Pro Panel skirts: A Sewing Project

Today I'm going to tell you about how I made attractive and useful "skirts" for my Pro Panels.

If you read my blog, you might remember that I bought Pro Panels for my art booth last year. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can read about it here.)

Pro Panels are carpet-covered display walls that can be put up and taken down easily to display various kinds of art. I use mine to hang my framed watercolor artwork at arts & craft shows. The Pro Panels have adjustable legs to hold them up off the ground. When the legs are extended, you can see underneath my panels and into the next artist's booth, or into any storage areas that I may have. I wanted an attractive way to solve this problem, so I decided to make removable skirts that would attach to the bottoms of my panels and hide whatever was on the other side. Pro Panels does sell a type of removable covering on their website, by the way, but their covers are very plain, and I wanted something better-looking.

I purchased some pretty upholstery fabric online, designed a pattern, and set to work. I chose upholstery fabric because it looks more upscale, and the heaviness of it prevents my skirts from blowing around at outdoor shows. They retain their shape nicely wherever I go. I also decided that they would attach to the Pro Panels along the bottom by fastening them to the back of the panels with Velcro. This meant that they would need to be tall enough to overlap the back of the panels. My panels are 38 1/2 inches wide, and I usually set the legs about a foot or so from the ground. After a little bit of trial and error, I also decided that they needed to be a little bit wider than the width of the panels, to ensure good coverage. My completed skirts measure 14 1/2" tall and 40" wide.

So... I cut large rectangles out of my fabric (18 1/2" x 43 1/2"), and hemmed them as shown.

First I hemmed the sides.

Then I hemmed the top and bottom.
I made the hem the largest on the bottom (2") to make it look nice and professional.

For each hem, it is necessary to first measure, then pin, then iron in a crease. Then do the second fold. Pin it and iron it. Then sew a straight stitch all the way from one end to the other. If you are using upholstery fabric, like I am, don't forget to buy upholstery or heavy-duty thread! Once you have hemmed all four sides of your skirt, sew the velcro all the way across the top of the skirt. I sewed mine to the front of the skirts so that I could attach them to the back of the Pro Panels.

Three sides done.. measuring for the bottom hem.




Finished skirts!

Thanks so much for reading my blog and I hope you found my instructions helpful! I would love to read your comments, and would be glad to answer any questions.

My watercolor art site: www.lauraposs.com

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My new skirts in action! :D

Booth Upgrade, Step 2

So.. I published step one of my booth upgrade last April with the intentions of moving on with step two the following week. That was about 5 months ago. Pathetic, I know.. but, hey! I've been busy; what can I say? But I do know how to stick with a topic, no matter how long it takes. So, without further ado...

Art Booth Upgrade- Step Two: A New Display Canopy!

When I started doing art shows in 2009, I needed a tent to use. After shopping around, I purchased one of the nicer EZ-Up tents. Not the kind with the colored top and the legs that sprawl outward from the top, but a white one with zippered walls that you can roll up and fasten at the top when you're not using them. I was so pleased with it. It even had an awning that stuck out above the front entrance.

Here's a photo of the tent in action, at my very first show.

Not too shabby, eh? So it wasn't the best setup ever, but it was a start. And I continued to use that tent very happily for the next two years. The only real complaint I had about it was that the roof would puddle and sag when it rained very much, and it could cause the water to drip through. But this could be fixed by using some pool noodles to prop it up at the corners.

So why did I need a new tent? I found out last April. I was doing my first outdoor show of the year in Charlotte, NC, and there had been a storm overnight and through the early morning. We set up late because of the nasty weather. My husband, John, and I had just finished placing the last of the merchandise. Then, all of a sudden, a big gust of wind came along. The wind caught the underside of the EZ-Up's roof, and I saw one leg of the tent begin to lift up in the air. I immediately grabbed the leg and held it down to the ground. The gust of wind passed, but it was too late. The tent had knocked into my ProPanel display walls and sent them tumbling to the ground like dominoes. It was a horrific scene. Artwork and panels were lying everywhere, and matted prints and bookmarks were blowing down the sidewalk. Thankfully many of our neighbors came to help (Thank you, neighbors!!), and we were able to pack up and remove our things with very little damage. The Pro Panels are not very heavy, and covered in carpet, and they seemed to cushion the fall for the framed artwork, because none of the glass broke.

However, we did learn a lesson. We didn't trust our EZ-Up anymore. So for the rest of the weekend John researched all the choices available, and we decided to purchase a Trimline Canopy from Flourish. It is a superior canopy to any other that I have seen, and the company was so helpful. They knew we had another show that weekend, and shipped it out right away so that we had it before our next show. Apparently they get a lot of Monday morning calls from artists who have lost their display to bad weather and feeble tents, and are happy to be the ones to the rescue.

