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Painting Schools

mahony — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:04:34 +0000

The term painting schools is used to describe various styles of painting developed over several centuries. Painting schools are generally described to include works of European and American artists, though they could apply to other groups as well. Among the first of the recognized painting schools is that of Baroque art, which refers to European art of the 16th to 18th centuries, when painting was realistic, but was embellished with a high degree of ornamentation.

The Abstract Expressionist school of painting refers to a style which applied expressionism to abstract art. This painting school is represented by Jackson Pollock who used brilliant colors in totally abstract meanderings across the canvas. Additional painting schools in recent eras include the painting schools of Cubism and Expressionism. Picasso developed the painting school of Cubism, which represents an subject from several perspectives at once. The Expessionism school of painting was developed in Germany and Austria, and is one of the painting schools which uses vivid colors, in this case in distorted images.

Fauvism, another of the painting schools which evolved in France from Impressionism involved formal composition, and included Pointilism. This painting school is represented by Seurat and Pisarro.

Another of the painting schools which originated in France early in the 20th century is that of Neo-Impressionism, typified by the works of Matisse who pained in the bright, violent colors typical of this painting school.

The Pop Art painting school is typified by images taken from modern culture, including advertising themes and images from the media in general. An important artist in the development of this painting school was Roy Lichtenstein.

Another of the painting schools which includes a number of artists, including the famous Grandma Moses is the Primitive school of painting. This school of painting is best described as involving very direct, often powerful images which capture the attention because of their strength rather than as a result of fine technique. Another very different artist representing this painting school is the French painter, Henri Rousseau

All of the various painting schools have avid devotees, and each of the painting schools developed over time has produced masterworks which hang in museums throughout the world. Excellent prints of paintings typifying each of the various painting schools described briefly here can be obtained from museums and art galleries and can be displayed to enhance the homes of art lovers.

Cave Painting

mahony — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:24:34 +0000

Cave painting is the first known form of painting, with discovered cave paintings having been dated from 40,000 years ago. The earliest cave paintings found in Europe date to 32,000 years ago, and are located in caves in Lascaux, France and in Altimira, Spain. These cave paintings, drawn and painted on the walls of caves, depict primarily wild animals such as bison, horses and deer, which existed during the times when the cave paintings were created by perhistoric man.

By means first of carbon dating and more recently paint analysis, experts have determined that the cave paintings were indeed created by prehistoric man during the Paleolithic period.
The animals represented in cave paintins were in many cases the kinds of animals prehistoric man relied on for food. It is thought also that some symbolism or religious meanings might exist in the cave paintings, and even that certain of the great wild beasts may have been worshipped in a sense by prehistoric man.

Some historians believe the cave paintings to be a form of transmitting information while others believe cave painting may have had religious or symbolic meanings. Because the cave painting in France and Spain was done in areas where there were no signs of habitation, it is assumed the cave painting was for no decorative purpose.

A number of colors and paint media were used in cave painting, including red and yellow
ochre, hematite, manganese oxide and charcoal. The paintings were simple and somewhat stylized, but unmistakable in form. Humans were not represented in the prehistoric cave paintings.

In much more recent times,primitive paintings have been discoveed in South Africa,including paintings of oth humans and animals. Early rock painting has been found in India, Indonesia and Malaysia, and been dated to around 3000 years ago.

Because cave paintings are an important element in the history of man, and because the cave paintings are susceptible to deterioration through exposure, the primary caves containing cave painting have been closed to the public. The cave paintings have been replicated, however, so that people can see exact reproductions of these ancient works of man. Whether they were a sign of worship, or perhaps a totem of sorts related to the hunt, or even a primitive means of communication, the simple but remarkable depictions of animals in, the cave paintings are a tribute to man's early skills of perception and interpretation,and his sense of his environment as well as his urge and need to make his presence known.

