SHOP ART ONLINE: January 2018

7 Tips for Choosing Wall Art in the Home or Office

In today's article we will be looking at ideas and suggestions for choosing wall art. Since art and decorating are somewhat subjective to each individuals tastes and likes we will focus on the most basic concepts to give us a basis from which to draw our choices in wall art decor.

Tip 1

A good place to start is in determining our color scheme in the area art is to be placed. A good idea is to look at analogous color (or colors in groups of three), on the color wheel that correspond to a rooms overall color in choosing suitable artwork. For example if the room tends to have various shades of blue we could choose blue, blue green and green in our wall art choices to correspond.

Tip 2

Subject matter can also be influenced by which room is used. Living rooms could feature seascapes or landscape art would work well. Hallways could use simpler artworks shapes and designs or small abstracts can work as well. Children's rooms could feature animals, colorful, light or happy subjects.

Tip 3

One very helpful idea is photograph the area to feature your new art and to use a photo editing app or software to view how your new art would look in the chosen space. Many editing programs will allow to superimpose an image of your art work into the photo and placement of the art in your room.

Tip 4

Another good tip in hanging art is to maintain eye level with the art to maximize its impact and ease of viewing.

Tip 5

Experiment with different frames. A large bold frame with a small art piece can be very effective in its presentation. Consider color schemes ideas in tip one to gain the greatest impact without clashing with the room decor as a whole.

Tip 6

Be sure to size and measure your art according the available space. Avoid awkward frame sizes either too small or too large for the space given.

Tip 7

Let your own tastes and interest drive the subject matter of your art as long as it works well with the rest of the room. Moreover, fit the style of the art to your room.

In conclusion, with effort and a greater awareness of color and form we can achieve an effective enhancement of both the art and its surroundings combined.

4PCS Ocean Printed Canvas Unframed Wall Art

Using the Color Wheel to Match Colors

Using the color wheel can be a very helpful tool in choosing wall art or decor in general. The purpose of this article is to better understand the color wheel in order to make better choices in selecting artworks and decor that work well in whatever color scheme you may encounter or wish to create.

The Color Wheel

Primary colors on the color wheel are red , blue and yellow. Typically mixed to create other colors on the wheel while these colors themselves cannot be formed from any other colors.

Secondary colors include include orange, mixed from red and yellow primaries, green mixed from yellow and blue and lastly purple mixed from blue and red primary colors.

Tertiary colors include, red orange, yellow orange, red purple, yellow blue, yellow green, plus blue green and blue purple. Tertiary color colors are mixed from both primary and secondary colors.

Complimentary colors are any two colors that are opposites on the color wheel, for example red and green or purple and yellow. Complimentary colors are very useful in create excitement or a sense of energy from the selected colors. The also are an excellent compliment when used in small doses to analogous colors. Even in the most conservative decor choice complimentary colors can be very useful in avoiding monotony and should be sought after if at all possible.

Analogous colors are any colors on the wheel that are adjacent to each other and typically used together up to any five colors touching on the wheel. Analogous colors are very useful in creating harmony from any given color and making possible to create a color scheme of from which you can chose from. Generally analogous colors are pleasing to the the eye and will work well together without any problems.

In summation, you now have a basic understanding of color and how using the color wheel can help to create better choices in wall or home decor overall. Stylistic choices and personal tastes of course can play a important part in any home decor but with a clearer insight to color and the decisions you need to make in decorating will be much easier and more enjoyable overall.

8 Ideas on Selecting the Best Art Frames

Framing your art does not have to be difficult with a little understanding we can uncover and dispel some of the difficulties that present themselves in the selection process.

Our article today will focus on understanding the best methods, materials and ideas for selecting a proper frame for your artworks in a home or office environment.

1. Material selection. Frames are offered in many different materials.The most common types found include wood, metal, and synthetic materials such as clear acrylic frames, and even low cost environmentally friendly eco frames made from recycled plastic. Much of the choice in material will depend on several factors including the color composition and style of the art and where the art is to be placed. Also, personal tastes and style of the room decor can be influential in your material choice.

2. Frame Colors. The most common frames colors are typically either black or white. It is hard to go wrong with these basic colors as they will work well wit most artwork whatever subject or style it may be.

