Artist Daily

Only As Good As the Hand Wielding It

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:52:00 GMT

A painting brush isn't animate. It isn't going to teach me how to paint or go about painting art when no one is looking. It needs the hand of the artist to do its job.


Penitent Mary Magdalene by Titian, 1560s, oil on canvas.

But one thing a brush—by its very nature—is made for is emphasizing paint texture. Just think back on how early Renaissance artists worked through decades in which a smooth glossy surface was tantamount. That changed dramatically when artists like Titian and Rembrandt came on the scene.

All of a sudden, paint techniques grew to encompass how the paint sat on the surface. Paint texture came to be analyzed like it was true writing on the wall. The marks of the brush could provide endless painting lessons for oil painting students and practitioners.

You could look at the dabs of color that dot a painting and see leaves, pebbles, rain or snow. A long vertical stroke that widens at the bottom becomes a tree trunk with one controlled swipe. A gestural curving stroke becomes the shape of a reflected piece of light on a glass bottle.


		Woman with a Pink by Rembrandt, 1660s, oil on canvas.

But the most important of all painting lessons dealing with brushwork that I've learned has to do, in a way, with putting form to function. Make marks that describe the shapes you are painting. Short dabs can be ripples of water, broad strokes can follow the motion of drapery, whatever you want—the point is that we are all cognizant of how the stroke in essence becomes the form. That's the greatest reward to learning how to handle a paintbrush in varied ways—the stroke you make come together with your intention to (hopefully) create the object you see in your mind's eye!

American Artist Guide to Painting Techniques is the resource I started with when starting to delve into brushwork. There's an informative breakdown of brushwork by medium and by the kind of painting you intend to make. All in all, I've found it is a worthwhile guide to keep nearby and reference often. Enjoy!

Educate + Inspire + Equip

Courtney Jordan — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:29:00 GMT


	Old Cedar by Bill Guffey, oil, 18 x 24.		Peasant by Joan Langdon, watercolor painting, 10.5 x 11.5.		Tomiko by Adriana Guidi, oil on canvas panel, 14 x 18.

That's Brian Neher's mantra for his upcoming free art contest, and it is one that I can certainly identify with. These are truly the three essentials I've found that really do lend themselves to artistic growth. And without any one of them, the others are less effective.

So when Brian let me know that art competitions were on his radar (past entries, above), and that he was pulling together a strong list of sponsors like Richard Schmid and Daniel Gerhartz, plus prizes from Yale University Press, Blick Art Supplies, and Jerry's Artarama, among others, I was really impressed. It is so gratifying to know that there are so many artists out there working to put together art contests that can really make a difference to artists.

We at Artist Daily and American Artist want to support Brian's important mission to reach artists and help them along their individual creative roads, which is why we have donated a one-year digital subscription as part of the Grand Prize package for the art competition.

If you are looking for a way to recharge your painting or drawing practice, or are simply interested in gaining some well-deserved recognition through art competitions, this free art contest could very well be for you. Enjoy!

Are Your Colors Going to Be "In" This Spring?

Courtney Jordan — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:06:00 GMT

I know it is only January, but I'm already thinking spring! And so is the Pantone Color Institute. The organization has just released their seasonal color report, and while this is specifically written for the fashion and design industry, we art-minded peeps are sure to find it equally interesting, even if we don't match our oil painting or watercolor palettes to the trends they are predicting.

Apparently hot neon colors and soft pastels are going to be the talk of the spring season. Plein air painters know what this is about-nature at its extremes. An incandescent sunset, the ocean glimmering as evening settles with lightning pulsing in the distance-all of these create the kind of environment when bright and soft colors mingle, just as fashion designer Nanette Lepore points out.

Yellow is going to be a key color of the spring season. And thinking through that, is anyone really surprised. The warm richness of yellow is what sunlight is all about. Plus, yellow is never given enough credit for being the backbone of a lot great greens.

Pantone is also predicting a couple of interesting neutrals for this year: Driftwood and Starfish. The names are less than informative, but the colors are interesting. They made me think of coastal rocks and clay creek beds.

What colors are you going to unleash in your pastel, oil, acrylic, watercolor—whatever!—paintings and drawings this spring? Let me know!

Hello, February Painting of the Month!

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:41:00 GMT

Come like the Artist Daily page on Facebook and see our February Painting of the Month. Enjoy!

