Attempting to collect anything can be a task which calls for caution, especially when you are trying to track down and purchase pieces which are extremely rare. You can find a great number of items on the Internet in today’s culture, giving you the ability to find rare and collectible items much more easily than you could in the past. However, when you purchase items you’ve never seen from someone you’ve never met, things can be a lot more tricky. The seller could easily be lying about the product they are selling, giving you something which is not at all what you paid for. They can even potentially not send you anything at all. This is why, when you make any purchases off of the Internet, you must be very careful.

This is especially true for works of art. There are a number of great painters in this world who can make works of art which look exactly like a work which has been produced by a master. Their skill at creating striking facsimiles of these paintings is impressive. However, some people try to pass these copies off as the genuine articles for quite a bit more money than they are actually work. Unscrupulous behavior like this can end up costing you quite a bit of money.

Other vendors on the Internet may try to sell you a piece of autographed art but end up sending you only a photocopy in the end. Many times, a person will have a print of a famous painting, perhaps with the autograph of the artist located on it. They will then market this as a print of that famous painting that has an authentic autograph from the original artist located on it. However, once you win the item and the person ships the item to you, you discover that you only have a photocopy of the print with the autograph. Nothing about the piece is genuine and you have been ripped off.

Buying art over the Internet is something which you must always be careful of. Always make sure that the buyer has a good reputation before you make the purchase and be careful to check out the money-back guarantees in case anything is not as it seems. If you are buying the art on an auction website, you should certainly check out all of the credentials of the seller, seeing how other people have rated their transactions before you give your money to them.

When buying a piece of art in person, perhaps from a gallery or an auction house, you should examine the Certificate of Authenticity before purchasing. This certificate has been officially filled out with information about the artist, the year the painting was made, the experts who have examined the painting in detail and signed off on it as authentic, as well as contact information for those same experts, so that you can contact them with any questions. This Certificate of Authenticity goes a long way toward.

According to a joint statement by the National Heritage Board and the Singapore Art Museum on Wednesday, Wu’s gift is the highest in donation value that has been made to any museum in Singapore to date.The donation agreement was signed in Beijing on Tuesday, and followed a similar donation of 66 artworks made to the Shanghai Art Museum by the artist earlier this year.

SAM has proposed to collaborate with the Shanghai Art Museum on a retrospective exhibition of Wu’s works.According to Director of SAM, Kwok Kian Chow, the museum will exhibit Wu’s works, which “truly epitomises Asian aesthetic values”, in early 2009.

Kwok said: “Wu Guanzhong’s art practice displays his serious consideration of both formalism and the social grounding of art.”This makes his work different from the Western value of ‘art for art’s sake’, where art becomes a dimension of existence separate from the reality of life.”

This is not the first time Wu has donated his art pieces to Singapore. The artist had donated a piece entitled “Roots” to the city-state back in 1988.Wu said he entrusts his works to SAM as he “trusted the institution in the continued research and exhibitions of the works to make them relevant to the future”.89-year-old Wu is a leading Chinese painter, art educator and essayist who received much recognition in the early 1980s. He has an artistic style that balances formal beauty and the receptivity of the masses.

source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/373447/1/.html

Ten colourful designs graced the walls of the National Museum in a light installation by Sydney-based lighting effects company, The Electric Canvas, which specialises in large-scale light projections on buildings.

The designs are produced by seven projectors. How can we say Singapore is boring? It is trying its best to re invent itself. Stay tuned for more Public Art!

Can  art merge with architecture? A recent visit to the Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 gave me the answer.

To achieve what would be ‘a sense of Singapore’, the Terminal 3 architects proposed a mixture of natural design elements including a five-storey high Green Wall. The wall comprised of a main steel structure holding five rows of horizontal planter boxes connected together with fine stainless steel cables.

The planter boxes contain a variety of climbing and flowering plants, which are punctuated by a series of four cascading glass waterfalls. The base of the wall features a 360m long, 3m high and 3,100-tonne long carved sandstone artwork entitled ‘Rhythms of Nature’. The Green Wall reminds passengers about the tropical environment of Singapore and can be admired from both the Departure and Arrival Halls.

 So is the green wall a public art? What makes it so if it is? Give me you opinon…

It was mentioned that in the long run, returns from art are comparable to those from stocks and bonds. The art market is very weakly correlated witht the equilies market, making art useful and valuable if you wish for portfolio diversification.

It was also reported that experts claimed that South east Asian art is fast becoming ‘ the next big thing’, because of the growing interest in modern and contemporary art from this region. (Singapore art included?)

In a Singapore auction in April, Indonesian artist 1 Nyonman Masriadi’ s Me and My Coke sold for $240000 which is more than 5 times its estimated price!!!! That ’s a lot if you ask me. Well, it just goes to tell you that keeping artwork especially those from Southeast Asia might be the way to go.

This is another photoshop drawing by my friend Ly. A ‘joker’ without a smile. Does it still make him a ‘joker’ if he can’ t make you smile? I like the eyes, kind of stare in my direction whenever I look at it. However, the think the clothes(rendered black) can be too distracting since the focus point should be the facial expression of the joker. It would be better if the bottom half of the picture can ‘blend’ in with the background. (A point to note will be Mona Lisa). Overall the render is really well done and it does give me an eerie feeling! LOL

Visit his website

Many of us have walked past, eaten lunch under or beside, thrown coins at, and completely ignored a whole array of public art. But not any more! Public art is a blossoming component of our built landscape that, in many cases, we can be involved in. Local governments and art organisations, depending on their public art policy or specific requirements, allow for community consultation on design and basic structure. The level of consultation, of course, depends on the function and placement of the piece being planned.

Arts organisations, museums and galleries that are involved in bringing art to the public, have stricter opinions on what constitutes public art and less scope for community consultation. Their goals are different. Developing and coordinating outdoor exhibitions, of one artwork or many, is vastly separated from local government acts that require their planning departments and private developers to make provision for art in future developments.

What I love about public art is that the artist often has space to create really big works! Works that can inspire and uplift by their sheer physical presence alone. We won’t like them all, but we’ll pay attention to the statements the work and the artist are trying to make.

Local government authorities around the world have development policies that require a percentage of a proposed development’s value to be spent on commissioning art. The art may be required to suit a particular location’s natural environment or heritage identity, or fit in with the cultural or tourism demands of the area. Public art can be temporary as in outdoor exhibitions and building wraps, or permanent such as fountains, memorials, roadside noise reducing barriers or street furniture.

The possibilities for public art continue to grow as many regions include Public Art Trails in their tourism plans. Guides, maps and booklets are being developed that outline and locate notable artworks in an area, and then targeted to local and international tourists. In Australia, there is a long history of Big Things on the tourist trail; things such as the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour, the Big Trout in Adaminaby and the Big Merino in Goulburn, plus the dozens of other Big Things dotted around the country. That’s not to say that all tourist-attracting public art needs to be big and garish. There’s quite a number of arty, culturally-aware and just plain interested people that like to take a step into an area’s local culture and get a feel for the people and lifestyle they are visiting.

For the ordinary person not so involved in the art or local government worlds, how do you go about getting, locating or recognising public art in your area?

Recognising is simple. As mentioned, public art is anything that is installed or erected that has either a purely aesthetic value or is functional, purposeful as well as being interesting to look at.

Locating the public art in your area ranges from easy to hard. Start with local parks, town squares and outside any museums, galleries or government buildings. Not all areas or towns are created equal when it comes to money to spend on art [which is why making public art a development requirement is such a good idea], but that doesn’t mean there won’t or can’t be any around. Schools, public buildings and large expanses of wall are great places for the odd mural or three. Businesses that have turned their signage into art forms are only limited by their imagination. Tourist information centres and historical landmarks may abound. Many reserves and former industrial sites are the locations of old equipment and structures that have been turned into a reminder of days gone by.

Holbrook, a town approximately halfway between Sydney and Melbourne, has gone “superstructure” with its public art and turned an old submarine, the HMAS Otway, into an historical and artistic statement. Closer to the New South Wales/Victorian border, the Ettamogah Pub, near the town of Albury, has turned itself into the reproduction of an iconic cartoon edifice, a major tourist attraction and quite a fascinating piece of life-size 3-D, functional pop art.

Around the world, towns and regions are travelling the public art trail by coordinating exhibitions that link individual homes, businesses, and industries via the artistic rendering of local identity. Scarecrows, cows, letterboxes, indigenous culture, building facades, milk urns, produce festivals, and the list goes on and on, all represent identity as seen by the local people, and all are art.

Public art has been with us since the days of the cave and the creation of the first memorial sculptures and wall-murals. It may not be something new, but it does have the potential for huge growth as people insist on the beautification and visual expression of their communities and look for the same in countries, cities and towns they visit on holiday. Find your local public art and celebrate it. Make more. Art in the open has a way of lifting your soul and calling you to it, whether it’s to admire, disagree with or rest your feet and eat your lunch under.

Over the years, there have been many influential artistic movements and Art Nouveau being one of the most popular with the general public. Artists, architects and designers all fell under its spell during the 1880s, producing highly stylized pieces of work. Examples of magnificent buildings in the style can be found all over Europe, particularly in Paris, Prague, Budapest, Barcelona and Berlin. Other locations, such as London, New York City and St. Petersburg also have landmarks in the style.

During the World’s Fair in Paris in 1900, the movement was brought a wider audience in fair. Art Nouveau embraced the modern use of technology on materials such as stained glass and wrought iron, which were used extensively in sculpture and functional items. A classic tradition was observed too in the use of motifs from the natural world, such as flowers or insects. Furniture, jewelry, lighting, textiles and posters were all part of the style.

And one of the famous architect of the movement is Antoni Gaudi, and still celebrated today for his eccentric buildings in Barcelona. Gaudi was a man of simple ideas and common sense. In his architecture it fuses structure and decoration. He clearly accepted nature as his guide. His interest in nature was in three dimensional forms, rather than in two dimensional and he was interested primarily in nature’s inner forces, which expressed themselves on the surface. He took the style to new heights, never making a straight line where a wavy one could do the job. His crowning glory was the city cathedral, left unfinished at the time of his death.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh was one of the leading exponents and a designer from Glasgow in Scotland. He brought his distinctive ideas to buildings, furniture and jewelry. Examples of his work are held in museums and his jewelry is constantly copied and sold. The French designer Rene Lalique was also a jewelry maker in the Art Noveau style and he also became famous for his work in glass making.

Well, many artists in the genre remain popular today and none more so than Gustav Klimt. The Austrian specialized in the female figure in paintings, drawings and murals. Some of his paintings have sold for extremely high prices and his work is mass produced in the form of prints, posters and furnishings. Aubrey Beardsley, an English artist and illustrator, is also still popular today. He is mostly known for his posters, drawn in ink and sometimes depicting controversial images.

