Watercolor & Picture Frame

A picture frame is a device used to safeguard a picture and draw focus to it.



The metal or acrylic frames we have today are the decendants of the more traditional carved wooden ones.



Classic picture frames are known to have been around since the 2nd century B.C! Borders have beenfound around cave paintings across the globe.



Frames were originally used for safeguarding and isolating particularly important paintings.

The very first recorded picture frame was from the middle ages, a time where artists would usually make their own frames.



During the renaissance, the art of frame crafting thrived.



Pro frame makers came into the forefront and Antique Picture Frames reflected the furniture style, from ornate to gilded or rococo.



Generally in wood or metal, Antique Picture Frames add a touch of class to surroundings, and at the same time enhance a painting.

Antique Picture Frames can be in Victorian style designs in metal or carved ornamental wood.



Not everyone can afford original Antique Picture Frames, but popular replications are available.



Commonly made from wood or metal, these replications can appear almost identical to the original on a much lower budget.



A word of warning: improper use or placement of an antique frame can ruin the style of a room.



One can be an art fanatic, but if the frames just do not go with modern fittings then the entire purpose of antique frame is lost.



There's no reason to pull attention from the picture which is as important as the frame.

Antique frames in wood and metal became collector’s items.



They have once again graduated from collectors’ item to a must-own item.



It was never long until peoples taste and style changed and brought the antique style back into fashion.



The simplistic and minimalist frames of today are churned out of a production line, but are favoured by people, as they reflect personal style.

art painter

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How to Make the Most of an Art Gallery Visit

This is a friendly and useful guide of eight tips for visiting an art gallery, for anyone who is interested in attending an art gallery and wants to make the most of of their visit. These gallery visiting tips can be
 used by people of all ages.

1. Do Not Be Afraid

An art gallery is not meant to be an intimidating place, event though it may seem that way from outside the door. An art gallery is a sales venue, and they welcome browsers, buyer, artists and art lovers.

2. Start in the Center

When you first walk in, your first tendency may be to start at the right and view the artworks in a counterclockwise manner. The best way to view artwork in an art gallery, especially one that is not filled with other people, is to stand in the middle of the room.

From the middle of the room, look around at each wall, glimpsing each piece. Next, go to the one piece that caught your attention. Walk straight over to it, even if it is the last piece of artwork in the gallery.

After that, you can follow along a wall, or turn around and find the next piece that catches your eye. The point of this is to make art gallery visits interesting and fulfilling. There is no rule that says you have to look at 20 paintings of a barn before you look at the one that really interests you.

3. No Need to Talk

While you can feel free to discuss the art works you see with the gallery staff, or with a companion, it is not a must. Some people steer clear of art galleries because they think they will be quizzed on what they think of the work, or asked some complex art history or technique questions. It is simply not the case.

4. Attend the Opening

One of the best times to visit an art gallery is during the art show opening. Not only will you be treated to beverages and snacks there will be other people there. The artist or artists are also usually in attendance, and will welcome any questions you might have.

5. Ask Questions

If you do have a question about a piece of artwork in a gallery, do not hesitate to ask the staff. They will be more than willing to answer your questions. Not only is it part of their job, it is also more fun for them to talk to you than it is to just sit there.

6. Do Not Get Too Close

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, Hewlett-Packard and YouTube today launched YouTube Play, an international contest to find the world’s most creative new video.

YouTube Play will accept user submissions from anywhere in the world until the deadline, July 31, 2010, 12:00 p.m PT. A jury of experts will then select up to 20 videos, which will be simultaneously presented on October 21, 2010 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, and throughout the Guggenheim network of museums in Venice, Bilbao and Berlin. The 200 videos that make it through the first round of screening will be available on the YouTube Play channel.

The main criterion for winning the contest is creativity. According to class='blippr-nobr'>YouTubeclass="blippr-nobr">YouTube, “submissions may include any form of creative video, including art, animation, motion graphics, narrative and non-narrative work, or entirely new art forms. YouTube Play hopes to attract innovative, original, and surprising videos from around the world, regardless of genre, technique, background, or budget. Participants can be art students or amateur video makers as well as creative professionals.”

Check out a short promo video below, and an introduction to the project by the Managing Director of Google Creative Lab Andy Berndt and Guggenheim’s Deputy Director and Chief Curator Nancy Spector.

For more Web Video coverage

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Web Videoclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Web Video channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for iPhone and iPad

About YouTube Play

Anyone is invited to submit a video to YouTube Play, even video creators themselves, and the submission deadline is July 31.

The videos may consist of animation, motion graphics, narrative, non-narrative, or documentary work, music videos and even "entirely new art forms" that challenge the perception of what's possible to do with video, explains the YouTube blog post about this unique collaboration project.

Two hundred of the leading videos will be selected for further attention by an international jury of experts from the worlds of art, design, film and video. Twenty of those initial 200 videos will then be presented at the Guggenheim. Yes, that's right - at the Guggenheim itself. The YouTube videos will appear in the Guggenheim network of museums in New York, Bilbao, Venice and Berlin on October 21 and will be made available for the world to see on the youtube.com/play channel.

