Common Health Problems of Artists

All artists know that painting requires standing or sitting for hours at an easel or desk and just like in any other job that requires prolonged repetitive movements, can lead to many health problems if proper precautions are not taken. Many of us, me included do not heed warnings and do not take the necessary precautions to prevent all sorts of flare ups.

The long hours spent hunched over the easel as well as any time spent extending your arm or leaning your head back can lead to neck strain. This causes muscle aches and pinched nerves in the neck and shoulder, which in turn can lead to headaches.

The first precautionary measure it to take frequent breaks and stretch before and after each painting session.

I have developed problems with my shoulder (rotator cuff). When you work with your arms held in one position for long periods of time you can run into a problem called impingement syndrome. This is when your rotator cuff tendons get pinched. As this area swells from irritation the tendons become further and further pinched leading to shooting pains and reduced ability to move the arm.
I ignored my problem for over a year now and can tell you that the condition, although better at times has overall become much worse and is now at a stage where my painting time has come to a crawl.

There are specific stretching exercises for the shoulder that are geared to strengthen the rotator cuff. These should be done before and after you engage in your painting session. Again taking frequent breaks will help. If the pain is too intense you need to visit an orthopedic doctor, who might order an MRI to see the extend of the damage. Sometimes over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine, as well as a regular exercise regime and ice packs after you work will help with the pain, other times surgery might be recommended.

Elbow pain is another common problem after any type of repetitive arm motion, such as holding a palette, mixing paint for long times or sitting for long hours with elbows propped up on a table. It can cause pressure on the radial nerve, which in turn can lead to pain, numbness and tingling that radiates down the arm to the 4th and 5th finger.It can also lead to a painful condition called lateral epicondylitis. This is a type of tendonitis that affects the outside part of the elbow.

Again, stretching before, during and after you work can help. Ice after work or anti-inflammatory medicines, an elbow band, and physical therapy also can help. If the pain is too intense a physician might order a cortisone injection.

I hope that these little tips will ensure you many more hours of enjoyable painting sessions!

If you have developed problems as a result from painting, please feel free to share and offer suggestions which exercises you have found useful.

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~ Return Home ~

Must have Google Chrome Add On and Widgets

I love Firefox but I often have a lot of tabs open at once, which brings my whole system to a crawl. With great trepidation I decided to try Googgle Chrome and so far it has proven the speediest browser so far. Of course the world is not perfect, thus neither is Google Chrome, but it's promising. For now I am combining a list of the "Must Have Google Chrome Add On", since eventually I need to switch my laptop's browser as well and don't want to start searching again.

- Tab in Front
Google Chrome piles tabs behind each other, therefore this easy install now has been wonderful. It places the latest new tab right in front of all the others!


-Split Screen

This is a must for those who write a lot and have to reference. Split screen For Google Chrome Users creates 2 side by side “panels” in the same tab. This allows you to browse two sites at once side by side. I drag the html of my reference site into one side and my blog onto the other side and start writing. Great for doing shopping comparisons as well. Just paste this into your browser http://podobne.pl/splitscreen/


-Stumble It
Like to Stumble the net with Google Chrome then try pasting this http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/ into the browser.

The Google Chrome Forum is also a great place to learn what's new on Chrome.

If you have a great insider tip, please share it by leaving me a comment!


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Ghost Furniture has a Sale

My friend Di, writer of Designers Block and owner of Ghost Furniture
has reorganized her store inventory and needs to make room for the newbies on the block. This means that some of the older, super cool items  in her store are now all half price !

Sooo ~ for all my friends living in the UK - I envy you for being able to shop your hearts out. The US exchange rate sucks, so I have to sit on my hands and watch as you get to cart away these cool items that Di designs herself.

Should you take this one home, please think of me ~ it is ever so lovely!

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Fall Wreath

I have been wanting to make some new wreath for my entry door and ventured out into craft land, otherwise also know as "Micheals" for some serious supply craft supplies shopping.



When one of my friends heard what I was planning, she asked if she could join me and we turned it into a lovely afternoon of crafting over coffee and cookies.



In case you like to make your own reef you will need the following items:

Hot-glue gun
1 pound walnuts
1 pound hazel nuts
2 bags of pine cones
any sort of round balls
wide ribbon (ribbon with wire works best)
1 styro foam half wreath (one side is flat)
6 Cinnamon sticks broken into small pieces
1 large piece of wire to hang the reef with
Silver paint (optional for dipping some nuts in paint)



The How ~ To

The idea is to arrange all the items next to each other so it looks pleasing to the eye. Gaps should be avoided by filling them in with smaller items such as pieces of cinnamon sticks. Friends are optional, but make the crafting experience more enjoyable!

