Art for My Home
FranchiseT
I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
struck by how expensive everything I want is.
Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
the time.
Maria Rost Rublee
FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) wrote:
: I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
One option is to buy prints of major artists and frame them. At the
Smithsonian you canbuy prints of most major artists for little to nothing.
Framed nicely, they are great! Of course, this may only be available at
the Smithsonian Museum of American ARt...but you could always call them
for a catalog.
maria
Maria Rost Rublee
FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) wrote:
: I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
: for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
: struck by how expensive everything I want is.
: Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
: please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
: the time.
If you have the time, go to garage sales in nicer areas. We have noticed
alot of people sell their stuff including art work. But DC may be an
exceptional area, with lots of military people moving in and out all the
time.
Maria
Elaine Gallegos
Borrow an art book from the library, and make color copies. These look
smashing in frames, arranged in groups. You can make several copies of one
picture if you like it very much, and do an arrangement of many copies of
the same picture.
Another popular look right now is to frame hand stitched or lacy women's
hankerchiefs or other small needlework for a romantic look.
FranchiseT <franc...@aol.com> wrote:
: I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
: for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
: struck by how expensive everything I want is.
: Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
: please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
: the time.
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elaine Gallegos
sat...@primenet.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marion Bon
franc...@aol.com (FranchiseT) wrote:
:|I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
:|for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
:|struck by how expensive everything I want is.
:|
:|Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
:|please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
:|the time.
Got any old art calendars around? Check in the bargain bins of
your local bookstore, it may be a bit late to see if they have any
of this year left, but you never know. Frames are usually easy to
find at thrift shops or garage sales. You may even find a print or
two that you like in the thrift shops or garage sales.
Ask friends and family, some non-frugals redecorate often. Someone
you know may have something you love tucked away in the attic or
basement that they'll give to you or let you borrow for awhile.
Check out poster shops and such, they may have a damaged goods area
where things are sold at a discount. I'm also posting this to
alt.dumpster, our inveterate divers might be able to tell you
whether it's worth checking out the dumpsters behind the poster
shops.
Don't limit yourself to prints. Do you have any interesting
plates? What about anything handmade, especially quilted? I have
a baby-sized quilt that looks great on the wall. The idea is to
look around at your possessions, even things you wouldn't normally
hang on a wall and try looking at it in a new way. I'm becoming an
addict of some of the more practical decorating magazines (the ones
that don't assume that everyone has a zillion dollars), which I
started reading in the grocery store checkout line, and what I've
gotten from them is that the most important element of decorating
is not dollars, but imagination.
Hope this helps.
rgds Marion
Leigh R Hidell
: Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
: please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
: the time.
Dumpster diving -- if you are patient. Esp. residential
trash picking. Most of the art is tacky, but you
occasionally encounter a gem. The picture frames
themselves are one of the most commonly encountered
items. Also, you can get some free posters off
the web, for instance I recently received some
very nice ones from the gov't. (This assumes you
like nature/outer space/NASA type things.)
We also found corkboard that we used in our offices
covered w/ old & new maps -- maps look great &
are available free at welcome centers, off the
various tourist boards on the web, etc. --Leigh
Leigh R Hidell
: Check out poster shops and such, they may have a damaged goods area
: where things are sold at a discount. I'm also posting this to
Video poster shops often throw out prints. I have
resold such "discards" at garage sales since I'm
not personally into having movie ads on my wall. <g>
: Don't limit yourself to prints. Do you have any interesting
: plates? What about anything handmade, especially quilted? I have
: a baby-sized quilt that looks great on the wall. The idea is to
Oh, I should have thought of this. I have several
handmade quilts that I have hung, however, I didn't
think of posting about it because I made them myself.
If a friend or family member has given you such
a gift, by all means, it deserves display! --Leigh
John & Mari Morgan
Since I've never found anything I like for artwork at yard sales...
here are some other suggestions :-)
Know any artistic types? Suck up to 'em. :-) We're privileged in that
my MIL is a painter by profession, and we can get laser photocopies of
her works. (We also have one original on loan, and have commissioned
one more as a very belated wedding present.) The photo shops around
here have laser photocopiers that will copy up to (I think) 24"x36"
and cost about $5 a copy, and frames in fairly standard sizes can be
had cheaply if you look carefully and are handy with a can of spray
paint.
Also, if you like "fantasy art," look for science fiction conventions
in your area. The art shows are a wonderful place for inexpensive art,
either amateur originals or laser prints of professional works - we
bought some as gifts at the Arisia convention in Boston last January,
and for $10 a pop we got beautiful _large_ matted prints ready for
framing. Popped into $6.99 "seconds" frames from the Lechter's factory
outlet, we had a good chunk of the year's birthdays all set.