Landscape Painting

mahony — Sat, 01 May 2010 03:09:34 +0000

Landscape painting has been a choice among famous artists as well as among students and less well known artists for centuries. Many artists today creating landscape paintings work directly from nature, but others work from photographs when doing landscape painting.
In centuries past artists worked in the out-of-doors painting at the scene to create landscape paintings. The landscape painting of such artists as Monet and Van Gogh, representative of the Impressionist and post-impressionist periods, is evidenced in museums around the world.

The landscape painting of Van Gogh often depicted fields in blazing sunlight. One of the most famous landscape paintings of Monet, by contrast, is that of a snow scene. Artists of the past braved extreme weather during their landscape painting. Today artists can, if they choose work comfortably indoors from photographs or quick sketches made on site.

One reason why landscape painting is a popular genre is the variety of forms, colors and compositions to be found in nature. A single scene, painted at dawn, noon and evening, can create a number of lovely landscape paintings. Landscape painting can of course include
structures, animals and humans, challenging the artist beyond the creation of a simple landscape painting. Many early landscape artists included people, sometimes clothed, sometimes nude, in bucolic settings which sometimes also included animals.

Executing landscape paintings with watercolor can be effective particularly when wishing to show transparency of light. Landscape painting done with watercolor can be sharpened by the use of pen and ink to delineate or accent certain areas.

While early artists did landscape painting primarily with oil paints, today many artists choose to work with acrylics. This quick-drying medium has the advantage of hastening completion of a landscape painting under specific conditions. Because acrylics are water soluble they can be used in landscape painting either to create a fairly transparent effect or a landscape painting rich with texture.

A beginning artist, if choosing to concentrate on landscape painting might do well to begin with a very simple composition…perhaps a little shed and two or three trees. There are numerous books instructing the beginner in landscape painting, offering simple compositions to copy and experiment in creating a minimal landscape painting. As the student progresses he or she can move on to greater complexity in landscape painting.

Face Painting

mahony — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:08:34 +0000

Face painting for cultural and ceremonial purposes has existed since primitive times. Among African tribal groups and Native Americans, other other peoples, face painting has been an important part of many celebratons and ceremonies, as well as a form of body decoration. In some cases face painting was and is accompanied by piercings and facial adornments.

While Native Americans no longer do face painting on a daily basis, it is often used to demonstrate Native culture and history in special events and ceremonies. In the tradition of face painting, in early times when North America was invaded by the Europeans the Native Americans used face painting when planning or participating in war. The face was made to look as fierce as possible with the intent of intimidating the enemy. Face painting was also a part of celebratory ceremonies.

The many masks available today from South Africa often give indication of the types and styles of face painting used in tribal ceremonies. In some areas, face painting is used in a decorative sense, along with other adornment.

In effect a tradition of face painting is continued today in the form of tatoos, a more permanent form of face and body painting, again often accompanied by various types of piercings. Tatooing is done on both face and body, as was face and body painting originally done.

There must be an instinct in the human being to decorate his face and body, though no longer practiced by a majority of most populations. Children love to have their faces painted when the opportunity arises in carnivals and fairs. Particularly with children, care should be exercised in the use of materials for face painting to be certain they are pure and harmless.

There are many kits available which allow a child to do face painting or face decorating at home. Face painting can take simple forms, such hearts or a flower, or can involve more complex face painting designs for the adventurous.. Such activities should be supervised by parents

Face painting by adults takes yet another obvious form. The use of cosmetics to beautify, enhance and highlight the human face has spawned an enormous present-day industry, witness the major cosmetic companies and their face painting products. Lipstick, base, blush, eyeliner, mascara an eye shadow all attest to the modern woman's desire to indulge in beautifying face painting. It seems face painting is definitely here to stay.

A last thought in terms of face painting. A wide range of cosmetics are used to do face painting for artists performing on stage and screen, and on television, as well as important individuals in public life.. Every attempt is made, through careful face painting, to show off celebrities and other important persons at their best in the theatre and the movies. Such face painting is performed by expert cosmeticians trained in the art of specialized face painting, designed to hide or emphasize good or poor features in the individual receiving the face painting. From primitive native practices to modern times, including famous royalty, budding teenagers and ambitious business employees, face painting in some form has survived.

