sky or water will take up more space.

Let's say that you are painting a cloudy day scene where the mood is windy and rough. You have already sketched the main subjects onto your canvas and placed the horizon line. Now use a soft large brush and brush a wash or thinned layer of blue with purple to darken it onto the sky area. While the paint is still wet add a touch of red to the top portion of the sky to darken it even more.

When the sky has dried, use white with a touch of the blue, purple and red added to it and start the clouds. When you paint the clouds remember that you want them to look large and stormy. To do this, paint them using large circular motions and leave spaces where the sky shows through. Your clouds should extend low to give the impression of depth. Take some of them beneath the drawn horizon line. To soften the top edges of the clouds, you can use a wadded paper towel, sponge or your brush.

Now you will add another layer of clouds. This layer will be either darker or lighter than the first. You just want to make them different so they look like a separate layer. Apply the second layer in the same manner as the first but make sure that you let parts of the sky and parts of the first layer show through. Your sky is now done.

Since you are painting a windy, storm scene don't be too worried about keeping the horizon water line too straight. Just take your water color and using horizontal strokes, paint in the sea. A good color to use is ultramarine blue with hookers green. You should stay away from using straight blue. In this example we will paint the water in all the way to the bottom of the canvas. As you work your way forward or downward loosen and let the waves show with your strokes. The water will be lighter in the rear and darken as you come forward. Add some green and purple and even brown to darken the water as you come forward.

To accent the swells and water movement, use the brush edge and add lighter color along some of the waves. As you move forward, the waves will become larger and more visible. Add a few dabs of white to indicate splashes. If you want a particular wave to really sparkle and stand out add some yellow to the top part of the wave. The yellow will make it look transparent.

This has been a pretty simple example of a stormy or restless seascape. Seascapes can be a bit challenging, so don't get frustrated or discouraged. Keep practicing and you will get it. Have fun and enjoy learning to paint.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org


Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Canvas Stretchers Readymade: Tips on How to Check for Quality

People who don't paint or know little about art may not think much about canvas stretchers. They are out of the way, for one, and may not seem to contribute much to the painting itself. But for the artist, the use of canvas stretchers is just one of the most critical steps to producing a great work of art. It's part of the preparatory stage for every painting and as such, is essential to ensuring that a canvas is indeed ready for a stroke of creativity and genius. If you're buying your canvas stretchers readymade, here are tips on how to check for quality:

Go for the right thickness.
There are certain specifications you need to consider when buying readymade canvas stretchers. Makers of these stretchers usually sell them at standard sizes, which should pretty much meet your needs. Check the stretchers for sufficient thickness. Smaller canvases work best with thinner stretchers while bigger ones will require thicker stretchers.

Most readymade canvas stretchers you'll find are off-the-shelf types. If there is a specific size or shape you prefer, you might have to turn to custom-made stretchers.

Look for smooth edges.
Stretchers will be covered by the canvas itself, which means that the canvas follows the shape of the stretcher. Make sure that edges are aligned and smoothed out, particularly those where the stretcher ends are joined together. This is important, regardless of whether you're buying rectangular canvas stretchers or round ones. Any misalignments can create problems such as tears and unsightly angles in the canvas later.

Look for 'lipped' edges.
Ideally, the canvas should not touch the frame when it's stretched over. This assures you that the face of the painting will remain smooth over the years. Although you could probably create the lips on your own, having canvas stretchers that already have these will save you a lot of work.

Buy only from a reputable store.
You'll probably find shops specializing in school and office supplies that also sell canvas stretchers. If you are familiar with stretchers, you could probably pick out quality readymade bars from these places - if you know what to look for.

The only problem is that if you have questions regarding them, you might not find someone who can help you with the specifics. If you want to talk to a knowledgeable retailer, it's recommended that you buy from shops that specialize on art supplies. Art supply stores have a reputation to keep and thus, try to uphold standards regarding their supplies. If you want readymade canvas stretchers that are top quality, go to a reliable supplier.

Author: Ilyn Quiambao

About the author:
Canvas Stretchers is one of the best suppliers of top quality readymade and handmade canvas stretchers.

Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Techniques Acrylic Painting, How to Paint People, Painting Closed Lips and Mouths

This lesson is about techniques in acrylic painting and does not cover drawing skills or address proportion to a great extent. If you learn to use the correct painting techniques on your already finished drawing, you should do fine.

