Artists & Gilders Decorative Studio News

Volume 1, Issue 2 August 2002

Calendar of Events for September All Classes are held at Artists & Gilders Decorative Studio 3459 Finland Road, Pennsburg PA 18073 We are about 45 mile west of Philadelphia. Phone 215-679-4064 email rossfaux@erols.com View class calender Fresco textures and Aged Finishes date: September 4-6, 2002 TIME 9:00 am to 4:30 PM Cost: $750.00 Materials and Supplies Included 3 Day class designed for the professional and those wanting to know more about traditional and aged finishes. Fresco Textures and Aged Finishes 3 days $750.00 class will develop traditional textures used in decorative painting and bona fide techniques and recipes of traditional materials. We will also cover modern materials used to achieve the look of traditional medium. We will make a couple different types of distemper in the class to use. We will cover aging techniques of finishes and the making of fresco look finishes. Metallic Faux Techniques, Architectural Gilding and Chemical Patination date: September 8-12, 2002 Time 9:00 am to 4:30 PM Cost: $1,495.00 This is for those professionals who want to take an intense 5 day program. This combination class can save you money. Learn to lay Dutch metal, Copper, Silver and Gold leaf from the book on to sized sample boards. Plus cutting and tipping leaf on ornament and furniture. You will learn to use different methods of applying the most popular chemicals to create interesting patinas on Dutch metal, Copper, Silver leaf. You leave this course with a portfolio of gilded and toned molding samples, a complete portfolio of many different patina leaf samples and numerous metallic faux samples. This is a very poplar course; metallic finishes are one of the hottest looks on the market! Course is designed for beginning to advanced gilders who have little or no experience working with oil gilding. This combination class will take you above what you ever thought could be accomplished and will send you on your way to being one of the elite gilders in your area. This course is limited in size, paced to your skill level and very in depth. You are provided a Manual for this course, so you don't have to spend a lot of time taking notes. Chemical Patination of Gilded Surfaces date: September 10-11, 2002 Cost : $695.00 2 Day class designed for the professional Time 9:00 am to 4:30 PM This is for those professionals who want to learn to chemical patination of different types of leaf, course covers Dutch metal, Copper, Silver. Learn to lay leaf from the book on to sized sample boards. Plus you will learn to use different methods of applying the most used chemicals to create interesting patinas on the different leaf types. You leave this course with a complete portfolio of at least 12 different patina leaf samples. Metal Leaf Chemical Patination is designed for beginning to advanced gilders who have little or no experience working with patinas. This class will take you above what you ever thought could be accomplished and will send you on your way to being one of the elite gilders in your area. This course is limited in size, paced to your skill level and very in depth. You are provided a Manual for this course, so you don't have to spend a lot of time taking notes. Metallic Glazing Techniques date: September 12, 2002 Time 9:00 am to 4:30 PM Cost: $250 1 Day class focusing on the use of metallic glazing techniques for surfaces. Decorative Painting Level 1 & 2 date: September 16-20, 2002 Time 9:00 am to 4:30 PM Cost: $995.00 This class is designed for contractors or those who wish to start a faux finishing business that have very little or no experience in faux finishing. This class will touch on proper surface preparation from repairing surfaces, testing previously painted surfaces for latex paint or oil base paint, proper surface primer, and also what type of masking tape, paper and equipment that will be needed to prepare your surface for painting. These are the most important steps for any finish to be applied, from your normal painting, hanging wallpaper, or doing a faux finish. The course includes a Manual of Finishes with step-by-step instructions for all the finishes we will cover. Plus several others you will be able to complete on your own with the instruction you will receive in this class. The manual includes formulas for the wood grains, marbles, special glazes and effects. Day 1 includes broken color techniques also known as glazing Day 2 & 3 marbling Day 4 & 5 wood graining. You can take any part of this class the cost. 1 day $250.00 for glazing techniques 2 days $495.00 for sections of wood graining or marbling. In class we will experiment with traditional mediums, distempers, acrylics and oils. So you get a good overview of how the different mediums work. If you were not familiar with the different mediums it would be best to do the entire course first. Level 1 and 2 classes are combined and you will be separated out depending on your skill level. The Level 2 class works on advanced level wood grains marbles and glazing techniques	Business Issues Determining Your Financial Requirements Business Editor Artists & Gilders Decorative Studio Inc. If you