CasaSugar

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.
Source

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.

Source

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?
Source

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?

Casa Interview: The Good Wife's Stephen Hendrickson and Beth Kushnick

CasaSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:28 -0800

As I've mentioned in the past, I'm a huge fan of the new CBS series The Good Wife. In particular, I adore Alicia Florrick's (Julianna Margulies) apartment. With classic styling and great use of color, it's definitely a look I'm currently coveting. Luckily, I recently had the opportunity to chat with the two people responsible for the look of that very apartment. The Good Wife's production designer, Stephen Hendrickson, and set decorator, Beth Kushnick, answered my questions about the look of Alicia's home.

CasaSugar: How did the production designer and set decorator define Alicia (as a starting-over mom, lawyer, etc.), and how did this play into their concept of her new apartment?

Hendrickson and Kushnick: We defined Alicia as a working mom who wanted to make a comforting life for her kids as they had to downsize from a large house in the suburbs to a much smaller apartment which she purchased and had renovated. We kept some furniture from the old house like the kids' beds and the dining room furniture. In addition the show creators wanted to keep Alicia's king size bed as a visual - that it was too big for her new bedroom and show that one side of it was now empty. We also created a maid's room in the back of the apartment for all of her husband's belongings.

CasaSugar: How did Alicia’s style as a North Shore mom change when she moved into Chicago proper?

Hendrickson and Kushnick: Her new apartment had a sophisticated color palette . . . Alicia's apartment also has more contemporary living room furnishings and an upgraded kitchen.

Read the rest of the interview, and check out photos of the set.

Love It or Hate It? Excessive Plants on a Mantel

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:00:36 -0700

Today, President Barack Obama met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in the Oval Office of the White House. While I'm not a fan of gold frames in general (even when they're housing a lovely portrait of a founding father), I'm not sure what i think of the all-over ivy on the mantel behind the president and the prime minister. Would you ever coat a mantel with this much ivy?

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.
Source

November's Architectural Digest Features Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch

CasaSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0700

If you've ever wanted to see the interiors of Michael Jackson's infamous Neverland Ranch, you can put your curiosity to rest. The November issue of Architectural Digest features two stories about Jackson and his sprawling 2,700-acre Santa Ynez Valley, CA, estate. Inside are many rare photos and a personal story recalled by photographer Harry Benson who visited and photographed Jackson at the estate over the years.

I was intrigued to learn that the icon kept most of the furniture and interiors just as they were when he bought the property from real estate developer William Bone in 1988. I'm also surprised at how dark the interiors are; I expected more color from the much-talked-about "fantasy land." Although, Jackson's playful décor, like his Peter Pan sculpture, more than makes up for that.

Get a sneak peek inside Neverland Ranch and at some portraits of Jackson, and read some memorable quotes when you read more!

View 4 Photos ›

Here are a few quotes from Benson:

Michael took me into the rehearsal studio where he had refined the moonwalk. He told me he often brought Prince there to watch him practice in front of the mirrored wall and said they would dance together someday. I was convinced that was going to be the next act.

One could see how Neverland could take Michael’s mind off all his worries and transport him from the reality of his stressful life. He had everything he wanted there.

Standing outside his bedroom was a wax figure of a queen’s Household Calvary guard. The bedroom itself was dark and quite plain, in tones of beige and brown, and, to be honest, a bit depressing.

Pick up your copy on newsstands today, and be sure to check out these other exclusive online photos.