The Inspiration of an Artist

By Penny Logan

Still life and seascapes, people and landscapes, children, construction workers and people walking on a beach. A variety of subjects fill the paintings of Chuck Rosenthal as he colors his scenes in oils and pastels.

As one looks at his paintings, one realizes he is a master of contrasts. Perhaps the painting of a woman on the beach with her child catches the eye, bright evening sunlight casting dark shadows. Or maybe a landscape makes the viewer linger, with the contrast of soft shadowy trees against a hard, straight, white building.

In an interview, Mr. Rosenthal was asked what inspired him to paint. The artist's answer was: contrasts. Particularly he mentioned "light and shade, contrasts of form (e.g., a broad, nondescript stretch of sky with strong geometric shapes silhouetted against it), counterpoint in the composition, subtleties of light, atmospheric effects on objects and in general, strong drawing, and objects receding into shadow and then erupting into the light."

What beautiful inspiration. His answer gives us some insight into what the artist sees when he looks at something. Try it yourself. Look closely as a person stands in the sunshine. Notice their hair. Notice where the hair is dark and where the hair is light. In sun, there are often parts of the hair that appear almost white, even if the person has dark hair. Notice how many variations of color there are in the person's hair, even though you know it is all one color. (That is, unless the lady has her hair highlighted.)

By doing the above, you will gain insight into how an artist views things, and what inspired Mr. Rosenthal's paintings. You can imagine capturing all those colors with paint on canvas.

Take a look again at Mr. Rosenthal's painting "Clearwater Construction Workers." That's contrast! The arched doorway shadows are almost black contrasted against the nearly white concrete of the sidewalks. The blue jeans that the workers are wearing exhibit similar contrasts - nearly white to black and all shades of blue in between. What wonderful colors.

Even the softness of the loose dirt contrasts against the hard concrete sidewalk. And the flowing soft lines of the men's clothing contrasts with the hard straight lines of the building and sidewalks.

There you have a secret of inspiration for painting, and a little look into how an artist views things. You can view others of Mr. Rosenthal's paintings and continue to observe the contrasts. And try viewing them in life. What fun! - 32620

About the Author:

To view fine art by Chuck Rosenthall, visit www.chuckrosenthalfineart.com

Using Color To Sell Your Home

By Jeanette Joy Fisher

When painting your home for resale, choosing the right colors can make a huge difference in your paycheck at closing. For instance, did you know that the exterior color of houses selling most quickly is a certain shade of yellow, but that choosing the wrong shade of yellow can kill a sale?

You'll find many brochures in paint stores, showing various combinations of exterior paint colors. But most people don't realize that most of those combinations actually include three colors, and not just two. Limiting your exterior paint scheme to just two colors also limits your income potential.

For a fast sale, think fun colors and go for a third, or even a fourth, exterior color. Think "Disneyland Main Street," where every shop is painted in glorious multi-colors. Adding more colors will also add definition to the various architectural details of your home. Use gloss or semi-gloss paint on wood trim.

The Psychology of Exterior Colors

When choosing exterior colors, take the sales price of your home into account. Certain colors, especially muted, complex shades, attract wealthy or highly-educated buyers, whereas buyers with less income or less education generally prefer simpler colors. A complex color contains tints of gray or brown, and usually requires more than one word to describe, such as "sage green," as opposed to "green."

On the other hand, simple colors are straightforward and pure. Generally, houses in the lower price range sell faster and for higher prices when painted in simple colors like yellow or tan, accented by white, blue, or green trim.

The Psychology of Interior Colors

Using colored, rather than bland, white walls will increase your profit potential. Lynette Jennings tested the perception of room size and color, and discovered that a room painted white appeared only appeared larger to a few people when compared to an identical room painted in color - and the perceived difference was only about six inches! Most people also look better when surrounded by color, and feel happier, and since buyers pick houses that make them feel happy, that knowledge can put dollars in your pocket at closing!

Entryways should bring the exterior colors into the house. Repeating shades of the exterior throughout your home will make the entire home seem to be in harmony. Living and family rooms painted in a slightly lighter shade of the exterior color will ensure that you've picked a color your buyers like, because if they didn't like your exterior colors, they wouldn't have bothered to look inside. If they loved the exterior colors, they'll love the interior, too.

When choosing interior colors, consider the use of each room. For instance, kitchen and dining areas that are painted in "food colors," such as coffee browns, celery greens, and scrambled egg yellows, feel natural.

