Painting, beauty resides both in the word and its meaning. There could be no man
in earth who detests a painting. Dwelling in the technological era, men still
run behind this ancient art, because a "painting" allows him to think.
Painting like all other art is above all praises. Basically there could be no
reason stated for falling in love with a painting, we love a painting because
it is one.
In this jet world where every thing moves very fast, a beautiful painting would
act like a speed breaker, giving us some space to ponder. Paintings can be used
for basically anything.
Painting as a decoration
A lot of people decorate their homes with their favorite collection of paintings.
This is because paintings enhance one's feeling and thus they give out a
pleasant aura. A painting would prove to be the best decorative element. The colors
and objects in a painting would capture one's mind. A lovely painting would
add glamour to your residence. Every time you see a painting it offers something
new and unique. And a painting is a great piece to be explored, where the exploration
would continue forever.
Paintings can be used for decorative purposes not only in residences, but also
in work places. A painting would make the whole place look better and fine. Nowadays
paintings are used as a remedial tool in the Chinese astrology called the Feng
Shui. According to the Feng Shui, if any area or corner in the house does not
show signs of proper positive vibrations, then a painting can be hung in that
place as a corrective measure. A painting is also said to bring about positive
vibration and hence happiness.
Paintings can help in psychological problems
It has been reported that paintings can help in checking the level sanity. This
would be really helpful for psychologically affected persons. Just like music,
paintings also have the power of healing. Their mild and serene nature makes
a viewer reflect about himself. There is a famous saying that if speech is silver,
silence is gold; likewise a painting speaks the golden language of silence.
Paintings help kids
A child and a painting have similar characteristics, both are beautiful. The young
minds of children can be properly molded with the paintings. A painting broadens
their horizons. The painting allows their imaginative mind to open up, thus exposing
them to the art world. They are able to grasp things and are susceptible to improvement.
Secret paintings
Have you ever wondered about the secrets hidden inside a painting? On closer
inspection every painting will reveal its own secret. During early times some
paintings were used to transfer secret information. And now historians are trying
to decode the messages fused inside the paintings to learn about the facts of
the past. The world's most renowned painter Learn ado da Vinci is eminent
for concealing facts inside his paintings.
Paintings always prove to be objects of glory and they never miss to mark their
stand across generations. That is why we get immensely attracted to these subtle
beauties.
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Traditional Chinese Paintings
The origins of traditional Chinese painting reach far back into China's distant history. Generally speaking, works dating from before the T'ang dynasty (618-907 A.D.) are mainly line drawings of people engaged in various activities; this was the "golden age" of human figure drawing. By the mid-T'ang dynasty, landscape and flower-and-bird paintings began their rise to prominence. Paintings of mountains, forests, fields, and gardens have the ability to transport one away from the vexations of the material world into a peaceful, carefree realm. Because of this, landscape paintings have always been highly regarded by China's literati and officialdom. The flowers, grass. trees. stones, and birds and other animals depicted in the lively and energetic flower-and-bird paintings are also widely admired. Thus the landscape and flower-and-bird types of painting, together with the earlier human figure painting, comprise the three main categories of traditional Chinese painting.
The ruling and elite classes of the T'ang and Sung (960-1279 A.D.) dynasties were major supporters of Chinese painting. The creative aim behind artistic works produced in this period was more serious, and had political and educational significance; in style, the works tended to be elaborate and ornate. The Sung dynasty court established a fairly well systematized academy of painting. Sung Emperor Hui Tsung, a lover of fine art and painting, and an accomplished artist in his own right, granted special patronage to the painters in this academy, and sponsored the training of promising painters. The academy of painting reached the zenith of its activity in this period.
However, because of gradual, social, economic, and cultural changes, more and more men of letters began to take up painting, and literature came to exercise an ever-increasing influence on painting. By the time of the famous Sung poet Su Shih, the school of literati painting had already emerged. By the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1271-1368 A.D.), there was no longer a formal painting academy organization within the imperial palace, so the court style of painting declined. At this point, the literati school of painting entered the mainstream, and the leadership in Chinese painting circles fell into the hands of literati painters.
Literati typically prefer to paint according to their own fancy and without restriction, and advocate a fresh, free, understated, and elegant style. Subject matter they are fond of includes mountains and rocks, clouds and water, flowers and trees, the "four gentlemen" (plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums), and so forth. Because natural objects such as these are less demanding subjects to paint than the human figure, the painter can better exploit the brush and ink's potential for free expression.
Whether Chinese painting is "realistic" is the object of frequent debate. Some may feel that it is not realistic, but such an answer tells only part of the story. Realism in Chinese painting reached its climax in the painting of the T'ang and Sung dynasties. However, the kind of "realism" sought after in Chinese painting is not an objective reflection of the existence of an object as perceived through the sense of sight, but rather is an expression of a subjective kind of recognition or insight.
For example, no over effort is made to represent the shadows cast by a particular type of lighting at a certain place and time in the clothing on people depicted in the Sung dynasty painting Che K'an T'u, and for this reason the painting does not have a clear three-dimensional effect. After the painter set the lines down on the paper, he used watercolor wash techniques to achieve a chiaroscuro effect of light and dark, representing the forces of "yin" and "yang", to express his grasp of the eternal quintessential nature of of his subject. A square planter painted according to the objective principles of perspective should in theory appear longer in front and be foreshortened in the back, reflecting the perceived decrease in relative size of more distant objects. But the front and back edges of a real planter are equal in length, and this knowledge of the physical world is incorporated into the image the painter of the Che K'an T'u created: the planter is represented as a flat surface with slides that are equal in length.
In another work, called the "Splash-ink Immortal", by Sung dynasty artist Liang K'ai, the artist wanted to portray not just any man off the street, but an other-worldly recluse, and thus it would have been inappropriate to use an ordinary human being as a model. The highly unusual, even weird, forms in this painting, with their bold and unbridled brush strokes, provide just the right background to set off the characteristics of this very extraordinary individual. This painting is representative of the "freehand brushstroke" school of traditional Chinese painting.
The fundamental component of Chinese painting is the line, as it is in Chinese calligraphy. Because of this shared feature, these two arts have had, beginning from a very early time, a close mutual relationship. By the time that literati painting had become popular in the Yuan dynasty, men of letters who painted put even more conscious effort into reaffirming the link to Chinese calligraphy, and actively led a trend to fuse calligraphy, and actively led a trend to fuse calligraphy and painting. And the close relationship between poetry and painting was formed under the strong influence of literature on painting. Scholar-statesmen and literati led the melding of poetry and painting, and this eventually spread to the academy of painting. The Sung Empror Hui Tsung is known to have used poetry to test painters on their ability to express with ink and paper the enchanted world created in written verse.
While traditional Chinese painting still occupies an important place in the life of modern Chinese, many painters now desire to express their experience of new times. By combining new modes of expression with traditional Chinese painting techniques, they are opening up a vast, new world of artistic expression.
The ruling and elite classes of the T'ang and Sung (960-1279 A.D.) dynasties were major supporters of Chinese painting. The creative aim behind artistic works produced in this period was more serious, and had political and educational significance; in style, the works tended to be elaborate and ornate. The Sung dynasty court established a fairly well systematized academy of painting. Sung Emperor Hui Tsung, a lover of fine art and painting, and an accomplished artist in his own right, granted special patronage to the painters in this academy, and sponsored the training of promising painters. The academy of painting reached the zenith of its activity in this period.
However, because of gradual, social, economic, and cultural changes, more and more men of letters began to take up painting, and literature came to exercise an ever-increasing influence on painting. By the time of the famous Sung poet Su Shih, the school of literati painting had already emerged. By the Mongol Yuan dynasty (1271-1368 A.D.), there was no longer a formal painting academy organization within the imperial palace, so the court style of painting declined. At this point, the literati school of painting entered the mainstream, and the leadership in Chinese painting circles fell into the hands of literati painters.
Literati typically prefer to paint according to their own fancy and without restriction, and advocate a fresh, free, understated, and elegant style. Subject matter they are fond of includes mountains and rocks, clouds and water, flowers and trees, the "four gentlemen" (plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums), and so forth. Because natural objects such as these are less demanding subjects to paint than the human figure, the painter can better exploit the brush and ink's potential for free expression.
Whether Chinese painting is "realistic" is the object of frequent debate. Some may feel that it is not realistic, but such an answer tells only part of the story. Realism in Chinese painting reached its climax in the painting of the T'ang and Sung dynasties. However, the kind of "realism" sought after in Chinese painting is not an objective reflection of the existence of an object as perceived through the sense of sight, but rather is an expression of a subjective kind of recognition or insight.
For example, no over effort is made to represent the shadows cast by a particular type of lighting at a certain place and time in the clothing on people depicted in the Sung dynasty painting Che K'an T'u, and for this reason the painting does not have a clear three-dimensional effect. After the painter set the lines down on the paper, he used watercolor wash techniques to achieve a chiaroscuro effect of light and dark, representing the forces of "yin" and "yang", to express his grasp of the eternal quintessential nature of of his subject. A square planter painted according to the objective principles of perspective should in theory appear longer in front and be foreshortened in the back, reflecting the perceived decrease in relative size of more distant objects. But the front and back edges of a real planter are equal in length, and this knowledge of the physical world is incorporated into the image the painter of the Che K'an T'u created: the planter is represented as a flat surface with slides that are equal in length.
