Make Your Own Pressed Flower Jewelry Box

Would you agree that there is something enchanting about pressed flowers? They dazzle the eye with vibrant color and exquisite detail, all the while evoking gentle feelings of nostalgia. Perhaps best of all, pressed flowers cost nothing.

Preserve Your Favorite Spring Flowers by Pressing Them

Do you love flowers? Do you hate to see things go to waste? Are you great at crafting and making things beautiful? If so, our pressed flower jewelry box project is for you. It is the perfect Springtime craft, and also makes a thoughtful gift.

Before you begin making your jewelry box, gather the needed materials:

• Small wooden box
• 2 pieces of white paper
• Acrylic paint (your choice of color)
• Small paintbrush
• Elmer’s glue
• Several blooms of your favorite Spring flower (small blooms work best)
• Krylon anti-UV clear acrylic sealer (comes in a spray can)
• A hardback book

Altogether, these materials should be very inexpensive.

Directions for Making Your Pressed Flower Jewelry Box

Once you have gathered your materials, you are ready to get started making your pressed flower jewelry box. Follow these directions to get a beautiful result:

• Carefully place your live flower blooms onto one piece of white paper; do not let the blooms overlap. Open your hardback book and place the white sheet loaded with blooms into it. Cover the blooms with the other sheet of white paper and close the book firmly. Now comes the hard part: leave the book alone for at least a week; this is how long it takes for the flowers to become thoroughly pressed and dried.

• In the days you are waiting for your flowers to dry, paint your wooden box with the acrylic paint you chose. You may need to apply 2 coats of paint. White is the perfect showcase color for your vibrant pressed flowers. Allow box to dry totally.

• After the week long period, open the hardback book and carefully remove the dried flowers with tweezers. They will be as thin as tissue paper, so be very gentle.

• Using tweezers, arrange the pressed flowers into a design of your choice on top of the box. Be as creative as you desire. Remember, this is your creation!

• After your flowers are arranged atop the box, carefully lift each dried bloom and dot tiny amounts of school glue (use a toothpick to do this) on the backside of the flowers. Then, lay the flowers on the box and gently press down on them. Do this until all your dried flowers are glued in place. Let arrangement dry.

• The last step is to spray your completely dry craft with Krylon clear acrylic sealer. Be sure that the top of your jewelry box is open when you do this; otherwise, the spray will glue the box’s lid shut. You may want to spray another coat of sealer after the first coat is dry. Allow box to dry. Your Springtime pressed flower jewelry box is now finished and ready to be enjoyed!

We would love to see your finished product. Please share a photo of your Springtime craft with us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/segmation).

Is there a specific craft you love to make that uses pressed flowers? Please share with us in the comments section below.

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Paper Quilling – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Paper Quilling: is it a craft project? Is it an art form? Is it enjoyed by adults or children?

Yes to all the above.

According to Aunt Annie’s Crafts, “Quilling is the art of rolling narrow strips of paper into coils or scrolls, and arranging them to form elegant filigree.”

People who are young and young-at-heart both enjoy paper quilling as a craft. They roll, pinch and place computer paper, craft paper, construction paper and even junk mail to create 3D masterpieces. However, paper quilling is nothing new. Look back in time to better understand the evolution of this art practice.

Paper Quilling in the Colonial Era and Beyond

Is it any surprise that paper quilling, a favorite craft for artsy people of all ages, has been around for hundreds of years? Even though it gets its name from the Colonial era, when feather quills were used to create these works of art, filigree art has been around since the 14^th century.

Before paper filigree filled the free time of craft enthusiasts, metal filigree was all the rage. Most popularly known as a jewelry metalwork, this form of filigree twisted golds and silvers together to create beads and threads that were used in jewelry items and small standing art pieces.

Today, paper filigree is growing in popularity again. However, thanks to the creativity of quillers throughout the world, paper quilling goes far beyond creating 3D art. People have created bowls, baskets, vases and teacups by rolling and coiling colorful papers.

Paper Quilling as Modern Art

Crafters aren’t the only people embracing paper quilling. In an article posted to mymodernmet.com, it is reported that “Seoul-based artist Ilhwa Kim hand-dyes, cuts, and rolls thousands of individual sheets of Korean mulberry paper to form vibrant, three-dimensional works of art bursting with striking patterns and imagery.”

