Who Is Behind Your Abstract Art Paintings?

Abstract Art. A lot of us love to pick out this type of art that appeals to us and hang it in our home. But, do you ever think about the people that make this art? Where they come from, how they came about creating their pieces, or just their background? Here are only a few of many artists that love creating abstract pieces of art that you can find today.

Simon Addyman is a well known abstract artist. He was born in Colchester England in 1957. He attended The Colchester School of Art and the City & Guilds of London Art School.Simon's method of direct observation painting leads him to discover new color relationships. He uses gestural brushstrokes and is known for his intense elements that he brings into his paintings. He allows himself to be versatile while painting his emotions. He currently lives in Auburn California, which is where he works as an artist. In his portfolio he currently has three different categories:
Studio works: This includes the larger works that were painted in his studio from outside observations.

Plein Air: This includes a collection of paintings that were painted on location.
Still Life: These are both painted in the studio as well as outdoors.

David Belovas natural artistic ability was displayed at a very young age.. He was born in Tbilisi, and even graduated from, Tbilisi Academy of Art in 1979. After this be became more experimental in his art. His talent was even recognized by the U.S.S.R. Union of Artists, which was under strict censorial control by the Communist regime at the time. Many artists took their chances to be able to exhibit their work in Western Europe. And as David took this chance with his work, it was able to cross national boundaries, and was very easily recognized. David eventually immigrated to the United States to New York and then ended up in Atlanta, Georgia, where he still continues to create the abstract art that he is known for.

Another artist, Sebastian Alterera was born in New York City in 1964. He grew up watching his own mother sculpt art and try to sell it for a living. Sebastian was always very intrigued by his mother's dedication and creative work. He would attend art selling's at galleries and sidewalks. He began creating his own art shortly after this. At the age of 15, Alterea unexpectedly lost his father. Shortly after this, his mother moved their family to San Francisco. Although this unfortunate event happened, he looked to art to ease his painful loss. The architecture, ocean and mountains are where he found a significant amount of inspiration. He ended up attending Ringing School of art in Sarasota Florida and after graduation went on to a program at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Upon completing that program he traveled to Naples, Italy. After spending several years there, he came back to the US and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. His art now reflects figurative abstracts that contain natural colors and lines, along with earthy tones and deep textures.

It's nice to look into some artists backgrounds to really understand where their inspirations come from. So, when you are looking at abstract pieces, you may be curious to know where that particular piece came from, and who the creative abstract artist behind it is.

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Indian Art Painting - During Mughals Period

Indian painting is one of the forms of Indian art. In the pre historic times the rock paintings were made. Around the 7th century the carved pillars of Ellora and Maharashtra state are fine example of Indian paintings. The paintings of India provide artistic range that extends from the early civilization till today. Paintings in India have evolved over the years and it is fusion of various traditions and cultures. These paintings have been exposed to Iranian, Greco Roman, as well as Chinese influences.

Indian Paintings during Mughal Period
Mughal paintings is majorly limited to illustrations on the book as well as done in miniatures. This emerged, developed, and took shape during the period of the Mughal Empire. Paintings at time of Mughals were a blend of Persian, Islamic, and Indian styles.

Paintings during this time can be largely classified as the miniatures and murals. Miniatures are paintings created on small scale that too on perishable material such as cloth and paper. This type of paintings can be seen at Palas of Bengal. Murals are big work that is executed on the walls of the solid structures. This type of painting can be seen in Kailashnath temple and Ajanta Caves. During the Mughal period the miniature Indian art paintings reached the glory. This tradition was carried forward by the painters of various Rajasthani schools of paintings such as Kishangarh, Bundi, Jaipur, Mewar, and Marwar.

The modern Indian art saw the rise of the Bengal school of art in 1930's. This was followed by various experimentations in Indian styles and European. After independence many new types of art was developed by various artists. Various Indian paintings have been created by artists like MF Hussain, Gaitonde, FN Souza, and Jamini. The forms and styles of the paintings underwent various changes as the economy of the country progressed. The free flow of the cultural information could be seen in 1990s, when Indian economy was integrated and liberalized. Around this period Pseudorealism emerged as a new type in contemporary Indian art. Along with this there was rise in mahny young Trunks in the field of art like Atul Dodiya, Subhodh Gupta, Devajyoti Ray, Jitish Kahkkat, and Bose Krishnamachari. The work of all these also went for auction in the international markets.

Akbhar's reign introduced a new era in Indian miniature painting. He established an atelier under the supervision of two Persian artists Abdus Samad and Mir Sayyed Ali. Along with nearly hundred painters most of whom were Hindus from Gujarat, Kashmir, and Gwalior a new school of paintings known as the Mughal School of miniature Paintings was developed.
During Shah Jahan's reign famous artists were Mir Hashim, Mohammad Faqirullah Khan, Muhammad Nadir, Anupchhatar, Honhar, Chitarman, and Bichitr. Aurangzeb on the other hand did not have any taste of fine arts. Due to which artists migrated to Hyderabad and states of Rajasthan in search of new patrons.

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Abstract Art Paintings

In general terms, abstract art paintings break the monotony of realism and reject the fact that paintings should depict pragmatism. In the pre-World War II era, abstract art painters mostly depicted spiritualism or intellectualism, rejecting the 20th century motto of "art for art's sake" and replacing realism with spirituality and rationality. Furthermore, with the advent of the technology age, abstract art has gained greater significance.