In another work, called the "Splash-ink Immortal", by Sung dynasty artist Liang K'ai, the artist wanted to portray not just any man off the street, but an other-worldly recluse, and thus it would have been inappropriate to use an ordinary human being as a model. The highly unusual, even weird, forms in this painting, with their bold and unbridled brush strokes, provide just the right background to set off the characteristics of this very extraordinary individual. This painting is representative of the "freehand brushstroke" school of traditional Chinese painting.
The fundamental component of Chinese painting is the line, as it is in Chinese calligraphy. Because of this shared feature, these two arts have had, beginning from a very early time, a close mutual relationship. By the time that literati painting had become popular in the Yuan dynasty, men of letters who painted put even more conscious effort into reaffirming the link to Chinese calligraphy, and actively led a trend to fuse calligraphy, and actively led a trend to fuse calligraphy and painting. And the close relationship between poetry and painting was formed under the strong influence of literature on painting. Scholar-statesmen and literati led the melding of poetry and painting, and this eventually spread to the academy of painting. The Sung Empror Hui Tsung is known to have used poetry to test painters on their ability to express with ink and paper the enchanted world created in written verse.
While traditional Chinese painting still occupies an important place in the life of modern Chinese, many painters now desire to express their experience of new times. By combining new modes of expression with traditional Chinese painting techniques, they are opening up a vast, new world of artistic expression.
A Brief History of Reverse Painting on Glass
Reverse painting on glass has been a form of art expression since extremely ancient times. It is difficult to precisely date a number of much more ancient artworks.
Art history has revealed that painting on glass became quite fashionable in Italy during the Renaissance. Italian paintings on glass during the 14th and 15th centuries were associated with Venice and with the Island of Murano. These paintings were primarily miniatures which later began to be utilised as alters and reliquaries in churches. Gradually a more artisanal approach began to develop in which artists copied well-liked landscapes or painted portraits and biblical representations.
By the 17th century painting on glass had spread to Austria and the characteristics of this work now began to be influenced by a more popular form of art which also led to the development of small family industries of painters on glass.
In Europe the reverse painting technique had by this time reached as far north as Poland.In those times glass-making was carried out by methods that gave glass a very characteristic appearance due to the glass being blown and not poured. There existed certain problems in creating high enough temperatures which allowed for the successful fusion of chemicals that were used, and which consequently permitted identification of paintings on glass from a much earlier era.
The knowledge for painting on glass began to spread through Europe when glass makers were forced to migrate due to diminishing supplies of quartz sand, or when wood supplies were lacking which prevented them from creating the fires they needed to make glass. With transportation becoming more efficient frontier taxes began to increase and the necessary chemical additives became more expensive. This led to a constant movement and migration of glassmakers all through Europe.
The technique of painting on glass has created its own cultural art history not only in Europe but also in India, China and The Far East, North America, South America, The Middle East and Africa.
Art history has revealed that painting on glass became quite fashionable in Italy during the Renaissance. Italian paintings on glass during the 14th and 15th centuries were associated with Venice and with the Island of Murano. These paintings were primarily miniatures which later began to be utilised as alters and reliquaries in churches. Gradually a more artisanal approach began to develop in which artists copied well-liked landscapes or painted portraits and biblical representations.
By the 17th century painting on glass had spread to Austria and the characteristics of this work now began to be influenced by a more popular form of art which also led to the development of small family industries of painters on glass.
In Europe the reverse painting technique had by this time reached as far north as Poland.In those times glass-making was carried out by methods that gave glass a very characteristic appearance due to the glass being blown and not poured. There existed certain problems in creating high enough temperatures which allowed for the successful fusion of chemicals that were used, and which consequently permitted identification of paintings on glass from a much earlier era.
The knowledge for painting on glass began to spread through Europe when glass makers were forced to migrate due to diminishing supplies of quartz sand, or when wood supplies were lacking which prevented them from creating the fires they needed to make glass. With transportation becoming more efficient frontier taxes began to increase and the necessary chemical additives became more expensive. This led to a constant movement and migration of glassmakers all through Europe.
The technique of painting on glass has created its own cultural art history not only in Europe but also in India, China and The Far East, North America, South America, The Middle East and Africa.
How to Create a Reverse Painting
How to Create a Reverse Painting on Glass
Introduction:
Glass is a non-absorbent painting support which does not allow paint to easily adhere to it - apart from through the paint's own drying process.
For this reason the outlines of a subject painted on glass need to be simplified when applied to an extremely smooth glass surface. Simplifying a subject does not necessarily detract from the end result after the painting is completed and the final result can often have an appearance similar to that of naive art in relation to composition and form and a certain number of other details. Many artists may find that such simplification can actually be very appealing.
Working the paint or changing outlines without smudging the surrounding areas of undried paint may require some concentration in the beginning, as well as a certain amount of skill, but with patience and the development of their skills using this painting technique, artists will find that applying and mastering the use of glass as a support will become easier as time progresses.
MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR PAINTING ON GLASS
Glass
Choose clear unflawed glass (or plexiglass) in the shape and size you wish to use. In order to begin mastering the technique of reverse painting it is advised to choose smaller sizes to begin with.
Paints
It is important to use a paint that will adhere properly to the surface of the glass. Oil based paints or acrylics are often used for this reason.There are also opaque and transparent ceramic artist colours that have been especially manufactured for using on a non-absorbent surface. Metallic colours (eg. gold, silver or copper) can also be interesting to work with. There are an increasing number of new art products available today that may be suitable for painting on a non-absorbent surface such as glass.
Paintbrushes
To begin choose a selection of small or medium-sized paintbrushes with fine, flat and pointed tips. Larger brushes can be used for working on a larger scale. Artists can also use less conventional tools for applying paint if they wish, depending on the effects obtained through experimentation that may interest them.
A penholder
Used for outlines (if required) and finer details. It can be an advantage to use interchangeable nibs suitable for creating both thick and thin outlines.
Ink for creating outlines on glass
The inks used need to be suitable for applying to a non-absorbent surface such as glass. As an alternative paint can also be thinned down into a more liquid form and used for creating outlines in which case attention must be given to to creating the right mixture of fluidity and thickness.
A painting palette or something similar to mix your paint on.
A palette knife -(optional) for mixing paint.
Artists paint cleaner or thinner - used for cleaning or sometimes for thinning, and depending on whether oil based or water-based paints are used.
A paint-drying agent - (optional) For mixing with paints to help speed up the drying process
Paper towelling or some clean rags
A mirror - (optional) can be used to check the progress of your painting while you are continuing to work. Place the mirror in a position where it will reflect your artwork from its viewing side.
Cellotape - or a similar average-width sticking tape
An easel - (optional) to prop your work on
A glass-cleaning product
PREPARING THE GLASS
Choose a piece of clear glass in the dimensions you would like to work with and check carefully to make sure the glass is neither scratched nor flawed. It is worthwhile remembering that a flaw in the glass itself will often detract from the finished appearance of a painting and may be impossible to remove after the completion of your artwork.
The sheet of glass that is to become your artwork constitutes the following:
(1) The 'painting side' - which is the side you will be painting on.
(2) The 'viewing side' - which is the side you will be looking at (or through) as you progress with your work and after it has been completed.
To render the cutting edges of the glass safe take a length of cellotape that will correspond to the length of one edge. Apply it carefully along that length (ideally so that it is folded equally over each side of the glass).
Repeat this procedure for the other 3 glass edges. The edge of the cellotape will also help mark the outer limits of your artwork.
Clean the surface of the glass thoroughly with a glass-cleaning product. Use paper towelling or any cleaning material that will not leave dust or threads on your painting surface.
Store the glass where it will be safe. If placed between sheets of newspaper it will be protected from scratches and dust.
CREATING OUTLINES
Art products in liquid form that are suitable for creating outlines on glass may be readily available in some countries. Oil-based paint,water-based acrylic and ceramic paint can also be used for this purpose.In order to create fine lines these paints must sometimes be thinned down in order to use with a pen nib or similar line-drawing tool.
To prevent lines from being effaced too easily you can use a paint that is oil based for creating the outlines of your subject if the paint you will be applying over the top of it (after it has properly dried) is water based. Reverse this procedure if your outlines are created with a water-based paint.
Always use a liquid paint product that will provide the best adhesion possible to a glass surface.
Due to pen nibs clogging relatively easily, attention must be paid to cleaning the nibs regularly.
OUTLINE METHODS
Method 1.
If you have a steady hand you can use a freehand method for applying outlines directly onto the surface of the glass.
Method 2.
Use an original subject for your painting (e.g. a drawing) and place this under the glass then copy it onto the glass surface.
Method 3.
Place a layer of carbon-paper on top of the glass then place your drawing on top of the carbon paper and with a pointed object trace the subject onto the glass. Be careful not to damage your original image (the image being copied) when using a pointed object.
Method 4.
A tracing table can be used for creating outlines. This is a table with a sheet of clear glass inserted into the top and with an electric light source situated beneath it. For those who frequently need to trace their work a tracing table can be very practical and useful.
Method 5.
You can omit outlines altogether.
APPLYING THE PAINT
Most artists have a preference for how to work when creating an artwork. Once it has been decided whether to work on a table or use a table-easel or a standing easel, it will be necessary to view the artwork regularly from its observation side in order to see its progress.
Some artists simply take the glass in their hands and turn it around to look at it directly from the observation side. Others prefer to use a mirror placed directly opposite their working area so that they can observe their progress while they paint.