Kim doesn’t refer to her art as paper quilling, although it seems to derive from the same family. Nevertheless, she seems to modernize the centuries-old practice. She “…carefully [arranges the rigid layers of paper] according to color so that, when seen from afar, the viewer spots subtle impressions of eyes, hearts, human figures, and more in Kim’s densely packed images.”

Paper filigree has come a long way and continues to evolve. Where will the art and craft go next?

Have you tried paper quilling? What was your experience with the craft? It seems like there are several ways you can make quilling unique; what is your technique?

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The Visionary Work of Gustave Moreau

Oedipus and the Sphinx

Symbolist art was birthed from the expression of emotion and ideas. Emerging at the time of the French Literary movement, symbolist paintings became popular in the late 1800s. Paving a path for this adventurous style was Gustave Moreau.

Moreau was known for portraying historic, religious, mythological, legendary and fanciful characters with techniques that combine exotic romanticism, symbolism and imagination. His many paintings shimmer with gem-like qualities, which he used to cast visual scenes that could only be described as other worldly.

By the time the symbolist movement dominated France in the 1880s, Moreau had been showcasing those types of paintings for nearly two decades. After years of receiving recognition for his accomplishments in this genre, he began teaching and encouraging this style in young artists just as he was encouraged by his parents and mentors.

Self Portrait

Gustave Moreau was born in Paris in 1826. His parents were people of comfortable means; his father, an architect and his mother, the daughter of a prominent man. When Moreau shared his dreams of pursuing art as a career his parents supported him and tried to open whatever doors they could.

 

 

When Moreau was about 20 years old he was paired with teacher Francois-Edouard Picot, a neoclassical painter who was able to offer him sound lessons and a solid art foundation. During this time, the aspiring painter spent much time creating oils sketches, large paintings and studying nudes.

After gaining some experience with Picot, Moreau was later taken under the wing of Theodore Chassériau, a romantic painter who excelled in classicism, too. It has been said that Chassériau’s romantic style, exemplified through lighting, color and character was also evident in Moreau’s work.

Moreau spent much time with Chassériau and even moved next store to the artist. During this time, he grew to appreciate Paris, which was alive with fashion, literature and art salons. When Chassériau passed away at the young age of 37, Moreau was devastated. He became sad and aggravated with his work.

The Toilet by Gustave Moreau

One year after his friend and mentor died, Moreau traveled to Italy where he would study artwork from the Renaissance era, as well as Roman and Grecian architecture. He returned to Paris in 1859 and lived a rather isolated life where he mostly concentrated on his artwork. While he appreciated the stylistic elements of romanticism, he felt his characters were drab. At this time, he began using Persian, Indian and Japanese art to fuel his imagination and inspire his characters. This increased the uniqueness of his style. Finally, Moreau was ready to show the world his work.

Moreau’s first piece to receive notable attention was Oedipus and the Sphinx. He exhibited this piece in 1864 at the Salon, which is the beginning of his most prominent season as an artist. As he straddled the eras of Romanticism and Realism, Moreau offered art enthusiasts a creative explanation of history by infusing his work with mystique.
Other important Gustave Moreau works include The Young Man and Death (1865), Head of Orpheus (1866), Jupiter and Europa (1868) and The Saint and the Poet (1869). Then, after leaving the public eye for seven years Moreau emerged with Salome Dancing (1876) and The Sphinx’s Riddle Solved (1878) among others.

Throughout his years of exhibiting artwork at the Salon he won many awards and was made knight of the Legion of Honour in 1875. In 1892 Moreau began teaching at Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Three of his students were Marquet, Matisse and Rouault.

When Moreau died in 1898 over 8,000 pieces of artwork were found in his home. This work was not seen in his lifetime but is displayed today at the Musée Gustave Moreau. Different from other galleries, Moreau built this home and designed the gallery before he died. Today, it is a popular destination for art enthusiasts visiting Paris.
Gustave Moreau was ahead of his time as a symbolist painter. With his infusion of color and light, and use of cultural techniques, his imaginative works will never go out of style. They are remarkable, distinct and ever powerful.

