On 21 Jan, 2011 With
Classical painting techniques: Perspective Part 3 The use of Perspective: The first major treatment of the painting as a window into space appeared in the work of Giotto di Bondone, at the beginning of the 14th century. True linear perspective was formalized later, by Filippo BrunelleschiLeon Battista Alberti. In addition to giving a more realistic presentation of art, it moved Renaissance painters into composing more paintings. Prior to the Renaissance, a clearly modern optical basis of perspective was given in 1021, when Alhazen (al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham, d. ca. 1041 CE), an Iraqi physicist and mathematician, in his Book of Optics (Kitab al-manazir; known in Latin as De aspectibus or Perspectiva), explained that light projects conically into the eye. Alhazen’s geometrical,…
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On 12 Jan, 2011 With
Art Terms: Grisaille Grisaille is a term for painting executed entirely in monochrome or near-monochrome, usually in shades of grey. It is particularly used in large decorative schemes in imitation of sculpture. Many grisailles in fact include a slightly wider colour range, like the Andrea del Sarto fresco illustrated. Paintings executed in brown are sometimes referred to by the more specific term brunaille, and paintings executed in green are sometimes called verdaille. A grisaille may be executed for its own sake, as underpainting for an oil painting (in preparation for glazing layers of colour over it), or as a model for an engraver to work from. “Rubens and his school sometimes use monochrome techniques in sketching compositions for engravers.” Full…
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On 7 Jan, 2011 With
Why “kitsch”? The painters invited to exhibit at The Kitsch Biennale 2010 in Venice have been chosen from their ability to create life on canvas – an idea deeply rooted in European Humanism that presupposes insight into anatomy and human psychology, a mind for pathos and a sense for the archetypical narrative. Yet, these values are rootless in contemporary art, which generally disregards skill and aims to reflect the time. They were not included in the modern concept of art (originally “fine art”), which was born about 250 years ago. Rejecting handcraft and sincerity, art represents a break with the values of the Renaissance and Baroque and not a continuation of them. Because of this situation an alternative to art…
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On 29 Jun, 2010 With
A look at the colours the Old Master Leonardo da Vinci used in his paintings. By Marion Boddy-Evans, About.com We may never know who the Mona Lisa was or what she’s smiling about, but we do have some idea of how Leonardo da Vinci created the sombre mood and smoky colors that add to her allure. Leonardo would first create a detailed underpainting in a neutral gray or brown, then apply his colors in transparent glazes on top. Some of the underpainting would show through the layers, subtly helping to create form. On his palette were muted, earthy browns, greens, and blues within a narrow tonal range. This helped give a sense of unity to the elements in the painting. No intense colors…
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On 30 May, 2010 With
If you want to learn how to oil paint and not sure how to begin, then the following article will prove to be quite helpful in your pursuit to become a good painter. Before you read on, you will have to try and forget everything you ever learned about oil painting and look at your painting from a new perspective. A recent art class I attended, taught by a master painter, has completely changed the way I approach oil painting and has opened up many new creative doors for me. I hope it will do the same for you.START WITH A CONCEPT Up until just recently, I was a very frustrated oil painter. I have 10 or so…
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On 29 May, 2010 With
Having spent several years painting – and making just about every mistake possible – I wanted to compile a list of tips and tricks to help others enjoy painting as much as I do. So here it is! Most of these tips come from my own direct experience or from students I have worked with in the past. Certainly, there are enough tips out there to fill an entire book, but I wanted to focus on just those that are helpful for the real beginner. 1. Be Yourself What kind of an artist do you want to be? I encourage all my students to explore different techniques and various styles on their journey into art, but usually there are one…
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On 26 May, 2010 With
Eyesight Realism Not Camera Realism Don’t take a single photo and turn it into a painting. Not because it’s “cheating” but because your eye doesn’t see the same as a camera. Your eye sees more detailed color, your eye doesn’t frame the scene in standard proportions, your eye doesn’t have a depth of field that’s dependent on a setting. A realistic landscape will be “in focus” all the way to the horizon, not blur out of focus as a photo with a narrow depth of field will. Color is Relative Color isn’t a set thing. It’s relative to what’s next to it, what kind of light is shining on it, whether the surface if reflective or matte. Depending on the…
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On 26 May, 2010 With
What many people mean when they say they’d like to learn to paint, is they’d like to learn to paint realism. To create a painting where the subject looks like it does in real life, or “real”. It’s only when you’re up close you see the skillful manipulation of color, tone, and perspective to create the illusion of reality. Realism Takes Days Not Hours Image © Stuart Gregory / Getty Images Painting realism takes time. Expect to spend days and weeks, not merely a few hours on a painting. You can’t paint detailed realism and also want to knock off a painting every afternoon unless you’re painting a small canvas with something simple like a single apple. Accurate Perspective is…
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On 24 May, 2010 With
How to become a famous artist. 1. It does not matter what kind of painting or graphic techniques you use. 2. By painting oil is the easiest to use. 3. Talent is undoubtedly the biggest, but not the main factor. 4. Hard work is one of the main factors. 5. Ambition is almost the main factor. 6. A good and up to date concept is decisive factor in creating your artwork. 7. Bad critic is in most cases a positive critic. 8. Try to be as much eccentric as you can. 9. Don’t mind critic and unpleasant statements from eccentric “art” activists. 10. Attend an Art College, Art School, or take some private lessons. Even if you don’t like realistic…
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On 19 May, 2010 With
As a known fact oil painting is the most preferred mode of painting by most of the artists as well as the painting fans. The probable reason why it is enjoyed and loved by most of the people is because of the deep and beautiful colors present and the attractiveness which the picture brings to the room when it is hung. Oil paintings have greater scope of being framed beautifully, unlike other forms that do not lent themselves to be framed with metaphorical frames that enhance and add an additional point of attraction to the paintings. Paintings as such from the ancient times are considered to be a mode by which artists express the beauty which they feel around themselves…
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