Mixing and blending
If you are blending colours always do so on a palette or similar flat object before applying them to the glass. If colours are not well blended or mixed the result will be a streaky appearance in the paint on the observation side of the glass.
Avoiding smudges
When creating a reverse painting on glass it is important to watch out for smudges or particles of dirt or dust that may accidentally be transferred onto unpainted areas of your artwork as you are progressing. Unless removed these may appear as flaws that will show when viewing the artwork from its observation side. If they are also inadvertently covered with a layer of paint removing them afterwards may become very messy and difficult. When lifting off any smudges always be careful not to damage outlines or other areas of paint you have already applied.
Applying the paint
Once the outlines of your subject have thoroughly dried you can begin to apply paint to fill in the remainder of your artwork. Begin with the smallest and most detailed or intricate areas first e.g. eyes, faces, small figures or objects etc - and always keep in mind that your artwork will be observed from the opposite side to the one your painting on and that you are painting in reverse and that therefore foregrounds precede backgrounds.
When applying the reverse painting method it is a good policy to reflect carefully on the sequence in which your painting will develop before beginning to apply your paint. This will create a methodical attitude that is essential for this particularly interesting but also intricate painting technique.
Wishing you many pleasant hours of reverse painting!
Introduction:
Glass is a non-absorbent painting support which does not allow paint to easily adhere to it - apart from through the paint's own drying process.
For this reason the outlines of a subject painted on glass need to be simplified when applied to an extremely smooth glass surface. Simplifying a subject does not necessarily detract from the end result after the painting is completed and the final result can often have an appearance similar to that of naive art in relation to composition and form and a certain number of other details. Many artists may find that such simplification can actually be very appealing.
Working the paint or changing outlines without smudging the surrounding areas of undried paint may require some concentration in the beginning, as well as a certain amount of skill, but with patience and the development of their skills using this painting technique, artists will find that applying and mastering the use of glass as a support will become easier as time progresses.
MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR PAINTING ON GLASS
Glass
Choose clear unflawed glass (or plexiglass) in the shape and size you wish to use. In order to begin mastering the technique of reverse painting it is advised to choose smaller sizes to begin with.
Paints
It is important to use a paint that will adhere properly to the surface of the glass. Oil based paints or acrylics are often used for this reason.There are also opaque and transparent ceramic artist colours that have been especially manufactured for using on a non-absorbent surface. Metallic colours (eg. gold, silver or copper) can also be interesting to work with. There are an increasing number of new art products available today that may be suitable for painting on a non-absorbent surface such as glass.
Paintbrushes
To begin choose a selection of small or medium-sized paintbrushes with fine, flat and pointed tips. Larger brushes can be used for working on a larger scale. Artists can also use less conventional tools for applying paint if they wish, depending on the effects obtained through experimentation that may interest them.
A penholder
Used for outlines (if required) and finer details. It can be an advantage to use interchangeable nibs suitable for creating both thick and thin outlines.
Ink for creating outlines on glass
The inks used need to be suitable for applying to a non-absorbent surface such as glass. As an alternative paint can also be thinned down into a more liquid form and used for creating outlines in which case attention must be given to to creating the right mixture of fluidity and thickness.
A painting palette or something similar to mix your paint on.
A palette knife -(optional) for mixing paint.
Artists paint cleaner or thinner - used for cleaning or sometimes for thinning, and depending on whether oil based or water-based paints are used.
A paint-drying agent - (optional) For mixing with paints to help speed up the drying process
Paper towelling or some clean rags
A mirror - (optional) can be used to check the progress of your painting while you are continuing to work. Place the mirror in a position where it will reflect your artwork from its viewing side.
Cellotape - or a similar average-width sticking tape
An easel - (optional) to prop your work on
A glass-cleaning product
PREPARING THE GLASS
Choose a piece of clear glass in the dimensions you would like to work with and check carefully to make sure the glass is neither scratched nor flawed. It is worthwhile remembering that a flaw in the glass itself will often detract from the finished appearance of a painting and may be impossible to remove after the completion of your artwork.
The sheet of glass that is to become your artwork constitutes the following:
(1) The 'painting side' - which is the side you will be painting on.
(2) The 'viewing side' - which is the side you will be looking at (or through) as you progress with your work and after it has been completed.
To render the cutting edges of the glass safe take a length of cellotape that will correspond to the length of one edge. Apply it carefully along that length (ideally so that it is folded equally over each side of the glass).
Repeat this procedure for the other 3 glass edges. The edge of the cellotape will also help mark the outer limits of your artwork.
Clean the surface of the glass thoroughly with a glass-cleaning product. Use paper towelling or any cleaning material that will not leave dust or threads on your painting surface.
Store the glass where it will be safe. If placed between sheets of newspaper it will be protected from scratches and dust.
CREATING OUTLINES
Art products in liquid form that are suitable for creating outlines on glass may be readily available in some countries. Oil-based paint,water-based acrylic and ceramic paint can also be used for this purpose.In order to create fine lines these paints must sometimes be thinned down in order to use with a pen nib or similar line-drawing tool.
To prevent lines from being effaced too easily you can use a paint that is oil based for creating the outlines of your subject if the paint you will be applying over the top of it (after it has properly dried) is water based. Reverse this procedure if your outlines are created with a water-based paint.
Always use a liquid paint product that will provide the best adhesion possible to a glass surface.
Due to pen nibs clogging relatively easily, attention must be paid to cleaning the nibs regularly.
OUTLINE METHODS
Method 1.
If you have a steady hand you can use a freehand method for applying outlines directly onto the surface of the glass.
Method 2.
Use an original subject for your painting (e.g. a drawing) and place this under the glass then copy it onto the glass surface.
Method 3.
Place a layer of carbon-paper on top of the glass then place your drawing on top of the carbon paper and with a pointed object trace the subject onto the glass. Be careful not to damage your original image (the image being copied) when using a pointed object.
Method 4.
A tracing table can be used for creating outlines. This is a table with a sheet of clear glass inserted into the top and with an electric light source situated beneath it. For those who frequently need to trace their work a tracing table can be very practical and useful.
Method 5.
You can omit outlines altogether.
APPLYING THE PAINT
Most artists have a preference for how to work when creating an artwork. Once it has been decided whether to work on a table or use a table-easel or a standing easel, it will be necessary to view the artwork regularly from its observation side in order to see its progress.
Some artists simply take the glass in their hands and turn it around to look at it directly from the observation side. Others prefer to use a mirror placed directly opposite their working area so that they can observe their progress while they paint.
Mixing and blending
If you are blending colours always do so on a palette or similar flat object before applying them to the glass. If colours are not well blended or mixed the result will be a streaky appearance in the paint on the observation side of the glass.
Avoiding smudges
When creating a reverse painting on glass it is important to watch out for smudges or particles of dirt or dust that may accidentally be transferred onto unpainted areas of your artwork as you are progressing. Unless removed these may appear as flaws that will show when viewing the artwork from its observation side. If they are also inadvertently covered with a layer of paint removing them afterwards may become very messy and difficult. When lifting off any smudges always be careful not to damage outlines or other areas of paint you have already applied.
Applying the paint
Once the outlines of your subject have thoroughly dried you can begin to apply paint to fill in the remainder of your artwork. Begin with the smallest and most detailed or intricate areas first e.g. eyes, faces, small figures or objects etc - and always keep in mind that your artwork will be observed from the opposite side to the one your painting on and that you are painting in reverse and that therefore foregrounds precede backgrounds.
When applying the reverse painting method it is a good policy to reflect carefully on the sequence in which your painting will develop before beginning to apply your paint. This will create a methodical attitude that is essential for this particularly interesting but also intricate painting technique.
Wishing you many pleasant hours of reverse painting!
The Inventor of Oil Paintings
In comparison to many other art forms, oil painting is still considered relatively new. Oil painting is the use of oil in pigments in order to paint. Oil paintings date back to the 1400's. Before oil painting, paint was mixed with plaster found in frescoes or egg in tempera paints. The invention of oil paintings occurred because of a new desire for realism in art. Jan Van Eyck is the man credited with the invention of oil painting.
The desire for a more realistic look in art started in early fifteenth century Europe. Previously, art was very mythological and decorative, but with the onset of the Renaissance, artists began to understand concepts and laws behind the ideas of perspective and colors. As a result, more artists began painting realer images.
Jan Van Eyck had a desire to mimic nature in his paintings. In order to achieve his goal, he painted every minute detail about the object he could. Van Eyck's attention to detail allowed his paintings to seem alive. Unfortunately for Van Eyck, the current painting styles and supplies could not help him achieve his goal of total realism. As a solution to his problem, Van Eyck created oil paintings.
Before Van Eyck, Renaissance painters did not buy colors that were already made. Painters had to make colors themselves from ground up pigments found in plants and minerals that were combined with binder to form a paste. This type of paint was called tempera paint. The problem with tempera paint was that it dried very quickly, and made it virtually impossible to have smooth transitions in painting. Van Eyck wanted to create realism via shading, so tempera paint did not suit his needs. Instead of using egg found in tempera paint, Van Eyck decided to use oil in order to work much more accurately and slowly. Having an oil binder allows the painter to make glossy colors that can be applied in several layers (also known as glazes).
