Paint A Winter Scene With Oil Paints

Paint a Winter Scene With Oil Paints

Winter scenes have been the subject of countless oil paintings through the centuries. The challenge of capturing the serenity often found in a winter scene is a challenge that makes this subject so popular. Even if you're new to oil painting and your artistic skills are limited, you can create a winter scene in oil paints using just a few colors and simple brush strokes.

Instructions

1. Mix white and gray oil paints together on your canvas. Keep the ratio of gray to white slim. You're adding the gray to help lift the white away from the canvas and remove the starkness. Keeping the overall white color is important.

2. Apply the background of the image first. Paint the white/gray mixture onto the canvas with wide, sweeping strokes of the brush to create the snowy ground and drifts. Move your brush across the canvas from left to right, creating arcs and overlapping them until you have the ground complete.

3. Add dark blue to some of the white and gray paint to create an effective wintry tone for the sky. Don't overdo it with the blue unless you're going for a darker sky. Paint the sky using the same sweeping strokes you applied to the snowy ground, bringing the sky all the way down to where the ground begins.

4. Clean your brush, then pick up a little of the white/gray mixture and dab your canvas with the tip of the brush to place snowflakes in the sky. You can add as many or few snowflakes as you prefer, depending on the degree you want the snow to fall in your scene.

5. Place a little dark brown paint on your palette, then pick up a good portion with your brush and paint a cabin in the lower right of your scene. The cabin doesn't have to be complex. Use geometric shapes. Start at the top edge of your snowy landscape, a few inches from the edge of your canvas, and paint a brown line up to reach the height you want for your cabin, then begin a 45-degree angle stroke to form the roof. Finish the front of the cabin with another line closer to the edge of your canvas and the same height as your first painted line. Paint a flat line from your angled line to finish the roof of your cabin.

6. Paint your cabin brown. Leave one or two small squares for windows. Clean your brush, then add little strokes of black paint intermittently to bring out a texture in the wood of your cabin. Paint one thin vertical and horizontal line in your window to give it a simple frame.

7. Paint a couple of barren trees in your scene. Use wide brush strokes to paint the trunks, clean your brush, then add thin, crooked lines for branches.

Paint A Wineglass

Think of your plain wineglass as a blank canvas.

Turn an ordinary wineglass into a unique work of art using simple techniques. Custom painted wineglasses will give your party that special touch and make the perfect gift for wine lovers.

Instructions

1. Sketch out the design you want to paint on the wine glass and decide what colors you'll use.

2. Select the wine glass you want to paint. Smooth glasses are best for free-hand paintings. Glasses with cut outs and ridges can also be used and will look particularly interesting if you use the paint to highlight the sculptural aspects of the glass.

3. Clean the glass with glass cleaner or alcohol to remove any grease. Shake the paint pots so the paint is well mixed before using.

4. Paint the outside of the wineglass according to your planned design. Most painters prefer to paint with one color at a time until the design is complete. Be sure to allow the paint to dry for at least one hour between layers of paint.

5. Allow the paint to air dry for three days. If you want the paint to be dishwasher safe, you will need to bake the paint onto the glass so that it is permanently attached. Place the wine glass in your oven and bake according to the glass paint manufacturer's instructions. For many glass paints, you will need to bake the painted wine glass in the oven for 30 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit in order for the paint to be dishwasher safe but check the manufacturer's instructions

Paint A Waterfall With Watercolors

Watercolor is a paint medium that uses paint pigments in a water-soluble base, allowing for a variety of blending techniques using only paint and water. For this reason, watercolor gives a highly transparent appearance that makes it ideal for creating subject matter that includes water. With a few simple tools and some patience, even a beginner can take advantage of the medium to create a waterfall painting worthy of display.

Instructions

1. Sketch the elements and composition of your waterfall first. Use paper specifically for watercolor, which you can find at a hobby shop or purchase online. Draw the outline of the water running from top to bottom on your page, then sketch a few roughly rounded boulders running along each side of the water path. Sketch in random tree branches along the path of the boulders to add to the atmosphere. Keep the sketching light so you will be able to cover it with your paint.

2. Load a flat brush with light blue and work the color over the area that will be your waterfall. Let the paint dry (it will dry quickly) and then go over it again with the same color, building a texture for the water. Apply the paint in graded washes, beginning with a heavier, darker application at the top and lighter applications as you go. This will add a variation in color to your waterfall.

3. Paint the boulders with a mix of gray and Chinese white. Apply the white first, as a base to help take away some of the transparency of the color for the boulders. This will give a nice contrast to the water portion of your painting. Apply the white and gray with a flat brush.

4. Fill in the branches that extend over the waterfall with your watercolors. Use a filbert brush, which is a flat brush with a more pointed tip. This allows you to sharpen the lines of your branches to give a dimensional contrast to the water and boulders.

5. Paint the crash of the water at the base of your waterfall with a flat brush for texture. Apply some blue paint as a base. Build it with two or three layers, then use the same flat brush to add some white to create a foamy appearance. Apply the white in strokes that come toward you, then curl up. Don't overpaint. Allow some of the blue to show through.

Mix Jean Colors In Acrylic Paint

Mixing acrylic colors for jeans is easy!

Jean colors are never just straight blue. One trick to mixing jean colors so they appear realistic is to keep the colors in the cool range. Stay away from warm blues such as phthalo or cyan. Remember that light-blue jeans should appear to reflect the colors around them, because they are whiter. Glazing yellow and red over the jean color can tone down a dark-blue jean color that seems too chalky. A light glaze livens up a light jean color which will reflect its surroundings.

Instructions

Mix Opaque Colors

1. Squeeze about 1 tsp. each of Ultramarine Blue, Mars Black and Titanium White in a row on the palette.

2. Load a palette knife with 1/8 tsp. Titanium White. Mash into the Ultramarine Blue with the palette knife until the mixture is thoroughly blended to make it more opaque.

3. Wipe off the palette knife with a rag.

4. Scoop 1/2 tsp. of blending gel with the clean palette knife into the new blue. Mix well.

5. Divide the mixture into three batches.

6. Mix 1/4 tsp. Ultramarine Blue into the first batch, or however much is required to make the brightest blue.

7. Mix 1/4 tsp. Mars Black with a palette knife into the second batch, or however much is required to make the darkest blue.

8. Mix 1/4 tsp. Titanium White with the palette knife into the third batch, or however much is required to make the lightest blue.

Mix Transparent Glazes

9. Pour 1 tsp. of glazing medium into to each small container.

10. Stir 1/8 tsp. Alizarin Crimson into one container with an old artist's paint brush.

11. Stir 1/8 tsp. Cadmium Yellow into the other container with an old artist's paint brush.

12. Close the containers until a color adjustment is needed. Glaze yellow and red to tone down an overly bright blue. Glaze red to give a dull shadow more depth. Glaze yellow or red over highlights which look too white, so they will reflect the lighting and surroundings realistically.

Mix Directly on the Canvas

13. Squeeze about 1 tsp. each of Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White and Mars Black in a row on the palette.

14. Scoop 1 tbsp. of blending gel onto the center of the palette. Load a size 12 flat artist's oil painting brush with 1/8 tsp. Ultramarine Blue and 1/16 tsp. blending gel. Mix the gel and color together on the canvas.

