Artists are interesting people.  They can be at once self indulgent and opulent souls, and also people who care deeply about the human condition and the world in which we live.  I do not think it is a far stretch to assume that most of them are green at heart, perhaps with a tempered streak of environmental activism that could be detected in any of their works.  This is because artists express:  they convey messages from deep within themselves in a form that is more ancient than the spoken word.  The things that they “say” with their paints and drawing pencils and pens, or their sculptures, jewelry, or woven patterns, often hit deeper notes and tones than the words people speak.  This is why art appeals to us an almost primal level.  We seldom fully understand why we are drawn to a certain work, or repelled by another.  The appreciation of art is a mysterious good appropriate to human beings, and without it, we would not be fully who and what we are.  As artists have become more conscious of their own feelings towards the environment, and of our feelings about their feelings, more recycled art projects are appearing in museums around the globe.  You might not recognize them as such, but they are everywhere.

Recycled Art Supplies

For the artist who is willing and desirous of creating art that is less subtle and more “club you over the shoulder” about the environment, nothing says green like the obvious presence of previously used material underneath the moody and adventurous colors of a painting.  Start by collecting and washing (or not) scraps of garbage, newspapers, cartons and packing materials, bits and pieces of plastic, and any other odds and ends you will want to use on your canvass. You can even contact mattress companies online like riversidemattress.com, and ask them if they have packing materials to donate. Next, flatten and arrange them on an existing canvass sprayed with an adhesive.  Let this dry thoroughly before attempting to paint on the surface.  A light coating of spray adhesive over the prepared canvass can help seal it, but let this dry for another eight to twenty-four hours before you paint.  You might consider using acrylics for this project, since they can be diluted with water to give a semi-transparent effect that will let the words of your trash show through the paint.  Then, paint away and create something that says in no uncertain terms what you want people to know you feel about the environment.  You may find this to be a fun, temporary project.

Back in the day, hippies used to wear them, but the fad kind of trickled away. It not only is easy to make yourself, but also has its own advantages when wearing it. Because it is a cool, hip look, both males and females alike are wearing the jewelry. The era when all this was in high-fashion is starting to make a comeback. A new site, http://www.flowland.net is following this trend. 

In the 13th and 14th centuries, the British were the first to discover this ingenious substance. It is a twine-like material. It comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant, and is known as ‘common hemp’. Native Americans exchanged bracelets as a bond of friendship and trust among friends. This hemp has a good many uses such as fabric for clothing, medicine, building material, paper, rope, water and soil purification, fuels and of course jewelry.

You can make bracelets, necklaces, anklets, rings, watches, and purses with hemp.. To give your project more variety, you can add glass bobbles, wood, bones, rocks and gems. Not only can you make great-looking jewelry, if you make it yourself, you can strengthen your fingers at the same time. Though it is made of a lasting substance, it is soft to the skin. While doing this it can be very therapeutic, in that it can be used in conjunction with meditation.

Hemp jewelry is made through the art of macrame. It is an ancient form of knotting without the use of needles, hooks or hoops. It is an art of lacings and crossings with two or more segments joined together. The most simple knot to do is the square knot. This produces a flat cord. A hitch-knot, or half knot produces a spiral cord. Making jewelry with macrame knots can be fun, healthy, and you get to treat yourself with a great peice of jewelry.

Where and when street art emerged, setting itself apart from vulgar graffiti, is a matter of some debate.  There are some historical references to be found here and there, and influences that have caused certain artists to take on the legendary statuses of more classical artists are there to be seen.  In this infographic we will examine the beginnings of street art and its early connections to graffiti.  Do you think there is a difference?  Why or why not?  After you examine the information below, perhaps you might view some examples of street art and then let us know your conclusion.

To get started making a quilt of your t-shirts, you’re going to need some equipment and material, and you need to know how to cut the panels and put them on backing and stuff them.  A good home security team makes everything you do easier, but doesn’t help as much with quilting.  We think the best way to show you how is to offer you a glimpse of a great instructional video by someone who knows how it’s done.  Enjoy!

One of the main things that is required for managing or owning a restaurant are skills in managing and leadership. When you are in culinary school you can certainly learn this, but if you are wanting more you can go farther with your education and receive organizational leadership training. That way you will be able to ensure that you have the necessary capabilities to lead others in their passion for the culinary arts also.

Just for fun, here is an infographic that shows all of the tools that a culinary artist must use in his or her works. A painter typically has a paint brush and paint, but you require knowledge of much more to make your art truly impressive.

Get Color

According to the internet, this is broadcasted on a couple of different networks under a couple different names. Based on my Dish Network Illinois channel guide, it is on HGTV here in the states and it is called “Get Color.” I believe in Canada is it on W, and called Colour Confidential. The host of this show is Jame Lockhart, and she is fantastic. She does a wonderful job of teaching the basics of decorating. She’s wonderful! I love this show because it’s all about color! White walls, white furniture, neutral carpet. Blah. However, this show does a great job of opening your eyes to how to use color in your home without freaking out! It’s great!

Color Splash

This is one of those home improvement that takes a drab dull space, and turn it into a bright, amazing, functional room. The host is David Bromstad, and he is hilarious! Not only that, but he is so talented in combining and using colors that you have never thought of! He is so creative and passionate that you don’t want to stop watching! I love seeing the results, and seeing the reaction of the homeowners!

