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by Allison Ryan
The ordinary white light to which we are accustomed has been proven to be composed of a series of vibrations of varying wavelengths that affect the retina of the eye. These wavelengths range from red through orange, yellow, green, and blue to purple. The simplest proof of this is seen in the decomposition of a ray of sunlight through a prism, into a colored band called a spectrum in which this scale of colors, seen in nature in the rainbow.
True colors are those that we see in the rainbow which have been approximately described by the terms: Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red. There are, of course, an infinite number of gradations between these principal colors, to which no definite terms or names may be given. The spectral colors are, however, light colors and cannot be used in practice.
Artists use pigment colors produced by chemical processes from a great variety of sources which are used in stains, paints, dyes and other combinations that may be applied to surfaces such as cherry bar rails or bar rail moulding in order to create color effects suitable to different requirements. The true colorist not only has a natural talent for the selection and limitation of color to produce certain results but the language of color must be learned by constant experimenting.
Many attempts have been recently made to reduce color harmony to a formula by means of charts that attempt to select harmonious combinations. These are of little value to the decorator and not only limit the possible number of color schemes that may be used, but also prevent the natural development of the ability to use the eye and reason in color selection. Color charts have been reasonably successful when used to select colors for surfaces of similar texture that are intended to be seen under the same light.
The decorator, however, has a far different problem to meet, inasmuch as the colors in a room are used on frieze boards and pediment that stand at a variety of angles and receive different degrees of light upon them. This may completely alter the effect of the same color combinations when used on different surfaces. Decorators, therefore, must study color harmony from an entirely different standpoint than pictorial or pattern artists.
They must develop an entirely new set of principles that will guide them to create agreeable, harmonious combinations that have a definite message to express. Experience in teaching color selection to students of decoration has shown that color harmony is not as much a matter of selecting particular colors as of selecting the proportions in which colors are to be combined. According to its author, a color chart may indicate that a certain group of three colors will be inharmonious.
The student will suddenly find himself in a room in which these same three colors are used in different superficial areas, with one predominating, and the others subordinated to it. The three colors used are in harmony, but this is what the color chart does not and cannot indicate. All colors are harmonious, provided they are used in proper proportions from the picture frame moulding to the fireplace designs. The same principles of composition and unity may be applied in judging color schemes as in judging composition of forms, lines, and masses.
The warm colors (those toward the red end of the spectrum) affect the human system very differently from the cold colors. Red, being the warmest, is highly stimulating, tending to produce an excited and angry state in very susceptible individuals. Animals, as well as men, are thus affected, showing that this property is fundamental, and not due to any artificial convention. Yellow is cheerful, rather stimulating, but less so than red.
Green is restful, quiet, and soothing. Its good effect on the eyesight is well known. It is the middle color of the spectrum and the predominant color of a great part of nature, being the background of practically all vegetation. It may be either warm or cool depending upon whether yellow or blue predominates. Blue and purple, further along the line, tend to be more depressing than stimulating. Purple is the most dignified of colors. It is the color of royalty and of mourning. Colors also have a different appeal to persons of opposite sex.
Men as a rule prefer colors of dark and strong values while women prefer colors tending toward the pastel shades. As far as general effect is concerned, color creates the atmosphere of a room more than antique picture frames or decorative moulding. As everything in a room must be in some color, from the walls and ceiling to the smallest ornament, it naturally becomes an all-important element in decoration. A room may be cheerful or gloomy, friendly or cold, according to its predominating tones.
Allison Ryan is a marketing writer specializing in home improvement; from the fireplace designs and antique picture frames to the cherry bar rails and frieze boards. For the best in the hardwood moulding industry, please visit http://www.ferche.com/.
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by Susan Luke
Stamping sounds so easy, doesn't it? You buy a stamp, put some ink on it, and rap it on the paper, right? Wrong!
You may find your images smudge, twist or look a bit blobby with this method of stamping. That's not usually what a stamper wants. Well, I am going to tell you about the little secrets for creating stamped images that you may not have seen before. But let's start a couple of steps before you start stamping. Let's look at the quality of the stamp and the type of ink you are going to buy.
