In this post, I take a closer look at one of my favorite paintings, Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet—the painting which gave Impressionism its name. Key Facts About Impression, Sunrise “Impression I was certain of it. I was just telling myself that, since I was impressed, there had to be some impression in it – and … Read more
Sfumato is a painting technique which involves blending the edge between colors so that there is a soft transition. The term “sfumato” is Italian which translates to soft, vague or blurred. The technique was popularized by the old masters of the Renaissance art movement, like Leonardo da Vinci, who used it to create atmospheric and … Read more
In this post, I walk you through my painting of the stunning Honeymoon Bay in Tasmania. This is a large-scale painting done on a 24×30 inch canvas in oils. I’ll cover: Reference Photo and Analysis Below is the reference photo I painted from. It was taken under the bright, midday sun. The water was a … Read more
Anders Zorn was a remarkable Swedish painter known mostly for his nude female portraits painted with virtuoso brushwork and luminous colors. He is often referred to as the “Swedish Impressionist”. In this post, I provide some of the key facts about his life and art, breakdown his style and technique and take a closer look … Read more
In this post, I take a closer look at the Mont Sainte-Victoire series by Paul Cézanne. Mont Sainte-Victoire is a mountain in France that overlooks Aix-en-Provence (the town where Cézanne was born). Cézanne painted it on numerous occasions during his career. The series not only provides an interesting take on landscape painting, but it also … Read more
Fauvism was an art movement from the 20th century which provided interesting developments in the use of color, brushwork and abstraction. It was founded by a small group of French artists which included Henri Matisse, André Derain, Georges Braque and Maurice de Vlaminck. Beginnings of Fauvism Fauvism was inspired by the teachings of Gustave Moreau, … Read more
Mary Cassatt was an American painter and printmaker who became one of the most prominent members of the Impressionist group. She is best known for her artworks which depict the daily lives of women and the relationship between mothers and children. Cassatt was one of the very few women who managed to achieve critical and … Read more
When I think of landscape painting, one of the first artists who comes to mind is Edgar Payne. He was one of America’s most prominent landscape painters who had a remarkable eye for composition and color (he literally wrote what many consider to be the book on landscape composition). In this post, I will cover: … Read more
Here are some inspirational quotes by Leonardo da Vinci: “Painting is concerned with all the 10 attributes of sight; which are: Darkness, Light, Solidity and Colour, Form and Position, Distance and Propinquity, Motion and Rest.” “The painter who is familiar with the nature of the sinews, muscles, and tendons, will know very well, in giving … Read more
This is a detailed guide on color schemes. I’ll discuss what they are, the different types, and provide master examples. What Are Color Schemes in Art? A color scheme is used to describe the overall selection of colors in an artwork. The major color schemes in art are analogous, complementary, split-complementary, triadic, rectangular and monochromatic. … Read more
In this post, I will be taking a closer look at “The Oxbow” by Thomas Cole. This is a grand landscape painting with undertones about the growth of civilization in America during the 19th century. Cole was the founder of the Hudson River School, which was a group of landscape painters known for their romantic portrayal … Read more
Broken color in art refers to the technique of building up layers of different colors on the canvas in a way which allows lower layers to be exposed. This usually involves painting with small dabs of color until the canvas is filled. The end result can appear like a vibration of color, as your eyes … Read more