want to start your own business, it is important to consider your financial situation. By determining your current income and expenses, you will be better at projecting your financial needs over the next months. For most small businesses, there is a gap between when you start your business and when you begin to produce income. In fact, most management consultants who specialize in small businesses suggest that you have at least 6 months of savings available for the start-up phase of your business. Of course, this number will vary depending on the type of business you decide to start. Service businesses and home-based businesses are a favorite choice for many women because the start-up costs are considerably lower than other businesses. Before you make any decisions about the type of business you would like to start, you need to develop a monthly plan of saving and spending. This will help you identify how much money you will need each month to live. Also, it will tell you if your dream of owning your own business fits with your other dreams such as sending a child to college. To develop a savings plan and spending plan: First, identify and write down your fixed expenses for each month for the next year. Fixed expenses include such things as insurance, home/ property, car payments, utilities, savings, etc.  Once you have identified all of your fixed expenses for each month, total your monthly fixed expenses and annual fixed expenses.  Next, identify your flexible expenses and write them down for each month over the next year. Since you are not obligated to specific expenses for these items, you have more flexibility in whether or not you want to include them and how much each of them will be. Consider what you've spent in previous months and any changes you wish to consider. Flexible expenses include such things as food (including dining in restaurants), clothing/ personal care, entertainment, transportation (gas), etc.  Once you have identified all of your flexible expenses for each month, total your monthly and annual flexible expenses. Now, subtract your total fixed expenses and total flexible expenses for each month from your expected monthly and annual income. Is there a balance? Do you have extra money each month? If you have extra money, this is a good sign. You can use this savings and spending sheet to estimate how much you will need on a monthly basis. You can also use it to determine what will happen if your income or expenses change over the next year.  After examining your savings and spending requirements, you may find that you lack the necessary resources to start your business. Do not worry. This happens to many people. In fact, this may be the first obstacle that you will need to overcome. If you are still determined to start your business, you may want to begin accumulating alternative sources of income. 75 percent of small business owners and more use their personal savings to start their businesses. However, if you need more than you have in your savings account, other money sources may be available from bank loans, family members, partners, friends, venture capital companies, mortgage property, loans from the government, or any other source that you can think of. A good rule of thumb is that you should not borrow more money than is necessary to start your business. Often, the more money you borrow, the less control you will have. This Newsletter was brought to you by the Professionals choice for training the Artists & Gilders Decorative Studio Issue #2
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		New Products Ronan Paints AQUA FAUX TROPICAL GLAZING LIQUID - (clear, water based) Aqua Faux Tropical Glazing Liquid is a water based transparent color-blending agent and wiping glaze. It is designed to be mixed with Hills 888 Universal and oilier universal colorant systems, artist acrylic colors or high quality latex house paint. It is used extensively by furniture refinishers, specialty painters and scenic artists to create a variety of decorative special effects i.e.. A faux paint finish on walls, furniture, art projects, textured surfaces - virtually any type of interior surface. Used for aging, marbleizing, antiquing, wood graining, sponging, combing, marbling and rag rolling. Used to make stains or glazes for wet-in-wet techniques to create artistic effects, including but not limited to dirt, age, smoke damage and simulated marble and wood grain. Lab Testing Results - the following arc results achieved in tlie T. J. Ronan Lab. The actual working time will depend on temperature and humidity. 1. - With 8 oz. of Huls 888 colorant added @ 84° F. 7(1% relative humidity - sealed surface. Working Time - 25 minutes. 2. - With 4 oz. of Huls 888 colorant added f(7).74° F. 55% - 60% relative humidity - sealed surface. Working Time - 55 minutes Recoat Time - Minimum 24 hours. Working time and Recoat Time will be longer under colder or more humid conditions and shorted under warmer or less humid conditions. Coating can be removed with isopropyl alcohol up to 2 hours after application. Do not exceed 8 fl. oz. colorant per gallon. For additional protection top coat with Ronan Decorators Varnish (water based).