Collecting Miniatures

The art, culture and lifestyle of ancient and medieval India is best reveled through miniature paintings. The penchant for religion, divinity and regal aristocracy is ostentatiously illustrated in these paintings. Though miniature in form, the paintings had an innate beauty and distinctiveness that made them stand out of the crowd.

Crafted by the regional artists the miniature paintings narrate the stories of the bygone dynasties. Purely a brush work, these vibrant handmade paintings were the outcome of some dazzling minerals and vegetable colors. Gold and silver powders, conch shell powders and tiny pieces of semi precious stones were used in a miniature painting to make for the extra glow. It is for this luminous capacity, meticulousness and the universal appeal the miniature paintings are very popular even today.

The themes of the this class of paintings were generally taken from the scenes of Indian epics and religious books like The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, The Bhagvata Purana, Git-gobinda, Surasagar, Rasamanjiri and more. Images from folk legends, classical music codes and royal court scenes were also beautifully illustrated in the paintings. Glass, fabric, marble, paper, silk, velvet, leather and ivory panels generally served as the canvas for the paintings. Miniature paintings gave birth to some noted school of paintings namely The Deccan Schools, The Rajput and the Mughal Schools.

The Rajput School of Miniature Painting imbibed inspiration from the Krishna legends. The emphasis was more on the man and woman relationship and paintings were aesthetic portrayal of their emotion, love and passion. The lovemaking scenes of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha are some of the finest specimens of the paintings. The Mughal School of Miniature Painting had Persian influence on them. The painters focused mostly on court scenes, royal portraits, natural scenes and landscapes. The Deccan School of Miniature Painting derived a kind of hybrid painting form blending several styles of painting. The paintings manifested exuberant and bold themes influenced from Turkish and Persian paintings.

For comprehensive information on Miniature Paintings and related topics, please visit Ethnic Paintings.

Rajneesh Dubey is Content Coordinator for http://ethnicpaintings.com This website gives you comprehensive informations on painting history, development, trends, popular painting styles, great painters, famous paintings, painting galleries and museums, painting tips, painting classes. In other words, this website is a treat to painting freaks.

Dollhouse miniatures are an indispensable part of miniature world without which doll houses have no meaning to them. Many doll house miniatures are required to complete a doll house. No doubt, dolls have been attracting many little children from all parts of the world. Kids just love playing with their dolls; apart from playing they also love adorning their tiny doll houses with beautiful furniture, accessories and other miniatures.

Over the years, Barbie dollhouse miniatures have been alluring people from its sleek body and big bright eyes. Needless to say, people feel immense pleasure and joy while playing with Barbie dolls. Among the fan following are little children as well as grown ups. In fact, young girls groom themselves try to look like Barbie dolls. They wear cloths, accessories, make-up, shoes everything like hers.

When it comes to sizes, it has been noticed that Barbie dolls are quite big as compared with other doll house miniatures. That’s the reason why bigger houses are needed. Today, there are many doll house manufacturers who build bigger houses especially to accommodate beautiful Barbies.

Nowadays, manufacturers build different kinds of doll houses to match with the changing times. However, every doll house is made keeping fashion and style of dolls in mind. Today, you can select one of your choice ranging from studio apartments to multi story Victorian houses.

Few buying tips that you can consider while shopping for your Barbie doll house are:

1. Pre-decide whether you are buying dollhouse for children or for adults.
2. Read all the information written on top of the box carefully to avoid any misunderstanding.
3. Check for the total cost i.e., actual monetary value plus cost of transportation.
4. Never forget to confirm the delivery date and time from the store manager.
5. Clearing of doubts is of utmost importance as doll houses are quite expensive to buy.

Find more choices of dollhouse miniatures at http://www.dollhousecollectibles.com

Alka Chauhan

Summarized briefly, miniature painting is a form of painting that is deeply rooted in many cultures and spans centuries. The Lathams are a family of American artists practicing it in today’s modern art market of galleries and exhibitions. As an artist, Rebecca Latham as well as her mother, Karen, and sister, Bonnie, strive for detail in their painting. Studying with a Flemish master, they have developed their styles for painting extreme realism. Their works, both large and small, are painted “in miniature”.

Early Beginnings

Miniature painting is a traditional style of art that is very detailed, often referred to as painting or working “in miniature”. Because of their origins as illuminations, they are also painted to have as smooth of a surface as possible. (It is also suggested that miniature art may have been influenced by the medals of ancient Rome as well) Miniature art can be traced back to ancient Egyptian manuscripts on papyrus scrolls. Monks are also often highlighted for their contributions to early miniature painting with their beautifully illuminated manuscripts such as the Celtic Book of Kells and England’s Lindisfarne Gospels (both of which measure around 9″ x 12″). Some early manuscripts contain miniatures on their pages that depict beautiful arrangements of life sized flower arrangements on their borders. The history of the art is also seen throughout the world in various other cultures.

