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The Sgraffito technique is a great idea for an art lesson, for it is a novel way of enjoying paint. Not only does Sgraffito exploit the texture of the paint, it can also be used for decorative purposes, expressing patterns, movement and injecting energy into the painting. Traditionally, the Sgraffito technique was used to decorate pottery and ceramics, but it is also a great technique for painting.

Lesson Plan on Sgraffito

The art teacher may firstly explain to the class that Sgraffito is simply a painting method whereby the upper layer of paint is scratched off to reveal a different colour or texture beneath. Any scratching tool can be used for Sgraffito, including old toothbrushes, combs, toothpicks, palette knives or the other end of the brush.

Add Texture to Paint

Sgraffito can be used for several painting effects. The art teacher may show exemplars of different Sgraffito paintings and if necessary, conduct a painting demonstration in front of the class on how to use Sgraffito. The lesson will show that Sgraffito can be used to express:

• Texture
• Colour
• Energy
• Patterns

Demonstration Using Sgraffito

The texture of the Sgraffito can be enhanced when painting in impasto. Impasto means thick paint, the opposite of applying paint in thin washes. If using oil paint, impasto medium can be added to thicken the body of the paint. Alternatively, partially-dried acrylic paint can be used. Peaks and troughs can be etched into the paint in order to add texture and energy to the painting. If side-lit by a lamp, the texture of the painting will show up in sharp relief.

Experimental Art Activities for Adults

Sgraffito can also be used in a more decorative way by etching patterns such as swirls or crosshatches onto the upper layer of the paint in to reveal a different colour beneath. To use Sgraffito in this way, the painting surface must be prepared beforehand. This often means applying a contrasting colour onto the painting surface first.

If the painting is to be predominantly green, as in a landscape painting for example, a conflicting colour such as red or orange can be applied underneath. When the green paint is scratched off in strategic places, this contrasting colour will be revealed, adding energy and vibrancy to the painting. This under-layer of paint must be thoroughly dry before painting on top, or it may dirty the colour mixture of the final painting.

Art Materials Required for Sgraffito

In order to complete a painting in Sgraffito, the following resources are needed along with the usual painting materials:

• Any scratching tool, such as combs, stiff brushes, palette knives or plastic cutlery
• Acrylic paint
• Impasto medium is useful for emphasising texture
• Reference material such as an artistic influence, photographs or still life can be used. The composition must be kept simple.

Experimental Art Technique and Lesson on Painting with Sgraffito for Students

Students may find out for themselves how mark making will affect the painting. Using scratch marks to echo the outlines of the objects depicted, will add tension to the painting, as shown by the Expressionists. Munch’s The Scream is a good example. The French Fauves, such as Matisse’s paintings shows how mark-making to reveal a contrasting colour beneath can be used to add vibrancy to painting.

Art students may try out experimental art techniques in order to find inspiration for painting. Sgraffito is a great art activity for this purpose. Not only is it simple to do, but Sgraffito provides interesting painting effects. The only requirements are scratching tools, a paint thickener if texture is desired, and contrasting colours, if vibrancy is required. Experimenting with different techniques such as Sgraffito will inspire art students to explore other art techniques.

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Impressionist art is probably the single most popular genre of all purchased paintings for the home or office. It’s extremely easy art to live with, but not purely decorative. The technical brilliance of Impressionist art makes a piece like Vuillard’s Under the Trees more than just a pretty picture.

Impressionist Art, Now Mainstream, Began as Rebellion

The movement known as Impressionism was officially created in 1874, when a group of artists collectively exhibited art that shocked and appalled the academics. Rejecting the formality of the studio, these artists, which included Monet, Renoir, Morisot and Sisley, painted en plein air and concerned themselves with trying to capture the movement of light and shadow.

Monet is the grand master of Impressionist art, and his Woman with a Parasol perfectly exemplifies this aim. Everything is in movement: the grass, the woman’s dress, the clouds. It has the immediacy of a snapshot, combined with the technical precision of Monet’s use of pure color on a prepared background.

