Watercolors

Ralph Serpe asked:


Acrylic paint, when compared with other mediums like oil paint, is a fairly new addition to the world of painting. It has only been around since the 1950’s . It has been continually under development and refinement since that time. Just because acrylic paint has not been around as long as oils, does not make these paints less important or enjoyable.

Some of the wonderful benefits of using acrylic paints are their versatility, permanence and ease of use. These paints can be applied thickly as an impasto or in thin washes similar to watercolor. Acrylic paint does not yellow or harden with age like oils.

Another reason artists love to work with acrylics is their fast drying time. Since acrylic paint dries so quickly, colors can be applied and layered quicker than oil paints. But with this fast drying time comes a few disadvantages:

1) The paint will not remain workable for very long, so you have to work fast.

2) Brushes can be ruined if you do not clean them right away.

3) If you plan to paint outdoors, then acrylic paint is probably not the best medium to use, especially on a hot sunny day. When you lay out your colors on a palette or other surface, they will begin to dry quickly forming skins on the surface, making them quite difficult to work with.

ACRYLIC PAINTING TECHNIQUES

Watercolor Effects

Many artists like to use acrylics in a fluid state, similar to watercolor. There is a notable difference though. With acrylics, washes can be layered on top of one another without fear of disturbing the colors underneath. You must wait for one layer to dry completely before applying another of course. Once each layer dries it becomes insoluble in water. One disadvantage to using acrylics as a watercolor medium is the difficulty in modifying the color. Once acrylic paint begins to dry it becomes very difficult to modify and washes can sometime dry with unwanted hard edges. You can avoid this problem in one of two ways. You can either dampen the paper before the paint is applied or you can use an additional brush dampened with water. Use one brush to apply the paint and immediately soften the edge with the other brush that has been dampened with the water.

Pouring & Dripping Technique

This technique was made popular by the master painter Jackson Pollock in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. You use a very fluid acrylic paint for this technique. You can pour it directly on the canvas or dip a brush into the paint and let it drip down onto the canvas. You can create some very interesting effects with this technique. Check out Jackson Pollocks work to see this technique in action.



Sgraffito Technique

Sgraffito is a scratching technique. It got its name from the Italian word graffiare which literally means to scratch. Just as the name implies it involves scratching into the surface of the wet paint which reveals either the ground or layer of dry color underneath. There are a number of different tools that can be used for this technique. Tools like screwdrivers or the sharpened end of an old paintbrush handle can work.

Using a Squeegee

A regular squeegee that you can buy at any hardware or auto store has the ability to create some interesting effects. First squeeze out some paint blobs directly along one edge of your support. You can layout whatever colors you wish. Then with one fluid motion drag the paint across the surface with your squeegee smearing and mixing the paint as you go.

ACRYLIC PAINTING TIPS

Variety    



One of the things that makes a painting interesting is variety. Use a variety of different brushstrokes, techniques and values in your paintings. Change the direction of your brushstrokes or mix different techniques in the same painting.

Don’t Copy

Don’t copy other artists. Allow other artists to influence you and paint your own impression of what you see from your heart and soul. This is how your inner creativity shines on the canvas. It is what set painters like Vincent van Gogh and Salvador Dali apart from the rest. They each injected their own style and heart into their work.

Observe Your Surroundings

Spend time observing and studying your subjects and surroundings. Landscape artists spend a great deal of time outdoors studying nature. Figure and portrait artists spend a great deal of time studying the human anatomy. If you aren’t spending enough time observing the subjects that you wish to paint, then you won’t have the necessary knowledge to paint them.

Art Supplies

Are you using quality acrylic painting supplies? In the beginning when you are experimenting, it is ok to use cheaper supplies, but as you become more experienced, you may want to consider investing in better quality. When it comes to fine art supplies, you usually get what you pay for. If you buy cheap brushes, they will more than likely begin to fall apart. The ferrule of the brush can loosen and the hairs can fall out. If you use cheap paint, you will get cheap looking results. The colors will not have the same brilliance or the right consistency.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use your Paint

Lets face it, good paint does not come cheap, so in an effort to conserve our paint, some artists will use as little paint as possible. This is a reasonable concern, but the truth however, is that your paintings will be more interesting if you lay down the brush stroke, leave it alone, and then reload your brush. Don’t try and scrub the paint into the canvas, otherwise you are just staining, and not painting.

