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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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.

The author, George McKim, is an award winning artist who has exhibited his artwork in museums and galleries. George has created a new and rapidly growing Artist Social Network and Online Gallery at [http://www.myartfriends.com]

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The Practicality of Fine Art Paintings and Where to Find Them

Fine art paintings are something most people can enjoy. Whether you are an artist or simply a lover of the arts you can usually find a space in your home or office that could best be filled by a painting. They can often compliment the decor of a room or even set its mood. Certain paintings can lend themselves to the rooms of your house such as a game room or the bedroom. A fine art painting in the entrance way of your home can be a nice touch and a conversation piece for guests when they arrive.

Naturally it can help you to choose a painting if you are already familiar with an artist or various other works. However even if you do not have an eye or mind for art you can still managed to find paintings or their replicas for your personal use. It is possible, too, that with time and experience you will have a good feel for what particular artists or art styles might best compliment a room.

Now if you are set on looking into finding paintings then there is a few things you should consider. First is that paintings can be made using a variety of techniques. These can include water colors or traditional oil paints. Some less conventional chalks or pastel art pieces might be to your liking as well. Having a good idea of what each of these techniques tends to look like can give you a better idea of what you are looking for.

Once you have this in mind then you might consider just where the painting is going to be placed. If it will be in your entrance way, for example, you may want something with brighter colors or a welcoming feel. Remember though that you do not always have to consider what other people might think when they see it. Chances are you will be the person looking at it most often, so it should be something you yourself enjoy.

Looking for a painting can be difficult depending upon a variety of factors. For example, if you want an original work then you will not only need to find a gallery or artist but also be ready to pay a good amount for it. Depending upon whether the artist is famous or has a reputation, as well as the size or method in which the painting was created the cost can vary greatly.

If you are looking for a replica or something not necessarily created by a professional artist then the price usually is not as high. However to some people it can be very important to own the original, as a replica is something that can be seen almost anywhere else. If this is not important to you then the lower price may be a nice benefit.

While it can help to know someone in the business of art dealing it is not always necessary. You should feel free to look around either online or about various galleries. Keep in mind, however, that most galleries are only found in large cities and you may have to do some traveling if you really wish to view something firsthand. Some art can be worth the trip and expense, however, if it really impresses you.

Keeping these tips in mind can help you expand upon any room whether at home or elsewhere. You may also learn enough to be able to give people fine art paintings as gifts given time. Good luck in your search and remember to keep an open mind. You never know what might impress you most.

Al Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from modern art paintings [http://www.artgallerypaintings.org/modern-art-paintings/] to American football. Thanks for reading!

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Information About Fine Art Paintings

When you think of fine art paintings, you may think of artists such as Pablo Picasso, Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo or Vincent Van Gogh. One would be right to associate those names with fine art. They painted some of the most famous works of art known to man to date.

One may typically find authentic paintings in the homes of the elite, the fortunate few, or in art museums. These types of paintings are rare and not easily seen in person. They are also costly, so being able to afford to purchase one is out of the question for most people. However, museums house many original fine paintings for the public to view.

The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci back in the sixteenth century. He began painting it in 1503 and worked on it until the year 1519. People trying to figure it out have mulled over Mona Lisa's expression for years. The expression on her face leaves one with a lot to consider about the painting. In the year 1911, an Italian man stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. It was recovered and returned back to the Louvre two years later.

The Last Supper, another painting by Leonardo da Vinci, is a massive painting that measures fifteen feet by twenty nine feet. He began the painting in 1495 and finished it in 1498. The Last Supper is considered to be a mural. It depicts the twelve disciples' reaction when Jesus tells them that one of them will betray him. The mural is located in Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan.

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee was painted in 1633 by Rembrandt. It depicts Jesus calming down the sea during a tumultuous storm. There are fourteen people painted into the boat. It is thought that of those fourteen people, Rembrandt painted himself along with Jesus and his twelve disciples. However, no on really knows if that idea is true. The painting used to hang in Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum until it was stolen from there in 1990. The present whereabouts of this painting is unknown.

Between the years 1508 and 1512, Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Included is the ceiling's paintings are the famous images of the hands of God and Adam. In the middle of this ceiling are nine scenes from the Book of Genesis. The Creation of Adam may be the best-known painting from the scenes of the Book of Genesis.

Sunflowers, a still artwork painting by Vincent Van Gogh, was painted in 1888. This painting is located in the National Gallery in London.

The Starry Night is another famous work of art painted by Van Gogh. The painting is of his view outside of his window at the sanatorium where he resided. It was painted in 1889 and hangs in the The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Fine art paintings are a unique and skillful work of art. They are something that holds beauty to some and intrigue to others. They are rare and hard to obtain. They have been created throughout history whether for the artists themselves, someone the artist knows, or simply for the world to see.

