Water painting, as not many has heard of, differs from the commonly seen watercolor painting. This also known as Chinese Ink Paintings on Water.

Perhaps some may have know about the traditional Turkish painting technique of Ebru (also known as paper marbling in other cultures).

Or Suminagashi paintings, the ancient Japanese technique of painting on water to create marbleized effects on paper.
Last year, one of the Chinese artist from Shandong province, China, has created his own style of water paintings. He is no other than Huang ZhuLin, 黄珠琳.

Creating images with the use of colored ink as medium and flat-lying water as the ‘painting board’.

Below sharing two of his featured paintings.

There are many types of color painting media to choose for your art work. There are acrylic paints, watercolor, gouache, and oil painting; the latter being the most supreme choice media. Just what I have encountered, most beginners may not be able to decide which is best suitable for them. Below you will read 3 common color media that I would like to share in my findings. Namely, oil paints, water-mixable oil paints and acrylic.

1) Oil paints

Widely used by most artists and students for centuries, since early Renaissance. Oil paints are made with color pigments, bind with oils. Poppy, linseed and safflower oils are the most common oils used in the paints, giving the characteristic silky texture and gleaming finish of the paint. Traditionally, paint is applied ‘fat over lean’, starting thin and then getting thicker towards the completion of the painting.

Pros:-

• Highly versatile in its forms, applications and techniques. You can use it straight from tube or blend with other colors. And techniques, include knife paintings, alla prima, impasto, glazing, sfumato .

• Easily retouch or re-work, because it take longer time to dry, especially paintings with thick buttery effect of impasto. It is either you paint over when medium is dry, or to wipe away for wet medium.

Cons:-

• Lots of paintings tools and accessories, like color palette, painting knives, bottles of solvents, and painting easel. Thus, need some floor space catered for storage.
• The odor from mixing solvents need good ventilation in studio room. Some people are allergic, and may cause health hazard when inhale too much.

2) Water-mixable Oil Paints

To traditional oil painting artists, this new media may not be a better choice. However, its a preferred media to those who are allergic to the slightest odor of solvents. Very suitable for one who is working in a low ventilated room. Ideal choice is Winson & Newton’s Artisan.

Pros:-

• Hazardous solvent is not necessary. Only require water, easily available from your indoor plumbing.
• Easy to maintain and clean. Drys faster than traditional oil paints, but not as fast as acrylic.

Cons:-

• This is a new media. Generally, there is no disadvantage and probably the going to last for next few decades in oil color media.
• There is one that comes across my thought. Since it is water soluble, what happens if you are in the midst of painting outdoor and it starts to rain? Would be nice to hear your comment if you encounter bad experienced like this.

3) Acrylic paint

Acrylic paint is pigment dispersed in a film of transparent liquid plastic. Only soluble in water when medium is not dry. To reduced the rate of drying, acrylic paint can be mixed with a retarder medium and extender

Pros:-

• Dues to the characteristics of fast drying, it is sometime use as an alternative for oil paints.
• More durable and color permanency, as compared to oil paints. The color remain true to its originally painted, with least chances to turn yellow, crack or mold as time passed by.

Cons:-

• Fast drying may serve it’s purpose if you are skilled and a quick painter. Otherwise, you will spend more time cleaning dried brushes than to focus on painting. Always keep your brushes wet at all time.
• Acrylic paints is resistant to water once it is completely dry. So how can one get rid of the harden tip that has already dried and clog at the tube’s opening? Simplest advice is… always screw back the cap of the tube once unused, don’t leave it dry.

Although you are reading about color painting mediums, I’m also interested to know your point of view in other choices. At the moment, I’m using graphite pencils as my beginner’s choice. Color painting will be next, once I mastered how to draw beautifully.

In those days, Van Gogh did not expect to earn much as an artist. Besides having proven skill in oil painting of his self-portrait, there were still many viewers whom did not commissioned him to paint. Most of his finished paintings were returned to his brother Theo in Paris. Living apart from his family members, Van Gogh wanted a simple life, without any luxury of owning expensive items. Best examples shown in one of his oil paintings work, Van Gogh’s bedroom. He painted this when he was living in Arlse, a town in Provence in the south of France, October 1888.