Don’t Over Think

Don’t overly criticize or judge your own work while you are painting. This will discourage and frustrate you. Just relax and let go. Trust yourself and your abilities. ?



MITCHEL

Ralph Serpe asked:


Watercolor is probably the most convenient of all the painting mediums. All you really need to get started is a box of paint, a few brushes, water and some paper. There are no toxic solvents or mediums to be concerned about and your brushes can be cleaned with a little soap and water. This convenience makes watercolor one of the most economical painting mediums as well. This article will provide an introduction to the more popular supplies that a beginner should consider investing in.

PAINT

Watercolor paint is made by mixing powdered pigments along with a water soluble binding medium. In the beginning you will do fine by using a cheaper brand of paint, but you will definitely enjoy a much better painting experience if you use artist quality paints. Artist quality paints use more high quality pigment and are noticeably richer and more vibrant. After you become more comfortable working with watercolors, you should then consider upgrading to artist quality paint. Paint is available in both pan and tube form. The main difference between the tube and pan paints is that the tubes have more glycerine and they tend to be more water soluble.

BRUSHES

There are generally two types of brushes that are available to artists: your soft hair brushes like natural sable and squirrel hair and your hard hair bristle brushes. Soft hair brushes are the most popular choice amongst artists and highly recommended. Bristle brushes are sometimes used with techniques that require you to scrub the paint into your paper or other support. Among the soft brushes used by artists, sable is the most popular. These soft hair brushes are resilient and effective at holding a lot of paint. Because of the high quality of these brushes, they also come with a high price tag. This of course leads artists to seek a cheaper alternative. This cheaper alternative comes in the form of synthetic soft hair brushes. As the name implies, these brushes are not made with animal hairs. They are made from man made materials and consequently, are not of the same quality as the sables. They are still a pretty good alternative and many artists use them.

BRUSH SHAPES

Now that you are a little more familiar with the types of hair brushes are made with, lets us cover the shapes brushes are available in.

Round Brushes

As the name implies, the hair of these brushes are round and can be shaped into an excellent point. Depending on the size of the round brushes, they can be used for detailed work or for applying washes.

Wash Brushes (or Mop Brushes)

This is a brush that forms a mop like shape and is used primarily for applying washes.

Flat Wash Brush

The flat wash brushes are square and flat in shape and closely resemble the brushes you use for house painting. These brushes are made for applying washes over large areas and can also be used for modifying existing washes.

Large Flat Wash Brushes

The large flat wash brush looks very similar to the regular flat wash brush only its a little larger, usually about 2 inches wide. This brush is also excellent for laying down washes over large areas.

PAPER



Watercolor paper comes in a variety of different sizes, weights and textures in order to accommodate the various preferences artist have. Whatever paper you decide to use, it needs to be very strong and have a certain degree of absorbency to prevent breaking and tearing.

Absorbency

Watercolor paper is made to have certain degree of absorbency depending on the amount of sizing used in the manufacturing process. The more sizing used, the less absorbent your paper will be. If you are not happy with the level of absorbency in your paper, you can always purchase your own sizing and apply it yourself.

Acidity

You should look for papers that are acid free with a neutral PH. This will lessen the darkening of your paper as it ages.

Weight and Surface

Watercolor paper is available in three different surfaces: Hot pressed, cold pressed and rough. Hot pressed paper has a smooth surface, cold pressed paper has a semi-rough surface and rough paper has, you guessed it, a rough surface. The weight of the paper refers to the weight of a ream (480 sheets) of paper.?



DONOVAN

Ralph Serpe asked:


Acrylic paint, when compared with other mediums like oil paint, is a fairly new addition to the world of painting. It has only been around since the 1950’s . It has been continually under development and refinement since that time. Just because acrylic paint has not been around as long as oils, does not make these paints less important or enjoyable.

