June 27, 2013

Most Famous Women Paintings in the World Part 1

Mona_Lisa,_by_Leonardo_da_Vinci — Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

With unlimited subjects and inspiration in the world, famous artists at some point in their careers have created paintings of women. Here’s a list of the most famous of them all:

1. Mona Lisa (1503-1519) by Leonardo da Vinci
Who doesn’t know the Mona Lisa? The woman’s identity is still a mystery and there are different speculations made about the painting’s subject, including that it’s Leonardo da Vinci in female form. But the most accepted and highly plausible explanation is that the Mona Lisa is the portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo who may have commissioned the art. Many are fascinated with this masterpiece because of the subject’s ambiguous expression, subtle forms, and illusionism. Also, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris, emphasizing the piece’s value and its importance in art history.

2. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907) by Gustav Klimt
The Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I is oil, silver, and gold on canvas. It is one of the most expensive paintings sold in 2006. The portrait depicts Adele Bloch-Bauer, the wife of a wealthy industrialist, Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer who commissioned the art. Klimt used the Jugendstil style, also known as the Art Nouveau, in creating the portrait.

3. Dora Maar au Chat (1941) by Pablo Picasso
This painting depicts Pablo Picasso’s lover, Henriette Theodora Markovitch, also known as Dora Maar. It shows the subject sitting on a chair with a small cat on her shoulders. It is one of the world’s most expensive paintings, being sold at $95.2 million and currently valued at $109.5 million.

4. Whistler’s Mother (1871) by James McNeill Whistler
The original name of Whistler’s Mother is Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1 and it is displayed at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. It is one of the most famous works of an American artist outside the US and is considered an American icon. The woman in the oil painting is of the painter’s mother sitting since she got uncomfortable posing while standing for long periods.

5. Portrait of Gala (1931) by Salvador Dalí
The Portrait of Gala depicts Salvador Dalí’s wife, Gala Dalí. The painter adored his wife who acted as his business manager and he said that she saved him from madness and untimely deaths. Unlike the previous paintings of Gala, this portrait lacks the usual sympathetic and adoring images of his wife due to Gala’s extramarital affairs which left him insecure.

Image source: www.britannica.com

June 26, 2013

Checklist For a Plein Air Art Trip

Packing for a Plein Air art trip varies depending on where you’re going and the elements that you will be dealing with. There are variety of things that you must consider since you will be working outdoors. Here’s a list of the basic things you need to have on your trip.

ART MATERIALS
Since you’re going to travel, take note to have your art materials complete. It’s better if you keep things compact and organized to avoid confusion and you might forget some of your essential materials. A good idea is to invest a good art traveling bag which has multiple pockets and organizers to keep your materials intact while you’re traveling.

EASELS
Support is needed for any surface you plan to work on. And since you are traveling, a portable easel is a very good choice. Special easels comes with storage such as drawers and compartments for carrying paints and brushes within the easel. Table easels are also available if you prefer to sit while painting.

UMBRELLA and HAT
You can always find a shady area to paint but sometimes you’ll have to set up in the sun. The hat is for your protection but the umbrella is to keep the sun off your canvas and palette. A white or gray umbrella so the reflection doesn’t affect your color judgement. Try to keep both palate and canvas in the shade.

CAMERA
You can capture the initial scene with a camera. Positions of clouds and direction of the wind can constantly change outdoors so you can use this trick to make your artwork more consistent. Another advantage of the still shot is that you can use it just in case the weather turns bad and you have to finish your painting indoors.

EXTRA CLOTHING
Bring extra clothes just in case you so you can change just in case things get messy. Or you can dress in layers that you can easily take off as you get hot and put on when it gets colder. Wear neutral colored clothing to avoid too much light reflections onto your painting. Bright colors can also reflect some of their color onto your painting so stick with beige and khakis.

