Modern Design was born at the turn of the 20th century. But as design does, this movement acquired from its predecessors, namely the Bauhaus and International styles. Bauhaus was an architectural school founded in 1918. The faculty and students of the school would develop a style of architecture that favored simplicity and the integration of technology. International Style became the term used once the ideas of the Bauhaus began to catch on around the world. Swiss architect, Le Corbusier and his idea of an open interior became the basis of International and eventually Modern design.

The philosophy of why the modern style was originated is open to a debate that will never be resolved. The advancements of the Industrial Revolution in mid 19th century brought about innovations in technology and new building materials. Sleek and clean lines were easily presented with the glass, steel, and concrete that became highly available through the mass production of the 20th century. Some insist on the direct correlation with the eclectic art movements of the time, Expressionism, Fauvism, and so on. The idea of progress and the socio-political revolutions of the early 20th century were surely making an impact as well. Whatever the foundation of this Modern movement, we know that it was a time of inspiration and change, remarkable enough to endure through to the present.

Let us examine Modern Design as it stands today in its most prevalent form–the interior. Open any home magazine or journal from the last five years and I feel quite confident in saying most articles center around the modernizing of the home. Whether it be color, accessories, lighting, etc., designers today are constantly enquired as to what looks chic, and today, modern is chic.

The open plan that Le Corbusier derived remains the source of Modern design. The floor plans of mod homes are sparsely furnished. Simplicity and lack of ornamentation compliment the look, as the progress of design has become ‘less is more’. Consider computers, televisions, cell phones, and even the automobiles of today. Every few months, something smaller and more streamlined is released. This constant simplifying of technology is no coincidence, it is convenience. With the progress and technology of the 20th century came the consequence of a much faster paced life. The direct response to this and rightly so, was the need for convenience. In the interior, this convenience lies in the lack of disarray and congestion and more in modular furnishing–straight lined and simple. Hence, less is more.

Walls are treated as a background to your open plan. White, black, brown, gray, beige, and chrome are characteristic on the walls of a very modern home. Originally, primary colors (reds, yellows, blues) were used in accessories and artwork to add a splash of color here and there. More recently, natural themes have been incorporated–cool greens and blues. The great thing about modern style is that if you begin with a sparse background, any color can be incorporated in moderation.

Flooring consists of natural elements. Wood planking, bamboo for example, is most common. Brick, stone, and tile are used to again keep the surroundings somewhat of a blank canvas. Rugs are used to paint that canvas. They come in infinite sizes, shapes, colors and designs, and can be used to personalize and soften a stark space.

Industrial style lighting works very well with ultra modern homes. Track lighting, spot lighting, and recessed cans are probably the most popular forms. Floor and table lamps can add a personal touch as well. Lighting options are as immense as rugs. And by no means does lighting have to be the most expensive aspect of design.

Accents and furnishings are by far the most interesting aspect of the modern style. I believe this to be true because there is no sort of outline for them. These are things of your choice. Almost anything can be incorporated. Pull colors from your rug, your artwork, or simply add colors through these modern oil paintings. If there is any sort of rule at all in modern design, it is to use decorative items sparsely.

But then, are there any rules in design, really? There are frameworks, yes. But they have always been debated and never decided. Modern designers and architects have continuously argued the philosophy of design. The most intriguing part of modern style is first personal opinion, and second, personal philosophy. Mine is to use these frameworks for what they are, a blank canvas–paint as you will. Be eclectic, be interesting, be colorful, but most of all, be unique. Isn’t that the modern way?

Moving into a new house can be quite an experience. You are totally in a new zone, surrounded by new ceilings and floors near stairs in an entire new layout. You want your home to look the best, so it’s important to pick out the right kind of paint. Of course, in a single article, we can’t show you absolutely everything that you need to know about moving into your new house, but we are going to try to give you some good tips on picking out a new house quality house paint.

1. Match it. By new house paint is arty difficult as it is in, and you definitely don’t want to paint your house a second time. Make sure whatever kind of house paint that you buy matches up with your existing paint. Maybe take a picture or find out exactly what kind of paint you have in your house right now so that when you go to the hardware store, you can show them exactly what you need.

2. Buy high-quality paint. Take a look around at the different types of paint that are available for you to buy in the store. You will quickly notice that paint varies in quality drastically and you generally get way you pay for. Granted, you have to make sure that you’re not getting ripped off and you really are getting a good deal, but if you are serious about making money on your house, try to buy the best type of paint that you can afford.

