Yes! That is the term used for a painting technique – ‘IMPASTO.’ Impasto technique in simple words is painting with a knife. A painting knife is different from a regular knife. The blades come in different shapes and sizes to create different textures. You could relate better if I named a famous artwork created with this technique – ‘Starry Night’ by Vincent Van Gogh.
Impasto technique is commonly used in paintings of the ‘Abstract and Impressionist styles’. Instead of using a brush to apply paint on the canvas, we use a knife. It is a metal piece (flat) not exactly sharp but more of a shaping tool with a wooden handle. We can create a variety of textures using it. The texture created will depend on the pressure applied and how the knife is held by the artist.
Holding the Knife to Paint
Hence, the texture created by two different people using the same materials can be different. The method of application is what matters. This method is not exactly taught. The artist must try different strokes to see which one he/she is most comfortable doing. Like they say each one of us has that one special movement in which, only we can do best.
Painting on the canvas
Initially, when I learnt this method during school days, we referred to it as ‘texture painting.’ This term expands the scope to use other tools for application to create textures with paint. For example, we can use the blade of a cutter or a simple piece of ply laminate. These can be sharp, so please be careful while using them. Ever noticed a worker applying a white base (putty) or cementing the cracks in the wall?
Different blades of painting knives create different textures
I know, to be safe please use knives and not these other things. All I meant was that we can create textures with anything, even combs. It’s like the application of icing on the cake. In this case, think of paint as the icing that we are using. I gave that connection on purpose. The consistency or feel of how the paint should be for a good output can be understood through this connection- soft, quick drying and thick.
Painting with a Knife
This painting technique gives a 3D-like output. There is no need to paint various layers. We only need to give a background colour to the canvas and then we can paint directly on it. Impasto is originally done with oil paints. But it’s expensive and takes very long to dry. I have tried this method with gouache paints (on paper) as well as acrylic paints (on canvas). Both work very well in their way. The paint dries quickly and the artwork can be completed in one go. We also get various mediums that we can add to acrylic paint in order to enhance this work.
My Painting using the Impasto Technique
Textures can also be created with ‘Guesso’ at the beginning for the background and then painted. However, most of the time we just directly apply a nice rich thick coat of paint directly to the canvas. Please note, this method uses a lot of paint. So make sure you are stocked up with enough paint in the colours that you need. The exact amount depends on the artist’s usage but the amount of paint that is used in a painting with this method is almost 3-4 times more than a regular method.
A trending art that uses this technique but with different material is ‘Russian Sculpture Art’ or ‘Russian Sculpture Painting.’ Readymade ceramic pastes in various colours are available in the market. These are used to make florals. Do check this art on the internet if you heard it for the first time. It isn’t exactly sculpting but it uses ceramic paste with the painting knives.
Try different textures on small pieces
And finally, where will I get these knives? In earlier days artists would make their knives but we are in the modern world now, right? That means it is available at almost all stores selling art material. It is also called a ‘palette knife’. It is barely sharp enough to cut the paint. So even children can use it under their parent’s or teacher’s supervision. Go ahead and try a new technique of painting this week! Have an Arty Week ahead!
It is the wedding season. Most people would say an Indian wedding is incomplete without the Mehendi Function. Bollywood Weddings made this art Internationally famous. Rarely would I meet someone who has not heard about it. Lots of traditions, stories, folklore and songs are known for Mehendi; as it’s called in our local languages.
Mehendi
Henna Art is not only popular in India but also in the Arabic Countries. Women simply love to adorn their hands and feet with mehendi. In fact, in some families, even men apply Mehendi. Of course, the designs are different and it is more of a custom for them unlike it is for women. Henna artists charge depending on the intricacy and size of the design.
There is a good chance that you might have noticed a very striking similarity between my artwork with henna designs. It is also a possibility that I do more Ink Artwork, Doodle Art, Mandala Art and Zentangle Art because of my fluency in Henna Art. I learnt this art from my mom. She had learnt it in her youth before marriage.
Henna Artist marking the design
Henna is a plant-based paste put into a cone and used for external application. The herbs and oils blended in the paste create a red-brown-black colour pigment on the skin after it dries. In that sense, it is like the ink of the tattoo. It also has a nickname ‘temporary tattoo’. Further, Henna is a traditional dye used to colour. In olden times, people also used it as a hair dye. Henna is known to have a cooling effect on the skin.
I learnt traditional designs as well as Arabic designs. Designs are also referred to by the main motif that makes them popular. ‘Motif’ is the term referred to a shape that is filled with patterns. A mehendi design consists of main large shapes filled with intricate repetitive patterns. For example ‘Dot design’ is the one with only one big dot in the centre and the tips. It reminds me of ‘Alta’. Alta is also a dye applied similar to Mehendi but it is made from beetle leaves. The designs are applied using a stick or cotton and hence are not very intricate.
Ganesha and Wedding RitualsArabic Style BacksideTraditional Bride and GroomNew Modern DesignsSingle MotifMen applyingFull covered Lotus Design
Traditional Mehendi in India would mean filling the whole hand with the design. For weddings, brides apply mehendi starting from their elbow and filling the whole palm as well as on the backside. Similarly for the feet. Arabic mehendi designs are like a long trail concentrating on the central axis. Usually, the designs are forms of birds and flowers. Nowadays some artists include human figures and portraits in their designs too.
This henna paste applied on the palms is then kept overnight to dry. We then scrape it off and clean the hands with oil, usually eucalyptus oil. This gives a good smell. Hehe… I know some people don’t like the smell while others really love it. Anyways the point is, the longer you keep it, the better the colour. And then there are some fun traditions that go with it too! Like darker the colour stronger your love bond and so on.
As it dries
How it all began? Once while cleaning the drawers I stumbled upon my mom’s henna art books. It instantly grabbed my attention and I asked her to teach me this art. First, she asked me to practice motifs from her book. Thereafter, she asked me to practice some common patterns that are used in combination to make designs.
In the beginning, I drew all the designs in the outline of my own hand on paper with a pen. After practice, the pen was replaced with the mehendi cone. Many people draw designs on acrylic sheets with the mehendi cone before doing it on someone’s hand. This helps beginners as well as those who want to try out a new design. Once proficient we can then start applying professionally for someone.
Making the Mehendi paste and the cone is an important step in getting a good colour. The fresh the paste the better. Making a good cone helps when creating the designs or applying mehendi. The pressure applied produces thick and thin lines. The cleaner these lines the better the design. Further, the paste should stick to the hand to produce consistent colour. A mehendi artist will always have some extra paste stuck on her hands because the cone leaked or popped some extra.
I have used the same cone-making method to make cones for piping chocolate or icing on cakes and ceramic designs for mixed media and murals. I hope you understand how I actually connect to this art form that made it easy for me to learn other things. It gave me the hand training that I require to draw these intricate designs. We also get books with mehendi designs easily in the market. They are affordably priced.
Mehendi Cone
Here’s a little secret, we get readymade mehendi cones in the market as well. If one does not know how to make the paste from scratch most of us buy this cone, open and remix the paste well and fill it in a fresh new cone. This makes it simpler. The professionals get together and make the paste as well as their own cones. Last but not the least this art requires a lot of patience and being able to sit still for hours.
Having said all that what if I were to tell you I don’t practice this art anymore? I don’t have pictures of my work either. That is the truth. My paternal family does not consider mehendi auspicious and we don’t apply it in any of our ceremonies. With time as I understood their customs and beliefs, I stopped applying mehendi myself as well. Now it is mostly in my other styles.
But I definitely recommend everyone to try it at least once – both applying it yourself and to someone. Earlier when we didn’t have professionals to apply mehendi, it was always the ladies in the village who would make little designs on the bride’s hands and feet. That way the whole hand would be full and everyone would get a chance. That makes it an art for everyone. Have an Arty Week!
A short simple post answering questions about selecting an Easel or a Drawing Board. People usually have two opposing thoughts on this topic. Some feel “what is there to select? Every artist or painter needs an Easel” while others feel “it is the last thing to invest in”. There are a lot of myths about an Easel. No doubt it makes an excellent gift to give an artist, but do you know which one to select?
Easels are a one-time investment and costly. Every artist uses whatever he or she is comfortable with. Not all artists draw, sketch or paint on an inclined surface. Different painting styles can mean using or not using the Easel. What I feel is that earlier people began carving or drawing on walls and ceilings most people would draw or paint like that. Then later when the paper was discovered, our writing desks had a slight inclined table top. Now if you have noticed, our table tops are flat.
Great! So do you need an Easel or not? All photos depicting an artist will always show an artist with an Easel. It is very symbolic. However only artists painting a canvas use an Easel. We can and many artists sketching in pencil or charcoal attach their paper to a drawing board and put it on an Easel.
For my art exams and in school we did not have Easels. Drawing on our school desk during class or then most of the times sitting on the floor. It was with the drawing board in my lap sitting cross-legged on the floor. Yes, it can mean a backache after long hours of work. Whenever, I draw and paint on paper, I keep the paper on a drawing board or a flat table top. But for Acrylic Painting or Oil Painting, I need an Easel. The canvas is painted keeping it upright.
Easels are usually wooden or metal. An Easel made of metal is more versatile and is like a tripod for lights or a camera. It is suitable both outdoors and indoors and the height is adjustable. Next, we get travel Easels with a drawer for art supplies to carry on outdoor trips. Then there is the authentic symbolic wooden Easel. Yes, we do get two or three variants in them. Last but not least we get Easels used only with a display board.
WoodenMetal
Things to keep in mind while selecting an Easel are :-
The Easel is heavyweight and sturdy. It stands upright correctly balanced and doesn’t move or shiver while painting.
The Easel is suitable to draw or paint on the size of the canvas or drawing board that the artist most commonly uses.
The height of the Easel – whether the artist paints while sitting or standing and if by any chance the artist is taller or shorter than average. The comfortable height that he or she paints at.
The finish polish or coating on the Easel that is there to protect it from rusting. This is important because the canvas or paper can develop stains or mould if the Easel is damaged.
Outdoors or Indoors – some artists paint outdoors on tours or trips.
StandingSittingOutdoorsIndoorsTravel On the desk
Similarly when selecting a drawing board it is important to look at it from a similar point of view. I would say it is like selecting a cricket bat. The drawing board gets seasoned over time and the artist gets used to it. Common sense isn’t it? But a very important decision. Because it is a one-time buy and it is the highest investment compared to all the other art materials.
Some artists prefer custom-made Drawing Boards and Easels. It is a good idea to get one made if one has a source. We can put our drawing board on the Easel as well. Special clips that will not leave a mark on the paper when secured tightly to the board are easily available. Note the thickness of the drawing board while selecting the clips.
Then after years when it wares off and the artist has to buy a new one, it takes a really long while to set up with a new one. It affects the art or rather the comfort level while drawing or painting. That’s a small post on Easels and Drawing Boards this weekend. Have a great week ahead!
Did you know? The wooden pieces that come along with the canvas are actually keys used to tighten or stretch the canvas.
Yaaaaay!!! We have achieved a milestone! 50 posts! That is why I have listed links to all the 50 posts plus 3 review posts on the blog tab. Any post that you missed reading or wish to revisit you can by selecting it from the blog page. I hope you have subscribed to the blog by now, because if you haven’t done it yet, now is a good time!
A big thank you to all those who have been following and supporting the blog. I hope you are enjoying reading the posts. Any topics on Art and Craft that you want me to share about or if you wish to send us a feedback, please do so in the comments section below. I would be very happy to hear from you! Thank you! Have an Arty weekend!
Bold and expressive brushwork to convey the beauty of the mundane ordinary subjects around us is what I love to do. Hello! I am Dr Shaazia Hawai, a dentist by profession and an artist at heart.
Art, for centuries, has been a means to express individualistic creativity. To me, art is a language that I intend to speak fluently. It thrills me when I see someone who has mastered the language of art. It intrigues me when I discover someone adding new layers to its tapestry of possibilities.
Being a dentist, I was miles away from indulging in anything creative. Science and Art are very different after all. I started painting as a means to explore my creativity after a visit to an art supplies store.
I felt overwhelmed looking at gorgeous landscapes, realistic portraits and stunning abstracts. ‘Still Life Painting’ or ‘Object Drawing’ had this strange attraction for me. It was something that I felt I could dabble with. And that is how my journey as an impressionist still life artist began.
Paintings by Dr Shaazia Hawai
I enjoy painting with acrylics as the medium is versatile and allows room for experimentation. Painting still life has its advantages like the subject doesn’t get tired, doesn’t move and it’s so easy to procure ( just raid your kitchen). I suggest painting one new object daily.
For the initial few months, I used to paint only in my spare time. As time progressed I started dedicating more time to paint because I was enjoying the process. I set up a small workspace in the corner of my bedroom for painting. That really kickstarted the daily morning ritual of painting. The ritual then became a habit. It got me focused and gave me clarity with regard to what I needed to do with my art.