However, this post is meant to recognize his artist style and some major pieces. For those who want to read more of Gustave Moreau’s story, visit this link: http://www.segmation.com/products_pc_patternset_contents.asp?set=GMR. Also, Segmation is proud to offer 26 digital Gustave Moreau patterns. By downloading these paint by numbers masterpieces, you can emulate one of the most fascinating artists who ever lived.

Enjoy the 26 Gustave Moreau Patterns Segmation has for you and continue to learn and celebrate the life of a great artist.

Sources:

Gustave Moreau Art Renewal

Encyclopedia Gustave Moreau

Gustave Moreau Museum

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Coral Reefs: Rainforests of the Sea

Segmation is getting ready to go to the beach for vacation and one thing we can not wait to explore is the beautiful coral reefs. They are so colorful and full of beautiful art. What though is Coral reefs? Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. These are tiny animals called polyps which have hard bodies which support and protect their bodies Coral Reefs are sometimes referred to as the “rainforests of the sea”, because they contain the most diverse ecosystems on Earth.

A coral reef is a community of living organisms. It is made up of plants, fish, and many other creatures. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. They are home to about 25% of all marine life!

Coral reefs need water that is between 68 – 82°F (20 – 28°C), which is often located along the eastern shores of land. Reefs usually develop in areas that have a lot of wave action because the waves bring in food, nutrients and oxygen to the reef. Waves also prevent sediment from falling on the reef. Reefs need calcium from the water to grow, which is more often available in shallow warm waters.

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef. It is made up of over 2 900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2 600 kilometers off the northeast coast of Australia. Think of them as the “rainforests of the oceans.” Containing sponges, sea slugs, oysters, clams, crabs, shrimp, sea worms, starfish, sea urchins and more.

Coral reefs are being destroyed at an alarming rate. It is estimated that we have already lost 10% of the worlds reefs, and scientists say that in the next 50 years many of the coral reefs on Earth will be gone. This destruction is often connected with human activity: pollution, sewage, erosion, irresponsible fishing, poor tourism practices, and global warming.

Sources:

Coral Reefs

More Coral Reefs

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Jules Tavernier: Talent Erupted

Volcano at Night

Jules Tavernier was a talented artist and a gifted person. His aptitude for art went far beyond his paintbrush. He had an ability to unite people who shared an affinity towards art. Unfortunately, these relationships would later implode from his alcoholism and rampant debt. The “master of volcano paintings,” as some liked to call him, would erupt just like the natural phenomenon he sought to illustrate. But even in his state of decay, people gathered around him to reflect the truth of his being: he was supremely talented and equally tragic.

In 1844, Jules Tavernier was born in Paris, France. His mother was French and his father was English. He grew up traveling between the two nations but made Paris his home by the time he turned 16, when he decided to study art. At the age of 20 he gained some notoriety when his work was featured at the Paris Salon. Tavernier’s art continued to reach audiences even when he served in the Franco-Prussian War. In addition to being a solider, he was a war correspondent; after capturing the events occurring in Paris, his drawings were sent to London where they would be published.

Wailuku Falls – Hilo

His career as a published illustrator continued post war. He became employed by Harper’s Weekly, and in 1872, transferred from London to New York. Tavernier didn’t spend much time on the east coast before heading west on assignment. Two years after landing in America, he arrived in San Francisco. Tavernier found a home on the west coast and would remain there for the rest of his life.

Jules Tavernier was a quick hit among the art community in San Francisco. He made many friends and was one of the original founders of the Bohemian Club. The combination of his talent, behavior and popularity earned him the title, “bohemian of bohemians.” At the same time, he became vice president of San Francisco’s Art Association where it was his job to organize an artist’s union called the Palette Club. Tavernier also opened a studio in a prominent area of San Francisco where artists could gather and collaborate. During this era the artist met his wife, Lizzie Fulton.

In some regards, Tavernier was successful: his artwork was highly sought out and worth a lot of money. He was also deeply disturbed. As his party lifestyle and drinking habits increased, he accumulated debt that ruined a number of his relationships. It got so bad that Tavernier and his wife had to flee to Hawaii where his debtors could not find them.

