Portrait Paintings & Art» Old Masters

Making an imitation of a Van Gogh painting

Portrait Painter — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:14:46 +0000

Van Gogh Drawbridge near Arles, 1888

The content of this painting is a drawbridge from a perspective lower than the bridge and perpendicular to its direction. There are stone walls either side of the bridge and grass/crops on the far bank, reflected in the water. There is also grass in the foreground, in front of the left stone wall. The subject of the painting is a horse and cart halfway across the drawbridge.

The context of this work is that Van Gogh had travelled to the south of France. It was here that he was inspired to create his most famous paintings. Drawbridge near Arles’ is one of many of his paintings that shows the world through Van Gogh’s eyes. He is very to the point when it comes to titles for his works of art.

I used acrylic paints and the process of mark-making with the end of my paintbrush. I used this for when I needed thin marks, such as detail in the reflection of the water. I also used this technique for texture in the grass in the bottom left of the painting. I enjoyed doing this piece of work because I like using bright, vibrant colours and bold brush marks. I spent under five hours from start to finish on the process of painting this, whereas Van Gogh would have spent many months and possibly years trying to get the final product just right.

The mood of this painting inspires calm and tranquillity. It is also of a sunny day, which makes everything, especially natural forms, look at its best. Van Gogh uses bright colour and the composition of a wide space in the centre of the image allowing the background to be fully viewed. This technique makes you feel like you are in the paintings. The artist has placed the focal point (the horse and cart) away from the middle of the image in this case, at the top of the picture. The clear blue sky represents a summer’s day, which oozes peace and contentment.

Vincent Van Gogh took up painting at the age of 27. He was largely a self-taught but absorbed the inspiring lessons of Impressionism during two years in Paris. He moved to the south of France, where he created his most famous works. He painted landscapes, still lives and portraits. They are all signed Vincent’, which was his trademark.

During his life, Van Gogh suffered poverty, hunger, alcoholism and insanity. His attempt to found an artist’s colony with fellow painter Paul Gauguin ended in self-mutilation when he cut off part of his left ear. Despite his younger brother Theo supporting him to the end, Vincent shot himself in the chest, aged 37.

Van Gogh inspires me because there is a story behind each painting. The true meanings of his works are not necessarily at face value. He has been described as a Dutchman with a Mission’, which shows what a phenomenal individual he actually was.

Monet’s Lilies Set New World Art Record

Portrait Painter — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:41:11 +0000

Recently a late period work by Claude Monet was bought at auction for over 80 million US dollars at Christie’s in London. The painting, entitled ‘Le Bassin aux Nympheas’ set the record for a painting by Monet. The previous record for one of the impressionist master’s works was 41 million dollars. This record selling price kicked off a week-long auction of major artistic works.

When the painting was unveiled, hands shot up all over the auction house. Six would-be buyers bid furiously for the piece, speaking with their clients on their phones. When the price reached 70 million, one of the auctioneers told a women in the front row to take as long as she likes. The woman, Tania Buckrell Pos of Arts and Management International, ultimately won the piece for her company.

Formerly owned by J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller, two collectors from Columbus, Indiana, the painting is one of the most important pieces of Monet’s late period. Monet signed and dated this and three other pieces from this time in his life, and put them up for sale himself. One of the other water lily garden pieces is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, while another is in a private collection. Sadly, the fourth painting in the series was cut in two shortly before World War II.

The painting was purchased in 1971 for US $320,000 and was kept in a private collection, away from public viewings. Mr. Miller died in 2004, and his wife died in February 2008, leaving their estate to their children. In their lifetimes, the Millers supported historic buildings in Columbus, turning the city into a showcase of modern architecture. The painting was likely auctioned off to help pay estate taxes.

Monet is considered to be the founder of the impressionist movement. In fact, the term impressionism comes from the title of one of his paintings, ‘Impression, Sunrise’. A prominent art critic of the age coined the term as a derogatory statement, but impressionist painters gladly adopted the title.

He developed his style while visiting the Louvre in Paris as a young man. He stayed at one of the local hotels in Paris France. Other artists had come to the Louvre in Paris in order to copy the works of the previous masters that covered the walls. Monet decided to sit by a window and create works based on what he saw outside. Thus, his impression of nature flowed onto his canvas.

