Category: Artists

July 13, 2013

How Stretcher Bars Are Made

A stretcher bar is a wooden frame that is used as wooden framework support (usually made from pine) on which an artist fastens a piece of canvas. It provides a steady tension to the canvas and gets the canvas artwork very flat and taut on the frame base, and thus makes it ready to be placed in a picture frame or to simply hang it as is. A stretcher can be bought ready-made as four parts that you just fit together, or you can just buy a pre-stretched canvas at canvaslot.com or you can just do it yourself. Here’s how.

Materials:
• 1×2 inches (2.5-by-5.1 cm) wood (4 pieces)
• Hand saw or power tools
• Miter block
• Staple gun
• quarter-round trim (4 pieces)
• Pencil
• Hammer
• Headless nails (not longer than the width of your quarter-round and 1×2 inch wood combined)

Step 1– Choose the type of wood you want to use. The sides should measure 1 by 2 inches (2.5 by 5.1 cm). Measure the wood according to the desired dimensions then cut with a forty-five degree angle at each end. You can use a miter box to make good, equal, 45 degree cuts at each end so that the wood fits together properly at the corners.

Step 2– Bring together the edges of the cut wood on a flat surface and use powered staple gun to secure the corners by placing 3 staples over the line where the corners come together. Staple the rest of the corners and do this on both front and back of the joints to make the entire frame become very strong and rigid.

Step 3– Cut the trim pieces with whatever tool you used on the other pieces of wood. Place one flat side of the quarter-round against the stretcher bars, and the other flat side facing outward. The curved edge of the quarter-rounds should be facing inward toward the center of the frame. The purpose of the quarter-round pieces is to raise the canvas off of the stretcher bars. To secure the trims to the frame, nail them with headless nails. Do this by spacing the nails at 4-inch (10.2-cm) intervals to keep it solidly in place.

When the entire frame is finished, it’s time to start stretching the canvas. By stretching your own canvas, you can not only save money, but get something you’re willing to experiment on. You also get a canvas that’s exactly the size you’re after.

Image source: www.younghouselove.com

July 12, 2013

Tips in Abstract Painting

The techniques used to create abstract art consist of either a pattern or random system of lines, shapes, colors, or splatters of paint. The overall flow of design needs to always be kept in the back of your mind as you add more and more to your creation. Your art techniques will be much like following a method of steps.

1. Layout
Sketch the patterns that you wish to create by drawing them in the canvas with a pencil charcoal. In this way, you are able to outline the figures that you want in the exact places. The great thing about learning how to paint abstract art is that you don’t necessarily require any form of subject matter. But this step is important for you to be consistent in your concept.

2. Background
This is the first layer of color you will be applying to your painting. This layer of paint is just the base of your painting so it has to be a thin layer. This is achieved by using small amount of turpentine to the color you are using. Try to make it a point that the color of your background will enhance the composition of your painting.

3. Top color
This is where you will start painting out the framework of your images over the Bottom Color. This is the time where you bring your sketch to life. Planning your colors will make your abstract art more interesting. Discover your own abstract art technique and don’t hesitate to be creative.

4. Details
This is where you put whatever small details that you find necessary before determining your art completion. This is also the step where you can add some more expressions and character to your abstract painting. There are no confines of rules when working with the imagination to produce a beautiful piece.
In order to properly learn how to paint abstract art, you first must begin to appreciate that a lot of what you are trying to produce on the canvas is governed by the nature of your own technique, intention and your inner vision. It takes a lot of passion and imagination to create an abstract art.
I believe you can never really learn how to abstract paint because it is more on an instinct. When trying to paint an abstract art for the first time, remember that you don’t really have to get it right. If you’re not satisfied with your work then keep on going. There is no finish line or mistakes in abstract painting. As long as you convey to your audience and have mutual (not necessarily the same) appreciation of your art.

Image source: www.wallpaperabstract.com

July 11, 2013

Tips on How to Understand Abstract Art

Interpreting an abstract art doesn’t have to be so complicated. Just like interpreting more realistic paintings, there is no fixed right or wrong way to look at it or understand it. . Here are some tips that you can take into account when viewing abstract art.

