Posted on July 30, 2013 at 09:08 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: mixed-media art, quote, Rebekah Joy Plett, Why We Should Invest in Artists
Image from Darn Good Yarn site
I came across this wonderful site Darn Good Yarn. - It's Not Your Grandma's Yarn.
You can purchase beautiful Sari Silk Ribbon Yarn and much much more. The site is a mixed-media artist dream. The added benefit is that you are helping the women of Nepal and India become self-supporting. Nicole Mikkelsen-Snow is the founder of the organization. Check it out!
Image from Darn Good Yarn site
Posted on July 30, 2013 at 08:58 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: darn good yarn, fiber artists, India, mixed-media art, Nepal, recycled, sari silk ribbon, silk yarn
Image from JERRY'S ARTARAMA site
I was on JERRY'S ARTARAMA site and stumbled across this great resource - ART TIPS: Quick Tips to Help You with Your Projects. The tips cover all mediums.
You can even win a prize. Here's the details from JERRY'S site:
"To qualify for the Art Tips $250 Gift Card, we must use your Art Tip and post it online. Every month 8 Art tips will be randomly selected to qualify for the free $250 gift card. These 8 tips will be entered into a Community Vote. The Art Tip with the most votes at the end of the voting deadline will be awarded a $250 gift card."
Posted on July 18, 2013 at 07:26 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: art media, art tips, artists, collage, JERRY'S ARTARAMA, mixed-media art, painting, prize, project tips
Via the Creative Emergence site, I came across this interesting post on 9 Practices for Cultivating Creative Aliveness written by Michelle James.
I especially liked Michelle's point about Asking, i.e., "Ask yourself what is most alive for you NOW. It’s not about the entirety of your vision and all that you can imagine – just what feels most alive within you Now."
Check out the rest of the post and then make today a Creative and Artful Monday.
Posted on July 08, 2013 at 10:51 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: creativity, Cultivating a Creative Aliveness, innovation, Michelle James, mixed-media art, motivation
Via Tara Reed's newsletter, I found out about this post, Art is Work on the Skinny Artist site.
I especially liked what Drew said about artists being compelled to create:
"Even if we are lucky enough to earn enough money from our art to financially support us, being an artist is not just what we do — it’s who we are. It’s that little nagging voice inside that compels us to create. The one that won’t take “No” for an answer. No matter how long we ignore it or try to distract ourselves from it, it will still be there whispering in our ear… You were born an artist, now create!"
Make sure you take some time to explore both Tara Reed's Art Licensing blog and the Skinny Artist site too. Lots of good stuff to inspire you.
Posted on June 26, 2013 at 07:50 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: art is work, art licensing blog, artist, creativity, Indie business, inspiration, mixed-media art, skinny artist, Tara Reed
Via the Empty Easel, I discovered two interesting art-related sites. The first is Artisan HQ which provides viewers with an impressive collection of art tutorial videos on a variety of subjects.A key advantages of this site is that it is an absolutely free resource for the user.
Mediums include: acrylics, chalk, charcoal, clay, colored pencils/crayons, digital, ink, mixed-media, watercolour and much more.
The second site is Artpromotivate which has the goal of motivating and promoting artists. I found two interesting articles here.
View some art videos and read some motivating articles to get your weekend off to a productive and artful start.
Posted on June 22, 2013 at 10:54 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: art mediums, art tutorial videos, Artisan HQ, Artpromotivate, Empty Easel, mixed-media art, motivating artists, promoting artists
Image from The Cool Hunter - The garden of Saiho Ji in Kyoto, Japan.
Via StumbleUpon, I came across this site that is new to me called The Cool Hunter. If you haven't visited this resource, take some time to check out the beautiful photographs and posts.
Here's some background information from their About Us page:
"Led by founder Bill Tikos, The Cool Hunter celebrates creativity in all of its modern manifestations. Since its inception in 2004 The Cool Hunter has become the world's most-read culture and design site, a leading authority on all things creative and a truly global hub for what's cool, thoughtful, innovative and original. We value global relevance, not trends, channeling our discoveries to our worldwide audience."
