Author: Igor

  • Simple Tips For New Artists

    Becoming an artist is one of those big leaps you can take in life when you have a creative mind and a talent for visuals. Art is a stunning form of, well, art – and it is something that is accessible to anyone and takes many different forms. 

    Today we want to talk about becoming an artist for the first time or taking your first leap into the art world. There are so many amazing things you can do and ways to experiment and find your flow.

    We are going to take a look today at some simple tips and things you should do when trying art as a newbie. There are a few basic skills every artist needs and we want to help you with those and more today. 

    Image via Pixabay

    Practice sketching 

    The first thing you should do when you try art is sit down with a pencil and paper and try to sketch something. The easiest way to draw is to have a reference photo to look at – and once you have on in front of you you can practice sketching it a few times. Don’t worry of you don’t get the gist of something right away – it takes practice! For many artists the simplest way to approach a subject such as a person or an animal is to start with shapes. A cat’s face for example is made of a circle, two triangles, and an oval. The circle is for the head, the triangles are the ears, and the oval is the snout. By having these foundations drawn before you start it will help you with perspective and sizing. Take an online class it look at YouTube tutorials for a better idea of how to do this.

    Learn colour theory 

    Colour is the most fundamental part of art and it is something that most artists will use to portray a piece or evoke an emotion. As a new artist one of the first things you should do is learn about the colour wheel and learn how to mix colours together to make more. If you were to be a purist; you would only ever need 5 paint colours in your arsenal: white, red, yellow, blue, and black. All of these colours can make every other colour imaginable. Practicing how to make colours from the primary’s can be a useful exercise when learning about art – but of course you can use premise paints or materials for your work.

    Experiment with your style 

    Finding a style as an artist can be difficult and often you’ll spend loads of time on Pinterest looking at everyone else’s work and wanting to try loads of different styles. As an artist you will eventually find a specific tone and style of work that works for you. It might take some trial and error – and this is where experimentation comes in. A good exercise would be to take one reference photo – for example a tiger – and try to recreate it in a few different styles. You could try realism, expressionism, abstract, or more. There are lots of fun ways to view and create a piece and as you try different styles you’ll find the one that works for you. 

    Let it flow 

    It is so important as a new artist to go with the flow and allow yourself to do what feels right. Don’t worry too much about finishing a piece of you feel like moving on to another – allow your heart and your hand to guide you. The best way an artist works is in their own time and their own way – and this means a lot of the time you might flit between pieces. But allow your artistic talent to flow naturally. It will be worth it.

    Take prints

    As a new artist one thing you will want to consider is taking prints and canvas prints of your pieces to sell on. Artists make money by selling their work – but often more than one person will want a copy of a great piece. This is why you should scan and take prints of your pieces and have them on hand for people to buy. It will allow you to make more money as an artist but will also mean you get to keep your originals until you are ready to sell them. 

    Try abstract 

    If you want to try a fun exercise as an artist one day – grab some acrylic paints and make an abstract piece. Abstract pieces make you think more about colours and how they fit together – and it can also loosen you up if you are having some artist block. Allow yourself to play around with some paints and make a few different pieces and you never know, they could be good enough to add to your shop!

    Have fun 

    The most important thing to remember as an artist is to have fun with your work. When your art starts to feel like it isn’t for you anymore – this is where you should stop and take a break. Art should be your own pet project and it should be about you creating what you want to create. Don’t allow anyone to force you into commissions or pieces that you don’t enjoy because the quality won’t be the same as if you are creating something you love.

    Don’t compare yourself 

    It is very important as an artist to never compare yourself to others. None of us are going to be Leonardo Da Vinci – but that doesn’t mean our art isn’t beautiful in its own way. Focus on your own style and your own voice, and don’t allow other people’s art to influence your own. It is important to stay true to your style and your way of art instead of bending to others will. Being an artist is about self expression – so express yourself in a way that you want to and not like anyone else!

    Art is a beautiful thing and we hope if you are considering taking the leap into this world that you try some of these tips.

