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Archive for October, 2011

If ever there was an opportunity to let that face painting creative side of you loose, this is it as the street party of the year approaches in the spirit of Mardi Gras. The range of Mardi Gras masks is huge and varied, offering a stunning choice of full or half face. Available in a rainbow of beautiful colours, these masks can be elaborately jewelled or adorned with crystals, sequins and feathers for anyone wanting to capture the atmosphere of carnival.

Face painters can also show their true colours by getting out those paints and brushes in readiness for letting their imaginations run wild. Face painting step by step your own face mask or exotic eye make-up to be revealed when your mask is removed at midnight is an unmissable opportunity for your first Mardi Gras face painting party.

Mardi Gras Mask – First download a selection of pictures of revellers in Mardi Gras masks from the Internet. Print them off as large as possible so you can study the detail closely. Only you know your artistic abilities so work within your limitations.

1) Take note of how much of the face the mask covers. Use your own face for practice.

2) If using the same colours as the chosen mask in your pictures, remember that you don’t need a whole palette of colours. Buy the primary colours blue, yellow and red, plus black and white; you can make up any shade you want from these.

3) Be creative. Don’t forget that different shades of pink, blue, lilac and purple are great blending colours. Look at colour charts to help you pick a range of colours that look good and combine well.

4) White will bring your design to life and remember to let your face paint dry before adding each coat.

5) Use tubes of silver and gold to make little dots along sections of your mask design, helping to make it stand out.

6) Stick on jewels, sequins and face glitter to turn your Mardi Gras mask design into that extra special face painting step by step creation.

7) Depending what design you are doing, the stick-on jewels, diamante and glitter can be used to stunning effect. However, as with face paint, you need to remember to use only glitter and stick-on jewels that are safe to put on a person’s skin (eg body glitter). NEVER use aluminum glitter – polyester only.Aluminum glitter can really hurt the eyes and skin.

You probably want a classy home interior painting without spending too much money and exerting too much work. If that’s the case you can simply refer to the following tips for interior house painting.

1. Wash your brush. Just before you start painting, wash your brush in the solvent that you are going to use when you are done with your painting. Like for instance, water based latex. Through this, as you clean the brush when you are done it will easier for you to do so.

2. Wrap the roller or the brush. If you don’t plan to clean the roller or the brush after using it, yet you are planning to do the painting again after a few days. It is suggested that you wrap them inside a plastic bag very tightly and place them inside the freezer.

3. Use either lotion or latex gloves. If you want to keep your hands clean while painting, use latex gloves then. These are great especially when you are using a paint that is oil-based.

4. Don’t get stingy when buying brushes or roller covers. When you use cheap roller covers, this will only create a fuzzy form on your wall. Also, cheap brushes will only create uneven brush marks. Rollers that come in multi-packs sold a one dollar are not advisable to buy. It is more advisable to prefer better manufactured tools. Be practical in a clever way.

5. Be clever on the process of your painting. Follow this order: start from the ceilings, to the walls, trimmings, down to the cabinets, then to the doors. Just always remember to start it from the top going to the bottom.

6. Be careful not to lose the can opener of your paint. These can openers for paint come as small metal keys. Therefore, they are prone to be lost in any moment of carelessness. Preferably, chain it to a little chunk of wood.

So, these are all the practical tips in doing your interior house painting. Simply, follow these interior house painting tips carefully and you will never meet stress in painting.

Exterior painting is a job that requires you do everything by the book and sometimes it is a task that you may want to farm out to a professional. Exterior painting is a challenge, but can dramatically improve the look of your home, as well as protect the materials underneath the paint. Exterior painting is a challenge when we have a constant threat of rain and extremely hot sun as well as other conditions Mother Nature has to offer to your painted home. Exterior painting is probably the single most difficult part of home maintenance. It is more difficult due to the height and scale factor, so again it may be wise to hire professional painters.

Exterior

Exterior painting will involve considerable time and physical effort. Exterior house paint must stand up to the most extreme conditions that man and nature can dish out. Exterior surface preparation is the most important part and can take the most time and effort. Exterior painting methods while applying the finish paint to exterior trim include brushing, rolling or spraying. Exterior painting prep is a necessary, though sometimes time consuming task; having a good plan of attack is essential if you want professional looking results. Exterior paint is only as good as the substrate it is covering, and old flaking paint must be chipped away, sanded, sealed and primed before any new paint is applied. Exterior painting involves quite a bit more know how that some of the simpler maintenance tasks that a homeowner will encounter.