Before you buy your stamp, it is important to examine the rubber or acrylic and decide if the image is carefully chiselled out. A good stamp will be made of a firmer, high quality rubber or acrylic and the image will be finely and deeply cut. If you buy a stamp that is softer and less well defined, that is the type of image you will get from it, regardless of your technique.
Now consider the ink you want to use. There are actually five basic types of inks and each one gives you a different effect. There are dye based, pigment based, permanent, fabric and embossing inks. Which one will produce the result you want? Here's some ideas about how to choose between them:
Dye Based inks are water based so they react to water or paint or other moisture by smudging. What they do is stain the paper, so if you want to colour your stamped images somehow, don't choose dye-based inks. If you want a quick drying ink or crisp images that you don't want to colour or alter in any way, choose dye based inks. You will also get a softer colour with dye based inks. You can usually clean this type of ink off your stamps with water, but be careful not to saturate and therefore warp any stamps mounted on wooden blocks.
Pigment inks are also water based but they are made differently to dye based inks. They have little particles of colour in them so they are brighter than dye inks and are less likely to smudge. They are best used on matte paper. When you use them on glossy cardstock, they will smudge if touched. They also take longer to dry so you can put embossing powder on them and heat set that.
Permanent ink is just that - a quick setting, water resistant ink. You can stamp on many surfaces with it - glossy cardstock, glass, acetate, even wood or paint. Once in place and dry the image is there to stay. This type of ink will also stain your stamp unless you use the specially made permanent ink cleaner solution that usually can be found on the shelf at the store next to the permanent inks.
Fabric ink is made for stamping on fabric and you will probably need to 'set' it by ironing over it once you have stamped your image. You can use fabric ink on other surfaces too (such as on chipboard). It is a semi-permanent ink so use a stamp cleaner with it to avoid staining your stamps.
Embossing inks are stickier and take longer to dry so they are perfect for catching and holding on to embossing powders. Just be careful not to touch an embossed image till it has been heat set or it will smudge. If you stamp on coloured cardstock with clear embossing ink, your image will be two tones darker than the colour of the cardstock. You'll need a stamp cleaner for this type of ink, too.
OK. Once you have chosen your ink, you are ready to start stamping. The three secrets for crisp, clear images are:
- Place your stamp face-down on your ink pad, and tap it on the pad. Avoid pushing the stamp into the ink pad as you will wind up with too much ink on the stamp and this in turn will make your images smudged or imperfect. Now turn the stamp over and check to see if all areas of the image have been evenly inked up. If not, turn the stamp face down again and tap it on the ink pad till it is properly inked up.
- Turn your stamp over again and hold it firmly in your two hands by the edges. Lower it onto your paper as straight as you can. Press the stamp in the middle with a finger, then press around the edges of the image to be sure all of the image has had contact with the paper. Be careful not to press so hard that you tilt or buckle the stamp.
- Next, carefully and smoothly lift the stamp straight up from the paper, avoiding tilting or twisting the stamp.
You should have a clean, crisp, complete image!
More stamping tips:
If you have a very large stamp, turn it face up on your table. Tap the ink onto the stamp, checking to be sure it is all properly inked up. You may find you get a better result if you place your paper on the stamp and carefully smooth it over with your hand before lifting the paper straight up and off the stamp. This way you avoid any 'missed' spots caused by imperfections in the surface of a large stamp.
Do try to clean your stamps before the ink dries on them. Using a stamp cleaner will condition the rubber and maintain the quality of the images.
Now you now the three steps to perfect stamping.Perfection can be achieved if you practice these steps. It could take some practice before you consistently get perfect results, but the time you may spend doing that is worth it!
Are you new to paper crafting? Would you like to find out about papercraft tools, tips and techniques? At http://www.PaperCraftCentral.com you will find step-by-step guides for making many beautiful paper craft projects. You can even ask questions about paper crafting and subscribe to Paper Twists, a production that is all about papercrafts!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Luke
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by Marcy Larsen
Adding dimension to your pages is simple. Just add a few little dimensional items and will be amazed at the character that it brings out. Here are just a few of the many different tools that you can use to add to your pages. You can add as many or as few that you need to create the style and look you love.
The difference between an eyelet and a brad are these:
Eyelets have whole in the middle of each one. They come in several different sizes and shapes. You will need an eyelets paper punch, setter, craft hammer and a setting mat.
