Display of Your Favorite Photographs

We all have masses of photos in packets, drawers, boxes and (for those of us who are organized) in albums. Many of these photos are dramatic landscapes, images of our favorite family members or friends, our animals and our home. Too many times these treasures languish in dark places, seldom if ever seen by our guests or us. Perhaps it's time you considered a way to get them out in plain sight, up on the wall and part of your everyday life. Matting and framing your favorite images is not difficult and will add immeasurably to your enjoyment of those special people, places and times.

Whether matted individually or in groupings of several photos in one mat, it is possible for anyone to design and complete matting to enhance the images. For a single photo, select a single color of matting for a top mat color and a second accent color to be used as a bottom mat. The top mat color should coordinate in tone with most of the picture. Generally a top mat color is lighter than the bottom mat or a softer tone. The bottom mat can be a color that will draw attention to a special area or object in the scene. Only a small strip of the bottom mat will show, offering an opportunity to select a vivid color, one unsuitable for use as a top mat but one that looks good with the photo.

Once the two mats are selected, determine the amount of the photo that will show through the opening in the mats. Add to those dimensions the width of the top and bottom, the right and left sides. What you will end up with is the size of the outside of the mat, the size of the glass and the frame. For example, a photo that has an actual picture area of 7½" x 9½" with a border of matting two inches all around will have a finished size of 11½" x 13½". The glass, the mat and the frame are all sized to match this measurement.

Cut the matting to the correct size. On the back side of the mat, draw a border of two inches all around, overlapping the lines at the corners. Cut the window in the mat with the mat knife of a mat cutter. Be careful to cut into but not past the corners to avoid overcuts that might mar the look of the finished opening.

For a double mat, size the bottom mat to fit the image in the photo and cut the top mat with a slightly larger window. When you set the top mat on the bottom mat, it will show a small strip around the image. Glue the two together and you are all set.

When you have several photos to go into one frame, there are two choices. You can either set the photos on top of a mat that coordinates with the photos or you can be daring and cut windows for each photo. The windows add a more professional, finished look to the framing, and you can master the technique if you follow some simple guidelines.

Use graph paper to lay out the placement of your photos. Transfer the location of each window to the back side of your mat choice. Draw all lines and do all cutting from the back side. Use a mat knife of a mat cutter to cut each window and hold the knife at a 90-degree angle to the mat. This will give what is called a straight cut window. With a mat cutter, the blade is most likely set at an angle in the cutting head. That means that you should cut your windows with the cutter above the window you are cutting. This insures all bevels will be cut in the proper direction. If the cutter is outside the window you are cutting, the bevel will be cut as a reverse bevel. That is a proper look only if all four sides of the window match.

You can mount the photos in several ways. One quick and easy way to hold photos in place behind mat windows is to use acid-free tape across the top of the photo. This allows the photo to "hang" in place and expand or contract as needed during temperature and humidity fluctuations.

Also available are dry sheet adhesives that will hold photos in place on a mounting board so that a mat can be set over them, and the entire package will not move or shift. These adhesives use a friction method by which the small beads of adhesive are transferred to the back of any photo with a plastic spatula. The photo is lifted away from the adhesive sheet and the drops of dry adhesive stay on the photo. It can then be set anywhere desired and will be permanently mounted to that surface.

Spray adhesives do the same thing, but are messy (overspray) and toxic to breathe. Roll-on adhesives such as double-sided tapes do a grand job and are both toxic free and super adhesive. Glue sticks (unless made for adhering photos) are not strong enough for long-term display.

So perhaps it's time to mat and frame a few of your favorite images. Let those shots be a part of your everyday life and let others see and enjoy the people, places and things you have seen.

Old Time Tradition Lives On

Creating and exchanging Valentine's Day cards was once something to look forward to right after the start of a new year. It was a time to give cards to all your friends and family, a way to acknowledge the friendships and love you shared. In spite of the fact that times are quick paced and there seems to be little time for old fashioned traditions, it might be good to now reintroduce the exchange of Valentine's Day cards.