1. First loop the wire around the wreath and close ends.
2. Pull wire against the reef and make a circle at top part by twisting the wire around itself.
3. Apply glue to one side of the nuts and pine cones and start gluing them onto the foam wreath.
4. Fill small gaps with the balls of cinnamon sticks
5. Work around in circle until entire reef if filled
6. Cut a long piece of ribbon and thread it around the wire loop
7. Cover the wire loop with ribbon and tie off by making a bow.
8. Find a great spot for your reef, hang it and enjoy!




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What's on My Easel

Update:
It's been a while since I showed an update. This shows the 1st color application and I don't know if I am sold on the background as of yet. The pattern in the sleeve requires a lot of concentration, which with 1000 and 1 interruptions, has been a hair pulling experience. ~ ~Sometimes having a studio inside one's home is not such a good thing.~

Helps me find a title ~ win a free print!

All you have to do is leave me a comment on this blog
or
on my FB Fan Page
When the painting is finished I will do a drawing and the person whose title I have chosen receives a free print of this painting!

Update:


I like to start with a monochrome underpainting. This enables me to figure out how the figure relates to it's settings and which areas need to be in shadow or in the light.

When adults make wishes ~ what do they wish for? One of the things I wish for is a healthy planet where we can all live in peace. Soo this got me thinking about how to translate this into a painting that still fits within the Santa series.

In Santa's domain everything goes, so why not have him care for a magical bird that symbolizes the most important thing to him - planet "Earth" . The goal is to make the bird's body, not only be a globe, but one that sparkles with water. Without water - there is no earth. Of course that created all sorts of challenges as far as how to fill the empty space on Santa's right side, story, etc...

I created a cage that is not really a cage but sort of a fancy water nest. I haven't tackled the water reflection yet, because quiet frankly I have to built a mock up cage first to see what to reflect.

My other problem is the background. I know it needs to be quiet dark, but I don't know what. For now I keep thinking having drapes, unless the aha moment happens and something better pops to mind.

Almost forgot those big buttons on his garment will be medals of freedom. While looking for buttons and medals, I found a real medal that represents freedom showing birds in flight. Gotta love the internet!



~ Preparing the Props




Have you ever wondered what the artist thought when he or she painted a particular painting? I do this all the time and try to create an interesting narrative in my own work as well.




After finding a suitable Santa figure, I started to look through some more photos I took to find a suitable costume. Of course the color was off and a lot of cutting and pasting had to be done in Photoshop to redress my model. Here is when I wished I had access to a great seamstress and a wonderful model. Alas...



In the reference photo the model's hand is raised and I needed to find something that fits into that space and acts as the anchor for the story line. Here is where it got really tricky. The shape of the hand dictated what could be used and I figured the easiest would be a ball. But a ball is boring, what would Santa do with a ball? Get ready to place it in a sack? Already done, boring!



Writers pick a word and by means of association find a substitute. I did the same, I wrote ball, bowling ball, head of a polar bear, clock face, snow globe, world - aha - world -glass world perhaps? Where are those photos of the glass marbles?

But that still didn't make for a storyline. So now it was time to get imaginative and think children stories. Using the ball as the body, I made an imaginary bird. I repeated the same thought process for the tail and claws and ended up using an antique fish knife.



So now Santa is consulting his fantastic bird about world affairs or maybe he is just taking some time out with his pet?



I still had some empty space and filled it with a decorative bird cage. So right now the stage is set, the characters in place and it's up to me to breathe life into it so that you can read your own story into the painting.


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Louis Vuitton ~The Extra Touch

The bag designer Louis Vuitton started his company in 1854 and since then his products have been sold throughout the World. Considering that since then consumers have gone through wars and shortages, this company must have gone through hard times as well. Have you ever wondered how come one company could survived for so long and continue to be such a desired line?

In my opinion quality and customer service are the key ingredients, followed by great branding, an ability to change with the times and adapt to consumer tastes.

~Quality
To this day when it would be by far cheaper to mass produce your products in China, the company insists on having their products hand sewn.Tight quality control assures that their products are top notch quality.

~Customer Service
If you encounter a problem with a LV product all you have to do is visit a store. Their trained staff is knowledgeable and friendly ~ there to cater to your needs. The company even goes so far to include a small note, greeting their clients by their full name, when sending out product literature. This goes to show that they see great value in maintaining a client mailing list.

~Branding
Louis Vuitton's simple initials of LV have made his product line one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Do you have an easily recognizable logo? Does your signature on your artwork suffice?

