Naish Artists

In today’s technological age, artists are finding new ways of expressing themselves through digital media. One often overlooked form of art is the art of website design. This is a challenging field for artists, who must sometimes restrain their creative urges to ensure that a website is not only aesthetically pleasing but also user friendly and functional. In short, the design should complement the functionality and not detract from it.

Here I want to look at two contrasting website designs and discuss what the designer is trying to achieve and how the use of design and colour corresponds to the particular niche topic of the site in question.

Minimalist Design

First let’s look at the following online poker bonus website. Here, the designer has opted for a minimalist theme, the only images used are closely related to the posts on the site, or form part of the banners in the sidebar.

However, notice the striking green on black colour scheme used throughout. This shade of green is actually the same used to colour poker tables. You may not notice this at first glance or think it relevant, but actually it subconsciously makes the user feel at home, and adds to the perceived authority of the site. In other words, the user is more likely to trust the information being given because the colours reinforce their confidence in the website as a whole.

Flamboyant Design

Contrast the above site with the following blog at Biola University. Here, we see an explosion of colour and a very large image on the homepage which fills almost the entire screen on a standard laptop.

On this site, the aim is not to help the user find the information they seek as quickly as possible, as was the case with the poker bonus site. Instead, the designer is looking to capture the attention of the user to ensure that they stay on the site and continue reading past the home page.

The image seeks to give an impression of the colourful experience on offer at the university, and entice the reader to not only find out more, but to give an impression that what is on offer will be something they want to get involved in.

So we have two very different designs, both pleasing to the eye but in different ways, and two examples of how artistic web designers are using different approaches to achieve an objective specific to the site in question.

I have visited many places around the world and seen beautiful examples of art created through ceramic tiles. Huge mosaics in places like Egypt show incredibly detailed depictions that showcase this often overlooked form of art at its finest.

Whilst I am not suggesting you could create anything on such a grand scale at home, you do still have the opportunity to express yourself with ceramic tiles in the kitchen, bathroom and other parts of your house.

However, many people feel reluctant to undertake such a project on their own. The majority of folks don’t feel confident that they can do these little projects but at the same time, they don’t want to pay someone to do it. One of those simple tasks that anyone can do is tiling the kitchen floor.

It is really not that challenging, but it is easy to believe you might make a mistake. One thing beyond doubt is that doing it yourself is not only giving you the opportunity to create something which is a truly unique expression of your personality – it is also going to save a lot of money, so there are practical benefits too.

When you fully grasp what to do and what not to do then it should be not any problem. If you choose to go for it, the first thing you need to think about is selecting the tile. You may even be amazed at the choices you will be confronted with. You will find that there will be many different types of tiles based on colors, sizes, textures, finishes and materials. There are some tiles that feature odd shapes or sizes which pushes you to stay with one company. When you choose a tile, it’s always based on your own personal aesthetics. But remember, once it is done, it just isn’t something that is easy to change. Before you get too far, you have to measure the area to be tiled, figuring out the best way to run the tile, and how it will work out for waste.

The actual size of the tile could have more or less waste, for example, a 6×6 inch tile may be a better fit than 4×4 tile. If you like to cut costs, figure it out so there is as little waste as is possible. Because you must tile around kitchen cabinets, you want to be sure you do it to scale so that you know exactly how many tiles you need. It is best to move the fridge out and tile that spot, rather than leaving it because most of it is never seen. By doing a bit of easy math, you can easily figure out how you can lay out your floor and know where to start. It’s essential to be exact from the very start or you are going to end up going crooked and having a bad looking floor. If you sketch two perpendicular lines that are parallel to the walls, you’ll be pretty safe. You need a point in the center, so if you work both ways, the cut pieces against each outside wall will be the same measurement.

It is advisable to have the walls using the same sized tile so it will look even. When you have the logistics identified, you can begin tiling. The adhesive you’ll need will depend on the type of floor you possess like wooden sub floor or concrete. A flexible adhesive is best for installing tile across wood. When the tiles are positioned and the adhesive has dried, then you can apply the grout, remove the excess and let it dry and now you have a new floor.

Traditionally, artists were quirky folk who might be expected to live in a den full of paint brushes and canvas. But these days, modern artists tend to express themselves in taking huge pride in their living space. This normally includes having a beautiful home and garden.

While art can mean different things to different people, and artists can express themselves in many ways, there is an increasing trend amongst my personal art community towards living in something that expresses ourselves as much as the art we create.

You are not able to truly say your house is your home unless you decide to have a garden. Until you purchase your very first home, you will have no idea how important a garden is. As you were getting older, you probably spent very little time helping your parents with their garden. You might have perceived the whole endeavor to be quite weird and idiotic. Having your own residence, you have become in command on how everything should look on the inside.

You now understand that you want the front and back yards to end up being as good as the inside of your home. You’re going to need to take a look at the condition of your garden to see if it is like a barren desert, or an overgrown mess. It is going to be easier if it is like a wilderness, otherwise you will be spending some time getting rid of all of the overgrown weeds. The first few things you will want happen to be tools that you can find at your hardware store. Basic tools include pruning shears, digging spade, a garden hose and even a wheel barrow. A garden knife and a weeder will also be options for you if your garden is covered in tall weeds.

This will be more than enough to get you going. When you find yourself all set, you need to make sure that your soil is well and ready. The ideal soil you can get is soil that is able to remain moist without staying very damp. It should be a bit crumbly but neither too wet or too dry. You can add compost in the event the texture is not right. Once you start to plant, begin with annuals, because they are easy to plant, easy to grow, and they can be maintained by watering two or three times a week. When you look at the instructions, you’ll see that they can be grown in areas that are either shady or sunny. You can include some fertilizer whenever you water a couple of times a month to keep them healthy.

If you’d like help in choosing the appropriate plant, all you need to do is either search online, read books or magazines, or speak to your local garden shop customer assistant. You’ll be able to get nice looking plants when you go to your local nursery. You have the option to cultivate something like roses, however they need to have at least six hours of sunlight each day. Make sure you have a look at labels on the plants you choose, so you are planting things suitable to the weather and climate conditions of your location.

By way of a stunning garden, you will have a residence that looks great inside and out. While it can be a great deal of work, you’ll realize that you will want to keep doing it.