takeartcollection

After wallpaper removal, your walls may have damage due to the stripping process. This can be especially bad if the walls were not properly prepared prior to installing the paper.

This process is easy to follow; but does require a certain amount of skill with tools and painting. See my Article: Five simple tools to help you paint like a Professional for information on specific painting tools. These will be used through-out the following steps.

Much of the following information can be used for general repair and texturing.

Tools you will need: Painter’s tarps, painting tools, throw away brushes, 120 grit sandpaper, fast drying oil primer, pva primer, painter’s masking tape, putty knife, plastic, aerosal texture, texture gun, joint compound, mixing attachement for a drill, caulking, razor knife, screwdriver.

Step 1: Clean up walls.

With a razor knife, trim back any loose wallboard paper to a tight edge. Working behind toilets is tough and there may be wallpaper left back there. If there is, trim it back as best as possible.

Step 2: Remask.

Texturing is messy. Use painter’s tarps on the floor. Mask counters, toilets, windows, and doorjambs with paper and plastic. Cover everything. Paper around the edges of windows and plastic in the middle works well to allow for some daylight.

Step 3: Oil Prime.

I like to use a fast drying oil primer. Oil primers tend to seal out any wallpaper paste left on the walls along with other foreign matter there may be. It also dries faster and sands better.

Make sure you have plenty of ventilation. Fast dry primer is smelly and will give you a headache for sure. Use a short napped roller pad, and throw away brushes. Or at least junky brushes if you intend to clean them. I wouldn’t bother with cleaning the roller pad.

Allow the primer to dry for at least and hour. Two to three hours is best. The longer it dries, the better it will sand.

Step 4: Sand rough areas.

Using 120 grit sand paper, sand back any fuzzy areas in the wallboard. Check for areas where the wallboard paper is lifted. Cut them back if necessary. Sandpaper wrapped around a putty knife helps to get behind a toilet, sanding any remaining wallpaper flush to the wall. Remember, missed fuzzy areas may show through your texture.

Step 5: Skim coat.

Using joint compound, fill holes and flush out the damaged areas. Joint compound is less expensive and sands better than lightweight spackle. Use a bit more compound than necessary to fill the holes. Creating a slight hump. Don’t glob your filler on, that only makes for a-lot of work in sanding later.

The idea is to create as smooth a wall as possible prior to texturing. Your texture will hide small imperfections. Larger ones you need to fix now. It is really difficult to repair your walls after you have textured. The texture often doesn’t match, and your paint may “flash” in these areas.

When your first skim coat is dry, go back and apply a second coat to any large holes that didn’t fill the first time around. You may want to lightly sand these areas prior to the second fill. This makes for a smoother second coat.

Finally, generaly smooth out your walls with sandpaper or a wet sponge. I like using a sponge and a bucket of water. Sponging doesn’t create any nasty sanding dust that needs to be cleaned up later. Wet your sponge, wring it out a bit, and wipe any areas that need smoothing. Continue, wetting your sponge and wiping. The joint compound will soften and wipe away. This is easy to get the hang of.

Step 6. Texture.

Texturing walls can take a bit of practice. As a professional, I know that it takes the right combination of knowledge, material, and equipment. Please see my article on How to texture walls before painting.

After texturing, continue on to the next step.

Step 7: PVA Primer.

PVA primer is an important step to ensuring a even finish. PVA primer is generally inexpensive primer that is designed to soak into new texture and seal the surface.

You may want to have the paint store tint your primer towards the finish color if it is a darker one. PVA usually comes from the factory as a light gray color.

If you have access to an airless, spray one heavy, even coat of your your PVA. Let dry.

If you do not have access to an airless sprayer, brush and roll one heavy, even coat. This should go pretty quickly with the masking still in place. Let your PVA dry for 2-3 hours.

Step 8: First coat of paint.

Again, spray your first coat of finish if you have acess to an airless. Make sure you apply it evenly and heavy enough to limit “flashing”.

If you do not have access to an airless sprayer, brush and roll one heavy, even coat. Let your finish dry. This may take overnight at this point.

