MyWebAuthor

We’ve all been there, and others will be. It’s truly frustrating to sit down to do the thing you love most, but nothings coming out or the flow is just not there. I used to try and steam roller ahead when that happened, and the result was that I painted crap.

My solution is to have many paintings going on at once, and I mean a lot of them. I usually have about 20 paintings going at once, but 6-10 should also work. All of these paintings need to be different from each other in their planned look and even different sizes. The more different they are from each other the better.

It’s really simple. When you’re stuck with one, take it down and put a different painting on the easel. Having all these paintings going at once gives you many options to choose from. I can almost guarantee that you will gravitate to a certain one and be able to start painting on it right away without going through any frustrations. You will know when your ready to go back to the other one, it just happens and it’s a cool feeling.

Having this type of painting regiment will maximize your painting time and make it more enjoyable, and artist block will just never appear. You will also enjoy the constant feeling of creative energy flow as all your paintings steadily come to fruition with the greatest of ease.

Allow the creative energy to flow from you like water with this regiment and you can say goodbye to blocks forever. This also helps you build up a large catalog of a variety of paintings in a relatively short time. Also, if you notice that you are starting to slow down a bit on a painting, then its time for a break from that one and move onto another one. The goal is to keep the flow streaming.

Another important and useful tool is to look at other peoples art. Not to get ideas, but it’s a way to loosen up your block or resistance. This works because looking at other people’s art will get your imagination going again, and once that happens you will be able to turn your focus back to your painting.

Oddly enough, another way to get through a block is to start another painting in a completely different subject. Sometimes you can get so much tunnel vision on a particular painting that its what actually creates the block. By starting something completely different, it takes the focus off the problem painting.

If that is not working for you, then its time to play and experiment with pigments and brushes with the goal of making nothing you would sell. What I mean is that its time to put up a canvas, and just play. Yes, just play. Do not over think anything. It starts buy looking at your brushes and picking your favorite one on impulse. Then look at your colors, what colors do you like? Take the first one and just start making whatever brush stroke comes natural. Play and enjoy that for a bit, when you find yourself getting a little bored, then pick up another color and repeat the process.

Play with blending colors and different dabs and brush strokes. Think of this process as a form of visual meditation. It does work and you will have fun, and your blocks will go away.

Author Bio: Michael Orlando is a veteran motion picture visual effects artist, and most recently has been concentrating on his oil painting career and building his art business. His original fine art oil painting can be seen at http://www.etsy.com/shop/orlandoart
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: dealing with artist block, how to be a better painter, artist advice

If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

This can be a highly debatable topic, but I do think there are certain qualities a great painting should have. Feel free to disagree, but here is what I think.

It has to grab your attention and have the ability to draw someone in to have a closer look. There should be some snap or fire in the color harmonies even if it’s a darker painting. The lighting should be natural and have its own glow, unlike the faux lighting effects often used. There must also be detail in the shadows and dark sections of the painting as well as detail in the highlights. It should also achieve an adequate sense of depth.

The shading and brush work should be appropriately done. I say appropriately, because an artist may want to have a loose brush stroke as part of their style or effect and it’s acceptable for that painting. But in some paintings you can tell that the artist may have been a little lazy and did not render out an element as well as they could have. You can spot this by looking at other elements in the painting. See if they are of similar quality, or some spots of the painting are more refined than others.

The painting needs to have a certain level of detail, otherwise it did not take that long to make. You can see this when a painting gets your attention but the closer you get to the image or zoom in on an image the illusion falls apart. It’s because it lacks detail. I think that a painting should have enough detail so it holds up even when you get closer to it.

One of the most important effects a painting must have is the ability to pull you out of your element, and stir up emotions. Or if the painting causes you to reflect or ponder. If you can find yourself starting to mentally wander in the painting and it gets your imagination going, then it’s a good painting. But if you can feel somehow refreshed a little for having gotten lost in the painting and temporarily forgot about the days troubles, then it’s a great painting.

As an oil painter, I can tell you these are high standards and difficult to achieve, but I think these are the qualities that make a great painting. And I sincerely hope I have made some paintings that have these effects on you.

Now I also want to add that sometimes a great painting can be quite different than what I say here. This is because one also has to consider that an artist can take an idea or subject and have it distilled down in a way that you are getting only the cream or the main focus of the painting, but yet it says it all. Paintings like this are at the opposite spectrum of the way I paint, but they are valid. It also means that the artist has taken a great deal of time to work out their idea and have come to realize that this is the best way to communicate their vision or idea.