Museum shops have wonderful art posters, usually very cheaply. I
usually cut off the bottom margin with the museum "advertisement" as
it detracts from the picture. Science and natural history museums have
especially good ones IMO, of planetscapes, galaxies, and other
beautiful semi-scientific stuff.... anyone remember the photos of that
nebula (I think) with the swirly orange and red clouds? That was
amazing... More traditional artwork posters come cheaply from art
museums, even the smaller local ones. We've bought a lot from
historical societies as well.
Some people really love "kid art." Give a kid (IMO the younger the
better) some large pieces of paper that will fit frames you have and
watercolors, crayons, fingerpaints, stencils, you name it. Keeps the
kid entertained and you get art for your walls. Stuff that's brightly
colored - a kid favorite - is great for long white hallways. Great for
babysitting - and most kids are more than happy to provide
replacements when you're tired of the originals!
Can you tell I think eclecticism is the key to decorating from one's
own personality? :-)
On 30 Jun 1997 04:06:46 GMT, franc...@aol.com (FranchiseT) wrote:
>I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
>for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
>struck by how expensive everything I want is.
>
>Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
>please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
>the time.
---------------------------------------------------
Mari E. Morgan, morgans1 AT mindspring.com
"...ever get the feeling that the story's too damn real
and in the present tense?"
Spam email cheerfully read with submission of $500 proofing fee
S. Abraham
Depending on where you live, your local library may have art available
for you to check out for long periods of time for free. (At least,
this has been true in many of the places I've lived, and sometimes
they have had some very nice prints including many done by local
artists.)
Stacy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spam-block alert! Please remove the two asterisks
from my address if replying by e-mail.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phyllis Harbst
Inquire at a local college art class or art school. Many times students
will provide their work at a nominal charge or paint on commission for
the experience and entry for their resume. Maybe you can even barter
with them for some homebaked goodies.
Andrew Rogers
In article <19970630040...@ladder01.news.aol.com> franc...@aol.com (FranchiseT) writes:
>Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
>please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
>the time.
Outdated calendars - now that the 1998 calendars are already starting to
show up, a lot of places are closing out the remaining stock of 1997
calendars dirt cheap. Cut out the artwork and put it in yard-sale frames.
I picked up the previous year's Audobon calendar for the asking when a
museum was cleaning house. Some people decorate with Audobon prints, others
decorate with pink flamingoes - but you can't beat an Audobon print *of* a
pink flamingo!
Andrew
@pica.army.mil Lucinda
Check out stores for clearance prices on calendars. Should be available
for a buck or two this time of year. Some of them have truly beautiful
scenes. Frame them yourself with frames found at garage sales, etc.
Also check out postcards or greeting cards.
Lucinda
--
lrasmuss @ pica army mil
FranchiseT <franc...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19970630040...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...
> I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
> for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
> struck by how expensive everything I want is.
>
Karen Wheless
> >I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
> >for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
> >struck by how expensive everything I want is.
When I was in college, at the beginning of every term there would be a
huge poster sale. A travelling poster company would set up a display in
the common area, and sell posters for six or seven dollars each.
Hundreds to choose from, everything from nice art reprints to photos of
beer bottles. If you have a college nearby, call the student center and
ask about this. Also, college bookstores usually have a poster section.
--
Karen Wheless
kwhe...@rockland.net
wavie
pcha wrote:
> The National Geological Service [I think that's the name] makes
> topographical maps of almost every area. I've found them in
> hiking/mountaineering stores like Eastern Mountain Sports. They are
> not
> very expensive and look really nice in a simple frame.
When I was growing up, my parents has a very large Nat'l Geographic
world atlas wallpapered to the wall in our kitchen nook (maybe 5' by
4'). It was interesting, colorful, and helped all of the kids to learn
geography. People would comment all the time on what a great idea it
was. When my folks sold the home several years ago, the buyer added
several stipulations, one being that my parents "leave" the map. We all
had a HUGE laugh over that... they couldn't have taken it if they wanted
to! It had been wallpapered there since 1963!!
Carol
pcha
> FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) wrote:
> : I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries >
> : Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
> : please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
> : the time.
>
architechtural interest. You can put cheap painted or stained casing
about four feet up from the floor and paint the lower half a different
color.
Then you can have just one or a couple of things on the wall and they
won't seem to be floating in a sea of white. Anything would go there.
But, make sure you are putting it there because you like it, not to take
up space. I think that's how clutter and packrat syndrome start. I
know :] I've a horrible time getting rid of things, even if they've
outlived their usefullness or I don't really like them.
Congrats on your new home!
Kathleen
Andrew Rogers wrote:
>
> In article <19970630040...@ladder01.news.aol.com> franc...@aol.com (FranchiseT) writes:
> >please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
> >the time.
Find some postcards you like and frame them!! This is one of my
faveorite
frugal gifts!
Kathleen
pcha
>
> > FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) wrote:
> > : I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries >
> > : please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
> > : the time.
