The Fun World of Origami
Origami is a creative art done with the paper. It is the ancient art of Japan but said to have its origin in China. This art involves paper folding and creating some amazing images which otherwise seem impossible to create from a medium like paper. The origami or papermaking was developed in China and some of the oldest folding paper models found are from china itself. Later it was adopted by the Japanese people but still many are of the opinion that origami took its birth and developed in Japan. The traditional form of origami was based on a square piece of paper from which endless variety of shapes could be created with the help of various small numbers of folds. This art form when practiced in ancient times did not involve cutting and pasting.
Other than china and Japan, Spain and France started practicing this art before a couple of centuries. The people of Spain used to fold the paper documents or baptismal certificates in the form of little birds called Pajarita. In the similar fashion Cocotte was done in France. Origami is an art where the designs you make can be simple like that of birds or aero planes or complex with lot many intricacies like buildings or spring made of single piece of paper. To make a complex structure foil is preferred than paper as it can be folded more with less bulk.
The standard origami paper is mostly 15cm and there are some standard folds which help in creating bases. Once the base is shaped then other folds done will create different shapes. One of the most famous shapes in Japanese Origami is the shape of a Crane as it is considered to be very lucky. One of the many legends pertaining to Origami declares that the person who makes thousand paper cranes all his desires will come true. Since then the origami crane symbolizes peace in Japan.
Many new artists gave their contributions in this art form like the credit of creating curved and spiral shapes in origami works goes to Joseph Albers, and Akira Yoshizawa introduced new techniques and intricate art forms. His wet paper folding technique helped in holding the shape better when the designs were complex structures.
The American Museum Natural History in New York since last 30 years erected a Christmas tree which is every year adorned with different Origami shapes like birds, turtles, lobsters, dinosaurs and crabs. The different shapes created held people spell bound. The people with special liking and inclination toward creativity can try their hand on origami with the help of books available for the beginners. The books available are the complete guide with proper instructions and several diagrams to help you out.
Kits with illustrated instructions and materials needed for origami art are also available. These kits are amazing and even children can give a try and make this miniature work of art known as Origami.
For more information visit our website http://www.PAPER-CRAFTS.ORG
Pictures For Your Scrapbook Page Layouts
Pictures and photos are the basis for any scrapbook page layout. Although colour photos give a sense of realism it is well worth experimenting with black and white photos which will give your scrapbook pages a timeless look. Most printing companies can offer to have your pictures developed in either colour or black and white so why not have one of each and see which one looks best.
If you are attempting to capture a black and white photo for the first time it is important to make sure the lighting is just right to achieve the best possible photo. It is recommended that black and white photos should be taken with natural light and during the day so no flash is therefore required.
There is a range of older style scrapbook paper to choose from which will compliment a black and white photo. You really will be spoilt for choice. The important thing is to capture the mood within the photo. You can then add some colour and scrapbook quotes to create a beautiful scrapbook page layout.
It is always nice to have a photo with someone posing exactly as you want however if all your scrapbook pages are like this you will soon lose the whole concept of why a scrapbook album is made. Having real life action pictures mean you can use imaginative scrapbook quotes and each scrapbook page layout will be totally unique and will tell a story.
If you have memorabilia from when the picture was taken such as tickets or receipts adding these items to the pages can give your scrapbook page layouts a real personal and distinctive appearance.
When designing your page layouts always begin with the picture and where you want to place the picture on the page. Then find the papers that match and get a rough idea of what embellishments you will be using. Remember you do not have to keep a 12 x 12 sheet of paper as it is, mix and match other papers, use techniques such as ripping and tearing to create something totally distinctive.
Be careful when adding more than one picture when creating your scrapbook page layouts. Remember it will look far better with less pictures than if you over crowd it with several. The best way is to find the pictures from a certain event lay them all down and choose one or two of the best ones. You can crop and cut some of the others but it is wise not to have too many the same shape and size as your scrapbook pages will begin to look like a standard photo album. Alternatively you could do a double page layout giving you more room if you really can not choose between the photos you have.
Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in Scrapbook Ideas providing you with excellent tips and ideas for creating stunning Scrapbook page layouts
http://www.vickisscrapbookideas.com
Jewelry Business Strategies: List Marketing
Selling handcrafted jewelry is a competitive business in a relatively saturated market, so how do you make yourself stand out from the sea of other jewelry makers? One great marketing strategy is to have a mailing list and to actively send out mailings.
Here are 9 great reasons any jewelry artist should build and nurture a mailing list.
1. To remind people that you exist.
People are very busy these days, have a lot on their plate. They are very easily distracted and sidetracked. I know I am, despite my best efforts! I receive a number of newsletters by email, and I am much more likely to return to these companies websites than the ones I bookmark and mean to go back to. Enough said.
2. To make it easy for people to find you and contact you
Sometimes people need help. Even if they mean to call you or order online from you, they may forget, become distracted, or may forget your business name. They may make a mental note to contact you but never get around to it. Make it easy for them by sending them regular mailings.