Monet created his water garden as a method of rerouting a river. He chose a wide variety of water lilies in order to bring as many different colours to the garden. The decision to include so many different flowers implies that he purposefully made the garden for use in his work.

After Monet’s death from lung cancer, his home and water lily garden was given to his heirs, who then donated the land to French Academy of Fine Arts in 1966. In 1980, the property was opened for public visits. Through the Fondation Claude Monet, the home was refurbished to represent the exact living situation of the artist at the time of his greatest work.

Artist profile: Spencer Tunick

Portrait Painter — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:11:37 +0000

When I first saw this article title, my first thought was: Who the hell is Spencer Tunick? I’ve studied art history for years, from cave drawings to Andy Warhol, and this guy’s name never came up in any list of prominent artists I’ve ever read. He must have done something recently, and maybe spectacularly.

Then I remembered where I had seen this guy’s name, hopefully for the first and only time. All the newspapers and online news sites featured the idiotic performance he perpetrated in Mexico City a couple of weeks ago. He lined up 18,000 Mexicans in a town square and photographed them all together in the all-together … naked as uncooked tacos. Wow, I’ll bet Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Leonardo would be proud of this great artist’s work. I believe the same guy took his camera to England and did the same a year or so ago.

Why does this guy make a career of photographing large numbers of naked people? Maybe because his name is Tunick, he has some mental compulsion to take pictures of people who aren’t wearing any tunics? Anyhow, why do people get excited about this kind of crap art?

Tunick’s so-called art reminds of the stuff a guy named Christo does. He wanders around the world with bolts of yellow cloth and drapes huge amounts of them on buildings, waterfronts, trees and whatever else suits his fancy. He did Central Park recently, and the project looked less like a work of art than an explosion in a toilet-paper factory.

I never could get excited about the 100-year-trend for charlatans who pose as artists. As a retired artist myself, I believe in the old traditions of competent, realistic sculpture, drawing and painting. Sometimes when I want to get a good seat in a restaurant, I can truthfully put BFA, MFA after my name on the waiting list. It rarely helps, but it makes me feel as important as the guys who do get choice tables because they put MD or PhD after their names.

Travel destinations: Amsterdam

Portrait Painter — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:40:09 +0000

Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland. It was founded as a fishing village in the 12th century. With its old world charm and contemporary outlook, it is a city of tolerance, diversity and culture.

During the 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age, Amsterdam’s canals were built as four main concentric canals with interconnecting canals and over one hundred bridges. The middle three canals were for residential purposes and the fourth, outer canal was built for defense and water management. A boat ride through the canals is the best way to see this beautiful city the way it was built to be seen. An elegant mix of old and new, Amsterdam consists of cobbled streets and crooked buildings, coupled with cafes and coffeeshops.

Amsterdam is recognized for its world-famous museums. Visit Museumplein, or “Museum Square” in English- called such because four museums are situated around the square- to see the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, the Van Gosh Museum and the Diamant Museum. The Rijksmuseum has a large collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age as well as a collection of Asian art. It boasts works by artists Jacob van Ruysdael, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt and Rembrandt’s pupils. Rembrandt’s famous Night Watch is one of the many masterpieces in the Rijksmuseum. The Stedelijk Museum is a museum of modern art. It includes the big artists of modern painting movements in impressionism, cubism, and expressionism as well as a large collection of paintings by Kasimir Malevich. The Van Gogh Museum has the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. The main exhibition provides an opportunity to witness Van Gogh’s development as a painter. The Diamant Museum contains a collection of jewelery and offers the visitor information on diamonds and their journey from formation through mining, distribution, trade and processing.

Another bustling tourist spot and museum is the Anne Frank House, where Anne and her family hid from Nazi persecution. The house was converted into a museum in 1960, and is dedicated to Anne Frank. Tour the Secret Annex where the family hid and Anne wrote her famous diary, and examine the various exhibitions highlighting persecution and discrimination. The Rembrandt House Museum, like the Anne Frank House, is also a house converted into a museum and a very popular tourist attraction. In this house Rembrandt lived and painted until 1958. Today it attracts visitors with its collection of Rembrandt’s etchings.