Making your own valentines is simple to do. All you really need is a few sheets of paper and some markers. But if you want to create some fancier, show-stopping cards, add a bit of glitter, some decorative papers, some neat stickers or stamped images. Each greeting you make will be unique and you can even coordinate the envelope to make a matched "set."

Begin by folding a sheet of 8½" x 11" paper in half to create an 8½" x 5½" doubled sheet. Fold this in half to form a 4¼" x 5½" "booklet." Write your sentiment or message on the inside of the card and then decorate the top with stamps, stickers or drawings. To really jazz up your creation, coordinate an envelope by using the same colors and designs on the outside of the back flap. If you cut shapes from specialty, decorative papers for the front of the card, consider lining the flap with a piece of the specialty paper for a professional look.

A mixed media card can be made by first creating a watercolor image. When dry, add lines of definition by drawing with crayon, felt-tipped markers or colored pencils. If you are really adventurous, use several different mediums to create a dynamic, textured look. For instance, a watercolor done on rough paper with pastel and marker additions can be very elegant. Perhaps the detailing of a floral drawing could be done with the markers on a soft background done with chalk, pastel or airbrush. Imply textures by crosshatching with pen lines over areas of light tone done in colored pencil or acrylic. Use pastel, colored pencil or chalk to add bright highlights to any basic drawing or painting. It's fun and mixed media can be a combination of as many different things as you feel right in using.

Envelope coordination is easy, too. Use a snip of paper (the same used on the front of the card) and a couple of lines of color (like the card). Put a quick line of watercolor on the flap of an envelope - the same colors used in the art on the card and, voila, a masterpiece!

These cards are not only inexpensive, but they are treasures to anyone you give them to. Make handmade valentines a part of your tradition.

Dr. Seuss Celebrated

"The Dr. Seuss You Never Knew" is on exhibit at the U. of California-San Diego, Geisel Library, through March 27. Drawn from the University's extensive Seuss collection, the exhibit features early work from his school days at Dartmouth and Oxford, his advertising and magazine work from the 1920's and 30's, his illustration work for other authors, his penetrating WWII cartoons for PM Magazine, and his work for the U.S. Army. Call 858-534-2533.

Caldecott Medal Awarded

The 2004 Caldecott Medal has been awarded to The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, illustrated and written by Mordicai Gerstein (Roaring Brook Press/Millbrook Press). The true story recounts the daring feat of a spirited young Frenchman who walked a tightrope between the World Trade Center twin towers in 1974. Honor Books include Ella Sara Gets Dressed, What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Tour Launched

Random House Children's Books has kicked off The Seussentennial Imagination Tour at the Children's Museum of Manhattan in New York City as part of a yearlong tribute to beloved children's book author Theodor Seuss Geisel. The tour will visit children's museums, libraries and community centers in 40 cities across the country, bringing the Seussentennial to life through free live performances based on the life, words and art of Dr. Seuss. See www.seussville.com/seussentennial/event.pperl.

Glazing Techniques for Oil

Glazing is the application of a thin, transparent layer of paint. Glazes are used on top of one another to build up depth, modify colors in a painting and to add texture. The actual application of a glaze is done with oil paints used alone or those that have been combined with linseed oil or glazing medium (poppy oil, too). The combination of oil/medium and the oil pigment gives a dilute intensity of color yet retains the original hue. When used alone, oils should be thinned to a near-wash consistency. This can be done with turpentine, medium or other thinner.

Glazes are very useful for paintings that contain translucent or "wispy" imagery. Glazing can also be very effective in creating a luminescence that cannot be duplicated in any other way. By laying on tone-on-tone in thin applications, you build up richness with depth that is reminiscent of the old masters work. The added sheen, texture and depth are worth the extra time it takes to do them. Oil paint gets its glow from the oils it contains, and the glassy quality allows the light to penetrate and reflect back to the eye a rich color.

