Clever Tips for Painting Your House

A fresh paint job on the outside makes your house look nicer and last longer. Follow these quick tips to get a nice, even look.

Few home-maintenance projects are as important as exterior painting because paint and caulking form the first line of defense against rain, snow, and ice. And a nice paint job will enhance the curb appeal and resale value of your home, too.

You want to repair and repaint as soon as you notice paint starting to crack, blister, and peel. Ignoring these problems will lead to a much more extensive—and expensive— job. Below are seven exterior painting tips every homeowner should know, whether you’re planning to paint the house yourself or hire a pro.

Paint Options: There are two basic types of exterior paint: water-based latex and oil-based alkyd. Latex cleans up with soap and water, dries quickly, has low odor, and remains flexible longer so it’s less likely to crack. The best quality latex paints contain 100 percent acrylic resins.

Alkyd paints require mineral spirits (paint thinner) for cleanup as opposed to just soap and water. But many professional painters prefer alkyd paint because it’s durable, stain-resistant, flows very smoothly, and dries with fewer brush marks. But alkyds have a strong solvent smell and dry very slowly.

The one you choose is up to you. Just remember that if you’re applying latex paint over an existing alkyd paint, you must first prime the surface to ensure the new topcoat will adhere to the old oil-based paint.

Paint Prices: There’s no absolute formula for picking the best paint for your home. Most paint manufacturers offer a wide variety of paints ranging from good to better to best. As a general rule, budget how much you want to spend on the project and then buy the best paint you can reasonably afford, because cost is an excellent indication of quality. Expensive paints contain more pigments than bargain paints, so they produce a thicker, longer-lasting, more protective coating.

Read the Label: Few homeowners bother reading the tiny print on the paint can label, but they should. There’s a wealth of information printed right on the can that can help you produce a beautiful paint job. Pay particular attention to the instructions about prepping the surface and outdoor air temperature. Most paints shouldn’t be applied when the temperature is 50 degrees F or colder. But some paints are specially formulated for application when the temperature is as low as 35. Just take the time to read the label before you start painting and before the label becomes smeared with paint and impossible to decipher.

Prep the Surface: For the new paint to adhere to the surface, you must clean the house’s exterior of all dirt, grime, mildew, and chalky residue. A power sprayer provides the easiest way to accomplish this, but hand scrubbing with a stiff-bristle brush is just as effective and often doesn’t take much longer because it requires little preparation and setup time.

Use a hammer and a nail set to tap all nailheads below the surface, then fill the holes with exterior-grade putty. Once the putty is fully cured, sand it flush. If you’re applying new caulking around windows, doors, and trim, be sure to use a caulk that’s paintable.

You can paint directly over the old painted surface as long as it’s in good condition. Be sure to scrape and sand any spots where the old paint has blistered or flaked off. And you must prime any bare wood before you paint it.

Brush or Roller? Yes! The fastest, most effective way to apply exterior paint is with both a paintbrush and a roller. Brush paint onto narrow surfaces, edges, and smaller areas, and use a short, small-diameter roller to paint large and long surfaces such as siding and trim.

Start in the Shade: Painting in direct sunlight or applying paint to a sun-baked surface will make fresh paint dry too quickly. As a result, it won’t adhere well and will blister and flake prematurely. So begin painting on the shady side of the house. (If the surface is damp, wipe it dry.) Then wait for sun to move and the other sides of the house to become shaded—or just paint on an overcast day.

Take it From the Top: Start painting near the top of the house and work your way down. Apply paint to the butt or bottom edge of the siding first, then paint the broad surfaces. To avoid lap marks, always try to brush from one wet surface onto another wet surface. When that’s not possible and you must paint onto a previously painted and dried surface, overlap onto the dried-paint surface by several inches.

And since you’ll be working high up, don’t forget basic ladder safety: Don’t overreach too far to the side or you might topple over. Try to keep your hips within the horizontal rails of the ladder. It’s much smarter to climb down, move the ladder, and climb back up than to risk falling.

The Best of British Art

The energetic paintwork of David Bomberg’s Ronda: In the Gorge of the Tajo demonstrates his mastery of this medium. Although he was often penniless during his lifetime and relied on the support of a trio of patrons, it is no surprise that last year Christie’s set a new world record for Bomberg at auction when Toledo from the Alcazar broke through the half-million pound barrier.

