Favorite Things About Spring

An old proverb promises, “No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.” After a long, hard winter, are you ready for spring?

While winter is a beloved season for some, most of us would definitely concur that cheery spring is a welcome change from the frigid dreariness of winter.

Segmation is certainly excited about the approach of spring. Read on to discover our favorite things about the season that thousands of people are inviting with open arms.

Reasons Why Segmation Loves Spring

There are so many reasons Segmation adores spring. Here are just a few:

• Sense of Promise — Would you agree that spring carries a sense of promise that things will improve and problems will finally be resolved? In our opinion, spring is interconnected with a sense a promise. With that sense comes hope that newness is on its way. This newness can look like fresh flowers blooming, making plans for a new start in life or a career change, or even spring cleaning your home to cleanse it of winter’s doldrums. The sweetest promise offered by spring is the assurance that summer is just around the corner, waiting to make its appearance.

• Beautiful Weather — Segmation’s very favorite thing about spring may well be the weather that it introduces. When spring comes, coldness and misery flee, making way for bluer skies, warm breezes, and walkways that are clear of ice and snow. It is the rare person who does not eagerly anticipate the opportunity to once again dress in light, non-confining clothing. Without a doubt, most people can hardly wait to bask in spring’s balmy atmosphere.

• Baby Animals — Is there anything more pleasant than baby chicks, bunnies, horses, and cows? Isn’t it wonderful to take a drive in the country and see a mare with her foal? This explosion of new life is special and anticipated because it only takes place in springtime.

• Fresh Fruits and Vegetables — Food that originates in a garden is not only nourishing to the body; it is also pleasing to the eyes. A bowl of fresh produce brings a sense of abundance and health to a home. There is no better way to announce the arrival of spring than by serving beautiful, fresh fruits and vegetables to your family.

• More Daylight — Segmation dearly loves the increased daylight time that comes with spring. More daylight means more time to enjoy the outdoors. Also, it is a welcome feeling to wake up to a brightly lit morning sky as opposed to the pitch black that should be restricted only to nighttime.

What Do You Love About Spring?

What are some of your favorite things about spring? Do you love the flowers that shoot up from the earth, the restored greenness of grass, or the general feeling of hope that consumes the atmosphere? Comment below and let us know why you are excited about the approach of spring.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Colorful Flowers to Plant this Spring

Welcome Spring with a Freshly Painted Front Door

Coloring Each Season with Healthy Food

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Franz Marc German Expressionist Painter

Franz Marc (1880-1916) was a young man who spent much of his life at the crossroads of war and peace. Even though he would never return from the battlefields of World War I, a sense of peace echoed in his paintings. However, the serenity infused into his artwork did not come from the vibrant colors he used or the subject matter (mostly animals) he featured. His masterpieces had a place in the Expressionist movement because they revered the wisdom of artists who came before him and leveraged the collaboration of fellow artists from his era. But the first artist to influence the work of Franz Marc was his father, a landscape painter. To some, Franz Marc is one of the greatest animal painters of the 20th century.

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However, the serenity infused into his artwork did not come from the vibrant colors he used or the subject matter (mostly animals) he featured. His masterpieces had a place in the Expressionist movement because they revered the wisdom of artists who came before him and leveraged the collaboration of fellow artists from his era.

Marc’s art was characterized by his use of bold and vibrant colors. In fact, by the age of 30, which was near the pinnacle of the young artist’s career, Marc had laid out a set of principles to guide his use of color. In a letter to artist August Macke, Marc wrote, “Blue is the male principle, astringent and spiritual. Yellow is the female principle, gentle, gay and spiritual. Red is matter, brutal and heavy and always the colour to be opposed and overcome by the other two.”

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When looking at Marc’s work and reading his biographies, it becomes clear that he valued the wisdom of fellow artists. However, nothing proves this more than the “Der Blaue Reiter” almanac, which Franz Marc spearheaded in 1911. The title, which translates to “The Blue Rider,” represented a group of artists who rejected Neue Künstlervereinigung München, which was a strict form of art principles set forth by Wassily Kandinsky in 1909. The Blue Rider artists exhibited under this name until 1914.

