//Pretty Brushes Containers Idea//

So if you are an artist, like me - you are likely have ton of brushes, colored pencils, markers, rulers, etc. The question is where are all of those stationery or art supplies being put in? I like them being put in an interesting, unique container I could find. Not only they are functional but also pretty as a decoration on your working table.

I found mine all over - it could be in a cheapest thrift stores like Goodwill, Habitat Humanity TJ Maxx and Home Goods. 

I like browsing around thrift stores looking for a small interesting knick knack like a small ceramic vase, a pretty glass or a cup, even a silver ware. Anything that have the right size, color, material to hold paint brushes. And they cost cheaply that I wont spend more than USD 4.00 per container. Over time and since I have a lot of colored pencils, brushes from school days; I collected many of these little jars to hold them all. 

When they are not in use - they look pretty group them together somewhere in your studio.

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These are ceramic vases I got from Goodwill. They only cost about USD 1.50 or USD 2.00 each.

I love the tray that I was not quite sure what to do but since only USD 1.50 I can't argue with myself to get it and it is actually quite useful.

I love gold. Gold picture frame, gold vase, gold vignettes, gold small decorative item, I love them all. Here bought from TJ Maxx as candle holder at USD 3.50 is pretty to use a brush holder.

Tin tea boxes are pretty interesting too. Whenever I go to HomeGoods I will look for them in the food isle. Sometimes I buy only for the tin box and could not care less for the flavoring of the tea.

These pretty little glasses bought from Home Goods a long time a go. It's a hit and miss thing. Sometime you see them sometime you don't. So when you see them, just grab it because if you don't you will never see it again.

For the large brushes with long handles I am using a regular size clear vases. These are vases that many thrift stores has. I think those are vases that our grandmas used to have around the house. They cost about USD 1.00 each.

Have a beautiful day? And thank you for stopping by!

//How to Display Paintings or Art Works - Part One//

I always been fascinating with arts and paintings. To me, a room is not a room without any art on it's wall.

Since I myself is  "an artist", it's obvious that I like to decorate rooms in my house with arts - "my arts" exactly.

I started out by learning how to paint using oil. Then for a short period of time I used gouache when I worked at textile company as textile artist.

Later on I explored with acrylic and I fell in love with acrylic. It is a water base medium and very easy to use and to manipulate to create texture. For a long time I painted only with acrylic as a hobby. My subject was an abstract. To me, painting abstract is a way of an expression. What I feel can be felt through the brush strokes and shape within the art itself.

Recently I explored painting with water color. And painting a bottle of perfume with water color came suddenly in me about almost 2 years a go. Since then I never stop painting bottle of perfumes. More on my online Etsy store, here.

In my opinion and after studying how the experts decorate arts in modern day's homes - I came up with other arts to display together with the water color perfume arts. These bold geometric abstract monochromatic arts is pretty to hang side by side with the perfume drawing arts. Again if you interested to see, here.  In this post, I displayed and took picture just how I did it and to show you how.

This post is part one. Next time in part two, I will be talking about how to choose "frames" for the arts.

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 Mixing bold art with the perfume arts is a successful way to create a beautiful wall art display. Not only the monochromatic grays are neutral that goes with any color but it is bold enough and yet texturized to compliment the perfume arts. 

Displaying vignettes under the hanging arts is another way to decorate a room. Here, the sculptured horse is an object and accentuate by a small bouquet of pink roses.

 Here the perfume arts displayed with two monochromatic geometric abstract arts. And the arts decorated with fresh roses arrangements underneath. Adding a small sculptured decorative arts is another way to create a beautiful group of arts in a small corner of a room.

For a small table - a single is pretty to display with other vignettes. Try to create vignettes with different shapes like skinny and large, short and tall to add interest and balance.

Again, a small perfume art is another pretty way to create beautiful corner console table. I always love roses, so adding bouquet of roses always create an instant pretty to the whole setting. Layering arts is another beautiful way to tell story about a group of vignettes that being displayed. Choose contrast bold arts together. What I mean by bold is that a busy pattern sometimes is hard to decorate, it need another skill on itself to pull it off. Choose opposite frames, thin and thick but not too busy - and very small frame against big one.

A single small art is pretty to decorate a night or small table.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

//How to Start to Paint Fresh Flowers in Water Color - Part 3//

Actually there is no rules in painting flowers in water color but "practice."

If  I have to be honest and come up with one rule is that try to copy the shape and color of the flowers as close as possible. It is actually does not matter if it is not exactly like the real flowers. I love it very much when it is a little off but still showing a suggestion that it is a "rose", "hibiscus" or "sun flower".  Most of the time I never copy it exactly the same. And after so many practices - you will ended up with your own style.

