Artists Teaching Eager Learners Painting

How to frame your paintings

admin — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are a number of places you could take your paintings to get them professionally framed. Have you ever wanted to learn how to frame a painting or wanted to frame your own painting? People that like to frame their own paintings are after a certain look and feel for that particular painting plus it could be cheaper if you do it yourself. You wouldn’t have to pay somebody to frame paintings for you if you know how to frame them yourself.I was looking for more information and found it here. Framing your own paintings can also be a lot of fun and you may enjoy it.
The first thing you would need to do is determine which painting of yours you would like to frame. You have to take into consideration the size of the painting and the area you plan on hanging it. You will need to measure your painting and then choose the matting size. You can put the frame right up against the painting and do something like a boarder with the matting. After you determine the painting, placement, size of frame and type of frame, you would take the back off and place the painting inside. Place the back back on, secure it so the painting can’t come out.

Modern methods: The new art of digital painting

admin — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Many traditional artists are used to the normal mediums of acrylic, oils and watercolors and each have their own favorite medium to use. However, in recent years a brand new artistic medium has broken out and become very popular; Digital Painting. This medium has inspired many people to have an interest in art and gives artists a brand new medium to discover and work with.

Digital Painting is just as it sounds, painting on a computer. You don’t use paints, pastels or colored pencils; you use the computer and the mouse or a tablet! There are many different design programs out there that you can use for digital painting and some are very inexpensive.The whole story can be found at http://dommylive.wordpress.com/2011/07/16/york-minster-digital-painting/ The artist would use a mouse or a tablet to paint on the blank canvas, the screen. When using a tablet, painting may be a little easier since the tablet is a square piece of hardware that you would use a digital pen to paint with. The mouse takes quite a bit of work, controlling the mouse takes practice and skill. Especially when you are trying to draw a form and paint with the paintbrush tool.

This great medium has been rising in popularity for the past few years and it’s bringing a whole new community of painters and artists together.

Mirror image: How to paint a self-portrait

admin — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

To begin a self portrait arrange the background in such a way as not to distract from the face itself. Think of the Van Gogh self portraits: even thinking about them most people can’t remember what was behind the face. Think of the shape of the head with the hair or hat you plan to have in the picture and be sure that there is room on the canvas or paper to include everything. Set up the lighting so that you can see the shadows that will give form to your vision. Lighting that shines in the model’s eyes will not give the shadows needed for good facial definition. Side lighting will generally do the best job for a self portrait.

Once you begin to draw, try to draw exactly what you see rather than what you wish you were seeing. It is sometimes hard to admit that the jaw line is where it is, but everyone who sees the self portrait can see what you actually look like: Make it as real as you can. Choose colors that are flattering to the complexion if you are using colors. Rich colors will wash out a pale complexion and very dark colors can swallow a very dark complexion. However you want the picture to come out, remember that the only really bad self portrait is the one you didn’t do.

Summer Inspiration Trips

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If you’re looking for inspiration this summer and you just can’t find it at home, consider using your Satellitestarinternet to plan a trip! Nature’s scenery is the best backdrop – get out there and paint!
Utah – The mountainous landscape of Zion National Park is a great place to draw inspiration from. Catch a cheap flight and a tour guide and use your car to make it out to a scenic overlook where you can paint to your heart’s content.
Outer Banks – There’s something really inspiring about the desolation of the beaches here and you won’t be bothered by crowds or kids. Get a brush and a chair and enjoy the ocean breezes.
Pacific Coast Highway – Has there ever been a more inspiring destination? Fly into LA or San Francisco and meander down the coast to stop in quaint beach towns along the way and really dig into the natural landscape.
Don’t forget to pack your travel brushes and a painter’s smock so you’ll have something to wear on your travels! Also buy rolling canvases you can take back home easily.