Painting as an art form has undergone several changes, especially during the 20th century, wherein a transition from figurative painting to abstract painting was the chief feature of the era. Renowned painter Pablo Picasso is generally believed to have ushered the shift from figurative to abstract painting. Picasso, along with George Braque, formulated a new pictorial representation known as cubism, wherein the artists depicted an object as seen from a different viewpoint.

Abstract art painting took a further leap in 1911 with the creation of synthetic cubism and analytical cubism. These forms of cubism fragmented the subject in the painting, for example, in analytical cubism, painters used crystalline geometry, while in synthetic cubism the subjects were reduced in size. Artists like Piet Mondrian, whose paintings ultimately led to the first non-figurative paintings or pure abstract art from 1914 onwards, pioneered such forms of cubist painting. In the twentieth century, Russian painter Wassily Kandisky pioneered non-figurative art.

Furthermore, in the 1940s, another form of abstract art called Abstract Expressionism emerged, in which the theory of expressionism was applied to abstract paintings. The art form had an enormous impact on contemporary American artists, with New York becoming the hub of Abstract Expressionism. Jackson Pollock in his action paintings used this technique of abstract expressionism wherein he dripped, dropped, smeared or threw paint onto the canvas to create an art object. Other well-known followers of Abstract Expressionism, also known as the New York School and Action Painting, are Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko.

Abstract art painting does not refer to any figurative reality; instead it depicts real forms in a simplified or reduced way, creating an allusion of the original subject.

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Romanesque Art - Painting Splendor of Western Europe

Romanesque Art was considered an early phase of the Gothic Art. It refers to the style prevalent in the Western Europe from tenth to twelfth century. The Romanesque Art peaked between 1075 AD and 1125 AD, in France, Italy, Britain, and the German fiefdoms. Romanesque Art was all about architectural, pictorial, and decorative styles, which literally means, "in the style of the Romans." Romanesque Art also has some occasional traces of Byzantine, Carolingian, Antique, and Eastern Art, especially in paintings. Romanesque Painting is strongly related to the Byzantine and late classical painting tradition, which had survived the barbarian invasions during several centuries. The 'Insular Art' of British Isles too had its role to play.

Close more to 'Abstraction' than 'Realism,' Romanesque Paintings have a marked didactic character and they are used almost exclusively for religious purposes. "Christ in Majesty," "Last Judgment," "Christ's Life," "Four Evangelists," "Gospel Books," "apostles," "prophets," "Apocalypse," "Noah's Ark," were the key themes portrayed. Blue-green, yellow ochre, reddish-brown, and black were the colors mostly used. Most of these paintings decorated the large wall surfaces and the plain, curving vaults of the Romanesque period. Mural painting percolated in well, especially in England, France, Serbia, Spain, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Very few of these large wall paintings have survived due to wear and tear. Some of the remaining frescoes can be found in the "Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe" in Poitou, France and in the "Church of S. George" at Oberzell. The paintings of sacred figures and objects were also made on glass panes. The "Cathedral of Saint Denis" near Paris has several examples of such glass paintings.

Romanesque Art also included illuminated manuscripts. The "Book of the Bible" was the most important manuscript of the Romanesque period and several illuminated copies of it were made. Many different versions of Bibles, as "Winchester Bible" were also carried out and they were adorned with the scenes from both Old and the New Testaments. Other manuscript illumination that arose in England, like the "Lindisfarne Gospels," were characterized by geometrically laced designs in capital letters, borders, and sometimes even on the entire page, which are often called carpet pages. The designs also frequently contained the representations of monstrous & grotesque human figures, birds, and beasts. There were several schools of manuscript illumination, developing distinct styles.

During Romanesque Period, wall paintings supplanted the church mosaics, with smoother forms and less aggressive designs. Romanesque Art reigned the West for almost around two centuries with its extraordinary creative richness, which even today is as captivating as it was then.

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Pop Art Paintings

Do you remember when you took pictures of your pet, that little cocker spaniel that you are so fond of? You also have that wonderful photo of your wife in which she looks perky and happy. They are both sitting in an album gathering dust when you feel they should be displayed somewhere. The photos, as they are now are to flimsy to be displayed without a frame and the frame would probably make the photo look so small that the personality in the picture would be lost. So, why not do something modern and interesting with it.

Pop are paintings are all the rage right now and these two photos you like so well, would lend themselves beautifully to pop art. The puppy can be done in three frames across or four frames up and down in different colors or in slight caricature. Your wife's portrait can also done in different colors and in different arrangements. If you have a series of pictures that you have taken and with which you are proud to say you have taken them, then have them all made into an interesting collage. Your favorite pictures can be made large and then cut into interesting panels of three or four separated or continuing pictures.

You would like to have this done but you are afraid you would have to part with your left lung to do so. Well, this is not true as the cost of either the pop art photo on canvas or the pop art on paper is not cost prohibitive at all. If you want an eight by ten oil it will cost you about one hundred and eighty nine dollars and the larger the pop art the more it will cost, which can be upward of abut five hundred dollars. And, of course, the fancier your taste the more expensive it will become. On the other hand, if you ware independently wealthy then cost is not an issue. However, how many of us that love beautiful things are independently wealthy? A beautiful piece of art creates a beautiful atmosphere in a room and pop art is a great way to enhance the decor of a modern room.