If you are beginning your journey as an artist my suggestion to you is to form your own daily routine. I saw massive progress in my painting style and brushwork with this system of practice. I started posting my artwork regularly on social media.
I was approached by an art supply store to conduct online workshops for them. I had not learnt painting the formal way and so teaching art or even painting in front of a live audience gave me goosebumps. Overcoming my fears and conducting the first workshop was a game changer for me.
Not only was the workshop a success, but I also had a blast interacting with fellow artists. This gave birth to my Saturday live paint-along sessions on Instagram. I still conduct them. You may drop by and check my page to join the party.
The idea of being around like-minded people enhances creativity. We challenge and help each other by supporting the artist community.
My paintbox consists of primary colours (red, blue & yellow) and white. A few flat and round brushes ( I use mostly 6,4,2 flat brushes & 6,2 round ones) a substrate on which you will paint ( paper, canvas, wood, cardboard, etc)
A great tip that I have learned is that – acrylic paints tend to dry dull if diluted with water, so I usually use a medium (gloss/matte) to increase the flow of the paint and limit the use of water to only for cleaning brushes. (Note: Wash brushes immediately while painting with acrylics)
Let’s Paint ‘A Pear’
It is best to simplify the object. A pear looks like an alphabet ‘A’ or a triangle over a circle. After establishing a loose sketch, I apply a thin wash of neutral colour. This underpainting helps eliminate the whites of the paper and creates depth in the painting. Next, I establish the dark tones in the painting and paint from dark to light. You can also paint from light to dark. It depends on your chosen medium.
Simplify the objectMark the outlineGive a background Fill the colourAdd highlights Complete the artworkStep by Step Painting with me
A loose brushwork like mine can be achieved by holding the brush at its tail end. Then I add the highlights, background and fine details to bring out the likeness of the subject. One can always add more details and finer brushwork to make the subject more realistic. But if you prefer an impressionistic style like me, leave it in a loose expressive state.
I am a firm believer in what Van Gogh said, “Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter’s soul.” An artist paints from his soul to produce magic on canvas. That’s why a true artist’s work is easily recognisable such as Van Gogh’s starry night, Monet’s lilies, Cezanne’s still life & Klandinsky’s abstracts.
My suggestion to all beginner artists is not to copy styles or trends on social media. Paint what your heart desires, and you will make mistakes but keep practising because Bob Ross said, “There are no mistakes in art, only happy accidents.” And as you embrace these happy accidents, you will evolve as an artist.
Dr Shaazia Hawai is a dentist, who spills her love for colours onto the canvas. She is also adept at Arabic Calligraphy and Paper Quilling.
Large panels of coloured glass at the Church, is where I probably saw stained glass paintings for the very first time. Most of them are florals or abstracts. Some of the best works I have seen share stories of the church. This art form is very ancient and people have been doing it for years. A striking point of the design is the blocks or parts of the painting and the translucent colours. Have you noticed it?
The motifs and panels are large, the larger the better. But they can be used in our homes too. I painted a mirror for my dressing room with this method. I also designed the acrylic ceiling for my bathroom using the same technique. Yes! We also get DIY kits with simple designs for kids to paint. I clearly remember, back during my school days stained glass painting had become a fad. There is a chance almost all of my creative friends would have tried it at least once.
Photo Courtesy WordPress Library
Notice how the dresses of the human figures have been sketched as blocks? The drawing is never one single large piece in a stained glass painting. Even after so many lines it looks beautiful, isn’t it? Also, from what I understand this painting is five panels joined and set in a single window. The black horizontal lines are the frame.
The painting process is very simple. Two steps 1) Create the Outline and 2) Fill the colours. The skilled part is in doing it. And like they say, you have to do it to know it. The texture that you see is the original texture of the glass. We select the glass based on the type we want. The material except the glass isn’t very expensive. The colours in a set are enough to make two or three glass panels. So if you want to re-use or recycle a piece of glass from the renovation, consider stained glass painting. It will give a fresh and majestic look to your decor.
The Paint used for ‘Stained Glass Painting’ is very different from others. It is translucent and self-setting. It is available in small bottles with droppers or changeable caps. A box of glass paints by ‘Fevicryl’ has a black outliner tube and 5-6 basic colours. This is enough for a beginner. Red, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Green and Blue create pretty designs. It is amazing how we can create such beautiful artworks using barely a few minimum shades.
The Black outliner has a pointed nozzle with cap for precision or can be transferred to a cone. The bottles have a dropper. I don’t know if you understood what that means. It means we do not need a paintbrush. The colour is dropped into the blocks created. However just like most artists I also prefer to use a brush to spread the colour evenly or create shading. We need to be careful because if the paint is old and thicker than needed, it will not give a smooth finish.
Painting a Stained Glass Panel – Photo Courtesy Unsplash
I shall try to explain this with a detailed process of creating a stained glass panel. For the first project select a small glass panel. The size of A4 or a little larger is good. Next, select a design. A simple abstract or floral one with large blocks. There are templates available on the internet that we can download and print on a home printer. Then we place the design underneath the glass and trace it on the front or top side with an erasable marker.
After that using the outliner tube we create a steady outline in black for the design. It looks like a 3D piping. We then have to wait for the outline to dry. It would be a good idea to do this on the previous day and colour it the next day. If the line is thick at some places and thin at others or if it is very light at some points, the colour will make its way through like water. It flows out. Erase the marker lines after the outline dries.
The ready kits have this step already done. The kids only have to pour the colours. Next we use a dropper and drop the colour in the closed portion. By ‘closed’, here I mean the black outline is sealed correctly. Units that we want in the same colour, try and drop the same quantity of colour. For example the leaves of the flowers in the picture below are all of the same colour.
The colour automatically spreads to the edges and sets like a block of jelly. There will be darker or lighter shade within the same colour, if we do not drop the same amount of colour. That’s correct, this is the tricky part. It can be understood only after trying to paint. Hence we need to spread the colour evenly and equally, knowing how many drops of colour to add in each of them. Once we get this right, we have aced it!
And there is another unique idea of putting a crushed silver foil as the backing for the the stained glass painting. We then mount the dried finished glass panel in a frame. It also looks good as wall art and not just the usual ceiling or windows panels.
Oops! Don’t be in a hurry. The paint may seem dry but it takes at least 24hrs to set completely. Only after that we can pick it up or change the level to tilt or hang it. Yes! The painting has to be done laying it flat on a levelled floor. Nah! We don’t paint the walls. Only after the pieces have dried completely it can be lifted and fitted.
An interesting similarity of this art is with acrylic pieces that they weld together as sun catchers for outdoor decorations. Have you seen them? If you have and know what they are called, please share the details in the comments section below. Have an Arty Week!
How to say that? It is ‘Silu -et’. That’s right! I am not talking about a soft fabric but a technique of painting. Silhouette is also a popular method in photography. It is an object or profile in dark black against a very bright source of light, usually the Sun.
To understand it better, do a small experiment. Take a camera and try clicking pictures of any object with the Sun at Sunrise and Sunset. The object will always come dark. On the other hand if you click in the other direction where the Sun illuminates the object, we get a crisp clear photo with details of the object. That is why they say don’t click against the Sun. Unless of course you want the special effect.
A example of how the photo will be – Image from WordPress Photo Library
The reason is the immense brightness creating a contrast with the object. Thus the object appears completely black or dark with only an outline or profile. A distinct shape of the object will be seen. This is called a Silhouette. Sunrise and Sunset are the perfect backgrounds.
It is a very simple method for painting and can be done by just anyone. No need to know anything about painting. One can paint with any medium of paint. In digital it is super quick to draw one. We can even paint it using markers. Relief techniques as well.
The Knight – I painted it digitally to explain Silhouette
It is 3 simple easy steps 1) Decide the placing of the objects 2) Paint the background in colours of yellow and orange 3) Draw the object and colour it in black – as simple as that. One thing to note is the position of the Sun. White followed by lemon yellow followed by orange to red, brown and black. This is the colour blending of the Golden Sky.
Yoga Pose – Another one that I painted digitally
Drawing the object directly seems difficult? Let’s make it even easier. Download a ‘Silhouette’ of the object, print it and cut it. Place it on your drawing and mark the outline. Now paint it black. We can use a stencil also. For a first timer it is ok to use assistance. Once we understand how to paint it we will be able to do it without any assistance.
It is like the learning side wheels in a bicycle. We can let them off once we learn to ride. It helps overcome the stigma ‘I can’t paint’. A beautiful blend of colours with a distinct object highlighted. The colour on the outside and the object in single solid colour – Silhouette. The internet has ample images for inspiration. Choose something you like.
Some classic examples from the WordPress Photo Library
I paint them digitally because it is super quick. Beach scenes or by the sea shore are best drawn using this method. One of my favourites to paint would be the Knight holding the flag and the other is a famous scene from the movie ‘The Lion King’ where Mufasa roars from the top of the cliff. A woman standing at the cliff point with open arms and breeze blowing through her hair is another one I like to paint.
Painting Silhouettes is easy and hence can also be very easily replicated and copied. Hence, I don’t sell them at my shops. Decided to do a post on them for learning and understanding. One can always paint them for their learning without any worries OR If photography is your area of interest, try clicking some pictures.
The first thing we usually ask or get to know about someone is their name. That is how we relate to them. We all like it when someone calls us by our name, isn’t it? That is what my next project is all about – a name. In this post, I am sharing about making a nameplate. It could be a simple door sign for your room or studio, an open or close sign for your store or a board sign for your home.
I wanted one for my creative corner. My initials are ‘NM’ and my shop name is ‘NMartworks’. Although I do various Arts and Crafts but mainly I’m into Drawing and Painting. That is why I selected a ‘Palette and Brush’ theme for myself. I wish to to make this project using the art materials that I already have and buy as little as possible. A common problem for such projects is about assessing the quantity of various materials required.
The first step to any project is to visualise. I visit art and craft shops to look for what is available. After that I design the project. Next I list the requirements and make a rough estimate considering the variance. I check my stock, meaning I check the material that I have at home and then I source the remaining. Most of the time this works out just great and other times I have to re-work it to cross the hurdles.
If there is a special price or discount on the material it is a bonus. Once in a while, that stuff you really wanted can get picked up before you get your hands on it. Certain materials are available only in large packs or you run out of it at the last minute. Also sometimes the same design is unavailable later. These hurdles are a part and parcel of the making process. Unless you are into selling and regularly stock material, these little hiccups are for everyone. Doing my homework makes me feel in control of the situation for my peace of mind.
List of Materials
MDF Board – Palette Shape
Primed Chipboard pieces – Vintage design and Floral
Old Brushes
Glue – Fevicol
Gesso
Acrylic Paints
Embellishments
Gold and Bronze Sharpie Pens
String
Acrylic Varnish
The material I have used
The quantity for all the material for this project can be the smallest size bottle or tube available in the market. It is a small one. We can use all the material for other projects too. To know more about selecting art materials check my previous posts. I have covered the topic in detail.
Let’s get started
I have made the Nameplate on the lines of a Mixed Media Project. What is Mixed Media? As the name suggests it is mixing different media or materials. Wood, Metal, Fabric and Paper are commonly used for Mixed Media Projects. We use objects made from different materials, arrange the objects and make one new object. I placed the MDF Palette, the chip board pieces and brushes together.
The objects I have used are of the same material family – wood. The best way to glue wood is using India’s most popular glue – Fevicol. If you don’t believe me? Check their advertisements. Yes! Even if we were to use fabric, metal or paper in our project we would have used Fevicol. The surfaces of the objects that I have used for the nameplate have different colours and textures. Some are polished, some unpolished.
Assembling the small objects to make one big object
Colour always sticks well on a clean rough surface. Sanding them is one option but not ideal. The other is ‘Gesso’ pronounced with a ‘J’ and not as a ‘G’. Gesso is a kind of primer. It primes the base and makes it ready for painting. Gesso is a mixture of POP (Plaster of Paris) or Chalk/ Gypsum and Glue or a binder. I have used a textured one. It is thicker than paint and is used to create textures. We get a variety of them. The cracked effect is one of them. It develops cracks as it dries. We have two colour options – Black and White.
Painting the Gesso
What is a primer? As the name suggests it is the first or prime paint applied. Think of it as the base coat. It prepares the surface for painting. A primed and painted surface will look very smooth and finished. It also lasts longer than a non primed one. Gesso is quick drying. It is always applied as a single coat. We can paint on top of the first coat only if any spot was left out. If we paint another coat it destroys the texture of the previous coat. Let’s paint it now.
Primed the Base with Gesso. Looks like one object now.
I wanted a red gold finish. I painted it using Gold, Crimson, Black and Copper colours. I added little highlights in White colour. Last but not least I used Sharpie Pens to paint the leafy texture in the background and added silver embellishments. Thereafter I tied matching Gold string to hang it. In case you bought an MDF Palette that does have the holes, make these in the very beginning itself.