Posted on June 13, 2013 at 11:56 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: art, creativity, culture, design site, innovation, The Cool Hunter
Image from the Creative Bloq site
We all know about Pinterest but have you heard about The Matboard?
According to the site's developers , "The Matboard is a social bookmarking hub for the creative world which will enable users to explore, share, and inspire creative work via two of the most compelling elements of social media: creative visual content and social media sharing capabilities."
"The Matboard will offer the creative world a digital platform from which they can connect with others based on their shared creative tastes and interests."
The site is organized into categories such as Typography, Logos, Stationery, Magazine Design, Print, Posters, Vintage Design, Infographics - and more. I'm very impressed by the images that I found. You have to check it out.
Posted on March 08, 2013 at 07:45 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: creative world, infographics, logos, magazine design, Pinterest, posters, print, social bookmarking, stationery, The Matboard, typography, vintage design
Image from Lateral Action site
Here's a great way to start the New Year:
"Sign up for The Creative Pathfinder Foundation Course – a FREE 26-part creative career guide, delivered to your inbox (courtesy of Mark McGuinness). It will equip you with essential skills to succeed in the 21st-century creative economy – whether you’re a freelancer, independent artist, entrepreneur or employee."
Mark McGuinness is a poet and a coach for artists and creatives. He has been coaching and training creative professionals since 1996, when he started practicing as a psychotherapist and noticed he had a high proportion of artistic clients suffering from conditions such as writer’s block and stage fright.
Here are links to his blogs - Lateral Action and Wishful Thinking . Check them out!
Posted on January 12, 2013 at 10:47 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: artists, creativity, free course, Indie Business, Lateral Action, Mark McGuinness, The Creative Pathfinder Foundation Course, Wishful Thinking, writers block
DIY Wax Paper Candleholders - Image from 1 Design Per Day
In need of some inspiration and eye candy? Then check out the 2012 Most Popular Posts by 12 Leading Design Sites courtesy of the 1 Design Per Day site (an Inspirational Product Design eMagazine).
I absolutely love the DIY Wax Paper Candleholders. Here is the easy tutorial brought to you by Apartment Therapy.
The only supplies you need are: wax paper, tea lights (electronic) and a little time spent folding. What an easy and elegant DIY project!
Posted on January 08, 2013 at 01:32 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 1 Design Per Day, 2012 Most Popular Posts by 12 Leading Design Sites, creativity, design sites, DIY, DIY Wax Paper Candle holders tutorial, inspiration, mixed-media art
Winter Journey 2012 Issue, image from Bella Crafts site
I recently discovered the publication, Bella Crafts Quarterly.™
Here is a description of the magazine from the Bella Crafts Creative Team which are composed of professional craft designers:
"Bella Crafts Quarterly™ is the #1 digital craft publication that is always free for readers to view online or download. You will always enjoy oodles of innovative and inspiring craft projects here."
"However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg! In this innovative publication you will also meet industry professionals and delve into insightful, educational articles pertaining to crafting and craft business."
Bella Crafts Quarterly™ produces 4 full issues per year. Special Editions are also issued in between Quarterly issues. Check out the publication and subscribe today.
Posted on January 04, 2013 at 10:21 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Bella Crafts Creative Team, Bella Crafts Quarterly™, craft business, craft projects, educational articles, free publication, mixed-media art, The Business of Art
Via HowAboutOrange, I learned about the recite this tool. Choose your favorite quote and transform it into a cool graphic which you can display on Web sites and blogs.
You can also post your graphic on Tumblr, Facebook, Stumble Upon, Twitter and Pinterest.
For the graphic above, I used one of my favorite quotes. Then I chose a quote from the Quotes Library on the recite this site to create this graphic.
Take a few minutes and create a bunch of motivational graphics to energize you for the New Year.
Posted on December 31, 2012 at 10:20 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: blogs, Facebook, how about orange, motivational quotes, Pinterest, recite this tool, Stumble Upon, Tumblr, Twitter, Web sites
Do you want to Create More Art this Year? Then check out the post, Ten Laws of Productivity, written by the Behance Team from 99u (Insights on Making Ideas Happen).
Here are two laws that I especially like:
For more productivity ideas, check out the entire post.