By the time when the world War 1 was begin, the movement was fade. Times were hard and less expensive materials were favored. A more modernist and less fussy design style came into favor, culminating in the Art Deco movement that would dominate through the 1920s and 1930s. There does remain, however, a nostalgic affection for Art Nouveau and the many expressive people caught up in it.

What is paint and what is the difference between each type of paint?

The brief technical bit!

Paint is a dispersion of pigments, resins and fillers in a liquid carrier. By varying the basic ingredients the different types of paint can be created.

Oil Paints

Oil paints as the name suggests contain oil. This is usually a natural vegetable oil such as linseed or a synthetic hydrocarbon made from oil.

The oil is the carrier used for the pigment and resins (alkyd). The pigments provide the colour which can be in the form of a soluble dye or an insoluble powder finely dispersed in the liquid. The various colours are produced from one or several pigments mixed together. By varying the different amounts, not only the different colours, but different shades and hues can be produced.

The resin is dissolved in the oil and acts as a binder for the different ingredients and to, and also binds the paint to the surface that it is applied to.

When the liquid evaporates after application, the resin and the pigments remain and form a skin which sticks to the painting surface.

Acrylic Paints

Acrylic paints are similar in make-up to oil paints, i.e. they are similar in appearance and contain a liquid carrier, pigments and resin. However, the liquid used is water.

The resin is not the same type as in oil paints, because it has to combine with water. The acrylic resin does not dissolve in the water but forms an emulsion (forms globules). When the water evaporates the globules of resin stick together to form a skin. The pigments used must also combine with water and so are chemically different than oil pigments.

Watercolours

Watercolours consist of pigments, filler and water if they are in liquid form, or just pigment and filler in they are solid. As they have no resin component to bind the pigments and form a skin, they rely on the surface they are applied to, to be absorbent. A filler is a fine powder which can be used as a carrier for the pigment and provides texture/body.

Pastels

Pastels are a solid paste form of water-colour. Far less water is used in their manufacture (when compared with liquid paints), and water soluble binders are used to maintain their solid paste form. Oil based pastels are similar with far less oil used than used in making oil paints.

What are the practical differences between the different types of paints?

Oils:

~ dry slowly allowing time to work and to blend colours. The temperature of the air you are working in, and the proportion of thinner used dictates the drying time

~ can be used to produce texture by building layers

~ once dried sufficiently, can be over-painted without disturbing underlying layers

~ rich, deep colours which maintain their intensity when dry, so can be left unfinished and returned to later without a change of colour

~ can be used thickly or in thin, smooth washes increasing the scope for different painting techniques

~ colours are resistant to bleaching by sunlight and surfaces can be cleaned of dirt with methylated spirits

~ completely water proof and resistant to the elements

~ require brush cleaner/white spirits to clean brushes

~ usually applied to non absorbent surfaces including board, wood, coated paper and canvas

Acrylics :

~ dry fast but still allows time to work and to blend colours. Can be a disadvantage when working with thick applications in hot environment

~ less viscous than oils so easier to mix but tend to produce less texture and brush strokes

~ can be mixed with water or other mediums/gels which are compatible with water

~ can be used thickly (impasto) like oils, or in thin washes, like waterclours, so can be used on both absorbent and non absorbent surfaces

~ once dried can be over-painted without disturbing underlying layers

~ water resistant when dry

~ colours dry darker than when applied so can give problems with colour matching if left

~ less resistant to sunlight that oils, surfaces can be cleaned of dirt with methylated spirits

~ requires water to clean brushes, but can give difficulty if brushes dry prior to washing

Watercolours :

~ mixed with water giving transparent colour

~ dries fast and requires pre-wetting of the surface in hot environment

~ strong tendency to bleed so good for general wash techniques but can be difficult for fine definition

~ transparency makes it hard to rectify or hide mistakes

~ colours dry lighter than when applied so can give problems with colour matching if left

~ no white in watercolour painting, the white comes from the paper you are working on. So can be difficult to produce prominent white high-lights without preplanning or masking

~ paint can be lifted off by rewetting so can be useful in some techniques, but can be difficult to use in wet conditions or in hot/dry conditions where rewetting is necessary

~ brushes are cleaned easily with water and paint is reusable when dry by adding water

~ colour intensity is less when compared with other media and tends to bleach in direct sunlight. Problems with dis-colouration to the support and the media can occur in damp conditions

~ very difficult to clean the surface without damage so has to be protected from the elements under glass or other suitable material

Pastels

~ colours are mixed on the paper/support by over-laying or blending so no drying time

~ easily used and require no brushes

~ oil based pastels can be thinned and blended with turpentine, or scrapped off to reveal colours underneath, known as sgraffito

~ a wide range of colour are available, however, usually a greater range of colours are required to create a picture when compared with other media

~ different brands and pigments tend to vary in softness so difficulties can arise when obtaining supplies from varying suppliers

~ soft pastel works tend to be liable to smudging and the colour coming off the support unless precautions such as fixatives or mounts are used to keep the surface away from frame glass

Other considerations

Cost:

~ Watercolours are the cheapest to set yourself up with and most budding artists start this way. However, watercolour requires different techniques to other media and can restrict development

~ acrylics are not as expensive to buy as oils and can bridge the gap between oil and watercolour

~ oils are more expensive to buy initially; however a little goes a long way when painting thinly. Several paintings can be produced from a single tube of each of the base colours

Hazards

Oil Paints

Some people are put off by oil paints because of the solvents involved; they may be allergic to the solvents or may not want solvents lying around when young children are about. However, oil paints themselves usually contain linseed oil as the carrier which has low odour and is essentially non toxic.

The pigments themselves are bound by the oil and are not available to cause hazards. White spirits and turpentine used as thinners or brush cleaners are flammable and should be used sparingly. However the volume used is very small and the hazards are many times less when compared with the use of domestic household paints. Saying this, low odour versions of paints are available.

Acrylics

Acrylics are the least hazardous as there are no solvents used and the pigments remain bound in the paint.

Watercolours

Can be hazardous if traditional pigments are used because they are not bound by resin and dry to a fine powder. However the quantities used are so small that hazards are very minimal.

Pastels

Similar to watercolours, however soft pastels can produce a lot of dust so care should be take to minimise the amount you inhale. For example, do not blow on your work to remove loose pastel.

Your choice of paint

Choose whatever paint suits you. Try them out and you will soon discover whether you enjoy working with it and the results you get or not. If you like certain properties of different paints, you can try working with a mixture of paints (known as mixed media) in one painting. The variation is both challenging and rewarding.

The advice and information above is meant as guidance to the properties of the different paints. The only way you will know if you like a particular paint is to try it, and enjoy the results.

This is a digital rendering by a friend of mine. Here is his discription of his art work:
This is a painting to portray the hard lives of some of the Haitians. This painting shows a prostitute from Haiti. My story is that she had been sold to Dominican Republic and forced to work as a prostitute. I hope to bring attention to this problem and hope that one day it will be solved. She is dressed with money notes, meaning that she is being used by others to make money. She is crying as this shows that she is being forced to do what she does not want. I used bold strokes for this painting to imply that she is in a very frantic and upset situation, where she has to do the things that she detests for the sake of living.

In the Dominican Republic, Haitian migrant workers are sold into slavery on Dominican Sugar plantations, including children. Some Haitian children have allegedly been forced to work as prostitutes in the Dominican sexual tourism industry. Currently the Dominican sex trade ranks third in the world, only behind Thailand and the Philippines.

We have to keep in mind that there are people in different parts of the world who are suffering. Some of us may be lucky enough to be able to have 3 meals a day without fuss. Have nice clothes to wear and have a wonderful house to stay in, but we have to bear in mind that there are other people located in another part of the world who are suffering. They are starving, dressed in old clothes that can almost pass off as an old rag. They live in fear everyday. They worry about whether there will be enough food tomorrow and are uncertain about their future. So, please do your part to help these people. Show your helping handsto them and contribute to charity work whenever you have a chance to do so.

Anthropologists studying prehistoric periods on cave paintings leads us earlier than the Upper Paleolithic period from 40,000 - 10,000 B.C., where our ancestors were learning how to design signs and symbols that could be communicated visually; moreover they were successful on leaving their marks. The pioneers of graphic design are non other then our own ancestors, who had lived in the caves and sketched their drawing on rocks. History of graphics design roots to our own ancestors of ancient era where civilization was cultured in caves, and left their drawings and sketches for us on their canvas of cave walls and ceilings.

The earliest drawings known today are from 6,000 years ago, are that of carved stone and pottery containers. Drawings contained in Egyptian pyramids with signs, symbols and letters are known to all and it leads us back 5000 years.

Furthermore, from 600-250 BC evolution on geometrical shape and structures in Europe played a major role for the development of designing and sketching. As an applied art of arranging images and text for an attempt of visual communication; the hand written copy of the Christian Bible “The Book of Kells”, created by Irish monks in 9th century AD with rich illustrations is a good example of the evolution of graphic design.

Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg, a German metal-worker and an inventor, introduced a printing technology allowing the re-use of individual letters. The first book produced by Gutenberg press was “The Incunabula”. This book became the standard in the history of book printing and publishing and was a giant leap for printing and publication; though, block stamping on sheets of paper with text and signs carved, was in use in Europe and Asia long before 14th century; however, Graphic design of this era was formatting and we today have named it Old Style graphic design.

Guttenberg era of graphic design evolution was sluggish, until the 19th century, in Britain the division created between fine art and applied art boosted this evolution, and they successfully published some of the most major graphic design products through the Arts movement. William Morris made a great deal of business of publishing books with stylish printings and contributed a significant role to attract the potential market as well as commercializing graphic design; in addition he was the pioneer for the separation of commercial design and fine arts.

Another painter from the19th century was Piet Mondrian whose innovation has greatly influenced today’s modern graphic designer. Though he was not a graphic designer, his uses of grids was the origin of modern day advertisement known as the grid system; widely used by graphic designer of our century today.

With the decadence of classical style, modern graphic design engrossed in the early 20th century with designs influenced by fine arts. The trademark of early modern fonts is the sans-serif typeface. In 1928, the book “New Typography” written by Jan Tschichold systemized the philosophy of modern typography.

Furthermore, the fathers of modern graphic design are still considered to be typographers such as Herbert Bayer, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and El Lissitzky as they broke new ground on typography building techniques and stylizing. Modern computer technology has changed typography production altogether, but for the experimental and evolutionary approach their contribution was highly recognizable.

The booming and flourishing period for graphic design was after World War II; as the American economy thrived, the demand of graphic design, particularly on advertisement and packaging sectors blossomed.