Color Wars

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 04:04:00 GMT

When I asked friends and colleagues about landscape painting artists with the best use of color, the conversation got downright heated. Mostly because there's so much to consider when you look at each individual artist's color "theory" or purpose they have for the painting. Color schemes are going to vary depending on whether the artist wants to convey mood or expression; to capture the light or a time of day; or to create a dynamic composition that is less about reality and more about creating a painting that visually holds together.

Corot—I'm not sure how Corot did his color mixing, but I'm consistently amazed at how pearlescent his colors appear. He rendered form tightly with the brush, but his colors were all about a delicate, natural unfolding.

Ville d'Avray by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot,
ca. 1867, oil on canvas.

Levitan—I think if I'd had Levitan's eyes, I would know what true color is. That's what I think of when I look at his work—that the colors are so pure that it almost seems like he was painting with colored glass.


A Sunny Day by Isaac Ilyich Levitan, oil painting, 1900.

Pissarro—To convey a time of day or year with the skill that Pissarro possessed was all about seeing light when mixing colors. Looking at any one of his works, you get the sense of a chill in the air or an overcast shadow to the sky because Pissarro believed in painting in the natural settings he found in the outdoors.


Boulevard Montmartre by Camille Pissarro, oil on canvas, 1897.

Whistler—An incredible atmosphere envelopes all of Whistler's nocturnes—they go from murky to jewel-toned, shadowed yet pierced with searing light. His color theory was all about building form through the arrangement of color that is beautiful and compelling, but may not necessarily be true to what is found in the natural world.


Nocturne: Blue and Gold - Old Battersea Bridge by James McNeill Whistler, 1872-77, oil painting.

One thing that sets an artist's color art abilities above the rest is his or her ability to paint light with color. Painting Light: The Cape Code School Method with Camille Przewodek was an eye opener in that regard for me. Przewodek shows how color and light are inextricably linked, and that the true test of color is how well it conveys light. Her process is an exciting challenge for any painter and one that will serve us all well when we have it mastered. Enjoy!

It's a First for Us--See What's Coming in the Newest Issue of Drawing Magazine!

Austin R. Williams — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Pages from Sabin Howard's drawing sketchbook and a finished sculpture. We just put a wrap on the winter issue of Drawing —you'll be seeing it in your mailboxes and on newsstands in February, and can order it in the Artist Daily Store as well. The cover of the new issue is something of a change of pace for us. Most of our past covers have featured arresting figure drawings created by some wonderful artists—Whitfield Lovell, Julio Reyes, Tony Ryder, and Susan Lyon are just a few...(read more)

Drawing Magazine Going Where It's Never Gone Before!

Austin R. Williams — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:49:00 GMT

Love to draw? Love to surf the internet? Then check out Drawing magazine's new Facebook page —featuring artists, tips on drawing basics, unique educational opportunities, and exclusive news about the magazine and the fast-paced world of drawing. Like our page , and stay up-to-date with helpful art updates! --Austin...(read more)

Let Me Arrange Your Life

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:46:00 GMT


The grapes establish dominance in an otherwise bland still life painting setup.

Your still life! By following a few key guidelines when creating still life painting setups, you will be on your way to creating successful, dynamic paintings that really stand out. Here are a few pieces of advice to keep in mind when putting together your own compositions.

Establish dominance. A composition instantly becomes more cohesive if there is a visual hierarchy and one object commands more attention than others.

The effect should be subtle, but it is always important to have a focal point or dominate object in a still life setup to guide the viewer through a painting.

Hit repeat. An affordable and easy way to compose a still life drawing or painting is to feature one kind of object in many different positions.

For example take a dozen apples, and arrange them with one goal in mind: to place or position each apple in a different way. The same visual appeal doesn't come if you use varied items, which can sometimes lead to a composition that appears too busy.


	A number of the same objects can make a compelling still life.



	Variety is created by using the oranges and peppers as a whole and in segments and slices.

Variety with just one item. Master still life artists are always focused on how to make the most of their chosen objects, and one possible way to do so is to paint an object both whole and in parts. For example, paint an orange whole, peeled, and separated into segments.

For more tips and tricks on still life art, you can pore over an entire year's worth of articles and instruction in our new American Artist CD Collection. Every issue for the entire year is there and will get you brainstorming your next artwork in no time. Enjoy!

Make Your Mark, But Make It Different

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:26:00 GMT

Recently, artist and our contributing blogger Daniel Maidman wrote a really insightful article about varying your mark making that I want to share because it seems like so many of us are refocusing our interest to drawing, and this is a great approach to internalize as we do that. Enjoy!


Piera 1 & 2 by Daniel Maidman.