But perhaps what Amsterdam is best known for is the Red Light District and its controversial drug policy. In Amsterdam, prostitution is legal, and a “coffeeshop” is an establishment where the sale of small quantities of cannabis for personal consumption is permitted. To get an actual coffee, one would visit a “koffiehuis”, while a “caf” is equivalent to a bar. Take a stroll through the Red Light District to see the ladies of the night in the windows, or stop at one of the Sex Shows or Banana Bars. Other attractions include the Sex Museum, the Condom Shop Het Gulden Vlies and the Hash Marihuana Hemp Museum. Amsterdam has a reputation as a party city and its nightlife attracts tourists from all over the world.

Freelance Makeup Artist – The Basics

Portrait Painter — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:19:44 +0000

I know you are anxious to begin working as a freelance makeup artist, but just in case you don’t have the funds to attend school right now, you can still gain useful knowledge and experience. I’ve been working as a freelance makeup artist for about 5 years now, and even though it’s hard work, I get to meet lots of different people and attend beautiful weddings. The most rewarding part for me is being able to “transform” the look of my clients. I just love it when they get excited and start smiling at the results.

The advice you receive from this article will help you get a descent start in getting the products you need, some clients to put in your chair, and to help you be more professional. Don’t forget there is more than one way to gain the experience you need, and I’m presenting some ideas and lessons that have helped me along the way.

When I first started I remember reading books about makeup/beauty. What helped me was getting books with color pictures to demonstrate the techniques, and with detailed writing. Some books contain content that is very vague, so it’s difficult to tell what is being done to the model’s face, which is why detail is so important. Also, try to be diverse about the types of books you read. I read books about mature beauty, Asian beauty, and Latina beauty because I wanted to be aware of certain concerns those groups may have. Great places to get books are from online bookstores and the local library.

If you have the extra funds I totally recommend attending a seminar from a professional (or a celebrity) makeup artist. This is a great opportunity to help you network with other freelance makeup artists, and to see the makeup application process through someone else’s eyes. It will help you improve your own work because you will receive some fresh ideas and information about great cosmetic products that are on the market.

Some items that you will need before getting started as a freelance makeup artist are a makeup case, makeup brushes, sample testers, a director’s chair, and makeup of course. A great place to purchase these items would be Ebay, or your local beauty supply. The makeup case I use has wheels with an extended handle, and fold-out compartments. I’ve used it for all of my assignments, and I’ve had no problems traveling with it. In regards to makeup brushes, make sure you opt for a set that isn’t too expensive, and will last a while – preferably sable or squirrel. Some examples of sample testers are individual mascara wands, lipstick applicators, and spatulas. These are so important to have because you want to prevent the transfer of bacteria from one client to the next. Pencil sharpeners are essential too for lip and eyeliners. Use it to shave off the used portion after dealing with each client.

You will use a director’s chair when seating your clients. I’m tall, so I find it incredibly useful. It’s also easy to fold and place in the trunk of my car. When collecting makeup, always start with basic, very diverse shades and colors. This will help in case you’re ever in a situation where you have to mix two different colors to get the desired color you need. The brand you use is up to you, but make sure you have the basics.

Some other good pointers would be to start with family and friends first. When you’re first starting out, you’re going to make mistakes, so it’s easier to use people who are close to you as your guinea pigs. They’re a lot less critical, and I’m sure they’ll make recommendations on how you can improve. Also, expose yourself to other artists that have different strengths. I say this because every freelance makeup artist has a different interpretation of what a certain look should be. I’ve known makeup artists that were wonderful at dramatic makeup, stage makeup, and bridal makeup. The more you learn from different people, the more diverse your techniques will be, which will improve your ability.

Last, but certainly not least, be professional. If you have a scheduled assignment, please be on time. Know that the bulk of your business will come from referrals, so you want to leave a good impression with your clients. If you have a client that is getting married and you have to work on location, dress appropriately for the wedding. Always wear an outfit that is classy, but that you can easily move around in. I tend to do a lot of walking when I’m on location, so it helps that my clothes aren’t restrictive. Don’t forget to bring your business cards with you to every event. Always pass them out so that others will have your information and can contact you if they need anything. Have fun and good luck on your glamorous journey!

