Anna MeenaghanArt direct from the Artist !
Articles & Guides About Art
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Articles & Guides About Art
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 Here you can find many great articles and guides about art written by Anna. The idea being that Anna is fully aware that a great many of you are
either considering taking up painting or just starting out and maybe
need a little help or some hints as to how to go about it. And don´t forget, the main part is to enjoy the process of creating your art. Who knows, maybe some day you will be one of our "Contemporary Guest Artists" yourself!.... |
To read each article in its entirety simply double-click the logo or the title |
Important Things To Know About Applying Watercolours!... |
 You will find there are two varieties of watercolours, students and artists colours. The main difference is the actual pigments. Artists colours are very intense, as the best pigments are used for these, soaked with much colour.
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Which Brushes And Brush Strokes For What Kind Of Painting?... |
 As you go along and gain confidence with your painting it is great fun to experiment with different brushes and see what different results can be achieved. At times these can add a magical effect to your work.
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Buying Canvasses Or Making Your Own?... |
 Canvas is used, which is made of linen, a substance which is taken from the flax plants. It is very strong and I would think that much of it is derived from Ireland. You can buy rolled canvas by the metre. Some artists prefer this to set and stretch their own.
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How To Find Great Inspiration For Drawing Landscapes!... |
 In this age where valuable free time is so precious, where do we find relaxation, peace, or solitude from the busy life of today with all it's trials and tribulations. People use this time in different ways, but I am sure that many opt for some sort of peace and tranquility.
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Everyone Can Draw And Paint!... |
 Painting and drawing freely is something everyone does, probably without realizing it at the time. I think that you will find that we all are guilty of doodling, on pads, invoices, serviettes, particularly while we are on the telephone. Often when we are half listening to what is being said.
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How To Improve Your Landscape Paintings Through Glazing!... |
 Some people think that their paintings appear to be lifeless and dull. Often the brightness of the color seems pretty flat and does not shine through. It may be that only part of your painting is affected, but if this is the case I would recommend glazing it.
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Painting As A Hobby Can Be Soothing!... |
 Most people think that at one time or another they would love to draw and or paint. Many too, think that they can't and lack the confidence to even try. Art for some talented people is a natural born gift. Let's face it some artists with no training are fantastic.
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Painting With Acrylics Offers Great Variety!... |
 Acrylic paint is a wonderful mix of synthetic resins with the pigments. These are very widely used as they can be diluted and used for many types of surfaces. The bonus being that they dry reasonably quickly.
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Papers And Surfaces For Pastel Painting!... |
 Sandpaper is quite a favourite amongst artists today. Watercolour paper too, is quite good, which can be tinted with any water based paint. I find that the texture of this paper to work on is good, but I would say, it is often better to cover with a good gesso or even acrylic paint.
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What Do We Know About Art?... |
 Whether you are a novice or an experienced artist, there is always something that can be learnt from the masters. Art itself is a very diverse subject and a matter of personal taste. So many different things can be classified as art.
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What Do You Need For Drawing Landscapes?... |
 Where to start! This does not need to be expensive. Basic equipment for this is pretty simple. Like everything we all tend to add here as we go along and get carried away. Different people seem to use different things, so this is a general idea of what one might need to get started.
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How To Erase And Alter Pastel Paintings!... |
 It is not easy when you first start using pastels. You may find it quite trying to make adjustments to your work. We are led to believe that really you cannot! Frustrating perhaps too, because marks do not disappear as if you were using a pencil.
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How To Do A Pen And Ink Drawing!... |
 Where to start? Well, you could start by purchasing just an ordinary black pen with a fibre tip. These are stocked in all stationers, art shops etc, they are very cheap, but they will do the job.
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Colours Can Make Or Break Your Painting!... |
 Colours and music, in fact, seem to rule my life, making me also a bit of a colourful character. However, colour features strongly in painting to reflect the mood you are trying to create. The heat within, or even the cold. It certainly makes a difference to your interpretation.
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How Do You Fix Pastel Paintings?... |
 You may not know what fixing is? Really it is just a way of keeping your painting in good condition. As to why we fix it is a personal thing. Some people are of the reasoning that maybe their colours may not appear fresh.
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The Challenges Of Painting Landscapes Outdoors!... |
 The beauty of working at home is, that you can take as much time as you like for your painting. However, when you set foot outside, you are faced with a whole heap of problems.
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How Important Is Paper For Art?... |
 The correct answer is it can be very important. For watercolours, for instance, you have three main types. "Rough," "Hot Pressed", known as HP like the sauce, and "Not" or "Cold Pressed". So, what do we know about them?
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Still Life Drawing And Shadows!... |
 Still life drawing is a bit of a puzzle to novices who usually mainly spend their time, say focusing, on the main objects. Really, I would say the shadows in the picture, are just as important.
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Artists Technical Terms Explained!... |
 What is Paper Mache? Basically, with this you get some newspaper and rip it up. Pummel it with water which leaves you with a soggy lump. At this stage it is ready for you to mould it into any shape that you like.