In addition to color, Franz Marc was known for painting animals using distinct angles. He frequently featured animals in their natural habitats. Portraying members of the animal kingdom with bright color and sharp angles allowed Marc to enhance the emotion of the being and its setting.

Some translated titles of Franz Marc’s artwork include: Dog Lying in Snow; The Yellow Cow; Deer in the Woods; Tiger; The Lamb; and Fate of the Animals. Actually, Fate of the Animals is known throughout Germany as Tierschicksale. This piece is arguably one of Marc’s most profound works of art. Today, it is displayed at the Kunstmuseum Basel in Germany, where, on the back of the canvas these words appear: “Und Alles Sein ist flamed Leid” (“And all being is flaming agony”). He painted Tierschicksale in 1913. Shortly after, Marc volunteered to serve the German forces in World War I. While in service, he explained the painting in a letter to his wife, saying, “it is like a premonition of this war –horrible and shattering. I can hardly conceive that I painted it.”

The concept of war pressed heavily on Franz Marc’s soul. He was distraught by the realities of World War I but still volunteered to fight. In the end, he never returned home. Franz Marc died at the young age of 36.

Despite his short life and abbreviated career, Marc influenced the world of art and advanced the Expressionist art movement. To this day his art is appreciated for its uplifting, emotional value. Even though it was painted in the midst of a dark era, the work of Franz Marc continues to master the art of tranquility. To some, Franz Marc is one of the greatest animal painters of the 20th century.

However, this post is meant to recognize his artist style and some major pieces. For those who want to read more of Marc ‘s story, visit this link: http://www.segmation.com/products_pc_patternset_contents.asp?set=FZM . Also, Segmation is proud to offer 31 digital Marc patterns. By downloading these paint by numbers masterpieces, you can emulate one of the most fascinating artists who ever lived.

Enjoy the 31 Franz Marc – German Expressionist Painter. Segmation has for you and continue to learn and celebrate the life of a great artist.

Read more Segmation blog posts about other great artists:
Jan Gossaert – A Great Flemish Painter of Antiquity”

Émile Bernard – Making Ideas Art

Alfred Stevens – A Life Immersed in Art

Sources:

Franz Marc

Franz Marc Artchive

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Graphic Designer Creates a Different TYPE of Art

What do you call a graphic artist who does not need a computer?

A typewriter artist.

Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Álvaro Franca is often called a graphic designer but may be better known as a typographer or type designer. He creates fonts.

What is your favorite font? You might use Calibri, Arial, Tahoma, or Times New Roman. Franca develops fonts that are seen online and in print. He has developed fonts for reading purposes and as parts of advertisements. He even designed labels for beer bottles.

Franca uses a computer to craft font types, but it is what he creates with a vintage typewriter that makes the 22-year-old artist most impressive.

In a collection of work titled, Typewritten Portraits, Franca creates portraits by using a vintage typewriter to strategically placing single characters on a blank sheet of paper. To deepen the complexity of his work, he defines, shapes, and shades the faces of infamous authors so they are recognizable and, in some cases, may be mistaken for sketch art.

The method for creating Typewritten Portraits was conceptualized by Franca in 2013. While he might be the first person to use a typewriter to recreate portraits of Jose Saramago, Charles H. Bukowski, J.D. Salinger, Jack Kerouac, and Clarice Lispector, he was not the first artist to use a vintage typewriter as an art medium.

In 2012, Segmation wrote a blog about vintage typewriter collector and artist Keira Rathbone. Rathbone lives in London and uses over 30 typewriters to create original works of art.

While both artists use typewriters, Franca and Rathbone have contrasting approaches to creating art. Using his computer, Franca created a method that allows him to know exactly where to put characters on a typewriter page. For instance, from the start, he maps out where to add the letter “m,” which is the character he uses to add depth and dimension to portraits.

Rathbone, on the other hand, does not sketch or outline any of her art. With a well-trained eye, she is able to create scenes from her imagination and recreate images she sees. By going over parts of a picture multiple times she produces the perfect amount of shading. This gives her images the level of depth and dimension that Franca factors in from the start.

These two artists live a world apart but both use typewriters to create masterpieces. Rathbone truly needs no computer while Franca uses his for precision. Watch the artists at work and let us know which approach you like better. Leave us a comment at the bottom of this page.