The popularity of pop art will bring that photograph that you took, to life in a different mode. However you choose to display your pop art paintings, you will see the beauty of your own handiwork displayed in your home for everyone to see, rather than pasted in an album gathering dust and only looked at occasionally. When you look at your pop art paintings you will be proud to tell everyone that you were the person behind the camera for the original photographs. It will build a memory that will live on for many years to come, and bring smiles from everyone that looks at them. So, whether you build a collage or independent pictures in a classic pop art design, you will be building lasting memories as well.

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Finding Famous Celebrity Art Paintings

The niche market of famous art paintings has been on the rise over the past decade. The reason for this is due to the obsession within the United States with celebrities and fame. In fact, it is more common for newspapers and magazines to comment and report on the lives of celebrities, then it is for them to actually report about world events or "news worthy" topics. This obsession with celebrities and fame has led to a very dramatic and almost shocking rise in the sell and value of celebrity art.

Collectors and fans are also very aware that obtaining, collecting, and then selling celebrity art is a very beneficial way to make a living. This is why more and more collectors and fans have been seeking out celebrity art to add to their celebrity based or entertainment based collections.
Value on art paintings increases with the popularity and in some cases declining popularity of celebrities. For instance, a celebrity who stays on top of their career and seems to become more popular with each passing year is highly sought after when it comes to celebrity art.

Collectors are no fools and realize that a popular art paintings work will be worth its weight of gold in the future after they retire or are even deceased. In fact, the celebrity art of a deceased individual will actually bring in more money than that of a living celebrity. The reasoning for this is very simple. Once a celebrity is deceased they will no longer be able to continue creating artwork. Therefore, the art of a deceased celebrity will be considered rare and die-hard collectors and fans of the celebrity will pay almost anything to own art from the celebrity.
On the other side a celebrity who has become a "spectacle" who also created art, will see their art selling more and more. This is generally due to the scandals or "circus" that surround the celebrity in question.

Two prime examples of this are Michael Jackson and Brittany Spears. Both of these celebrities started out with very well known and publicized careers. Their concerts sold out to millions and they were the golden children of the media. However, the moment their personal lives began to spiral out of control and their images began to grow tarnished under the media spotlight, their value when it concerns collectibles and their art, actually increased.

It increased due to the fact that their fame increased regardless of the fact that their albums were not selling as well as they used to. The notoriety of these celebrities actually added great value to their paintings. They will always be remembered for their early careers that changed music, but will be remembered even more for the circus that unfolded when their personal lives began to crumble or grow strange.

These are just a few reasons why the niche market of celebrity art has been on the rise and will continue to rise in the next decade. No matter what world events take place, people can't get enough of celebrities and will do whatever it takes to obtain a small piece of their lives whether this be in the form of autographed photos or original artwork created by the celebrity in question.

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Learn More About Sci-Fi Art and Abstract Art Paintings

It may be obvious to some, but sci-fi art can never be outgrown, no matter our physical age. The reality of our world is such that what is sci-fi today, will become science fact tomorrow. Jules Verne's 19th century works live in our 21st century, having begun their march toward reality in the 20th century: man can fly, search the seabeds, cure many of the ailments that were deadly in earlier times. For this exciting subject, we need an exemplar, and that is where sci-fi art comes in. If it is a simple depiction of the moon or a fantastically detailed portrayal of a favorite character from a sci-fi movie, it can be accomplished in abstract art, which is itself on the fantastic end of the art spectrum. Art to gives life to our dreams and inspires us to accomplish more.

Sci-Fi art is unique in that it moves beyond the representational, beyond the depiction of things in our everyday life, and flies ahead to the realms of the imagined future. From hovercraft to far-flung planets, there is a range of the 'just beyond tomorrow' to the 'centuries ahead of tomorrow' to choose for a subject. A hovercraft, a real and true means of transport, is by no means a commonplace way to travel and of course faster-than-light travel is beyond our capabilities, yet both may be the subject of an abstract painting of fascination. For some, this is the uttermost basic thing about sci-fi art: the fantastic vehicles that storied characters use in sci-fi movies. For others, it is the strange environments of planets that hold out-of-this-world creatures and plant life. What would we do if we were able to visit another planet, we wonder? Would we hold our own against a savage environment, or would we shape it to our own needs? Sci-fi art fuels the imagination and there is no limit to the worlds which an artist can create.

Looking at the stars each night, we see points of light that fancy dictates tells us a story, related from the ancient Greeks, Persians, Chinese and other star-gazing cultures.

Even more complex are the travelers between the stars, the comets whose swing near our own dear planet enrapture all mankind. Even those folks without telescopes will notice the movement and wonder about the traveler: Where did it come from? Where is it going? Sci-Fi art which captures the moment of a comet's brushing by or the virtual reality of us standing on a moon of Titan gives wing to our innermost desires. For many, sci-fi art is an escape from the dinginess of their real life environment and this escape makes life bearable in an unhappy time. For others, the scientific aspect of space travel enthralls, as they calculate exactly what color the sky would be on the aforementioned moon of Titan, and what would our own planet look like from there.

Sci-Fi art may include the world of fantasy, the realms of Tolkien and Rowling and others who write of a universe just slightly different from our familiar one. For those who enjoy fantasy, a piece of abstract art will magnify their devotion to the fantastic world of their choice, for example the Hildebrandt Brothers' version of the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Tolkien. An abstract series of paintings in this genre would truly stand out, as the abstract quality of the fortified city of Gondor turns the whole painting into a giant rhomboid that comes alive with the many levels of the city forming striking designs on its sides. Far from outgrowing such interests such as a thirst for sci-fi art or fantasy art or both, such an enlivening part of our days will make them more worthwhile, more filled with joie de vivre.

Peter Dranitsin is a self taught and self representing artist. He grew up in the family where his mother a professional artist and his father a professional photographer.
"As a kid growing up Peter took art classes and learned the basic concepts of drawing, painting and sculpture. Peter loves to paint and contribute all of his time creating new paintings.
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How to Look at Art Paintings

My very first visit to the art museum was a journey through a maze. I was on a school excursion intended to foster art appreciation amongst students, yet I quickly found myself losing concentration and drifting off to sleep whenever I couldn't make sense of the abstract brushstrokes or strange imagery used by artists in paintings.

This doesn't look like anything!" I remember exclaiming to a schoolmate, still trying to associate the elements of painting with familiar everyday objects.
When my efforts to put the work in perspective were futile, i scurried away with my friends to view the next most eye-catching work, often paying no attention to the ones that were less colourful or striking.

There were always those questions of "What the paintings meant" and "How one could search for these meanings", that we, non-art students, had no answers to. I was sure however, that there was more to art than visual appeal alone.

After all, famous documentary maker John Grierson once described art as a hammer, not a mere reflection of reality;He believed that art had the potential to evoke emotions and bring to light to issues men have buried in the unconscious. Hit by the same questions again and again after I visited a painting exhibition in San Francisco recently, I embarked on quest to learn from the experts.

Getting Started
#1 Physical Properties
Consider the dimensions of the painting, it's size relative to the environment and how it's displayed. (i.e: framed, unframed or freestanding)
Some artists intend for their work to be extremely large in scale to create a certain kind of impact or to evoke a certain sense of awe.
Look closely at the painting and examine what types of medium the artist had chosen to use. (i.e: acrylic paint, oil paint, watercolour paint, charcoal, metal) Observe how the paint has been applied. (i.e: with a brush, fingers, sponge).
How has the artist used his or her tools to create a certain feeling and what would change if it were substituted for something else?
Is there a certain texture that has been created (i.e: rough, smooth, edgy) that causes you to cringe, feel like touching it or respond to it in a certain way?
Also pay attention to elements like lines which may affect the way your eye is being directed and the use of colours to create a certain mood.

#2 Subject
In most paintings, there should be a focal point or a central element that captures your attention and draws your eye to it first. This may provide you with clues concerning the theme or issue the artist may be trying to shed light upon.
For example, in Blue Clamp (1981), a masterpiece of American artist Jim Dine, the eye is first drawn to the blue clamp central to the heart in the painting. The physical properties combined with the clamp evoke a strong sense of pain, as if one can picture another bleeding,
When looking at a painting, consider whether you can associate any imagery with past experiences or symbols that may signify particular events/issues.
Is the work abstract or something that breaks boundaries and fixed notions about beauty?
20th century artists often experiment with different ways of creating art, questioning expectations of what art should or should not be.

#3 Viewer's Perspective
Finally, pay attention to where the artist has positioned you as a viewer and what perspective you have been forced to undertake.
Are you looking into a house, looking from above or below a subject?
Does the gaze of the subject (i.e: a man) invite you to look closely at him or does he seem disconnected from the viewer because we cannot see his face?
The artist makes deliberate choices about what he wants to reveal and what he wants to hide from the viewer, and we can derive meaning from these choices
For example, if a subject's face is not being shown, it could imply a lack of status or identity, depending on the associations one makes.
While some pieces of work are more abstract than others, the meaning of any painting is open to your interpretation. There are no right or wrong answers, so don't be afraid of speaking your mind!
Try talking about a painting with a friend and you'll be surprised how different his or her ideas could be!

Note down what runs through your mind the next time you step into an art gallery and look at paintings with a whole new light!

The writer, Shannon, runs Artyii, an online platform for emerging Asian Artists to sell their original art paintings.

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African Art Paintings: A Brief History of African Fine Art Paintings

The history of African paintings makes for a fascinating and rich account. Some of the earliest rock paintings of Africa have been found in Namibia. They are estimated to date back to over 27,000 years, though it is almost impossible to point a precise date. In the historic times, African wall art was largely restricted to rock carvings and paintings. The cave man would depict the lifestyle of an age through such paintings that he must have found cathartic. However, soon the carvings over rocks began to take a deep and more powerful meaning.

African men began to forge connections of their rock paintings with their ancestors. History is rich with tales and anecdotes of African man's obsession with the dead. The Egyptian pyramids and tombs are clear-cut testimonies of their zeal to connect with the departed. Even during the pre-historic era, men in this continent found a way to reach out to the dead. They would often sketch some symbols or signs which were meant to impart some message to the ancestors.

Over the next few centuries, tribal migration became a part of the African history. It was during this phase that the notorious tribes like the Bushmen invented African decorative paintings. Men and women would also use their bodies as a canvas in order to paint themselves in the exclusive color or design which was identical for all members of a particular tribe or community.

Before long, image-based paintings gave way to abstract art. An exact estimate of the date cannot be made in this context but it can be assumed with safety that factors like creativity, imagination and lack of any alternative subject must have contributed to the birth to the concept of abstract art. Earlier, monochromes were the only visible colors as depicted in rocks and stones. Later on, fruits and leaves began to be used to extract colors which soon ran into vogue and lay the foundation for colored paintings.

