Color Painting Art » Oil Paintings

Visiting an Art Gallery is More Relaxing

ColorPaintingArt — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:09:59 +0000

Visiting an art gallery is more relaxing, as compared to listening to music repertoire in a concert hall. Soothing music is not that distracting to our ears, some audience may just fall asleep in the midst of listening. Some prefer to have it noisier and more energetic, such as trance or rock concert.

I play my musical instruments, and that is how sound is produced through this medium. Likewise, an artist uses his painting brushes to produce an artwork on a large canvas filled with vivid oil color. Medieval art, renaissance, baroque, impressionism and expressionism are art movements defined by the Western art; there are analogous with different genres in music.

‘Likings’ is the rudiment for every artist’s hope to achieve in an art exhibit with invited friends and guests. It is a simple gesture and compliments, beside trying hard to understand and breaking the ‘da Vinci’ code from the hanging art frame. Abstract art does not necessary have to translate into words.

Even famous quote from the great painter, Claude Monet, once said:

“People discuss my art and pretend to understand as if it were necessary to understand, when it’s simply necessary to love.”

Here are a few reasons why visiting an art gallery is more relaxing, as compared to listening to music:

Viewers share and discuss about the oil painting art that is hanging on the wall, without the constraint to sit silently listening music in a concert hall.
Before an audience is able to listen to audio music, one need to take a step further to press the ‘play’ button. Visual art is mainly for the eye only.
Its healthier to keep our body moving and walking around in the art gallery. Listening is merely an exercise of your ears, while siting restlessly in a cushion chair.
There isn’t a need to pay a high entrance fee to view a masterpiece in an art museum; most displaying less than 3 meters from your naked eye. Conversly, one need a bionic eye to see the musician playing in a stage, with at least 15 meters away from the chair you are sitting.
Scan your paintings or take a snapshot with your iPhone, and upload it to Facebook. It is much faster and less tedious than recording music.
Your Mom will love your paintings, even she is busying cooking for your dinner. A glimpse of your mini Picasso’s art is what she have to do. Same support goes to your good friends who is an artist.

Master of Painting Art Forgery, Zhang Daqian, 张大千

ColorPaintingArt — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:02:59 +0000

Master of Painting Art Forgery, Zhang Daqian, 张大千 (May 10, 1899 – April 2, 1983)

Most gifted painting master forgers of 20^th century. To say it lamely, he was a master of copycats in paintings. However, his artwork was well-respected, in term of painting skill.

Till today, many Chinese artists and painting amateurs have approached to his sought-after copying technique for learning art. Best example is oil painting reproductions.

To his exceptionally skillful technique, his forgeries are difficult to detect for many reasons.

Using only medium of Chinese ink, he has proven in many artwork of capable to imitate the great Chinese masters. His believes of emulating from great masters is presented as a necessary stage in artistic development.
His sharp-minded knowledge to the specific material he used. This is visible in his paintings writing in small Chinese characters, such as type of paper and ink.
He often forged paintings based on descriptions in catalogues of lost paintings; his forgeries came with ready-made provenance.

Back in 1956, a much-heralded summit between the Eastern and Western world of art masters; Zhang Daqian met Pablo Picasso in Antibes.

Both artists worked in different genres, but that have not deterred them from exchanging of artwork and culture.

Their profound influence and artistic genius have kept them united for common purpose in art.

I hope to source for some photos of his paintings on my next post. Below showing a video of Chang Dai-chien gesturing in a cypress.

Flickr: SFSU Fine Arts

His recent artwork was auction at Christie’s late May 2010. Paintings entitled: “Lady Scroll”, mounted and framed, ink on paper.

Price realized was ($35,591), approx 10% higher than estimated value of US$32,000. View here.

Will the oil paintings look exactly the same as the picture posted in your store?

ColorPaintingArt — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:41:01 +0000

“Will the oil paintings look exactly the same as the picture posted in your store?”

