How to Use Royalty Free Web Clip Art

A beautiful original oil painting by Atlanta artist Ronda Waiksnis - while not free clip art, original works of art are available for rent and lease to businesses throughout the US!  Call (888) 440-9260 for more information or visit our website at www.artrentandlease.com.

A great article from eHow:

Copyright and usage rules apply to clip art, just like any other image or photograph. It is important to understand the correct, legal use of clip art before incorporating it into any of your projects or content.

1 ~  Distinguish between clip art licenses, realizing that most of it is either considered public, meaning it is completely free for use, or royalty free. Royalty free means you must purchase a limited license, which is sold to allow personal, educational or non-profit use of the clip art images. For example, purchasing the Microsoft Word program gives you a license to use all clip art images included within the program.

2 ~  Check Microsoft Word's collection of clip art to see whether what you are looking for is available. Using clip art from a legally purchased version of Microsoft Word is the easiest way to ensure the clip art you are using is royalty free and legal to use for as long as your license for Microsoft Word is valid.

3 ~  Purchase a CD of clip art images, which may include a collection of anywhere from a hundred to thousands of graphics for royalty-free use. These CDs can be found from online stores, as well as office supply and computer stores.

4 ~  Get the best images you can afford. Finding the cheapest price for royalty-free clip art might not be the best approach, as cheaper clip art may be lower in quality and more widely used. If you are looking for a more exclusive or unique image, it is best to be willing to pay a little more to secure the rights to use it.

5 ~  Access a website like Microsoft Office Online or CoolArhive.com to find royalty free clip art (see Resources below). Many websites offer free clip art for use on the Web, as long as you are using it for non-commercial purposes. Others charge low, one time or monthly fees to download images.

Read more: How to Use Royalty Free Web Clip Art | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2091748_use-royalty-free-web-clip.html#ixzz1RXAeCOLq

Plantable Furniture - A New Trend?

Is this the trend to come? Apparently it is (according to a recent Design*Sponge visit to the Stockholm furniture fair). Plant-able furniture that can grow your garden inside your furniture (think small flowers and herbs?). It can be useful both inside the home, out on the balcony patio or in the garden. It is truly the new wave of multipurpose furniture for small space gardeners.

Always something new and exciting in design!  If you're looking for artwork for your space, call Art Rent & Lease at (888) 440-9260 for a free consultation from one of our designers throughout the US.  You can also visit our website at:  www.artrentandlease.com

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.studiogblog.com/shop-for-garden-products/furniture-garden/garden-trend-plantable-furniture/

"Art is Life. So to Learn It, You Engage with Life" Mark Bradford on Teaching

By Annelisa Stephan on July 6, 2011 under Behind the Scenes, Education, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

“What’s available on the surface isn’t all that’s there,” Mark told her. In other words, when you make art you find yourself—even if that wasn’t what you set out to do. That was the story for Mark, too. His thing wasn’t vertical lines or composition or intensity, but simply paper. “I’d always be picking up paper, picking up trash,” he told them. “At first I thought I was just cheap, but then I realized that was just me.”

The students wanted to know if Mark—whose work hangs in places like the Whitney and LACMA and who was officially declared a genius in 2009—ever struggles, gets stuck. Um…yeah. “I get mad! I get impatient!” He described a typical day in the studio, a roller coaster of emotions that included triumph, despair (break for lunch), resignation, and finally fragile equilibrium. He also talked about two paintings in his studio that he was struggling with, and admitted to throwing some in the trash. “I feel no different than you guys,” he said. “Every time I do a painting or a sculpture, it’s like it’s the first time.”

The 2:00 bell rang. “If I could pass something on to you,” Mark said, “It’s this: Keep going. Push through it. Try to step back. Don’t tear down your self-esteem. Bad painting? All right. Bad painting, good person.”
For the complete article, please visit:  http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/art-is-life-so-to-learn-it-you-engage-with-life-mark-bradford-on-teaching/

How to (Carefully) Clean Your Canvas Paintings

Original Oil by Liron Sissman

Over time, a beautiful art collection can lose some of its visual impact due to dust, cobwebs, dirt, water stains and other wear and tear. Fortunately, there are a few strategies for cleaning paintings on canvas that will not damage the paint and will keep an art collection looking its best.

