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
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
In this post, I will be taking a closer look at “The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh, which he painted in 1889. With swirling lines and dramatic colors, this dreamy depiction is one of van Gogh’s most iconic works. “I don’t know anything with certainty, but seeing the stars makes me dream.” Vincent van Gogh … Read more
In this post, I will be taking a deeper look into one of my favorite artists, Claude Monet. Monet and many of the other great Impressionists have been instrumental to my own development as an artist, particularly in relation to color and brushwork. Like many other aspiring artists, when I started painting I was fascinated … Read more
If you are not familiar with TED Talks, it is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks by influential speakers. There are over 3,000 TED talks and some are of course better than others. In this post, I feature some interesting TED talks that I feel are relevant … Read more
Most of the time I focus on colorful landscapes and seascapes, but this post is a change of theme. I will be taking a closer look at some of the most dramatic paintings I have come across. These paintings demonstrate just how powerful art can be and how much emotion we are able to depict … Read more
I watched a fascinating documentary the other day about an Australian Impressionist artist named John Russell. This was my first time hearing about this artist, despite him being a fellow Australian and also being connected with many prominent artists like Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh. It seems like there is an endless pool of … Read more
Expressionism originated in Germany in the early 20th century. It is a difficult movement to define as it seems to overlap with many of other movements (Cubism, Surrealism, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism). No wonder art history can be so confusing to an outsider with the vast number of “isms”. As its name suggests, Expressionism is characterized by … Read more
Learning how to draw or paint is such a rewarding and fulfilling journey. There is nothing like watching color fill the canvas and the subject start to take form. But it doesn’t come without frustrations. Here are 5 things which I think you should know before you embark on your own art journey. 1. You … Read more