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 01:44 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 99u, artists, Behance Team, Indie business, mixed-media, Ten Laws of Productivity
The Arts Business Institute (ABI) has recently released their juried, 2nd Annual Great Handmade Holiday Gift Guide. I'm thrilled to report that my Parisian Blue Eiffel Tower Ornament is listed in the Under $50 Category. You can find this ornament in my Etsy Shop.
The Guide offers a dazzling variety of lovely gifts in a range of prices: $100. And Up - $50 to $100 - and Under $50.
The best part is that the gifts are handcrafted and made in the USA. Check out the ABI Handmade Holiday Gift Guide today.
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 12:04 PM in Cool Sites, Published | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 2nd Annual Handmade Holiday Gift Guide, ABI, Arts Business Institute, Etsy, gifts, handcrafted, indie business, Parisian Blue Eiffel Tower Ornament, under $50, USA
Image from The Graphics Fairy site
Wishing You All a Happy & Relaxing Thanksgiving Day!
On a side note: I discovered a (new to me) search engine site called DuckDuckGo.
Here's a few facts about this search engine: DuckDuckGo does not collect or share personal information. They offer DuckDuckGoodies which are special queries that can give instant answers.
Check DuckDuckGo out.
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:38 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: DuckDuckGo, DuckDuckGoodies, portal, search engine site, Thanksgiving
Image from Smart Creative Women site
Via the Piddix Newsletter, I learned about Corinna Bucholz's interview on Smart Creative Women - a Web show, hosted by Monica Lee, that features women running businesses creatively.
Here's what Lee says about her site: "My hope is for you to be able to hear how women today are carving out a place for themselves using their very best resource, their creativity and realize that you can do it as well!"
During Corinna's interview, she talks about Etsy, licensing, copyright, and how her business got started. Take a quick coffee break and check out this interesting and inspirational video.
Then come back later and visit Smart Creative Women to listen to other Guest Interviews.
Posted on November 13, 2012 at 02:16 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Corinna Bucholz, creativity, Etsy, guest interviews, indie business, licensing, Monica Lee, Piddix, Smart Creative Women, Web Show
Image from Delivering Happiness site
I just discovered the Delivering Happiness site and I came across this inspiring article, Catalyzing Happiness: Happy Hands Make Happy Days! written by Stacey Hall.
Hall references Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who is a leading researcher in positive psychology. I especially like his book, Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention.
The post begins with a quote which I added to my Quotations List: “Happiness is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated and defended privately by each person.” — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Check Hall's post - and then take some time to poke around the Delivering Happiness site. Lots of good stuff here.
Posted on November 08, 2012 at 02:34 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Catalyzing Happiness, creativity, Delivering Happiness, flow, innovation, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, motivation, Stacey Hall
Today, I came across an interesting article on 99U (Behance) entitled, The Thinking Mindset vs. The Doing Mindset - Pick One (And Only One) written by Art Markman.
I especially liked this quote from Markman's article: "Change your environment, and you will change the way you think."
How do you encourage your Thinking Mindset? What do you do to kick up your Doing Mindset?
BTW, Happy Election Day. I hope you all voted today.
Posted on November 06, 2012 at 02:09 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 99U, Art Markman, Behance, change environment, creativity, doing mindset, motivation, thinking mindset
Image from Behance site
I LOVE this infographic that I spotted on Behance. The graphic, 29 Ways to Stay Creative, was designed by Islam Abudaoud. He is one talented guy!
Posted on November 01, 2012 at 01:32 PM in Cool Sites, Creativity | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 29 Ways to Stay Creative, art, Behance, graphics, infographic, Islam Abudaoud
Image from From Gardners Two Bergers Blog
I'm always seeking out different image transfer techniques. I love this cool Apiary Sign created by Becca, host of From Gardners Two Bergers.
The step that intrigued me in her tutorial were the directions to "Paint one side of a sheet of printer paper with Washable Elmer's Glue, achieving complete coverage. Once the paper is dry, print out the image on the glued side." I never tried this method but I believe the glue may help produce a better image.
