Category Archives: Arts & Crafts

Anything to do with arts and crafts.

Who was T’Pring and How Should We Paint Her?

Posted on November 18, 2020 by Aya Katz

I have tried to draw or paint T’Pring on several occasions during my life. Below is a comparison of the very earliest painting and the latest.   Many people when they look at my paintings of T’Pring ask whether she … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts, Beauty, Books and Authors | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Character-Based Family Portraits

Posted on November 10, 2020 by Aya Katz

This week I finished another family portrait. Is this a realistic painting or a caricature? I discuss in the video below. Character is the most important element that I try to represent in paintings. But unlike the connotation of caricature, … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts, PubWages Staff | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How to Turn Caricatures into More Realistic Paintings

Posted on November 5, 2020 by Aya Katz

  For Halloween I painted a spooky portrait based on an old, faded and overexposed photo. Part of what made it creepy was that it was in fact a caricature of the original image. What would it take to make … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Realistic Paintings are Not Necessarily More Detailed

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Aya Katz

There is a popular misconception that the more detailed a painting is, the more realistic it must be.  But today’s animations can be extremely detailed, while remaining cartoonish, while some very realistic paintings do not share many details. Yesterday, while … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts, Beauty | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Different Ways to Remember a Trip to Scotland: Painting Swans

Posted on October 27, 2020 by Aya Katz

In 1963, my family went on a trip to Scotland and England. We rented a car and saw the sights. But the biggest impression that stayed with me over the years was of seeing the swans. Yesterday, I decided to … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals and Pets, Arts & Crafts, Beauty, Family | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Paint a Halloween Portrait from an Over-Exposed Photo

Posted on October 22, 2020 by Aya Katz

When trying to paint with a reference photo that is overexposed, we can use harsh colors to replicate the overexposure. Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Paint a Miniature Painting in Acrylics

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Aya Katz

Yesterday I painted a miniature portrait using acrylics. It was on a 4×4 inch stretch canvas. Here is how I painted it: What I thought was most delightful about the process was that I was able to get my iPhone … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Paint a Vampire with a Baby

Posted on October 18, 2020 by Aya Katz

Paitning with acrylics can be a quick and satisfying process. First we prepare the canvas. Then we paint. In less than an hour we can have striking paintings.

Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Use Gloss Medium to Mix Acrylic Paints

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Aya Katz

Yesterday I used gloss medium to thin out and mix acrylic paints for the first time to very good effect. The painting below, “Julia and the Porcelain Doll”,  is the result. My model was Julia Hanna, who has long, beautiful … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Make Inexpensive Personalized Christmas Ornaments

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Aya Katz

How to Make Inexpensive Personalized Christmas Ornaments Our Christmas Tree 2010 Our Christmas Tree | Source Some people decorate their Christmas trees with expensive and fragile ornaments. In our house, ornaments for the Christmas tree are much more casual and personalized. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts & Crafts | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments