All About Oil Painting Support (Ezine Ready)

Author: vijay

An oil painting support is nothing but basic surface that oil paint could be applied to. There are a variety of surface available that an artists use to paint on. Everything from some woods, canvas, and as well metals could serve as supports for oil paint. This article would introduce you to those various supports and hopefully assist you decide that support is brilliant for your style of oil painting or oil painting reproduction.

Linen

Linen is shaped from the good fibers of the flax plant. The plants are normally harvested and then left to soak up in the water in anticipation of the outside plant rots away parting the fibers underneath. The fibers are then further processed into yarns and threads that are then natural fiber into canvas. The fibers of the flax plant are long and pretty hard and make for a very striking and long-lasting painting support.

Cotton

Cotton canvas is the mainly well-liked support for oil painter’s that are beginner. It is a comparatively strong material and much-cost effective than linen. It has an extremely even and automatic weave. If the surface were sized appropriately, then your painting would be well confined from rot and would last a long time. If you are in fact concerned about the hard of cotton, then but a heavy grade cotton canvas and attempt stretching it yourself. Cotton canvas is obtainable in rolls or pre-stretched, ready or unprimed.

Canvas pads

For those oil painters who might be on a small budget but yet desire a descent excellence surface to paint on, then canvas pads are most excellent choice. Canvas pads come in a range of different sizes and are huge for beginners that are simply starting out. Canvas pads are huge for practice or doing studies. Confirm you get a heavy weight canvas pad appropriate to hold oil paint.

Wood panels

The earliest known oil painting reproduction was created on wood panels made of oak or poplar. The wood was coated with a consistent ground made of animal skin glue and chalk. The ground was then polished flat to make a surface apt for oil paint. Pure hard wood panels are not the most well liked ground for oil painters today. They are expensive and other than difficult to drag around. A good option that oil painter’s use is plywood.

Your choice of oil painting support actually depends on your fashion of painting. Experiment with the variety of painting supports obtainable and have fun. You would finally find one that works best for you.

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About the Author:

Vijaykanth is a seo copywriter in this field who is currently working for the site 1artclub.com. For further information on oil paintings,Art reproductions, Oil paintings, Oil painting reproductions, famous art painting, and Solvents please visit http://www.1artclub.com/ or contact me through mail:1artclubpainting@gmail.com.

Allison Smith’s Biography and Exhibitions at Saatchi-gallery (Ezine Ready)

Author: InventaTechnologies

Allison Smith’s Art pace project continues to examine how political meaning can reside within aesthetic forms and to employ history to comment on current events. Featured is Hobby Horse, a performance-based sculpture of the traditional child’s toy, complete with horsehair, glass eyes, and handmade bridle. Standing more than nine feet tall, the oversized object lays bare the militaristic spirit of this old-fashioned plaything and probes equestrian statuary’s commemoration of bloodshed.

The performance staged by Smith at the exhibition’s opening further engaged this duality. Donning a replicated Civil War-era uniform and carrying a handcrafted flag, haversack, and rifle—all deposited in the gallery after the event—the artist mounted Hobby Horse and sang a lullaby, set to the time-honored battle hymn “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.� However, Smith replaced the original lyrics, which are celebratory, with her own, which speak of living in divided times of cultural impasse. A limited edition print of the song sheet accompanies the show.

With her handwoven coverlet Security Blanket (Drums of War), Smith has evoked the politics of textiles. Smith altered the 19th-century design Lee’s Surrender to include oil drums, an allusion to the position of economics in contemporary conflicts, and used red, blue, and yellow, a trio of recurring hues that represent both the US today as a polarized nation and the primary colors of art. Also included is a life-sized pioneer doll clad in a smocked dress, bonnet, and boots.

Made using doll parts cast from her own body, this surrogate object affords Smith an opportunity for role play while addressing the socialization of children through toys. Hand printed in blue, red, and yellow on the girl’s pinafore is Smith’s refrain: What are you fighting for?