Check out Becca's Mod Podge Image Transfer Tutorial. Make sure that you carefully follow all the steps in her tutorial to get the best results.
Posted on October 31, 2012 at 01:33 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: DIY, Elmer's Glue, From Gardners Two Bergers, image transfer, mixed-media art, Mod Podge Image Transfer Tutorial
Image from Old Picture of the Day blog
Today, I discovered this wonderful blog called Old Picture of the Day. Each day the host, Paul, brings readers "a stunning little glimpse of history in the form of a historical photograph."
I fell in love with this 1902 photo of a Children's Tea Party. Take some time to explore the site. There's lots to see.
Hurricane Sandy Update: Right now in Eastern North Carolina, we're getting heavy rain and strong wind. It looks as if Sandy is going to overstay her welcome on the East Coast.
Posted on October 28, 2012 at 02:12 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: children, historical, Old Picture of the Day Blog, tea party, vintage photographs
Image from Dahlhart Lane blog
Today, I found this recipe for making Paper Clay from Malinda, host of the Dahlhart Lane blog. The original recipe comes from Jonni's Ultimate Paper Mache site. Malinda altered the recipe slightly to achieve a thicker consistency of clay. I love the clay's texture.
First, check out Malinda's recipe. And then make sure you visit the Ultimate Paper Mache site too - Lots of good stuff there.
Note: Here in eastern North Carolina we are awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Sandy. Indeed, a most unwelcome guest! According to weather reports, the heavy rain and wind will begin Saturday evening and may continue on till Monday or Tuesday.
Posted on October 27, 2012 at 01:45 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: assemblage, Dahlhart Lane blog, mixed-media art, paper clay recipe, sculpture, Ultimate Paper Mache
image from HOW Design site
Need to jumpstart your day? Then check out these fresh and innovative ideas from How Design:
Posted on October 23, 2012 at 08:28 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: brainstorming, creative exercises, creativity, HOW Design, innovative, inspiration, mixed-media art, new ideas
Via Lesley Riley, host of Artist Success, I found this interesting post on 100+ WAYS TO CREATIVELY REUSE OLD MAGAZINES courtesy of the Always Chrysti blog.
Now I know that all of you mixed-media artists probably have stacks of old magazines. Me included. Check out what you can do with them by visiting Chrysti's post.
BTW, I suggest subscribing to Leslie's newsletter. She always offers lots of good information and inspirational articles.
Posted on October 17, 2012 at 01:33 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Always Chrysti, Artist Success, Creatively Use Old Magazines, mixed-media art, newsletter
Image from The Mixed Media Art Directory site
Today, I came across a new site called The Mixed Media Art Directory. Here's a description from the site's home page:
"The Mixed Media Art Directory is an all-encompassing directory for links related to mixed-media: art and artists, shops and supplies, methods and mediums, blogs and Web sites. Find your favorite artists, or discover new ones! If you care to register, you'll even be able to keep a list of all your favorite links!"
The site is still in the growing stage but there's a lot to see. Check it out!
Posted on October 11, 2012 at 02:53 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: art, art supplies, artists, blogs, mixed-media art , The Mixed Media Art Directory, Web sites
Image from The Ragged Edge Junk Journal
Have you ever created a Junk Journal? If you haven't tried making one yet, then check out this great Squidoo page from The Ragged Edge.
Not only does the host exactly explain what a Junk Journal is - She also offers step-by-step instructions on how to make your own Junk Journal. Lots of good stuff here - Check it out!
Posted on October 10, 2012 at 04:17 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Junk Journals, mixed-media art, Squidoo, The Ragged Edge, tutorial
Image from Golden Paints site
Check out the new, FREE Golden MXR—a virtual paint mixer that allows you to experiment with color mixtures - proportions - match colors - and create palettes without picking up a brush.
Here's a more detailed description of this tool: With Golden MXR, artists can mix paint colors without using paint. Through exploration and play, artists will develop a feel for the correct proportions and the best colors to use.
Photos can be uploaded to match colors and create palettes. The program accounts for the physical characteristics within GOLDEN paints, so artists can get closer to the colors they want faster than ever before, saving time, saving frustration, and saving paint.