Again, this is what I think and the way I strive to paint. But using this information as a guideline will help you when deciding to purchase a piece of original art.

Author Bio: Michael Orlando is a veteran motion picture visual effects artist, and most recently has been concentrating on his oil painting career and building his art business. His original fine art oil painting can be seen at http://www.etsy.com/shop/orlandoart
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: shopping for painted art, how to buy painted art, buying tips for painted art

There are many different ways and styles to paint or you may even have your own. But if you like how I paint, then this process will be useful to you. Whether or not you decide to do an under- drawing and paint over it, I would suggest creating a very detailed painting with raw umber. This under-painting will be to determine where you want your lights and darks before you lay in your colors. This will also help you determine the values of the colors you’re going to glaze over this under-painting.

I heard the under-painting was an old renaissance technique, but I have also seen similar ideas in many art books. What I found is that they were only having you use raw umber to sketch out the outlines of the objects in your painting. I decided to take the use of the raw umber under-painting to a new level of incredible detail.

You will want to paint semi-transparently to achieve this and build up many layers of shading as each previous layer dries. So you will be using cold pressed linseed oil and an alkyd resin mix and then the raw umber pigment mixed in thus making it semi-transparent. This can be a slow process because you need to wait till layers dry before you can add other shading layers. You can’t rush this part and cut corners, but it’s worth all the time it will take.

You will start with a completely plain white canvas and start shading in areas where it will be darker, but your first layer should be very, very light. Remember, it’s better to shade down in semi transparent layers, than to just slap in a wad of dark paint. You can’t achieve these depth and lighting effects like that. The areas left most white, will be your brightest areas. The dark or shadow areas will be the raw umber layers to whatever degree/darkness you want them. If you take the time to do this process, you will end up with a tonal under-painting of very high detail and depth and some incredible lighting effects. It’s truly an awesome visual experience to watch it unfold before your eyes. Another cool thing that is happening is that real light is bouncing into the semi-transparent layers of the painting and coming back through those layers toward you. It gives the painting fire and snap. It also gives you an extremely real sense of true 3d depth that makes it seem like you can reach into the world of the painting.

When you can take the time to paint this way, I can promise you it will be worth the extra effort. If the process is to slow for you I would suggest paint the way you would like but then have a painting like this that you work on every so often just to get your feet wet with it before you commit to painting this way.

Author Bio: Michael Orlando is a veteran motion picture visual effects artist, and most recently has been concentrating on his oil painting career and building his art business. His original fine art oil painting can be seen at http://www.etsy.com/shop/orlandoart
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: oil painting tips, oil painting light effects, purchase oil paintings

The history of Hummel collectibles is as charming as the figurines themselves. They are based on the work of a truly inspired artist, a Siessen nun named Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel. Sister Hummel was born Berta Hummel in Massing, Bavaria in 1909, and was an artistic and inquisitive child.

The Sisters at the local one room schoolhouse that Berta attended recognized that her insightful sketches showed extraordinary talent. When she turned twelve years old, a teacher urged her family to send Berta to a boarding school so that her artistic skills could flourish. Berta Hummel thrived in this setting. Upon her graduation at the age of 18, Berta was sent to Munich, Germany so that she could be immersed in a more professional artistic arrangement.

Munich was a mecca for artists in 1927, and Berta Hummel excelled at the famed Academy of Applied Arts. Even as she studied within the classic curriculum that included such subjects as still life, anatomy, and landscapes, Berta continued to sketch the whimsical scenes of joy and innocence inspired by her Bavarian childhood.

Berta Hummel did not join in the boisterous activities that most other students at the Academy sought out. Rather she became friends with two Franciscan Sisters who were studying to be teachers. After graduating with top honors in 1931, she was offered a position teaching at the Academy. She entered the Convent of Siessen instead, and a few years later, adopted the name of Maria Innocentia.

As always, Sister Hummel continued sketching children, and soon, her sketches emblazoned art cards and books. The profits from her artwork fostered the Convent’s teaching, and missionary, efforts. Before long, Munich, and Franz Goebel, became aware of her work. Goebel was the owner of W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik, an illustrious porcelain company.

Goebel understood that Sister Hummel’s artwork of children depicted as figurines would endear itself to Germans during this most challenging of times. An agreement between Sister Hummel, the Convent, and Goebel was reached. In 1935, the first Hummel figurines were introduced at the Leipzig Spring Fair. Although they were an almost instant success in Germany, the onset of World War II placed serious restrictions on their production.

