Portrait Paintings of Oil Colors

The Styles Of Pablo Picasso

Born in 1881, Picasso began his lifelong and illustrious art career at the age of 10. His brilliance was manifested through paintings done by the teachings of his father which were largely influenced by Spanish art. However, this style was far too traditional and conventional for Picasso. Instead of being limited by this form of representation he wanted to find new means of expression.

By his early 20’s Picasso changed his earth-toned colors to a palate which conveyed his inner emotions. Picasso’s blue period was a depressing phase of his life triggered by the suicide of his close friend, Casagemas. “The Old Guitarist”, “The Tragedy” and “La Vie” were a few of these poetic images which were created, predominately with shades of blue. Most of the people featured in this short lived chapter were sickly and emaciated, appearing to feel the same discouraging emotions which Picasso was at the time.

The rose period, falling into sequence around 1905, showed the lightening of Picasso’s outlook on life through his beige and rose colored tones. The “Family of Saltimbanque” and “Acrobat and Young Harlequin” are two pieces in the rose period in which Picasso features clowns and circus performers for the first time. Picasso’s financial improvements and successful loving relationship played a large part in the pink and attractive skin tones on the people featured in his work.

By 1907, Pablo Picasso and his friend Georges Braque collaborated to begin the era which we know as cubism. Once again, Picasso wanted a new form of expression and created a radically inventive form of art using bright colors, hard edged forms, and flattened spaces displayed in geometric terms. Picasso’s “Self Portrait” is an example of an artwork done in the beginning of cubism and is a good representation of what other pieces were like during that period.

Cubism then progressed into “Analytical Cubism” and then “Synthetic Cubism.” Analytical cubism involved removing bright colors from Picasso and Braque’s paintings so the primary focus is on the structure, opposed to the distracting paint shades. The idea of not being limited by viewpoints was applied to this period. Therefore Picasso and Braque began developing pictures which incorporated an object being viewed from several different viewpoints or angles. Synthetic cubism consisted of larger and more representational forms along with flat and bright patterns. Throughout the synthetic period Picasso and Braque would experiment sporadically by incorporating real inanimate objects, such as actual pieces of oilcloths, newspaper print, or postage stamps onto the canvas.

During the 1930s Picasso was admired as a distinguished artist and was lucky enough to achieve success during his lifetime. His paintings were now militant and political, especially due to the fact of World War I and the Spanish civil war. He also became connected to the Surrealist movement, but refused to study this type of art in any formal institutions.

Following World War II, Picasso’s paintings made a switch from political to gentle. Picasso spent the last years of his life concentrating on drawing, and ended up finishing 347 sketches. In spite of health complications Picasso created a number of paintings in his final years. He died on April 8, 1973, at the age of 91.

Abstract Art – Part 1

Nonrepresentational or nonobjective art is not an invention of the twentieth century. A number of cultures, like the Islamic and Jewish, have developed over the centuries a high standard of decorative or non-figurative art forms. Today, abstract art is generally understood to be the form of art that does not depict objects in the natural world, but instead uses shapes and colors in a nonrepresentational or subjective way.

According to art experts, in its purest form in Western art, an abstract art is one without a recognizable subject, one which does not relate to something external. This type of ornamental art, without figurative representation occurs today in many cultures. As the modern abstract movement in sculpture and paining emerged in Europe and North America between 1910 and 1920, two approaches have been generally accepted to produce different abstract styles: images that have been “abstracted” from nature to the point where they no longer reflect a conventional reality, and nonobjective, or “pure” art forms, which do not share any reference to reality. A further distinction tends to be made between abstract art which is geometric, such as the work of Piet Mondrian, and abstract art that is more fluid, such as in the works of Wassily Kandinsky. It was Kandinsky who once said that “of all arts, abstract painting is the most difficult. It demands that you know to draw well, that you have a heightened sensitivity for composition and of colors, and that you are a true poet; this last is essential.”

