How to Create a Reverse Painting on Glass

Introduction:

Glass is a non-absorbent painting support which does not allow paint to easily adhere to it - apart from through the paint's own drying process.

For this reason the outlines of a subject painted on glass need to be simplified when applied to an extremely smooth glass surface. Simplifying a subject does not necessarily detract from the end result after the painting is completed and the final result can often have an appearance similar to that of naive art in relation to composition and form and a certain number of other details. Many artists may find that such simplification can actually be very appealing.

Working the paint or changing outlines without smudging the surrounding areas of undried paint may require some concentration in the beginning, as well as a certain amount of skill, but with patience and the development of their skills using this painting technique, artists will find that applying and mastering the use of glass as a support will become easier as time progresses.

MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR PAINTING ON GLASS

Glass

Choose clear unflawed glass (or plexiglass) in the shape and size you wish to use. In order to begin mastering the technique of reverse painting it is advised to choose smaller sizes to begin with.

Paints

It is important to use a paint that will adhere properly to the surface of the glass. Oil based paints or acrylics are often used for this reason.There are also opaque and transparent ceramic artist colours that have been especially manufactured for using on a non-absorbent surface. Metallic colours (eg. gold, silver or copper) can also be interesting to work with. There are an increasing number of new art products available today that may be suitable for painting on a non-absorbent surface such as glass.

Paintbrushes

To begin choose a selection of small or medium-sized paintbrushes with fine, flat and pointed tips. Larger brushes can be used for working on a larger scale. Artists can also use less conventional tools for applying paint if they wish, depending on the effects obtained through experimentation that may interest them.

A penholder

Used for outlines (if required) and finer details. It can be an advantage to use interchangeable nibs suitable for creating both thick and thin outlines.

Ink for creating outlines on glass

The inks used need to be suitable for applying to a non-absorbent surface such as glass. As an alternative paint can also be thinned down into a more liquid form and used for creating outlines in which case attention must be given to to creating the right mixture of fluidity and thickness.

A painting palette or something similar to mix your paint on.

A palette knife -(optional) for mixing paint.

Artists paint cleaner or thinner - used for cleaning or sometimes for thinning, and depending on whether oil based or water-based paints are used.

A paint-drying agent - (optional) For mixing with paints to help speed up the drying process

Paper towelling or some clean rags

A mirror - (optional) can be used to check the progress of your painting while you are continuing to work. Place the mirror in a position where it will reflect your artwork from its viewing side.

Cellotape - or a similar average-width sticking tape

An easel - (optional) to prop your work on

A glass-cleaning product

PREPARING THE GLASS

Choose a piece of clear glass in the dimensions you would like to work with and check carefully to make sure the glass is neither scratched nor flawed. It is worthwhile remembering that a flaw in the glass itself will often detract from the finished appearance of a painting and may be impossible to remove after the completion of your artwork.

The sheet of glass that is to become your artwork constitutes the following:

(1) The 'painting side' - which is the side you will be painting on.

(2) The 'viewing side' - which is the side you will be looking at (or through) as you progress with your work and after it has been completed.

To render the cutting edges of the glass safe take a length of cellotape that will correspond to the length of one edge. Apply it carefully along that length (ideally so that it is folded equally over each side of the glass).

Repeat this procedure for the other 3 glass edges. The edge of the cellotape will also help mark the outer limits of your artwork.

Clean the surface of the glass thoroughly with a glass-cleaning product. Use paper towelling or any cleaning material that will not leave dust or threads on your painting surface.

Store the glass where it will be safe. If placed between sheets of newspaper it will be protected from scratches and dust.

CREATING OUTLINES

Art products in liquid form that are suitable for creating outlines on glass may be readily available in some countries. Oil-based paint,water-based acrylic and ceramic paint can also be used for this purpose.In order to create fine lines these paints must sometimes be thinned down in order to use with a pen nib or similar line-drawing tool.

To prevent lines from being effaced too easily you can use a paint that is oil based for creating the outlines of your subject if the paint you will be applying over the top of it (after it has properly dried) is water based. Reverse this procedure if your outlines are created with a water-based paint.

Always use a liquid paint product that will provide the best adhesion possible to a glass surface.

Due to pen nibs clogging relatively easily, attention must be paid to cleaning the nibs regularly.

OUTLINE METHODS

Method 1.

If you have a steady hand you can use a freehand method for applying outlines directly onto the surface of the glass.

Method 2.

Use an original subject for your painting (e.g. a drawing) and place this under the glass then copy it onto the glass surface.

Method 3.

Place a layer of carbon-paper on top of the glass then place your drawing on top of the carbon paper and with a pointed object trace the subject onto the glass. Be careful not to damage your original image (the image being copied) when using a pointed object.

Method 4.

A tracing table can be used for creating outlines. This is a table with a sheet of clear glass inserted into the top and with an electric light source situated beneath it. For those who frequently need to trace their work a tracing table can be very practical and useful.

Method 5.

You can omit outlines altogether.

APPLYING THE PAINT

Most artists have a preference for how to work when creating an artwork. Once it has been decided whether to work on a table or use a table-easel or a standing easel, it will be necessary to view the artwork regularly from its observation side in order to see its progress.

Some artists simply take the glass in their hands and turn it around to look at it directly from the observation side. Others prefer to use a mirror placed directly opposite their working area so that they can observe their progress while they paint.

Mixing and blending

If you are blending colours always do so on a palette or similar flat object before applying them to the glass. If colours are not well blended or mixed the result will be a streaky appearance in the paint on the observation side of the glass.

Avoiding smudges

When creating a reverse painting on glass it is important to watch out for smudges or particles of dirt or dust that may accidentally be transferred onto unpainted areas of your artwork as you are progressing. Unless removed these may appear as flaws that will show when viewing the artwork from its observation side. If they are also inadvertently covered with a layer of paint removing them afterwards may become very messy and difficult. When lifting off any smudges always be careful not to damage outlines or other areas of paint you have already applied.

Applying the paint

Once the outlines of your subject have thoroughly dried you can begin to apply paint to fill in the remainder of your artwork. Begin with the smallest and most detailed or intricate areas first e.g. eyes, faces, small figures or objects etc - and always keep in mind that your artwork will be observed from the opposite side to the one your painting on and that you are painting in reverse and that therefore foregrounds precede backgrounds.