You can apply a glaze in any color you wish, remembering that the eventual color with be darker than any single layer of paint would be. A glaze must be completely dry before another layer is applied on top. This enables the lower layers to be visible through successive glazing. If attempts are made to apply over a glaze that has not dried completely, the soft surface of the lower layer will combine with rather than support the new top layer.

Initial layers (up to two) of glazing should be thinned with turpentine or similar material. This represents the start of the "fat over lean" rule of oil painting. Lean (turpentine diluted color) is the foundation for future layers of paint that contain oil medium or what is called "fat." Lean layers dry much faster than those containing oil. If a lean layer is set over an oil-fat tone, the top layer will dry faster and create an uneven fit. The result can mean a shrinking top layer, a misfit of layers and eventual crazing or even flaking. These are not results that are pleasing. It is, however, a method of creating the aged, cracked finish used by furniture makers, one they call crackle.

The progression of colors should be from dark to light. This makes the subtle gradations of tone and the eventual richness of depth possible. Some artists who employ glazing in their work devise certain methods of color application that give a "signature" color hue to their work. Try experimenting with unusual base tones that generate lavish colors with underlying luminescence.

The brushes used to create glaze layers should be very good quality sable or faux-sable. The hair in these brushes should be smooth and fine so that each layer will lie flat and blend well rather than create ridges that will catch and unevenly dispense the next layer. The smoother a layer, the easier it will be to paint even, successive layers. With the quantity of oil and paint, better brushes will be able to apply the paint in micro-thin layers.

The painting surface onto which glazing is done should also be smooth. Claybord is perfect for glazing because it has a glass-smooth finish. If canvas is your choice, work to eliminate all thread "high and low" texture. Apply gesso to the surface in layers, each one crisscrossing the previous. Allow each layer to dry and sand after each. With five to ten layers of sanded gesso, the fabric texture will be smoothed to a flat, slick work surface. Wet sand the last two applications of gesso for a more glass-like finish.

Memories Expo-Las Vegas, The Scrapbook & Stamping Show where you can shop, crop and learn, will take place March 5-6 at the Stardust Pavilion. It is open to the public with trade-only hours scheduled for March 4. Additional shows are scheduled for Chicago at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center from April 2-3 and Somerset, New Jersey, at the Garden State Exhibit Center from April 30 May 1. Call 888-878-8728 or visit www.memoriesexpo.com.

The Armory Show, the International Fair of New Art, will take place March 12-15 on Piers 90 and 92 in New York City. This leading art fair is devoted exclusively to contemporary art, and this sixth annual exhibition has selected 186 leading galleries from 24 countries to show new art by living artists. For info, call 212-645-6440 or see www.thearmoryshow.com.

The International Bead Expo begins its second decade in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from March 17-21, with two Bead Bazaar locations, more than 65 workshops, and expanded educational programs. This multi-faceted extravaganza brings over 6,000 artists, scholars, vendors and buyers to downtown Santa Fe (Sweeney Convention Center, La Fonda Hotel, St. Francis Auditorium, galleries and businesses) for the five-day event. Call 800-732-6881 or visit www.beadexpo.com.

Arts Advocacy Day The 2004 National Arts Action Summit, will take place March 29-31 at Jurys Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C. This annual event is being held in conjunction with the Congressional Arts Caucus, and many members of Congress will be involved in the day's events. Featured will be training workshops, the annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy and the national convening on Capitol Hill. More than 65 national arts, humanities, educational and civic organizations co-sponsor this event each year. Call 202-371-2830 or e-mail events@artsusa.org.

Snow and Ice Sculpting

As kids we remember making snowmen and the challenge of making bigger and better ones than the neighbors. No matter what age, everyone seems to love the adventure of creating a jolly, rotund man with stick arms, a carrot nose, Dad's old hat and last year's muffler. Well, why not get a little more serious about your endeavor? Snow and ice can become creative art materials that are free, plentiful in most areas and loads of fun to work with. Take one step past snowmen and make something on a grander scale, something unique.

