tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282Sun, 04 Oct 2015 14:05:52 +0000Oil Painting TechniquesFundamentals of Visual ArtOil Painting TheorySymbolismOil PaintingConnectionDesignLearning How To PaintExperiencePainting and MusicAcrylic PaintingAction and ReactionColor MixingMemoryTensionBrushstrokesColor TheoryKey ConceptsMeditation and ArtThemeCatharsisCompositionLandscape PaintingBrush TechniquesCityscapeDetailsDrawingMelodyMotifPainting StylesPainting VideoPainting and WritingSex and PaintingSpaceSpace and TimeAerialColorHow to Paint A SkyInfinite ColorInfinityIntroduction - The First Blog PostKnife PaintingLinesMusicOpen Studio SeriesPainting LanguageShapeSuccessTimeWritingOil Painting Theory and Techniques with a focus on experiential learning. Written by Gabriel Borayhttp://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)Blogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-1543587780469397029Tue, 16 Jul 2013 13:55:00 +00002013-08-15T20:38:49.257-04:00 Dusk Light, 30 x 30, Acrylic on Canvas You must feel what you are creating, the physicality of the work,  pour yourself into the container. What is on the surface is an illusion; it is within the vibration of color, the bending of space and time - your fluctuation of anxiety and calm - that will resonate with others. It is the energy of a creator, or channel of creative energies - whatever http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/07/get-emotional.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-2289669064588136373Thu, 11 Jul 2013 15:11:00 +00002013-08-16T01:08:31.836-04:00 Wet Streets, 30 x 48, Acrylic on Canvas Tuning an instrument also tunes the body and mind, and leads to a more sensitive and harmonious relationship with color and composition. I think it's integral to my development as a painter that I grew up improvising on the piano and over the years I have played many instruments.  More than once in my life an accomplished classical pianist has heard me http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/07/focused-improvisation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-8710585374363873624Wed, 10 Jul 2013 15:36:00 +00002013-08-16T01:09:07.837-04:00 Falling Roses, Oil on Linen, 18 x24 I come from a place of artistic chaos - I did not follow some linear path to my way of painting, and I imagine you often find yourself borrowing techniques from various traditions and timelines. I hope along the way you have had many moments of rising above the methods and subject, whereupon your true self emerged and showed you that it had something clear http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/07/dont-go-backwards.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-6993766561339995930Mon, 08 Jul 2013 16:51:00 +00002013-07-10T11:44:16.845-04:00ConnectionExperienceLearning How To Paint Gate - In Progress - 36  x 36 Oil We pass through life in different perceptions of time, some periods are flow, some are transition. "Can you remember a moment or event in life, when afterward, everything was different?" Every Day Can we change, grow, and improve every day? Can we evolve our perceptions of reality and ability to synthesize it every time we step up to the canvas? What http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/07/everything-is-different-now.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-2033933856622778759Thu, 02 May 2013 16:21:00 +00002013-05-04T23:33:40.685-04:00 Manhattan 1, 30 x 48, Acrylic on Canvas It might be that in life we want to avoid tension as much as possible, but in successful art, tension is crucial. Tension can be enhanced in every aspect of your work, whether it be line, shape, color, rhythm, value, or perspective - it can be visual, psychological, or both. 7 Effective Ways to Build Tension in Your Paintings 1. Push against http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/05/7-ways-to-build-tension-in-your.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-3839396153322796410Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:09:00 +00002013-05-02T22:19:15.212-04:00ConnectionDesignExperienceKey ConceptsLandscape PaintingLearning How To PaintOil Painting TheoryPainting StylesSymbolismTension I paint aspects of my paintings in so many layers because I want to experience and capture the passing of time.  Reality is all of life, realism takes into account sequences in time, and in order to represent what exists in the visual world, we must bring into our canvases our memories and experience. The layers become real, the objects become substance, and substance becomes symbol.  http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/04/reality-realism-and-representation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-2926443159137476035Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:47:00 +00002013-04-27T22:53:27.432-04:00 Passage 1 12 x 12 Acrylic In order to discover new ideas, push yourself to extremes when painting. I often completely paint over works many times to destroy and rediscover what I am after; this is in great contrast to the rare experiences I have of contemplating an idea for weeks, then executing a painting in one shot. Push colors to their purest, and flirt with a sense of garishness, then http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/04/going-to-extremes-and-taking-chances.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-225548724947501834Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:22:00 +00002013-04-28T09:07:26.404-04:00Action and ReactionCityscapeConnectionExperiencePainting and MusicPainting and WritingSpace and TimeTensionTheme Rainy City #2, 18 x 24, Acrylic If you can keep in mind one primary feeling, one main intention, throughout your painting, and that intention stays clear, you will create a powerful image that not only represents a sense of time and place, but also has the potential to tell a story. I approach my cityscapes with a very specific idea of what I want the painting to express, and no matter how http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/04/whats-your-paintings-story.