Painting With Acrylics

mahony — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 22:11:34 +0000

Many artists choose acrylics as a painting medium. Painting with acrylics has a number of advantages and very effective works of art can be created by painting with acrylics.

Acrylics are water-based paints, though they don't have the transparency and fluidity of watercolor paints. Painting with acrylics presents the advantage of being water soluble, however, and can be thinned and manipulated using water. When painting with acrylics there are also thinning media which help the paints to flow and have a pleasant texture.

Artists painting with acrylics avoid the use of turpentines and turpenoids, as brushes are cleanable in water. When paintig with acrylics, paints dry faster, and can be overlaid or
corrected easily, as the quick drying time is an advantage over oil paints.

Any type of painting can be created by painting with acrylics. If you favor landscapes, great color and texture can be achieved when painting with acrylics. The same is true of still life painting. A bowl of fruit, a vase of beautiful flowers, a pitcher and candles…any type of still life can e effectively created when painting with acrylics.

Acrylics can also be used in interesting ways as a base for a picture finished with oil paints and oil glazes. For example, painting with acrylics, one can create several shades of a neutral color by mixing several levels of raw umber and white. Painting with acrylics, using these shades to create the objects being painted in shades of dark to light, one can create in effect a black and white painting. Carefully adding oil glazes can add the color for the finished art, which is begun by painting with acrylics. When painting with acrylics you cannot use acrylics over oils, but you can paint with oil over the piece you've created by painting with acrylics.

Painting with acrylics can also be fun when doing home decorating, such as painting furniture. Creative designs can be added by painting with acrylics.

Whether you are a beginning artist, painting simply as a part time hobby, or are a professional or student of serious art, painting with acrylics can be highly satisfactory. You can create paintings on canvas or board…even thin plywood…which will be exemplary pieces of art when you choose painting with acrylics. If you'd like to paint and haven't used the medium, try painting with acrylics.

Animal Paintings

mahony — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:06:34 +0000

Numerous artists worldwide have chosen to do animal paintings, some from life, some from photographs, and some animal paintings have been totally imaginary. One of the imaginary animals shown in many animal paintings is the Unicorn, a subject of legend and fairy tales.

Proof that man has a desire to create animal paintings are the prehistoric animal drawings and paintings on the walls of caves in France and Spain, now treasured as historic evidence of early man's desire to do animal painting as a means of expression or communication. The animals in these early animal paintings were those which were important to prehistoric man, either as food or symbols of primitive mystic powers.

The continuing importance of animals in paintings is shown in the religious paintings which depict the manger scene. Here the animals are gathered around the baby Jesus.In the middle European period, many animal paintings depicted rustic scenes. Some of these were animal paintings which showed animals grazing, or others combined animals and people in a country setting.

Many animal paintings have been especially for children. Some animal painting art is done as illustrations for children's books, with other animal paintings done as decorative pictures for children's rooms. Children relate to animal paintings, just as they do to animals if introduced to them in a comfortable atmospherre.

Some people have animal paintings done of their pets. This is particularly true of those who raise show dogs and wish to have animal paintings done of their prize animals. Sometimes these animal paintings are done from life and sometimes from pictures, the latter being an easier way to create animal paintings.

Animal paintings have been created in every style of painting and with every painting medium. Early artists used tempera to create paintings, until oil paints were introduced around the Renaissance period. In more recent times, artists have made animal paintings with oil paints, with acrylics and sometimes with watercolor paints. Although animal paintings are not among the majority of subjects in famous paintings in art galleries around the world, animal paintings are often represented in local galleries and exhibits. There is a preference, however, for landscape, still life paintings and portraits over animal paintings among most artists.