Miniature painting began out of necessity for illustrating documents and manuscripts to aid those reading them during a time when many were not able to, before printing was invented. The miniature helped to convey the story and meaning of the written word. Therefore, the art of the miniature is directly connected to the book arts. The various sized illuminations (pictures) were cut out of these books or documents so that they could be carried more easily. Later, developing from the carried miniature, portrait miniature artists were commissioned to paint small portraits - paintings that were used as we use wallet sized photographs today. These sizes of miniature paintings became popular with collectors and are often referred to as “hand held miniatures”. Portrait miniatures were painted in larger sizes as well, for example master miniaturist, Nicholas Hilliard, Peter Oliver, and Sir Charles William Ross all painted works that were of a larger size.

Sizes

Miniature painting is sometimes confused and assumed that the pieces must be small or depict subjects on a smaller scale to be considered miniature art, though this is not the case. It is helpful to keep in mind that the origins of the term “miniature” have nothing to do with a size. The word miniature comes from the terms ‘minium’ (used for the red lead paint used in illuminated manuscripts) and ‘miniare’ (Latin for ‘to color with red lead’).

Miniature painting is a style and technique of painting, and as such, a wall sized work could be painted “in miniature”. Authors of the Yale University Press publication, “The English Miniature” have stated that miniatures have been painted large and some works are even considered to be gigantic. Numerous faculty members of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London confirm that miniature paintings are not restricted to smallness. Larger sized miniature paintings are documented throughout history and are recognized today, though painting larger works in miniature is more difficult and time consuming than a smaller piece if the same attention to detail is observed. Miniature art is also unique in that it was and is often used on objects, such as the Russian lacquer boxes that are beautiful examples of Russian miniatures.

Exhibitions

Today, there are miniature art societies in western society to help promote and preserve traditional miniature art and the “spirit of miniature”. Their exhibitions feature the hand held miniature paintings (or sculptures) and each exhibition has its own unique guidelines and rules for artists showing in their exhibit. Some of these rules limit the size of work to be no larger than a set square inch. Others limit the size of a subject, such at the 1/6th scale rule that a subject may not be painted larger than 1/6th of it’s natural size, or the 2″ rule, that an object in the painting may not exceed 2″. Scale rules were initially put in place as a guide for artists starting out in miniature art. There are also many framing restrictions for society miniature works as well. All of these rules are put into place by each show for their own individual and unique exhibitions, and do not define what miniature art is.

Artists painting miniatures throughout history were not restricted in their artwork by scale as their subjects were painted to any measurement or scale that the artist deemed pleasing to the eye and their patrons, for both manuscripts and other miniatures. Subjects that are naturally small in size, such as butterflies and insects, were painted life sized. Thus the 1/6th scale rule that is used by some shows and societies today unfortunately causes a bit of confusion to those new to the art form who commonly assume that is it a part of a mechanical criteria of the miniature’s definition. The world’s experts in miniatures do not recognize the rule as legitimate, and view those embracing it as unknowledgeable, and dismiss them.

The term “miniature”, as it addresses miniature painting, is often confused with “miniaturize” and some miniature art exhibitions do not refer to miniature as it’s initial meaning of techniques, but rather the size of the painting (miniaturized painting). They are two very separate descriptions.

Miniature painting is an art form that is very rich in history that continues today by artists from around the globe. The beautiful ornamental qualities of the miniature should be preserved whether it be the intricate large pieces, or intimate hand held works.

Many thanks to Joan Willies RMS, the Victoria & Albert Museum, & Patrick Noon.

Rebecca Latham is an accomplished realistic painter working in finely detailed watercolors, often rendering wildlife & the natural world in her paintings. She holds memberships in numerous prestigious societies & has earned many awards for her artwork. Her works are exhibited in galleries, exhibitions and collected globally. Works can be viewed online her family’s website http://www.lathamstudios.com and her art blog http://www.lathamstudios.com/rebeccasblog/blog

Miniature football helmets are a way of bringing home a piece of your favorite team and preserving the same. There are plenty of teams playing in the NFL leagues and people can choose the team they root for and pick up a miniature football helmet from the souvenir store. It is also easier to collect and display these around the house or office as they don’t occupy much space. The Arizona Cardinals, or the Clemson tigers might be the team you support, and you can pick up their mini helmets from any website or store which sports the team colors or names on it. It would make a wonderful addition to your growing collection of sports collectibles.