Some of the wonderful benefits of using acrylic paints are their versatility, permanence and ease of use. These paints can be applied thickly as an impasto or in thin washes similar to watercolor. Acrylic paint does not yellow or harden with age like oils.

Another reason artists love to work with acrylics is their fast drying time. Since acrylic paint dries so quickly, colors can be applied and layered quicker than oil paints. But with this fast drying time comes a few disadvantages:

1) The paint will not remain workable for very long, so you have to work fast.

2) Brushes can be ruined if you do not clean them right away.

3) If you plan to paint outdoors, then acrylic paint is probably not the best medium to use, especially on a hot sunny day. When you lay out your colors on a palette or other surface, they will begin to dry quickly forming skins on the surface, making them quite difficult to work with.

ACRYLIC PAINTING TECHNIQUES

Watercolor Effects

Many artists like to use acrylics in a fluid state, similar to watercolor. There is a notable difference though. With acrylics, washes can be layered on top of one another without fear of disturbing the colors underneath. You must wait for one layer to dry completely before applying another of course. Once each layer dries it becomes insoluble in water. One disadvantage to using acrylics as a watercolor medium is the difficulty in modifying the color. Once acrylic paint begins to dry it becomes very difficult to modify and washes can sometime dry with unwanted hard edges. You can avoid this problem in one of two ways. You can either dampen the paper before the paint is applied or you can use an additional brush dampened with water. Use one brush to apply the paint and immediately soften the edge with the other brush that has been dampened with the water.

Pouring & Dripping Technique

This technique was made popular by the master painter Jackson Pollock in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. You use a very fluid acrylic paint for this technique. You can pour it directly on the canvas or dip a brush into the paint and let it drip down onto the canvas. You can create some very interesting effects with this technique. Check out Jackson Pollocks work to see this technique in action.



Sgraffito Technique

Sgraffito is a scratching technique. It got its name from the Italian word graffiare which literally means to scratch. Just as the name implies it involves scratching into the surface of the wet paint which reveals either the ground or layer of dry color underneath. There are a number of different tools that can be used for this technique. Tools like screwdrivers or the sharpened end of an old paintbrush handle can work.

Using a Squeegee

A regular squeegee that you can buy at any hardware or auto store has the ability to create some interesting effects. First squeeze out some paint blobs directly along one edge of your support. You can layout whatever colors you wish. Then with one fluid motion drag the paint across the surface with your squeegee smearing and mixing the paint as you go.

ACRYLIC PAINTING TIPS

Variety    



One of the things that makes a painting interesting is variety. Use a variety of different brushstrokes, techniques and values in your paintings. Change the direction of your brushstrokes or mix different techniques in the same painting.

Don’t Copy

Don’t copy other artists. Allow other artists to influence you and paint your own impression of what you see from your heart and soul. This is how your inner creativity shines on the canvas. It is what set painters like Vincent van Gogh and Salvador Dali apart from the rest. They each injected their own style and heart into their work.

Observe Your Surroundings

Spend time observing and studying your subjects and surroundings. Landscape artists spend a great deal of time outdoors studying nature. Figure and portrait artists spend a great deal of time studying the human anatomy. If you aren’t spending enough time observing the subjects that you wish to paint, then you won’t have the necessary knowledge to paint them.

Art Supplies

Are you using quality acrylic painting supplies? In the beginning when you are experimenting, it is ok to use cheaper supplies, but as you become more experienced, you may want to consider investing in better quality. When it comes to fine art supplies, you usually get what you pay for. If you buy cheap brushes, they will more than likely begin to fall apart. The ferrule of the brush can loosen and the hairs can fall out. If you use cheap paint, you will get cheap looking results. The colors will not have the same brilliance or the right consistency.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use your Paint

Lets face it, good paint does not come cheap, so in an effort to conserve our paint, some artists will use as little paint as possible. This is a reasonable concern, but the truth however, is that your paintings will be more interesting if you lay down the brush stroke, leave it alone, and then reload your brush. Don’t try and scrub the paint into the canvas, otherwise you are just staining, and not painting.

Don’t Over Think

Don’t overly criticize or judge your own work while you are painting. This will discourage and frustrate you. Just relax and let go. Trust yourself and your abilities. ?



