Rubens paints Daniel in the Lions’ Den
In the mid-1600s the Flemish artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish; 1577-1640) spent quite a bit of time in the royal menagerie at Brussels, making careful studies of North African…
Paint Box Section
Illustrating your life
Artists’ journals and sketchbooks are doorways into a secret world. They are packed with drawings, paintings, and words — some polished, some rough, some never intended for anyone to see…
French Revolution’s official artist
No one’s neck was safe from the guillotine during the years following the French Revolution in 1789. This period was called “The Terror†for good reason. The French motto of…
Brushstrokes are the artist’s ‘handwriting’
Everyone knows that painters use brushstrokes. But did you know that each brushstroke is important to the success of the painting? Brushstrokes can be thought of as the handwriting of…
Hitting the right value
Tone, Value and Hue are important words for any artist who wants to paint realistically. “Tone†in art it refers to light and shadow. There are three basic tone divisions: …
Changing tools made all the difference
When we think of oil paints, we automatically think of brushes. Artist Ken Gore, however, applies his paint with knives – not just ordinary kitchen knives but the specialized tools…
Looking at Botticelli’s Primavera
In the Middle Ages, there were no mandatory birth certificates, and many records have crumbled to dust. However, it is believed that in 1445, in a working-class district…
Style in art is a personal matter
Picasso. Thomas Kincade. Mary Cassatt. Norman Rockwell. Georgia O’Keeffe. Can you visualize a certain kind of artwork for each name? This is because each of these artists has a…
Calligraphy is more than just letters
The art of beautiful writing is well defined by this following quote from an unknown author. “Geometry can produce legible letters, but Art alone makes them beautiful. Art begins where…
Rabbits, eggs and springtime are tradition
The Easter Bunny has hopped a long way in his lifetime — all the way from ancient Europe, Alsace and Germany to the United States. Even part of his…
An in-depth look at landscape
Many artists enjoy painting landscapes, but painting a convincing landscape is more than just finding a pretty scene. The best landscape paintings have a convincing sense of depth, letting the…
Art not publicity was his goal
“I curse the b******* who for the sake of writing an article for fifty francs, drew the attention of the public to me. All my life I have worked to…
The art of the Crèche
Christmas is one of the most important holidays of the year for people of the Christian faith, and many Christian homes feature prominent display of a Crèche (French for “mangerâ€),…
The Bad Boy of Renaissance Art
He lived not quite 37 years, but in that short span he was a rebel in both life and art, with a reputation for disorderly behavior unmatched by any other…
Use a soft pencil to make easy, unique prints
To make a unique greeting card or even small frameable gift art, try offset tracing, also known as tracing-paper transfer. With this technique you can make one or…
Color me red, yellow and blue
    You only need three colors of paint to make a painting.   If you have red, yellow and blue, you can create almost anything you need. All the other colors…
Drawing for a painting
It’s fun to watch the late artist Bob Ross on television. In a half-hour, he whips out a beautiful landscape painting and makes it look easy. Not everyone realizes…
The original ‘color’ of Snow White
    Most of us know Snow White as the heroine of Disney’s 1937 film, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsâ€, in which an innocent young girl fleeing her wicked stepmother…
Creativity is ageless
When you think of yourself, does the word “creative” come to mind, or do you reserve that word to describe people who “make art”? Creativity is actually what we do…
Fresco isn’t just a wall painting
If you read “The Da Vinci Code” you probably saw the word “fresco” in reference to painting. But what exactly is a “fresco?” If asked to define a…
Grisaille makes realistic painting easier
Many artists have difficulty creating a full range of tones (lights and darks) using color. They spend a lot of time adjusting lights and shadows because they just can’t seem…
Art is full of space
How can a mark on paper be called “space†when space is empty? One of the more confusing concepts of art is the concept of positive and negative space. It…
Insight from literary artists
By definition, a “unique†object can be produced only once. Therefore, an artwork produced by any person at any skill level is unique. Whether it is painting, drawing, sculpture,…
‘Muffler people’ brighten up a highway
When a small muffler shop on the highway near Walters, Oklahoma, started piling old, beat-up mufflers around their store sign, they didn’t realize they were laying the foundation for an…
Practice makes a ‘fast draw’
Sometimes if someone asks me a question along the lines of “how should we hang these decorations,†“how do I get to such-and-such a place,†etc., I find it easier…