Claudie-Bastide-2 — Abstract art by Claudie Bastide www.claudiebastide.wordpress.com

• Create a connection with the art. The artist has probably carefully considered your role as the viewer of the painting and wants it to speak to you on some level. The connections you make with a piece of abstract art may discover a whole new meaning. Artists are open to hear what different viewers uncover in dialogue with their artwork, even if it’s nowhere near the artist’s original idea. Just the thought of allowing yourself to be taken in by their painting will make them feel satisfied with their art.
• Do not try to interpret abstract art by looking at the title given to the work. This will more often than not confuse you even more because you will try to look for the title in the painting instead of looking for the concepts and other more important things that the art can offer. Try not to be influenced by the title then you will see that it is so much easier to understand it, irrespective of what its name suggests.

Abstract art by Brian Potter www.brianjpotter.com

• Do not let other viewers to influence your interpretation when trying to figure out a piece of abstract art. This may lead you to believe that you do not ‘understand’ abstract art and you’ll try to modify your own interpretation. When seeing a work of abstract art, you have to see what the scene means to you and what emotions it evokes in your mind. It may not be the same as anyone else’s opinion, but this will be your unique interpretation of the work.
• See it as more than a single, isolated creation: there must be a context to truly appreciate a work of art. Every painting is created within a particular environment, and if you do not understand that environment, you will never be able to appreciate what the artist has to offer you. This is why, when you study the work of a particular artist, it makes sense to learn something about his life and the culture in which he lived.
• Do not focus on physical aspects of the art but instead try to see the energy, the darkness and brightness, and the shower of emotions that these things reflect and you will find that you finally ‘understand’ abstract art. Let your eyes play with the colors of the painting, slipping around the geometry, following the twirls, twists and turns, dipping in and out of the surface.

Image source: www.abstractartistgallery.org

July 10, 2013

Famous Abstract Artists

kandinsky.comp-8 — **Composition VIII Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York**

1. Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944)
Russian-born artist, Wassily Kandinsky, is acutely sensitive to the world around him and often felt overpowered by the sensations and emotions he experienced in response to it. Relaxation did not come easily to Kandinsky and he has inability to switch off from the world. During a performance of Wagner’s opera Loenghrin, he experienced the mighty sound of the symphony orchestra in a whole range of vivid colours that evoked scenes of Moscow. He knew immediately that he wanted to paint them. It is likely that Kandinsky had the condition known as “synaesthesia” which allowed him to hear colour and see music. Luckily for us, through painting, he found the means to use this unusual ability to make a remarkable contribution to the world of modern art.

2. Robert Delaunay (1885-1941)
Robert Delaunay was known for his bold use of color and geometric shapes. His paintings showed contrasts and harmonies of color produce in the eye simultaneous movements and correspond to movement in nature. His work using coloured ‘simultaneous discs’ was influenced by the research of the 19th century chemist Eugene Chevreul who concluded that “Two adjacent colours, when seen by the eye, will appear as dissimilar as possible”. Delaunay’s work encourages us to see the world with fresh eyes, to notice the shape and colour of the world around us. It fills us with feelings of light and optimism. It calls us to embrace the world and our sense of place in it.

3. Mark Rothko (1903-1970)
Mark Rothko’s work matured from representation and mythological subjects into rectangular fields of color and light. The most important aspect of painting for Mark Rothko was the creation of space within it. For him, artists were seekers of truth and adventure. He sought to communicate his understanding of the world, not through colour, but through a sense of space within the work. His paintings are powerfully meditative and draw us in, enveloping us and taking us to a quiet, reflective and emotional place.

**Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist), 1950, oil, enamel and aluminum on canvas by Jackson Pollock**

4. Jackson Pollock (1921-1956)
Jackson Pollock paintings are some of the most recognisable and thrilling images produced in the 20th century. Pollock was dubbed ‘Jack the Dripper’ by Time magazine due to the unusual way he liked to drip and splatter paint onto his canvas. Some of the inspiration for his paintings came from the Native American sand art he saw as a child and his own method of working resembled a form of ritualised dance around the canvas which was laid out flat on the floor.

abstract5 — **Louisiana Lottery Co. by Frank Stella**

5. Frank Stella (1936 to present)
Known for his work in the areas of minimalism and post-painterly abstraction, Frank Stella is the man who most famously said “what you see is what you see” does not deal with mystery in art. His artwork is resolutely and confidently abstract, formal and somehow definite with its hard edges and flat, sometimes exuberant color. Stella has been a phenomenally successful artist from very early in his career when he caught the attention of the art world with his series of ‘Black Paintings’.

Image source: Art.com

July 9, 2013

Abstract Art: A Visual Expression of Emotions

Abstract art started in the year 1911 by the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944). It became a trend in the twentieth century and became famous because it breaks away from traditional representation of physical objects. Either it’s in the form of a canvas painting or a sculpture of different medium, abstract art is a visual language of forms, lines, colors and different shapes to interpret a concept, without necessarily providing a recognizable visual reference point for the viewers. Abstraction later manifested more formal terms, such as color, simple geometric designs and freedom from objective context.