The oldest paintings: Chauvet Cave

admin — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Cauvet is a series of caves lying along the outskirts of southern Paris, France. It’s discovery was made in the winter of 1994 and it is said to be the first site that gives an account to the way early man lived, dating back to well over 30,000 years ago. Chauvet is named after Jean-Marie Chauvet, one of three Speleologists who discovered it. The walls of Chauvet house a story that belongs to creatures of the time of its beginning as some of them are no longer living on earth. Early man worked with very limited mediums such as coal and clay and graphite and yet he was still able to produce a very detailed, smooth and vital image that with its added lines of contour and shape, appears to be revolving around the interior of the room. In a succession of reds, rust, black and brown hues, there are herds of bison, elk, horses, bears, lions, rihnos and a bull or two that retell of the times when man use to have to hunt down his own food source in order to survive. It is interesting to note that while our modern society has rather made fun of those who lived before us, of their slow and simple ways, one look at the walls in the Chauvet Caves and one can clearly see the proof that our early ancestors had the gift of being able to capture life just as it was back then. The cave bears true testimony of their intelligence and leaves us a doorway into the world as they saw it.

Bringing out the best in your watercolor paintings

admin — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Learning to paint with watercolors can be a very relaxing hobby. Even if you are not a serious artist there are a few tricks for bringing out the best in your watercolor paintings. You can start by making sure you pick a subject that is suitable for you. If you are a beginner it is helpful to begin with something simple such as a bowl or a flower. Choosing an easy subject to begin with will allow an individual to work on their technique and skills.
You should become familiar with handling the paintbrush and the different types of brushes. A proper technique can give a painting an exciting and vibrant look. Different brushes will have different effects on the look of the subject matter.
Using different watercolor washes is an excellent way to improve the look of a painting. You can gradually move from a light wash to more advanced painting effects such as a dry brush. You could even use an item such as a paper towel or tissue paper to create an interesting effect.
Watercolor painting is a fun hobby for many people. Giving your watercolor paintings life can be as simple as finding the right tools.

Some books we recommend

www.atelp.org — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 23:04:35 +0000

Painting isn’t exactly something you need to study for, but on the other hand it can help to have a guiding hand on your shoulder, pointing out early mistakes and recommending sources of inspiration. If you’re not currently enrolled in art school, where are you going to find that? In a book, of course! Here are some we recommend.

The Oil Painting Course You’ve Always Wanted: Guided Lessons for Beginners and Experienced Artists by Kathleen Lochen Staiger: Staiger has the credentials (masters in art and literature from Hofstra University, 35 years of teaching experience), and she also has the writing skills to teach through a book. Each section includes exercises at the end to practice the main ideas.
Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks and Techniques for Working with the World’s Most Versatile Medium by Nancy Reyner: If acrylics are more your style, explore this 10-section book, featuring 104 distinct techniques. Most of them are illustrated with examples, so you can see the tip in practice. Among other things, you’ll learn how to paint on different surfaces and use acrylics to mimic other mediums.
Portrait Painting Atelier: Old Master Techniques and Contemporary Applications by Suzanne Brooker: For those interested in the traditional style of portraiture exemplified by Millet and van Gogh, Brooker’s book is highly informative, and includes seven demonstrative exercises. She focuses especially on the layering technique, which older painters used to blend the color tones of their canvases.
1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die ed. by Stephen Farthing: You won’t find any step-by-step examples in this book, but you will find plenty of different sources of inspiration. Not all of them are masterpieces, but even those will show you what not to do. You’ll learn historical information and where you can see it in person, if you get the urge.

Hard-edge painters thrive in the in-between times

www.atelp.org — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:54:07 +0000

Whenever taking up a new art-form, whether it’s painting, music, or synchronized swimming, it’s helpful to know what other people in the field are doing. One issue that art critics have commented on in recent years is the lack of a unifying mode, such as the pop art and abstract expressionism of the 1950s. Both of these styles are still in play today, by the way. One style which is growing in popularity is hard-edge painting.The term was first invented by California critic Jules Langsner for a 1959 exhibition. It referred to a style which emphasized the flatness of the canvas with hard-edged areas of bright, contrasting colors. The mode took off in California, exemplified by artists like Lorser Feitelson and Frederick Hammersley. Hammersley’s “Geometrics,” painted between 1959 and 1964, are a good example, made up of sharply divided forms and different interlocking shapes.Hard-edge painting is an effective way to demonstrate neatness and economy, an attractive feature for many modern painters. It’s been connected with the schools of Minimalism, Geometric Abstraction, and Op Art (the art of optical illusions). The style is often associated with a cool, laid-back demeanor (hence its association with the art scene of California). Try incorporating clean, sharp lines and colors into your work, and examine the results. Do you find that it helps to bring out your over-all themes and expressiveness? If so, check out Lawrence Alloway’s 1960 West Coast Hard-Edge exhibition for more inspiration.