When applying the reverse painting method it is a good policy to reflect carefully on the sequence in which your painting will develop before beginning to apply your paint. This will create a methodical attitude that is essential for this particularly interesting but also intricate painting technique.

Wishing you many pleasant hours of reverse painting!

Extract from "A guide to reverse painting on glass" at [http://www.mayannemackay.com]

Copyright Mayanne Mackay 2009

How To Paint A Wooden Boat

One of the great increasing mysteries of today's modern boatbuilding is the amount of hi-tech gobble-de-gook that the average home boat builder is expected to wade through when the time comes to paint the boat after the horrendous amount of sanding, fairing and hard work is (mostly) over and the fruits of your labour now require a shiny deep lustre that the painting now promises to bring. This part, to my mind at least, is one of the best parts of boatbuilding, the finish! (Well, at least the start of the finish!)

Painting a boat used to be a reasonably simple task. All one needed was a fine dry day, one of Dad's paintbrushes, some turps, a roll of masking tape, a bit of pink primer left over from the decorating and a half gallon of shiny blue enamel paint from the local hardware store...they were the days!

Not so today, my friends! The unsuspecting boat builder who toddles off to the local chandlery or superstore best be prepared for the very worst- not only will he (or she) face a huge financial onslaught on their wallet but a mind boggling array of hi-tech whiz wow balderdash that the (generally) uninformed shop assistant will proceed to throw in their general direction in the faint hope that you will give in under the stress and buy several litres of the latest polurethanicalslitheryaminomolecular goop that's just come in. For example, you'll be faced with trade names like 'Interlux Interthane coating'. I mean, come on, it sounds like a new space invaders game! This is bloody paint! There are many others but I'm sure you get the gist of what I'm saying.

Another example of the kind of thing that drives me nuts is that you can expect to buy several litres of a iso-cyanate two pack marine polyurethane paint only to be cheerfully told its illegal to spray it unless you have a proper licenced premises to do so, drone drone!! I suppose they have to make up new names to go with the new paint company policies of charging up to $150 a litre for some of these new fangled paints! What the hell have they discovered that's so expensive to put in this stuff? I was under the impression that paint was a few litres of linseed oil, turps, some drying agents and a few ounces of pigments for colour...can I really be so out of touch?

BACK TO BASICS

So, why do we paint wooden boats? Or any other boat for that matter? The first part of that question is easy. Boats look much smarter and better if they shine and gleam a bit... it's only human nature after all. The second part to that question is: We want to protect it. Ok, from what? Well, wood rots if you don't paint it, right? - wrong! Wood left to its own devices does not rot. Wood only rots as a result of its environment. There are multiple cases of how, plain untreated wood can last for centuries as long as it is in the correct environment. There are basically only a few elements that start wood rotting. Biological attack from spores, fungi, temperature, high humidity or total absorption, physical attack from marine borers and crustaceans that allow ingress to all the other elements aforementioned.

Don't let's forget that polluted waters can degrade timber to the point where it will rot....we'll add chemical attack to that list too. So, in view of all these very compelling reasons we protect our boat by painting it to coat it fully against these assaults.

PREPARATION OF TIMBER

The actual preparation of timber can cover a range of differing requirements. If your boat is a new build you won't have to go through many of the preparatory stages that an older boat may have to go through. With some forms of boatbuilding where a boat has been built by a different method such as strip planking or cold moulding, we paint the boat as if it were a fibreglass boat, due to the fact that either layers of fibreglass cover the timber or that the timber has been coated with epoxy that does not allow conventional paints to adhere to it properly. However, if we wish to protect bare timber then we use a different tack. Timber in its bare natural state has millions of thin hollow tubes running through it, constructed of cellulose in its natural form. We have to seal these tubes to prevent the ingress of water into them. Therefore we seal and coat the timber first of all.

The first thing we do is to clean and remove any loose and flaking or damaged paint plus any dirt that remains on the hull - sounds easy if you say it quick but it must be done! If necessary (and most times it is) degrease the hull using a proprietary paint degreaser after removing all dust preferably with a vacuum cleaner. Don't forget it won't be absolutely necessary to get all the hull back to bare wood just dry, clean, grease and dust free.

FILLING AND IMPERFECTIONS

Obviously, not many timber craft are perfect on the outside. There are many blemishes, cracks, imperfections and splits both large and small to deal with by filling them and sanding them flush before priming the boat. It's a bit of a chore but time spent here will reward you with a boat that will certainly look better plus have a longer life. Some folks fill these holes and imperfections in timber with epoxy filler but it is not a good idea. Sometime later, for example, when the boat has to undergo a repair, it will be the very devil of a job to remove the epoxy from a fastening hole. It's best to use some kind of proper timber filler that dries hard and fast but is never that hard that it can't be removed later on. For example, painter's glazing compound is a fairly hard setting soft paste that can be quickly applied then sanded and painted satisfactorily. Carvel boats usually have their seams filled fair with a special seam compound AFTER the boat has been primed. Once the boat has been filled and faired smooth and all dust removed we are ready to put some actual paint on. Remember, the difference between a professional paint job and an amateur is the PREPARATION!

WOOD PRESERVATIVE

There are two schools of thought about treating bare timber with wood preservatives. I've heard stories that primers and paints don't adhere to many of them. In my case, I have never personally had that happen to me, so I am generally in favour of using them. Nevertheless, I am convinced that in many cases where the paint refuses to stick to timber is because the wood has not properly dried out after application. There is a definite percentage of humidity level that every timber has (and most of them differ slightly) where paint of any description simply won't stick. It can be up to fifteen per cent in some timbers. Above all, ensure that your timber is dry enough to allow any paint or filler to adhere to it. Remember too that salt deposits on timber will readily contain water and keep it damp.... if your boat was in salty water wash it off in fresh before commencing painting. When and only when, your timber preservative is dry the next stage is:

PRIMER

The first coat of primer to go onto your hull is metallic grey primer. It is a good primer to use because it is made up of millions of microscopic flat metal (aluminium) plates that lie on top of each other giving water a very hard time to pass though it...Pink primer for example, has circular molecules of substances therefore allowing water to ingress a lot quicker...fact! Grey primers also contain certain oils and most have anti-mould agents contained within (biocides to you and I) We put two coats of grey primer above the waterline and three, no less, below it.