At first glance, you can tell its simplicity and straightforwardness of every objects displayed in the bedroom. Not even the simplest technology that exists. No gramophone and no clock, perhaps only a small light bulb on the ceiling that was not included in the painting. Its a small room, where most would not want to live in. Despite being dull for an interior design like this, Van Gogh has painted his bedroom with lots of bright colors and great contrast, yet without subtlety of tones. By examine closer, you will see his thick oil paint and brushstrokes are laid on top of each colored surface. It creates vibrancy, textures, and bold used of colors on simple items. It is also one of his characteristics in all his painting artwork, namely, his impasto technique.

Being poor at that time, he only had the room essentials. The double bed plays an important part of his painting, which is also his main wooden furniture. There is no wardrobe, but a few of his coats and a straw hat hanging at the far-right of the wall. Beside this personnel clothing, he had also hanged a few paintings on the wall near to the bed. A pair of portrait paintings, and underneath another drawings in white frames. On top of the two pillows, hang a landscape painting. Bed sheet is in yellow color, with high contrast against the warm red blanket; most prominent at the center of this painting. On both sides there are two shut doors that create sort of ‘framing’, aligned with the empty forefront wooden floor.

The chairs are in pairs, to provide simple hospitality to someone who visits him. A bedside table, placed with a jug of water and a washing bowl. Above it, a hanging mirror which regards as important item for him who is self-conscience of own appearance. A towel is close by, hanging from a nail next to the mirror. There is a window on the far end that allows most of the day light to shine into the room. The overview of his bedroom is tidy, all the items are in place, creating a sense of being organized and independence living.

All in all, I guess the most important aspect of the painting is the angled perspective drawn in this artwork. The view is quite similar to “The Night Café”, that Van Gogh depicted a situation that is totally opposite. The scale of the bedroom is much smaller and compact. Now, the question for you is, at which eye level did Van Gogh view and painted his bedroom?

To my observation, he could be possibly sitting on a chair, or even on a low stool. If you look closely at his artwork, the bedroom actually painted to include a small portion of the ceiling. That top corner of his bedroom is visibly located above the bed. A straight corner line on the far right, drawn upward that diverge into 2 smaller lines showing sign of the ceiling. It is at this point where the entire view creates a whole different perspective. This can easily prove by just covering the corner or remove it by image editing. The view of the painting changes, just like you are looking at it while standing up. Van Gogh’s painting is exceptionally sensitive and intelligent.

Van Gogh Bedroom, Oil Paining on Canvas, Arles, 1888

Three qualities of color in painting artwork consist of hue, value, and intensity. In photography, lightness and saturation are used, whereas hue generally applies to both. Below, I have try to use some illustrations and simple definition to explain the three qualities.

• Hue – The aspect of color that distinguished it from another color. It is easily identify as rich and pure pigment. Such as cadmium red color, ultramarine blue color, lemon yellow color, or emerald green color.

Color Hue for Oil Painting

• Value – The aspect of color that determined how much light or darkness. In other words, the amount of white present in the color. Red color with lower value or too light, will turn palish, instead of cadmium red.

Color Value for Oil Painting

• Intensity – The aspect of color that control the dominance of hue, describing how vivid or dull it is compared to its pure quality. Lesser saturation of blue will turn grayish, instead of ultramarine blue.

Color Intensity for Oil Painting

The meanings of color, for painting artwork, is often used to define the expressive mood of an artist’s thought. It applies to any form of painting work, be it for oil painting, watercolor, pastel color, wall decor, etc; using it to symbolize or as an influence to one’s emotion. A good understanding of color and its meaning, will provide an advantage to artists who try to verbalize a message by visual language. Likewise, a viewer will also has a better understanding and appreciation of an artist’s work.

Cultural difference between the Western or Chinese paintings may, however, convey a different meanings of color. One of the commonly used color, such as red color, maybe use to express anger or warmth. On the contrary , the Chinese paintings has a different interpretation on its significance; red color is use to express luck and prosperity.

