Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Why do Flowers make great subject matter?

"Each flower is a soul opening out to nature."
-   Gerald De Nerval



A short list of why flowers make great subject matter.  You're welcome to contribute to the list!

1. They come in an array of colors, shapes, and textures.

2. Flowers make willing photography subjects.

3. They are rich with meaning, symbolism, and can be incorporated into any artwork.

4. All you need is a vase or empty bottle to stand a flower up.

5. Due to  their symmetry and smooth lines you can take almost any material and shape it into a flower.

Flowers is a series oil paintings on wood now available from my Etsy store as artful mini-cards or gift enclosures.

Thanks for visiting!

Friday, October 9, 2009

DIY Tutorial to frame ACEOs and small works on Paper using Photo Corners

Here is a simple and affordable DIY tutorial that anyone can do!

Here are the materials you will need:





















1. 5"x7", 6"x8" , 8"x10", or larger sized ready-made frame.
2. Acid-Free Mat board.
3. Exacto or utility knife.
4. Four acid-free Photo-corners.
5. Ruler or straight-edge.
6. Pencil.
7. Cardboard or mat to protect cutting surface.

Use any ready-made frame that comes with glass/plexi and cut a piece of mat board (preferably acid-free) with a utility knife to the same size opening.

My personal preference is to use inexpensive thin black frames and a light colored mat (white or beige) as it seems to match well in various home decor environments; but it's really is up to your creative personal preference.

For this tutorial I used an 8" x 10" inch frame with a beige colored mat board.

STEP 1:

On the backside of the mat board  measure 8" inches wide and 10" inches high with your ruler and draw pencil lines as cutting guides.




















STEP 2:

Cut the mat board with a utility knife along the cutting guidelines using the ruler or straight edge. Remember: to use a piece of cardboard or foamboard underneath the mat board to protect the surface you will be cutting on.


STEP 3:
Take the 4 acid free photo-corners and place them snugly along the corners of your ACEO or work on paper. Using photo-corners allows one to securely display work without having to use harmful tape or glue adhesives. Also the work can be safely removed in the future.




















STEP 4:

Take the mat board and mark the center on the displayable surface.

For an 8" x 10" mat board, the center would be 4 inches equidistant from the left and right sides and 5 inches equidistant from the top and bottom.

I use this technique so I can center mount the work properly on top of the mat board. If you rather just eyeball it - then this step is optional.























If for any reason the work needs to be re-centered and re-mounted on the mat board i've found you can still carefully and safely remove the photo-corners from the matboard.

STEP 5:
After you mount the work on top of the mat board it is almost ready to be inserted into the frame.





















Before you insert the mat board into the 8" x 10" frame make sure that the glass is smudge and debris free. Clean the glass with a damp cloth and a little Windex and let it dry for a few minutes.

STEP 6 - FINAL STEP:
Insert the mounted work into the frame and hang on the wall. Voila!

There a unlimited ways to display art and 2D work, have fun with it!



















With this technique you can mount more than one work and make interesting visual arrangements, like a diptych, triptych or create geometric shapes. Let your imagination run free. Enjoy!

ABOUT PHOTO CORNERS:
These are the photo-corners I use, made by Canson. 

You can also find a whole range of styles and colors on Amazon.

Canson Website: Here you can find retail shops near you that carry this item.

I would try to look for them in retail shops where you live first - it's not worth paying the online shipping for such an inexpensive item  - Scrapbook - Photography Stores - Arts & Crafts stores and even Office Supply Stores might carry them.

I find photo-corners are a great way to preserve cherished art, memorabilia, and photographs.

I hope that helps. If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask. Thanks for visiting!