This isn't a contest per se, as the winning videos don't receive a cash prize or other sort of physical reward. But having a video dubbed "art" and being showcased internationally in one of the world's most famous art museums, is a reward in and of itself, most would agree.

This isn't the first time YouTube has proven itself the medium of choice for artists worldwide. Last year, the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, an online experiment in music, sought out musicians to participate in the world's first collaborative online orchestra where the endgame was a performance at Carnegie Hall.

YouTube: Internet Leads to Instant Success?

What's most interesting about this current art competition as well as the Online Orchestra is the way that it is able to surface undiscovered talents and allow them to achieve fame without all the requisite toiling and tolling for years in "starving artist" mode, as was once par for the course for those wanting to break into the art world. Instead, with YouTube, a handful of videos can lead to a lifetime of success. Just ask Justin Bieber. Or Soulja Boy. Or Esmee Denters. Or Journey's new singer Arenl Pineda, discovered a few years ago. Or FRED, the annoyingly overactive boy whose high-pitched voice befuddles parents but whose videos and associated kid-friendly merchandise have made the teen rich beyond belief.

But while the above are certainly high-profiled examples, let's be clear about one thing: When it comes to art and music, YouTube hasn't surfaced the next Leonardo or Monet, the next Beatles or Stones, the next Janis Joplin or Jimmy Hendrix. To date, the folks who have made their way up through YouTube are not necessarily, forgive me Bieber fans, going to make their mark in the annals of history as being among "the best of the best." In some cases they may be great... but are they the greatest? Really?

However, with this contest, that may change. For next-gen video artists, there's surely no better place than YouTube to flex your artistic muscles. It should be interesting to see what video creation wins this latest attempt to elevate YouTube to art form. The end result will likely be just that: art.

Art Painter

source: picture frames

 

Villages of Tuscany (Tuscany, Italy)

Photographer Joel Wolfson returns to Tuscany for another unforgettable experience on how to best capture one of the most stunning places on earth – where the golden light blankets the land and warms the...

Basic Digital Photography & Lab (Fallbrook, CA)

This class is intended for those with very little or no experience in operating a digital camera. Participants will get hands on experience in operating their digital cameras. This class is focused on...

Inspire, Capture & Create (Sedona, AZ)

Join Bobbie for an exciting photographic workshop that will provide a total artistic experience, working in camera, on location and in a state of the art digital lab. Locations will include "Out of Africa"...

Rod Frederick - Double Team - LE - Canvas

Double Team by Rod FrederickImage Size: 18 inches x 8 inchesOverall Size: 18 inches x 8 inchesLimited Edition of 75 CanvasesNumbered and Signed by ArtistCertificate of AuthenticationGiclee on CanvasPrice: $245.00

Charles White - Last Light - Point Lobos - LE - Canvas

Last Light - Point Lobos by Charles WhiteImage Size: 25 inches x 20 inchesOverall Size: 25 inches x 20 inchesLimited Edition of 500 CanvasesCertificate of AuthenticationGiclee on CanvasPrice: $180.00

Dan Mackin - Spring Tide - LE - Canvas

Spring Tide by Dan MackinImage Size: 24 inches x 32 inchesOverall Size: 24 inches x 32 inchesLimited Edition of 500 CanvasesUnnumbered and UnsignedCertificate of AuthenticationGiclee on CanvasPrice: $221.00

7 Ways To Improve Drawing Quality

The 1st scribble of an infant is a symbolic event. The beginning of self-expression through the arts! Sketching is certainly a cheap and easy skill to practice. Starting with only a pen and some paper, eventually continuing to more efficient methods like - graphical tablet systems and computer driven illustration. Costs can rise based on the size of a project and the enthusiasm of the artist herself.

Unlike earlier days, obtaining information on sketching and drawing is very simple and cheap. You can search information on Google in seconds and discover multiple sites which tutor drawing. Also, nowadays this art form is liked by many young people. Like any and all other art forms, with systematic, constant practice, you can become a great artist.

Listed below are some drawing hints which can assist anyone improve their art and become a famous artist. Reading and practicing these in your daily routine will improve your skill.

1. If you are drawing and you are a right handed writer, ensure that the light is from your left side. This will prevent your hands shadow distorting your paper.

2. First step when you practice sketching - you should practice drawing line, curved line, scribbled lines, and straigh line, and your hand should follow the commands of your thoughts and visions. You should control your hand and you should be able to bring out what you want.

3. You should further develop by drawing oval shapes, circles, crossed, bold and thick lines. Just like how a baby develops from crawling to walking stage, your art should also progress step-by-step.

4. These lines and curves are like pillars to a building. The pillars should be strong enough to hold a strong building; similarly, these initial small curves and lines will last a long way in your future. You should too start altering the pressure on your pencil. You should be able to choose the correct thickness and darkness in the lines you draw.

