A good receptionist asked the necessary fact finding questions to determine what made the subject unique. When done properly, such
information was invaluable in the camera room. Simple words or phrases elicited genuine smiles and that all important sparkle in the eye. The person’s true self (soul) was then captured. With the aide of a proof book, each client enthusiastically engaged in the “show and tell” process proudly showing their images to friends and relatives. Word of mouth combined with the visual aspect of proof books was a sure way to build business. The subject’s enthusiasm blended well with the selling process. Portrait sitting averages were commonly high because wall portraits were usually ordered. That was the way it was.

Today, digital photography has created a new culture based on “speed” which has led to far too many “turn style” studios. As a result, those photographers in many cases may have lost sight of what portrait photography with emotion is all about. Low sitting averages are not always attributed to the economy. Missing the heart in the camera room can often lead to minimal orders, plus making the selling process very difficult.

Many times, relying on the “8×10 package” formula saves the day, but the profitable wall portrait and frame sale then becomes more of a rarity. In the end, each subject (senior) or family may become a clone of all other sessions: lacking in soul.

Also, when one is forced to become a technician and software specialist overnight, losing sight of the emotional aspects of good portraiture can easily happen to the best of photographers. A good photo lab can easily take on the “technology” burden to free up valuable time needed in the camera room where revenue is actually generated.

Ignoring the heart results in lost revenue. Losing sight of the fact that the lens must be “shooting for the heart” can be detrimental to the livelihood of any studio. Simply stated: A professional portrait photographer must connect with the subject whether an adult, senior or baby. The photographer’s persona and personality are also crucial and critical factors to a successful and profitable photo studio, but only when combined with the ability to elicit emotions from the subject. This combination will 9 out of 10 times produce more revenue. And this process can be totally natural and need not be staged. Emotions do matter when building or maintaining a successful studio. Good portraiture capturing the true essence of the human being is still in demand.

In contemporary times, decorative painting is used to refer to artistic works painted on surfaces other than the conventional canvas. Among these surfaces are fabric, wood, glass, plastic, ceramics, potteries, marbles, tiles, and the like. Like all forms of painting, decorative painting necessitates different types of paint, specialty brushes, and other materials used for stroking.

In the usual home décor and children’s art lessons, the use of acrylic-based paint products has been a tradition because these products dry very fast, clearly produce desired colors, safe, water-based, and economical. Among more experienced decorative painters though, various kinds of complex oil-based paint, gels, glazes, and extenders are used in order to come up with deeper and more complicated effects.

Techniques in decorative painting are diverse. They range from the most basic brushing styles like freehand stroking to the most complicated ones like stippling and pickling. Decorative Painting is an institutionalized field in the visual arts; many scholarly institutions worldwide offer decorative painting as undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students who finish these courses become professional decorative painters and top-notch artists.

Both sides of the world have produced amazingly gifted artists. In the Western hemisphere there are certain black men and women who paved the way for the African American artists of today. Horace Pippin is one of those men. After an injury in WWI, Pippin discovered his underlying talent for rich, historical painting. While he avoided the unpleasantness of life for a black man in the U.S. during that time period, he did produce black art paintings that spoke volumes to the viewer. His work was displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in 1938. A less known black artist that contributed to the black art movement in the United States is Walter Ellison. His most famous work is “Train Station” located in the Art Institute of Chicago. That painting is an honest look at the difficulties facing black families as they migrated north in the hope of a better future than the south could or would offer. These two exceptional black artists help give hope of recognition to the many gifted black artists that were to follow.

The scenario for artists from and living in Africa is different though. Despite the struggles with racial discrimination and inherent prejudice in the U.S., African artists are faced with even more difficult issues. Apartheid and censorship have long plagued this long suffering group of artists and painters. While expressing their views of the political unrest and unfair treatment, African artists have been subjected to severe punishment and censorship unheard of in the West. Thanks in part to the academic world’s growing interest in the work of the modern black artist, black art painting is receiving more attention and registering in the minds of museum curators and art galleries alike. Most of the credit belongs to the fortitude and artistic expression of the African artists themselves.