Step 9: Unmask.

Gently peel back all of your used masking paper. It may help to score the edge of your masking with a razor knife before pulling it back. Generally clean up the area, vaccumming and dusting all the surfaces.

Step 10: Clean Edges.

The many coats of primer, texture and paint will have left a heavy, uneven edge around your previously masked surfaces. Gently scrape or cut this edge back to where it is smooth. In some areas you may want to apply a thin bead of caulking. Wipe away any excess with a damp cloth and let dry.

Step 11: Second coat and touch-up.

Protect areas that you may get paint on. Go back and “cut-in” crooked masking lines and where you applied caulking. Roll out sections of wall that need a second coat and generally touch-up around the molding and fixtures. A “weenie” type roller helps to paint behind toilets.

Step 12: Replace fixtures and wall plates.

After your touch-up is dry, reinstall your fixtures, switch plates, and furniture.

Congradulations! You’re Done!

Be gentle on your fresh paint. It generally takes up to two weeks to cure and become durable.

Koi is a word made popular by the Japanese which means Wild Carp or Carp. Differently from the Western culture beliefs, Koi is a colorful fresh water fish usually found in public ponds, fountains and rivers which can have many different color like white, red, yellow, orange, gold and even calico-colored. Koi tattoo is very famous in the Japanese culture in which it is treasured with the love and respect of the people for thousands of years.

Koi fish is one of the most beautiful and popular tattoo symbols in Japanese and all over the world. A Japanese legend said that if a Koi climb the fall successfully at the Dragon Gate on the Yellow River, it will transform itself in to a dragon. Due to its masculine quality, the Koi tradition made it way into the family where they celebrate the son by having Koi fish flag in the house or at the Boys’ day festival. Koi fish tattoos symbolize strength, courage, determination over obstacles, and ambition for achieving high goals.

Japanese Koi tattoo tradition has put a huge mark on the western tattoo culture for its deep traditional meanings and beautiful designs. Koi tattoo art has become more popular world wide rather than just in Asia. Thousands of people decorated themselves with Koi sleeve tattoos on their arms and forearms. There are many different yet interesting opinions in the meaning of the Koi fish tattoos. Some feel that the direction swimming of the Koi has symbolism of sexual attention.

For me, finding a true meaning behind all these are difficult and the fact that most tattoos meanings are best have to do with the person who getting them. Whatever feeling you have for the tattoo is the meaning for you, not necessarily true to someone else but at the end of the day, it is your tattoos so nobody would careless. I’ve actually heard people said this about the Koi fish tattoos: if the Koi is swimming up, it’s either the person is really sexual or gay and if swimming down, it means the person wants to either give or receive oral sex. I don’t know all about this but it could be up means trying to overcome problems and down mean the obstacles has been tackled. Like I said, whatever meaning fits your lifestyle then it is the true meanings.

Any artist that’s interested in marketing and selling their work at galleries, art festivals or online must know a few things before they begin. This article will discuss five major components beginner artists should think about before they embark on their journey as a successful artist. The first is believe in yourself. Second is create artwork that sales and third is become a business. Lastly, find a place to sell your work to help build your name and creditability. Let’s take a look at each one.

1. Believe in yourself. One of the most common negative trait many artists have is not believing they are a good enough artist. This is a bunch of bologna. If you have sold any artwork at all you are good enough. You may have to work on a few things but you have to start believing in yourself. I know an artist named Eric McCray who said he put a sign up for himself that said “Believe in Yourself” until he became the artist he wanted to be. So please, believe in yourself and tell all the negative thoughts in your head to shut up!

2. Create artwork. Create 20 to 30 pieces of artworks that are all consistent with each other. Don’t paint landscapes, portraits of pets, and abstracts. Choose your niche and stick to it! When collectors and galleries see your work they look for consistency. It shows that you are a professional. Also create art that sales. Don’t create art that is boring, dull or dark. People like to feel uplifted so please create your art accordingly.