For Renoir, people were far more important than landscapes, and he particularly relished painting groups of people enjoying themselves outdoors. His work The Boating Party Lunch, for instance, captures a group of young, modern, middle-class people, each captured in their essence in one fleeting moment. For Renoir, even a relatively static portrait such as A Girl with a Watering Can has motion and change implied: she is not in the garden, really, but on the path out. He has captured that moment, that impression, for us, and she remains ever youthful and “about to be.”

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This article I have devoted towards free websites that offer making ideas for kids – for colouring, painting, modeling and for other creative kids activities. It is every parent’s predicament in summer vacation how to keep their children active in a creative way. I am no different, my daughter who is eight years old is full of energy and she needs constant engagement from the time she wakes up till she sleeps in night. So this summer myself and my daughter have sat in front of our lap top and started probing internet for free websites for colouring, modeling and other creative activities which a child likes.

Free websites for colouring, painting # 1
This website myself and my daughter both found to be a great free website meant for colouring and painting. This free website has been created for age group up to ten years. In this free website which every kid will enjoy, therefore it is my daughter recommendations to all her young friends.

http://www.uptoten.com/kids/coloringpage-mainindex.html

Free websites for colouring, painting # 2
Kidzpage.com is excellent free website for kids to put their creative young mind to work simultaneously kids enjoy the fun filled games, this free website my daughter has high esteem and she recommends it too. Please visit along with your kids to this free website for colouring & painting.

http://www.thekidzpage.com/colouring_menus/index.htm

Free websites for kids to learn sculpture #3
My daughter is good in sketching and painting in two dimension, but her joy and her creative young mind had no bonds , when she discovered she can also create three dimension models, by clay or playdough by joing this free website, she said dad communicate all my young friends about this free website.

http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/paintingchildrenpaintsartscraftstideasprojects.html

Free websites for kids to learn about birthday cards and ideas # 4
This is another good free website for kids to play games, learn decoration ideas, n birthday theme party tips, and 100 cool birthday cake ideas with photographs and step by step instructions as well as videos. Your kid can learn in this free website about pirate party and spooky and scary Halloween ideas.

http://www.groovy-kids-parties.com/

This free website also promises to provide tools for Parents to Create Lifelong Happy Memories in their kid’s heart.

Therefore I recommend all the parents to see the above mentioned free websites for creative development of their kids, as well as to bring smile and laughter in your child face. Let your child learn while having fun in participating in free websites for colouring, painting and other creative behavior.

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The Impressionists are clearly the most favored school of art in contemporary America, and of all the Impressionists, Monet paintings lead in popularity. Working in rapid brushstrokes over a canvas prepared with a white undercoat, Monet created paintings that are luminous, full of air and sunshine and motion. Monet’s Paintings is the true painter of light.

Who Was Claude Monet?

Claude Monet was born in  November 14, 1840 in Rue Laffite, Paris, France, and enrolled in the Académie Suisse. After an art exhibition in 1874, a critic insultingly dubbed Monet’s painting style “Impressionism,” since it was more concerned with form and bright than the known realism, and the term stuck. Monet struggled with deep depression, poverty and sickness throughout his life. He died in 1926 December 5, 1926, Giverny, France.

Monet’s Paintings: Waterlilies

Throughout his career, Monet loved to work in series. Whether the subject was haystacks, the Rouen Cathedral, or his own waterlily pond, he painted the same image over and over, studying the immense changes created only by light. Of all Monet paintings, the 1899 Waterlily Pond with the Japanese bridge is probably the most famous.

Rarely does great art intersect so completely with decorative art. This painting is technically a masterpiece. Its vertical and horizontal brushwork is carefully modulated, yet only the solid form of the bridge keeps it from tipping over into abstraction. Yet it is also a beautiful painting with an air of serenity and delight.