SOME OTHER OBSERVATIONS ABOUT PRIMERS

There are a whole world of paint primers out there and confusion about their qualities are very common. For basic dry timbers, the grey metallic primers are good as previously explained. Also many oil-based primers from well-known companies are also very good and will do the job perfectly well. Hi-build primers however must be approached with caution and I must say that I have never personally got on too well with them. Most of them contain Titanium Dioxide (that's talcum powder to us lot) and even when it is fully cured can absorb copious amounts of moisture that can prevent really good paint adhesion. To avoid this only paint hi-build primers on good clear dry days and avoid excessive atmospheric humidity levels. Then, as soon as is possible apply the topcoats to seal them in. Note too, that hi-build primers are a soft type of paint and can suffer badly from scuffing over stony or shingly beaches and even when launching from boat trailers. When sanding these primers remember that huge clouds of white dust are released so be aware of where you sand and wear appropriate safety masks.

TOPCOATS

Once again, there are many types to choose from. Let's get the two- packs out of the way first. TWO-PACK POLYURETHANES have to be applied over a two-pack epoxy undercoat first of all. They have a fantastic finish and that's fine but you must be absolutely sure that the timber underneath is not going to move because the paint cures so hard that it can and will crack (strip plankers and cold moulded boats are your best bet here...apart of course from glass boats). The primary reason is that timber constructed boats move or 'work' as it is known. You may well get away with it if your timber boat has been glassed from new....not glassed over later as a preventative method to stop leaks. Rarely boats treated thus dry out properly and are still susceptible to movement as the timber inside the glass either rots because it was wet or it dries out too much and shrinks. Also boats that have been chined properly, that is, strips of timber glued in between the planks instead of being caulked, stand a reasonable chance of not moving.

Ok, what else? One pack or single pack polyurethane paints can be a good choice for a topcoat...they are almost as glossy and as durable as the two-packs but not quite! They are however, less expensive and far easier to apply than the two-packs... there are a multitude of them out there, so a bit of research is required plus your own personal choice...I'm not going to get involved in a slanging match about which ones are the best! However, remember most major well-known paint manufacturer's products are usually ok! It's your call!

So next on my list are marine enamels. Once again, it pays to remember that anything with MARINE in front of it is usually expensive...a good place to avoid in this quest is the large hardware chain stores that sport one or two paints in this category and I've fallen for it myself before now. It's the Name we are looking for!

Even with decent quality marine enamels some of the whites have been known to yellow with age and the way round this is to buy the off-white colours such as cream or buff. My last choice in Marine enamels proper, is a relative newcomer...a water-based enamel. I personally have never used any but I have heard some good reports and there has to be a few advantages with them, quick cleanup for one and you can even drink the thinners!

ASSORTED CHOICES

There are a few types of paint systems that are different to the abovementioned and as usual they probably will draw a lot of flack from those types that love writing to the editor for some reason or the other. Mainly I suspect, because something isn't quite conventional. Each of the following paints has their different uses and attributes.

HOUSE PAINT ENAMELS

Over the years the quality of house paint enamels has been increasing dramatically to the point where many yachties I know paint their boats with it. It's a bit softer (and definitely cheaper) than most single pack polyurethanes and some colours, mostly the darker hues, tend to fade earlier than others. However, the fact remains that they can be an excellent choice especially if you own a small boat and don't mind repainting it every couple of years....cheap to buy, easy to apply!

WATER BASED ACRYLICS

A few years ago you wouldn't have dreamed of painting your boat with acrylic paint....it would have peeled off in great strips. That does not apply today however. My own boat, The NICKY J has been painted using Wattyl's Acrylic semi-gloss "CANE" and it is really amazing. I used gloss for the hull and semi-gloss for the decks over white epoxy primer single pack and it has been really good. Never once has it even looked like delaminating. I paint the boat once a year with a roller and it takes less than a day...and she's forty two feet long! It is yet another choice!

Well there's your main paint choices but I urge you to remember one thing...preparation is King... it will save you plenty of money in the long run, for sure.

HOW TO APPLY YOUR PAINT

There are of course, three main methods of applying your paints; Spraying, brushing and rollering. There's another that many people use, a combination of the last two, rolling and tipping, we'll deal with that one later.

Let's take a look at spraying. There are several pre-requisites for a decent spray job. These usually are a decent workshop complete with suction fans and half decent ventilation using good spray gear (cheapo underpowered stuff just doesn't cut the mustard) and most importantly, adequate and proper safety gear. There are always exceptions to the rule and there's one chap who works in Edge's boatyard outside in the weather and he does a fantastic job...imagine how much better he might be if he worked indoors!! You will also have to watch the weather, high humidity is not good and also where the overspray goes...not over anyone's car as is so often the case! A good excess of paint is lost and wasted in the process. If you have a driving need for you boat to look like your car then sprayings for you! Oh yeah, it quick(ish) too!

Brushing by hand can yield incredible results if you are patient and also know what you are doing. I've seen boats that at first glance look like they have been sprayed only to find out that they were hand painted by brush.......Dust free atmosphere and bloody good brushes (I mean expensive) are an absolute must here.

Last of all, rollering especially the 'roll and tip' method. This requires two people working together as a team. One rolls the paint on thinly and the other follows closely with a decent brush and 'tips' out the bubbles left behind by the roller - unbelievably good finishes can be obtained by this method.

A word of warning, no matter which method you use. Don't be tempted to retouch runs or sags in the paint or you will ruin the finish....wait until the paint has fully dried then deal with it! It's tempting but paint always seems to gel quicker than you would think!

A SUMMARY

There are many facets to the successful painting of a boat. We can't be good at all of them and you have to choose the method most suited to you own particular capabilities. A lot depends on the facilities that you have available at your disposal. Some people have the garden to work in others may have huge sheds and even access to a warehouse! I will say that a few basic rules apply to painting even the smallest boat. Often, too much, too clever or too sophisticated is often detrimental to what you are trying to achieve.