3. Mating. If your frame requires a mat keep color choices of the mat similar to the main color of the artwork. Usually it is preferable for the mat color to differ from the frame color. Also, it is preferable for the mat to be composed of 100% cotton, archival type mat boards. Quality mat boards resist yellowing, deterioration and other problems age and environmental factors can have on your artwork.

4. Glass. Typically glass is needed usually with photographs, gouache and watercolor art, artworks done on paper such as pencil, or ink, and prints and posters. Many choices are available from museum grade high quality glass to low cost plexiglass. Non glare glass is best with UV protection to protect artworks from harmful light sources.

5. Hanging Frames. It is best to hang your artwork at eye level if at all possible. Keep your frame flush with the wall for best viewing as well.

6. Use darker frames for elegant or traditional artworks. Heavier full frames for classic artwork works best in most instances.

7. Style. Consider stylistic influences such as casual modern or traditional decor on the type of frame you choose.

8. Personal taste. Follow your own tastes and preferences in choosing frames as long as it can work well within the confines of style and decor.

All in all, with much to consider hopefully with our ideas and suggestions made here you can find an easier solution for framing your artwork and finding a greater harmony and presentation in your final choices.

Decorating with Wall Stickers and Decals

Today we will have a look at the use of wall stickers as an alternative to the more common forms of wall art. Wall stickers come in an ever growing variety of shapes and sizes. Wall stickers and decals are available in a large number of artistic subjects including anything from very simple designs such as line drawings and word phrases to full three dimensional scenes and landscapes from which to chose from.

One of the best features of wall stickers is that they are typically are of low cost and very affordable. Also, wall stickers are for the most part are very easy to apply to any wall surface. They can add color and tremendous interest to a drab wall area and can add form, shape and color to many areas of the home.

Quality wall decals are durable, moisture, tear and crease resistant, and can be reapplied if needed. Wall decals and stickers are most commonly made of vinyl and should have long life and are easy to clean. They are also a terrific quick alternative when decorating temporary living quarters such as a dorm room or apartment dwellings as well.

Some important tips when working with wall stickers include making sure to measure the area that the art is to be applied to for the best fit, Remember to maintain eye level if possible for smaller works and good central placement for better balance and overall appearance of larger decals. Also, the use of a squeegee to push out any creases and any air pockets that may occur during application is suggested. Most art stickers have backing paper on both sides, removal of the facing cover paper is to be removed only after wall placement of the decal.

All in all, for the "do-it-yourself" and those who desire to create a more attractive home decor wall decals and art stickers are definitely the way to go. With the vast variety of choices available within this format the task of improving the visuals in your home should be an enjoyable and economical pursuit.

8 Tips for Getting the Most from Wall Tapestries

Tapestries are one of most common forms of wall decor going back to the 323 B.C. used during the Hellenistic period. The modern version still uses cotton or wool weaves to create high end tapestries while lower cost tapestries use polyester fiber and printed forms. Our article presented here today will concentrate on getting the most in choosing and hanging your artwork in a home setting.

Tip 1. Exercise your tastes and preferences. Many forms of tapestries exist from woven designs to printed tapestries covering many categories of art including landscapes, animals, traditional religious and mythological scenes, as well as pop culture forms such as music and sports and more. Express your own individuality and likes in choosing a tapestry.

Tip 2. Match colors to your existing decor, artwork and overall room colors. Use the color wheel tips mentioned in one of our previous articles on this page for more advice on color selection. Generally analogous colors corresponding to existing room decor should work well in most cases.

Tip 3. Set your tapestry to eye level as accurately as possible to hang your tapestry.

Tip 4. Consider various sizes and shapes of tapestries to best fit the room and existing decor.

Tip 5. Use hanging rods. One method of hanging tapestries that have a rod pocket available is with rods and finials as an extra decorative as well as practical application.

Tip 6. Hang your tapestry with Velcro. An alternative for hanging lighter tapestries is with Velcro strips A good idea also if you do not want to use nails on your walls.

Tips 7. Use wood frames. Tapestries can be applied and attached to wooden frames to hang. Also, make sure to hang your frame flush to the wall.

Tip 8. Measure. Make sure to take accurate measurements when choosing a wall tapestry to manage the best fit as possible. Tapestries are considered as a form of wall mural so take care in finding the optimal placement as well.

In conclusion, we have provided some important ideas and advice to aid in choosing tapestries and getting the most from your decor preferences and personal choices when selecting wall art tapestries for your home.