With a tiny pointed brush, Van Eyck was further able to create vivid detail in his paintings. Van Eyck's work impressed many people, including other artists. Soon, many artists were using oil in their paint mixtures, and oil paintings became a very popular form of art. Oil colors have changed since the time of Van Eyck, but the principals remain the same. Oil paintings allow the painter to create more detailed settings via shading as well as create more lifelike portraits. Van Eyck's contribution changed art forever.
The desire for a more realistic look in art started in early fifteenth century Europe. Previously, art was very mythological and decorative, but with the onset of the Renaissance, artists began to understand concepts and laws behind the ideas of perspective and colors. As a result, more artists began painting realer images.
Jan Van Eyck had a desire to mimic nature in his paintings. In order to achieve his goal, he painted every minute detail about the object he could. Van Eyck's attention to detail allowed his paintings to seem alive. Unfortunately for Van Eyck, the current painting styles and supplies could not help him achieve his goal of total realism. As a solution to his problem, Van Eyck created oil paintings.
Before Van Eyck, Renaissance painters did not buy colors that were already made. Painters had to make colors themselves from ground up pigments found in plants and minerals that were combined with binder to form a paste. This type of paint was called tempera paint. The problem with tempera paint was that it dried very quickly, and made it virtually impossible to have smooth transitions in painting. Van Eyck wanted to create realism via shading, so tempera paint did not suit his needs. Instead of using egg found in tempera paint, Van Eyck decided to use oil in order to work much more accurately and slowly. Having an oil binder allows the painter to make glossy colors that can be applied in several layers (also known as glazes).
With a tiny pointed brush, Van Eyck was further able to create vivid detail in his paintings. Van Eyck's work impressed many people, including other artists. Soon, many artists were using oil in their paint mixtures, and oil paintings became a very popular form of art. Oil colors have changed since the time of Van Eyck, but the principals remain the same. Oil paintings allow the painter to create more detailed settings via shading as well as create more lifelike portraits. Van Eyck's contribution changed art forever.
How To Buy Oil Paintings?
I have a custom made oil painting displayed in my living room. I gaze upon it each day. It's a portrait of a woman during sunset and half turned. Every single day I look at it and I am amazed as to what she might be thinking, sometimes I feel as though the painting has changed somehow. It gives new meaning every time I see it. Every person who has looked at it had a different interpretation of what the Painting suggested. It sparks the imagination. It triggers your emotion and makes you think. Such is the power of those glossy portraits created by the brilliant artists.
Oil Paintings give the visual appeal to your home or work place. Placed strategically this could mean a serene atmosphere at home or an inviting ambience to your office, which definitely makes your client at ease in your office. This could be the edge over the rest of your competitors.
Did you ever wonder how you could buy those high quality-stunning oil paintings? Most galleries present you with only a limited range of painting. Only the exclusive and famous artists have the opportunity to display the art in such places. The only place you could find work of art from both prominent as well as upcoming artist are real high quality websites.
At first even I was of the opinion that online purchase of such work of art may not be the best-suited method to get genuine high quality work. But when I heard about custom designs from well-known artists that could be offered right to your doorstep I was just thrilled. There is also a money back guarantee if there is any dissatisfaction towards the delivered material.
The online shops have a wide range of portraits, themes ranging from landscapes, still life, abstracts, cubism, religion, and much more. The list is endless. The Painting include real popular artist like van Gough, Jack Vettriano from early 19th century to the most recent celebrity artist. The catalog shows snapshots of the real work so you would know what to expect from the real McCoy.
They even have a Portrait Service. With Portrait Service the artist turns an old photograph, which has lost its graphic details into a real looking image of any size. With this we could keep our memories framed forever.
Custom paintings are made with just an idea that you have. It is amazing how artists could turn your vision into reality. They make a drafted version for your approval and in about a week the final Painting is ready and shipped to you.
The purchased painting is shipped home in sturdy tube containers for a small additional cost. Every care is taken to deliver the work of art safely to you. There is also choice for of Framing Service so you could portray the images in apt background. Even the range of frames available is displayed.
Well we always are worried that a transaction is not going to be safe over the Internet. It is just not so. With SSL technology you could make the transaction without having to fret over hackers taking away all your money. Agencies such as 2checkout bring about some of the safest payment methods.
The shopping carts provided are very user friendly. It is very easy to just keep adding your favorite picture and make the final purchase when you checkout.
Oil Paintings give the visual appeal to your home or work place. Placed strategically this could mean a serene atmosphere at home or an inviting ambience to your office, which definitely makes your client at ease in your office. This could be the edge over the rest of your competitors.
Did you ever wonder how you could buy those high quality-stunning oil paintings? Most galleries present you with only a limited range of painting. Only the exclusive and famous artists have the opportunity to display the art in such places. The only place you could find work of art from both prominent as well as upcoming artist are real high quality websites.
At first even I was of the opinion that online purchase of such work of art may not be the best-suited method to get genuine high quality work. But when I heard about custom designs from well-known artists that could be offered right to your doorstep I was just thrilled. There is also a money back guarantee if there is any dissatisfaction towards the delivered material.
The online shops have a wide range of portraits, themes ranging from landscapes, still life, abstracts, cubism, religion, and much more. The list is endless. The Painting include real popular artist like van Gough, Jack Vettriano from early 19th century to the most recent celebrity artist. The catalog shows snapshots of the real work so you would know what to expect from the real McCoy.
They even have a Portrait Service. With Portrait Service the artist turns an old photograph, which has lost its graphic details into a real looking image of any size. With this we could keep our memories framed forever.
Custom paintings are made with just an idea that you have. It is amazing how artists could turn your vision into reality. They make a drafted version for your approval and in about a week the final Painting is ready and shipped to you.
The purchased painting is shipped home in sturdy tube containers for a small additional cost. Every care is taken to deliver the work of art safely to you. There is also choice for of Framing Service so you could portray the images in apt background. Even the range of frames available is displayed.
Well we always are worried that a transaction is not going to be safe over the Internet. It is just not so. With SSL technology you could make the transaction without having to fret over hackers taking away all your money. Agencies such as 2checkout bring about some of the safest payment methods.
The shopping carts provided are very user friendly. It is very easy to just keep adding your favorite picture and make the final purchase when you checkout.
How to Make Oil Paintings
This article is a brief overview about the basics of Oil Painting. Lets first understand that an oil painting differs from the any other paint form in the technique and material used to make the paint itself.
As we are all aware of the fact, that to erect an amazing skyscraper and to neglect the integrity of the foundation would be foolhardy.
Most certainly the technique is not a steadfast rule that is applicable to make paintings. Merely a guide to get going towards a method the individual artists could conform to, making a style of their own.
The basic framework follows the following steps:
1. Preparing the canvas.
2. Making the right blend of paint material.
3. Making the Under Painting.
4. Glazing.
5. Drying.
6. Final Varnish.
Lets ponder a little bit more about the technique:
Canvas Selection: First is the canvas selection with a certain amount of surface roughness. The material has to be firm and dry. The canvas should be laid tight or pasted on to the painting board lest there would be surface cracks in your painting.
Paint material: Next is to choose the perfect blend of colors from your coloring palette. Also the painting material has to be of various viscosities. Each layer has a little bit more oil than the one before. This again ensures there wouldn't be any cracking of the layers as the painting ages.
Making the Under Painting: This is the most critical step in creating an oil painting. First make a rough sketch perhaps with charcoal, pencil or oil sketch. Then apply a layer of paint. This should be the thinnest coat also called as the 'imprimatura'. This layer is going to be our ground color with no transparency. Dilute the paint with turpentine; so you get that fine viscosity. On this layer we will further apply our sequentially thicker paint with various blends.
Glazing: This is performed to add to the glossy appeal of the oil paints, which is where the light penetrates through various layers to give the stunning visual esthetics. There are various glaze material ranging from balsam, resins and lacquers. The latest lacquers tend to dry quickly but the time could be manipulated with addition of more oil it could be retarded or with spirit it could be accelerated.
Drying: The final painting is allowed to dry for five to seven days. Then a careful inspection of the painting will reveal any discrepancies such as a crack or disintegration of color blends. If the right method is followed the faults can be eliminated.
Final varnish: A coat of varnish is applied to the painting after couple of months, so it retains it gloss. Now it is ready to be framed and displayed.
Frames:
The choice of frames is also an important aspect in enhancing the esthetic quality of the painting. It is so chosen, that it magnifies the character of the painting, rather than just masking it.
Quick review about the material of painting: There are very many materials available in the market; some choose to make their own recipes from shoe polish of neutral shade, zinc cream to prevent color disintegration from exposure to sun, oil, turpentine and resins for varnish. Most commercial preparations have all the elements blended but choosing the right one can be a matter of trial and error.
As we are all aware of the fact, that to erect an amazing skyscraper and to neglect the integrity of the foundation would be foolhardy.
Most certainly the technique is not a steadfast rule that is applicable to make paintings. Merely a guide to get going towards a method the individual artists could conform to, making a style of their own.
The basic framework follows the following steps:
1. Preparing the canvas.
2. Making the right blend of paint material.
3. Making the Under Painting.
4. Glazing.
5. Drying.
6. Final Varnish.
Lets ponder a little bit more about the technique:
Canvas Selection: First is the canvas selection with a certain amount of surface roughness. The material has to be firm and dry. The canvas should be laid tight or pasted on to the painting board lest there would be surface cracks in your painting.
