Old Masters Academy

Archive for May, 2010

Art Materials and Tools: Drawing – Pencils

Drawing is probably the most immediate of all art forms. It allows you to put down your observations instantly. In addition, all you really need to draw is a pencil and a sheet of paper (even a napkin will do). Unfortunately, drawing is also one of the more demanding art forms and it takes a lot of practice to become really good at it. However, drawing is a real basic art form, i.e., it is a prerequisite to learning many other art forms such as painting and sculpting. Above all, drawing is an excellent vehicle for learning to see the world as it “really” is. It is a way to overcome the often greatly simplified memories of everyday objects we…

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New!Buying Cheap Art Supplies in Tough Economy

With high gas prices, the tough economy and the holiday shopping season upon us, more and more shoppers are turning to ways to save online. If you’re an artist, using the internet to shop for art supplies can be one way to save on the art supplies you need, spend quality time at home and learn new tips and techniques. For those who are new to art and painting, this is the perfect time to finally learn how to create paintings, draw using certain techniques and even set up your very own oil painters studio. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced level artist, buying cheap art supplies online to create your masterpiece will save you time, hassle and…

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Oklahoma City Museum of Art

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is located in the Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center at 415 Couch Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. The Museum caters to 170,000 visitors annually from all over the United States and over 40 other countries. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art features the most comprehensive collection of Chihuly glass exhibits in the world, and a large permanent collection of European and American art. It also features visiting exhibits, the Noble Theater, the Library Resource Center, the Museum School, the Museum Store and the Museum CafĂ©. Exhibits in 2008 included the collections, Shining Spirit: Westheimer Family Collection (May 11, 2007-January 20, 2008), Mark Klett: Oklahoma City Panorama…

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Canvas Painting For Beginners: How To Prime A New Canvas

Beginner artists must learn how to prime a new canvas before even a drop of paint is applied. This process neutralizes the material’s natural tan hue so that it does not undesirably alter the overall coloring of the final painting. Priming also serves to create an even look to the final painting by making the surface smooth and non-porous. Here are simple instructions and tips for learning how to prime a canvas. The Materials and Tools Needed For Priming a Canvas 1. Gesso – is a thick white liquid canvas primer that can be found at art supply stores. While there are other primers that are clear or color tinted, the white variety of Gesso, as described in this article,…

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Landscape Painting: 8 Basic Planning Tips

To learn to paint landscapes is to learn to be effective at planning. The idea is to make all the critical decisions about perspective, composition and even what supplies and tools to pack well before you even think about adding paint to the canvas. It is an absolute myth that all great painters are just free spirits that only act spontaneously when the mood strikes. Consistently productive professional artists always refine their preparation routines in a way that positively impacts the final results of a painting. Here are 8 tips for successful landscape painting preparation. 1. First, take a walk around the landscape you wish to paint. It can be amazing how a slightly different perspective will reveal one of…

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How The Artist Uses Color

Color is the emotional counterpoint to the intellectual qualities of drawing, and is one of the most important elements of design. While paintings and drawings can be quite effective without color, the use of color adds an entirely new dimension to the piece. Without color, the artist is not a painter, but a draughtsman.Although color theory can be complex, practical application is what matters, and in this article I will present a simple philosophy for achieving an effective use of color and color harmony in a composition. But first an acquaintance with the fundamentals of color theory is necessary, as I believe that no worthwhile accomplishments can arise from ignorance of the basic principles:1. Buy an artist’s color wheel, or…

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Help your Client Choose a Painting

The discovery of the existence of the so-called Lascaux cave paintings in France in 1940 has proven that man’s need to express himself through art has long been with us since the ancient times. A passion for painting has been imprinted into the human soul even at that early stage of our development. It is therefore unsurprising that our fascination for paintings has not waned over the years. Part of this cultural evolution includes the ever growing demand to hang paintings on our walls as an integral part of our home decor. If you would like to buy a painting for your living room but have never tried it before, and you have no idea where to start, consider the…

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Pencil Drawing Fundamentals –

Any scene can initially be seen as a composition of a series of forms that are all related to four basic geometric solids: the brick, the sphere, the cylinder, and the cone. In this article we will discuss the interaction of these four forms and how they can be used to create an initial good likeness of just about any scene you wish to draw. Once you have practiced and internalized the four basic geometric forms it is possible to create a very good representation of any scene you wish to draw. It becomes a matter of putting the forms together in an acceptable manner no matter how complex the scene is. In effect, we have reduced the enormous complexity…

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Understanding Reproductions

As well as hand painted fine art reproductions on canvas, there are several different mechanical methods of fine art reproduction – none however come close to accurately replicating the color and texture as hand painting does.Aquaprint: Is a printing process which uses color separation. The colors can be bright but the texture of the finished reproduction art is flat and does not mimic the artist’s brushstrokes.Artagraph: The artagraph is a special printing method which recreates not only the color of the original, but also the surface texture. This is achieved by taking a silicone mould of the original oil painting and using it in the fine art reproduction. The problem is that not many museum curators or collectors are willing…

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Art Website – Promotion Tools

A great way to advance your strategies in site promotion is through the use of visual arts. Often this is accomplished through video, but it can be done with photography to great effect. Following the Greensburg, Kansas tornado in the spring of 2007 a radio station known for their audio presence took their new web site design and demonstrated that a visual presence could be an effective means of enhancing the experience for online visitors. Two different photo slide shows were developed with music. Thousands of individuals downloaded the moving presentations and sent others to do the same. In this case the expectation was less about site promotion and more about information in an emotionally moving format, but the idea…

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