A simple question. Yet, my reply can be paralyzed by how I should answer in a comprehensive manner.

To reply a single answer “Yes” or “No” is too straightforward. Basically, as good as showing ignorance and unimportance to the concern of potential buyers. Or by not replying will eventually turn away a new hope of success.

I have encountered quite frequently as an online seller. Usually, there are the new buyers who worry about receiving a poster print, instead of expecting an actual oil painting reproductions.

Now, I have just mentioned another word “reproduction”. To put it in my words relevant to this post, I would explain, “it is the process of generating duplicate copies from the original production”.

In oil paintings, a manufacturer can also reproduced into a poster print using press machines. To certain extend, there can even be mass produced.

So the foremost is to have an understanding of how to differentiate between a poster print and an oil painting reproduction? Below sharing some key factors to identify them.

Paintings done with oils require the colors mixed as the artists work & the colors are never the same, whereas, a poster print rely on the mix of color dye and the precision of the press machines.
A poster print will have perfectly smooth and lustrous surface, similar to a photograph. Oil paintings will show up some relief on texture, such as impasto paintings. You will see blobs of paint and the brush-strokes.
Prints are run on a press on different weights of paper and they can easily reproduce for mass quantity. Oil paintings require an artist to manually hand paint on the canvas, mass production will be too laborious.
Oil paintings, generally fetch a higher price, since it require a skilled artist to reproduce. Poster prints using press will rely on mechanical equipments to duplicate the product. The rate to produce prints are much faster than handmade oil paintings.

Back to the questions of “Will the oil paintings look exactly the same as the picture posted in your store?” With the common understandings listed, I will be able to answer more correctly.

Oil paintings will never be the same as a poster prints. However, experienced artists will try to reproduce as close as the picture posted in their online store.

A slight variant may be visible in contrast with the posted picture. This is typically true, and every online buyers should view and appreciate it as the creativity aspect from artists.

Do you view hand-painted oil painting reproduction as poster print?

Chinese Calligraphy goes to Hanoi, Northern Vietnam

ColorPaintingArt — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:13:47 +0000

Chinese calligraphy art has been traditionally originated from mainland China. To be exact, the history of its origin and creation is a mystery till these days. Perhaps, may attribute the invention to 4600 years ago.

Generally, calligraphy painting is an appreciation of beauty in how every single brush strokes form a Chinese character. And how two characters or more forms a phrase or a proverbs. As a personal point of view, it also helps to build or even change the characters of a person who acquire this art discipline.

As the highest form of Chinese art hierarchy, Hanoi in northern Vietnam makes no difference to this tradition. Especially, Tet’s Day in this festive season of the year, where every homemakers believe calligraphy words that bring them good luck and motivation.

Literary, Vietnamese don’t learn Chinese language. Geographically, the Vietnam maybe East Asia or South East Asia. However, on the other aspect in term of culture, there too, have similar art perspective with the Chinese in learning calligraphy and its appreciation. Black ink with brush strokes painted on red paper, calligrapher often use popular painting words such as “Prosperity”, “Happiness”, “Peace”, “Fortune”, or “Safety”. Patience and calmness is still the main attitude towards learning the technical skill.

Here is a link where you can read more detail about Chinese calligraphy in Hanoi, highlighting on Vietnam calligraphers offer stroke of New Year luck.

Vietnam calligraphers offer stroke of New Year luck

Chinese Calligraphy and Western Painting Art

ColorPaintingArt — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:40:30 +0000

Lunar Chinese New Year is right at the corner of this week. Coincidentally, it falls on the same day as the Valentine’s Day. At this time of the year, it is a traditional culture for the Chinese to use the ink brush to paint auspicious words on red paper scroll. Chinese words painted in the form of calligraphy, signifying good luck and prosperity. Quite often there are framed or made into scrolls and hang them on the wall of their house. The chosen red color for the paper background has its own meaning too. It symbolize good fortune and lucky charms.

