Dappled light refers to that spotted light which 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. Claude Monet, Garden Path, 1901 The shapes created by the dappled light vary based on: The position of the sun; The…
Alfred Sisley – The Overshadowed Impressionist
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. “Every picture shows a spot with…
How to Paint Grass
In this post, you will learn fundamental tips for painting grass. The idea of this post is not to show you a strict, step-by-step process. Instead, I want to take the fundamental ideas and theories and show you how they can be applied to painting grass. This is much the same format as my earlier…
Isaac Levitan – Russian Master of Landscape Painting
Isaac Levitan (1860 – 1900) was a master Russian painter known mostly for his remarkable and diverse landscapes. He is one of the first artists I look to whenever I am in need of landscape painting inspiration. In this post, I take a closer look at his life and art. Isaac Levitan, Golden Autumn, 1895…
John Singer Sargent’s Watercolor Paintings
John Singer Sargent, Simplon. Lesson, 1911 John Singer Sargent rose to fame for his finely rendered oil portraits. At his peak, he was one of the most sought after artists for portrait commissions. But, he was also a remarkable watercolorist. Watercolors brought out a different side to Sargent’s work. His meticulous oil portraits feature muted…
How to Use Framing to Improve Your Compositions
Framing as a composition technique involves positioning shapes and other elements to “frame” and draw attention to certain areas in your painting. For example, you could position a tree or building to frame your focal point in the center. The idea behind framing as a composition technique is much the same as why we physically…
Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers
In this post, I take a closer look at Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers series which he painted in Paris and Arles. The series highlights van Gogh’s progression in color and style. It also provides some interesting links between van Gogh and another famous artist, Paul Gauguin. Vincent van Gogh, Still Life: Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers, 1888…
Post-Impressionism Art Movement – Key Facts, Ideas and Master Artworks
Post-Impressionism was an art movement which roughly lasted from 1886 to 1905, from the end of Impressionism to the start of Fauvism. It included artists such as Paul Cézanne (the “father of Post-Impressionism”), Vincent van Gogh and Georges Seurat. The movement was generally an extension of Impressionism, but with more focus on the artist’s subjective…
Albert Bierstadt – Vast and Luminous Landscapes
Albert Bierstadt (1830 – 1902) was a remarkable German-American painter known for his vast and luminous landscapes. In this post, I take a closer look at his life and art. Albert Bierstadt, Among the Sierra Nevada, California, 1868 Key Facts about Albert Bierstadt He showed artistic talent from a young age, starting with crayon drawings…
Visit to the Queensland Art Gallery
I recently visited the Queensland Art Gallery for the first time since I was a child. In my opinion, it was not as impressive as the Art Gallery of New South Wales, but there were still some beautiful paintings worth seeing by artists such as Sir Arthur Streeton and Edgar Degas. I will walk you…
