DIY Mosaic Table part 2

In part one of our mosaic project we gathered all of the needed materials. Then sorted, cleaned, hammered and generally prepared the tiles for gluing. I decided to do a simple design on my table, so I needed to plan it out before I began gluing.  If you don’t care to do a design you can skip that part and make a beautiful random mosaic.

sorting tiles

 

Now comes the fun part. I began gluing my tiles using the smooth edges (the edges I didn’t create by breaking with the hammer) all around the edges of my table. I did this to help avoid snagging anyone’s skin or clothing who might later sit at the table. I glued down my solid tiles and designs that I had previously positioned. My design consisted of very simple flower shapes. I used solid color tiles for these to help them be more visible. Try to fill in any areas greater than 1/4 inch with small bits of tile. I found that even when I didn’t think I was leaving much room for grout, it turned out to be more than enough. Your grouting step will go much easier and faster when you are filling in minimal spaces.  This step took me several days to complete. It’s not difficult, but it does take time. It will feel as though you are building your own jigsaw puzzle.

Table before grout

 

Above you can see the table before any grout is applied. I checked each tile to make sure it was glued properly. It’s good that I did that, because I found several that I missed! Then I let the glue cure for 24 hours.

Materials for grouting

 

Since we were using an epoxy grout we needed to follow some specific prep directions. Mainly, we had to clean all of the tiles with a solution of cool water and Dawn dish soap. I enlisted the help of my long suffering husband for the actual grouting because I knew we would need to work much more quickly than I could on my own. Even working together as quickly as we could the second batch of grout began to set up in the bucket long before we were done. Also, for our project we needed 3 buckets of grout. It is very important to apply the grout in very small areas at a time. There were a few areas where my grout spaces were greater the 1/4 inch. In those places the grout seemed to settle leaving a divot. We will correct this problem with a second layer of grout.  The divots are a problem because it leaves jagged edges of  exposed tiles. People might complain if they cut themselves on my table and we don’t want that. After the grout is dry the tiles must be cleaned with the Dawn solution again to clear up any left over haze.  Finally we will allow the grout to cure for a week before christen it. Doesn’t it just make you yearn for paella! Ole’!

Finished Table

In the close up you can see that my table has two leaves in the center. I kept this in mind when planning my design so that it would look good with or without the leaves.

Table close-up

 

Now it’s your turn! Choose an object to tile, acquire and prepare the tiles, glue and grout! That’s it! Let me know how your project turns out. I’m betting it will be gorgeous.

 

DIY Mosaics

Have you shied away from artsy type projects thinking you just didn’t possess the creativity needed? Well, forget that thinking! Follow these simple steps and you can create a beautiful mosaic piece that will be the envy of all your friends. If you already are a creative type you can use your skills to ramp up the design aspects and really make something special. So let’s get started.

First, choose something you would like to decorate. I chose a very old, beat up dining table. It’s fairly large at a 45″x65″ oval, so if you don’t have a lot of time I recommend you start with something smaller. It could be a small table top,a flat picture or mirror frame or a wooden box. Just look around your house and see if you can find something that would be enhanced by mosaic tiles. Try to stick with something that has a flat surface. Round objects will be more difficult to work with.

my old table

A short disclaimer before I go any further. This is how I transformed my table. It might not be the proper way or even the best way, but it worked for me. So I believe it will work for you too.

I love the look of handmade Mexican tiles. The patterns and colors are vibrant, varied and will make your project uniquely beautiful. I purchased broken Mexican tiles through Ebay. For my project I needed 50 pounds of tiles. I ordered 40 pounds of patterned tiles and ten pounds of solid colors. So you can scale that up or down depending on the size of your object. Next you will need a good glue for porous surfaces. I used a large bottle of Sobo glue and it seemed to work fine. The grout I chose was an epoxy resin. It was more expensive than traditional grout but it is stain resistant. Since I was doing our dining table and spills happen this seemed the best option. If the object you will be tiling won’t be subjected to possible food stains or foot traffic feel free to go the traditional route. One negative about the grout I used is that it sets up very quickly, so that it took two of us working feverishly to finish before it was unworkable.

piles of tiles

Oh happy days! My tiles arrived and I can begin the sorting process. Some were smashed to pieces and others only had minor chips in the corners. Most were broken into about 6 shards. Also some of the tiles needed to be cleaned. Some had been taped together. I’m not sure why they did this when they were going to sell them as broken anyway, but it probably seemed like a good idea at the time. I sorted the tiles into color groups, separating the solid colors from the patterned. My plan was to guard against having all of the green in one area and blue in another. I wanted them all mixed together. I kept some of the intact tiles whole in an effort to lighten my labor. I planned where I wanted to place those. The remainder of tiles I sorted through, breaking some into smaller pieces with a hammer. They weren’t exactly surgical strikes. Then I had to tap any jagged edges carefully with my hammer to smooth them out. I decided to do a simple flower design on the two rounded ends of my table, so I planned that out ahead of time as well.

beginning to plan

That was a good few days work. Check back with me in a couple of days to see how we finish our table.