Paint material: Next is to choose the perfect blend of colors from your coloring palette. Also the painting material has to be of various viscosities. Each layer has a little bit more oil than the one before. This again ensures there wouldn't be any cracking of the layers as the painting ages.
Making the Under Painting: This is the most critical step in creating an oil painting. First make a rough sketch perhaps with charcoal, pencil or oil sketch. Then apply a layer of paint. This should be the thinnest coat also called as the 'imprimatura'. This layer is going to be our ground color with no transparency. Dilute the paint with turpentine; so you get that fine viscosity. On this layer we will further apply our sequentially thicker paint with various blends.
Glazing: This is performed to add to the glossy appeal of the oil paints, which is where the light penetrates through various layers to give the stunning visual esthetics. There are various glaze material ranging from balsam, resins and lacquers. The latest lacquers tend to dry quickly but the time could be manipulated with addition of more oil it could be retarded or with spirit it could be accelerated.
Drying: The final painting is allowed to dry for five to seven days. Then a careful inspection of the painting will reveal any discrepancies such as a crack or disintegration of color blends. If the right method is followed the faults can be eliminated.
Final varnish: A coat of varnish is applied to the painting after couple of months, so it retains it gloss. Now it is ready to be framed and displayed.
Frames:
The choice of frames is also an important aspect in enhancing the esthetic quality of the painting. It is so chosen, that it magnifies the character of the painting, rather than just masking it.
Quick review about the material of painting: There are very many materials available in the market; some choose to make their own recipes from shoe polish of neutral shade, zinc cream to prevent color disintegration from exposure to sun, oil, turpentine and resins for varnish. Most commercial preparations have all the elements blended but choosing the right one can be a matter of trial and error.
How To Mix Color During Painting
Over the years, I have played around with a lot of store-bought colors (I have dozens and dozens of unused old paint tubes in a box in the basement), but I had a lot of trouble making them do the things I wanted them to. And I had a lot of trouble getting my colors to "pop" off the paper. That was, until I got a copy of Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green, by Michael Wilcox.
Wilcox taught me that less is more. In fact, you only need six colors to mix just about any color you could ever want.
Hey, wait a minute, you might be thinking. I thought you needed only three colors to mix all the others - red, yellow and blue.
Well, that's true. Kind of.
But if you follow that philosophy, you will quickly find that you really can't mix all the colors you need. That's where Wilcox's system comes in. He points out that colors have different biases - for example, some shades of red tend toward orange, and some tend toward blue/violet. Understanding that there are actually different kinds of reds, and different kinds of blues, and different kinds of yellows, that is the key. Wilcox picks out two shades of each primary color that, when mixed, allow you to achieve virtually unlimited results. After all, he points out, the great masters achieved amazing effects with just a few colors - so why can't you?
So Wilcox recommends these six colors.
Cadmium Red
Alizarin Crimson
French Ultramarine
Cerulean Blue
Lemon Yellow
Cadmium Yellow Pale
He points out that manufacturers are inconsistent in the way they label their paints, too. The shade of Lemon Yellow for one manufacturer may be different from that of another manufacturer. But in the fine print on the back of the tubes are code numbers that indicate exactly what pigments are in the paint. These numbers are uniform across manufacturers, so you always know that you are getting the correct hue. For example, for Lemon Yellow, you should look for the code "PY3" or "Pigment Yellow 3" on the tube.
Wilcox then provides dozens of examples of the combinations available with this simple palette. This is one of the best features of this book. Just look through the pages of color swatches, find the color you are looking for, and he'll tell exactly which basic colors you will need to achieve it. And when you mix colors on the paper or on your palette, you will always get a more vibrant, luminous, interesting hue than if you bought the same color in a tube.
The one color that's a little tricky to get with this palette is a nice brown, so Wilcox thoughtfully provides a section on using manufactured browns.
This is a fine, book, but it's biggest drawback is that it is really designed for watercolorists. That works great for me, since I prefer water-based media. But his information on color mixing for other media, like oils, acrylics and pencils, is not as comprehensive. So if you not a watercolorist, you might be better served getting a book that is specifically geared toward your medium. And there is a bunch of scientific mumbo-jumbo at the beginning of the book. Skip over it, it's irrelevant. The good stuff starts in Chapter 5, where he presents his system.
Conclusion
There are plenty of books on color theory out there. But if you paint in watercolors, Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green is quite good. His color system is simple, and he provides pages and pages of color swatches to illustrate its potential.
Wilcox taught me that less is more. In fact, you only need six colors to mix just about any color you could ever want.
Hey, wait a minute, you might be thinking. I thought you needed only three colors to mix all the others - red, yellow and blue.
Well, that's true. Kind of.
But if you follow that philosophy, you will quickly find that you really can't mix all the colors you need. That's where Wilcox's system comes in. He points out that colors have different biases - for example, some shades of red tend toward orange, and some tend toward blue/violet. Understanding that there are actually different kinds of reds, and different kinds of blues, and different kinds of yellows, that is the key. Wilcox picks out two shades of each primary color that, when mixed, allow you to achieve virtually unlimited results. After all, he points out, the great masters achieved amazing effects with just a few colors - so why can't you?
So Wilcox recommends these six colors.
Cadmium Red
Alizarin Crimson
French Ultramarine
Cerulean Blue
Lemon Yellow
Cadmium Yellow Pale
He points out that manufacturers are inconsistent in the way they label their paints, too. The shade of Lemon Yellow for one manufacturer may be different from that of another manufacturer. But in the fine print on the back of the tubes are code numbers that indicate exactly what pigments are in the paint. These numbers are uniform across manufacturers, so you always know that you are getting the correct hue. For example, for Lemon Yellow, you should look for the code "PY3" or "Pigment Yellow 3" on the tube.
Wilcox then provides dozens of examples of the combinations available with this simple palette. This is one of the best features of this book. Just look through the pages of color swatches, find the color you are looking for, and he'll tell exactly which basic colors you will need to achieve it. And when you mix colors on the paper or on your palette, you will always get a more vibrant, luminous, interesting hue than if you bought the same color in a tube.
The one color that's a little tricky to get with this palette is a nice brown, so Wilcox thoughtfully provides a section on using manufactured browns.
This is a fine, book, but it's biggest drawback is that it is really designed for watercolorists. That works great for me, since I prefer water-based media. But his information on color mixing for other media, like oils, acrylics and pencils, is not as comprehensive. So if you not a watercolorist, you might be better served getting a book that is specifically geared toward your medium. And there is a bunch of scientific mumbo-jumbo at the beginning of the book. Skip over it, it's irrelevant. The good stuff starts in Chapter 5, where he presents his system.
Conclusion
There are plenty of books on color theory out there. But if you paint in watercolors, Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green is quite good. His color system is simple, and he provides pages and pages of color swatches to illustrate its potential.
Marketing Prints
In the past lithography and traditional printing methods were used if the artist wanted to market reproductions of original artwork. While effective, these methods had serious drawbacks:
First and foremost, a high output number would compromise the value of any reproduction. Second, the quality of 4 color copies limited the color rendition of such reproductions. Also, the choice of substrates was dismal compared to giclée. The advent of high-end digital printmaking has opened a new world for artists: more paper choices, better color, limited production.
On a pure marketing standpoint, artists who have shows and lectures can now suggest giclees to potential buyers. Collectors in particular want to buy art that is not made in mass quantities. When buying a giclée they are assured to possess something rare and exquisite.
Giclees are well established in the art world; they are bought and sold in world class auctions as well as in galleries. Many museums display giclees.
Listen to your clients: I recently had a call from a portrait artist. She has a business where customers come to her for family portraits she makes on watercolor paper. She had a few inquiries regarding making copies so that more than one household could have the portrait of their loved ones. At the same time they asked for a quality print, possibly on the same paper. We reproduced the original and it was virtually impossible to distinguish it from the giclée. Now the artist was happy to make additional income and the families had as many portraits as they wanted!
No matter what the market is, whether it consists of commissioned art or not, high quality reproductions can generate an additional stream of income given the proper marketing.
How can you increase the value of your artwork?
One proven method is to create posters (It has been done for a long time by artists and photographers) and sell the posters at art shows. This creates a buzz and facilitates the selling of your work in a poster format to be displayed in various locations. A well designed poster is one of the best advertisements!
Second, create art and make high quality giclée reproductions without ever selling your originals. Make for example an artist proof edition of 25, sign it and release it as the only art available.
If you wish to be able to sell your original you can do so and still increase the value of your art. Start with small limited editions. As soon they are sold out the value will increase. Always establish and maintain a personal relationship with every past, current and potential buyer of your art! Buyers connect emotionally with the art as well as the creator. They will be more receptive to collecting more work if they feel a bond.
Use the Internet
Create a website with a portfolio so people can see the art. Add the URL to business cards, posters, postcards etc. Optimize the site for keywords you want to target (i.e. abstract paintings, oil paintings of flowers, portraits on oil etc.)
The artist is encouraged to pre-sell the complete limited edition if a LE is decided. It is a good idea to track the collectors and notify them when the particular edition is sold out. Another advantage of having a website is to create a newsletter notifying people of limited edition publication as well as accomplishments and new art. These practices reinforce the added value of their current (or potential) purchase. Last but not least, ask for a Certificate of Authenticity from the print maker.
First and foremost, a high output number would compromise the value of any reproduction. Second, the quality of 4 color copies limited the color rendition of such reproductions. Also, the choice of substrates was dismal compared to giclée. The advent of high-end digital printmaking has opened a new world for artists: more paper choices, better color, limited production.
