Asian art are popular gift items

Whether one is an art collector, or connoisseur for that matter or not, yet almost everyone takes interest in the varied forms of art at some point of time or the other. This maybe in order to do up their interiors or gift some one something exquisite... For whatever reason, in one or the other there is a strong pull towards varied forms of art.

However, one of the most intriguing types of art work is that from the orient. The Asian art has also been known as spiritual art, as there is a lot of depth and emotions in their work. So whether it is the original Asian art or the Asian American art there is a large demand.

Asian art for sale can be found at various local art galleries or then the museums. Artists into this form of art also put up annual exhibitions to sell their work. They generally advertise in the local newspapers about their sales.

There are also art collectors who host sales of Asian art, from time-to-time. This maybe in the form of an auction, or then simple straightforward sales where a fixed price tag is attached to every piece of art. 

Those who study Feng Shui regularly source out Asian art for sale, as the various painting form a part of this science of healing living spaces. There is no dearth of sources of these pieces of art that are also printed on various types of clothing and artifacts. It is all a matter of preference.

Asian art is a pathway to understand the arts of China, India, Japan, Korea and other south eastern countries of Asia. Since Asia is a home to some rich oldest civilizations, Asian art is one of the most exhilarating in the country. Asian arts give an insight into the vibrant history, traditions and cultures of many countries in it. Since there is so much geographical as well as cultural diversity, Asian art collection is quite vibrant and encompasses a variety of religions that one can see in the form of art. The individual qualities of an art piece also show how techniques and styles are transplanted or duplicated from place to place. Traveling craftsmen and collectors shared their art forms from region to region and thus cross cultural influences can be seen in the art collection of Asia.

Asian art witnesses some common themes for its paintings. Some of these were Buddhism, celebration of seasons, representation of auspicious beasts, tea practices, religious idols etc. The Asian Art Museum holds one of the widest ranges of collections of Asian art in the world. Through its collection the museum to provide an introduction to all the major traditions of Asian art and culture. In the art world the collection contains rare and exceptional objects which are often collector’s item. 

The collection at the museum includes more than sixteen thousand objects ranging from Asian art fabric to tiny jades to monumental sculptures, textiles, paintings, lacquers, furniture, arms and armor, puppets, and basketry, porcelains and ceramics, Asian art fabrics etc. Many of the objects in the museum’s collection were donated. Some of the museum’s most celebrated object is gilt bronze Buddha dated 338 which is the oldest known dated Chinese Buddha in the world. It is also often given as a textbook example of Chinese Buddhist art.

Asian art work is as distinct as the cultures of Asia and the art collection reveals many forms of similarity and iconography by sharing of religion. Common themes and techniques such as blue and white ceramic or ink painting is can seen keenly observed. The Chinese calligraphy, the Buddhist sculptures, the Japanese wood block prints, paintings from Nepal and Tibet all reveal the rich and varied culture of Asia. 

For avid collectors, Asian art appraisals can be done through a lot of art specialists who have starter offering their services online. Art appraisers with nationally recognized certificates should be considered while contacting. Many of the appraisers also specialize in niche art like the Chinese art or the Indian art etc. Many question as to where did Asian art originate from? Many art forms date back to almost thousands of years and it evolved from country to country. For example Japan’s unique art form dates back to almost three hundred years and is known as the ‘Netsuke’. Similarly Indian and Chinese arts too evolved with time.

 

origami boxes

Origami is an age old art evolved in Japan. Learning the art of preparing origami boxes will definitely give you a sense of conceit and triumph.


Any local hobby or art store carries the desired colors of origami paper that are required to create your own origami boxes. You can even use regular newspaper but it is always advised to use origami paper because that is easy to fold and cut into right shape.
When making an origami box, you need the desired color origami paper, a pair of scissor and ruler. Here we have described step wise instructions for creating origami boxes.

