A Closer Look at Complementary Colors www.segmation.com

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Take a close look at Matisse's painting The Dance, shown above. What is it about this painting that makes it "pop"? The dancers seem like they're almost floating on top of the background. Why is that? Matisse was a master colorist, so he chose his colors carefully. He knew that when orange and blue are placed next to each other, they each appear brighter and more intense. Here's why: Orange and blue are complementary colors. Complementary colors have a special relationship because they are opposites on the color wheel. Take a look at the color wheel below:


You'll notice that yellow and blue are also complementary colors. Red and green make up another complementary pair. When complementary colors are placed next to each other in a painting or drawing, the artwork seems to vibrate. Complementary pairs can make an artwork more eye-catching and dynamic. For this reasons, many artists (like Matisse) make the conscious choice to use complementary colors in their compositions. If you look closely at the color wheel, you'll notice that the complement of each primary color is the combination of the other two primary colors. This means that:

• Yellow + Red = Orange, which is the complement of Blue.

• Red + Blue = Purple, which is the complement of Yellow.

• Blue + Yellow = Green, which is the complement of Red.

When you examine these colors on the color wheel, you can see how they are related. You will also note that the complements of the primary colors (red, yellow and blue) are all secondary colors (green, purple and orange). The next time you make art, keep the complementary colors in mind to see if you can make your painting more dynamic.
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How to Make Your Own Oil Paints

In a previous blog post, we discussed the benefits of making your own paints, rather than buying commercially-made paints from art supply stores. Two of the most appealing reasons for making your own paints include the ability to control the color and the quantity of the paint that you make. In today’s blog post, we’ll take a more in-depth look at how you can make your own oil paints using just a few simple supplies.

The two main ingredients you’ll need for making your own oil paints are powdered pigment and an oil, such as linseed oil (which most oil painters usually have on hand anyway). The tools you’ll need to mix the ingredients can either be a mortar and pestle (shown above), or a sturdy spatula and a flat glass surface. The mortar and pestle is the preferred choice because it will allow you to grind the pigment into finer particles.

To make your own oil paint, place your desired amount of pigment onto the glass surface or into the mortar. Add a small amount of oil and grind together the pigment and the oil using your pestle or spatula. Be sure to start off with a small amount of oil, because you don’t want your mixture to be too runny.

As the pigment absorbs the oil, note the consistency. If the mixture looks too dry, add more oil. If it is too oily, add more pigment. Your goal is to create a mixture that resembles the consistency of toothpaste.

Once the pigment and oil are thoroughly mixed, then you are ready to paint! The process is as simple as that. Your homemade oil paint can be mixed with commercially-made oil paints, and it may be stored in tubes or airtight jars for future use. segmation dot com.

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Selling your art at outdoor art fairs

Have you ever considered selling your artwork at an art fair? Outdoor art festivals are a popular way of uniting artists with potential collectors and even gallery owners. At the larger art festivals, attendance can reach 250,000 and higher, which means a lot of eyeballs will have the chance to view your art! If that wasn't enough to convince you, keep in mind that there are visual artists who report 6-figure annual incomes from selling their art at street festivals around the US.

Before you start applying to art festivals, do your research to find out which art fairs are best for you. Some art fairs are well-known and highly-regarded, while others are smaller and don't generate as much foot traffic. When researching which art fairs to apply for, find out the answers to the following questions:

• How many people attend the art fair each year?


• Will any cash prizes be given, and if so, how many prizes and for what amounts?


• What is the booth fee?


• Does the art festival expect to collect a percentage of your sales?


• What is the location of the art fair? Similarly, how far will you have to drive? Will you have to stay in a hotel? What are the costs for this - and is it worth it, given the answers to the previous questions?


• Are you allowed to sell prints and cards of your work, or only originals? (Not all art festivals allow artists to sell reproductions of their work, but if they do, it's a great way to boost your income and also spread your artwork further afield.)

The answers to these questions will help you decide which art festivals are worth your time, and which ones you can skip.

All in all, selling your art at art festivals is an excellent way to take your art career into your own hands. You can make connections with other artists, network with gallery owners and reach out to the general public. Rather than wait for a gallery to take on your work, you can take your art out into the world!

Season's Greetings Paint by Numbers

Season's Greetings are often spoken with good intentions to friends, family, and strangers during the months of December and January. "Happy New Year", "Merry Christmas", "Happy Holidays", "Peace on Earth", and "Season's Greetings" are shouted with joy during this time period. In other languages, you can say "Boas Festas", "Bon Carnaval", "Feliz Navidad", "Glædelig jul", "Hyvää joulua", "Iyi Seneler", "Nollaig Shona Duit", "Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon", and "Joyeuses Fêtes". Our Season's Greetings artwork has been provided by Puffy P who creates edgy and humorous properties for licensing, with a specialization in the teen/tween, Latin, and women's markets. You find snowmen, menorahs, snowflakes, Christmas trees, confetti, champagne, and cookies among the greetings!

This set contains 25 paintable patterns. We know you'll enjoy coloring these great patterns!

Follow a number key to fill in sections of the picture and gradually, the image emerges in color segments. Paint-by-numbers meets modern technology in SegPlay® PC, a computerized paint-by-numbers program for Windows 7, 2000, XP, and Vista.

What our customers are saying about Segmation....

One of my minors in college was art so I am very familiar with a lot of the artists and their masterpieces. While I'm using your Segmation program I have a peace of mind while ironically feeling addicted to complete each work of art I begin. A big plus is I do not make a mess of my art room by bringing out all the paper, mediums, etc. to create my own works of art.*** I love SegPlay. I find myself using it as a fun mind challenge when I have nothing else to do. Years ago, I even told my mother about it when I set her up with a computer and she loves it too*** I have thoroughly enjoyed all the pattern sets that I have purchased from Segmation. Keep the pattern sets coming and know that we frustrated artists out here will keep buying them.*** My grandkids just love painting Segmation. Actually so do I. ***I am addicted to Segmation. My granddaughter is learning her numbers by using the simple paintings you offer. ***Thank you for coming up with such a fun.*** I love this Segplay game!!!!! I get so absorbed in it, that sometimes when I color a big spot, I wonder if I'll have enough paint to cover it or finish the picture. ..I LOVE IT.***I enjoy my “Painting” so much.*** www.segmation.com

Be an Artist in 2 minutes with Season’s Greetings from SegPlay® PC (see more details here)

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