Since, deeper shades of color imply intimacy and serenity, I like to paint master bedrooms a medium shade of green or blue for warm selling seasons, and rouge red for cooler weather. Other bedrooms can be painted in creamy tones of green, blue, or a pale shell pink. (See the chapter on the Psychology of Color in my book "Joy to the Home: Secrets of Interior Design Psychology" for further information.)

Selling Season

Always consider your selling season (the time of year you'll be marketing your home) and climate when choosing colors. Estimate the amount of time you'll need to get your home ready for sale, and then add on extra days for unexpected delays. Use cool colors, such as blues, greens, and grays, to sell during spring and summer, and warm colors, such as yellows, reds, and maroons, when selling in the fall and winter.

Color Intensity

My husband and I usually use lighter colors when painting the exteriors of our investment dollhouses, because it makes them appear larger. On the other hand, our cabin in the woods looks richer when painted a darker color. When we decided to have it painted, I considered the usual cabin colors of dark brown and barn red, but fell in love with Olympic's gorgeous "Gooseberry" plum color.

When getting ready to paint your house, look at the colors of neighboring houses and choose colors that harmonize, yet stand out from the crowd. Colors that clash badly with other houses will detract from the overall neighborhood.

At the beginning of the article, I told you that homes with yellow exteriors sell the quickest. But which shade of yellow sells best? First, the yellows to avoid: yellows with green undertones look sickly to most buyers, and yellows with orange undertones give buyers an impression of cheapness.

The best-selling yellow exterior color is actually a pale, sunny yellow, especially when complimented with one or more carefully-chosen accent colors. For instance, a semi-gloss white trim will give your home a clean and fresh look, and adding a third color, such as green, can make your home even more attractive to prospective buyers.

Colors affect human beings in many ways, and by using the principles of Color Psychology, you can make your home stand out from the competition, sell more quickly, and at a higher price. - 32620

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How to Make Your House Painting Project Look Professiona

Marc Scheff's Art & Design Work

By Kerisha Collins

This Brooklyn, New York freelancer, Marc Scheff has the advanced talent in Illustrations. These include Children's, Sci-Fi and Conceptual drawings.

He spent his childhood in the New England Comics store, in Boston. Here is where he read such fantasy novels as Galactus consumes planets. Upon finishing an unsolicited commission in fifth grade, Marc then illustrated a submission of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for the attention of author Douglas Adams.

After getting no response, Marc continued his hand at art, coming up with different types of concepts to work with in different media's.

Creating portrait commissions and fantasy art, is not all that pleases Marc. He also thinks that when he designs and a customer is inspired by their own idea, it was a good days worth of work.

Marc has a BA in Computer Science from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Academy of Arts University, which can assist him to making important concept choices for knowing what works as a finished design and what doesn't.

He continues to be a traditional artist but also incorporates the digital, as learning something new each day keeps his work fresh.

If you are in doubt to whether Marc can perform at such high standards, look through his portfolio that will not disappoint.

His life drawings for an iPhone application called "Brushes", demonstrates his painting skills in full detail. These images display facial details of four different figures but they are all consistant with each other by the way they have been drawn, the colour used and the subject they are about.

He is currently doing a design job children's book and freelancing for film and game companies. But he is looking for more work within books and film.

Marc has a range of clients and customers who use his services. These include Breakthru films, Large Animal Games, Zynga Games, Mothership pictures, EA Games, and Dark Inertia Games.

Being as productive as he is, Marc can still be contacted via the website, if you are interested in in him and his work. Do not hesitate to get more information about him. - 32620

About the Author:

Find ways to become more successful freelancers by continually reviewing design jobs and find a variety of inspiring opportunities by checking out other freelance jobs.

Popular Faux Painting Techniques

By Lesley Dietschy

Add some color, depth, elegance and charm to your home using one or more of these popular faux painting techniques.

*Combing - Combing can give your walls a very dramatic look. First step is to paint your walls your base color and let dry completely - overnight is best. Next, mix your texture color with finishing glaze. Now when you start rolling on your next color, be sure and go from ceiling to floor for about three feet. Next, you take a dry comb or a wallpaper brush and drag it from ceiling to floor in one continuous motion. Wipe off your comb and repeat.

Straight lines are just one of your options with the combing technique. You can do a basket weave look, create a plaid pattern or use your imagination and come up with your own unique design!

*Sponging - Sponging is a very easy and fun technique that gives a room a pretty textured look. You first want to choose your base color. This can be any color of your choice. Prepare the walls and apply the base paint. Be sure and fill in nail holes or other imperfections for a smooth finish. Let dry overnight.