Top 5 European Art Cities

Portrait Painter — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:52:51 +0000

If youâ€™re looking for a culture and art holiday, Europe is a fine choice. The continent has an impressive array of galleries, museums and exhibitions meaning that youâ€™re likely to find something of interest in almost every major city you visit. Yet with this much choice comes a new problem, how do you pick which European art city to prioritise? Hopefully this top 5 European art cities should help you decide which place to start your art history holiday inâ€¦

Berlin

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Germanyâ€™s capital has been a thriving European arts centre, mixing the old and the new with great aplomb. For the culture vulture, the first place to investigate is the Museumsinsel (â€œmuseum islandâ€), which is a section of five museums: the Alte Nationalgalerie, Altes Museum, Neues Museum, Bodemuseum and Pergamonmuseum. The Alte Nationalgalerie hosts works by German and French Impressionists, as well as German artists including Adolph von Menzel, Max Lieberman and Karl Freidrich Schinkel, while the Altes Museum hosts treasures from Ancient Roma and Greece.

Elsewhere in the city you can take in the Dahlemer Museum which displays art and culture from other continents, the Gemaldegalerie which features the paintings of Botticelli and Rembrandt, and the Neue Nationalgalerie which features more modern works by the likes of Picasso and Munch. Berlin is a great choice to take an art history holiday!

Rome

Romeâ€™s art and architecture spans two millennia, with ancient sculptures sitting comfortably alongside abstract modern pieces in one of the most stunning cities in Europe. Art is all over the city, and even if you wanted to avoid it, youâ€™d be hard pushed to be able to do so! The Vatican Museums are the main highlight â€“ composed of a large collection of renaissance works and antiques line the Vatican buildings, are there are a few modern works of religious themed work from the likes of Gauguin, Chagall and Picasso. Of course, the Sistine Chapel is a must see on your visit to Rome. Its legendary ceiling is one of the best known pieces of art in the world, let alone Europe. Alongside these Catholic collections, there are a number of museums and galleries most certainly worth a look, including the Borghese Gallery, the National Gallery of Ancient Art and the National Etruscan Museum.

Vienna

The Hapsburgsâ€™ empire is responsible for much of Viennaâ€™s impressive collection of artistic pieces on display to this day. The ruling family controlled vast lands between 1282 and 1918, and much of the spoils are on display to this day, making it an excellent choice for those wanting to see high quality art in Europe. The majority of this, and a clear sign of the diverse lands controlled, is visible at the Kunsthistorisches Museum which boasts ancient art by the Greeks and Egyptians, to (slightly) more modern pieces by Pieter Brueghel and Rembrandt. For something a little more modern, visitors to Vienna should head to the MuseumsQuartier Wien which hosts the Leopold Museum and the Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien. The former has work by Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt, while the latter hosts contemporary pieces from hyperrealism to American pop art. If these three donâ€™t satisfy, Vienna has plenty more artistic merit going for it, including the Osterreichische Galerie Belvedere (medieval and baroque) and the Kunsthalle Wien (contemporary art including Kandinsky, Picasso and Pollock.)

Florence

Florence could well be the cultural capital of Europe – art is so hard to avoid during a stay there! With paintings, sculptures and architecture encompassing everything you see and do itâ€™s easy to become overwhelmed, but as the birthplace of Renaissance art this is no real surprise. Simply there are too many museums and galleries to list, and simply wandering where the mood takes you guarantees an educational and entertaining experience, but make sure you donâ€™t miss out on the most famous cultural buildings: The Galleria dellâ€™ Accademia (the place Michelangeloâ€™s David calls home!), the Galleria degli Uffizi (the first museum for modern art in Europe) and of course the magnificence of the Duomo. If youâ€™re planning an art holiday in Italy, this (along with Rome) should definitely be on your list!