Now that you have your basics, here are some of the things you might want to have with you on your trip to make it more comfortable.
• Water to drink
• Light snacks
• Paper towels
• Insect repellent
• Garbage bags
• Soap and water to clean your brushes

Image source: www.judithgreenleaf.com

June 26, 2013

Guidelines for Artists Before Starting to Work on Commission

reading_a_letter_on_the_beach — Reading A Letter On The Beach by Dominique Amendola

Doing art on commission is a big step in an artist’s career. It boosts an artist’s pride in his work, knowing another person aside from his mother appreciates and is willing to pay for his work. It can be a very exciting and thrilling experience, especially for first-timers. Before you get all excited, here are some important things that you have to keep in mind before you start creating art on commission.

Communication
As with any relationships, communication is vital between an artist and the party commissioning his work. Meet with the other party to discuss the project. Make the specs of the project clear from the beginning and ask questions if some details are not clear to you. It’s best if you meet at your studio, gallery, or cafe where your art works are displayed so he’ll know your style and the types of work that you do.

Here are some ideas on what to ask the other party:

Have you commissioned art before?
What are you looking for in a commissioned art?
What do you want and don’t want to see in your art?
Who will approve the art?

Contract
In any business deals, a contract is very important. If your meeting goes well, you have to prepare a contract for the painting which both of you must sign. Be concise and clear with both your expectations. Define what the project entails, the characteristics of the painting, payment schedule, milestones, completion time, and delivery time. This contract will protect both parties and hopefully prevent disputes in the future.

Payment
If it’s your first time to do art on commission, asking for an advance payment may be intimidating but you have to ask for it and discuss it on your meeting. Normally, 1/3 of the commission can be required upfront and should be non-refundable. This is a great incentive for you to start with the project and obligates the other party to push through with your agreement. An advance payment is non-refundable so if the other party backs out of the agreement, the time, effort, and materials you’ve used are still compensated.

Revisions
A painting can take days or months to finish, it’s natural that the other party would like to see the developments in the project. You can make it clear in the contract when the other party can visit you and your work so if there are issues to answer, any revisions, or concerns, both of you can discuss about it right then and there. It’s a waste of both your time and resources if you present an artwork which is entirely different from what’s on the other party’s mind.

Image source: www.fineartamerica.com

June 25, 2013

Choosing a Frame For Your Canvas Artwork

Choosing a frame can make or break the total look of your canvas art. They should accentuate and add character to your most prized artwork. More than an accessory, frames protects your favourite art from dust, moist and other elements and conserves them for generations. Here are some things to consider before buying frames for your artwork.

• Where will it be displayed?
Before deciding about what color or texture you want to use in your frame, consider the place where your framed artwork will be displayed. There should be a balance between your artwork, the frame, and the color of the room or wall. The idea is you have to create a backdrop for your framed art and that it should match the other decor that you already have in that room.

• Frame style
There are different types of frames that you can choose from. But the thing is, a beautiful and expensive frame might be over-powering your artwork or doesn’t blend with the character of your painting and the surroundings. Never use frames that are of the same hues as your walls. Once again, you have to balance it out. Remember that you want your artwork to be the center of attraction and not the frame.

• Never put glass over a canvas art
Yes, you want to preserve your precious artwork so it will last for generations but putting glass over a canvas painting is the biggest mistake that you could ever do. The canvas itself creates that distinct character of your artwork. You don’t want all that texture to be trapped behind glass because it is the reason why images created in canvas is different from other kind of art.

• To frame? Or not to frame?
Canvas prints can be equally striking without a frame. If you have not quite got the budget for a good frame, this may be an excellent alternative. Big prints work best without any frame because they will look smaller than they actually are when they are displayed with frames. Small prints most probably need framing and you can always make them look larger by putting a mat.

Framing your canvas art doesn’t have to be expensive. All it takes is a little research and a lot of imagination. Ask and window shop around to your hobby stores to see what’s available before making the final decision.