FORREST

NAVAL LANGA asked:


In watercolor paintings, the light adds rhythm to the whole frame of the painting. The stock of the energy supplied by the presence of the light falling on the objects help enhancing the value of painting. The artist can fill the liveliness only because of the proper and balanced use of light.

When an artist decides to paint in watercolours, the prime factor he would think about would be the light. The light, the sunlight, can be bolstering or pale; the light can be intense or diffuse. The artist sets his or her palette and water colours following the pattern of the light. The second important aspect to consider while deciding paint watercolour is to look at the way in which the sun or moon illuminates the objects in the surrounding. For a landscape painter, it is a supreme factor to consider the aspect of light properly. The light adds value to the painting and infuses refinement to the objects.

Ultimately the artists use these aspects to enliven the canvass. Another important aspect in watercolour painting, though in all the types of paintings, is the skillful use of light and darkness, adding a rhythmic pattern in the final art piece. The large stock of life, filling the land, the road, and the street like the water fill a roaring ocean add a pool of energy to the whole painting. There is another reason too for considering a painting with scorching sunlight a powerful one: the sun is regarded as the symbol of masculine power.

Writer of this article, Naval Langa is a short story writer from India. He writes essays and articles on various subjects, including the art of paintings. For other articles on paintings by Naval Langa please visit the following sites. Here the articles contain detailed reviews of paintings and the images of the paintings.

PAINTINGS GALLERIES

WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS



CLYDE

Angieb asked:


Artists creating ceramics, watercolors, jewelry, woodcarvings will showcase their works at the 47th Annual Sierra Madre Art Fair from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 16, and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 17 in Memorial Park.

The Friends of the Sierra Madre Library will transform Sierra Madre’s Memorial Park into a cornucopia of color and beauty.

Jewelry, oil paintings, watercolors, woodcarvings, mixed media, glass, photography, pottery, ceramics, gourd art and lighting will be on display and available to be purchased, treasured and passed on to generations.

The participating artists include Carolyn Gravatte, a popular local artist who captures local Sierra Madre village scenes and landscapes in oil on canvas. Catch a glimpse of her work at www.carolyngravatte.com.

Another participant, Robin White-Patterson, a new addition to the Fair, started his career with photography and is now an abstract painter who uses light, color and composition applying it to paint and canvas.

Musicians Jane Fuller, String Planet, Cow Bop, The Tom Corbett Band, Vin Fizz Flyer, the Joel Penner Trio, and Ann Luke will provide a delightful musical backdrop to the fair. The “Under the Sea Seed and Bead Mosaic” project for the kids is sponsored by Sierra Madre’s Creative Arts Group.

Alvero Street Mexican Food will offer tacos, taquitos, tamales and nachos. The Chinese & Korean BBQ will provide chicken, beef, short ribs on a stick and fish balls. Flavored ice, ice cream, churros and pretzels will be available from Hawaiian Shaved Ice. Kettle corn and slushies, and other drinks will also be available. Sweet breads such as banana, pumpkin and zucchini will be available on Saturday. Cupcakes will be available on Sunday.

Sierra Madre Memorial Park is located at 222 West Sierra Madre Blvd., one long block west of Baldwin Avenue.



DARWIN

NAVAL LANGA asked:


Every painting, more or less, is a pictorial representation of emotions and ideas the artist had in his or her heart or mind. An artist conceives an idea and then tries to express it onto the frame as an artwork. There are subjects which can be expressed simply by depicting them on the canvas or paper if it is painted in watercolor.  But while expressing the latent idea in his or her mind, an artist many times takes the help of symbols rather telling the thing in a straight way. The painting in such cases carries a meaning in allegorical way. The technique of expressing a meaning through allegory is known as symbolism, as it takes the help of symbols to tell what is to be told.

Under the technique of symbolism, a painter uses the symbols for the ideas; say a tiny man standing in the vastness of land depicts the feebleness of the importance of humans before the nature. Such a symbolism owns its importance in the paintings carrying a religious message or describing a mythological scene. Now a day it helps in the field of psychoanalysis, too. It is very much useful in diagnosis, too, while the painters use symbols of dream imagery for pictorial presentation of his or her thoughts. Such paintings, carrying symbolic meanings, are in a way a visual language of the soul of the artist.