I have seen boats that cost twenty grand to paint and they were just really average...why? Wrong choice of painter, that's why. If you are going to choose a painter it's not a crime to ask him to show you some examples of his work. If he's any good there should be plenty...there are plenty of chancers and cowboys about, rest assured. All boats, every single one of them will need retouching or even a repaint within years. Just how long you get for your money is the trick. Unless you put your freshly painted boat in a museum or garage and lock it away you can bet that from day one, it will collect nicks, dings, scratches and scars, it's inevitable. Beware the painter who tells you, 'yes it will be ten grand, but it'll outlast you and me'. The need for repainting is directly proportional to how badly the boat is treated over the years. The only way of keeping your boat pristine and perfect is never to actually put it in that dirty old water once it's done! Be realistic about your own abilities and your expectations. Simple can be better in many cases.

A SIMPLE FORMULA FOR CALCULATING HOW MUCH PAINT YOU NEED (FOR ONE COAT)

This is interesting if not exactly exact! But it gets very close indeed. This is applicable to brushing and rolling only NOT spraying. There's a different formula for that and I don't know it!

THE FORMULA

ONE COAT = The boat's length overall x the beam x 0.85

Divided by square feet covered per litre listed on the paint can instructions.

If you can't work it out the paint manufacturer will tell you if you ring the company hotline.

Over the years, wooden boats have survived the elements in spite of very crude and primitive forms of paint. Many early vessels were simply daubed in pitch, bitumen, turps and beeswax. An early Thames barge had survived for over a hundred years in perfect condition as she was originally used as a bitumen tanker!! The dark brown shiny finish was the most perfect example of preserved wood that I have ever seen. One of the most interesting boats I ever saw was painted with fence paint...the owner reckoned he'd only ever painted it once in thirty years! Another old boat builder I knew once told me the secret of painting a wooden boat was to paint it with as many coats of paint that you could afford!

Terry Buddell is a freelance writer, boat builder and marine surveyor who lives on board his own yacht the "Nicky J Miller" with his partner Nicky in Gladstone, Queensland Australia. Terry has designed a series of boats that he sells from his website on the net and also built his own 42' yacht which he refers endearingly to as "his filthy old lugger'. Terry writes for several boating magazines and specializes in the " How to do it " kind of article using practical ideas and basic common sense! Terry is only too happy to help people who wish to build their own boat from a dinghy to a yacht and his contact details can be found on his website http://www.dolphinboatplans.com

If you liked this article there are more in a similar vein to be seen on http://www.dolphinboatplans.com

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Design Easy Face Painting

At my daughter's first birthday party, I was fortunate enough to have a cousin who is an artist and she whipped out her face painting kit and paint the older kid's faces and whole upper torsos. My nephews were completely done as the Hulk and Aquaman, the girls had their faces painted up as princesses and small cute butterflies and balloons.

Kids love face painting, they are fascinated by seeing others get their faces painted and wait in anticipation to see their face design. My daughter's fifth birthday is approaching and I was desperately, wanting a crash course on how to do it myself, so that I wouldn't have to hire a face painting artist to do my party.

The key is to start with easy face painting designs. The face designs should easy enough to be able to use small sponges cut into circles, triangles, rectangles, diamonds, dab them into the face paint and place it on the skin, leaving a base design that you can build upon or finish off with a little highlight, lowlight, or shading. Use a different sponge for each color; you will need multiple sponges in the same designs for each of the colors you are using.

A great time to practice face painting designs is at Halloween. On a night of horrors, the little odd wavering of a line will be hidden in the dark of trick or treat. If you are unsure of your ability practice on your own hand, close your hand into a fist and paint the top of it. Halloween is the most popular time of the year for face painting. The face painting design include, vampires, ghouls, witches, and ghosts.

Face painting ideas should be simple, fun, and something you have practiced. The more you practice the faster you become and the more faces you can paint.

Face painting design supplies should consist of good paintbrushes. Good paintbrushes will have the bristles securely fastened into the brush end, otherwise, the bristles will fall out and become part of the face painting design. You will spend several minutes pulling bristles out of the design. Good brushes cost between $3-10, and they will last you a long time. Invest in sponges and cut them into different designs like circles, stars, triangles, rectangles, ovals, and any other shape you can imagine. Remember to disinfect all items between faces to keep things sanitary. All face paints should state on the labels that they are face paints and they are okay to use on the skin, start out with two or three paint brushes, and a small range of colors, the basic palettes have white, black, green, red, yellow, purple, and orange. Other fun items to use with the face paints are glitter, stick on gems, stencils, and face painting stamps.

Great items for amateur face painters are stencils and face painting stamps. The face painting stamps are made of rubber and you place in on your face painting paint pad and you have an outline of the design, then you fill in the stamp design with color.

Stencils are outlines of shapes; they are picture version of the ABC's your child might use to learn to hold their pencils in nursery school. You mix and match the designs and use a base color and dab the small areas of the stencil or the entire stencil. Next, you put on the highlights and final touches. Hint, girls love glitter and body gems after all they are princesses!

Where can you put your new talent of face painting to work? Your child's next birthday party, the next fundraiser at your child's school, fairs, Fourth of July, parades, festivals, or you can start your own business.

Practice your simple face painting designs, and you are ready for your first party. Start out with your child's birthday, kids love their faces painted and will be uncaring if it's not perfect. Use thin first layer, wait until it is fully dry before beginning final designs. Hint: to pop the designs outline your design with a thin line of black around the face designs.

Starting a face painting design business begins with volunteering your services at charity events, your child's birthday parties, and very shortly, it will morph into a steady business with a line of kids waiting their turn to get their faces painted.

Face painting at charity events allows you to work on your face painting designs and develop your painting speed. Once your speed increases, begin by setting up a small canopy on the Fourth of July or Good Friday at the fair and paint away. The best way to advertise your new face painting design business is word of mouth. Build your face painting design portfolio with testimonials and photos of face designs of which you are especially proud.

When you are ready to graduate from charity events to paid business, you now need to research your area and find out, how much are face painters paid? Is a face painting design booth less money per face then private parties? Do not price yourself out of the market and remember it just might help to have lower prices to bring in clientele. Have your business cards ready to give out to anyone who asks if you do private parties. Business cards can be made at home with the help of Avery products.

Another avenue for face painting is at restaurants, as they might have a kid's eat free night and have special entertainment throughout the meal. Children's museums and creative art facilities or a community center will be a great place to begin looking for business. Another avenue for marketing could be at your significant other's corporate picnic or event.