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/90642350″>Typewritten Portraits</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/alvarofranca”>&Aacute;lvaro Franca</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

 

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Retire in Style with Artistic Flair

Childhood Stories of Paint by Number

How to turn your Passion into Profit

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Behind the Scenes with Segmation: Meet Digital Artist Marta Guijarro De Luna

Artwork comes in all shapes an sizes. Segmation prides itself on offering a variety of digital paint-by-number patterns. Thanks to our digital artists, we are able to distribute new, colorful collections every month.

This month, we have the pleasure of interviewing digital artist Marta Guijarro De Luna.

Marta has designed a number of Segmation’s pattern sets. Some of her recent creations include aerial vehicles and winter sports.

                  

“Life is not about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself”
– George Bernard Shaw

What is your art background? Did you go to university or teach yourself?

I studied art history at the University of Valencia in Spain. I’ve always loved drawing, but before entering college, I was only able to take one sculpture drawing course at Barreira Academy (an academy of drawing in Valencia) for two months during the summer. I learned everything else on my own through countless hours of drawing, trying different techniques (pencil, watercolor, etc.).

When I finished college, I had the opportunity to join a production company where I learned the basics of animation. Soon I was able to work on some of their productions like an animated TV show and an animated feature film. That’s how I began my career in the world of animation.

By that time, my professional life started to move in a different direction and I had to set aside my pencils for some time. I thought drawing would be something I’d never get back to. But, unexpectedly, I had the opportunity to work on a cartoon TV show and after several years I got out my pencils and made a career in the field of illustration. Since then, I’ve been lucky to straddle the path between illustration and animation worlds.

      

Marta’s artwork can be printed on t-shirts, prints, phone cases, mugs, stickers and other goodies. ALAPAPAJU is available now on Society6 and Redbubble.

 “The way to get started is to stop talking and start doing”
-Walt Disney

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?

When I was a little girl I remember saying that I wanted to be an artist or work for Disney.

Other Segmation Sets by Marta

Medieval Friends

 

Ground Vehicles

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working”
-Pablo Picasso

Was there a person or people in your life who encouraged you to be an artist?

Definitely! My family, especially my parents have believed in me from the beginning and always encouraged me to work on projects that were related to drawing and illustration. In their opinion, it was easy to copy something but to create something new from scratch was something that not everyone was able to do. My father, an architect, served as a great critic and helped me polish my drawings, helping me get proportions and perspectives just right. Also I found support from my brothers whenever I needed it. And my boyfriend, who made me pick up again the pencils and encouraged me to take on new challenging projects.

demo reel 2009 from martasan on Vimeo
(Marta is currently working on an updated version of her demo reel. It will include her most recent work on an animated feature film and an animated story for Ipad. For now, enjoy watching her past animation work.)

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when we grow up”
-Pablo Picasso

We hope you enjoyed meeting Marta, digital artist for Segmation. Follow Segmation on Facebook and Twitter to see what pattern set Marta will create next.

Read more Segmation blog posts about inspiring artists:

The Artist Who Wants to Banish Fear of Color

FEATURED ARTIST: OMASTE WITKOWSKI

The Creative, Artistic and Inventive Mind of Leonardo da Vinci

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Behind the Scenes with Segmation: Meet Digital Artist Ana Villanueva

Most of you know that Segmation is the Art of Pieceful Imaging, but very few of you get to experience the magic that goes on behind the scenes.

For this reason, we are eager to answer a burning question some of you have asked:

Where do we get the artwork that YOU bring to life?

Digital Artist Ana Villanueva creates some of Segmation’s pattern sets. Her most recent creation included our Independence Girls.

                            “One of the best things in life is to love what you do, so you can get better at it.”
~Ana Villanueva~

Ana Villanueva is a digital artist from Valencia, Spain. Since she was a child she was always drawing and creating characters. She has been able to make a living of her talent and provide illustration and animation services all around the world. A lot of her inspiration comes from comics, funny cartoons and pop culture. Ana really enjoys making people smile with her art and to illustrate beautiful and colorful characters.

 

 

 

 

Ana’s artwork can be printed on t-shirts, prints, phone cases, mugs, stickers and other goodies. AnishaCreations is available now on Society6 and Redbubble.