15. Without rinsing, load the brush with 1/8 tsp. Titanium White. Quickly blend the white into the wet blue paint to create highlights. Highlights may be found on the tops of seam lines, the tops of knees, the front of thighs, backs of calves, tops of buttocks and the top of the stomach. Rinse the brush and wipe the bristles dry.

16. Load the brush with 1/8 tsp. Mars Black. Quickly blend the black into the wet blue paint to create shadows, which may be found under the knees, backs of thighs, the hemline, the crotch, under buttocks and under the stomach. Rinse the brush and wipe the bristles dry.

Get Paint Off A Car Window

Learn remove paint from a car window even if it's poured on heavily. Two techniques can keep the car windows clean from paint forever.

Instructions

1. Gather the acetone and rags and move the car into a well-ventilated area, such as the driveway. Apply the acetone to the rag and wet thoroughly. Do not breathe the acetone. Apply the saturated rag to the window and begin wiping the acetone over the entire window; the paint will come off. Use this technique if the paint is an overspray and not totally covering the window. If the paint is heavy on the window, refer to Step 2.

2. Use a paint remover razor if the paint is thick on the car window. Begin scraping the paint off the car window, being careful not to allow the droppings to fall into the car vents. Sweep the scrapings off the car with a rag, or vacuum them away.

3. After the entire window has been scraped with the razor, if there is any paint left use acetone on a rag to completely remove the traces. Follow the procedure in Step 1 and the windows will be free from paint. Wash the car with soap and water.

Get A Street Performer Permit

Street performances are an exciting part of city life, and choosing to become a street performer could be your ticket to fame. Many famous artists got their start as buskers, an industry term for street performers, and you can too. You need just two things: an act and a street performer permit.

Instructions

1. Check the local government website of the area you plan to perform in. Often, these sites have information on the cost and limitations of a street performer permit. They also will list contact information.

2. Stop by city hall. In most cases an application must be filled out and sometimes photo identification or a picture is required. If there is a license fee, you will have to pay it at this time.

3. Check if there are restrictions on your type of performance. Applying to play something like bagpipes could mean that you have to audition. Several cities have made auditions mandatory after disastrous performances, so be prepared to demonstrate your skill if necessary.

4. Ask if there are any banned materials or materials that require special reviews or approval. If you are using any potentially dangerous substances in your act, you might have to schedule a safety review with the city. Note that this could delay the issue of your permit.

5. Make sure all minors are properly regulated. Entertainers under 18 may be required to obtain a child performer permit. There are special conditions associated with child performer permits in most cities. Authorities may require you to start a trust account and the student to maintain good grades.

6. Don't lose it. After you've received your street performer permit, make sure you keep it. Don't block traffic or pedestrians, keep your permit visible at all times when performing and comply with all city regulations to ensure that you can continue to perform.

Paint A Stream

Bring the outdoors into your house with a stream painting.

Techniques for painting a stream vary based on the type of paint you are using. Oil, acrylics and watercolors are the three major painting styles. Acrylic is a good choice for beginners. It entails less fuss than oils and is also less expensive; plus, acrylics have a more consistent texture than watercolors. Additionally, acrylic paints tend to dry the fastest. The following basic guide can be applied or re-purposed to suit any of these three mediums.

Instructions

1. Take and print a photograph of the stream you wish to paint. Alternatively, you can obtain pictures of streams from books or online. Although having a picture isn't essential, having a point of reference from which to work makes the process much simpler and increases the chances of a desirable result.

2. Apply gesso to the canvas, if using. Gesso primes a surface for painting by stiffening it and adding texture, thus preventing the paint from soaking in. Allow it to dry.

3. Use a pencil to lightly sketch the outline of the stream. Note that the stream should be wider in the foreground, toward the bottom of the canvas, and narrower in the background, toward the top of the canvas. Also sketch the placement of other major objects in your picture such as trees or structures.

4. Select the colors you wish to use and squirt a small amount of each onto your palette. Usually blues come to mind when considering streams, but a muddy stream appears more like a dusty road, with hues of brown and yellow, while any icy winter stream incorporates shades of gray. Don't forget to include white, which comes in particularly handy if you plan to paint riffles or rapids.

5. Mix together on your palette the paints that are going to compose the base color of your stream. Using a medium-sized brush, paint the base coat on your canvas, staying within the boundaries you sketched in pencil as much as possible.

6. Blend on your palette the base color with some white or other light color; in a separate area of your palette, mix the base color with a bit of black or a darker color. Streams can reflect light and shadows from the surrounding landscape. Use a smaller brush to mirror these reflections in your stream by using colors that are slightly lighter and darker than the base coat.

7. Add other images to your stream, if desired. Such items may include rocks, rapids, or boats.

8. Paint the surrounding landscape and banks of the stream. Let dry when finished.

Paint A Tropical Sky

Use blue and white, primarily, to depict the sky.

Tropical landscapes have captivated the human eye since time immemorial. The languid azures of the sky and billowy whites of the clouds in the tropics lend themselves nicely to paint and canvas. Tropical skies can be rendered over beach scenes or the green of the rainforest. To paint a tropical sky, start with a sketch from which to work with, then build up the colors, and add details until the image is complete.

Instructions

1. Sketch out in pencil what you want to paint. You can draw the sketch on paper or on the painting surface. Delineate the lines of clouds, beach, trees, etc.

2. Put down a base layer of off-white or very light blue. You will build upon this layer to bring out the image of the sky.

3. Mix different shades of blue on your palette to mimic the different hues in the sky.

4. Apply the blue paints in an uneven fashion across the surface of the sky. Draw the brush out so the paint goes on thinly in some areas, while in others, apply paint with greater thickness. This imitates the natural unevenness of a tropical sky.

5. Dip your brush in white or off-white and paint clouds over the blue. Start by lightly mottling the paint to bring out the wispiness of clouds, and slowly build more opaque cloud shapes as desired.

6. Add a layer or trees or beach at the bottom of the canvas, for perspective and detail. Or add tropical birds in the sky for a more tropical touch.

Paint A Triptych

Artwork presented in three parts is a triptych.

A triptych is a work of art with three panels or parts. Traditional triptychs have two hinged panels that fold inward toward a central panel, a format commonly used for religious artwork during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Triptychs today can represent any subject and are more commonly painted on separate surfaces. The paintings themselves may be a single scene or image that is cut into three parts, framed separately and hung side by side. They may also be painted separately as three unique but related pieces that, when hung as a group, represent a unified composite image.

Instructions

1. Select the subject matter for your triptych. For this example, you could create abstract art using similar lines and shapes and the same color palette.

2. Lay the canvases side by side on the floor or table with the sides touching. Paint as if the three canvases were one piece, extending shapes and background across the canvases. Make the background uniform on all three pieces to help them coalesce as a single work. Add shapes, lines, splatters and anything else your creative spirit moves you to paint.

3. Review your work with a critical eye and decide if the pieces hold together as a composite work. Separate the canvases as they would be spaced when hung on a wall. The panels should be in harmony and as pleasing to the eye as when they were pushed together. Modify as necessary.

4. Number the back of each canvas to indicate the correct placement for hanging. This step is not necessary for a recognizable image such as a landscape where there's only one possible arrangement.