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How Do You Frame And Store Pastels?... |
 This, you will find, is not always easy to do as you will soon realise. They tend to smudge with the best will in the world as they pick up specks of dirt and are quite delicate in themselves.
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Adhesives Used For Art & Craft Work!... |
 Adhesives, a paste or glue which is used for sticking. There are now so many available on the market, but different glues are used to stick different surfaces. Synthetic resin glues, I would say, are the strongest. They harden so well and are extremely durable.
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Watercolours, Washes And Tones!... |
 Overlaying one wash on another will create different tones for you. First of all, you need to be clear on what tone is. We are surrounded by colours, and each colour really, is made up of its hue, say yellow, and its actual tone.
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What Is Spattering And How Do You Achieve It?... |
 You can flick fluid paint or spatter it on to your support to create mottled, speckled or dappled looks. These will look spontaneous, done at random and, of course, leave no brush marks.
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Expressionism, Surrealism And Other Forms Of Art Explained!... |
 Well, if you are new to Art you need to know what some of the general terms used mean and what styles of art are classed as modern. For an example, the subject really is the object, persons, or places, the artist is trying to encapsulate.
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Create A Fantastic Pebble Mosaic!... |
 Living only one block from the beach this is something I just had to try! I am sure at some time or another most of us have carried souvenirs back from the beach. Whether it be shells, driftwood, or if you are anything like me, pebbles that you like the feel or shape of.
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Toned Grounds For Artists!... |
 When choosing your subject to paint you may find that it is better to colour your painting surface before you commence. This then will make your picture personal to you and will enhance your subject.
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More Technical Terms For Artists!... |
 There seems to be an abundance of these to plough through, so I will continue writing the articles at least until we have covered many of the basic terms.
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Even More Technical Terms For Artists Explained!... |
 Sanguine can be a chalk or crayon which comes in a flesh colour, it can also be a reddish or blood red shade. The pigment has oxide contained in it and is usually made of clay or chalk.
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How Would You Decorate Terracotta?... |
 Many people like terracotta in its natural form, but if you do want to decorate it, this is intended as a general guide. You can have a lot of fun doing this and really, it is quite easy to do.
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Guide To Creating Hand Made Cards!... |
 How about what is called wax resist cards? These are actually done with wax crayons. Many people do appreciate individual, home made cards. So let us get your artistic talents to work!
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The Importance Of Colours And The Colour Wheel!... |
 In a colour wheel half of the wheel contains red, orange and yellow and you could say these are warm colours which seem to move forward. Whereas in the other half of the wheel you have blue, violet and green, which emit coolness and they seem to shrink backwards.
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What Are Pastels And Why Do Artists Use Them?... |
 Pastels are a strong and also colourful way of painting. The medium itself is dry and because of its powdery surface the light reflects well. So, with pastels, they give out very intense colouring, more so than any other medium. |
All About Masking Paintings!... |
 What is masking? Well you may ask! Masking is a method of covering certain areas of a painting, so they are, in fact, protected while you apply paint to the other parts. In principal this is a fairly easy way of gaining effects to your work that otherwise seemed not possible.
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Gouache Paint - What Is It?... |
 What is gouache paint and is it exactly the same as poster paints? Well, this really is a paint that is opaque. You can use this to reproduce materials and cards, because of this factor. I have known friends to actually scan prints to go on to make printed items.
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Mounted Cards Or Pictures Using Watercolour!... |
 It is possible to add a mount to a finished watercolour picture to improve it before you get around to framing it, or you could also use it as a card. So what will you need for starters?
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Making Collages!... |
 Plenty of freedom is afforded when you create collages. Basically you can use anything you like to make up your collage, and not only that, you can express your feelings on it in any way you choose.
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How To Make Pictures From Silhouettes!... |
 Pictures to be hung on the wall made from quite simple silhouettes can be effective and also fascinating into the bargain. Like many craft ideas, it does not entail buying lots of items. These pictures are attractive and will brighten up your walls, or anybody's you care to give them to.
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Making Cards From Odds And Ends!... |
 One way or another it is always a pleasure to receive cards. So I got around to thinking of all the types of cards there actually are. Why not try doing cards for different occasions? Particularly when we often have items lying around at home we could use for this!
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Making Colourful Containers From Tin Cans!... |
 In this day and age we all need things to brighten up our lives, particularly now with the credit crunch in our midst. As the financial situation is critical, it results in us tightening our belts, so any savings you can make are just a bonus.
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How To Make Mosaics!... |
 Mosaics take us back to Roman times, but today these seem to have made a comeback and are pretty fashionable. This is quite an interesting form of art and many people use it in their homes for a variety of things.
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How To Make A Suncatcher!... |
 Suncatchers are not only quite easy to make, they are also a very decorative item. I have often given these to family and friends as gifts and they are always well received as they are artistic.
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Abstract Art Looked Into!... |
 It is sometimes quite a problem to, in fact, come to terms with what is called abstract drawings, sculptures and paintings. Often it is a mental or spiritual form of expression of the artist that we see before us.
