Pinecone Art

19 May, 2009 in art pottery by admin

Pinecone Art

Getting Lodge Decor

I don't know about you, but I have always loved rustic home décor. There is that warm, comfortable atmosphere it gives that just relaxes you and makes you feel contented and at home. A lot of friends I know are starting to redecorate their homes to give it that rustic look, even if they're in the middle of cosmopolitan California. They told me this all started after they've enjoyed a vacation at a hunting lodge, and something about the coziness of its decorations and the uniqueness of the accessories appealed to their inner countryman.

If you also want to redecorate your home by giving it that lodge décor theme, you can easily do so. And, like my friends, it doesn't matter if you're living in Montana or in New York. All you need is your creativity and some proper furniture and accessories, and you'll have your very own lodge or country house sitting in the middle of the metropolis. Rustic in the old days used to mean "rickety and cheap", but believe me, that sort of thinking is now gone. Rustic décor now teeters on the brink of being called sophisticated and trendy.

How to go about it? First, change your windows, your flooring, and your wall art. Windows are very important at changing the overall look and feel of a home. Try using canvas or cotton with tabbed tops, or a print fabric curtain. You can also use plain wooden blinds. And avoid getting those frilly, lacy curtains or valances. These will ruin the whole rustic lodge theme that you're trying to achieve. Do throw in a few wildlife rugs for good measure.

What you put on your walls will also play a major role in changing the appearance and ambiance of your home. Colors are critical here. Get some earth tones for your paint or wallpaper on the double. Pastels, of course, are out of the questions. If you can, use split logs and chinking for a log cabin look, or just go with paint. Don't forget wall art and accessories. They make even the most unsightly walls look good and add a vital touch to the overall effect of your décor. Find and use hunting prints, or even old dusty advertising signs, and stick them on the walls. They will give your home that additional campy atmosphere.

With regards to rustic furniture, you don't have to go all out by filling your house with them. Adding a few pieces here and there will be enough; this will also make them stand out better. Add a few cushions or pillows to your seating furniture. Aside from giving them an additional level of comfort, it will serve as the element that connects the rustic pieces with the other furnishings in a room. As for matching the furniture with the lighting, it's really not that important. Just include a variety of choice pieces, like a pinecone chandelier or a tree table lamp.

Accessories are essential in putting together the whole rustic décor theme. Be sure to select colors and designs that will match the look you want to achieve. Get some wooden bowls, bear napkin holders, and pinecone placemats for the kitchen. For the garden and patio, accents such as arbors, trellises, wooden chairs and benches work well in providing that campy feeling. Coat racks, mirrors, blankets and metal art can also be used in living rooms, powder rooms, and even bedrooms. And don't forget the ubiquitous wall mounts, which can give your home that final, rustic touch.

You don't have to live in a log cabin or a hunting lodge to enjoy the casual, comfortable atmosphere of rustic décor and furnishings. With the right furnishings and your creativity, you'll achieve that homey look and charming appeal, whether you're in a city apartment or in a country house.

About the Author

Azlan Irda is the co-founder of
http://www.alllodgedecor.com
, which provides great rustic lodge and cabin décor. Visit us for all your
lodge décor needs
.

anyone in art? help!?

k so i have these assignments in art and i have questions on how to draw these:

1) A word and visual discription
2) isolation
3)masking tape patterns and color
4)Botanical drawings especially of pine orr spruce twigs w/ pinecones
5) foreshortened figure drawing
6) wash drawings from real life

k so u dont have to explain all of these or tell me what to draw. mostly, i need help on like what these are. like # 4 and 6. the others could you just give me like exlpain how i would draw them? thanks!

1- I'm not sure exactly what you mean. It might be to illustrate a word, like "puffy" by making the letters look puffy.

#2- If you like to draw people, you could show a lonely, scruffy kid on a playground watching other kids play, and they not caring or noticing the kid. If you like natural things, maybe a lone tree in a vast plain. If you prefer architecture, perhaps a cabin far away from civilization.

#3- Get some masking tape and white drawing or watercolor paper. Pull off strips of masking tape and tape them to the inside of your forearm, or onto your jeans, then peel them off. (That makes the tape less sticky so it won't tear your paper.) Put the masking tape in some pleasing arrangement on your paper. Paint washes of color, or splatter color (use a toothbrush, spray bottle, or just your brush) on your paper. Remove the tape. Let the paper dry, then reapply the tape in a new arrangement over the color and white. Add more color. Repeat if necessary.

#4- Look at pictures of pine branches and pine cones, or real ones if they're available. Illustrate with colored pencils or whatever you like. Don't just use green for the pine branches - add yellow and blue for depth and interest.

#5- Foreshortening refers to a way to show depth in a picture. For example, if you drew a person sitting on the floor with their feet nearest you, the feet would appear large relative to the rest of the body. Or, if you had the perspective of being on the ground next to a building and looking up to the top of the building, the top would appear much smaller than the bottom.

#6- A wash is a thin layer of watercolor or ink, so you can see through it. You might draw an illustration with a pencil or thin permanent marker (something that won't bleed or smear when you paint water over it). Then, use watercolor paint that is diluted with enough water so you can see the drawing through it when you paint over the illustration.

What to draw depends on what you like to draw. Maybe you prefer abstract or nonobjective pictures? Landscapes? Portraits? Animals? Still-life? Architecture? Fantasy?

Pine cones - Goodbye Art