Here is a photo of the Trimline in action:

The new canopy does take a lot longer to set up. It comes in pieces that you assemble, rather than a pop-up sort of design, but that 's why it's so strong. It is also made of much thicker, stronger materials, has far better zippers, and the wind/heat vents on the gable ends are really helpful. Even the awning is far better. The old one would sag, especially in the rain, but not the Trimline awning! They have tons of optional accessories, too. We chose the frosty top and awning to let more light in, and added a stay-bar kit to help stabilize the legs. You can also order extra awnings for the sides and back, and lots of other great stuff. It's all on the Flourish website at www.flourish.com.

Questions? Comments? I want to hear them!!

And when you're through, would you mind stopping by my facebook page and "liking" it? www.facebook.com/lposs.art Gracias, Amigos! :D

Booth Upgrade Step One- Pro Panels!!

If you follow my facebook page, you may already be aware that my art show booth has undergone some major changes over the past few months. First I bought Pro Panels in February. That was enough to really improve the the appearance of my display, but I didn't stop there. Last week I also purchased a new canopy, and it feels like a new booth! It is a new booth! The difference it has made has been tremendous, and I'm so pleased with the choices that I made, that I wanted to share them with you.

The photo on the above shows my booth last October with my old grid walls.

I've wanted Pro Panels for a long time. As soon as my husband, John, and I started participating in art shows with my watercolors, we noticed that the really professional-looking artists had "those carpet-covered walls". If you don't already know, you can probably guess that they are not cheap. They're totally worth the price, if you ask me... but weren't in my budget yet. As a beginning artist I purchased black metal "grid walls", and I stuck with them for a couple of years. They work fine, and are sturdy, but not so attractive or lightweight as Pro Panels.


So... I was really excited when John found a large set of Pro Panels and accessories on eBay for an awesome price! They were all the way in Connecticut, 700 miles away, but we both felt like a road trip, and they were such an a great deal, so we decided to drive there and back quickly, with one overnight stay.

Here we go, and boy, am I glad John does all the driving! I get to look out the window and take pictures..

Since we found the panels online, we were a little worried on the way, that they wouldn't be in good shape, or some other problem would occur. But we worried for nothing... the panels were in excellent shape, were a fantastic value, and came with more pieces than we expected! Of course we didn't pay for them until we saw them. I wouldn't recommend anyone make such a purchase sight unseen. If the panels weren't what we expected, at least we would only be out a fun road trip!

Speaking of which... our trip took us through New York City and Philadelphia. We'd never been to either city before, so we took advantage of the situation. We stopped in Philly on the way, and got cheesesteaks from Campo's (oh, they were delicious!!), and we spent the night at the Day's Inn in Queens! (comfy, but we only stayed a few hours, so we would have time to see a few sights!)

We saw Times Square at night, and the next morning we drove around Manhattan, and saw ground zero, and the Empire State Building, and rode the Staten Island Ferry right past the Statue of Liberty, and basically had an awesome time! I even did a little sketch of Manhattan in my travel journal while we were on the ferry.


I've done a few shows since we replaced our grid walls with Pro Panels, and I think they look fantastic. I really think they were worth every penny and I bet that I will find that the improvement in the appearance of my booth will boost my sales, too. I've been getting a lot of compliments from my customers, so I think they agree! What do you think?

The photos below show my booth "before", with grid walls, and "after" with Pro Panels.



After you leave your comments below, check out my facebook page for more photos and info, or visit my website, LauraPoss.com. Thanks!

PS- If you want to see more photos from my trip, click here:
I ♥ NY Photos

My new endeavor: A fine art giclee studio in what used to be my guestroom.

So, I'm embarking on a big new endeavor.

I'm going to be printing my own fine art giclées at home. Giclée (pronounced Zhee-clay) is a digital inkjet process using advanced technology to create a lustrous, continuous-tone print that is as good, or usually better, than the quality of traditional lithography or offset printing. They are basically the high-definition prints of the art world. And best of all, you can print them on watercolor paper, giving them a huge benefit when it comes to looking like the real thing.

So I bought new printer with eleven different ink cartridges and a price tag that makes me feel a little faint. It is an Epson Stylus Pro 4900: It is truly state of the art and completely massive. It arrived on a big truck the other day, bigger than the ups or Fedex truck. I bet those guys had never driven down a driveway like mine! (Yes, that photo is my actual driveway.) Delivery people are always shaking their heads a us, so we're used to it.