I've been thinking about ways I personally switch up techniques. The first one I think of is variation in mark making. Consider these two drawings. Both are from the same life-drawing workshop. The first is a 40-minute pose, and the second is a 20-minute pose. In the first figure drawing, I followed my ordinary practice—the one I use for repetitive skill building. This involves tight drawing, line work as accurate as I can make it, and a patient building up of light and dark values. I have a ways to go with this approach, but getting even this far has been a work of years. These kinds of drawings were really not very good at all when I started.

The practice involves subtle marks and focuses on details. This technique promotes a narrow vision of parts, and I decided to change my mark-making for the next pose. Instead of tight rendering of individual structures, I aimed for catching the entire figure. Accuracy was a lower priority. I wanted to get the feeling of dynamic tension, the overall play of light, and the energy of the model. The pencil marks were correspondingly rougher, larger, and more visible.

As you can see, I'm nowhere near as good at that as I am at the tighter mode of drawing.

But the purpose of these kinds of exercises isn't necessarily to make a presentable finished piece. It's to force your mind, your eye, and your hand to tackle the problem of picture-making differently. By zooming back to the entire figure, I train myself to see the entire figure even in the tighter drawings. By focusing the marks on energy, I import energy back into my native drawing practice. This is one of several ways to shock the system—to encourage yourself to grow faster and stronger than repetition alone allows.

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Another way to shock your artistic system in the way Daniel is talking about is to pursue art practice techniques in detail, and our latest studio essentials—Modeling with Light and Drawing on the Dark Side—allow you to do just that, explore the topics that hold your interest with nothing else getting in the way. And check out our newest topic page on drawing basics—an overview of all the ways drawing is the gateway to all great art. Enjoy!

The Cosmic Dance en Plein Air

johnandann@theartistsroad — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:58:00 GMT

Spring in the Hills II by John Hulsey, 5 x 7, oil painting. Whenever we get to feeling that there is nothing really new to be discovered in art or the world, we have to keep in mind that the "undiscovered country" often lies in our own backyards. Recently, scientists at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany discovered that cattle and other large animals tend to organize themselves toward the magnetic poles. They made this discovery by spending six months studying hundreds of Google...(read more)

That Dog Won't Hunt

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:12:00 GMT


Cirque Tents by Terri Ford, pastel painting.

It's what I thought to myself when I started to look into how to get layers of pastel to build up. It just didn't seem possible, or easily possible. But I did my research, and that dog will hunt! Here are a few tips on how to get the layered effects you want when pastel painting.

Major build-up. To get a vibrant glowing surface when painting pastel works, start by putting down a layer of color with the side of a soft stick of pastel. Then spray fixative over the area. Then apply another layer of color, and so on. You can lay down as many layers as you want, fixing in between each one. You can also allow the fixative to dry or experiment with your surface while it is wet.

Feather light. With pastels, it is easy to inadvertently blend or rub in areas, whether by resting your hand on the surface or as a result of too much blending and overlaying of color in a given passage. To brighten up an area again with visual interest, take a hard pastel or pencil and make vertical strokes over the area. It will allow the surface beneath to show through, but will no longer be a flat passage of color as it is built up with the addition of these feathered strokes.


		Architectural Remnants by Charles Timken, pastel painting.

Show us your teeth. The paper that you work with in any pastel painting or drawing should have a good deal of texture if you want it to hold successive layers of pigment. And you'll want to use the side of soft pastels so that large swaths of area are covered in color that can be layered upon with additional colors.

If you really want to explore all the layering possibilities that pastel painting has to offer, painting portrait painting is the way to go. There's nothing more dynamic than the human face, and using pastel to capture it can be an exciting challenge. Portrait artist Wende Caporale is just the artist to lead us through the process. Her new DVD Children's Pastel Portraits is a wonderfully in-depth and gives a solid foundation for understanding this beautiful medium and how to apply it to portraiture. Enjoy!

P.S. Do you have any strategies on layering pastels? Please share and leave a comment!

Why Collect Art?

johnandann@theartistsroad — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:40:00 GMT


Children on the Seashore by Joaquin Sorolla, oil on canvas, 1903.

I was once again reading through my copy of the catalog for the 1989 exhibition, The Painter Joaquin Sorolla, and came across this 1933 quote by John Paul Getty in an article called Creative Collecting. Ever the opportunist, Getty had decided that since the Crash in 1929, the time was ripe for collecting great art for investment purposes on the cheap, and he set about hitting the auctions.