‘Oldie’ subject still challenges artists
From prehistoric times to the present day, artists have returned to one subject again and again. It has been scratched on cave walls; carved from riverbank mud; painted and drawn…
An artist looks at the railway station
In 1876, Claude Monet moved into a studio apartment in the Rue Moncey, close to the Gare St-Lazare. At the time he also had an apartment in the Rue d’Edinbourg…
Little people art projects
For ages 3 and up, “Cinnamon Drawing†is fun, and it smells good too. You will need cinnamon sticks, sandpaper and scissors. Cut the sandpaper into any shape (star, circle,…
Colored pencils are fun as crayons
When we were very young, we drew and colored with absolute confidence and joy. As adults, we’d like to return to that level of enjoyment. Many people have chosen colored…
Tips & Techniques
About the Cover art when as published then 2008/09 Fall/Winter Edition. “Treasured Things”, 23″x 22″ 140 lb. cold press paper, Artist Trish McKinney of New Carlisle, Ohio. “This piece is…
‘Small’ painting began with illustrated books
     Miniature paintings started with books known as “illuminated manuscripts.† These are handmade books where the text is illustrated or enhanced with decorations. This includes fancy decorated initial letters that…
Getting revenge through painting
Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-ca.1656) is today considered one of the most accomplished painters of her generation. She was also the most important woman painter of Early Modern Europe because of…
What’s going on here?
“Las Meninas” means “The Maids of Honor” hangs behind bulletproof glass, probably the greatest treasure of the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain. This beautiful and impressive oil painting was…
Shape up a painting
For beginning artists, the most difficult part of a painting or drawing is often the beginning. When you look at a subject, it’s hard to decide what should be…
He creates visual works of feelings
Minjae Lee is a 23-year-old self taught artist who produces work that reflects his signature of powerful colors and creative movement. He uses seemingly old-fashioned tools, such as markers,…
Hands up!
When it comes to drawing people, many artists do pretty well at getting the head, body, arms and legs to look natural, But then they have to deal with…
Why and how artists sight off a pencil
When an artist is shown in a cartoon, he or she is often shown with their arm stuck straight out, holding a pencil straight up and looking at…
Suggestions for watercolor beginners
If you’re just getting started with watercolor, you might find that it’s difficult to know how to start a painting, and then how to keep it going. Perhaps you’ve…
Miniature painting began with illustrated books
    Miniature paintings are very small works of art, usually 8 x 10 inches or smaller and probably started with books known as “illuminated manuscripts.† These are handmade books where…
Run for the hills! It’s abstract art!
When confronted with “non-traditional” art (abstraction, surrealism, non-objective art, etc.) some people are shocked and confused by it. But we can learn to look at this art with appreciation. …
Quick, easy and fun art
Have you ever used one of those Easter egg coloring kits from the supermarket, the ones that come with a small assortment of food dyes and a clear wax…
Keep it moving!
Although still life, landscape, and portraits (which all show things that are NOT moving) will always be popular, artists also paint pictures that show action and movement. This wasn’t…
Be your own critic
If you are an artist you probably know when you’ve done a good painting. It just “feels right.” But sometimes you feel there’s a problem and you don’t know what…
The subject really doesn’t matter
Have you ever looked at an abstract painting and wondered what on earth the artist was up to? When there is no recognizable subject, many people get uncomfortable looking…
‘Snowflake Doc’ tells stories with his paper artistry
(AAPNW-MI) – English Statesman and writer Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) said regarding preparing for the future, “The secret to success in life is for a man to be ready for…
What’s in a Chinese name?
    If you’ve looked at Chinese paintings, you might have noticed that the artist’s signature is part of the total design of the picture. This is partially because Chinese names…
Stylin’!
When people begin to make art, the first impulse is often to find the work of artists they like, and then try to paint like that artist. Some people…
Framing great-great-grandma, etc.
Previously, we discussed framing paintings; this week we’re moving on to the challenge of framing photos. Framed photos, including those old sepia pictures of great-great relatives and family events…
Framed! And lookin’ good…
All right, you’ve purchased an original painting – but it isn’t framed. Now what do you do? If you want your picture to look its best, please don’t think “Well,…