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How To Make A Suncatcher Like Windchimes!... |
 Suncatchers and windchimes, I think, are always an effective item. Generally they can be produced quite easily from items that you already own. So what I am about to suggest making, is done using old compact discs.
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How To Paint A Wall Mural Properly!... |
 Do you like the idea of this, but don't know where to start? Maybe you think it might be too difficult and quite a trial, but if you keep a cool head you should be fine with this. It can be quite exciting, so come, on have a go!
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How To Make Mobiles And Windchimes Correctly!... |
 There seems to be a ready market for these mobiles and windchimes. I think that windchimes have a wonderful fascination for people and they seem to be used more and more in gardens now and all children love mobiles from a tender age.
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How You Make & Use Pressed Flowers!... |
 Flowers, and different types of grasses, pressed appear still to be in great demand. This is quite easy to do and you will find that they seem to have any number of uses in the world today.
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How Can We Make A Decorative Picture Frame?... |
 With the credit crunch as it is, more and more people will be turning towards home crafts. So, with this in view, I have written the following article on making frames for your pictures, family photos etc.
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What Does The Term Decoupage Mean?... |
 Often I have been asked the question 'what is decoupage all about'? This seems strange though, as there seems to be a fair amount of it about as it is a decorative form of craft.
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How To Make Glass Painted Cards Properly!... |
 Have you ever really thought about doing this? As an artist that uses all types of art from abstract paintings through to canvas art, I think that it is quite a good idea!
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What Do You Need To Know About Glass Paints?... |
 Basically there are two kinds of paints for glass that you can use. There is water based and non-water based paint. So if you choose to use the non water based variety, you should use a ceramic thinner to dilute the paint with.
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What Does One Need To Know To Begin Oil Painting?... |
 Oil painting itself dates back to prehistoric times in Europe. It was discovered in caves where men mixed together soot, earth and animal fats to create the first oil paints.
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Let Me Give You Some More Tips On Glass Painting!... |
 In one of my previous articles I mentioned that you could apply glass paint with a sponge, which really is a good way of probably covering, say, a large area. Not only this, but it would enable you to blend in colours while they are still wet, in fact.
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How To Hand Paint An Amazing Glass Plate In Several Easy Steps!... |
 How attractive and easy on the eye glass is, when it has been decorated with colours. This now seems to have become very popular, you could say we seem to be surrounded by it.
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How To Decorate A Box With Shells In A Few Easy Steps!... |
 We often collect seashells along the beach, either to just admire them, or, in many cases, we just collect them up, as we like the feel of them. I often save them with the thought that I will probably do something arty with them at a later date.
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How We Can Paint A Glass Vase In Several Easy Steps!... |
 Patterned glass is always attractive and I often think that glass items are nice to give or to receive as presents, so with this in mind, I decided to write an article about it.
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How An Old Fashioned Craft Using Herbs Can Help Ease Pain!... |
 Most of us have tried canvas art at one time or another, to create abstract paintings. Most people like to experiment now and then, so why not diversify into some other kind of craft?
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Which Types Of Herbs Are Suitable For Craft Purposes!... |
 In this day and age there are so many crafts to choose from, we love canvas art, or you only need to look at a few abstract paintings to realise this. However, herbs too, are ever increasingly sold in our supermarkets, garden centres etc.
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How To Make An Interesting And Personalised Wall Hanging!... |
 Most of us at one time or another, find ourselves wanting to brighten up a wall. Sometimes we put up art posters, but it can also be quite a challenge to create your very own canvas art. Using canvas art you could, in fact, do this in one or two different ways!
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How Would You Go About Applying Decoupage To An Article?... |
 Decoupage now seems to be all the rage! It is used to cover plant pots, suitcases, boxes, vases, bottles and even candlesticks, to great effect.
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How Do You Make An Attractive Photo Album?... |
 Handicrafts today seem to be becoming more popular every day. Whether it is canvas art, candle making, scrap booking, or even decoupage, you name it, we appear to love it, right through to art posters.
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How Do We Decorate Plaster Figurines?... |
 Many times you actually hear people say "I keep meaning to take up a hobby"! Nevertheless it could be years before they actually get around to doing it. I myself started painting after I moved to the Canary Isles.
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What Do We Need To Know Before Rubber Stamping?... |
 Here we are in 2009 with the credit crunch, which is a dismal outlook worldwide. Therefore any small thing that we can do to brighten our lives in the current situation can only be a blessing.
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How Can We Use Bamboo Canes To Enhance Our Homes?... |
 In this day and age we are surrounded by so many different types of décor to furnish our homes with.
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Construct Minimalistic Pictures By Using Different Leaves!... |
 We all succumb to different trends of fashion, whether it is things that are in at the moment or sometimes things that hail from yesteryear. |
Produce Candles In Just A Few Easy Steps!... |
 Candle making is pretty easy to do on the whole. I am only surprised that more people don't try this seeing that candles are such a popular item.
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