By that time, avant-garde art was on the rise and Sorolla's work was out of fashion and not on Getty's collecting radar. In a testimonial which, in our view, defines why some art is so powerful that its transcendent expression can speak to the soul of even the most tough-minded of business men, Mr. Getty explained why he bought ten Sorollas:

"In November 1933 I attended the Thomas Fortune Ryan sale at the Anderson Galleries in New York City. There I purchased a total of twelve pieces. Ten of them were paintings by the Spanish impressionist Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida, who died in 1923.

Obviously his work did not fit into any of the five major categories into which I intended to channel my collecting efforts. However I was struck by the remarkable quality of Sorolla's paintings, being especially fascinated by his unique treatment of sunlight.

I am certain of one thing however. Although the purchase of these impressionist works was a major digression from my usual five-fold collecting path, my opinion regarding their beauty, appeal, and artistic merit remains the same as it was when I first saw these canvases at the Anderson Galleries. These digressions serve to illustrate that even the collector who is grimly determined to specialize or limit himself is highly likely to be led or lead himself down many detours and byways.

Although he may prefer one or a few types or schools of art to all others, his acquaintance with and understanding of specific forms of beauty cannot but help expand his aesthetic horizons. He cannot avoid, sooner or later, appreciating other forms, other schools, other categories of fine art. As his specialized collection grows, so grows his tolerance, his understanding and his appreciation—and so grow his depth and dimension as a perceptive, sensitive and well-rounded individual."

If anyone knows of a better reason to collect art, we'd like to hear it. Visit us at The Artist's Road for more great articles.

John & Ann

Do You Know All Your Lines?

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:33:00 GMT


Two Women with Still Life by Willem de Kooning, pastel and charcoal on paper, 22 1/4 x 18 3/4 in., 1952.

The artifice of line is one of the aspects of drawing that I am most in love with. The fact that we can take line—which doesn't exist in the natural world—and create works of art that look incredibly real or full of fakery, depending on what we want to do with it, is enthralling.

And artists do so much with it. I mean, just think of all the various types of line that you might use in any given pencil sketch.

You could start with a something elementary like an outline drawing with rectilinear lines that are straight with pointed angles. A cube or an architectural blueprint comes to mind, as does Michelangelo's design of the Medici Chapel in Florence.

But that's only the start. Sketching with curvilinear or organic lines that are curving, oftentimes gestural, and free-flowing can produce drawings as various as those of Willem de Kooning or Raphael or Bouguereau.


	Michelangelo's design of the Medici Chapel in Florence is based on rectilinear straight lines and clean pointed angles.


	Egon Schiele's contour line drawing, Mother with Child (1910).

Look inside any artist's sketchbook and the drawing sketches you find will usually find yet another kind of line—broken line. Quick figure sketches often have short slash marks or hatches that are almost essential in a contour drawing, and when multiplied and layered these broken lines can become crosshatching that gives a sense of volume to a drawn object or figure.

In contrast, a continuous line can be used to great effect in a drawing because the line takes center stage. Schiele was a master with continuous line, making the whole thing look animate and alive—as much as the subject he was depicting!


Self-portrait by Raphael, c. 1495.

And then there is implied line, which is tricky to point out because the line is not actually there and the lack is what often animates a drawing. Picasso's drawing of a bull shows how exceptionally the artist uses line and the implication of line.

After talking through these concepts I feel as if I'm seeing lines everywhere, and one place where I know I can further my knowledge and passion for line while seeing great art as a final product is in the pages of our best drawing resources: Drawing: The Complete Course and The Best of Drawing. With these, I've started to better understand how I can use many kinds of line in my drawings and how other artists have used them as well. Enjoy!

Do It with a Stranger

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:51:00 GMT


Eva Mullarky by Kristin Künc, oil on linen, 9 x 13, 2011.

I can be a really hard sell when it comes to portraiture because from a beginner painter's perspective, I'm not always sure how to get the most out of a portrait painting session. So I wanted to talk to a close friend and amazing portrait artist, Kristin Künc, about her portraiture teaching and painting practice to get some insights into how to get the most out of any portrait I decide to paint and how to make one a cut above the rest.

"An interesting hairdo." As an artist who has spent hundreds if not thousands of hours working, Künc stresses that you can't underestimate the importance of eye-catching. If you are doing just a standard head and shoulders portrait with no background, then encourage the model to bring an interesting accessory to wear during the session. It could be a scarf, earrings, a necklace, or even a unique hairdo. As long as it catches the eye, you are on the right track.