You have to check out these shows if you are in the mood to add some color to your house. They have such fantastic ideas, I’m certain you will find something you love!!

There is more to the production of an infographic, for instance, than merely placing data on a page along with eye catching or contrasting colors.  The creation of infographics has been likened to a civilized and informed style of graffiti, or something similar to it.  The artist tells a story through his definitive, colorful interpretation of what that information really means to the world.  Infographic designers therefore have a particularly special role in artistic communications, and their definitions, while primarily revealed through the display of data, can be deeply ingrained in the eyes of the beholder owing to the presence of both color and style to convey a mood or attitude in subtle, often subconscious ways.  Below is an infographic designed to expose the way Mac and PC users self-identify.

Sticky Notes:

Sticky Notes are found at any office supply or craft store. Have you ever though of creating a master piece with those vibrant squares instead of jotting down something you can’t forget? Some people did. Sticky notes have been used to create giant sculptures in an array of colors. They have also been used to cover things such as cars, rooms, and windows. Some creative people have used different colors of sticky notes to create images on walls, sidewalks, even store window backgrounds. Sticky notes have been used to cover entire rooms, making their furniture hot pink, electric green, and vibrant yellow.

Furniture:

There are many unique pieces of furniture. Would you put a couch that looked like a car into your living room? or how about a whole furniture set that looked like stones? When decorating their houses people are coming up with unique new  ideas to make their house stand out. I even had a friend who used her Home Security Deals coupons to paper mache her bathroom! There are now sets of furniture that look like there bending over. And chairs that are made of bent metal. If you’ve dreamed of floating in a bubble one day, there are now chairs and beds that are clear and circular to make you feel like a fairy floating in the air. Anything that you can think of has been made into a piece of furniture some how. From flowers, to deer people are making their spaces their own with unique furniture.

Tattoos:

There is a debate on if tattoos are art or not. Many people consider tattoos to be a form of art. It’s simply a work of art on the body. Some tattoos are very elaborate and have a lot of detail while others are small and simple. For people who change their minds to often to commit to having a tattoo, there are a number of temporary alternates. Alternates to permanent tattoos are henna, and washable tattoos. Tattoos can be in honor or memory of something or someone or they can just be something that you enjoy.

Fashion designing is a unique profession. Some designers travel the world and explore other cultures in search of an idea to design a new line. Fashion designers are always in search of something new. If you like to take current trends and make them your own then you might want to think about fashion designing.

Many people love fashion, but can’t get their designs on paper. To be a successful designer you have to be creative and have an eye for what looks good on a variety of people. You also have to be able to express your idea’s to other people. If you have the picture in your head, but can’t put it on paper to show someone how to make it, you aren’t going to get very far. You also have to have motivation and marketing skills. When becoming a designer you want to be outgoing and find people who you can sell your idea’s too, don’t wait for someone to find you.

Designers have a very busy job that comes with lots of pressure. For example when you have to create a new line in a certain amount of time, or preparing for a runway show. Like any job, if you love what you do it is always more enjoyable and you don’t dread going to work every morning. People who are very creative and don’t enjoy having set hours or staying in an office make great designers, because they are always looking at their surroundings and coming up with new angles and ideas. The hard work does payoff, especially when huge Satellite Television Dish companies are televising your fashion shows.

If you think that you would make a great fashion designer, look into making a career out of it. There are many arts colleges all over the country that have programs specifically for fashion designing as well as fashion marketing. You can even get an online degree in fashion design.

Here are a few facts about fashion designing…

• 22,700  people are employed as fashion designers in the US
• Fashion designing is expected to grow at a rate of 5% over the next 10 years
• Only 3.7% of fashion designers are unemployed today
• The average salery of fashion designers in the US is $45,194 a year
• Fashion designers with over 10 years of experience make an average of $73,441 a year
• The majority of fashion designers live in New York City

Creativity began as a child, it’s something that everyone is born with. Do you remember having a paint brush in your hand and refusing to use it because using your hands seemed to make more sense? Finer painting is the start of creativity. It doesn’t matter what age you are or how talented, you can express what you like by colors and patterns of the paint smeared onto a canvas.

Being a young child, plunging your hands deep into the paint, knowing you shouldn’t, feeling the silky yet slimy paint covering your fingers. That’s being creative. Having an imagination that says a colorful blob, is really a monster climbing up a mountain.

Finger painting is known as the first form of expression, ancient people first began drawing stick figures with their fingers on cave walls. Painting is also the first known form of communication. When early people began to communicate, they may not have been able to understand the same words but they could communicate through finger paintings. Painting is so much more productive than watching video and Direct TV, so inspire your kids to be creative.

How many times have parent’s gotten mad at their children for painting with their fingers? Granted it might not be on the surface they intended, but it seemed like the perfect place to create to young eyes. It sounds silly to say that something as simple as finger painting could have such a large effect on art.

It is said that finger painting is the best way to paint, a technique called “rubbing” was used by some of the most famous artist such as Leonardo de Vinci. Finger painting is the best method when using a variety of paints, but particularly acrylic paint. When using your fingers you can better feel and control the movements and mixing of colors. In addition to being able to better control paint with your fingers you can regulate how thick or thin you would like the paint to be in a certain spot.

Overall the finger painting plays a large role in our art. It began with communication through symbols, migrated into the hands of young children spreading colors with their hands to some of the greatest artists of all time creating famous works of art with their fingers.