Image source: www.ursulahobsonframing.com

June 25, 2013

Different Types of Brushes in Oil Painting

Aside from canvas, paintbrush is one of the most important material an artist has to have. You have to have good brushes with you to create good paintings. Even a good painter cannot come up with wonderful pieces is he’s using bad brushes so make sure you have good brushes with you. For oil painting, a good brush will retain its shape when dipped in paint, will bend in each stroke, and return to its original shape after each brush stroke.

Brush Hair
Oil painting brushes are available in bristle and sable hairs. Bristle brushes come from pigs’ hair and are used to begin a painting. The bristles are strong and the tips are naturally split, allowing the brush to hold more paint. Use bristle brushes which are half an inch wide or wider. Sable brushes are soft-haired brushes made from the hair of the tail of a sable marten which are a bit expensive. These brushes are perfect for painting details and small areas.

There are also brushes using synthetic hairs which are also cheaper than brushes with natural hair. If you are against using animals in your art, use synthetic brushes for your peace of mind.

Brush Shapes
Brushes come in different shapes. The most common shapes are: Flats, Filberts, Brights, and Rounds. Other shapes are the Fan, Angle, Mop, and Rigger. Each brush is used for a variety of techniques in applying paint.

Flat brush. A flat brush has long bristles arranged in a rectangular shape. It is a primary blending brush and used for spreading paint quickly and evenly on a canvas. It is considered as the most versatile among the brushes.

Filberts. A Filbert is a flat brush with an oval shape. It is used in blending and creating areas with softer edges. Many artists have advised on using filberts with natural hairs since the hairs stick together better when wet.

Brights. Brights are flat brushes but with shorter and stiff hairs than flats. Use this brush if you want your strokes to show in the painting. It is used in thinner painting styles and also, thicker applications of paint such as impasto.

Rounds. Rounds are brushes with a pointed tip which provides little variation in the size and shape of the brush stroke. It is used for painting small details and line work.

Fan. As the name suggests, a Fan brush is shaped like a fan. It is used in blending large areas, creating soft blends of several colors. It can also be used to soften brush strokes on the canvas.

Angle. Angle brushes have short bristles and longer ones at one end, creating an angular shape. It can be used for general application of paint as well as detail work.

Mop. Mop is a large brush with a rounded edge. Larger sized Mops look like a blush-on brush which are great in broad soft paint application.

Rigger. A Rigger is a round brush with long hairs used in painting delicate lines and dots.

Image source: www.emptyeasel.com

June 24, 2013

5 Best Canvas Manufacturers

1. Winsor and Newton, London
Founded in1832, Winsor & Newton has always been “The World’s Finest Artist’ Materials” . Up to this day, they strive to keep up with the latest developments in the art world and take an active interest in what artists say. They have built their reputation on the quality and reliability of their products, combined with continual product development, improvement and innovation.

2. Top Value Fabrics, US
Established in 1974, Top Value Fabric is a leading international supplier of Industrial, Recreational and Print Media fabrics for a wide variety of applications and industries. They carry an impressive collection of stock programs in addition to finishing fabric to meet clients’ specifications. Their product lines include Nylon, Vinyl, Canvas/Duck, Print Media, Activewear, Marine, and Polyester.

3. PICASSO, Indore, India
They manufacture canvas rolls from 100% cotton fabric with a double coating of acid free acrylic titanium priming. They also give an extra anti-fungus treatment to ensure safety from fungal infections for a long time. Artistic canvas rolls are widely used for acrylic and oil paintings by students and artists. Offered at industry leading prices, these canvas rolls are highly demanded by artists and students.

4. Russell and Chapple, London
Specialise in supplying the highest quality Fine Art, Scenic, and Digital canvases, sourcing and importing our canvas fabrics from all over the world. They have themost comprehensive range of these canvas materials in linen, cotton and polyester, and they supply the professional and amateur artist with the best art supports at the most competitive price. Whether you are making a mural, painting or miniature they have thecanvas for you.