Brads also come in several different shapes and sizes. These on the other hand are solid and you can not run tread or ribbons though them. They also come in bigger shapes and sizes to add a little character. All you need to set a brad is a piercing tool or a push pin.
Eyelets and Brads
A fun way to hold scrapbook elements and photos in place is by using eyelets and brads. They are not only functional, but they also add design and elements to your pages. Use them to stylishly attach a pocket or a vellum title. Use them as centers of flowers or as a holder to run ribbons through. Your options are unlimited with eyelets or brads; just pick which one fits the mood of your page.
Punches
You would be amazed in the different shapes and styles that punches come in these days. You have your basic square, circle, and stars. Then you have your hearts, snowflakes, umbrellas, spirals, cars and many more. You can use these in several different ways. You can bunch them down the side of your pages as a boarder, you can punch out the shape in a photo or use a different color of paper to add dimension. With bunches, there is also corner punches. These will change the shape of the corners on pictures or mats. There is corner rounders and decorative punches as well. The corner rounders are just that, they will give you a smooth rounded corner on your pictures or mats. The decorative punches are usually a little longer to use as the boarder around your pictures or your whole layout.
With the corner punches and the regular punches, you can add a new look every time you use them. Try using a flower punch and place a different colored paper behind to add color. Use the punched out flowers and add a eyelet or brad to the center of each flower to add a bouquet to your page. Your options are unlimited with all of these tools. Just dig out your scraps and start playing until you find the style and look you like.
Marcy Larsen Close To My Heart Consultant. CTMH offers much more than just scrapbook supplies, including opportunities to make money while scrapbooking. Please visit my website - Marcy Larsen.
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by Christina Taylor
If you are searching for baby presents to make but are fed up with the typical blanket and baby booties, here are five unique, special, and functional presents to make that would be great baby shower presents.
A Time Capsule
Don''t you hope somebody had made you a time capsule of stuff from the year you were born? Gather newspaper and magazine clippings of existing events, trends and style, a little toy from the most existing hot children''s film and finally take shots of their home and their city! Document their area, take photos at the neighboring grocery store, the post office, vehicles on the streets, the local school, and the facade of their house, their parents and their family! Take in remarks from family members and a special memo from you introducing them to the humankind. Assemble it all and place it in a ornamental wooden memento box, leaving some space for the parents to put in a few stuff of their own. Just imagine what a cache this will be when they grow up to be your age!
A Padded Mat
No, it isn''t just one more uninteresting blanket! This time, make an extra thick and padded blanket, a comfortable facade that will be ideal for crawling time, even on hardwood floors. Be artistic with it and put in "activity" toys to it, such as removable soft toys, flaps that conceal brilliant pictures and little ribbon tags. You could yet line the bottom with water-resistant PUL textile which will turn into the perfect outdoor on wet grass park blanket.
A Mix CD
Create baby a mix CD? Yes! Make a mix CD of calming music, classical is an apparent option but get ingenious with music in your compilation or look into iTunes for lullaby ideas. On the other hand, a cool and upbeat mix of baby friendly song might be just the thing! Face it, most baby music is awful and many parents would care for "typical music" CD to listen to that is still baby friendly.
Name Blocks
Pay for adequate blank wooden blocks at a craft shop to spell out the baby''s name. Beautify each block with the letter or an image/s that begins with that letter. You could paint with harmless acrylic paint, decoupage with paper or cloth or wood burn your design. For style ideas, check out the crib bedding set that the parents registered for and make use of the identical theme or color scheme on your blocks.
Handcrafted Books
You can pay for blank board books that are the ideal work of art for your own stories! If the baby will live distant from extended family, make a tale using actual photos of family members so that the child can get to recognize them. Or, make an amusing story about the family pet, your own edition of an alphabet book, a picture book with diverse sorts of vehicles or butterflies, and many others. Sketch it personally or make collages from real photographs or glossy magazine photos.
Have fun making some exceptional handmade baby presents for your subsequent baby shower! These amusing projects will be valued by both the parents and the baby, which is precisely what a handmade baby present should be about.
Want the best outfit for you baby? Check out Amongo, the best baby clothing comparison portal that lets you select baby clothes from a variety of fashion designers and compare them. You may want to read product reviews about Diesel baby clothing for a start.
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