Paris

Paris is such an art city that the greatest pleasure is exploring the smaller galleries dotted around the place, or taking in the wonderful architecture from a street side cafÃ©. That said, like in Florence, there are certain museums and galleries widely regarded as absolute â€˜must seesâ€™. In terms of sheer renown, itâ€™s hard to beat the Louvre (though even harder to beat the crowds around its most famous exhibits â€“ the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo!). A converted royal palace, even the building itself is aesthetically splendid, and a stroll around the building is a real pleasure. The Musee dâ€™Orsay is another treasure â€“ a neo-classical railway station converted into an exhibition space. It hosts an impressive number of 19th and 20th century pieces by artists such as CÃ©zanne, Renoir, Monet, Manet and Van Gogh. Fans of modern art canâ€™t go wrong with the iconic Centre Pompidou, which itself is a monument to modern architecture. As well as this famous trio, you can find several smaller museums devoted to individual artists, including Picasso and Rodin. If youâ€™re looking for a European art holiday close to home, you canâ€™t beat a trip to Paris.

All of these cities offer a great mix of culture, art, and splendid atmosphere to enjoy the rest of your holiday. Whether you want a European art history holiday, or just to supplement the areaâ€™s other attractions, you canâ€™t go wrong with any of these cities.

What You Need To Record A Great Album

Portrait Painter — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:32:13 +0000

It is so important that you are ready and focused when it comes to recording your demo CD. With you being unprepared within any area production will lead to time being wasting in the studio, just to correct mistakes, which will turn around and cost you big money in the long run.

Now you must choose exactly which songs you want to record. But first you should consider the type of song to choose, and not your favorite song, but the song with the most tangible marketability. (Meaning something thats catchy)

(Quick note) all songs on your demo should be radio ready meaning each song on your demo should be a song that can go straight to the radio or the club and it can hold its own weight against other popular songs and always remember to have a good clean mix and most importantly use non-explicit lyrics, Im talking bout no cursing, cause with your music being banned from certain marketplaces will cost you millions, and all Im saying is to wait, to curse on your album but not on the demo.

Next Im going to list a few elements to consider when choosing which songs to record.

TEMPO, the tempo is the element of money, meaning it has what they call the groove pace and a good groove pace (which is between 110 to 90 BPM) is a danceable pace, nothing to fast or to slow, which can lead to record spins on the radio, and record spins eventually leads to record sales.

Next is the format of the song, or basically to order and time frame in which the verses and chorus are played, like a simple format would be 1st a two or four bar intro, nothing that takes the song to long to start, 2nd would be a 16 bar verse and then a 8 bar hook and repeat twice.

Basic song format

4bars intro

1st verse 16 bars

chorus 8 bars

2nd verse 16 bars

chorus 8 bars

3rd verse 16 bars

chorus 8 bars

outro/ending 8 bars

Make it catchy, especially since the chorus is the backbone of a marketable song, so the chorus has to be something that the person will sing even when the song has stopped. From my experience it is best to use singing on the hooks or some kind of repetitive type of word play.

(Quick note) the musical bar in a song is when the beat loops, so each time the beat loops that is considered a bar, so in a normal verse the beat would have looped 16 times, and if you cant understand the concept of a musical bar then you shouldnt be in music.

Make sure you have your instrumentals legally with permission from the producer only if you are not the producer and artist of the track, cause what can happen is that the record company will like your song.

Meaning they would like to buy the lyrics plus the beat and wants to release the song as a single, but they cannot use the beat cause you didnt get permission from the producer, which in turn can result in them not being able to use you either.

Even if you practice hard and you are well rehearsed, you must remember that each part of the creation process can take a long time to record.

For a simple 4 to 5 minute song, you should be prepared to spend at least 4 hours to record in the studio if you’re a vocalist and even shorter for a rapper. Plus bands can take much longer. The great thing about recording in a studio is that if you make a mistake, you dont have to start all over again. They have what we call punch recording and it where the audio engineer can drop in at any part of the recording, without any strange noises or clicks.

Once you have finished recording the music (beat) first and then the voice(s), the recording process is not even half finished yet. The engineer then goes through the process of mixing or mixing down which means that all the recorded tracks are balanced and equalized. Often, special effects are used For example; delay and equalization can enhance the recording.

Then the final process is burning the CD. Depending what you want to do with the final product, but a good move would be to digitally master the product and you must have CD labels made with your contact information on them, (i.e. phone number and e-mail address).

Manager:

The personal manager is the artist’s personal representative. The job of the personal manager includes anything that will help enhance and further an artist’s career. These responsibilities range from detailed, long-range career planning and complex contract negotiation to suggesting a lyric change or giving feedback on a new song. The personal manager is a planner, adviser, organizer, strategist, overseer, psychologist, manipulator, coordinator, detailer, traveling companion and friend. The exact responsibilities of a personal manager are directly dependent on the needs of the artist.