Painting the Nameplate
Alternatively we can paint the pieces individually and then arrange them. Even that works. The chipboard is already primed and can be painted directly. Chalk Paints work very well on MDF pieces. About two coats is good and no need to prime it. I wanted the whole plate to look like it’s made from one single block. Hence I painted it as a single piece in the same colours.
All of this is fast drying. However it is important to let it set and dry completely before varnishing. What is varnish? It is a clear coat. A kind of resin. We get gloss or matt options. I often use gloss because I like a little shine that the acrylic colours give. We get liquid ones to apply using a brush and a spray as well. Personally, I like using the spray because it covers the whole canvas equally without any lumps. A varnish protects your work from dust and other particles and seals the paint.
It’s Ready! The Nameplate
It becomes easy to clean an artwork after varnish. To clean a varnished Art we lightly wipe off the dust using a dry paintbrush or soft cloth. No need to frame the Paintings either. Hence varnish is a good idea for a nameplate. Now it’s ready to use! Let us put it up as the door sign.
Do share your views about the project in the comments below. Have a creative weekend!
On my way home, I stopped to grab a coffee at my regular coffee joint when I peaked at the new poster coming up on the notice board. It was a poster of an Art Exhibition coming up at the display gallery on the first floor. The exhibition was by a five-year-old artist.
Wow! At that age, I didn’t even know how to spell art or write anything. A little girl, just five having an entire gallery display, a solo artist. Did I wonder how? What? Why? When? Who? My mind began to run at the fastest speed that I had known.
Modern Art, Abstract Art and Contemporary Art these terms are used together or in place of the other many times. This little artist was into Contemporary Art. Her guardians were organising her show. She was trying for the world records as the youngest artist to have a solo art show.
I don’t know if she made it but it got me my topic for this post. Yes! We will be discussing Modern Art, Contemporary Art and Abstract Art in this post. Are these the same? Not really. Honestly very few people understand these or know. It is more about visual appeal. If they like to look at it, they buy it. Simple!
A square tile of my Abstract Art
Modern Art is a term used for the thought process. The artist is painting something that is not restricted by the traditional boundaries of the past. Abstract Art means it doesn’t resemble anything in form as such. Contemporary means more of the style of today. As art styles evolved every landmark change coined a new term. More like the terms are used for the art style in a particular era.
Modern Art is better defined in terms of shapes and textures. It looks more like patterns and designs. Contemporary Art on the other hand is more abstract than modern Art. Modern Art is a style popular in 1860s to 1970s. Contemporary Art is more as today’s Art style.
The key point in selection is the colour scheme. This art goes well with today’s modern contemporary interiors. It doesn’t represent or mean anything. Just adds a look and feel to the whole place. Many people like to purchase Art that doesn’t have an exact defined meaning.
Highlight a Wall with Abstract Art
This Art looks better on a nice big canvas. Reprints are easy. Selections are quick and simple – most of the times people just go with what their interior designer suggested. And the prices are affordable. Art galleries also like to stock more of these because it is a fast-running product for them.
One of my artworks shown in an actual space – Living Room
Jokingly I am sure at least one person looking at it will be like “Hey! I can paint that!” Haha! True and False both. True because people think it is easy I can dip a brush in colour and run it on the canvas and call it Art. False because you can’t recreate the same thing. Your Art will always be different. Interesting! Isn’t it!
Abstract Art is all about shapes, textures and colours. It completely depends on the artist’s aesthetic sense. The Art can be geometric or random. The artist paints a mood, an emotion or a feeling using colours and creating textures with brushes, hands or tools. Big bold strokes and striking colours are my style.
Two of my artworks shown in a commercial space – Work Desk
There is no good or bad here. One either likes it or doesn’t like it. No two ways about it. One cannot say if this was like this maybe it will be better. Here it is an artist’s call when to say complete. It must be visually appealing. This Art gains meaning when it is installed in a space. It is more like it completes the space and gives the look to a place. What one feels is too much may be perfect for another. Always to your taste!
One of my artworks – square prints – Bathroom
‘Dream of your Art and Paint your dream.’ All in all paint whatever comes to your mind with complete confidence. To get that beautiful artwork preferably paint on a canvas in acrylic colours. This gives a lot of options in creating different textures. You may want to read my previous post on painting with acrylic colours to know why it is a preferred medium to paint. View Post on Acrylic Colours.
Two of my artworks – Bedroom
No one can teach anything here, we paint what comes to us naturally. We can browse the internet and look at paintings by famous artists for inspiration. The technique is we paint directly with colour. No erasing, going back and forth or smoothening or anything. And paint in layers. One colour over another is completely ok. No need to blend.
I have made abstract modern art designs for my products at my Society shop and Redbubble shop NMARTWORKS. Here I am sharing some printable posters with my Art which would make suitable Wall Art pieces for residential as well as commercial spaces. These are more on the lines of contemporary art. These artworks have been created digitally for prints in different sizes but exactly on the lines of how we would paint them offline.
Learning to paint, this little child asked me “Ma’am why can’t I paint a green or pink sky? Yellow water or black rose? Isn’t art about the freedom to paint?” I was startled for a moment but then I tried to look at it from his eyes. Yes! The artist is free to paint whatever he wants and as he wants. Then why wasn’t I ready to accept his imagination? Did I consider it as a violation of the norms? Why does the sky have to be blue and the trees green? Has this thought crossed your mind too?
Art is about the freedom to express. We all draw and paint to express our thoughts. Worldwide, we associate colours with certain emotions. That is why when an artist paints a red rose it invokes a different reaction and when he paints a black rose it invokes a different one. Why? Because every colour has a meaning. Some meanings are accepted in general on a broader level by most people while some meanings are deeper or secondary and have more local communal interpretations.
For example, red as a colour of love is generally accepted by all. On the other hand red is also the colour of anger. Further, red as an auspicious colour is accepted only by certain communities. So you see one colour can have many meanings. How is this meaning derived? It is mainly because of our associations through our thought process. Colours which we see around in our environment and surroundings are colours we associate better with. Colours as symbols to indicate messages or mark goods in trade have been used since time immemorial.
In India, we have the white desert better known as the Rann of Kutch. Art that is traditional to this location is on a white background, just like the white desert. The locals have colourful dresses to be seen easily. They also have mirrors to reflect the sunlight. They like to use bright colours in their homes and clothing. The colour pigments are made locally by the artisans from materials in their environment. Over the years they begin to associate feelings of happiness and cheer with these bright colours like red, green and yellow. This story holds true in some way or another for art around the world.
A good piece of art is one that conveys the message well. All artworks require a good choice of colours. However, artworks like designs, patterns, abstract art and modern art tend to have a higher dependence on the colours used. Hence before choosing colours for the artwork it is always better to know about colours and their meanings. If you want to appeal to a certain audience, it is always a good idea to know their interpretation of colours.
The study of colours is a vast subject and many people have built careers on it. In this post, we will limit it to the use of selecting colours for drawing and painting – mainly to express ourselves well through our art. Almost all colours will have some meanings and emotions considered as positive and some meanings and emotions considered as negative. Depending on the emotion one wishes to invoke as an artist, one can decide the colours. Then of course there are the light and dark shades – tints, tones and shades for all colours.
There are colours clubbed as warm colours – these invoke a feeling of warmth. Shades on the colour wheel from yellow to red are warm colours. Colours that invoke a cool refreshing feeling in us are termed cool colours. These are the other portion of the colour wheel. What is this colour wheel you are talking about? I have shared it in one of my previous posts. You may want to read up a bit on it as well. It is called ‘Understanding Colours’.
Let’s discuss some colours and the emotions they invoke :
Purity, Innocence, Clean, Fresh, Simple, Good, Complete, New Beginnings.
On the negative side it is symbolic for blank, empty, cold, death or mourning. Secondary meanings include peace, calm and hope. Spiritual meanings like enlightenment or illumination, renunciation or disinterest.
Power, Authority, Strength, Seriousness. Business or Law – Black and White.
On the negative side it is symbolic for dark emotions or opposite of white, sadness, mystery, night, evil, despair. Secondary meanings of sophistication, elegance and formal dressing. It is also the colour of death and mourning in some cultures.
On the negative side red being the colour of blood it is symbolic for anger, fire, danger, hurt, violence, warfare. Secondary meanings as an auspicious colour in some cultures.
On the negative side it stands for cowardice, deceit, caution, sickness, illness, Secondary meanings in religious texts or associated with the Sun or god. Yellow is also for Gold.
As a combination of red and yellow orange has similar emotions. Joy, Warmth, Sunshine, Energy, Creativity, Health. It is also a colour of movement and change.
On the negative side sometimes considered as superficial, aggressive, overpowering, rude and frivolous. Secondary meanings include its reference to fruits, vegetables or seasons.
Growth, Nature, Earth, Environment, Health, Good Luck, Harmony, Prosperity, Fertility.
On the negative side very often used to show jealousy and greed. Secondary meanings include its association as the colour of money. Often used in symbols for the environment or natural organic products. It is considered lucky in some and unlucky in some cultures. Green is also wisdom in some cultures.
Open Space, Freedom, Imagination, Trust, Loyalty, Intelligence, Wisdom, Flowing or Journey, Serenity, Stability.
On the negative side it means frozen or cold, unfriendly, suspicious, sad and depressed. Secondary meanings : Blue being the colour of the sky and water, it is a very popular colour worldwide. Most companies have their logos in blue. Blue is the colour for boys in some cultures.
On the negative side it represents lack of will power, lack of self – worth, over emotional. Magenta is a shade of Pink. Secondary Meanings : It is considered a girly colour.
On the negative side it is associated with pride, pompousness, mystery, sadness, frustration. Different shades have different meanings. Violet and lavender are also shades of purple. Secondary meanings : it is the colour of mourning in some cultures. It is also considered spiritual and magical in some cultures.
We don’t use any single colour for a particular meaning. It is a mix of colours and the shade also matters. How it is used and what is painted influences the message. All countries have different colours that are symbolic to them. For example Green is considered unlucky and associated with infidelity in China while red is considered as protective and lucky. Indigo is referred to as Japanese Blue because it is the most used colour in Japan. Red is auspicious while black is bad luck in Japan.
If we look at flags or national symbols of a country, we will understand their colours faster. Countries use colours they consider auspicious or representative of good luck on their flags. There is no one shoe fits all situation. We need to do our own homework and read up our bit.
The next time you are drawing or painting, think about the colours you are selecting. This is not an exhaustive list. You could even make your own list. I shared this because I felt just as this knowledge helped me make my art better, it could help you too. Have an Arty Week!
‘Life is the Art of Drawing without an Eraser’ I am sure you have heard this one before. But the truth is most of us cannot draw that well. We all make mistakes at some point in time. Nobody is born knowing it all. What we do after that .. how we correct it .. what we learn from it .. is important. Think! What is it that we could do differently so that the mistake is not repeated? We learn by asking questions and making mistakes. We grow as we learn. It is a part of the process.
People can be a bit too hard on themselves. They discard things with the slightest flaw or even a single mistake. In Art, we can either incorporate the mistake into the design or erase it. Then it is about how big or small the mistake is. My Art teacher always said, “It is ok to make a mistake. What you should also know is how to correct it. You cannot keep throwing away everything or stop painting altogether because of them.”
Reflecting, I realised I had made mistakes on my art journey as well. Sharing them with you could help you avoid them, rectify them or at least feel that you are not the only one. Here’s a list of the ones I could recollect.
If one uses a very sharp pencil or a hard graphite pencil on paper, it creates a dent. The pencil graphite can be erased but the dent or mark will stay.
Excessive erasing can peel off the paper. Hence it is important to select a good eraser as per our use.
Erasing when the paper is slightly wet will erode the paper. Literally!! There will be a hole. This happens if we use pencils along with watercolours. It is best not to draw with a pencil before using watercolours. If at all we do use them, make sure it is very light and will get covered in paint. We won’t have a problem if we use gouache colours because they are thick and opaque.
Drawing with a pencil on a canvas and erasing it is a big no-no. The graphite will mix with the paint and the colour will change to dull and dark. It is a good idea to draw with a paintbrush on a canvas. We can use a very light shade (almost white but visible to the naked eye) for drawing or making the markings. This will get covered up when we paint on it thereafter.
We do get ink erasers. Pencil erasers can be used for colour pencils too. I tried erasing a little pencil mark when the paper was almost dry but not completely dry and the paper peeled. This was because of the moisture in the marker. The idea is that once we paint or colour on the paper, the pencil mark goes under it. Hence it cannot be erased even after drying. Whether we use pencils, markers or paints it is best to erase all the extra markings before painting. We can always keep the outlines that will get covered with thicker outlines or enhanced after painting.
This is one of my favourites – Give a light wash in the background and then detail and then more detail. Same way in pencil shading. Do the light tone, then darker and then darker as and where necessary. Work on the whole piece simultaneously, so that the colours of the artwork mix and match well. Also, there is a complete flow in the picture. By any chance, if we make any mistake or want to make changes after doing the other portion we will be able to correct it. Once the dark or final touch is done, it becomes a lot more difficult to correct it. That is why it is always better to work in layers.