Snow sculptures can be created in a number of ways. You might want to build a form that is made up of "blocks" of snow tightly jammed together to form a solid, packed mound. A design sketched out on paper and a grid pattern drawn over the drawing will allow you to transfer your ideas with more precise proportions. You can carve with items such as a garden hoe, a gardening trowel, a hand ax or a shovel. If the snow is compressed and frozen, it may be necessary to carefully use a chain saw for removal of large areas.

One of the fastest ways to get started is to create a bank of well-packed snow. Use shovels of snow heavily beaten to form a tight mound in whatever sizes you desire. Your "carving" should begin by roughly removing the negative space around your design without entering the portion of snow that will become the finished, detailed sculpture. This is often done with a hand ax or a small pick ax. Once the larger unneeded portions are removed, use smaller hand tools to do the detail work. Gardening tools make great snow carvers. Hand trowels, weed extractors and bulb planting scoops do a great job of removal and texturing. Remember to stand back and survey your progress. It is much harder to reapply accidental zealous chomps than to avoid making them to start with.

Voids within a shape must be supported by enough volume to hold what is above. Be cautious when doing animals that are upright on slender legs. Collapses mean you'll have to start again.

Snow sculptures will last for days if the temperature stays below freezing, but only a day or so if it gets warmer. As impractical as it sounds, a gentle mist of water over the finished snow sculpture can help coat and hold it for a bit longer, again if it is below freezing. There is little that can be done when the temperature rises above 32 degrees.

Ice sculpting is as much an art form as any other sculpting. The tools and techniques that are used by these artisans differ very little from sculpting wood. One exception might include the use of a chain saw to remove excess ice and begin to make the block take shape. Some ice artisans use the chain saw exclusively to create the entire sculpture if the scale allows. Smaller sculptures can be made by using regular chisels exactly like those used in woodwork. But you might experiment with any sharp implement that you have. Nails, handsaws and wire brushes all come in handy for finish work or surface texturing.

It is possible to repair unexpected or accidental breaks in an ice work by lightly wetting both surfaces and quickly strapping the mishap together with long strips of fabric or bungee cords. Clamps can sometimes be used on small works. But, ideally, care is taken to avoid the need for repair.

The ice you choose to use can be any block available through icehouses. You might practice on smaller chunks and then request a single large size for a more serious endeavor. But any size is fun to create and every time you make a sculpture, you learn a lot about how to handle the brittleness, the melting and other aspects of working with ice.

The quality of ice will be determined by the way in which it was frozen. Those blocks that are molded in one process and frozen as poured will solidify with cloudy sections in the center. When ice is frozen with a circulation process during the temperature drop, the ice will be very clear. Sculptors of fine quality works will consider using only clear, professionally created ice.

One of the real advantages to working in a very cold area is less worry about melting. Ice needs a constant temperature below freezing. Once it is brought indoors, it will begin to melt. Even so, sculptures will last several hours.

One easy and fun ice project doesn't require actual sculpting but looks dramatic--an ice luminary. You can make one (or dozens) for a special look outdoors this winter. Select a plastic container that is tapered with a wide top opening and a smaller sized bottom. Fill the container with water and let it freeze until there is a shell about two inches thick. Pour out excess water and remove the shell. Store outdoors if it is well below 32 degrees or in a chest freezer if the weather is not cooperative. When you have several luminaries, set them along a walk and set a votive candleholder and candle in each. Light the candles and dazzle your friends and neighbors.

Whether you try your hand with snow or ice sculpting or create a few luminaries, be sure to take photos so that you can enjoy the experience again when summer heat is blazing.

Make-a-Flake

Visit snowflakes.lookandfeel.com where you can create your own virtual snowflake. The paper is folded, you maneuver the scissors to make your personal creation and then add it to the online gallery with thousands of others. Your snowflake can be downloaded and emailed to you or to a friend.

Winter Sculpting Competitions

The Wyoming Snow Sculpting Competition will be held Feb. 18-21 at the Wyoming Territorial Park in Laramie. For details: 800-788-4626; www.wyomingcompanion.com/snow/.

