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#homedecsecrets Part 5: WOOD/MDF

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When making art to pitch to an art director to get one’s very own home decor collection, most people think of plopping their art on pillows, lampshades, and something to hang on the wall. Did you know that there are tons of products you can show that will help you stand out? You can take a product like a ceramic plate, for example, and indicate a raised or embossed design? These extras are called ‘finishing techniques’ and all this week we have been sharing a peek at some of the finishing techniques showcased in our upcoming class ‘MATS: Creating Collections for Home Décor’ (which starts on Monday 16 May!). We are giving you daily prompts to get your creative juices flowing. Our last material is… WOOD/MDF.

Wood is such a basic part of our every day, it’s something we almost forget about. Take a look around your house… what is made from wood? How much of it actually has art on it, and isn’t just plain, or painted? There are a multitude of ways your art can be relevant with products made from wood. Margo says, “To me, wood always represents nature at its purest. We need it to build things. To feed a fire that warms us. To shelter us. In Home Décor, wood is a firmly-established material. It is strong and long lasting; you can shape it, print on it, and it adds warmth and value.”

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The finishing technique we want to share with you today is… Carved and shaped wood

Think beyond the rectangle. Let’s look at various shapes you can make out of wood.

Teak plates circa 1960:

Haenia-Teak-Plates

Haenia

These are hand carved birds on unfinished wood that hang from jute twine.

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Rather than using crystal, how about making the chandelier crystals carved out of wood?

Bobo

Bobo

Here we have unfinished wood. These are hand carved-birds that hang from jute twine.

Here are gorgeous, simply-shaped birds.

luola-shop

Luloa Shop

The wood products, below, are hand-carved patterned pieces made in India.

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CBK

Below, The doors on the front have what’s called a ‘channel carving’. The lighter lines are carved in, the darker lines are raised. So the carving is what creates the graphic pattern.

wearethefrontier

wearethefrontier

Look at this playful piece that mixes wood with various materials. This incorporates some of the substrates you’ve learned about: metal and ceramic.

Shirley-Vauvelle

Shirley Vauvelle

Hand-carved wings make a dramatic accessory. Again, we’re showing you various silhouetted shapes you can make.

mothology1

Mothology

Your #homedecsecrets creative exercise today is:

Either:

(1) Go out and about and find examples of this finishing technique all around you

(2) Inspired by one of the photos shown here or work in your own portfolio, sketch some ideas for seeing a single icon turned into a 3-d wooden product for the home décor market. What kind of product would it be?

Share your discoveries on Instagram using #homedecsecrets (and make sure you’re following us @makeartthatsells )

So is your mind officially blown with ideas of how to expand your portfolio and create major product lines in the home décor market? If you want to learn how to communicate those ideas visually to an art director who might actually buy your work, then join us for ‘MATS: Creating Collections for Home Décor’. But hurry, class starts on Monday 16 May and it’s the last time it will run this year!

Next week we will be running a fun #mymatsprep series on the blog to get you in the mood, so stay tuned!

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Want a piece of the $60 Billion Home Decor industry?

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What is home décor? It’s all the gorgeous and/or functional items in your house. It’s a booming market that needs tons of art, with over $60 billion in annual sales. Its massive growth is due in part to the popularity of home design TV shows, Pinterest, and Instagram, and stylish online retailers like One Kings Lane and Dot&Bo.

Art directors NEED your great art!

Our next live e-course, Make Art That Sells: Creating Collections for Home Décor starts May 16 and teaches you everything you need to know to create killer presentations with your art. Registration is open and we look forward to seeing your gorgeous designs.

26d83ee1-c06a-4c44-9e8e-1b7ba522f78eThis will be the last time we will be offering this course this year! Don’t miss out, sign up here.

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