Caution: Construction Site

In the old Star Trek episodes Doctor McCoy often said , “I’m a doctor Jim, not a ___________!”. Insert any random job. So, like old Doc McCoy, I’m saying “I’m an artist, not a construction worker!” Or am I? Said with my eyes rolled up to the top of my head and my index finger tapping my chin in an effort to appear contemplative.
So don your hard hats and safety glasses and we’ll get busy.

I’m often asked if I always use photographic references for my paintings or if I sometimes just paint out of my imagination. The answer is yes to both. I’ll use this painting as an example of how I usually ‘construct’ a painting.
On my recent trip to Tuscany I took my usual hundreds of photographs of the countryside and ancient streets in Tuscan villages. In one town we walked past two obviously lovingly restored antique Fiat 500s. So of course I snapped a picture. Our rental car was a new Fiat 500. I took a picture of that too. Back home in my studio I got the idea that combing the old and new Fiat 500s in a painting would make a nice composition. I then searched through my village pictures to find a street with the right amount of curve, angle and ancient charm to match my vision.
With my photo references chosen I was ready to begin construction. First I sketched in the street and buildings with thinned paint. Once I was satisfied with the perspectives I worked on placing the cars on the street to make them look believable and not pasted on as an after thought. This is the part of my construction project that took the most time. The lines and angles had to be rendered as accurately as I could manage, but also the scale had to be right

Many layers of paint later I decided to bring some people into my composition. The people were necessary to add life and keep my viewers eyes roving through the painting without getting stuck, bored or stagnant. This is where painting out of my imagination came in. Sometimes I have great figure references built right into my photo. This time that wasn’t the case, so I imagined people on the street noticing the cars as I had done a couple of months before. Once again I had to pay extra attention to placement and scale so as not to have my figures appear abnormal, but rather as though they belong in the scene.
A few more layers of paint on the sky and figures and I’m ready to include some foreground details. In house construction this might be paint, carpet and maybe decorating. Here I have added a suggestion of stone detail on the street foreground making it fade back in the distance.
You can take your hard hat and safety gasses off now and do a walk through. If I don’t see any immediate problems I sign my name and take a photograph. Sometimes I don’t notice a glaring defect until I look at the photo. Time to put the ‘For Sale’ sign out in the yard because I think this painting is truly finished. What do you think?

Tale Of The Suede Paper That Was Born To Fly

Years ago, before the new millennium,I invested in a massive box of grey suede paper. The box was 6 inches deep, three feet wide and 4 feet long. Storage was a problem. I bought it for a job I took at a well known theme park hotel doing quick, soft pastel portraits of exhausted, sweaty tourists. For a number of reasons not the least of which had to do with the antebellum costume I had to wear, I quickly determined it was not the job for me. So the box of suede paper languished under my bed while I spent my days painting wall murals.

Eventually I excavated what had become known as ‘the box’ and decided to use some of its contents to paint some nostalgic portraits from old family photographs. But still it was a big box and a dozen portraits made nary a dent.

Fast forward about 15 years. My friend Diana Scimone, for whom I had illustrated a series of three children’s books called “The Adventures of Paw Paw”, called me with a new project. She had started a non-profit organization to fight child trafficking and written a book designed to warn children and their parents against the perils of child trafficking. Would I be interested in taking her manuscript and translating it into a wordless book? The idea being that this book could be distributed all over the world with no language barrier. I was captivated not just by the notion of doing the illustrations but also by the anti-trafficking message. It occurred to me that my enormous box of suede paper would be the perfect support for the illustrations. Imagine that paper just laying around waiting to be used for this project. Nine months and almost one hundred illustrations later our little caterpillar was ready to become a butterfly.

The wordless ‘Born to Fly’ book is already receiving glowing reviews in five countries where it is being tested with at risk children. But that isn’t the end of the story! Diana took 43 of the original illustrations and inserted them into her chapter ebook which is now available for download on your ebook reading device. You can visit BorntoFlyBook to purchase, learn more or try out the childrens activity pages. Diana’s adventure tale of Blossom discovering her purpose will inspire you and captivate your child. I just like knowing that even my under appreciated grey suede paper was born to fly.