I Love NY ad campaign (1973) and a famous Bob Dylan poster (1968) designed by Milton Glaser are examples of applied graphic design culture and its influence. Progressions in graphic design in the early 20th Century were mostly enthused by technological expansion in printing and also in photography. But at the mid of this century, the raising of the computer era in graphic design has faced little backwards as early computers were far weaker and computer memory was limited. However, within the end of this century with the immense development of computers and its corresponding technologies, modern graphic design has evolved into a business that is done almost entirely on computers.

In mid 1980, the arrival of desktop publishing and the launching of software applications like Illustrator and PageMaker introduced an era of designers to computer image manipulation and 3D image creation. Computer graphic design facilitates instantaneous effects of layout or typography changes.

Today, graphic design the visual communication, is yielded in the rich soil of computer ground, fertilized with latest hardware and software technologies. Graphic designers worldwide plough through computers loaded with the latest gadgets and gizmos, software and hardware, academic and technology, information and communication, and are generating the new history of graphic design in their design laboratories.

With express elevation of the hi-tech industry, the future assures more and today’s designer are contributing their name and effort through their creativity for the next generation. History yet has to write all of her pages for new innovation and invention in this field.

Author: Bharat Bista
Resources and References: Graphic Design - Custom Web Site Design - Silk Flowers

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_78215_4.html

• Bats - Bats in western culture most always are thought of in a negative sense. But in China, the bat is a sign of good luck. Two bats are even better - double good luck. The depiction of five bats represents the five blessings of wealth, health, virtue, a long life and a natural death.
• Cranes - The crane represents longevity. A pair of cranes represents longevity in a relationship as cranes mate for life.
• Dragons - Like the bat, dragons in western culture are thought of as bad creatures, while in China they represent positive attributes. The dragon can represent many things. Good fortune, energy, power, and success.
• Bamboo - The attributes of bamboo are taken from the way it grows in nature. Bamboo is a plant that is delicate yet strong. It bends in the strongest of winds, but seldom breaks. Its delicate leaves over slender stems represent the combination of vitality and durability.
• Peony - Most Chinese flowers are associated with love and female beauty. The peony is also known as the ‘flower of wealth and honor’ in China.
• Lotus - A sacred symbol of Buddhism, the lotus rises out of the muddy river and lake bed into a representation of purity and perfection.
• Pine Tree - Holds it greenery year-round thus represents longevity and endurance. It is also a hardy tree, and represents ongoing life in the face of adversity.
• Tiger - Bravery, courage and strength.
• Duck - A symbol of married bliss. A pair of ducks also brings longevity to the marriage. Most birds that are represented in pairs have the attribute of longevity for a relationship.
• Peach - The fruit of a long and healthy life.

Some Cubists used modern materials rather than traditional paint on canvas. Newsprint, paper and fabric were common elements in these collages. The process of creating art had always been considered a closely guarded secret, but Cubists were open about their methods, which further demystified the artistic process. Modern technology, the Cubists believed, had produced a type of manufactured man, and the artists in turn created appropriately manufactured art.

One of the few artists to apply the Cubist technique to the human figure was the Spaniard Picasso. Picasso countered the insistent break-up of the pictorial space caused by the Cubist technique with the coherence established by repeated similar units. The internal structure of the composition was given supremacy over the external structure of the subject. In addition to this, Picasso’s revelatory interpretations of the female nude were erotic and disturbing. The traditionally taboo topics of sexuality and unconscious urges were hidden no longer.

Perhaps the greatest master of this new artistic language was Paul Cezanne. Cezanne’s subject was always the realism of the mind and not the eye. Like many other artists of his day, Cezanne’s goal was depicting the a mood rather than creating an illusion of physical reality. Cezanne not only flattened space but succeeded in the elimination of hierarchy completely. His works contain no central focus upon which the viewer can fix, but an idealized democratization. Planes overlap, and the surface color establishes an equality between the matter depicted and the surrounding atmosphere.

As Wassily Kandinsky, one of Cezanne’s foremost contemporary artists, noted in his influential book The Art of Spiritual Harmony, the animate and the inanimate in still life paintings are given equal attention in Cezanne’s work: “Cezanne made a living thing out of a teacup, or rather in a teacup he realized the existence of something alive. He raised still life to such a point that it ceased to be inanimate.”

Perhaps this quest to discover the aliveness in objects as well as in people and landscapes was also a response to the modern environment of cities and mass-produced goods which were rapidly replacing the agrarian way of life. For many modern artists, the process of spiritualizing matter and the exploration of the fundamental energy of life was a major theme.

Although Cubism is disturbing to many viewers, this unique approach to art and life is also fascinating and refreshing. The liberation of breaking the bonds of past tradition is combined with a sense of adventure and excitement about the infinite new possibilities in art.

Please note: The prices quoted are take into consideration inflation from the original recorded auctions or private sales and is priced in millions USD. This list provides estimated prices only and is not intended to be an accurate record of art sales. This article is used to illustrate art worth in broad terms.

10. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II by Gustav Klimt - $89.1 Million
Adele Bloch-Bauer II was painted in 1912 by Gustav Klimt. Adele Bloch-Bauer was the wife of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, a rich industrialist of the time, who was a keen sponsor the arts and supported Gustav Klimt’s work. Adele Bloch-Bauer was the only model ever to be painted twice by Gustav Klimt. This item was part of a set of two and Adele also appeared in the much more famous “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I”.

9. Portrait de l’artiste sans barbe by Vincent van Gogh - $90.1 Million
One of the many self portraits Vincent Van Gogh created, this particular version is the most recognizable and popular. Painted in 1889, this piece created massive waves of excitement when it was placed at auction at Christie’s, New York. Christie’s only estimated this piece would sell for around $20 Million.

8. Dora Maar au Chat by Pablo Picasso - $97 Million
Dora Maar au Chat commonly known as Dora Maar with Cat was created in 1941 by Pablo Picasso. This wonderful work by Picasso features his Croatian mistress, Dora Maar, seated on a chair with a small black cat perched on her shoulders. As was often seen with his work, he uses wide swaths of contrasting color to draw out the subject.

7. Irises by Vincent Van Gogh - $97.5 Million
Irises is one of the most widely known pieces painted by Vincent van Gogh. This piece was one of his early works while he was at the asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France and was painted in the last year before his death in 1890. This item is currently on view at the Getty Museum in California.

6. Garçon à la pipe by Pablo Picasso - $113.4 Million
Currently owned by the John Hay Whitney’s estate, it sold for $104.1 million at an auction in New York’s Sotheby’s in 2004. Sotheby’s originally estimated a pre-sale price of $70 million. Many of the worlds art experts stated that the painting’s high sale price has much more to do with the popularity of the artist than with the historical importance of the painting itself.

5. Bal au moulin de la Galette, Montmartre by Pierre-Auguste Renoir - $122.8 Million
Commonly known as Le Moulin de la Galette, this painting by the famous French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir was painted in 1876 at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. Bal au Moulin de la Galette, Montmartre is a smaller version of an impressionist painting Renoir painted with the same title.

4. Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent van Gogh - $129.7 Million
Once more, Vincent van Gogh appears on our list with one of the most expensive works of art of all time. This portrait of Gachet was created just outside Paris in 1890, and depicts his then doctor, Paul Gachet. Gachet, who took care of Vincent during the artist’s last months. Gachet was an amateur artist and formed a good friendship with Van Gogh.

3. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt - $137.6 Million
The partner to the previously mentioned piece of art. This is the first portrait of Adel Bloch-Bauer Klimt and was painted in 1907. According to reports, it was sold in June 2006 for $135 million to Ronald Lauder for his gallery in New York City. At that time it set a record as the most expensive painting ever sold.

2. Woman III by Willem de Kooning - $140.2 Million
Abstract expressionist painter Willem de Kooning painted this print in 1953 and this fantastic piece is one of 6 paintings by Kooning in which the central theme was a woman. Woman III was sold by David Geffen in November 2006 to the billionaire Steven A. Cohen for a reported $137.5 Million.

1. No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock - $142.7 Million
At Last, we come to the most expensive art to date, No. 5,1948 by the artist Jackson Pollock. This abstract art, painted in 1948, was created on a 8 x 4 feet sheet of fiberboard, with large amounts of thick brown and yellow paint drizzled on top of it, forming a chaotic nest-like appearance. This work of art was sold by David Geffen in 2006 for $140 Million making it the most expensive piece of art ever sold.

So, as you can see, there is some incredibly expensive pieces of art out there being sold. Certainly, you are asking yourself “What about other pieces of older art?” All of these wondrous pieces of art in this list were painted after 1800. Any art prior to this date is usually in the hands of museums throughout the world. The Mona Lisa, for example, was insured in 1962 for approximately $100 Million. Taking into consideration the rate of inflation it is fair to assume that its current worth would be around $670 Million today. However, you are unlikely to ever see this majestic smile in Christie’s or Sotheby’s anytime soon.

If you have been inspired by these items and would like to see more. Amazingly you do not have to pay anywhere near these prices if you would like a copy of these items on your wall! You can discover wonderful reproductions of each of these items in many sizes, formats and mediums on our Arteblanche.com website. We have one of the world’s largest inventories of art from the popular artists in this list to unknown artists and cover every aspect and work of art imaginable. We hope you have found this article informative and as inspiring as we did in writing this.

The new wheelers and dealers in the art world are the curators and art gallery owners who make a neat 30% on the paintings sold to customers. They are introducing novices to bright catalogues of artists and selling them at premium prices. The artists themselves never had it so good. They are now working night and day to meet demands in India and overseas. Like the dot com bubble will the art bubble burst too? Questions are being raised when genuine artistes like Anjoli Ela Menon are accusing their own assistants of selling fakes. Fake Husain artworks are being lapped up by illiterate new clients. In today’s time when art is becoming the new interface on the world canvas can fakes ruin the art investment scene? The world is already wary of detecting fakes. Two years ago, Christies had withheld the auction of a Husain painting.

If fine art has to remain a blue chip investment for long, it needs to be regulated. The creative artists are getting their due worldwide. The curators and gallery owners need to protect genuine buyers and artists. Little can be done to avoid short selling of a genuine artist. New artists should be encouraged rather than only investing in the old war horses that have crossed their nineties! The new artists come cheap and can be sold off at higher rates later. It makes good sense to invest in new blood! Most investors are still looking at the art mart with caution despite so many lucrative offers.