Robert Delaunay - Premier Disque — Robert Delaunay – Premier Disque

The important connection is that abstract art engages and challenges the intellect but it also engages and challenges the emotions. To fully appreciate it, the viewer has to let go of a need to understand what the artist is trying to say and instead tune into their own interpretation and response to the piece.

As an abstract artist, you express yourself in a way that allows your audience to find his own personal response to the work. Many artists, who call their work abstract, actually do have a subject in mind when they paint. You can take a figure or landscape and simplify it, exaggerate it, or stylize it in some way. You can also use nature as a starting point but express it in different forms and shapes. Color, line, and form are more important than the details of the actual subject matter. The idea is you want to give a sense or feel for the subject rather than an exact replication.

Sonia Delaunay - Prisms Electriques (This painting is made extra special by the reference to great swiss/french poet Blaise Cendrars!) — Sonia Delaunay – Prisms Electriques
(This painting is made extra special by the reference to great swiss/french poet Blaise Cendrars!)

Abstraction indicates a departure from reality in depiction of imagery in art. May it be partial or complete, abstraction is departure of the image to its representation. Artwork which takes liberties altering for instance, the color and form in ways, are conspicuous and with a sense of continuum, can be said to be partially abstract. Total abstraction bears no trace of any reference to anything recognizable.

In summary, the simplified meaning of abstract art is an art that relies on the emotions and mood of the artist and the elements of design rather than exact representation of a subject. This broad definition allows you as an artist to almost unlimited freedom of ideas and expressions. You can create compositions that have no pattern in nature or any subject. You can also work from nature and then interpret your subjects in a non-objective manner.

Image source: http://www.holidayclubrecordings.co.uk

July 4, 2013

The Most Reproduced Oil Paintings in the World, Part 2

The_Dream_Picasso — Le Rêve by Pablo Picasso, 1932.

Here is the rest of the list of the most reproduced oil paintings according to Overstockart.com. You can read the first half here.

6. Le Rêve (The Dream) by Pablo Picasso
Le Rêve is a 1932 oil on canvas masterpiece by Pablo Picasso. As one of the most illustrious painters, art students have used Picasso’s paintings in training. Picasso used oversimplified lines, contrasting colors, and distorted depiction of his mistress. It was painted during the period when he was using women as subjects, different from his earlier works in the the Blue Period and Cubism period.

7. Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre August Renoir
Luncheon of the Boating Party portrays a group of Pierre Renoir’s friends relaxing and having lunch on a balcony at the Maison Fournaise restaurant in Chatou, France. Renoir effectively used color, texture, and shapes to convey space among the characters. He used mostly warm colors, from red to gold, the colors primarily used during the Impressionist period.

8. The Scream by Edvard Munch
The Scream shows a somewhat neurotic, hairless figure who is shouting. Edvard Munch created four versions of this piece (in oils, pastels, and tempera). Many interpretations have been given to this painting — the iconic figure is in turmoil, desperate, shocked, anxious, or frightened. The painter used explosive strokes, contrasting colors and lines. He used soft curves in reds and oranges to represent the sky, and strong, straight lines in black and brown paints for the bridge.

9. Red Canna by Georgia O’Keeffe
Red Canna is an artistic representation of a flower. Georgia O’Keeffe depicted natural sources using abstract patterns. The painting shows the enlarged petals of the flower, as if under a microscope. Colors used are mostly reds, yellows, and blues. O’Keeffe said flowers are small that nobody notices them and this painting shows how she sees a flower, and she painted the size bigger than reality.

10. Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali
Persistence of Memory is a surrealist painting, showing images of soft, melting watches. The presence of ants in the orange watch represents death. Looking at the painting, it seems like an image from a dream. It is the best example of Salvador Dali’s theory of “softness” and “hardness.” Dali clarified that contrary to some interpretations that this piece was inspired by the Theory of Relativity, the painting was just a depiction of a Camembert cheese melting under the sun.

If you are a beginner in painting, you can try to copy any of these paintings so you can experiment on different techniques and color palettes.

Image source: http://www.pablopicasso.org

July 3, 2013

The Most Reproduced Oil Paintings in the World, Part 1

Poppy_Fields_near_Argentuil_Monet — Poppies, Near Argenteuil, Claude Monet, 1873.