The very fact that Monet paintings are so universally loved puts them in danger of becoming banal pieces of decoration. Prints, especially, fail to capture the genius of the work. While no reproduction can recreate the power of the original (not least because of its immense size), a hand-painted reproduction in oils is more likely to retain some of the energy that makes them more than just “pretty.”

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We at Paintings studio more than happy to provide you 10 distressed painting technique tips. We hope you will enjoy!

Creating a distressed or aged look is a great way to add character or elegance to tired doors or furniture. You could just wait. You furniture will be distressed eventually, but if you don’t have 30 years or more there are a quite a few ways to go about creating a distressed look for your furniture. You could hire someone. There are painters who specialize in creating faux finishes. Hiring a professional to age your furniture can get expensive, so you might as well just do it yourself. Here are a few distressed painting technique tips to make creating a faux distressed look simple:

1. Make sure you sand the piece of furniture. Just because you’re applying a faux finish doesn’t mean you can skip steps. You will probably be able to skip applying primer, but you must be sure to sand the piece well.
2. There are a lot of different ways to create a faux distressed look. You can use a glaze, painter’s wax, a crackle glaze, and many other techniques. Decide exactly what kind of look you’re going for.
3. Before you paint, hit your local Sherwin Williams store. They have paints that create the faux finish you’re looking for without a lot of hassle. Some stores have videos you can borrow that will walk you through the process. Almost every Sherwin Williams store has books you can look at and associates that can demonstrate various techniques for you. They’re a great help when painting just about anything.
4. If you’re using a glaze to create a distressed look, use paint with a satin finish as your base coat. This will help the glaze go on smoothly. A flat paint will create a blotchy look.
5. The simplest way to create a faux aged look is to use sandpaper. Naturally, the areas of a piece of furniture exposed to sun will have a lighter shade. You can create this look by sanding the paint a bit. You can also paint a different color underneath the top coat and sand the top coat to let the contrasting color underneath show through.
6. Before you try your faux painting technique to your entire piece, try it on a small section first. This way you can see it before you waste the time and money to do the entire piece and make changes if you need to.
7. Using wallpaper paste, latex paint, gum Arabic, acrylic paint, a toothbrush and a hair dryer you can create a beautiful antique door. After you sand the door, apply a base coat of light colored water based paint. Let that dry over night. Apply a good coat of wallpaper paste and gum Arabic, letting this dry too. Once that coat is dry, apply a coat of off white latex paint, drying this coat with a hair dryer turned to high. It will crack. Next, apply an acrylic paint in some lighter shade of brown, depending on the look you want. Use an old toothbrush to lightly splatter a slightly darker color if you want.
8. If you’re going to use a sanding technique, make sure you sand the areas that are usually thinned naturally. Sand the high points and corners more than other areas and you will create a naturally aged look.
9. Add a darker antiquing glaze to a mixture of clear oil glaze and mineral spirits to create a simple, natural look. Apply more to the recessed sections. Wipe some of the glaze off the high points. This will darken the paint already on the piece, simulating the look of dirt and age.
10. Apply alternating layers of different 3 different colors of paint and tinted painter’s wax. Start with a layer of paint, then wax, another color of paint, wax, and a last color of paint. Once the last color of paint has dried, apply crackle paint. Once the crackle paint has dried you should sand areas to create an aged look. Once you’re done sanding, apply a last coat of painter’s wax to seal the piece.
    
    We hope that you enjoyed our article about Distressed Painting Technique Tips. If you have further questions, feel free to contact us.

Q. What is Louis IX in Simone Martini’s “St. Louis of Toulouse” (1317) doing?

A. Crowning Robert of Anjou. Little is known of the life of artist Simone Martini (c. 1284 – c. 1344), but he is famed as a major figure in the development of early Italian painting. He is believed to have been a student of Duccio, one of the most influential artists of his day and the creator of the stunning Maesta altarpiece in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Siena. Today the painting “St. Louis of Toulouse” can be visited in the Museo di Capodimonte, Naples.