5. Deasung, Shanghai, China
Provides linen canvas, wholesale canvas rolls, hemp canvas . If you are looking for the good quality of canvas that is available you should shop for linen canvas. Linen canvas makes for a superior painting surface and its strong fibers hold together and last longer than other materials. A range of canvases is available from the tightest weave, finest tooth quadruple primed handkerchief linen to robust heavy toothed linens ideal for large format works.

June 24, 2013

How to Choose Quality Canvas for Painting

Artists have used several materials of canvas in painting such as linen, jute, hemp, or cotton. Nowadays, linen and cotton are the most popular fibers in canvas. Linen is more expensive compared to cotton and is often used by professional artists who have years of experience in perfecting their craft. For beginners, a cotton canvas is more appropriate since it is less expensive.

When choosing a canvas, you must consider these two important factors: the support and ground. Support is the material where paint is applied while the Ground is the gesso or primer. These two are important to the success or failure of your painting. The support and ground are determined by the type of paint and method of applying the paint. For example, if you are using a staining technique in painting, when you do it on a raw canvas, it will give a different result when you do the same technique to a primed canvas.

The Support
Choose a canvas that offers strength and stability, depending on your needs for a certain project. As you paint, the support will have to undergo much movement and stress from the environment such as temperature, humidity, and constant stretching/restretching.

Canvas is available in different weights: lightweight (4-5 oz), medium weight (7-10 oz), and heavyweight (18 oz) per square yard. Support with lower weights are not as smooth or sturdy as heavier weights. Medium weight is a good weight for painting since it gives good support to your painting.

The Ground
Why ground is important in a canvas?

Protection of support. Ground protects your canvas from being damaged by harmful ingredients in paint. Natural fibers such as cotton absorbs moisture and when the paint dries, it will release this moisture, causing swelling and shrinking of the canvas. If you are using oil, the fibers will absorb its moisture, leaving the surface brittle.
Adhesion of paint. A properly primed canvas allows sufficient adhesion of paint to the support. A correctly primed canvas should accept paint and give a degree of absorbency. Too much absorbency can soak up all the oil from the paint while a non-absorbent ground can leave a weak paint film that can be peeled off. Good thing, pre-primed canvas is available online and in art supply shops.
Color enhancement. If your project involves transparent painting technique, the ground provides a white background that intensifies the colors. Ground is useful when you are underpainting, or applying the first layer of paint to a canvas.

A chosen canvas varies depending on an artist’s needs. Some may use raw canvas, pre-primed, or a heavyweight canvas. Keep in mind that whatever canvas you choose, it has a big effect on the outcome of your painting.

June 23, 2013

Top 10 Art Critics to Follow on Twitter

As an artist, opinions and observations of other people regarding your artwork is very important. To be noticed by an art critic is a privilege rather than a threat. A written critiques or review of your work will convey a perspective that a reader who doesn’t go to your gallery or online gallery may not be able to see. Art critics’ serves as consultants of art collectors and enthusiast offering a thoughtful take of the art work that they are eying to buy.
Here are the top 10 art critics that you can follow on twitter where you can have your daily dose of enhanced appreciation of the art they are viewing wherein you can pick up some tips and might eventually catch their attention to review your artwork.

1. @BrianSherwinArt Brian Sherwin
Art critic, curator, and mastermind. Former Senior Editor for the social art site Myartspace and regular Contributing Writer for FineArtViews.

2. @HalFoster1 Hal Foster
Former Los Angeles Times journalist, professor, journalism consultant in the U.S., Japan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan.

3. @polarworld Dr Huw Lewis-Jones
Authors and nice folks. We are Huw Lewis-Jones and Kari Herbert of indie publisher Polarworld, down in Cornwall creating photography and exploration books.

4. @Daichendt G. James Daichendt
Author of the books: Artist-Teacher, Artist Scholar and Stay Up! Los Angeles Street Art.

5. @cmonstah Carolina A. Miranda
She’s smart, she’s funny, and she manages to take the piss out of art world pomp-and-circumstance while maintaining her enthusiasm for art and artists.

