I am asked on a regular basis to construct signs with removable panels. Removable panels are sometimes necessary because of changing dates or other information. As a sign maker, I have used (and created) several methods to achieve this. There are magnets and Velcro to name two. But the cheapest and simplest way to go is "tape-on-tape". Most people use tape to attach things, but when they eventually pull the item off the tape makes a mess. Usually it damages the item or whatever it's attached to... or both. The method I'm going to explain is only slightly more work but it works very well. 

I'll run through how I attach removable panels using this method.

I'm kind of a freak when it comes to organization. I love creating a home for everything. So creating storage bins has become an enjoyable hobby over the years. Early on I decided to build it myself rather than buy pre-made storage options. I could never find storage containers that fit where I wanted them to. But, I didn't want to pay a lot for the raw materials. My solution was cardboard. It's free and easy to manipulate.

My current organization project is the picture you see above. I decided to turn a little wooden table into a recycling center. It's a simple matter of making drawer boxes to fit the space. So here we go...

Occasionally I get a request for a chalk board sign. As long as the message on the sign is permanent, many times it makes more sense to make it out of foam core board than buy an actual chalk board. It's not always easy to locate an actual chalk board in the size that you need. Not to mention the cost. Lots of these faux signs could be made for the price of one real chalk board. This type of sign would be ideal for a business that wants to create signs with a "market" or "rustic" feel. Let's run through the steps of how to make one of these.

Over the years I have used many kinds of paper for my artwork. At first it really didn't matter to me what I used because I was focused more on the tools I was drawing with. As time went on I started to realize that the paper I was using left a lot to be desired. I started trying out a few different papers and found some favorites for pencil and ink, but I couldn't seem to find a good solution for my mixed media projects.

I'm going to show you how I shaded the pear in the previous tutorial. This will give you more hands-on instruction on how to shade an object using a graphite pencil.

Begin by roughing in the contour line drawing of the object. 

Here is a more advanced lesson in shading. Using the example of the pear, you can see how the simple shading techniques have been used. The light source comes in from the left and creates a cast shadow on the right side of the object. The object is lightest where the light source hits it and darkest where the light is shaded the most.

The simple elements are there, but now there are a few more elements to deal with.

Highlight: Where the light source hits the object
Core Shadow: The largest area or shade
Mid-Tones: The transitional area between the lightest and darkest areas
Reflected Light: The subtle highlight from indirect light
Cast Shadow: The shadow the object casts

Well, grilling season is upon us! Therefore, I have been doing some sign projects recently that require flame backgrounds. I wanted to show you a quick tutorial on how I do this.

First, I have to mention that I'm using Design Master spray paint. This product is great for making signs because of its blending ability. Unlike other spray paint on the market, it's translucent which allows you to layer several colors together.

First of all, you have to understand that shading is important. It's the shading that really makes a drawing look real. Some artists don't try to develop their shading skills because it seems difficult to learn. But if they don't have a good handle on this fundamental skill their drawings end up looking flat. 

Shading may seem overwhelming, but if you break it up into it's most basic parts it becomes simple.

Begin by finding the direction of the light source. This tells you where the shadow will fall. Notice the three visible sides of each box. Each side is a different tone depending on how the light is hitting them.

Areas that are exposed more to the light will have less shade and those with less exposure will have more shade. When you are drawing, you have to be aware of the different sections of shade and how they relate to each other.

Shading on curved surfaces goes from very light to very dark as the light travels around the object. Learning to blend your pencil strokes together will create shading that bends around an object. This is what will make your drawings look realistic.