     

  • 3 Considerations When You Buy Your First Home

    Buying your first home is one of the most exciting things that you are ever going to do. Not only is it a sign that you are moving on in life, it is also the beginning of a particularly enjoyable period in your life, one where you have your own place to live in, and that is something that a lot of people are going to be happy about when it is their turn. Of course, you will want to make sure that you do everything right, and that means knowing how to approach this as best as you can. In this article, we are going to look at some of the major considerations that you will want to bear in mind as you buy your first home. As long as you have considered these things, you should find that you are able to make much more of it and get the home that you deserve.

    Image Credit – CCO Licence

    Style Of Home

    If you want to make sure that you are happy with your home, you need to think about what style of home you are going to want to have. Only by being aware of this can you ultimately make the right decisions about which home to live in, so that is something that you are going to want to think about if you are keen to get it right. There are so many styles of home to choose from, and it might be that the best way to go about it is simply to go and look at a range of homes in your area and see which are going to be most likely to work for you. Or you might want to look for inspiration in magazines and online, or in the homes of friends of yours. In any case, it’s a good idea to have a sense of the kind of style that you are going to want in your home, as it will help you to narrow the search and ultimately make it a lot easier to carry out. If you already have specific ideas in mind, then it might be a better idea to work with house building companies to create your dream home.

    The Mortgage

    For most people, it will be necessary to find a mortgage in order to be able to afford the home. Only by having a mortgage can you make sure that you are going to be able to get the home you want, but the trouble there is that even getting the mortgage itself is going to take a lot of time and effort, and is one of the parts of the process that you are probably going to have to spend the most time on. One of the first things you need to consider here is trying to find out how much you are going to have to borrow, which is not always going to be easy to get to the bottom of, but is absolutely necessary regardless. You will want to go and seek the best loan calculator you can to try and figure out how much you need to borrow, but also to understand the full amount you will be paying back.

    Image Credit – CCO Licence

    It’s important to remember that this is probably the biggest loan you will ever take out, and it is wise to think of it as such, and not merely as something inconsequential. You must ensure that you have a strong plan for repayment and that you are only borrowing the amount that you feel you need to borrow in order to be able to afford the home. As long as you are sensible about the mortgage in these ways, you should find that you are able to make much more of the whole situation.

    Other Costs

    CA Flat Fee explains that first-time buyers are often prone to forget about some of the other costs that come along with buying a home. There are a few of these that you need to consider, and you will find that you are going to need to be aware of them so that you can plan for them as best as you can. The main one that you should be aware of already is the deposit – you need to get that together so that you can pay for the house. But you also need to have the cash for stamp duty, which is essentially a kind of tax on buying property, and also for a range of fees that you will be charged by your estate agent, the person who checks the property for flaws, and perhaps other people like an interior designer, if you hire such a person. All in all, it is going to add up.

  • Guide to Body Piercings

    Ever wondered about getting a body piercing but not sure where to start?

    If you don’t know your tragus from your anti-tragus, this infographic from Gekko Body Jewellery below can help. It looks at some of the most popular areas to get pierced as well as some jewellery that can fit each piercing.

    Guide to Body Piercing Jewellery Infographic

  • 5 Ways To Break Pet Separation Anxiety After Working From Home

    If you’ve been ditching the office to work from home for the past several weeks, months, or even years and you have a pet, chances are good that your pet has gotten used to having you around all day. Whether you adopted your pet after switching to remote work to make it easier to cope with zoom virtual background requirements or whether you’ve been with your pet for a long time, prolonged periods at home can make your pet grow overly attached and develop a difficulty being away from you. This is especially true if you own a dog. Fortunately, there are several known strategies that can help you break your pet’s separation anxiety.