Spilled a colour and ruined the spot? Lighten the colour by removing the pigment by lightly dabbing on that portion. Let it dry completely and then paint over it. That is what I meant by it can be easily corrected in the beginning. That is why nobody paints one part of the art to the finish while the other part doesn’t even have a base wash. That’s 99% a digital edit.
Want to remove dried paint? Acetone works well to remove Acrylic paint on surfaces like glass or plastic. I have used it on canvas too. The cotton in the canvas will have to be treated with gesso once again before painting.
The paint water glass tipped and dripped water onto the paper. This happens a lot when we work in small spaces or a hurry. Especially during art exams. For many of us, it can even be a horrifying experience. Don’t worry this can also be corrected. Take a dry cloth and lightly dab on the paper to soak up the excess water. Some paint will come onto this cloth. It will be back to the light wash stage. Let it dry and repaint only that portion.
Last and very important – In the process of correcting the mistake, don’t try too hard. Sometimes people focus so much on the mistake that it ends up becoming the highlight instead of blending or fading away in the picture.
One thing I clearly understood is most of the times we are the only ones to know what the mistake is and where. The onlooker doesn’t know it unless we specifically point it out or highlight it or in any way make it very obvious. If we manage to blend it and make it flow along with the rest of the painting it can add to the beauty. Yes! Some mistakes can be beautiful. A little here or there adds to the beauty of handmade. It makes it different and unique. It makes it special.
What if none of these methods works and we have to do a re-do? Then think of what Thomas Edison said ‘I haven’t failed, I just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.’ We are all human. To err is human. I like to wear my bruises as my badges of honour. So if at all we make a mistake, there is nothing to worry about. It is ok to make mistakes.
Fortunately, we have erasers for art. And there are different types of erasers too. Hehe.. Yes! There are different types of erasers. And no please don’t call it rubber. It is called an eraser. We all have this one vinyl eraser or a regular soft eraser (with a brush to clean the dust) for regular use. This can be used for Art as well. A pencil eraser for erasing precise lines (this is an eraser pencil, see the picture) and a kneaded eraser (magic eraser as I call it) that absorbs graphite and charcoal is something every artist should include in their toolbox.
Different types of erasers that I use for my Art Projects
Having a good eraser and more so the right ones can be very helpful in drawing and painting. I don’t use erasers that are hard on the surface such as the sand eraser and the pink eraser. An eraser mounted on the pencil is a big no for me. It is not for drawing or sketching. One can use it for regular writing work. We also get changeable erasers and electric erasers in the market. These erasers are more pricey and better suited for specialists or professionals.
Do you also have eraser stories? Feel free to share them. We could all learn from them. Have an Arty Weekend!
Hey! Look! I managed Pencil Shading. I am confident that I can handle it well. May I try Charcoal now? Hehe…If that is your question “Sure! Why not!”. Charcoal sketching is very similar to pencil shading but in ways, it is also different. We use charcoal pencils or charcoal powder instead of graphite. In pictures, graphite looks a little greyish while charcoal gives a distinct black colour.
Would you like to join me down memory lane? In this post I am sharing my artworks I did years ago. Some while learning at the class and some afterwards. Soft Pastels (chalk) is also a similar medium. It has colours and is easier to handle. I couldn’t take formal training for Soft Pastels but I can decently manage with it. In fact, I really loved the medium once I started working with it. One can do much with it. Paintings with Pastels are quick and can look very realistic.
I started with FlowersThen tried AnimalsThese are done with Stumps and Charcoal PowderSketching Human Faces – BasicMore detailed Sketches – Portraits
Those are charcoal sticks in the picture above. They very are useful for filling darker tones in large spaces. All the pictures here above are of my artworks that I learnt and did in the class. Charcoal Sketching wasn’t exactly my strength but I enjoyed it and I think I did pretty well. Finding a good teacher is a blessing. So many can draw and paint but not all of them can teach.
Many people think pencil shading or charcoal sketching means making something exactly like that in a photograph. Please understand we are not competing against computers. Earlier when we did not have cameras people liked to have portraits and landscapes for memory. That is why artists tried to paint those pictures. That is replaced with photography. The cameras we now use are so amazing with details and precision that we need not paint the same.
I think this one turned out really well
Some people edit photos and add effects to make them look like sketches or paintings. For me, if the computer can do it better, I feel it is better to let them do it. Personally, I like sketches that have a hand-drawn touch or twist to them. For my exams at the classes, we had to draw a sketch of a student sitting around: first in a pencil and then a charcoal sketch. That was my attempt at ‘live study’. I was happy I cleared the exam with pretty a good score.
Storing Charcoal Artworks can be a little tricky. The powder continues to dust off. It can spoil the other artworks stored with it. Store it in a cello envelope or sleeve. Once it is final, spray it with a fixative to fix the powder. Not only will the Artwork stay well, it won’t dust off and spoil the other papers it is kept with.
In the making with Charcoal PencilsOne of my more recent works
Soft Pastels are more like chalk. They work very well for shading large surfaces. We can use the broader side as well as the pointed side. We also get Pastel Pencils for more precise finishing. More the shades in the colour box, the better for shading. Blending done with the finger works best.
Pastels on PaperThis is a mix of Pastels and Charcoal Powder
Nostalgia! I am all ready to paint with charcoals and pastels all over again. I would like to make a new artwork and see how it turns out. Would you like to give Charcoal Sketching and Soft Pastels a try? Have an Arty Weekend!
Looking for some Art to up the aesthetic appeal of your space? You did a search and found something that you just couldn’t take your eyes off. “It is so me! I think it will look fantastic on that wall in our room. Just what we needed!” Ta-da! Bought!
Now comes the difficult part – selecting a Frame that goes with it. The task isn’t as difficult as it seems but many people find it stressful to make up their minds while selecting a Frame. A lot of questions and confusion. Have I made the right choice? What if I had selected another Frame? Matt or not? Vintage or Classic? Metal or Wood? After all, the Frame can make such a big difference to the final look.
Shipping Framed Art can be difficult which is why most Artists sell their Art unframed. I am an Artist and I also sell most of my Art unframed. I do upload Framing ideas on my social media accounts regularly so as to assist potential buyers. Framing is an additional service that I provide to close friends & family as well as local buyers upon request. At online shops, my Artwork is shown with and without Frames so the onlooker can imagine how it would look once it is framed. I usually show Frames that are common and easily available or standard market Frames.
With the advent of 3D and AR (Artificial Reality) a cool new feature will soon be available – We can scan our wall or space using the camera in our phone and the software will project and show us how the Art will look framed on our wall, like on that wall in your house, like what if you bought it and put it there how would it look? All this in real-time before buying. Although it seemed unbelievable at first, this feature is currently in the beta testing phase and very much implementable.
Art is to everyone’s taste and choice. It isn’t a one shoe fits all formula. Some may like a minimal wall with just one big Art while others may want many Frames filling up the whole wall end to end. I totally agree ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’. I am not an expert at Framing but I can definitely share whatever I have known or learnt so far about ‘Making an Art Wall and Framing your Art’.
These are basically ideas and suggestions that would help anyone make a simple ‘you cannot go wrong with this’ kind of choice. It works best for people who wish to decorate their spaces with Art but on a budget. Yup! Definitely recommend expert help from a professional if it suits you. Even then this information will help. When the Frame maker asks you questions to understand your requirements, you would know what exactly is he talking about. So here’s answering some of the questions I usually come across about selecting Frames and putting up Art on the wall.
1. Edges of the Art – A minimum of half inches on all the sides gets enveloped into the frame. Even in a plain classic thin black or white frame without matting the edges get hidden into the portion of the frame. An artist paints these edges knowing well that it will get covered up or may leave a white border edge for it.
Two Artworks – One painted to the end and other with white border left out. Thick white panel is the Matt Board.
If the Art doesn’t have a blank border and you don’t want to cover up the edges then select a Floating Frame or a Sandwich Glass Frame. In a floating frame the Art is put above the matt making it look like it is floating, while in a double wall glass frame the Art is sandwiched between two glass panels. Only the glass touches the frame and the Art looks floating. See the picture below.
A double wall glass frame giving a floating effect.
2. What is Matt – A Matt or a Mat or a Mount is an additional border around the Art cut from a sheet of paper or board. Although it has a decorative purpose, it is more to preserve the Art by avoiding direct contact between the Art and the edges of the frame and glass. They recommend using an acid free material for it. A window for the Art is cut out. We can have any colour mat. Black, white and off – white are standard colours.
Frames that are available at shops include a mat or we can make one from paper sheets available in the market too. A mat is preferred for photos, prints and Art on paper that is otherwise small. The matt makes the frame look bigger while keeping the focus on the Art. Art Galleries and Museums have Artwork with matts.
There are double matt frames too. It means the Art encased in the first matt and then another matt and finally the frame. Looks like multiple frames inside each other. Ready Frames in the market will have only a single matt option.
Half inch Black Frame with One inch Matt on all sides
3. Size of the Art – How big is the wall? What is the size of the Art? Take a scale (ruler) and approximately measure the size of the Art that you will be putting up. How much space you want to cover or leave out? In case you are going to put up multiple Frames then space them out well. How many of them are landscapes and how many portraits? Visualise!
Placing a paper of the same size as the Art on the wall to visualise the Framed Art can help map the space for a beginner. Any Frame adds to the size of the Art and if you get a frame done with matting, it adds even more. The chances of a miscalculation in the size can be reduced if we understand this.
Explaining it with the help of an example : Let’s take an art on paper that has a finished size : 8 inches width and 10 inches height. We find a Frame of 11 x 14 inches. So for the 3 inches in width and 4 inches in height we can add a matt OR we add 3 inches equally and get a custom Frame of size 11 x 13 inches.
All the frames have same size plain black simple classic Frame. No Matt.
Even without the matt, it would be about 8.5 x 11 inches. The Frame moulding would add about an inch or more depending on its design, bevel and thickness. Always check the finished size written in the info when buying a standard market Frame. As for custom framing, you can control this better. This applies for all paintings on canvas or on paper, photos and prints that you can Frame.
It makes complete sense in buying the Art first and then selecting a suitable Frame. Also always calculate an approximate finished size on the wall before clicking the purchase button. We may not be able to make an exact calculation but the nearest can be rounded off to the next number on the higher side to avoid any bloopers.
4. Matching the Canvas with Frames – A board canvas needs to have a frame. With glass or without is ok, but a moulding around defines the Art. Paintings with acrylic paint can be used as wall mounting Frames. In this case the wooden frame in the stretched canvas is itself the final frame and it can be hanged on the wall directly. In case you wish to frame such a canvas you would need a Box Frame because this canvas is 1 or 1.5 inches thick like a box. For a canvas we have to consider the thickness also. The glass must not touch the canvas. A regular Frame wouldn’t fit so we would have to opt for custom framing. That is why wall mounting canvas frames are popular.
Ready standard size Frames work best for prints, art and photos on paper. They have a chart with common sizes for photos and A4 or maximum A3 size. Frames for Art larger than that may be difficult to source. The cost of framing an oil painting is the highest. It is high maintenance and must be done by a professional so that it is airtight and avoids contact with the glass. Even if it is custom framed, it needs a very experienced Frame maker or the Art can get spoilt.
5. Glass or Acrylic – Here they don’t mean the Acrylic paint. They are asking if we want the transparent panel in the frame that is made of glass or acrylic material. Acrylic is lighter in weight. It is cheaper too. A glass Frame will always cost more. The advantage with glass is that it doesn’t develop scratches. Acrylic does not break or chip off easily. Most over the counter Frames that are available for prices as low as a few dollars have acrylic panels.
Art Wall : All of them have a Matt and different Frames.
6. Material and Type of the frame – It can be metal, wood or plastic? Vintage or Classic? Thin or thick? This selection is based more on the look and the cost. Only thing to remember is that the Frame shouldn’t be more than the Art itself. We want to Frame the Art to preserve it longer and be able to hang it on the wall. Other than that the Frame should add to the decorative factor of the Art and not the other way around. A simple suggestion would be to consider the other factors of the space. Some frames may look too heavy or cheap and not in sync with the other things around. A simple elegant black or white Frame with or without a matt or a nice wooden Frame in dark or light brown polish that matches the rest of the room works very well.
7. Changeable – Frames where we can remove and change the inserted Art by opening them are changeable frames. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of getting a Frame and putting a nail each time, this is also a good option. Also when you want the same Frame for all the Art on that wall, one would opt for a changeable Frame. In future when you buy new Art you can use the same Frame and all of them match each other. This is because if we buy Frames over a period of time then there are chances that all will not be the same. Besides it is a one time investment. In this case the frames should be more sturdy and of good quality to last for years.
Changeable Glass Frame made of Plastic.