One more thought on cheap artwork. I have given these as gifts and most
everybody who gets them thinks they are beautiful...
MOONMAN
In article <5p8hht$1a...@r02n01.cac.psu.edu>, pa...@cde.psu.edu (Phyllis
Harbst) wrote:
Plus, at the school where I live, Grad students of fine art have a show
every semester that sometimes contains economical items.
--
Dispoilers beware!
Diana rules the night.
-THE MOONMAN
Dorothea M. Rovner
Don't rule out textiles for a long wall. A lot of places sell
ornamental bedspread-type thingies that hang beautifully. I have one
on my wall myself, so I know whereof I speak. :)
This might be a good stopgap until you dumpster-dive or museum-acquire
stuff you like better.
Dorothea
--
Dorothea M. Rovner -- Gradual Student
The address in the headers is a spamcatcher. If you send mail
there, I cannot guarantee I will read it. Please send mail to
my real address, which is dmrovner (at) students.wisc.edu .
Lillian Martineau
FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) writes:
> I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
> for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
> struck by how expensive everything I want is.
>
> Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
> please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
> the time.
Have you thought about getting prints from calendars and framing them?
Good luck.
LM
JiaStar
One way my husband and I decorated cheaply was to go to art sotre sin the
Mall.. like Prints Plus, etc.....
alot of these stores frequently rotate the framed prints they hang on the
walls and often put them on clearance to make room for new ones
we've bought 4 gorgeous framed prints for around 20.00 each that had orig
prices of up to 95.00
might be worth a shot
Jia Starsong
http://members.aol.com/JiaStar/wicca.html - info on the religions of Wicca and Witchcraft
http://members.aol.com/JiaStar/tarot.html - req't an inexpensive Tarot Reading
http://members.aol.com/JiaStar/bookstore.html - online bookstore
Jeanne Yang
FranchiseT wrote:
>
> I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
> for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
> struck by how expensive everything I want is.
>
> Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
> please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
> the time.
If you have any pictures (from trips, events, birthdays, etc.) - the 4x6
or 5x7 size - put them in clear frames and hang them about 7-8 inches
apart at eye level. The hallway now looks like a photography exhibit!
The nice part about using pictures is that it provides a more personal
touch.
Good luck!
linda
FranchiseT wrote:
>
> I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
> for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
> struck by how expensive everything I want is.
>
> Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
> please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
> the time.
Another idea, if you see a picture (e.g. in a magazine) that you like
that is too small, take it into a copy place and make a blow-up copy for
framing. This costs only pennies. I have done this to photos as well,
and have been extremely pleased with the results after framing.
James Gerken
In article <moonman-3006...@lrbr5-5.linknet.net> moo...@earthorbit.edu (MOONMAN) writes:
>In article <5p8hht$1a...@r02n01.cac.psu.edu>, pa...@cde.psu.edu (Phyllis
>Harbst) wrote:
>> Inquire at a local college art class or art school. Many times students
>> will provide their work at a nominal charge or paint on commission for
>> the experience and entry for their resume. Maybe you can even barter
>> with them for some homebaked goodies.
likely to include students from out of state with few cooking skills
or housed in dorms with no kitchens.
>Plus, at the school where I live, Grad students of fine art have a show
>every semester that sometimes contains economical items.
because he had run out of garage space to store his work.
Justified and Ancient,
James
--
"And once you have bitten the core, you will always know the flavor."
"Illumination then, or madness."
Cin
> FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) wrote:
> : Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
> : please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent
nor
> : the time.
Just as a note, there are many wonderful ways to decorate your walls, as
the suggestions here indicate. However, it is decoration and not "art".
Lisa
I save my old calendars for this purpose. My favorite are the Maxfield
Parish prints & finding discounted calendars after the first of the year adds
frugility to the "do-it-yourself" satisfaction. You'll get 12 pictures with a
theme & recycle too. I also have a greeting card collection that will one day
grace the walls of my bathroom.
You can use rubber cement to glue it to foam core (?) or just poster board.
Rubber cement will come off easily if you screw up. Any glue for paper should
work but hot glue may be lumpy. You can find beautiful paper at art stores or
sometimes at Asian markets to mat the prints with.(I remember fondly a store
called Ikio's in Chicago that made their own paper.) If you're handy with an
xacto knife or boxcutter you can do all the matting yourself. Ask a few
questions at a frame shop or maybe an art student could assist for a few bucks.
I don't bother to frame mine, but my local thrift store always has a large
selection of old frames that would look great with a little paint or stain.
I'm currantly enthralled with making paper at this time & plan to use some of it
to mat photos & those greeting cards.
Hope this helps.
Lisa.....a crafty herbalist
franc...@aol.com (FranchiseT) wrote:
>I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
>for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
>struck by how expensive everything I want is.
>Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
Lisa
Evelyn Wells
> FranchiseT wrote:
> >
> > I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
> > for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
> > struck by how expensive everything I want is.
> >
> > Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
> > please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
> > the time.
>
Our local city library loans out framed artwork! Haven't tried
it myself, but they looked pretty nice from a distance. Then
you could even try out different styles of art to see what you
like and how it goes with the rest of your decor before you
buy any. I think I remember that our university library did the
same thing...
Rummage sales, garage sales, resale and goodwill/S.A. stores
also are a good source of random art. Also, it could be cool to
find a neat old book (botanical or architectural prints are very
popular now), and frame a set of pages. Very "pottery barn"!!
The "series" effect is a great way to fill up a long space.
--
Evelyn Wells
http://www.eai.com/
Engineering Animation, Inc.
eve...@eai.com
Maximum Woman
I work in a library, and have found that the publishers' catalogs often
have beautiful pictures. In addition to a few larger-sized pictures I've
found, there are sometimes small ones that could possibly be grouped in
small frames, or used in a row as a funky border. An added bonus is that
these publishers often go all out with these catalogs, so the
pictures wil bee printed on sturdy, finished stock.
If your decorating scheme can stand the frivolity, another fun idea would
be to use comics, copied and blown up, in frames--maybe a bunch of framed
"Far Sides" all in a row. Another comic idea would be to buy a
compilation of a favorite comic strip--one of those books where the strips
are in order, so they read like a story--and line the strips in order all
the way down the wall, or in horizontal stripes. If you bought two of the
same book, you wouldn't even have to worry about copying the strips.
Cheers,
Maximum Woman
"I love to see the first bloom of a wild rose, to smell the salt spray of
an ocean breeze, to hear the laughter of little children at play. Oh, no,
wait, that's somebody else."
Cheers,
Maximum Woman
"I love to see the first bloom of a wild rose, to smell the salt spray of
an ocean breeze, to hear the laughter of little children at play. Oh, no,
wait, that's somebody else."
Elsie Dinsmore
> > FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) wrote:
>
> > : Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
> > : please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent
> nor the time.
>
> the suggestions here indicate. However, it is decoration and not "art".
>
Check your local libraries -- many have a variety of framed reproductions
available for loan.
------------------
Elsie
KIRTO
On 30 Jun 1997, FranchiseT wrote:
> I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
> for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
> struck by how expensive everything I want is.
>
> Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
> please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
> the time.
Many have responded with sources of prints, but I would like to offer an
alternative. I've seen this done in banks and restaurants where creating
an interesting surround is a goal.
Consider mounting interesting *objects* along that wall. Coins, buttons,
spoons, keys, knives, wristwatches, various pins and emblems, cufflinks,
plates, marbles, and similar objects can make interesting displays but are
often available at very low prices from flea markets and garage sales.
Some things naturally arrange into a timeline along the wall, others can
be arranged by features. Objects may be all of a kind, or all of a period,
or even all variants of one color.
I think the trick here is to recognize that these can be *ordinary*
objects of no great intrinsic value. They can be mounted simply, perhaps
even on pieces of foamboard. (Plates do need plate hangers.) Pieces don't
have to be perfect either--they just need to demonstrate the property you
want to show.
--Kirt
John & Mari Morgan
On Wed, 2 Jul 1997 15:09:39 -0400, KIRTO <Kho...@cris.com> wrote:
*schnip of some great ideas*
> (Plates do need plate hangers.)
I think it's one of the Tightwad Gazette books that shows how to
cobble up very functional plate hangers out of coathanger wire or
heavy paper clips and rubber bands. It's been a while so my memory may
not be perfect. Even commercial plate hangers are not terribly
expensive, though.
Kirto's comments remind me of one home that I visited where the
"decoration" over one HUGE fireplace was simply a very large, funky,
gnarly piece of driftwood. It looked _amazing_.
After posting my previous comment, I also remembered about my mom's
house, which is very charming. She has four children and boxes upon
boxes of family snapshots. One of her "always-on-the-lookout" items
for yard saling is those collage frames, which she fills with pictures
of us kids and packs fairly closely together in the dull hallway and
stairway. She calls it the gallery, and guests on the way to the loo
always spent several minutes looking at all the pictures and trying to
guess which kid is which (we all looked very much alike as small
chuildren). I must admit, though, that it was kind of embarrassing the
first time I brought my then-boyfriend-now-husband over and there were
naked baby pictures of me on the wall! *laugh* I got over it,
obviously. (As a side note, one of my favorite wedding gifts was from
my mom - she took a pretty, inexpensive photo album and filled it with
copies or originals of every single picture she had of me growing up.
I love looking at it.)
jschadeck
Also, it could be cool to
> find a neat old book (botanical or architectural prints are very
> popular now), and frame a set of pages.