Bomberg was mesmerised by Spanish towns and the surrounding countryside, which provided the inspiration for some of his most spectacular work. In summer 1934 Bomberg set off with his wife, Lilian, to Cuenca in Spain, then travelled south to Ronda. Perched high in the Andalucian mountains, Ronda is sliced in two by a gorge that drops 400 feet-joining the two halves is the 18th-century Puente Nuevo, ‘New Bridge’.

Bomberg, who later described Ronda as ‘the most interesting of the towns of Southern Spain’, explored the countryside on a donkey, finding suitable vantage points from which to study and paint this remarkable town. Painted 40 years later, in 1974, Frank Auerbach’s Head of J.Y.M. has similarly broad brushstrokes, which leave areas of thick impasto and peaks of paint that rise and trail across the surface. Auerbach, a pupil of Bomberg’s at Borough Polytechnic, does not use traditional underpainting or outline sketches.

Instead he will paint, scrape down the surface and then return to repaint his subject the next day. The result is that some oil remains, retaining an impression of what was painted before and each time Auerbach returns he paints with a greater knowledge and intensity. Auerbach met Julia Yardley Mills (J.Y.M.), a professional model, at Sidcup College of Art in 1956 and she has been a key sitter for a number of his portrait works, visiting his Camden studio every Wednesday and Sunday until 1997.

In Head of J.Y.M., the sitter’s head is tilted back and facing slightly to one side, resting against the back of a chair, a pose in which Auerbach frequently painted her during the 1970s and 1980s. It is partly the intense familiarity with which these artists know their subject-matter that imbues the works with such potency. William Scott, R.A. was similarly fascinated by still-life subject-matter: tabletops, saucepans, cups and saucers, some runner beans or eggs and bowls all appear frequently in his paintings.

Painted in 1956, Brown Still Life demonstrates Scott’s dual embrace of figuration and abstraction. The frying pan, saucepans and bowls sit on a tabletop and at the same time the painting appears as a balanced composition of areas of colour in which Scott’s textured paintwork reveal his working methods. Also included in the forthcoming 20th Century British Art sale will be another large-scale oil by Scott, Orange and Red, given by him to the late sculptor, Lynn Chadwick.

Just as Scott was drawn to still life, Auerbach to portraiture and Bomberg to landscape, Moore was constantly fascinated by the reclining female form. Reclining figure was one of two maquettes for Moore’s Hornton stone Memorial figure which stands on the top terrace at Dartington Hall, Devon, as a memorial to Christopher Martin, the Dartington Hall Trust’s first Art Administrator, who died in 1944. The sculpture was commissioned in 1945 by Dorothy Elmhurst, one of the two founders of Dartington Hall Trust.

First shown at the Leicester Galleries, London, Memorial figure was delivered to Dartington Hall in 1947. Moore choose the site himself, writing, ‘I wanted the figure to have a quiet stillness and a sense of permanence’. ~ By Lara Grieve

Experimental 3D Curves Designs

Today’s new design inspiration is by designer Rik Oostenbroek from the Netherlands. Below you will find the amazing self initiated experimental 3D shapes, this set is inspired by natural curves driven by colors. These designs is created by using Photoshop, Illustrator, Maxon Cinema 4D, Vray, Apple iMac and Wacom Intuos.

Architecture Art in Fairy Tale Style

As we grow up, our childhood’s fairy tales tend to play a lesser role in life. Yet that’s not always the case, as an architect and graphic designer, Federico Babina, proves by reimagining the beloved fairy tale characters as architecture.

Frederico’s newest series is “a tribute to the fairy tale universe where the architectures are reinvented to accommodate the protagonists of the story,” the artist told Archdaily.

Ancient Celtic Metalwork and Stone Sculpture

Unlike Britain and the Continent, Ireland’s geographic remoteness prevented colonization by Rome. Thus, despite regular trade with Roman Britain, the country became a haven for the uninterrupted development of Celtic art and crafts, which were neither displaced by Greco-Roman art, nor destroyed in the ensuing “Dark Ages” (c.400-800) when Roman power in Europe was replaced by barbarian anarchy.

This led to an unbroken tradition of Celtic culture which retained its own oral, historical and mythological traditions, as exemplified in the Lebor Gabala Erenn (Book of Invasions).

It was this Celtic culture with its tradition of metallurgical craftsmanship and carving skills, (see Celtic Weapons art) that was responsible for the second great achievement of Irish art: a series of exceptional items of precious metalwork made for secular and Christian customers, (see also Celtic Christian art) as well as a series of intricately engraved monumental stoneworks.

