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The Benefits of Stamped, Stenciled, or Stained Concrete

MDE Productions — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:32:13 +0000

In the field of concrete laying there is an art which comes in the form of decorative concrete, utilizing techniques such as stamped concrete, concrete stenciling, or stained concrete. If someone knows what they are doing they can make concrete look like wood, stone, tile and many other things. Some concrete artists can even make it look like a tree with branches. Through sculpting, stenciling and staining a concrete artist can make the design he wants, give it the texture he wants and even the color he wants. A concrete artist would look at the area in which he is going to do his work and decide what he wants to design and then choose the texture and color of the design from there.

Stamped concrete is laid out in a slab and then is stamped or imprinted with a tool that makes it look like wood or brick or whatever design you want. People use it on their drives, decks and just about anywhere they want. It takes much less time to pour a slab and stamp concrete then it does to lay flag stone one by one. You don’t have to worry about the path of stone pulling up either. Stamped concrete will last you years.

Stencil concrete is a design method of drawing various patterns on concrete floors with the help of stencils. Stencils are used on new concrete or existing concrete. It is based on blocking techniques. Many decorative designs can be effected by using high quality paper stencils. Patterns need to be aligned before starting a stenciling procedure. After concrete is poured on the floors, the surface is puffed up and even edged. Stencil borders are then applied to the surface. The field for the design is adjusted. Tools such as speed trowels, stencil rollers or Fresno are used. Color hardener is used as per the choice of colors. Surface abrasion, wear resistance and true color have to be taken into account when applying colors to the concrete. The color is floated over the concrete and then smoothed over with a trowel. Other possible finishes are broom, sponge float, wood float and cork float. Using the concrete stencil method gives you a very artistic look and it is really unique. You can create a design exactly the way you want it. When laying stone or building with wood, you have to bow down to the shape of the stone or the grain of the wood. With this method you can have the same look but with the design you like.

Stained concrete is made by staining, coloring, and designing. It is often referred to as colored concrete. This design technique is immensely popular among homeowners, designers and builders due to the different types of variations obtained by combining concrete, colors and creativity. The slab has to be washed to remove the excess concrete sticking on it. Muriatic acid solution is used on top of this surface. The concrete has been cleaned to the desired color and dried; two coats of sealer are applied. 15% to 20% acrylic should be used for the first coat and 25% to 30% acrylic for the second coat.

Dusting to remove grit and damp mopping with the help of a neutral cleaner will enhance the floor. Choosing to use stained concrete can save you a bundle when you compare the prices of using wood, flagstone or tile. Whatever your theme, concrete can be made to not only fit the design but look amazing at half the cost.

Find a local concrete company that specializes in decorative stamped concrete, stained concrete, and concrete stenciling in Minnesota.

Benefits of Working with a Rochester MN Plumber For any size plumbing problem, rely on the experienced touch...

Bison or Buffalo Leather and Hides

MDE Productions — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:03:43 +0000

When deciding which bison or buffalo leather hide to purchase for a project, there are a number of options to consider. The purpose of the end item is the primary consideration, as it will eliminate a number of hide cuts unsuited to get the intended result. The type of tanning process used is another fundamental question that needs to be addressed early in the project. The season the hide was harvested, the relative age of the hide when it was taken, whether the project dictates the hair on or a hairless hide; all determine how the end item will look and feel, its durability and flexibility. Also of significance – especially with buffalo and bison hides – is the cost. Regardless of any other factor, cost should be the least important; however, there are options which can result in significant cost savings, whether it is an item for personal use or intended for resale.

The application of the completed project requires some thought and planning. Important questions include: Is this for a historical recreation or repair and restoration of a period artifact? Is it for a wardrobe item or accessory piece? Is it for footwear, hand coverings, belt or possibly a pouch? Is it for a current practical application such as a drover duster, motorcycle chaps, or similar modern apparel?

The answer for most of the above questions is to use a brain tanned hide. It is the most supple, resilient and durable of the various tanning methods. It has advantages over vegetable tanned, salt tanned, or chemical tanned hides in the vast majority of cases. Commercial brain tanned hides will be considerably less expensive than hand-worked brain tanned hides. The advantage of commercial brain tanning is consistency and predictable overall quality. Brain tanning is an art; there are almost as many brain tanning recipes as there are tanners. Unless it is possible to directly handle the hide prior to purchase, the best option is to use a reliable commercial source.

In cases where extreme durability is a higher priority to flexibility; Old World tanning – also known as aged vegetable tanning – is the preferred option. This is the best solution for articles of horse tack, moccasin soles, or lamellar-style armor using the cuir bouilli boiled leather hardening methods. It is also the best tanning method for book covers and bindings.

The season and age of the buffalo or bison hide when it was harvested is critical. Ideally, the hide should be from an 18-month old bull, taken in the winter. A year-and-a-half old bull has a mature hide, yet it is still thin and flexible enough to work with easily. A winter hide is most important for hair-on applications, where a soft thick pelt of hair is desired. If there is no requirement for hair, there are significant savings over a hair-on hide.

Many amateur and novice leather workers tend to avoid using buffalo or bison hides because of the expense. Anyone who can successfully work with cowhide can work buffalo or bison. Both hides have superior features which have significant advantages over cowhide. With commercial brain tanned and outstanding Old World aged vegetable tanned options, hides have become more affordable and accessible than ever.

Learn more about buffalo leather and bison leather, including old world tanned hides and commercial brain tanned hides, leather supplies, scraps, and tools.

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Fractal Art Gallery | Fractal Artists

MDE Productions — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 15:25:29 +0000

Fractal Art, at least the visual kind, is often referred to as art that is made up of a consistent pattern at varying degrees of size. So the entire image often looks similar to a tiny portion of the image. Sometimes that rule is pushed beyond the limit, or a tiny portion is zoomed in and adjusted. But regardless, the effect is mesmerizing. Another interesting aspect of fractal art is that the images are initially created via mathematical formulae. Interestingly, formulas can be attributed to the growth patterns in nature, or the construction of both animate and inanimate objects. The fractal art form takes those concepts a step further into the world of creativity. For a quick overview of some amazing fractal art, check out this great series of images created by fractal artists entitled, Fractal Art: Complex and Beautiful Color Inspiration.

The Benefits of Stamped, Stenciled, or Stained Concrete In the field of concrete laying there is an art...

Tutorials for Creating Art with Adobe Photoshop

MDE Productions — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:15:24 +0000

Visual Art is an amazing form of expression that human beings have at their fingertips, and lately there have been many artists expressing themselves with digital tools. One of the most popular tools for expression is Adobe Photoshop, but many people are unaware of the full range of possibilities with which to create. So here is a list of 100 Adobe Photoshop tutorials for creating art. They run the full gamut, from simple to complex, mouse and tablet inputs, a variety of styles, genres, and every one of them is stunning and beautiful. So whether you’re just playing around, serious about artistic development, or anything in between, check out a few tutorials for a quick boost to your visual vocabulary.

The Benefits of Stamped, Stenciled, or Stained Concrete In the field of concrete laying there is an art...