In the medieval era, Africa witnessed the advent of Europeans. The colonists from Europe brought their own distinct culture and art. The Renaissance form of art was amongst the most popular forms during that time. It did have its expected amount of impact on the African paintings. However, it would be fair to say that it failed to bring about any major transformation. African wall art retained its original flavor and continued with its quintessential depiction of life, lifestyle, spirituality and abstractness.

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Eye-Catching Landscape Art Paintings

The term "Landscape" actually derives from the Dutch word "landschap," which actually means land, scenery, scene, tract of land, etc. The origin of landscape art dates back to Greeks and Romans who paints scenery on their walls. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the tradition of scenic landscapes fell into decline and remained so until the 16th century. The real artistic meaning of the term "Landscape" came about in the early 1500s and is usually illustrated as "the art of depicting scenery." The Netherlands was among the first places where landscapes art was popularized and come into action. In the west, the concept of landscapes grew very slowly. Nature was conventionally viewed as incorporating of isolated objects long before it was appreciated as scene or environment. In the east, this art reached extraordinary excellence as early as the 18th century.

Presently, landscape artwork is a very popular subject in the field of art. It refers to an artwork whose primary focus is forests, trees, rivers, valley, etc. Most of the art designs are developed with the use of oil paintings, watercolors, pastels etc, which give more attraction and pragmatism to the art. The blooming flowers, the twilight of the horizon and butterflies, the rising sun inclusively make the Landscapes, a beautiful art. According to Friedrich Schiller, a German poet, "Art is the right hand of nature. Thus the landscape being an inseparable aspect of nature is something, which is artistically represented and experienced." Currently, night landscapes are enjoying wide popularity among the artists and art lovers. Artists in their art follow the best tradition of landscape paintings and combining the charm of the night.

Landscape art gives an opportunity to see and feel the whole world as people of ancient times did and as our contemporaries do. Landscape art is one of the most astounding forms of art that transports art collectors to another world, the world that is the mixture of the skilled artists' work and the art lover's imagination. There are thousands of online art galleries, which carry an array of beautiful art and paintings. You'll find beautiful images which depict the basic instinct of mountains, valley, rivers and more. Throughout the history of art, hundreds of thousands of landscape paintings has appeared in art galleries worldwide, bringing fame to the artists. If you are looking for a beautiful landscape art, the first and the foremost step is to choose 100% hand-painted art by professional artists.

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How Was That Fine Art Painting Created, Anyway?

People who are interested in adding fine art to the wall art of their home or office will generally choose a work of art that appeals to them visually, while complementing their decorative tastes. It may be full of vibrant color or a black and white piece. Its frame may be highly decorative or have a modern simple look. The one consideration that is rarely considered is the type of media used to create that chosen artwork, especially if the person does not know the differences in the types of media that famous artists use to create paintings or prints.

Is the artwork you just hung on your wall an original or a reproduction? Is it an oil painting, a lithograph, giclee, serigraph, heliogravure, watercolor or a mixed media creation? You may have heard of some of these terms, but do not know what they mean or what the differences are. Would knowing how it was created have made a difference as to whether or not you chose to purchase the artwork? Probably not. If it works for you and you love the image, that's all that matters, however, wouldn't it be nice to know more about your lovely painting or print?

To explain the meaning of each type of the most popular fine art media used by famous master artists, along with the pros and cons of using that particular medium would be far too much to include in one article. Therefore, this article is an introduction into the different types of painting or print media with a very brief description of each. Follow-up articles will take each one and devote that article to each medium. The most common media types are:

• Oil Paint - Pigmented oils are put onto a canvas using various tools in layers allowing one layer to dry at a time to create original works of art.
• Watercolor - Water soluble paints that are generally applied to fine art paper using very small brushes.
• Lithography - A method of printing using stone or metal using litho pens, chalks and brushes which is transferred onto fine art paper.
• Giclee - Images are created using very high quality ink-jet printers to produce the artwork.
• Heliogravure - Created by carving or engraving a design into a metal or hard stone which is then transferred onto etching paper.
• Serigraph - Paints are pushed through a silk screen onto fine art paper or canvas using a special artist's tool.
• Acrylics - Fast drying acrylic paints are used on canvas or illustration boards to create original artwork.
• Mixed Media - The use of several different media are used to create the work of art.

As mentioned above, over the next several weeks, a series of articles will be written to describe each one of these media types in much greater detail with the advantages and disadvantages of each and why an artist may choose one over the other. Decorating your home or office with paintings or prints that you are proud to own and that you enjoy looking at is most important, but knowing more about that appealing work of art only enhances owning the piece. Look for the first article of the series on oil painting, coming soon.

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A Few Examples of Modern Art Paintings

The era of modern art paintings began during the 1890's. There were many artist that continued to work long after the rise of Postmodernism during the 1940's. The modern artist were able to express their own freedom where they were able to look into more newer techniques as they explored with their artistic talents.

A part of this history of modernism came about from the change in the patronage of art. During a time of the renaissance, it was the middle class that began to rise and become increased within wealth while the churches started experience a loss of their power. It was then that the layman and guides began to purchase art. This continued on for a few centuries and as a result helped free so many artist that they were then able to work with any sector subject matters.