Abstract art began in the avant-garde movements of the late 19th century -Impressionism, neo-Impressionism, and post-Impressionism. These painting styles reduced the importance of the original subject matter and began to emphasize the creative process of painting itself. As artists in Europe at the early twentieth century “broke free” from the conventional representational rules art forms had to follow, figurative abstractions, or simplifications of reality, where detail is eliminated from recognizable objects leaving only the essence or some degree of recognizable form, became popular increasing the variations of art forms and view points. With different abstract styles, like Synchronism and Orphism, abstract art emphasized on color over form, on feelings over logic. The action painting of an American Abstract Expressionist, Jackson Pollock, who dripped, dropped, smeared, spattered, or thrown paint on the canvas, is a good example of such a tremendous change in art focus and technique.

After the introduction of technology and the mass utilization of software programs that assisted people “play around” with their own photographs, paintings or other art forms, abstract art has gained more popularity than ever before. But although being able to draw well is not an issue anymore, as Kandinsky pointed out, being a “true” poet is what still separates the amateur attempts to create abstract art from the artifacts of a true talent.

Versatile Tapestries For Home DÉcor

Through the centuries different cultures have been experimenting with tapestries and textiles to decorate their homes, churches, and buildings. That trend continues even today. Tapestry wall hangings have always been the most accomplished and durable textile-based artistic forms and are available in a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, providing the tapestry a historical outlook.

These days, tapestries are a very popular ingredient for most home décor and they are used in a variety of interesting and unique ways. All kinds of elegant styles from landscapes to floral, impressionist, medieval, and modern have been used to create a tapestry that’s is a work of art, providing the weaver has the skill to do the same. This adds a unique dimension to this traditional form of art, while most interior decorators and art enthusiasts enjoy the varied benefits of tapestries.

Traditional tapestries, especially wall hangings from medieval times, were woven from woolen threads. Thus a strong fabric was obtained for applying of many pigments and dyes and the durability and maintenance enhanced. The traditional warmth of standard woolen tapestries is maintained when mixed with synthetic polymers. Use of basic natural materials has continued to be a must with traditional tapestry weavers, as also with weavers of today.

Modern wall tapestries make the best use of different types of fibers, utilizing improved and new fibers to reproduce and classical artwork and famous tapestries of yesteryears. Due to improvements in dyes and pigments, we get perfect replicas of century old tapestry designs like the ones that are found in many European art houses.

The utilization of chenille for weaving in contemporary tapestry wall hangings is another popular choice, usually because of its flexibility softness and adaptability. These tapestries can be used in a wide range of home décor settings, including wall tapestries, tapestry throws and cushions. In decorating your home, chenille tapestries add an elegant soft touch, which breathes warmth and versatility to any decorative ambiance.

Sand Painting Book

Have you ever heard about sand painting? Sand painting is a rediscovered craft that has its origin in the greatest deserts of the world.

What you need to do while sand painting?

• Empty jars or containers
• Powdered tempera paints in a variety of colors
• Clean sand from a beach
• Paper, plastic, glue and popsicle stick
• Plastic spoon and a plastic tray

Steps to follow while sand painting

• Draw out any picture on paper. It would be advisable if you keep the picture as simple as possible.
• Once you are done with the drawing pour out some sand into an empty container.
• Select a color of powdered tempera and add just a little to dry the sand.
• If you need more vibrant colors you need to add more tempera to the sand.
• Once you are done with the color mixing part you can begin your sand painting.
• You need to paint one section at a time. First decide where the color is going, put an even layer of glue on the paper and pour some colored sand on to the glue using a plastic spoon.
• Repeat the above point until the entire paper is covered.
• Now that everything is done allow the sand painting to dry.

One of the most effective images to paint on sand would be landscape painting.
Sand painting is a peculiar form of art which is not so popular as compared to the other painting types. If you wish to learn the art of sand painting you could try on a sand painting book. There are number of online book stores that offer sand painting book for beginners as well as professional. This book contains step by step guidance and helps you to learn the art better.

Isabella Rodrigues writes for painting-books.info,
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Painting : a Glorious Art of Colors