Friday the 13th – Good Luck for Art?

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LUCKY ME…my next big show and my gallery walk were set to open on Friday the 13th! (This was earlier this year, but I thought you might like the story...) Obviously to some people, Friday the 13th is a superstitious day. Through the ages, the number "13" has been an unlucky number and Friday is considered a bad-luck-day. In fact there is an actual name for it, paraskavedekatriaphobia and it is an actual phobia that became mainstream in … [Read more...]

What is Luminism in Painting?

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LUMINISM refers to an earlier generation of landscape painters from the late nineteenth century who painted scenes along the Hudson River and the eastern shores.  Out of all the 'isms'  I believe that Tonalism and Luminism are most closely related.  It is confusing, but there are some recognizable differences between the two.  First of all, the luminist painters preceded the tonalist movement.  But, both popular American art movements … [Read more...]

What is Tonalism in Painting?

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TONALISM is a painting movement that is still popular today. Originally, it was derived from the French Barbizon movement which emphasized atmosphere and shadow and harmonized nature with man - all this was done on location directly from nature. The tonalists did not like to be defined by any particular art movement. But, when pressed on this issue, the early tonalists most often used the term Luminism.to refer to their approach toward painting. … [Read more...]

Enlightened Perspective – Inspiring Thoughts by Andy Rooney

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The following inspiring thoughts were written by Andy Rooney, a popular radio host and television writer.  Andy Rooney is a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words. I thought you might enjoy this little list of Andy's 'enlightened perspective' and the positive way in which he looks at life! Enjoy... I've learned...That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person. I've learned...That when … [Read more...]

Artistic Temperament – What to Do When it Strikes!

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As artists, we often become frustrated with ourselves if we struggle with a painting or creative project.  When 'artistic temperament' kicks in, our friends and family look at us with worry and fear that we might be the next coming of Van Gogh! The story of Van Gogh's ear will most likely remain a mystery, but one theory states that he cut off his ear lobe after trying to drink a quart of turpentine in his studio.  Well, that proves it... … [Read more...]

Improve Color Harmony – Use Yin Yang in Painting

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COLOR HARMONY in painting is the overall tone of the piece of art.  All great paintings use the principles of complementary colors.  This can be seen in all great works of art throughout the centuries. When I grasped the concept of color harmony and color temperature, as well as how to use the hidden meaning of color yin/yang  in painting. Yin (the moon, female) colors are considered to be cool, while yang (the sun, male) colors are warm.  … [Read more...]

Composition – Yin Yang of Painting

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Composition is the selective arrangement of elements in a painting.  Our goal as artists is to lead the viewer's eye into and around the painting while keeping interest in the focal point.  Okay...again, think of it like feng shui in a living room.  The placement of the sofa, chairs, table and art on the walls create the composition of the room.  You decide your room's focal point, where your guests sit and so on...hopefully with good … [Read more...]

Opposites Attract in Painting

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Yin and Yang may sound esoteric or kinda-out-there to many of you traditional artists.  But, like I stated in my first post, I love to learn about art and art history and I have found this to be very useful and interesting.  Hey, many people feng shui their homes and studios (I did), so why not their paintings?  So my research is not only limited to the European and American master painters, but also includes the ancient Chinese and … [Read more...]

Lori McNee Launches New Art Blog

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   WELCOME! This blog is for me to share what I've learned during my 25 years of being a professional artist. My name is Lori McNee and I will be sharing tips, techniques, trade secrets, art biz info, how to instruction, inspiring interviews and more. I am a professional artist.  I paint landscape, still life, plein air and wildlife oil paintings.  I have been drawing since I was a child and I studied art in college, but I … [Read more...]


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