"Shy, or outgoing, or strange." A strong advocate for getting to know your model—even if just setting aside a few minutes before the session for a brief conversation—Künc encourages her students to paint the model the way they are. If they are shy—don't have them look directly out. If they have a bolder disposition, they can look right at you. If the person is strange or has a peculiar way about them, use more dramatic lighting to accentuate their expression in a way that heightens their look.

"Sounds old fashioned, but..." Künc says that the one thing that differentiates a great portrait is whether or not the underlying drawing for it is good. If not, it won't matter how great the colors are or how interesting the brushwork is. Another key necessity is a good light source where the lights and shadows are clearly distinguished on the face.


Portrait of Deiter by Kristin Künc, oil on linen, 10 x 12, 2011.		Portrait of the Fortune Teller by Kristin Künc, oil on linen, 9 x 13, 2010.


	Hill Girl by Kristin Künc, oil on linen, 10 x 12, 2009.

"Get someone off the street." Künc mentioned this to me in a tongue-in-cheek way, but she went on to explain that what she meant was that when learning to do portraits, it can be really helpful to not paint your family members, children, husband, or wife. These are the people who are apt to be most critical, and that can be hard to take when starting out. If it is a friend or stranger, you won't be emotionally attached and can approach the painting relaxed and not worried, freeing yourself to make mistakes and learn from them.

For Künc, portraiture is a way of challenging herself and simultaneously doing what she loves, and isn't that all of us really want? So if you want to further explore all that portraiture has to offer, you might be interested in our DVDs on the topic: Mastering Oil Portrait Painting with Ron Hicks, Mastering Portrait Drawing with Susan Lyon, and Mastering Watercolor Portraiture with Mary Whyte. Enjoy!

Insane: They've Never Seen Contemporary American Paintings Before!

Patricia Watwood — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:44:00 GMT


Venus Awakes by Patricia Watwood, 2011, oil on canvas, 38 x 34.	Karen in White by Paul McCormack, oil on canvas, 40 x 29.	Enigma (Self-Portrait) by David Leffel, 2009, oil on canvas, 52 x 34.

On Sunday, January 22^nd, the ACOPAL group will celebrate it's first museum show of American and Chinese realism at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio. Many of my favorite artists and fellow oil painters have work in this show: Nelson Shanks, Jacob Collins, Max Ginsberg, Tony Ryder, and Burt Silverman, to name a few of my heroes. This is the second group ACOPAL exhibit, following the very successful introduction of ACOPAL at the National Arts Club in May 2011.

The next ACOPAL venture will be the presentation of American realism at the Beijing World Art Museum, opening toward the end of this year in September 2012. The exhibit will feature over 100 paintings, and be the first survey of contemporary American realism in China. After the opening in Beijing, the exhibit—a contemporary oil painting gallery of sorts—will tour five major cities in China, including Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Chinese audience is enthusiastic about realism and traditional oil painting, and this exhibit will reach many thousands, many of whom have not seen contemporary American paintings in person ever before.

That's thrilling, isn't it? My painting, Venus Awakes, which I just completed will be included in the Butler exhibit. The painting is an allegory about the rediscovery of the classical nude. Venus and the apple are meta-symbols representing the classical western tradition in art. They are surrounded by the broken remnants of technology and culture, but remain undamaged. The bird wakes Venus from her slumber, and represents my rejection of "trash as conceptual social commentary as art." Flecks of gold in the mire indicate that the labor of gleaning value from the wreckage is not in vain.

Contemporary American realism continues to grow, define itself, and find new audiences all over the world. If you are in the Ohio area, please spread the word about the wonderful show at the Butler. If you are not, but still want to experience what is sure to be an amazing show, you can purchase a catalog of the show at the ACOPAL website.

--Patricia

Drawing Skills that I Can Take Outdoors

judith St. Ledger - Roty — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:51:00 GMT

In a recent painting of mine, you can see the sky and clouds are the lightest value, the towering waves and rocks are the darkest, as they are more vertical to the light of the sky. The flat of the ocean is the second lightest of the values, equating to flat ground. Water (and snow) can be exceptions to the land mass being the second lightest value as there can be so much reflection from the sky. Whi le my subject matter of late has been the light as it falls on the human figure, I am equally interested...(read more)

Painting with a Magical Medium

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:03:00 GMT


Astor Place by Emily Falco, watercolor painting, 14 1/2 x 14 1/2, 2009.