    Replace Your Presence With Background Noise

    One clever way to calm your pet when you need to leave the house is by leaving some sort of background noise on. This move gives your pet the sense of having a companion around and can help ease anxiety. You could:

    • Play some background music
    • Put the radio on
    • Play informative videos on how to use virtual background in teams through your computer’s audio system
    • Start streaming a long podcast
    • Leave the television on
    • Record your voice and play it back

    Reward Your Pooch When You Return Home

    Unfortunately, dogs in particular may be especially prone to separation anxiety. This means that rewarding your dog for good behavior after coming back home is especially important. Make sure you:

    • Spend a long period of time playing with your dog
    • Feed your dog his or her favorite food for dinner
    • Give your dog a few extra treats
    • Praise your pup and maintain a happy and positive tone of voice
    • Spend time petting or snuggling with your dog

    No matter what type of pet you have, there are at least five ways you can stop him or her from experiencing separation anxiety. Try to:

    1. Start getting your pet used to your absence by scheduling quiet time and downtime into each day;
    2. Take your pet to the veterinarian if you notice persistent signs of anxiety, such as loud vocalization, attempts to escape, sudden aggression, indoor accidents, and excessive barking, and ask about a calming supplement or medication if necessary;
    3. Leave your pet with plenty of chew toys and other favorite squeaky toys, as well as an article of clothing with your scent on it, to distract and calm your pet while you’re gone;
    4. Give your pet some sort of a treat before you leave the house and a special reward when you return home;
    5. Leave some background noise and some visuals, such as a zoom background with logo, on when you go away to provide ambient noise and soothe your pet.

    If your pet has gotten used to you working from home and it’s time to return to the office, you may need to take several steps to prevent your pet from experiencing or falling deeper into separation anxiety. Although separation anxiety is relatively common, it can be harmful to your pet’s mental and emotional health. Thankfully, tips such as rewarding your pet when you get home and soothing him or her with background noise can help you break the anxiety as quickly as possible.

  • How Businesses Can Support Art In Their Local Communities

    The business world can often look down upon creative industries. Some people still see the arts as a waste of time or more of a hobby than a proper career. In reality, businesses depend on creative minds and artistic beings more than they realise. 

    Instead of looking down on the creative industries, businesses should try and support local art in their community. If you run a business that’s keen to help celebrate the best art in your area, then here are a few things you can do:

    Image source (CC0 Licence)

    Sponsor events

    Local creatives are always hosting events to display their work. This ranges from galleries to display art, all the way to small concerts to show off new music. The problem a lot of people have is that they can’t get enough money to put on these events. As such, they don’t end up marketing them as much as they’d like, so the crowds are small. Local businesses can start sponsoring events to help out creative people. Donate some money to their cause, and use your brand power to advertise for them. By working together, you can create a bigger crowd and get more of their work into the public eye. 


    Image source (CC0 Licence)

    Host events

    Alternatively, you could be the host of a creative event. If your company has the means and resources to put on an event, then lend your services to those that need it. For example, if you’re the owner of a local hotel, you can afford to offer space in a conference room or eating area to hold an event. Again, you can help generate more hype around these events and advertise them to your customers. This grows bigger crowds for creative people in your local community, making their talents more well-known. It also benefits your business as people that attend these events will end up on your premises and can see your branding everywhere. Effectively, you’re raising brand awareness while also raising awareness for the local creative industries!

    Buy & display their work

    Finally, you can give them a massive helping hand by purchasing and displaying their work. This is particularly useful if you want to help some aspiring artists in your local community. Buy their art, then hang it around your business premises. As a result, you support them financially, but you also promote their work. Customers may see the art and be really taken in by it. So, they ask you where it’s from, and you direct them to the local artist you bought it from. Therefore, they can grow their brand and make more money. 

    The same goes for other types of art as well. If you know a local musician, then buy their albums and stream the music over the speakers in your workplace. This works really well in retail stores or cafes! Purchase sculptures or models from local talent and put them in your place of work too – the opportunities are endless. 

    As you can see, businesses can support art in their local communities with ease. The chances are you will receive help from someone in the creative industries at some point. Whether this is through designing your business logo or creating adverts for your company, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you show them love by offering support in various ways.