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I don't usually think favorably of extreme ideas or extreme ways of doing things. Mostly, this is because I've found that sensible ideas often come with compromise. And in many ways, I think this applies to my ideas about fantasy art. I love fantasy art, science fiction books, and imaginative...
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The style of artwork I make often falls under the general heading of realism, and this oil painting is a case-in-point of why I struggle with the term. First, here's a bit of background on the source of my angst. In the atelier system, students are devoted disciples of observation and "truth...
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I was doubly lucky last week because I had a thoughtful discussion with a great artist, Patricia Watwood, about how most notable representational art is "real" and about what happens to artists when they are faced with stepping outside that mold. For example, Watwood recently created a painting...
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When I use the words "fantasy pictures," I'm usually referring to all sorts of imaginative realism--not only sci-fi art or wanting to know how to draw a dragon. But bringing in a layer of fantasy to your paintings or drawings can be daunting because you don't want it to be cheesy. If...
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Tricked ya! Sort of! On the one hand, fantasy art isn't that new at all. But as I was sitting in a meeting flipping through American Artist magazine's May 2012 issue --while still paying close attention to what was being said, of course!--I was struck by how much the lessons of imaginative realism...
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Fantasy art guru and top-notch artist James Gurney is a font of knowledge when it comes to so many aspects of drawing and painting . Whether you are into fantasy images or tend toward more realist compositions, Gurney has techniques and methods dealing with color, light, and form that are invaluable...
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A willingness to experiment with perspective and style is often the determining factor between a competent artist and a master. A new exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art , "Van Gogh Up Close," takes a compelling look at the choices Vincent van Gogh made with depth, line, and perspective...
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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...
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Sunset over the Catskills by James Gurney, oil painting. If I want to excel in my craft and become any kind of decent realist painter, the two aspects of oil painting that I need to focus on are color and light. Perfecting the two, together, will allow me to paint anything I want. James Gurney is a plein...
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We chose 10 finalists for our Drawing Magazine Cover Competition—and then easily named William Rose the winner, as he best showcased the skill level and imagination of our readers. View the winners of the Watercolor magazine 2008 cover competiton . Winners of the American Artist cover competition...
Posted to
Quick Sketches
by
American Artist
on
11 Sep 2008
Filed under:
Filed under: oil painting, Pastel, life drawing, portrait painting, how to draw, sketching, Drawing Basics, Art, colored pencil, fantasy art, Artist Daily
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A current exhibition in Stockton, California, shows how members of the Plein-Air Painters of America (PAPA) interpret their on-site studies to make larger studio paintings. We asked eight of the exhibiting painters to share their approaches with American Artist readers. Here’s what they had to...
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We explored Rose Frantzen's insightful approach to teaching figure painting in the spring 2007 issue of Workshop magazine. Here, we offer tips from the article. Helpful Hint: Evaluate Your Process Subjectively Frantzen uses several methods to judge the progress of her paintings subjectively. One...
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This New York state plein air artist creates impressive landscape paintings informed by his work as an illustrator and inspired by the work of the Hudson River School. by John A. Parks Creek Above Kaaterskill Falls 2004, oil, 20 x 16. All artwork this article private collection unless otherwise indicated...