It warms my heart when I hear artists expressing excitement about their chosen painting medium because artists are the ones in the business of knowing all the ins and outs of their materials. For them to articulate such positive responses about their paints, pencils, and brushes validates the artistic process and stirs an equal amount of enthusiasm in me.

Emily Falco works in watercolor, and according to her, she "thinks" in it as well. "It's a magical medium-the paints can dry out but be used again; the light is contained in the paper; and the colors blend and separate in the most unique and surprising ways," she says.

Falco's success in working with watercolor is all about embracing the washes she can achieve and their corresponding drips and fluidity. For her, this started with large-scale acrylic paintings though she eventually transitioned to watercolor art to save space. "I was drawn to the idea that I could keep many paintings in a portfolio—which takes up the same amount of space as one canvas," she says.


	Q Train by Emily Falco, watercolor painting, 9 x 12 1/4, 2009.

So that she never misses a scene that inspires, Falco always travels with a camera. "I often combine elements from different photographs in a single painting," she says, though she also savors the opportunity to paint en plein air as well. And she has learned to go with her gut—if something catches her eye and moves her, Falco acts on it with her work—but she never tries to force or speed up the process. "I'll walk away for a few minutes," she says. "I like every painting to happen in its own time."

For more on Falco and so many other artists who specialize in water-based painting and have techniques and tips to share, check out the Winter 2012 issue of Watercolor magazine. It is the first issue that will come straight to your door with your subscription, so get it while you can. Enjoy!

Art for Thought: Save the Date for...

Allison Malafronte — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:31:00 GMT


The Dog, and the Great White Shark Jaw by Jamie Wyeth	The Groom by Daniel Graves	Friends by Dan McCaw

Save the Date for...

American Artist's 75^th Anniversary Exhibition
April 2013 | The Salmagundi Club | New York City

In celebration of American Artist's 75^th anniversary, we are excited to announce a commemorative exhibition that will celebrate the magazine's past, present, and future. Editorial director Michael Gormley and senior editor Allison Malafronte are curating this show to focus on the trajectory realism has followed over the last several centuries; the most influential artists and educational leaders of today who have established a lineage of practice; and artists we feel are taking this movement into the future. As the longest-running art magazine that has always focused on excellence in instruction and mentorship, this exhibition will embody the breadth of American Artist's enduring and well-respected brand—while raising the bar to welcome a wider range of expression.

The show will feature historical works; paintings from a core group of artists we have identified as long-time leaders of our movement—including Stephen Assael, Bo Bartlett, Judith Carducci, Jacob Collins, Martha Erlebacher, Daniel Graves, Daniel E. Greene, Quang Ho, Everett Raymond Kinstler, David A. Leffel, Sherrie McGraw, Dan McCaw, Odd Nerdrum, Anne Packard, Philip Pearlstein, John Howard Sanden, Richard Schmid, Nelson Shanks, Burton Silverman, Jamie Wyeth, Mary Whyte, and more—a third group of up-and-coming artists, who will be invited through recommendations from the core artists, curators' choice, and through an open juried contest that that American Artist will open to the public in 2012.

The exhibition will take place in the spring of 2013 at the historic Salmagundi Club, in New York City, one of the oldest art clubs in the country and a longtime partner and friend of American Artist.The 75th Anniversary exhibition will be one of the first shows to open the club's extensive renovation to their galleries, which will include new floors, walls, lighting, and climate controls; a new skylight in the Upper Gallery; and a state-of-the-art hanging system. The renovation is being funded by a $500,000 grant from The Manton Foundation, created by Sir Edwin A.G. Manton and Florence Manton, members and active supporters of the Salmagundi Club for more than 50 years.

The submission process for the juried portion of the exhibition will be announced in the May 2012 issue of American Artist. Save the date, and make sure you take advantage of this opportunity to exhibit alongside some of the greatest artists of our time in New York City.

Allison Malafronte is the senior editor of American Artist.

Where’s Your Free eBook on Life Drawing & Drawing Models? Right Here!

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:50:00 GMT


Slumber at Chuckwalla Valley (detail) by Sharon Allicotti, drawing.

If art were a banquet, I would constantly be going back for more helpings of life drawing. It is a consistently rewarding artistic experience because I've never met a more inspiring—and challenging—exercise than drawing models.

There's just so much to take in! Every time a model makes a move, there's something to glean and work on—shadows and gesture to skin texture and how the limbs extend. Every life drawing pose reveals a whole new avenue of artistic pursuit.