On a pure marketing standpoint, artists who have shows and lectures can now suggest giclees to potential buyers. Collectors in particular want to buy art that is not made in mass quantities. When buying a giclée they are assured to possess something rare and exquisite.
Giclees are well established in the art world; they are bought and sold in world class auctions as well as in galleries. Many museums display giclees.
Listen to your clients: I recently had a call from a portrait artist. She has a business where customers come to her for family portraits she makes on watercolor paper. She had a few inquiries regarding making copies so that more than one household could have the portrait of their loved ones. At the same time they asked for a quality print, possibly on the same paper. We reproduced the original and it was virtually impossible to distinguish it from the giclée. Now the artist was happy to make additional income and the families had as many portraits as they wanted!
No matter what the market is, whether it consists of commissioned art or not, high quality reproductions can generate an additional stream of income given the proper marketing.
How can you increase the value of your artwork?
One proven method is to create posters (It has been done for a long time by artists and photographers) and sell the posters at art shows. This creates a buzz and facilitates the selling of your work in a poster format to be displayed in various locations. A well designed poster is one of the best advertisements!
Second, create art and make high quality giclée reproductions without ever selling your originals. Make for example an artist proof edition of 25, sign it and release it as the only art available.
If you wish to be able to sell your original you can do so and still increase the value of your art. Start with small limited editions. As soon they are sold out the value will increase. Always establish and maintain a personal relationship with every past, current and potential buyer of your art! Buyers connect emotionally with the art as well as the creator. They will be more receptive to collecting more work if they feel a bond.
Use the Internet
Create a website with a portfolio so people can see the art. Add the URL to business cards, posters, postcards etc. Optimize the site for keywords you want to target (i.e. abstract paintings, oil paintings of flowers, portraits on oil etc.)
The artist is encouraged to pre-sell the complete limited edition if a LE is decided. It is a good idea to track the collectors and notify them when the particular edition is sold out. Another advantage of having a website is to create a newsletter notifying people of limited edition publication as well as accomplishments and new art. These practices reinforce the added value of their current (or potential) purchase. Last but not least, ask for a Certificate of Authenticity from the print maker.
What is a Still Life Drawing?
Still Life is an art term, that refers to a special kind of picture. It represents an arrange of inanimate objects (hence the name) such as a bowl, a cup or fruits. Usually the arrangement is made according to the artist's purpose. A Still life pencil drawing can be symbolic, with an underlying meaning, or aesthetic, in which case the purpose is to communicate beauty.
About Still Life Pencil Drawings
A still life work can have many purposes. If we work in color it can help us understand how color acts in real life, how the light bounces, and how an arrangement of colors can bring a special mood to the painting. Using colored pencils we can begin studies about color, and work in the finest details. But in the case of black and white pencil drawings, the purpose of the still life pencil drawing is different. A still life pencil drawing can help us study shapes and see how they interact on our eyes, we learn how to measure correct proportions and how they can make the difference between a good drawing and a remarkable drawing.
When we get into shading, we then study tonal values. There are no colors here so we must learn how to see things in black and white mode, and correctly define which are going to be the dark and light areas on our still life pencil drawing.
Still lifes are the most available subjects in the world, and while some people may consider still life drawing boring, the fact is they teach us a lot. When you have no idea of what to draw, just make an arrangement of things you have at your house and start your still life pencil drawing. Don't take just as bring cups and fruits, but instead focus on what you can learn from this. If you keep practicing on drawing still life scenes you will find out that you have a much better understanding on how light works, and how objects relate to each other within a composition and color scheme.
About Still Life Pencil Drawings
A still life work can have many purposes. If we work in color it can help us understand how color acts in real life, how the light bounces, and how an arrangement of colors can bring a special mood to the painting. Using colored pencils we can begin studies about color, and work in the finest details. But in the case of black and white pencil drawings, the purpose of the still life pencil drawing is different. A still life pencil drawing can help us study shapes and see how they interact on our eyes, we learn how to measure correct proportions and how they can make the difference between a good drawing and a remarkable drawing.
When we get into shading, we then study tonal values. There are no colors here so we must learn how to see things in black and white mode, and correctly define which are going to be the dark and light areas on our still life pencil drawing.
Still lifes are the most available subjects in the world, and while some people may consider still life drawing boring, the fact is they teach us a lot. When you have no idea of what to draw, just make an arrangement of things you have at your house and start your still life pencil drawing. Don't take just as bring cups and fruits, but instead focus on what you can learn from this. If you keep practicing on drawing still life scenes you will find out that you have a much better understanding on how light works, and how objects relate to each other within a composition and color scheme.
Body Painting
With the World Body Painting Festival (and of course the Body Painting Award) coming up on the 17th of July, it's about time to get you all fired up in your body painting know-how.
More about this festival coming soon, but first a short introduction in the art of body painting.
Body painting is a form of body art, and has probably been around since the beginning of civilization. In almost every tribalist culture, body painting was performed during ceremonies or merely just for the beauty of it. Back then they used clay and other natural pigments.
Body painting still survives in parts of the world, and especially 'Mehndi', the form of body painting that uses henna dyes, is now very popular in the western world. The henna tattoo is semi-permanent.
Since the 1960's, body painting emerged as an actual art form. However, there is the never-ending discussion about it's social acceptability because body painting practically always involves nudity.
But no art without paint of course, and you'll be happy to know that the paint is restricted to guidelines: the body paint has to be non-toxic and non-allergenic. The paint easily washes of with water and soap.
As for the henna dyes, which Mehndi uses, there's a difference between the synthetic black henna, and the natural brown henna. The natural henna dye is completely safe when body painting, but the synthetic black henna dye could cause allergic reactions. You should have yourself patch tested before using these at body painting.
This should get you started, next time, more about the festival!
More about this festival coming soon, but first a short introduction in the art of body painting.
Body painting is a form of body art, and has probably been around since the beginning of civilization. In almost every tribalist culture, body painting was performed during ceremonies or merely just for the beauty of it. Back then they used clay and other natural pigments.
Body painting still survives in parts of the world, and especially 'Mehndi', the form of body painting that uses henna dyes, is now very popular in the western world. The henna tattoo is semi-permanent.
Since the 1960's, body painting emerged as an actual art form. However, there is the never-ending discussion about it's social acceptability because body painting practically always involves nudity.
But no art without paint of course, and you'll be happy to know that the paint is restricted to guidelines: the body paint has to be non-toxic and non-allergenic. The paint easily washes of with water and soap.
As for the henna dyes, which Mehndi uses, there's a difference between the synthetic black henna, and the natural brown henna. The natural henna dye is completely safe when body painting, but the synthetic black henna dye could cause allergic reactions. You should have yourself patch tested before using these at body painting.
This should get you started, next time, more about the festival!
What is a Reverse Painting?
Welcome to the world of Reverse Painting on Glass. This technique has been considered a popular 'art of the people' for many centuries. The use of glass as a support for this intricate painting technique has not hindered its continuing popularity.
A reverse painting is created by painting a subject onto one side of a sheet of glass (or plexiglass) after which it is viewed from the other side of the glass, or through the glass.
Contrary to painting on a canvas or similar support this technique requires an artist to paint in reverse, or 'back to front.'
When an artwork is created on a support such as canvas or wood panel, it is painted from the same angle and direction that it will ultimately be viewed from on completion. However, in the case of painting in reverse the painted side and the viewed side of the artwork are opposed to one another.
Similarly, an artwork that is created on a canvas usually begins with a rough outline and gradually builds towards its completion and finishing touches. With the use of this painting technique this procedure begins where it would normally end, and finishing touches such as finer details and the artist's signature are usually applied first and the background applications of colour are added later, hence the use of the term 'reverse painting'.
The effect that glass can give with the use of this painting technique can make it a very beautiful object. Some artists use thick glass in order to give more depth to their work.
For those who see a reverse painting on glass for the very first time it can take a little while to realize that the subject has been painted on the surface of the glass itself.
A reverse painting is created by painting a subject onto one side of a sheet of glass (or plexiglass) after which it is viewed from the other side of the glass, or through the glass.
Contrary to painting on a canvas or similar support this technique requires an artist to paint in reverse, or 'back to front.'
When an artwork is created on a support such as canvas or wood panel, it is painted from the same angle and direction that it will ultimately be viewed from on completion. However, in the case of painting in reverse the painted side and the viewed side of the artwork are opposed to one another.
Similarly, an artwork that is created on a canvas usually begins with a rough outline and gradually builds towards its completion and finishing touches. With the use of this painting technique this procedure begins where it would normally end, and finishing touches such as finer details and the artist's signature are usually applied first and the background applications of colour are added later, hence the use of the term 'reverse painting'.
The effect that glass can give with the use of this painting technique can make it a very beautiful object. Some artists use thick glass in order to give more depth to their work.
For those who see a reverse painting on glass for the very first time it can take a little while to realize that the subject has been painted on the surface of the glass itself.
The Beauty of an Abstract Painting
The art of abstract painting began a very long time ago. Artists began this art several hundred years ago. In fact, you have probably seen some of the more famous abstract paintings before. You may recall a famous abstract painting created by Van Gogh. Picasso also had an abstract painting or two as well. Modigliani is also known for his abstract painting work. Because of these artists, and many others, the art of abstract painting has gained popularity in the modern world.