3. Become a business. Set yourself up as a business. Get business cards, business licenses, separate checking accounts and etc. The worst thing you can do is be at an art show and you don’t have any business cards. You are completely missing out on sales. Next, get a website to help promote yourself as an artist. Website are fairly inexpensive these days and can be easily set up in no time. Also, read information about starting a business and have an entrepreneurial mindset.The more you learn about running a business and using different sales technique the better. Selling art is not just about applying to art shows,, selling on Etsy and being represented in art galleries but about marketing yourself nonstop using various marketing strategies that will help propel your business. I encourage you to read more books about marketing and selling as much as you read books on creating art. This will help you build the right mindset to run a successful business.

4. Find places to sell your work. Apply to art shows, art festivals, gift shops, galleries and the like. Do not go to libraries, coffee shops, or restaurants. People don’t go to these places to buy art. Just like real estate where location is king, same goes for finding places to sale your work. You have to place your art in front of people who would be willing to buy your art without any problem. Make sure you consider locations that are conducive to your market. You also want to put your art in front of people that pertains to your niche. If you paint birds you may want to sale at bird shows or several gift shops. Since I paint images of musicians playing different instruments I apply to music festivals. Do you see what I trying to get at.

5. Build a name for yourself. When you begin to sell your work at festivals, galleries or online set in motion your brand. Market yourself in such a way that when people think of art, or your niche, they think of you. The more you put your art in front of people the more chances of galleries and other art venues seek you out. You can also build your name by giving yourself a nickname like “the bird painter” if you paint birds. This could serve as your brand when building your customer base. I use a slogan that says “Jazz Up Your Life” since I paint musicians playing jazz music. When ever I do an outdoor show I have a sign up with that slogan above my tent. People respond to it very well.

Using all these tips can create a major impact for anyone trying to sell their artwork in their local area. There are a plethora of information out there that will mention many of these tips over and over again simply because they work. The more you focus on just creating art without planning on how to market and sell your artwork you will lose out. So please take head to these tips and move forward to becoming not just a good artist but a successful selling artist.

Before you get started painting the exterior of your home you need to do a little prep work. One of the very first things you will want to do is clean the outside of your home of any loose debris and or old flaking paint in order for the new paint to adhere properly to the surface. Loose debris includes dirt, spider webs, wasp nests, old flaking paint, etc.

Before you pressure wash go around the house and make sure all the windows and vents are closed leading to the outside. Also make sure any electrical outlets and or cords are closed, shut off or removed from the area you plan on pressure washing. DO NOT spray water directly on outlets, lights, power boxes, or any other area where there is a possibility of being electrocuted.

Pressure washers can be rented at a local rental center, hardware stores and some paint stores. You should only need it for a few hours so plan on renting it for a half day. Make sure to read the instructions or have someone go over the operational aspect of the pressure washer.

When pressure washing you will want to start a good distance away from the siding 3-4 feet is a good starting distance. This will allow you to gauge how far you need to be to get the loose debris and loose paint off the house without removing too much of the old paint. The idea is to remove debris and old flaking paint off the siding without removing the paint that is still stuck to the surface. It can be real easy to get carried away and start removing a large amount of paint that is sticking just fine to the surface. Pressure washers put out a large amount of pressure and can start taking pitting or taking off the wood siding. Therefore, it is important not to get the nozzle of the pressure washer too close to the house. Start at the top, usually the gutters and or over hangs, and move down the siding towards the bottom. Make sure to allow the loose debris to wash off the surface and onto the ground. Don’t forget to continually move the nozzle, if you don’t you can possibly remove too much material in an area. When you are done with an area, recheck it for residual loose debris. Move this way around the whole house double checking as you go along. Let the house dry completely before moving on to the next step of the painting process. Don’t forget to use a quality primer to seal any raw wood areas.

I hope this tip was useful and helps you produce a beautiful and professional finish on your home. Remember, a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of your home adds a great deal to the curb appeal and value of your home. 