5. Frame the pieces in identical frames to convey that the artwork installation is a composite work. The frames may be different sizes to accommodate the individual pieces, but they should be the same material, color and style. If the sequence number of the piece is hidden by backing paper, write the number on the paper.

Paint A Tiger Face On A Kid

This tyke has the eye of the tiger.

Children enjoy playing with paint and colors, especially to celebrate holidays and special occasions. Parents can treat their little ones to these artsy tools in a way that lets kids put their own image into the fun. Face painting is an easy and enjoyable way to do this. Among the wide range of options kids and grownups have as potential choices, animals like the tiger are consistently a hit. Painting a tiger's face onto a tot definitely requires some patience, but the rewards will have everyone roaring with excitement.

Instructions

Painting a Cool Tiger Face

1. Sponge white face paint above and below the lips, making a muzzle. Clean the paint off the sponge in a bowl of water and apply some orange paint on the sponge. Lightly coat the perimeter of the face with orange paint. Clean the sponge once more and use it to paint yellow on the rest of the face.

2. Allow the base face paint to dry. Dip a thin paintbrush in black face paint. Gently brush black on the nostrils and some of the nose. Make stripes with the black paint around the face. Wash off the brush and apply white paint. Intersperse white stripes in between the black ones.

3. Clean the brush and apply black paint. Dot the paint on the white muzzle area near the mouth. Outline the white stripes with black as well.

4. Let your tiger cub take a look in a mirror to see the results. Allow the paint to dry completely before granting permission to roam the jungle.

5. When the fun is done, wash the paint off with warm water and towel dry gently. Encourage your youngster to collaborate next time and create customized designs.

Paint A Tablecloth

Painting a plain tablecloth can give it a touch of extra style.

Tablecloths are enjoyable accessories that can add flavor to your tabletop decor. Because they are particularly attractive, hand painted tablecloths are highly desired by many home decorators. Although these specially made tablecloths can sometimes be found for sale through artisans at craft shows, they often come with an inflated price tag. Painting your own tablecloth is an inexpensive and enjoyable craft, and you can create it to match your home decor. Your painted tablecloth may become one of your favorite home decorating pieces, and possibly a treasured heirloom.

Instructions

1. Lay your tablecloth on the floor, right side up, and flatten out any wrinkles in the fabric. Place your stencil on your tablecloth, along the bottom edge, and tape the corners to the fabric. This will be the beginning of the tablecloth's painted border.

2. Pour a small amount of fabric paint onto a paper plate. Dip a small sponge into the paint. Dab the sponge onto a paper towel to remove excess paint.

3. Tap the sponge over the openings in the stencil, using a light touch. Dip the sponge back into the paint as necessary, and continue tapping the sponge onto the fabric until you have reached the desired level of coverage.

4. Move the stencil directly beside the area stenciled in step 4, lining it up carefully along the border of the tablecloth. Tape the corners into place. Repeat steps two and three to complete this new stenciled area.

5. Repeat steps two through four until you have created a stenciled border around the entire outer edge of the tablecloth.

Paint With A Gravity Spray Gun

Gravity feed spray guns are primarily used in automotive restoration work.

Gravity-feed spray guns, also known as HVLP spray guns, are primarily used in the automotive collision repair field. They utilize air from an air compressor to draw paint from the upper paint cup into the handle of the gun. The paint is then forced through a nozzle at the front of the gun which is surrounded by directional air holes which atomize the paint and send it to the panel to be painted in the painter's desired spray pattern.

Instructions

1. Plug the air line from the air compressor into the fitting at the base of the paint gun. Before loading the paint cup, check the air pressure of the gun by pulling the trigger. If the pressure is all the way up, turn the knob located just above the webbing of your thumb and forefinger, as you hold the paint gun, 1/4-turn counterclockwise. This will reduce the amount of air pressure being cycled through the gun.

2. Fill the paint cup with paint, then replace the lid to prevent paint spillage while painting. To check the spray pattern of the gun, use a test panel. Hold the spray gun 12 inches from the surface of the panel and pull the trigger, sweeping the spray gun either left to right or right to left. To adjust for a wider pattern, turn the knob located on its side. To adjust the amount of paint in the spray, adjust the knob located just above the air pressure knob. Dial in the correct settings before attempting to paint anything aside from the test panel.

3. Position yourself in front of the panel to be painted. Hold the spray gun approximately 12 inches from the surface. Begin at the far left or right of the area to be painted, pull the trigger and sweep your arm smoothly and slowly back and forth in front of the panel, keeping the spray gun perpendicular to the panel as much as possible. With each pass you make, overlap the last pass by half of the height of the spray pattern to prevent "zebra stripes" in the final product.

Preview Custom Paint

Checking your paint before the final application ensures a good final product.

When mixing paints for a custom car or motorcycle paint job, it is best to see what the paint will look like once dried. If the mixture is incorrect, you may end up with a final product that is far different than you intended. A professional paint shop will be able to give you dried samples of standard paints that it sells, allowing you to preview the final results of your intended project before you lay down the primer.

Instructions

1. Stir your custom-mixed paint thoroughly. This will ensure that you don't end up with any slight changes in color across the paint surface. Stirring also prevents any thick clumps of paint from building up toward the bottom of the can.

2. Fill your paint sprayer with the custom paint by pouring the paint through the strainer net and into the sprayer's reservoir. This removes all unwanted particulate from the paint, so the sprayer will not get clogged.

3. Spray the custom paint onto the lid of the empty paint can. You can purchase these at most paint and hardware stores. This will allow you to see your custom paint on a metal surface, as well as giving you a proper place to store any leftover paint that you may want to save for future projects or touch-ups. The lid of the paint container will serve to notify you of the color of the paint inside.

4. Allow the paint to dry for at least six hours before moving on to painting your main subject. Custom paints can change slightly as they dry, turning out darker or lighter than intended. Once the paint has cured, you will know exactly what to expect for your project's final product.

Paint A Sunflower With Acrylics

A sunflower painting brightens up any room.

Sunflower paintings add a splash of color to a room and brighten up any decor. A sunflower is a suitable subject for someone new to painting because it it comprised of basic shapes and colors. Creating a sunflower painting yourself is possible by taking the process step-by-step and using the proper tools. Impress friends and family by creating a sunflower painting that brightens up your home and shows off your artistic side.

Instructions

1. Sand a canvas with fine-grit sandpaper. Remove all dust and debris with a tack cloth. Apply one coat of water-based varnish with a sponge brush. Allow the varnish to dry.

2. Paint the canvas a solid background color of your choice using acrylic paint. Use a sponge roller or wide paintbrush. Apply two coats allowing each to dry thoroughly.

3. Draw the image of a sunflower onto the canvas using chalk. Use a photo or picture as a reference when drawing the sunflower. If you are not comfortable drawing freehand, trace the image onto a piece of tracing paper. Place a piece of graphite paper face down on the canvas. Place the tracing paper with the image on top of the graphite paper. Trace the image of the sunflower with a stylus, pressing firmly. When the papers are lifted, the image of the sunflower will be visible on the canvas.

4. Use a round brush to paint the petals of the flower with a bright yellow acrylic paint. Apply two coats and allow each to dry. Apply two coats of dark brown acrylic paint to the center of the flower.