The reason is simple - there is no insurance as yet on the precious creative talents and their works. India is yet at a nascent stage of art investment. In the early 60s’, Pundole art gallery in Mumbai had encouraged the works of struggling M F Husain. No one knew the artist would become an icon to reckon with in his silver years. Indian art has touched a new high with even late works of Raj Ravi Verma, the 19th century artist who worked for the King of Travancore fetching new prices. Even eighty-nice year-old Jehangir Sabavala’s abstracts are considered great investments. Learn more about Investing in art and Indian art

Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain. His father was a painter of nature, especially birds. Picasso’s father was a professor of art in the School of Crafts. Picasso showed an interest in art from an early age. Picasso attended art schools through most of his childhood, some of those classes were taught by his father. He decided not to finish art college at the Academy of Arts and left before completing his first year.

In Paris, Picasso associated with a distinguished group of friends. Cubism was began by Picasso and Georges Braque and was the first well developed movement that used abstraction as its basis in depicting form. Picasso is also well known for his experimentation with color. He was one of the most revolutionary of all the modern artists. Working in paint, sculpture, ceramics and prints - many of his works of art have become icons in the world culture.

Pablo Picasso affiliated with artist Georges Braque and was one of the co founders of Cubism, but he co founded other art movements as well. Picasso was a leader of the Paris art scene for some time. The art of Pablo Picasso influenced many artists by his movement to geometric and abstract form. Because of his involvement in revolutionary movements he will always be seen as an innovator. He is considered one of the best artists in art history, as well as one of the most influential of all artists on contemporary art. He is one of the most researched artists as well as being one of the most popular.

Does art make the world a better place, or is it quite useless? This is a very ancient riddle, and no one has solved it yet. A similar question - has art truly had any impact upon society? Has it fashioned or molded minds? Has it shaped opinions and altered how people feel or think? Is it practicable in or relevant to society and its individuals’ daily lives?

Art reflects life. It is a portrait of history, whether it is history of the current moment or an event in the past or something of the imagination. Art has captured an event, clarifying its existence and representation to society. The portraits of the French Revolution by David, Benjamin West’s portrayal of the death of General Wolfe and Poussin’s recreation of the Rape of the Sabine Women all strive to provide a version of historical events. Society, in turn, can accept or reject these portrayals of true events. Sometimes, as in the case of Goya’s depiction of the French behavior during their conquest of Spain, art inspires a deep hatred of a certain nationality.

Art encapsulate a country’s culture during that time period. Rembrandt, Rousseau, Monet, Hogarth, Whistler, Jan Steen, Frans Hal and Breughel depict for their generation the world as they see it. They affect future society by providing concise, if sometimes imaginative, depictions of daily life. Brughel the Elder paints peasants, Jean Baptiste depicts lower-class life and Daumier’s subjects in “The Third Class Carriage” are not the
lofty work of Gainsborough. The wit and graphicness of Hogarth in “The Rake’s Progress” or the imposing work of Thomas Eakins’ “The Gross Clinic” provide historians with clues and pictures to a vastly different way of life. Jan Steen’s “The Eve of St. Nicholas” provides a way to uncover how people spent Christmas in the early 17th century in the Netherlands.

Art has encouraged feelings of patriotism and national pride. Goya’s, “The Third of May, 1808,” the Americans portrayal of their revolution and countless other artists across the centuries have provided an impact extending beyond the work. Depictions of Washington crossing the Delaware, and portraits of battlefields, at home and abroad, are scenes that inspire society. These works also remind the public of their past, what has been sacrificed or accomplished and what they can aspire to in the present or future.

Artwork has also provided clues to lives long over and species since disappeared. Holstein provides us with portraits of people long dead e.g. Henry VIII, Erasmus of Rotterdam, as Rubens does with his painting of Marie de’ Medici. Goya’s masterful and psychologically rich work “The Family of Charles IV” lays bare the natures and relationships of this royal family for all of society to view. Art has also provided examples of garden styles, structures to be imitated and fashions to follow.

Artwork has allowed us to glimpse lives and lifestyles. At one time, dressmakers in the colonies used the artwork found in magazines and depicted in reproductions of paintings to create the latest in fashionable clothing. Art shaped a fashionable society where none had existed before. It allowed the Americans to be as up-to-date as their European counterparts. In the same manner, George Caleb Bingham with his painting “Fur Traders on the Mississippi” allowed Europeans a glimpse of another life. The art works by the Jewish artists trapped in the concentration camps of World War II preserve for all time the horrors of war and the inhumanity inflicted by one race upon another. Art has also been a medium to help spread a culture. Art of propaganda during war is a classic example. Posters urge people to support their troops. Marketing ploys ask consumers to buy locally or purchase a specific product. Pop art is probably one of the most influential societal tools of the modern and post-modern age. The best possible example is Any Warhol. His Campbell Soup Cans are now icons.

Art has stirred the imagination of all nations from the earliest time. It has helped roused patriotic fervor, brought new ideas and culture to light, raised questions and rewritten or reinterpreted historical events. Art has provided clues to the past and advanced questions about the future. Its impact continues to be felt emotionally. For, above all, art touches us beyond the intellect, reaching down into society’s emotional core. In the end, the greatest impact of art is its ability to provide us with the truth about the world seen through the eye of an artist.

By: Grant Eckert

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

About Author
Grant Eckert is a writer for Maccaca. Maccaca is a leading Art & Photography | Social Network. visit at: www.maccaca.com

The history of oil painting goes back to very old times when man endeavored to detain his world and knowledge in paint. It was profound in the grottos of Southern Europe when man assorted animal fats with earth and stain to form what could be measured as the first oil paints. The paint was then altered onto the walls of the grotto, with the prehistoric images of the hunters and the animals sought after becoming the earliest creative creations of humankind.

The oil painting medium developed when during the time of 15th century, Jan van Eyck the well known Belgian painter found that linseed oil and oil from nuts can be mixed with different colors to generate dazzling oil colors. Though there is proof that some English artists from the 13th Century made use of oils, van Eyck leftovers the discoverer and first advocate of oil painting technique, as we know it these days. In modern times, oil painting color is one of the most in style choices of appearance by artists globally, as it offers enormous variety & methods, strong depth of color vitality and durability that allow paintings to last thousands of years.

It is as well one of the most lenient mediums - the paint could be simply directed on the canvas and if you make a error you could always clean the color off the canvas (only with a cloth dipped in turpentine), due to the length of ventilation time. The amazing flexibility of oil color provides itself completely to the customary painting techniques of joining together and glazing, impasto and scumbling on a huge number of surfaces, giving the artist excellent results. These days oil painting reproduction is gaining more and more popularity.

These online auctions make it easier for an avid art collector or even a new collector to add to his/her collection. It is hard to personally attend the wonderful auctions throughout one’s own city, let alone state or country.

Many auctions will allow people to bid both in person and via the internet. The auction will be hosted live via the internet. A person will be in charge of watching as internet bids are made. If a bidder places an online bid it holds as much power as a bid from the audience member.

But there are secrets that those who win at these online art auctions knows. For example:

* The names and web addresses of these online auction sites

Knowing these is the ultimate key to their success. Type in the words online art auction and many names will be provided.

Some of the most popular sites are:

Sotheby’s- This auction site presents auctions throughout the world. They handle estates, trusts and even appraisals.

Christie’s - This auction site has been known for the showcases since 1766. The website offers a very useful section that will explain how online auctions work, such as how bids are accepted, etc.

Bonhmas and Butterfield - This auction site is their largest in the United States and is the third largest in the world.

* After you know the addresses of some of the auction sites you need to become use to the format at each website. Study it. Read how they accept bids. How payment should be sent, etc. Make sure you understand everything before any auction begins.

*If you have questions, do not hesitate to talk to a representative at the auction house via phone or email, before the auction begins. You can’t win if you do not understand how the site and the auction operate.

*Read up on the art work being auctioned. You should find out the true value for anything that you might want to buy. You may even want to go to a site such as artprice.com and check on the record of the artist who produced the work of art. Most records will have information on artists at least 10 years prior.

*If you are doing this to make money, remember to have some goals in mind. Know what types of pieces you wish to acquire and try not to stray too far from your first instincts. It can be easy to get caught up in all the beautiful as well as thought provoking pieces you might find. Stay firm in your resolve.

* Set a goal of how much you want to spend and how much is your limit. Then stick to your goal. Don’t allow your adrenaline to rush you into decisions that you may soon regret.

Yes, you can definitely make money by buying, saving and possibly even trading art. One way to begin your career and investment in this lucrative market is by learning the secrets on how to win at these online art auctions.

These two art works are my recent projects. They are done in pencil medium. Feel free to give me your comments.

In more recent centuries, art in healthcare facilities has been of four types: religious, honorary, medical and charitable. Religious art has often depicted the glory of heaven and the trials of earth. This type of art has questionable value for someone whose assumed goal is to remain on earth. Honorary art depicts donors and has little or no meaning for patients. Medical art originally depicted actual medical procedures including surgery and autopsies. For a patient, these images were likely to have been distressing, frightening and even horrifying.

Although the emphasis in the medical field has shifted to patient-centered care, remnants of some of these types of art remain in almost all healthcare facilities and doctor’s offices. Posters donated from pharmaceutical companies often hang on the walls of examination and treatment rooms. These may depict various stages of ear infections or lung diseases and give information about the medications or antibiotics that can be prescribed.

Alternately, posters depicting medical procedures such as the anatomy of knee replacement can still be found in many medical offices. Other common images in healthcare facilities include anatomical charts of the muscular or skeletal systems.

Fortunately, art depicting medical conditions and anatomy, which have no value for healing, are rarely found in patient recovery rooms. The benefit of positive art, usually scenes of nature, has been studied in depth by Roger Ulrich, Ph.D. Studies conducted by him and others indicate that “healing art” images affect the autonomic nervous system, hormonal balance, brain neurotransmitters, the immune system and the blood flow to all organs in the body. Neurophysiologists have further determined that art connects us to the worlds of imagery, emotion, visions and feelings. This connection can be critical in the healing process.

Other hospitals and medical practitioners have tried a variety of innovative approaches to using art for healing. For example, a dentist’s office commissioned an artist to create a mural of the underside of a pond on the ceiling in their treatment room. This lighthearted mural included the bottom half of a duck complete with feet sticking out into the room. The mural served to distract and amuse patients during dental procedures.

At the University of Maryland, an Enchanted Forest was created for the children’s ward. Trunks from enormous trees were used as the theme for a place for children to play, doctors to relax and families to unwind.

For patients who must lie on their backs for extensive medical tests, some hospitals have installed painted or stained glass covers on their overhead lights. The colors chosen are generally cool and relaxing and the images are gentle, curvilinear patterns similar to ripples on a pond or clouds in the sky.

These projects demonstrate the wonderful role that art and creativity can play in healthcare facilities and in the lives of patients, just when they may need uplifting and inspirational influences the most!