6. @lindsaypollock Lindsay Pollock
Arts market journalist who reports for Bloomberg, The Art Newspaper, and others. She’s got the inside track not just on the art market, but the media covering the market. Her recent live-Tweet of the Ai Weiwei panel at the Paley Center on digital activism is topical and dishy.

7. @artfagcity Paddy Johnson
founder and writer of Art Fag City. Johnson’s an instigator, which makes for entertaining reading. Snark aside, she’s ever-present and well informed, mixing in art reviews from her blog and The L magazine with gossipy asides and up-to-the-minute reporting.

8. @TylerGreenDC Tyler Green
Writer and critic on Modern Art Notes. Based in DC, manages to be almost omniscient in the sphere of art media, mired in everything from reporting on endangered land art to scrapping with Jerry Saltz to creating a bracket for The Greatest Living American Abstract Painter.

9. @ARTnewsmag Robin Cembalest
Executive editor at ARTNews. Tweets are a good indicator of where the magazine’s interests lie.

10. @escapeintolife Lethe Bashar
Editor of Escape into Life online journal. Incorporates poetry, essays, and video into the publication’s visually compelling portfolios. For the most part, Bashar keeps his Twitter feed simple and to the point, with a host of links to featured artists.

Source: http://flavorwire.com
http://www.ranker.com

Image source: www.wikipaintings.com

June 23, 2013

Top 8 Most Famous Paintings of Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), a Dutch post-impressionist painter, produced hundreds of paintings of a variety of subjects: self-portraits, portraits, cypresses, flower orchards, flowers, and wheat fields. Van Gogh is considered as one of the greatest painter in history. With many paintings under his belt, I’ve listed some of the famous pieces Van Gogh did in his lifetime.

1. Starry Night (1889). This is an oil on canvas painting portraying the night scene of the village of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence outside his sanitarium room. Probably the most iconic among all Van Gogh’s works, a song was even composed in reference to the painter and this painting.

2. Bedroom in Arles (1888). Also known as The Bedroom, this painting depicts Van Gogh’s bedroom while he was in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, France. There are three authentic versions of this painting which he began in 1888 and the third version was finished in 1889. He used bold colors in yellow, blue, and brown, the painting shows his trapezoid room, including the furniture and painting inside the room.

3. Sunflowers (1888). One of Van Gogh’s subjects in painting is flowers, including sunflowers. He may have painted several sunflowers but no two paintings are the same. Bright colors are used in these paintings, contrasted by the colors of wilted or dying sunflowers.

4. Cafe Terrace at Night (1888). This is an oil painting on an industrially-primed canvas done in Arles, France. It depicts a popular cafe in Arles at night. Van Gogh used colors for the cafe and contrasted it by blue and black colors to portray the rue du Palais. This painting is displayed at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands.

5. Portrait of Dr. Gachet (1890). One of the most expensive paintings in the world, and the highest price paid at a public auction, Portrait of Dr. Gachet protrays the doctor who took care of Van Gogh during the final months of his life. It shows Dr. Gachet sitting at a table while his head is resting on his right hand.

6. Almond Blossoms (1890). This is a series of several paintings on blossoming almond trees. Van Gogh enjoyed painting flowering trees as it symbolizes hope. This painting is located at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

7. Irises (1889). Van Gogh painted Irises when he was living at an asylum in France, before he experienced his first attack. He used unusual angles and strong outlines which is typical of a Japanese called ukiyo-e woodblock prints to depict the blooming irises.

8. The Mulberry Tree (1889). The Mulberry Tree was painted a year before Van Gogh’s death. It depicts a tree growing out of a rocky land. His inspiration was the mulberry tree outside the asylum.

Image source: http://www.vangoghgallery.com

June 22, 2013

Top 25 Inspiring Artists to Follow on Twitter

1. Gemstars : @gemstars
An artist from Canada who enjoys painting, weaver of ideas, and more. Check out her paintings on her twitter profile.