The World Ice Art Championships presented by Ice Alaska will be held at Ice Park, Fairbanks, AK, from March 3-13. All sculptures will be finished and lighted on March 14 and may be viewed until March 31. Admission. 907-451-8250; www.icealaska.com.

New Inkjet Project Papers from Strathmore

The new Inkjet Project Papers from Strathmore are an easy- to-use, budget-friendly resource that brings arts and crafts to life.

Waterproof Paper is durable and water-resistant and is ready for printing, painting and cutting. It's perfect for creating paint-by-number drawings, placemats or outdoor signs and maps.

See-Thru Paper is translucent, fast-drying vellum that is ready for printing, drawing and other digital crafts. It's perfect for projects requiring a template or overlay and is great for greeting cards, sun catchers and calendars.

E-Z Fold Paper is pre-scored heavyweight card stock that is ready for printing and folding. Inkjet or laser printable on both sides, it is perfect for greeting cards, booklets, tent cards and pop-up story pictures.

No-Rip Paper has a unique velvety surface for giving prints a softer appearance. Acid free, this extremely durable paper is flexible, tear-resistant and ready for printing, folding or cutting. It is perfect for frequently handled projects like game boards, party hats and masks and can even be sewn or laced.

All the new Inkjet Project Papers come in 8.5" x 11" and 20 sheets/pack. For FREE and fun Inkjet Project Paper project ideas, go to www.inkjetprojectpaper.com/projects.html. You'll find an Alphabet Pop-Up Book, Customizable Birthday Card, Famous Americans Quiz, Learn to Tell Time, Handmade Holiday Pop-Up Card, Halloween Masks and much more.

Art Boards Arches Cold Press Watercolor Art Panel

Arches Cold Press Watercolor Art Panel from Art Boards has a solid edge with a painting surface of Arches Cold Press 156 lb. Watercolor Paper that is acid free, pH neutral and made of 100% cotton fibers. The paper is mounted with a reversible archival conservators' adhesive that is easily removed at any time for future conservation of artwork or to remount in another way. The medium textured archival surface is ideal for watercolor but also perfect for drawing, printing and painting (and it takes gesso nicely, too).

The 3/8" natural fiber wood panel has an untempered solid-core one-piece construction and hangs flush to the wall supported and protected by a unique recessed, dovetail hanging slot for a single nail or screw. This completely eliminates the need for framing, picture wire or screw eyes and makes leveling quick and easy. The panel may be hung in either direction, and the hanging slot also provides an anchor for the Art Boards Wood Easel Back, which allows the panel to be displayed on any horizontal surface--a freestanding frameless painting with its own easel!

Panels are also available in Arches hot press and rough papers as well as mounting panels for the artist to mount his own paper, canvas or finished work of art. Art Boards Arches Cold Press Watercolor Art Panel is made in 20 stock sizes, with custom sizes available as large as 48 x 96 inches. See www.art-boards.com.

Propelling the Airbrush with CO₂

CO₂, or carbon dioxide, is a colorless, tasteless, odorless liquefied gas that is non-flammable and ideal as an air source for airbrush technique. Of course an airbrush artist must work with colorless air, as it would be a huge deterrent to work with green or blue air in the process of developing a painting. Tasteless is without question, and odorless is essential. And you certainly would not want to spray a flammable gas into your work environment!

Carbon dioxide is an integral part of the life cycle. It is exhaled by humans and animals and then used by plants to grow, which then release oxygen that is inhaled by humans. The primary source of CO₂ is natural wells or the recycling of manufacturing bi-products. The gas is purified and liquefied and pressurized into tanks that are delivered to the artist.

CO₂ tanks are available in three sizes--65, 50 and 20 pounds. The 20-pound tank is sometimes referred to as a "B" tank, with the "B" standing for bus. In years gone by, these tanks, filled with acetylene, were used to illuminate the headlights of buses. At only 20 pounds, the "B" tank is easy to handle, whereas the 50- and 65-pound tanks require the use of a handcart that is V-shaped and especially designed for moving large, heavy tanks. When the large tanks are finally in place in a studio, they must be secured to prevent toppling over. The artist usually has two tanks, one for backup in case of depletion in the middle of a job. These can be secured together with duct tape or strapped to a wall to prevent being inadvertently knocked over.