The artists who often use symbols in their paintings believe in a principle that the art should catch more and more truth in its absolute form. This is sometimes impossible to depict in a straight way or through the simple depiction of objects; so they take help of the symbols carrying the different meaning from what they, the objects, physically represent.

When the painters, or sculptures, do their work with the help of one or another symbol, they try telling through the meaning-clad symbols. The subjects of paintings could be from nature or any human activity in the real world. But they all carry with them the highly metaphorical and suggestive elements, leading the viewers to think beyond what they see through their eyes.

The people and the art lovers like to see such paintings, as sometimes they love to see the artworks full of mystery and hidden meaning. For example we like to see the scenes where a king’s elephant or horse is attacked, as it symbolizes a challenge offered to the power of the oppressor. Or we like to see the paintings were a king is on horse back denoting his control over the situation and his ability to provide security to his people. The paintings done with symbolism provide this class of art lovers with particular images or objects carrying esoteric attractions.

For more paintings images and similar articles please visit the following links.

SYMBIOLISM IN ART

DRAWING **** SITTING WOMAN



DAVE

Ralph Serpe asked:


So you would like to learn how to draw eh? Drawing is one of the most economical forms of art and is very easy to get started. You really do not need much. For the absolute beginner, all that is really needed is a number 2 pencil and piece of cheap scrap paper. Eventually though, you will probably want to purchase quality supplies as you become more experiences and start producing finished drawings. This article will provide you with an introduction to some of the more popular drawing materials and accessories available to todays artists.

DRAWING MEDIUMS

Graphite Pencils: Graphite pencils, which are sometimes confused with “lead pencils”, are nothing more than a mixture of clay and the mineral graphite. These pencils are usually in the form of a long rod which is encased in wood. Graphite pencils range in grade from very hard to very soft, although the harder grades are not used as often as the softer grades. The softer grade pencils will allow you to be more expressive with your work. You can easily find a high quality graphite pencil set online at a number of different art stores and they are usually quite affordable.

Graphite Sticks: Graphite is also available in stick forms that are sold as is or can be inserted into holders or encased in plastic. Graphite sticks are graded in the same fashion as regular pencils and are excellent for covering large areas.

Colored Pencils: If you prefer to draw in color, then colored pencils may be a good fit for you. Colored pencils are available in a variety of colors and can be purchased in sets as well. They are rather waxy in nature so if you like to work with mediums that can be blended, then this is not the right choice for you. They are best suited for techniques that utilize “optical blending” like “cross-hatching” for instance.

Water Soluble Pencils- These are a very interesting and a relatively new drawing medium. These are a wonderful alternative to watercolor paints if you prefer to work with pencil, but still want that “Watercolor” look to your work. You lay down your marks as you would with a colored pencil only when you apply water, your marks instantly dissolve creating colorful washes

Pens & Inks - Pen and ink has been around for centuries and at one point in time was one of the most common drawing mediums. Drawing in ink is rather challenging and intimidating to artists because of its permanence. Inks are impossible to erase bit this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Each line you put down adds to the expressive nature of this medium. There are many different pens available and the only way to know which one you are comfortable with is to test various pens and inks out. You have your Nib style pens which are essentially a holder which accepts various nibs of different sizes and shapes. Then there are technical pens which are available in various sizes. These pens provide the means to create consistent lines no matter the force of pressure. Other pens include felt tip, roller ball, sketching pens, fountain and reed pens.

Chalk - Chalk is one the oldest drawing mediums in existence today. Today chalks are created by mixing limestone, pigments, water and a binding medium. There are a variety of chalks available to today’s artists. Conte crayons are a very popular type of chalk. Conte crayons are hard and less prone to breaking. Drawing chalks are also quite popular and are quite similar in appearance and texture to pastels.

Charcoal - Charcoal is made from charred willow and is a very versatile medium. Like chalk, it is also a very old medium that has been in existence for hundreds of years. Charcoal is a very expressive medium and produces rick, dark lines. Like graphite, charcoal is also sold in various grades from hard to soft and is available in different sizes.