At the war’s end, however, Hummel collectibles began to garner a large following around the world as soldiers stationed in Germany sent the charming and whimsical figurines back home to the United States.

Although Sister Hummel died from tuberculosis in 1946, she left behind a vast collection of sketches. This has enabled Goebel to continue to produce Hummel figurines based on her drawings. The Hummel figurines are painstakingly hand painted following Sister Hummel’s detailed sketches.

Hummel collectibles are stamped with a mark that designates them as being authentic. Depending on the year of production, this mark can include a baby bee, the letter V, or the words W. Goebel. Each Hummel figurine, however, always includes the signature of M. I. Hummel if there is a base or stand on which to place it.

As with other collectibles, the condition of the Hummel figurines figures greatly in determining the value of the particular figurine. Those Hummel collectibles that are free of chips, cracks, or crazing will hold their value over time. Similarly, the figurines that are rare or that were released accidentally in spite of production errors, are highly valued by collectors.

Author Bio: Lawrence Bell, Editor of The Antiques Bible, offers an illustrated glossary of antiques terminology with links to other helpful resources.
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: Hummel, collectibles, antique, Convent of Siessen

The history of the Godin stove is foundational to the history of French stove making, and indeed to the history of domestic stove manufacturing as a whole. Before the era of cast iron, domestic fuel took on many forms from the open hearth fire to the clay or stone kiln.

Cast iron, a mixture of silica and carbon brought together by a process of heating and oxidation, can withstand heats of over 600 degrees Fahrenheit making it ideal for domestic fuel consumption. The work of Jean Baptiste Andre Godin (1817-1888), maker of the Godin stove, became the standard in nineteenth century stove making.

Godin’s factory has produced domestic cast iron stoves since 1846. Godin figured out how to mass produce quality stoves using high quality molds and strong raw materials. Early stoves reflect the box stove design of the mid nineteenth century. The slim cylindrical design of Godin’s later stoves is symbolic of the brand. Godin’s stoves were frequently copied flooding the market with low quality replicas. The Godin stove is heavily patented.

In France Godin’s cast iron stoves are only one part of his legacy. Because of his business strategies, Godin became a figure to know in French industrial relations. Godin offered his employees living wages or higher at a time of economic downturn, hired from a small pool of people in one geographical area reducing turn over and improving employee reliability.

Godin allowed employees to become invested in the product by involving them in both the design and creation processes. After constructing a worker’s area that included the factory floor, recreation area and living quarters on his property, Godin gave the completed complex to his employees. This degree of personal investment is reflected in the quality and detail of the finished stove; more an art piece than a heat provider. Although the antique Godin stove remains popular because of its efficiency as well as its aesthetic appeal.

The hard work and creativity of Godin and his employees is the story behind the decorative yet functional Godin stoves that have been a part of the consumer market for over 150 years. The trademark Petite Godin stove has been produced consistently since 1889, a year after Godin’s death. Stoves that can be dated to before 1888 are more scarce and obviously more valuable.

Basic design and features of the Godin stove brand include cast iron molded fronts with the addition of enamel on some models. A highly ornate and decorative aesthetic in the early art nouveau style is common. The mica window is a later edition. As manufacturing practices improved, thus improving the quality of the design aesthetic quality of raw material and general fuel consumption practices, so did the look and variety of Godin cast iron stoves.

What began as a small enterprise of a few people in 1837 became a company of two thousand employees by 1908. This speaks for the endurance and popularity of Godin’s product. The Godin stove remains a part of the domestic household collectibles market due to its longevity and quality.

Today, there are a number of Godin stoves on the market, the majority produced after Godin’s passing. In America, the “Oval Godin” stove, a gas fired model, remains popular. The “Petite Godin” was an economically priced and sized model that worked well in both the kitchen and the parlor. Antique Godin stoves and their modern counterparts are quite similar in appearance. The main difference seems to be the overall condition and age of the piece.

Godin set the standard and in many ways continues to set the standard today in the realm of decorative yet utilitarian domestic stoves. The “Petite Godin,” both the original and modern version, remains popular among collectors and homeowners.

Author Bio: Lawrence Bell, Editor of The Antiques Bible, publishes an illustrated glossary of antiques terms with links to other helpful resources.
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: Godin, stove, antique, antiques, stoves, French, France, cast iron

Dresden porcelain and Meissen porcelain are sometimes confused, due to their long and entangled early history. Beginning in the early 1700’s, Johann Bottger, a talented inventor, was kept as the prisoner of Prince Augustus at Albrechtsburg castle in Meissen, a small village only a few miles down the road from much larger Dresden. It was there that Bottger discovered how to make a porcelain as fine as that being imported from China and Japan.