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2007

• Upcoming, February, Florida Atlantic University, Baton Rouge

2006

• Allison Smith/New Works: 06.3, Artpace, San Antonio

2006

• Notion Nanny, Qube gallery, Shropshire, UK. In development with B+B, Sarah Carrington & Sophie Hope

2005

• The Muster, a project of the Public Art Fund, Governors Island, New York

• ARMORY at The Armory Show, New York

• Notion Nanny, Studio Voltaire, London, UK Group. In development with B+B, Sarah Carrington & Sophie Hope

• Victory Hall, Bellwether, New York

2002

• Stilleven,evenStill, Bellwether, Brooklyn

2001

• Consuming Nostalgia, Eldridge Street Project, New York

2000

• Mom-n-Pop, Artists Space, Meat Market Art Fair, New York

Conclusions:

Allison Smith’s Art pace project continues to examine how political meaning can reside within aesthetic forms and to employ history to comment on current events. Featured is Hobby Horse, a performance-based sculpture of the traditional child’s toy, complete with horsehair, glass eyes, and handmade bridle. Standing more than nine feet tall, the oversized object lays bare the militaristic spirit of this old-fashioned plaything and probes equestrian statuary’s commemoration of bloodshed.

What to Do Next…

If you want any information about Allison Smith or looking for his paintings please visit us on http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/allison_smith.htm

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About the Author:

View Allison Smith paintings, biography, solo exhibitions, group exhibitions and resource of Allison Smith. View art online at The Saatchi Gallery - London contemporary art gallery. Allison Smith

For several years, I have been following the photography of Pascal Renoux. He has quickly become my favorite modern day photographer. Words cannot describe how unique and inspiring his photographs are, so I will simply indulge you with a sampling of my favorites. Renoux works primarily with nudes, portraits, landscapes and still-life. He also has a particular fascination with hands. I hope to one day capture people and objects as well as Pascal Renoux does time and time again.

WARNING: A couple images after the break include artistic nudity and may not be suitable for all viewers.

Read the rest of this entry »

This is a debate that will probably go on forever. Sure, it’s a crime on the books and basically could be considered defacing public or private property. However you want to look at it, I find graffiti to be an interesting cultural event that will never go away. In a way, it’s a form of personal expression that forces people to take a look. Graffiti is nothing new either. It has been around since ancient civilizations. The area I currently live in doesn’t have too much in the way of graffiti art, but it’s starting to pop up a little more often. I dropped in a graffiti definition from Wikipedia at the bottom of this article. Feel free to comment and let me know what you think about the subject.

Here are some photos I took the other day near the New River in Radford, Virginia which is roughly 15 minutes away from where I live:

Graffiti (strictly, as singular, “graffito,” from the Italian — “graffiti” being the plural) are images or letters applied without permission to publicly viewable surfaces such as walls or bridges. Graffiti has existed at least since the days of ancient civilizations such as Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.[1] Graffiti has changed over time into what are known as “modern graffiti”: the public defacing of a surface using spray paint, markers, or other materials. When graffiti painting is done without the property owner’s consent, it can be considered vandalism, which is punishable by law in most countries.

Graffiti can be used to communicate social and political messages, and as a form of advertising. It is also considered a modern art form, and can be seen in galleries around the world.

I would like to thank Lyndsey over at ‘Lez Keep It Real‘ for suggesting I mention the art of graffiti more on the site.

There’s no reason to beat around the bush, so to speak. Let’s get it all out in the open, basically - Lez keep it real. Real opinions, real discussion, real stories. Writer and professional people watcher, Lyndsey D’Arcangelo, will keep you up to speed with information and educated opinions on current news, politics, sports, entertainment, gossip, lifestyle, coming out and everything else concerning the gay and lesbian population five, fun-filled days a week!

Fans of the Clash may be interested in checking out this film. Film is often an avoided aspect of art history. Check out myspace.com/joestrummerthemovie for more information.

Short Synopsis

As the front man of the Clash from 1977 onwards, Joe Strummer changed people’s lives forever. Four years after his death, his influence reaches out around the world, more strongly now than ever before. In “The Future Is Unwritten�, from British film director Julien Temple, Joe Strummer is revealed not just as a legend or musician, but as a true communicator of our times.

Drawing on both a shared punk history and the close personal friendship which developed over the last years of Joe’s life, Julien Temple’s film is a celebration of Joe Strummer – before, during and after the Clash.

[Via Joe Strummer the Movie]

The Clash, Joe Strummer, 1970s, Julien Temple, music, Britisht

“Physiognomy is the ancient Chinese art of face reading, otherwise known as Siang Mien. By studying the proportions, features and shapes of each individual face, experts in the art of face reading can tell you more about your character than perhaps you know yourself.

Many people today use the art of physiognomy as a form of fortune telling or even matchmaking. It can also be used in the corporate world as part of the interview process, allowing employers to see the real you as opposed to the one adept at “fooling� the normal set of tests.

So what might the shape of your face reveal to others?