Successful management is simply balancing the artistic and commercial interests of his client at the same time. A personal manager is not the following: an employment agency, a record promoter, or music publisher. Although they do help the artist in finding an agent and landing a record deal, they are not expected to find work for the artist all by themselves.

Typically, a personal manager is on-call 24 hours a day 7 days a week and they are very much aware of whats going on in the artist’s professional life, as well as their personal life to a great extent. In a typical week, a manager might have a meeting in Los Angeles for one of the artists they represent, and then fly to New York City to meet with some record label representatives, then be in the office listening to demos, or even spending a few days in the studio while the artist records their album.

HOW TO GET THE DEAL:

It is really all about the game and the deal, the record deal aka the recording contract, which is simply a legally binding document between an artist and a production or record companies, which is basically like a car loan but we will call it an album loan, in which the record company loans you the money to record, mix, master, and promote your album. As the record companies usually prepare the contract, it is then negotiated between them and the Artist manager and the artists. The main purpose of a record deal is to give the record company rights to use or sell recordings of the artists live or studio performances, which in turn would then be licensed to the record company by the artist to sell commercially.

All contracts 90% of the time will be in favor of the Record Companies, who can control the master, recordings and charge the full amount of production cost to the artists possible royalty accounts or overall profit from album sales leaving them with an outstanding debt unless the records are hugely successful.

Where as the Record Label may pay for the manufacturing costs of CD’s, records etc., but understand that a packaging deduction’ is taken from the artists profits on the CD, these expenses cover the cost of CD/Cassette Covers, Artwork etc., which are hugely overcharged and are rarely close to the actual cost. Basically the artist will pay anything that is paid for by the record company on behalf of the artist, back to the company from the overall profits of the sale of the album.

Like I said, they act like a Bank who loans you money to record your music then the artist has to repay all of the loan back and remember that you will not be able to get a second loan until you pay back the first loan, and that is the major reason some artist never release a second album. Even after the money has been made back the record Company still owns the copyrights to the album and if the sales on the album are low then all possible future monies from music are taken to pay off the artists debt!

But what is all bad about it is how the Recording Industry can often sign artist to long unrealistic contracts for huge advances in the hope of fame, but the company feels that they shouldnt spend huge sums developing and signing artists that may actually never sell commercial quantities of songs, so they mostly spend time marketing and promoting their current successful artists and re-investing in new talent.

Another down side of the record deal is the practice of shelving or ditching an act/band if the A&R person leaves the company or if they have been failing to develop or promote the artist or their recordings. This has left many talented musicians out of pocket with no control of their recordings and career, by being tied into a contract with a company who no longer has an interest in their material, but retains all of the artists copyrights until the artists debt is repaid. Ouch!

Approaching Record Companies:

Millions of unsolicited demos are sent in every week to record companies, most of which are never listened to. Even the most conscientious A&R person will only listen to the first 20 seconds of a song before trashing it, so how does an unsigned artist get their music heard? The most effective way to get heard is to do live shows in places where record executives go to the most, TV and Radio appearances if you can, then you have myspace and your own web site which are to be supported by good music which is more likely to help an artist/band succeed in the business of music!

When approaching record companies straight up, you first got to check the background of the company to know what style and genres of music they sell and produce before sending them your demo cd. Before any of your live performances try to call A&R departments a week before a show, so they can have a talent scout to come out. Don’t be depressed if you don’t hear anything for a while or receive a rejection letter, it is mainly that the major companies deal with so many demos it could take over a month before you hear anything and just remember that many well known artists were rejected many times before getting their record deal! If an A&R person likes your demo they will call you or write requesting more new material.

Congratulations may be in order if you manage to get a meeting with an A&R person, but don’t start getting your hopes up! At this stage all they require is a chat to get to know you better or choose to make an arrangement to see the artist live. So be prepared to take criticism of the songs, recordings and performance.

Luck often plays a large part with artists being discovered in the most unlikely places but anyone who is serious about getting a record deal should concentrate on creating their own luck by Self Promotion of good and original music, image and live work. Artists may have to do this themselves unless signed to Management.