Pastels - Pastels can sometimes be difficult to classify as certain pastels like soft and oil pastels, can be applied in an almost painterly fashion. However, because they cannot be mixed in the same way that paint can, and are therefore classified as drawing mediums. Pastels come in a variety of different formats. Some of the more popular are soft pastels and oil pastels but they also come in pencil, crayon and water soluble varieties.

DRAWING ACCESSORIES

Sharpeners - There are a variety of different ways to keep your pencils or drawing mediums sharpened. Always try to keep your pencils sharpened to a fine point. You will get a cleaner, more direct line that way. The best kind of sharpener is really a matter of personal preference. Manual sharpeners are believed to be a better choice as there is more control and less waste making them more economical. If not used properly, an electric sharpener can devour your pencils. A sharp craft knife is sometimes used and creates a longer point to work with.

Erasers - Erasers are available in a variety of different shapes and materials. One of the most widely used and most effective erasers is the kneaded eraser. A kneaded eraser is almost like silly putty and can be molded into any shape making it an excellent tool for erasing small areas of a drawing and a kneaded eraser does not leave marks or unwanted residue.

Fixatives - Fixatives are used to create a protective seal over the drawing surface to prevent the work from smudging. Fixatives can be used during the drawing process to protect each layer as you go or when a drawing is completed to create a permanent protective layer. Not all artists use fixatives as some feel they can ruin a drawing. It is really a personal preference that is always debated.

Tortillions - Tortillions are blending tools made of tightly rolled pointed paper. They are very similar in appearance to pencils. The paper can be peeled away as the surface of the tortillion becomes soiled by the drawing medium. Tortillions are used for blending purposes. ?



ERICK

Lyndon Grove asked:


All of his life, the Montreal-based Armenian-Canadian had heard stories of his ancestors’ homeland, stories of rapturous beauty, stories of unspeakable suffering. Now, at the midpoint of his life, he felt inescapably drawn to see that homeland for himself, to find his roots in Armenia.  

Among the many things revealed to him, among the many discoveries, was the richness and diversity of Armenia’s art. He had gone to Armenia on one mission; he returned to Canada with another. This is how Asbed Palakian and a group of art-loving friends began Passport Arts.

The mission of Passport Arts is to bring to the world’s attention undiscovered works of art from hidden corners of the globe. In its debut, the Canadian company has focused on countries of the Caucasus, primarily Armenia, but also Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Black Sea region of Russia.

“These are countries,” says Palakian, “that have endured centuries of pain. But out of torment and turbulence, great beauty has merged. Art has sprung up like a flower growing from a rock. In the Caucasus, you are surrounded by three millennia of artistic creativity, from ancient khatchkars, the stone crosses of Armenia, to the most innovative and experimental work of the 21st century.

“Artists of these regions,” Palakian continues, “live and work in small, often isolated areas. And while they are rich in talent, few possess the kind of marketing sophistication that would lead them outside the boundaries of their countries. We felt a responsibility to these artists to present their work to a global audience. At the same time, we felt a responsibility to art aficionados to offer them views of works they might otherwise never see.”

The Virtual Art Gallery

To achieve this, Passport Arts has created a virtual gallery, an online museum viewers may tour at their computers. The website www.passportarts.com, launched in June 2009, currently displays over 150 oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, photographs and collages, with short, often fascinating biographies of the artists and analyses of their work.  

Palakian says, “To see these artworks in person, one would have to travel to the Caucasus, search out the artists, and visit their studios, which are often out of the mainstream and not easily found. To do this would take an enormous investment in time and travel.”

This is exactly what Passport Arts has done, so that the rest of us can see contemporary arts of the Caucasus without leaving our homes.

Doorway to an Enchanted World

Many of the artists are major figures, among them Harout Harutiunyan, curator of the Museum of Fine Arts in the legendary Holy City of Etchmiadzin, and photographer Vasgen Degirmentas, whose most recent book, “Rewind 25,” chronicles a quarter-century of Armenian life in Istanbul.  