Select your tools wisely. Clean your hands before starting your drawing. The paper you use for your work should be of good quality. Low grade, off colored paper will make your drawing look pale. Your first sketch should be made with light lines and for finalizing you should use deep-colored and prominent lines-so choose your pencils carefully.

Many times beginners find drawing a smooth line difficult. Remember drawing smooth lines will be easier if you do not support your hand on your wrist like we are used to do while writing. Doodling and drawing some circular shapes just before you start will also help you to draw smoothly.

Learn to draw facial features and hand carefully. Hands are more difficult. Experts often judge a person’s drawing ability from how well he can draw human hands. So practice drawing hands with care.

Study about basic forms and proportions of human body. Learn about basics of human anatomy and various ratios of human figures. As a cartoon creator you will have certain liberties, you do not need to bind yourself with strict body proportions rules. You can draw four fingered hand that makes your work a bit easier. But one challenge you will face while drawing cartoons -cartoon characters needs to be more expressive and certainly you have to create this expressiveness with some lines drawn with your pencil.

The portrait artists are specialized artists who are experts at creating the portrait paintings. Whether you want, photo portraits or live portraits, these artists can create them, for you. These artists create these portraits by incorporating elements that provide them with a real world look that is truly unique. This is because these artists study every detail of the subject closely. They work very hard to give the portraits a perfect look.

The most important trick to get the best portraits for your self is to select the right portrait artists. The portrait artists you choose should be very meticulous about details. Also the artists should have a considerable experience. This is because the more portraits they have drawn, the fewer mistakes they will commit and the better they will make the portrait. Apart from selecting the right portrait artists, it is important that you select the right photograph. After all, the quality of the portraits is fully dependent on the quality of the photographs that you want to be converted into portraits. There are certain qualities that a photograph must have in order to get a portrait made from it.

The photographs that you should select for creating portrait paintings should be bright enough. Also they should have been taken in proper lighting conditions. Always keep this fact in mind that the photographs taken in natural light are much better than the ones that are taken with the help of a loud flash. These types of pictures usually have much more clarity. The clear pictures help the artists to judge the right colors and use the perfect brush strokes that will help to give the portraits a real world look.

Finding the portrait artists is a very easy thing these days. Here are some ways that can help you. If you have seen a portrait in a friend’s or relatives’ home, you can ask him or her about the artists. This type of reference is always helpful as this way you always have the results in front of your eyes. Another way is to look for artists from any of the portrait schools. There is a lot of information on these schools available on the internet. These schools have many young artists who can make your portraits in a fast and inexpensive way.

If you’re using oil-based paint, it’s essential to remember that you’ll usually need to prime the area first. This is because they have a tendency to peel if the area is not primed correctly. This also happens if your base coat is already oil based. You have to clean the area before you prime it. You can buy primer at any paint or home improvement store. It can either be applied like spray paint, or brushed on. When you’re painting a very dark color, or if the color you’re using is dark, then you may want to consider getting the primer tinted first.

Oil based paint often will bubble during the painting process. Be sure that you don’t shake this paint, but rather stir it. It’s also best if you try to use just one coat when using oil based. This type of paint takes longer to dry than latex paint does, so keep that in mind. Make sure you allow enough ventilation to speed up the process. It’s vital to remember that oil based paint, is considered toxic and hazardous waste. Caution should be used when disposing of it.

There are many projects that are best suited for oil paint. For instance trim such as window trim, crown molding, bead board, or trim around doors is best done with oil paint. The reason is that this type of paint is much more durable and can take more wear and tear than latex can. As an added benefit, it’s much easier to clean than latex.