There are some mini helmets available which can be included in your Christmas decorations, you can hang them on the Christmas tree. A fun way to include your favorite sport as part of the festive celebrations. These mini helmets are a smaller version of the big helmets worn by the players, these are all of 3inches in height and is made of good quality products and so last long time. These are available not only for National Football league teams but also for the smaller college football teams. And for the bigger Super bowl teams too, there are miniature helmets available. These helmets are exactly like the bigger ones, right down to the detail in the face mask or the buckle on them. A person could get hooked on collecting these tiny helmets, because they are affordable, not as expensive as the bigger ones. They also take up lesser space and can be kept away in a cupboard along with other curio items. Or one can make a neat little collection of these miniature helmets. If in a family, there are four members, each supporting a different team, they can buy helmets of all their favorite teams and this way each one’s loyalties will be displayed.

Be it the Indianapolis Colts Pink Riddell team or maybe the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, the miniature helmets are all made with the best material , with foam padding on the inside and leather strap in the chin area. The players’ autograph will also be there on some, but the team logo will appear on the back of the helmet. Taking from this idea, there are companies that have created a mini helmet mp3 player as well. The sports fan can carry a miniature football helmet sporting the colors or logo of his team and listen to music at the same time. This is a fun way of incorporating sports interests with music and marketing a product that serves dual purpose. The miniature football helmets are a interesting and innovative method of promoting a college team or giving the sports enthusiast a chance to possess a piece of the game he loves at an affordable price. For those who yearn for a piece of football apparel or accessory, this is the ideal solution making them popular among peers.

Article written by Cassaundra Flores, owner of Sports Fan Store, skyfireproducts.com.

Finding a bargain on a great piece is part of the joy of collecting miniatures for many enthusiasts. It’s not everyday that you stumble across a dollhouse furniture sale in your own neighborhood, so you have to know where to look. It may not seem like it when you first get started and are only looking at the catalogues of major suppliers since everything that you find there will be full price, but with a little practice and a few inside leads, you can find ways to make dollhouses affordable.

Though many manufacturers sell their products online as well as through paper catalogues, there are other places online where you can find some great deals and buy discount doll furniture at a fraction of the original cost. One online resource where this can be done is at the website of your favorite manufacturer. While they will have a full catalogue offering of regularly priced pieces, they may also have a closeout section of their site where they are selling older models, overstock, or clearance items for much less than the original price. Think of this page as their virtual clearance rack. Other online sellers offer a price-match guarantee. While this is hard to apply to custom-crafted pieces, many suppliers do carry the same mass-produced dolls and furniture and make a promise not to be undersold. By playing the pricing of several websites off each other, you can glean a substantial discount in the end.

Sites like Ebay, which allows buyers and sellers to interact in a virtual environment, are an ideal place to participate in a dollhouse furniture auction. Just like any other auction, you have complete control over what you spend. If the bidding gets to expensive for your taste, you can simply bow out and hope for a better deal next time. Auction sites are a great place to find everything from antique pieces to brand new dollhouse kits at discount prices.

Garage sales can be a veritable gold mine for miniature enthusiasts. Whether you stumble across a box full of old dollhouse furniture, or someone selling individual pieces, you can generally get a better price if you offer to buy the whole lot. Garage sales are generally held because people want to get rid of things that they no longer find useful. Instead of picking up each piece that may be priced individually, offer to buy their entire collection for a lower price. You will most often find that they are willing to let it go for less just so they can get rid of it in one sale.

Another place that you may be able to find collectibles and discount dollhouse furniture is at estate sales. At estate sales, items can be auctioned off either piece by piece, in lots, or sometimes as entire selections. You can visit the items for sale before the auction begins and take a close look at the collection that might be up for grabs. You’ll also have to determine your budget though, because pieces at estate sales could go for more than you were planning to spend, if other people are bidding.

Learn more about the fascinating world of miniatures. Visit TheMagicalDollhouse.com today for a great selection of discount doll house kits and dollhouse accessories from top miniature companies.

Collecting dollhouses is an interesting and enjoyable hobby. You can collect for personal satisfaction or turn your hobby into a money-making project. Many dollhouse collectors feel totally baffled in the beginning. After awhile, however, most dollhouse collectors absolutely fall in love with their hobby. This love and passion for the hobby helps to bring in a passive income you never dreamed could be possible just by collecting dollhouses.

There are hundreds of different types of miniature dollhouses from many different time periods. Some of these houses are made from kits and some are custom made. Some of the most beautiful and interesting doll houses are those built at home by dollhouse collectors either from scratch or developed from a kit with added individual touches. For example, start with a Victorian dollhouse kit and turning it into a Halloween Haunted house with only skeletons living inside.

