By: John Darby
Oil paintings definitely do look classy and elegant, but is the work as simple as it looks? Let us find out. The work that goes into bringing out oil paintings is immense. As with other works of art, this also follows a certain set of procedures. And an artist doing such oil paintings needs to think along those lines.Oil paintings are special as they are a wet form of painting done with brushes. Another important factor that one needs to remember is that, it is not a drawing. The most difficult part of this job is to make the objects that you see in the real world appear on canvas. And that too by just using oil paints. The painter usually starts his job with an outline of the design done with pencil on the canvas. They then start with the first layer, which is left to dry for a few days. Finally the second and third layers are done consecutively. Everything has to be done with utmost care. Usually an artist takes about 3-5 weeks to complete a work. This may vary depending on the size and details.Oil Painting as the perfect gift for your loved oneThere are umpteen items that you can gift your loved one with, but nothing can match the beauty of the oil paintings. These traditional pieces of art will surely warm up the heart of everyone. As with real arts, oil paintings are also expensive even if it is a reproduction. But you also get to choose from a variety of subjects and styles. Here you also have the convenience of doing an oil painting of your loved one. These tend to be a meaningful gift.They also come across as personalized gifts for all occasions like wedding anniversary, birthdays etc. Gifting your loved one with an oil painting always adds a personal touch. They will be so touched by the special effort you have taken, that they will treasure the gift for years to come.Original reproductions, is it worth it?Imagine having oil paintings of great artists like Monet or Rembrandt at your home or office. The original can be unaffordable and worth millions of dollars. But do not worry. A reproduction of it will look exactly the same, but will cost you less. Some of you have the hobby of collecting art reproductions. These have great investment value. So purchasing a reproduction of the original Oil Paintings can never be a bad idea. Now if you have decided to cash in on some of those beautiful Oil Paintings the next thing that you should think about is how to take care of it. Care for your Oil Paintings. It is absolutely crucial!Oil Paintings are expensive and so needs to be treasured for the ages to come. So before you buy them decide on how you will store or display them. Never place the oil paintings in the direct sunlight, extreme sunlight or moisture this can lead to peeling or cracking over time.
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วันอาทิตย์ที่ 30 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
วันเสาร์ที่ 29 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Oil Painting: The Basics And Beyond
By: John Darby
Well it is true that mastering the art of oil painting is not an easy one. Never mind, there are many shops and art galleries that offer you a huge variety of Oil Paintings. And to add to it there are a number of web sites too. These showcase a variety of high quality Oil Paintings. All you need to do is just click and the order is at your doorstep. But before you step out to purchase these oil paintings, here are a few things you must keep in mind. Know the Artist!Every artist has a fashion of his own. Some tend to use colors lavishly while others may try to give their painting a subdued effect. In the artistic world each piece of art has an individuality of its own. An artist is always known by his art. So, the role of the Artist is great while purchasing a piece of art. You must choose the oil paintings of those Artists who are both artistic and skilled.Knowing the artist is good, so knows how the work is done. Oil paintings generally follow the technique of fat over lean. This means that each layer of paint applied should be a bit oilier than the layer below to ensure better drying. Another interesting fact about oil paintings is that it dries not by evaporation but by oxidation. Everything in an oil painting is significant including the brushes, oils, and canvas. All these play an important role in the finished work. Know the terminologies of Oil Paintings!Canvas. Check whether the canvas used is of high quality.Oils. The oils used must be of good choice. Stretching. Unframed oil paintings need to be stretched. These have to be stretched on stretcher bars; only after this process can the oil painting go for framing.Varnishing. This is done to protect the oil paintings from light rays and humidity.How to master the art?Are you a person who has never held the brush in your life? Interested in mastering the art of Oil Paintings? Here are some important things that you need to learn.First and foremost you need to develop your drawing skills. Try to draw a picture out of your imagination or any other picture. Buy a canvas and some oil paints and start your work. Mistakes are part and parcel of any work, that too in the initial stages. But remember, failure is the stepping-stone to success, so do not lose hope.If you want to clean the Oil Paintings use only a soft cloth to dust the frame. A soft bristled brush can be used to dust the real painting. Feather and duster also works very well. In no way should you apply chemicals or moisture to clear dirt from these paintings. Another effective method of protecting your painting is by varnishing it. This is nothing but applying varnish on the Oil Paintings to protect it from ultra-violet rays, pollution and to prevent abrasion. In addition it makes the paintings look bright in color so that it glitters like diamond.So now it is your turn to make the choice. So buck up, purchase one of your favorite oil paintings and gift your beloved one!
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
Well it is true that mastering the art of oil painting is not an easy one. Never mind, there are many shops and art galleries that offer you a huge variety of Oil Paintings. And to add to it there are a number of web sites too. These showcase a variety of high quality Oil Paintings. All you need to do is just click and the order is at your doorstep. But before you step out to purchase these oil paintings, here are a few things you must keep in mind. Know the Artist!Every artist has a fashion of his own. Some tend to use colors lavishly while others may try to give their painting a subdued effect. In the artistic world each piece of art has an individuality of its own. An artist is always known by his art. So, the role of the Artist is great while purchasing a piece of art. You must choose the oil paintings of those Artists who are both artistic and skilled.Knowing the artist is good, so knows how the work is done. Oil paintings generally follow the technique of fat over lean. This means that each layer of paint applied should be a bit oilier than the layer below to ensure better drying. Another interesting fact about oil paintings is that it dries not by evaporation but by oxidation. Everything in an oil painting is significant including the brushes, oils, and canvas. All these play an important role in the finished work. Know the terminologies of Oil Paintings!Canvas. Check whether the canvas used is of high quality.Oils. The oils used must be of good choice. Stretching. Unframed oil paintings need to be stretched. These have to be stretched on stretcher bars; only after this process can the oil painting go for framing.Varnishing. This is done to protect the oil paintings from light rays and humidity.How to master the art?Are you a person who has never held the brush in your life? Interested in mastering the art of Oil Paintings? Here are some important things that you need to learn.First and foremost you need to develop your drawing skills. Try to draw a picture out of your imagination or any other picture. Buy a canvas and some oil paints and start your work. Mistakes are part and parcel of any work, that too in the initial stages. But remember, failure is the stepping-stone to success, so do not lose hope.If you want to clean the Oil Paintings use only a soft cloth to dust the frame. A soft bristled brush can be used to dust the real painting. Feather and duster also works very well. In no way should you apply chemicals or moisture to clear dirt from these paintings. Another effective method of protecting your painting is by varnishing it. This is nothing but applying varnish on the Oil Paintings to protect it from ultra-violet rays, pollution and to prevent abrasion. In addition it makes the paintings look bright in color so that it glitters like diamond.So now it is your turn to make the choice. So buck up, purchase one of your favorite oil paintings and gift your beloved one!
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันศุกร์ที่ 28 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
How 80's Video Games Influence Art Today
By: Gregg Hall
The nostalgia of the 80's has been simmering in the fashion world for several years. It is perhaps not a surprise that the pop culture of the 80's is also rearing its head in the art world. We have seen graffiti, which was once considered a vulgar expression of inner-city youth, become a tool for marketers and embraced as a creative outlet for urban artists. This was made apparent on a recent episode of 'The Apprentice', Donald Trump's reality program aimed to select a candidate from a group of smart, resourceful and business minded men and women. One of the tasks given to them on the series included creating an advertisement for a new game. They were to create a graffiti inspired advertisement on the side of a building to be used as a billboard. Well, if Donald Trump has given his approvalSpeaking of games, another big hit in the 80's was video games - Pac Man, Mario Brothers and others were played by most teens at one time or another. These teens are now adults looking back with a hint of nostalgia at their youth, despite the fact that it was only 15-20 years ago. But technology changes quickly and so these icons of the 80's are now being featured in art galleries like Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight in Hollywood. The gallery features pieces that take a contemporary look at video games and is possibly helping to create a new genre in the field. A painting depicting Pac Man as over-the-hill and on a drip of pellets went for $3000 according to a Reuters press release. The artist, Greg Simkins, claimed he started out by painting graffiti in back alleys before working with canvas. And he's not the only one bringing this strange combination of video and art to the public. So what should we expect in the next five years? Well, for the art world change is always good, although often criticized in its formative years. So we may have to wait and see if 'video-game art' will make a solid stand in the art community. What we do know is that the original game players are now coming into their 40's and anyone under that age will have grown up with video games as a part of their childhood, just as 'I Love Lucy' was a part of another generations'. Because of that, the images will likely have an emotional pull and impact on new and existing collectors today.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
The nostalgia of the 80's has been simmering in the fashion world for several years. It is perhaps not a surprise that the pop culture of the 80's is also rearing its head in the art world. We have seen graffiti, which was once considered a vulgar expression of inner-city youth, become a tool for marketers and embraced as a creative outlet for urban artists. This was made apparent on a recent episode of 'The Apprentice', Donald Trump's reality program aimed to select a candidate from a group of smart, resourceful and business minded men and women. One of the tasks given to them on the series included creating an advertisement for a new game. They were to create a graffiti inspired advertisement on the side of a building to be used as a billboard. Well, if Donald Trump has given his approvalSpeaking of games, another big hit in the 80's was video games - Pac Man, Mario Brothers and others were played by most teens at one time or another. These teens are now adults looking back with a hint of nostalgia at their youth, despite the fact that it was only 15-20 years ago. But technology changes quickly and so these icons of the 80's are now being featured in art galleries like Gallery Nineteen Eighty Eight in Hollywood. The gallery features pieces that take a contemporary look at video games and is possibly helping to create a new genre in the field. A painting depicting Pac Man as over-the-hill and on a drip of pellets went for $3000 according to a Reuters press release. The artist, Greg Simkins, claimed he started out by painting graffiti in back alleys before working with canvas. And he's not the only one bringing this strange combination of video and art to the public. So what should we expect in the next five years? Well, for the art world change is always good, although often criticized in its formative years. So we may have to wait and see if 'video-game art' will make a solid stand in the art community. What we do know is that the original game players are now coming into their 40's and anyone under that age will have grown up with video games as a part of their childhood, just as 'I Love Lucy' was a part of another generations'. Because of that, the images will likely have an emotional pull and impact on new and existing collectors today.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 27 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
How To Buy Paintings For Relatives That They Will Appreciate
By: Gregg Hall
Are you thinking of buying a painting for a relative? There are some things you should know that will help to make your gift be better appreciated. There is more to buying a painting for someone than just the right size and color.One of the most important considerations when buying a painting for someone else is the content or theme of the painting. If the relative you are thinking of buying a picture for has a home that has modern furnishings a painting of the old west would probably be out of place. The opposite is true as well; a Picasso would look dreadfully out of place in a home furnished in early American or country decor. Of course you have to think about the size of the painting too, if the person has an average size home with eight foot ceilings a six foot tall painting is just not going to work. You should know where the painting would be placed before you buy so you can choose one that will fit the wall properly. Sometimes religious themes can work well when buying for relatives. In contrast to buying for a friend when you may not know their religious background you will in all likelihood be very familiar with the religious preference of a relative.Another very smart idea is to buy paintings from artists whose works the relative already has. It is pretty much a guarantee that if they like an artist enough to have his paintings hanging on their wall, they would welcome another.If you know that the person likes a particular area or vacation spot that can make for good subject matter to look for in a painting. If their favorite vacation was in a small town in Italy, a painting of a quaint little cafe would go nicely. If you know that they have a penchant for the Caribbean and their home would receive such a painting in good taste you could buy a seascape of a Caribbean beach or island.Some people really like the paintings by the Old Masters like the Dutch artist, Rembrandt or the romantic styles of Monet. While buying an original is quite likely cost prohibitive, you can find reproductions that are very well done and will be loved by the person you are giving them to.The best thing to do is to make sure of the style that the person or persons prefer and be sure that you know the size of the area where the painting can be displayed.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
Are you thinking of buying a painting for a relative? There are some things you should know that will help to make your gift be better appreciated. There is more to buying a painting for someone than just the right size and color.One of the most important considerations when buying a painting for someone else is the content or theme of the painting. If the relative you are thinking of buying a picture for has a home that has modern furnishings a painting of the old west would probably be out of place. The opposite is true as well; a Picasso would look dreadfully out of place in a home furnished in early American or country decor. Of course you have to think about the size of the painting too, if the person has an average size home with eight foot ceilings a six foot tall painting is just not going to work. You should know where the painting would be placed before you buy so you can choose one that will fit the wall properly. Sometimes religious themes can work well when buying for relatives. In contrast to buying for a friend when you may not know their religious background you will in all likelihood be very familiar with the religious preference of a relative.Another very smart idea is to buy paintings from artists whose works the relative already has. It is pretty much a guarantee that if they like an artist enough to have his paintings hanging on their wall, they would welcome another.If you know that the person likes a particular area or vacation spot that can make for good subject matter to look for in a painting. If their favorite vacation was in a small town in Italy, a painting of a quaint little cafe would go nicely. If you know that they have a penchant for the Caribbean and their home would receive such a painting in good taste you could buy a seascape of a Caribbean beach or island.Some people really like the paintings by the Old Masters like the Dutch artist, Rembrandt or the romantic styles of Monet. While buying an original is quite likely cost prohibitive, you can find reproductions that are very well done and will be loved by the person you are giving them to.The best thing to do is to make sure of the style that the person or persons prefer and be sure that you know the size of the area where the painting can be displayed.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันพุธที่ 26 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