After the base coat is dry, you are ready to begin sponging. You can sponge one, two or more colors. It is up to you. Be sure you have an actual sea sponge, not a synthetic sponge. Always keep your sponge damp for smooth application.

Mix the paint with a finishing glaze. Dip the sponge in the paint but do not "over dip". Remove excess paint. Start in the corner and work your way out. Lightly dab the sponge in a random pattern. Do small areas at a time so the paint does not dry where you are working. Be creative with your color combinations and your dabbing patterns. Make those walls come alive!

*Ragging - Ragging is similar to sponging and can produce a very soft, romantic look. Try your rag in several different positions to get the desired effect. Paint the wall with your base color and let dry overnight. Mix your texture color with a glaze finish to soften. Soak your rag in the glaze mixture and blot off the excess. Start dabbing the rag on the wall in various patterns. Add more paint to the rag when it becomes dry.

You can produce a soft effect with less paint or you can use more paint to create a dramatic effect. You can experiment with other materials as well to get a different effect - paper bags, plastic bags, canvas, etc.

*Crackling - This painting technique produces a distressed, aged look. Paint your wall with the chosen base color. Keep in mind that this color will show through your "crackle" cracks. Let dry overnight. Cover your walls with a crackle faux finish. Let dry until there is no tackiness. This will take about 4 hours. Now you will need to apply a second coat being careful not to overlap your brush strokes. In a few minutes the paint will start to crackle exposing your base color underneath.

For fine cracks use a thinner topcoat and for heavier crackling use a thicker topcoat. This technique is great for furniture as well.

*Color Washing - Color washing can give a room a smooth, flowing, graceful look. Paint your walls your base color and let dry overnight. Mix your second color with a faux finish glaze. Start painting with short, overlapped strokes. The more varied and random, the better. Let dry. If you have chosen a third color, repeat the process.

Faux Painting Tips

Practice on some scrap boards or cardboard before you try it on your walls. This will give you some practice and allow you to get comfortable with the technique.

Always have enough supplies on hand and be sure to have everything you need to do the job.

Tape your baseboards, windows, etc. with painter's tape to prevent accidents.

Take your time and be sure to pick out the right colors. You wouldn't want to change your mind in the middle of the job and have to start all over. - 32620

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Once you are done gathering your auto body painting supplies

Ideas For Painting Your Room

By Tim Lee

The different rooms of your house require great attention as to the paint's color. One color might suit a particular room in the house but will not be a very good sight in another room. That is why people who want to paint their house should have proper knowledge and experience in painting.

If you want a living room makeover, then you will need good painting ideas. Check out these living room painting ideas:

1. First and foremost, you need to choose the color scheme to be used in your living room. This means that you have to choose the paint colors for your doors, walls, accessories, trims, and other accents.

2. Base your color scheme on the living room's largest furniture, the room's focal point, height of your ceiling, the lighting, how the room is to be used, the room's size, and the feeling that you want to create whenever you're inside the living room.

3. After that, it's now time to focus in choosing the paint finish because this can alter the feeling that you want to create. If your walls have minor imperfections, choose a paint finish that's matte or flat because it doesn't shine. This kind of finish also offers effective stain resistance.

4. For your doors, trims, and other architectural details, highlight them with a gloss finish by using semi-gloss or satin finish. It would be easier to clean these areas because of the texture's smoothness and the wall's sheen.

5. For the walls of your living room, you can use paints which are water-based or latex, but for your windows and doors, use acrylic paint.

6. Some color and types of paint require more that one coat application, so you should take that into account. One gallon of paint usually covers about 400 sq feet.

With a little creativity and hard work, you can turn your living room in to a masterpiece of your own creation. Your guests will be awed once they visit your house and see your living room. - 32620

About the Author:

To learn more interior painting ideas, visit my house painting tips site

Do It Yourself Bedroom Painting Design

By Albert Lee

Who said that painting is a difficult task? Who said that painting can only be made stunning by expert painters and amateurs will do a lousy job?

First that you have to do is to choose a color that you like for your bedroom. This color will be your basis for your theme. If you prefer to be on the safer side, you can use white or cream color. It is safe because you can put furniture of any color. White goes well with any other color. If you prefer to be challenge, you can try coloring black. Your creative mind can work for it.

The colors white and black are the cheapest colors in the hardware. It is the basic color so no other color is mixed to it.

After selecting and deciding on what color to use and what color fits your budget, then its time to buy it. You can buy cheaper paints in whole sale hardware. Include also in your shopping additional painting tools such as paint bucket where you will put your paint; paint brushes or rollers which you will use for painting; wooden stick for mixing; painters tape to cover the edges, light switches or anything that might get dirty; and white towels which you will use to clean the excess paints after.