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-5244773823179828458Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:53:00 +00002013-04-28T09:11:55.503-04:00Action and ReactionBrush TechniquesConnectionDesignExperienceFundamentals of Visual ArtLearning How To PaintOil PaintingOil Painting TechniquesSpaceSymbolismStaying connected to the initial impulse from the first to the last mark in a multi-session painting can be challenge - here are some thoughts and strategies on the painting process, specifically on the phases of creation. I strongly advise against drawing out your image at first - to me, painting is a manipulation of substance and form, and drawing too early creates unwanted hard borders and http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/04/developing-painting-process-part-1.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-8542028113355772437Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:57:00 +00002013-07-10T09:16:57.029-04:00Action and ReactionCatharsisConnectionDesignExperienceFundamentals of Visual ArtMeditation and ArtSymbolism Dusk Fields 2, 12x12, Acrylic Catharsis, from the Greek κάθαρσις Katharsis meaning "purification" or "cleansing", is a sudden emotional breakdown or climax that constitutes overwhelming feelings of great pity, sorrow, laughter, or any extreme change in emotion that results in renewal, restoration, and revitalization. ("Catharsis," Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia) Infinite variety, http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/04/catharsis-in-painting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-5285326347990962833Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:50:00 +00002013-04-28T09:46:45.624-04:00Acrylic PaintingAction and ReactionCatharsisDesignFundamentals of Visual ArtTensionA relatively simple yet elusive aspect of art is one of the most powerful - creating a sense of anticipation. From the first look, the viewer should be attracted to your image, wanting and needing to look further. Through a combination of sequencing, rhythm, and color harmony, elements of the painting are slowly revealed through the layers leading the mind toward a sense of resolution. Takinghttp://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2013/04/expectation-and-anticipation-taking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-4899642979637717662Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:15:00 +00002013-04-28T09:58:03.068-04:00Acrylic PaintingBrushstrokesCompositionDesignDrawingFundamentals of Visual ArtOil Painting Techniques White Horse #1 36 x 48 Acrylic For many years, I painted exclusively in oils and wondered what kinds of effects the solvents were having on me; gradually I phased out all mineral spirits and painted with only pure paint with a little added stand or linseed oil when necessary. My paintings were thick: as I was self-taught and always experimenting, layer upon layer built up over time and the http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2012/12/paint-texture-developing-balance-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-8615086044604304719Tue, 04 Dec 2012 15:57:00 +00002013-04-28T09:56:00.757-04:00BrushstrokesColor MixingDetailsKnife PaintingLearning How To PaintSymbolism Aerial II, 30 x 40, Oil I love painting with painting knives; 'technique' though seems to imply something more distinct and far more controlled than what I do with the metal blades. For me the knife is much more animalistic than the brush and the feeling is raw and free, both tender and violent.   Too many articles and tutorials - and too many artists - view painting with a knife as a http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2012/12/knife-painting-techniques.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-725956322394656335Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:37:00 +00002012-11-22T13:43:17.785-05:00 If I saw a title Painting Recipes - Step by Step Instructions on How To Paint, I would expect just that, and if it was something else I would probably feel let down - at first. Unlike most of my blog posts, I am not serving up what is listed on the menu, rather, I am going to talk about why I choose not to. I watch a lot of cooking shows; I would be addicted to the Food Network if I had cablehttp://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2012/08/painting-recipes-step-by-step.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-5283819258365575691Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:49:00 +00002013-04-28T09:58:48.565-04:00Acrylic PaintingColor MixingColor TheoryConnectionDesignKey ConceptsLearning How To PaintMelodyOil PaintingPainting and MusicTheme Venice Passage, 20 x 24, Oil, 2010 Singers and musicians practice scales every day. They tune up, preparing their body and instrument to perform in harmony. Without this daily practice, their technique would falter, their harmony weaken, and their ability to express themselves through the medium would diminish. There are many ways to come at the practice of mixing and understanding color and http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/11/mixing-color-scales-and-chords.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-7295382001941821852Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:24:00 +00002013-04-28T09:53:00.793-04:00Brush TechniquesColor MixingColor TheoryFundamentals of Visual ArtLearning How To PaintOil PaintingOil Painting TechniquesSymbolism Last night I got a question on brush handling from one of the readers of my book - How do I control the paint to keep it from muddying on the canvas? There are many different ways, one of the keys is to use a ton of paint. Don't think of it as paint so much as the substance of what you are painting and light trapped in the pigment. Try to do some exercises where you paint something simplehttp://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/08/brush-techniques-for-great-color.