If you are thinking the same thing and want to delve more into your own life drawings, 11 Reasons for Drawing Models & Attending Life-Drawing Sessions from Artist Daily is sure to spur you on. Author and artist Sharon Allicotti has a whole list of reasons why life drawings should be part of every artist's repertoire, and points out that drawing models isn't just for students. In fact, making life-drawing sketches a part of your career can result in better art for us all.

By taking life-drawing lessons, you are able to network with other artists, save substantial amounts of money on model fees, and most importantly improve your overall drawing skills of gauging proportion, assessing space more accurately, and understanding the landscape of the body.

"The body can be conceived as analogous with the manifold living and nonliving forms of the natural landscape: It's no coincidence that we speak of the trunks and limbs of trees, and find in hilly terrain the undulating forms of a reclining nude," says Allicotti.

To start your life drawing lessons, download 11 Reasons for Drawing Models & Attending Life-Drawing Sessions from Artist Daily. Download now!

And for a free eBook that goes hand in hand with 11 Reasons for Drawing Models, enjoy Human Figure Drawing Tutorial from Artist Daily: 13 Gesture Drawing Techniques. Enjoy!

Photograph Your Art Like a Pro

Courtney Jordan — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 04:47:00 GMT

Our contributing bloggers John Hulsey and Ann Trusty of The Artist's Road wrote a really informative blog about how to get the most out of a photograph of your painting or drawing, and I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!


Film holder frame attached to my light stand.


Lexan/polarizing film sandwich I made to fit in the film holder frames.


Note the Tiffen linear polarizing filter on the lens.

All the hard work and unique vision that we pour into our painting and drawing can result in artwork that we are proud of. The next step is to make an accurate photographic record of our art to share with friends, collectors, galleries, and perhaps to enter into juried exhibitions.

The essential component to that sharing process these days is the making of a professional-quality digital recording of our art. We have two choices—pay a hefty fee to have a pro shoot our work, or invest a small amount of money to purchase our own professional equipment and learn how to make these photographic exposures ourselves.

Ann and I have done it both ways and believe that, in the long run, it is far more economical, efficient, and fun to handle the photography ourselves. Here are a few tips we've learned along the way.

-Regardless of which brands of lights, stands, and filters you use, it is essential that you purchase a camera with a good-quality glass lens. Every image must first pass through a lens of some kind, so it is far better to get a camera with good optics but perhaps lower megapixels than the reverse! Buying a good used professional camera is a smart way to do this.

-Lighting is essential. I have an Impact Universal Film Holder frame attached to my light stand, along with a Tota-Light and heat shield. I also use a Lexan/polarizing film sandwich I made to fit in the film holder frames. The Linear polarizing film can be purchased in various sizes and cut to fit, if necessary.

-When a Tiffen linear polarizing filter is placed on a camera lens, the filter is rotated to 90-degrees from the orientation of the film in front of the lights (cross-polarization), so the hot-spots and glare on your art will disappear, and the colors will increase in saturation, depth, and fidelity. This is why the circular polarizer often sold for digital cameras won't work here.

You can really see the difference that polarizing made in these two images of my oil painting, Another Night. On the left, no polarizing, and essentially a useless image. On the right you can see how the spectral highlights (hot spots) vanished, leaving well-balanced, rich tones without the heavy influence of the red-yellow tungsten light spectrum. All that was needed was to crop the image and tweak it a little here and there in Photoshop.

A small investment in the proper filters and lights pays big dividends in the results. With most juried shows relying on the quality of our photographs to decide who will make the first cut, it is imperative that artists get professional with their photography. Without top-notch high-fidelity images to show, there is no way to get a fair assessment of our work. And that is entry-fee money down the drain. So we should do all we can to learn about taking professional-quality photos of our art. It is easy and fun, and there are sources like The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos that can really give you the photography tips and tricks you need to take high quality images of your art objects.

Do you have tips on how to use digital photography to create strong images of your artwork? Leave a comment and let us know.

What Would Rubens Do?

Patricia Watwood — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:04:00 GMT

Leah by Patricia Watwood, pencil on toned paper, 18 x 14, 2011. I have just finished two big projects. Foremost, my show Myths and Individuals opened at the end of October at Saint Louis University Museum of Art. In two months the show will open for it's New York City venue at The Forbes Galleries. As soon as I came home, I had to finish a new painting for the ACOPAL exhibit at the Butler Institute of American Art--which runs Dec 18, 2011 through Feb 27, 2012. I promise to tell you more about...(read more)

A Fresh Foray with New Artists

Courtney Jordan — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:15:00 GMT

I get excited and a bit chagrined whenever I discover oil painters of the past that I've never heard of. I realize that I'm no walking encyclopedia, yet I like to think I've got sound footing in oil painting. But the history of fine art oil painting is vast, so I'm going to cut myself some slack and just celebrate that I've discovered this batch of artists—early twentieth-century landscape painters who were part of the collective known as the Group of Seven—that are really rocking my world!