Continuing on... the box was HUGE!!!! We had tried to prepare ourselves for how large it was going to be, but we did not succeed. Here's my husband, John with the printer still in the box.

Once we got over our astonishment at the size of the box, we opened it up. It was nicely packaged with Styrofoam, but still took up most of the box.

Purchasing this printer has opened up a whole new world to us already, and we haven't even turned it on, yet. To be able to use it to it's capabilities, we have bought a new computer and monitor. We have also been shopping for all sorts of new things like watercolor printing paper, giant ink cartridges, and all sorts of cables and wires for our various new hardware devices.


We also converted our guest room into an office for our printing. We wanted a room that we didn't use for anything else, and where our pets weren't allowed, so that the printer wouldn't be exposed to pet hair or any more dust than necessary. You can see how huge the it is here. We made a nice, sturdy stand for it out of 2 x 4s and 1 x 12s so it wouldn't shake around while it works.

I'll follow up with more articles later, once I fire it up and learn how to use it!

When you're done leaving your comments or questions below, see more at lauraposs.com


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Demonstration: After Sunset

On a bit of a whim, I painted this giant watercolor painting of a couple strolling on the beach in the sunset.

Usually I buy 140# paper in large packs, but a while back I purchased a single sheet of 300# paper, so I could do a full sheet painting without having to stretch the paper. Several times I have chosen a subject to paint on this large sheet of paper, but never went through with it. At 22 x 30 inches, it seemed so huge! But a few days ago, I decided to finally do it. I had already decided I wanted to do a large beach scene in the glow just after sunset, using some photos I have from a trip to the beach a few years ago. At the last minute I decided to go really large, pulled out my 300# paper, and went for it! I'm glad I did; I think it looks pretty good. Below are photos with explanations of my process.

1.After I sketched in a rough design of the major elements of the painting with a pencil, I wet the entire paper with clear water. Then, using a large flat brush, I began painting the colors of the sky and sunset with cobalt blue, rose madder genuine, and quinacridone gold, overlapping the colors a little bit to encourage shades of purple and orange to appear as the colors spread into each other. The image reverses at the horizon line, (which I don't think you can see in this photo, but it's about 2/3 of the way down the page) so that the ocean is a mirror image of the sky.


2. In this photo, I am continuing to add layers of cobalt blue, rose madder, and quin. gold, also adding antwerp blue and paynes gray at the upper corners, until I achieved the values that I want in the sky and the reflection in the ocean.

Every time, before I lay down the colors, I wet the entire sheet with clear water. By the time I get to the bottom, the top has begun to loose it's sheen and is ready to lay in nice, smooth graduations of color.



3.Once I was satisfied with the colors of the sky and sunset, I started adding clouds and a few wave lines to the ocean. I also lightly placed in the shoreline, to serve as a visual aid to me. I won't darken it until later, but having it there helps me see what I'm doing, and where I'm going with it. (I need that kinda help, you see. ☺)
I used the same colors for all of these elements that I used for the background. But this time I mixed the cobalt blue and rose madder on my palate until I got a nice, deep, bluish-purple, then added quin. gold until I was satisfied with the gray I had made.

4. Here you can see I have simply continued adding darker mixtures of the same trio of colors to the clouds and ocean, trying to create shape to the clouds and suggest the direction of movement of the ocean.

When painting the clouds, first I wet the area of the cloud liberally with my large flat brush. Then I drop in puffy cloud shapes with a large round brush. I also have a paper towel or tissue all wadded up that I use to gently blot the paint and create further variation of values.

*Tip- When you're painting over an area that you have already painted, such as these clouds, make sure your previous layer is really dry, or it will smear. I frequently use a hairdryer to make sure my layers are good and dry.

5. I continued creating the waves in the ocean, using layers of different strengths of my color trio. For the dark shorelines I used winsor green, alizarin crimson, and lamp black. (The black wasn't all that necessary, by the way, but I'm low on winsor green.)








6.Still using the same color mixture I added more and darker layers to the clouds, wetting the area first with very clean water and keeping in mind their round, abstract shapes. I also continued to add depth to the waves with darker values, and started scrubbing and lifting out some foamy areas where the waves break. I put in a very light silhouette of the people walking to determine their shape and placement.





7.To finish the painting, I added seagulls to the sky, more scrubbing and lifting (with a fritch scrubber and a viva paper towel) to the sea foam, and I finished painting the people. I signed with a white gel pen, and I'm done! So... now I just have to figure out how to frame this big sucker!