Q. What is Joseph in the right wing of Robert Campin’s “Merode Altarpiece” (c. 1428) doing?

A. Making mouse-traps. Robert Campin (1375-1444) was the first great master of Early Netherlandish painting. The altarpiece can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Q. What is the baby Jesus Christ in Jan van Eyck’s “Madonna with Canon van der Paele” (1436) doing?

A. Pinioning the wings of a green parakeet (which is a symbol of sin). Today this sumptuously detailed painting can be seen at the Groeningemuseum in Bruges, Belgium

Q. What is the archangel Michael in Rogier van der Weyden’s “Last Judgment” (1450) doing?

A. Weighing in his scales the souls of the Saved and the Damned. Today viewers can see this painting by Dutch Renaissance master van der Weyden at the Musee de l’Hotel Dieu, Beaune in France.

Q. What is Niccolo da Tolentino in Paolo Uccello’s “Rout of San Romano” (c. 1456) doing?

A. Directing the attack of Florentine forces against the Sienese on June 1, 1432. Niccolo da Tolentino (1350-1435) was an Italian condottiere, or mercenary. He was hired by many Italian lords and is famous for the many battles he won on their behalf; “Rout of San Romano” serves as a memory of his heroism. Today the riotous and colorful painting, in which Niccolo can be seen in the center in charge of the Florentine army, can be visited at the National Gallery, London.

Q. What are the angels in Andrea Mantegna’s “Agony in the Garden” (c. 1460) doing?

A. Holding the instruments of Christ’s Passion. The Passion represents the suffering of Jesus Christ in the hours surrounding his death by crucifixion. In Mantegna’s depiction, angels in the sky are bringing the Instruments of the Passion to Christ while he’s at prayer and while the disciples sleep. The instruments include the cross upon which Jesus is hung, the column where Jesus is whipped, the vessel with the vinegar offered to the Lord, the sponge soaked with vinegar offered to him, and the spear used to pierce his side. In the background Judas is coming with soldiers to arrest Christ. Today the painting can be seen at the National Gallery, London.

Q. What is Flora in Botticelli’s “Primavera” (1482) doing?

A. Strewing flowers from her gathered skirts. This lovely work shouldn’t be missed at the Uffizi in Florence.

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Creating Digital Paintings Made Easy with the Pen & Ink App

Creating Digital Paintings is easy with the “Pen & Ink” application, by Stepping Stone Software, LLC, is a terrific low-cost approach to digital art creation with a focus on watercolor stylings. I use it on my iPad with a plain Bamboo stylus, and find it very easy to use to create digital paintings. The limited version of the app is available for free in the iTunes store, and to upgrade to the full version, the developer charges a reasonable fee of $2.99.

The app allows you to recreate the look of a watercolor painting with a great degree of realism in its brush strokes and textures. There are several tools it offers: two types of erasers, a pen, a pencil, and three types of paintbrushes. Each brush, when selected, allows you to choose the style of stroke/painting effect, the size of the brush, and the opacity of the color being applied.

From the options you can select, there are practically infinite variations of brush strokes and styles you can use to create a doodle or a masterpiece. You can draw with your finger, but I find that using a stylus (even a plain, inexpensive one like mine) helps in control and fine detail. You can also zoom in quite a bit, so creating finer details in your art is easy to do.

The app’s interface is simple and attractive, and though it doesn’t offer much in terms of options, you can learn to use it very quickly. Through trial and error, you can determine how best to create your art–and if you make a mistake, there’s always the “undo” button, which comes in handy when making a digital painting!

Though you can start with a blank canvas (the app also gives a handful of textured, realistic canvas backgrounds), you can also import a picture to work from in the background. You can’t change the transparency of the background image, though, and there are no layers to work with. The app does have its limitations, but overall, I find it to be not only fun to use but very satisfying in making vivid and realistic digital paintings.