Four Steps to Drawing an Accurate Likeness

Whether you are working from a live model or a photograph there are some simple techniques you can use to ensure that you get an accurate likeness. Building on my last post “Five Tips to Improve Your Drawing” we will assume you have warmed up and are ready to draw.
1. Begin by taking sightings of your model or photo reference. Measure the length and width of the head with your pencil held between your thumb and index finger, your arm fully extended and elbow locked. Sketch the basic size and shape of the head.
2. Most people’s features follow a few basic rules with some slight variations. Bisect the head both vertically and horizontally. The eyes will be located on the horizontal line. The distance between the eyes equals the size of one eye. You should be able to draw a straight vertical line from the outside of the nostril to the inside corner of the eye. The edge of the mouth should roughly line up with the middle of the eye. The ears generally line up with the eyebrows and bottom of the nose. Check your model against these rules to see where they differ and make those adjustments.
3. Let’s say you have faithfully taken all the sightings you can think of and carefully measured and compared your model with the standard but still something is ‘off’ and you just can’t figure out what it is. Now is a good time to take a break. Walk away from your drawing and look at it with fresh eyes later.
4. So you have walked away and come back, but are still puzzled about what to do next. Take a picture of your drawing or painting and a picture of your model. If you are using a live model make sure he/she is in exactly the pose you are drawing. Scan or upload both pictures into your computer and put them up on the screen side by side. They should be the same size. You will instantly see where you went wrong. Adjust your drawing and take another picture. This time you might notice something else you want to change. I keep taking pictures, comparing and adjusting until I’m satisfied.
I hope these portrait tips will help you to draw better, more accurate likenesses. Please feel free to comment and share your ideas and favorite techniques.

Five Tips to Improve Your Drawing

Whether you are new to drawing or have years of experience, putting these tips into practice will advance your skills.  Many artists will tell you that they do these instinctively as I did. I found that doing the same things consciously instead of unconsciously made my drawings more accurate. So get a pencil and a pad of paper and let’s get started.

1. If it’s been a while since you have picked up a pencil with the purpose of drawing, a warm up exercise will help you tap into that creative right brain hemisphere that may have become a bit lazy.  One of my favorite warm-ups is to copy a drawing reference upside down. Take a favorite photo or even print out a drawing by a famous artist and turn it upside down. No peeking at it right side up! The idea is to simply copy what you see without thinking about what the collection of lines, spaces, angles and curves represents.  So instead of drawing a hand or eye, you will only be drawing some lines. It’s less intimidating and can help you to break any potentially bad habits of drawing what you think a hand or eye looks likes.

2. You can use your pencil to take measurements so that your drawings are proportional. Take your pencil between your index finger and thumb, arm straight out, locking your elbow to keep your measurements consistent and take a measurement of your subject adjusting your grip on the pencil accordingly. Apply that reading to your paper.  Continue to take measurements of each line and angle, gradually building your drawing to an accurate likeness.

3. Closely related to measuring is comparing. Compare each line and angle with the ones that connect to it or are close to it. Keep adjusting.

4. Don’t forget about the negative spaces. These are the spaces between your lines. Your drawing will be better if you learn to ‘see’  these as shapes and not just ‘empties’. Try doing a drawing by only drawing the negative spaces. The positive shapes will appear as if by magic.

5. Practice. Practice drawing as often as you can. When you can’t be sketching practice seeing the lines, angles, curves and spaces that make up our world.

If you will put these five tips into practice, I’m confident that your drawing skills will improve.  Let me know how it goes! Do you have other drawing tips you would like to add? I’d love to hear them, so feel free to comment.

 

My Makeover

I finally gave my tired, outdated web site a fresh new look and I’m NOT a web designer. It was desperately needed, and though I’m still not finished tweaking and adding information at least now I’m not ashamed of it. That’s a huge step forward. Only two months ago when someone would ask me for my web address I would send them instead to a site that makes and sells prints of my work. Now I can hand them both addresses confident that neither site will lose sales for me.

I use the nearly free Microsoft Office Live program which allows non web designer types such as myself to easily create  and update a functional, decent looking site.  It’s not difficult, but it is time consuming. I found that if you use Office Live or Godaddy’s Website Tonight to design your site you will have more consistent success in Internet Explorer than any of the other browsers.

Since my site is obviously an art site I need to upload a lot of images. So the first thing I did was check on the size and file type that my images needed to be to upload successfully. Then I went into Photoshop and made sure that my painting images were within those parameters.

Next I took a few minutes to look at some other artists websites to see what I liked and what I didn’t think worked as well. Then after some browsing that really felt like procrastination I was ready to choose my heading and site color pallet.  This was the fun part. When this was done all that was left was to glue my butt to the chair every morning for a few weeks and slog through the construction process.

With the basic construction finished and some  key words entered in the ‘properties’ I gave myself a break and went back to painting for a couple of weeks. Painting brought me back to stable mental health and a back and neck no longer cracking and aching. My goal now is to take one day or even just part of a day every week to update, maintain and add new content to my site.  Next week seems like a good time to start that don’t you think? Not this week. This week I have two new paintings started and screaming for attention.