5. For starters, you will struggle drawing a perfect circle or oval perhaps. But don't let this dishearten you, practicing is the key to perfection! It may even help to document previous drawings to monitor your progress. Perhaps even dating each one to help see timescale?

6. Youshould wotk aroung the area you feel weakest, if you struggle shading for example, then practice doing that. Why not try making your own type of shading? The entire concept of art is to be individual & creative, copying is illegal!

7. The most simple point - Use decent materials. They say the artist is only as good as his canvas! High standars is key to a good peice, so never cheapen on your equipment. 4-6B pencils are recommended to professionals and beginners alike.

Art

"Photography has the capacity to provide images.... that are both works of art and moments in history" Cornell Capa

"Photography has the capacity to provide images.... that are both works of art and moments in history" Cornell Capa

ECO A: Brilliant Images Carved Into Leaves http://ff.im/-f6F14

In times like these, with a plunging Dow Jones and a real estate market dropping in value, people often look for new alternatives of places to invest their money. Many persuasive voices will try and convince investors that art is a great investment. The art market is huge, with a variety of media types (from traditional painting to video installation) and global in nature (the latest hot spots for contemporary art are the studios of Beijing and Shanghai).

"A Fool's Game"
The art market surely seems like it would be a great investment for these troubled times, but is it? The art market is also crowded with smooth talkers, salesmen and women whose passion for the subject can make Wall Street types look like amateurs. Yet, in the words of Paul Johnson, eminent British historian and son of an art dealer, "that's dangerous advice." Says Johnson, "Much of my life I've spent visiting art collections the world over, buying drawings and paintings and writing about art. But I think investing in art to make money is a fool's game."

For investment purposes, the art market is wildly unpredictable, with trends that are only sometimes linked to quality. Then ask yourself: Who is the final arbiter of art quality?

Should this deter you from buying art? No. If you love art, read up on the subject, visit artist studios, galleries, and museum collections. Then buy it because you want to possess a certain work of art, because you want to enjoy it at home, or because you simply can't live without it.

Don't collect art to make money. It's unlikely you will, and frequently investors who purchase art solely for its financial reward have a painful, anxiety-producing experience when it's time to cash in on their investment.

Great Collectors
Despite this warning, there have been a number of notable business leaders who have successfully bought art, and seen it rise in value astronomically. Their collections frequently can be seen in museums (on loan or as donations). One outstanding example of such a collector is Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919).

Frick was an outstanding businessman, who made his money from steel, but more specifically from his knowledge of coke, a form of coal used to power his plants. During his lifetime, Frick knew more about coke than any other businessman around and used this knowledge to his advantage. In 1892, Frick fought and won one of the most bitterly violent labor disputes in US history. He went on to become a titan on the order of JP Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew Mellon.

Above all, Frick loved art and he amassed a superb collection in his Manhattan residence (he eventually left both his mansion and the art collection to the City of New York, as well as a significant endowment to keep it running). Today, the Frick Collection is one of the most impressive in the world. Virtually every work in the collection is a masterpiece. There are Holbein portraits, Turner landscapes, a Vermeer, a self-portrait by Rembrandt, landscapes by Constable, and an outstanding biblical painting by the Venetian Renaissance master, Bellini.

How did Frick accomplish this? More to the point, was there any connection between Frick's astute business ability and ruthlessness and his unique success as a collector? Clearly, the answer is yes. Frick used his knowledge of art (much in the way he had used his understanding of coke in making steel) to create a collection that few collectors could rival.

Perhaps the greatest collector throughout history was King Charles I of England. Although he was not known for his intellect and eventually fell from power, as his country dissolved into civil war, he had a wonderful eye for paintings of the highest caliber. While his stubbornness and unwillingness to admit he was wrong or seek a middle ground in politics led to his self-destruction, it is perhaps this same obstinacy that made him an unparalleled collector of genius.

Similarly, one can look to the Medici Family of the Renaissance, whose rule was characterized by an obstinacy and ruthlessness found in King Charles I and Frick. Yet this is also why Florence today has become the center of the finest artwork found anywhere in the world. Today the Uffizi, the Pitti, and the Bargello Palaces of Florence house an unparalleled collection of the best artwork on earth.

These same traits of determination and ruthlessness characterized the reign of Pope Julius II under whom Michelangelo and Raphael flourished, leaving a lasting mark on the Vatican's art collection.

Common Thread for Successful Art Investment
In recounting the lives of these great collectors and their outstanding art, it is clear that they all share some common characteristics: a deep knowledge of their subject, a good understanding of what makes a superior work of art, an understanding of which art would withstand the test of time, and a personal sense of attachment to the art they collected.

Although many of these collections truly deserve the label "priceless," none of this art was collected for the sake of an investment or as a business decision. It was the love of art that fueled the collecting. The money they amassed enabled these wealthy patrons to buy art, and not the other way around. The contemporary investor would be wise to follow in their footsteps.