~ Change with the Times
This international French fashion house started by selling trunks and now specializes in leather goods, ranging from bags and trunks to shoes, watches, jewelry, accessories, sunglasses, and even books.

~ Adapt to Consumer Tastes
Neon pink was most likely not a color the company's founder would have chosen, yet today consumer's have varied tastes and to ignore what is in demand, would be like turning a deaf ear.
The company even designed a limited-edition line of Vuitton bags that featured graffiti written over the monogram pattern! Now if this is not adaptation of a traditional design to the 20th century, I don't know what is.

So why am I writing about Louis Vuitton on my art blog? With unemployment being at a record high, the economy still in the slumps, sales are down across the board in just about every market niche. Artists are especially hit hard, since art falls into the category of "Luxury Item". It is not a necessity to own a painting or a sculpture, but a luxury.

With that said, artists need to survive this market down turns as well and I believe there is something to be learned from the Louis Vuitton line. Now that orders are not flowing in steadily it might me the right time to look at what you create and see how you are addressing these points I have mentioned. Sometimes branching out or making small adjustments will allow an artist to introduce his/her work in unexpected ways, opening new doors and a path to endless possibilities.

Photos Courtesy of Louis Vuitton





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Russian Painter Konstantin Makovsky

I was introduced to the Russian painter Kontsantin Makovsky through my artist friend Anneke Newman. Konstantine is considered a Salon painter, because unlike some of his contemporaries who preferred to show the plight of the peasant, he was glorifying what he saw around him.

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Art Contest Benefits Send a Net Save a Live

There are many ways to spend $15 dollars, but what better way to participate in a fun event and safe a life while at it! If you are an artist, please consider participating in this art contest that is open to all levels and mediums.

I was asked by the organizers of My Art Contest to judge the Fall/Winter "Portraits" Art Contest . Submissions are currently being accepted and the contest will run until December 15, 2009. The winner will be announced by December 23, 2009.

My Art Contest donates a part of the $15 dollar entry fee to a charity chosen by the Juror's. So of course UNHCR came to mind and I just had to accept!

You can see the current entries here



During my trip to Washington DC for the UNHCR Refugee Day conference in May, I learned that Malaria is the number one killer of refugees in Africa. To combat this problem a very simple and inexpensive solution has been found. A representative of Nothing but Nets pointed out that there has been a drastic reduction in deaths due to Malaria in camps where the nets have been implemented. Nothing but Nets works with UNHCR to help distribute bed nets to refugees in 15 countries.

A $10 dollar donation purchases a life-saving bed net for one family!

I have chosen Nothing but Nets to be the charity of choice, who will receive a donation from the "My Art Contest" . I like to invite my artist friends to participate in this contest and help end the spread of Malaria in refugee camps.

Not an Artist - but like to buy a net?
Click Here

Artist in his Studio

Artist: Ed Charlemont (Austrian, 1848-1906)
Title: Artist in his Studio, 1890
Oil on panel
36 x 28 ½ inches

I really like this painting! It reminds me in many ways of Vermeer's interiors.

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Best Blogger Hacks and Tips

Original Photo taken by Mike Smith

I periodically go through my blogs and clean them up by sorting, organizing and adding useful widgets. Sometimes 3rd party hacks can add more functionalities and make the blogging experience a more enjoyable one both for the blogger and the blog visitor. Here are some of the wonderful blog hacks I have found and have been using. I hope you find them just as useful.

Blogger Hacks are templates that allow you to customize your blog to fit your desired blog layout and customize the way you can interact with and provide information to your readers.

Before you make any changes I highly recommend that you save your blog template!

- Remove the Blogger Bar
Go to Layout - View Html
Place this code anywhere between your templates styletags.

#navbar-iframe { height:0px; visibility:hidden; display:none; }

Save

- Create a Pop-Up Window
Sometimes you might want to show your readers something without opening a new window. I used a pop-up window on my web site, where my external store link opens right within my web site page check it out
Create your own pop-up window here to customize your pop-up window.

- Open a new tag/window
The last thing you want is for one of your blog readers to click on an image and then be taken to another site, not finding their way back to you. To solve this enter target="new" right after
http://.........com" target "new"

Other Useful tips:

- Add Signature
If you like to add a signature at the end of your post, check out this free signature generator here

- Tiny Url
Some url's can be pretty long, especially if you like to use them on Twitter. Shorten your link with Tiny Url

- Google Ranking
After investing time writing interesting articles, snapping great photos, reading up on how to be a better blogger, etc., you should also check your Google ranking

I will be adding more tips over time. If you found a useful hack and like to share it, please leave it in the comment section and I will add it to this post.



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