There are literally thousands of different ways to decorate a dollhouse and make it unique to you on the outside and inside as well. A simple kit can be easily turned into a great masterpiece of a dollhouse you will be proud to display and/or offer for sale to others. The most popular way to get started collecting dollhouses is to purchase the dollhouse kits. In fact, the majority of dollhouses come in kits. There are so many different kits to choose and add your own style to the finished dollhouse to make it your own unique creation. It is just totally incredible unbelievable to learn how many different dollhouse kits there are on the market today. This sort of gives you an idea of just how popular collecting dollhouses actually are in the year of 2007.

The most expensive way to start collecting dollhouses is to have them custom made for you. A custom made dollhouse is very nice especially for the dollhouse collector who does not want or does not have the time to build from scratch or a kit. You can choose your own design or have a designer create the dollhouses for you. A special quality of the custom made dollhouse is that it is sure to be unique in that only a few of any design is made.

Miniature Doll House Collections

In the world of miniature dollhouse collections you are not restricted to houses. You can create a shop, a post office, a pub, a café, a hotel. The choices here are endless. You can find miniature furniture and people to fill any of these buildings.

Collecting miniatures can spark a wild creative imagination you never thought was truly inside you. Another idea using the Victorian style miniature dollhouse kit is to decorate on the outside with brick and a slate roof. The task is time consuming, however, quite easy and creates a fabulous looking out of the ordinary Victorian miniature dollhouse. The ideas for unique finishing touches are endless.

The miniature dollhouse collector hobby is also quite enjoyable if you learn to make your own miniature furniture and accessories to fill the dollhouse rooms. There are literally thousands of miniature furniture and accessories available; however, it is always nice to add a personal touch of a few items you create yourself. There are lots of books and guides to help you create everything from food to clothes as well as furniture.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved

Written by: Connie Limon For more information about collecting dollhouses visit http://smalldogs2.com/CollectingDollhouses For a wide variety of topics and FREE reprint articles as well as special topic articles rarely found elsewhere visit Camelot Articles http://www.camelotarticles.com

Throughout the years, many people have enjoyed the pastime of creating miniature dollhouses and carefully collecting objects to display within them. With the increasing availability of miniature dollhouse kits and handcrafted dollhouse furniture - everything from miniature pianos to miniature rosewood furniture - more people are taking up this hobby and turning it into their passion.

Why Miniature Dollhouses?

There are many enchanting aspects of collecting miniature dollhouses. The primary advantage is that you can start small and grow your miniature dollhouse collection over time. Another advantage is that your miniature dollhouse collection can be as expensive or as inexpensive as is practical for you. Although many people spend thousands and thousands of dollars on rare dollhouse miniatures, there’s no real need to. You can get just as much enjoyment out of your less expensive collection.

Miniature Dollhouse Kits

Although you can buy a miniature dollhouse readymade, it’s much more of an adventure to build your own with a miniature dollhouse kits. Miniature dollhouse kits come in a variety of styles, from Victorian dollhouses and Adirondack cabins to country churches and general stores. Often, they come with add-on porches, dormers, and stairways in a variety of styles. When considering the kits on the market, look for wooden dollhouses that are made with cabinet grade plywood for exterior walls. Superior construction will ensure that your miniature dollhouse will be one that you can pass down for generations to come.

Before looking at miniature dollhouse kits, think about where you will ultimately display the dollhouse. Make sure that the dollhouse you choose will fit in the space you have and that, if you will be moving in the near future, it is of a scale that is moveable. Dollhouse miniatures come in a variety of scales, so decide ahead of time what scale you’d like.

Hands Off?

There are many in the miniature dollhouse collectors’ community who insist that miniature dollhouses are for adults only. Yet there are others who fondly recall the privilege and pleasure of playing with their mother’s or grandmother’s miniature dollhouse. While miniature dollhouses should be definitely off-limits for very small children - dollhouse miniatures can be a health hazard if swallowed - part of the enchantment of collecting is sharing the enjoyment with others. If you need to protect your miniature dollhouse from little hands, either buy a miniature dollhouse kit that closes completely or install a Plexiglas sheet to seal the back of the dollhouse.

Furnishing Your Miniature Dollhouse

There are many ways to go about furnishing your miniature dollhouse, from creating your own wallpaper and flooring to buying miniature crystal chandeliers. Once you become familiar with the possibilities, create a “wish list” of items that you’d like. Over time, you can either buy them yourself or ask to receive them as gifts.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Miniature Dollhouse Kits or Majon’s Gifts and Collectibles directory.