Archive for April, 2009
Ok. Ok. I know I am pushing the limits of blog posting here but I wanted you to know that in addition to the dining room work I am doing, there are also a couple of columns I am adding a fantasy marble technique to. I thought I would post a couple of pictures to see if guys have some interest in learning this procedure.
What I’ll be showing to you can be a cost effective way to “do something” with those columns if you are faced with is scenario. No one likes “boring columns” in a fancy house. (Chuckle)
One of the most important aspects of marbling is be able to both identify and understand marble structure. Consider in your mind that if you don’t understand the subject then how can you expect to capture the realism through faux work?
There are two basic styles of painted marble. One is the Italian style and the other is French. Both have totally different looks but what you need to know is that one is not easier than the other to paint. I will go more into the details and nuances of each on a later blog but this gives you all a little incentive to do some research in the meantime. For now we are going to talk about the fantasy marble technique which is really an American way of executing a marble finish that basically insults the European purist artists to put it bluntly. (Chuckles) So with that being said, here’s a couple of photos of the ones I will be finishing up this week.
As you can see this is the start of the structure of the veining which gets more refined as the project progresses.
The first step is to bring in the drifts with a quick glazing to create a sense of movement and form which I show you in detail during the instructional DVD. This step is really is a quick and simple process if you do it abstractly, without trying to make it look like anything, which is one of the main mistakes most make because of thinking with the right side of their brain.
The other two pictures below are showing a bit further along in the process where the veining is much stronger. This is achieved by changing your color value. Please remember this is only a one color fantasy marble where you are just using some of the basics when executing this technique.
Changing color value is critical. I have always liked using this system to keep in touch with my marbling skills and it actually improves my ability to render the finer and rare marbles which are far more complex and intricate.
There are many finer points and details to understand about the nature of marble just as there is about wood graining, murals, trompe loeil and the other various forms of decorative painting. The key is to master one and practice them all as often as you can to keep adding to your skill set.
Replicating nature is where decorative art obtained its roots and therefore certain rules must always be observed, otherwise you will end up with something that looks like a smeared “barber’s pole” which I have seen so much of starting in the early parts of 2000 when the housing industry was starting to lean towards the “flipping craze.” Not only were the ones executing the finishes not educated enough in the decorative arts, but the ones who were flipping the properties for profit didn’t care. They were focused on the increase of “return” rather than the quality and splendor of art form itself so it didn’t matter what it looked like, as long as it could be stated that the house is “Fauxed” to increase the home value. I often regret using the word ”Faux” in my business name because it is such a contradicting word when it is associated with the common words like “painting” and “artist.”
To the well educated I probably look like a buffoon when you look at the phrase in English and realize it means “false painter” or “fake artist.” It also doesn’t help your case when you are trying to reach out and convince these high profile / high end clients that can actually afford to allow you to really showcase your talent, knowledge and artistic mastery…
What do you guys want to know about marbling? Do you think I should do a start to finish video? Does anyone have any marbling stories to share?
Posted in faux painting ideas | 
Tags: Art Faux, faux painting ideas, How to Faux, Marbling columns, tromp l oeil | 
4 Comments »
I thought I would give an update on the ceiling finish that I have made available on DVD as a simple step by step “How To” well as on a more cost effective downloadable format. This is the exclusive “Trompe Loeil Foil” finish I am performing on a dining room tray ceiling and let me tell you it is turning out very cool. I’ve already base painted the ceiling and I’m getting ready to apply the stencil relief which I will pick from a Melanie Royals Design as per my client’s specification.
Here is a picture of the progress so far. This unique faux finish idea is designed for small flat areas with no texture and is not meant for large areas because of high application costs. My DVD training series showcase unique designs that someone creates mainly for accents which can work along with whole room projects or by themselves as standalone designs. The main reason for this is because this particular look takes 2 or 3 foil applications to achieve that “just right” amount of coverage.
I have done many foil applications and have found that every wall takes to foil differently as well as any room or ceiling. For instance in this Dining room it took three applications of foil, but in the entry ceiling which is the same finish, it has only taken one. But the beauty of these type of applications is once you have applied the foil you can resize it and do it again without any problems once the first layer has dried.
I could have used a soft brush like a few other artists use but I didn’t want to take the chance of scratching or putting any kind of swirls in the finish even though with the first application you will see this can also happen by using a soft cloth. Not to worry because the swirls will go away once you achieve the proper coverage with the foil.
At this stage I have invested a total of 2 hours including the basepaint (2 coats) and three foil applications. What’s really unusual about this foil is you can see the base color right through it from different angles even though you have nearly 100% coverage of the foil as you can see from the two photos posted below…
I will keep updating this post as I progress as but I encourage everyone to check out the step by step instructional video for anyone who wants to tackle a project like this and learn the behind the scenes techniques that don’t come across as well when you are writing about them as opposed to showing.
As you can see from the close up how the foil changes to reveal less background color when I took this shot.
I am also working with some other foils that have some rather unusual effects that will be showcased in my upcoming video series.