8. Hooks to hang the frame – Don’t miss this out when selecting your frame. Some Frames have movable hooks, some have a single hook, some double and the distance between these hooks matter. The hook may be small or fitted to the same level as the frame or could be coming out a level higher. These things we can’t determine while looking at the Frame in pictures. Only when we actually go to put the Frame up on the wall we realise that the Frame doesn’t sit well in place and it is because of the hook.
That was the hook on the Frame and now to put it up on the wall, we have to put a suitable nail. Now a days we get adhesive hooks that stick to the wall. No need to put nails that damage the wall. Works best if you don’t want to put a nail in the wall but select these as per the weight of the Frame. The options are vacuum hooks, velcro hooks and hooks with tape or adhesive. They will not damage the wall and no need to drill either. They are called ‘no nail or no damage hooks’.
Photo Wall with different sized Frames on a printed Wallpaper background
9. Selecting the Wall – What I have learnt is that the Wall stands out when it’s made into an Art Wall. Basically when you want to highlight a particular wall or want a wall to grab attention in a room, it is the wall to select and make an Art Wall. Single large Framed Artworks on a single colour painted wall work best for abstract or modern Art. These look beautiful on wall mounted canvas without any frame or glass.
A small cluster of about two or three same sized Frames on a wall gives a classy contemporary look. The only big no-no here is having Frames on all the walls in a single room. That makes it look like a library or a museum or an Art gallery. The walls of staircases and passages are good for memory walls or photo walls. A little light that illuminates the Art is better than a dark space. Then again it is more to your taste.
10. Wallpaper and Decals : Often used for a photo wall. For a nursery or a commercial space it would be a good idea to have Framed prints or posters and decals around. Decals are vinyl stickers that we can stick on the wall. They are available in many designs. Having a nice background with a printed wall paper and Art frames on it also look good for some Art. Mixing these along with Art give a very different new look. It isn’t the traditional style and may not appeal to some.
I hope this clears most of the doubts on Framing and creating an Art Wall. If you have time, please visit my Pinterest account. I have an album for ideas on creating an Art Wall. Have an Arty Weekend!
Photo Credits: Pictures that I have clicked have my name and the others are from the WordPress Library.
Most of the people I know buy brushes that are labelled as watercolour brushes and art paper that is mentioned as suitable for watercolour at the store and they are sorted. “Look! the company says I can use them for watercolour painting, so I bought them.”
They bought it either because someone told them, they saw someone using it or the brand company had written so on the product. Very few people bother to find out the product details and know if it is the right product for their use. Many a times we don’t want to stock different materials for different Art and so we use the same brush or paper for all. The selecting pattern is same for them and so I grouped canvas and paper with paintbrushes.
For beginners it really won’t matter; however artists and professionals will be equally choosy or selective about these materials. It makes a difference in their work and once we are used to a particular one, we only use that. Most artists start off with the trial and error method and once they like a particular brand or product, they stick to it.
Different kinds of brushes, what they are called and their suggested uses are printed on packs. As always a lot of information is available on the Internet. So I will not get into repeating that printed knowledge.
We have discussed ‘Selecting Art Materials’ in our previous posts. On the same lines I will share about selecting paintbrushes, art paper and canvas in this post. I do not endorse any brand and this is not an advertising or promoting post. I share about my understanding of these materials so that it helps others make an informed purchase decision.
Selecting a Canvas
Canvas
Any surface we paint on is called the canvas. So if we are painting on fabric or wood or paper, all of them are actually our canvas. However when we go to an Art store and ask for a Canvas we usually get this fabric like drape wrapped on a board called BOARD Canvas, a stretched drape pinned to a wooden panel frame called STRETCHED Canvas and a ROLLED Canvas which is a roll of the drape. All three have the same material, only the mounting is different. Once the painting is complete we have to get it framed before hanging the painting on the wall.
The board canvas is a hard and flat painting surface, the stretched canvas is mounted on a frame and has a slightly bouncy feel while the roll canvas more floppy like a loose fabric. A stretched canvas can be directly hanged on the wall using the existing wooden frame. Hence it is also called wall mounting canvas. A canvas sheet that is cut from the roll will have to be stretched or mounted before painting.
Canvas was traditionally used more for oil painting. Earlier when I learnt mural painting we would have to apply oil and colour to prime the canvas. Now a days canvases are already coated and primed. Cotton is the main fibre of a canvas. Did you know? We also get paper sheets made from cotton linen pulp which are used as canvas for oil painting and acrylic painting. They are like a sheet cut from roll canvas: have the same texture and feel but are relatively sturdy and stiff like paper.
All of them will be acid free and primed and have some treatment or coating for protection against pests. It really won’t matter which one you buy, almost similar. Only the tension of your canvas will differ. That would be the basis of your selection. If you are using them for acrylic painting a canvas primed with gesso works well. You can use others too. If you are into oil painting you may be more selective while choosing the canvas.
Not all art supply stores stock all sizes of canvas. It is a good idea to buy the quantity together if your project uses multiple canvases. In case the size you need is not market ready, you can buy the roll canvas and get it custom made or mounted to your required size. Canvas is also used for Art prints. Digital prints of artwork is quite common. Flex banners are also a type of canvas.
Selecting Art Paper
Art Paper
We get sheets of art paper in bundles as well as bound in books. Books have perforated sheets which can be pulled out. Smaller sizes such as A4 and A5 sketchbooks are very popular and will be easily available everywhere. Art Paper is used for all mediums including pen drawing, pencil shading, acrylic painting, pastels painting, charcoal sketches, watercolour painting and oil painting.
In the info section they print the size in inches and cm. They print the thickness in ‘GSM’ or lbs. GSM stands for grams per square metre that is the weight of the paper or pulp for every square meter. It is how the thickness is measured. How does that make a difference? The thickness of the paper is an important attribute because for watercolour painting we need thicker sheets like 250-300GSM that will absorb water but will not tear while for ink art we can work with 120-180GSM.
Next we look for textured or plain. The grains on the surface. Depends on the artwork one is working on, whether they want a textured feel (a rough surface) or a plain background. For pastels and charcoals a little grain or texture is required. It helps hold the powder while for ink and watercolour art a smooth or plain surface can be selected. This gives a plain edge or a straight neat line finish while painting.
Artists usually use ‘acid free’ meaning paper that has been neutralised. In simple words if the paper is acid free it will not turn yellow with pitting and can be preserved longer. Paper made from cotton will have more absorbency for water based painting. It can be 100% cotton or mixed with other natural fibres like cellulose. I select the ones with 20-30% cotton for my artworks.
Selecting Paint Brushes
Paintbrushes
Selecting paintbrushes is very simple. Each of them are built as such for a purpose or for a particular style of painting. It may sound weird but some artists manage to get fine lines with a thick brush of size 8 and a thick like with a brush of size 4. With years of practice we don’t change brushes for each size. So buying them in odd numbers like 0,2,6,8,10 is enough. For finer lines and intricate work I use finer brushes of size 0, double zero 00 and triple zero 000. These are smaller or finer than zero size brushes.
For painting on a canvas on the easel we require long handle brushes. Regular size handles are good when we are working on paper. Further we would need a mix of round and flat brushes in our art tool box. Flat brushes are used to paint backgrounds, round brushes for fills and riggers for fine lines. Filbert brushes are useful for one stroke painting or creating visible strokes and design. I even use the back of the brush handles as round stumps for dot painting.
Brushes can be made from natural animal hair or synthetic fibres. Use brushes with soft thin bristles when you want the colour to be applied evenly. It gives a smooth neat finish. Thick bristles cause an uneven finish with lumps of colour which can be left as it is or smoothened by using a roll over it. Bristles of brushes made from natural hair expand when soaked. They are best suited for oil painting. For painting using acrylic and watercolour paints we can use brushes made with natural or synthetic bristles. Watercolour and Acrylic, both being water based paints we can use a common set of brushes. No need to keep another set.
One special kind of brush is the water tank brush. This brush has a plastic body with a water tank attached to it and bristles of the brush are synthetic fibres. When we press the tank, the water drips to the brush tip and soaks the bristles. It works very well for quick sketches and on the go painting using watercolour cakes.
Just bought new Paint Brushes
I was surfing the Internet the other day when I came across a video titled ‘How it’s made – Paint Brushes?’ ‘How it’s made’ is a very popular show and I like watching it. They show how various products of our daily items are made. Helps us understand about the products, their usability and the thought process of the maker in creating it.
I understood which problem faced by artists are they trying to solve by offering a particular type of brush or why it is made the way it is. Every product is manufactured keeping in mind a certain use. Similarly they also have videos on ‘How it’s made’ for canvas, paper and many more products. If possible do take out some time and see them.
Selecting Art Materials
Links to posts related to this topic are listed below. Click on the title to open the post in a new tab. Have an Arty Weekend!
Clear lines, strokes and dots of Black Ink that make beautiful works of Art – Ink Work or Pen and Ink Drawings have been my forte. Original hand drawn Ink Art and Illustrations as well as Art Prints of my Pen and Ink Drawings are available at my Shops. I like to draw and paint Birds and Flowers the most. Sometimes I use Ink Pens along with Watercolour and Gouache colours for my Artworks. In this post I am going to share all about my favourite medium – Ink. Because it is Black Ink on White Paper usually, the Art works are also called Black and White Illustrations.
We have explored Zentangle Art, Doodle Art and Mandala Art in my previous posts. These Arts are mostly done in Ink. I have also shared about selecting Pens and Markers for your Art in another post. It is the main material for Ink Art. Ink and Paper are the only two materials required for Ink Art. For some techniques we may draw the initial sketch in pencil. Please refer to these posts for detailed information on these topics. It would be additional helpful information on Pen and Ink Drawings.
This time let’s take it a level higher. Explaining in simple words we can say – creating Drawings, Illustrations and Sketches using Ink Pens and/or Ink with bamboo sticks or brushes is called Pen and Ink Drawings. Very good quality Ink Pens with a variety of nibs are easily available. We don’t have to use brushes or Inks from bottles anymore. This has led to a lot of people taking up many of these Art styles.
Tattoo Designs, Ink Illustrations, Stippling Art, Mandala Art, Doodle Art and Zentangle Art are all very popular on Social Media. We have many artists sharing these works made with Ink. Botanical Illustrations in Ink are loved by many.
Mandala Art
Floral Ink Illustration
Zentangle & Doodle Art
Stippling & Doodle Art
Mandala & Stippling Art
Floral Ink Drawing
Hand Drawn Ink Art by #artistniralimehta
Click here to view my virtual Art Gallery and see more of my Artworks. You may also visit my shops (links on the homepage) to buy my Art. My works of Art would make suitable Wall Art for contemporary spaces both Residential and Commercial.
Artist Pens have Inks that are fade-proof, water-proof and permanent and are available in all major colours. ‘Archival Inks’ as they are referred to are also fade-proof, water-proof and permanent Inks.
Earlier Ink artworks would be made using brushes or bamboo sticks dipped in Inks, just like Calligraphy. If it interests you, do read my earlier post on the Art of Calligraphy. Painting with those would have surely been more difficult. Pens that are available now make it much much easier to draw and paint. These Pens have become so much a part of our Artworks that we use them even for something like just giving an outline or darkening a pattern.
These Pens are available in a set as well as loose Pens. The ink, nibs and grip of Pens of all brands have a minor difference. I have used pens by almost all the major brands and have liked all of them. I use Micron Pens (Archival Inks) most often. I also use Pitt Artist Pens by Faber Castell for brush nibs and accented tips.
My other favourites would include Uni Pens and Winsor Newton Markers for a more Watercolour like finish. These are more like Artist choice Pens. It would be absolutely ok for students to do the same kind of Artwork with the other Pens or Markers that they regularly use. No problem at all. Permanent Ink is also available in bottles. We can still use the traditional method of writing or painting using Ink from bottles with brushes or bamboo sticks.
The Paper you select must be thick to absorb the Ink. Handmade Paper gives the authentic olden days look. If the Paper is thin the Ink bleeds or may move on the back side of the Paper too! The Pens should move smoothly and give a good finish to your bold and confident strokes.
A closer look at the making of one of my Ink Illustrations
Black and White does not mean just a dark black tone. It is important to shade and show dark light areas even in Ink drawings. For this we can use any one of the following techniques or we can create one of our own. The shading adds depth and makes it look 3D and more realistic. Sometimes people use a black colour pencil and shade the colour, it is an easier way out though. Like me you can also do a combination of two or more of these Ink Art techniques if you want. Here are some of the techniques :-
Ink Art Techniques
I am completely in awe of the Japanese Art of Ink Wash Painting. Also known as ‘Sumi-e’ Painting. It is typically monochrome, meaning it uses shades of black on handmade white paper. I was told that the Ink and brush and/or bamboo sticks used for this Painting are same as those that were used for the Art of Calligraphy in China in earlier days. ‘Ink Wash Painting’ as they called it is said to have began during the Tang Dynasty in China.