How To Choose Fine Art Paintings By Realist Painters
By: Gregg Hall
Realism in art is defined in the same way as it would be in literature; it is the rendering of the subject matter as it really is without being embellished or putting one's personal influence on it. The whole emphasis with realist painting is to portray the scene or the person as is in a no frills and unromantic fashion. What is sought in realism is to relay exactly what the artist is seeing to the future viewer of the painting without adding to or taking away from the subject.Many of the paintings done my realist painters tend to deal more with situations or subjects that are a little abnormal or even sordid. Realist photography is the same way, for example some of the photos from Vietnam portraying an actual shooting, while shocking, were also very real. The idea of realism is to say this is all I know, what I see with my own eyes, whereas idealism is more concerned with a philosophy that our world is just a reflection of something greater.Realist painters are more likely to work in subject matter that is commonplace and everyday such as farming, fishing, and other normal everyday pastimes as well specializing in painting the elderly. The colors chosen are completely non embellished and even border on being drab compared to other styles of painting.In the 1500's mannerism was probably the most practiced from of art in Europe and depicted figures that were exaggerated and abnormal appearing in unrealistic positions. The work of Caravaggio changed all of this when his paintings of average everyday people involved in the doing normal activities became popular. All of his paintings were simply like photographs or snapshots of real events of everyday ordinary people.The Dutch were famous for embracing realism and the detail of the paintings from the Dutch Masters is unsurpassed. Rembrandt was one of the most famous of these realist painters whose works are admired and studied to this day. I look at these paintings and am amazed by the attention to detail that they were able to show.Today, realism is still a major force in art as well as all other forms of media. Some of the largest draws at museums are the realist photographers who are portraying subject matter from the Gulf War and other similar tragic landscapes in a way that tugs at the heart. Realism can make you feel like you are there and at the same time, glad you are not.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
Realism in art is defined in the same way as it would be in literature; it is the rendering of the subject matter as it really is without being embellished or putting one's personal influence on it. The whole emphasis with realist painting is to portray the scene or the person as is in a no frills and unromantic fashion. What is sought in realism is to relay exactly what the artist is seeing to the future viewer of the painting without adding to or taking away from the subject.Many of the paintings done my realist painters tend to deal more with situations or subjects that are a little abnormal or even sordid. Realist photography is the same way, for example some of the photos from Vietnam portraying an actual shooting, while shocking, were also very real. The idea of realism is to say this is all I know, what I see with my own eyes, whereas idealism is more concerned with a philosophy that our world is just a reflection of something greater.Realist painters are more likely to work in subject matter that is commonplace and everyday such as farming, fishing, and other normal everyday pastimes as well specializing in painting the elderly. The colors chosen are completely non embellished and even border on being drab compared to other styles of painting.In the 1500's mannerism was probably the most practiced from of art in Europe and depicted figures that were exaggerated and abnormal appearing in unrealistic positions. The work of Caravaggio changed all of this when his paintings of average everyday people involved in the doing normal activities became popular. All of his paintings were simply like photographs or snapshots of real events of everyday ordinary people.The Dutch were famous for embracing realism and the detail of the paintings from the Dutch Masters is unsurpassed. Rembrandt was one of the most famous of these realist painters whose works are admired and studied to this day. I look at these paintings and am amazed by the attention to detail that they were able to show.Today, realism is still a major force in art as well as all other forms of media. Some of the largest draws at museums are the realist photographers who are portraying subject matter from the Gulf War and other similar tragic landscapes in a way that tugs at the heart. Realism can make you feel like you are there and at the same time, glad you are not.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันอังคารที่ 25 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Why Folk Art Is So Popular Today
By: Gregg Hall
I have loved folk art paintings since I was a child. I spent a lot of time with my grandmother and her house was full of them. One of my favorites that she had was done by John Roeder. Maybe it's because I spent a lot of time playing in my tree house, that the trees in the picture appealed to me so much. When she died, she left me the painting and it hangs in a place of honor over my fireplace mantle.One of my favorite paintings was done in 1962 by Bill Dodge. It's called First Trolley to Van Nuys and shows the center of a town filled with people. It is done in vibrant colors and also depicts the buildings in the market like an ice cream parlor and the Hotel Van Nuys. Another painting that I admire is called Howard in 1944. It was painted in 1988 by Reverend Howard Finster and is done in enamel. I don't know whose smile is bigger, the one in the painting or the one on my face every time I look at it.There is a subcategory of folk art paintings that depict the world of black Americans. I have a friend who collects these and I found one of a woman reclining in a hammock. She looked so relaxed, that I could imagine what it felt like to lie there myself. I personally don't have any of these in my collection, since I like to collect pieces that I can relate to. Still, they are a joy to behold. One of the most famous American artists is Thomas Chambers. I don't particularly care for his art. I saw a painting he did of a fishing scene but I chose not to buy it. There is a water scene that I really like painted in 1940. It's of a swamp house on a bayou and has a Louisiana feel to it. It's called Alligator Fisher and I'm thinking about getting because it reminds me of my cajun heritage, most of my family is from Louisiana.The painting that has touched me the most features a sad little girl and is called A Letter From My Mother. It's a beautiful painting but it's just too depressing to hang anywhere. I'll find someone to give it to.My sister also shares my love for folk art. It's pretty funny to me that when we were growing up, she'd cry because she wasn't allowed to play football with the boys and I used to tease her relentlessly and pull her pigtails whenever I got the chance. Now we're very close. She favors animal prints, and I found one that depicts leopards and gave it to her for her birthday. It's too bad my parents didn't let her play football with us. If she could kick the ball they way she liked to kick me in the knee, I'd see to it she played for my team every time.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
I have loved folk art paintings since I was a child. I spent a lot of time with my grandmother and her house was full of them. One of my favorites that she had was done by John Roeder. Maybe it's because I spent a lot of time playing in my tree house, that the trees in the picture appealed to me so much. When she died, she left me the painting and it hangs in a place of honor over my fireplace mantle.One of my favorite paintings was done in 1962 by Bill Dodge. It's called First Trolley to Van Nuys and shows the center of a town filled with people. It is done in vibrant colors and also depicts the buildings in the market like an ice cream parlor and the Hotel Van Nuys. Another painting that I admire is called Howard in 1944. It was painted in 1988 by Reverend Howard Finster and is done in enamel. I don't know whose smile is bigger, the one in the painting or the one on my face every time I look at it.There is a subcategory of folk art paintings that depict the world of black Americans. I have a friend who collects these and I found one of a woman reclining in a hammock. She looked so relaxed, that I could imagine what it felt like to lie there myself. I personally don't have any of these in my collection, since I like to collect pieces that I can relate to. Still, they are a joy to behold. One of the most famous American artists is Thomas Chambers. I don't particularly care for his art. I saw a painting he did of a fishing scene but I chose not to buy it. There is a water scene that I really like painted in 1940. It's of a swamp house on a bayou and has a Louisiana feel to it. It's called Alligator Fisher and I'm thinking about getting because it reminds me of my cajun heritage, most of my family is from Louisiana.The painting that has touched me the most features a sad little girl and is called A Letter From My Mother. It's a beautiful painting but it's just too depressing to hang anywhere. I'll find someone to give it to.My sister also shares my love for folk art. It's pretty funny to me that when we were growing up, she'd cry because she wasn't allowed to play football with the boys and I used to tease her relentlessly and pull her pigtails whenever I got the chance. Now we're very close. She favors animal prints, and I found one that depicts leopards and gave it to her for her birthday. It's too bad my parents didn't let her play football with us. If she could kick the ball they way she liked to kick me in the knee, I'd see to it she played for my team every time.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันจันทร์ที่ 24 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Abstract Paintings, You Either Love Them Or Hate Them
By: Gregg Hall
I'm a buyer and collector of abstract paintings. There are few things I like more than finding ones that appeal to me. My favorite type of painting is done in gouache and I have several favorite artists. I know a lot of men spend their weekends playing golf or lurking in home improvement stores. I spend mine prowling garage sales. It's amazing what people will sell for a pittance because they don't recognize the value of what they own. Last weekend I purchased a painting done by Oscar Bluemner. The owner had it stored in her attic and thought it might have belonged to her dad. I got it at a steal.I'm not always so lucky, though. I paid through the teeth for a work signed by Louis Bassi Siegriest. It was painted in 1947 and the composition was calming to me. I really didn't mind the price, because to me the painting was worth it.Last year my sister finally graduated college and got her own digs. As a house warming gift I found an oil painting done by Leonardo Nierman. I considered getting a frame to go with it, but decided to let her choose that herself, at my expense of course.Another great painting that I bought is by Joanne Riddle. It's called Trade Winds and it's one of the best pieces that I own. It's a huge painting and has a vibrant blue color. It was so big, I had to pay extra to have it shipped to my house.I used to go out with a woman that had a painting done by Robert Gilberg. It was a signed abstract and it had almost a chameleon effect, since every time I gazed at it, it seemed different. I have an aunt that shares my love of abstracts and her favorite artist is Lou Monti. I found one of these great paintings during a trip to Arizona and had it shipped to her from there. She promised to bake me some of her famous butter cookies and I plan to take her up on that.My Grandfather was career military and is very patriotic. I had seen a modern abstract done in red white and blue hanging in town hall. I tried like mad to get them to sell it to me, but no one seemed to have the authority so I had to give it up. Too bad, it would have looked perfect over his mantle.I tried to get my only nephew interested in abstracts. I bought one painted by Richard Diebenkorn at a good price on eBay, but I misjudged the size and it was too big for his studio apartment. I ended up reselling it at a profit, so it actually turned out well. With some of the profit, I purchased a smaller one done in 1927 and it fit well on his wall. I don't know if he really liked it, but at least he seemed to and that's good enough for me.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
I'm a buyer and collector of abstract paintings. There are few things I like more than finding ones that appeal to me. My favorite type of painting is done in gouache and I have several favorite artists. I know a lot of men spend their weekends playing golf or lurking in home improvement stores. I spend mine prowling garage sales. It's amazing what people will sell for a pittance because they don't recognize the value of what they own. Last weekend I purchased a painting done by Oscar Bluemner. The owner had it stored in her attic and thought it might have belonged to her dad. I got it at a steal.I'm not always so lucky, though. I paid through the teeth for a work signed by Louis Bassi Siegriest. It was painted in 1947 and the composition was calming to me. I really didn't mind the price, because to me the painting was worth it.Last year my sister finally graduated college and got her own digs. As a house warming gift I found an oil painting done by Leonardo Nierman. I considered getting a frame to go with it, but decided to let her choose that herself, at my expense of course.Another great painting that I bought is by Joanne Riddle. It's called Trade Winds and it's one of the best pieces that I own. It's a huge painting and has a vibrant blue color. It was so big, I had to pay extra to have it shipped to my house.I used to go out with a woman that had a painting done by Robert Gilberg. It was a signed abstract and it had almost a chameleon effect, since every time I gazed at it, it seemed different. I have an aunt that shares my love of abstracts and her favorite artist is Lou Monti. I found one of these great paintings during a trip to Arizona and had it shipped to her from there. She promised to bake me some of her famous butter cookies and I plan to take her up on that.My Grandfather was career military and is very patriotic. I had seen a modern abstract done in red white and blue hanging in town hall. I tried like mad to get them to sell it to me, but no one seemed to have the authority so I had to give it up. Too bad, it would have looked perfect over his mantle.I tried to get my only nephew interested in abstracts. I bought one painted by Richard Diebenkorn at a good price on eBay, but I misjudged the size and it was too big for his studio apartment. I ended up reselling it at a profit, so it actually turned out well. With some of the profit, I purchased a smaller one done in 1927 and it fit well on his wall. I don't know if he really liked it, but at least he seemed to and that's good enough for me.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 23 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Portrait Picture of Cats Make a Perfect Gift
By: John Darby
To respect a cat is the beginning of the aesthetic sense! Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder the artistic sense does not have any boundaries. This rule of thumb applies to Pictures of Cats. too. You can capture the fond memories of your beloved cats in a photograph so that you can keep it with yourself and cherish for the years to come. Obviously with the pictures of cats you will be able to remember them and never forget their beautiful looks.You will never miss your cats!Whenever you think that you are missing your cats you can look onto the pictures of cats and feel as though they are nearby.Do you have charming cats at your home and are you the person who loves to paint? Do not ever leave your cats without attempting to paint pictures. You will feel more satisfied when you paint the pictures of cats by yourself.It is not so easy to paint the pictures of cats for animals are animals, unless and otherwise you offer them with several treats, they would not obey you. Showering love and affection towards your cat is not an ordinary one. The cats tend to live only for short span of time, so you can enjoy with them only for a short period. If you become so close to your cats you can not be alone without them. But there are circumstances and bad times when you will be compelled to leave your lovely cats. At such times it is only the Pictures of Cats that where taken at happy times, comfort you. Do You Know That Pictures of Cats Make A Perfect Gift?Do you want to gift some one with the personal touch? It does not matter what the occasion is, the Pictures of Cats make a perfect gift provided that the receiver is a lover of cats. It will be an unusual gift for the cat lover if you try considering to give him or her of their favorite Pictures of Cats as a gift.To be brief Pictures of Cats make an ideal gift for your family members or friends.What is more? Presenting Pictures of cats is also a pretty good way to remember the cat that is no more with you.If you feel like painting the pictures of cats and you are a new one to paint, you do not need to worry! There are artists to whom, when placed an order will draw exquisite pictures of cats. The only thing is you should give them the photo of your cat that is in good condition. How are Pictures of Cats drawn from Photos?Every artist has his own way of painting Pictures of Cats from photos. The skilled artist always comes up with the exact actions of the cat in the photo. Generally the artist creates different touches and shades in their paintings to bring out the accurate similarity between the cat in the photograph and the one that is painted. The Pictures of Cats are drawn on a high quality weighty paper so that the paintings will remain without any damage for many years.
