The Art Element – Line, The Artist, Kathe Kollwitz

Line is an element in art. Lines can be curved or straight. Cross contour lines add volume to an object. Directional lines, add movement and direction. A thick changing to thin line achieves movement through space. A long straight line can create a barrier for the eye so it is important to break the line. Curved lines are interesting as are radial lines. Straight lines are best if they change in to a curved line. Horizontal lines are the least interesting. Lines above a shape create a weight on the shape, pushing it down. Lines below the shape lift the shape up. An artist uses lines to achieve their emotional and artistic objectives. Kathe Kollwitz was a German artist born in the 1800s. She lived through both world wars. Kollwitz was a graphic artist and her work makes us feel her figures’ poverty, despair and grief. Kollwitz’ lithograph, “Municipal Shelter”, was done in 1926 and is in the Art Gallery of Ontario. A woman sits in a resting pose. Her hand covers 2 children. The cross contour lines of the child on the left add volume and direction. The thick lines over the back of the woman and child add to the weight and despair of the figures. The main structure of the image is triangular; the woman’s head is at the top of the triangle giving the expressive face and head more visual attention. View Kollwitz’ art and the emotions in her outstanding works.

[Click on title of this post to view art by Kathe Kollwitz.]

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/

Fine Art Painting, Changing the Scene & Color-"Mountains and Waterholes"

Mountains and Waterholes

Orginal Fine Art Painting

Acrylic on wrapped canvas on wood stretcher bars

8 by 10 by 0.75 inches, 20.4 by 25.5 by 1.9 cm

Artists have a wonderful opportunity to change a scene when painting. Artists consider the elements in their paintings to meet their artistic and emotional objectives. The original mountains in this image were a blue gray colour. I changed the colour to a warm orange brown and yellow brown.

[Click on title of this post to view my Etsy internet shop.]

The Bookmark at the end of this post allows you to save this post as a favourite and share it on different sites, i.e. myspace. If you like this post, you can also click stumbleupon for a thumbs up.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/

Highlights on Fine Art Paintings

Highlights are in the middle of the light plane. Highlights are the shape of the light source. If the light source is a light bulb then the highlight will mirror the shape of the bulb. Try to place the highlight perpendicular to the other brushstrokes. This brushstroke contrasts with the direction of other strokes. Highlights also mark a change of plane, i.e. at top when the cheekbones move down toward the jaw.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/

Fine Art Paintings-Art Principles of Dominance and Variety

Paintings should have dominant elements. The element, colour, should have a dominant value in a painting, i.e. light value. Diagonal lines could be dominant in a painting. A painting also needs variety. A painting should also include lesser amounts of mid and dark values. Other lines would also be in the painting, i.e. curving lines. I have only referred to 2 art elements and principles, there are more.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/

Movement of the Eye Through the Painting

An artist moves viewers’ eyes through the painting; to the focal point and then viewers’ eyes continue through the painting. Paintings have an overall structure based on light and dark shapes (value shapes). There are different structures an artist might use, i.e. triangular, L shape. Diagonal lines and shapes can lead viewers into the painting. Cross contour lines or shapes which are interrupted by another shape and then continue, lead viewers. Similar art elements such as colour, lines, can lead viewers through a painting. After the viewer reaches the focal point, they continue to move and examine the painting. It is important to ensure the viewers’ eyes do not move out of the picture. There are a number of methods to achieve this goal.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/

Create the Illusion of Space in Paintings

I like to create the illusion of space on a 2 dimensional support. Artists can achieve space with a number of techniques. I previously wrote about linear perspective. You achieve atmospheric perspective by lightening and dulling colours in the background; using a bit of blue and reducing details. Body position is also helpful. A figure with the back toward the viewer or a look in a particular direction helps create the illusion of space. Overlap of objects is a wonderful technique. These are just a few techniques an artist uses to create the illusion of space.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/

Fine Art Painting, Shape & Value Contrast-"Lighthouse a Beacon of Safety"

Lighthouse a Beacon of Safety

Orginal Fine Art Painting
Acrylic on wrapped canvas on wood stretcher bars
11 by 14 by 0.75 inches, 28.1 by 35.7 by 1.9 cm

I wanted to emphasize strength and safety for navigators looking for the lighthouse's beacon of light. The vertical shape of the lighthouse and the contrast of light with darker (value) shapes hopefully achieves my goal.

[Click on title of this post to view my Etsy internet shop.]

The Bookmark at the end of this post allows you to save this post as a favourite and share it on different sites, i.e. myspace. If you like this post, you can also click stumbleupon for a thumbs up.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/

Representational & Expressionism

You hear the word expressionism. Do you think of the art movement, abstract expressionism? Abstract expressionism was a movement that peaked in the 1930s and included expressionism, abstraction and surrealism art. Abstract expressionists were artists who wanted to state their emotional and spiritual response without necessarily referring to representational subjects. (Art Fundamentals, Theory & Practice, Ocvirk, et al.)

I am a representational artist. I am also an expressionist artist. I achieve the emotional essence of my representational subjects using colours and shapes. Many comment on my use of colour. Expressionists use colour to achieve their goals.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/

Fine Art Painting, Linear Perspective - "Old Sawmill"

Old Sawmill

Original Fine Art Painting

Acrylic on wrapped canvas on wood stretcher bars

8 by 10 by 0.75 inches, 20.4 by 25.5 by 1.9 cm

I was interested in the oblique shape of the sawmill receding into space. I used linear perspective diminishing the size and edges of the building. The edges converge to a point on the horizon or eye level. You must be careful using linear perspective as it can leave the viewer in the background. I used a number of techniques to avoid this problem including a darker background for the building.

I have not yet posted this painting on my internet shops.

The Bookmark at the end of this post allows you to save this post as a favourite and share it on different sites, i.e. myspace. If you like this post, you can also click stumbleupon for a thumbs up.

http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/art/