If anyone has any particular questions about this process please leave me a comment down below or catch up with me on Facebook or any of the other networks listed on the right side of the blog. Happy painting!
Posted in trompe l oeil painting |
Tags: "ceiling faux finishes", "How to videos", faux painting ideas, How to Faux, tromp l oeil |
No Comments »
(WARNING RANT AHEAD) The Hero’s Journey of DVD Publishing (WARNING RANT AHEAD)
Well I finally was able to fire off the email newsletter to notify everyone about my new video offerings listings and this is where we will find out if it was all worth it or not. The last 4 or 5 months have been the hardest on me because of having to learn all the different programs and software and a whole bunch of other things that have finally made my brain feel like jelly sliding around in that big cavity I call my skull. (Chuckle)
I really didn’t realize what I was getting myself into when I jumped onto this happy hay ride of mine and thought “How hard can it be to self publish?”
Well I have survived the hardest part of this trial by relentlessly jammin the right side of my brain with so much information that I feel I’ve melted into a jellified tub of goo. I’ve been slaving away for 15 to 18 hours a day of doing nothing but constant crammin of information into this 50 year old glob of gray matter that I call a brain. The big revelation for me is that I’m just getting too old for this, or am I?
As I sit here workin’ and sipping on my bottle ArtJuice from Monavie trying to replenish all the brain cells that I have mutilated in the last six months, I really believe if it were not for this crazy jungle juice my sanity probably would not be in tact. I swear by it. I’ve learned so much about creating eBooks, videos, editing html, ftp, http,https,seo,ceo,ocs and ee ii ee ii ooohhhhh , that quick gimme that friggen ArtJuice again because I’m starting to sound stressed out and confused…
Haven’t you ever just sat back after a long day of brain straining stuff and just wanted to change into a plain white shirts and pocket protectors and reach for that paintbrush? There’s this sense of peace when I paint. I love it. I may have to be all modern and blog but I’ll be the first to tell you I’m far more happy with a brush in my hand and paint on my overalls.
Can any other Artists out here relate to what I’m sayin?
Not long ago I got a call from a business acquaintance of mine, Susan Swanson of AlDecor Custom Framing here in sunny Naples Florida, and she had a client that imported a custom made credenza from Italy. Her client wanted a matching mirror to accent this beautiful piece but since it was a unique design the framing of the mirror had to be custom made.
I thought I’d take this chance to let my blog readers go “behind the scenes” with me and I’ll post the progress of this project. I also want to let everyone know the importance of networking and how it can be such a powerful source for accomplishing something that might seem impossible at times.
I belong to many networking groups but this one in particular, The Naples Group is where Susan and I first met.
Susan came up with a general design of the frame and asked if I could do a rendering of a walnut wood inlay to match the design of the credenza. Well first off, I would like to thank Susan for commissioning me for this project but even considering my extensive background in Old World Faux this would be an especially challenging project. However everyone, including my close friends know I love a challenge, so I immediately went to work and came up with a design. When the client saw the first rendering, she instantly fell in love with it right away.
Keep in mind I’m a Faux Artist and not a carpenter so one of the things we needed for the project was a custom built frame based on our rendering. We used our networking sources again and discovered a gentleman named Jim Forester of The Forester Group. After touring his shop I quickly realized he can accomplish just about any kind of a design, from custom built cabinets to exquisite interiors. He came highly recommended and I knew that he was the right choice for the job. I no sooner handed him the drawings when he turned around and constructed this beautiful frame from special cherry wood which was the same kind of wood that this exotic credenza was made of! Lo and behold our mirror frame was born!
Now once the wooden framed is constructed I will do the Faux Walnut inlay work based on the drawing and I will post the progress here for all who are interested. A real step-by-step. One thing I really wanted to point out in this post.
Did you notice how important it is to network and be involved with networking within your local business? It takes a lot of different talents to pull off a nice project like this. Without Susan I would have never known about it. Without Jim I would not have such a nice frame to work with. Networking isn’t all about the people you know in your hometown either, take advantage of all the online social networks and you’ll quickly build a list of the “the best of the best” too. If you guys have a story about networking and how it helped out your projects share your comments and stories below I’d like to hear from you. You can also network with me if you want, and a list of most of my networks is on the right side of the page including my Facebook and Linkedin.
If you would like to follow the progress of this project you definitely want to Opt In to my newsletter below and keep informed of the updates as well as the other projects that I have going, such as upcoming weekend classes, my brand new, down loadable “How To Faux” videos and this is just the beginning…
This next shot is a close up of the graining layer which will take some time to do because you want the inlay part to be authentic looking as possible…
The composition is important so with this section the object was to give it a book match look. Hopefully the client and Susan of Aldecor are watching the progress of this project and will be participating with their comments. I will email her a link…..