As well, if you’re painting a door you’ll want to consider using oil. Again, being that it’s easier to clean, things like smudges, fingerprints, and dirt in general will be much easier to clean off. You may also find that some exterior projects can use oil paint such as trim around windows and doors. Other things such as metal take well to oil, but be sure never to use it on iron or fresh masonry without properly preparing and priming. For the most part, oil based paints are effective for much of your home, and though a little more tedious to apply makes life afterwards much easier

Abstract paintings are unique and the most creative style of the paintings. Abstract Oil paintings have been the privilege of the people with high artistic sense. Abstract art paintings can be defined as an art that uses color and form in a non-representational way and it does not depict objects in the natural world. Abstract paintings were often claimed to capture something of the depicted objects’ immutable intrinsic qualities rather than its external appearance.

Abstract painters have the highest artistic sense.There have been many famous abstract painters. Their abstract art work has been greatly appreciated. Most of these abstract painters have produced their Abstract oil paintings on canvas. Picass is one of the most famous abstract painter. His abstract paintings are amongst the most popular abstract art paintings.Picass abstract paintings have earned him worldwide recognition.

Abstract art has deep roots in history. Non-objective art is not an invention of the twentieth century. As the depiction of human beings is not allowed in the Islamic religion, consequently the Islamic culture developed a high standard of decorative arts. Calligraphy is also a form of non-figurative art. Abstract designs have also existed in western culture in many contexts. However, Abstract art is distinct from pattern-making in design, since it draws on the distinction between decorative art and fine art, in which a painting is an object of thoughtful contemplation in its own right. There are also many large abstract paintings.

Contemporary abstract paintings also represent true form of the abstract art. Modern abstract paintings have successfully attracted the art lovers. Modern abstract oil Paintings are of various wonderful styles. These include abstract expressionist paintings, abstract landscape paintings, abstract still life painting and abstract flower paintings etc. The abstract acrylic art is also getting very popular. The abstract art artists are also reproducing colourful abstract art. Mario Zampedroni is among the contemporary abstract painters who works can be seen today.

The abstract art lovers decorate their homes and offices with these wonderful abstract oil paintings. Cheap abstract art is also available from the abstract art galleries. People can buy the cheap abstract paintings from the abstract art galleries. They can also buy the reproductions of the famous abstract paintings from these abstract art galleries.

And now, a good news for the abstract paintings lovers. Get abstract paintings of your choice just by selecting the Model number of the Abstract Oil Painting on website or by choosing the Photo of your required image on website. Mario Zampedroni will make you pleasure with paintings.

Paint manufactures spend tremendous amounts of money on studying and interpreting color trends. If they fail to get the colors right during a trend shift, it will mean a tremendous loss in sales to their competitors who’s color palettes reflect the shift in color trends. Not only will the paint manufactures loose direct sales to the homeowner, but they will lose a lot of sales to the painting contractor looking to make their customers happy. Getting their color palettes right is paramount.

Paint manufactures determine color trends through the study of the following social dynamics.

1. The economy
2. Politics
3. Technology
4. Lifestyle issues
5. The green Movement
6. Pop culture

The above list is only some of the dynamics that are considered in their studies. From these studies one thing has become clear about the year 2009; color is going to be very popular.

Because of my trade, I am exposed to the new color palettes and the new trends in color they represent. There most certainly has been a recent shift in peoples taste in color. If you compare the color forecast of Rohm & Hass Paint quality institute with the color palettes of Benjamin Moore, Pittsburgh Paints, Porter Paints, and Sherwin Williams you will find there are a lot of similarities in the colors offered.

An international association of design professionals called The Color Marketing Group, who are responsible for keeping their finger on the pulse of color trends, forecast that in the spring of 2009, consumers will be moving to pinks with a bluish tinge, earthier greens, and the bright yellows, turquoises, magentas and the brightest whites.

Almost every collection of colors has been influenced by environmentalism. For many Paint companies green is becoming the new neutral tone. Eco friendly colors of hues of fern, palm, sage and pine mixed with clear blues or aqua to give a sense of outdoors. The combining of warm browns with sandy tans to project an eco friendly aura will be popular.