1. Cut a square piece of paper.

2. Fold the square piece diagonally into a triangle.

3. Unfold the paper and make sure that the crease is visible.

4. Fold the first corner to the center creased line and unfold it.

5. Repeat the same with the other corner.

6. Hold the tip of one corner and fold it to the creased line caused by folding the corners.

7. Unfold the flap and repeat with the other flap.

8. Fold the edge of two corners to the first creased line and unfold.

9. Make sure that you can see 7 creased line on an open square piece of origami paper.

10. Repeat all the steps of folding and unfolding the corners, edges and flaps to form a checkerboard on the piece of paper.

11. From the two ends of the paper, cut the sides of opposite sides by two folds.

12. Turn the direction of paper and fold the uncut sides inwards till it reaches the cut ends of the paper.

13. Repeat the same from both ends.

14. Fold the side of the walls inwards on the turned pieces and hold it securely.

15. Repeat the same from all edges to make four walls of the box.

16. Hold the cut flaps and fold it inwards over the side walls. Make sure that these flaps fall within the box.

17. If you want to have a lid, repeat all the steps starting from a square piece of paper with the paper slightly bigger than the base box.

18. This will help the lid to comfortably fit the box.

Here your origami box is completely ready to store and gift.

Potpourri

Potpourri is simply defined as a blend of aromatic and dried plant material. This has become one of the most popular dried arrangements these days. The trend of spreading natural scents in houses and offices using potpourri started in France. During the early times, people there used to display rotten pods or jars with fragrant mixture of dried spices and herbs. Even the word ‘potpourri’ comes from a French word that means rotten pod.

 Eventually, the trend passed on from city to city, country to country and now has spread across the globe. Today, in many houses you will find various different types of potpourri containing various dried herbs and spices. These are commonly used as air freshener, mothballs and as simple arrangements. Some even decorate these aromatic herbs in ashtrays and soft toys fillings.

 Potpourri can add extra charm, elegance and fragrance in any interior. Various different scents and oils are used for spraying on the mixture of dried plant materials. The most familiar scent is the flower scent that is simply sprayed on the mixture whereas essential oils like those extracted from rose, lavender or violet has to be mixed well in the potpourri arrangement. The best flower scents that are used for potpourri arrangement are rose, carnations, violet and lavender. Spices and citrus scents like thyme, nutmeg, lemon, cinnamon and rosemary can also be used.

 Fixatives are mainly used for making elegant and charming potpourri because these help in absorbing moisture and retain the aroma and color of the natural flowers. Common fixatives used are oak moss, fiber fix, cellulose and benzoin. After that you need fillers if you need to add bulk to the arrangement especially in case of pillows.

 Originally, potpourri was preserved in closed ceramic jars. These jars were kept opened when people used the place and were closed when they move out. But now, potpourris are beautifully displayed in glass containers, decorative baskets and silver dishes. There are endless ways to arrange dried flower to prepare the most attractive potpourri. The only thing you need is wild imagination and creativity.
The dried flowers and dried arrangements needs to be taken special care of or else the beauty and appeal of the flowers will fade off. These dried flowers are very delicate and can be preserved using several methods or techniques.

 The very first thing that needs to be kept away from dried flowers is moisture. Exposure to excess moisture can result in rotten flowers and can even develop molds. Therefore, they should always be stored or preserved in low humid and low moisture location. Most of the florist keep the dried flowers sealed using an aerosol sealer. This helps to retain the original color of the flowers. Dried flowers can also be wrapped in newspaper in order to absorb moisture. The wrapped flowers should be then placed in a box with plenty of room for air circulation. A good space in the box will also avoid crushing and falling of dried petals.

 Other important consideration while preserving dried flowers is given to light. Direct exposure to sunlight can easily fade the vibrant colors of natural flowers. In order to retain the originality, it is necessary to preserve these dried flowers in closed cardboard box. A clear plastic container is not feasible because light can easily pass through it.

 After protecting your dried flowers from moisture, humidity and light, keep them dust free using a blow dryer on a heatless setting or canned air. If molds or bugs are found on any piece of the dried arrangement, it is advisable to remove the piece immediately in order to avoid spreading of the problem. If in case any time, the petals or flowers become wet, place them under good amount of air circulation to re dry.

 Preserving dried flowers can help in extending the life and retaining the original beauty of dried arrangements like bouquet, wreaths, sachets and centerpieces.