Now what exactly is an abstract painting? An abstract painting is defined in many ways. First off, an abstract painting does not depict reality like traditional paintings. In the beginning, most art was depicting a photographic or realistic expression of someone or something. But an abstract painting does not do this. The definition of an abstract painting is that an abstract painting does not depict objects in the natural world. Rather, an abstract painting uses colors and shapes in a non-representing and nonobjective manner. It can be of anyone, anything, or just nothing at all.
You can easily see this when you look at an abstract painting. An abstract painting has bold, bright, and vivid colors. An abstract painting also has many biometric shapes that are used with the bold colors to make the artwork stand out. It is both strange and beautiful to look at an abstract painting.
In the 1940's a movement called "Abstract Expressionism" was started. This movement was started to show the freedom of an artist's expression and to push the art of abstract painting. It was started in New York in a school that also called it "Action Painting." This school was one of the first American schools that declared its independence from the European style of artwork. They liked to think of their art as a form of spiritual and intellectual art. This then further pushed the art of abstract painting.
Now that you know the history of the art of abstract painting you may come to understand it better. It is important to appreciate all forms of art, including the odd art of an abstract painting. You may find yourself wanting to get a piece of this artwork for yourself. It is truly an interesting thing to look at.
Now what exactly is an abstract painting? An abstract painting is defined in many ways. First off, an abstract painting does not depict reality like traditional paintings. In the beginning, most art was depicting a photographic or realistic expression of someone or something. But an abstract painting does not do this. The definition of an abstract painting is that an abstract painting does not depict objects in the natural world. Rather, an abstract painting uses colors and shapes in a non-representing and nonobjective manner. It can be of anyone, anything, or just nothing at all.
You can easily see this when you look at an abstract painting. An abstract painting has bold, bright, and vivid colors. An abstract painting also has many biometric shapes that are used with the bold colors to make the artwork stand out. It is both strange and beautiful to look at an abstract painting.
In the 1940's a movement called "Abstract Expressionism" was started. This movement was started to show the freedom of an artist's expression and to push the art of abstract painting. It was started in New York in a school that also called it "Action Painting." This school was one of the first American schools that declared its independence from the European style of artwork. They liked to think of their art as a form of spiritual and intellectual art. This then further pushed the art of abstract painting.
Now that you know the history of the art of abstract painting you may come to understand it better. It is important to appreciate all forms of art, including the odd art of an abstract painting. You may find yourself wanting to get a piece of this artwork for yourself. It is truly an interesting thing to look at.
Planning a Painting?
Okay, you've found it--the perfect scene, the one you think will make the perfect painting. What's next? Different schools of thought broach the subject. Some artist go straight to the paper (or canvas, as it were) with brush in hand. The spontaneity of the project is most important. Others will do a detailed sketch, perhaps a small study of the scene. I'm a mixture of both. Once seized by an idea, I will do a sketch, but only the roughest of sketches. The shapes are crudely drawn, just to give me an idea of their placement. From there, I proceed to transferring my idea to my support. I've learned through the years that if masking is involved, it's best just to draw the outline and fill in the details later. Masking may remove my pencil lines. Besides, there's a risk of smudging the lines.
A friend of mine who also paints reminds of of another lesson that I've learned. He will want to stick slavishly to a photo or scene. If what he sees isn't right, he looks until he finds it. Other artists have taught me the value of rearranging things, moving objects to frame, point to, lead the eye around in a painting. Try to do that. Notice how your eye moves through a scene, what you notice first or don't notice. A truly excellent book I found on the subject is Barbara Nuss's book, "14 Forumulas for Painting Fabulous Landscapes". The book has more info on oil than watercolor, but the information is outstanding. Truly a book to help you see.
Another thing you want to keep in mind about your work in progress is your own feelings to the subject. That is the goal, isn't it? Developing your own style and your way of viewing the world around you. Don't lose sight of what attracted you to the scene at first. Was the palette pleasing to you? Did it trigger certain memories for you? Remember that. If it was the color, you'll want to keep that in mind, especially if it is a break from your usual scheme. I've found more than once that I was disappointed with a painting only to recall that it wasn't the composition as much as the color that attracted me, that I wanted to capture.
Whatever element is the attraction don't let it stop once the painting is complete. A fitting title will reinforce this feeling.
Chris Dinesen Rogers has worked with local artists, but is primarily a self-taught and self-representing artist. Her work weaves a tapestry of the realistic, natural, imaginative and historic, reflecting her deep love and commitment to the preservation of the natural resources of the Upper Midwest. Her paintings are found in collections over all the United States and Canada. Her work has also placed in juried competitions. She is represented by Art in the Village Frame Shoppe & Gallery, New London, MN and the Earth Works Art Gallery & Studio in Penn Yan, New York.
She is a long time supporter and volunteer of conservation efforts throughout the Midwest. In 2000, Chris and her husband, Norm, were commissioned Colonels by the state of Kentucky for their volunteer efforts at Mammoth Cave National Park. Chris and Norm are also co-authors of "101 Things To Do on the Wisconsin Great River Road." The book details the unique and wonderful of the Wisconsin Great River Road.
What Are Giclee Paintings?
Giclee (zhee-klay) - The French word "giclée" is a feminine noun that means a spray or a spurt of liquid. The word may have been derived from the French verb "gicler" meaning "to squirt".
The term "giclee print" denotes an elevation in printmaking technology. Images are generated from high resolution digital scans and printed with archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, fine art, and photo-base paper. The giclee printing process provides better color accuracy than other means of reproduction.
Giclee prints are created typically using professional 8-Color to 12-Color ink-jet printers. Among the manufacturers of these printers are vanguards such as Epson, MacDermid Colorspan, & Hewlett-Packard. These modern technology printers are capable of producing incredibly detailed prints for both the fine art and photographic markets. Giclee prints are sometimes mistakenly referred to as Iris prints, which are 4-Color ink-jet prints from a printer pioneered in the late 1970s by Iris Graphics. The power of modern computers is harnessed to drive and control each combination, of colour, shade, hue, value and density of the ink via four or eight nozzles.
This can produce a combination of up to 1024 basic chromatic changes, which makes possible of over four million color combinations of highly saturated, non-toxic, water based ink. Since no half-tone screens are used in Giclee printing, the prints have a higher resolution than lithographs. The intense saturation of the Giclee printing system renders a dynamic color range is greater than serigraphy.
The apparent resolution of the digital print is 1800 dots per square inch, which is higher than a traditional lithographic print and has a wider color gamut than serigraphy. Giclee prints render deep, saturated colors and have a beautiful painterly quality that retains minute detail, subtle tints and blends.
Giclee prints are advantageous to artists who do not find it feasible to mass produce their work, but want to reproduce their art as needed, or on-demand. Once an image is digitally archived, additional reproductions can be made with minimal effort and reasonable cost. The prohibitive up-front cost of mass production for an edition is eliminated. Archived files will not deteriorate in quality as negatives and film inherently does. Another tremendous advantage of giclee printing is that digital images can be reproduced to almost any size and onto various media, giving the artist the ability to customize prints for a specific client.
The quality of the giclee print rivals traditional silver-halide and gelatin printing processes and is commonly found in museums, art galleries, and photographic galleries.
Ten years ago Giclees had a hard time being accepted by the general art buying public as "legitimate" art. Today, Giclee Prints have gained wide acceptance and "legitimacy", and are now shown in museums and galleries throughout the world.
Numerous examples of giclee prints can be found in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Chelsea Galleries. Recent auctions of giclee prints have fetched $10,800 for Annie Leibovitz, $9,600 for Chuck Close, and $22,800 for Wolfgang Tillmans (April 23/24 2004, Photographs, New York, Phillips de Pury & Company.)
The Giclée printing process is environmentally safe since the inks are water-based and the paper is archival and acid-free. Thus, a Giclée must be treated as fine art and placed away from direct sunlight, even though we use extra long-life Archival UV-Safe Pigmented Inks.
Come join the art adventure at Art Ideas for You and learn how you can have a business with limited edition quality canvas giclee paintings.
We are a business in the art industry combined with direct sales for an income opportunity for entrepreneurs and individuals seeking to work from their homes.
A friend of mine who also paints reminds of of another lesson that I've learned. He will want to stick slavishly to a photo or scene. If what he sees isn't right, he looks until he finds it. Other artists have taught me the value of rearranging things, moving objects to frame, point to, lead the eye around in a painting. Try to do that. Notice how your eye moves through a scene, what you notice first or don't notice. A truly excellent book I found on the subject is Barbara Nuss's book, "14 Forumulas for Painting Fabulous Landscapes". The book has more info on oil than watercolor, but the information is outstanding. Truly a book to help you see.
Another thing you want to keep in mind about your work in progress is your own feelings to the subject. That is the goal, isn't it? Developing your own style and your way of viewing the world around you. Don't lose sight of what attracted you to the scene at first. Was the palette pleasing to you? Did it trigger certain memories for you? Remember that. If it was the color, you'll want to keep that in mind, especially if it is a break from your usual scheme. I've found more than once that I was disappointed with a painting only to recall that it wasn't the composition as much as the color that attracted me, that I wanted to capture.
Whatever element is the attraction don't let it stop once the painting is complete. A fitting title will reinforce this feeling.