Dividing a picture into equal halves is boring. Do not have any diagonal line forming from corner to corner of a painting. Also, avoid dividing a picture into equal halves. Do not have line that divide the painting into sides with equal length and of the same proportion.

Placing a mountain peak or a roof form in the exact center with sides of equal length also violate the rule of composition. Try to place them off center, with sides of equal length. In creating mountains or roof skylines, it is more interesting if the angles and lengths of the sides are varied.

Read also :creating visual interest in your painting

The eyes love to see odd numbers rather than even numbers. Odd numbers are more intriguing for the mind. It is also this reason that triangles and pentagons are favoured more by the eyes than squares as they have uneven number of sides.

When compositing your drawing the next time, remember that there should not be any regular and predictable pattern. The sizes and spacing between elements should be different to create visual interest for your eye and mind.

According to Cathy Malchiodi, in her book “The Art Therapy Source-book”, art therapy is “…based on the idea that the creative process of art-making is healing and life enhancing, and that it is a potent form of communication. It utilizes the creative process… to promote growth, self-expression, emotional reparation, conflict resolution and transformation.”

Art healing is a hands-on, self-help approach to overcoming obstacles in one’s life. It’s not enough to read articles or books on art healing, you must participate in the creative process for it to be beneficial.

And while artists in general tend to focus on the visual aspects of artwork, art healing is focused is on feelings and thoughts.

According to Malchiodi, art healing is beneficial in several ways:

• Visually dealing with traumatic emotions can feel safer then dealing with them in words.

• It lets us express things we cannot express in words.

• Its helpful in releasing emotions.

• It is a powerful therapeutic process that has meaning and comes directly from our own feelings and imagination.

• It allows us to get to know ourselves.

• It is available to everyone.

• It enhances our lives and reduces stress.

Anyone can use art, from crayons and construction paper to acrylics and oils, to move themselves beyond pain and stress. Art healing has been used by many cultures for centuries (although not called art healing) to keep individuals and communities centered and in touch with themselves.

If you are keen on abstract art, feel free to try it. Do not think that abstract art is too simple and that anyone can do it. This is a limiting thought!

Always paint with an intention. This is what separate a piece of art work and a simple drawing.

Efforts to create pictorial space in painting

Painting, as in architecture, has similarity in its importance to create space. In architecture, we create space to accommodate the functional activity for people to live in, while in painting, space is created for the subjects to ‘live’ in. Both create spaces by using analogical principal in organizing and arranging the elements of art (lines, shapes, forms, colors, textures etc.) with a different medium of expression. Both reflect the senses and emotions of the designers or artists.  

For a designer or an architect, a lot of functional and practical constraints sometimes influence the end result. It differs, however, for an artist or a painter, who can choose his/her own framework.  But even without these constraints, the freedom for a painter in creating pictorial space is not always easy.  In fact, it is incredibly difficult because of the complexity in organizing all the elements of art in the scope of design principles (balance, harmony, rhythm, proportion etc.).  

In my painting, I try to create pictorial space (a non-physical space) or a sense of three-dimensional space by placing forms in a way that each has a related ‘opposite’ that creates ‘tension’ among them, so that an overall balance and unity can be felt. Also, in my painting, I always make the lines or forms fluid to create a sense of movements for the subject, which do not necessarily imitate reality. 

Wild horse. I try to depict the struggle of a wild horse to remain free by climbing a rocky mountain (her living space) to avoid being captured, with a creek shown in the distance to reflect the depth of the cliff and the enormous space surrounding her.  

Violinist

The curlicue lines and planes, besides giving a sense of movement, also form spaces which emanate the violinist from the two dimensional canvas. 

The pianist

The elastic form of the piano gives a sense of rhythm and aggressiveness of the pianist. The curlicue colored lines balanced the irregularities of the deconstructed form. 

Self portrait

In my self portrait, I add colored layer planes to create a sense of depth/space with the yellow plane in front of the face and the black plane at the background 

Conclusion

In painting, I always take into consideration the creation of pictorial space as my main objective although it is a very tough endeavor to achieve. I believe that by expressing pictorial space, it can illuminate the painting as a monumental work of art. 

See related post : Understanding space in painting-pictorial space

Whether you are an abstract painter or an artist who paint naturalistically, remember that you have to learn how to organise your painting.

The best way is to organise the elements in your painting into lines, squares, rectangle, triangles, ovals and circles (basic shapes) to establish a relationship with the paper you are drawing. And the shape of the paper you are using is normally rectangle, right?

Art work becomes a visual expression of the person’ s underlying driving forces, hopes, motivations, fears and blocks.

Art therapists believe that the act of making a piece of art, triggers internal activity that contributes to physical, emotional and spiritual healing. For people who are not able or ready to create art, viewing art refreshes the spirit and promote relaxation.

Even with art market research, it is hard to forecast how the price of an art work will perform. Valuation of an art work is nothing more than just a value. It depends all on the value that the art work can receive upon its sales.

So, if you plan to invest in art, do not spend more than you can afford. Remember that in the art market, no one will ever pay the same price again for an art work!

Warm colours are associated with energy, excitment,activity and strength. Cool colours are on the other hand, associated with serenity, loneliness and gentleness.

Next time you go to an art gallery, ask yourself why you would spot a painting even when you are far away. It is because of the colour tone. You will be drawed by the warmth energy of a well composed painting.

When you get closer to the painting and read the image clearly, you will have noticed that it fits the feeling you have already experienced when it first attracted you!

 Andy Warhol ( August 6 , 1928– February 22, 1987 ) is an American pop artist who is especially influential during his time. But, is buying his work, worth the money?

In Singapore, art investment is increasingly seen as a viable alternative investment option because some good art assets have in deed generated spectacular gains for the investors. In some cases, the rewards have been more than equities and property investment.

But, investment in art is only worthwhile if you really appreciate the work. According to a newspaper article, 80 percent of all art deals in the world are closed at a price of between one euro and 10,000 euros. Around 16 percent of such deals are close at between 10,000 and 99,000 euros and around 3.6 percent are done between 100,000 and 999,000 euros.

Based on the statistic, it appeared that art investment is not just for the millionaires! Everyone with an interest in art and investment can enter the art market. But take this words of advice ‘ Do your homework before you make any purchase.’ You should check out galleries and their websites and consult art experts. If there are art fairs around, attend it as you will be able to meet and talk to experts, dealers and other buyers.

Milky colour arise when you add white to make a passage turn lighter and the resultant colour appears chalky. It is not the same as neutral colour! A muddy colour tone appears when a neutral mixture has lost its identity and it often arised because of the use of too much elements in the colour mixture.

So when trying to achieve rich, earthly and neutral colour, try not to use brown from the tube. Achieve an earthly colour by using more colour mixture than simply adding more brown.

However, most beginner artists will agree that it is hard to take what we have imagined in our minds and place them onto our drawing paper. Most newcomers lack the ability to organise the chaotic mind into a system of order so that the final art work is a by product of a systemic thought process.

This though process can be known as composition. Composition is the integration of many different kinds of art techniques and philosophies with one’ s technique and style in painting. Composition technique is never easy and should be studied in great details for anyone interested in the study of Art.

Compositional technique can be easier to master if one ask himself/herself these questions when painting. What is the ’spirit’ of the object that you are trying to capture in your painting? What is the most interesting aspect of the object that you will want to focus on?

Yes, the keyword is focus! If there is no focal point, then you will not be able to capture the emotion of the subject and express it on paper in a way that will maximize the impression you will hope to achieve.

And always remember that the selection of the colour and tone is critical to bring out the mood of the painting. Every decision you made as the artist should have a primary reason behind it. Composition in art is about how you react to a subject and introduce your personal quality through your drawing.

See other posts :Understanding space in painting -pictorial space

Dry medium

-graphite pencils-9B(hardest) to 9H(hardest)

-carbon pencils(very soft)

-coloured pencils

-Charcoal pencils (cleaner than charcoal sticks)

-Hard pastels

-Pastel pencils

Wet medium

-watercolour

-sumi-e ink for line and wash (water soluble, permanent black)

-oil paint

Check out Blick Art Materials

If you are familiar with the colour wheels, complementary colours are always shown directly opposite each other. Example, across red is green, across yellow is purple and across blue is orange.

So that time when you paint, instead of using a more traditional palette, try to limit to the families of two complementary colours which are best suited for the theme of your painting!

Colour wheel

See other post on contrast and colour: Creating form in painting with contrasting colour

Colour can be used to model a form in painting. In a monochromatic painting, we would often mix varying amounts of black and white colour to show the progressive change in light around an object. Using opposite colour is a very powerful technique. If you choose to use only value and temperature, then the effect will not be as powerful as using contrasting colours.

Complementary colour palettes lead to paintings which have a strong colour. If you limit the colour palette to just two families, the colour mixtures are related and you will hence create an atmospheric effect in your painting !

Biography

Krishna Yana Stamboel, born in 1957, received his degree in architecture from the Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia.  For more than 20 years, he primarily focused on his profession as an architect, planning and designing a variety of property projects.  But his passion for painting, apparent since an early age, remains.  In 1996, he participated in a painting exhibition whose participants were families of the Indonesian diplomatic corps. Painting for him is a means to break away from the technical and practical function of architecture as he feels that both have similar aesthetic objectives in forming and creating pictorial space.

Bass man

Hide and Seek

Self-potrait

Wild horse

The choice

Like the above art work? Give your comment and contact williamtanstudio@gmail.com if you wish to have your work featured on this blog.

Contact us if you would like to contact the artist, Mr Krishna.

See related post :Understanding space in painting-pictorial space

See other posts ”
Inside the life of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo Da Vinci - A Legacy of Immortal Genius

Step 1: observe the object you are drawing. Give yourself time to see the pattern of shadow and lights produced. For example, if you are drawing an apple with napkin, observe the contour of the apple and the shadow that the apple casts on the napkin.

Step 2:Use your pencil to set the local tone. Local tone is the value that is general to the object.

Step 3: Bring out the shadows of the objects with repect to its surrounding. Shadows helps to bring out the three dimensional value of the object in your drawing.

Step 4: Always put the drawing away from you from time to time. Rest your eyes. A set of refreshed eyes is necessary for you to see elements of shade and shadow that you would have missed out.

Remember that art of shading is related to the art of observation. Drawing is a way of expressing what you see in a given object. Have fun practising!

Related post: Art of shading

Are you an artist who prefers abstract art or do you like realism? What is it that really determine the kind of person you are or your character? Remember, only when you understand yourself, then can you become a better artist.

Your art work is a reflection of your character. When you draw, allow your spirit to take over. Draw with confidence and an air of authority. Never be too afraid to try something new that you have thought about.