Below listed some of the basic colors describing the meanings.

• BLUE: peace, professionalism, youth, truth, loyalty, reliability, peace, honor, melancholia, boredom, coldness, Winter, depth, stability, professionalism, honor, trust
• YELLOW: attention-grabbing, wisdom, comfort, liveliness, cowardliness, hunger, optimism, overwhelm, joy, Summer, comfort, liveliness, intellect, happiness, energy
• PURPLE: power, royalty, nobility, elegance, sophistication, artificial, luxury, mystery, royalty, elegance, magic, lavender
• RED: warmth, love, anger, danger, confidence, courage, excitement, speed, strength, determination, desire, courage
• BROWN: relaxing, confident, casual, reassuring, nature, earthy, solid, reliable, genuine, Autumn, endurance
• GREEN: durability, life, fertility, reliability, environmental, luxurious, optimism, well-being, nature, calm, relaxation, Spring, safety, honesty, optimism, harmony, freshness
• GRAY: conservatism, traditionalism, intelligence, serious, dull, uninteresting
• ORANGE: cheerfulness, low cost, affordability, enthusiasm, stimulation, vitality with endurance, creativity
  BLACK: Elegance, sophistication, formality, power, strength, illegality, depression, morbidity, night
• WHITE: Cleanliness, purity, newness, virginity, peace, innocence, simplicity, sterility, snow

Oil painting on canvas artwork. Welcome to Color Painting Art. Oil painting reproductions from East Asia by very talented artists mainly from China, Shenzhen Dafen, Fujian Putian, Xiamen Wushipu and Haicang

Oil painting on canvas artwork. Welcome to “Color Painting Art”. We focus our interest on oil painting reproduction from East Asia by very talented artists mainly from China, Guangdong and Fujian Province. Skillful and experience in canvas paintings of replica, museum master, people, floral, animals, landscapes, still life, abstract painting, impressionist, wall-decor, and customized works, such as portrait paintings. All selections are genuinely hand-art on the painting. We don’t sell original oil paintings from famous artist or old masters, naming a few are Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian or Willem de Kooning. There are extremely pricey and rare, where most are exhibiting in famous museum, art gallery or auction. Oil painting reproductions are best described in our listings.

Oil painting is a form of aesthetic expression in which designs are accentuated by representational, imaginative or abstract; created in two dimensions by the application of oil colored media to a flat surface, called canvas. In early 18th century, oil painting was introduced to China, where talented artist started to adopt Western techniques; learning through painting replica from old masters and famous artist. Modern Chinese painters like Zhao Wuji, Wu Guanzhong, Zhang Xiaogang and Yue Minjun, are topping representatives.

Everyone has different response to color, and it is highly personal, especially when choosing a piece of painting artwork to hang on the new wall. It brings in new color in another dimension. Oil painting is the most amazing artwork that every new interior should not miss out. It simply beautifies with colors from within a hanging frame. The subject is always there, it adds new color and interests on the wall, decorates and transforms a room, and adds a touch of sophistication and elegance to one who appreciate it.

We currently only offer color paintings from China. Specifically, from Dafen (大芬), Xiamen (厦门) and Putian (莆田). As time goes by, we will be adding more artwork from other regions by professional artist who acquire good painting techniques and art style. We do not sell so-called art paper prints or pretentious posters that you can find at shopping malls. However, we do offer artistic reproductions of decorative art, with authentic and genuine 100% handmade artworks on canvas.

All paintings are shipped from oversea, delivery time may possibly take up to 20 days upon payment received. Usually, this happens when there are no stocks, and artist has to spend 4 days to a week to produce the art piece. Also taking into consideration that each painting is colored for several times, for some colors can not be drawn on before the former dry. With respect to its inherent nature, we still have to ensure oil paintings are totally dry before packing. We are also working towards 2 weeks delivery, including shipment transition.

Feel free to contact me on any request for Oil Painting Reproductions.

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