It was introduced to Japan by the Zen Buddhist Monks. Sumi-e Artists paint Nature, People and Places. Their brushes are special and different from regular brushes and it is all about these clear black strokes. I have been wanting to learn this Art since a long time. Let’s hope I get a chance soon, may be sometime in the future!
If you have any questions on how to use this medium, feel free to ask them in the comments below. Have an Arty Week!
If there was something like a ‘People’s Choice Award’ or an Award for the ‘Most Popular Paint’, I am sure it would go to Acrylic Paints. While the others are more natural dyes and colours, Acrylic Paint is synthetic and man made. It is easily available at stores selling Art Supplies as well as all Paint and Stationery Shops.
Poppy Flowers – An Acrylic Painting that I have done
Acrylic Paints vs. Oil Paints
Oil Paints take 7-10 days to dry completely. It is this quality of oil paint that helps in mixing colours and blending them. Any artist who has worked with oil paints will agree, it is this property that really helps in making those realistic paintings.
Oil paints have one major drawback ; by any chance if any little traces of water get trapped between the colours because of humidity then the painting develops moss. Refurbishing, Repairing or Repainting- nothing works.
Indian Mural Style Oil Painting. The ornaments are modelled from clay
When beginning a new oil painting, the canvas needs to be seasoned (sizing) to absorb oil. The more oil it absorbs the better finish. Whereas for Acrylic Paints we only need to use ‘Gesso’ to prime the base. Gesso is like a paint which when applied to any kind of surface prepares it for the paint to be applied. Last but not the least having a glass frame and making the frame airtight ensures that the Oil Painting stays well for longer. Acrylic does not have any such requirement.
Brushes and Palettes can be cleaned with water. If we get some paint on our hands or any surface while painting, it can be easily cleaned with water or removed with acetone. It usually petals off like a plastic coating. We all know that is not the case with oil paints. We need to keep a separate set of brushes for Oil Painting which cannot be used for anything else. On the other hand it is possible to have a common set of brushes for Watercolour and Acrylic Painting since both are water based paints.
Acrylic Paints vs. Watercolour Paints
It is possible to achieve a Watercolour like finish using Acrylic paints. We can mix the colour with different mediums such as Gel, Gloss, Matt, Pearl and so on to get different effects. We can create textures and even achieve the level transparency we want in the colours of the painting with Acrylic Paints.
This image is created from stock photos for explanation
Watercolour is basically for Painting on paper. Even after a painted layer dries, water can be used to mix or blend both colours. Water can be applied on the paper and then colour drops can be added, giving this grains effect. This painting method is suitable to Watercolours. So most artists specialising in Watercolour Painting will not want to use Acrylic Paints. Watercolours are also easy to work with, portable and can be carried along. The cake form is very compact and portable. Mixing of colours to get your shade is easily workable.
I use a mix of Watercolour and Acrylic Paints for my paintings listed on the shop for sale. You may visit my Etsy Shop or Social Media pages to see those.
Here are some of the reasons I think this Acrylic Paint is preferred equally for both Arts and Crafts :-
1) It has a unique property. It is soluble in water and hence diluted with water to paint. However once the paint dries the polymers bond to give a water-resistant painted surface.
2) Acrylic Paints can be used to paint on multiple surfaces including Canvas, Paper, Wood, Glass, Walls, Ceramic and Fabric. I have personally tried them on all of these. We need to seal the completed work with varnish and we are good to go.
Recycled this old plastic container by repainting with Acrylic Paints
3) We can select the consistency of the paint. The Acrylic Paints that are available in Tubes have a slightly thicker consistency as compared to those available in bottles. The ones in the bottles are liquid like pouring consistency. Both are Acrylic Paints and can be used together on all the projects. The pouring consistency colours work well for projects like Dot Painting and Fluid Art.
Roll up brush case I made from my old jeans. Dot painting with Acrylic Paints
4) These paints are available in smaller tubes of size 9ml to larger tubes with 40ml to 120ml. Also available in bottles and larger cans. We even get Acrylic Sprays. Art and Craft Schools and Studios can stock large containers while people who do one off projects can buy the smaller ones. Further if we run out on a particular shade, we can buy just that single shade too!
I use Artist quality Acrylic Paints by the brand ‘Camel’ or ‘Camlin’ because of its easy availability and reasonable pricing locally.
5) Water Resistant surface makes it easy to combine it with other art materials such as permanent markers or watercolours. Acrylic colours can be used on watercolour painted surface but not the other way around because for watercolours to work, the paper needs to absorb the water. Acrylic paints make the paper impermeable. Acrylic paints can be used alongside or as highlight on watercolour painted surfaces.
6) Acrylic Paints are preferred for creating textures. An artist can achieve the effect he wants with the colours – solid thick, translucent or transparent finish, all by mixing different quantities of mediums and/or water. It is like painting in layers. The bottom layer dries completely and then we paint the next layer. We can even paint a white on a black without the previous layer smudging at all.
A closer look and method for Knife Painting with Acrylic Paints
The fast drying property and thick paint consistency make it suitable for Impasto or Knife Painting. By using these methods of painting artists can create a good variety of textures. We can use ‘retarders’ to slow the drying process and increase the working time for blending.
7) Almost anything can be painted with Acrylic Paints. These paints can be used for Painting on pots, Painting Clay, Canvas Painting, Painting on Paper, Painting on T-Shirts and Tote Bags, Pebble Art, Wall Murals, Painting on Glass and Mirrors, Painting on Tiles, Mixed Media and a lot more variety of Art and Craft Projects.
Mixed Media Acrylic Painting. Flowers are modelled from clay
8) These colours remain unaffected by humidity or extreme cold or heat conditions.
9) Framing is optional. Hence we have wall mounting canvases. To clean it simply take a dry brush and lightly dust of the dirt that may have settled on it and it will be clean.
Wall Mounted Canvas – Knife Painting using Acrylic Paints
10) Variety of Colours and Shades. Mixing colours might not be a good idea because it dries very fast. So buy them in the colours or shades needed. There will usually be a whole shelf dedicated to it. Any colour that we need can be bought anytime. We get neon shades and glow in the dark paints too!
The only drawback with Acrylic paint is that the colours will dry out if the water from the colour evaporates or if the bottle is left idle, so cap them well. Remove the colours in disposable containers in the required quantities instead of painting directly from bottles and leaving large containers without the lid for long hours of painting.
Acrylics are easy to work with. Rectifying a mistake is also easier when using Acrylics, so it works well for beginners as well as professionals. I really don’t know what more can they offer to make these paints better. Definitely worth buying a box and trying out some Art projects. I have shared some of the recent Projects that I have worked on using Acrylic Paints. All these are still with me and not for Sale. The paintings for sale on the shops are different. These are all from my personal collection.
Ever looked at your finished Art and thought something is missing. Somehow I am not completely happy with it. There could be something to improve but I just don’t know what? Further sometimes we don’t even know where to look, which part of it needs to be fine tuned. If we work on one portion, something else looks out of place. I know this feeling, it happens.
So do you know how to get it right? That is the question I am going to try and answer in this post. In this article when I say Artwork: it means Drawing, Painting and Sketching. And when I say object- it refers to whatever we are drawing, painting or sketching. I don’t have a checklist of any kind but I can definitely tell you the five ways to fine tune your Artwork in order to improve and make it better based on my learnings and experience.
These are also the observations we need to make when doing Art. If you observe these and are able to check them right, not only would you be good at Art but also find it easy to understand and learn different Art styles. This is more or less an exhaustive list. It does have sub topics or points. In a way it is also 5 mistakes to avoid while making Art.
It is like a grade meter, how much fine tuning is required for each of the parameters will have to be determined by you. That is because it is to your taste. Over a period of time with observation and experience you will be able to decide your own parameters for each of these. Perfection isn’t when all of it is present, it is when all of it is in the right quantities. So let’s begin listing them.
1. Shapes and Patterns
Everything has a main outer shape and maybe more smaller shapes. It is important to observe this. First we draw this main shape and then do the details. Consider it as rough work to your final answer. This also helps decide the placement for various objects in the Picture. You can also take them as a marking of the space each object can take on the canvas. It is important to place things evenly or rather correctly space them out on the canvas. Most people make the mistake of skipping this step and begin to draw directly.
Let’s consider drawing something like ‘My House’. If you are drawing this landscape, make the large main shapes of the tree, the fence, the house, the sun or sky, the human with his pet, the ground and so on. Then add the details. Erase the rough work. It is the correct method to draw.
Some videos on the Internet will show super awesome Artists who complete one particular corner of the art with full finished details while the rest of the canvas is blank. Wow! They are super humans but we are normal humans and this is how we draw. It is mostly a digitally edited video, very rarely can anyone draw like that. They need to get into the book of records for such exemplary skill if they really can. For the rest of the normal people this is the first step for drawing anything.
Everything in nature has a pattern. So for example when you draw a flower. Look for this main shape of a circle or an ellipse. See the pattern of the petals are they – above or below, in odd numbers or even. See the shape of the petals – pointed or round, long or circular. Further see the centre of the flower and look for a shape there. The pollens will have a pattern – are all of them in the same direction, how many turn right or left. These things we need to observe and then when we draw, we match it with our reference.
2. Proportions and Scale
Many people confuse these terms. So in another words it is the size and ratio of the objects drawn. So in your landscape a bird cannot look bigger than the tree, that is scale. Now how much space of the tree is the branches and how much the leaves – that is proportion. That is what we need to observe. How the object looks in context with the other objects in the picture and what are the proportions of its own parts. When drawing a human face you would note the proportion of the eyes to the eyebrows, the nose and lips. The scale would be the size of the actual face. They are connected and not used in isolation.
3. Perspectives and Backgrounds
Which angle or point are you looking at it from? Top or bottom, right or extreme right. The distance- up close or far away. The objects which are closer are detailed, while the objects farther away at a distance in the background may not have all the details. If you draw details of all the objects in a picture, it is like keeping everyone in the front row. It will look like everyone is shouting for attention. The focus is always on some objects in the front and less on those in the background. Artworks with backgrounds look complete.
Perspective adds depth. The third dimension or 3D. This makes the object look natural as against flat image. 3D means 3 axis – X axis, Y axis and Z axis. Length, width and depth or thickness. The most common example is if you draw a rectangle. Now try imagining this as a box, as that of the wall of a house or this wall Humpty is sitting on.
Your position while looking at the object determines how it is visible to you. For example four different people looking at a car from four different spots – the top, from the right, the left and the bottom will all draw it differently based on what they see. Correct? What your view is, is your perspective. This brings about a balance in the picture.
4. Light, Shadows and Highlights
In one picture there can be one source or two sources of light. Two when there is one natural source like the Sun and two when there is a light fitted or the created source. The light coming from any point does not fall equally on all the objects. The rays fall in a straight line and not in curves. So the whole picture has be in sync with it. The Shadow of an object is determined by the direction of the light and also falls straight. Depending on the position, the size of the shadow will change. There could be a situation where the shadow of one object also falls on another.
There is something called highlight – when a significant portion of the light falls at a spot and it almost looks white. We colour or shade from light to dark or dark to light and then add the shadows and highlights. This adds depth to the painting. Also observe how an object reflects the light. The texture and surface of the object determines that.
It really looks funny when all objects have different sources of light and random shadows. There has to be a flow in the picture.
5. Colours, Shades and Tones
Tones is Dark, medium and light. This is determined by the source of light in your picture. When you do an artwork in black and white it will still have these. The gradient is smooth and blending it is important. Where we want to show it as blocks, we make sure the edges are crisp. When we colour the objects, we can try as much as possible to match the exact colour to the real object. Mixing of colours to make various tints, tones and shades can be understood with the help of the colour wheel.
There should be a contrast between the dark, medium and light tones otherwise the image will look flat. Meaning how dark the colour looks against the medium tone colour. Whether the difference is significant or very little. Sometimes all you need to do is make the dark shade a bit darker. A pro tip here is not all colours can be made lighter by adding white or darker by adding black. When you observe an object see the dark colour, does it have traces of other shades. For example the dark colour could be brown with little of green and not always necessarily black.
These topics need to be studied in detail. The only way to understand these is to observe and try it out practically. Now that you have basic information about these, the next time you are drawing, sketching or painting look and observe these things in your Artwork. Whatever you are drawing – be it a portrait, a landscape, an object, nature or design. Check for these and mark the difference with your Art as against your reference. Your artwork will show significant improvements.
If possible, take an object like a flower or a vase or a pen or a bottle or a landscape picture, keep in it front of you and then read this article once again while observing these and mentally making a marking of each. Then begin to draw. It isn’t a one time exercise, you keep going back and forth. I am sure you will be pleased with the outcome. There is a possibility that after years of practice some artists can do a mental calculation of these. After all Art is about being able to imagine that object on your canvas, so that you can draw and paint it.