Creating animal paintings, particularly from photographs and drawings, can be good practice for beginning artists, offering opportunity to study the form and structure of the animal and to attempt to give an animal painting a feeling of a living thing. .Through time man has had a relationship with the animals, and animal painting is an attempt to rexpress that.

Seascape Painting

mahony — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:33:34 +0000

Seascape painting has been done successfully by many great artists working in a variety of media including oils, acrylics and watercolor. Like landscape painting, seascape paintings offter an endless variety of possibilities in terms of scenes and moods. Because of the constant mobility of water, seascape painting offers a different, and perhaps more difficult challenge to the artist.

In terms of venues, seascape paintings which are done on site must obviously be done by the sea, but there are hundreds of potential scenes for seascape painting. Seascape paintings may represent the English shore, scenes by the Baltic, the shores of the Mediterranean, the south Pacific, or seascape paintings can be and have been done in the South Pacific, the Caribbean and along the North Atlantic coast.

Seascape paintings may include sandy shores, a mountain vista or a fishing village. A seascape painting might show a lighthouse, sailboats or simply a serene sunset. The possibilities for seascape paintings are endless. But seascape painting is demanding and can be difficult. The very things which make the sea fascinating make it difficult to create successful seascape paintings.

The sea is constantly in motion, and has a thousand moods. If the artist is doing seascape painting on site, he must somehow capture the effect of motion in his painting. This is not easy and requires much practice. The sea simply won't stand still for one to do a seascape painting. One solution to this is, after getting the feeling of a site, taking a photograph and painting from the photograph. Even doing a seascape painting in this way, the artist must get the feeling of the motion of the sea.

Famous artists have developed different styles of seascape painting, and they range from the impressionistic approach of such artists as Monet and Cezanne, to the surging power of paintings by Turner. Andrew Wyet uses watercolor for effective portrayal of the sea in a different style of seascape painting.

Solid objects as part of seascape painting can offset the constantly moving sea in ways which contribute to the feeling of fluidity in the water. Waves crashing on rocks can heighten the effect of motion if the artists depicts soaring spray in his seascape painting.
Just as water is constantly in motion, the color is constantly changing as well. Stormy water is dark and heavy, accented by white foam. Calm water may show only ripples, but reflects the light in various ways. All in all, seascape painting is a highly challenging area, but it has been done wondrously effectively by a number of famous artists.

Portrait Painting

mahony — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:59:34 +0000

Portrait painting is a challenging area of painting, but over time many great artists have chosen portrait painting as a major focus of their art. In middle European eras, many artists were sponsored by important or wealthy personages to pursue portrait painting especially for their supporters. Oil painting was the medium for most portrait painting in earlier centuries.

As various schools of painting have evolved, portrait painting has become somewhat less popular, yet will always remain an important genre in the art of painting. While figure painting demands an intimate knowledge of the construction of the body, portrait painting demands more than a knowledge of the structure of the face and head, though of course that too is required for portrait painting.

Although the underlying structure of the skull is fairly simply, what overlays the basic bones is what makes portrait painting difficult. The slightest movement of a facial muscle can change the entire expression of the face during portrait painting…challenging the artist to capture exactly the expression he wants to show in the portrait painting. This represents one of the difficulties in doing portrait painting directly from the model. Often, after making initial sketches and appraisals, an artist may do final portrait painting from a photograph which holds the expression and angle of face he wishes to portray in the portrait painting.

Beyond the actual delineation of structure and expression, the artist doing portrait painting must somehow capture not only the feeling of a living person, but the portrait painting must somehow capture the personality and essence of the subject. This is often evidenced by subtle expressions…particularly about the mouth and eyes. In the process of creating a portrait painting, the smallest brush stroke can alter the entire expression of a face. A wrong line or misplaced shadow can alter the result in a portrait painting, changing the image the artist is creating.

