Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Art Subjects
Landscape Painting, Artist Johannes Vloothuis, Watercolor, Oil, Acrylic
It’s said that to experience the present, view yourself as an outsider would, as if you were an actor in a movie scene. This is a fun way to look at life, and to force yourself to notice your surroundings when otherwise you might not; what do you hear, see, feel? Sometimes we don’t need to play this little mental game though–we find ourselves in a moment and wish to remember it forever.
Drawing Nature as the Seasons Change with Mark & Mary Willenbrink
Have you ever experienced the peace of walking through the woods or the excitement of a storm gathering on a beach? Or how about what Mother Nature is showing many of us today, right outside our doors, as the seasons change? Artwork provides the ability for us to capture those moments and share them with others, and really savor our days even though they never seem to stop flying by. Drawing nature — from wildlife you see to landscapes you love — is a way to “keep” a moment in time.
Wildlife Paintings and How to Paint Them from Juror Dawn Emerson
In both the fields of pastel drawing and wildlife art, Dawn Emerson is one of the best artists working today and a welcome voice of instruction and guidance when it comes to creating wildlife paintings. As a juror of art competitions, she shares what she looks for. 6) Put Drawing First “Drawing to me is to me a way of experiencing the world,” Dawn says. “Seeing is a process of discovery. I strive to blend my love of eastern with western approaches to painting by combining ink with pastel.
4 Drawing Lessons for Beginners
4 Drawing Exercises That Will Give You a Confidence Boost For close to thirty years, Bert Dodson has shown people how to draw with imagination and creativity. He is the author and illustrator of the best-selling learn-to-draw classic Keys to Drawing as well as the illustrator of over 80 books. Below we share excerpts and popular drawing exercises from his book, Keys to Drawing with Imagination.
Focal Point Strategies and Placements in Your Paintings from Johannes Vloothuis
8 Ways to Create a Focal Point in Your Painting During my years of experience I’ve noticed that many artists tend to ask what my focal point will be before I demonstrate a painting. Fortunately there’s a universal answer to this. For there to be a focal point, there needs to be a peripheral area that’s not that much in focus. If everything is in focus, then the focal area becomes weakened. Santa Fe by Johannes Vloothuis What is the focal point in art, therefore?
25 Watercolor Flower Tips from Watercolor Instructor Birgit O'Connor
Painting a Watercolor Flower: Petals and More! Birgit O’Connor is completely blissed out on watercolor flower painting — and as the author and instructor behind Watercolor Flower Painting, she certainly deserves the reputation! — and spending time painting flowers has taught this popular instructor a lot.
Fleshtones and Color Temperature
This article on painting fleshtones, written by Koo Schadler, first appeared in the September 2015 issue of The Artist’s Magazine. Although my primary medium is egg tempera, for many years I studied oil painting with Numael Pulido. His portrait of painter Juan Ramírez, Juan (oil on gessoed hardboard panel,14×11), beautifully exemplifies the use of warm and cool fleshtones that Pulido teaches in the classroom.
How to Paint Landscapes/Seascapes
Painting Seascapes with Atmospheric Progression with John P. Osborne There’s a formula of sorts for determining the subtle atmospheric progression of colors and color values. “No matter what we’re painting and how important the figure, still life or landscape,” Osborne says, “there’s a light average value and a shadow average value, and when you add the halftone between the two, or the middle value of the palette, you have form.
Tinting Graphite: How to Add Color To Your Drawings
Have you ever drooled over the look of those old-fashioned photos? You know the kind. The black and white, soft focus photos that have slight additions of color? Those hand-tinted photos of the past have a unique, recognizable look to them. As artists, we can create something similar. I love the look of the “Hammond Blended Pencil Technique.” The gentle tones and smooth blending give drawings a very soft and realistic impression.
How to Establish Mood for More Impactful Paintings with Tips from Johannes Vloothuis
Some of the most popular subjects for me that sell really well are are rustic buildings with flowers. Pet portraits are also bestsellers, and landscape paintings are popular too. These top subjects are just based on my own experiences. There is more to making art that sells beyond subject matter. That includes establishing a certain mood in a landscape painting or other scene to increase the appeal for all viewers, regardless of who they are or what genres they might be drawn to at first glance.
Is Mixed Media the Best of Both Worlds? Pastel and Watercolor
Editor’s note: We’re happy to announce that Johannes Vloothuis has a brand NEW BOOK available! Click here to get your copy of Landscape Painting Essentials today! In part one of this two-part series on mixed media, I made a reference to combining oils with acrylics. In this part we will discuss the amazing compatibility of pastels and watercolor. If you are a watercolor artist, surely you are very aware of the difficulties of paint application and control.
Figure Drawing: How to Draw a Child
Our newest figure drawing demonstration comes from one of your favorite teachers, Sarah A. Parks! Two of her Drawing Secrets Revealed video downloads are included in an exclusive offer along with the eBook Figure Drawing in Proportion by Michael Massen. Click here for this Figure Drawing Made Easy collection today. ~Cherie Figure Drawing: How to Draw a Child by Sarah A.