When a label or publisher makes an offer to an artist it is standard practice for an artists manager/lawyer to tell rival record companies in the hope of starting a bidding war for the artist to sign a record deal at there company, be careful not to sign a deal just for the extra money as you should always look at the long term picture and aim for a company/A&R person/producer who are easy to get along with and creatively on the same page with you.

Poetry: Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh

Portrait Painter — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:14:12 +0000

The quest that you embarked on

oh so many years ago

To try and find a place

for one named Mr. Vincent Van Gogh.

The colors on your palette

swirled around inside your head

From yellow gold elation

to angry firey reds.

In bouts of isolation

you would turn to brush and pen

Trying to purge the feelings

that would plague you to the end.

Emotional and passionate

no one understood your kind

Making you sink deeper

into the madness of your mind.

The love that you had searched for

from the moment of your birth

Would never come to find you

and would undermine your worth.

A night so dark and dreary

filled your room with untold black

You chose to leave this world

without ever looking back.

And since you’ve gone away

it’s no longer “Vincent who?”

For your paintings tell the story

of the very special you.

The sensitive, the beautiful,

the complex, Vince Van Gogh,

The likes of one I’m certain

the world again will never know.

Art history: Understanding impressionism – Part 7

Portrait Painter — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:22:56 +0000

Many have seen the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” What some may not remember is that there is a classic scene of how to view an impressionist painting in this film! One of the characters is shown standing close to an impressionist painting, then further away and the even further away.

This is a wonderful way to look at impressionism, but I recommend the reverse. Start far off and allow the impression of the work to wash over you. Notice the light, the shapes and the details. Then, as you move forward, you will see that the distinct shapes and reflections that you could discern are actually the suggestions of shapes and reflections. This is impressionism.

Impressionism got its start in the late 19th century. It began in France, but in later years, American Impressionism began with the likes of Mary Cassat and Childe Hassam. The French movement was of course begun by Monet, Sisley and Renoir.

Impressionism deals primarily with light and its behavior. Single brush strokes using primary colors are used to show the movement, reflection and behavior of light with the world around it. Artists usually painted outdoors, and their work is not necessarily of what was actually there, but actually represented the artists’ perception of what was there. Thus: Impressionism shows the artists’ impressions of the world around them.

With this understanding, one is better equipped to deal with critiques such as “But it’s just a bunch of random brushstrokes!” Indeed. It is brushstrokes, but very much not random. There is a beauty, a harmony, an interaction in those brushstrokes. There is a freedom of expression allowed by Impressionism that was not really accepted until this movement broke out.

Claude Monet’s spectacular series of waterlily paintings are perfect examples of Impressionism. From afar, the colors are blended and lively and the details are quite distinct. However, as you move closer, you see that the borders of the lilies are not single lines, but rather primary colors interacting in a dizzying display of skill with the brush.

Finally, Impressionism did not stop with painting. Musicians such as DeBussy experimented with impressionistic principles in music. This is perhaps the greatest benefit that the world has gained from this movement! Impressionism freed the entire artistic world from stodgy realism and allowed artists the space to truly express their vision.

Defining the True Artist – Do you Have What it Takes?

Portrait Painter — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:29:16 +0000

There are musicians who are more than comfortable remaining anonymous. You know, happy to hide behind their guitars or keyboards and be sidemen to the stars of today or tomorrow. Then there are those that have grandiose aspirations of stardom, adoration and limelight. And then there are those who have a driving desire and need to say something original artistically, to express themselves and to communicate that expression to an audience, be it a small niche market or wider demographic.

Those falling into the first category can make a living, albeit fairly modest as a general rule. Those falling into the second category often live in a little bit of a dream world and, depending on their tenacity and ’smart’ skills, usually end up disappointed because the focus is set on the destination rather than the journey. The third category usually reaps the rewards of the second category gaining all the success and limelight, but as a result of focusing on their art rather than the shallow and flighty end of the musician’s world. These are usually the most fascinating people too, because they generally have a little mystery about them and because they actually possess what most entertainers really want; sincere and dedicated talent!