Before you finally start to paint, you still have to empty the room of furniture like beds and movable closets and appliances. Those that can't be moved, you can just cover it with newspapers or seal with the painters tape.

Shake the paint well before transferring it to the paint bucket. Pour only the paint that you can consume at one time. It is better to keep the remaining paint inside the original can to keep it safe and clean. Once poured in the paint bucket, use the wooden stick to mix it well, bringing out the true color of the paint.

Then you can now finally start painting your walls. Have a systematic manner on how you will paint. Begin with a small part and take your time. Enjoy every stroke of your painting.

Your bedroom painting design will definitely make wonders. It will shine because of the effort that you placed in it. Not only will you love your work but you will also be a little richer because you didn't pay a painter for simple job. - 32620

About the Author:

Taking on a home painting project does not have to be as intimidating

Distressed Wood Effect Brings Your Old Furniture To Life

By Truman Crawford

If you have a piece of furniture which you wish to turn into a piece with a distress wood effect, then you can follow these steps here. Instead of purchasing an antique which is a very old chunk of furniture that might have signs of cracks and have issues with losing functionality, you can create a distressed look yourself. They look good in any decor which needs a touch of the stylish French or other western european feel to add character to the room or home.

Here's how to form the troubled finish on pine furniture.

1. If the wood has been painted over previously, sand the wood gently so the new paint ( later ) to stick correctly.

2. Wear safety glasses before you start, and fill an old pillowcase with nuts and bolts, and use this to pound areas of the wood to creates dents. You can make a little number or many areas of dents according to the look that you need.

3. Use a chisel and gradually chisel away some dents to the furniture on the surfaces as well as on some edges. Otherwise, you can use a hammer and lightly hit the wood with the fringe of the hammer to make these indents. Don't overdo these dents, but create sufficient to offer you the look you want.

4. Apply a coat of paint to the entire piece and allow to dry. The color is up to you and many people use creams, beiges, and white, including the see though finishes that will permit the personality of the wood to show through.

5. Once dried, sand areas of the surface and edges with sandpaper to make areas of weathering on the wood according to your preference. If you use fine paper, the effect will be delicate, but if you employ a rougher paper, then you can create some fine lines if you so wish.

6. Ultimately, apply a layer of wood stain or varnish. Just check with this is compatible with the paint that you have used. Ask the store workman expert on paints and polishes if you are uncertain.

So as you can see, you can custom any of these steps to make the type and quantity of weathering and trouble in the wood as suits the piece of furniture and your taste. Troubled finish on pine furniture can create a French romantic feel to your room or home, or a feel of european style, particularly when combined with wall art. When you add these touches to your house, you can create a unique feel that may impress yourself and your guests. - 32620

About the Author:

If you enjoyed this content about Dallas Painting, then most definitely go over this curious site all about paintings in dallas.

Home Painting Guide Coordinate Your Colors

By Charlie Angeles

quality custom painting job is crucial for those who are not oriented with the basics of home painting. So before you start painting drywalls, study your wall surface type and your home space, then decide on which colors that suits your house style if it is Mediterranean, modern Zen, classic American, etc.

Rooms with color may not seem significant if it is separated by walls and closing doors. But if it is adjoined, the color relationship between the rooms subliminally affects your mood. If your house is an open floor plan having no division between your receiving area and dining area, it is important to choose colors that compliments or relates each other.

The challenge in interior home painting is to give each space its own identity according to its function and still achieve aesthetic appeal that is unison. Some people consult independent color consultant or painting companies to help them estimate which color suits the need.

To give you an idea on which colors to paint your home let me give you some terminologies you should know to aide you when coordinating with a color consultants or a painting company. In painting color theory, a HUE refers to a pure color. If a hue is added with white pigment, it is called a TINT. If a hue is added with black pigment, it is called a SHADE. For example, the color green is the hue; one variation shade of green is Teal and one variation tint of green is Aquamarine. Teal is relatively darker in value than Aquamarine, which some people believes to be with associated with a blue hue.

And if you don't have an idea which colors are perfect for your home. Think inside! Your personality reflects (too) what you paint on your walls. You can start with if you would like to settle with warm colors or cool colors.

Warm colors like red, yellow and orange can make a room look smaller and can create an intimate and cozy feeling, while cool colors like blue, green and purple represents serenity and can make your room appear larger.