Some of these old books are very valuable. It would be better to save
the book and make color copies of the pages you want to use.
Marilyn Matte
>: Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
>: please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
>: the time.
Salvation Army -- I've purchased, in the past month, (1) a signed, numbered
print for $7.99, (2) two lovely charcoal sketches of local scenes for $14 (and
I was interested in those primarily because I saw the frame first,
then saw what was in them (3) today, for $20 (25% off the $25 price)
a beautifully framed local watercolour.
Can't beat the price -- :)
Kirsten Krebs Thomson
>FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) writes:
>> I just purchased a new home that has a long white hallway that cries out
>> for prints. However, in searching for some nice prints, I have been
>> struck by how expensive everything I want is.
>> Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
>> please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent nor
>> the time.
>From: bk...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Lillian Martineau)
>Have you thought about getting prints from calendars and framing them?
>Good luck.
>LM
The calendar idea is a good one, although framing can get expensive if you do
the whole glass and wood thing. Sometimes simple mats can look good and are
much less expensive. Another idea that might work for you if you are a saver
of greeting-type cards is to use them in a collage. For our wedding last year
we got a ton of really interesting, beautiful cards, not of the typical,
Hallmark cheesiness. Just b/c I didn't want to throw them out, I arranged them
in groups, based on colors/themes, etc. and taped them on pieces of stiff
paper and tacked them up on a bare white wall. I had just planned on leaving
it up for awhile, but we liked the look of it so much that, 18 months later,
it's still up.
Good luck
Kirsten
Leigh R Hidell
: The calendar idea is a good one, although framing can get expensive if you do
: the whole glass and wood thing. Sometimes simple mats can look good and are
Good Lord. Framing is free if you're into the
whole glass & wood thing. At least in this neck of
the woods, if you can't find more free frames in the
trash than any one human being can ever use, you
don't deserve the title of dumpster diver!!!
(I realize not everybody dives, but this is one
area where the DDer's really do well IME.)
--Leigh
P.S. Look in dumpster outside pro framing shops for
matting materials...again more than anyone could
ever use!
John & Mari Morgan
On 4 Jul 1997 00:09:57 GMT, Leigh R Hidell <lr...@gnofn.org> wrote:
>P.S. Look in dumpster outside pro framing shops for
>matting materials...again more than anyone could
>ever use!
*grin* Lucky you! In my experience, the framers around here are _very_
frugal - all I ever find is teeny scraps (collections of itty-bitty
framed whatevers - matted postcards, etc. - are BIG here, which uses
up the "scrap" matboard) or matboard that's not worth using because
it's slashed, dirty, creased, etc. Also, I think the art students from
the umpty-zillion colleges of art around here may beat me to the
usable stuff. :-( Keeping yourself stocked with good matboard can get
pricey, as I remember well from the scadzillions of art courses _I_
took.
That is, of course, setting aside those curmudgeonly shop owners with
locked or compactor dumpsters. Grrr. Or, even worse, the ones who give
large chunks of usable matboard to kids to draw on. *shudder*
John & Mari Morgan
>>Have you thought about getting prints from calendars and framing them?
>>Good luck.
>>LM
>
>The calendar idea is a good one, although framing can get expensive if you do
>the whole glass and wood thing.
Frames from yard sales, clearance bins, dollar stores, Goodwill,
handmedowns, the-frame-is-nice-but-the-picture's-hideous, seconds or
abandoneds from a framing shop are usually dirt cheap. Having
something framed at a frame shop is what gets expensive. Yucky frames
can be revived with spray paint, decoupage, refinishing, trompe de
l'oeil (sp), or even a good scrub. "Gallery frame" (a piece of glass
held to a backing with tiny metal clips, no surrounding frame) are
cheap to make and do not detract from the artwork being displayed.
My MIL is an artist by trade and we're constantly on the lookout for
recyclable frames for her to use for her paintings. :-)
>Sometimes simple mats can look good and are much less expensive.
IMO mats only are really best for something temporary, as even a pro
matting job will warp over time and it will not prevent the artwork
from being damaged. Also, in my experience with matting (and I've had
quite a bit), mats that get dirty are almost impossible to clean
satisfactorily.
In addition, high quality matboard can get VERY expensive, especially
if you are cheap-not-frugal and buy lousy high acid matting which will
destroy your artwork. It's very depressing when that wonderful pricey
matboard gets grungy, bent, warped, and ugly because it wasn't
protected.
Stacie Hagwood
Any tips for cutting your own mat board with an exacto-knife?
pcha
Stacie Hagwood wrote:
>
> Any tips for cutting your own mat board with an exacto-knife?
If you want to make a frame with the mat you need to first mark the
corners of the area you want to cut out. Use a very sharp pencil to
make a clean dot or a cross.