5. Create detail on the sunflower. Apply a golden brown acrylic paint to a flat brush. Use the chisel edge of the brush to apply streaks of golden brown to each petal. This will give the flower depth and dimension. Apply medium brown acrylic paint to a dry brush; remove excess paint with a paper towel. Apply the paint in a pouncing motion in a ring around the flower's center. This will give a fuzzy look to the center.

6. Paint the stem and leaves of the sunflower in a bright green acrylic paint. Add highlights using the chisel edge of a flat brush and some yellow acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly.

Paint A Vignette

Vignettes are painted with oils, watercolors and acrylics.

A vignette is a borderless painting with the subject matter fading off into the white of the edges. The unfinished look of vignettes adds drama and focuses attention on the center or inner parts of the picture. Vignetting involves using less bright and saturated colors on an image's periphery compared to the central area. The border areas of the vignette are made up of the unpainted canvas or paper. Painters use the technique of vignetting to draw attention away from the picture's edges and direct it toward the focal point of the painting.

Instructions

1. Practice drawing the composition for your vignette painting. Draw portraits, still lifes or landscapes in a vignette style. Use pencil or sharpened charcoal on paper. Make studies of details. Do thumbnail sketches for the overall design. Incorporate the blank edges of the paper into the composition. Draw images without definite borders. Make the the forms' compositional elements fade into indistinct edges.

2. Prepare a canvas in advance for an oil or acrylic vignette painting. Brush on at least three coats of gesso, making each successive layer thinner by adding more water. Sand the surface smooth between coats. Use your preparatory drawings as references to draw your composition onto the canvas or paper if you're using watercolors. Leave at least three edges blank and use the white of the background to frame your image.

3. Put on your smock before painting to protect your clothes from paint stains. Mix your paint with thinning medium or water to apply it in flat washes. Use an aquarelle or transparent wash technique for the best results with a vignette. Paint your picture from top to bottom. Tilt your painting surface to encourage the washes to flow downward. Let some paint run or drip into the unpainted edges to accentuate the effect.

4. Block in the basic forms with large, flat brushes. Work up a volumetric space with layers of translucent paint laid one over another. Let the paint glazes dry before overlaying to avoid back runs or the unintended effects you get when painting over a damp wash. Wet the edges of your vignette and fade the main image into the blank negative space by working wet-in-wet. Feather the image's periphery into the white surrounding border space.

5. Finish up the vignette by painting in the mid-range tones and adding the darkest shadowed areas. Clearly define the forms and shapes at the focal points near the center of the painting. Segue the sharpness into a softer focus as you fade into the blank white space. Mute your colors as you approach the vignetted edges. Add the accented highlights last to complete the picture.

Paint A Sniper Rifle Or Hunting Rifle Camouflage

Camouflaging a rifle enhances your hiding ability a hunt.

Camouflage is a pattern or series of colors that mimics and blends with the natural surroundings. Your choice of camouflage color depends on where you hunt and stalk. If you hunt white-tail deer in the deep woods of the northeast, you need a series of flat greens and rusty oranges for the autumn hunting season. If you go for desert species, your camouflage should be rusts, tans and browns that imitate indigenous rock formations and flora.

Instructions

1. Open the bolt and remove it from your rifle. Empty all rounds and ammo from the rifle. Remove the scope. Spread newspapers on a work bench.

2. Roll two paper towels into tight shafts. Push one into the barrel and one into the chamber where the bolt resides. This protects the interior chamber and barrel from collecting drops of paint.

3. Cut camouflage stencils from the poster board. You might buy pre-designed stencils from outdoor outfitters. Tape the stencils to the rifle stock and barrel.

4. Shake the paint can. Spray your lightest color selection on the stencils. Let the paint dry, and then remove the stencils; place them into a new position along the rifle. Add colors in order of light to dark. Continue the process until you are satisfied with the pattern and the colors. Let the paint dry.

5. Dab the chamois cloth in the solvent . Clean any drips or runs from the rifle.

Photoshop An Image Into A Cloud

Most camera settings produce a photograph in a rectangle format. While this may be ideal for many occasions, it's not exactly the most artistic or creative shape. The sky is literally the limit when you use Photoshop to re-shape images. Open an image in Photoshop and shape it into a cloud, using a couple of Photoshop's quick tools. No airplanes, parachutes or rocket ships required to shape images into clouds with Photoshop, just reach for the sky.

Instructions

1. Open Photoshop. Click the "File" menu. Click "Open." Locate the image to turn into a cloud and double-click to open it on the Photoshop work area.

2. Right-click the shape tool on the "Tools" pane. The tool may have the appearance of a gray star, circle, square or line. Select "Custom Shape Tool" from the fly-out menu.

3. Pull down the "Shape" menu and select the cloud shape. If you don't see the cloud, click the right-pointing arrow in a circle and select "All," then click "Append" and rescroll through the list. Leave the "Color" rectangle as it is -- you're only using the cloud as a shape guide, not putting it on the actual final image.

4. Position the cursor on the image work area. Click and drag the mouse to form the cloud shape. Release the mouse button and the cloud appears, obscuring the image.

5. Click the Background layer in the "Layers" palette so it is highlighted in blue. Right-click the third-from-the-top icon on the "Tools" pane and select the "Magnetic Lasso Tool." Draw an outline around the cloud's outline, the tool will help the cursor "stick" to the cloud shape. When blinking dotted lines surround the cloud, right-click them and click "Select Inverse."

6. Pull down the "Edit" menu and click "Cut." The non-cloud part of the picture is removed.

7. Right-click the Shape 1 layer -- which holds the cloud -- on the "Layers" palette. Select "Delete Layer." Click "Yes." The cloud is removed and you are left with just the image in a cloud shape.

Paint A Sky With Spray Paint Art

Spray paint art has risen in popularity because it is easy to learn and doesn't require a huge expenditure for basic supplies. Many spray paint artists, particularly beginners, are attracted to landscapes, vast expanses of sky and outer space as subjects.

Instructions

1. Paint the base color of your sky first. If this is a daytime landscape, this will most likely be some shade of medium blue, where as if this is a look at space, you may want to use a black or dark blue.

2. Layer your sky with additional shades of blues to whites for daylight landscapes, and purples and dark blues for skyscapes.

3. Use wadded up rags and newspapers to dab at the sky you are painting. This will give your sky more depth, and avoid the "lined" look that it may otherwise get from your spray paint efforts.

4. Add any mountains, hills, trees or stencil images that you wish to use to decorate your picture. You can leave your image with just a look at the sky, or you can use the sky as a background to create a 3-D image by adding additional layers of paint.

5. Let the image dry for a few minutes. Spray clear coat enamel over the image to protect it.

Paint A Picture As A Gift

By far, the most personal gift you can give to someone you care about is a gift that you have made personally. If you are new to painting, you will want to choose something simplistic and let go of any preconceived notions that your painting will be a masterpiece. Paint carefully, accept the errors you make and be proud of the final product. It's true what they say--it's the thought that counts.

Instructions

1. Choose your subject. Choose something that will be meaningful to the person for whom you are painting. For example, if your gift recipient has a pet, you may want to paint a picture of that pet. Animals are generally easier subjects than humans.

2. Choose your palette. Give consideration to the room where your gift recipient will likely hang the painting. It is best to match the colors of your painting to the colors of the room where the painting will be located--or at the very least, the colors of your painting should not clash with the room.