In the Holiday mood, I am also going to take a break next week. Most people have already signed off till New Years. As a shop owners, we are busy making products, posting on social media, settling accounts, packing, shipping and making new and the cycle continues year round. That makes us use our phones for long hours at work. A little digital detox to spend time with yourself, family and nature can rejuvenate us.
My Desk! It’s Christmas 🎄
And we can come back in the New Year refreshed and charged up for another year ahead. Many people also use this time to upgrade their skills, read up on books they always wanted to. I started my Blog this year in September 2020. I have 17 Posts by now. The response to the Blog has been overwhelming. It’s been a good journey with your love, support and encouragement.
So I thought I would do this year in a review post. Helps me connect with the new followers too! Here is a list of the posts I have done on Arts and Crafts so far. You may click on the title to go to the post. All these are listed on my Blog page – ‘The Art Life’
How to select Art Material for Charcoal and Pastels Painting? Explaining the technical names along with their similarities and differences with other Pencils used in Art.
Dr. Wilona Annunciation, a practising Psychiatrist is our Guest Blogger this week. She shares her experience and thoughts on Mental Health and healing with Art – Art Therapy.
As the title says I’m sharing three Arts I feel everyone can try. It requires no prior experience or knowledge in Art. One can begin any time. Easy to learn and there is no right or wrong here. I’m talking about Doodle Art, Zentangle Art and Mandala Art.
Sharing what I learnt when I studied the Copyright Law in simple language for everyone to understand. Tried to keep it to our daily language of conversation while introducing the main topics to read up on.
Learning this beautiful unique visual art related to writing. Answering your questions on Calligraphy- What is it? Where to start? What materials to buy? And more
Four Books I can recommend for Arts and Crafts Lovers. You may want to buy these and learn a new skill – Sewing, Candle Making, Gift Wrapping and Napkin Folding.
Learn about the Art of Paper Quilling and it’s world of infinite possibilities. A Step-by-Step tutorial to making two basic types of beads with explanations to the other varieties. We make a Christmas Tree Ornament using the crafting methods we learn.
A list of all the Posts on the Blog so far. Easy links to the posts in case you missed out on any.
So just in case you missed out on reading any of them, you still can. Please note the Blog page shows only the last 10posts and so to see the previous ones you may use the links above or scroll to previous posts.
If you like reading my posts and wish to continue our association, you may click follow or subscribe to the Blog. This will make the posts come to your Email Inbox and you may read them at your convenience.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
December Calendar with a Christmas Wreath that I created Digitally
This is an Instant Digital Download (JPEG) File that can be purchased at my Etsy Shop NMARTWORKS Picture Format opens with any Photo Editing Software. Once you pay, you can instantly download and use.
Jingle Bells! Jingle Bells! Jingle all the way! Yay! Christmas is coming! And with Christmas comes creativity. I see such amazing Art and Craft ideas on social media. There is so much one can make and do. It is also the time for Gifts. What is the best gift for an Artist? Yes! Art Material. I did a post on Pencils and Pastels earlier. Based on that many friends asked me to do one on Pens and Markers.
We usually refer to Pens and Markers by the name of the brand. That makes it difficult to do a post without mentioning any of the names. In every country there is a particular brand that is popular and widely used by all Artists from that Country. Ink Artists, Illustrators, Manga Artists, Architects, Interior Designers, Fashion Designers, Calligraphers, Students, Crafters and maybe more – All of them use Pens and Markers for their rendering.
If you have read my previous post you would know that this is an all you want to know information post and not a product review or an endorsement post. I was thinking about how to do this post without sounding repetitive? So I thought it would be best to do this in a Q&A format. I have tried my best to answer all the questions that I think can pop up while buying Pens and Markers. In case you have more questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments.
The different nibs of Pens and Markers
These are some of my Pens and Markers I arranged to click a picture.
1. Are Pens and Markers different? Hmm, well actually not. They are called Pens or Felt Pens or Sketch Pens or Markers – different names in different countries. They are all Pens available in colours, black, white, glitter and neon shades. The terms are used interchangeably. Like I said we usually call them by the brand name and not as Pens or Markers.
2. Do we get Artist Quality and Student Quality? Technically Yes! But they aren’t really labelled as such. Pens positioned as Artist Pens are Artist quality while the regular ones are Student quality. The pigment, colour and finish for an Artist Pen is better. We also get Industrial Grade Markers. This determines the price points.
3. What mediums are used? We get Oil Based, Water Based, Alcohol Based Pens and Markers. There are Gel Pens, Permanent Ink Pens, Waterproof Ink Pens, Washable Ink and Water Soluble Ink Pens and Markers. The Ink Technology and Ink is different in all of these. That is why two Pens of different brands – both with Waterproof Inks will give different results.
4. Individual or Set? If you are trying a new brand for the first time, it is best to buy different pens individually and try them out. They have testers kept with papers to try them at all stores. I even try the fresh pack Pen before buying to check the nib and ink. The manufacturing dates, import dates and other details are not clearly visible on single pieces. This makes it better to buy them in a set. The drawback is we are not allowed to open a set and try it out. It makes complete sense to buy individual pens to try and once you short list and select which brand you want, it is better to buy them in a set.
5. Which brands are good? I have tried Pens by almost all the well known brands. All of them are good. Brand Loyalty is very strong for Pens and Markers. I have understood that each Pen has Ink that works very well for a purpose. Depending on your use and Artwork you would have to select Pens that suit you by the Trial and Error method. The Art store usually stocks more of the popular ones and of course you know why. Further your location will play a big factor in your selection. Not all brands are available in all countries. Sometimes the Pens that are being imported regularly go out of stock or are priced too high.
6. What do they mean by the numbers on the Pens? The numbers indicate the nib size: for example 01 means a nib for drawing a 1mm thick line while 03 means a nib with 3mm thick line. We also get accented nibs, brush nibs, round nibs and felt nibs. As mentioned above the construction material of the nib and the ink is different in all pens. Further some brands use the numbers for colour coding. We also get dual tip Markers – meaning two different usable nibs on both sides top and bottom.
All in all, it is best to try different Pens on the Paper, carry your own page if you like where you have tried various Pens and buy the ones you think will work best for your work. I have already explained where and how to use each of the mediums in the previous post. Like, if you want the colours to blend: use the watercolour ones while if you don’t want the ink running, best to use the permanent waterproof ink Pens. Even in a simple brush nib Pen we get a lot of variety.
My scribbles trying out Pens in rough
The sponge of a brush tip Pen is different by all brands. I usually select a Pen with a medium hardness brush nib. I would like it to turn with pressure but not fray resulting the sponge in tatters. Constantly applying too much pressure on the Pens with very hard nibs can result in sore hands. That is what I meant when I said select Pens that one feels is most comfortable using.
Another important thing to see and note is how the Ink spreads on different papers. Do we get a smooth finish line or a dented one? Does the Ink bleed and spread or create blots and spots? When we apply two strokes next to each other – does the Ink mix or create patches? Does the Ink dry fast when applied or takes hours to dry? Artists would note all this. It makes a difference to their Artwork.
These are all small points but important to check before buying. Many times Art stores mix old and new pens when stocked in the individual Pens section. These pens are expensive and nobody wants to waste money buying a damaged nib or dried up ink Pen or Marker. It takes me at least 15-20mins selecting my Pens even when I know the brands. Last but not the least I compare prices and check for discounts if I buy more pieces. I run out of pens in about three to six months depending on how many Artworks I made. The Inks dry up after about three to five years, if kept lying around.
That lists about all the points I can think of that will help you make an informed purchase decision for the Pens and Markers. Ah! That’s too much. Give me one name and one set – if that is your buying style, I suggest pick any standard well known brand with other Stationery or Art Supplies and buy a set of their Markers. You can’t go wrong. It’s the same for students. However if Art and Craft is your passion, hobby or profession – the choice is yours! Have an Arty Weekend!
Special Tip: Always check the Cap is tightly closed before you put away your Pens and Markers after Use.
It’s an Art, a Visual Art but it looks like handwriting – Calligraphy. In simple words humans made markings with available tools as symbols. Later as characters and scripts developed they began to write using tools available to them. As our writing tools developed, the tools for Calligraphy also changed. Calligraphy is practiced in many countries. The tools they use, the writing styles and scripts differ. I find this art quite fascinating. This one is all about practice, practice and more practice.
I learnt the European Gothic Style of Calligraphy during my school days. Did it help me in any way? My handwriting was decently good and legible. My teacher insisted I use Ink Pens till 5th Grade, after which I was permitted to use ball point pens for writing my notes. I also used Ink Pens for Calligraphy. So it seemed like more fancy writing, just additional handwriting practice in the beginning. I could use it for my school projects. My mom insisted I use my fancy writing skills on Greeting Cards, Gift Tags and Envelopes exchanged on occasions. Gained some love and appreciation there!
Different Styles, Different Nib Sizes
Today, I don’t remember writing an entire page by hand in a long time. Fonts – Typography, Logos and Signatures – Lettering and Graphic Designing. Learning Calligraphy helped me here! I agree, we now use digital tools for these but the basic knowledge remains the same. It gave me finesse in holding the pen, the brush and now the digital pencil. The digital sensors correct the breaks in the strokes and make it look flawless. Even I prefer using the digital tools. I don’t think it is easy to compete against a computer opponent in this case. The computer would win! It has made Typography and Graphics much much simpler and faster. This makes a handmade version – handwritten Calligraphy by a Calligraphy Artist a rare find – unique and beautiful; just watching a Calligraphy Artist paint can be a visual treat by itself.
Now even schools are online, we don’t even use the pen for signatures. We are almost forgetting what it is like to hold a pen. Calligraphy is now mostly used to write names on wedding cards. Even for those we now use digital fonts and print them. So why should I learn it? If that is your argument, then I have to say “Learning this Art has helped me improve my creativity and artistic skills. I don’t think I could have done it any other way. I’m glad I learnt it.”
Brush Pens – Ruffed Brush Tip
Brush Calligraphy is quite popular. Brush Calligraphy and Modern Calligraphy are different. Calligraphy is mostly referred to when using a Pen to write, while you use the brush or brush tip pens to write in Brush Calligraphy. I don’t want to get into the terms and definitions but say that learning one will be different from learning the other. So try your hand at Traditional and Modern Calligraphy as well as Brush Calligraphy. You could be better at one than the other.
Where to start and how to learn this? What material would I require? Is it very expensive to pursue this Art? Do you teach? Wait! Wait! I shall try and answer all these questions. They say ‘Teaching is the best way to learn’. That is why I taught some of my close friends whatever I knew about Calligraphy. It was my first ever experience in teaching. It is always better if you can find someone to teach you this Art but if you cannot then the next best thing is to buy a Book. This Art is all about practising. A teacher would also need just one or two sessions – to show you how to hold the pen, how to make the strokes, show you one or two writing styles. The rest depends on your interest and practice. A book will do that and may be show you more writing styles to practice.
Calligraphy Art – My Desk
A Calligraphy Set would have one Ink Pen, changeable Nibs of different sizes and Ink Tubes. This is the smallest set. Larger sets with additional tools are also available. A ready set is most likely to include a book with at least one writing style. This will be a very basic one. Then you can download practice sheets available online. We used regular Ink Pens. We bought Calligraphy (4-6 different size) Nibs. See the loose nibs in the picture, I still have them. The Ink was permanent Blue or Black Ink (regular Ink Pot). We even got nib cutters to cut the nib. Unfortunately loose or only Calligraphy Nibs are not available anymore. So you could buy the most basic Calligraphy Set and a good book with different writing styles and practice sheets.
Wow! Why are these Ink Pens expensive? The nib of a Calligraphy Pen is accented. It gives a thin upstroke and a thick downstroke. For larger font size one needs a broader or larger nib size. To begin with nib sizes 1& 2 are good to write in regular handwriting books. The red blue ruled books we use when we learn handwriting are perfect to learn Calligraphy too. Then of course you would just need a single line ruled book or no lines as you progress. This part is similar to our handwriting practice books.
Calligraphy with Markers
We get sketch pens or markers with accented tips too. These are used for Calligraphy. The difference is the tip is much softer and so the pressure to be applied is different. The pressure applied to write with a writing instrument that has a metal tip, wooden tip or fibre tip will always be different. Similarly brushes are used for Brush Calligraphy. We get Brush tip markers too. It is cheaper to get markers and we can always use them for other Arts and Crafts. One of the reasons Brush Calligraphy is popular. If Calligraphy really interests you and you wish to take it to another level, you may want to invest in a Traditional Calligraphy Pen and perhaps get trained with a professional Calligraphy Artist.
One special tip here : All these pens will be labelled as Calligraphy Pens on their pack at the Art Store. So the onus is on us to select what we are looking for. We definitely don’t need all of them. Best to buy a book and then the Pens if that makes more sense. Choose the writing instrument you are most comfortable using.
