Old Masters Academy

Archive for May, 2010

NEW! Techniques behind good painting

To be good something in creativity is always determined by all the techniques that have been used to make it good and attractive. Same in case of painting but we think that its an easy job and one can do it very easily without any use of techniques as kids are more found of doing it but when you see this professional painters that time one can imagine of the techniques used behind their hard work. Painting is an art and behind it lots of techniques is used. In painting there are a wide variety of techniques is used to show your personality and creativity. Proper use of techniques will give you good output. Many of us are not even…

Read More

Arts and Crafts Movement

Arts and Crafts together create a potential force that enables artists to give material form to their innate refined qualities. It signifies the aesthetic sense, creative power and artistic quality of an artist is manifested. Arts and Crafts also have a great cultural and historical significance. Under the veneer of colors and craftsmanship can be found the rich history, culture, lifestyle and tradition of the bygone eras. Both words have great value when they get implemented in practical manner. The young artists and craftsmen of today can learn a lot and innovate new ideas from the arts and crafts of the early days. The Arts and Crafts Movement that created furor in the later half of the nineteenth century in…

Read More

Oil Painting Tips – How to Keep your Oil Colors Pure

One of the biggest hurdles for beginner oil painters is learning how to keep colors pure. How many times have you started an oil painting only to quit from frustration because things just didn’t look right. Your colors were muddy or they just lacked brilliance. This is a very common problem for artists just starting out with oil paints. Hopefully after reading this article, you will no longer have to put up with this frustration any longer and will finally be able to enjoy oil painting.BE CLEAN AND ORGANIZEDI know for some of us, it can be very difficult to maintain a clean and organized painting environment. Sometimes we can get very caught up in our work and things can…

Read More

Portrait Paintings of Oil Colors

Earlier when photography was not invented, portrait paintings of oil colors and sketches were the mediums used by people to get the images of their loved ones made and conserved for future generations. In fact, oil painting portraits were very popular and greatly in demand in earlier times. After the invention of photography, portrait paintings of oil colors became very costly and could be afforded only by the well off people. They became a status symbol for many. Many famous oil painting portraits flooded the markets, but they could be bought home only by very few. Photography introduced a new form of art to people. But it could not take the place of oil paintings in the heart of people….

Read More

Investing In Fine Art

Collecting fine art is quickly becoming a more common method of investing and saving money. Putting your money into artwork can result in more of a return than a regular savings account, which is contrary to what most people believe. Many people don’t think of fine art collecting when it comes to managing their money — but nothing could be further from the truth. Here are some common myths about fine art investments and financing. Some of the biggest myths concerning fine art collecting and finances are that it doesn’t appreciate quickly enough to be a good investment. Also, a widely-held assumption and falsity is that art doesn’t do well in a down-turning economy and that prints aren’t valuable. This…

Read More

Introduction to Oil Painting Fundamentals

To accurately convey your feelings about the subject you are painting, you should learn and understand the fundamentals of oil painting like drawing, color theory, value and composition. I hope to give you a better understanding of these fundamentals in this article. This article is meant to be an introduction. You should study these topics further on your own when you have time. DRAWING Learning to draw, as a foundation for oil painting, is one of the most valuable skills a beginner oil painter can have. Many new artists usually frown upon the idea of drawing first. They would rather jump right into painting, as most beginners do. Nothing is more rewarding for a painter, than working with color, but…

Read More

Things Required to Make Oil Painting Easier

The process of painting with varnishes is popularly known as oil painting. Varnishes are a combination of oil like the linseed oil with the resin such as pine resin. Other than linseed oil, oils like poppy seed oil, walnut oil and safflower oil. Oil paintings provide extremely versatile color combinations. For a thick coat oil paints can be used in impasto, which is a textured application where the marks of the paint brush remain visible. They can even be used for a thin layered image like glazes.Here are some oil painting tips which will make your painting experience more enjoyable and disciplined. • First the selection of a non porous palette is of vital importance; it would be extremely useful…

Read More

Process of Creating a Masterpiece

Oil painting is a technique that has been used by eminent artists to create some of the finest artistic works we have ever known. Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper”; Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and “Café Terrace at Night”; Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam”, are all famous examples of oil painting. It is a difficult process, but once it is mastered, an artist can undoubtedly create oil paintings that are far superior in quality than water color paintings, acrylic paintings and other artistic mediums. The Initial Preparation Oil painting is a much superior technique of painting than other processes, such as, water color, charcoal sketch, etc. The linen canvas used in the best quality oil paintings…

Read More

All About Color Mixing

Oil paint is a wonderful multitalented medium. But with all the varieties of colors, brushes, mediums and all other tools existing, it is actually enough to make one confuse. When you learn about the variety of brushes and mediums it could be bit confusing as well, and in fact it is a major challenges to exactly depict the nature and other real life objects on canvas using color. Often one is puzzled on how to create color lighter or darker? Or how to make original shadows or highlights? Now with the article would be able to shed some colorful light on the condition, and with habitual practice, working with color in your oil paintings would become even easier and more…

Read More

Tips on Oil Painting – Palettes Dippers and Jars

A mixing surface is often called a palette. This same term also refers to the collection of colors a particular artist uses to create his or her paintings. In this article we will be talking about the actual mixing surfaces. A palette is the mixing surface onto which you squeeze your paints. It’s easy to make your own, or you can buy one. The standard palette is made of hardwood and is oval in form, typically with a hole carved out to accommodate the thumb.Oval palettes are favored by artists who like to hold their palette while they paint. However, other artists find holding a palette awkward and messy. So, if you want to keep both hands free, almost any…

Read More