Start playing with paint with the Golden MXR Tool today.
Posted on October 05, 2012 at 11:43 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: create paint palettes, Golden MXR, Golden Paints, match colors, paint experiments, virtual paint mixer
Image from House of Hepworths site
I love Paper Art Wreaths. They are quite time-consuming to make but their shabby chic-style adds a lovely look to a room's wall.
Allison, host of House of Hepworths, offers a unique twist with her Martha-Inspired Fall Wreath by using Crinkle Paper Ribbon. Make sure you check out the other tutorials on Allison's site too.
Posted on October 01, 2012 at 01:14 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: crinkle paper ribbon, House of Hepworths, Martha-Inspired Fall Wreath, mixed-media art, paper art, Paper Wreaths, shabby chic, tutorial
Image from the blog of Judy Wise
You must check out this tutorial, from Judy Wise, on How to Make a Journal from Used Grocery Bags. (Scroll down the blog post to see the step-by-step instructions.)
I love the yummy texture and distressed look of these pages.
Posted on September 30, 2012 at 01:38 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: art journal, book making, distressed, Judy Wise, mixed-media art, paper arts, tutorial, Used Grocery Bags Journal
For the past few days, I've been losing my Internet connection (about 50 times a day) so I wasn't able to post. Yesterday, the cable guy finally came and said that there was a problem with the outside wires which he fixed BUT that I should call the ISP if I continue to experience problems. It is the BUT that concerns me. I'll see how the day goes.
Today, I came across two interesting articles on how to use Pinterest. The first, 200+ Pinterest Boards for Designers to Follow, was written by Joshua Johnson for the design shack site. Now, I'm not a designer but I think these boards would be of interest to artists.
The second article, Pinterest: A Tool, Not a Time Waster was written by Rose Clearfield (Random Creative).
Clearfield suggests the following productive ways to use Pinterest - Blog Posts & Articles, Brainstorming, Bookmarking, Group Collaboration, Sharing Your Posts & Products, Promoting the Work of Others, Research for Your Own Products, Networking and Searching for Inspiration.
She also provides links to other informative articles on Pinterest. How do you use Pinterest as a tool in your daily artistic life?
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 08:58 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Boards for Designers, brainstorming, design shack, inspiration, Pinterest, Pinterest tools, promotion, Random Creative, research
Leo Babauta, creator and writer of Zen Habits, offers us an inspiring post on How Simplicity Can Help Creativity, Briefly.
Here's a little background on his site in Leo's own words:
"Zen Habits is about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives. It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important - create something amazing - and find happiness."
"The site also happens to be one of the Top 25 Blogs and Top 50 Websites in the world with about 250,000 readers."
Take some time to tool around his inspiring site. New viewers should start here: The Beginner’s Guide to Zen Habits: A Guided Tour.
Read a few of his posts and you're bound to get your weekend off to a positive beginning.
Posted on September 15, 2012 at 11:16 AM in Cool Sites, Creativity | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: beginner's guide, Creativity, inspiration, Leo Babauta, mixed-media art, simplicity, Zen Habits
Image from How to Make Drawing a Part Of Your Life Lens
If you read my blog regularly, you know that I'm always working on my drawing skills. I came across this great Squidoo lens on How to Make Drawing a Part Of Your Life (Daily Creativity by Keeping a Sketchbook). The lens was created by Studentz (Fern).
There's lots to look at on this lens. Make sure that you scroll down to the end of the page to see it all.
Then make sure that you follow Fern's advice: "Keep your sketchbook - and pencils/pens - nearby with the blank page ready for your next drawing. If you spend a lot of time at the computer, keep the sketchbook within reach."
Fern also has a blog called Crafter-Holic. Check it out. And then don't forget to Draw Today!
Posted on September 04, 2012 at 01:28 PM in Cool Sites, Sketches | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Crafter-Holic, creativity, drawing skills, How to Make Drawing a Part Of Your Life, lens, mixed-media art, sketchbooks, sketching, Squidoo, Studentz
Image from Trend Watching site
Trend Watching just issued a report on 12 Mini Trends to Run with Now which focuses on consumer and business trends that could yield you some profitable innovations.