The Ink, the Paper, the Writing Instrument and most importantly your Style of Writing. All of this matters in Calligraphy. Even if I write the same thing, with the same pen on a different paper or with different ink or by applying different pressure, the result will be different each time. Hence only with practice and experience an Artist will be able to create those amazing works.
All said and done. This amazing Art seems to be dying out and getting replaced with digital forms. It may be difficult to find a tutor but don’t give up. In the end it will all be worth it – an enriched learning experience. Have an Arty Weekend!
Diwali is here! Diwali is an Indian Festival celebrated for 4-5days. Like every other Indian Festival this one has a story too. It was a celebration when Prince Rama returned home after completing 14yrs in exile and defeating his strongest enemy Raavan. So his whole Kingdom – The Kingdom of Ayodhya (then included India) was decorated with lights and colours to celebrate his arrival and victory. We also celebrate a New Calendar Year. Everything is closed for the Holidays just like Christmas- New Years. We exchange gifts, sweets, wishes and celebrate.
Diwali theme Rangoli – Ram Sita
My favourite thing about Diwali is ‘Rangoli’. These are artistic designs we create on the floors with materials like rice paste, flowers, coloured salt, white or coloured stone powder or paints. Almost every home and office makes these designs at the entrance. It is believed to attract positive vibes. Different types of Rangolis :-
1) Floating Rangoli with Flowers and Floating Diyas
2) Rangoli made using petals of different Flowers
3) Rangoli from Quartz or Stone Powder
4) Kolam – White Powder usually but can be coloured also
5) Alpana – White Paste from Rice flour or Paint
6) Readymade Rangoli
They are different in terms of the material used and the designs. I have tried my hand at all of these at some point of time. Beginners can try the flower ones and floating ones. They are relatively simpler. With a higher level of difficulty one can try Kolam and Alpana and then of course the traditional regular colourful designs done with coloured powder. Shading and making realistic paintings are of the highest difficulty level.
The making of my Ram Sita theme Rangoli Art
We get various tools that help us in making the Rangoli. We also get stencils to assist the process. More so we even get ready made stickers or Rangoli pieces to assemble. One such variety is the the one with decorated acrylic pieces or cardboard pieces. These are just to be placed on the floor as per your choice.
‘Art remains, only the tools keep changing’
However I don’t get my creative satisfaction until I make one like the traditional ones with coloured powder. The Internet is overflowing with tutorials and designs for Rangolis. I do browse through to find some ideas and inspiration, then add my hard work and special touch to them. That is why I say ‘Art remains, only the tools keep changing’. Sharing my Rangoli Art works.
Rangoli Art – I made these too 😀
Wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali and a Prosperous New Year! I do have some Digital Downloads at my Etsy shop with Diwali designs. Creative Adults are all children at heart. So here’s wishing everyone a very Happy Children’s Day too! Have an Arty Weekend!
Looking up something! Type in your query in the search bar and within seconds, a million responses to your query will pop up. During my school days my teacher would collect drawings and paintings from various places to show me and ask me to practice. As they say ‘No one is born knowing it all. We have to see, learn or experience it to know better.’ That task in today’s world can be done from the comfort of our homes with just a click of the button. Very little effort or almost nil compared to earlier days. Then again there is a universal truth that no one likes to be copied – not even someone who themselves copied. I have read the ‘Do not Copy’ disclaimer on pages of Artists who have otherwise copied Artworks of other Artists.
Well then, is it possible for everyone to draw from their mind? Are they really inventing and innovating something totally new each time? All these arguments happen. They ask me ‘So are you really for or against Copyrights?’ I would say both. And the Copyright Law was also works like that. It means a person who has put in their hard work, time and money into creating something must receive their due credits for it. Nevertheless people must be encouraged to learn from one another to build on something existing for the development of the society as well. Hence certain permitted use of copyrighted works.
The Berne Convention is the International Agreement governing Copyrights and 179 nations are Parties to it. It formally mandates the details of the Copyright Law. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act intended as anti-piracy law also needs to be read alongside the Copyright Laws. If I continue talking in the formal tone or legal language, not many people will understand. I wanted to simplify it so that even a person who is not from the field can easily understand.
Here is what I learnt studying The Copyright Law :
So if you like someone’s Artwork, appreciate it and like it. Do not call it yours! That is stealing. Of course like any other kind of stealing it is a wrong doing. The law is to protect the creators from such theft. Every Artist has the right to be called the creator for their work and no matter what rights they license or surrender, this right stays with them.
If you imitate an artist, dedicate it to them, credit your references. Always remember you will be known as an imitation and an original is always worth more. The only time it is ok to imitate is when you are learning. That comes under Fair Use. However if your account states ‘artwork for sale’ or ‘open to collaborations’ or ‘artist – do not copy’ then your intentions are clear. It is not considered Fair Use. If it is fan art or a parody, it has to be mentioned clearly. The purpose, nature, amount and the monetary effect are all considered to know the intention.
Copycat- Mindless Act of Copying
If you were inspired by someone’s Art. And you used your creativity to create something different but similar. This is determined by substantial similarity test. So if the work looks very similar to be mistaken as one for another it might be considered copied. The new image search technology is so good that works with substantial copying are shown in the ‘works similar to yours’ search results right away.
One important thing to understand is Copyrights is about protecting the right of the creator so that he earns his rightful due from his work – in monetary terms. So if you are selling and making money by copying other people’s work, it may land you in trouble. I really don’t know if you wish to put your business at stake by doing something like that.
Social Media have a ‘Report Copyright Infringement Button’ where one can report if they feel their rights have been infringed. You would have to prove your rights in the Artwork. Digital image scanning with technology like Google Lens makes it easy to spot copied artworks. There are apps and softwares for these kind of searches. Companies have full time professionals dedicated to each of these tasks. The Media and Entertainment Industry is one of the major Industries across the Globe. Their works are protected under Copyrights. I think among all the other Acts of Intellectual Property Rights the Copyright Act is very well drafted and very adaptive to the changes.
Always repost with credits. If an Artwork has a watermark or a logo, it means it was to discourage from copying. That doesn’t mean works without watermarks do not have Copyrights. Copyrights are valid up to 70yrs after the death of the author, after which artworks fall into the public domain. After extensive lobbying by Disney ‘The Mickey Mouse Protection Act’ came into effect thereby protecting works of corporate authorship till 120yrs of creation or 95yrs of publication whichever is earlier.
Last but not the least, there is a school of thought that believes in sharing their works by giving some access and rights, so that others can use their works. Creative Commons let users use their works for free to build other new works. I think these have helped many creations and innovations. Some really amazing ones.
There is also something called Open Licenses where a standardised license with pre-determined conditions is used to license Artworks. By clicking the ‘I agree button’ we agree to their Terms & Conditions. Whether the Copyrights Model works or not, whether such protection is necessary or not – I don’t know. All I know is there is something called Copyrights. So be creative and do not copy!
It’s been tiring juggling work from home alongside family and home responsibilities. The last few months have been difficult for all of us. We need activities to do individually or as a family. Something to refresh and take a break. In the process if we get to learn and grow, it would be a bonus – right! Stepping out is a big No-No. That leaves us with very little to do apart from the mundane daily tasks. In this article I am sharing three Arts that I feel everyone can give a try! Doesn’t need any prior training or experience and are very popular.
These are my top three because; Materials required for these would be easily available at home. In case you wish to purchase the material locally or online, it is standard and easily available. The selection is quite simple and specific. Another reason I like these is because there is no right or wrong here, just beautiful Artworks. They don’t have to look like anything or have any logical sense. Loads and loads of free online tutorials and reference material is available. Further all of them help de-stress, develop creativity, improve skills and most importantly give a sense of accomplishment – a feeling of having created something. It builds confidence, develops brain power and directly or indirectly keeps one more joyful and happy.
So here is my list :-
1) Doodle Art : All of us would have tried drawing something at some point of time. Whether it was good or bad doesn’t matter. Without making a conscious effort or scribbling while your mind is pre occupied with something else is called ‘Doodling’. The Art is called ‘Doodles’ or ‘Doodle Art’. It can help express emotions. I scribble cute animals, flowers, hearts, stars and anything else that comes to my mind in my notebooks. These were my school, then university and even office notes and not drawing books. I memorised the data with the help of those diagrams. Making doodles on otherwise boring black white pages helped me do a recap of the matter on that page. In the exam we can draw these on the rough page or if it is a fair diagram, representing it graphically gained me extra marks for the answers.
Leaves Doodle Art – My scribbles
Even today when I do brainstorming for ideas, I scribble it in my notepad. I do post my midnight scribbles on social media. Emojis, Infographics and Designs are some of the applications that come to my mind. It is continuously drawing whatever comes to your mind without a logical explanation or making sense out of it. Many people often mistake it with hand drawn Art. It requires only a pen and paper. For the first time we can search the Internet to make a beginning somewhere. Draw anything you like or connect with. It will not look the same. Big ears, small eyes everything is allowed. It is your art and you decide how you want it. It is all good as long as you like it.
Zentangle and Doodle Artworks that I have done
3) Zentangle Art : Patterns or Designs made by repetitive lines or curves. These are used to fill objects. We don’t need to know shapes, shade and light, perspective or any other information about drawing. For the first one,draw small equal squares using a ruler and pencil or pen on your paper. Keep a constant white border between these squares. Then draw any combination of dots, lines and squares to create patterns or designs. A simple challenge to make it interesting would be to make sure no two patterns on this page are exactly the same. They can be similar. Here again these are designs and fills. There is no need for it to look correct or real. Each piece is a work of Art. I once did these patterns on a sheet of paper, removed photocopies or prints of the Art, laminated it and used them as placemats for my home. I have made bookmarks with these too.
My Mandala Art
4) Mandala Art : Mandala Art has religious significance and origin. However often people just refer to a circular pattern when they say Mandala Art. One can try this Art without any connection to the religious beliefs – just as a random circular geometric pattern. To draw this we would need a pencil, a pen, paper and measuring tools to make a grid. If you wish to make it colourful you can use colour pencils and coloured pens of your choice. We need to prepare a grid using a compass, protractor, ruler and pencil. After this there are a million permutation combinations or possibilities resulting by connecting the intersection points of the grid using lines and curves through repetitive patterns. There are patterns and designs and represent nothing otherwise. I draw a lot of these both by hand and digitally. They are considered therapeutic. Can be used to decorate different things as well.
Mandala Art with white pens on black paper – Reverse
If we look carefully we will find so many patterns by Mother Nature. The number of possible combinations in patterns and designs are so vast that one can definitely find a few strokes that are easy and manageable. The Artwork can be a combination of these. There isn’t any need to follow any specific rules to classify the Art as just one of them. Many people use the terms interchangeably also. I have a lot of practice and training in these but I am sure even beginners will be able to do a pretty good job. There is nothing like right or wrong here. I understand it is difficult to know where and how to begin with when it is the first time. As we do more, our hand or our strokes develop and we grow. Keep your first piece next to something you made after a few months of practice and you will notice your growth.
DIY Zentangle Bookmark PatternDIY Mandala Art with grid making
Apart from the above, the one important thing that you will definitely need is your zeal and enthusiasm for Art. The idea was to introduce these and develop your interest in them. I hope I managed to interest you enough, so that you look up and give the Arts a try. These Arts require focus and patience. So to begin with I would suggest selecting simple projects. I have shared two DIY projects you could try. I have purposely kept them naturally imperfect to show that it doesn’t really matter. The only thing that matters is : You enjoy! Have an Arty Weekend!
Ever since I can recollect my Art kit goes with me wherever I go. It evolved over the years, a few tools got added, a few subtracted but till date I have a pouch that has my pencils, pens and colours that go with me even if I am on a holiday trip. I don’t know how that sounds but it is like packing toothbrush and essentials for me. I guess that is what it is when you are passionate about Art.
A sketchbook or some paper sheets and some Art Tools is what my portable Art Kit includes. Initially the Art kit would include pencils in 2B, 4B and 6B lead tips and an eraser. This much is enough for making Art using the pencil shading technique.
Then I added a box of watercolour cakes with primary colours and two round brushes – one in size 2 and another in 6 or 8, a black Ink brush pen or any outliner pen that you would like to use. This much is enough for making Watercolour Art. I understand you know that a pencil and eraser to draw or make some marking before colouring are already there.
The Art kit that I now carry along with me is a combination of the two above. It includes the three pencils, a magic eraser, Ink pens for Artists in three nib sizes along with my sketchbook. Sometimes I also take along the watercolour box and a brush. All this fits in a pouch or zipper pencil case. It does not contain water or any liquids so it is suitable to carry easily in the handbag while travelling. Something like a makeup kit. Pointed objects like compass or rounder and sharpeners are not allowed when you travel by air, so make sure you don’t carry them along if you are travelling by air.
There are trips planned for artists now a days and many artists do Art on the go. So the next time you see a beautiful scenery and want to put it on paper or just want to pass time at a waiting lounge you know your Art kit will come handy.
Sharing a some pictures from my A5 sketchbook done on the go!
NMartworks 