Bottger was originally imprisoned because Prince Augustus believed that Bottger could fashion gold from other materials. When Bottger instead discovered how to make porcelain, Prince Augustus was pleased. Because Prince Augustus was a serious collector of porcelain from Japan and China, he opened a porcelain factory in the Albrechtsburg castle in order to guard the secret of porcelain.

Dresden, Germany was a fundamental heart of the intellectual, artistic, and cultural movement. Many porcelain decorators, as well as sculptors, philosophers, poets, and painters, settled in Dresden. The phrase “Dresden porcelain” actually denotes more of a movement that focused on artistic interests instead of a specific company that produced Dresden porcelain.

Early Dresden porcelain pieces were seconds (or rejects) from the Meissen manufactory. The painters of the porcelain are the ones who expanded the reach and reputation of the porcelain of Dresden throughout the world. Factories inside Dresden eventually obtained the ability to fashion their own hard-paste porcelain from scratch.

Within a few years of inventing porcelain, Bottger died. His apprentice, Johann Horoldt, invented real porcelain paints. These paints were formulated by mixing finely ground glass and metallic ingredients, then binding it with oil. Used during the third mild process phase, the porcelain paint was fired on the translucent glaze. In this manner, the beautiful paintings, and other designs that are part of the allure of Dresden porcelain, were born. Another Horoldt invention that was important in the development of Dresden porcelain was the emergence of the color, iridescent purple. This color was soon seen as a sign of a genuine piece Dresden porcelain.

Rococo revival is a phrase that is used to describe the style of Dresden porcelain. The extensive use of complicated and creative paintings using a plethora of shells, flowers, scrolls, fruit, and foliage was first used by the decorators of Dresden porcelain. The dinnerware collections of Dresden porcelain also enjoyed the most success with this decorative style. These designs were painted on Meissen porcelain blanks in the early years. This probably added to the confusion between Dresden porcelain and Meissen porcelain.

For almost two hundred years, the area enjoyed immense success with its Dresden porcelain. That all ended on the night of February 13, 1945 when allied forces bombed Dresden. The city was almost completely destroyed. Nearly everything in the Dresden porcelain factories was burned beyond recognition. This event effectively signaled the end of the manufacture of Dresden porcelain.

The exquisite designs, and elaborate paintings, featured on many pieces of Dresden porcelain lend themselves to the allure of these highly collectible pieces. In addition, the abrupt ending of the manufacture of Dresden porcelain also adds to its appeal.

The mark of an authentic piece of Dresden porcelain is one of a blue crown with the word “Dresden” beneath it. This is not to be confused with the crossed swords mark found on Meissen porcelain.

Author Bio: Lawrence Bell is Publisher of The Antiques Bible. The Antiques Bible offers an illustrated glossary of antiques terminology with links to other helpful resources.
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: Dresden, porcelain, china, antique, figurines, compotes, Lamm

Throughout its history, Limoges porcelain has been made by a number of factories and artisans. In fact, contrary to what many people believe, Limoges is not the name of a company that makes china or porcelain at all. Instead, the name, “Limoges” can, and is, used to refer to any piece of porcelain that is made in the town of Limoges, France and that also uses kaolin clay. Many people think of fine porcelain when they hear the name “Limoges.”

Kaolin, which means “white clay” in Chinese, is a mineral, and the chief ingredient of porcelain. One of the oldest towns in France, Limoges is near the site of the European discovery of kaolin. After that momentous discovery, a single manufacturing installation was established in 1771 by two brothers, Fourneira and Massie Grellet, in Limoges. The production of fine porcelain began in earnest.

That one factory enjoyed such great success that the King of France purchased it. In this way, the installation could make the Limoges porcelain that would be painted at the royal porcelain factory that was maintained outside of Paris.

By the 19th century, a number of facilities were opened in order to satisfy the desires of the courts of Europe who demanded the finest in Limoges porcelain. These factories, such as Pouyat, Baignol, Alluaud, and Tharaud, became famous makers of Limoges china.

A man by the name of David Haviland, who hailed from New York, established a Limoges porcelain factory in 1842. This facility made Haviland china. This famed Limoges brand, was targeted for the market in the United States. As a result, Limoges porcelain garnered international recognition as the premier producer of china.