The holidays are not that far away for Indie vendors. Check out these trends and see what they can do for your small business.
Posted on September 04, 2012 at 11:03 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 12 Mini Trends to Run with Now, consumers, indie business, Trend Watching
Image from Digital Collage Sheets
I hope you are enjoying your Holiday today.
If you're looking for free collage images, I found a site that may keep you busy: Free Collage Sheets And Images Directory from Squidoo. This lens was created by Betsi Goutal.
I noticed that some of the free sites have not been updated but you can still download their free images.
I love the Letter & Addressed Envelope images above (Free Collage Sheet #4) from Digital Collage Sheets. I have purchased images from this vendor and their images are beautiful and of high quality.
Posted on September 03, 2012 at 01:47 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: addressed envelope, art journals, collage, Digital Collage Sheets, Free Collage Sheets & Images Directory, free images, letters, mixed-media art, Squidoo
I recently purchased a Speedball Lino Cutter Kit to experiment with rubber stamp carving. Luckily, I found this Letterboxing site that offers a Stamp Carving 101 Tutorial.
Alma Stoller offers a great Carve Your Own Rubber Stamp Tutorial too.
Hmmm.....Now I just need to find some time to start carving.
Posted on August 28, 2012 at 06:34 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: mixed-media art, Speedball Lino Cutter Kit, stamp carving, tutorials
Are you spending a lot of time on Pinterest lately vewing other people's art? How about using Pinterest to promote your own business instead?
Take a few minutes to check out the post, Pinterest Tips for Artists, on the Arts Business Institute's (ABI) site. You'll find 13 great tips on how to make Pinterest work for your own art business.
Posted on August 20, 2012 at 08:18 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: ABI, Arts Business Institute, Indie Business, mixed-media art, Pinterest, Pinterest Tips for Artists
Check out this informative post from Social Media Expert Amy Porterfield: 3 Quick Actions to Stay Ahead of the Latest Social Media Trends. Amy talks about Pinterest, Timeline (Facebook) and Google+.
Here's another interesting post from her blog: The 10 Commandments of Using Pinterest for Business. Now, I just need to find the time to put some of these ideas into action.
Posted on August 08, 2012 at 11:39 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Facebook, Google+, indie business, Pinterest, Social Media Trends, Timeline
Check out this thought-provoking article, The Big Ideas, from Tara Sophia Mohr.
Tara encourages readers to choose one of the Seven Ideas that calls out to them - and to explore that idea today. Which idea will you choose?
Posted on August 02, 2012 at 02:06 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: creativity, inspiration, mixed-media art, spiritual, Tara Sophia Mohr, The Big Ideas
Image from Smart Creative Women Site
Via Tara Reed's Art Licensing blog, I learned about Smart Creative Women. This is a Web Show that features women running businesses creatively.
According to the site, Creative business owners include "artists, interior designers, fashion designers, clever business bloggers and creative entrepreneurs in all shapes and sizes. "
Site Owner, Monica Lee, offers informaion on "how these women got started and how they grew their businesses. These women pass on inspiration as well as provide practical how-to’s to help other women in their community."
Check out Monica's blog post, What I Really Think about Art Licensing (and Any Business in General). You can also find useful tips in the site category, Resources & Information.
To make sure that you are notified about future Web Shows about Smart Creative Women, you can easily subscribe on Monica's site.
Posted on July 30, 2012 at 02:24 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: art licensing, Art Licensing blog, artists, Creative business owners, creative entrepreneurs, How To, indie business, inspirational, mixed-media art, resources, Smart Creative Women, Web show
The next time that you want help with developing a color scheme for your mixed-media art piece, check out COLOURlovers. Here's a description of the site from their home page:
"COLOURlovers is a creative community where people from around the world create and share colors, palettes and patterns, discuss the latest trends and explore colorful articles... All in the spirit of love."
Their channels include: Wedding, Home, Fashion, Web, Print, Craft and Business.
According to the site, "there are over 2,243,856 user-created color palettes to inspire you with ideas. You can also browse a library of 13,466 fun shapes, perfect for your patterns or other creative projects."