Art students can learn painting techniques and styles by copying famous paintings in art history. Copying trains your hand and eye coordination and lets you get a deeper appreciation of the arts. You can learn the different styles and painting techniques by studying these notable paintings. It inspires you to create something beautiful as well.

In 2010, OverstockArt.com, an online business that sells painting reproductions, revealed the top 10 list of most reproduced paintings. If you are thinking which painting to copy, check out this list for inspiration.

1. The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh
The Starry Night is among Vincent van Gogh’s most celebrated works. The subject of the painting is the night scene in the village Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, southern France. It was painted during the time Van Gogh spent inside an asylum in the same village. The painting is filled with movements and contrasts, from the colors used to the quietness of the village vis a vis the swirling night sky.

2. Café Terrace at Night by Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh was fascinated with nocturnal motifs and Café Terrace at Night was no exception. He was known for his innovative use of lines, textures, and colors. You can see the contrast between the yellows and blues to black paint he used in this piece. The roughness of the cobblestone street is a direct contrast to the smoothness of the cafe.

3. The Kiss by Gustav Klimt
The Kiss is an oil and gold leaf on canvas. It depicts a couple embracing with elaborate robes and ornamentation. Gustav Klimt used the Art Nouveau style in this painting. The male figure is identified with squares and rectangles while the female figure has circles and soft lines. The couple is intimately entwined while the rest of their bodies dissolve in a shimmering flat pattern.

4. Poppy Fields near Argenteuil by Claude Monet
Claude Monet lived in Argenteuil, France from 1871-1878. The countryside became a great inspiration for Monet. The vast, bright landscapes around the region allowed Monet to experiment plein-air painting. In the painting, you’ll notice that he used blobs of paints to represent the poppies and trees, creating just an impression of the landscape.

5. The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
One of the most famous paintings in history, The Mona Lisa has been reproduced and copied by many artists. Leonardo da Vinci used the technique called sfumato wherein he used subtle gradation of tone and color. This technique blurs and softens the contours of the outline, creating an atmospheric effect and the facial features seem real.

Image source: http://www.webexhibits.org

July 2, 2013

Amazing Night Landscape Oil Paintings for Inspiration

If you’re stuck in a rut, without inspiration for a theme of your painting, why not look at these night landscapes to get your creative juices running. Many artists have used the night as motif in their works. The night sky evokes mystery, secrets, and coolness. Here are some famous examples:

The_Night_Watch_Rembrandt — The Night Watch (1642) by Rembrandt

1. The Night Watch (1642) by Rembrandt
The Night Watch is an oil on canvas created by Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn. It is one of the most famous paintings in the world, known for its gigantic size (11.91 ft × 14.34 ft), effective contrast of light and shade known as chiaroscuro, and perception of motion. The painting depicts a group of military men out to protect the city. Even though the painting involves many people, you are still directed to the three most important characters in the piece: the two men at the center, Captain Frans Banning Cocq (left) and his lieutenant, Willem van Ruytenburch (right); and the girl in the background. The impressive use of chiaroscuro allowed Rembrandt to create these focal points.

The_Third_of_may_1808-Goya — The Third of May 1808 (1814) by Francisco Goya

2. The Third of May 1808 (1814) by Francisco Goya
The Third of May 1808 depicts the battle between Spaniards and Napoleon’s armies at Medina del Rio Seco, Spain. The content, presentation, and emotion of the characters in the painting successfully represented the fear, suffering, and horrors of war.

3. The Starry Night (1889) by Vincent van Gogh
The Starry Night is one of the most famous paintings of Vincent van Gogh. It portrays the view outside Van Gogh’s sanitarium room window in southern France. Paints in blues and blacks are prominent in the piece with touches of yellows and whites. It is displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Nighthawks-Hopper — Nighthawks (1942) by Edward Hopper

4. Nighthawks (1942) by Edward Hopper
Nighthawks is a painting about people eating in a diner late at night. Edward Hopper revealed that the painting was inspired by “a restaurant on New York’s Greenwich Avenue where two streets meet.” Hopper tried to capture the effects of man-made lights (flourescent lights, lamp post) at night.

The_Empire_Of_Light-Magritte — The Empire of Light (c.1950) by René Magritte

5. The Empire of Light (circa 1950) by René Magritte
The Empire of Light has numerous versions and all depicts a street scene during night and day. Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte painted The Empire between 1950-1954. The pieces look like its early dawn or late in the afternoon, the time when the sun sets but it’s still not completely dark. You cannot really be sure whether its day or night because Magritte presented the illusion of night and day in these paintings.