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To respect a cat is the beginning of the aesthetic sense! Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder the artistic sense does not have any boundaries. This rule of thumb applies to Pictures of Cats. too. You can capture the fond memories of your beloved cats in a photograph so that you can keep it with yourself and cherish for the years to come. Obviously with the pictures of cats you will be able to remember them and never forget their beautiful looks.You will never miss your cats!Whenever you think that you are missing your cats you can look onto the pictures of cats and feel as though they are nearby.Do you have charming cats at your home and are you the person who loves to paint? Do not ever leave your cats without attempting to paint pictures. You will feel more satisfied when you paint the pictures of cats by yourself.It is not so easy to paint the pictures of cats for animals are animals, unless and otherwise you offer them with several treats, they would not obey you. Showering love and affection towards your cat is not an ordinary one. The cats tend to live only for short span of time, so you can enjoy with them only for a short period. If you become so close to your cats you can not be alone without them. But there are circumstances and bad times when you will be compelled to leave your lovely cats. At such times it is only the Pictures of Cats that where taken at happy times, comfort you. Do You Know That Pictures of Cats Make A Perfect Gift?Do you want to gift some one with the personal touch? It does not matter what the occasion is, the Pictures of Cats make a perfect gift provided that the receiver is a lover of cats. It will be an unusual gift for the cat lover if you try considering to give him or her of their favorite Pictures of Cats as a gift.To be brief Pictures of Cats make an ideal gift for your family members or friends.What is more? Presenting Pictures of cats is also a pretty good way to remember the cat that is no more with you.If you feel like painting the pictures of cats and you are a new one to paint, you do not need to worry! There are artists to whom, when placed an order will draw exquisite pictures of cats. The only thing is you should give them the photo of your cat that is in good condition. How are Pictures of Cats drawn from Photos?Every artist has his own way of painting Pictures of Cats from photos. The skilled artist always comes up with the exact actions of the cat in the photo. Generally the artist creates different touches and shades in their paintings to bring out the accurate similarity between the cat in the photograph and the one that is painted. The Pictures of Cats are drawn on a high quality weighty paper so that the paintings will remain without any damage for many years.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันเสาร์ที่ 22 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Offer Thanks to Nero
By: Brenda Harness
Why, one might ask, would modern civilization owe a debt of gratitude to the unpopular, infamous Roman emperor Nero, dead two thousand years now by his own hand? For those folks not tuned in to their own historical roots, Nero is an important part of your culture, not just a computer software tool for burning compact disks. Nero gathered a magnificent collection of classical Greek sculpture from all over the Roman Empire, and much of that collection was lost following his downfall. However, that is not the end of the story.You may have heard the tale of how Nero fiddled while Rome burned in 64 A.D. First, let us lay that story to rest. Despite the hatred he engendered in the Roman populace for his many atrocities, there is no evidence to support this rumor. In fact, he appears to have been rather helpful to a devastated Rome during that period. No, we cannot give him credit for the burning of Rome, but Nero had many other sins for which to account--using Christians as human torches comes to mind first.One of Nero's chief failings was vanity. Nero considered himself to be enormously talented in all things: art, drama, athletics, and, of course, music, a fiddler extraordinaire he claimed. Perhaps he was. We are told that he won every single competition he ever entered, whether artistic or athletic. We are further told that the reason he always won was because really unpleasant things happened to anyone who bested him. Nero made good use of the wide-spread destruction of Rome. The emperor's own house, the Domus Transitoria, was destroyed in the fire, but free space was now available in the burned out city. Nero took advantage of that space to build a pleasure palace, his Domus Aurea, or Golden House. The Domus Aurea was not a place for sleeping, because Nero had other lodgings for that. He filled the Domus Aurea with his collection of classical Greek sculpture and other treasures.Described by Pliny the Elder, Nero built the Domus Aurea of bricks and stucco, lavishly embellished it with gold-leaf decoration and ivory veneer and studded the ceilings with semi-previous stones. It covered 350 acres, roughly a third of Rome, spanning four of the Seven Hills of Rome in the heart of the city. The grounds of the Domus Aurea featured villas, vineyards, forests, a sacred grove, pastures for livestock, and an artificial lake. Nero erected a 120 foot bronze statue of himself in the center dressed as the sun god, Sol, his Colossus Neronis. The Colossus would be the sole survivor of Nero's Domus Aurea. In 68 A.D. the Roman Senate declared Nero an enemy of the state, a death sentence, and the emperor committed suicide. Following his death, the lake was drained, the Colosseum constructed where it stood, and Nero's colossal head was decapitated from the Neronis and replaced with the heads of succeeding emperors. Said to be an embarrassment to the city because of Nero's excesses, the Golden House was denuded of its decorations within ten years, and subsequently buried beneath new construction within forty years.That would seem to be the end of Nero's Domus Aurea, but something strange happened to bring it back to life at the end of the fifteenth century. A young Roman was walking on the Aventine hill only to fall into a hole into a subterranean wonderland. He saw incredible frescoes, appearing to be freshly painted as if new. He had fallen into the cavernous remains of Nero's Golden House. The site of this accident drew Italian artists from far and wide.Raphael and Michelangelo visited the site, and some artists of the time inscribed their names into the walls. From the depths of Nero's pleasure palace, from the frescoes, mosaics, and sculpture, they took inspiration, an inspiration that would be reflected in the art of the High Renaissance. As the Domus Aurea with its new antique source material was explored, one classical Greek sculpture was unearthed on a day that Michelangelo visited. It was the Laocoon, a marble work by famed Greek Hellenistic sculptors, Athanadoros, Hagesandros, and Polydoros of Rhodes.Laocoon, a mythological subject, depicts the Trojan priest Laocoon with his two sons in a struggle against a giant sea snake, a punishment from the gods for warning the Trojans about the Trojan horse. Its powerful emotional content and vigorous muscularity would soon be reflected in the works of Italian Renaissance giants Michelangelo and Raphael. This work and others like it from Nero's private collection of classical Greek sculpture profoundly influenced Italian Renaissance art, and it is from this art that we have developed our own modern aesthetic sensibilities. Had Nero not been the demented, despotic monster that he was, had his Golden House not been stripped and entombed, buried beneath the Baths of Trajan for two millennia, his classical Greek sculpture collection might have been lost like so many other art work of its kind. Without Nero, we might not appreciate beauty when we see it.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
Why, one might ask, would modern civilization owe a debt of gratitude to the unpopular, infamous Roman emperor Nero, dead two thousand years now by his own hand? For those folks not tuned in to their own historical roots, Nero is an important part of your culture, not just a computer software tool for burning compact disks. Nero gathered a magnificent collection of classical Greek sculpture from all over the Roman Empire, and much of that collection was lost following his downfall. However, that is not the end of the story.You may have heard the tale of how Nero fiddled while Rome burned in 64 A.D. First, let us lay that story to rest. Despite the hatred he engendered in the Roman populace for his many atrocities, there is no evidence to support this rumor. In fact, he appears to have been rather helpful to a devastated Rome during that period. No, we cannot give him credit for the burning of Rome, but Nero had many other sins for which to account--using Christians as human torches comes to mind first.One of Nero's chief failings was vanity. Nero considered himself to be enormously talented in all things: art, drama, athletics, and, of course, music, a fiddler extraordinaire he claimed. Perhaps he was. We are told that he won every single competition he ever entered, whether artistic or athletic. We are further told that the reason he always won was because really unpleasant things happened to anyone who bested him. Nero made good use of the wide-spread destruction of Rome. The emperor's own house, the Domus Transitoria, was destroyed in the fire, but free space was now available in the burned out city. Nero took advantage of that space to build a pleasure palace, his Domus Aurea, or Golden House. The Domus Aurea was not a place for sleeping, because Nero had other lodgings for that. He filled the Domus Aurea with his collection of classical Greek sculpture and other treasures.Described by Pliny the Elder, Nero built the Domus Aurea of bricks and stucco, lavishly embellished it with gold-leaf decoration and ivory veneer and studded the ceilings with semi-previous stones. It covered 350 acres, roughly a third of Rome, spanning four of the Seven Hills of Rome in the heart of the city. The grounds of the Domus Aurea featured villas, vineyards, forests, a sacred grove, pastures for livestock, and an artificial lake. Nero erected a 120 foot bronze statue of himself in the center dressed as the sun god, Sol, his Colossus Neronis. The Colossus would be the sole survivor of Nero's Domus Aurea. In 68 A.D. the Roman Senate declared Nero an enemy of the state, a death sentence, and the emperor committed suicide. Following his death, the lake was drained, the Colosseum constructed where it stood, and Nero's colossal head was decapitated from the Neronis and replaced with the heads of succeeding emperors. Said to be an embarrassment to the city because of Nero's excesses, the Golden House was denuded of its decorations within ten years, and subsequently buried beneath new construction within forty years.That would seem to be the end of Nero's Domus Aurea, but something strange happened to bring it back to life at the end of the fifteenth century. A young Roman was walking on the Aventine hill only to fall into a hole into a subterranean wonderland. He saw incredible frescoes, appearing to be freshly painted as if new. He had fallen into the cavernous remains of Nero's Golden House. The site of this accident drew Italian artists from far and wide.Raphael and Michelangelo visited the site, and some artists of the time inscribed their names into the walls. From the depths of Nero's pleasure palace, from the frescoes, mosaics, and sculpture, they took inspiration, an inspiration that would be reflected in the art of the High Renaissance. As the Domus Aurea with its new antique source material was explored, one classical Greek sculpture was unearthed on a day that Michelangelo visited. It was the Laocoon, a marble work by famed Greek Hellenistic sculptors, Athanadoros, Hagesandros, and Polydoros of Rhodes.Laocoon, a mythological subject, depicts the Trojan priest Laocoon with his two sons in a struggle against a giant sea snake, a punishment from the gods for warning the Trojans about the Trojan horse. Its powerful emotional content and vigorous muscularity would soon be reflected in the works of Italian Renaissance giants Michelangelo and Raphael. This work and others like it from Nero's private collection of classical Greek sculpture profoundly influenced Italian Renaissance art, and it is from this art that we have developed our own modern aesthetic sensibilities. Had Nero not been the demented, despotic monster that he was, had his Golden House not been stripped and entombed, buried beneath the Baths of Trajan for two millennia, his classical Greek sculpture collection might have been lost like so many other art work of its kind. Without Nero, we might not appreciate beauty when we see it.
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วันศุกร์ที่ 21 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Botticelli: From the Birth of Venus to a Bonfire of the Vanities
By: Brenda Harness
Most of the Western world is familiar with the image of Venus as she rises from the sea on a clamshell in the famous Italian Renaissance painting by Sandro Botticelli. With its lyrical, graceful beauty, the work we know so well is properly named The Birth of Venus and sometimes affectionately known in contemporary culture as 'Venus on the Half Shell.' Botticelli's mythological work continues to inspire contemporary art, literature, film, and a myriad of other things.Botticelli's Venus and its sister painting, Primavera, were commissioned by Lorenzo de' Medici for his villa in Castello in 1485. More probable though is that the paintings were commissioned by Lorenzo for his teenaged sons, Piero and Giovanni.After the death of his father, Lorenzo de' Medici now twenty years old with his brother Giuliano assumed power in Florence in 1469. Giuliano died in 1478, but Lorenzo went on to become known to posterity as 'Il Magnifico' or 'The Magnificent' during the twenty-three years that he ruled Florence. Lorenzo's patronage of Botticelli continued where his father's left off.Despite Lorenzo's magnanimous patronage, however, Botticelli's bright star was soon to fade. As the High Renaissance was ushered in at the beginning of the sixteenth century, Botticelli had already fallen into disfavor, at times barely surviving on the brink of starvation. Highly successful at the height of his career, Botticelli's life ended with more of a whimper than a bang, as he died in quite a tragic manner in relative obscurity.How did the high fall so low? Botticelli fell under the spell of a Dominican monk, a fanatical, religious reformer named Girolamo Savonarola, and one of the primary targets of Savonarola's sermons was Lorenzo the Magnificent himself. Lorenzo de' Medici was the de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic, although officially it was ruled by the Signoria, a council comprised of qualified guild members.Lorenzo was a consummate diplomat and politician who surrounded himself with men of excellence and learning, poets, humanist scholars, and artists like Botticelli and Michelangelo. The lifestyle of Lorenzo the Magnificent with his elite gatherings made him a large target for Savonarola.Medieval and Early Renaissance authorities in Europe had passed a number of laws designed to curb the ostentatious display of the aristocracy. No where was this more evident than in Italy with its wealthy merchant class. Medicean money and thus patronage stemmed from the family banking business, and Lorenzo, like his predecessors, used his money to enjoy life.Lorenzo was generous, lavishing money and gifts on both friends and the clergy. He was a man equally at ease writing hymns and licentious poetry. From his artists, he commissioned both altarpieces and pagan-inspired nudes.It was a time of turmoil, both political and religious, so Lorenzo provided elaborate entertainments for the masses. It has been suggested that such activities were perhaps intended to divert attention from Lorenzo's own extravagant lifestyle. Pageants and festivals were a favorite Florentine custom, and Lorenzo wrote poems to be sung during the festivities extolling the pursuit of pleasure and encouraging female promiscuity. One such vocal performance penned by Lorenzo was delivered to the people in front of the cathedral during his pageant 'The Triumph of Bacchus.'Florence prospered economically under Lorenzo's rule and his political machinations provided a peaceful interlude from war during his reign for most of the Italian city-states. It appears that Lorenzo was a benevolent tyrant, but there was still the issue of Savonarola with which to deal, a thorn in his side, no doubt, but in truth, one which hindered his lifestyle very little.Savonarola developed quite a following in Florence preaching fire and brimstone against the immorality of the people, the general corruption of the Catholic Church and wealthy aristocrats, Lorenzo de' Medici in particular. His sermons played to packed audiences from the pulpit of San Marco itself, a Medici-sponsored church. Botticelli was summoned to Rome in 1481 to work on three Sistine Chapel frescoes for Pope Sixtus IV. When Botticelli returned to Florence in 1485, he attended the sermons of Savonarola. Michelangelo read them as well through the new invention of mass publication with the printing press. Savonarola had a profound affect on both artists as evidenced in the religious content of their art works.Botticelli turned his mind back to religious themes, but his Medicean patronage dried up with the death of Lorenzo the Magnificent in 1492. Surprisingly, it was Savonarola from whom Lorenzo sought absolution for his sins in his final hours. Two years after Lorenzo's death, the Medici family was expelled from Florence. The Medici palace was sacked and countless valuable items and works of fine art were stolen.Savonarola was summoned to Rome in 1495 by the pope to defend his religious preaching, but he unwisely declined the pope's invitation. Times were hard for Botticelli at this time, but caught up in his religious fervor, he followed the lead of Savonarola who organized what has come to be known to history as 'The Bonfire of the Vanities.' Prior to the festival at the Lenten season in 1497, Savonarola ordered his followers to gather up 'vanities' going from house to house.These vanities were objects Savonarola deemed immoral, such as costumes, masks, wigs, amorous songs, festival paraphernalia, musical instruments, cosmetics, and many others things. On the last day of Carnival, he ordered the 'vanities' to be stacked on top of a great pile of incendiary material and set afire. Tossed on the bonfire were also precious manuscripts and works of art. Botticelli willingly participated in the bonfire, consigning many of his own paintings to the flames.A year later in 1498, Savonarola suffered a fate similar to the vanities he so proudly immolated. He was officially excommunicated, arrested, tortured, hanged, then burned at the stake for heresy, having offended the Florentines and the pope one too many times. Devastated by the loss of his spiritual leader, Botticelli ceased to paint after 1500 and lived in poverty until his death in 1510. Botticelli was sustained in his final years by the charity of the Medici who were then back in Florence waiting to resume the reins of power which happened in 1512.Botticelli's final work of 1500 is The Nativity, now in The National Gallery in London. Much to the delight of the art world, an interest in the life and work of Sandro Botticelli was resurrected in the 19th century by the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. This was a British group of Victorian painters who rejected the High Renaissance, reverting to a hard-edged style evidenced in the works of Early Renaissance artists like Botticelli. If not for their efforts, the works of Botticelli might have forever remained obscure. Because of them, Botticelli and his Venus have once again risen from beneath the waves to the prominent place they so richly deserve in the world of art.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