"You'll find over 5,612,718 user-named colors to kick start your creative projects." Really, there's so much more to view on this site. You'll be occupied for hours.....maybe days. Be sure to read their blog posts for interesting and inspiring ideas.
Kuler image from Presentation Zen site
Via Presentation Zen, I heard about Kuler which is a web-based, color tool from Adobe. Here is another tool that can jumpstart your art projects.
The site has thousands of community-generated color themes from which you can search. Registration is free enabling you to make your own color themes or palettes - and save them. Lots to see here - Check them out too!
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:07 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Adobe, business, color palettes, color palettes, colors, COLOURlovers, crafts, fashion, home, Kuler, latest trends, mixed-media art, patterns, Presentation Zen, print, shapes, Web, web-based color tool, wedding
Image from Always Chrysti site
If you're like me, you probably use vintage, and outdated, magazines in your collage and mixed-media art work. I especially like to use vintage magazines for my Art Journal pages.
I usually tear out interesting images, typography and catchy phrases from these magazines and store them in bulging accordian files.
If you want even more ideas on how to use up those old magazines, check out the Always Chrysti blog for her roundup on 100+ Ways to Creatively Reuse Old Magazines.
Some of the categories include: Craft Supplies, Furnishings, Decor, Accessories and more! Check it out!
Posted on July 05, 2012 at 11:06 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 100+ Ways to Creatively Reuse Old Magazines, Always Chrysti, art journal pages, catchy phrases, collage, mixed-media art, recycle , reuse magazines, typography, vintage magazines
Happy July 4th! Make sure you make time for yourself to do something that you enjoy.
I usually keep a short To Do List of the art projects that I am currently working on. I was using simple index cards but they kept getting lost in my piles of paper and art supplies.
I found these cool Library Cards (download) at the Creature Comfort blog - and I think that they will work for me. Somehow, I view the Library Cards as more serious To Do Lists. You can even print them out in colors so that you can find them more easily.
Ez offers readers three different downloads:
You can access the main link to the Freebie Post here. Thank you Ez for these wonderful, free goodies!
What do you use for your Art Project To Do Lists?
Posted on July 04, 2012 at 08:21 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: art projects, Creature Comfort blog, freebie downloads, library card pockets, library cards, mixed-media art, note cards, to do lists
Image from melstampz blog
Yesterday, I pinned this link on my Pinterest boards but in case you didn't see it, here's a sweet selection of Wee Houses - 124 Links - Templates & Tutorials from the blog of melstampz.
I agree with Mel. My favorite house is also Victoria Magazine's Harvest House Template. There are three different house-style templates in one PDF.
It's already June. This is probably a good time to begin working on your Christmas ornaments/gifts. Check out the Wee Houses links and start creating.
Note: There's lots to see on Mel's blog. Take a few minutes to check it out on your next coffee break.
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 03:11 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: assemblage, Christmas ornaments, gifts, Harvest House template, melstampz, mixed-media art, templates, tutorials, Victoria magazine, Wee Houses
Check out this online book, What to Draw and How to Draw It, written by E.G. Lutz - and published in 1913. Although the book was published long ago, there are still many drawing techniques that may be helpful to the contemporary artist.
The book is part of the Open Library which is a project of the non-profit Internet Archive. You can find more information about Open Library here.
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 03:10 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 1913, artists, drawing techniques, Internet Archive, online book, Open Library, sketching, What to Draw and How to Draw It
Image from demilked site
During my continuing research into Fonts and Handlettering, I came across this post on the demilked site: 20 Beautiful Handwritten Fonts That Shouldn’t be Free. You have to check them out. The fonts can be downloaded - or you can practice your lettering by copying them by hand.
Tom is the host of demilked. I love his description of the site. Here it is in his own words:
"Demilked is a design milking magazine. We milk the world's most creative minds and make you tasty inspiration cocktails by mixing industrial design, technology, concepts, advertising and a little bit of web design. Don't be afraid to take a sip - the drinks are on us!"
Explore demilked - You won't be disappointed. It's my personal belief that mixed-media artists can learn a lot from other disciplines - and then apply this knowledge to their own art. What do you think?