If your community offers summer camps, where kids are, face painting will be a hit! Your child's school, fundraising events, and carnivals are great sources of income. Craft Shows are great place to have a booth. Bookstores sometimes want to launch a child's book and a great way to draw children to children's books is to hire a face painter. Theme parks and cruises ships are also great places to look for new business and the latter will give you a free exotic vacation too!

My cousin, who brought out her face painting kit on my daughter's first birthday, is a real artist and she is sells her paintings at our local galleries, however, she uses her artistic talents to make money through face painting. Or perhaps you are a stay at home Mom who wants to make money and be available to her kids after school is out, face painting could be for you.

Whether you are looking to learn face painting design for your child's next birthday or as a new, fun way to have some pocket money, remember, face painting is fun and you can make wonderful memory's for your own child and someone else's too.

April Pitcher

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Choosing The Right Framing Of Paintings

Everyone loves to have their own paintings. A painting is more than just a decorative item in our home, it is also symbolise our freedom of choice. We choose a painting according to a special feeling which it gives us.

A painting is like music, it creates atmosphere, it adds colours to our daily lives, it is a way for us to chose our own unique life style and to express ourselves.

To enhance the beauty of a painting we use framing as integral part of the painting. A frame must carefully chosen, it is as important as the painting. It may affect the overall feeling in a dramatic way, sometimes for good and sometimes for worse.

In general we can classify the frames to two categories. The first is a contrasted style and the second is a blended style. When choosing a contrasted frame, we try to achieve a dominant combination between the painting and the frame. The frame is playing a significant role in the overall outcome of painting while in the blended style, we chose a frame which have similar color to the dominant colours of the painting. In this case the observer will focus more on the painting and less on the frame.

In recent years a new style is developing and becoming more popular than the classical frames. The new style is called Gallery wrap. In this style the canvas is stretched and wrapped around a simple wood wooden frame. The canvas actually covers all areas of the wooden frame and it looks as the painting is 3 dimensional. The thickness of the wood will change the 'feeling' of the painting. It makes a big difference if we choose a thick frame or a thin frame. Although it may sound strange, researches have shown that a thicker wooden frame brings a more expensive look to the painting.

A classical frame is actually made by two separate frames. An inner frame, which the canvas will be stretched on and an outer frame for decoration. The 2 frames are connected by screws or pins and forms together a strong structure for the painting. The stretching quality is highly important, if it isn't done properly ,the canvas will be loose and the painting will lose some of its effect.

A gallery wrap is usually chosen by young people and it is often use for modern paintings rather than classic style painting. There are 2 major benefits for using a gallery wrap, the first is the price which is much cheaper than a classical frame. The second is the weight which is much lighter in compare to any other frame style. The downside of a gallery wrap is that it can be used only for oil paintings and for acrylic paintings. These are the two major mediums that are painting on canvases which can be stretched on wooden bars. Watercolour paintings, Charcoal paintings, pencil paintings and pastel paintings are usually are being painted on different kinds of papers.

All those four mediums: Watercolour paintings, Charcoal paintings, pencil paintings and pastel paintings have one major difference if comparing them to oil paintings or acrylic paintings. They all need to be framed with a protecting glass. Those four mediums are more sensitive to sunlight, oxygen and human touch. Even though that some painters spray the painting with a sealing layer for protection, those medium are still need to be handled with more care than other mediums.

Thanks to technology, now we can the frame the paintings with a glass imitation rather than actual glass. The benefits of using such material are lower prices and also avoiding the danger of a glass breaking and damaging the painting. Another benefit is that a glass imitation is its weights which is less than a real glass. Another benefit is that it has almost no reflection when looking at the painting while in real glass we sometimes see more reflection than a painting.

However, there are two downsides of a glass imitation. The first is that it can be easily scratched, the second is that for large paintings (over 24"x36") the surface will not be as flat as glass which may cause a wavy look to the surface.

In the last few years, there are few companies in the market who offer custom made paintings. This unique service enables us to create our own original masterpieces by choosing any subject we like to paint. The process is very simple, you just need to send a digital photos to one of the companies who offers such service. They will pass it to an artist who will paint it according to your requirements. Once the painting is done you will get it by post (with or without a frame). This service is called "painting from photo". this new service has enabled us to easily design our lifestyle in any way we choose, however, it demands to play a major role in choosing the subject, the medium and the frame.

Final words: paintings and frames brings colours and joy to our life, sometime we choose a portrait of our family, some times of our pets, sometimes of a beautiful landscape and sometimes an abstract. But whatever we choose, we must choose carefully. We need to consider the overall outcome of the combination of the frame and the painting. A successful framed painting let us enjoy it for many years and therefore we should choose the right one for ourselves.

Remember, real art is not only for rich people. It belongs to each and every one of us.

Buy oil painting from the experts. Discover how to paint like professional artists for free from the PaintYourLife forum.

Discover the Best Application Techniques For Applying Acrylic Paints

Simple Techniques You Can Use To Create That Professional Looking Finish When Painting Your Home. Acrylic Paints are by far the easiest painting products to work with. Acrylic is easy to clean up, it dries quickly and doesn't run or sag, unless you apply crazy amounts or unless moisture and cold weather gets to it. It's really easy to apply, spread out and work with. So really, how hard can it be?

To be honest, for most who have never been taught the basics it can be really difficult. I often cringe when I see non qualified people painting. Maybe it's a pride issue, I don't know and I don't mean to be harsh, after all they are trying their best, but some of the techniques they use leave a lot to be desired. Painting the correct way isn't hard, it just takes a bit of practice, but first we have to see what bad habits you have picked up and what your application techniques actually are. Then I can show you the correct way.

Once you get a few of these basics down and had a little practice, then painting with acrylic will quickly become easy and you will be applying paint with a professional, quality finish every time.

1) - First things first - To paint acrylic well, you have to paint like you aren't paying for the paint! If you want a nice paint finish then you need to apply the right amount of paint. You should never spread paint out thinly because you want to save some money or for any other reason. It simply doesn't work, it will leave you with a coat of paint that you can see through, looks scratchy, has an uneven finish, or is simply very ordinary looking. To paint well, forget about the cost of the paint and apply a nice, even, thick coat. Of course not too think or else it will all end up sagging off your wall, but we will get to how much is the right amount as we go.