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Demonstration: Great Egret

This is a peaceful little scene I put together from photos around my house. The great egret sits on a fallen tree I can see from my kitchen window, and I modeled the trees and water from other views around the house. Below I will show you the steps I used to complete this painting. Most of the WIP pics were taken under my table lamp, so the colors vary a bit in the pics.







1. After I sketched the scene onto the paper and taped it down to my board, I painted the egret and her reflection with masking fluid to preserve the whites and allow me to paint freely over them. After the masking fluid dried I wet my paper with a large flat brush and covered the entire paper with varying washes of cobalt blue. Once that dried I added the distant treeline across the lake with a mixture of cobalt blue with a little transparent oxide red (similar to burnt sienna, but better, I think) and new gamboge.







2. Next I wet the entire lake area again and added more wave patterns to the water, using the large flat brush and mostly cobalt blue, with some trans. oxide red and payne's gray. Once that dried (with the help of my hair dryer ;) I added the first layer of foliage to the trees, using a mixture of new gamboge, thalo blue (also spelled pthalo), and a little trans oxide red.




3.The next step is pretty much like the second steps repeated, except you increase the values of the greens and the blues. In the water I added a bit more paynes gray and added more shadowy areas. In the foliage I switched from gamboge to quinacradone gold and increased the amount of thalo blue.

*Tip-When painting foliage of any kind it helps to remember the shape of the bunches. They work the same way as any other smooth shape, except with leafy patterns. The side facing the light source is lighter, and the shape gets darker the further it is from the light source.


4. Here I have added another layer of leafy shapes, this time using more thalo blue and trans. oxide red and less quin. gold to get a really dark, rich green. While that was drying I removed the masking from the egret and added shadows and other details to her. I also painted the branch she's standing on and details to the reflections of bird and perch. When I paint reflections of this kind, I have two brushes, one with paint and one with clean water to blend the edges, so they look natural. Then I painted masking fluid on some of the green leaves where they overlapped the tree trunks so that I could work on the trunks without worry. When the masking was dry, I wet the tree trunks, wiped off the sheen with a paper towel, and painted each of them with two vertical brush strokes. On the light sides of the trees I used a mix of mostly trans oxide red and a little cobalt blue and on the shadow sides I used mostly cobalt blue with a little trans oxide red. I also added some wet-in-wet wavy shapes to the water with some green leftover from painting the foliage, to suggest the reflection of the trees.


5. Once the tree trunks dried, I used the same mixes I did for the first layer, and painted on the lines that represent the shaggy bark on the hickory trees. The paint left on my palate had dried up some, so it was darker in value and perfect for adding the lines on both sides of the trunks- light and shadow. To finish the painting, I added more details and contrast to the egret and her perch, added branches to the trees, and signed my name!

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.......And when you're through leaving your questions or comments below, check out my website at lauraposs.com

Five (More) Things I Have Learned Participating in Art Shows

So, it's been a bit too long since I have blogged. Sorry, I have no profound reason, just busy, I guess.
My most popular post ever was the one I did about the Ten Lessons I learned at Art Shows and Festivals, so I've been thinking maybe I should expand on that.

Here are Five More Things I Have Learned Participating in Art Shows and Festivals.

1. Avoid shows that are not well established in their area. If it's a first or second year, especially, most of the people there will be surprised to find the show, and you'll hear a lot of comments like, "Wow, I didn't even know this was going on! Is it just today?"

2. People will ask you all sorts of questions. They will want to know how you made your craft, how long it takes for you to make a piece, how long you have been creating art in your medium of choice, why you started in the first place, what kind of training you have or haven't had, and so many more things. They aren't necisarily looking for a particular answer, they're just curious to learn more about you and your craft, so don't get too nervous about things like whether or not you've had training, just be prepared with an intelligent answer and you'll be fine. What I hate is when I fumble for an answer to a question I hadn't thought of. That's the worst.

3. People love to tell little stories about their own experiences. So listen to their stories. Listen for clues about what they like, so you can use that info to help them find something you are selling that they would like to purchase.

4. Just because someone has looked at your display does not mean that they have understood everything they have seen. It is very likely that they did not even read that lovely sign that you made telling them about your prices or policies or drawing attention to a special deal you are offering. You might want to point it out to them verbally. Obviously you can't point out everything to everyone, but you can start with one thing and work from there.

And last, but far from least:

5. How you arrange your products has everything to do with how many people stop to look at them. People are especially attracted to items that are grouped into like colors, as color is a major factor for most people when they are deciding whether or not an item matches their taste and decor or wardrobe. It is important to put as much effort as you can into arranging your display. Set it up at home if you can and re-arrange until you are satisfied it is the best you can do. Think of how a successful retail store arranges their products. Study them, because they know what they are doing.