3. Choose your medium. Archival-quality paintings are often done in one of three mediums: oil paints, acrylic and watercolor. Oil paints are a slow drying opaque medium, often applied to canvas. Acrylic paints are very similar to oil paints, but they dry much more quickly. Oil paint and acrylic canvases are easy to hang and may often be hung without a frame.

Watercolor is a transparent medium applied to special watercolor-grade paper. When it is finished, a watercolor will need to be framed before it can be hung.

4. Draw the subject onto the canvas or paper on which you will be painting. If you are painting a watercolor, draw very lightly so that the pencil will not appear in the finished piece. Draw only the basic shapes and no details.

5. Set up your materials and begin to paint. For the first layer of paint, you will only paint a thin wash of paint, blocking in the basic shapes on the picture plane. Use a medium-sized paint brush. Note that if you are painting in watercolor, you will build layers of color slowly and that all layers will be visible underneath the subsequent layers (meaning that any errors you make will not be easy to cover up). In oil paint and acrylic, any mistakes you make may be covered by an additional layer of paint.

6. Begin to paint the details on the painting. Use a smaller brush.

7. Give your painting time to dry. If necessary, give yourself time away from the painting and come back later to add final details and correct any errors. Allow the painting to fully dry before preparing it to be given as a gift.

8. Frame the painting, if it is a watercolor. Frames in a variety of sizes are available at most art and craft stores and in big-box department stores. If you are giving a painting on a canvas, it does not need to be framed, but you should paint the sides of the canvas to give it a more complete appearance. Choose a color appropriate for the palette, and paint all four sides the same color. This color should generally match the other colors on the painting. Allow the sides to fully dry before giving it away.

9. Wrap your gift. If the canvas is too large to be wrapped, wrap ribbon around the canvas and tie it together with a bow.

Paint A Shot Gun

Painting a shotgun can be an excellent way to spruce up an old gun that has lost some of its finish or that has succumbed to rust from moisture or improper care. Painting a shotgun can also help to spruce up the wood stock and other portions of the shotgun that have become nicked or damaged from age or hunting trips into thick brush. You might also want to paint a shotgun to camouflage it for woods, fields or snow. You can paint a shotgun effectively if you follow the correct steps.

Instructions

1. Do the preparatory work completely. This is the most important part of any painting project, and that holds true doubly for shotgun painting. Most guns have been cleaned and oiled numerous times and have a buildup of grease, dirt, and gunpowder residue somewhere on or inside of their mechanisms. The most important step toward painting a shotgun is to completely disassemble the gun, clean it with an ultrasonic gun cleaner and any necessary solvents, allow it to dry thoroughly, then make sure you have removed any traces of oil or old finish.

2. Prep the stock and other non-metal pieces separately. The stock and non-metal pistol grips, pumps, handguards, and other parts must be prepared differently from the metal pieces of the gun. If there is existing finish on these pieces, it should be fully removed down to the bare wood to make sure the paint will adhere properly. If rubber parts, such as butt plates or recoil pads, are attached to the wood, remove these to paint the wood that's underneath them. Poor prep work will cause regret for many years, or excess trouble in redoing the painting.

3. Paint the gun. You can use any of a number of types of paint. Make sure that whatever paint you select will adhere to the material of the gun. Usually, this means metal paint from a home-improvement store. The gun can be painted using a standard paintbrush.

4. Reassemble, and overspray if necessary. Once you have painted all of the parts of the shotgun, you will reassemble everything, overspraying if necessary to tie the paint scheme together. You will want to touch up any areas that you forgot to paint, or that were damaged or nicked during reassembly.

Paint A Rusty Fridge

With just a little work to remove rust, your fridge can look like new.

If your refrigerator is looking a little beat-up, or if you just acquired an old fridge, adding a few coats of paint can improve its appearance. A few rust spots will complicate the process. If you simply paint over the rust, you'll likely have a poor paint texture in that area and the rust will slowly continue to expand and make the fridge look old again. To successfully paint a rusty fridge, you first have to remove all the rust and then prepare the surface to guard against future rust.

Instructions

1. Move the fridge to a well-ventilated area where you can get the floor wet.

2. Scrub off the rust with the wire brush, 80-grit sandpaper and 120-grit sandpaper in that order. Continue to scrub until nothing more is coming up, then move on to the next tool . When you are using the 120-grit sandpaper, sand until the rusted area and the rest of the fridge are smooth and level.

3. Mix 1 tablespoon of detergent with a quart of water and mix until suds appear. Clean the entire surface of the fridge with this solution.You can use a degreaser as well if your fridge has stains on it. Scrub it clean with a rag and then rinse it off before drying it.

4. Place painter's tape over anything that you don't want painted.

5. Open up a can of rust-inhibiting primer, mix it up with a wood stick, and dip your brush in. Cover the entire surface of the fridge with the primer. Wait for the primer to dry according to the directions on the can.

6. Shake the can of appliance spray paint and cover the outside of the refrigerator with a layer of paint. Let the coat dry and then spray on at least two more coats, until the fridge has the look you desire.

Get Gasoline Out Of Clothing

Hang your clothes outside to let the sunshine work on the gas smell.

Getting gasoline out of clothing can be difficult, but there are ways to make the task easier. Some people may find that what works for one person won't work for another, and others may have to try a combination of things to completely remove the gas from their clothes.

Instructions

1. Leave the garments outside in the sunshine before trying to launder them. Sunshine helps dry out the clothes, and air-drying your clothes outside can reduce or eliminate the smell of gasoline.

2. Add a cup of white or apple cider vinegar to your wash cycle and wash as you normally would.

3. Rub a mild dishwashing liquid into the affected areas, then run the items through the wash cycle.

4. Place the items in a bag, then sprinkle liberally with baking soda. Leave the items in the bag for a few days, then wash them. If needed, add baking soda to the wash cycle.

5. Soak items such as jeans or dark T-shirts in Coca-Cola for several hours before washing. This is not recommended for light-colored clothing and should be done only with original Coke, not flavored Coke, Diet Coke or other flavors.

6. Use a laundry degreaser or oxidizer as directed on the bottle.

Make Ventriloquist Puppets

Make Ventriloquist Puppets

Move into the world of fantasy with a moving-mouth ventriloquist puppet. Puppets are best when they look different compared to their human counterparts. Famous ventriloquist Shari Lewis said, "When you deal with a puppet, you're allowing a sub-personality to emerge and create itself. You don't create it; it does what it wants to do." With some sewing skills and glue, fashion a ventriloquist puppet from many household items. This is not an exact science; imagination will lead you to create a character that will acquire its own personality as it grows in your hands into a one-of-a-kind puppet.

Instructions

Body and Head

1. Fold the yard of knit fabric (of whatever color desired for puppet) in half, with the printed or finished side (if applicable) facing inward.

2. Draw the rough outline of a head, torso, arms and hands with only three or four fingers. Make the head 8 to 10 inches inches across, the arms 3 inches in diameter and the fingers 3/4 inch in diameter. This will allow ease in stuffing them. Make the arm shapes come off the body right below the head and neck area. Remember that you need to get your hand up into the head, so keep the neck 6 inches wide.