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Author: Dan McDougall

For any art enthusiast, picking the right painting to invest in is a very detailed and rigorous event. If you are spending thousands of dollars for a work of art you want to pick that perfect piece that fits into your home and inspires you. When you invest in Fine Art you are not only investing in the moment but into the future as well. Not only do you want the painting you buy to be appealing in the present but down the road when you are looking to sell your painting to the next lucky buyer. So how do you make a decision as big as this without any guidance? If you follow the tips below you will be sure to pick just the right painting for you that will have value for years to come.

Tip #1: Buy a painting you like. The first tip that I offer you is to buy a painting you like. Do not simply look for a painting that will bring you the most profit in the future but buy something that you will be able to look at day after day and feel a connection to. Philip Guston, an American expressionist artist once said, “Look at any inspired painting. It’s like a gong sounding; it puts you in a state of reverberation.� This is the feeling you want to search for when finding the painting to mount on your wall. There will be no greater disappointment then if you wake up one day to find that the attraction to your painting has disappeared.

Tip #2: Look for good quality and subject matter. Just because a painting is by a particular artist, don’t assume it will be easy to turn over when the time comes to sell it. Make sure the painting is of good quality and subject matter. This assures you that, in the long run, you will be able to sell the painting to another art seeker and get a great return.

Tip #3: Ask the right questions. Make sure you ask the right questions — Who is the artist? How important is the art? What is its provenance, history, and documentation? Or more simply, where has the art been and who has owned it? This is the most important thing you need to know. An art work’s provenance provides information about the origin of the work and its previous owners. Provenance serves as the key evidence of a work’s authenticity and its rightful ownership.

Tip #4: Make sure the asking price is fair. You want to make sure that the asking price is fair. Compare and contrast your art to records of public and private sales of related works of art that have already sold. You can obtain price information on works of recognized artists from the art departments of most major institutional and public libraries, art reference bookstores, the internet, certain art galleries, and auction sales records (the most important auction records for this purpose are works of art that are similar in size, subject matter, medium, date executed, and other specifics to the one you are interested in buying). You also want to research who you are buying from. Whether it is from an art gallery, art dealer or auction, make sure they are reputable and have a knowledgeable staff to help you out. Ask to see recent sales results for art by the artist you’re interested in. Make sure that the artist has a good track record of selling works of art similar to the piece you are looking to buy for a comparable amount to what you’re being asked to pay.

Tip #5: Insure your art. After you make your big purchase, make sure to insure your art for its full replacement value. Remember to insure for casualty loss (fire, flood, etc.) as well as for theft. Continually have your work of art revalued by a certified appraiser to be sure you will be able to recover its full value upon its loss.

I wish you the best of luck on your exciting journey ahead.

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About the Author:

Dan McDougall is the owner of McDougall Fine Arts Galleries, which has been serving the discerning collector for over 40 years, specializing in American oil paintings and watercolors of the 19th and early 20th centuries, with particular expertise in American Impressionism, marine paintings and Cape Ann painters. They are currently expanding their offerings of American Contemporary and European artists. Located north of Boston in Gloucester, Massachusetts, they are firmly established in the heart of Cape Ann, America’s oldest Artist Colony, where both famous and undiscovered artists have been finding their inspiration for over 150 years. Visit their website at http://www.mcdougallfinearts.com

Kurt Cobain was the front man and leader of Nirvana, the band that redefined music in the 1990s. His death is still shrouded in mystery. Some believe it was a simple suicide, while many theories out there claim he was murdered. I am not sure if we will ever know the truth. Aside from music, Kurt was an extremely talented artist. His drawings, paintings and sketches have started to gain popular demand in recent years. I have collected some of my favorites and you can view them below. I definitely miss Kurt Cobain being on the scene. I think if he were still around today, he would be doing great things.

[Primary Source Kurt Cobain's Art]

Kurt Cobain, art, Nirvana

In addition to writing for Art History Guide, I can also be found on 1PStart.com.

What was once a simple gaming blog started in October 2006 is now an underground gaming blog phenomenon , 1PStart.com. Be sure to check us out for the most up-to-date info, interesting articles, awesome videos, and just all of the going ons in the gaming community. 1PStart.com is your online source for gaming news.

Author: InventaTechnologies

Zhang Xiaogang’s paintings engage with the notion of identity within the Chinese culture of collectivism. Basing his work around the concept of ‘family’ –immediate, extended, and societal – Zhang’s portraits depict an endless genealogy of imagined forebears and progenitors, each unnervingly similar and distinguished by minute difference.

Zhang Xiaogang is very much a product of the Chinese art academy system, and out of this heritage he has developed an iconography and identified a special sensibility that in many ways define this era. Because Zhang’s footing is within the academy system, therefore the system may also claim credit for his success. So it follows that Zhang should be looked upon as a paradigmatic success model of the Chinese art world.

Bloodline and Amnesia and Memory, the two series that have made Zhang’s reputation in the 1990s, focus on portraiture, a subject underlined by concerns around the visual portrayal of the Chinese figure, especially as it involves the adaptation of western classical painting technique to local needs.Often painted in black and white, Zhang’s portraits translate the language of photography into paint. Drawing from the generic quality of formal photo studio poses and greyscale palette, Zhang’s figures are nameless and timeless: a series of individual histories represented within the strict confines of formula. The occasional splotches of colour which interrupt his images create aberrant demarcations, reminiscent of birth marks, aged film, social stigma, or a lingering sense of the sitter’s self assertion.

Incorporating the aesthetic of traditional Chinese charcoal drawing, Zhang’s style wavers between the exaggeration of animation and stoic flatness. Muted and compliant, Zhang’s extended family convey individual identity through their unalterable physical features: too big heads, tiny hands, long noses, and subtle alterations in hairstyle give clues to intimate characteristics and stifled emotions. These dream-like distortions give a complex psychological dimension to Zhang’s work, heightening the tension of regulated claustrophobia, and initiating suggestive narrative readings.

Conclusions:

Zhang Xiaogang’s art has become a canon of contemporary Chinese oil painting, and its merits depend very much on the fact that he has found new solutions to harnessing western classical academic technique (a standard in Chinese academies) to turn it into an indigenous artistic language.

What to Do Next…

If you want any information about Zhang Xiaogang or looking for his paintings please visit us on http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artists/zhang_xiaogang.htm

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About the Author:

View Zhang Xiaogang paintings, biography, solo exhibitions, group exhibitions and resource of Zhang Xiaogang artist. View art online at The Saatchi Gallery - London contemporary art gallery. Zhang Xiaogang

Author: Maigida Africanarts

You may already have a number of reasons for choosing contemporary African art. But if you’re unfamiliar with this type of work and want to know more, you will want to recognize several different techniques, colors, and styles that set this art apart from the rest. When you understand what makes contemporary African art something special, you will certainly want to bring a piece or two into your home.

One of the common words used to describe contemporary African art is ‘Natural.’ By focusing on simple brush strokes and shapes, the overall effect is much more organic than other pieces of modern art. It evokes a sense of having been painted outside in the brush, rather than in a cold, sterile studio. This natural feeling also creates an inviting tone that allows it to grace a home’s living room or entryway or even the kitchen or bedroom. And when you choose this kind of natural piece, you can accent the decorating themes that you’ve already established instead of having to recreate a room around a piece of art.

Rich colors pervade African American art and this is a design quality that is much admired by many owners of this art. The deep colors allow the warmth of the painting to come through and also engage a curious view as to the content of the scene. With vibrant reds and oranges, these pieces of art can be used to accent a monochromatic room or can be the central feature of a location. And while the colors vary from image to image, there is no lack of brightness or vitality – even the blues and the greens are striking.

What sets contemporary African art apart from other collections is its ability to depict the sense of struggles having been overcome. While you could say that these paintings reflect too much on the past, it’s more of a celebration of triumphing over a history that sought to defeat their spirit. You may see somber eyes in the works, but they’re full of hope at the same time. Though not every painting includes a setting in the past, you can see that there is no forgetting the history of the African American either.

Inherent in contemporary African art is also the feeling of simplicity, of no stroke without a definitive purpose. Whether this stems from a need to use only what the artist could find or if it comes from wanting to be as simple as possible, no one knows. But what you can sense is that this African art is created to be straightforward in its image, adding nothing that doesn’t belong or doesn’t need to be seen.

In choosing contemporary African art, you will find that there are many desirable qualities that make it stand out from other collections. And while you can find hundreds of artists that have created thousands of pieces, there are some that will appeal to you personally – as though they were created with only you in mind.

Mr. Moyo Ogundipe has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. His talents in Traditional African Art and Modern African American Art are well-known. He has created numerous beautiful African Paintings. Buy African paintings Online.

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About the Author:

Mr. Moyo Ogundipe has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Fine Art from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He is experienced in Traditional African Art, Modern African American Art . He has done many African Paintings and aftican art.Buy African paintings Online.