One of the most colorful and fascinating figures in the Passport Arts gallery is Mais Mkhitaryan. Born in Georgia, but a longtime resident of Armenia, Mkhitaryan has been the subject of two documentary films, including the 2002 Canadian production “Mon fils sera Armenian.” His work is often fanciful (beautifully gowned ladies wearing hats containing exotic birds and fish) and often religious (“Mother of God,” “The Pharisee,” and his magnificent tapestry “The Mysterious Supper”).

To visit Mkhitaryan’s studio, one must climb a winding road of stone buildings, without the aid of street signs. “But once there,” Palakian relates, “the artist, garbed in renaissance costume, pours Cognac, serves walnut-stuffed dried fruits, plays music of an Armenian liturgical choir. It is a welcome more than worth the climb and the search.”

While Mkhitaryan’s paintings hang in the World Bank MC Atrium and Washington, D.C.’s Preston Auditorium, other artists introduced by Passport Arts are emerging, making their initial entry onto the international stage. Their styles cover the full spectrum of contemporary art, from figurative to abstract. Surrealists, impressionists, cubists, minimalists—all find a place at Passport Arts. The subjects are equally wide-ranging. The Passport Arts gallery includes landscapes, marine impressions, portraits, nudes, street scenes, architectural renderings, still life and botanical studies, spiritual visions, fantasies and fairy tale imaginings. “Entering this gallery,” said one viewer, “is like opening the door to an enchanted world.”

The works displayed in this online gallery are intended for more than viewing, although Passport Arts is pleased to welcome all interested visitors. But, in addition, the oils, watercolors, drawings, photographs and collages are offered for sale. “This is something more we can do for the artists,” says Palakian. “We can introduce them to a  global market and act as their intermediary with buyers. There is a benefit to buyers, as well. Because we do not have the expenses of a conventional gallery, prices are modest.”  

Works presented by Passport Arts range from charming miniatures to wall-dominating oils. Those selected online by collectors are shipped direct from the country of origin to the buyers. Full details of the system are outlined at www.passportarts.com

While the Passport Arts website currently displays contemporary artworks of the Caucasus, it is the company’s intention to introduce artists of other countries to its global audience. “The thrill for us is in the discovery of artists and artworks far from the beaten path,” says Palakian. “It is our privilege to work with these artists and share their creations with viewers around the world.”

What began as a sentimental journey has become an international phenomenon,  a unique way to view remarkable, seldom-seen artworks and to discover little-known artists.

“It is,” says Palakian, “a labor of love. Our greatest satisfaction comes in bringing artists and collectors together, when they are thousands of miles apart.”



ISAAC

Susan asked:


Art was once religious art thus commissioned by the church and its benefactors.  Later portraits were also commissioned by well to do families or individuals. In the last century art was commissioned to advertise holiday locations by the railways in many European countries.

However in the last 30 – 50 years the number of talented practising professional and amateur artists has increased dramatically.  Accessibility and affordability of original art has also increased to the point where many people can afford to collect pieces of original art.  At the same time the value of the works of the old masters, sometimes bought for next to nothing in the lifetime of the artist, has increased to the point where only museums and billionaires can afford to own them.

When you are buying a painting in a gallery you may experience the subtle and sometimes not so subtle pressures of the seller not unlike those of a car salesman, a clothing shop assistant, or a real estate agent.  Having a fully understood reason for purchase and how it complements your aspirations can make you resistant to unwelcome pressure from salespersons.  They may seek to determine your budget and assess your social status.

A painting you show interest in maybe promoted on the basis of the importance of the artist, it complementing your home, as a long term investment, or on the merits of the art itself, depending upon how the salesperson may perceive he can succeed.  How you are dressed when you enter the gallery and what you reveal about yourself in conversation will affect their approach.

The art purchaser needs to be aware that galleries have high overheads which are paid for by sales, and the salesperson may receive a commission.  The amount that the artist receives from a gallery sale for his work will be much less than the sale price since the gallery will deduct both its commission and any taxes on the total cost that may be due.  Beforehand the artist will often have had to pay for the framing if it is a painting or some other display cost.