3. Pin the fabric together so that it will not slip when cutting.

4. Draw another line parallel to the outside edge, 1/4 inch all the way around the contour, as a seam allowance.

5. Cut out the body form on this outer edge.

6. Sew around the outside of the body (by hand or with a sewing machine), keeping both sides of the folded fabric together.

7. Turn the torso, head and arms right side out when you have finished sewing.

8. Stuff little pieces of batting into the fingers, using the eraser end of a pencil to push it into small spaces.

9. Stuff the rest of the hand and arm space with batting. Do not make it too compact, as the arms will not be able to bend and realistic movements will be compromised.

Mouth

10. Take the 6-inch square of stiff cardboard and glue the red fabric to it.

11. Fold the cardboard in half and deeply score the uncovered cardboard side along the fold. Use a razor blade knife, but do not cut all the way through the cardboard or the fabric on the other side.

12. Trim the corners to make them rounded. The top and bottom sections do not need to be equal and may appear more humorous if they are different in shape.

13. Lay this folded-cardboard mouth form onto the head at the desired mouth location.

14. Draw a line with the marker to indicate the bearing for the mouth hole.

15. Cut along this line.

16. Insert the cardboard mouth piece into this slit so that the red side is showing.

17.Hot glue the fabric onto the edge of the mouth. Pull some of the fabric over the edge of the red mouth to create a lip surface.

Finishing the Puppet

18. Take the 6-inch square of foam (available at upholstery or fabric stores) and cut 2-inch slits into each side at the halfway point.

19. Fold the foam in on itself so that it forms a scrunched-ball shape.

20. Holding the foam tightly into this form, insert it into the head area and allow it to open.

21. Move the foam around inside the head until you achieve the desired finished appearance.

22. Cut the end off of the white plastic spoons.

23. Paint an eye pupil onto the rounded side of the spoon piece.

24. Hot glue the eyes onto the head.

25. Add a nose--any small ball of batting covered in the original fabric or another of your choice--and hot glue it onto the face.

26

Dress with infant or children clothing (readily available at thrift stores).

Finish Auto Paint

A finished paint job has a glass-like finish.

Spraying the paint and clear-coat paint onto a car is not the end of the painting process. For the best results, the paint needs to be completely finished. Finishing the paint involves sanding, buffing and polishing using precise steps, or the paint job can be ruined. The finishing process begins after the final clear coat of paint has dried completely. Following the steps can lead to a glossy, smooth, professionally finished paint job.

Instructions

1. Sand the surface of the car with 1,200-grit sandpaper. Use a running water hose to keep the sandpaper wet the entire time when sanding. This high grade of sandpaper will not cause deep scratches or go through the clear coat paint, but it will dull the surface slightly. Keep your hand flat and sand the entire surface until the paint job is dull. Rinse the car and allow it to dry completely.

2. Use a buffer with a polishing pad to apply liquid rubbing compound to the surface of the car. Pour 1/4 cup of liquid compound onto the pad and buff the car, starting at the hood and working toward the rear of the car. Apply compound as needed. Move the buffer in small circular motions, never leaving it in one place more than a few seconds as it can burn through the paint. Buff until all of the car has been buffed with the compound and the compound is no longer visible. The car's surface should appear glossy.

3. Apply car polish to a dry cotton towel. Use the towel with your hand to polish the car's surface. Work in small circular motions, in the same direction you buffed the car. The polish makes the car's paint shine. A coat of wax can be added, but is not needed.

Mix Tempera Paint To Make Purple

Red, a primary color, is needed to make purple.

On the color wheel, purple is a secondary color. This means two primary colors, red and blue, are needed to make purple. Mixing tempera paint is similar to mixing other types of paint, but because it is available in powder and liquid form, you may need to prep your paint first. If you purchased powdered tempera, be sure you have red and blue, and then follow the directions to make both colors of the paint.

Instructions

1. Place equal amounts of blue and red into a plastic container. Adjust the amount based on the area you will be painting. It's best to start with smaller amounts of paint, because you can always mix more.

2. Stir the paint with a craft stick until it's thoroughly blended. The equal portions of paint will create a true purple tone.

3. Adjust the shade of the purple by adding more red or blue. Red will lighten the purple shade and blue will darken it. Be careful about adding too much red and turning the color to magenta, or too much blue and making it violet.

Paint A Realistic Stone Wall

Create a stone wall effect with just a few shades of paint and some creative sponge painting.

Centuries ago, artists were sometimes hired to paint the illusion of elaborate ceiling fixtures and domes on cathedral ceilings. This hyper realistic painting technique, known as trompe l'oeil, was often done to save money. Today, artists who specialize in trompe l'oeil faux painting may still be hired to paint the illusion of brick or stone on an otherwise flat, empty wall.

Instructions

1. Choose the colors of the stone. You will need a base coat (this will also form the color of the grout), then two shades of darker paint for the glaze on the stone.

2. Paint the base coat on the walls and allow it to dry. Use a roller for the large expanses of area and a paintbrush for the corners.

3. Mask off the edges of the stone using painter's tape. Where the painter's tape should be is where the grout will be on the finished wall.

4. Dip your sponge into the darker of the paint colors, dab the sponge to get rid of excess paint, and paint the outside edges and parts of the inside of the individual stones on the walls. This process is known as glazing. The sponge should start to create a shadow effect, creating the appearance of a rough texture on the stone.

5. Dip your sponge into the paint color you haven't yet used, dab the sponge to get rid of excess paint, then dab paint on the areas of the stone you left unglazed in step 4.

6. Smudge and blend together the fresh paint on the stones with a cheese cloth, to lessen the contrast between the two colors and to soften the sponge painting effect.

7. Remove the painter's tape from the walls.

8. Choose an imaginary light source--ideally, in the direction of an actual window in the room--and imagine light hitting every stone you just painted in the room. One edge of the stone would be lighter and one edge would be darker. Paint a strip of light paint (possibly the base coat) on the edge of the stone closest to the imaginary light source, then paint a strip of the darkest paint on the opposite edge of the stone to represent the shadow. This will give the stone the three dimensional look it needs.

Paint Skies

Skies have been a longtime favorite for artists throughout history.

Skies are one of the most inspiring of all subject matters for an artist. The intensity, enormity and color spectrum in a sky have compelled artists throughout history to attempt to capture grandness in a moment. These same characteristics not only inspire the artist, but also present him with a challenging task. With a little work, paint and a great reference photo or beautiful location, you'll be on your way to painting a beautiful sky.

Instructions

1. Artist grade paint is more expensive, but is easier to use; buy the best that you can afford.

Choose your medium. Oil, acrylic and watercolor each offer the artist distinct ways to approach the subject matter. Watercolor's ability to naturally create hard and soft edges makes it a great choice for painting skies, yet you can create the same look with both oil and acrylic paints observes Ray Balkwill in his book, "Painting Landscapes with Atmosphere: an Artist's Essential Guide" (Balkwill, 28).

2. Choosing a palette large enough will ensure that your colors don't become muddied when mixing.

Choose your color palette. A great start for your palette might include the following colors: ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, sap green, burnt umber, burnt sienna, yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, cadmium red light, cadmium yellow light and titanium white.

3. In this picture, the bright highlights around the clouds are small enough details to warrant masking.

Lay down a medium wash of water over the area that will be the sky. Make sure to refrain from wetting areas that you want to have hard edges. If there are small details that you fear will be easily lost, use liquid masking to cover them.