There was a time frame for this modernism that helped to inspire many debates among so many scholars during that era. And even though many did agree that this type of art did rise in the 1890's, there were still many who disagreed with this and dated the end of that era to be somewhere during the 1940's until the 1970's.

Sometimes the term modern art gets misunderstood. While so many abstract expressionism, cubism and fauvism, which were three of the art movements, gave the birth to some abstract art, it is known that not all of abstract art is considered to be modern. Contemporary is a more better way of naming the artwork.

This modernism took its hold in both the United States and in Europe. Many artist from Spain, Austria, Hungary and Germany contributed some very significant art developments in art and as well as many in the state of New York too.

This art era did include many different kinds of movements and among them were Symbolism, expressionism, fauvism, cubism and abstract expressionism. These several movements, even though they are varying in style, did share the same quest of seeking and discovering a bright new way of viewing reality.

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Making a Fine Art Painting - Which is Best Acrylic Paint Or Oil Paint?

Trying to decide which type of paint to use to paint your next art masterpiece? Should you go with the tried and true oil paints, or should you try the newer medium of acrylic paint? Each of these types of paints has their pros and cons which you should investigate so that you can choose the medium that suits your painting style. You are the artist, you make the call.

Oil paint, the traditional medium, is basically powder pigments mixed with clear linseed oil. This paint is slow drying and for that reason is perfectly suited for blending colors together smoothly with plenty of time to contemplate the painting's progress and still have time to edit and adjust the image before the paint dries. Another plus of oil paint is the luminous quality of the paint which is achieved from the linseed oil medium which allows light to pass through the paint and bounce thereby illuminating the paint on the surface. Additionally, oil paint has been proven to be the most permanent medium for fine art painting. Most paintings on canvas and wood were made with oil paint from early Renaissance times until the 1960's when acrylic paints were introduced.

Acrylic paint is only about fifty years old, and is the new kid on the block. This paint is made from powdered pigments and a liquid acrylic plastic medium. Unlike oil paint, acrylic dries fairly quickly and you will need to plan ahead and move quickly if you want to do much modeling or blending of colors with this type of artists paint. However, the quick drying quality of acrylic paint can be an advantage if you paint in layers or paint in such a way that does not require the blending or colors. You don't have to wait for several days for paint to dry before you paint something on top of a previous layer with acrylic. If you want to mix several mediums together, like acrylic drawing paper and found objects, then acrylics are the perfect type of paint for the job. There are also a wide variety of specialty paints and mediums that can be used with acrylics such as modeling paste for texture, gloss and matte mediums for thinning and mixing, iridescent and fluorescent paint, and many other special effect mediums and additives that could broaden the range of your creative artistic expression.

Some artists begin their paintings with acrylic paint and when that dries, they finish the artwork with oil paint. Hopefully, this will give you enough basic information to make an informed choice about what type of painting medium is most suited to your type of artistic expression.

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Art Painting Techniques

Well there is really only one way to truly discover art painting techniques. You guessed it, practice them! Where do I start, you may be asking. Well if you are beginning, you should start by "copying" other artists work. I am not saying to take credit for others work, just learn from those that are trying to teach.

I have created several step by step lessons in which you will be taken from a blank canvas to a beautiful masterpiece that you alone created! You will be absolutely amazed at yourself and at how easy and fun painting is to learn!

Wet on Wet. This is an oil painting technique. The artist applies moist paint on top of moist paint because oil paint stays wet. You must lean blending techniques in order to avoid making a muddy mess on the canvas.

Layering. If you are using acrylic paint then you will likely apply a layer and allow it to dry - this takes about 2 minutes! Now apply highlights or more color on top of preceding layers

Texture. If you are painting with oil, the paint usually goes on thick and what you see is what you get. The finished painting is full of brushstrokes, knife strokes and highs and lows in the paint itself. You can add texture medium to acrylic paint to create the same affect as well

As you learn to paint, you will find that several different techniques form the foundation of your art - the brush you use, the colors you choose, how you apply the paint, and so on. You form your own unique painting techniques. You may learn from others but your work will be uniquely your own and you will refer back to the techniques that you have found that worked for you.

Together - with step-by-step lessons and your desire to learn drawing and painting techniques we will bring out that true creativity inside of you and create beautiful works of art! To see acrylic tips, tricks, lessons and to Learn Painting Techniques visit my how to paint instructional site. The best way to begin painting is to follow prescribed instruction and get your feet wet. With a little practice, you will be well on your way to a rewarding hobby of painting. Let http://www.IamPainting.org show you how!

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Fine Art Paintings Reproduction - Copying Other Artist's Work - Is That OK?

Fine art paintings reproduction, copying the masters to learn how to paint, is that how you do it, is that OK? Sure, lots of people do it, but there are a few things to think about.

Painting landscapes still life portrait commissions by using someone else's work, to sell, Is that OK?
Nope.

I guess it is a personal choice in many ways. I have tried copying verbatim, and actually learned many things by doing so. It is amazing the colors you begin to see, that you had noticed before, while you study something hard enough to copy it, on any level.

I knew a woman once who only did that, only copied every single stroke of whatever master she was enamored with. She never painted landscapes, still life and portrait commissions, she just painted for her own pleasure. I never got it though, she never showed her work, and only decorated her own house as well as friends and relatives, she confessed. I guess she took it as far as she wanted to. I always thought she indeed possessed a real talent though so it was a shame that she never had the confidence to step out in that.

