In this post, I take a closer look at the remarkably intricate Ophelia by British artist and founding member of the Pre-Raphaelites, Sir John Everett Millais. I cover: Key Facts, Ideas, and Subject The figure in the painting is Ophelia, a character from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act IV, Scene VII. She is depicted lying in the stream … Read more
Waterfalls are a fantastic subject to paint, particularly as a study of edges, color, and movement. But they can be challenging, with all the twists, turns, breaks, reflections, and turbulence as the water crashes down through the rocks. In this post, I will provide you with some guidelines for painting waterfalls, using master paintings and … Read more
Representational art refers to art that represents something, whether that be a tree in a landscape, apple in a still life, or figure in a portrait. Or in other words, it is art that is clearly identifiable as something which already exists in life. Below are some examples of representational art, starting with a watercolor by … Read more
Raking light refers to a light source which is set at an acute or nearly parallel angle to objects in a painting. Objects being hit by raking light will be half in light and half in shadow and will have long cast shadows. Surrealist artists like Salvador Dali and Giorgio de Chirico used raking light … Read more
Most people know Sir Winston Churchill for his role as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945. But few know that he was also an avid painter. In this post, I take a closer look at some of his paintings and his life in the arts. I cover: “Painting is a companion … Read more
Portrait of Madame X, or Madame X, is an elegant portrait by John Singer Sargent featuring a young socialite named Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau. Sargent ranked this as one of his best works, but it was also one of his most controversial. In this post, I cover: Key Facts Here are some of the key … Read more
Since my last post on simplifying a complex scene, I have had several readers ask about my plein air painting setup. So, in case anyone else is curious, I have put together this post about what I have in my setup and why I have it. I cover: Requirements of the Plein Air Setup I … Read more
Triptych refers to art that is made up of three panels. The term originates from the Greek word ‘triptykhos’, meaning ‘three-layered’ or ‘three folds’. The panels that form a triptych are often attached to one another with hinges, allowing the two outer panels (or wings) to fold inward and cover the central panel. However, contemporary triptychs … Read more
I recently spent a night at the beautiful Secrets on the Lake in Queensland, Australia with my partner, Chontele. We stayed in a secluded lodge nestled amongst the dense rainforest. I used this trip as a chance to test out some of my new plein air painting equipment. But, despite the stunning nature which surrounded … Read more
The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer is a stunning demonstration of realism, color, and composition. In this post, I take a closer look at the painting to see what you can learn and apply to your own art. I cover: Key Facts, Ideas, and Subject The Milkmaid is thought to have been painted around 1657-1658, but … Read more
Dappled light refers to that spotted light that typically comes through gaps in a tree canopy. Below is a great example by Claude Monet-notice the spots of light orange amongst the dark purple shadows. In this post, I cover: The shapes created by the dappled light vary based on: The position of the sun; The … Read more
I don’t write about Alfred Sisley as much as I should. Despite being one of the figureheads of Impressionism, he is overshadowed by some of his more famous contemporaries, such as Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. In light of this, I wrote this post about Sisley’s life and art. In this post, I cover: “Every … Read more