3. Ask a professional. It’s okay if you don’t know everything about home remodeling. Some people do it for a living. Builders, contractors, subcontractors and other home decorators might be able to give you some words of wisdom and help that you might not be able to get otherwise. Don’t be afraid to ask. Just ask them for a little help and you might be able to save yourself some time and headaches.

Of course, there’s a lot more to say about house paint. We can’t have put everything in one article. Visit our site to learn all about house paint today.

The following article provides a quick guide on what to think about when preparing your artwork for printing.

It is important you follow these guidlines as any errors made are likely to cause a delay or cause unncessary stress should the final print quality be sub-standard.

1. Check your files
Check your artwork for spelling mistakes, grammar and ensure all images used are high resolution. Double check to make sure as any errors found will delay the turnaround of your product.

2. Bleed
Bleed is the extra bit of the design page which you design on, as normal, with the knowledge that it will be trimmed off the finished flyer. Any images on your artwork should bleed off the page, and essential text should be away from the trim edge by a good few mm’s. We use a 2mm bleed area on each edge.

3. Text
Keep essential text away from the edge of the flyer, by about 8-10mm for best results.

4. Print Resolution
Ensure your artworks resolution is at least 300dpi. The higher the resolution the better.

5. File Formats
If you are using un-common fonts, ensure you supply your artwork as a flattened jpeg or tiff. This will ensure there will be no font problems when your artwork is checked. The most commonly accepted program formats are Quark, Illustrator, Photoshop, Corel Draw, Corel Paint, Freehand, InDesign and Paint Shop Pro. Vector files such as .eps and pdf’s are becoming more common and ensure a better end product.

6. Colours
Unless you have a calibrated monitor your artwork is likely to have slightly different colours when printed. Ensure your colour choices are correct before sending to print.

7. A Final Check
Before sending to your printer, have one more final check that everything is as expected.

WARNING
There are two things you should consider when designing your flyers:

Due to the quick turn around of our flyers, they are trimmed down not long after they are printed, in most circumstances we try to give a printed sheet 8 hours to dry completely, this isn’t always the case. This is noticeable when one side of the flyer is left white, and the other side bleeds rich colour to the trim edge. This will cause slight powdering of the rich ink over, on to the white side. In this circumstance we recommend the use of borders.

Borders on the edge of a flyer, can sometimes give the flyer a classic look. But make sure the borders are a good few mm in from the trim edge, because of the way we print flyers (up to 32 at a time) and the speed at which we turn them round (from payment, to your door) these borders may not be an accurate trim to the exact 10th of a mm. This is why we ask for a 2mm bleed. The cutting blade could go either way. We cannot be held responsible for imperfect results if these borders are slightly uneven.

A child’s first scribbling is something which it tries to express if you give a pencil in his hand. Drawing is relatively very simple and an easy skill and is something with which you can have great fun. It is also relatively not a very expensive hobby and can start with paper and a pencil. It can go on till acquiring costly pen and tablets – a computer hardware through which you can draw on your computer. It is very costly; however the precision for perfection is very high.

Unlike earlier days, getting information on drawing and sketching is very easy and inexpensive. You can search information on Google and get various sites which teach drawing. Also, nowadays this art form is liked by many youngsters. Like all other art forms, with constant and systematic practice one can become a great artist.

Listed below are few drawing tips which can help anyone improve their skill and become an artist. Reading and practicing these in your daily routine will improve your skill.

1. If you are drawing and you are right handed person, ensure that the light is from your left side. This will prevent your hand shadow falling on your paper.

2. First step when you practice drawing – you should practice drawing line, straight line, curved line, scribbled lines, and your hand should obey the command 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 drawing circles, oval shapes, crossed lines and bold and thick lines. Just like how a baby develops from crawling stage to walking stage, your art should also develop step by step.

4. These lines and curves are like pillars to a building. The foundation should be strong enough to have a good building; similarly these initial small lines and curves will go a long way in your career. You should also start controlling the stress on your pencil. You should be able to bring the correct darkness and thickness in the lines what you draw.

5. Initially you will not be able to draw a circle or an oval shape correctly, nevertheless don’t get discouraged. You should practice and practice until you get perfection. You should also keep all your drawings carefully from the start to know how you are improving. You could also date your sketches and preserve it for the future.