Most of the Western world is familiar with the image of Venus as she rises from the sea on a clamshell in the famous Italian Renaissance painting by Sandro Botticelli. With its lyrical, graceful beauty, the work we know so well is properly named The Birth of Venus and sometimes affectionately known in contemporary culture as 'Venus on the Half Shell.' Botticelli's mythological work continues to inspire contemporary art, literature, film, and a myriad of other things.Botticelli's Venus and its sister painting, Primavera, were commissioned by Lorenzo de' Medici for his villa in Castello in 1485. More probable though is that the paintings were commissioned by Lorenzo for his teenaged sons, Piero and Giovanni.After the death of his father, Lorenzo de' Medici now twenty years old with his brother Giuliano assumed power in Florence in 1469. Giuliano died in 1478, but Lorenzo went on to become known to posterity as 'Il Magnifico' or 'The Magnificent' during the twenty-three years that he ruled Florence. Lorenzo's patronage of Botticelli continued where his father's left off.Despite Lorenzo's magnanimous patronage, however, Botticelli's bright star was soon to fade. As the High Renaissance was ushered in at the beginning of the sixteenth century, Botticelli had already fallen into disfavor, at times barely surviving on the brink of starvation. Highly successful at the height of his career, Botticelli's life ended with more of a whimper than a bang, as he died in quite a tragic manner in relative obscurity.How did the high fall so low? Botticelli fell under the spell of a Dominican monk, a fanatical, religious reformer named Girolamo Savonarola, and one of the primary targets of Savonarola's sermons was Lorenzo the Magnificent himself. Lorenzo de' Medici was the de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic, although officially it was ruled by the Signoria, a council comprised of qualified guild members.Lorenzo was a consummate diplomat and politician who surrounded himself with men of excellence and learning, poets, humanist scholars, and artists like Botticelli and Michelangelo. The lifestyle of Lorenzo the Magnificent with his elite gatherings made him a large target for Savonarola.Medieval and Early Renaissance authorities in Europe had passed a number of laws designed to curb the ostentatious display of the aristocracy. No where was this more evident than in Italy with its wealthy merchant class. Medicean money and thus patronage stemmed from the family banking business, and Lorenzo, like his predecessors, used his money to enjoy life.Lorenzo was generous, lavishing money and gifts on both friends and the clergy. He was a man equally at ease writing hymns and licentious poetry. From his artists, he commissioned both altarpieces and pagan-inspired nudes.It was a time of turmoil, both political and religious, so Lorenzo provided elaborate entertainments for the masses. It has been suggested that such activities were perhaps intended to divert attention from Lorenzo's own extravagant lifestyle. Pageants and festivals were a favorite Florentine custom, and Lorenzo wrote poems to be sung during the festivities extolling the pursuit of pleasure and encouraging female promiscuity. One such vocal performance penned by Lorenzo was delivered to the people in front of the cathedral during his pageant 'The Triumph of Bacchus.'Florence prospered economically under Lorenzo's rule and his political machinations provided a peaceful interlude from war during his reign for most of the Italian city-states. It appears that Lorenzo was a benevolent tyrant, but there was still the issue of Savonarola with which to deal, a thorn in his side, no doubt, but in truth, one which hindered his lifestyle very little.Savonarola developed quite a following in Florence preaching fire and brimstone against the immorality of the people, the general corruption of the Catholic Church and wealthy aristocrats, Lorenzo de' Medici in particular. His sermons played to packed audiences from the pulpit of San Marco itself, a Medici-sponsored church. Botticelli was summoned to Rome in 1481 to work on three Sistine Chapel frescoes for Pope Sixtus IV. When Botticelli returned to Florence in 1485, he attended the sermons of Savonarola. Michelangelo read them as well through the new invention of mass publication with the printing press. Savonarola had a profound affect on both artists as evidenced in the religious content of their art works.Botticelli turned his mind back to religious themes, but his Medicean patronage dried up with the death of Lorenzo the Magnificent in 1492. Surprisingly, it was Savonarola from whom Lorenzo sought absolution for his sins in his final hours. Two years after Lorenzo's death, the Medici family was expelled from Florence. The Medici palace was sacked and countless valuable items and works of fine art were stolen.Savonarola was summoned to Rome in 1495 by the pope to defend his religious preaching, but he unwisely declined the pope's invitation. Times were hard for Botticelli at this time, but caught up in his religious fervor, he followed the lead of Savonarola who organized what has come to be known to history as 'The Bonfire of the Vanities.' Prior to the festival at the Lenten season in 1497, Savonarola ordered his followers to gather up 'vanities' going from house to house.These vanities were objects Savonarola deemed immoral, such as costumes, masks, wigs, amorous songs, festival paraphernalia, musical instruments, cosmetics, and many others things. On the last day of Carnival, he ordered the 'vanities' to be stacked on top of a great pile of incendiary material and set afire. Tossed on the bonfire were also precious manuscripts and works of art. Botticelli willingly participated in the bonfire, consigning many of his own paintings to the flames.A year later in 1498, Savonarola suffered a fate similar to the vanities he so proudly immolated. He was officially excommunicated, arrested, tortured, hanged, then burned at the stake for heresy, having offended the Florentines and the pope one too many times. Devastated by the loss of his spiritual leader, Botticelli ceased to paint after 1500 and lived in poverty until his death in 1510. Botticelli was sustained in his final years by the charity of the Medici who were then back in Florence waiting to resume the reins of power which happened in 1512.Botticelli's final work of 1500 is The Nativity, now in The National Gallery in London. Much to the delight of the art world, an interest in the life and work of Sandro Botticelli was resurrected in the 19th century by the Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. This was a British group of Victorian painters who rejected the High Renaissance, reverting to a hard-edged style evidenced in the works of Early Renaissance artists like Botticelli. If not for their efforts, the works of Botticelli might have forever remained obscure. Because of them, Botticelli and his Venus have once again risen from beneath the waves to the prominent place they so richly deserve in the world of art.
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วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 20 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Women As Edible Art
By: Brenda Harness
There is a real art to saying something without really saying it. In other words, you can say something by not saying it if you 'talk around' a topic. By using metaphors, one can talk about almost anything, even the topic of 'Women as Edible Art.' Confusing enough? Read on.My lesson in 'talking around' edible art came when I was in graduate school. I bonded strongly with another single mother who was taking a similar course of studies in art history. My kids and I were new in town having moved from another state, leaving behind bad memories and looking forward to a new life and a fresh start. I was excited to be back in school and doing something besides just being a mother. I was no longer a wife and neither was my new friend, Jean, who sat with me in the student cafeteria between classes, where we drank coffee and talked. We shared stories about kids, about work, about love lost, about love found, about despair, and about happiness.As my last semester came to a close, I remember fondly one particular day when we were sitting in a darkened classroom as images flashed by on the screen. Baroque and Rococo Art was the name of the course. We sat mesmerized as we listened to our gifted instructor, a venerable, silver-haired gentleman who was head of the department and soon to retire. After 40 years of teaching, he was an engaging speaker with a relaxed oratorical style. He was knowledgeable, well traveled, and married to the perfect woman, a travel agent. It seemed to me that it was a marriage made in heaven. Each complemented the other since he knew about everything, and she knew where everything was and how to get there affordably. Who could ask for more?Well, on this particular day, we finished Baroque Art with Correggio's Jupiter and Io, a mythological painting in which the priestess Io is being seduced by Jupiter, who envelops the nude woman in his disguise as a cloud. Being king of the Greek gods gave Jupiter quite a bit of leeway and seducing young women was one of his favorite past times. As Io swoons in Jupiter's cloudy embrace, I heard the words uttered, 'this tasty morsel,' and I wondered if it was close to lunch time. An excellent note taker, I hastily jotted down 'tasty morsel' and thought about the blue plate special.The professor left Baroque Art and went on to tell us about Rococo Art, a much needed breath of fresh air after a heavy course load and an endless series of term papers. Light-hearted in spirit with its atmospheric effects, delicate, pastel colors, dynamic, sensual compositions, and emotional content, Rococo Art brings a smile to the face of even the dourest of men. I was shortly to realize that my professor was a man with an epicurean taste for women. As we listened in the dark, he described the next female image on the screen as 'this juicy tidbit.' This time it didn't catch me off guard, because the 'tasty morsel' had already awakened me from my comfortable malaise and gotten me thinking about food. I looked over at Jean to see if that 'juicy tidbit' remark had registered with her. It had, and we smiled conspiratorial smiles at each other.The lecture continued. Now we were both fully alert, anxiously waiting to hear what the next culinary offering would be. On the screen, I saw the final image of a young woman who was face down on a chaise lounge, a little plump and totally nude. The young woman in the painting was identified as Mademoiselle O'Murphy by Francois Boucher. The professor described her as a 'delicious tart.' I looked at Jean. She was already looking at me with wide eyes. We both rolled our eyes and spent the remainder of the class trying to keep a straight face and conceal our chuckles.I'm not shocked by nude figures in art, as I've looked at them for most of my adult life both in and out of school. But, until that day, I had no idea that men think of women in edible terms. I know my professor had the utmost respect for women, but I didn't know that he had an epicurean, gourmet taste for the female of the species. This was a great revelation to me, and I have to agree with his assessment of the gorgeous Mademoiselle O'Murphy. She was quite a stunner.While I led a sheltered life, I am a fast learner. I learned that day that most men would think Mademoiselle O'Murphy was a 'delectable dish' (my words). Although I am sure it was probably not the intended lesson, the lesson I learned that day was that one should always save the dessert for last.
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There is a real art to saying something without really saying it. In other words, you can say something by not saying it if you 'talk around' a topic. By using metaphors, one can talk about almost anything, even the topic of 'Women as Edible Art.' Confusing enough? Read on.My lesson in 'talking around' edible art came when I was in graduate school. I bonded strongly with another single mother who was taking a similar course of studies in art history. My kids and I were new in town having moved from another state, leaving behind bad memories and looking forward to a new life and a fresh start. I was excited to be back in school and doing something besides just being a mother. I was no longer a wife and neither was my new friend, Jean, who sat with me in the student cafeteria between classes, where we drank coffee and talked. We shared stories about kids, about work, about love lost, about love found, about despair, and about happiness.As my last semester came to a close, I remember fondly one particular day when we were sitting in a darkened classroom as images flashed by on the screen. Baroque and Rococo Art was the name of the course. We sat mesmerized as we listened to our gifted instructor, a venerable, silver-haired gentleman who was head of the department and soon to retire. After 40 years of teaching, he was an engaging speaker with a relaxed oratorical style. He was knowledgeable, well traveled, and married to the perfect woman, a travel agent. It seemed to me that it was a marriage made in heaven. Each complemented the other since he knew about everything, and she knew where everything was and how to get there affordably. Who could ask for more?Well, on this particular day, we finished Baroque Art with Correggio's Jupiter and Io, a mythological painting in which the priestess Io is being seduced by Jupiter, who envelops the nude woman in his disguise as a cloud. Being king of the Greek gods gave Jupiter quite a bit of leeway and seducing young women was one of his favorite past times. As Io swoons in Jupiter's cloudy embrace, I heard the words uttered, 'this tasty morsel,' and I wondered if it was close to lunch time. An excellent note taker, I hastily jotted down 'tasty morsel' and thought about the blue plate special.The professor left Baroque Art and went on to tell us about Rococo Art, a much needed breath of fresh air after a heavy course load and an endless series of term papers. Light-hearted in spirit with its atmospheric effects, delicate, pastel colors, dynamic, sensual compositions, and emotional content, Rococo Art brings a smile to the face of even the dourest of men. I was shortly to realize that my professor was a man with an epicurean taste for women. As we listened in the dark, he described the next female image on the screen as 'this juicy tidbit.' This time it didn't catch me off guard, because the 'tasty morsel' had already awakened me from my comfortable malaise and gotten me thinking about food. I looked over at Jean to see if that 'juicy tidbit' remark had registered with her. It had, and we smiled conspiratorial smiles at each other.The lecture continued. Now we were both fully alert, anxiously waiting to hear what the next culinary offering would be. On the screen, I saw the final image of a young woman who was face down on a chaise lounge, a little plump and totally nude. The young woman in the painting was identified as Mademoiselle O'Murphy by Francois Boucher. The professor described her as a 'delicious tart.' I looked at Jean. She was already looking at me with wide eyes. We both rolled our eyes and spent the remainder of the class trying to keep a straight face and conceal our chuckles.I'm not shocked by nude figures in art, as I've looked at them for most of my adult life both in and out of school. But, until that day, I had no idea that men think of women in edible terms. I know my professor had the utmost respect for women, but I didn't know that he had an epicurean, gourmet taste for the female of the species. This was a great revelation to me, and I have to agree with his assessment of the gorgeous Mademoiselle O'Murphy. She was quite a stunner.While I led a sheltered life, I am a fast learner. I learned that day that most men would think Mademoiselle O'Murphy was a 'delectable dish' (my words). Although I am sure it was probably not the intended lesson, the lesson I learned that day was that one should always save the dessert for last.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันพุธที่ 19 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
How To Find The Art Piece You Want In An Art Auction
By: Ricky Lim
Nowadays, there are many art auction houses available online such as sotheby and ebay. However, before attempting to bid for a fine art auction, there are some points you need to take note especially if you are a beginner to art auctions.If you are new to fine art auctions, you might first decide what it is you like to collect. Is it abstract art, oil-based painting, impression art etc? You also might want to read up on the art category that you prefer to buy. Take for example, you are into abstract art. It would help you in your art auctions if you knew more about abstract art history, the various abstract art movements. The best way to start would be on the internet. One such site is www.artsconnected.org. They provide comprehensive search tools for visitors to research on their favorite art category. The other way is to browse the various art magazines, books, periodicals. You could go to your local bookstore, amazon or even the local library. Visit a few fine art auction houses and get a feel for the type of art you are interested in. Art Auction houses will usually provide detailed information on the art piece being auctioned.How Do I Know The Art Piece I Like Is Real?Ok, so you finally found an art piece you like. The next question you are probably asking is how do I know it is authentic? Since the value of an art piece is subjective depending on the person looking at it, it would be best if you can afford it to get a professional art appraiser to value the art piece.For large fine art auction houses such as sotheby, you can be assured that the art piece is already appraised and is authentic. However, if you are looking for an art piece at smaller auction houses or online art auctions such as ebay, you do need to be extra careful. Particularly so for online art auctions where there are many fake art pieces being auctioned.If you like a fine art being auctioned online, the best way if possible would be to communicate with the art seller before buying. Online art auctions usually keep a track record of the art seller’s sales history and can help you to determine whether the seller is a reputable person.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
Nowadays, there are many art auction houses available online such as sotheby and ebay. However, before attempting to bid for a fine art auction, there are some points you need to take note especially if you are a beginner to art auctions.If you are new to fine art auctions, you might first decide what it is you like to collect. Is it abstract art, oil-based painting, impression art etc? You also might want to read up on the art category that you prefer to buy. Take for example, you are into abstract art. It would help you in your art auctions if you knew more about abstract art history, the various abstract art movements. The best way to start would be on the internet. One such site is www.artsconnected.org. They provide comprehensive search tools for visitors to research on their favorite art category. The other way is to browse the various art magazines, books, periodicals. You could go to your local bookstore, amazon or even the local library. Visit a few fine art auction houses and get a feel for the type of art you are interested in. Art Auction houses will usually provide detailed information on the art piece being auctioned.How Do I Know The Art Piece I Like Is Real?Ok, so you finally found an art piece you like. The next question you are probably asking is how do I know it is authentic? Since the value of an art piece is subjective depending on the person looking at it, it would be best if you can afford it to get a professional art appraiser to value the art piece.For large fine art auction houses such as sotheby, you can be assured that the art piece is already appraised and is authentic. However, if you are looking for an art piece at smaller auction houses or online art auctions such as ebay, you do need to be extra careful. Particularly so for online art auctions where there are many fake art pieces being auctioned.If you like a fine art being auctioned online, the best way if possible would be to communicate with the art seller before buying. Online art auctions usually keep a track record of the art seller’s sales history and can help you to determine whether the seller is a reputable person.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันอังคารที่ 18 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
