I’m finally done with this new painting: Elora With Christmas Lights. This was a tricky one. I spent most of January and some of February getting it right. There are several different light sources of different colors, intensities, and angles. It was a minefield of optical tricks and illusions. There’s also little room for error … Read more
Today’s featured artist is Elena Salnikova. She paints stunning portraits in oil, usually with the subject outdoors amongst nature. Her still lifes are also impressive. You can see a few of my favorites below. They are colorful and playful, but not so much that they appear cartoonish and overly stylized. Her style also seems particularly suited … Read more
For your inspiration today: Anna by Swedish painter Bruno Liljefors. (Click here to download a high-resolution photo of the painting.) What I love most about this painting is the interesting mix of realism and loose, painterly brushwork. Liljefors painted the subject (Anna) with fine rendering and clarity whilst the rest of the painting is more … Read more
I came across this stunning painting the other day titled La Chula by María Sorolla: At first glance, I assumed it was by THE Sorolla. But turns out it was by one of his daughters, María. I went down a few rabbit holes regarding her life and work, but I’ll save that for another day. … Read more
(My “On the Easel” posts give you a behind-the-scenes look at what I am working on, what went well, what went wrong, and lessons learned.) Let’s take a look at how I painted Elora and White Roses. This is one of my favorite recent paintings, partly because it depicts my beautiful daughter Elora in a … Read more
(My “On the Easel” posts give you a behind-the-scenes look at what I am working on, what went well, what went wrong, and lessons learned.) Let’s take a look at how I painted Chontele and Elora in the Garden. This was only meant to be a study done in preparation for a larger work, but … Read more
Let’s take a look at a stunning portrait by Gordon Coutts, Waiting. I first saw this painting at the New South Wales Art Gallery. It stopped me in my tracks, despite it being a subtle painting in a dramatic room. Until that point, I had no idea who Coutts was. But it prompted me to learn … Read more
One of the great painters of the Golden Age of Dutch painting, Frans Hals was known for his group and individual portraits, but more particularly, for a uniquely individual style that incorporated obvious brushstrokes, and realistic facial expressions to bring life and character to his subjects. I’ll cover: Key Details Birth: Variously reported as 1580, … Read more
“I long to see everything, to know everything, to learn everything!” Marie Bashkirtseff A while ago I wrote about Marie Bashkirtseff’s The Umbrella. It turned out to be one of my most popular posts. Let’s take a look at some of her other work and life as an artist. Key Facts and Ideas Tip: Who you … Read more
In this post, I take a closer look at the remarkably sophisticated Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez. There is a lot of information surrounding this painting, but I will try and keep it simple. I’ll cover: Key Facts and Ideas Las Meninas has been the focus of scrupulous research and commentary. It has taken me hours to … Read more