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Have you ever noticed when you are plein air painting how the colors of objects look so radically different in the very low light just before dawn or twilight? Take a red rose, for instance. We know that the flower's petals are bright red against the green of the leaves in daylight. But, take a look...
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A few weeks ago I attended a young artist's solo exhibition. Although he was technically skilled, the subject matter (mostly oil portraits with the models nude or semi-nude) didn't really inspire me. So why am I still thinking about his work--and telling you about it? Well, I keep coming back...
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My dad is a little manic about asking our family to get our holiday wish lists to him waaaaaaay before he has to fight the crowds and wait in long lines. As usual, I'm procrastinating, but if I were to give him my art wish list, I could have it ready and waiting for him at a moment's notice....
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I'm not telling you anything you don't already know when I say that successful portraiture is successful when the portrait artist, foremost, captures a likeness. Yes, I ardently believe that there has to be something more to the story—a sense of the subject's spirit or personality,...
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Daniel E. Greene: Weekend with the Masters art instructor Daniel E. Greene is a former instructor of painting at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League of New York, both in Manhattan. He is the author of the book Pastel , which was published in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian...
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I am not a finicky person, so getting my hands dirty to get a job done is totally fine with me. But with painting, I can get so uptight and hesitant that the physical joy of it all goes right out the window. I'm trying to be better about what I'm calling my straightjacket tendency, and one way...
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We have always felt that as plein air painters we are observers of the landscape—recording moments and places that can rapidly transform with fleeting changes of light. In a pure landscape, figures and animals are rendered small and insignificant against the vast and awe inspiring backdrop of nature...
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Portraiture is, in my humble opinion, the domain of artistic masters. All the greats, such as Velazquez, Rembrandt, Goya, and Sargent, can be counted as incredibly skilled and innovative portrait artists in addition to being pretty brilliant at everything else they chose to paint. The Milkmaid of Bordeaux...
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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...
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I remind myself that even artistic legends like Michelangelo struggled. When he did the Sistine ceiling in fresco, a medium he wasn't familiar with, the first few sessions were stressful and trying for the artist. But he persevered and created one of the wonders of the art world. It's okay. Breathe...
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Cloud Break by Jonathan Owens, pastel, 17 x 22. Clouds are not all created equal, just like not every sunset or skyscape is the same. They all have their own unique look and feel, even though we can see them all the time. And it is the plein air artist's goal, passion, purpose to eek out that unique...
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G. Daniel Massad's pastel paintings (above, Studio , 2008) are eloquent examples of thoughtful, tension-filled compositions. I’m starting this year by reassessing my approach to painting and recommitting to more concentrated studio time. I don’t necessarily feel that I want to completely...
Posted to
Artist Daily
by
Courtney Jordan
on
2 Jan 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: plein air, How To Paint, Portrait Painting, acrylic painting, Artist Daily, still life, Oil Painting, Painting, Pastel, Color, Art
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On the Cover: Anna (detail, reversed) by Wende Caporale, 2002, pastel, 24 x 18. Collection the Abernethy family. FEATURES Painting Figures With Purpose by Arthur Egeli After completing a rigorous program of art education, I was adept at capturing a person’s likeness but still struggling to express...
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Amy Mann converted the living room in her Virginia home into a studio with generous shelving for her still life props. I remember the first time an artist invited me into his studio. It was truly a reflection of his personality and experiences—full of memorabilia from his travels in and around...
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Ever think of yourself as a RAP artist? No, not a hip-hop performer who talks in rhyming phrases to a pounding beat, but a reader of American Artist’s print magazines, e-newsletters, or website who is willing to advise the editors. The New York staff is setting up an invitation-only Reader Advisory...