An Introduction To Composition
By: Charles Griffith
If you've read my article on design, you'll know that design is the placement of elements on a two-dimensional surface, while composition is the arrangement of elements in the illusion of three-dimensional space. Composition, along with design, are the most important areas for the artist to consider when creating art. The best drawing and painting skills in the world won't save a flawed composition or design. In this article I will lay out the essential principles of composition the artist must be aware of as they relate to painting or drawing.These are the 3 main considerations to consider when establishing a composition:1. The distribution of "masses" in a composition2. The location of the focal point3. The distance from the viewer to the sceneThe first thing I'll do is to clarify what I mean by the word "masses". It simply refers to the objects or figures present in a composition, the things that have an illusion of weight or substance. One of the first things the artist must decide in the early stages of a painting is whether the masses in a composition will be placed in a "symmetrical" arrangement, or an "asymmetrical" arrangement. "Symmetrical" means that the masses are placed evenly throughout the picture. This usually creates an unsatisfactory result, and can be quite boring and uninteresting. "Asymmetrical" placement puts more of elements on one side of the picture than on the other, and this is usually a better option, creating more visual interest, as long as the elements on each side of the picture balance each other, as in Example A in this diagram (I recommend opening this file in a new browser window--you'll be referring to it again!).http://charlesgriffith.tripod.com/composition-illustration.bmpThe analogy to the see-saw in this diagram shows how the "mass" of the elements can be used to balance each other in an asymmetrical arrangement.The second major consideration that the artist must take into account when developing the composition is to decide what the "focal point" of the picture will be, and where it will be placed. The "focal point" is the area of a painting where the artist wishes the viewer to pay the most attention. It is usually, but not always, the subject of the piece. There have been many attempts throughout the centuries to determine the effective arrangement of elements in a work of art through mathematic formulas, such as the "Golden Section" of Vitruvius, a 1st century Roman engineer and architect. The "Golden Section" was used to determine the placement of the focal point in a painting, and the results can be seen in Example G in the diagram listed above. As you can see in example G, any of these four points could be used for optimum placement of the focal point. While there are mathematical equations used to determine these points, this shouldn't be necessary for the modern artist; you can easily establish these points with a rough approximation by sight alone. And while placing the center of interest in one of these points is a traditional practice, it is perfectly acceptable to put the focal point wherever it is effective. A multitude of modern artists have thrown out traditional working methods and used unorthodox compositions, achieving surprising results. But I believe you must first master a rule before you can effectively break it, and this is a good approach to start with.The third consideration that must be taken into account when establishing the composition is whether to "zoom in" or "zoom out"-- in other words, should I view the scene I am painting close in or far away? To put it simply, how much of the scene should I include in the picture? This will effect the number, size and scale of the various elements in the picture.Now that these three basic concerns have been addressed, I want you to look at the diagram again. Examples B through E show simplified compositional motifs that have been used for centuries. The black areas in these examples represents the "masses", or the figures or objects in a picture. These can even be combined, as Example F shows. There are many other possibilities, but these have been the most basic and widely used in Western art. Now take a look at the artwork on my website and see if you can discern these patterns or their variations in my work. Do not worry about adhering too strictly to these basic patterns, though; they are here simply to show you some of the most common layouts.With the most important considerations now resolved, I'll discuss some of the other factors that help to create an effective composition. Positive and Negative Space: "Positive" space is simply the solid objects in a picture. "Negative" space is the "empty" areas around these objects, such as sky or other background, the areas between the branches of a tree, or the space between the legs of a standing figure. Look at Example H in the diagram. The black areas represent "positive" space; the white areas depict the "negative" space. Generally, the positive and negative spaces in a picture should never be equal in amount; usually one should predominate to avoid a static look. But they should always be carefully balanced. Another thing to consider is the path that the viewer's eyes follow as they move through the composition to the focal point. While it is desirable to have the "lines of motion" in a picture lead the viewer to the center of interest, you don't want the viewer to reach it too quickly! The viewer's eyes should move throughout the picture, savoring the composition until it finally reaches the focal point. In Example I, notice how some, but not all, of the lines lead your eyes to the focal point, the black dot. Hard edges on objects is one way of leading the viewer's gaze to the desired point, as well as hard contrasts of light and dark values or areas of strong color.Finally, if you are trying to create the illusion of three dimensions in your work, it is standard practice to divide your picture into three layers: foreground, middle-ground and background. This allows the viewer to gauge the relative scale of the elements in the picture. This can, of course, be disregarded if the artist decides that it isn't relevant to his concept for the picture.There are many lesser considerations that can contribute to optimizing a composition, and I will discuss them in future articles. But as long as you have balanced the different objects and figures effectively, placed your focal point in an advantageous location and decided how much of the scene you want to include, your composition will be effective. Composition is the "skeleton" around which the picture is fleshed out. No painting has ever succeeded without a solid, well designed composition. With the principles discussed here, you now have the means to establish effective compositions for your work.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
If you've read my article on design, you'll know that design is the placement of elements on a two-dimensional surface, while composition is the arrangement of elements in the illusion of three-dimensional space. Composition, along with design, are the most important areas for the artist to consider when creating art. The best drawing and painting skills in the world won't save a flawed composition or design. In this article I will lay out the essential principles of composition the artist must be aware of as they relate to painting or drawing.These are the 3 main considerations to consider when establishing a composition:1. The distribution of "masses" in a composition2. The location of the focal point3. The distance from the viewer to the sceneThe first thing I'll do is to clarify what I mean by the word "masses". It simply refers to the objects or figures present in a composition, the things that have an illusion of weight or substance. One of the first things the artist must decide in the early stages of a painting is whether the masses in a composition will be placed in a "symmetrical" arrangement, or an "asymmetrical" arrangement. "Symmetrical" means that the masses are placed evenly throughout the picture. This usually creates an unsatisfactory result, and can be quite boring and uninteresting. "Asymmetrical" placement puts more of elements on one side of the picture than on the other, and this is usually a better option, creating more visual interest, as long as the elements on each side of the picture balance each other, as in Example A in this diagram (I recommend opening this file in a new browser window--you'll be referring to it again!).http://charlesgriffith.tripod.com/composition-illustration.bmpThe analogy to the see-saw in this diagram shows how the "mass" of the elements can be used to balance each other in an asymmetrical arrangement.The second major consideration that the artist must take into account when developing the composition is to decide what the "focal point" of the picture will be, and where it will be placed. The "focal point" is the area of a painting where the artist wishes the viewer to pay the most attention. It is usually, but not always, the subject of the piece. There have been many attempts throughout the centuries to determine the effective arrangement of elements in a work of art through mathematic formulas, such as the "Golden Section" of Vitruvius, a 1st century Roman engineer and architect. The "Golden Section" was used to determine the placement of the focal point in a painting, and the results can be seen in Example G in the diagram listed above. As you can see in example G, any of these four points could be used for optimum placement of the focal point. While there are mathematical equations used to determine these points, this shouldn't be necessary for the modern artist; you can easily establish these points with a rough approximation by sight alone. And while placing the center of interest in one of these points is a traditional practice, it is perfectly acceptable to put the focal point wherever it is effective. A multitude of modern artists have thrown out traditional working methods and used unorthodox compositions, achieving surprising results. But I believe you must first master a rule before you can effectively break it, and this is a good approach to start with.The third consideration that must be taken into account when establishing the composition is whether to "zoom in" or "zoom out"-- in other words, should I view the scene I am painting close in or far away? To put it simply, how much of the scene should I include in the picture? This will effect the number, size and scale of the various elements in the picture.Now that these three basic concerns have been addressed, I want you to look at the diagram again. Examples B through E show simplified compositional motifs that have been used for centuries. The black areas in these examples represents the "masses", or the figures or objects in a picture. These can even be combined, as Example F shows. There are many other possibilities, but these have been the most basic and widely used in Western art. Now take a look at the artwork on my website and see if you can discern these patterns or their variations in my work. Do not worry about adhering too strictly to these basic patterns, though; they are here simply to show you some of the most common layouts.With the most important considerations now resolved, I'll discuss some of the other factors that help to create an effective composition. Positive and Negative Space: "Positive" space is simply the solid objects in a picture. "Negative" space is the "empty" areas around these objects, such as sky or other background, the areas between the branches of a tree, or the space between the legs of a standing figure. Look at Example H in the diagram. The black areas represent "positive" space; the white areas depict the "negative" space. Generally, the positive and negative spaces in a picture should never be equal in amount; usually one should predominate to avoid a static look. But they should always be carefully balanced. Another thing to consider is the path that the viewer's eyes follow as they move through the composition to the focal point. While it is desirable to have the "lines of motion" in a picture lead the viewer to the center of interest, you don't want the viewer to reach it too quickly! The viewer's eyes should move throughout the picture, savoring the composition until it finally reaches the focal point. In Example I, notice how some, but not all, of the lines lead your eyes to the focal point, the black dot. Hard edges on objects is one way of leading the viewer's gaze to the desired point, as well as hard contrasts of light and dark values or areas of strong color.Finally, if you are trying to create the illusion of three dimensions in your work, it is standard practice to divide your picture into three layers: foreground, middle-ground and background. This allows the viewer to gauge the relative scale of the elements in the picture. This can, of course, be disregarded if the artist decides that it isn't relevant to his concept for the picture.There are many lesser considerations that can contribute to optimizing a composition, and I will discuss them in future articles. But as long as you have balanced the different objects and figures effectively, placed your focal point in an advantageous location and decided how much of the scene you want to include, your composition will be effective. Composition is the "skeleton" around which the picture is fleshed out. No painting has ever succeeded without a solid, well designed composition. With the principles discussed here, you now have the means to establish effective compositions for your work.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันจันทร์ที่ 17 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Martial Arts
by: John Gibb
Martial arts are currently studied worldwide from a variety of cultures. Martial arts can improve your fitness levels and muscular condition immensely. Depending on the martial art you choose to do, you may even learn some effective self-defense techniques.
There is a major debate as to whether martial arts are effective as self-defense. My personal experience has taught me it is best to study as many styles as you can and question what works.
What I have done is take techniques, which I find work from a few styles and then design a fighting system and practice based on me.
To simplify the above choose the best techniques from each style and use them in your own practice. This probably goes against the culture of martial arts, however for self-defense you cannot possibly expect to be held down to a set form. That is like a brick in water. Think if you are on the street, do you honestly think you are going to have time to pull of a full-blown technique and fancy kicks? I don’t think so. That’s why it is best to be open to all techniques and styles.
Studying martial arts for me is not even about self-defense. If I wanted self defense I would learn to be a street fighter. It is more about developing my body to its full potential. By this I mean getting as physically fit as I can. Not only is there the fitness aspect, there is very deep meaning to the martial arts. It is a way to express your self through movements. This is why I personally see it as an art. The martial arts are an honest form of exercise and discipline. They can help you in your weight lifting, as after a while you become more aware and feel a strong spirit within. This can help in any exercise program.
Visit http://www.weight-lifting-4u for more self improvement guides.
Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
Martial arts are currently studied worldwide from a variety of cultures. Martial arts can improve your fitness levels and muscular condition immensely. Depending on the martial art you choose to do, you may even learn some effective self-defense techniques.
There is a major debate as to whether martial arts are effective as self-defense. My personal experience has taught me it is best to study as many styles as you can and question what works.
What I have done is take techniques, which I find work from a few styles and then design a fighting system and practice based on me.
To simplify the above choose the best techniques from each style and use them in your own practice. This probably goes against the culture of martial arts, however for self-defense you cannot possibly expect to be held down to a set form. That is like a brick in water. Think if you are on the street, do you honestly think you are going to have time to pull of a full-blown technique and fancy kicks? I don’t think so. That’s why it is best to be open to all techniques and styles.
Studying martial arts for me is not even about self-defense. If I wanted self defense I would learn to be a street fighter. It is more about developing my body to its full potential. By this I mean getting as physically fit as I can. Not only is there the fitness aspect, there is very deep meaning to the martial arts. It is a way to express your self through movements. This is why I personally see it as an art. The martial arts are an honest form of exercise and discipline. They can help you in your weight lifting, as after a while you become more aware and feel a strong spirit within. This can help in any exercise program.
Visit http://www.weight-lifting-4u for more self improvement guides.
Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
Coming Across Applied Arts
Unsurprisingly, since I am a fun of interior design, when I recently received an IKEA catalogue by mail I did not loose any time before scanning its colorful pages to check all the new styles in contemporary décor and the reasonably priced furniture produced by the Swedish giant. It was at that point in time when I realized that most of the designers portrayed in that catalogue's issue were in fact representatives of applied arts. Interestingly enough, my online search revealed that most of the designers I liked were in fact involved in one or more art professions. From architects to interior decorators, these people applied their design and aesthetics to objects of function and everyday use, generating what is today known as applied arts. The distinction between applied and fine arts is that the latter serve as intellectual simulation to the viewer, while the former incorporate design and creative ideas to objects of utility, such as a vase, a plate, a chair, or a garden table. According to experts, the fields of industrial design, graphic design, fashion design, interior design, decorative art and functional art are considered applied arts. In the creative context, architecture and photography also fall in the category of applied arts. Upon examining how broad the spectrum of applied arts is, I realized that each and everyone can become, or has been, an applied arts representative. If you have ever used your creativity to rejuvenate that old grandma's tapestry, for example, or are currently in the process of redesigning your living room space, you are probably an applied arts agent without even knowing it! Perhaps it is not time yet to be featured in a magazine or catalogue, but regardless of your personal taste and crafting capabilities you should feel proud to put your energy and creative passion into good use. On the other hand, if you have not yet indulged yourself with the pleasure of designing and producing something from scratch or improving something that already exists, take a good look around and I guarantee you that something needs fixing. Why not put your skills and aesthetics into use at the same time? Instead of just changing the fabric on the dining room chairs, explore new ways of putting your imagination into use. Whatever you may once have considered of doing, take the initiative, visit your local hardware and arts stores and get into action. The only thing more rewarding than trying is the look of admiration from your friends and family. Then, who knows? You might even consider following a new career path in the realm of applied arts!
Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
Article Source: http://www.BharatBhasha.com
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 16 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
The Basics Of Design
By: Charles Griffith
The fundamentals of design are the very building blocks of the arts. Everything in art can be distilled down to a matter of design. So what is design? One dictionary definition is "the organization or structure of formal elements in a work of art." Not very informative, perhaps, but not incorrect, either. Design is simply how things are arranged in a work of art. There must be organization in a work of art, or else it degenerates into a confusing mess! The basics of design apply not only to the fine arts, but to the minor arts as well. The wallpaper in your living room has a design on it; even the paper towels in your kitchen have a design printed on them. Design is the placement of elements on a two-dimensional surface, while composition is the arrangement of elements in the illusion of three-dimensional space. Both must be taken into account when creating a painting, or even a sculpture, for that matter. Design can be broken down into two areas: principles and elements. Here are the principles of design (Note: in using the word "element", I am referring to the objects or figures in an artwork, the "things" in a design):1. Unity - although there should be some difference in the elements in a design, all elements taken together should work together to create a single, coherent design.2. Conflict - although to achieve unity in a design most elements need to be similar, or serve a similar function, there should be some contradiction to add variety and life to the work.3. Dominance - to help in achieving unity, one element out of the many elements that make up a design should predominate; i.e. there should be more of one color than any other, or dark values should predominate over lighter values, etc.4. Repetition - the repetition of elements, such as geometric shapes, helps to create a sense of rhythm and unite the various elements in the design. 5. Alternation - variety is necessary in order to prevent monotony; i.e. breaking up a large area of shadow with a patch of light.6. Balance - self-explanatory. Avoiding too much or too little, too many or too few.7. Harmony - all elements in a design work together visually in an orderly fashion.8. Gradation - the subtle change of color, value or shape contrasted with sharp or dramatic change helps to enrich the design.9. Direction - the "lines of motion" in a painting should largely point in the same way, although allowing for some variety.It's easy to see that these principles apply to any art form, not just the visual arts. Writers, composers, even dancers and film directors must employ these rules if they are to achieve an effective result. It should also be apparent that combining all of these principles effectively is a difficult and very subjective undertaking, since some principles seem to contradict others. Nonetheless, the artist balances them in such a way as to create an effective work of art. With experience and study the artist develops his "aesthetic sense" to the point where he automatically sees whether a painting or drawing "looks right" or not. The elements of design are:1. Line2. Value (light and dark)3. Color (or "hue")5. Intensity6. Texture7. Shape8. SizeObviously, these are the things that a visual artist would use to create his work. A writer would use metaphor, simile, allusion, etc, while a composer would use full notes, half notes, sharps, flats, and so forth. The elements of design will vary according to the medium employed; the principles of design remain the same for any art form.I have learned to look at a painting or drawing both as a two-dimensional design, and as a three-dimensional composition. In reality, a painting really is just a collection of shapes and colors on a flat surface, and during its creation it should be viewed as such in order to ensure that its design is sound. But if you work in a realistic, representational style as I do, you are also trying to create the appearance of three dimensions in your work, and you have to look at the piece in this manner as well. This is why I think it is advisable to work in a totally abstract style from time to time, so as to develop a better understanding of pure design, even if you usually work in a representational style. Even a fully realistic treatment of a subject is nothing more than an abstract motif taken to a more highly developed level. Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", as realistic as it may be, can still be viewed as a collection of shapes organized in a harmonious pattern on a flat surface. When a sculptor creates a figure in the round, mean to be seen from a full 360°, he still has to be conscious of the two-dimensional aspect of the work when seen from different viewpoints. To be effective, it has to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance from any angle, and that means it has to have a solid design no matter where the viewer is standing. To demonstrate this, do a series of sketches of a statue or statuette from different viewpoints. If the sculpture has been designed well, it should look good from any angle, and your flat, two-dimensional sketches should reflect this.Take a look at some of my paintings and drawings on my website. Forget that they are supposed to represent three-dimensional objects and figures. Simply look at them as flat, two-dimensional patterns, and try to see how I've used the principles of design in these works. Try analyzing other artist's work in this manner, too. This is an excellent exercise for strengthening your own sense of design.In the end, art and design are one and the same. Color theory, composition, value schemes, drawing techniques and all the rest simply flesh out the basic design. Understand design, and you'll understand what makes great art.
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The fundamentals of design are the very building blocks of the arts. Everything in art can be distilled down to a matter of design. So what is design? One dictionary definition is "the organization or structure of formal elements in a work of art." Not very informative, perhaps, but not incorrect, either. Design is simply how things are arranged in a work of art. There must be organization in a work of art, or else it degenerates into a confusing mess! The basics of design apply not only to the fine arts, but to the minor arts as well. The wallpaper in your living room has a design on it; even the paper towels in your kitchen have a design printed on them. Design is the placement of elements on a two-dimensional surface, while composition is the arrangement of elements in the illusion of three-dimensional space. Both must be taken into account when creating a painting, or even a sculpture, for that matter. Design can be broken down into two areas: principles and elements. Here are the principles of design (Note: in using the word "element", I am referring to the objects or figures in an artwork, the "things" in a design):1. Unity - although there should be some difference in the elements in a design, all elements taken together should work together to create a single, coherent design.2. Conflict - although to achieve unity in a design most elements need to be similar, or serve a similar function, there should be some contradiction to add variety and life to the work.3. Dominance - to help in achieving unity, one element out of the many elements that make up a design should predominate; i.e. there should be more of one color than any other, or dark values should predominate over lighter values, etc.4. Repetition - the repetition of elements, such as geometric shapes, helps to create a sense of rhythm and unite the various elements in the design. 5. Alternation - variety is necessary in order to prevent monotony; i.e. breaking up a large area of shadow with a patch of light.6. Balance - self-explanatory. Avoiding too much or too little, too many or too few.7. Harmony - all elements in a design work together visually in an orderly fashion.8. Gradation - the subtle change of color, value or shape contrasted with sharp or dramatic change helps to enrich the design.9. Direction - the "lines of motion" in a painting should largely point in the same way, although allowing for some variety.It's easy to see that these principles apply to any art form, not just the visual arts. Writers, composers, even dancers and film directors must employ these rules if they are to achieve an effective result. It should also be apparent that combining all of these principles effectively is a difficult and very subjective undertaking, since some principles seem to contradict others. Nonetheless, the artist balances them in such a way as to create an effective work of art. With experience and study the artist develops his "aesthetic sense" to the point where he automatically sees whether a painting or drawing "looks right" or not. The elements of design are:1. Line2. Value (light and dark)3. Color (or "hue")5. Intensity6. Texture7. Shape8. SizeObviously, these are the things that a visual artist would use to create his work. A writer would use metaphor, simile, allusion, etc, while a composer would use full notes, half notes, sharps, flats, and so forth. The elements of design will vary according to the medium employed; the principles of design remain the same for any art form.I have learned to look at a painting or drawing both as a two-dimensional design, and as a three-dimensional composition. In reality, a painting really is just a collection of shapes and colors on a flat surface, and during its creation it should be viewed as such in order to ensure that its design is sound. But if you work in a realistic, representational style as I do, you are also trying to create the appearance of three dimensions in your work, and you have to look at the piece in this manner as well. This is why I think it is advisable to work in a totally abstract style from time to time, so as to develop a better understanding of pure design, even if you usually work in a representational style. Even a fully realistic treatment of a subject is nothing more than an abstract motif taken to a more highly developed level. Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", as realistic as it may be, can still be viewed as a collection of shapes organized in a harmonious pattern on a flat surface. When a sculptor creates a figure in the round, mean to be seen from a full 360°, he still has to be conscious of the two-dimensional aspect of the work when seen from different viewpoints. To be effective, it has to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance from any angle, and that means it has to have a solid design no matter where the viewer is standing. To demonstrate this, do a series of sketches of a statue or statuette from different viewpoints. If the sculpture has been designed well, it should look good from any angle, and your flat, two-dimensional sketches should reflect this.Take a look at some of my paintings and drawings on my website. Forget that they are supposed to represent three-dimensional objects and figures. Simply look at them as flat, two-dimensional patterns, and try to see how I've used the principles of design in these works. Try analyzing other artist's work in this manner, too. This is an excellent exercise for strengthening your own sense of design.In the end, art and design are one and the same. Color theory, composition, value schemes, drawing techniques and all the rest simply flesh out the basic design. Understand design, and you'll understand what makes great art.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
On Becoming An Artist
By: Charles Griffith
How does one become an artist? It makes sense to start with this broad topic, rather than the fundamentals of drawing, painting, etc, because this is the basic framework for everything else. To say that a person is "born" to be an artist is a romanticized cop-out. Some people may have a greater aptitude for learning the craft, but the inclination towards art is shaped by a person's experiences and the influences they encounter in life. I could easily be a jockey today if I had grown up around the race track. Instead I grew up in an environment where artistic and intellectual pursuits were encouraged. In it's most basic form, the desire to create art is all that's really needed in the beginning. But to pursue art as your life's work, to be a "serious" artist, requires a well-rounded foundation, one built upon a broad range of knowledge and experiences.Art reflects the world around us, and often the world within us. The old advice to "paint what you know" is certainly valid, but just what do you know? Most take this maxim to mean that you must paint or draw your backyard, your neighbor or your dog. I "know" these things too, but I also "know" history, literature and mythology. I have traveled in a number of countries; I have been in the military. I know my life, and I know something of myself, too. This knowledge is reflected in my work.Writers are encouraged to write as much as possible from their own experiences so that it sounds authentic. Why should a visual artist be any different? The wider the range of your knowledge and experiences, the deeper and broader your art will become. Exposure to great works of literature and philosophy have given me new ways to look at life and the world, as well as giving me ideas for new artwork. It has allowed me to see how others have viewed these things before me. Some artists have been optimistic; others cynical; but every age has had both optimists and cynics, demonstrating a continuity in human affairs. Both art and psychology tell us that whatever you feel, others have felt the same way you have. The more you read and study, the more you'll see this too.The more well-rounded a person you are, the finer an artist you'll be. It's "cross-training" at its most intellectual level. This also applies at the more technical level, when developing the actual skills for creating art. To create fine art requires mental focus, patience, discipline, superb hand-eye coordination, well-honed decision-making and problem-solving skills. It requires you to be a good student, one who knows how to study and practice. It also demands the ability to look at your work objectively, not an easy task. I spent a year or two playing and studying chess many years ago, and found that it improved my drawing ability, probably because chess demands so much concentration and foresight. And if you are an artist that works in a representational style, try studying and working in a more abstract style for a while, and vice versa. You'll gain a greater understanding of both.Da Vinci and Michelangelo were remarkably well-rounded individuals who could think logically, practically and analytically, thanks to their activities in engineering, architecture and the sciences. They applied these skills to their art, and the results speak for themselves. I can think of no better proof for my contention than of these two extraordinary men.I think it would be helpful now to address the merits of being a formally trained artist, as opposed to being a self-taught artist, such as myself. There can be no doubt that a school trained artist has a considerable advantage over one self-taught; you have someone knowledgeable to ground you in proper technique and help you to correct your mistakes. The self-taught artist must go to great effort to be as constructively critical of his work as he can, concentrating extra effort on the areas in which he is weak, something that will be difficult for some. But I think all students are ultimately self-taught; no one can make the effort for you. And I have seen many works by academically trained artists that are so formulaic that they look like they came out of a paint-by-the-numbers kit. The self-taught student may fall into improper practices if he isn't careful, but he may be freer in his artistic expression than his school trained friend. Keep in mind that Van Gogh was largely self-taught, receiving only minimal classroom instruction.I don't want to scare anyone away from pursuing art; as I said before, all you need to start with is the desire to start. But gradually, bit by bit, you may find that expanding your sphere of knowledge and experience will improve the quality of your work, and your life. This all reminds me of the criticism that students have perennially made -- why should I study geometry, French. Latin, etc., when I'm going to wash dishes or mow grass for a living? You're right -- you don't need these studies for everyday accomplishments. But creating fine art is not an everyday accomplishment --it is an extraordinary endeavor that requires extraordinary abilities. I hope that my thoughts here can be of help to you in developing these skills.
