A Fall Night

Click to enlarge

I painted this picture in 1988. The inspiration to paint the picture came one night while I was in my car waiting for a friend.  I could not believe the brilliant colors of the leaves around the street light. The leaves were glowing in all the surrounding darkness. What a creepy but beautiful contrast. As the leaves fell from the trees, they were caught in the light only to disappear into the night. Without light there is no color. That scene remained in my mind until one night in the fall of 1988, I decided to put it on a canvas. It reminds me of the never ending cycle of the seasons and how the fall goes out in such glory.

How to - paint touch ups

Time for paint

 

     The holidays are right around the corner, family is coming over and you would like to make a good impression. There are a few areas on your home interior walls that need touching up but you cannot find the matching paint, what do you do? Don’t panic! The following techniques will help achieve professional results.

      Take a deep breath and relax, check to see if there is any of the original paint in your supply room. If you can not find the original paint try the next step. Next  take a small sample of the paint color from the wall to the paint center and have it matched. Take a razor knife and score the sheet rock making a square the size of 2 x 2 inch. After cutting into the wall peal the first layer away from the wall. I recommend picking an inconspicuous area, behind a door is a great place to start. If you have found the paint, mix it well and try a test spot on the wall to see if it blends in. If it bends in your ready to proceed.

Clean area

    Spackle the area where the sample was taken, when dry, sand and wipe clean. Now take your newly matched paint and apply it to the areas as needed for touch ups. I found a 4 inch mini roller with a standard ½ in. nap is great for this application. The mini rollers have become very popular and can be found in most paint supply centers. Also, pick up a roller tray and a small tarp to catch any drips. Pour a little amount of paint into the roller tray and then apply paint to the roller. Try not to add too much paint to the roller.

Spot prime

     If you have any spots that have crayons or magic marker I recommend using Cover Stain Primer in a spray can. Read the instructions first and then apply a small amount to the area. When your primer dries you are ready to paint. Clean the other areas as needed.

     I found the roller technique better than using a brush. The brush tends to make a band aid appearance which is very obvious; your walls will appear to have a bad rash. Using the roller tends to blend the paint in much better. Before starting test a spot of paint and use a blow dryer to see how it blends in. If the spot of paint disappears after it dries then you’re good to go.

Apply paint

     Roll over the area that needs the fresh paint and run the path of the roller a least 12 inches on all sides lightly feathering the outer areas. (In this demonstration I used a light color so you can see what I’m explaining better ) Move your roller vertically up and down the wall. This works great for all paints but sheen paints need a little more finesse.

   If you’re touching up an area which is perpendicular to a window using eggshell, satin, semi-gloss finish it will be very noticeable. By using this technique you will have a better chance of the paint blending in. Another tip: There are shadow areas in all rooms which are next to door frames, windows, hanging pictures and furniture; these are great areas to bring your paint towards to hide the new touch up.

Feather all edges

    When the touch up is very close to an adjoining wall move you’re roller towards the wall corner. We are trying to fool the eye and make the touch ups less obvious. It is very important that the paint match is as close as the original paint. The sheen and color needs to be the same for this to be successful.

Nice and clean

   When I find spots at eye level I roll the paint as high as my arm will go and also as low. By doing this the touch up will be hard to find.  Two coats may be required over a primer. Purchase good grade paint and the results will be very nice.

    Note: If you see spots coming threw your finish work reapply the spot primer and when dry touch up the area again. Enjoy your Holiday's!

Is that the color?

                                                              

      Many times while cutting in a room with a new paint color my customers would ask, is that the color? I kid around with them responding, no, this is your neighbors color and they asked me to try it out on your walls. They said, you would not mind. The look on their face is worth millions. No really, is that the color? They ask again. Yes, it is. What is happening here?

     Any time we are changing a color of a room for example, the walls were originally medium blue changing to yellow. The two colors are now together and the yellow has a greenish look to it. Don’t panic, this is basic color 101. Why is this happening?

     OK, I know most of us are not artist’s and don’t remember color theory, so, if you take a blue  and mix it with yellow you get green. The same goes for blue and red make purple, red and yellow make orange and so on.

    

     This happens when the paint we are applying is a sheen finish such as eggshell, satin, semi - gloss. The reflection picks up the main color in the room, hence changing the color. This affect is temporary; once the entire room is painted the color will look the same as the sample. There’s more….

      Lighting! Choosing colors from a swatch book or fan deck in a room at night the color will not look the same in the daylight. Also, I found that window tint comes in different colors which will greatly change the colors in a room. It is wise to choose a color in the rooms that you would like to have painted in both day and night lighting.

    

     We also suggest large color samples to view in each room which will make your decisions easier. Purchase pints or quarts of paint and paint on construction board. I use a blow dryer to speed up the process and then add another coat of paint. Hang the big samples around your home for a few days and your color choices will narrow down to the best ones.

     Using these large samples enables us to see how color will react in different lighting. We also get the chance to see how it works with the various fabrics in a room.

Remember that a sheen paint finish will pick up colors that are around them. A flat finish would be a better choice if you’re concerned about other colors encroaching.

     Today there are washable flat paints which are not flat; these products have a low sheen to them. Make your samples and see how they will react in your interior, this way there is no surprises. It is worth the extra time to exercise this method.

Dreams

      How can we resist a glance at blue skies and white clouds passing by our windows. For a moment our minds are floating away and we are lost in a dream. Many of us have imagined great things which have become reality. Your dreams can come true and it may take a lifetime to achieve, so stay on track and keep your eyes on the prize. Success will come in time.

The Color Purple

                                                                     The Color Purple

          Mystery, magic and creativity are some of the words often associated with the color purple.

 The storm has passed and the water is still. Clouds cradle the moon as if it was a prized pearl with it's illuminating glow leading us into another day.

Original acrylic paintings created by Ron Markowitz.

Orange Memories

                                                            

     I lived in New Jersey for several years and witnessed some of the most awesome displays of the leaves changing color in the Fall. It was like mother nature's fireworks changing with each passing day. Little did I know what a profound effect it would have on my life. 

     In my opinion, orange is the most iconic color of fall. When the trees explode into brilliant colors, we are reminded that fall is here. As we stare at this beautiful color show, we remember the things we loved the most and still cherish today. I remember running door-to-door on Halloween night, collecting delicious candy in my orange pumpkin, glowing jack o’ lanterns greeting me at every door step, and candy corn in my grandmother’s candy dish which I could not keep my hands out of.

     A few more of my orange memories include the smell of hot pumpkin pie fresh out of the oven, sweet potatoes, carrots and don’t forget that beautiful roasted turkey glazed with honey. Many of us had to rake the falling leaves from our yards and sometimes the pile of leaves would be four ft. high. During break time a tall glass of OJ was the perfect refreshing energy drink that put a smile on all our faces.  Once the break was over we would throw our selves into the pile of leaves and roll around till we were dizzy.

      How can anyone resist playing in those piles of leaves?  Sometimes the leaves would lift off the ground and chase each other around in the wind creating a kaleidoscope of color. It’s their last dance before winter arrives.

      No sooner than the trees are bare, we continue the celebration of fall with all the colorful decorations and food in our homes. Family and friends come together to share old stories and enjoy one of the most cherished meals of the year and give thanks.

      Living in Florida there are few natural reminders of fall. This is why color plays such an important role in our lives. I welcome all the warmth and vitality of the color orange. 

Orange Glazed Walls