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I was introduced to a new painting by Vincent van Gogh the other day, Interior of a Restaurant. I’m surprised that I’m still seeing van Gogh paintings for the first time, especially considering I’ve been writing about art for over seven years now. He may have lived a relatively short and turbulent life, but it … Read more
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This is an interview with Susan Goddard, a dynamic artist and master watercolorist. She’s also the mother of my closest friend, Ted. I’m grateful to have her answer a few questions about her work, watercolors, and the art life. Q: When did you start painting? Since I was knee-high to a grasshopper! I was interested … Read more
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This is a detailed guide on painting hair and fur—whether that be human hair, artificial hair, animal fur, whiskers, etc. I’ll broadly refer to all this as “hair” from hereon. Big, Simple Shapes One of the most common mistakes beginner artists make when painting hair is getting caught up in the tiny details. They paint … Read more
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This is a detailed guide on the concepts of foreground, middle ground, and background. You’ll learn what they mean and how to paint them effectively. What Do They Mean? The foreground, middle ground, and background refer to areas in space. The foreground refers to the nearest area. The background refers to the area of space … Read more
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Let’s take a closer look at The Fishing Boat by Gustave Courbet. I first saw this painting at the European Masterpieces exhibition back in October 2021. I remember it catching my eye despite it being a somewhat quiet painting in a room full of vibrant color and contrast. I’ll cover: (Click here to see a … Read more
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This is a detailed guide on staining the canvas (or what is more formally known as underpainting). I remember when I first started using this technique. It had a profound effect on my work and my ability to judge colors. I’ll cover: What it Means and Key Benefits Staining the canvas refers to an initial … Read more
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Let’s discuss the primary colors as they relate to art, or more specifically, painting. These are the first colors you’ll learn about in art. Even my 1-year-old daughter, Elora, has been introduced to the primary colors through her children’s shows and at daycare. Perhaps it’s because we’re introduced to the primary colors so early in … Read more
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I stumbled across this painting by Claude Monet, Garden at Giverny. What a shimmering display of color! (Click here to download a high-resolution photo of the painting.) Some key observations: Feel free to share your thoughts about the painting in the comment section below. If you want to learn more, you should check out my Painting … Read more
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Reflected light is one of those small but powerful details that can make or break your painting. This post will help you paint it more accurately. I’ll cover: What Is Reflected Light? Reflected light is light that bounces or reflects off objects. For example, the light bouncing off and around the walls of your room—that’s … Read more
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Let’s take a closer look at Woman at Her Toilette by Berthe Morisot. This is Impressionism at its best with fleeting brushwork and soft colors woven together in harmony. I’ll cover: Focal Point and Secondary Points of Interest The focal point is, of course, the woman at her toilette. She’s positioned in a prominent spot … Read more
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