But there are also those that are in the early stages of artistic development who are still learning their craft, and open to influences. Possibly they will become great artists in the future, possibly not. It will be a question of choices and consequences, and doors opened and opportunities taken advantage of – or not. Life certainly will take you places.

But for those that do have aspirations of artistry and expression, then I firmly believe you must have qualities that others do not have. As an artist I believe one must stand out from the herd in order to be heard. It is so easy to make a record these days. One no longer needs to have the luxury of a recording contract in order to stand on a pedestal and say “I am an artist – buy my record!” With home studios costing one 16th of the price they did ten years ago and with software programs that do it all, you can churn out albums by the dozen if you put your mind to it. And many do.

However, just because you can, why would you? – is my question. Just for fun? OK, valid I suppose. But Isn’t it better to spend that time and energy searching relentlessly for something unique and different? God knows record companies are releasing enough mediocrity by the hour. Even signed artists are now under the impression they have something to offer. Maybe they have, but for the most part I don’t think so (as public reaction and their CD sales will attest!)

Perhaps I am being extremely unfair, but I think too many artists do not realize that they have a responsibility to say something profoundly unique, certainly if they expect any kind of career longevity. We live in a world where musicians spend their lives emulating their heroes; singers spend their lives emulating Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra and so on. Rock guitarists spend their lives emulating Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Paige, Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen. Jazz guitarists are proud emulators of Pat Metheny, John Scofield and Wes Montgomery. Saxophone players worship Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Michael Brecker. And so on…

Before I go on I have to say that emulating heroes is absolutely imperative in your formative years as musicians. You simply MUST listen to the greats, past and present. One has to have a strong grounding and musical knowledge and one simply cannot get there without listening. However, way too many ‘artists’ cannot get passed this stage. They need to have peer approval, have to know that other respected musicians around them recognize them and applaud their abilities. Often all this takes place subconsciously.

This ‘peer approval’ is a stage of development that is also important. Every musician goes through it at some point. It is absolutely natural, but I firmly believe that to become a great artist, you have to move beyond that stage and look inward. I always liken it those wedding band singers, who despite having an honorable and justifiable (and in some cases envious) career, they are all too often ‘performing monkeys’. They are often fine vocalists but at the end of the day they are seeking approval and applause and not communicating or expressing anything artistic. They certainly know how to entertain but do they know how to intrigue? It’s a huge gap. Nothing remotely subtle about it as far as I am concerned.

The real communicating artists seek unique expression. They are not interested anymore in sounding like their heroes. They have moved past that, now searching constantly, developing and refining their own unique voice. Look at any of the true giants of yesterday and today. Yes you can hear their references, but they also have their own strong identity. At some point during their development something bigger than them took over. The chances are they knew it at the time and took advantage of it and made an extra effort to really hone that uniqueness.

Finding that unique inner voice might not be as easy for some. I think it starts by recognizing your technical weaknesses. It is often those weaknesses that ultimately end up becoming your artistic strengths. Let’s face it, if you were able to play the guitar technically perfect, at all speeds, meticulously so every note that came out was totally clean and audible, would this be ultimately interesting to an audience? Yes it might be very clever and impressive, but for how long could you listen to an album where every phrase felt like you were having your teeth drilled!!?

Wes Montgomery played with his thumb because he didn’t want to wake the neighbors, ultimately enabling him to become the greatest and most influential jazz guitarist of all time. BB King has about three licks in his entire blues repertoire. Does anyone NOT know BB King when they hear him? Thelonius Monk refused to conform to traditional piano techniques and musical ideas. He simply HAD to play music the way he heard it in his head. He made such a bold musical statement during his time that he is now emulated the world over and revered by the greatest musicians living today.

Technical shortcomings can be the very essence of your unique artistry. Now, should those shortcomings get in the way of what you need to say musically then those weaknesses might need to be turned around so they don’t restrict what you hear in your head.

Remember, the true artist simply communicates from within. All other extraneous thoughts, influences and distractions need to fall by the wayside. The minute a lick or a phrase that your hero played or sung (and made famous) ends up on your record – watch out! You might be in trouble. Absolutely steal from your heroes, but just remember that real artistry is about what YOU have to say, not what your heroes have already said before, and have possibly said better.

Push yourself to the max and search for that truly unique quality within. After all, that next great talent we are all so desperately waiting for might just be you!