If you are a beginner, I suggest that you can read up Art history books to learn more about the different art styles so that you can discover your predilection.

The human figure grows with the same perfection of proportion as that of seashell, an animal etc. Pattern is important in uniting the different parts into a complete whole.

If you are curious about proportion, then check up Leonardo da Vinci’ s famous Canon of Proportion. It has guided sculptors and artists throughout history. In the Canon of proportion, it is believed that the perfect adult body length is six times the length of the head.

Let me share with you some terminology about the art of shading .

Tone: local tone is the most general value of an art work. It can be light, medium or dark but it does not matter. What is important is that an artist is able to express the drawing in a series of varying tones.

Hight light: It is the most concentrated spot of light on the drawing. Highlight appears on smooth surface.

Cast shadow: Produced by an opaque object that gets in the way of a light source.

Form shadow: Produced when an object turns itself away from the light source. It is the darker side of an object form.

Reflected light: It is light that bounces off another object and comes back to reveal the form. It is always lighter than the highlight of the drawing.

In the art of shading, always observe the objects that you are drawing. Look at the subject matter as it is important to establish an order for seeing and receiving information about the subject you are drawing.

It is always good that you build a drawing from the general to the specific. You should always see and record the overall structure of the subject you are drawing first, before getting into the details.

For example, when drawing an apple, determine the order in which you want to build the pattern of lights and darks that it presents. Observe the subject you are drawing before picking up your pencil to draw. Do not fall into the mistake of most people, that is drawing without planning.

A good painting is one that is only rich in contrast, but one in which the contrasts are balanced and in harmony with each other. For example, if light and shadow are the two constrasting elements in your painting, they must be able to connect with each other through their hue and colour tones.

I would like to share with you a system of classifying artistic elements into these yin and yang concept:

 Composition: up and down, left and right

Texture: Rough and smooth. thick and thin

Brushwork: Long and short, slow and fast, sharp and blurred

Colour: Soft and strong, cold and warm

Tone: Transparent and opaque

P.S: Get a free ebook by subscribing to this blog!

I have another good new to share with all of you. From today onwards, I will be featuring art works produced by my subscribers. So if you are interested in having your work published on this site, do sign up today.

 You can contact me at williamtanstudio@gmail.com for more details.

Today, I would like to introduce a fellow Singapore Artist by the name of Victor Tan, whose sculptural works have touched the lives of many.

As Victor puts it ‘ Art is life, life is art. Art is part of me as it can be apart from me.Art is about possibility. It is open to anyone.’

Like Victor, I am a firm believer that Art is not restricted to just the Artists and the Rich. Art is meant to be enjoy by everyone. Watch this video and enjoy Victor Tan ’s Art works.

Save up to 75% on Art Supplies at MisterArt.com

Abstract painting, particulary the nonobjective painting of many artists since the 1940s is arguably devoid of meaning. In fact many artists want it that way. They prefer to see purely compositional factors, the tenets of design as the measure of their works. Does this relegate them to the level of design, not truly “high art.” Abstract paintings can do two things.

1) They can ascend to the highest level of design, and 2) they may transcend it to “high art.” Just as Kurt Schwitters paper snips transcend the craft of hobbyists cutting paper, and Joseph Cornell’s boxes transcend the craft of cabinet makers or box designers - so can an abstract paintings transcend design. The criteria of meaning needs some discussion in my opinion. The “meanings” that some narrow-sighted critics refer to as being the paramount criterion of “high art” revolve around historic, philosophic, and religious dimensions. These meanings purportedly reflect the highest ideals and aspirations of man and god(God?).

 I appreciate meanings as much as the next person. I like the classical, epic struggles of mythology, the ancient renditions of the history of the world, the religious icons of every century, the struggles of mankind and every individual in mankind. These are wonderful meanings and certainly worthy of artistic depiction. Now consider the meaning of a man/woman who struggles to create pure beauty. The artist. The artist who wants to create not only “high art” but does so without the tools of religious thought, without the maps of cultural revolutions, without the applause of an informed and socially motivated political movement, without the traditions of a craftsmens guild. Consider this courageous individual.

These individuals not only attempt real, although only mortal, creation at its highest level - they do so in a unique and hardwon individual style. In addition, their work is meant to free, enhance and amplify your perception of art and beauty in all of its mysterious manifestations. That “is” meaning. You can witness this meaning in its visual record of each abstract painting.

No, not every painting is a masterpiece - and it can’t fall back on cliche’ or a social nomenclature. It stands as a testament to a real struggle to push something to the highest level of art with no help from all the other “manifold meaning packages” that were the reason for art in previous centuries.

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Abstract Art
Tia Marks Contemporary Art Gallery Tia Marks is the Executive-Editor of Contemporary Art Gallery - The Online Magazine for Trends in the Visual Arts. CAG specializes in abstract painting, artist interviews, exhibitions, sculpture, collage, ceramics, prints, jewelry, essays, and art world announcments. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tia_Marks

Watch this video for more idea about airbrushing technique

Abstract art can be purchased in the same form as other types of art. It can be purchased as an original, meaning that there is no other like it out there or at least that this is the actual piece that the artist designed. It can also be purchased as a piece of art that is a replica. This would be a recreation of the piece of art. In any case, if an individual is to purchase an original piece of art that is abstract, he should insure that it is an original. To do this, they should have a professional actually have a look at the piece to determine the value of it. In most cases, they will be able to spot a fake rather quickly.

Abstract art is an excellent choice for a home or a professional office. Besides being an investment that is likely to grow in value over the course of time, it is also an excellent addition to the home. It can be a good piece to talk with company about. It can be a great piece to set the tone of the room as well. For example, many individuals will be able to find a piece of abstract art that they love and then design an entire room around it. This makes the room fit the piece which can be a great quality for it to have.

This type of art comes in all sorts of varieties. It can be a good choice for individuals of all types of style and tastes. There are all mediums displayed and provided to be sold too. A great place for those that are looking to purchase art is the web. There are many various types of art that can be purchased here and there are some beautiful pieces from unknown artists just waiting to be discovered.

View more articles from artbuds.com
 

It contains excellent material on basic anatomy and facial structure, including an extensive section on drawing the face from varying angles. Bare in mind that comics drawing is an art in its own rights. To become a successful comic artist, one would need to be trained in its fundamental drawing technique. This book offers the chance for you to learn comics drawing technique by yourself!

Hart illustrates how a simple lift of the shoulder, look in the eye, or furrow in the brow can make the difference between the ordinary and the cutting edge character, pushing you toward creating unique personalities that are the gold standard for designing extreme comics. Dozens of fantastic, “how-to” illustrations accompany each section. There’s also instruction on how to create intense coloring techniques such as knockouts and glows. Rounding out this rad offering is a collection of leading artists describing how they create original character designs, many issued exclusively for this book.

If you are interested in running your own comics series or find out more about the comics industry, then this book is all the more suitable for you. There are  interesting commentary on perspective, getting an agent, and publishing your work.
Find out more about Drawing Cutting Edge Comics NOW!

You can, of course, buy any kind of art work imaginable through auctioneers and don’t have to have a major fortune to do so. And the transaction costs are pretty reasonable. Although I haven’t bought anything from them in 20 years and don’t remember offhand if I paid a buyers premium the last time I did so or not, though typically the seller pays most of the transaction costs.

The rule for investing in art purchased from galleries is a word called: quadruple.

Most galleries make at least 50% commission. Today many popular galleries are promoting the art of Russian and Chinese immigrants but only because they can exploit them with commissions far beyond the ordinary 50%.

So if the buyer purchases artwork from a gallery its price has to double before the artwork is worth the paid price. The way around this 50+% commission is for the buyer to take the time and effort and buy directly from the artist.

For an investor the gallery does not determine the value of art only the selling price. For an investor the real value of art is what the artist gets paid. The economics of investing in art: the owner of a piece of art is not likely to sell it for more than what the artist can sell it to a gallery.

So the rule in investing in art, purchased from galleries, is that when the price quadruples the buyer can then sell it through a gallery and get his money back, minus inflation – IF HE CAN FIND A GALLERY that is not preoccupied with gimmicks and fads that exploit Chinese and Russian immigrants.

Buying the originals of illustrators has no formula, and little mathematics. Illustrators get paid for doing their illustrations/artwork by their agents. So when illustrators can keep their originals then anything they get from selling them is usually just a tax-free bonus. And so they often sell these originals for less money than they got paid for creating them in the first place. There is a story that when Norman Rockwell was well established, with The Saturday Evening Post, he would sometimes sell, and even give, his originals to younger less-successful colleagues as a kind gesture. These Norman Rockwell originals, which he probably sold for less than a few hundred dollars, have made some of these younger less-known — and some even unknown illustrators — far more wealthy than Norman Rockwell was.

The originals of those illustrators who have made history are beyond the reach of ordinary buyers. These originals will rarely if ever find their way into galleries for the simple reason that their owners know that what they have is far-far better than money.

When illustrators are firmly established in history then there are, and there always will be, all sorts of buyers who will pay cash for their originals so that not only does the seller not have to pay galleries their 50+ % but the profit is often, legally or illegally, tax-free.

This is the main reason the average person will never see the original illustrations of N.C.Wyeth, Norman Rockwell, John Clymer, James Bama, Howard Terpning, Frank Mc Carthy, Fred Otnes, Mark English, etc. for sale: because these originals work far-far better than money.

The simple fact is that illustrations can often be sold and resold for cash, and thus tax-free, until the IRS discovers that they exist, but only because they are officially sold.

And there are few good reasons to sell something — officially — as long as it is far-far better than cash.

The usage of oil paintings widely spread during the period of renaissance in Italy. It was so tedious that artists portraying oil paintings recipes containing olive oil were warned by a German monk, Theophilus in the 12th century. Oil painting techniques were invented or rather re-invented by the well-known Flemish artist Jan van Eyck in or around 1410.After him, it was Leonardo da Vinci who acclaimed the greatest credits amongst the renaissance painters.

Leonardo da Vinci was born in April 15, 1452 in Tuscany, Italy, to Ser Piero, a 25 year old notary and Caterina, a peasant girl. He was one amongst the few artists who achieved iconic status and legendary fame during his own lifetime. He was well renowned for his achievements as an artist, besides his diverse skills as a scientist and an inventor. His artistic masterpiece includes the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, being the famous ever artwork created.