Posted on June 06, 2012 at 05:03 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: advertising, artful lettering, creativity, demilked, design, downloads, fonts, handlettering, handwritten fonts, mixed-media art, script, Web design
In case you haven't seen this application: Via Pinterest, I found this free, cool tool called CHIP IT! created by Sherwin-Williams.
According to their site, "CHIP IT! is an online tool that lets you instantly turn any picture, from any website, into a beautiful palette of Sherwin-Williams paint colors." You can even save your results on their site. I used one of my mixed-media art pieces and came up with the colors above.
Next, I used my photo of a Hydrangea plant. Love those pink color results.
I think this is a great application to use when you're creating color schemes for new art projects - or even for your interior decorating needs. Check it out!
Posted on June 04, 2012 at 08:15 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: butterflies, CHIP IT!, hydrangea, mixed media art, paint colors, Pinterest, Sherwin-Williams
Image from Melissa Esplin's site
Want to improve your Fashion Figure drawings? Then check out Melissa Esplin's Figure Drawing Basics Tutorial. She even offers a free download. Thanks Melissa for a great resource!
I like her sketching technique. I continue to draw daily and I definitely will try her tutorial. Now get out that sketchpad and start drawing.
Posted on May 20, 2012 at 07:27 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: fashion figure drawing, figure drawing tutorial, mixed-media art, sketching
So I was looking for Online Lettering Workshops - and I found some interesting sites that featured Art Journaling.
Lauriedamer, host of The Broken Wings Studio, tells us about My favourite Resources for Art Journaling…And they are FREE!
On her site, I also learned about the Art Journaling Exposed (Volume 1) eMag which is available in the INTERWEAVE Store. You can download the eMag for $4.99. Here's a description of the eMag taken from the INTERWEAVE site.
"The Art Journaling Exposed eMag presents an interactive look at creating great pages and journals with color, lettering, and more. New and well-known artists bring their tips, tricks, and favorite techniques to you through slideshows, videos, and photographs that you can pan and zoom. The ability to enlarge a picture to exactly the size you want, to see the smallest of details, and the opportunity to play a tutorial again and again as you work along in your studio space, are just a few of the great benefits of Art Journaling Exposed."
For more details about the eMag, go here.
Posted on May 19, 2012 at 05:55 PM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: art journaling, Art Journaling Exposed, Broken Wings Studio, collage, eMag, Interweave Store, lettering, mixed-media art, techniques
Image from the Web Design Schools site
I believe that you can find informaion on absolutely any subject on Pinterest. Yes, I've been hitting the Pinterest boards again. Inspiring, informative but so addictive!
I just type in my area of interest, the plus sign, the word: Pinterest. And the Web World brings me an endless supply of images. That's how I found 50 Best Blogs for Watercolor Artists on the Web Design Schools site
The list covers blogs on: Watercolor Demonstrations, Watercolor Artists, Art Business - and Art News & Reviews. Go on - Dig around the list - Discover some inspiration and then - Start painting!
Posted on May 15, 2012 at 08:24 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (37) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: 50 Best Blogs for Watercolor Artists, art business, collage, demonstrations, mixed-media art, news, Pinterest, reviews, Web Design Schools site
I'm always entering blog giveaways but I usually never win. So I was very surprised when Amanda, host of Amanda's Beauty and Recipe Finds, contacted me last week to tell me that I won a MAC Giveaway. I love MAC products. Thank You So Much Amanda!
As you can see from the photo, I won two, beautiful MAC Powder Blushes and a lovely shade of MAC Lipstick. (The marks that you see on the Blushes are a reflection from my camera light. Sorry.)
Take a few minutes to check Amanda's blog. You'll find some great reviews on cosmetics - and some yummy recipes too. Check out her post on 12 Drool Worthy Cupcake Recipes.
Amanda is also editor of Small Business CEO. You might want to check this site out for some helpful articles on running your indie business.
Then go ahead and enter some blog giveaways - You may win too.
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 09:47 AM in Cool Sites | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Amanda's Beauty and Recipe Finds, blog giveaway, cupcake recipes, lipstick, MAC cosmetics, powder blush, Small Business CEO
Recent Comments