Art Journal

Background Images for Graphic Designers

A quick post to share a site that I found today in a search for background textures.

The site is CG Textures, and they are a completely free resource for background textures and objects. And better still, they offer a huge variety of really good images.

If you are a web developer, graphic designer, or even just like to design your own sites, you need to know about this resource.

From their About page:    

“CGTextures strives to be the world's best texture site. Being a 3D artist myself, I know how hard it is to create textures without good photo materials. Making textures should be about creativity, not about spending hours looking for the right image on the internet. I hope that by supplying good quality textures in an organized manner, your everyday work will be easier and more enjoyable.”

As an example of what they offer, I clicked on the category "concrete". Seven sub-categories popped up, image below.   

As you can see, the sub-cats in concrete vary from "dirty" to "bunker wall", with many variations in color, pattern, and style available.

Clicking on the "dirty" sub-cat, took me to the first page with over 150 images available in that category. See a few samples below.   
   
The images are high quality, with a small and large resolution available.

Check it out, and let me know how you like it!

Copyright © by Art Journal 2008. All rights are reserved. No re-posting of articles or my images without prior written permission is allowed.

Technorati Tags: cg textures, web design, web development, free images, backgrounds, textures, design, art journal

I'm Having a Contest.....

I'm having a contest on one of my other blogs, Modern Glam. I don't usually intertwine the two, but today I am, because I really would like to not only garner enough participation, but give my commentators on all of my blogs an opportunity to participate in the contest.

All that said, the contest does NOT involve Entrecredits. Instead, you have the opportunity to win jewelry; a fine silver hand-crafted pendant with a sterling silver chain. Very chic, made with lots of love, and if you would like to participate, sign up here. Oh, and by the way, male readers are encouraged to participate and win the prize for their fav lady!

Good luck!

Technorati Tags: Modern Glam, contest, jewelry, prize

I am so jealous.....

I am a fairly versatile and creative person. There are really only  two things that I've ever tried at which I have failed miserably. Those would be the mastery of certain types of beadweaving, and photography. I can do basic Peyote stitch, loom weaving, basic square, right angle, etc., stitches. But, I completely SUCK at my fav stitches;  free-form and sculptural Peyote. [I also love spiral stitch and crocheted beads, but I'll save my whining about my lack of ability with those for another day.] And, I am not that  competent at even the basic stitches, other than a couple of them.

So anyway, I curse myself each time that I try one of the aforementioned stitches again, wondering if I am somehow "challenged". Whatever the reason, I can not wrap my mind around these stitches. Gah......so very frustrating.

One of the best, and most well known of the artists who have mastered these stitches, is Jeanette Cook of Beady Eyed Women.  Her work is incredible, even though her website really does not showcase her best work, she is totally excellent at this art/craft. An example of one of her pieces is depicted in the image at the top of this post.

Some examples of beadwork by other bead weavers/artists that I admire are below (not necessarily related to those stitches). Do visit their sites to see more of their work.......these ladies are really so talented!

Doodle Week, a little late ....

My only contribution to Doodle Week, albeit, a little late.

These were actually done back in June, when I cut some of my peonies for the house. They are VERY rough sketches,  painted on  canvas, with oil sticks/no brushes, which I find a bit awkward.

I do small studies like these frequently before I start an actual painting.....they help me to determine form and color.

 

 

Copyright © by Art Journal 2008. All rights are reserved. No re-posting of articles or my images without prior written permission is allowed.

Defining Art Jewelry - Six Simple Rules

  In a previous post, I talked about the frequent misuse of the terms "art" and "artist". Along the same lines are the  terms "art jewelry" and "artisan jewelry", and they are also widely misused.

Because I create and sell both artisan jewelry and art jewelry, I would like to define the terms here, for the edification of readers. Feel free to post your own opinions in comments, as always.