Choosing appropriate colors to represent skin tones is a major part of successful portrait painting. Depending upon the degree and angle of light, skin tones can change drastically.
If doing portrait painting directly from the model, consistent positioning and lighting are essential to a successful result. Choosing the clothing and colors the subject will wear are also important in most portrait painting. The subject will participate in this process, though the artist may make the ultimate decision about background and color when creating a portrait painting. Portrait painting is challenging but can be highly rewarding.

Impressionist Paintings

mahony — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:31:34 +0000

The impressionist school of painting came into being in the 19th century, making a major movement away from the staid, formal, representative paintings of the time.. The new impressionist paintings, created by a group of French artists, used bright, strong color to create their impressionist paintings intending to catch a moment in time rather than a static representation of a scene. Their revolutionary work so startled the current masters in Europe that they denounced the new impressionist paintings and refused to permit the artists to exhibit those impressionist paintings with the current works of conventional artists.

Among the leaders of the impressionist movement were Monet and Cezanne, whose impressionist paintings startled conventional artists and viewers. Monet's landscapes, including his famous snowscape with a bird are typical of the impressionistic school. Cezanne's still life impressionist paintings were unlike anything heretofore seen. He was the first artist presumably who introduced color into shadows, rather than depicting them in shades of grey.

The post-impressionist school produced works very similar to the first impressionist paintings, and included Vincent Van Gogh, whose sun-drenched wheat fields and slightly ghost-like cypesses are representative of impressionist landscapes expressed in even stronger color.

Many art lovers today still hold the impressionist paintings as favorites. Thousands of paintings from this period are hung in museums and galleries worldwide Periodically a major show of impressionist paintings, sometimes of a single artist, sometimes of several, is mounted and presented in major museums such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Permanent collections reside in European galleries as well.

Few of us can afford to own a great masterpiece, including an original impressionist painting. However, there are excellent prints available in museums and art galleries which one can purchase at a moderate price and own a fine replica of an impressionist painting. Such prints can give great pleasure, and make a major contribution to one's home.

If you are particularly attracted to impressionist paintings, treat yourself to a fine print and bring the art into your home. Impressionist paintings represent what was basically a revolution in art and brought new excitement and innovative creativity into the world of art.

Painting

mahony — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:53:34 +0000

The general term painting can cover everything from house painting to decorative painting to the fine art of painting. Here we'll discuss painting as an art, ranging from working on canvas to create fine art, to doing decorative painting which is artistic but not necessarily a fine art.

Painting can be a highly creative hobby, or a satisfying career, depending upon one's devotion to it, creative ability and genuine interest. There are many students of painting who ultimately paint as a favorite hobby, often creating highly refined work, or who decide upon painting as a primary career. Painting as a career can be not only demanding, but often not particularly remunerative, as it is difficult to become well known enough that one's painting is exhibited and frequently sold. As proven by the lives of great painters of the past, the result of years of painting often becomes more valuable after the artist's death.

If one chooses painting either as a hobby or career, there are many choices in terms of style, materials and subjects chosen. Many choose to work in oils, feeling the work is ultimately more permanent and valuable. Oil painting requires patience, as it is difficult to work quickly with slow-drying oils. Many artists choose to work with acrylics because of fast drying time and the ability to quickly overpaint or make changes and finishing touches in a short period of time. Others prefer the fluidity and transparency of watercolor painting.

There is nothing on earth that cannot be a subject of painting, from human faces and figures to landscapes, seascapes,animals and still life objects. Most painters decide to paint in a certain area and develop expertise and style as they paint in the area of choice. Apart from painting classes or formal study in a school, one can develop skill in painting simply from long practice and observation. There are many books available to help develop technique for painting, both in bookstores and libraries. Studying the works of great artists is very helping in developing painting skills.

At another level, as a useful hobby, it can be fun and profitable to use decorative painting on furniture, wallpieces and ceramics to brighten a home. Such painting can range from simple designs on a chest or cupboards, to an entire mural on a wall. At any level, painting is highly creative and satisfactory.