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I have had my houses painted twice since I have been a homeowner by professional painting contractors . One was my primary residence and then I also had a rental home painted. When I was looking for a contractor to do it I checked out several. Here are a couple of the better ones that I have found and two that I have used. All use pretty good business models and have decent prices.

The first company of professional painting contractors I will profile is Paint Doctor. This company actually did the painting in my primary residence. The company has been in business for fifteen years and their owner Rich actually goes to each job at some point to supervise. This was one reason that I chose them for the job. They offer free estimates including phone estimates if you have measurements. They serve New Castle and Kent counties in Delaware, Cecil County in Maryland, In addition to painting; they also do carpeting, siding as well as doors and. windows. You can reach them at (302) 454-6400. And are open Monday through Friday until 6pm in the office, but work six days a week.

My house is part siding on the top level and stone on the bottom level. I had them paint the inside of the house and the siding part of the outside. They arrived on time and were very professional. The quality of the work was great and they offer a three year guarantee on their work, which I did not find many places doing. I was overall very happy with the job and would use them again.

Two Guys Construction is the next company that I would like to profile. I had them paint the inside of my rental property, which is a two unit ranch style house. They have been in business for eleven years, but their owner has extensive experience in painting and other construction projects. Their services include drywall, painting, roofing, siding, flooring, cabinet installation, and additions. They serve all of the state of Delaware and Southern New Jersey. I do not recall the exact amount I paid for the job, but I do recall that their prices were quite fair. The contractors conducted themselves very professionally and arrived on time and kept the house very neat. They can be reached at 302 674-1615. I was most impressed by the professionalism and quality of work they did for being a rather small company. I would recommend and use them again if needed. They will probably be doing a flooring project for me soon.

Pro Touch Painting has been used by a very good friend of mine for several rental properties that he has. They have been in business for twenty five years and do a pretty good business. They primarily do painting and drywall but also offer some other services like deck finishing. They offer a very good guarantee as far as the satisfaction of the customer goes and do not take payment until you are happy. I do believe they still would want to be paid, but that is what they advertise. They have always been very punctual and get jobs done on time. They offer free estimates and I have never heard of one being off by more than a few dollars and their prices are quite reasonable. I actually am thinking of possibly using them the next time they have a good deal going on some other rental properties that I acquire a rental property. From everything I have seen and heard they are a very good professional company. They have offices in both North Wilmington and Claymont Delaware. Pro Touch Painting can be reached at 302-792-9795 and 302-478-9362.

I have provided websites to the three companies that I profiled below.

http://www.paintdoctorde.com/

http://twoguysconstructioninc.com

http://www.protouch.biz

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Quick and easy crafts for rainy days that are a great time to do crafts with the kids. When my son was just about 6 years old, he was extra bored one day, and I just happened to be extra tired. He really wanted something to do, but I really wanted to something quick and easy and to keep him busy. His little face really wanted something interesting to do, and I wanted to make him happy. We decided on designing him a new shirt, one that he would paint himself.

This shirt was going to be his masterpiece. He planned it and was very excited to begin. Here are the supplies we used:

1 white t-shirt
Acrylic paints, assorted colors
Fabric medium
Stiff paintbrushes
Cardboard
Paper towels
Water cup
Paper plate
Newspapers

This is a super easy craft for any experience level and age, as long as properly supervised.

Since it was raining outside, and my kitchen table was already full of quick and easy crafts, we decided on using my newly mopped kitchen floor. My young son was ecstatic that he got to paint my kitchen floor! I reminded him to keep the paint on the shirt not my floor.

To prepare, he spread two layers of newspapers on the floor. While he did that, I placed a large piece of cardboard inside his white shirt. The shirt needed to be stretched, but not overly stretched to cause the cardboard to bend.