As a tip: Neighboring colors (or analogous in scheme) like hues of the same warm or cool hue scheme creates harmony and opposite colors like black and white or orange and blue (though they are complimentary) creates drama. This tip depends if you want your home interior painted with harmonious or dramatic appeal.

Color also represents human mood whether it is warm or cool. Each color defines us and their characteristics cannot be altered.

The color RED raises a room's energy and very much stimulating. YELLOW is a positive color. It communicates happiness and warmth, thus it is uplifting and welcoming. ORANGE stimulates appetite and just like its neighboring color yellow, it communicates positive vibe and represents warmth.

GREEN is the most restful color in the eye that is why it represents serenity. Just like the greens, BLUE is calming/relaxing. Blue represents depth and sensitivity. PURPLE, on the other hand, represents royalty and sophistication though rarely some people paint it in larger scheme.

The NEUTRALS like black, white and brown - including its shades and tints never fall out of fashion. Though they can be dull if painted in larger scheme, but are great for balancing. Add neutral colors if you need to liven things up or calm things down. - 32620

About the Author:

Some people consult independent color consultant or painting companies

How to Renovate a Room with Paint Color Schemes

By Sara Gilmore

The ability to pick coordinating paint colors allows you to totally makeover your room. Different shades can evoke different thoughts or themes in your space as long as they all match. Paint is a way to redo a lot of different items in your room for a budget friendly redo.

You want to give a sense of calm and balance when designing a room which is where coordinating paint colors come in. Vibrant colors need balance by using simple shades so the space isn't overwhelming.

A subtle room doesn't have to be uninteresting; a neutral palette may even include shimmering colors. Imagine adding a copper tin ceiling for a breathtaking feature that still has an antique feeling. When you use neutral colors you get a space that will last for years to come. Neutral shades also give a longer life to furniture and flooring that you'll probably have for a few years and then make the room pop with paint and decor accessories.

You might have your heart set on using two tones that may not seem like they match. All you need is just one piece that incorporates both of the shades to create a color palette. You may be able to find fabric for throw pillows that has both of your shades in it, then you can put solid pillows in the two colors to save money as long as you have that one item that shows off the entire idea.

There are certain color palettes that are associated with different themes. You can always modernize your theme by which hue of the color you choose to make it uniquely your own. You can create a vintage room with dark wood tones and a soft green shade but then make it feel contemporary by painting your furniture cream or black. If you want a Moroccan style room then use bold colors on the furniture such as purple, orange, red and turquoise; then paint the walls a deep chocolate brown for a moody look.

You can make a decorating scheme to convey a specific theme. You can make your theme unique by changing up the exact tone of the color that is usually associated with the theme. For an antique room pair dark wood trim, pale green paint and then make the style trendy with white and black furnishings. For Moroccan space paint the walls dark brown and then bring in furniture in rich violets, burgundies, teals and spice shades.

A popular way to coordinate paint colors is through the use of inspiration pieces. You might want to base your room around a vase or even a sports jersey. If you want the item to blend into the room then pick shades that are close to it, but use colors opposite of the color wheel or subdued tones to make your item the focal point of the room. - 32620

About the Author:

Want to find out more about interior decorating colors, then visit Sara Gilmore's site on how to choose the best green color schemes for your needs.

Box sash Windows in London

By Martin Hale

Are you building a home? Are you shopping for windows and just don't see the right kind for you or are you feeling overwhelmed by all the choices? It makes it difficult to decide which ones that you like. Wooden sash windows are becoming the number one choice because of all their great qualities. Sash windows London are taking the nation by storm.

What exactly is a wooden sash window? A sash window is given the name because it is a pane of glass held together by more than one wooden panels that hold the glass in this glass can be separated or left alone.

Edwardian, Victorian and Georgian homes are all traditional homes that sash windows can be found on but more and more homes rather modern or traditional is placing them on their homes because they look good and are durable. A sash window is strong and durable as well as made of high quality glass.

Durability, affordable and safety is many of the features that have attracted homeowners to sash windows and they will remain popular as long as sash window makers can hold up to this standard. Wooden sash windows also require little effort to take care of which is a definite plus.

Security should be the top priority of any families home, with that said that is why many families choose wooden sash windows because you can add locks to them or leave them as they are and lock them the same.

In London you will find many companies and businesses that specialize in building and making of sash windows in order to find the best deals or price you need to take the time to shop around and comparison shop so that you find the best deals for you. Many things can be achieved with a sash window like the look of antique wrapped into a package of modern flair. It is up to you to find the right one for your home. - 32620

About the Author:

For more information about wooden window repairs and sash window restoration in London then please visit www.sashwindowrepairs-london.co.uk