Category Archives: Artists

What is a Protective Closure Sleeve?

By David Heyman

Crystal clear sleeves have an adhesive strip to seal the bags against dust, dirt, bugs and fingerprints, keeping your greeting cards and photographs in pristine condition. This adhesive strip is the key difference in a protective closure style sleeve.

Standard and protective closure sleeves

With standard sleeves, this adhesive layer is on the back of the flap. Simply pull off the cellophane liner, fold the flap over and the bag automatically seals. This works well for most uses, as the sleeve is protecting your contents, while allowing for removal of the item if necessary. Your cards or photos can be changed out, as the sleeves can be re-sealed several times. Continue reading

The Unpredictable Pricing of Fine Art – What Artists Need to Know

by Georgia Lange

Over the past few months, I have attended many opening (and closing) receptions for art exhibitions at various galleries in the Santa Monica area. Many of the artists displaying their works were new to me. Some were well known to me, though I had never had the honor and privilege of gazing at their original pieces in person before. The most memorable of these artists was Dave McKean and the work he had on display at the Billy Shire Gallery last month. Then there were those artists whose works I had been watching Continue reading

Featured Artist – Spring 2010: Klaus Lange

SECRETS OF OCEAN LINERS

Impermanent Art — Surprising Beauty

My abstract art photographs are a collection of close-up images  of the worn and rusting paint on ships’ hulls.  With my camera on the high seas I capture fascinating patterns and characters from weathered and repainted ship’s steel. I am a lifelong self-trained artist, and currently give my creativity free reign as a seaman on the San Francisco pilot boat, stationed 12 miles outside the Golden Gate.  While pilots go up and down the Jacob’s ladders in near hourly intervals, I stand camera-ready on deck of the pilot boat, down near the waterline, where the best motifs for my fleeting photography offer themselves so wonderfully. Here for mere moments I find myself presented with surprising Continue reading

Photoshop Painting Produces Photo-like Qualities

by Nancy Haberman

Adobe Photoshop, perhaps best known for its extraordinary photo editing capabilities, can also produce digital paintings that simulate photographic effects.

Struggling to find just the right image of an oak tree led me to begin my exploration of painting in Photoshop. I never use the eraser, but instead, lay down multiple paint strokes in the colors of my chosen palette, building up transparencies and color nuances with each click and drag of the mouse.

Photoshop’s endless brush variations combine with the morphing textures created by overlaying strokes of varying colors and opacities.  To read the entire article click here for a pdf version: Photoshop Painting

Spring Art Fairs

by Nancy Haberman

It’s officially springtime, the start of a season of art fairs, craft shows and holiday boutiques…in other words, a prime time for artists to earn extra money selling matted prints, greeting cards, bookmarks and other printed products.

If you can reproduce your artwork, whether it’s photography, painting or another artistic medium, then you can create a marketable product at an affordable price.

Make an attractive presentation with a ready-to-frame, professionally cut, 4-ply acid-free, archival mat, back and bag combo. The mat protects the print from contact with the glass and serves to focus the viewer’s attention on the artwork, and away from the frame. The foam core backing is extremely lightweight, yet sturdy enough to provide protection for artwork. The crystal clear bag with peel ’n’ strip adhesive closure protects artwork from dust and fingerprints.

A big part of an art show is the experience of browsing through a variety of art from multiple artists. Artists have used everything from plate racks to orange crates to present their prints. To create a professional appearance and easy accessibility to your artwork, consider easy to transport canvas or acrylic print displays and greeting card spinners.

POP CULTURE AND THE ARTS: A LOVE AFFAIR

by Georgia Lange

I was watching an episode of Mad Men the other day (for those of you who have never seen the AMC television series, the plot follows the somewhat disturbing cultural aspects of the 1960’s and the advertising that both reflected and reinforced the principles of the generation). Watching the show got me thinking about the influence that pop culture has over Continue reading

Scanography: Camera-less photography!

by Georgia Lange and Stephanie Ferguson

Are you technologically challenged? Does your busy life leave no time for that photography or painting class you’ve always wanted to take? If you are still yearning for a creative outlet, scanography may be for you. With both fine-art and commercial applications, this is a marvelous tool that just about anyone can use and have fun with. If you have access to a flatbed scanner, you can create beautiful images that Continue reading

Photography Competition: Call for Entries

Communication Arts magazine is having its annual juried photography competition! This is one of the most prestigious competitions in the industry and a great opportunity for all photographers! The deadline for entries is March 26, 2010. For more information, click here. Good luck!

Type as background provides TEXTure for art

by Georgia Lange

The trend of using text as a texture in art is one that is increasing in popularity. There are many different ways in which to incorporate this technique, and it can be applied to many different trades, including fine art, illustration, graphic design, and digital photography. One of the most interesting aspects of this technique is that it can be manipulated to suit just about any artist’s style. One method, which is most commonly used amongst graphic designers, is to use text to fill or create a shape. Another method, one of the most popular, Continue reading

Simple paper cutting makes colorful jewelry

by Kimberly Foster

A single piece of paper can create several pieces of beautiful, hand-made jewelry. The paper you use should be relatively thin and pliable; other than that, the possibilities are endless.  Use anything from decorative hand-made paper to old magazines and scraps you’d normally throw away!

Other supplies:

Artist medium or white glue
Strong jewelry cord or dental floss
Large needle or toothpick
Paper cutter or scissors

Continue reading