Exterior painting is important as well because the condition and color of the paint on the outside of your home says a lot about you. Exterior painting is generally more complicated than interior painting due to the various environmental conditions to which a home’s exterior is subjected. Exterior painting is one the most challenging and labor intensive jobs you will perform on your home.

Have you ever wanted to paint Bricks, Cement Blocks, or Stucco?Did you know that there is a product available that will enhance there appearance and make those material last much longer than they normally would had you just used painted them?Not many people know about this product but they should because of all the many benefits!

These materials because of there brittleness are prone to cracking and water intrusion due to the porous material composition.Framing and building materials behind these brittle building materials are best kept dry as wood rot and mold can grow in these interior spaces, and then real problems begin.

There are two different water proofing products for masonry.The first one that I will discuss with you is called a Penetrating Sealer. It has some specific advantages and disadvantages over the other product named an Elastomeric, that I will go into more detail below.

Penetrating Sealers
Penetrating Sealers can only be applied to new masonry that has never been painted before.
The product can be applied to new stucco and cement within a few days of drying.
It can be tinted with color or they can be clear.
It doesn’t form surface bubbles if water seeps into the masonry material.
The product doesn’t produce a slight sheen to the surface after application.
Can’t be used on wood.

Elastomeric Sealers

The primary advantage over it’s counterpart is being able to apply it over existing paint.
Fills surface cracks concealing them visually unlike a Penetrating Sealant.
Produces a slight sheen to the surface.
Expands and contracts up to 500% for cold and hot climate changes.
Can be used on wood as a water proofing agent and has helpful ascetic characteristics.

Penetrating Sealers work by attaching and binding to each sand particle, forming an impenetrable water barrier.This type of sealant can sink deep into the material as much as 3/8” in depth.The sealant has many benefits but some of the most outstanding are”It’s ability to water proof bricks, blocks, and mortar joints without changing there natural appearance.The huge benefit is it’s ability to quickly apply it to a masonry surface without having to wait weeks for application like an elastomeric sealant.

Elastomeric Sealers unique properties make this the most widely used sealer today.This product can be applied to previously painted masonry and forms a water proof skin on the surface of masonry repelling any water that would normally intrude into the depths of various materials including wood.It’s unmatched in its ability to visually bridge and fill unsightly cracks and voids.Because it forms a skin that is susceptible to water seeping behind it and forming a bubble, special application techniques need to be implemented in order for it to perform well.More application information is available by going to Perfection House Painters website.

Painting may seem like an easy task, but it is definitely not something that should be done impulsively or without thinking through. When painting your house, the last thing that you could ever want is to regret the colors that you have chosen. Today, I will be showing you some tips that will surely help you be successful in choosing the paint that you will be using for your house. Reading this article will save you from the trouble that wrong paint color may cause.

The first thing that you need to do is to take time to examine every room and all the contents that are placed in it. The most common problem that a lot of people are experiencing is that they are picking colors that don’t look good on the contents of the room such as the furniture. The size of the room will help you choose the color of the paint that you need to use. It is advisable that you use light colors for smaller rooms to give you an impression of a wider space.

The complimentary colors that you should use when painting your house should blend well with the primary colors. This will help you keep the beauty of the paint and will reduce the dullness of the paint that you are using. It would be better to use subtle combination of colors because this will provide smoother and calming transition of colors.

Before applying paint, be sure that you check them first because if you don’t, you will be suffering from unwanted results that could last for 5 years. Checking the paint before application will allow you to see the real outcome of the paint against the one you saw when you purchased it. Always remember that colors from the store to your wall may vary, especially if there are toners that were used. Testing the paint before applying will also allow you to make changes before you start the painting process.

There are a lot of things that should be considered when painting your house. You also need to know the type of brushes, the method of application, and where should you start painting. All of these things should be considered if you want to get the best results. These are also some of the reasons why it is advisable that you hire professional painting contractors. This will save you from the trouble of learning everything that you need to know when painting.