Fine Art Tips and Techniques
If you have ever created anything more complex than a stick figure, you have probably been asked this common question, "How long did it take to paint that?" This seemingly simple question can actually be complex for the artist to answer. For me, each painting seems to have a mind of its own, with its own personality. Literally, some paintings paint themselves, while others are a slow, and more labor intensive. Self-employed artists work hard, … [Read more...]
This guest post is especially relevant for me right now due to the fact that I am working on expanding my own artistic repertoire. Although I still enjoy painting my artistic subject matter, I have become a bit bored and I want to spice it up! To do this, I have begun taking private abstract painting classes as well as an encaustic workshop that starts later this week. My goal is to learn a few new techniques that will add a new dimension to my … [Read more...]
To help preserve your oil paintings for prosperity, thy need to be kept clean to protect them from dust, pet hair, smoke, and environmental residue, however, improper care and cleaning can damage finished paintings. Melanie Smith from Seaside Art Gallery, accredited fine art and animation art appraisers, shares how NOT to clean an oil painting. ~Lori ***** Through the years there has been a number of myths concerning how to clean your oil … [Read more...]
Sketching is one of the purist forms of artistic expression. A sketch is a swiftly executed freehand drawing that captures an idea, a gesture or a moment in time. It is not intended to be a finished work. Sketching birds from life is a difficult task. I know this from personal experience. As a young child, I grew up trying to capture the birds that flocked to our yard. Frustrated, I finally decided to capture them on paper with a pencil. I … [Read more...]
When a painting of mine does not sell after about 6 months of being in one of my galleries, I usually have it sent home to reevaluate it unless I feel fully confident that the piece cannot be improved upon. I thought some of you might enjoy seeing how I recently 'destroyed' a still life painting to make it better! Below, is the large still life oil painting - "Flowers and Feathers" originally 60 inches tall by 40 inches wide. It is was pleasant … [Read more...]
Many of you might ‘gasp’ at the thought of taking an unsold painting out of the gallery and back into the studio to rework it. But famous artists like Van Gogh and Wyeth, for example, recycled canvases by painting - actually painting over their earlier works. From time to time, that is exactly what I do - I like to give a new identity to an unsold painting! ...and here I go again! (Click on the thumbnail images to enlarge for … [Read more...]
Claude Monet once said to Paul Durand-Ruel, "I took your advice and managed to make some quite good things out of paintings I considered irredeemable." Do you ever have an older painting that just sits around in a gallery and never sells? The painting might go out 'on approval' or it's been bounced around between your other galleries, but can't seem to find a new home. This scenario happens to me from time to time however, I have learned how to … [Read more...]
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