Celtic metalwork art produced in Ireland is first exemplified by items like the Petrie Crown (c.100 BCE – 200 CE), and the Broighter Gold Collar (1st century BCE), and by the later Tara Brooch (c.700 CE). (See also Celtic Jewellery art.) Similar designs can also be seen in several masterpieces of early Christian art (c.500-900 CE) such as the Derrynaflan Chalice (c.650-1000), the gilt-bronze Crucifixion Plaque of Athlone (8th century CE) the Moylough Belt Shrine (8th century CE), the Ardagh Chalice (8th/9th century CE), as well as processional crosses like the Tully Lough Cross (8th/9th century CE), and the Cross of Cong (c.1125 CE) made for King Turlough O’Connor.

Many of these treasures can be viewed in the National Museum of Ireland. • Celtic stonework is best exemplified by the granite Turoe Stone monumental pagan sculpture (c.150-250 BCE), discovered in County Galway. See also Celtic Sculpture.

My New Wireless Keyboard

Few days ago i bought a new wireless keyboard from an online store. It’s not an expensive one and in return, i got 3 items in fact: a wireless keyboard itself, a mouse, and 4 port USB 3.0 hub. I got it for around $14 for all those items including shipping cost. Pretty cheap actually.

Yesterday the package arrived just one day after i got confirmation that the package was shipped. That was quite fast since normally it would take 2-3 days to reach my home. Although it’s still holiday season, JNE is still doing it’s best to deliver them as soon as possible. Thanks to JNE for quick shipping.

I unboxed it and it has a slick design, probably mimicking Apple keyboard with it’s unibody casing. It has a LED indicator for battery power and also nice keypad. The keyboard tuts have same response just like an Apple Keyboard.

To try the wireless keyboard i need to plugged the AAA batteries inside it, switch it on, and press the connect button. After that, i turned on my iPad’s bluetooth and in short time it will detect a new device that’s ready to pair. I click the wireless keyboard device and i need to enter a randomly generated numbers on the keyboard to continue with the pairing process. After entering the numbers, it works nicely with my iPad 3. Gonna try with my Android and laptop later on.

How did people travel in the Bronze Age?

During the Bronze Age, many people crossed the sea from mainland Europe to Britain. They travelled in long wooden boats rowed by oarsmen.

The boats carried people, animals and trading goods. They were loaded with metal from mines, precious swords, pots and jewellery.

Boats were very useful for carrying heavy materials like stone. Large areas of land were covered by forest, so it was much easier to transport goods by river.

By the start of the Bronze Age, people in Britain had learned to tame horses. Then, around 1000BC, they learned to make carts with wheels. Some farmers travelled on horseback or used wooden carts, pulled by horses or oxen.

The first war chariots appeared at the end of the Bronze Age. Warriors rode into battle standing on chariots pulled by horses.

Abstract Water Designs Collection of Free Desktop Wallpapers

To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don’t grab hold of the water, because if you do you will sink and drown. Instead you relax, and float. Simply click on a preview image from the roundup below to view and download the full-size high resolution wallpaper, these wallpapers is free for personal use for preview purposes only.

 

How to be Expert in Creating Landscape Artwork

Whether you are a watercolor landscape artist, into landscape oil paintings, or want to create your first landscape painting in acrylic, the skills and insights you will need to excel all come from experience. That is, art landscape experts who can share their hard-won methods and unique ways of working with us.

The First Steps to Painting Landscapes: Imagine Where, When, and How You Will Paint

John Singer Sargent may have been able to start painting landscapes in any location or during any hour of the day, but the rest of us need to select a contemporary landscape painting location based on the time of day, season of the year, and conditions that prevail. One spot might be inspiring in the morning and boring in the afternoon; or the location may require more time to paint than is available. It is therefore important to take into account what the landscape painting conditions are likely to be at the various locations you are considering. Most professionals take note of the locations they pass and try to remember the best vantage point and the optimal time for returning.

Artist Thomas S. Buechner says, “The older I get, the more attractive the subject matter that is closest to the bathroom becomes.” He was joking, of course, but he does try to avoid spending too much time searching for the “perfect” landscape artwork location because there are always a variety of choices available, some more convenient than others.