Chris Dinesen Rogers has worked with local artists, but is primarily a self-taught and self-representing artist. Her work weaves a tapestry of the realistic, natural, imaginative and historic, reflecting her deep love and commitment to the preservation of the natural resources of the Upper Midwest. Her paintings are found in collections over all the United States and Canada. Her work has also placed in juried competitions. She is represented by Art in the Village Frame Shoppe & Gallery, New London, MN and the Earth Works Art Gallery & Studio in Penn Yan, New York.
She is a long time supporter and volunteer of conservation efforts throughout the Midwest. In 2000, Chris and her husband, Norm, were commissioned Colonels by the state of Kentucky for their volunteer efforts at Mammoth Cave National Park. Chris and Norm are also co-authors of "101 Things To Do on the Wisconsin Great River Road." The book details the unique and wonderful of the Wisconsin Great River Road.
What Are Giclee Paintings?
Giclee (zhee-klay) - The French word "giclée" is a feminine noun that means a spray or a spurt of liquid. The word may have been derived from the French verb "gicler" meaning "to squirt".
The term "giclee print" denotes an elevation in printmaking technology. Images are generated from high resolution digital scans and printed with archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, fine art, and photo-base paper. The giclee printing process provides better color accuracy than other means of reproduction.
Giclee prints are created typically using professional 8-Color to 12-Color ink-jet printers. Among the manufacturers of these printers are vanguards such as Epson, MacDermid Colorspan, & Hewlett-Packard. These modern technology printers are capable of producing incredibly detailed prints for both the fine art and photographic markets. Giclee prints are sometimes mistakenly referred to as Iris prints, which are 4-Color ink-jet prints from a printer pioneered in the late 1970s by Iris Graphics. The power of modern computers is harnessed to drive and control each combination, of colour, shade, hue, value and density of the ink via four or eight nozzles.
This can produce a combination of up to 1024 basic chromatic changes, which makes possible of over four million color combinations of highly saturated, non-toxic, water based ink. Since no half-tone screens are used in Giclee printing, the prints have a higher resolution than lithographs. The intense saturation of the Giclee printing system renders a dynamic color range is greater than serigraphy.
The apparent resolution of the digital print is 1800 dots per square inch, which is higher than a traditional lithographic print and has a wider color gamut than serigraphy. Giclee prints render deep, saturated colors and have a beautiful painterly quality that retains minute detail, subtle tints and blends.
Giclee prints are advantageous to artists who do not find it feasible to mass produce their work, but want to reproduce their art as needed, or on-demand. Once an image is digitally archived, additional reproductions can be made with minimal effort and reasonable cost. The prohibitive up-front cost of mass production for an edition is eliminated. Archived files will not deteriorate in quality as negatives and film inherently does. Another tremendous advantage of giclee printing is that digital images can be reproduced to almost any size and onto various media, giving the artist the ability to customize prints for a specific client.
The quality of the giclee print rivals traditional silver-halide and gelatin printing processes and is commonly found in museums, art galleries, and photographic galleries.
Ten years ago Giclees had a hard time being accepted by the general art buying public as "legitimate" art. Today, Giclee Prints have gained wide acceptance and "legitimacy", and are now shown in museums and galleries throughout the world.
Numerous examples of giclee prints can be found in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Chelsea Galleries. Recent auctions of giclee prints have fetched $10,800 for Annie Leibovitz, $9,600 for Chuck Close, and $22,800 for Wolfgang Tillmans (April 23/24 2004, Photographs, New York, Phillips de Pury & Company.)
The Giclée printing process is environmentally safe since the inks are water-based and the paper is archival and acid-free. Thus, a Giclée must be treated as fine art and placed away from direct sunlight, even though we use extra long-life Archival UV-Safe Pigmented Inks.
Come join the art adventure at Art Ideas for You and learn how you can have a business with limited edition quality canvas giclee paintings.
We are a business in the art industry combined with direct sales for an income opportunity for entrepreneurs and individuals seeking to work from their homes.
How To Use Gesture When Drawing People
When you are learning how to draw the human figure, it helps bring your drawing to life when you use gesture correctly. People's gestures are very dynamic and showing their gestures are key when draw the human figure.
Imagine for a moment that the body is 3 blocks; one block for the skull; one block for the rib cage and one block for the hips. These blocks can be positioned any way you want and then once the gesture is established, the arms and legs have very few options left for them to be placed in... In other words, once you find your gesture, your drawing is almost done.
In a drawing with good gesture, you should be able to draw a line down the center of your figure.
That line should twist with the angle of the shoulders, hips and skull, so that the line has an "S" shaped curve to it. Once the 3 blocks are positioned so that the "S" is established, the next step is to be concerned with the direction the 3 blocks are facing. The 3 blocks should not be facing the same direction. Try drawing 3 blocks all facing the same direction and see how flat the drawing looks.
Now draw the head and hips facing the same way and the rib cage facing a different direction. Notice how dynamic and round the gesture feels once you have drawn it with those angles.
A really good example of this principle is Michelangelo's "David". There are no two points on this figure that are parallel, for example, shoulders, hips, hands, feet, etc. The head, chest and hips are facing slightly different directions in this sculpture.
Creating a good "S" curve is the first step in any drawing or sculpture. All of your anatomy will be subservient to the gesture. For example, if your gesture indicates one hip lower than another, then one leg is going to be straight and one has to be bent.
The bottom line with gesture is, if you start a drawing with the "S" shaped curve, you have a good base to start a figure from.
Imagine for a moment that the body is 3 blocks; one block for the skull; one block for the rib cage and one block for the hips. These blocks can be positioned any way you want and then once the gesture is established, the arms and legs have very few options left for them to be placed in... In other words, once you find your gesture, your drawing is almost done.
In a drawing with good gesture, you should be able to draw a line down the center of your figure.
That line should twist with the angle of the shoulders, hips and skull, so that the line has an "S" shaped curve to it. Once the 3 blocks are positioned so that the "S" is established, the next step is to be concerned with the direction the 3 blocks are facing. The 3 blocks should not be facing the same direction. Try drawing 3 blocks all facing the same direction and see how flat the drawing looks.
Now draw the head and hips facing the same way and the rib cage facing a different direction. Notice how dynamic and round the gesture feels once you have drawn it with those angles.
A really good example of this principle is Michelangelo's "David". There are no two points on this figure that are parallel, for example, shoulders, hips, hands, feet, etc. The head, chest and hips are facing slightly different directions in this sculpture.
Creating a good "S" curve is the first step in any drawing or sculpture. All of your anatomy will be subservient to the gesture. For example, if your gesture indicates one hip lower than another, then one leg is going to be straight and one has to be bent.
The bottom line with gesture is, if you start a drawing with the "S" shaped curve, you have a good base to start a figure from.
How To Draw People
How To Use Proportions When Drawing People
Before you can draw a human figure with clothing, muscles, shading, etc., it is necessary to understand the basic proportions of the human figure. Proportions on a figure are simply how long the major anatomical parts of the body are, in relation to each other.
Let's examine the proportions of a healthy male human figure. Proportions change based on body type, age, sex and activity level. Our example healthy male figure will be seven heads tall. As a foundation, let's start with these lengths that are all the same. Each of them are two heads long.
1. From the middle of the kneecap to the bottom of the foot
2. The head of the femur to the kneecap
3. The elbow to the tips of the extended fingers
4. From the collarbone to just below the belly button
5. The width of the chest from shoulder to shoulder.
Tip #1 - The width of the hips is the same as the distance from the crotch to the knee.
Tip #2 - The length of the arm from the pit to the tip of the extended fingers is the same as from the base of the neck to the bottom of the buttocks.
Tip #3 - The arms should hang with extended fingers, to the middle of the thigh.
Tip #4 - The elbow should rest parallel with the bottom of the rib cage.
Tip #5 - The size of the foot should fit in between the base of the palm and the pit of the forearm.
Tip #6 - The hand from the base of the palm, to the tip of the fingers should fit on the face, from hairline to chin.
These proportions are critical to learn if you want your figures to look convincing. The reason this is essential is that you cannot place a bone or muscle group on a figure and have it be the wrong length without making your drawing stand out because it will look "off".
Before you can draw a human figure with clothing, muscles, shading, etc., it is necessary to understand the basic proportions of the human figure. Proportions on a figure are simply how long the major anatomical parts of the body are, in relation to each other.
Let's examine the proportions of a healthy male human figure. Proportions change based on body type, age, sex and activity level. Our example healthy male figure will be seven heads tall. As a foundation, let's start with these lengths that are all the same. Each of them are two heads long.
1. From the middle of the kneecap to the bottom of the foot
2. The head of the femur to the kneecap
3. The elbow to the tips of the extended fingers
4. From the collarbone to just below the belly button
5. The width of the chest from shoulder to shoulder.
Tip #1 - The width of the hips is the same as the distance from the crotch to the knee.
Tip #2 - The length of the arm from the pit to the tip of the extended fingers is the same as from the base of the neck to the bottom of the buttocks.
Tip #3 - The arms should hang with extended fingers, to the middle of the thigh.
Tip #4 - The elbow should rest parallel with the bottom of the rib cage.
Tip #5 - The size of the foot should fit in between the base of the palm and the pit of the forearm.
Tip #6 - The hand from the base of the palm, to the tip of the fingers should fit on the face, from hairline to chin.
These proportions are critical to learn if you want your figures to look convincing. The reason this is essential is that you cannot place a bone or muscle group on a figure and have it be the wrong length without making your drawing stand out because it will look "off".
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