A full sleeve tattoo is one that literally covers the arm from shoulder to wrist. The most beautiful full sleeve tattoos are the ones that blend into one flowing tattoo.

In order to achieve this, one must try to envisage the end result before even going to the parlour. Discussing your ideas with the tattoo artist will also greatly help into achieving the look that you are after.

Things may get a bit tricky if you already have some tattoos on some parts of your arm. A professional tattoo artist will be able to offer you various options and ideas of how he can connect all existing tattoos and make them seem as though you had wanted a full sleeve tattoo from the outset.

A common technique that is used to achieve a flowing tattoo, is to add backgrounds to existing tattoos. Popular backgrounds include flame tattoos, smoke and swirls.

If on the other hand, you’re thinking of getting a sleeve tattoo from scratch, then the world is literally your oyster because you have total freedom as to what type of tattoos you can choose.

It is said that the most beautiful full sleeve tattoos are ones which revolve around a specific theme. Favorite themes for full sleeve tattoos include floral designs, Celtic themes, tribal tattoos, Japanese art, religious tattoos and much more.

If you already have a few pieces on your arm, it is imperative that the theme fits these existing tattoos otherwise you will lose the whole flowing effect.

Work closely with your tattoo artist so that you’ll get an idea of how the whole thing would look BEFORE the actual work starts. Have the whole design created on paper first.

If this is your first tattoo or you only have a couple of tattoos, try to talk to different artists so that you’ll get a good feel of what each one is capable of. Then go with the one who is on the same page as you.

A full sleeve tattoo will most likely take a couple of weeks to complete (sometimes even months or longer). This largely depends on how elaborate the design is and pain tolerance. It is important that you allow healing time from swelling to get the best results.

For all you DIY home renovators sick of using paint rollers and brushes, spray paint can be a panacea for all your problems. Instead of using labor intensive techniques that put tremendous pressure on your back and still don’t give you that perfect finish, you can resort to paint sprayers that provide a nice, even coat of paint provided you do it right.

Positive Aspects of Spray Painting

Paint brushes are great for small areas which require intensive coats of paint. But if you want to cover wide swaths of area with minimum effort, a spray paint is best for the job. Spray painting also has the added benefit that it can override some surface imperfections like gaps, cracks, bumps etc that paint brushes and rollers have problems with.

Using a spray paint also allows for an even coat. However, you do need to be mindful of overlapping but it is of less concerning factor here than with paint rollers.

The operator has greater control over the process and can get the job done and over with quickly and easily. It also helps in the control of material and labor cost of the overall project.

Custom Paint

One way to make spray painting interesting is by using a custom paint. As the name suggests, a custom paint is a unique paint that is distinct from anyone else’s paint. Using a custom paint is a way of expressing one’s individual personality. In fact, the more you look at it, the more it reveals. It adds a new depth and dimension to the paint. There are literally millions of options to choose from and the choice is limited only by your imagination.

Things You Need to Consider

Many home renovators simply assume that spray painting can be used for any project. This is not the case. It is ideal for smooth surfaces where other options like brushes and rollers leave an unsatisfactory effect. It gives excellent results when used for external painting jobs especially for garage doors, external metal doors, frames, metal equipment etc.

There is a lot of preparation work that goes in before using the Spray paint. Everything that is not to be painted has to covered with masking tape, tarp etc. You need to make sure that all furniture, windows and floors are properly protected. There is no leeway here and no margin for error.

It is not very wise to use spray painting for a small job. You may end up spending more time doing the preparation and cleaning up afterward than the actual painting work.

Conventional spray painting systems are accompanied by overspray. A very fine spray can spread to furniture and humans which is not very good from a health point of view.

Any final decision regarding spray paint and custom paint should be arrived at only after thoughtful consideration of the above factors. Proper operational techniques will give you the best results.

House painting is dangerous if the right precautions and the necessary safety equipment are not used. For your next home improvement painting project there are several types of paint safety equipment that can make a big difference. Consider hiring Professional House painters and decorators if you decide not to invest in all the necessary safety equipment, this could be more cost effective for you in the long run.