First, you always need to start with an accurate drawing of the subject you plan on painting. Some artist use the grid method, while others free hand the initial drawing. One hint that you need to take to heart is this; If you don't have an accurate drawing, do not attempt to paint the person. You more than likely will not achieve a likeness if you don't have a likeness first in pencil.

Painting the closed mouth is fairly easy with practice. Painting the open mouth is more difficult and requires lots of practice. This is because you not only have to paint the lips, but the gums and teeth and sometimes the tongue. The mouth is the facial feature which most expresses the subjects' mood. The mouth and lips can make or break a portrait. They can make an otherwise realistic portrait look unlike the person or even cartoonish if you do not get it close to exact.

To paint closed lips make sure that the pencil drawing is accurate. You will need to step back and view the drawing to make sure that it looks like the subject. When you are satisfied that it does, use a color that matches the persons flesh tone and create the outline of the mouth and the line between the lips.

The color that you will use for the lip outline is flesh tone with some burnt umber and alizarin crimson added to it. Be careful not to make the lips look too pink or red, unless there is lip stick on the subject. Lips are really just a little pinker or reder than the flesh color. The outline color should be slightly darker than the actual lip color. Think of this stage as a coloring book. For the outline of the lips you are just painting over your drawn lip lines.

After you have painted the outline color, use the same color but a little lighter and paint in the upper lip. The upper lip will be darker than the bottom lip. Now, paint in the bottom lip with a slightly lighter lip color.

Now highlight both lips. The upper lip will have a touch of very light lip color or even white right along the very top center portion. The lower lip will have quite a large area of highlight along the 'puffy' center of the lip. The highlight gives the illusion that the puffy portion of lip is rounded and closer to the viewer if you will. When you add the light or whitened highlights to the bottom lip do so in vertical strokes. You should leave a few stroke lines to indicate lines in the skin that make up the lips.

If your subject is a person wearing lip stick you could be done with the lips because lipstick sometimes shows a defined line. But if the subjects' lips are natural, you should gently blend the lip color into the flesh color of the face so that a hard edge does not exist where there is none.

The last thing to do with a closed mouth is to add shadows directly above the top lip where the crease under the nose is, and directly under the bottom lip and in the chin area.

Painting people accurately is an art that requires much practice and patience. You should purchase literature for acrylic painting techniques that demonstrates these methods. Every artist is different so find out what works best for you. Good luck and enjoy learning to paint.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org

Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Acrylic Canvas Painting - Learning to Paint

Acrylic paints are very versatile. With acrylics, you can vertically paint on any surface. Painting on canvas, is a fun hobby that produces lasting works of art for you to display, sell or give as gifts.

Of canvas products, canvas paper is the least expensive surface for painting on. Canvas paper is appropriate for watercolor, oil and acrylic painting. The paper comes in large pads and are easily ripped off just like a pad of paper. Also available are rolls of canvas paper. This paper won't tear or buckle like ordinary paper. You can mount, matte, put it under glass or even staple it to a frame. Use canvas paper when you want to experiment, practice or use for your finished work. The best thing about canvas paper is that when framed or matted, it is hard to tell that you didn't paint on stretched canvas. The quality of canvas paper is very good. I suggest using canvas paper when beginning or practicing but realize that for lasting quality features, you might want to advance to stretch canvas.

Canvas boards or panels. Canvas boards are usually very sturdy and relatively inexpensive. They are made from a stiff cellulose product, lined with a cotton canvas and primed with gesso. They are suitable for all types of media, including acrylics, watercolor and oils. Some advantages to using canvas boards are cost and the fact that they are thin. It's very easy to find mattes and frames when the painting or work is on a thin surface. Some disadvantages are that if cheaply made, these boards can and do warp over time. This can be especially aggravating if you have spent a lot of time on a piece.

Stretched canvas. Most professional oil or acrylic work is done on stretched canvas. Stretched cotton canvas is stapled on wooden strips or frames. The staples are either on the sides of the frame or the back depending on the company that made them. The canvas is usually primed with a couple coats of gesso and is ready to be painted on. There are a variety of stretched canvases so be sure that you are buying the correct one for the medium that you are using. There are also different textures from rough grade to portrait grade. Some canvases come painted around the deep edge for a frameless, contemporary look.

Painting on canvas is fun and a great way for your work to be everlasting. There are lots of canvas materials to choose from. I hope this brief article has helped to clarify the three main canvas painting surfaces.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org


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How to Use the Grid Method When Drawing or Painting - Learning to Paint

One common question that many beginning artist ask is, do I have to draw before I can paint? The answer is that you should have drawing skills, or at least a way to make it appear that you can draw. The good news is that drawing is make easy when you use the grid method. When you use a grid to obtain accurate drawings you are literally following your own step by step technique for drawing.