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How does one become an artist? It makes sense to start with this broad topic, rather than the fundamentals of drawing, painting, etc, because this is the basic framework for everything else. To say that a person is "born" to be an artist is a romanticized cop-out. Some people may have a greater aptitude for learning the craft, but the inclination towards art is shaped by a person's experiences and the influences they encounter in life. I could easily be a jockey today if I had grown up around the race track. Instead I grew up in an environment where artistic and intellectual pursuits were encouraged. In it's most basic form, the desire to create art is all that's really needed in the beginning. But to pursue art as your life's work, to be a "serious" artist, requires a well-rounded foundation, one built upon a broad range of knowledge and experiences.Art reflects the world around us, and often the world within us. The old advice to "paint what you know" is certainly valid, but just what do you know? Most take this maxim to mean that you must paint or draw your backyard, your neighbor or your dog. I "know" these things too, but I also "know" history, literature and mythology. I have traveled in a number of countries; I have been in the military. I know my life, and I know something of myself, too. This knowledge is reflected in my work.Writers are encouraged to write as much as possible from their own experiences so that it sounds authentic. Why should a visual artist be any different? The wider the range of your knowledge and experiences, the deeper and broader your art will become. Exposure to great works of literature and philosophy have given me new ways to look at life and the world, as well as giving me ideas for new artwork. It has allowed me to see how others have viewed these things before me. Some artists have been optimistic; others cynical; but every age has had both optimists and cynics, demonstrating a continuity in human affairs. Both art and psychology tell us that whatever you feel, others have felt the same way you have. The more you read and study, the more you'll see this too.The more well-rounded a person you are, the finer an artist you'll be. It's "cross-training" at its most intellectual level. This also applies at the more technical level, when developing the actual skills for creating art. To create fine art requires mental focus, patience, discipline, superb hand-eye coordination, well-honed decision-making and problem-solving skills. It requires you to be a good student, one who knows how to study and practice. It also demands the ability to look at your work objectively, not an easy task. I spent a year or two playing and studying chess many years ago, and found that it improved my drawing ability, probably because chess demands so much concentration and foresight. And if you are an artist that works in a representational style, try studying and working in a more abstract style for a while, and vice versa. You'll gain a greater understanding of both.Da Vinci and Michelangelo were remarkably well-rounded individuals who could think logically, practically and analytically, thanks to their activities in engineering, architecture and the sciences. They applied these skills to their art, and the results speak for themselves. I can think of no better proof for my contention than of these two extraordinary men.I think it would be helpful now to address the merits of being a formally trained artist, as opposed to being a self-taught artist, such as myself. There can be no doubt that a school trained artist has a considerable advantage over one self-taught; you have someone knowledgeable to ground you in proper technique and help you to correct your mistakes. The self-taught artist must go to great effort to be as constructively critical of his work as he can, concentrating extra effort on the areas in which he is weak, something that will be difficult for some. But I think all students are ultimately self-taught; no one can make the effort for you. And I have seen many works by academically trained artists that are so formulaic that they look like they came out of a paint-by-the-numbers kit. The self-taught student may fall into improper practices if he isn't careful, but he may be freer in his artistic expression than his school trained friend. Keep in mind that Van Gogh was largely self-taught, receiving only minimal classroom instruction.I don't want to scare anyone away from pursuing art; as I said before, all you need to start with is the desire to start. But gradually, bit by bit, you may find that expanding your sphere of knowledge and experience will improve the quality of your work, and your life. This all reminds me of the criticism that students have perennially made -- why should I study geometry, French. Latin, etc., when I'm going to wash dishes or mow grass for a living? You're right -- you don't need these studies for everyday accomplishments. But creating fine art is not an everyday accomplishment --it is an extraordinary endeavor that requires extraordinary abilities. I hope that my thoughts here can be of help to you in developing these skills.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันศุกร์ที่ 14 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
The Divine Beauty of Traditional Chinese Culture Shines at Radio City Music Hall
By: Makina Liu
As we usher in the Year of the Pig, the divine beauty of the ancient East will come to life in NYC with the now legendary NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular! The 30-city world tour Spectacular will play at Radio City from February 14 – 17.Featuring the best of Chinese culture and world-class performers, this unique show portrays genuine traditional Chinese culture and includes classical Chinese dance as well as various traditional dances. Performers have worked hard to emulate the musical style of the ancients—classical melodies filled with the power of compassion. Showcasing grand stage designs, hand-painted backdrops and authentic costuming from ancient Chinese Dynasties, the theme of Myths and Legends weaves a tale of the proverbial battle between good and evil through theatre, music and dance. NTDTV’s main goal is to revive lost Chinese culture from the ancient past. As you may be aware, in 1949 when the Chinese Communist Party took power in China, its leaders did everything possible to sever the people from their 5,000-year-old culture. Everything moral and spiritual was suddenly uprooted from people's lives--temples and buddhas were destroyed. The arts became a tool for fulfilling political aims, evoking the dark side of human nature. China's folk music was used to serve the communist revolution. Unfortunately, those born after 1949 have opened their eyes to a spiritual desert. They are no longer familiar with their own heritage, which has been decimated and replaced with the communist-atheist model. Judging by the growth and success of the Chinese New Year Spectacular, now in its fourth year, I believe that NTDTV has lived up to its word. The Spectacular really does have the effect of removing the communist "wrapping paper" around the essence of traditional Chinese values and beauty. It is not surprising that the show ranked 7th on Billboard Magazine’s top 10 shows in Feb 2006 based on ticket sales for the 2006 shows at Radio City Music Hall.The Spectacular is a delight to Chinese and Western audiences alike—a truly heartwarming event not to be missed. “The Chinese New Year Spectacular is the best show ever to appear on stage in North America,” said former member of Parliament Simma Holt. “I saw the show in Canada and I would like to say to the Chinese Consulate officials, who made a statement saying that the show is political, the fact that some of the atrocities committed by the Chinese regime were re-enacted in the show is nothing unusual; interpretative dance is a feature of all great symphonies, operas and ballets.”
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
As we usher in the Year of the Pig, the divine beauty of the ancient East will come to life in NYC with the now legendary NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular! The 30-city world tour Spectacular will play at Radio City from February 14 – 17.Featuring the best of Chinese culture and world-class performers, this unique show portrays genuine traditional Chinese culture and includes classical Chinese dance as well as various traditional dances. Performers have worked hard to emulate the musical style of the ancients—classical melodies filled with the power of compassion. Showcasing grand stage designs, hand-painted backdrops and authentic costuming from ancient Chinese Dynasties, the theme of Myths and Legends weaves a tale of the proverbial battle between good and evil through theatre, music and dance. NTDTV’s main goal is to revive lost Chinese culture from the ancient past. As you may be aware, in 1949 when the Chinese Communist Party took power in China, its leaders did everything possible to sever the people from their 5,000-year-old culture. Everything moral and spiritual was suddenly uprooted from people's lives--temples and buddhas were destroyed. The arts became a tool for fulfilling political aims, evoking the dark side of human nature. China's folk music was used to serve the communist revolution. Unfortunately, those born after 1949 have opened their eyes to a spiritual desert. They are no longer familiar with their own heritage, which has been decimated and replaced with the communist-atheist model. Judging by the growth and success of the Chinese New Year Spectacular, now in its fourth year, I believe that NTDTV has lived up to its word. The Spectacular really does have the effect of removing the communist "wrapping paper" around the essence of traditional Chinese values and beauty. It is not surprising that the show ranked 7th on Billboard Magazine’s top 10 shows in Feb 2006 based on ticket sales for the 2006 shows at Radio City Music Hall.The Spectacular is a delight to Chinese and Western audiences alike—a truly heartwarming event not to be missed. “The Chinese New Year Spectacular is the best show ever to appear on stage in North America,” said former member of Parliament Simma Holt. “I saw the show in Canada and I would like to say to the Chinese Consulate officials, who made a statement saying that the show is political, the fact that some of the atrocities committed by the Chinese regime were re-enacted in the show is nothing unusual; interpretative dance is a feature of all great symphonies, operas and ballets.”
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
Introduction to Embroidery Digitizing
By: Roberto Bell
Till recently, the hobbyist could not do computerized embroidery because of its extravagant prices. However, the falling costs of computers, embroidery machines and embroidery digitizing software have now made embroidery digitizing rather popular. Today, embroidery digitizing is possible with an investment as low as $500.Embroidery digitizing is basically a form of art where its software helps a skilled embroidery digitizer transform an image into stitches. However, just having an embroidery digitizing software is insufficient to produce a beautiful embroidery design. It is necessary to have some imagination and an ability of seeing the picture and details of the intended design. This is because embroidery digitizing is not a process where you just click on a button and sit back to see the design developing.In embroidery digitizing, the artist first mentally dissects each design into sections and layers to see how each section matches with the other. The blending and merging of colors are also taken into consideration in defining the design. The right atmosphere and mood for the design is created by shadows of the light.The next part of embroidery digitizing lies in using the software tools to separate parts that have to be redrawn and then stitching using threads. Even the stitching sequences and coloring of the design with the thread is displayed by the embroidery digitizing software to make it easier for you to decide. On completing this, the design is reassembled to get the actual impression of the design in thread and is then sewed out. Some designs are not fit for embroidery digitizing as thread is three dimensional; unlike oil paints and digital pixels. This is where the embroidery digitizer helps with its artist creativity and problem solving skills. The monitor of the computer is the canvas of embroidery digitizing while the keyboard and mouse are the brushes for the design. And the pallet of the embroidery digitizer is the embroidery digitizing software. To succeed in embroidery digitizing, it is necessary to have knowledge of fabric types and the push-pull factor of different fabrics. It is also necessary to have some knowledge about needles, stabilizers, thread and creativity to discover the boundaries of embroidery digitizing.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
Till recently, the hobbyist could not do computerized embroidery because of its extravagant prices. However, the falling costs of computers, embroidery machines and embroidery digitizing software have now made embroidery digitizing rather popular. Today, embroidery digitizing is possible with an investment as low as $500.Embroidery digitizing is basically a form of art where its software helps a skilled embroidery digitizer transform an image into stitches. However, just having an embroidery digitizing software is insufficient to produce a beautiful embroidery design. It is necessary to have some imagination and an ability of seeing the picture and details of the intended design. This is because embroidery digitizing is not a process where you just click on a button and sit back to see the design developing.In embroidery digitizing, the artist first mentally dissects each design into sections and layers to see how each section matches with the other. The blending and merging of colors are also taken into consideration in defining the design. The right atmosphere and mood for the design is created by shadows of the light.The next part of embroidery digitizing lies in using the software tools to separate parts that have to be redrawn and then stitching using threads. Even the stitching sequences and coloring of the design with the thread is displayed by the embroidery digitizing software to make it easier for you to decide. On completing this, the design is reassembled to get the actual impression of the design in thread and is then sewed out. Some designs are not fit for embroidery digitizing as thread is three dimensional; unlike oil paints and digital pixels. This is where the embroidery digitizer helps with its artist creativity and problem solving skills. The monitor of the computer is the canvas of embroidery digitizing while the keyboard and mouse are the brushes for the design. And the pallet of the embroidery digitizer is the embroidery digitizing software. To succeed in embroidery digitizing, it is necessary to have knowledge of fabric types and the push-pull factor of different fabrics. It is also necessary to have some knowledge about needles, stabilizers, thread and creativity to discover the boundaries of embroidery digitizing.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 13 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Model Ships Built To Scale
By: APP Manager
Built to Scale Model ShipsHaving a wooden model ship is a greatly engaging and rewarding experience for everyone involved. Regardless of whether you are an passionate collector of many breathtaking ships or a newcomer just starting to gather your fleet, the happiness and enjoyment of buying and having your very own model ship is something you're going to savor for years to come. Model ships are a fabulous way to make a connection with with a certain time in history, like the days of pirating from the 1700s, or the exquisite and simple times of the Native American canoe. You'll kindle and remember times past with a reproduction of a notable event in history such as the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 or the Emperor's Cup race of 1905 when the Atlantic racing yacht set key speed records. Showing a wooden model ship, like the replica of a Chris Craft speedboat, will inspire wonder and enthusiasm. Showing a scale model ship, such as the striking tall ship Wasa, within your den or office will become a mark of elegance that you'll be truly proud to share. The wood model ships shown here are top quality model ships available on the market. Built to exact scale, they're created with master preciseness, meeting the highest museum standards. The model ships seen on this site are the same ships shown in museums all over the nation. Through http://www.themodelship.com, you can purchase and display in your home or office, one of these museum quality, amazingly exact, historic, model ships.the real beauty of owning a quality wooden model ship is an experience that everyone can enjoy thanks to the many professional craftsmen who spend several hundred hours building and crafting these amazing pieces of art. With their elegant sails designed of fine linens, details of carved metal, and hulls made from unusual fine woods, these magnificent art pieces are a breathtaking medium of happiness and pleasure when displayed in any room of your den or office. Is there a specific time and place in history that you are particularly drawn to? Do you feel somewhat connected to an historical event in the past? Are you passionate about Viking or Pirate stories? Did you enjoy hearing about Huck Finn's adventures as a child? Do you have a grandfather that fought in World War II and shares stories of ships he sailed or tales of the triumphant battles he he and his buddies fought in? Have you got a passion for sailing, speedboats, kayaking or other watercraft or sport? Making a connection with the magic brought into movement using these questions is authenticated by owning one of these exquisite scale model ships.Owning and displaying a model wooden ship allows you to connect with these affections and times, bringing feelings of wonder and enjoyment. Spending time with one of these impressive ships transports you forward to your future or to the past. The artistry and beauty of the grand tall ships and their numerous sails will transport you to another place and time. Model speedboats with their polish and glamor will whisk you from your day to day routine and into a different world. The warships give you a connection to your ancestry and the difficulties they confronted to bring about the treasures of America to the generations ahead. The cruise ships and sailing ship models rekindle a fascination for travel and adventure that is deep inside you. The beauty and magic these ships posses find a place in nearly everybody's heart and displaying one in your home or office permits that magic to set sail.Owning and showing a scale model ship is an wondrous and a remarkable experience for you and your family. These valuable models are sure to become a family heirloom to be revered and passed from generation to generation. The prized stories and remarkable legends of these stunning ships unite people who they touch and will continue to unite as they are passed down with the ships themselves.
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Built to Scale Model ShipsHaving a wooden model ship is a greatly engaging and rewarding experience for everyone involved. Regardless of whether you are an passionate collector of many breathtaking ships or a newcomer just starting to gather your fleet, the happiness and enjoyment of buying and having your very own model ship is something you're going to savor for years to come. Model ships are a fabulous way to make a connection with with a certain time in history, like the days of pirating from the 1700s, or the exquisite and simple times of the Native American canoe. You'll kindle and remember times past with a reproduction of a notable event in history such as the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 or the Emperor's Cup race of 1905 when the Atlantic racing yacht set key speed records. Showing a wooden model ship, like the replica of a Chris Craft speedboat, will inspire wonder and enthusiasm. Showing a scale model ship, such as the striking tall ship Wasa, within your den or office will become a mark of elegance that you'll be truly proud to share. The wood model ships shown here are top quality model ships available on the market. Built to exact scale, they're created with master preciseness, meeting the highest museum standards. The model ships seen on this site are the same ships shown in museums all over the nation. Through http://www.themodelship.com, you can purchase and display in your home or office, one of these museum quality, amazingly exact, historic, model ships.the real beauty of owning a quality wooden model ship is an experience that everyone can enjoy thanks to the many professional craftsmen who spend several hundred hours building and crafting these amazing pieces of art. With their elegant sails designed of fine linens, details of carved metal, and hulls made from unusual fine woods, these magnificent art pieces are a breathtaking medium of happiness and pleasure when displayed in any room of your den or office. Is there a specific time and place in history that you are particularly drawn to? Do you feel somewhat connected to an historical event in the past? Are you passionate about Viking or Pirate stories? Did you enjoy hearing about Huck Finn's adventures as a child? Do you have a grandfather that fought in World War II and shares stories of ships he sailed or tales of the triumphant battles he he and his buddies fought in? Have you got a passion for sailing, speedboats, kayaking or other watercraft or sport? Making a connection with the magic brought into movement using these questions is authenticated by owning one of these exquisite scale model ships.Owning and displaying a model wooden ship allows you to connect with these affections and times, bringing feelings of wonder and enjoyment. Spending time with one of these impressive ships transports you forward to your future or to the past. The artistry and beauty of the grand tall ships and their numerous sails will transport you to another place and time. Model speedboats with their polish and glamor will whisk you from your day to day routine and into a different world. The warships give you a connection to your ancestry and the difficulties they confronted to bring about the treasures of America to the generations ahead. The cruise ships and sailing ship models rekindle a fascination for travel and adventure that is deep inside you. The beauty and magic these ships posses find a place in nearly everybody's heart and displaying one in your home or office permits that magic to set sail.Owning and showing a scale model ship is an wondrous and a remarkable experience for you and your family. These valuable models are sure to become a family heirloom to be revered and passed from generation to generation. The prized stories and remarkable legends of these stunning ships unite people who they touch and will continue to unite as they are passed down with the ships themselves.
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 9 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
"Performers Should Shut Up!"