Well, for this Faux Finishing Idea the inlay is completed for this step of the process and from here it goes back to the spray booth where Frank will do his magic. First it will be sealed to lock in the design because of the delicate work that is in place. After the sealer is dry then an overglaze and some embelishments will be applied to give it that European look like in the credenza. So far the process has moved along rather nicely and thats because of the communication and the networking that went on to bring this to a reality for our client.
She has already posted once to the progress picture lets see what she says next….
Peace….
The nex two shots are the close ups of the inlay work which is the graining layer the final pictures will be posted soon and I am keeping my fingers crossed that the final result will please the client.
Finally
I would love to hear from any one of you, as to the progress shown here.
We also embellish other wood or painted surfaces including furniture, tile ,
kitchen cabinets, and anything else that has to do with wood and/or marble work.
If you would like to stay informed of other jobs weare commisionrd for, you can Opt- in at the box above for announcements of claass schedules, Yes I teach too…….
Well today was the day! With the frame completed by Frank J. Lionti of Distinction in Woods Fl Inc. expertise in the finish coats, also gave this piece an authentic looking hand rubbed finish. The mirror was delivered and installed by arrangements made by Susan to miss Betsey’s residence before I was to get there.
I was so nervous as I drove up to her home having not seen the final results before it was taken over by Susan. I have completed many challenges in my day and have always had great responses from all my work, but the reception that I got at the front door was one that I will remember for a very long time. After ringing the door bell and being greeted with that smile I knew that it was a success . The glow in miss Betsey’s eyes meant everything to me which is exactly why I am in this business. Sometimes the smallest projects will bring such huge results that the monetary part of these type of projects are not important. I do these smaller jobs even though they usually take far more time than what is budgeted , but ya know, the pay for me is seeing the happiness that it brings some one. Like I said earlier in this blog of how I was raised to believe that “Cant never got nuthin’ done” by my father ………I have just one thing to add here Thanks Dad!
I would like to remind everyone who has read this thread the importance of what it means to have a great team of professionals to work with. I have to especially thank Susan Swanson of Aldecor Custom Framing and to The N.A.P.L.E.S. Group, because if it were not for the power of being active within the community and being a part of this networking group I would have never met Susan or the wonderful new client that I now have. I think some get so involved with their businesses that they really forget why they went into business in the first place which is where I once was when I was running my painting company Custom Quality Painting Inc. My business grew to a size that it was controlling me rather than me controlling it. Most times in new construction I never met the customers of the very large custom homes that I painted because the majority of my clients were builders. My creative energy was suffering so much that I started to lose touch with it and my father who worked in the steel mills for 32 years and my grandfather who it has been said worked the mill for over 40 years, had raised us to believe in ourselves and to follow our passion. I have been painting my whole life because quite simply its something I must do and always will do. I have ventured on many artforms in my life and being that I am nearly 5o now, I still have more to learn , but I also have alot to share, which is why I am hopefull of starting an open studio in November and start teaching the things I have learned over the last 30 plus years but with todays economic downfall financing is impossible, but then I refer to my fathers words “Cant never got nuthin’done”………
April 8th, 2009
I really believe that some things happen for a reason and today once again it has been proven to me.
It all started when I was asked to join a social forum about six months ago by an artist that I have socialized with on a few other forums over the years. Yes it’s true that I belong to many forums. LOL What can I say, I like the computer age and the many ways that this type of networking can be utilized.
Artist Kathy Boyd of KB Designs in Minnesota started a forum called Art Fusion about six months ago and of course I couldn’t resist. Even though some people think I shouldn’t write because my grammar is not the best I still do it anyway, call it want you want, but I like to express myself not only with my art but also with my thoughts and opinions
As a result of ArtFusion there were several groups from different states around the country that started to form and the one I frequent the most is called Fabulous Florida in which several artists from around the state had joined. It turned out that many of them I had already known from other forums and online discussions.
After we all realized that most of us were right here in SWFL we started looking for ways to get together but with our schedules and commitments it was tough to make this happen.
Through the efforts of Bonnie of Bonzart Faux Studio she has made this happen by starting a core chapter of an organization called the International Decorative Artisans League (IDAL) and through her efforts of emails, phone calls, posts on ArtFusions Fab Florida and maybe even a little “yellin” at the top of her lungs to get our attention she was able to finally get a few of us together today to form what is now a core chapter in Southwest Florida of the IDAL!
This was a huge undertaking for her and I would personally like to thank her for all her efforts here publicly and to let her know how much we all appreciate what she has done for the area artists.
Stay tuned to my blog because there will be some pictures posted here of our first meeting and I will be introducing the board members along with their links and again I would like to thank Kathy Boyd for starting the Art Fusion and Bonnie for getting this core chapter of the IDAL underway.
I would also like to thank Teresa Farland of
Blu Water Decorative Finishes for hosting our first board meeting at her wonderful facility. Teresa has a great little studio where she is carrying and teaching the new product line by Modern Masters and I think everyone should take a look at this amazing new green product .
Speaking of new products, I am very excited about my first video for sale online right here. Check it out.
Also, for more updates of when the next meeting will be or chapter details Opt In below to our newsletter to stay informed…..