I think it is one thing to draw from someone's work, and another to out and out copy it, and never pursue doing anything more; never learning from it; never creating your own expression that you drew from someone else's style.

Who are you?
It seems valid to seek out dimensions of the quest of other artists, you just need to make sure that along the way, who you are, and who you hope to be as an artist, is not compromised.

Another very obvious consideration is the copyright laws! If you are copying someone like Lucian Freud, hey, no way! Freud is still alive, so major problems there huh? You can still do it of course, but not sell it, not show it and maybe keep it under a rug. LOL.

Whatever you do, know who you are as an artist, or at least push toward that effort. Take time out to play with your art. Read all you can about who other artists were and are. It is in their words and thoughts that you will find great gifts. Matisse said to feel the colors.. ahh such a gift is that.
Feel the colors and who you are within your own creative journey.

Keep a journal, document your own efforts and what motivates you as an artist and individual. You are every bit as important as a master artist. By keeping a journal you will notice your own growth.
If you choose to do fine art paintings reproductions, OK, but reach farther too. Embrace your next creation, be it a landscape, still life or a portrait. Realize who you might be, past what you copy, and unfold that hidden talent.

ABOUT Kathy Ostman-Magnusen
I paint and sculpt female fantasy art and map fairy tale adventures. I dream of beautiful women on canvas and art of exotic women.

I have illustrated for Hay House Inc.,"Women Who Do Too Much" CARDS, taken from Anne Wilson Schaef's book. I also illustrated for Neil Davidson, who was considered for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing, and several other publications. My paintings are collected worldwide.
Giclee canvas art work, greeting cards and posters are available for sale on my website:
http://www.kathysart.com

Sign up for my mailing list for FREE ART GIFTS suitable for children: Drawings of whimsical angel pictures, legends of mermaids and fairies in art. Tiny angels whisper fantasy art for shrink art, or coloring pages. Also a "Letter From the Tooth Fairy", ya just never know when you might need one!
I am Represented by:

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ORIGINAL ART may be purchased through Monkdogz
Check out my Squidoo too, where I write a lot about finding that artist of passion inside you, Yup! it's there! Smile.

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Aloha, Kathy

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Get the Beauty, Color and Details of an Original Fine Art Painting With a High Quality Giclee

As discussed in previous articles, there are many different types of media that are used to create fine art paintings and prints. One such high quality type of medium used in fine art is the giclée (zhee-clay). The giclee is a fairly new fine art technique which began in the 1980s. Very large high quality ink jet printers are used to create these works of art. Fade resistant high quality ink is squirted or sprayed onto fine art archival paper or canvas to create the artwork, thus this finished product was given the name, giclee, which is French for squirt or spray.

This is just a simplistic description of the giclee, however. There is much more to this unique technique. First, each and every giclee is individually created. There is no such thing as the mass production of giclees, as with other art creation media. Since each giclee is created through the use of a professional inkjet printer, as mentioned above, there are no "dot patterns" as might be found on a lithograph print. The artist has the opportunity to make changes to the painting, whether it is in the image or coloring, with each production of the print until it is to his or her complete satisfaction. The artist can also create a fine art giclee at will, producing it on an "as needed" basis.

Although it is much more expensive to create a giclee than a lithograph, the final print is a very high quality product that has better color with extreme accuracy and detail, rendering a final piece of artwork that can be an exact duplication of the original painting, especially when printed on canvas. One last addition to an original fine art giclee that will add great value to the artwork is any remarquing by the artist. This can be done by any embellishment of the artwork with hand painting directly on the giclee by the artist. Remarquing can also be done with the artist's original signature on the artwork. For this reason, the giclee is very popular among many of our most famous artists.

The glicee is held in such high esteem in the fine art world that museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City have many giclees hanging on their walls. Giclee prints have also been sold at auction for large sums of money, further validating that this artwork media as one that is considered valuable.

The greatest advantage to the giclee print is in its ability to allow individuals, who cannot afford an original painting by a famous artist, to own that same work of art that is almost identical to the original. Amazingly, some giclees that were created on the highest quality and most expensive can be put side by side with the original and it would take an expert to distinguish the original from the print. This allows art collectors to enjoy the ability to own a famous artist's painting at a much more affordable price point.

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Things You Should Know About Pop Art Paintings History

Pop art was an artistic movement that represented a strong shift from the influence of the abstract expressionism. Pop art paintings brought an original form of making art by introducing techniques of commercial art and everyday life illustrations.

This movement first occurred in Great Britain in the late 1950s and it was meant to be a redefinition of the metaphysical gravity of the abstract expressionism. Pop art paintings were mainly characterized by the insertion of everyday life images of soup cans, comic strips, Coke bottles or even stuffed animals into the artistic expression. The expressed aim of the pop art paintings was to provide a meeting point for artists and public. Inserting commercial art symbols in their work, the artists intended to blur the boundaries between art and common people in order to make art ideas accessible for everyone.

The birth of this art movement during the 1950s-1960s wasn't a coincidence. Artists were getting tired of the inwardness and opacity of the abstract expressionism; the American society (and the British one, but on a less extent) was enjoying deep changes in terms of economic revival after the constraints of the Second World War. Therefore, the artist community mocked the shallowness and the materialism of the Americans, employing symbols of mass culture (Coke cans, magazines or comic strips) in their pop art paintings.