By: Jim DeSantis
The Dixie Chicks, featured on the Grammy's 2007, are still getting the cold shoulder from conservative Southern Radio for mouthing a political opinion. Actually it was a personal attack on President Bush. They still haven't learned.Martin Sheen (remember his duct taped mouth?) has been relegated into the shadows. He appears in the new movie - The Departed - but you only see him for 2 seconds in the commercials for the flick and he is not mentioned in a starring role. Director Martin Scorsese has hidden Sheen in the shadows. Does he hope that conservatives will be tricked into spending their money on the movie, or buy or rent the DVD?I could go on about the financial backlash each of these people is feeling and how they should not be penalized for exercising free speech but that is not the issue here. Actor Richard Widmark said it best. When asked about politics he said - "Performers should perform and then shut up". I believe that he understood his obligation to not use his position and popularity as a pulpit to express his political views. I believe that he understood that he could easily sway the opinions of gullible star-struck fans towards a political position that he favored or decried. Richard Widmark performed and then kept his mouth shut about politics.As a former working journalist, paid by my station and network, I delivered the news and "shut up" about my personal political views. No one knew whether I was Republican, Democrat, Independent. I voted in nearly every election and I had friends in the political parties because I reported the news and "shut up". All politicians got equal time on every issue. My job was to give them a pulpit because each was recognized as a political expert.Those of you of my generation will remember Walter Cronkite. He was called - "The Most Trusted Man in America". Why? He earned that designation because no one knew his politics. He never tilted a story, hiding his political opinion, as is the practice among many TV anchors today. He stepped out of his neutral role only once. He went to Viet Nam and saw the carnage for himself and spoke out against the war. It was done in a way that was thoughtful and fact-based. It was not a shoot-from-the-lip opinion. Actors and musicians are hardly recognized as having the credibility of a Walter Cronkite. They perform and entertain for a living. Yes, they have a political opinion. Most of us do. But, expert opinion? I think not. Just because Mainstream Media gives them a bully pulpit does not validate their opinion in the slightest. In fact, it should make you question the motives of Media. Why would they put these people on-air and in print? Why not give my plumber or garbage man the same visibility? Their opinion is just as valid isn't it? Where do I personally stand on this? I will make this admission - I do not pay to view, own, rent, or listen to any performer who publicly states a political opinion, regardless of that opinion. I really don't care about their opinion. I only care about their misuse of their position and my wife and I have decided we will not support them with our money. If their name is mentioned in the credits of a film or on a CD cover - sorry. Now, I am not proposing a blacklist. Far from it. I don't like blacklisting in any form. I don't like boycotts or protest marches either. I believe in changing things through the political system through the power of the ballot box and the power of money. If you agree with the performers, you have every right to spend your money to support them. If you do not agree with them, you have every right to reject them.For me - performers should perform and then shut up.Jim DeSantis
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
The Dixie Chicks, featured on the Grammy's 2007, are still getting the cold shoulder from conservative Southern Radio for mouthing a political opinion. Actually it was a personal attack on President Bush. They still haven't learned.Martin Sheen (remember his duct taped mouth?) has been relegated into the shadows. He appears in the new movie - The Departed - but you only see him for 2 seconds in the commercials for the flick and he is not mentioned in a starring role. Director Martin Scorsese has hidden Sheen in the shadows. Does he hope that conservatives will be tricked into spending their money on the movie, or buy or rent the DVD?I could go on about the financial backlash each of these people is feeling and how they should not be penalized for exercising free speech but that is not the issue here. Actor Richard Widmark said it best. When asked about politics he said - "Performers should perform and then shut up". I believe that he understood his obligation to not use his position and popularity as a pulpit to express his political views. I believe that he understood that he could easily sway the opinions of gullible star-struck fans towards a political position that he favored or decried. Richard Widmark performed and then kept his mouth shut about politics.As a former working journalist, paid by my station and network, I delivered the news and "shut up" about my personal political views. No one knew whether I was Republican, Democrat, Independent. I voted in nearly every election and I had friends in the political parties because I reported the news and "shut up". All politicians got equal time on every issue. My job was to give them a pulpit because each was recognized as a political expert.Those of you of my generation will remember Walter Cronkite. He was called - "The Most Trusted Man in America". Why? He earned that designation because no one knew his politics. He never tilted a story, hiding his political opinion, as is the practice among many TV anchors today. He stepped out of his neutral role only once. He went to Viet Nam and saw the carnage for himself and spoke out against the war. It was done in a way that was thoughtful and fact-based. It was not a shoot-from-the-lip opinion. Actors and musicians are hardly recognized as having the credibility of a Walter Cronkite. They perform and entertain for a living. Yes, they have a political opinion. Most of us do. But, expert opinion? I think not. Just because Mainstream Media gives them a bully pulpit does not validate their opinion in the slightest. In fact, it should make you question the motives of Media. Why would they put these people on-air and in print? Why not give my plumber or garbage man the same visibility? Their opinion is just as valid isn't it? Where do I personally stand on this? I will make this admission - I do not pay to view, own, rent, or listen to any performer who publicly states a political opinion, regardless of that opinion. I really don't care about their opinion. I only care about their misuse of their position and my wife and I have decided we will not support them with our money. If their name is mentioned in the credits of a film or on a CD cover - sorry. Now, I am not proposing a blacklist. Far from it. I don't like blacklisting in any form. I don't like boycotts or protest marches either. I believe in changing things through the political system through the power of the ballot box and the power of money. If you agree with the performers, you have every right to spend your money to support them. If you do not agree with them, you have every right to reject them.For me - performers should perform and then shut up.Jim DeSantis
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันเสาร์ที่ 8 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Art Auctions and the Drawings
By: Patrick Hammond
Drawings made before the 1900's are called as antique drawings. Those made during 1900's until 1949 are termed as modern drawings. Drawings made starting the 1950's until now are called as Contemporary drawings.Contemporary drawings get a lot of traffic in art auctions and they never get sold out. A lot of reasons can be blamed for this. One of this is the starting bid is very unaffordable so that it prevents buyers from buying. In 2000, there was this drawing presented in art auction that showed Elvis Presley being welcomed by James Dean into heaven. Twelve million dollars was the initial price for this drawing and its not surprising it didn't get such an interest from bidders.I came across with this ink and pen drawing thing the art art auction house that priced for a lot than it has to be. It's initial price came at $825,000.00 and when it didn't click to the buyers, the price was lowered down to $545,000.00. The artist agreed for a copywrite for the design which according to him would do good for him for the posters, prints, or greeting cards made out of it.Around 1971, in London, there was a drawing in art auction that was bought and it did very good for the seller as well as the buyer. The present owner got it from a grandfather of his, the owner of it previously.Drawings, the antique ones can make a lot of attention to visitors. There was one time i saw in a drawing two men with no clothes on. The drawing was made during the 1800's. The price could be set to more than eleven thousand dollars for this drawing. Black pencil was used with traces of charcoal. Traces of brown wash can also be found.I was so pleased with a drawing made through Sir Francis Grant's hand around 1832. What is shown in the drawing is a daughter and her mother in Scotland. What's good about this drawing is it is signed and authenticated. Two thousand was the price when it was sold. I will be contented when someday it will be hanged together along with its same category. It's really a nice drawing.One reason art auctions don't sell good is they are enlisted in the wrong categories. Viewers find it hard to choose what is that they are looking for if art pieces fall into inappropriate categories. With so much registered in art auctions, make sure your art auctions is noticed right away in the exhibit.My favorite art auctions are the modern drawings. Stamped Degas which i saw one time in an art auction was one that i wanted, but i couldn't afford it as of that moment. In my opinion, the one who finally bought it someday will treasure and cherish it.Drawings of famous artists could bring in much money in art auctions online. When the title has the words original in it, for example original Picasso, the price could surely be over two thousand dollars. Signed orignals could go as much as two thousand dollars.I admired so much a drawing i encountered in an art exhibition. I was unfamiliar with the artist of that drawing until i found out it was Patrick Caulfield who made it. He named the piece Grapes. Black paper was what he used and drawing along with colored pencils. The starting bid for the drawing was $4,250.00
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
Drawings made before the 1900's are called as antique drawings. Those made during 1900's until 1949 are termed as modern drawings. Drawings made starting the 1950's until now are called as Contemporary drawings.Contemporary drawings get a lot of traffic in art auctions and they never get sold out. A lot of reasons can be blamed for this. One of this is the starting bid is very unaffordable so that it prevents buyers from buying. In 2000, there was this drawing presented in art auction that showed Elvis Presley being welcomed by James Dean into heaven. Twelve million dollars was the initial price for this drawing and its not surprising it didn't get such an interest from bidders.I came across with this ink and pen drawing thing the art art auction house that priced for a lot than it has to be. It's initial price came at $825,000.00 and when it didn't click to the buyers, the price was lowered down to $545,000.00. The artist agreed for a copywrite for the design which according to him would do good for him for the posters, prints, or greeting cards made out of it.Around 1971, in London, there was a drawing in art auction that was bought and it did very good for the seller as well as the buyer. The present owner got it from a grandfather of his, the owner of it previously.Drawings, the antique ones can make a lot of attention to visitors. There was one time i saw in a drawing two men with no clothes on. The drawing was made during the 1800's. The price could be set to more than eleven thousand dollars for this drawing. Black pencil was used with traces of charcoal. Traces of brown wash can also be found.I was so pleased with a drawing made through Sir Francis Grant's hand around 1832. What is shown in the drawing is a daughter and her mother in Scotland. What's good about this drawing is it is signed and authenticated. Two thousand was the price when it was sold. I will be contented when someday it will be hanged together along with its same category. It's really a nice drawing.One reason art auctions don't sell good is they are enlisted in the wrong categories. Viewers find it hard to choose what is that they are looking for if art pieces fall into inappropriate categories. With so much registered in art auctions, make sure your art auctions is noticed right away in the exhibit.My favorite art auctions are the modern drawings. Stamped Degas which i saw one time in an art auction was one that i wanted, but i couldn't afford it as of that moment. In my opinion, the one who finally bought it someday will treasure and cherish it.Drawings of famous artists could bring in much money in art auctions online. When the title has the words original in it, for example original Picasso, the price could surely be over two thousand dollars. Signed orignals could go as much as two thousand dollars.I admired so much a drawing i encountered in an art exhibition. I was unfamiliar with the artist of that drawing until i found out it was Patrick Caulfield who made it. He named the piece Grapes. Black paper was what he used and drawing along with colored pencils. The starting bid for the drawing was $4,250.00
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
วันศุกร์ที่ 7 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
The Lion King Tickets Are Worth Every Penny!
By: Al Terry
After watching this historically successful Broadway show, you will feel that the Lion King tickets are worth every single penny that you paid for them! Adapted from Disney’s famous cartoon movie, which in turn was based on the book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, this hit Musical show has broken all records in Broadway productions and has achieved new technological heights in theater art! While the animated movie was cute in its own childish way, The Lion King Musical will touch you to the very depth of your heart’s core! The vibrating music by Elton John and Lebo M., together with the superb acting of the 40 member cast, will rock you with laughter and move you to tears! You will find yourself singing along with the cast and watching the show like an enchanted kid as the majestic scenes of the African Savannah unfold before you, brought to life on stage by set designer Michael Curry and Lighting specialist Donald Holder!A Broadway Success All The Way!The Lion King tickets sold out for the very first time in July 1997, when the show was premiered at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, MN. Needless to say, it was an instant hit with audience from all age groups! And it is still going strong in theaters across the nation, even after 10 long years! People aged 30 or 40, or even grandparents, come and watch the show, forgetting that they are too elderly for fairy tales now, and later leave the theaters with the same child-like wonder in their eyes as their children and grandchildren! The Lion King Musical has got to be the best family show to have ever come on Broadway! Winner of six Tony Awards – Best Musical (Elton John and Tim Rice), Best Director (Julie Taymor), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan), Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor) and Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder) – The Lion King Musical created new benchmarks in theater production. The lavish sets, the stunning effects, the captivating music and the life-like acting of the cast, all serve to make you sit glued on to your chairs throughout the 3 hour show once you have bought the Lion King tickets for your family and have entered the theater! Theatrical Feast! Julie Taymor has managed to create a spectacular visual feast out of Disney’s golden animation! The rolling landscapes of the Savannahs, the rich variety of animals, birds and insects brought to life with human acting, masks, shadows and puppets, and the swirling Pride Rock, where we first see Mufasa and then Scar, standing in the exact same place but with totally different emotions on their faces! And these are just a few of the special effects that have helped to dramatize the cartoon version of the story on stage!If you really want to experience this magical Musical in its totality, then you must go and watch it today, with your entire family, because it is not every day that you get to spend such quality time with your entire family! Book the Lion King tickets right now through secure online servers of authorized ticket booking websites and have them delivered right till your home!
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
After watching this historically successful Broadway show, you will feel that the Lion King tickets are worth every single penny that you paid for them! Adapted from Disney’s famous cartoon movie, which in turn was based on the book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, this hit Musical show has broken all records in Broadway productions and has achieved new technological heights in theater art! While the animated movie was cute in its own childish way, The Lion King Musical will touch you to the very depth of your heart’s core! The vibrating music by Elton John and Lebo M., together with the superb acting of the 40 member cast, will rock you with laughter and move you to tears! You will find yourself singing along with the cast and watching the show like an enchanted kid as the majestic scenes of the African Savannah unfold before you, brought to life on stage by set designer Michael Curry and Lighting specialist Donald Holder!A Broadway Success All The Way!The Lion King tickets sold out for the very first time in July 1997, when the show was premiered at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, MN. Needless to say, it was an instant hit with audience from all age groups! And it is still going strong in theaters across the nation, even after 10 long years! People aged 30 or 40, or even grandparents, come and watch the show, forgetting that they are too elderly for fairy tales now, and later leave the theaters with the same child-like wonder in their eyes as their children and grandchildren! The Lion King Musical has got to be the best family show to have ever come on Broadway! Winner of six Tony Awards – Best Musical (Elton John and Tim Rice), Best Director (Julie Taymor), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan), Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor) and Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder) – The Lion King Musical created new benchmarks in theater production. The lavish sets, the stunning effects, the captivating music and the life-like acting of the cast, all serve to make you sit glued on to your chairs throughout the 3 hour show once you have bought the Lion King tickets for your family and have entered the theater! Theatrical Feast! Julie Taymor has managed to create a spectacular visual feast out of Disney’s golden animation! The rolling landscapes of the Savannahs, the rich variety of animals, birds and insects brought to life with human acting, masks, shadows and puppets, and the swirling Pride Rock, where we first see Mufasa and then Scar, standing in the exact same place but with totally different emotions on their faces! And these are just a few of the special effects that have helped to dramatize the cartoon version of the story on stage!If you really want to experience this magical Musical in its totality, then you must go and watch it today, with your entire family, because it is not every day that you get to spend such quality time with your entire family! Book the Lion King tickets right now through secure online servers of authorized ticket booking websites and have them delivered right till your home!
Article Directory: http://www.article-tree.com
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