2. Dianne Hendrix : @AlaskaArtist
This artist and photographer is based in Alaska. Lists include art, writing, travel, and more.

3. Rob Sheridan : @rob_sheridan
He is an artist, designer, and photographer from Los Angeles. He is also the Creative Director for alternative band Nine Inch Nails.

4. Tenacious Artist : @tenaciousartist
Artist, music lover, teacher, Cesar Millan Fan, Polio survivor. Cathy F. is from Texas and runs Deutsch Friesenhahn Fin Art. Check in to hear her inspiring words on life, art, and more.

5. Lissa Rankin : @Lissarankin
This artist is an OBGYN and NY Times bestselling author of Mind Over Medicine, physician, founder of the Whole Health Medicine Institute.

6. Labedzki Art : @Labedzki_Art
This Canadian artist focuses on the abstract. Get links to work, auctions, and more. Canadian abstract artist specializing in figurative painting.

7. Natasha : @natasha
She is a painter of whimsical landscapes from Los Angeles. Responses and tips are found on this Twitter stream. Award-winning Artist & Illustrator, writer, speaker and entrepreneur.

8. Matthew Tubbesing : @matubbesing
Everything from abstract to the Blues are discussed in his twitter account.

9. Adelaide Damoah : @Adelaidedamoah
From the U.K., she is an oil painter and a self-described “hermit and social butterfly.” See what she is up to from her tweets.

10. Dan Byl : @danbyl
This painter actually uses eBay to sell his art. Latest works are often featured on twitter. Paints huge colorful fun paintings.

11. Estria : @estria
He strives to have graffiti recognized as a legitimate art form. See his work, along with the works of others by following. USA’s leading promoter of Graffiti ART FORM. Head of national Estria Battle. Art & inspiration from the streets.

12. Mark E. Wade : @MarkEWade
He is a creative thinker form Connecticut. Get inspired by random thought and musings through tweets.

13. Adrianasimo : @Adrianasimo
This Twitter user’s son has autism and doesn’t let it stop him from creating art. See what they are both up to by following tweets.

14. Dr. Paula Hudson : @DrPaulaHudson
Are you an artist who wants to get in touch with the art loving community? Then follow Paula who specifically began the Twitter account to meet artists.

15. Jaime Lyerly : @jaimelyerly
Tweets are often art focused. Visionary Artist, Shamanic Reiki Energy Healer & Play leader @ Expressive Goddess. Tips for Inspired Living.

16. Annie Strack : @AnnieStrack
In addition to being a writer for “Art Calendar Magazine,” she is also a professional maritime artist. Tweets are often on daily life. Artist Workshops Instructor, Official Authorized USCG Artist, Author, Art Business Consultant

17. Arthur Rau : @arthurra
From Dublin, Ohio. He tweets on modern and contemporary art, theory, design, and more. Tweets are usually on random items.

18. Donna Bernstein : @DonnaB_Art
This artist enjoys using horses as her subjects. She also works in paintings, sculptures, and more.

19. BJ Katz : @BJKatzART
This artist has a wide variety of interests including healthcare, hospitality, spirit, and others.

20. Swarez Art : @SwarezArt
This contemporary artist paints abstract and modern works of art. Tweets are often on random thoughts.

21. Alison Jardine: @alisonjardine
A professional artist in Dallas, originally from England. Currently in a project with Sony & Flavorpill to photograph life in the Dallas arts.

22. Carmen Renieri: @RenieriArts
Freelance visual artist, art collector & entrepreneur. Always looking for new ventures and opportunities.

23. KathyOstman-Magnusen: @KathysArt
Painting, Poetry, Sculpture, Figurative Artist, Goddess, Erotica, Fairies, Mermaids, Politics, Obama fan.

24. Stacy Alexander: @ARTISTstacy P
Professional writer/Visual Artist

25. Teresa Freed: @TeresaFreed
Artist, Website Designer and Marketing Coach. I work in Pastels, primarily landscapes and some portraits.