It’s Graduation Day!

A couple of months ago I advertised that I would be teaching drawing to people who don’t have any drawing experience and in fact may have said at one time or another, “I can’t draw a straight line.” Much to my surprise I discovered that the simple act of trying to speak to people about the possibility of them learning to draw threw them in to such a panic that they ran from me so fast you would think I was chasing them with a flame thrower.
The first day of class arrived with a mere 3 intrepid souls showing up, all armed with drawing talent disclaimers.
Deciding that three students would make a nice intimate group to teach we got out our paper, pencils, erasers and got started. Their first assignment was to do a series of pre- instruction drawings in order to establish an ability base line. Using the principles learned in “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” and other similar books I began to try to help my students make a shift in the way they approach drawing and the creative process.
Yes, there was a lot of groaning, suffering and sighing. It can be very difficult to force the right brain to engage when you aren’t used to it. The left side can be very pushy and tends to want to handle it all even it isn’t as well equipped. It was a bit painful and all three said it was more difficult than they anticipated. I wanted it to be fun, not painful! How could I ease their pain and still insist that they try the exercises? Maybe offering doughnuts would help.

During the week while I was mulling this over I received two phone calls. And then there was one. That’s right, two students dropped out and I was left with one.  I felt like a total failure. I must be a terrible teacher to lose two thirds of my students after only one lesson.  But I still wanted to teach this method, because I believed in it and wanted to see it work. So the one remaining brave student agreed to continue with me.  Neither of us had anticipated private lessons but what the heck let’s give it a go and see what happens.

The next weeks were challenging and rewarding all at the same time. Each week I introduced a new skill set, laying a foundation and block by block building on it. I couldn’t have asked for a more determined, hard working student. There were times when she was concentrating so hard that she actually gave herself a headache.  Or maybe I gave her a headache.  Well, either way it was never easy, but I hope it was fun. Even though there were no doughnuts.

Today was our final lesson – graduation day. Once again she had the assignment of drawing her self portrait. It was scary on day one and still a bit nerve wracking on day eight. But now she was armed with an arsenal of skills and mental tools at her disposal. Sharon, if you are reading this I just want to say how proud I am of you.  Thanks for a great eight weeks. And now drum roll please!  You can see Sharon’s before self portrait above. Now take a look at her post instruction drawing. Well, I’m impressed!

So what do you think? Wouldn’t you like to learn to draw too? Hey wait a minute! Where are you going? I can’t run that fast!

Still Painting

Yes, I’m still painting and showing my work as often as I can manage. What I haven’t been doing is contributing to my blog. I’m here to correct that now. Let’s talk about prints. I know you would prefer to purchase the originals but sometimes cost is prohibitive and sometimes the size isn’t really what you are looking for. So, in these cases a fine quality gilcee print on paper or canvas might be the answer.
Fine Art America is a wonderful company that you can buy almost any type of art work in print form through. Of course I’m hoping you buy mine! And now they have different promotional tools to help artists get their work seen. After all, if no one sees it no one can buy it. You can search for italy paintings“>for instance find one of my paintings on that page.  Also be sure to check out short term promotions.  Each promotion can last up to five days and in most cases the prints on canvas are deeply discounted. I hope to offer at least one of my prints half off every week.
If you just can’t bring yourself to purchase a print no matter how good it looks, Fine Art America always inclludes the artists contact information. So go ahead and give me a call! If I still have the original I’m sure we can work something out.

Learn to Draw

Have you ever watched an artist sketch and think “wow, I wish I could do that” ? Have you thought you would like to take an art class someday but worried that you would be embarrassed because your skill level was too low? Or maybe you have done some sketching in the past but just never seem to find the time to practice and improve your skills. Allow me to encourage you to start off the new year with an art class. If you are new to art classes, a good place to begin is drawing.
There are benefits you may not be aware of in learning to draw. Anytime you add a new skill to your repertoire, it boosts your confidence and you glow with your new sense of accomplishment. It teaches you to see with an artists eye. You will notice things that previously would have gone unnoticed. Drawing can help you to organize your thoughts and see situations in a new light. When you draw time seems to disappear. Hours can fly by like a blink leaving you feeling refreshed and lighter. I imagine it is like a good therapy session. So get therapy! I mean, learn to draw!
If you happen to be in the Orlando area you can sign up for my drawing class entitled “Seeing with the Artists Eye”

WHEN : Every Friday from 12:30 – 2:30 beginning February 25, 2011
WHERE: My studio – email me for directions – leah@lwiedemer.com
COST: Prepay 8 weeks – $125
Pay by the week – $20

Get those pencils sharpened, and I hope to see you soon! To sign up now go to http://lwiedemer.com/default.aspx.