4. These clouds are a great example of high contrast clouds.

Painting from lightest to darkest, apply the lightest color first. This will most likely be a color in the clouds. If you want the clouds to have few hard edges, apply the next wash of color while the first is still wet. If your clouds call for sharp contrast, wait for the paper to dry before applying the second wash. Balkwill advises the artist to treat clouds with the same eye for perspective as he might when painting a landscape: "Just as there is perspective in a landscape, the same principles apply to clouds, those nearer to us being larger and contrasting more in tone than those further away" (Balkwill, 26).

5. Notice the change of value from the horizon line to the top of the photograph.

Wet the area that is open sky when you have completed your clouds. You will most likely not have a blue on your palette to match the blue of the sky. Experiment to get the right one. Lay down an even wash of your blue, and again, paint from lightest to darkest. While the paint is still wet, apply a second darker wash in the appropriate place.

6. A hint of pale yellow might be appropriate in areas that were masked.

Finalize your painting by adding details. Remember, less is more. If you used liquid masking, remove it and apply any needed color.

Paint A Portrait Skin & Face

Painting a portrait requires mixing various different colors.

Painting a portrait is an intricate task. In order for the portrait to look real or life-like, the skin characteristics and face features have to be painted accurately. Paintings involving things such as trees and mountains do not require prior sketch work, however, when painting faces, you will need to sketch out the portrait before painting. Painting an accurate portrait, with precise face and skin characteristics, will greatly increase the portrait's quality.

Instructions

1. Use a pencil to sketch the portrait of a face on the canvas. Sketching the face prior to painting will yield a more accurate portrait. The sketch will also help you determine where certain colors and shades belong. Sketching will also help you decide which type of paint you want to use, such as oil colors or watercolor paint.

2. Paint the skin on the face using different colors. Select colors including earthy colors such as Indian red, burnt sienna, or burnt umber to paint the skin. These colors are close to flesh tone and will accurately represent the skin. Depending on the person whose portrait you are painting, you will also need a variety to colors to accurately represent the person's hair. For instance, to paint a person with blonde hair, you will need yellow ochre and for dark hair color, use burnt umber.

3. Use a color palette to mix and display your colors. Make sure that you use different paint brushes to mix the colors and to paint the actual portrait. Begin mixing colors to paint flesh tones and to do shading. Place a medium amount of an earthly color on the mixing palette, in ten separate sections. Being mixing by adding black to five sections; increasing the amount of black color in each section and making each color darker. Then add white to the remaining five sections; increasing the amount of white color in each section and making each color lighter. By creating such a palette you will have a mixture of lightest colors to darkest in skin tone. For oil paint, add a drop of turpentine to each shade.

4. Utilize a round brush to paint facial details such as mouth and eyes and utilize a flat brush to paint broad facial areas such as cheeks and the background of the face. Use the least dark or least lightest shade of paint mixture (previously prepared) to paint over the face. Do not paint over white areas such as the inside of the eyes or teeth. Use three darkest shade mixtures to paint shadows on the face on areas such as the side of the nose, bottom of the hair, and under the eyes. Paint eyes using the lightest color for the iris and use the least dark shade mixture for dark eyes. Use the three lightest mixtures to add skin tones on areas such as the top of the nose, middle of the forehead, and sides of the cheeks.

Paint A Portrait In Oil Paints

Portrait painting in oils can be challenging and complicated. There are many factors to consider, like the colors you choose for the palette, tonal variations in the complexion, techniques for painting hair, and lighting. Here are some tips to help you paint a portrait in oil paints, with beautiful results.

Instructions

Prepare to Paint

1. Start with a room that contains plenty of natural light. Poor lighting puts strain on the eyes, and can affect the colors you choose. If you can't work in a space with a lot of windows, get a good daylight lamp.

2. Organize the paints on the palette. Squeeze out a line of each color toward the edge of the palette. Use titanium white, ivory black, ultramarine blue, raw sienna, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow medium, cadmium red light, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, burnt umber, raw umber, viridian, and pthalo green. This is a general portrait mix that varies among artists.

3. Mix some basic values that you'll need in grays, browns, and flesh tones. To create a variety of flesh tones to work with, create values (dark, medium and light) of the following mixes: yellow ochre and white; raw sienna and white; raw sienna, cadmium red and white; cadmium red, white and a touch of raw sienna. Neutral tones can be mixed from raw umber and white as well as black and white.

4. Pose and light the subject, if you're painting from life. If using a photograph, tape it to the wall or the top of your easel so you can see it clearly. Take a few moments to study your subject before you begin painting, mentally noting the proportions, coloring, and lighting.

Paint the Subject

5. Paint an "underpainting" first, which is just blocking in the dark, medium and light values on the canvas. Start with the dark values first. You can use acrylic paints for this, since they dry quickly and oil can be painted over them. If you use oils, don't add any linseed oil or other slow-drying ground at this stage.

6. Start by painting the shapes of dark and light that you see when you squint at the subject, adding detail in later layers. Oil portraits are generally painted one layer at a time.

7. Use cool shades with less intense color in the background to make it appear further away.

8. Place the pupils in the middle of the head; the bottom of the nose should be between the pupils and the chin. The center of the lips should be located 1/3 down the face from the bottom of the nose. 2/3 below the nose is the chin crease.

9. Line up the tops of the ears with the eyebrows. The ear hole should line up with the bottom of the nose. In a smiling mouth, the edges line up with the pupils. The line of the shoulders should be two head lengths (not widths) wide. From the chin to the shoulder should be ? of a head length.

10. Paint the hair in masses of dark and light, adding in detail for a few strands but not the entirety of the hair. Use your paint brush to give the paint texture, rather than painting in individual hairs.

Get Bigger Boobs Without Surgery

If you were not lucky enough to be born with a nice set of C-cups, than you've come to the right place! Over half of women are displeased with their breast size, and perhaps you are one of them. Luckily there are a few non-surgical ways to appear to make your boobs look bigger than they actually are! Read on to learn get bigger boobs without surgery:

Instructions

1. Gain weight. No lady wants to hear that they have to lose weight, but perhaps you're just too skinny! Breasts are almost all fat, so with wait gain comes bigger boobs. Consult your physician and see if you are healthy enough to be gaining weight, and if that's a viable option for you.

2. Talk to your OBGYN about birth control pills. Some birth control pills are known to make your breasts larger! Talk to your OBGYN to see if you can be prescribed pills that have a tendency to make breasts larger. Of course, the results are not the same for everyone, but if you are already on birth control pills, you might as well try to kill two birds with one stone! Be sure to research all risks associated with birth control pills before deciding to go on them.

3. Get pregnant! That's right-your breasts grow as your baby grows inside of you, and sometimes your large breasts do not leave you after birth. Of course, be sure you are ready for pregnancy! Not only will you have larger breasts, but you'll have a baby to take care of afterwards! Consult your physician if you are trying to get pregnant.

4. Buy breast inserts. Department stores sell various types of fabric and silicone breast inserts that can be placed inside of a bra or bathing suit! You can also buy padded and push-up bra's for an extra lift. Criss-cross bra's also give an added lift that regular bra's do not. Try wearing 2 bra's for those nights out on the town! Start out with these alternatives before attempting to surgically alter your body.

5. Wear clothes that make your boobs look bigger. V-neck tops, tighter shirts, and wrap tops all make your breasts appear to be bigger than they are. Consider this when clothes shopping.

Paint A Picture Of A Mountain Range

Distance is indicated by lighter and lighter colors and lack of detail.

Mountain ranges have provided inspiration for painters for centuries. How do you capture their beauty in a painting? Learn tips and tricks to painting a mountain range here. These tips and tricks are useful for all mediums, whether you're using oil paints, acrylics, water colors or even pastels. Read on to learn paint a picture of a mountain range.

Instructions

1. The first thing that an artist should do before painting a picture of the mountains is to lightly sketch an outline of what the final painting will look like on the canvas or paper. It's a great way to make sure that you've got the proportions that you want before any paint or coloring is added. The sketch should be done as lightly as possible so that it's hidden under the watercolors, chalk, or paint that's used to complete the painting.

2. Now you're ready to paint the background. Whether you're painting a sunrise, sunset, cloudy or sunny day, paint the background and allow it to dry before proceeding.

3. Whenever painting mountains, the first mountains that should be added to the painting are those that are the furthest away. Our eyes sense distance by color depth, lightness and detail. The most distant mountains should be painted a very pale, light blue-gray. The further away the mountains are, the lighter their color should be.

4. As the mountains become closer to your main subject, they should become darker in intensity. Instead of being flat, these color differences give our eyes the illusion of distance, enabling our mind to see that there is distance between the mountains themselves. Mountains that are far away don't have many details--instead, use several layers of colors to represent the many mountains in your picture.

5. Use objects in the front of the picture to give our minds a reference regarding the size and distance of the mountains. The objects in the very front of the picture, those that are closest to the eye, should have the most intense colors, and the most detail. In this picture, the size of the horse gives us a reference to judge the likely size of the mountains. Because of the various colors that appear, we are able to guess at how close, or far away, the mountains are from the horse and the foreground.

Paint A Picture From A Photograph

Paint a Picture From a Photograph

If only the earth would stop rotating long enough to allow you to paint the sunset. And darn those wild ponies for not being more cooperative models. An artist often has to rely on a photograph, since action takes place too quickly to capture images as they happen. If you've already got a great photograph, your art project is half done already. Here are some tips for painting from a photograph.

Instructions

1. Begin with the right photograph. Look for one that has sections that are very dark and some that are almost white. Choose an uncluttered photograph or one that contains objects you can easily leave out of your painting.

2. Measure the dimensions of your photographs and cut the paper or canvas to the same dimensions. For example, if your photo is four inches by six inches, use paper in the size 24 inches by 36 inches. Or you can measure the paper or canvas and crop your photo to the same dimensions.

3. Draw a grid on the photograph and on your paper or canvas, keeping the dimensions the same. For example, if your photo is four inches by six inches you may want the grid to consist of 24 one-inch squares. On your 24 inch by 36 inch paper, the grid will be six inch squares. Take care to use a light touch on the paper so the grid lines can easily be covered by paint.

4. Reproduce the photograph on the paper or canvas one square at a time. Use a light touch. If there are objects you don't want to reproduce, leave them out, but remember that some things may help with your composition by adding balance and color or by giving the painting a sense of place and time.

5. Begin painting, starting with the lightest colors. Concentrate on one square at a time rather than trying to paint the entire scene at once. This will allow you to better see the photograph as a progression of values and colors so you can reproduce it more faithfully.

Make A Clip Art Street Sign

Street signs can be recreated and reimagined for personal use with a bit of creativity.

Signs can be a playful alternative to art when it comes to decorating your home or personal space. Children in particular love having signs personalized to their names or personal interests to hang up in their rooms. Creating these signs for someone, or working with them to make them, can be an enjoyable activity. With today`s technology and programs that provide a plethora of stock images, like clip art, the task is easier than ever. Street signs can be created using clip art in just a few steps.

Instructions

1. Decide what you would like your street sign to say. Perhaps you want it to be the name of a child or pet, or a surname.

2. Open your word processing program.

3. Click on Insert, and then select Clip Art.

4. Look through your computer's current clip art selection for street sign images.

5. Double click on the street sign image to open it.

6. Select the program's Text tool.

7. Hover your cursor over top of the street sign image. Click on the area that you want to add type to.

8. Type your text onto the sign.

9. Use your cursor to highlight the text. Double click on the text tool to make changes to the font, and text color. Select OK.

10. Click on Print to print your sign.

Paint A Picture

Even if the only painting you may be familiar with is kindergarten finger painting, you can still work your way towards being a great artist no matter your age. Grab an easel, a supply of paint, a selection of brushes, and your canvas, and get started creating the masterpiece you've been visualizing in your head.

Instructions

1. Find a location where you can paint. You want a place where others won't disturb your work in progress but also a place that inspires you to work. Lighting is very important, as is ventilation since the smell of paint and cleaning supplies can quickly overwhelm your senses. Find a painting studio-like area that you can get messy so you don't have to worry about valuable carpet or antiques.

2. Choose your medium and purchase the needed supplies. The choices are almost unlimited, so investigate with a few before shelling out the big bucks. Consider paint vs. ink and watercolor vs. acrylic vs. oil. Whatever medium you choose will have specific tools that accompany them.

3. Gather your other supplies. Artist clothing is necessary since you'll be wiping all kinds of goop on them as you work. You also need basic art tools, such as brushes, a palette, a palette knife, some type of canvas or paper, and cleaning supplies.

4. Take a class to learn the basics. While you don't necessarily need an instructor to tell you how or what to paint, it's helpful for learning get started, such as mixing paints, preparing your canvas, and other basic information.

5. Paint away. Let your imagination go wild as you experiment with colors, shapes and patterns. Don't be inhibited when you first get started since no one expects your first pieces to be masterpieces. Inspiration may hit you while you're in your "experimentation" phase.

6. Practice your craft and become an expert. Find out what is working in your art and build on that. If you see areas that you don't think you do well, such as using perspective, research improve through books or online sites and then incorporate your new knowledge into your work. Stay with your new art and you'll soon find the masterpiece inside you.

Paint A Petunia With Acrylics

Capture the beauty of petunias with acrylic paints.

Petunias are annual flowering plants that bloom red, pink, purple and white. They are popular subjects for acrylic paintings because of their simple shapes and bright colors. You can learn to paint a petunia at home with a few simple painting techniques.

Instructions

1. Paint the background with a flat paintbrush. Saturate the canvas with a lighter color, because it's difficult to paint light colors on a dark background.

2. Lightly sketch out the petunia or petunia plant you'd like to paint. These guidelines will help you focus the composition.

3. Paint the stems with dark green paint, adding yellow and white for highlights. To make the stems look realistic, paint a curve rather than a straight line, especially since petunia stems appear like trailing vines.

4. Paint a thin outline of the flower with a fine-tipped brush. Fill in the petals with the same color paint, and add a layer of a different color paint with a different paintbrush. Blend the overlapping colors by mixing the two colors and painting the hybrid color in between.

5. Fill in the details with the smallest brush. Petunias have dark grooves between petals, so paint a few thin, curved lines from the center of the flower. Add leaves and flowerbuds if so desired.