When walking around places find and pick a small brunch of leaves with flowers. Since most places is not allow to pick flowers - you have to extra careful when going around and try to pick flowers from public areas. It is okay to ask people if you can pick one little brunch of leaves with it's flowers. Mostly people do not mind as it is just wild flowers and will not show the difference to the whole plants if you pick one stem.

Or you can also pick a stem of leaves and practice with leaves first. And just having fun.

Okay we have been visiting our home in Delray Beach Florida for 10 days tomorrow. And tomorrow we are leaving back to cold New York City.

If you interested in looking at my other posts about painting with water color they are - here, here and here

I have been practicing and studying by painting small flowers using water color while here in Delray Beach, Flo. Here are the results.

You start to paint any where in the paper. At this point it does not matter because you are practicing. Whenever there are more space left - you can use that space to paint other leaves or flower.

It is important and if possible to paint during the day with a lot of natural light source near your station.

I painted this flower at night and today I see that the color is not right in picture. The color of the flower is blue in hue. And the art is a little red, hence a slight purple.

Put all the flowers in a small vase in water and whenever you want to paint just pick it up and hold and paint it while looking at  the flower in your hand.

Happy painting Everyone??

//Victoria & Todd//

I could not be more excited when a beautiful young lady called me about receiving a gift card from a friend of mine for a maternity photo session (last posted here). She is the teacher of my girl friend's daughter. Astrid's daughter is very fond of her teacher and she is about to give birth to their first baby boy. So Astrid my girl friend bought a maternity photo session for her little girl's teacher "Victoria" from me.

I remember our conversation was so smoothly. At first she wanted to be photographed out door but she truly realized by the time the baby bump is showing it will be in the middle of winter where we live in New York. So she settled to be photographed in my studio in my home.

She also wanted to be photographed wearing a see through maternity gown. Luckily I bought few materials from my trip to Jakarta Indonesia. I knew material are very cheap in Indonesia. So I bought several colors like pink, green, purple and white. I also wanted to sew these gowns myself. Although I never sewn a maternity gown - thought it could not be that difficult to do.

By the time Victoria came to my house to see the studio, I showed her the materials and the gown sketch on a piece of paper. She was thrilled. 

I was a little nervous about the gown because this was my first time creating a maternity gown. As you can see on below pictures it was  beautiful on Victoria. I am also proud to admit that I created the backdrop myself. I always wanted an artistic backdrop that gives a beautiful dark and light shadow playing around on the background that compliment and in contrast with the people position in front of it. Although it is hard to achieve it - I am keep on tweaking the paint but more less I am happy about it. 

 And the session went smoothly.

A week a go I received an email from Victoria thanking me on how hard I worked for her and how fun the session was for them. And of course I am very happy for them too.

Note: If you want a maternity session with me - I can make the gown for you. Ready made maternity gown can be very expensive. Just let me know and work with me in advance.

Thank you so much!

//How to Photograph an Art Work for your Blog//

Please forgive me for I have not posted anything for almost a month now.

I have been having a severe cough that does not seem to go a way that cause a severe pain on my lower rib cage. I went to a Dr. and "thank God" I do not break any bone in the rib cage but the pain also seem to never go a way. Well, it goes with the cough. The cough caused a sore to the group muscle on lower rib cage around the back since the cough does not go a way the sore will never heal.

Right now I still cough a little and not as severe as a few weeks a go but the lower rib cage still in pain when I position myself a certain way. Anyway, this cough caused aching in chest and back to shoulder muscles and although I do not have fever it is very uncomfortable. 

Right now we are in our home in Florida - with the sun shining I am hopeful it will dry and heal very soon.

Anyways, I wanted to talk about "how to photograph an art work for your blog".

I love painting using water color here in our Florida home. I found it very soothing and peaceful. And I love photograph them as well. Thought I could share a few small tips on how to photograph them here on my blog.

1. Include "the object" of your art in the photo (in a vase).

Including an object of your art when photograph the art work itself  is the best way to show case your art work in the blog. Here the Lisianthus flower in a vase.

2. Position the fresh cut flowers next to the art work. 

It can be on the side or right corner, left corner or from above. Scatter the flower petals around the art also a pretty way to show your art work on the blog. It is a good idea when the flowers are getting old and start to change colors as you might not want to pluck the petals from a good fresh flowers.

3. Include the art materials; brushes, water well, paint tubes, etc.

This is another easy and beautiful way to display your art work by including the art materials. You do not have to include everything but there is no limit rules as to what you can put with your art work to be photographed for your blog. 

Then, you can just have fun photograph them. Take the photo of an eye bird view, eye level view, angle -just play around with your camera and your art.

So those are my tips. Do you have another idea that I miss here?

Thank you so much! 

And have a beautiful day!