The grid method is a great way to get a small picture onto a larger area such as a canvas. The grid is actually a way to break a picture down into a dozen or more smaller more manageable pictures.

The grid method is done using a ruler and creating a grid of equal squares that is placed over a reference picture or photo. The squares in the grid can be any size such as one half inch or one inch. Now draw another grid on your painting surface. The grid on the painting surface can be the same size as on the reference photo or it can be larger or even smaller. It just depends on how large or small you want the painting to be.

Lets say that you are working with a photo or picture that you cant draw lines directly on. An excellent way to still be able to use a grid would be to draw the grid on a transparency or having a transparency or overlay made. You will be able to use it over and over again. Just make sure that you tape the photo on a piece of paper, then tape the transparent grid on top of the photo. This way, your lines won't move. Lightly draw with a pencil, a grid on your painting surface. Keep these lines light because you will be erasing them when your drawing is complete.

Now that you have your grids in place you are ready to draw. Look at the reference photo in only one square at a time. Working one square at a time, draw what you see onto the canvas. Do this step by step and square by square.

You have now taken a complex subject and literally broken it down into manageable pieces. Have fun and don't be afraid of drawing because with the grid method, drawing is made easy.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org


Article source: Free Painting Articles.

How to Paint Shadows in Your Landscape and Still Life Paintings - Learning to Paint

There is something about adding shadows to a painting that really bring it to life. Look around you in nature, you rarely do not see a shadow of some type. I have taken a simple painting of a vase of flowers and given it life by casting a shadow from it.

My favorite type of shadow is a simple cast shadow. If an object is blocking the sun or light source, a shadow will be cast. Cast shadows should be painted with colors that are similar to the object itself with some warm colors added. You use warm colors, red, yellow and orange because the sun is warm. So if the sun is the light source and the object is a blue vase you would take the blue and warm it a bit with one of the warm colors mentioned to dry-brush in the shadow

For landscape paintings, the value of shadows depends on the time of day. Early morning shadows are longer and darker while afternoon shadows shorter are lighter. Following the rule that the shadow is nearly 50 percent darker than the portion of the object that is in the light will generally work well.

The direction and size of the shadow should also be carefully thought out. In the example of the blue vase, lets' say the light is coming from a window above the vase and on the left. Since the light source is higher than the object the shadow will be cast at an angle. So a shadow on the right side of the vase and extending lower than the vase would make a realistic shadow.

The length of the shadow is also important. Using the vase example again, you certainly wouldn't create a shadow that is twice as long as the vase itself. This would not look realistic. A short or the same size as the vase shadow would be more realistic. Try to imagine in real life situations what would happen. For landscape paintings the length of a shadow also depends on the time of day. If the sun is high in the sky, sometimes, there is little to almost no shadow cast. Imagine its' six o'clock in the evening, and there will be a quite long shadow. Sometimes the shadows are twice as long as the subjects are.

To actually paint in the shadow you must start the shadow directly beneath or to the side of the subject. There can be a highlight on the subject but not the shadow. The shadow usually fades as you work away from the subject. So decide where the shadow will be and paint it in, dark near the subject and using a scrubbing technique and less paint, fade as you work outward.

The last thing to remember about shadows is consistency. For example, if you are working on a landscape and there are several trees, they should all have similar shadows. Buildings should all have similar shadows. Don't forget the chimneys.

Shadows really do create drama and add realism to landscape and still life alike. Don't be afraid to use them, but do so carefully and thoughtfully.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org


Article source: Free Painting Articles.

How to Paint Animals - Hair and Fur Colors - Learning to Paint

Animals, like humans, are unique in the sense that no two are identical. The differences in hair, fur, texture and color is numerous. An animal's fur color is rarely one tone. Shadows, reflections, and highlights all add to the variation in color. If you would like some ideas and guidelines for creating basic paint formulas for obtaining the correct fur colors, keep reading.

Let's start with what may be the trickiest color for fur; white. White fur is not pure white. You should always add other colors to the white. If you want a cool variation, add a touch of black to create a soft gray. If you desire a warm tone, add a small amount of burnt umber. As you work your layers, you will lighten this white. The very final layers may be pure white as highlights.