Six Simple Rules to Help You to Discern "Art Jewelry" From "Artisan Jewelry"

1. Art jewelry is not defined as "art" by the materials from which it is made. All materials are fair game. 
2. A piece of art jewelry involves more than simple stringing.
3. A piece of art jewelry involves more than simple wirework.
4. The mass manufacturers do not create art jewelry. Rather, art jewelry is created by independent designers|artists, usually as unique, one-of-a-kind pieces or as limited editions. 
5. Art jewelry is considered art, and is judged in the same manner as other forms of visual art.
6. True art jewelry does not use the patterns of other artists or artisans. Art jewelry is always original.

Examples after the jump.

A Meme: Seven Facts About Myself

I don't normally do memes, but I'm making an exception for the special lady who tagged me, Grandy, of Functional Schmunctional. The rules for the meme are after the jump, however, I won't be completely following the rules. 

Seven Facts About Me  

1.I am from Germany, and did not move to the US until I was five years old. I retained dual citizenship until I was in my twenties, when my X joined the Navy Seals -- they require the wives of married Seals to be US citizens.    
2. I primarily read non-fiction books related to art these days. But, my fav author of fiction is Tom Clancy. I know.......odd choice for a woman.    
3. I am a Pisces, and I am pretty typical of the general descriptions given for a Pisces female.           
4. In real life, I am a little bit shy....       
5. I have been a huge reader since I was very little. I've read thousands of books, and I couldn't even begin to tell you the titles to most of them. (I can finish a fairly hefty book in one day).     
6. I am a girly girl.I love being female, and all of the trappings that go along with that. One of my fav songs is Shania Twain's "Man, I Feel Like a Woman!"......      
7. While I love fashion, and have always been something of an addict, at home I am almost always to be found in jeans or shorts, and bare feet,  depending upon the time of year. 

Female Portraiture

The faces of women who have been immortalized in art. A short, and very well done video. Enjoy.

Thanks to my friend, John Le Sainte, who drew my attention to this. :)

 

Technorati Tags: art, female portraiture, portraiture, video, art journal

Beauty in a Photograph: Odd Vantage

When I paint a still life, like many painters, I prefer to paint from life, i.e., a still life set up by myself, and painted outside or in my studio. I also usually take shots of the scene, just in case......in case I can't finish the painting before the flowers die, the fruit shrivels, or I temporarily lose my motivation. sigh.....:(

When I paint landscapes, I paint them on location aka painting plein aire. I do take photos, just in case.  And, I try to finish at least a rough draft/canvas, while on the scene. The biggest problem is painting quickly enough, as the light changes so rapidly.

Rarely, I will work from a photo taken by someone else, but I have to be truly inspired to do this because it is simply much more difficult to attempt a true depiction from a photo rather than from life.

My friend, Rachel, whose blog is filled with the beauty of the photographs she has taken, is without formal training, and yet, she is one of the best artist-photographers I have seen.

A couple of days ago,  Rachel posted an image that I fell in love with, and that you see in a reduced size above; I am hoping to paint it, as she has kindly given me her permission, and I wanted to thank her, thus this post.

Do be sure to visit Odd Vantage, Rachel's blog, and take some time to view her completely stunning photographs!

Thank you, Rachel!

 
Image is copyright © Odd Vantage 2008.
Article Copyright © by Art Journal 2008. All rights are reserved. No re-posting of articles without prior written permission is allowed

  

Technorati Tags: art, photography, painting, odd vantage, art journal, image

Defining the Terms "Art" and "Artist": Opinion

The terms "art" and "artist" are being thrown around pretty freely these days........primarily on the net.

This has been sort of bugging me, so I am going to define my opinions about certain forms of "art" here. This will not be my last post about it.........rest assured, I have more to say, lol. However, I'll  start with web graphics.

Are web graphics art?
Some of them are, and some aren't, in my opinion.
Well, what's the criteria that you use when you think about this?
If a graphic is hand-drawn,  as an actual illustration is, whether it be on a Wacom tablet or on a piece of paper, that is art. Whether it  qualifies as "fine art", is another matter altogether.

If it is simply a vector graphic, created using text and shapes, it isn't art, it is design, and it is a craft. These are just my opinions of course, but I am not alone in that determination.

Examples after the jump.