During the 1880s, Limoges porcelain blanks were produced in Limoges, France and then sent to the United States. Members of china painting clubs would gleefully follow the enclosed instructions in order to successfully paint the Limoges china vases and plates. Although very beautiful and a great way to build a collection of Limoges porcelain informally, these Limoges porcelain pieces are not particularly collectible.

Often decorated using gold trim and a Victorian theme against whiteware Limoges porcelain, this is probably what comes to most people’s minds when they think of Limoges china. Each manufacturing installation signed, or otherwise marked, the bottom of the Limoges porcelain pieces that were designed there. In addition, the Limoges china carried the name of “Limoges” stamped on the bottom.

Unlike some other makers of porcelain, Limoges porcelain makers borrowed ideas for decorating this fine bone china from many sources. These sources include Japan and India from which many of the ideas for the oriental types of Limoges china were borrowed. These appealed to the United States market.

In another example of borrowing from the trends at the time, Limoges china made tea sets that were based on designs found in the factories of Meissen, Sevres, and Vienna makers of porcelain during the Edwardian period. Because there are so many variations of Limoges porcelain and, since so many factories and artisans made it, reproductions of Limoges china are rare and should not be a concern for the collector.

Author Bio: Lawrence Bell, Editor of The Antiques Bible, offers an illustrated glossary of antiques terminology with links to other helpful resources.
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: Limoges, porcelain, china, France, antique, French, hard-paste

The predecessor to the Noritake porcelain line, Morimura-kumi, was established in 1876, in Ginza, a suburb of Tokyo, Japan. Thus, a long and illustrious history began for the famed maker of some of the world’s most remarkable china. With the founding of a trading house, Morimura Brothers in New York City two years later, trade between Japan and the United States was born. This imported goods store was the first of its kind to bring the United States fine imported porcelain from Japan.

After a visit to the Paris Expo in the late 1800s, the Morimura brothers became captivated by Western tableware which featured white porcelain with a design. By 1904, the brothers opened a factory called Nippon Toki Gomei Kaisha in a tiny village near Nagoya called Noritake. From this location, a vast array of Noritake china would emerge, with each era of the Noritake porcelain branded in its own unique way.

In its early years, Noritake porcelain had a decidedly Art Nouveau flair complete with flowing curves, colorful trees, and blossoming flowers. The European patterns popular at that period of time were also made at the Noritake china factory. Catering to the upper classes, Noritake porcelain was made into chocolate pots, candy holders, sugar bowls, and coffee and tea pots, and other fancy pieces of Noritake china that were used by hotels, restaurants, the Imperial Household Ministry as well as the naval department.

World War I signaled the close of the Art Nouveau era of high class ornaments for Noritake porcelain. The company sought to embrace the advantages of industrialization and mass production while closing the chapter on the hand painted pieces of the Fancy Line of Noritake china. They applied techniques in assembly line production to the Noritake porcelain factory in order to supply enough Noritake china to satisfy the exporters’ demands. By 1914, the company was able to export its first Noritake tableware. Within just thirteen years, Noritake dinnerware sets comprised more than 50% of their exports, outselling the Fancy Line of Noritake porcelain.

Just because the Noritake Fancy Line was not hand painted does not mean that the company did not make porcelain in that style any longer. On the contrary, Noritake used its assembly line production system to make a type of upper class decorative ornaments, complete with the vibrant and bright colors of the Art Deco style that first caught the eye of designers at the 1925 Industrial Decoration Expo in Paris. All but forgotten by many, this style of Noritake porcelain has recently enjoyed renewed attention and interest by collectors worldwide because of its bold and vibrant colors.

There have been many stamps used by Noritake porcelain to mark its china. Perhaps one of the more famous marks is the word, “Nippon,” as it is often mistakenly associated only with Noritake china. It is, in fact, a word that denotes Japan as the country of manufacture, and nothing more. Coupled with the distinguished Noritake porcelain wreath, however, the capital letter “M” or “N,” signal a Noritake porcelain piece.

Author Bio: Lawrence Bell, Editor of The Antiques Bible, offers an illustrated glossary of antiques terminology with links to other helpful resources.
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: Noritake, porcelain, china, antique, Japan

Putting together a high-quality report for work or school is a unique process, and the more thought and effort you put into it, the better off you will be. Here are a few things to consider when you are creating a report.

Why?

Like any project, you should have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish before you start working on the meat of your report. If you are working with other people, or have been assigned this report by a teacher or supervisor, meet with all involved parties to discuss the project in depth, brainstorm and take copious notes. When it’s time to get down to writing, keep your goals in mind as you create an outline. Make sure that your narrative flows logically, and that you take your audience from point to point smoothly and seamlessly.