Next, we will create brown fur tones. For browns, start with white and add red and burnt umber. Add more burnt umber for darker brown fur. Red fur, as on a fox or cat, would be created by starting with the brown mixture and adding cadmium red medium to it. Adding more or less burnt umber and cadmium makes variations of red fur.

Many animals have yellow tones in their fur or hair. Use a light brown mixture and add some cadmium yellow medium. The value you create depends on how much yellow or burnt umber you use.

The last basic color for animal fur is black. Like white, black fur is never pure black. A nice mixture to use for reflected areas of a shorthaired animal is black mixed with prussian blue and a touch of cadmium yellow. The mixture works nicely where you want a very sleek shiny cool look. To create a warmer look, use black with alizarin crimson and cadmium red.

It is always a good idea to experiment with color before applying it to your final painting. Practice on paper, starting with light values and darken them - creating color scales for each of the basic animal fur colors.

Remember that painted animal fur and hair colors should closely match your subject. Use the colors mentioned in this article as a starting point and add pigment to match the color needed. Have fun and enjoy learning to paint animals.

Author: Julie Shoemaker

About the author:
Julie Shoemaker is an avid painter and hobbyist who regularly gives paintings as gifts to family and friends. To read more articles like the one here, and to see more free art tips, tricks and techniques and free step by step lessons Learn Painting Techniques or visit http://www.IamPainting.org


Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Photo on Canvas & Photo onto canvas prints create a great impression on the minds of onlookers.

Photo printing on canvas is one of the greatest innovations in the printing field, with its combination of artistry and enhanced printing technology. Photo on canvas printing is a great alternative for conservation your favorite photos for a lifetime. Photo onto canvas prints are a valuable decorative item for your home and office. With the latest swift and simple digital printing technology, it is now very easy to print digital photos on canvas.

By Photo on canvas anyone can protect his printing for the next few generation. Photo canvas prints are a valuable decorative item for your home and office. Photo printing on canvas is one of the greatest innovations in the printing field, with its combination of artistry and enhanced printing technology. These prints are ideal for advertisement purposes, since these are eye catching in their vibrant colors and fine detail.

If you've been traveling and have a lovely picture of a scene from nature, then this would make a great photo on canvas. Photo Canvas is a printed canvas that is stretched around a wooden frame. It's an artwork from your own image and it makes a great personalized gift.

You can make someone very happy simply by personalizing an everyday item, like a mug or a hot water bottle. You can put any image you like on a photo mug and be sure that the recipient will enjoy using it almost every day. And a hot water bottle will be even nicer if there's a lovely photo to cover up the functional rubber item.

We often take hundreds of digital photos and leave them lying around on a memory card, but that's such a waste. Instead of forgetting about your photos, use them to create photo gifts with the personal touch - and make your memories even more special.

Printing is the job of a creative mind. Only an imaginary mind can think and portray beautiful designs. A beautiful canvas attracts one and all. Canvas printing requires hard work and dedication. People print various types of images on it. Color combination, design and picture play a major role in printing. Different canvas depicts different symbols and meanings. An attractive piece appeals all. The message of some canvases is very difficult to understand. Only a creative mind can understand its various symbols and meanings. A beautiful canvas has the capability to make a person stop and stare at it at least for a second.

Canvas photo printing is used to transform your photos into valuable artwork by directly printing them on to high quality cotton canvas. The photos are printed on high grade artist canvas using UV pigment inks, which provides long-lasting lightfast prints. All canvas images are covered with a museum quality protective coating in order to protect them from scratch, moisture and spillages. These also contain a UV filter for increased UV protection to prevent your print from fading.

Photo onto canvas prints create a long lasting impression on the minds of onlookers. The portability and durability offered by canvases also makes it the preferred choice of many customers. Photo prints are perfect decorative items for any type of wall. Besides their use in enhancing the d�cor of your interiors, canvas prints can be presented as gifts on important occasions. These prints can be customized to meet the increasing needs of the customers and they are available as high quality finished products. Photo canvas printing is the best way to bring out the artistic side of your photo and transform it into a masterpiece.

Generally, digital photos are printed on high quality exhibition grade cotton using full color inkjet printers and long-lasting UV proof pigment inks. Canvas fabric made of 100% pure cotton is ideal for producing photo-realistic images. There are several standard canvas print sizes to choose from. Canvas sizes ranging from 32 cm x 25 cm to 117 cm x 90 cm can be used for digital printing. For utmost durability, the photo canvas prints are coated either with a matte, satin or glossy finish and laminated to ensure print permanency. Different varieties of canvas are available in the market today like matte decor canvas, artist canvas, satin stretch canvas, simulated canvas, premium canvas, and cotton-polyester blended canvas.

