Art – even something as simple as drawing – is often something that strikes many people as intimidating. The common complaint or excuse is typically something along the lines of “I can’t even draw a straight line!”, which you’ve probably heard or even said before. However, we could all benefit immeasurably from realizing that it doesn’t have to be so intimidating or worrisome to have to draw. One reason we get intimidated is that we have such high expectations of ourselves based on artwork we like, which is usually put together by trained professionals who have been doing this for quite some time. People need to keep in mind first and foremost that getting that good takes a great deal of time and practice, but most of all an open mind. It’s actually fairly simple, as long as you can picture a form and follow a few basic and easy-to-remember tips for drawing. Before long you could be having fun drawing much more than just straight lines!

First, if you’re going to draw people or even animals, a basic understanding of anatomy can go a long way. You don’t need to start off already able to draw each knuckle on a hand or each last little detail, although an awareness of where they are and how they work would help too. Just the general body form will do, especially if you develop a clear idea of the body’s bone structure and where the joints are. This can help you depict motion, as well as execute effective body language to embellish the prevailing mood or emotion in a scene. It’s the same with actors who have to be aware of and in control of their bodies and extremities so they have all the tools at their disposal to convey the idea they want the audience to get.

Another notable idea is to assemble a “morgue”, or a compilation of reference pictures. Today’s digital means allow users and would-be artists to have an even easier time gathering, storing and filing away reference images through the use of search engines or even stock photo archives, some of which offer free membership. These reference pictures can help you get a grasp of details that significantly distinguish one type of person from another, which can then help you build character authenticity when you draw them. A reference compilation is also useful for fostering other important elements, such as an understanding of lighting, texture and so on, and the many ways they can be rendered.

Finally, you can he helped immeasurably by having a handful of items around such as a mirror, a digital camera and even an action figure. This can help you use yourself as a reference – facial expressions, the drape and appearance of certain types of fabric on the body, and more can be gleaned through the use of a mirror. The digital camera could come in handy if you have time to observe other people and try to capture the unique ways they stand, talk and move; scenery is also fair game for the digital camera, which can help you capture a nice angle on something you can use as an establishing or other shot. The (preferably poseable) action figure, finally, can help you visualize your awareness of how the body takes certain shapes when running, fighting, pointing to the distance, and so on.

Basically, any antique furniture that originates from the 1950’s are considered mid century furniture. This may include furniture, lighting, accessories and designer pieces such as ash trays, china, dinnerware and even salt and pepper shakes.

Famous icons of this century furniture design are Pierre Paulin, Alvar Alto, Charles Eames, Eero Saarinen and Arne Jacobsen. It is not that difficult to find mid century furniture. They are available on antique stores, online dealers and even auctions. The prices vary depending on their size, their designs, their designers and how old they are. Some of the furniture can be bought for thousands of dollars.

Mid century furniture became popular due to their simplicity, elegant and artistic designs. This furniture not only served as a piece of furniture or an accent to a house, but it also became a symbol of class and of taste when it comes to design and artistry.
Here is some of the iconic furniture of the mid modern times:

Marcel Breuer’s

One of the most iconic furniture designs in the history. The Wassily chair also known as Model B3 chair was designed by Marcel Breuer when he was still the head of a cabinet-making workshop in Germany. The chair looks suspended to the air due to its design. The chair is as thin as wafer and the use of tubular steel and leather straps made the illusion of suspension in air.

Barcelona chair

The Barcelona chair is not just ordinary furniture but a functional art too. It was designed by Lilly Reich and Mies Van Der Rohe for an international fair in Barcelona. It was said to be a combination of the folding chair of the Pharaohs and the “X” footstool of the Romans. The chair was dedicated to the Spanish royal family.

Noguchi coffee table

It is designed by Isamu Noguchi, a half Japanese, half American sculptor, architect and furniture designer. The Noguchi table is renowned for its simplicity and genuineness. It belongs to the modern classic furniture movement by which people sought to collect and other pieces that belong to this set.

Chair drawing can seem intimidating and complicated, specifically in the world of amateur artistry. The crafting of a realistic, creative, or stylistic chairs through either pencils or charcoal is not as difficult as it might seem. Several steps can be taken to make drawing a chair easier, but the work still comes down to the amount of time and practice an artist or aficionado is willing to spend on the technique. Finding a good reference image, accounting for negative space, and following the projected lines of an object can all lead to a better overall chair drawing.

Finding a Good Reference Image
Even the most experienced artists spend time with an item or image while they draw it. Many artists you see in galleries use an image such as a chair, jar, or other physical item in order to portray its shape and texture on paper. Finding a good chair to draw, whether it is an actual chair or a reference image, is the best way to start your journey to the perfect chair drawing. Using this image as a launching point is a great idea, but so is simply drawing the object as you see it. Learning how lines work in an object can help you later on to draw more complicated figures such as the human form.

Negative Space
Accounting for negative space is something many beginners, and even experienced artists and drafters tend to do. Negative space is simply empty space within and around an object. Remember that, although the chair is what you are drawing, you must be aware of what space the chair is not occupying. That empty space between the legs, that must exist for the object to look as it does. Without the empty space, that negative space, the chair would look like a blob more than it would look like a four legged chair.

The Importance of Line
There are only a few elements that make up an image, and these include line, color, and form. Line is one of the most important elements when drawing an object such as a chair, and can be used to render an image close to that of the original. For instance, a chair in front of you has a line on its cushion, a line that shows where it ends and negative space begins. Draw this line not as it seems, not as you think it, but as it is. It most likely recedes into another line, so display that to the best of your ability.

Draw the lines that make up the chair, account for negative space, and use a good image.

These workshops and seminars will keep employees up-to-date with any new technologies. For example, IT companies may find it in their best interest to have their employees attend workshops yearly to keep up with programming languages. This is an industry that is always changing.

Employees will typically learn problem-solving skills and training so that they can practice new skills and share experiences with one another for better development. Employees will be able to improve their performance, have a better understanding of the job requirements and how the company works as a whole.

Determine where you want to hold the workshops and seminars. Depending on what is being learned, this can be done through some sort of webinar, in-house training or even off the premise. These workshops usually last a few hours. Online is probably the most convenient for many businesses, this is because no one has to leave. If the employees have to leave their then a business owners should provide lunch if the class lasts longer than a few hours. In addition, it may not be feasible for the whole office or department to go attend the workshops all at once. For instance, large companies wouldn’t take the entire customer service department out to attend these because who will deal with the customers. It is better to go in groups, maybe separate them where one group goes in the A.M. and the other in the P.M.

Learning is never a bad thing and continuing to educate employees is in the best interest of any company. Workshops can be given on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis; it depends on what is being taught. Keeping up with the latest programming relevant for your business would probably be a yearly class. One thing is for sure, your employees will benefit because they will develop other strategies and techniques to do their job better and so your company will benefit also!