Michaelangelo and the Pouncing Technique

When Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel he used a technique called "poucing" to transfer his images onto the ceiling for painting. He would sketch the drawings on large pieces of paper then puncture tiny holes along the outlines of the images. These large pieces of drawings were then temporary placed onto the ceiling where he would dab a cloth wrapped in chalk along the punctures holes. Once the paper is removed little dots of chalk would be left behind. He would then use a paint brush to connect the dots and paint the image. 

Chaotically Beautiful

One of my best friend was asking me how to jazz up a plain white iPhone case. My obvious response was painting it with nail polish considering both of us are polish junkies. She then bestowed the task upon me. I honestly had no idea where to start or what to do then I remember Jackson Pollock. I was instantly inspired by his art to give it a shot on the iPhone canvas. This is what happened.

  What you will need:
- phone case
- multitude of different color and shades of nail polish
- top coat
- paper towel
- a work area where you can make a mess 

Directions:
Place the case on top of a piece of paper towel. Now its time for some fun! Ensure the nail polish has ample paint on it and with a slight flicking motion of the wrist ... go wild! After a few flicks with different colors ensure to rotate the paper towel (with the case sitting on it) so the splatter and drips will be evenly distributed and to prevent the pattern from going in one direction.Wait at least one day for the nail polish to dry then seal it with a top coat to prevent chipping.

Some readers may see this as a waste of nail polish but honestly speaking, how often has anyone finished one full bottle of nail polish before it gets all layered/separated and dried out?

Jackson Pollock

                                                      Autumn Rhythm, 1950

Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956) was a reclusive abstract American painter who was well known for his drip paintings.

Pollock's art was briefly mentioned in an episode of Sex and the City while Charlotte was a curator. Most recently his art was the target of a heist in the movie Contraband starring Mark Wahlberg.

In November 2006 Pollock's painting No. 5 1948 became the world's most expensive painting to be ever sold. It was sold to a private buyer at a rumor cost of  $140,000,000.00 dollars, yeah thats 140 millions dollars.

                                                                   No. 5, 1948

Vanitas

Skull motifs are no longer just for punks and gangsters they were brought back pretty much by Alexander McQueen and his infamous scarf in the realm of fashion. Skulls are ... EVERYWHERE. Big name traditional jeweler, Links of London even have a skull friendship bracelet. To me it is like the equivalent of Tiffany's designing something similar, wow factor, major.

Vanitas is a type of symbolic art associated with still life paintings and were common in medieval funeral art. Although these paintings are morbid, death and decay obsessed it only reminds us of how precious and short life can be. Many symbols are associated with vanitas but the skull is of course the strongest of them all.

 Herman Steenwyck - Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life

 Pieter Claesz - Vanitas

Adiaen van Utrecht - Vanitas: Still Life with Bouquet and Skull