Al Smitty is a writer who loves to discuss many topics ranging from modern art paintings [http://www.modernartpaintings.org/] to American football. Thanks for reading!

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Fine Art Paintings

However, today fine-arts additional forms include, film, photography, contemporary-art, and print-making. In certain institutes-of-learning however, the term fine-arts is associated-exclusively with visual-art forms.

Fine Art Paintings
The composition of a fine art painting is what catches the viewer's eye and defines the artwork.The word "fine" doesn't so much denote-the-quality of the art-work in-question, but the purity-of-the-discipline.The definition-tends to exclude-all other visual-art-forms that can or could be said to be or considered to be craft-work or applied-art like textiles.

The visual-arts has-been termed as a more-inclusive and descriptive-phrase for current-art-practice.he common instruments used in Fine art paintings and drawings include graphite-pencils, ink, pens, inked brushes, wax color-pencils, crayons, chalk, charcoals, pastels, stylus, and markers. There are various sub categories of paintings and drawing,they including cartooning, Some painting and drawing methods and approaches like, doodling.

Contemporary Art
Contemporary-art is an art where the concept/concepts or idea/ideas which are involved in the art-work take the precedence over traditional-aesthetic and material-concerns. The inception-of-the-term "contemporary art" in the 1960's referred to a very strict and well focused-practice of idea based-art that often defied the traditional visual-criteria which is associated with the visual-arts in its presentation-as-text.Contemporary art can be said to be art that has been produced at the present-period in time.

Fine Art Paintings Ideas
When painting, selecting the focus for your painting can sometimes be your biggest challenge. Before starting your painting, having a workable-idea is essential and it will help you in your creative-endeavor. Whether you are working with oils, acrylic, tempera or watercolor paints, the following ideas can be the start of a fine art painting.

Balanced-Abstract
You can create an abstract fine art painting allowing freedom of-expression and composition. You can incorporate geometric-shapes, bright-colors and defined-lines in your art, these are all considered to be the characteristics of an abstract-art. You can decide to make your painting either some what representational or entirely free-form, based only on the color, light or even movement.
You can choose to use geometric or organic-shapes.Remember to maintain a feeling of balance in your painting. If the painting somehow feels or seems unbalanced, you can bring it together-more by using repeated-colors, shapes or lines.

Landscape and the Rule-of-Thirds
A landscape is an easy-subject because it'll not move or change greatly.A landscape is a time tested-subject for a painting. You can sit outside on your-porch and sketch the landscape around you before you begin painting. Once satisfied with the landscape, you can then begin by sketching it onto your paper or canvas.

Always consider the composition and the rule of 3rds when creating your painting. The rule of 3rds suggests that dividing your composition into a grid of 9 equal-rectangles and placing the major-elements of your landscape, like the trees, mountain tops and buildings, at points where the grid-intersects.

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Fine Art Paintings And What They Involve

The paintings that are produced by the artists to some people do not make sense, but to the ones that understand it is a way of relaying a message or an expression of someone or something. The paintings are the ones that capture the viewer's eye and once that the viewer is able to look and understand its meaning as long as they are true artistic fans.

The common instruments used in fine art include brushes, ink, pens, charcoal, crayons and chalk. These are the essentials that are needed for painting and without them it cannot be possible to paint well or produce the type of fine art that is needed.

Contemporary art
This form of art is said to be a form that has been produced in the present period in time. This kind of art involves a very strict and basic idea of art different from the ordinary traditional methods hence the name "contemporary" the art done through this form has to be from a specific idea and so there is nothing general about it.
The difference is that contemporary deals with visual art in its presentation as text as compared with the traditional art which involves freedom of expression and which does not entail a lot of ideas or thinking too much plus no text is required.

Abstract art
Abstract art allows more freedom of expression. It is art that can incorporate geometric shapes, bright colors and lines. Basically you are free to do what you want with your painting and you can choose to include colors or not and you can choose to be representational or not or just free. All these can be done but as long as you maintain a balance and you can be able to attract the viewer's attention. Abstract art is the most free form of fine art and as long as you can get an artist who can produce quality work with it and not just anyone then the artist is bound to get rave and positive reviews.
Figurative abstraction and fine art

This kind of "fine art paintings" involves a tactic understanding of abstracted shapes. It is totally opposite of the abstracted art because it involves figures that provide a clear understanding of what the exact image is about. That is the difference with the abstract art.

Abstract figuration
This kind of fine art paintings involves both abstract art and figurative art. They express fine art in those two forms and they are both intertwined together. They use the different figures and they use the several geometric shapes as well.

"Fine art paintings" with their different forms are great ways to express how someone feels. They are essential because through art you are able to find that inner part of you that may be hidden for so long, it helps you express in more ways how you truly see or feel and it also helps you to have an open mind with the different images you may want to paint.

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