All artwork for sale should display at the very least technical competence by the artist in using the selected medium to portray its raison d’etre.  Professional rather than student materials should be used.  Some knowledge on the buyer’s part of the underlying difficulties in using the particular medium can bring an appreciation of the artwork simply on a technical basis.  Lack of knowledge may easily be exploited when a prospective art purchaser visits a gallery.  Just because something has a high price doesn’t mean it is good art, or that you will like it on your wall.

Each medium in which paintings are produced involve the use of pigments and for all of them lightfastness is a must, if the painting is to have any durability.  This property can vary according to the quality of the paint, with student quality paints being produced from cheaper, and less lightfast pigments.  The best light fast pigments are the same for all the media – watercolors / watercolours, oil, gouache or acrylics, pastel etc.  Besides lightfastness the use of cheaper student paints, due to the use of fillers, cannot achieve the same clarity and tonal range which can be achieved with professional artist quality paints.  However, each medium may make different demands of the pigments which leads to the visual differences between them, such as the difference between oil and watercolour / watercolor.

The support medium, for a painting also needs to be considered. Canvas made of linen is more expensive than cotton. 100% cotton watercolor paper is more expensive than a cellulose medium.

The variety of sculptures available today reflect the wide range of materials that are available and which can allow the artist more freedom in putting in place his conception.  From traditional stone, clay, and bronze to filled resins, other metals (wires or plates), found materials and plastics that are now available and the tools used in producing the artwork have revolutionized traditional sculpture.   However the basic techniques used are ancient, being basically carving from a block of material, or modeling and casting.

A purchaser needs to be aware of these different production methods since it may bear upon the uniqueness of the piece, and the difficulty in creation and time taken to create it.  If the piece was produced by casting, the number of replicas made from the original model should be considered. Other forms of art that may be considered as forms of modern sculpture or 3D art are glasswork, jewelry, textile art or even millinery.  However, works in these form need to have moved beyond simple craft to something particularly original and creative.

The alternative to buying an original is to buy a printed reproduction, but it is not uncommon to find that those of well known artists are sold at a relatively high price.  Giclee printing while very good is a very expensive process.  No printing process can reproduce the full quality of an original unless the artwork itself was produced by a print process.  Thus ultimately it could be argued that the image is worth little more than that of the paper upon which it is printed.  The only exception is when the artist has had a limited print run of his work and each is signed and authenticated as such.

The main question to consider when buying art is “Do you like it?”

If you don’t like it, then don’t buy it! The purpose of a piece of artwork is to speak to you. If the painting you are looking at makes you feel suddenly sad, happy or emotional, then it’s working! If the piece speaks to you, sends a message and you like it, then you should consider buying the painting.

A piece of art that you like, can give you a thrill every time you look at it and it can inspire you in unexpected ways in your daily life.

Buying,collecting or Purchase of Artwork for Sale from an Online Gallery



ISAIAH

NAVAL LANGA asked:


Impasto is the technique of putting the colours on canvass that it gives texture to the painting. The style of painting known as ‘Impasto’ has its own advantages over the other styles. When an artist uses this as his or her style of painting, he has several purposes in mind. Firstly, the technique of impasto depicts the effects of light in a particular way. And that gives an artist some control over the quality and the reflections of light on the painting. Secondly, it helps in adding a tint of expressiveness to the artwork. An art lover would recognize the artistic strength and speed in working applied by the artist.

The most important benefit of using impasto is that this style of paintings converts a painting into a three dimensional state, gifting it with a sculptural look. The artists like Rambrandt, titian and Van Gogh had used the impasto technique. In recent time the master painters like Hans Hofmann and Willem De Kooning have extensively used this technique, making their paintings more aesthetically beautiful and more expressive in nature.  some times these artist applied the paint in such a big stock that the painting really looked like three dimensional.

This painting technique is most suitable in case when an artist is using oil paint. Oil paints are relatively thick and they take more time in drying on canvas. Many artists have used impasto style of applying colours in their acrylic paintings, too. But ‘impasto’ cannot be used if a painter uses watercolor or tempera, as these colours are relatively thin in quality.

For similar articles about paintings and seeing images, visit the following links.

IMPASTO STYLE OF PAINTING

PAINTING THE **** FEMALES



ELIJAH