A high-pressure regulator is required for CO₂ tanks. This has two gauges: one displays the amount of gas remaining and the other displays the amount of gas being emitted. An air hose runs from the tank regulator to the workstation, where an airbrush regulator is attached to the airbrush hose. If you set the regulator gauge on the tank a few pounds higher than your working range, when you need more or less air at the airbrush regulator you won't have to keep adjusting the tank regulator. It's important to make sure that all fittings have Thread Sealant Tape and are tightened securely so there is no leakage of gas to deplete your air source unnecessarily.

Tanks are normally rented and the gas is purchased. On the average, a 50-pound tank will last a month for an artist who is doing photo retouching or illustration.

Advantages of using a CO₂ tank include the absence of noise, gas that is moisture-free and no required maintenance. Because a gas tank must be refilled, it is not a fixed cost as compared to purchasing a compressor for an air source. A 50-pound tank of gas costs approximately $50 plus tank rental, so it would not take long to offset the cost of a good compressor.

TIP: During use and as the gas expands, the regulator/hose can frost up from the cold gas. This can be alleviated with a clip-on lamp directed appropriately or a fan blowing air across the regulator.

Advanced Airbrush Workshop Offered

ARTtalk/ARTtalk.com is pleased to announce that Pamela Shanteau will return to Beacon, NY, to teach "Advanced Airbrush: Special Effects & Techniques." This all-new two-day course on April 24-25 will take place at the new Bulldog Studios. All materials/equipment are provided for use in class and the class size is limited, so don't delay. See www.arttalk.com/workshop/workshop.htm for details.

Design Chosen--"Reflecting Absence" by architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker has been selected as the winning design for the World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition. The entire 16-acre site will be a living memorial, with "Reflecting Absence" as its centerpiece, to those lost in the terrorist attacks on September 11th and in the 1993 bombing. See an illustration and models at www.WTCSiteMemorial.org.

New Sculpture Installed--A life-sized sculpture of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt with their dog Fala now graces the recently opened Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center at the home of the former President and First Lady in Hyde Park, NY. Taken from a 1933 photo, it was created by a team of 20 artists from StudioEIS of Brooklyn at the Tallix foundry in Beacon, NY.

Studios to Consolidate--The Walt Disney Co. has announced it will close its animation studio at Walt Disney World in Florida. Employees may relocate to the main animation studio in California. It was just a matter of time for computer generation to render hand drawings for animated films nearly obsolete.

Treasures to be Sold--Sotheby's has announced that it will sell nine Faberge Imperial Easter Eggs from the world-renowned Forbes Collection. In addition, 180 other dazzling Faberge creations will be offered at auction in New York on April 20 and 21, and all are estimated in excess of $90 million. Of the 50 Imperial Eggs, those located in the U.S. include the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (5), New Orleans Museum of Art (3), The Hillwood Museum (2), The Walters Art Museum (2), and The Cleveland Museum of Art (1).

Exhibitions

Milwaukee Art Museum, WI -- The 80th Annual Scholastic Art Awards--Wisconsin Regional Exhibition features outstanding work from throughout the state in 13 different media categories by young people grades 7-12. The Gold Key Award-winning artworks continue on to national competition. Through February 28.

The Textile Museum, Washington, DC -- Navajo Blankets of the 19th Century: Selections from The Textile Museum Collections features 16 blankets made between 1800 and 1890 and highlights the powerful aesthetics and significant trends that characterize nineteenth century Navajo weaving. The exhibition also explores how Navajo blankets were made and how experts today analyze the materials, structures, and designs to assess and assign dates to each textile. Through March 14.

San Diego Museum of Art, CA -- George Inness and the Visionary Landscape includes approximately 35 of Inness's finest paintings, spanning all periods of his career that demonstrate the important place Inness holds in the development of 19th-century landscape painting in America. Through April 18.

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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 14 No. 4 -- February 2004