Leonardo was apprenticed at the age of fifteen to Andrea Del Verrochio in Florence. During this time he painted an angel in Verrochio’s “Baptism of Christ”, which was for better than Verrochio’s works that Verrochio resolved to never paint again. The undisputed fact about da Vinci was his first known work dated 1473, was a drawing of Arno Valley. “Madonna and Child” completed in 1478, was his first solo painting. “Adoration of the Magi” was his first work of great significance commissioned by monks of San Donato a Scopeto. He introduced the themes of drama and movement. He pioneered the use of Chiaroscuro. This was the procedure of defining forms through the contrast of shadow and light.

In 1482, he went to the service of Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. During his service for the 16 years, he branched into other interests like anatomy and engineering. “Madonna on the Rocks” and also “the Last Supper” was painted by him during this period. These highly regarded spiritual paintings depicted the feast Christ had, where he was about to announce his imminent betrayal. In 1499, his patron the Duke of Milan was defeated in a French invasion which led to the painting “Battle of Anghiari”.

In 1503, Da Vinci started his work on the eternal Masterpiece “Mona Lisa”. Completed in 1506, it was the portrait of a wife of a Florentine noble. The lady came several days for the portrait but refused to smile, Leonardo even hired musicians to make her smile. One day Leonardo captured her fleeting smile which encapsulates a tremendous mysteriousness which is both intriguing and fascinating. That smile has made her eternal, immortalized the artist and the art.

The techniques of sfumato and chiaroscuro have been mastered by Leonardo. Sfumato is the technology of the gradual switch from a colour to the other by giving very delicate and expressive images. In 1513, he moved to Rome where he accompanied the patronage of the new Medici Pope, Leo X. In 1515, he left to spend the rest of his life at the castle of Cloux, near Amboise after he was invited by Francis I of France. Leonardo’s portrait was used during his lifetime with the iconic image of Plato in Raphael’s School of Athens. His immortal painting Mona Lisa was the most imitated artwork of all time. His drawing of Vitruvian man iconically represents the fusion of Art and Science.
He was of so amazingly prolific that the King of France bore him like a trophy of war ,gave him support in his old age and cradled his head as he died on May 2,1519.Words are of no justice for his accomplishments.

About the author:
Vijay kanth is a seo copywriter having more than 3 years of experience in this field who is currently working for the site 1artclub.com. For further information on oil paintings, art reproduction and Solvents please visit http://www.1artclub.com/ or contact me through mail: 1artclubpainting@gmail.com.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Related Post leonardo da vinci a legacy of immortal genius

War depiction through art was not merely propaganda to unite people for a common cause but to protest against the hostile forces whose political hypocrisy triggered off the scenes of inhumanity. The two World Wars led to the emergence of the new genre of war paintings, portraying the futile efforts of man to become the absolute superpower.

War paintings have played a decisive role towards creating a stir in the political world. Works of art mirror thoughts, beliefs, discourses or doctrines- that can move the society to act in a particular manner. The two World Wars, along with a number of other armed conflicts gave rise to a number of art creations, much of which was focused towards uniting people for a common cause.

Amongst the modern art creations based on war themes, the Vietnamese art speaks volumes of the war, its causes and effects on society, and the destruction that was brought in its fold. Almost all the recognized Vietnamese artists have spared their energies towards depiction of the Vietnamese war at some or other point of time.

Nguyen Nghia Duyen presents a unique combination of futuristic socialist realism with the government’s affinity for placid war scenes in his painting, Uncle Ho at the Border Campaign 1950. The artists, in their works, also showcased the role of women in the Vietnamese war. Women oriented paintings chiefly centered on depicting women as a unifying character- a symbol of community as well as an acceptable ‘national’ figure.

Mai Van Hien, in her paintings, portrays a peasant woman with a yoke in her hand interacting with a soldier. The painting serves to express not only the community to which she belongs but also her whole-hearted support for the army. The cheerful expression on both the faces emphasize on the harmonious relationship that the two of them share, indirectly highlighting the support of the common people for the army.

However, there seems to be a little discrepancy on the way the government has eyed some of the depictions in Vietnamese art. While the Vietnamese government instantly recognized Mai Han Hein’s painting, another painting called, The Enemy Burned My Village by Nguyen Sang, received a cold response. The reason for the contradictory responses from the government lies in the message sent by the artworks.

 The importance of war above the miseries of mankind as emphasized by the latter was chiefly the reason behind the government’s attitude towards the painting. Vietnam artists did not invest much effort in portraying the cruelties of the war. Rather, they concentrated their energy towards the day-to-day toll for running a war campaign.

Nonetheless, the Vietnamese war made possible the creation of innovative art works both by the American and the Vietnamese artists. The Vietnamese paintings, as well as those created by American artists, clearly testify to the changing attitudes of people in both the countries. It’s good to see that Vietnamese art has initiated a movement of cultural unification with America in spite of ideological differences between the two.

Suzanne Macguire is an Internet marketing professional with keen interest in the art genres showcased in the renowned art gallery of Vietnam. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_Macguire

Interior Decora will be your best online source for interior decorating tips!

Some tips that you can apply to protect your art work

1) Do not expose your art work to direct sunlight as strong UV light can fade and darken the colours

2)Avoid mounting spot lights directly over the art work. any light should preferably be indirect lighting,

3)Avoid exposing your art work to hot and humid weather. My singaporean friends, please take care of your art works as our tropical weather will show no mercy to your collection

4) I possible, have a frame with a glass cover for your art work display. This will help to prevent over exposure of  your art work to dirt and dust.

5) If you need to clean your art work, use a damp cloth. Never use chemicals or detergents as that will damage your art work!!!

These are simple guidelines for preserving your art work. They may sound simple and are common knowledge to many people. But, knowing these guidelines is not enough. Practise them!

Traditional Wood Frames

Available in styles A through D.Style A: Light gold frame.Style B: Antique burlwood with a gold frame.Style C: Cherry wood frame.Style D: Gold with a gold foil frame. These ready-made frames are crafted from solid pine, then hand finished with fine-quality stains and softly antiqued to give the look of an expensive, custom-made frame. Each frame has a natural linen liner and matching inset.

DO’S

1) Apply the oil paint densely, especially in the foreground

2) For beginner, try mixing a maximum of 3 colours to get your desire colour tone.

3)Try not to use too much white paint when lessening a colour tone. Using a lemon yellow or yellow ocher might just do the trick

4) Make areas that are further away in your painting less prominent. You can use a darker tone for your background

5) Add thick paint to highlights objects such as  rocks, tree foliage etc. This add an extra texture to it.

6))If you learn the color wheel this would as well be a good help.

Don’ts

a) Do not overuse  turpentine

b) Do not  over-mix your colors on your  palette. This would only result in a flat and dull colour tone which might look dirty as well

c) Avoid mixing more than three unlike colors

d) If  you add up a very thin layer of linseed oil to your canvas before you start the paint, you would work less trying to stroke the pigment on. This would give you a more workable surface to paint on. Your painting will also be shiny.

Products I recommend for the beginners:

What comes to your mind when you hear the word art therapist? Some people think that an art therapist psychoanalyzes art.

I first became aware of the power of the visual image and art therapy through my son. He was four years old when his father and I separated. The next day he drew a huge, scribble picture in red crayons……….unusual for him as he literally teethed on crayons and could draw detailed figures. He was in emotional turmoil. Next, and for about a year his people drawings no longer had faces. One would not need to be an art therapist to understand that this child was confused about his self-image and the people around him.

Art need not have words. It is a non-verbal language.

What is Art Therapy?

Art therapy is an established mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight. Art therapy integrates the fields of human development, visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other art forms), and the creative process with models of counseling and psychotherapy. It is in essence the marriage of art and psychology.

Although art therapists do not psychoanalyze art, they are skilled in the application of a variety of art modalities (drawing, painting, sculpture, and other media) for assessment and treatment. Several pieces of art are used to form an assessment based on elements within the art and its process.

How Does Art Therapy Work?

Although some people confess that they do not have any artistic abilities, it is my belief that artistic expression lies in all of us and requires a sense of trust and the freedom to allow the flowing for magic to happen.

An art therapist sets the stage for the magic to happen. In other words, the magic is the process by which a person explores their world using art medium to foster self-awareness guided by an art therapist. Similar to other mental health professionals, an art therapist provides a safe environment in which a person feels comfortable to share from the heart.

The process of creativity is transforming and allows the person to realign with oneself. Thus, creating art provides the opportunity for healing of personal issues which cause a person to be out of touch with one’s true essence. The art product is not only a representation of this process, but also a product of the Self.

It is known that just the process of creating art is therapeutic and talking about it may or may not enhance the experience. The sharing of artwork allows the person to be heard or understood as well as integrates the insights. It is a product of Self and how incredibly healing it is to have someone listen or be present when sharing at a deep personal level. This is the essence of art therapy.

In Summary, art therapy utilizes the creative process of artistic expression to promote healing. Art therapists are trained to understand and evoke artistic self-expression whereby a person gains greater understand of himself and the world. Art therapists promote individual well-being in an environment of safety and fun where a person feels free to be himself and share from a heart level. Art Therapists treat the person, his process and art with the utmost of compassion and skill to foster self-esteem and discovery.

 Other related posts:

Reducing stress through art therapy (http://william-tan.com/100/reducing-stress-through-art-therapy/)

Art and how it benefits the brain(http://william-tan.com/101/art-and-how-it-benefits-the-brain/)

Cancer patient finds healing in art(http://william-tan.com/102/cancer-patient-finds-healing-in-art/)

 But hey, this is something to cheer about as for the past month, I was getting 90 -99 visitors per day. I was abit worried as whether 99 is the maximum I could  get for my blog.

I am really overjoyed. Thank you all my readers as I promise to provide more entertainment and value to this blog. I would also like to thank my good friend Olive,the owner of  www.chinese-tools.com for his kind support. Jiayou!

Should graffiti writers be allowed to do anything they wanted? I am a keen believer that ‘controlled graffiti’ has more benefits than negative impacts on the society. It is true that vandalism is not welcome in the society. However, there are many graffiti writers who treat graffiti art as a form of community beautification. By community beautification, I consider graffiti art in urban ‘dead spaces’. They help to spice up abandoned urban blight and educate the public on social issues.

Graffiti art is a contrast to other forms of public art. Art form that requires no gallery hierarchy and no merchandizing and commercial hustle. There is a feeling that public advertising is the real cause of urban decay. Too much commercialism has caused the declined of public interest towards political and social concerns.

Graffiti art is a vehicle for people to connect with. It is the perfect platform for urban dwellers to know what is going on with a city. Looking at the writing on the wall, you can tell what are the social and political problems that are happening in the country.

Graffiti art is the ultimate expression of artistic democracy. It is a true reflection of the culture that it comes from. Graffiti artists send to the public a strong message-we should be more concern with social issues amid the influx of negative commercialism.