During his time in Hawaii, Tavernier created nearly 100 oil and pastel paintings inspired by volcanos. His largest work of art was a panorama of a volcano. It was 90 feet long and 12 feet wide. The aim of this painting was to put the viewer at the center of a volcano so he or she could experience the entire circumference of the natural phenomenon.

He built success in Hawaii. Despite only living on the island for five years, many people knew him as the “master of volcano paintings.” Unfortunately, even with the reinstatement of his notoriety, his alcoholism and accumulation of debt resulted in his wife leaving him in 1887.

Despite his poor state, he took on a protégé, David Hitchcock (who later became a well-known comics artist). The Hitchcock family tried to help Tavernier free himself from the bonds of excessive drinking and debt. These efforts were fruitless and Tavernier’s debt got so bad that he was forced to stay on the island of Hawaii.

He died two years later and was buried beneath a tombstone gifted by the artist community he helped found in San Francisco. The Bohemian Club made a statement that poignantly described the life of Jules Tavernier. They wrote, “Of the French artists in California, he was probably the most talented and tragic.”

Jules Tavernier was an artist who could always draw attention to himself and his work. Even when he erupted, he was loved and greatly admired.

Sources:

Society of California Pioneers Jules Tavernier http://www.opticalspy.com/high-speed-photography-gallery.html.

Geringer Art Jules Tavernier http://www.geringerart.com/bios/tavernier.html.

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Thanksgiving Scenes Influences Art

Each year on the fourth Thursday of November, a very special North American holiday takes place, and that holiday is Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving season is known throughout the country as a time to delight in the presence of loved ones and enjoy a plethora of delicious food. A favorite holiday of many Americans, Thanksgiving inspires décor, recipes, movies, and even art.

Thanksgiving dates back to 1621, when it is assumed the first Thanksgiving took place at Plymouth. This early event was a celebration of an abundant harvest. Numerous artists throughout history have attempted to capture the imagined scenes from the first Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving has been the subject of many pieces of fine art for centuries. Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, “American painter and illustrator of Americana,” painted several Thanksgiving-themed scenes, including The First Thanksgiving (1915), The Mayflower Compact (1925), The Return of Miles Standish (1920), The Return of the Mayflower (1907), and The First Sermon Ashore (1921). Although The First Thanksgiving is said to be inaccurate in some of its representations, it gives us an idea of what the actual scene might have looked like so long ago.

Ferris was not the only individual whose art was influenced by Thanksgiving – Charles Lucy, George Henry Boughton, Henry A. Bacon, Henry Sargent, and Edward Percy Moran also found inspiration in this holiday. Jennie Augusta Brownscombe painted a particularly iconic work titled The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth (1914). This painting has “become a symbol of the holiday for many Americans.”

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth was executed by Brownscombe during the Colonial Revival Period. It is a tranquil, believable depiction of that first holiday that would come to mean so much to so many. This is an example of how art can help us imagine a significant historical event, deepening the overall meaning of it.

Make this Thanksgiving more memorable by creating your own seasonally-themed works of art. http://www.segmation.com/products_pc_patternset_contents.asp?set=THG.

Sources:

http://www.joyfulheart.com/thanksgiving/pilgrim_artwork.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Leon_Gerome_Ferris

http://www.pilgrimhall.org/hpbrowns.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving Scenes

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How is your Halloween Spirit?

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As fallen leaves carpet the ground with brilliant shades of brown, yellow, red and orange, a variety of strange and spooky images start to appear creating Halloween Spirit. Ghosts and ghouls hang from trees, carved pumpkins and gnarled broomsticks appear on doorsteps, spiders weave webs across windows and gravestones turn up on front lawns.

Halloween art sets the stage for the scariest and fun holiday of the year.

