STUDIO ART
11. Keep your dream (space) alive. Just because you may have to make do for now with that basement studio or closet craft space, it might not always be that way! Keep an inspiration file of ideas for your dream space, and take small steps to realize that dream. That could mean saving up for a space you purchase, of course, but that is not the only solution — sharing space with other creatives can allow you to get more room than you could otherwise manage on your own. Tell us: What would your ideal art space look like? What would you do there?
10. Include space for displaying your work. Keep a record of your work and get inspired for further explorations by displaying your art. A long picture rail is wonderful for propping up artwork. A magnetic rail or picture wire is great for quickly clipping up works in progress, along with other bits and bobs of inspiration.
Story & Space - Interior Design and Color Guidance Save Email 5. Organize your supplies. Organizing your materials simply and beautifully does not need to cost a lot of money. Glass jars can be washed and recycled as containers for pencils, brushes and more. Wine crates, crocks and produce bins can hold larger items — look around your home and see what you can reclaim and repurpose.
4. No spare room? Carve out a creative corner. Don't let a lack of space stop you from making art a part of your life if it important to you! A desk in your bedroom, a dining table that does double duty as a jewelry making station or an easel on the balcony can all be viable solutions. Get creative and make space where you thought there was none.
Contemporary Home Office by Lehman Design Studio Lehman Design Studio Save Email 3. Consider the light. Most artists agree that good natural light is highly coveted in a workspace. But the fact is, not all of us can control the quality of light in the space we have to work with, or, for that matter, the time of day we have available to make art. If you find yourself with less-than-ideal natural light, focus your efforts on the lighting you can bring in to make the most of your space. A mix of overhead and task lighting will give the best coverage; experiment to see how different bulbs affect your work.
Sara Bates Save Email 1. Envision an inspiring space. Take a moment to daydream about your ideal art space. Even if that ultimate loft with floor-to-ceiling windows is beyond reach, see if there are a few details you can make a reality. Paint the walls your favorite color, string up wires for hanging inspiration items and make the most of the space that you do have. If light is what you crave, see if you can rearrange furniture or even swap rooms to position your art space by the best window.
place a few sturdy lanterns on the ground beside your doormat for a welcoming touch. Avoid a potential hazard by placing battery-operated candles inside instead of the real thing, and turn them on before guests arrive.
Find the child inside. We sometimes forget we all started life as children. Remind yourself by hanging kids’ art where you will see it every day. Why can’t the sky be orange or the dog blue? Taking a bit of childish lateral thinking into your adult life may brighten how you see things. Children teach us all there is to know about laughter — they are the experts.
Cement friendships. Make memories with silly fun. Have a Dab-a-Deer party. Invite friends to bring a (faux) deer or another animal head and sequins, glitter, paint, ribbons, make-up, buttons, costume jewelry, colored paper, fabric scraps and other decorative paraphernalia. Provide hobby glue, paintbrushes, scissors, aprons … and wine. Then stand back! You’ll all come out of it with some very entertaining wall art and a feel-good memory.
Make room for major art. Have a serious piece of art to hang above that credenza? Keep the arrangement on the surface of your credenza simple and low so it does not compete with the main attraction. Try lining up three or more low stacks of coffee table books, and place a few slender candlesticks at one end.
Dr. Seuss inspired Houzz user kathyjunk. "I'm all Grinchy and Whoville with my decorating — thus my mantel," she says.
HUNG ON DRAPES
HUNG
FLOOR STATUE
BEAUTIFUL
ALWAYS NEED MORE SPACE
HANG ABOVE DOOR
PIC OF FIRE NOT LIVE GLADIOLUS
9. Curating your own art gallery is fun! Will you find yourself drawn to pastels, portraits, still lifes or landscapes? Representative art or abstract? Choosing paintings helps hone your personal aesthetic. And let’s face it, being the curator of your own personal art gallery is a really fun job.
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