2) - How to apply acrylic paints correctly using a brush When I was taught how to paint I was made to do everything with a 3 inch (7mm) brush. This includes cutting in, painting windows, Glossing off wood work, everything.

Now, while I don't expect you to have the same control over a brush that this exercise taught me, it will help you to understand some of the differences between the over all finish that a DIY person using cheap, little, fiddly brushes will get versus a painter taught the correct way using the correct equipment. The number one reason for being taught this way is that you can achieve a much nicer finish with a bigger 3 inch brush than what you can with a little brush. The second reason and it is also a big factor is that it's much quicker once you develop the skill required to cut in with a bigger brush. Good quality little brushes have their place for fiddly work but the majority of your acrylic painting should be done with a 3 inch brush.

So what is a good quality brush then? Painting with a bargain shop $2 or $3 brush is going to produce a really crap finish. Use these types of brushes for washing engine parts!

As I have stated before in other articles, I favour the Purdy range of brushes. They are fantastically constructed, they narrow down to a thin point for cutting in at the tip of the bristles, they hold their shape extremely well and usually come with a nifty storage cover designed to hold the shape of the bristles during storage. This is so that you don't set about to start painting, pull out your collection of brushes from the shed to find the bristles are now bent in all directions except a usable one. But here is the best part about the Purdy's! With the proper care and correct use these brushes last for years! I have been using one of these 3 inch types just like the one you can see on this page for 8 Years!!! That's the same brush not different brushes! 8 years, now that's a good quality brush!!! Get yourself a decent brush it's essential for creating a good painting finish.

Method for painting acrylic with a brush: Now when it comes to applying paint with a brush, I find that most people dip the paint into their pot and then straight away wipe it all off again on the side of the pot??? The next problem is they like to use very short stokes with the brush and go back and forth. Hmm. This is how to do it properly. Lets presume that you are painting a wall and you have your painting pot, paint and a 3 inch brush ready to go.

Fill the pot up with only about 100mm or 4 inches of paint leaving enough room up the side of the pot to "tap" your brush against the side.

Next you dip the bristles of your brush no more than 1/2 way into the paint tap both of the flat sides of you brush 2 or 3 times against one side of your pot (this keeps your pot relatively clean.)

With either of the thin edges of your bristles as the leading edge( or pointing in the direction you are going to move the brush. Apply straight to the wall about 50mm or 2 inches from the surface you intend to cut into and wipe the bristles about 1 arms length across the surface.

Next you are going to spread the paint up towards the line you are going to cut into. Once you have cut in a nice straight line, which just takes practice. Then finish off the entire arms length stroke with a light even pressured stroke. That's it just one stroke over the whole surface you have just painted two max. This leaves a nice even finish making sure that you haven't left any "fat" edges or stop start marks which look horrible when the paint dries. if you have any fat edges left after this, then just wipe over them again with your brush in long strokes.

The whole length of your cutting in should be about 100 - 150mm or 4 - 6 inches wide and about one arms length long with no fat edges and a nice even finish free of stop start marks. Its important To make sure that you remove all stop/start marks ensure that the finishing stroke goes back in the direction of your previously painted surface, not towards the direction that you are about to paint next. always go back into your work with a long stroke to finish off.

3) - How To Apply Acrylic Paint Using A Roller Again there are many bad habits when it comes to using a roller to apply acrylic paints and also the tools that you use will make a huge difference too.

These are the tool that I suggest you use for your painting project. Thickness of the roller - For interior acrylic paints on a normal wall/ceiling - 11mm nap/pile (that's the length of the wool - I only use the wool roller sleeves I can't stand foam or the man made fibres) Length of the roller sleeve. - I always use the 270mm roller sleeves which is the largest sleeve and frame combo that you can buy. Why waste time with a smaller one?

The type of roller tray that you use is a big factor on how easy your job is going to run. many of them are just rubbish and cause you more spillage and headache than anything else. there are a few different one that painters use. My personal favourite, and unfortunately I can't supply with a photo so you will have to put up with my lame description is a curved well type. From the side on view where you pour the paint into looks a bit like a "C" with a tray coming of the bottom of the "C". I will take a photo of a nice clean new one and post it here for you to see. This type reduces the spills and accidents immensely plus it has a handle underneath so that when you pick it up all the paint sits in the Well and doesn't spill everywhere. They are great!!

Extension Poles - they are a must! Using an extension pole is essential for creating a professional finish to your wall. If you don't use them it will take you all day to do a 5 - 10 minute job and the finish will be uneven and very amateurish. The bottom line if you want nice even & professional finish to your newly rolled surface get yourself a good twist lock or extendable roller pole.

The Roller Frame that you use isn't overly important but there are a few things to keep in mind. With the cheap roller frames often after a bit of use they start to bleed a grease that mixes with the paint and causes grey splatters of tainted grey paint on your nice new wall. While this is really annoying it can be avoided most of the time by getting a better quality roller frame. Apart from that I don't have a favourite type that I would recommend.

Method for painting acrylic with a roller: Make sure you are wearing old clothing & have remove any nice jewelry that you don't want spattered with paint, you have a good quality drop cloth down on the floor and covering your furniture. Rollers tend to spray lots of little paint flecks so cover everything up. Now after stirring your paint, pour some into you tray but don't fill it right up to maximum capacity. You need to have a little bit of room to work with, so just full up the Well of your tray not the flat tray it self. Next rinse the roller sleeve under some cold water and spin out excess water this is just to dampen the wool which stops the paint from drying hard at the base of the wool fibers.

attach the extension pole and adjust to fit your size. When rolling you want to stand about 1 metre away from the wall and be easily able to reach all the way up to the ceiling without stretching and all the way down to the top of the skirting boards without bending over. Now load up your roller with paint. Start by placing your clean sleeve on the flat tray and role into the paint coating smaller amounts of the sleeve at a time until full (should take about 5 or 6 dips to do this) Never just plunge the entire roller sleeve into the paint nor do you roll back towards you on the tray, always roll towards the paint well this will keep the paint from dripping over the edge of the tray and making a big mess.

once the roller sleeve is nice and evenly coated all over then apply to the wall. Start about 200mm or 8 inches away from the corner of the wall and about knee height and roll up wards until you get about 3/4 of the way up the wall. leave it for the moment and re fill your roller and apply in the same fashion starting about knee height and about 150mm further across the wall from your last roller full. Next you want to spread it out evenly. After the 2nd applying roll, take your roller off the wall go back to the starting point of your first roll. Applying a firm even pressure roll up towards the cornice but this time roll it a bit closer to the cornice but not up to the final height yet, stay down about 150mm for now. Then roll down and across to the starting point of your second applying roll, again rolling it up to the cornice again staying down about 150mm from it. then roll back down and across to the starting point and down to the skirting board.