Often times a piece is matted a little higher than center. IE: the mat
will be a little bigger on bottom than on top. This helps with
perspective when it's hung.
Use a metal ruler or a wooden ruler that has a "very good" metal edge
[most don't]. Don't use plastic, the exacto will run into it and start
cutting the straight edge instead of the mat.
Place the straight edge on the mat side of your cut line. Always keep
your blade on the waste side. That way if it goes off your line it only
ends up ruining the part you were gonna toss anyways.
Use long light/medium pulls with the blade. Don't try to cut in one
slice. Do it a few times. Also start and stop a little bit beyond your
hatch marks. This allows for a clean 90 degree angle in the corners
instead of fuzzy corners [go something like 1/16th beyond].
When you are cutting, try to angle your blade. Use your index finger
knuckle or thumb as a running guide to keep the bevel constant. Once
you get the hang of it a bevel cut is really pretty easy and will not
only look like a pro job but will show off your picture much better.
Phew, I think I wrote a book!
David Hinds
pcha (pcha*@ludl.tds.net) wrote:
: Stacie Hagwood wrote:
: >
: > Any tips for cutting your own mat board with an exacto-knife?
You should consider buying a cheap mat cutter... this is a razor blade
mounted in a metal frame that you can slide against a straight edge,
with marks on it showing exactly how far you've cut. Fancy mat
cutters, with attached straight edges, are expensive, but the small
hand held ones are cheap. I think the one I bought was under $10, but
it has been a while. A mat cutter makes it much easier to cut a clean
line, and makes it trivial to make beveled cuts. You can also set the
cutting depth. As the first reply suggested, a metal straight edge is
best.
Other tips... press HARD on the straight edge to keep it from shifting
around. When I cut my first mat, my problems came from the straight
edge wandering while I was cutting. Later, I did it on the floor,
using a big paper cutter with scrap mat board on top to support the
mat I was cutting, with my knee on the straight edge to keep it from
shifting. I'm not sure about the suggestion for cutting in several
passes... it sounds logical, but when I was cutting, I always did just
one pass, and there must have been a reason -- maybe that's what the
mat cutter instructions said to do. With a fresh blade, cutting in
one pass did not require a huge effort.
Another tip for keeping the straight edge straight... if you're
cutting a fairly narrow border, there may not be a lot of room to rest
the straight edge on (and not much width to lean on). Use a piece of
scrap mat adjacent to the side you're cutting to support the straight
edge. And use more scraps next to the straight edge, so that you have
a wider flat surface to press on. And practice some with a spare
piece before you do your nice big 20x24 fancy acid-free mat board.
-- Dave
Cathy McDiarmid
My local library lends out artwork - I've never borrowed it, but you
could have a new selection of artwork every few weeks - for free!
--
Cathy McDiarmid, owner of Born to Love at born...@octonline.com
Subscribe to free E-News: Frugal Baby, Parents Forum, Product Features, more!
Order our FREE baby catalogue at http://www.catscan.com/bornto/bornto.html.
Come & shop at our Virtual store at http://www.diamondavenue.com/borntolove
Raincloud
John & Mari Morgan wrote:
>
> On Wed, 2 Jul 1997 15:09:39 -0400, KIRTO <Kho...@cris.com> wrote:
>
> *schnip of some great ideas*
>
> > (Plates do need plate hangers.)
>
> I think it's one of the Tightwad Gazette books that shows how to
> cobble up very functional plate hangers out of coathanger wire or
> heavy paper clips and rubber bands. It's been a while so my memory may
> not be perfect. Even commercial plate hangers are not terribly
> expensive, though.
Yeah, but if you collect plates, the hangers can add up fast, plus they
only seem to come in two sizes. I use plates and ashtrays for
decoration. DH is very handy with stuff like that, and first made the
hangars you describe. Later he bought some springs from the hardware
store -- 10 cents each -- and copied and adapted different commercial
style plate hangars.
Our favorite way, though, is to use silicon sealer and wire. You have
to clean the plate with a little rubbing alcohol where you're sticking
the sealer. You also need to bend the wire in a little hook on both
ends so there's something for the sealer to stick to. It has to dry for
a good 24 hours, too.
YMMV, but we've come to the silicon after years of trial and error -- no
broken plates, though. :-)
I don't know how glue guns would work -- I'd be scared it's not strong
enough.
One advantage of this is you can throw all the plates *with their
hangars on* in the dishwasher to clean. And if you wish to restore the
plate to its' original condition, just cut off the silicone with a razor
blade. <VBG>
Rubber bands deteriorate over time.
> Kirto's comments remind me of one home that I visited where the
> "decoration". . .
A friend has decorated her kitchen walls with enamel pot lids of
different sizes and colors she's found at garage sales and such. Very
different and colorful and they go right in the dishwasher to clean.