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-1544511248559911395Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:24:00 +00002013-05-23T11:02:31.540-04:00Color MixingColor Theory Trainyard, Oil, 30 x 40, In Progress Color is often the painter's most powerful tool of expression, but for many beginners and even seasoned painters it is difficult to control. The secret of color is not the number of possibilities, it's how you limit them to establish order within a given range. Take stock of your colors: How many colors do you own? How many end up on your palette for http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/07/5-keys-to-mixing-color-for-oil-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-4184341865645334054Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:29:00 +00002013-04-28T09:59:49.476-04:00BrushstrokesCompositionConnectionDesignKey ConceptsOil Painting TechniquesOil Painting TheoryPainting and MusicSpace and TimeSymbolismTension Still Life 1, 2011 (In Progress) Every mark in a painting both calls attention to itself and directs your attention elsewhere. As a musician seeks to control every aspect of a note to flow in balance and harmony with the rest of the song, the painter should seek to be aware of all dynamic components inherent in their marks - it is then that the subtleties of time can be controlled. Time here http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/07/painting-focal-points-5-main-elements.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-711035998094294744Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:35:00 +00002013-04-28T10:00:19.409-04:00CompositionDesignPainting and MusicTension Create tension in your paintings and attempt to hold onto it for as long as possible. Viewers must feel the forces of light and darkness, good and evil, birth and death. Consider the music of Chopin and Beethoven: how their music inspires us to grow in depth and understanding of human nature. Know where the journey begins: What elements are we starting with? How are they explored and how arehttp://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/07/painting-tension.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-2963889908296333466Thu, 19 May 2011 19:13:00 +00002013-04-29T15:24:23.284-04:00Acrylic PaintingMotifPainting and WritingSymbolismTheme All art is about tension, conflict and resolution. Forces push and pull - every aspect struggles against one another to find its place in the picture. Years ago, the Greek idea of the hero's journey was recapitulated by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces as a way to understand myth and fiction; it can also be related to painting. Regardless of whether the work is http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-painting-is-like-writing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-3539945914183348517Wed, 06 Apr 2011 18:20:00 +00002011-07-18T17:17:34.234-04:00MemoryOil Painting Techniques 4 Trees, 2003 Learn to collect and organize memories in your mind so you can recall specifics when necessary. Lately, I have been painting rainy cityscapes with reflections of buildings and lights in the wet streets. More and more, I want to only suggest structures and elements and focus on light, air, and movement. The end result is more representational than abstract; however, I am avoidinghttp://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/04/organized-mind-painting-from-memory.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-3098565698212418213Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:46:00 +00002013-04-30T09:16:40.965-04:00Fundamentals of Visual ArtLearning How To PaintOil Painting Think about how you are learning how to paint.   Developing yourself into a unique artist takes a great deal of experimentation and time. It helps to separate experiences of flowing and creation from those of questioning and more direct learning, so you can simultaneously progress in both elements. Otherwise, you might find that, after a long period of trying to learn things outside of http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-learn-to-paint.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-4088104123645247863Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:28:00 +00002011-08-11T18:28:51.437-04:00Action and ReactionOil Painting Techniques  Ask A Question, Then Answer It Let painting come from your subconscious by reacting to everything you do on the canvas with a countermove. Maybe you begin your paintings with a series of rough lines or dominant shapes, or maybe your preference is to place colors here and there and see how they relate. As I paint, I move back and forth between my conscious thoughts and my unconscious http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/03/painting-action-and-reaction.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-2021865715543389136Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:59:00 +00002013-04-27T22:03:02.244-04:00Landscape Painting Get beyond the idea of merely creating an image, your goal should be to get at substance. You are painting a symbol of the Earth and our time on it, a physical planet full of stories - each element in constant struggle against everything around it. 5 Things To Remember To Improve Your Landscape Paintings 1. Weight - If it's a mountain you are painting - PAINT A MOUNTAIN! Mountains are http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/02/5-elements-to-improve-your-landscape.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750980160280425282.post-5467707998737523894Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:47:00 +00002013-04-17T13:48:01.760-04:00AerialOil PaintingPainting Video Land is divided, towns built, roads laid; farms raised, fields tilled, crops grown and harvested;  the landscape constantly changes as does our perception of our place in it. These large Aerials move from chaos to order as I explore ideas and possibilities, adding and removing throughout the process. I want to leave traces of the choices I have made and give an idea of passing time and the http://secretsofamodernpainter.blogspot.com/2011/02/oil-painting-video-timelapse-aerial.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Gabriel Boray)