Now that the majority of your paint is spread out you need to push it out the the edges of your wall. so roll the paint gently out to about 30mm above the skirting board edge of your wall and the same up below the cornice. The trick is to avoid fat edges so lighten the pressure you are applying to the roller as you approach the edges and finish with a very light pressure as you rebound and roll back in the opposite direction. So - As you roll down to the skirting board start lightening your pressure about 300mm or 1ft above the skirting board and as you get to the bottom it should be just the weight of the roller on the wall as you stop your downwards roll and start rolling back up the wall.

When spreading the paint to the outside edges or as you are pushing the paint into the corners of your wall you want to make sure you aren't pushing copious amount o paint into the corners to make fat edges. For the edges of your wall make sure the side of your roller frame that the sleeve slides up against or the side that disappears into the sleeve is facing away from the wall. (you should always lead with the edge. that means have it facing the over all direction that you are painting) Now push gently and tilting the pole away from the edge that you are rolling into (this will lift the pressure on the edge of the roller closest to the internal corner of the wall and reduce the risk of creating a fat edge in that corner). Roll gently taking your time not to get too close to the other wall.

Now that the paint is evenly spread across the wall and all the surfaces are covered you need to apply the finishing roll. This is other wise known as "laying it off" with your now emptied roller start about half a roller width from the corner of the wall at about waist height. Again make sure the part of your frame which going inside the roller sleeve is facing towards the direction that you will applying your next roller full to. Now again slightly tilt the roller pole making your trailing edge of the roller sleeve light to avoid leaving a line of paint. Now roll up and into the top corner of your wall then roll down along the wall taking care again not to get it on the other wall. Once at the bottom roll up to the cornice this time slowly moving your roller as you go about half a roller sleeve width away from the internal corner once at the top. Do this movement over the whole rolling stroke don't lift off and reposition or slide over then start again for this lay of technique your roller should never lift off the surface. Once at the top go back down again moving 1/2 a roller sleeve over on your way down then at the bottom do it again and keep doing this until you have gone over the entire surface you just applied paint to.

Have a quick look to see if you left any lines of paint down your wall form uneven pressure or incorrect technique if it all looks good the start with the applying technique again. if not re do the laying off method until you are happy with it. For the rest of the wall it is exactly the same method as before. only you treat the previous laid off surface as the internal corner of the wall, except for when you get to the spreading it out part and when you lay it off. This time you will go back into your previously laid off surface about 1/2 a roller width when spreading it out and 1 full roller width when laying it off. Again with your laying off technique, start away from where your laying off stroke that goes back into your existing work will finish and at waist height roll up to the full 1 roller distance into the previously laid off surface roll straight down and then start the up down 1/2 roller at a time movement across the wall until you cover all the newly applied paint.

For all surfaces that you roll its the exact same technique. on ceilings though it is worth me mentioning that you start against one edge and work across the ceiling walking backwards. but you apply and lay off the paint exactly the same way. put it on spread it out and roll to the edges then lay it off and you're done! Painters tip: Remember to lighten the pressure that you are applying on your roller pole when you are about to change directions to avoid leaving a build up of paint where you changed the direction or other wise known as a "fat edge".

All the best and happy Painting!

Dave Walmsley

If you need to access more free painting articles, hints and tips then visit http://www.askthepainternow.com

Eco Surface Paint And Finishes

Interior design paint choices can be difficult. This article will look at each type of eco and natural paint, giving you the low down on each so that you can make an informed decision. Some paints and finishes claim to be natural, organic or non-toxic. As with all claims of eco-friendliness, be careful when choosing finishes as there are currently no legal requirements for manufacturers regarding toxic chemical content.

The following list looks at natural and eco interior paint ideas for your walls and ceilings:

Eco interior paint ideas - First choice

Linseed oil based paint

Linseed comes from the flax plant is an ideal resource that is renewable, sustainable and readily available. Some sources are found in by-products from the food industry. The content of linseed oil in paints can vary with some types that are made with 100%. Any pigments which are added do not contain solvents and are natural. The product lifetime can exceed synthetic paint types by up to one third. Suitable for interior and exterior applications. Paint will age and colours will fade over time. This can be restored with a coat of new linseed oil.

Eco interior paint ideas - Second choice

Wood and vegetable oil based paint

Made from natural elements such as soya bean oils, oak bark and madder root - readily available and renewable materials. Vegetable based pigments fade over time. Natural VOCs are released from natural resins like turpentine and citrus oils - these VOCs are not as toxic as traditional synthetic paint. Low levels of embodied energy.

Casein, protein, distemper, milk based paint

An old fashioned interior paint mix made from milk protein and lime. Materials are non chemical, renewable and readily available. The product comes in powder form, to be mixed when needed. The casein/milk acts as the binder. Raw materials are a non renewable resource extracted through quarrying, which destroys the surrounding natural environment. Application may cause skin and eyes sensitivity as lime is a known irritant. Some sources are found in by-products from the food industry. Suitable for interior and exterior applications. A breathable, water based and non toxic paint. Multiple coats are needed for an opaque finish. Milk paint is not appropriate for damp environments as this causes the paint to flake. The finish is washable, matt, soft and chalk like.

Clay based paint

Natural clay is a readily available and non toxic resource. Available in a small variety of colours. Finish is entirely breathable and has very good natural anti fungal and anti static properties. Entirely breathable finish which helps humidity and trapped moisture levels. Available in flat matt or textured wall effects. Good anti-static properties. A naturally non drip paint without polyurethane. Low levels of embodied energy.