Who?

The next thing you will want to consider is who your audience is going to be. Are they somewhat familiar with your subject matter? Total newbies? Somewhat of a mixed bag? This will help you decide on what type of language you will want to use. For instance, if your audience is as up to speed as you are, you know that you can freely utilize insider-type jargon. But you need to be aware of when you will have to start some members of your audience out at square one. It is always a good idea to play to the least informed members of your audience, or to at least throw them a bone by way of explanation. It is your responsibility to inform, not to confuse.

What?

Now that you have planned your path, it’s time to dig in. The more information you can gather on your topic the better. You may not use it all, but at least you yourself are as well informed as anyone. Please don’t let Google do all the work here. Talk to your supervisor, your project partners, conduct interviews with authorities on your subject, or even talk to your friendly local librarian. Believe it or not, there is still useful and interesting information out there that is not yet on the internet.

When?

As in, when to end it? Unless you have been assigned a particular length of time to speak, this part is up to you. But of course, you will want to keep an eye to toeing the line between informative and tedious. The key is to make your points without relying on redundancy to do so. You should make sure that you include time to respond to questions, and if there are none, perhaps have some auxiliary material that you can provide to fulfill your time quota if need be.

How?

As in, how does it look? You should try to make sure that you report appeals to your audience on many levels, and this includes visually. Include graphics such as charts whenever possible, and in color if it fits your scope budget. Another thing to consider is the binding style you will use for the materials that you distribute. You can rely on the old tried and true 3 ring binder, or there are many other options out there that can give you different looks depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Some styles to consider are twin loop binding, spiral coils binding or thermal binding for a permanent-hardcover feel.

Author Bio: If you are interested in more information about how the right Binding Machine, can help you create a great report you might want to visit MyBinding.com. They offer a great price and Free Shipping on orders over $75.00. Plus, they carry a full line of Binding Accessories, of all styles, types and capabilities.
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: putting together,great report,high-quality report,report appeals,unique process

Creating and publishing your own children’s book can be a fun and rewarding project. Here are a few tips to help get you started.

Inspiration:

If you already have an idea of what your children’s book is going to be about, you can perhaps skip to the next section. If you just have the general idea that you want to create a children’s book, but you are not quite sure exactly what you want it to be about, here are some ideas to get you going:

First, start with what is known as a free-write. Just let you mind go, and keep your pen moving. Think about what it is you want your book to convey, and what the purpose of your book might be. Is it to teach your audience something? To make them laugh? To simply delight and amaze? All of the above? With whatever it is that you have in mind as a basic guide, just let your imagination take over for now and get words and thoughts on the page.

Once you have some ideas down, you can begin to organize them into a narrative that you think your audience will enjoy. Remember that at this stage of their development, children do like a clear beginning, middle and end to their stories, and that you won’t want to leave a lot of questions unanswered. Other than that, it is up to you where you take them.

Artwork:

If you are doing both the words and the art, great. If creating visual art is not your forte, then you may have to find someone to partner with on your project (or vice-versa, if you are naturally the artistic type rather than the wordsmith).

If you need to find an artist, there are a few ways to go about it. One way is to take a look around online or at the local bookstore at graphic artists whose work you admire, or who you think might make a good fit. Unless they are fairly well-known, artists aren’t generally difficult to get a hold of, so search out some names and contact info and run your project past your choices to see what their rates and availability might be.

If you are discouraged by the rates you are quoted, consider running or posting an ad at a local art or design school. Often, art students need to do project to complete class requirements or at the very least may work a lot cheaper than their more established compadres.

Once your art and words are set, put your book together in a layout program such as Adobe InDesign or QwarkXpress.

Printing and Binding

Have your pages printed in the highest quality manner that you can afford. If your artwork is in color, consider four color process digital printing for best results.

As far as the binding of your book, one option you might want to consider is purchasing a thermal binding machine and doing it yourself. These machines are surprisingly inexpensive and very easy to use. With one of these machines, you can have a hardcover book ready to go in less than a minute. Depending on how many books you are going to self-publish, the savings can range from significant to substantial.

Author Bio: If you are interested in more information about how the right Thermal Binding Systems can help create a great children’s book, visit MyBinding.com. They offer a great price and Free Shipping on orders over$75. Plus, they carry a full line of Thermal Binding Supplies.
Category: Arts and Crafts
Keywords: picture book,rewarding project,book ready,hardcover book ready,hardcover book,project past