Another example of the trend is a Benjamin Moore color called Split Pea. Split Pea is forecasted to be one of their hottest colors in 09.

The director of color marketing for Sherwin Williams says that peoples taste for the color green are shifting to greens with grayer hues.

Similarly, the “Voice Of Color” program of Porter Paints and Pittsburgh Paints features the following very diverse eco palette of colors.

1. Fair trade warm organic colors

2. Eco Techno balance between core colors and neutrals

3. The EcoLoco colors of bold pink, blue and orange meeting acidic green symbolizing expressions of freedom

4. The Vintage colors featuring a wintry palette of pale, spidery blue to paper-turned-creamy-yellow with age

Rich and Restful colors are going to be popular. Rohm & Hass has a palette of colors called Returning Home that features rich cranberry reds, pumpkin orange, warm browns and deep-toned blues. Similarly Benjamin Moore has a palette of colors called Homey which includes color names such as Cherokee Brick, Gypsy Pink.

Plums and violet colors continue their regal influence, however orange is becoming more muted and a bit more elegant looking.

Designers and architects who generally lead the fashion pack are putting more importance on cleaner less muddled colors of dark greens, periwinkle, mauve and medium neutral with clean colors of red, yellow, green, peach and blue.

My recommendation as a painting contractor to the trend conscious homeowner is to first find out when the new color charts will be on display in your leading paint stores, and then compare the colors of 3 or 4 different paint manufactures. An analysis of these color palettes will give you an idea of near future color trends.

A newer addition to the face painting supply family is the powder based paint stick. It activates with the use of a wet paintbrush, dries quickly, and doesn’t melt. Melting is a disappointment to both the artist and the receiver of the artwork!

Teenagers can be a great help at creating patterns. Adept at experimenting with make-up, many times having taken their own art classes in school, and still in touch with what is popular for the younger aged children, they would be flattered to share their skills with a parent in need or maybe just a single older friend having to come up with ideas for themselves. If you will be attending a party and just need help painting your own face, it could be fun and rewarding to enlist a young friend’s help.

Many parents just can’t afford the costumes or simply don’t want to invest in something that will be outgrown before the next year’s event. This makes face painting a great choice. You can paint the right face and wear one of your own outfits to make it work!

A bunny face is a simple face painting pattern to follow as well. The most relevant feature would be the buck teeth, followed by the whiskers. If you want a mouse pattern, this is easy to follow. Use a dot of paint to accent the nose. Place tiny dots atop each side of the top lip, apply whiskers coming away from the dots towards each cheek area. If you want a little more pizzazz, add darkened eyebrows, maybe creating funny shapes for them.

Using a timer with children could be helpful. They should enjoy having their picture taken as well, for addition to your portfolio and to use as an example for other customers. Will you want to learn how to accept credit cards for payment with bigger crowds and more involved artwork?

Even when using face painting patterns rather than freestyle take care when painting around the eye area. Besides it being a sensitive area with thinner skin and not wanting to get too close to the eye itself with the paint, a squirmy recipient could create a poke in the eye with your brush if you aren’t paying close attention.

The popularity of portrait paintings specially grew in the European countries. Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, painted in the 1500s, became the most famous and demanded oil painting portrait. Some of the most famous oil paintings were created in the European countries during the 18th and 19th centuries by famous artists like Rembrandt and Gainsborough. Some of these beautiful oil painting portraits are preserved in the National Portrait Museum in Washington.

The portrait painting of oil color, created ages before, tell stories of that time. Each portrait, whether they portray an individual, a group of people or anything else, are beautifully created by artists which take people to another world. The popularity and demand for oil painting portraits are on a rise even today. People are very eager to get the portraits of their loved ones made. People also commission a portrait from their favorite photographs. Portrait paintings have become the best decorative pieces for decorating homes and offices. With time these portraits have proven that they are a valuable asset and no other art form can ever take their place.