Stone and mineral paint

A water based paint made from crushed stones and minerals such as limestone, soap stone, quartz sand and dolomite without the use of solvents. Materials are readily available. Mineral pigments are available in bold colours and do not fade as easily as vegetable based paints. Durability on porous surfaces is very high. Good light reflectivity. Interior paint finish is entirely breathable and has very good natural anti-fungal properties. These finishes create the same surface properties found in natural stone. Non combustible. Medium levels of embodied energy.

Lime, lime wash, whitewash, distemper paint

An alkaline powdered chalk or lime based paint which is suited to painting on top of a clay or lime plaster base. Raw materials are a non renewable resource extracted through quarrying, which destroys the surrounding natural environment. Quite a soft finish which can flake. Good anti-fungal properties. A breathable, water based and non toxic paint. Contains very low level of VOCs. Multiple coats are needed for an opaque finish. Application may cause skin and eyes sensitivity as materials are known irritants. Some paints contain acrylic polymers. Cannot be painted on gypsum plaster walls.

Eco interior paint ideas - Third choice

Low-odour, low VOCs or zero VOCs paints

There is some conflicting information surrounding these paints as low odour paints 'seem' to be safe as they do not give off the typical paint smell - leading you into a false sense of security. This does not mean that they are safe, only that a different chemical process has been used. Interior paints which state zero VOCs may well be made with alternative chemical and toxic substances which are not classed as VOCs. Paint which states low VOCs offgas lower levels of chemical vapours than synthetic paints. Both zero and low VOCs paints could have as a negative effect on your health, wellbeing and to the natural environment as traditional synthetic paints do, even though the level of exposure might be reduced. It is important to note that low VOCs still offgas, however the level is lower than with traditional paint types. There are currently no legislations as to what a low or zero VOC paint can contain to be put into this class.

Shellac paint

An interior paint made from natural, renewable and sustainable insect resin which is a by product of the insects draining sap from tree bark. Lac is imported from overseas from regions such as Thailand and India. A quick drying timber varnish which releases low levels of VOC emissions after application. Can suffer from wear and tear easier than other timber finishes. Suitable for low traffic timber flooring areas. When sourcing shellac, check the label for added methanol as this chemical reduces the eco-friendly nature of the product.

Interior wood finish, both eco and natural alternatives to synthetic timber finishes, oils and stains:

Natural wax

Plant based resources such as carnauba, candelilla plants and oils made from sunflower, soya bean and thistle. All materials are renewable, sustainable and readily available. Lower levels of toxic elements and low odour binding solvents - low levels of natural VOCs are released. Excellent stain resistant properties. Microporous products are suitable for interior & exterior applications allowing the timber to breathe. Finishes are naturally transparent and oil-based making them water-repellent. Suitable for interior uses, can be polished to a sheen. Products must cure over a few days before full strength and water resistant properties take effect. Once the wood has been penetrated with the wax, it will not flake, peel or blister.

Natural oils

This finish is made from nuts and seeds such as linseed, soya, coumarone resin and tung oil. All of these renewable, sustainable materials are readily available. Transparent finishes are naturally oil-based making them water-repellent, however less water resistant than synthetic finishes. Suitable for timber flooring and stairs and heavier wear areas as the oils are durable. Flooring oil doesn't contain biocides or preservatives. Can be used on all timber including cork finishes as well as stone and natural tiles. Natural oils are microporous allowing timber to breathe and the oils prevent timber from becoming too dry. Soya oils are quicker drying than linseed oils. Some products contain carcinogens and naturally low levels of VOCs. Two to three times the number of coats needed as well as longer drying times. Low levels of embodied energy due to minimal manufacture. Reapplication is more often than synthetic finishes. Linseed oil alone can be used as a primer for applying wax and great as an eco furniture oil. Once the wood has been penetrated with oil, it will not flake, peel or blister.

Beeswax

A fragrant and abundant resource giving a golden toned finish on timber surfaces. Finishes are naturally oil-based making them water-repellent, however less durable and water resistant than synthetic finishes. Reapplication is more often than synthetic finishes. Once the wood has been penetrated with the wax, it will not flake, peel or blister.

Water based timber finish

Releases low levels of VOCs. The low VOCs content and water based name does not mean that chemical additives & binders have not been used. An odourless and clear finish. Not recommended for flooring applications where heavy wear will occur. Solvent is water based however may contain toxic elements. Lifespan is slightly less than synthetic varnish. No solvents necessary to clean.

Primer, under coat, primer, eggshell, gloss and varnish

Made from renewable and sustainable materials; natural linseed oil and soya. Both microporous materials allowing the timber beneath to breathe. Good moisture resistance and material flexibility. Suits both interior and exterior applications, available in varying strengths. Available in a gloss or satin finish. Natural oil based materials may still offgas VOC emissions within your home.

Interior wood finish; treatments, solvents, strippers and removers:

Borax

A timber treatment with good insect and fungal repellent properties. Made from natural minerals derivatives.

Natural solvents

Natural resin oils, citrus peel and aliphatic solvents release allergens which you may be sensitive to. A fragrant additive which is used in strippers, thinners and paint.

Paint stripper & varnish remover

Water based without the use of solvents suitable for removing water and oil based paints or finishes whether natural or synthetic. Gel paint remover is biodegradable and doesn't contain any corrosive elements.

Interior wood finish to avoid: solvent based such as oil or alkyd

Synthetic ingredients to avoid

The following list of chemical compounds are found in a variety of surface finishes from paints, stains, adhesives, strippers to cleaning agents:

Acrylic resin

Ammonia

Ashphalt chlorobenzene

Ethylene

Kerosene

Formaldehyde

Methylene chloride

Petrol

Polyurethane

Trichloroethylene

Toluene

Vinyl chloride

Xylene

Nicola Elizabeth Jones is the owner of http://www.holistic-interior-designs.com and Earth Balance Interiors. Her core passion is working as an eco interior designer and consultant, based in Dublin, Ireland. She holds a wealth of interior design experience ranging from commercial to residential interior design projects in the UK. She also holds a number of years teaching experience working both in the classroom and distance learning environment with interior design students globally. She is a member of O2 Ireland who are the voluntary group of sustainable designers, linking up with the international group O2. She is also a member of Cultivate the sustainable community organisation for Ireland.