To the Western painting art, you will be appreciating the techniques of colorful art painted by artists in the early centuries. Their works look brilliant, and colors are being used to express their artistic view. Different sizes of brushes and strokes, as well as knives painting skill are applied. However, on one key difference from Chinese painting art is that you hardly notice written words or poems on the oil paintings. And it is Chinese calligraphy being the most popular and prestigious in the hierarchy of Chinese art and culture. Totally different disciplines and practice, using many different brush strokes with just one-size brush and black ink on plain paper.

The element of single brush stroke may not mean a lot, however, it is able to form a Chinese character with the combination of many strokes. And four characters in a calligraphy writings are usually referring to words for proverbs. To acquire skills in calligraphy, you will need a lot of patience to learn the basic. With consistency and lots of practice, will one makes perfect on this art.

Pictures of Paper-Cutting Art on Frames

ColorPaintingArt — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:46:38 +0000

Perspective as an Element of Composition in Paintings

ColorPaintingArt — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:16:28 +0000

In the beginning stage of practicing oil paintings and drawings, composition is built up of various levels of structure: perspective, tone, colors and pattern. These are the key elements of composition, with linear perspective as one of the simplest techniques every artists have to know.

Learning “linear perspective” enable you to create depth and distant on a flat surface. By looking at any buildings out from your windows, you will notice object starts to appear smaller and parallel lines look as if they are converging. Visually, this effect reproduces on flat surfaces, such as your sketch book paper. When imaginary lines in the same direction, if extended, meet at a common point on the horizon, it form a vanishing point. Some abbreviate it as V.P.

Perspective is regarded as the key to drawing with great accuracy and quality. It is a tool to establish the scale of objects at different places in space. In general, different viewpoint, has different perspective and vanish point.

Based on the drawing from “The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci”, it show how a box would appear between the eye and the subject if it was traced on a flat screen. Using the rules of perspective means that you can draw without the need for tracing: the picture plane – the flat surface of the paper – replaces the window.

Leonardo da Vinci on Perspective

Below I have illustrated objects with three different types of vanish point in linear perspective, subjecting to your viewpoint.

Look at a box face-on. With one-point perspective, the horizontal lines at the front remain parallel, but the lines of the top coverage at the vanishing point on the horizontal line.

Perspective Vanishing Point VP1

If you look at the box from a corner angle. You will see two sides. With two-point perspective, the parallel lines of each face and the top of the box converge at two vanishing points on each side.

Perspective Vanishing Point VP2

Look at a tall box from above. With three-point perspective, the parallel lines of the sides will appear to get closer together towards the base. This means you will have a third vanish point (great for dramatic skyscapes.)

Perspective Vanishing Point VP3

The Invention of Oil Painting

ColorPaintingArt — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:52:50 +0000

This is an excerpt from the book “Art Theory For Beginners” by Richard Osborne and Dan Sturgis. As a beginner, I have enjoy reading this nice handy book. With simple English and cartoon illustrations to help better understanding. Below on the topic of “The Invention of Oil Painting”

The invention of oil painting was another big change for art. This technology was not developed in Italy but in Flanders by Jan van Eyck 1385 – 1441. The Flemish thought it such a wonderful invention that they tried to keep it a state secret. Before oil painting, most painting was fresco, which, when you think about it, was Roman tradition, or what is called tempra, which is a quick drying opaque paint. Van Eyck discovered that you could suspend pigment in linseed oil, and then apply it to carefully prepared wooden boards, thereby creating a slow drying paint that could be worked on over extended periods of time. The development of oil paint was a huge discoveries; it resulted in far more realistic painting being made, as the application of thin glazes allowed a whole new level of naturalism to be achieved. Suddenly these new hyper-naturalistic paintings become portable, more resilient to changes in climate, and consequently far more of a commodity to be bought and sold. The invention of oil painting is an good example of how technological developments effect art.

Art Theory For Beginners