Raincloud
Dan Hoyer
Kettir wrote:
>
> On Fri, 04 Jul 1997 12:11:21 -0400, pcha wrote:
>
> >Stacie Hagwood wrote:
> >>
> >> Any tips for cutting your own mat board with an exacto-knife?
>
> >you get the hang of it a bevel cut is really pretty easy and will not
> >only look like a pro job but will show off your picture much better.
>
> matts are made of pretty tough stuff. There must be a truly easy way
> to do this.
Definitely the easiest way is with a mat board cutter, and fresh blades.
However, if you don't want to buy one, then use a steel straightedge(you
can cut aluminum ones with the knife), and an x-acto with the biggest
handle you can find. (for controlability)And replace your blades often.
Most people don't realize how quickly the blade dulls on mat board.
Practice doing straight cuts first, and then after you get those down,
then try a 45degree bevel. Always protect the surface you are trying to
keep with the steel straightedge so you don't accidentally cut into it
if you swerve off your line, and since bevels are done from the front,
protect the mat board with paper or something under the straight edge so
you don't mar it.
And remember, corners are the hardest part of the whole process. They're
a real pain in the a--. Straight corners are easiest drawing the knife
away from the corner, and bevels meet up better drawing the knife
towards the corner. Trim up problems with a new blade, or a razor blade.
My 2.0028375492 cents worth (pentium lookup error)
DanH
in...@diagplus.com
Having gone to School of Visual Arts for 4 years and cutting mat boards
ALL the time, I think that a mat cutter is a little hard to use, unless
you have a good art table and some clamps to hold down the board. I mat
a lot of artwork for myself and just draw the cutting lines all over the
back, and cut it with a REALLY sharp blade (an Exacto knife works well),
VERY slowly with a metal (not plastic!) ruler or T-Square. I forget
about the bevel. I've wasted more mat board trying to get it right.
If the person who originally asked is in/near New York, I would be
willing to sell my mat cutter (hardly used!)
-Gabrielle
John & Mari Morgan
A fairly popular option I saw often in craft shops and bazaars a few
years ago (although I haven't seen it lately - I think the trend has
passed) was cutting a piece of ordinary cardboard in the preferred
shape, covering it with contact paper, leftover wallpaper, fabric,
etc. and using that as a mat inside your frame. Works best with fairly
plain designs - one-color textured wallpaper for example, simple
fabrics like nubby linens or slubbed cotton (pretty cheap in remnants,
but _very_ ritzy looking), etc. so as not to detract from whatever
you're putting inside the mat. (If you must have those icky '80s
padded fabric frames, I'm sure one of the sewing groups will have
exhaustive instructions.)
Forgot all about this until Lydie asked. Silly me, huh? :-)
On Tue, 08 Jul 1997 17:31:05 GMT,
Lydie.D...@ms.psc-cfp.x400.gc.ca (Lydie Dancausse) wrote:
>Is there anything else besides shop-bought mat boards that can be used
>and will still achieve the same "thickness" effect ?
>
>On Fri, 04 Jul 1997 08:31:23 -0400, s...@pobox.com (Stacie Hagwood)
>wrote:
>
>>Any tips for cutting your own mat board with an exacto-knife?
>
---------------------------------------------------
Marion Bon
"Cin" <El...@can.com> wrote:
:|> FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) wrote:
:|
:|> : Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"... P.S.
:|> : please don't suggest that I do it myself. I have neither the talent
:|nor
:|> : the time.
:|
:|Just as a note, there are many wonderful ways to decorate your walls, as
:|the suggestions here indicate. However, it is decoration and not "art".
Ok, I'll bite, just because I'm feeling cranky. What is "art"?
Does "art" stop being "art" when it's mass-produced? Is a
well-made, beautifully designed quilt not "art" because it's made
by a quilter rather than an "artist"? Who gets to decide? Is it
only "art" if a 'qualified' person or institution declares it so?
I have to admit that my tastes are plebian enough that I've found
laughable some of the things I have seen declared as "art". Other
than getting works from young, unknown artists, few of us have the
resources to buy "art". My Thompson poster may not be quite as
beautiful as the actual painting, but I enjoy looking at it, and I
can afford it. My framed art cards of Inuit prints are a lot
smaller than the actual prints, but they work for me.
Recycled ObFrugal - A cheap plastic fishing rod case that I stole
from my brother has worked well to protect and store my not-art
during many moves.
rgds Marion
GAIL STOUT
References: <19970630040...@ladder01.news.aol.com>
<5park0$j...@freenet-news.carleton.ca> <kirsten.20...@rat.ucsd.edu>
<33bd3e75...@news.mindspring.com>
<slh-ya023480000...@news.pagesz.net>
<33BD20...@ludl.tds.net> <33c 95d76.8...@news.asacomp.com>
Organization: University of Nevada System Computing Services
Distribution:
Patience and a sharp blade is the key to cutting mat board. I give the
blade a few swipes on both side on some extremely fine sandpaper whenever
it gets a little dull. Rather than trying to cut through the whole board
at once, make light strokes that cut cleanly through one layer. Plan on
making 10 or so swipes to get through the board, and you'll be pleased
with the results. I use a piece of plexiglas cut to my specifications as
a ruler.