Women love handbags, especially in the UK, which is one of the biggest selling countries for this accessory. There's no reason that your handbag has to be the same as everyone else's. Photo Bags make great personalized gifts - all you have to do is upload the right photo and have it printed onto the side of a handbag. Then you've given a photo bag which will be a treasured possession for many years. This is one of the greatest personalized gifts, and it's a fab way to use your digital photos.

There are other options for photo gifts around the house. For example, you could have one of your favorite photos printed on a roller blind so that you see it whenever the blind is down. It will surprise all your friends and delight your loved ones. As each photo is totally unique, each photo gift will be too. Also cushions are great for printing your photos on.

Author: Netgeek Mamun

About the author:
photo on canvas find a distinctive position in tradeshow displays, promotional events, and interior decorations. Super chrome, leading photo onto canvas firm excels in the production of high quality canvas photo prints, digital poster prints, banner prints, and more.

Article source: Free Painting Articles.

Photos to canvas is a great way to protect your cherished photographs.

The art of photos to canvas are a welcome break from the conventional styles of printing in practice till date. It has added luster and perfection to amateur and professional photographs too. This has boosted the photography and photo to canvas business and it is a very lucrative business opportunity for investors and consumers alike. Whether you're looking for a unique gift idea or you'd simply like to have one of your favorite photos preserved in a special way, photos printed on canvas.

Photos to canvas are an attractive aspect of the photography business today. It has become a popular way to keep your favorite photos prominently tucked up onto the walls of your home. But do not take the photos to canvas business to be only one-facet industry. The different types of aspects of the photo on canvas industry includes Photo Realistic Style, Colorizing, Light Brush Stroke Style, Convert to Black & White and Sepia, Collage, Restoration, Canvas, Gallery Wrapping, Longevity and diverse framing methods.

With online companies such as getcanvas.co.uk, and others, the photo to canvas business has touched a new high. There are several unique features of this industry that allows it to stand apart from the conventional processes of the photo-printing industry.

As graphics and printing technology has improved, the time needed for printing of such photos on canvas has decreased simultaneously. Today, within 4 hours, a canvas print of an ordinary photo can be acquired.

The age is for innovation, and 'photos to canvas' is a welcome break from the conventional styles of printing in practice till date. So grab your favorite picture and rush to the choicest canvas print outlet and get yourself a larger than life picture to cherish.

Whether you're looking for a unique gift idea or you'd simply like to have one of your favorite photos preserved in a special way, photos printed on canvas are a terrific option. Thanks to new technology developments, printing photos on canvas is now easy and affordable.

To have one of your photos printed on canvas, you simply need to upload your digital photo to an online company that specializes in canvas printing. Your photo will be carefully analyzed to determine whether or not it is suitable for canvas printing. Only photos that can be used to create art quality canvas prints are used, so you never pay for a disappointing end product.

After thorough assessment, your photo is digitally manipulated by professional artists to ensure it will produce a top quality canvas print. If necessary, alterations are made to the image to improve its appearance. Finally, your photo is converted to the format of your choice. It may appear as a photo realistic image, or it could be altered to contain simulated paint strokes so it resembles an oil painting. Your image is then printed on your choice of canvas products.

Printing photos onto canvas is a great way to protect your cherished photographs for a long time. Photo prints on canvas enhance the d�cor of your home or office, adding aesthetic value to the rooms. These photo prints can also be presented as unique gifts to your near and dear ones. Elegant photo prints can effectively display and preserve the most memorable moments of your life.

While printing photos onto canvas, it is best to use artist grade cotton canvas because this material can reproduce the original colors and details very well. Digital camera photos, computer generated graphics files and traditional photographs can all be printed beautifully on canvas. The photos that are used for printing should be sharp and clear, not blurred.

Canvas is an ideal material for printing because the photographs printed on it have a much fresher look and feel. High grade canvas has improved capacity for water resistance and protects your picture against moisture and abrasion. The pigmented inks that are used in printing on the canvas are UV enhanced and have greater fade resistant power. A protective coating is usually provided to give the final product a professional and sharp finish.

Author: Netgeek Mamun

About the author:
photo to canvas of photos enjoy high demand in market and the popularity is so much that there are many companies providing their services online in order to meet the requirements of the customers effectively. Online ordering of photos to canvas is easy.


Article source: Free Painting Articles.