Image source: http://www.wikipaintings.org/

July 1, 2013

The Beauty and Popularity of Photorealism

American author and art dealer Louis K. Meisel coined the term “photorealism” in 1969. It refers to a genre of painting based on using photographs as basis for a realistic and photographic art work. This movement started in the late 1960s and early 1970s. During that time, artists captured images of their subjects to gather visual information and used these photos in their paintings.

To give a definite definition for an artist to be considered as a photorealist, Meisel released these 5 points:

The Photo-Realist uses the camera and photograph to gather information.
The Photo-Realist uses a mechanical or semimechanical means to transfer the information to the canvas.
The Photo-Realist must have the technical ability to make the finished work appear photographic.
The artist must have exhibited work as a Photo-Realist by 1972 to be considered one of the central Photo-Realists.
The artist must have devoted at least five years to the development and exhibition of Photo-Realist work.

crayola_flack — Crayola by Audrey Flack, 1972-73.

The cool thing about photorealism is that you can mistaken a photorealistic painting as the actual photo. You’ll be surprised how a painting can look fantastically as the real thing. Many artists who are called photorealists have experimented and became popular in this painting style such as Charles Bell, Audrey Flack, Tom Blackwell, and Raplpf Goings. They use ordinary, mundane objects as their subjects such as food, flowers, beaches, diners, etc.

Before creating a photorealistic painting, artists create several studies of the subject to learn its composition, colors, shadows, form, and perspective, much like a mock-ups. From these studies, they can try to tell which element or area could become a problem when painted in large-scale and they try to find a solution. These artists gave attention to the minutest details of the subject and they try to portray subjects as accurately as possible, a total opposite of the Abstract Expressionist movement.

Between_Two_Places-Zener — Between Two Places by Eric Zener

You may ask, why create a photorealistic painting that take days or even months to finish when you can just take the subject’s picture? The answer: technical virtuosity and enigma. It’s fascinating to look at these paintings because you’ll think they’re “real” but they’re not, because they’re paintings.

Many contemporary photorealists have created art works using water (swimming pools, bathrooms, water splashes), reflections (mirrors, glasses, bottles), food from freshly cooked to packaged ones as subjects. The colors are vibrant, vivid, and intense, it looks like you can almost touch the subject of the painting. Amazing, right?

Image sources:
http://www.audreyflack.com
http://www.escapeintolife.com

June 30, 2013

Learn the Oil Painting Technique: Wet into Wet

Also known as Alla Prima (Italian for first attempt), wet-on-wet means you simply paint over wet paint. The goal in this technique is to finish the whole painting before the first paint dries therefore working fast is the key. Here are some things that you need to know about wet-on-wet painting.

• You start the wet-on-wet technique using thinned oil paint for drawing. Then you place spots of colors all over the painting to fill it in because the sketch usually dissolved or over-painted as the painting progresses. The painting can be adjusted slightly with glazes and highlights after it dries.

• Blending colors is easy with wet on wet technique. You can directly place one color onto your canvas, and then add other colors and blend with brush or knife to you desired shade. But you have to make sure that you mix colors rapidly and with clear understanding of color theory and keeping in mind the form that you’re trying paint. Expertise with brushwork is very important to do the trick.

• The beauty of wet-on-wet technique is that it sustains the fresh and spontaneous inspiration that come as you paint. For me it is the most intuitive way to paint. Creating a portrait with the technique will require expertise in mixing colors to match your subject.

• It may require few layers of paint to complete the painting, in which case it is easy to overfix the paints, which can look labored and weak. This is the stage where many beginners give up, but if you press on, you can master wet-on-wet technique and create works with the amazing freshness and spontaneity that only wet on wet can provide.

• When working wet-on-wet pull the brush along its length with the handle close to the surface. You get two strokes with a flat bristle brush, one side then the other, look at the brush for any paint it picked up and wipe it. Think of the brush hairs as if they were the fingers on your hand stroking the surface. This method allows wet paint to go over another (wet) color with clean results.

Using this technique have its advantages. One is you don’t need fine drawing skills. Blending is also quite easy in this technique so you don’t need extensive blending of colors. Lastly, your paintings can be completed quickly (about 2 hours to 2 days only) because you have to make sure that you’re working on wet paint.

This technique is quite advanced and requires a bit of painting experience. Using the Wet-on-Wet method, a dedicated practice and experimentation are all that is necessary to achieve masterpieces that you never imagined you can possibly do.

Paintings by Morris Hinson http://www.thumbartsguild.com/artist/mhinson.html