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The most common images in Halloween art include:

• ghosts and haunted houses
• witches, broomsticks and cauldrons
• pumpkins and jack o’lanterns
• spiders and cobwebs
• monsters
• werewolves
• vampires and bats
• skulls and skeletons
• gravestones

Both adults and children alike enjoy creating Halloween arts and crafts that bring these strange and macabre images to life. Here are some hands-on ideas for Halloween arts and crafts:

• Color in Halloween images with markers, crayons, paint, or even digitally using your computer
• Cut outlines of spiders, bats, and witches’ hats out of black paper
• Cut out body parts from magazines and paste them on thick paper to make your own monsters
• Create your own gravestone using black marker on grey paper
• Draw a pair of eyes and a wide, smiling mouth full of teeth on a pumpkin, and carve it out to create a jack o’lantern

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To get in the holiday spirit, hang your 2-D Halloween arts and crafts in your front windows or on your front door. Place your 3-D Halloween art projects on your doorstep or front lawn.
The most exciting form of “Halloween art” is your costume!

Whether you are a 7 years old or 77 years old, on October 31 you can transform yourself into someone (or something) else. This is where your imagination has free reign – you can change your appearance however you want by wearing a costume, a wig, and/or make-up. Whether you are the one trick-or-treating or the one answering the door with a bowl of candy, Halloween is a holiday full of surprises, where nothing is quite what it seems.

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Katsushika Hokusai – Creative Japanese Artist

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Katsushika Hokusai (1760- 1849) was an artist whose life demonstrated the joy found in hard work, continuous learning, and perseverance. This Japanese artist went by many names throughout his life, each of which reflected a different period of artistic transition. His most well-known name is Katsushika Hokusai; a name associated with the most famous of his pieces.

Katsushika Hokusai’s love of learning about and producing art began at the age of six. Most experts believe that Hokusai’s relationship with art began as he watched his father add artwork to the mirrors he made. Throughout his adolescent years Hokusai was exposed to the world of art while working in a bookshop and as an apprentice to a wood-carver. At the age of eighteen, he was accepted to an art studio called Katsukawa Shunsho which practiced the wood block print style called Ukiyo-e.

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For a decade Hokusai immersed himself in the Ukiyo-e style, which focused on creating images of the courtesans. In 1779, while still studying at the Katsukawa Shunsho studio, he published his first prints. These prints were published under the name Shunro to reflect both the studio and its founder.

When Shunsho, the studio’s master artist, passed away, Hokusai began to study other styles of art, including European styles. His dabbling eventually led to his expulsion from the studio since many of the styles he studied rivaled Ukiyo-e. Hokusai was embarrassed by this event, yet, his embarrassment only served to motivate his development and inspire his artistic career.

At this point in his life Hokusai began expanding his subjects to landscapes and the daily life of individuals from all social levels. This was a breakthrough not only for Hokusai, but for the Ukiyo-e style as well.

He became associated with Tawaraya School of art and thus adopted the name Tawaraya Sori. Under this name he published brush paintings and illustrations for books of humorous poems.

By 1800, at the height of his career, he had adopted the name Katsushika Hokusai. Hokusai published two collections of landscapes: Famous Sights of the Eastern Capital and Eight Views of Edo. At this point, Hokusai had begun to attract his own students.

This period of Hokusai’s life is also marked by stories that testify to his fearless and self- promoting character. One of these stories describes Hokusai painting a portrait of a Buddhist Priest that was approximately 600 feet long. It is said that he painted this enormous piece by using a broom and large buckets full of ink.

Another story tells of Hokusai competing against other artists of his day in the court of the Shogun Lyenari. Hokusai won the competition by painting a blue curve on a piece of paper and then chasing a chicken, whose feet had been dipped in red paint, across the curve. When asked to describe his piece, Hokusai explained it as the Tatsuta River with red maple leaves floating in it.

In the early 1800’s Hokusai went through many stylistic transitions and took on several different names. Under the name Taito he created the Hokusai Magna as well as other art manuals. This endeavor attracted more students. The twelve volumes he created included lessons and thousands of drawings of animals, religious figures, and everyday life.

In 1820 he changed his name again, this time to Litsu. Under this name he painted several pieces that made him forever famous in Japan. These works include Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji and The Great Wave off Kanagawa. During this time he also began to direct his work towards detailed images of single flowers and birds.