6. You should concentrate in the area where you feel you are weak. If you are not able to shade properly then learn more to do that. You can try out your own style of shading. Build your own individuality, never copy from another artist.

7. Last but not the least, use good quality materials. 4B and 6B pencils and good chart paper or note book with good quality paper should be sufficient to start with. Quality definitely matters hence never compromise on quality.

Proportion is a word often associated with another word for artists, stress. But I’m here to share with you that it doesn’t have to be a stressful word. Can this really be true? A simple way to warp speed techniques when measuring proportion? Yes, I’m here to say that it is true.

Proportion…How big should the head be? How long should the legs? How long should I draw this line? These are questions, we as artists, face everyday. It doesn’t matter what kind of artist you are…getting the most out of figure drawing with accurate proportions will explode your art to new levels. There are several tools and methods to help artists with proportions. Without correct proportions, your figure will be inaccurate and lacking at best.

There are certain proportion formulas, such as the figure being a certain many heads tall, or the head of the figure being so many eyes wide.

I like to know these formulas and use them as a guide. The human form being so individual you can never go strictly off of these formulas alone. As an artist, it’s important to know these formulas to be able to recognize the deviations from the formulas in the model/subject you are drawing.

Measuring

Measuring is a little bit different for every artist. It is a tool for proportions not to overlook. Just as someone aiming a poolstick or firing a gun does it differently than the next person, so goes it for the artist. Some artists, while measuring, will shut the left eye and some the right, while others will keep both eyes open (just never keep both shut LOL). You’ll need to see what’s right for you. Then, hold your pencil between your thumb and fingers with your fingers wrapped around the pencil. Measure from the top of your thumb to the end of your pencil. You can hold your pencil vertical or horizontal for this technique, keeping it at shoulder high.

Your measurement from your thumb to the end of your pencil may only be ½ inch, but on your drawing it could be an inch or more. All of your measurements are comparative. For example, if an artist wants to know how long a leg is, he can compare it’s length with the length of the subjects head. Using the measurement method we discussed with the pencil, it’s easy to compare.

These simple methods, once applied, will soar your drawings, paintings or whatever you are working on. The advice practice, practice, practice, coupled with masterful technique will help you advance your art quickly and masterfully more than anything else.

Wow, Charms are popular items these days. There are thousands of online businesses that sell Italian charms to all sorts of people who are interested in collecting or wearing charms as a fashion statement. We’ve dug through a lot of the offers out there and we found that charms of all sorts can be bought for reasonable prices if you look hard enough. Here are the 3 tips to find the coolest charms online.

1)Search for charms on multiple search engines. While this might seem a little obvious to most people, guess what? Different search engines produce markedly different results. For instance, everyone seems to love Google these days. Google is, indeed a remarkable search engine, but it’s not everything. A lot of new sites have a very tough getting a decent Google ranking no matter what they do. While it may seem weird to dub Microsoft an underdog, the MSN search results might return all sorts of charm related sites that you can’t find elsewhere. Search for “Italian Charms” on MSN and Yahoo, not just Google and you will find very different sites selling different types of charms than those on Google.

2)Compare designers. All charms are not created equal! What seems too good to be true usually is. Charms come from all sorts of designers, from the premiere designers in the world to the lowest quality imaginable. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Tiffany’s advertising a selection of charms. To say Tiffany’s products are different than other retailers’ is an understatement. Furthermore, some charms are made in China. Overall, expect lower quality in chinese charm bracelets than others. Pursue a good deal, but remember not all charms are created equal.

3)Find a local designer or distributor. Try searching for charms with a zipcode or city name. For instance “charms 90292” might bring a list of local charm retailers near you. You might want to inspect the charm before buying them and using the internet to find local retailers is a great way to do so. Don’t ignore the local merchants, a lot of them have websites too. Use the web for more than mail order shopping, there are a lot of people who use the internet to show off their wares that are only available in their stores.

Most collectors understand and feel knowledgeable when speaking of singular original works of art — paintings, pencil drawings, pen and inks, acrylics, watercolors, etc. Here the artist has created one work of art with his own hand. The surface might be paper or canvas or even masonite.

A bit more complicated are Multiple Originals…commonly called Original Prints. Traditionally, the artist creates a master image for the purpose of making a small number of prints that he will sign and number. The master image might be created upon a block, stone, plate or screen — any of which assists in conveying the image to the print surface. See our By admin on November 14, 2005 | articles | 80 comments