Seeing a Painting Subject From Two Points of View
Have more than one great idea for how to approach your next painting? Maybe you want to paint a charming old barn on a hill; but then, you also want to clearly show where this barn is located. Why not do both in the same painting?
What Are Your Favorite Art Supplies?
What’s your favorite art supply? This is the question I recently asked some artist friends, and their answers are as eclectic and enlightening as anyone could guess. I asked because I think it’s interesting to hear what art supplies others hold in highest regard; the following roundup will likely inspire you to try something new for your own art. Answers came from illustrators, oil painters and mixed-media artists whose work can be described as everything from abstract to realist.
What Is Abstract Art?
Artist Mark E. Mehaffey answers the question “What is abstract art?” and shares his abstract art techniques by presenting five examples of compelling compositions and solid designs for eye-catching paintings. By Mark E. Mehaffey You may ask yourself, Just what is abstract art? In order to define it, first let’s take a look at some of the ways a painter can organize his efforts when painting in an abstract or nonobjective way.
6 Ways to Spruce Up Your Landscape Pencil Drawings!
From rocks, mountains and trees, to rushing and still water, you’ll love these achievable landscape pencil drawing lessons from favorite art instructor, Claudia Nice! After a review of art materials, such as drawing paper, a range of pencils and the marks they make, erasers, and more, Claudia takes you through steps to draw landscape elements in this unique drawing tutorial! Drawing Tip 1: Eliminate Potato Rocks! Use sandpaper or even real rocks with crags and fossils to create realistic...
The Fibonacci Sequence
My painting Maler/Bilder is composed of panels joined to a wood grid on the back. The ratio of the height to the length uses something known as the divine proportion. In fact, the panels beginning with the smallest are all squares and representative of a sequence of gnomic growth called the Fibonacci Numbers. This growth sequence is found in nature in the nautilus shell, pine cones, sunflowers, spiral galaxies, etc. You can see a diagram of the sequence, at right.
Watercolor on Crinkled Rice Paper by Cheng-Khee Chee
This article on watercolor painting by Cheng-Khee Chee was adapted from the Brushing Up column in the November 2013 issue of The Artist’s Magazine. Winter Pleasure (watercolor and Chinese ink, 25×40) by Cheng-Khee Chee I’ve lived in Minnesota for more than 50 years. One of the most exciting aspects of Minnesota life for me is the changing seasons.
Paint Evocative Nocturnes, Tone Poems of Night That Will Thrill You
Tone Poems of Night During this time of year we have to give into the somewhat strange urge to celebrate the night. Strange because we often think daylight is the thing to savor, but whether you are a painter or simply love art, take this opportunity to give night a chance. The best way to do that is to explore nocturnes — paintings of twilight, dusk and night — and relish how magical stars over a snowy field or the warm glow of a fiery sunset against the deepest blue sky can be.
Paint the Spirit of the Holidays with This Festive Step-by-Step Demo
Take a break from the holiday treats and gift shopping to relax and let your creativity loose with a joyful painting tutorial. Below is an excerpt from Intuitive Painting Workshop by Alena Hennessy so you can learn how to create lush evergreen trees filled with twinkling lights. Art by Alena Hennessy A Painting Perfect for the Holidays, Step-by-Step With the year now coming to a close, what a perfect way to celebrate by making a painting just in time for the holidays.
A Landscape Drawing Lesson AND Free Caran d'Ache Pencils! - Artists Network
Welcome to your chance to win a set of quality drawing pencils from Caran d’Ache! To celebrate this special offer, we’re sharing the following free excerpt from Drawing for the Absolute Beginner by Mark and Mary Willenbrink. Featured is a step-by-step landscape drawing lesson on composition. In the comments below, tell us: If you could travel anywhere in the world just for drawing landscapes, where you would love to go?
Painting Christopher Pierce Sight-Size Figure, oil painting method
Christopher Pierce, who is featured in The Artist’s Magazine (June 2011), shows step-by-step how he created a life-size figure painting in the tradition of two famous artists: J.S. Sargent and H.S. Tuke. For Alex: Homage to J.S. Sargent and H.S. Tuke (oil, 84×50) by Christopher Pierce I wanted to do a grand painting in the tradition of two artists I respect—J.S. Sargent and H.S. Tuke.
This is why your portrait art will succeed--beautiful, realistic eyes
Portrait Art That Is Realistic and Compelling Starts Here Have you ever paid attention to how body language expresses an unspoken language? It’s fascinating how even minor movements can send a message of tension, flirtation, or annoyance. While some of this comes from subtle hand gestures or posture, much of it comes from the “windows to the soul”–the eyes. Marriage Portrait of Isaac Massa and Beatrix van der Laen by Frans Hals.
Loosen Up Your Watercolor Painting With a Three-Step Value Study
It Can’t Get Much Easier Than This Lately I’ve been filled with impatience. I’m on a short fuse when dealing with everything from friendships to traffic to stubborn pots of water at dinnertime (can’t you boil any faster?!). One person I am not impatient with is artist Andy Evansen. He’s given me, and therefore you because I share like that, a three-step value study to remove the guesswork—and white outlines—from my watercolor painting process. Finally, someone who understands my need for speed.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Art
Contact Art, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack