Thursday, October 31, 2013

Posted by lelyholida On 8:44 PM

The Museum of Buddhist Art in Bangkok is reputed to have the biggest collection of Buddha statues, sculptures and figurines based on Buddhist art work from kingdoms dating back to the TH century AD. The exhibits reflect the cultural heritage of the various kingdoms in Thailand and neighboring kingdoms as well.

Visitors to the Museum of Buddhist Art are usually advised to start their tour in an annex to the main building that houses the Kun Yin Palace and Museum which displays statues of Kun Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. The courtyard outside this museum has six miniature wooden palaces housing Chinese deities.

The main theme of the Museum of Buddhist Art, however, is housed in eight rooms upstairs in the main building displaying Buddha statues, sculptures and figurines from the different kingdoms that had an impact on Thai art and culture.

The various schools of Buddhist art of each era blended with the previous and added its distinct touch. Detailed explanations are provided for the Buddha statues, their characteristics, different postures and subtle variations in the folds of the robes.

The museum is a useful source of knowledge for the scholar of Buddhist art and Buddha sculptures. The casual visitor, seeking an overview of an important aspect of Thai culture, would find this museum interesting as well.

Buddhist art from the various kingdoms displayed in the Museum of Buddhist Art

Depravation art (TH - nth centuries AD)

Depravation art is based on the culture of the United Kingdom of Depravation in Akon Phantom, Central Thailand established by the Mon from Burma. The Buddhist art work of this period is based on the Southern India and Sri Lanka models.

Silvia art (TH - nth centuries)

The Silvia kingdom covered Sumatra, Java, the Malay Peninsula and Southern Thailand, right up to Seurat Thai and Akon Sri Tamara. The art form from this era had a rich mix of Indian, Khmer, Sri Lanka, Java and Sumatra cultures.

Khmer art (nth - nth centuries)

From TH - nth centuries, the Khmer Empire in Cambodia ruled over Laos and northeastern Thailand (Disarm). Khmer art was to have an enduring legacy on Buddhist art work for centuries to come.

Burmese art (nth - nth centuries)

Burmese art evolved from the various ethnic groups in the ancient Burmese kingdom of Pagan. The Burmese, Mon, Alaskan, Tai-Ai kingdoms developed Buddhist art during their respective reigns. All these groups had an influence on Thai art.

Succoth art (nth - nth centuries)

Art flourished in the Succoth Kingdom under the reign of King Branham. Classic Succoth art soon emerged from the Khmer influence and established its unique style.

Youth art (1350 - 1767)

The exhibits on Youth art in the Museum of Buddhist Art represents the longest period in Thai art. Pre-Youth art was a combination of Khmer art of the Baryon period (the Baryon temples in Cambodia) and Depravation art, a mixture which was known as U Thong Art.

The establishment of Youth produced a blend of Khmer and Succoth styles which gradually evolved into its own distinctive character in the nth century.

Lana art (nth - nth centuries)

The Lana kingdom (Land of a Million Fields) was established by King Engrain in northern Thailand in 1296. Pure Lana art developed when the kingdom was independent. Lana came under Burmese rule and later under Thai rule. The Buddha statues during these periods had their subtle differences.

LAN ANG art (nth - nth centuries)

The LAN ANG kingdom (Land of a Million Elephants) was founded by King Ah Gum in the nth century after the fall of Succoth. The kingdom covered present day Laos and parts of northeastern Thailand. King Ah Gum made Buddhism the state religion and so began an art form that also left its mark on Buddhist art.

Thon art (1767 - 1782)

Thon art had a brief period as the kingdom lasted for only 15 years.

Rattan art (1782 - present)

What followed was Rattan art of the modern Bangkok era. The Buddha statues and sculptures during the reign of the Chakra Kings developed a distinct identity of their own.

The other eight rooms in the Museum of Buddhist Art are not directly related to the central theme but are equally interesting. These cover artifacts from the pre-historic Ban Chiang culture, Yao paintings, stone sculptures.

An unusual set of exhibits in this museum is the room displaying statues of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary, a reflection of the religious tolerance in Buddhist society.

The Museum of Buddhist Art embodies not just the art and culture evolved for more than a millennium through the rise and fall of several kingdoms. It symbolizes the philosophy of moderation and tolerance, values that serve as a beacon of light in these troubled times.

For more Bangkok Museums.

The Museum of Buddhist Art first appeared in Tour Bangkok Legacies a historical travel site on people, places and events that left their mark in the landscape of Bangkok.

The author Eric Lim, a free-lance writer, lives in Bangkok Thailand.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Posted by lelyholida On 1:27 AM
Optical illusion art, also known as op art, is a mathematically-based genre that produces optical illusions. It uses the repetition of form and color to create Moira© patterns that give rise to illusions. It also distorts our sense of depth, causing foreground-background confusion, as well as other perplexing effects.

Optical illusion art requires math ingenuity, technical skills and meticulous planning. Because it manipulates the rules of perception, a viewer trying to decipher such a painting may observe movement, hidden images, three-dimensional forms, and other simulation.

History of Optical Illusion Art

In October 1964, Time Magazine first used the term "optical art" in an article that referred to illusionary painting as a new type of art, when, in fact, works in this style had already been produced 30 years prior. One such artwork is the 1938 painting entitled 'Zebras' by Victor Vassar, whom many consider to be the pioneer of this abstract movement. Other artists such as Bridget Riley, Jesus-Rafael Soto, Richard Sanskritic, and Francois Moeller also created images that could be categorized as op art. MC Lecher experimented with op art, though his work was not viewed as being completely abstract ([http://www.aaronartprints.org/escher-drawinghands.php])

How to Create Optical Illusion Art

All the elements used to produce an illusionary piece, lines, shapes, and colors, must be carefully selected in order for their combination to reach the intended maximum effect..