Artists Matthew Daub and William Hook had much the same advice when they cautioned against the expectation that the landscape would be greener or more picturesque on the other side of the hill, or down the road, or on the other side of the stream. Honored landscape artist Clyde Aspevig, a man of intense personal motivation, picks locations where he can create several good paintings without having to pack up and move his equipment.

If you are looking for more in-depth landscape painting approaches, consider the Oil Painter’s Solution Book on Landscapes, with answers on everything from materials, to brush techniques, and what to paint first.

Most landscape oil paintings take several hours to finish, so it helps to consider what will happen to the angle and intensity of the light while you are painting at a particular site. Will the sunlight cross the painting surface and create unwanted glare? Will the clouds clear away and create a sharp contrast in the pattern of sunlight and shadow? Will the distinction between warm and cool colors become more pronounced as the sun begins to set?

Of course, a landscape artist needn’t be a slave to weather conditions. Once a good landscape artwork is underway, experiences can guide you to its successful completion. “Lie, cheat, and steal,” says contemporary landscape painting artist Jack Beal with a laugh. By that he means that artists are not obliged to paint exactly what they observe in their watercolor landscape paintings or landscape oil paintings. In fact, composition is all about abstracting the three-dimensional world onto a two-dimensional surface. “If Corot and Albert Bierstadt can help you, then by all means let them,” Beal advises.

How to Draw People, The Best Tips from Professional Artists

It’s no secret that learning how to draw people is an essential, timeless lesson in an artist’s development; figurative drawings continue to be among the most popular subjects in art schools and among professionals. But it takes more than just knowing how to create the contour lines that form a two-dimensional drawing of a person; one must have an understanding of anatomy, including muscle and bone structure, and of movement and balance to render the three-dimensional human body.

There are also the various body parts that have unique qualities to consider; the texture of the belly may be soft as a flower petal, while elbows and knees speak a different story. And the hands, poetically expressive and complex–they’re often thought of as the hardest part of the anatomy to depict accurately, and they can make or break a drawing.

In this exclusive collection of advice from top figurative artists, we share seven tips on how to draw realistic people.

1. Drawing Hands
Keep in mind the bone and muscle structure beneath the surface. In some places the surface is influenced by the angular bones, in others by the soft muscles. Don’t round off all the forms or the subject will look rubbery.~from Walt Reed (author of The Figure)

2. Drawing People and More
A classic way to draw something with correct proportion is to create a grid and place it over your reference photo, then draw a grid on your paper. Erasing these lines can be a pain, so a lightbox (or window on a sunny day) can be used instead. Place the grid on the lightbox, tape it down, then place your paper over the grid. You can see the grid through the paper and there’s no erasing later.~from Carrie Stuart Parks and Rick Parks (authors of The Big Book of Realistic Drawing Secrets)

3. Drawing People
A useful device is a shaft or midline, which is a line drawn through the middle of a human form to see how it is supported. A midline acts like the armature underneath movement and direction. It also simplifies the process of seeing and indicating the angles of specific forms.~from Robert Barrett (author of Life Drawing, now available as an ebook)

4. Opposites Attract
An essential principle of design that also relates to the human figure is the concept of opposites. The use of opposites, or contrast, exists in all the arts to create interest. In the human figure, a contrapposto position, where the weight is on one leg, is usually more interesting than one where the weight is equally balanced on both legs or throughout the figure. Each opposite helps strengthen and clarify the other.~from Robert Barrett (author ofLife Drawing, now available as an ebook)

5. How to Draw a Person
The muscles are the body’s substructure. They are a big part of what gives the figure its shape and form. Understanding what goes on beneath the surface will help you see important details that might have gone otherwise unnoticed.~from Jeff Mellem (author ofSketching People)

6. How to Draw Characters
For a visual artist, choosing how to depict an event–what parts are emphasized and what are downplayed–is done through staging. If there are enough clues through the interplay of body language, setting, costumes, props and even artistic style, the viewer will understand the story and the meaning behind it.~from Jeff Mellem (author of Sketching People)

7. Make the Most of Your Time
Don’t necessarily add more detail in a longer study–spend the extra time observing the overall pose more carefully. You may want to choose a less familiar viewpoint. This figure, for example, is foreshortened because it’s seen from a high eye level. There are some surprising correlations of different parts of the body. Note how the fingers of her right hand appear to reach her calf and are even in line with the toes of her left foot!~from John Raynes (featured in the video Drawing & Painting People: Anatomy of the Body)