Rhinestones revival

In the antique business you are constantly challanged to identify your finds~ It can be a real history lesson, and long hours of research. If you are lucky enough to find estate sales where a family member is still alive, you can get the history of a piece from them, but otherwise you are on your own. Today I want to talk about Rhinestones. Especially in todays market, the trend towards antique jewelry is phenominal. The Rhinestone has been in existance since the late 18oos, and originated from Strasbourg, France. It is right on the France, Germany border, and located on the Rhine River. The Rhinestone was a rock gem found along the banks of the river. The name comes from the Rhine and also the term Caillou du Rhine from the French. Rhinestones are made of paste, rock crystals and glass. That is the basic base. They discovered they could be made to look like diamonds, and are always associated with glitz and glitter. The era was big in the victorian and art deco periods. Usually, if you have a piece of jewelry that was from those eras, it will be Rhinestone. They come in all sizes, shapes, and colors....More about antiques coming.....

Canvas prep and other tips

Hi all, Well today I am going to give a small tip on canvas prep. Many artists don't prepare the new canvases anymore.  I find that I still prefer to use a gesso ground for texture. It also gives me a better ground. I sometimes will use a few layers, applied with a palette knife. When I begin to paint the texture will drive any washes I want to add.  If you prefer not to prepare the canvas with gesso, try wetting the whole surface for better application. This is only for Acrylics! You will find that it will look "grainy", but you need to continue layering color, letting it dry in between layers. I hope this gives you a few things to experiment with....
Next time I will talk about my antique shop and some tips and info about antiques....Till next time, ENJOY LIFE~~

Making Grey Tones

I have discovered over the years that you don't have to EVER buy any grey paints. Whatever color you are working with will be greyed with a touch of blue and red. Depending on the blue and red hue that you have, the color will be different shades of grey. This is the best way to grey  your paint, as it would be in nature. You have to remember that however much distance there is between you and the subject, that is how much color will be picked up from the atmosphere that surrounds it. So, always remember to add some of the color that is between you and the subject, no matter what color you are working with. It takes some time to use this technique, so just play with it until you get it! Don't be discouraged....Donna

Hi All. Well, today I overcame my fear of "underpainting", as I call it. I tend to overwork my art, and I have had to learn to put the brush down!! I am practicing this new me, by doing work with a large wedge pallette knife. It is very freeing! Instead of frying my brain for an inspiration, I mix some color of the day and start spreading it on the canvas. I do this in loose sweeps to see a design. When one forms, I take it from there. I squint a lot! I let that dry and start all over again. You artists know that some shape or theme will arise to you, that you can then shape to your specifications, if you will. Sometimes I think I see one thing, and then as the process progresses, I see something else. As you continue to layer and add color, your mind will see a concept, and the creativity takes over. It is a much more visually abstract way of painting, and it is usually where you will find your best ideas. If you paint in acrylic, like I do, you can always cover it up and start over! I have always painted in different techniques and styles, so this is not a big leap for me, but I see that I can use it to "loosen" myself up. I will be back tomorrow with some more ideas.....Great Day!