There are two main methods of producing op art. The first, and perhaps most commonly recognized method, is with the use of lines and pattern, often in black and white, which bring about illusionary images. The second is with color, using the same elements of pattern, but resulting in additional effects on the viewer's eye and producing a different dimension.

There are three kinds of color interaction:

    Simultaneous contrast - it occurs when one area of color is surrounded by another color to create a difference in brightness, but when one area of color is larger and/or more intense than the other, the contrast is out of balance, appearing to be going in only one direction.
    Successive contrast - it occurs when one color is immediately followed by another color, quickly changing the viewer's focus from one area of color to the other.
    Reverse contrast - it occurs when the lightness of white, or the darkness of black, seem to be spreading into neighboring regions, causing colors to appear to be spreading into one another.

Characteristics of Optical Illusion Art

Like all other genres or movements, optical illusion art has recognizable characteristics:

    It fools the eye in various ways. It can give a viewer the feeling or illusion that the image they are looking at is actually moving and/or multi-dimensional. Although a viewer is well aware that the image is fixed and flat, a different message is sent to the brain. It is non-representational because it is geometrically-based in nature.
    It employs two techniques to create optical illusions: perspective and juxtaposition of color, either chromatic or achromatic.
    It requires that the positive and negative space share equal attention in order to produce an image that functions properly.

    In 1965, a major exhibition called "The Responsive Eye" truly captured the public's interest and popularized the movement. As a result, op art began to appear everywhere: in print ads, television advertising, album covers, and even in the fashion world.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Posted by lelyholida On 12:45 AM
Any parent will tell you that it all goes by so fast, the pregnancy, the early years. If you want to hold on to those memories forever then you need to get some great photos so that you can always go back. Find a maternity and baby photography expert who can help capture those special time, who can immortalize your child at the important stages of their life. This guide will tell you what to look for in a good photographer.

You need to find one that specializes in this type of photography, that is probably the single most important thing to look for. You want to know that they are experts in this field as it really does take specialist knowledge and skills to get these pictures right. Working with children is a challenge that only some photographers can master so make sure that you find someone who has made it their life's work to get the best possible shots of children.


They need to understand that most new mums do not have enough time in their days. They should make sure that you only need to attend the studio once for each sitting and you will have your photographs posted to you, and every image is carefully selected, edited and color corrected where needed. No attending first meetings, photo sittings and then having to come back to choose and purchase photographs, All you should have to do is make your booking, attend your session and then receive your beautiful photographs in the post!


They should also be very clear about all the costs, you should know how much you are going to pay upfront without any extra charges. Your fee should include everything, the sitting, 15 high Res images on a USB and postage to you, make sure there are no hidden fees or charges as some of the less scrupulous photographers will add loads of hidden costs onto the final bill.


Our children grow up so quickly it is important that we take the time to capture these moments with images that will last forever, so make sure that you find a good baby photographer in Sydney who can take excellent shots of your little angel so that you will always have these pictures to remember them by.

Find a photographer who specializes in baby and pregnancy photo shoots, who can give you high quality pictures that you can remember this special time in your life with.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Posted by lelyholida On 10:31 PM
Paper craft is very popular hobby among people of all ages. It requires lot of creativity and with every creation the work becomes. It is the card making and scrapbooking crafts that have become very popular today. Not only have they become a favorite pastime for many but also a lucrative business. Both these crafts have been there from ancient times, it is now that it has become well recognized in the whole world.

Cards are used to send greetings to loved ones on special occasions. This was a very common practice in ancient China and Egypt during new years. Today the handmade cards are more preferred by the people as they carry a lot of sentimental value. Scrapbooks on the other hand are well decorated albums which preserves the wonderful memories for life. People use photographs, write ups or memorable objects in the scrapbooks. Today professionals create these scrapbooks to treasure the moments of Christmas, weddings, birthdays and many other occasions.

Though card making and scrapbooking crafts are very different from each other, the supplies are mostly common. Card stocks are used for both the art forms. These are acid free papers that come in varied sizes and patterns. For handmade cards they are ideal as they are very hard and easy to work on. In scrapbooking they are used as the base for scrapbooking papers as well as for matting photographs.

A set of cutting tools is essential for both the crafts. It includes a good pair of scissors, paper cutters, self healing cutting mats, craft knives and decorative edged scissors. Adhesives are another important requirement as card making and scrapbooking requires a lot of pasting. Double sided tapes, glue sticks, adhesive clear dots are the most commonly used.

Without embellishment both these art forms are never complete. Craft enthusiasts create wonders with these embellishments, which makes the craft stand out of the rest. Embossing powders are used to get a raised or 3D look on the card or scrapbooks. They are specially used for wordings and photographs. Other embellishments are stickers, glitters, ribbons and many more.

Apart from these basics other essential supplies include rubber stamps, ink pads, colorful pens and pencils, patterned paper, paper punches, paints and paint brushes. Today craft makers can get these supplies very easily with the emergence of the online stores, though they are available in the local shops. The online craft stores have huge stock of products from various brands which the customers can choose from. They do not have to visit the stores; instead they could sit at the comforts of their home and get them on their doorstep. Thus it has made people take more interest in these crafts.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Posted by lelyholida On 12:38 PM
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