“If you really want to catch your dreams you will have to chase them.”
~Ana Villanueva~

She majored in Fine Arts and focused on computer animation and illustration. At a very young age her talent in drawing and creating characters was easily noticed. Years later she turned her natural talent into a career.

Other Segmation Sets by Ana

Have some Ghoulish Fun!

 

 

 

 

Santa’s Girls

 

“Whatever you decide to do in life makes sure it makes you happy!”
~Ana Villanueva~

In addition to filling Segmation with stellar pattern sets, Ana provides illustrations, animation and creative services all across the globe. She pulls a lot of her inspiration from comics, cartoons and pop culture. The digital artist enjoys making people smile with her art and to illustrate beautiful, colorful and fun characters.

Demo Reel: Anisha Creations from Ana Villanueva on Vimeo.

“Life is better when you are laughing.”
~Ana Villanueva~

We hope you enjoyed meeting Ana, digital artist for Segmation. Follow Segmation on Facebook and Twitter to see what pattern set Ana will create next.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art

Tips for Improving your Landscape Drawing Skills

Extracting Art from Science

The Creative, Artistic and Inventive Mind of Leonardo da Vinci 

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The Reason Why Barns Are Red

The sky is blue, grass is green and barns are red – right? We often associate red with the color of barns but today, a barn can be painted any color. However, years ago farmers could not choose the color of their barns.

Why is the Barn Red?

At first, the red barn was not fashionable. It was the consequence of using a sealant to coat the barn’s wood. Centuries back, farmers could not go to their local hardware store to purchase sealant. Instead, they often used a linseed-oil mixture to protect the wood. It created a paint that dried quick and protected the barn for years to come. Linseed-oil has been described as having a “tawny” color, which creates a brownish orange hue when dry. The oil alone would not produce the flaming red shade we see on barns today, but additional ingredients mixed into the lacquer intensified the red undertones.

Sealant Mixture Created Red

In the linseed-oil mixture, farmers often added milk and lime. In addition, they added a rust (or ferrous oxide). Rust was useful to farmers who wanted to strangle fungi, mold and moss before it could grow on their barns and decay the wood. Other than rust, some farmers added animal blood to oil mixtures. The wet paint would go on brilliant red but dry and remain brownish-red.

The red barn was not intentional, at first. But once farmers started to see the effects of this linseed oil mixture, they seemed to like how the red barn contrasted the traditional white farmhouse. By the time paint made its way onto the scene in the middle to late 1800s, red was a popular shade. It was also the most expensive but farmers didn’t seem to care. Red had become the mark of the barn and many were willing to pay for it. It wasn’t until whitewash became cheaper than red paint that white barns began to appear.

Today, farmers have the option to seal and paint their barns almost any shade. Some stick with the traditional red. Others use colors to identify the purpose of the barn.

While farming has come a long way, the red barn seems to be frozen in time.

Read more Segmation blog posts about the color red:

Red Artwork is Worth Fortunes

The Color Red and its Many Meanings

All About the Color Red – Sensational Color!

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Basic Color Theory – Color Matters

The world is filled with infinite shades of color, from a candy-apple-red sports car to a smoldering orange sunset to the crisp green of springtime grass. The popular color wheel simplifies the shades into 12 distinct colors to help illustrate the variations.

Arranged in a circle with 12 sections, the wheel presents a visual representation of the primary colors in the following order: blue, blue/green, green, yellow/green, yellow, yellow/orange, orange, red/orange, red, red/purple, purple, blue/purple. The colors are arranged in a chromatic sequence, with complementary shades opposite one another. These are all of the standalone colors that cannot be created by mixing other hues. Secondary and tertiary hues can then be created by mixing three primary colors (traditionally red, yellow, and blue).

The color wheel is further segmented into active and passive hues. Active colors (reds, oranges, yellows) will appear as more dominant when placed against passive shades, while the passive colors (purples, blues, greens) appear to recede when viewed near the active ones.

