CasaSugar

Have You Taken a Family Portrait?

CasaSugar — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:00:41 -0800

While I'm not a huge fan of traditional family portraits, I do like the idea of a quirkier take on the classic portrait. The less-traditional photo shoot usually provides a glimpse of the family's personality in a way that a more classic portrait isn't able.

I'm definitely a fan of Making It Lovely's holiday portrait, which provides a fun take on a classic tradition thanks to the geeky glasses and argyle sweaters. Tell me: have you taken a family portrait, and is it more a classic one, or a quirky update on the old standby?

Source: Flickr User habi

If Money Weren't an Issue . . .

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Would you order a custom Carter Kustera Portrait ($750) from Jonathan Adler? For less than $1,000, the artist will render your face in silhouette and add a tag line of your choice (or his choice, if you can't think of one). Is this a good price for a portrait, or are you not into it?

Have You Had Your Portrait Painted?

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:00:17 -0800

There was a time when a canvas, brush, and paints were the only way to record a person's likeness. Nowadays, photography is the forefront of portraiture, and few of us have had our portraits painted. This stunning portrait was found in the basement of my grandparents' home when they moved in; good find, huh? Have you had your portrait painted?

Do You Take Family Portraits?

CasaSugar — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 08:30:33 -0800

I just came across these adorable and wacky family portraits by photographer Akihiro Furuta, and couldn't help but share one. Since it's the holidays, I'm sure family portraits are on a lot of your minds, and you may have already sent out a holiday card with one.My family only successfully mailed three holiday portrait cards, and they were the cliché kind: matching smock dresses and little red mary janes one year, in full ski gear the next, and turtlenecks and "seasonal" sweaters on an ice skating rink another year. I wish we'd gotten a bit more inventive with our portraits like Furuta has done. This photo celebrates his dog's birthday, and I think that the cheekiness of this family's costume attire is much more festive.
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Before and After: Amazing Mosaic (Out of Beans!)

CasaSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:45:54 -0700

I was blown away by this incredible mosaic that Craftster member Boogaloo made out of various types of dried beans. Curious as to whose portrait she's crafting? Then read more.

Boogaloo writes, "I wanted to make a bean representation of the oh-so-cool poster by Shepard Fairey." She also went on to note that her copy of the 1966 Better Homes and Gardens Guide to Stitchery and Crafts notes that “Seeds, glue, and imagination are all you need to do seed mosaics.” However, adds Boogaloo, "They forgot to mention patience and a ridiculous amount of time."

Now, no matter what your thoughts are on the US presidential election, or your political affiliation, I think we can all agree that this portrait is an incredible work of art. Nice work, Boogaloo! (Oh, and I'd be more than happy to post a bean mosaic of John McCain, if anyone's made one!)

Read more about Boogaloo's project here.

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Midday Muse: Powerful Portraits

CasaSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:00:45 -0700

I've been tempted to put a blown-up portrait on a wall in my home, but I always think better of it. While the oversized portrait can work in some interiors, I definitely think that it would overpower my home. I love the way that the black-and-white portrait in this photo contrasts beautifully with the more traditional objects in this picture. Do you have bigger-than-life portraits in your home? Or do you shy away from them?
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Easy DIY: Swatch Portraits

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:00:48 -0800

Looking through Flickr photos, I was impressed with Jennifer's adorable guest room. The dark chocolate wall creates a soothing, cozy space, while the patterned Amy Butler swatch portraits create a dramatic focal point to the wall behind the bed.

This project is surprisingly inexpensive to re-create in your home. All you need are some wooden embroidery hoops and swatches of your favorite fabric. Learn how to make your own swatch portraits, and see a close-up of the swatch portraits in Jennifer's home, when you read more.

So pretty! I love the contrast between the vibrant fabric patterns and the chocolate brown wall. For the full tutorial on creating swatch portraits, head to The Purl Bee.

Source: Flickr User Special J

Commissioning a Painting...of Your Dog

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:58:18 -0700

Sometimes I worry about walking that fine line between being a responsible pet owner and an obsessive pet owner. ("Your dog is wearing a backpack," my sister recently observed.) Still, that concern didn't deter me from commissioning a painting of my dog, Ozzie. Portland, Maine, artist Elizabeth Fraser, whose work I'd found on Etsy, started out with a photo of Ozzie, and two weeks later, the painting arrived in the mail.

The painting's diminutive size, at at only 5x5 inches, made me feel like less of a weirdo for getting my pet's portrait commissioned. But as more of my friends saw the final result (framed and placed on my fireplace mantel) they stopped thinking that I was slightly nutty and began to realize that I was on to something really cool.

Fraser, who works primarily in oils, was a delight to work with, and I thought that $75 was a major steal for an original piece of artwork of my pet.

What do you think? Would you get artwork commissioned of your pet?

DIY: How to Make Silhouette Portraits

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:00:36 -0800

Want to capture a pet, friend, child, or even flower or plant in a silhouette portrait? Then check out this silhouette portrait tutorial I found on More Ways to Waste Time.

Here's What You Need

Digital camera.
Computer with PhotoShop (or one you can borrow from a friend).
Frame.
Subject to photograph.

To find out how to make your portrait, just read more

Using a digital camera, photograph your subject from the side. Shooting against a white wall or a white poster board will make it easier to digitally remove the background during the next step.
Open the picture in Photoshop. Use the Magic Wand tool to select the background for removal. Once clicked, the background will be outlined and highlighted. Go to "edit" and click "cut." The background will disappear.
Now go to "image" and click "adjustments." Select "desaturate" to remove all color.
In "adjustments," select "brightness/contrast." Then lower the brightness and increase the contrast until your image becomes a silhouette.
If the image isn't completely silhouetted, use the Paintbucket tool (with black as the color selection) to fill in as needed, placing the cursor dead center and clicking until your desired effect is achieved.
Using the Image tool, select "image size" to set your desired dimensions.
Save your silhouette as a JPEG file.
Burn the file to a CD, take it to a copy shop, and print it on paper or card stock.
Trim the edges and frame.
Enjoy your new creation!

For the complete directions, go to More Ways To Waste Time.
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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:26 -0800

Take a peek at Keith Haring's former apartment. - AT:NY
Find out more about using hand-me-downs in a nursery. - Charles and Hudson
I love this embroidered Tim Gunn portrait. - Craft
Would you buy this house for a dollar? - Shelterrific
Check out an awesome backyard makeover. - Danny Seo
Read this post if you're thinking about using Ikea cabinets in your kitchen. - AT:SF
Try these top five flowers for the Winter season. - ShelterPop