For complete instructions, please visit eHow: 

 http://www.ehow.com/how_4762005_clean-canvas-paintings.html#ixzz1RXKvwT00

 

Use Your Existing Company Art Resources

Assemble Your Resources

• Some wonderful "art" can be found in objects your company already owns. As you walk down the hallways of any big movie studio, you see movie posters and set photos, and sometimes even the founder's hat and eyeglasses, on display. An ad agency plasters the walls with memorable campaigns. A sports club presents photos from each year's team.
• Check your company for all visual products generated during design, sales and marketing. Assemble process art into one larger piece which dramatizes the creation of your product. Also check for photos, awards and trophies, maps, certificates, and any print products such as menus, brochures and news clips.
• The key is to combine your objects in a way that enhances their drama. Coordinating their framing with your space is key. You may wish to hire an  art consultant to help with your project.

Art Rent and Lease helps companies utilize their resources for image enhancement, branding, to fill empty walls, to change up the look and feel of their space.  Call for information: (888) 440-9260 or visit us at www.artrentandlease.com

Shown above is an installation of Meg Black's pieces at an architectural firm, featuring various company projects.

For the complete article, please visit:  http://www.ehow.com/way_5163511_corporate-art-planning.html

Corporate Art Planning

Corporate art planning can be a great way not only to buy art, but also to sharpen your business goals and brighten the mood of your company. Budget is not your only consideration. Your physical space presents your company to visitors of interest--clients, shareholders, the competition. Your choice of art also signals your company's social standing, its attitude to its internal and external community, and its history.

Set Your Budget, Your Priorities and Your Time Frame

• Will you be placing a few big pieces right away, or are you planning for the next 10 years? If you are a new company moving into new offices, your process will be different from that of a company with a collection of objects reflecting its history. You may choose to spend your entire budget on one Picasso, or you may wish to set your corporate tone throughout your space.

We Can Help!

• Consider renting or leasing your art - you conserve capital, can expense the payment and best of all, you can have your artwork rotated every 3 to 6 months for a fresh, new look in your lobby and conference room.

Call us at (888) 440-9260 for a complimentary consultation!

A portion of this text is courtesy of eHow.com - a fantastic source for everything you want to know!

How to Copyright Art

With more content being made available on the Internet, including songs, poetry, movies and books, it has become easier to steal the intellectual properties of other artists. Copyright laws are becoming enforced more strictly to protect the rightful owners. There are a number of ways to copyright your art so you can benefit from these protections.

We're not offering legal advise - this is a great article from eHow.com that we wanted to share:

1.  Ensure that the art that you want to copyright is truly your own creation. If anyone else was involved in the creation, she must be included in the registration process of that art

2. Read the useful literature that the US Copyright Office puts out on copyrights (see Resources below). This will help you understand your rights and legal requirements.

3. Pre-register your art with the US Copyright Office. While there is no law that requires you to apply for a copyright, it is a good idea to register your art with this office so that any legal enforcement can be obtained in the future if necessary.

4. Fill out an application to register your copyright with the government through the US Copyright Office. There are different forms for literary works, performing arts, sound recordings and visual arts.

5. Submit your art copyright application to the US Copyright Office. Do not forget to include a copy of the art that you would like to register.

6. Expect to receive a certificate of registration for your art copyright in about 6 to 8 months. It takes time, but it is well worth it. The copyright will last as long as the lifetime of the certificate holder, plus 70 years.

Read more: How to Copyright Art | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2153636_copyright-art.html#ixzz1RX7FmX7X

For information on art rental, art leasing or purchasing artwork please call Art Rent and Lease - we work with clients throughout the US and provide original artwork starting at just $25 per month.  An example is a 24" x 24" original piece by artist Shawn McNulty shown above, renting for $60 per month.  Visit our website:  www.artrentandlease.com

How to Hang Unframed Art

"Carnival" by Toni Silber-Delerive

Hanging unframed artwork can be tricky, without the proper tools and materials. Gallery clips and mounts are ideal for this type of project. The gallery clips do not leave marks on the paper and they will hold the artwork in place securely. Many art supply and frame stores offer a selection of gallery installations for hanging unframed artwork. These installations take less than thirty minutes, in most cases.

Things you'll need:  Gallery clips, thin wire, small eyelet wall screws, artwork, drill, level, tape measure.

For the complete article and steps on how to install, please visit: http://www.ehow.com/how_8523424_hang-unframed-art.html

Journey into the Blue Glass Bar - Kosta Boda Art Hotel

A Journey into the Blue.  Glasbaren at Kosta Boda Art Hotel takes you to another world.  Fish swimming in still waters, bottles tilting and beautiful stalactites hanging from the roof...Kjell Engman mesmerizes you with his art.