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Read more Segmation blog posts about Primary colors:

A Closer Look at Complementary Colors

Gender/Color Divide

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Gender/Color Divide

How many colors can you see? It’s easy to start rattling them off, but after a couple dozen, you may find yourself struggling to keep the list going. In reality, most of us are trichromats, which means we have three standard cones in our retinas to detect blue, green, and red. From there, our brains can discern about 1 million different shades made up of those three primary colors.

 

While you’re still reeling from that number, consider this: studies have shown that a small percentage of women are tetrachromats — in addition to the standard three cones in their retinas, they have an extra fourth cone that allows them to pick up a total of 100 million shades! That’s a whole lot of Crayolas.

Interestingly, men don’t have the potential for this color-detecting superpower. That’s because the extra gene is found on the X chromosome, and men have only one of those. Since women have two X chromosomes, there’s a rare possibility (2-3%) that they’ll have two types of red cones on each one.

In many cases, tetrachromats may not even realize their heightened sensitivity to color variations — until someone else points it out.

Read more Segmation blog posts about Gender artwork:

Blue is for Boys, Pink is for Girls

Do Men and Women See Colors Differently?

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Red Artwork is Worth Fortunes

 

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The color red is loud. It makes statements and sends signals. But the impact it has on the world of contemporary art goes beyond trendsetting. People are trading their fortunes for predominately red artwork.

At a recent auction, Sotheby’s in London recognized a shocking trend: five of the six highest-selling masterpieces were mostly red.

Forbes contributor Danielle Rahm points out that this sale took place right before Valentine’s Day. However, it is hard to believe the romantic holiday could drum up the prices of red artwork to nearly 30 million dollars.

Alex Brancik head of Contemporary Art for Sotheby’s in London sheds light on this expensive trend. “Red is a color that incites passion. It’s the color of the sunset, it’s the color of blood,” he says. “When we’re pricing things we’re aware of the power of red.”

Putting feelings of romance and passion aside, what encouraged the buyer of Sotheby’s recent high seller (Wand by Gerhard Richter) to spend 28.7 million dollars on the piece? New sales numbers show that increased value of contemporary artwork infused with the color red may depend less on Valentine’s Day or emotional influences and more on the buyer’s cultural heritage.

Affluent Cultures Embrace the Color Red

To be more specific, affluent cultures may be the reason why certain pieces of contemporary art are selling high.

Countries all over the world embrace the color red. A number of these nations are located in Asia. In China, for instance, red is synonymous with luck and joy. In addition, on special occasions, Chinese nationals extend their cultural roots by offering a monetary gift known as a “red envelope.”

Considering the positive message red sends, it is understandable why red artwork may be appealing to people who live in China. In fact, Christie’s auction house reported that “…one in three of its customers were new in 2013, many of whom came from emerging markets such as China,” and “Sotheby’s estimates that China now accounts for $14 billion of the $58 billion global art market.” Sales reports go onto claim that there was a 36 percent increase of art sales in Asia and the Middle East. Another interesting fact shows the rate at which European’s purchase art dropped by 12 percent while the Americas, Hong Kong and Dubai all increased their fine art spending.

Nevertheless, China is viewed as playing a prominent role in the current health of the contemporary art market. An Associated Press article claims that China is “one reason the art market has rebounded from the global financial crisis of 2008.” People with new affluence in China are collecting contemporary artwork and may be encouraging art trends more than any color could alone.

While red has proven emotional draws and psychological intrigue, some wonder if growing affluence in China is the reason why red artwork is worth a fortune.

Read more Segmation blog posts about red artwork:

The Color Red and its Many Meanings

A Closer Look at the Color Red

Red and Green are an Unlikely Pair

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Mozilla is human

A penny for your thoughts?

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commonspace

A few days ago I wrote: Mozilla is messy. For better and for worse, the week’s events showed how true that is.

Looking back at the past week, this also comes to mind: Mozilla is human. In all the best and worst ways. With all the struggle and all the inspiration. Mozilla is very very human.

On the inspiration part, I need to say: Brendan Eich is one of the most inspiring humans that I have ever met. He is a true hero for many of us. He invented a programming language that is the heart and soul of the most open communications system the world has ever known. He led a band of brilliant engineers and activists who freed the internet from the grip of Microsoft. And, one-on-one, in his odd and brilliant ways, he helped and advised so many of us as we put our own hearts and souls into building…

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