After that, I took out my vast collection of acrylic paints and let him pick five colors. He was very happy and picked some metallic colors and even a bright pumpkin orange. I taught him how to gently squirt the paint onto the paper plate and made sure he had the basics of dab-dab-dab after he rinsed his brush in the water cup. I followed the directions on the fabric medium and properly mixed it with each color on the paper plate. After putting on his painting smock, he was ready to paint.

I walked a safe distance away and let him plan his own design. It was fun to watch. He designed a very nice train and insisted that certain areas be the metallic colors. He used the gold paint to make the smoke/steam coming out of the stack. He wrote “ENGINE” below his masterpiece so everyone would know what it was. He was very proud.

I still have this shirt, even though he outgrew it years ago. At the time, he slept in his homemade shirt and proudly showed it off to everyone he could. This was a great way to introduce simple crafting to my young son and, to this day, he asks me if he can make another one. He is nine, almost ten, and now wants to teach his little sister how to make her own shirt.

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The 411 on Paintbrushes Rollers and Painting Pads

When that decorating bug bites and you decide to start with a fresh coat of paint, the painting tools you choose can make a big difference in the outcome of your work. This definitely includes with paintbrushes rollers and painting pads you choose. Buy the best quality painting tools you can afford. Those cheap brushes will leave streaks and loose bristles all over your painted surface!

Old-fashioned natural bristle paint brushes are perfect for oil-based paints. Natural bristles do not work well in water-based or latex paints. Natural bristles absorb water from the paint and become limp; in oil-based paint they retain the firmness necessary for the paint to flow correctly from the tips of the bristles.

Synthetic bristles are tapered and individually split on the painting ends so they can hold more paint and spread it smoothly. Hold a cheap synthetic paintbrush next to an expensive one, and the difference will be astounding. The expensive brush will have softer bristles, and more of them, tightly packed into the ferrule. The ferrule itself will probably be more tightly crimped. The bristle tips of an expensive brush will feel soft and hair-like; they will be split and feathered to provide more paint-capturing ability and smoother delivery of the paint onto the surface. You can use synthetic bristle paint brushes with any type of paint, so buying a few good brushes and taking care of them is a wise investment. Note: Keep brushes you use for oil-based and water-based paints separate. Residues from oil-based paint or cleaning solvents do not mix with water-based paint.

Painting pads are another choice. Pads are thin synthetic foam with short, hair-like bristles to spread paint evenly over flat surfaces. The pad fits onto a metal or plastic frame with a handle, so you can buy one handle assembly and replace pads as often as you need to. The pads are washable, but after several hours of use you will probably want to opt for a new one. Painting pads give a very smooth finish. Some pads have small “wheels” along the edge that act as guides along woodwork or at the ceiling/wall joint, and there are even pads in an “L” shape made specifically for painting inside corners.

Today’s paint rollers are wonderfully superior to the cardboard-core rollers of years ago. The newer plastic core rollers hold the nap firmly, and they give a sturdy rolling surface that doesn’t become limp. Plastic core rollers are washable and reusable, too. Water-based paints can be cleaned out of the nap with a little warm water and dishwashing liquid. Select the nap of your roller according to the desired finish on your wall. Short, smooth nap gives you smooth, even paint application. Thick nap was designed to cover textured walls/ceilings.

If you need to take a break from painting for a couple of days, place any of these tools in a plastic bag without cleaning off the paint, seal the bag, and put it in the freezer. You can store the brushes or tools in the freezer for a week or two. Simply thaw the brush (still in the sealed bag) at room temperature for at least an hour when you are ready to paint again. You’ll know when your brush or tool is ready to use when it becomes soft and flexible again. If you see frosty moisture crystals inside the bag, it may indicate an air leak, so check the condition of the painting tool before using it. If any of the paint dried while the tool was in freezer storage, you’ll want to clean or replace the tool.

Sources:
Personal experience finding and trying my own paint brushes rollers and painting pads
Home Depot paint department

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