J.E.H. MacDonald—Sometimes when I look at an artist's work I get the feeling that he or she just sees differently. I felt that when I saw MacDonald's paintings. His colors are surprisingly varied and sometimes his choices seem out of place—jewel colors that are almost garish mixing with subtler earth tones—and yet they work. I was also really taken with the artist's shapes. The way he handles his brush to create such interesting forms on the canvas really made the works interesting in an abstract sense.

Lake McArthur, Yoho Park by J.E.H. MacDonald, oil painting, 1924.

Arthur Lismer—To incorporate artifice into a landscape painting can be off-putting to some, but I found myself quite drawn to Lismer's stylized way of painting. He developed a style that allowed him to turn simple and straightforward elements like cliffs, trees, or the ocean into elements that are highly unique. I'm all for a painting that looks like a painting, and not necessarily a photo-realistic representation meant to trick the eye.

A September Gale, Georgian Bay by Arthur Lismer, oil painting, 1921.

F.H. Varley—I'll admit that I kind of gasped when I saw Varley's work. His ability to create an atmospheric sense of space really bowled me over. With the slightest strokes he creates a mountain range, or by building up layers of blues, greens, and grays he creates a vast night sky that seems to soar up and out.


Landscape No. 1: Mountains, B.C. by F.H. Varley, oil painting, c. 1934.			Moonlight at Lynn by F.H. Varley, oil painting, 1933.

Seeing these works has really injected me with new energy. That coupled with instruction from contemporary artists whose names I do know—very well—has me raring to go, including DVDs like Visual Concepts in Still LIfe with Sherrie McGraw, Painting Light: The Cape School Method from Camille Przewodek, and Alla Prima Portraiture with Rose Frantzen. All of these together are sure to guarantee inspiration and strong technique for a new year! Enjoy!

January's Facebook Painting of the Month is here!

Courtney Jordan — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:41:00 GMT

Check out how we are starting the new year with our first Facebook Painting of the Month for 2012. Enjoy!

Don't Let Your Plein-Air Skills Grow Cold

Jennifer King — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:37:00 GMT

Don't give up your plein air focus over the winter months. Try to paint from life indoors and keep sketching. ( Melting Snow by Ben Fenske, 60 x 75, oil on canvas.) For some of us, winter weather is just a bit too unpredictable and chilly to spend much time outdoor painting. But if you're like me, you don't want to go for several months without making art. So this is the time of the year when I look for art-making activities I can do indoors. Here are a couple of ideas to keep your plein...(read more)

It Calls to Me…My Precious

Courtney Jordan — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:17:00 GMT

Precious by Russell Irwin, paper mosaic.

Okay, that might have been a little too Gollum from Lord of the Rings, but Russell Irwin's latest mixed media collage titled Precious is certainly mesmerizing because of the unusual creative process that goes into making it as well as its dazzling final form.




	Irwin applying paper to the surface of his mixed media artwork (top) and sanding it (bottom).

Precious is Irwin's latest work in his Gem series, which features works that are almost like abstract paintings made with paper that depict the gleaming facets and glints of gemstones and jewels. The artist terms all of these works "paper mosaics," attesting to the fact that they are created by layering torn pieces of paper on a surface, gluing them down, and then sanding into them with an electric sander to reveal bits and pieces of them.

What really left a lasting impression on me about Irwin's process is, ironically, that it isn't a "precious" process at all. There's nothing delicate about it. It looks like Irwin is building the artwork more than anything else. That kind of relationship with your mixed media painting materials can really give an artist a better sense of what those materials can do. I for one would never have thought paper could be so resilient and end up looking so painterly and have such depth. The end results are lovely but still give a real sense of the materials that the artist started with and how he produced the work—and that's something many of us can identify with and appreciate.

The thrill of the out-of-the-box artistry that excited me about Irwin's work is the kind of response I usually have to every issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, our sister magazine devoted to mixed media art. Artists take all kinds of materials and manipulate them, combine them, build them up, and break them down. If you want to broaden your artistic horizons and learn new and fun ways to incorporate novel process into your drawing or painting practice, Cloth Paper Scissors could be your answer! Enjoy!