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I am usually heartened when I hear disagreements about matters of art and technique. Maybe I'm just combative that way, but more likely, I think I take such debates as a sign that there are more artists coming to the table, that the field is growing and evolving, and that there's no end in sight...
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"A line is a path that can offer an interesting and varied journey, rhythmic and with occasional, pleasurable surprises. Thus is one tempted to take the journey again. " -Krome Barratt, Logic and Design: In Art, Science, and Mathematics Creating representational art is challenging; a satisfying...
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Another slice of my personal humble pie is the fact that I'm pretty bad at math in general and downright horrible at geometry in particular. You'd never ever find me trying to use these skills when making art--or so I thought. But when I was gleaning tips from watercolor artist Law Wai Hin on...
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A long time ago I read a quote from artist Nathan Goldstein and it has always stayed with me. He implied that artists are truly artists once they learn something and then forget it. I took that to mean I didn't have to study too hard in college since I was supposed to just let it eventually disappear...
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There's no shame in your game if you haven't heard of this kind of perspective drawing ...or lack thereof. I kind of pride myself on knowing a good bit about how to draw perspective (although my actual execution of a perspective drawing is usually totally crappy) and I'd never heard of zero...
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Painters and draftsmen alike puzzle through perspective drawing issues. They almost have to if they want to establish any kind of sense of space in their work. Without linear perspective, all that remains is the flatness of the surface-and no artists with representation or realism on their minds are...
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There are many wonderful exhibitions happening in New York City this summer, and one of the shows that has left a lasting impression with me is "Édouard Vuillard: A Painter and His Muses, 1890-1940" at The Jewish Museum. Visiting this exhibition introduced me to Vuillard's life and...
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When I was in Art History 101, my professor touted the competition for the design of the Baptistry doors in Florence in 1401 as one of the greatest historic art competitions of all time. In one corner we have the young Lorenzo Ghiberti, only 21 at the time of the competition and the artist who would...
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Imagine life with no television, no computers, and where books are a rarity. The power of art would increase exponentially because you wouldn't be inundated with visual images all the time. The handful of artworks you might see in your entire life would really make an impact. That's pretty much...
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Can you think back and remember what it was like to really struggle with a concept? I've got no pride. I've done this a ton of times--riding my bike, algebra, Avogadro's number...and perspective drawing . I thought once I got to college and started studying the stuff I really was passionate...
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Philadelphia Story II--Spires by Sarah Yeoman, watercolor painting, 14 x 20. I don't mean literally shrink it, but if you take a photo of your painting and reduce it to thumbnail size and it still holds together compositionally, you've got a good piece on your hands. Very Large Array II by Kisu...
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These four oil paintings have something in common. Yes, of course, they were all painted by George Inness (1825-1894), one of the greatest American landscape painters of all time. But there's something else, an incredibly valuable lesson. Have you spotted it yet? Clearing Up by George Inness, oil...
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I was born and raised in the suburbs, with rural farmland and city centers nearby so I have an unbiased appreciation for both. I'm attuned to the natural elements around me and I love to be outdoors, but I also get so energized by the sights and sounds of the cities I visit or live in. And sketching...
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A photo of the plein air landscape site I chose to paint. I can still recall the first morning I saw this little bend in the river ike it was yesterday. The air was still cool and breezy, the sun was glinting off the water, the bees in their hive were humming—yes, it was everything a plein-air...
Posted to
Plein Air Blog
by
Jennifer King
on
23 Jun 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Plein Air, painting, Landscape Painting, How to Paint, figure drawing, sketching, Landscape Drawing, Drawing Basics, How to Draw People, Art, Perspective Drawing
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One of my favorite still-life artists is G. Daniel Massad. He plays with space in an incredible way. His pastel paintings are stark, eerie, and lovely all at once. Above, Three Plums and Rosehip , 2005, pastel, 11 x 10 7/8. What I love best about still life painting is that I have absolute control—over...