The artists who had embraced this art style used different symbols: American flags (Jasper Johns), comic strips (Roy Lichtenstein) and soup cans (Andy Warhol) or stuffed animals (Robert Rauschenberg).

Pop art paintings also represented icons of the artists' reaction against the dullness and complexity of the abstract expressionism. Abstract techniques were replaced with more accessible ones like humor or surface appearance. The central idea of this art movement was to express messages to the mass by transforming the ordinary things into art objects.

Although the pop art stream was very popular among the layman public, it was highly controversial among the art critics community. Some considered pop art paintings as cheap, tacky imitations of everyday life symbols; others regarded them as icons of the shallow American society at mid-century.
Nevertheless, this art movement represented a breath of vivid, fresh air in an art characterized until then by opacity and seriousness.

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What Are Art Paintings?

For centuries, people have studied the Arts. Millions of artists have come and gone and paintings have graced the walls of a multitude of homes and museums. The love of art paintings is more than just looking at pretty pictures on the walls. The love of paintings includes knowing, and often feeling, just how past artists created their masterpieces.

If you have ever viewed Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper then you have truly looked at art. Da Vinci's masterpiece became highly popular virtually the minute he finished the last stroke. The King of France during that period fell so in love with this work of art that he wanted to have the entire wall taken down and moved to France.

Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel has affected people in much the same way. Although not technically a wall painting, it is still a piece of art. The sheer dimensions of this piece are astounding. The fact that he spent four years in creating this masterpiece is even more astounding. The piece is a perfect piece of art.

Whether you enjoy the masterpieces that were created by the most famous artists of all time, or you prefer a more modern approach to art paintings, one thing stands very clear. The world of art is an amazing and exciting world. From the Revival Period masterpieces to new-age modern art with its often eccentric circles and seemingly endless mysteries, art paintings provide a beautiful way to dress up a wall. From oil paintings to abstracts, these paintings provide the world with beauty and a world of mystery. Artists have been around since the dawn of time. Without them, we would certainly be a much less cultured world, spending far too much time on meaningless tasks and not having the ability to truly appreciate beauty.

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Beginning Art Paintings

Paintings are one of the most beautiful pieces of art that man has ever produced. They have been around for thousands of years and have been produced or drawn on various types of material. With various designs, colors and meanings incorporated in them, they are simply a joy to see and behold. Hence, if you're really interested in starting off with art paintings, below are some steps on how to begin.

If you already find yourself good in drawing and other related hobbies, this article can be even helpful when you really want to start of doing art paintings. What you should do first would be to decide on what you hope to achieve in your paintings and decide your target. Don't just rush into something blindly. Instead formulize on what type of art will suit you most as paintings come indifferent types and genres. Once you've done that, then you could start to plan on how you would reach that particular objective of yours.

Although painting would be the most important aspect of an art painting, if you plan to sell your painting at the end of the day, always draw something that is in demand in the market. Get to know the market niche and what customers want out of the paintings they buy. This way you'll have a clearer idea on what you should do.

Now to the painting part where proper planning has to be taken if you really want a good painting done. Painting shouldn't be done rashly but you should go through roughly where and what you'll start first on. For instance, always draw the main idea of the painting first such as a person's face before heading on to other parts or the backgrounds. Through this you'll be able to allocate enough space on materials such as canvas for the whole idea of your painting.

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Abstract Canvas Wall Art Painting for Modern Home and Office Decor

Perhaps, you are not familiar with the power of modern art. The paintings and artworks that are available today can help you decorate your homes and offices in any way you like. A brief vignette has been presented below to give you an insight into the mesmerizing world of abstract wall art paintings, and their use for home and office decor.

Mingle with Nature
Did you always feel that you have been deprived of your share of nature? If your answer is yes, then you can find a simple solution by hanging some wonderful nature paintings in your living room, bedroom, office and other living spaces.

Sure, it would have been better to bring in live mountains and seas into your house or office. The best way you can refresh your memory with the pat of nature is to find some quality and original nature paintings.

Add Sensuality to your Bedroom
Those so-called romantic couples who crave for a sensual ambience can add a strong dose of it by hanging a romantic or love painting in their bedroom. Some modern decorative artworks are intensely romantic without being profane or vulgar. A painting has the power to arouse romance. In fact, even a simple portrait can lend many wings to your imagination and take you into a beautiful fantasy land.

Increase Productivity in your Office
Modern decorative art paintings are proven themselves to be effective in accentuating productivity among the workers. These paintings work in a psychological way and give the psyche of the employees a strong boost. Just like a great melody can lift your moods and give you a new high so does the modern art painting as it can infuse a sense of unrestrained happiness and confidence in the minds of people.

An office is a place where the work load can weigh you down easily. In the competitive modern corporate sector, it is so easy to get succumbed by pressure of hectic routine. By installing a modern canvas art at certain points in the office, you will help everybody to feel a lot more hopeful, happy and positive.

In addition, such paintings also create a beautiful montage and help you improve your office decor. These paintings are also a helping tool to personalize your work space. Thus, one feels a lot more at home even when he is spending eight to ten hours at the office. These days, a lot of companies use decorative art paintings to keep their staffers, customers and clients fresh.

To get original, authentic and hand-made artworks for home and office decor, you have a lot of offline and online vendors there. FabuArt is a great option where you can buy some great decorative art paintings; follow the link to get through some of FabuArt's modern art paintings - http://fabuart.com/Modern-Art-Paintings

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