3. To build trust
This is a very timely concept. People have been scammed, let down, and under-serviced so many times that they are naturally wary and suspicious of anyone trying to sell them anything. Getting your name in front of people on a regular basis and sending them quality information with their needs in mind goes a long way towards building trust.
4. To build relationships
In our fast-paced world where everyone is bombarded constantly with advertising from huge impersonal businesses, people seek a connection. If you can make that connection and allow people into your world, they begin to feel they know you. This is of course positive for you and your business.
5. To keep in touch with your existing customers.
You have peoples’ addresses because they have given them to you either through an online subscription, personal inquiry, by asking to be added to your mailing list, or by in some way asking you to contact them further. If your customers and prospects have shown interest in getting updates from you, you are doing them a disservice if you don’t follow up.
Have you ever inquired about a product by email and never gotten a response? How did that make you feel? I know that I feel like the company is poorly managed and that they clearly don’t care about their customers. People get very excited by even basic customer service nowadays so give them a little by sending them newsletters, notifications and updates.
6. To follow up leads.
Leads are people who have shown interest in your work or your business but need more incentive to buy. This goes back to the 7-10 rule which states that people statistically need to become familiar with you by seeing you 7-10 times before trusting you enough to purchase something they want from you.
7. To make more sales from your existing customer base.
It is Easier to Sell to a Customer than a Prospect i.e. It is much easier to convince previous customers to buy more from you than it is to convince someone to buy from you the first time.
This is assuming of course that they had a good experience with you in the past. Regular customers are most businesses bread and butter. Offer them the good stuff first and they’ll keep coming back. A mailing list is the perfect way to notify them of your promotions and new products first.
8. To target your marketing and make the best use of your time.
Your time is limited and you want to get as much bang for your buck as possible. A mailing list is made up of people who are already interested in you and your products or services so following up with them by email is a great use of your time.
9. To give great customer service and extra value.
Sending out regular mailings is just part of great customer service. If you do it respectfully, regular mailing can make make your customers feel cared for and special.
Christine Gierer is a self-taught jewelry maker, crafter, and stay-at-home-mom who who has written numerous articles on making and marketing handmade jewelry. Visit her website, http://www.how-to-make-jewelry.com, for more jewelry making articles, project patterns, tutorials, and inspiration.
How to Understand the Qualities of Color
Let us consider color as an artist sees and uses it. Color has three main qualities: hue, value and intensity.
Qualities of Color
If we look at any given color analytically – the red of an apple, for instance – we discover that it possesses three outstanding characteristics or qualities. First, there is that quality by which we recognize one color from another, and which we suggest by its name. This we call “hue.” The apple is red; red is the hue (name) of the color. Remember the equation: “Hue equals Name.”
We can alter the hue of a color by mixing another color with it. If we mix red pigment with yellow pigment, we produce orange pigment; this is a change of hue.
Next comes the quality by which we discern lightness or darkness in a color. This we call “value.” It is by value that we are able to discriminate between light red and dark red.
By mixing a color with something lighter or darker than itself, we change its value. If we mix black or white (or water, in the case of watercolor pigments) with a color, we change its value but not its hue.
A color in its full, natural strength may be called a “normal” color or a color of “normal” value. If lighter, we call it a “tint”; if darker, a “shade.” These latter terms are so often abused that some authorities prefer the substitution of the word “value,” as a “light value of blue” rather than a “tint of blue,” or a “dark value of green” rather than a “shade of green.”
Thirdly, some colors are strong and some weak. The quality by which we distinguish strength or weakness in a color is called “intensity.” If we remark that an object is colorful or strong in color, we refer to its intensity.
We can change the intensity of a normal color by mixing it with other hues; this tends to dull or gray it. We can change intensity without changing value or hue by the addition of neutral gray of equal value.
This quality which we call “intensity” is also called “chroma” or “saturation” and the value of a color is sometimes termed “brightness” or “lightness.” Though these particular differences in terminology are of slight consequence to the average artist, they emphasize the unfortunate confusion of terms which exists in the entire field of color.
“Tone” is a word of ambiguous meaning which is often employed in a general way to include all normal colors, tints and shades. Some authorities, however, use it to refer specifically to grayed values of any hue. Thus, color mixed with white would be described as a tint; color mixed with black, a shade; and color mixed with both black and white, a tone. If these words were always used in just this way, it would doubtless be easier to communicate color distinctions more accurately than we now do, but in common usage all three words are used almost interchangeably.
Texture, though not truly a quality of color, as are hue, value and intensity, is so closely related to these qualities that it must be considered along with them. If one paints an object, he must keep in mind its shape and character as revealed by its color (hue, value and intensity) and texture. The light and shade on objects can be thought of as agents for the expression of shape and texture, as modifiers of color.
Even in non-objective paintings texture is a very important factor; since there is no subject interest, texture is often one of the painting’s chief attributes. In fact, some non-objective painters are noted primarily for the textures they achieve with unusual materials such as sand or mud, or the fact that they apply their pigments in some unorthodox way, such as dribbling, which creates a particular textural effect.
For the beginning artist, the above discussion will give the basic outline of terms that are used to describe color. A grasp of these basics will pave the way to greater understanding in his own use of color in his work.
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