 Interested in improving your oil painting technique? Get Bob Ross’ 3-hour DVD on ”wet on wet ”oil painting technique.

In this video training programme, Bob will guide you  in great detail the basics of painting skies, mountains, trees, water, reflections, and more.  He will also guide you on the assembling of  the various components into a beautiful finished painting.

 Afraid of making mistakes in your painting? Fear not as Bob will teach you on how you can correct your mistakes and turn them into an advantage. To find out more

Click Here

Beautiful Landscape digital art using Painter 9.  The lighting quality is very well expressed

Mural painting was developed to a high degree in the belief that walls should enhance the beauty of the religious and royal objects they surrounded.

Traditional Thai painting was typically Asian in that conventional perspective was ignored and figures were large or small depending on their importance. Shadows were unknown and space was neutral rather than atmospheric.

Watch this video to learn more about Thai painting

To understand the works of artists engaged in this practice, it is important to recognize the significance and specificity of the images they are using to fashion their work. Without this knowledge, the work of artists like Wang Guangyi may be reduced to a mere aestheticization of the experiences of the Cultural Revolution, a view which threatens to limit the discussion of these works to their formal elements, foreclosing more important ideological and historical questions that must be raised.

It is perhaps equally essential, particularly for Western audiences, to keep in mind the dominance that the Maoist regime held over visual culture and artistic production in China from 1949 to 1976, a control that reached a near totality between 1966 and 1972, during the Gang of Four’s reign [i]. Wang Guangyi’s paintings combine the ideological power of communist propaganda with the seductive allure of advertising. Juxtaposing revolutionary images with consumer logos, Wang’s canvases provocate with their duplicitous message, highlighting the conflict between China’s political past and commercialised present. Stylistically merging the government enforced aesthetic of agitprop with the kitsch sensibility of American pop, Wang’s work adopts the cold-war language of the 60s to ironically examine the contemporary polemics of globalisation. Through his critique, Wang’s paintings weave intricate narratives, implicating the role of the artist as an active participant (both as subjugator and subservient) in economic and social policy. Wang treads a very delicate line between moral dictum and capitalist endorsement; the interpretation of his paintings alternates with the subjectivity of context. Amalgamating, confusing, and blurring opposing ideological beliefs, Wang’s billboard sized canvases readily sell out national valour, while simultaneously devaluing status symbol luxury for the proletariat cause. Certainly, the vast legacy of propaganda that resulted from this period will continue to impact artists interested in critically examining China’s recent visual history. After all, these images were more than simply popular; for a time, they were the only ones allowed. Conclusions: Wang Guangyi had already established his own style and the impact of the work had won him a strong reputation in Chinese art circles.

What to Do Next… If you want any information about Wang Guangyi or looking for his paintings please visit us on http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/wang_guangyi.htm

 Today, Graffiti Art has too often been associated with  vandalism, which is punishable by law.

Often, graffiti is employed to communicate social and political messages. How much of an ‘art’ is Graffiti then? Does ‘art’ need a place inside the museum or gallery before it can be considered as art?

What is your take on Graffiti Art?

After all, unlike food, gas, clothes, and water - art is not something that we need. For most of us, art is something that we buy with our dwindling disposable income. But why? Well there are many reasons:

One of the most common reasons people buy art is to enhance their home decorating. A beautiful painting can make a world of difference to a stark, empty, white wall. A unique piece of sculpture can make a remarkable and transformed addition to a dull corner. The right art can beautify any environment.

Some people buy art as a sign of status. Imagine showing off to your friends a recently acquired Picasso original. Imagine the gossip and admiration that would surround you and how many of your peers will now see you as a person of stature, a person of class.

The purists among us will simply buy art for its beauty. These people when they look at a beautiful work of art are simply taken into another world. They can literally stare at the same art piece over a period of days and each time come away with new insight as to its meaning.

Museums buy art to attract visitors and tourists. Their concern is not with beauty so much. They want to make sure that any piece of art they buy will be a good return on investment. As long as people will pay to see it, they are satisfied.

Of course, one of the most popular reasons for purchasing art, especially paintings, is to cover up that blank space on the wall. In some neighborhoods I’ve lived in, it is the number one reason.

Many hobbyist art collectors will buy an artist’s original pieces as a potential investment opportunity. In a sense this is a little like playing the lottery, especially when sourcing works from new and unknown artists. While enjoyable, as one learns more and more about art, this sort of collecting can be quite addictive. The good thing is that your investment potential improves as your knowledge improves with your extensive research.

Have you ever bought a piece of art simply because something in it uniquely captures your own personality. Somehow it’s as if the artist, in that one art piece, is speaking to or for you. And it simply connects to you. Even if you’ve never been attracted to a piece of art in your life.

And lastly, there’s the “I wish I had said that” form of art collecting. This is where the artist has expressed something in such a unique or outrageous manner that you really wish you had thought of it first. But owning it is the next best thing. I would suspect that a large percentage of those that are drawn to political works of art fall into this category.

As we’ve seen, people buy art for many and varied reasons. And that is why art and artists will be around as long as there are humans on this earth.

He has shown work internationally in many exhibitions including the 5th Shanghai Biennale, Mahjon at Kunstmuseum Bern and Xianfeng! at Museum Beelden aan Zee  in the Netherlands.  He is represented by Art Beatus  in Vancouver and Chinese Contemporary  in Beijing and London.

Execution, inspired by the Tiananmen Square protest in 1998, was the most expensive chinese contemporary work  sold for usd 5.9 million

If you want to know more about the magic of digital art. Check this video!

Are you good at drawing? Maybe you would like to have your drawings displayed on this blog. Contact us now!

Art consists of all of the things created by man with his imagination. The Conservation profession is dedicated to preserving the artifacts created by man for the enjoyment and education of future generations. What is art conservation? It is the field of the preservation of art. It differs a bit from art restoration. Art conservation approaches the idea of preservation from the aspect of prevention. Art restoration attempts to restore objects to their original form.

Preventive conservation is an essential element of any group such as a museum or gallery that holds works of art. The idea is to carefully monitor the condition of the art and the environment surrounding it to minimize any damage. This includes the normal damage from aging and exposure to the elements. This is done by control of the environment and also continuously checking the condition of the art.

Art conservationist and art restorers are sometimes at odds over their different approaches to preservation. The feelings of the conservationist are that the use of modern materials to “touch up” a work of art in an attempt to restore it to its original look actually is destroying the integrity of the work. It is no longer a historic piece of art, but something half old and half new. Often, there is compromise between art conservation and restoration when the restorer is careful to use materials that can easily be removed to improve the appearance of the art. This process is called reversibility. In other words, the art can be reversed by the removal of the touch up materials to its original historic form.

Art conservation often includes the cleaning of works of art. This is considered to be part of the conservation process because dirt, grime, and pollution are serious culprits in the deterioration of the art. Even cleaning can cause some concern due to the potential damage of the cleaning agents. Usually, cleaning is done very carefully under lab conditions.

Art conservation is a very important field and several American Universities have programs for advanced study of it. In the past, little thought was given to the preservation of great works of art and as a result they have been lost to us forever. The creative work of mankind is a legacy that deserves to be passed on to future generations so that they can understand who we were and what our dreams were all about. Art is a reflection of the human race and part of its history and belongs as much to the future as it does to the present.

Such is his influence that Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th century Impressionism and the early 20th century’s  Cubism. Matisse and Picasso both commented that Cézanne “is the father of us all”.

Cézanne’s work demonstrates a mastery of design, colour, composition and draftsmanship. His often repetitive, sensitive and exploratory brushstrokes are highly characteristic and clearly recognisable. He used planes of colour and small brushstrokes that build up to form complex fields, at once both a direct expression of the sensations of the observing eye and an abstraction from observed nature.

 The paintings protrayed Cézanne’s extensive study of his subjects, a searching gaze and a dogged struggle to deal with the complexity of human visual perception.

Watch this video to see some of his works.

Colour bears the unmistakable stamp of its epoch, and its fashion changes with the changing fashions of art. A mode of expression that was of living force at an era may grow at last to seem strange and formal.

 We may find that some effort of sympathy, and a measure of artistic culture, are necessary to the appreciation of the beautiful colouring of many of the earlier painters. We must understand what were the resources at their command, and what was the ideal motive underlying their work, before we are able to recognise the beauty of the result .

Bouquet of Roses by Abbott Fuller Graves

Abbott Fuller Graves( (1859-1936) was a renowned specialist in decorative open air garden paintings and floral still lifes. His use of thick, impasto brushstrokes, bright colors and natural light, most evident in his later garden paintings, showing the influence of European impressionism.

If you are looking for a decorative art, I would recommend that you check out more about decorative art by Abbott Fuller Graves

This easy-to-follow guide by noted artist and teacher Wendon Blake offers a wealth of valuable tips and suggestions for recording the beauty of nature on drawing paper.

Stressing the value of on-the-spot drawings, Mr. Blake’s clearly written manual provides time-tested advice

1. on training your powers of observation
2.  judging proportions of typical landscape forms such as boulders, trees and clouds
3.  learning how to judge light and dark areas of a subject to convert to black and white tones 
4. valuable pointers on how best to use pencil, chalk, charcoal and tools
5. establish linear and aerial perspectives
6. how to transform cubical, cylindrical, rounded and irregular shapes into such natural forms as mountains, forests, sand dunes, trees, meadows, shorelines, and other geographical features.

If you are seriously considering landscape drawing as a hobby, then Wendon Blake’ s
Dover Landscape Drawing Step by Step is a good introduction to the art of landscape drawing.

Click here to find out more

Watch the video please.

For now, I shall not reveal the name of my blog as it is still under construction.Hopefully, I can get it done before the end of Oct.

Stay tune to www.william-tan.com, my art blog, for more information . It will be out very soon!

‘Art buying is an inquiry into yourself’ said Dr Uli Sigg.’ A first time buyer should go to an art fair and look at everything. He should ask himself why he likes or hates something.

The best advice I got from Dr Sigg is that one has to be selective when paying high prices for an art work since contemporary Chinese art has become alot more expensive.

A tip would be for newcomers to buy photographs as they are cheaper. Second tip is to go to art fair early to pick up the best pick or to go late so as to negotiate with  the sellers.

 Lastly, remember to bargain for a good price!!!

 What excits me is that the users can play a part in deciding how they wanted the public art work to look like. It is refreshing as unlike many other countries, Singapore ’s public art work have mostly been around for ‘political’ and ‘historical’ reasons. (p.s think of the Sir Stamford Raffles statue).

Indeed, I am looking for more interactive art installations to appear in our urban context. We should see…

‘Public Power’ by Twardzik Ching Chor Leng

 See also  http://william-tan.com/151/public-art-in-kabul-afghanistan/