In 1834 he changed his name yet again to Gakyo Rojin Manji, which translates as “the old man mad about art.” This was an incredibly fitting name for Hokusai at the time. During this stage of his life, Hokusai believed strongly that the work he had complete before the age of 70 didn’t amount to very much. He felt that he was only beginning to understand structures and how to make images come alive in his paintings. He prayed for a long life that would allow him to continue learning.

In 1839 his studio caught fire and was destroyed. Still, Hokusai continued to paint. At the age of 87 he painted Ducks in a Stream.

True to his continually inquisitive personality, Katsushika Hokusai lay on his death bed in 1849 praying for more time to become a better painter. He is remembered for his incredible talent, but also for being a man passionate about art who found joy in the struggle to learn and become more than what he was.

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Katsushika Hokusai

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Ideas for Creating Halloween Spirit

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Every October, as fallen leaves carpet the ground with brilliant shades of brown, yellow, red and orange, a variety of strange and spooky images start to appear creating Halloween Spirit. Ghosts and ghouls hang from trees, carved pumpkins and gnarled broomsticks appear on doorsteps, spiders weave webs across windows and gravestones turn up on front lawns.

Halloween art sets the stage for the scariest holiday of the year. Well before October 31 rolls around, you’ll want to get busy creating the seasonal decorations that will set the tone for the entire month.

The most common images in Halloween art include:

• ghosts and haunted houses
• witches, broomsticks and cauldrons
• pumpkins and jack o’lanterns
• spiders and cobwebs
• monsters
• werewolves
• vampires and bats
• skulls and skeletons
• gravestones

Both adults and children alike enjoy creating Halloween arts and crafts that bring these strange and macabre images to life. Here are some hands-on ideas for Halloween arts and crafts:

• Color in Halloween images with markers, crayons, paint, or even digitally using your computer
• Cut outlines of spiders, bats, and witches’ hats out of black paper
• Cut out body parts from magazines and paste them on thick paper to make your own monsters
• Create your own gravestone using black marker on grey paper
• Draw a pair of eyes and a wide, smiling mouth full of teeth on a pumpkin, and carve it out to create a jack o’lantern

To get in the holiday spirit, hang your 2-D Halloween arts and crafts in your front windows or on your front door. Place your 3-D Halloween art projects on your doorstep or front lawn.
The most exciting form of “Halloween art” is your costume!

Whether you are a 7 years old or 77 years old, on October 31 you can transform yourself into someone (or something) else. This is where your imagination has free reign – you can change your appearance however you want by wearing a costume, a wig, and/or make-up. Whether you are the one trick-or-treating or the one answering the door with a bowl of candy, Halloween is a holiday full of surprises, where nothing is quite what it seems.

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Reviving Art as the Heart of Education

School art programs fall victim to tight budgets. For years, it has been evident that art classes and extracurricular activities suffer because of budget shortages in the education system. Schools strive to meet state and national standards and, as a result, art programs get left behind.

Recognizing its importance, many teachers and parents see to it that art remains a utilized teaching tool in and out of the classroom. Reviving art education is possible, but to fulfill this need, a new approach is required. Reviving art as the heart of education begins in the family and continues in the classroom.

Art Programs Fall Victim to Tight Budgets

In addition to attendance and enrollment, funding for schools relies on teaching, tests, and other measurables. Art cannot be graded this way. As a result, art programs, which produce numerous benefits for developing minds, are not supported by the current education system.

Art as a Teaching Tool

Some schools and districts work hard to preserve art programs. These schools value the fact that art can be used, not only for expression, but as a teaching tool. Many subjects are better taught with an element of creativity; this brings facts to life, makes information stick, and encourages kids to think beyond the learning structure that controls education.

Art at Home

Like all subjects, art isn’t limited to the classroom and it should not be confined to the four walls of a school house. Creativity works to define who we are, what we value and how we exist in the world around us. Art is found in unlikely places when we choose to make art a part of our everyday lives.

Ultimately, facts, figures, concepts, and information are all empty without the element of creativity. It is important to have opportunities to connect with what we see, hear, and learn in meaningful ways. This happens best through creative expression.

Is art a big part of your life? How can you make art a bigger part of your life? How can you encourage children to be creative learners, and how can a creative approach to education enhance the learning experience?

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