Kettir (jkrh...@asacomp.REMOVE-TO-REPLY.com) wrote:
: On Fri, 04 Jul 1997 12:11:21 -0400, pcha wrote:
:
: >Stacie Hagwood wrote:
: >>
: >> Any tips for cutting your own mat board with an exacto-knife?
:
: >knuckle or thumb as a running guide to keep the bevel constant. Once
: >you get the hang of it a bevel cut is really pretty easy and will not
: >only look like a pro job but will show off your picture much better.
:
: Very good tips. I had a lot of trouble trying to use an exacto knife;
: matts are made of pretty tough stuff. There must be a truly easy way
: to do this.
: -------------------------------------------------------------------
: Julie Rhodes /\_/\ | http://www.asacomp.com/~jkrhodes
: with Sasha & Kesa = o_o =| "History shows again and again how
: jkrhodes@ ^ | Nature points up the folly of men."
: ----asacomp.com----------------------------------------------------
:
Greg
, one person was giving away paintings
> because he had run out of garage space to store his work.
> Justified and Ancient,
>
> James
Don't forget the dumpsters! ;> I have found prints, lithographs,
paintings, pictures, and silkscreens in residential dumpsters. Student
artists moving out, people redecorating, etc.. I keep what I like and I
sell the rest. I've given canvases to friends to paint over. It's kind
of odd appreciating somebodys work you've never met, just pulling it out
of the dumpster.
Also, check the art depts. at the school especially at the end of the
year when they clean out everything left behind. Theater dept. after
plays, (most sets are made of styrofoam that's been painted. It's still
good insulation and will be real intersting for whoever opens the wall up
down the road) I've found some interesting props and museums after they've
changed displays. And if you're into abstract art, check out the paint
store when they throw out the old tarps.:)
Happy Hunting
Greg
Marie Braden
On Wed, 09 Jul 1997 21:44:17 -0500, gfro...@jvlnet.com (Greg) wrote:
D'oh! I just thought of something that I haven't noticed in a prior
post, so if I am repeating someone...sorry....
But if you have a decent to good printer--why not find pictures on the
Net and print them out? My inkjet is capable of 'near photo quality',
which is good enough for the walls as far as I'm concerned...and if
you have an older dot-matrix or a laser printer, you could still print
out line drawings .....just a thought, of course
Sandy B
I found framed "artwork" at a motel/furniture liquidator store. I bought 4
pictures, already framed for $20, total. One was a white rattan frame with
a print that I liked, but the frame was too large for it. One had a wooden
frame that was the right size for that print. The other two had nice brass
frames & glass, although the pictures were ugly, I have some unframed
prints that will fit. A lot of the stuff that was for sale wasnt to my
taste, but they were framed nicely & some were BIG. And real cheap.
San...@aloha.net
KIMO'S Rule #1: Never Judge A Day By The Weather.
sus...@gendreau.tiac.net
On Wed, 09 Jul 1997 14:05:27 GMT, mb...@bigfoot.com (Marion Bon) wrote:
>"Cin" <El...@can.com> wrote:
>
>:|> FranchiseT (franc...@aol.com) wrote:
>:|
>:|> : Can anyone suggest how I can purchase some "frugal artwork"
>:|
>:|Just as a note, there are many wonderful ways to decorate your walls, as
>:|the suggestions here indicate. However, it is decoration and not "art".
>
I think the distinction is artificial. I would much rather have a
poster of Picasso in my house than no Picasso at all.
As far as household decor goes, I have had wonderful results buying
handsome cards (ca. $1.50 each, including the unused envelope) and
framing them in ready-bought mat/frames. I favor black-and-white art
photography -- Ansel Adams and so on -- and these show up great on
cards. Wicked art all over my house for about $10 a pop.
Susan
Rachelle Thibodeau
If you or someone you know subscribes to any scholarly journals, check
out the front covers. "American Psychologist", for example, has great
covers (the art is not covered with printing). Also check out some of
the religion journals and anthropology journals for some nifty
covers. You might also check with your local university library whether
they'd be willing to save the covers for you, since they are routinely
removed when the journals are bound together in 1-year chunks (this is
what I have done).
The usual sources of cheap frames and mats have rendered a number of
these covers quite attractive for hanging. At least I think so.
--
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Rachelle Thibodeau e-mail: rthi...@ccs.carleton.ca
Psychology Department telephone: (613) 520-2600 ext. 2655
Carleton University office: A434 Loeb
Ottawa, Canada
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