Professional House painters recommend the main areas to protect are the skin and clothing, eyes and lungs. Neoprene gloves are the best way to protect your hands from exposure to solvents or dangerous chemicals. And the head and hair can be covered with a cap. Eye protection is often overlooked. The greatest risks are paint chips from scraping or dust from sanding plus paint drips. To avoid damage to the eyes wear safety glasses or goggles. Also to consider is a dust masks, an absolute must have painting tools in many situations. The primary dangers are from sanding, especially when working on old finishes.

Ladder Safety Equipment

Additional paint safety equipment deals with the most dangerous aspect of many home improvement projects, ladder safety. The ladders that are most dangerous are extension ladders and there are three primary pieces of safety equipment that you should own. These are ladder levellers, ladder stabilisers and the pot hook.

Ladder Levellers: Are an absolute must and very useful for both interior as well as exterior painting. The levellers keep the ladder level on varying terrain, much safer than piling wood or other items to stabilise the ladder. Several types of ladder levellers are available, from self adjusting to manual. The manual type can be used on stairs for a stable painting experience.

A Ladder Stabiliser: A set of arms that attaches to the top of the extension ladder, spreading out the two contact points for more stability. Another advantage is the ability to span the ladder across windows or other obstacles. The stabiliser does however make it hard to position the ladder close to a corner for easy reach of trim. Also, ladder stabilizers add more weight to the top of the ladder making erecting and repositioning a little more difficult.

The Pot Hook: Is like having a third hand. This simple and very inexpensive accessory allows you to work and still have one hand firmly holding the ladder. The simple pot hook probably does as much for paint safety as all the other accessories combined.

All of these safety accessories combined together will drastically increase your safety and possibly save your life. When you add up the cost of all the equipment needed to even start to renovate your home, you may want to consider getting some quotes on getting the professional House painters in to undertake your next home improvement painting project.

The process of developing software is all about bringing an idea to life. An impalpable creative concept in the head is converted into a practical and functional system. This transition, known as the software development life cycle (SDLC) is often an arduous one. It requires a lot of time, effort and most importantly the right skill set, before successful software is developed. The professional developers use different approaches to obtain the final software. Two of the most popularly known models are the Waterfall Model and the Spiral Model of software development. But in the last couple of years, the preference for spiral model has increased manifold. Both the clients and the vendors of software development services find it more convenient to take the spiral route.

For those who are still not able to discover the merits of going spiral, here are the three reasons why waterfall model is now obsolete:

Waterfall model is strictly linear

Like the force of gravity always pulls down, similarly the waterfall model will always proceed downward, from first step to second, to third, to fourth till last step. These steps are similar to the steps in spiral model. They are:

· Capture requirements from clients

· Layout and Design

· Code and program

· Integrate and functionalize the system

· Testing for bugs, errors

· Deliver to client

· Continued maintenance

In waterfall model, suppose if you have reached the testing stage, and you want to add some other codes and tweak the design, it won’t be possible. On the other hand, in the spiral model one can go back and re-visit and re-modify each step. The spiral model has such iterations, and we keep moving in a circular loop, going over all the steps, until we are convinced that we have got just the perfect software. So after the last phase is completed, it goes back to the step one, and again begins the entire process. The desired alterations are made and a quality check is performed during all iterations.

Waterfall model lacks client participation

The involvement of clients is limited to the first phase when they tell all that they need to the software development team. Once their requirements are captured, the development team takes complete charge of the work.

While the clients do get periodic reports about the status of completion of the development work, but they cannot intervene again in the stages of designing or coding and tweak the software. The spiral model however allows the client to advise the team in each phase of development and encourages their participation.

Therefore whenever the clients outsource software development, they should enquire which SDLC model the vendor will use. If the client doesn’t understand all the technical differences between various models, they should try to understand Spiral Model of SDLC in the Layman’s Language. And then make an informed choice. Many vendors like VSD prefer to use the spiral model as it guarantees complete satisfaction of the clients and develops the solution exactly as per their needs.