Ways to Make Money - Sell Your Art

So you want to sell your art? Want to make extra money? Interested in finding effective strategies that will increase your bottom line?

Selling your artwork or your crafts is an incredible way to increase your income. Although it may seem like a daunting task at first, the reality is that there is always a market available for your products. Here are some effective techniques that will help you facilitate sales of your art.

Create a Collective Let's face it. You are not the only one in your community who has slaved over their art, creating incredible pieces, hour after hour. Chances are there are people on your street who are also artists. Try to seek out artist neighbors and friends who also might be interested in making money by selling their art. Approach these individuals to see if they would be interested in coming together for a collective art bazaar. Find a yard or a parking lot that is large enough. Advertise in local resources, on the Internet, or in coffee shops. In a sense, you are creating your own outdoor market to sell your art.

Local Cafes How many times have you walked into a cafe and seen art for sale on the wall? Or--better yet--how many times have you walked into a cafe and not seen art on the wall? Either way, approach the owner or manager of the cafe with some of your pieces and tell him or her that you would be interested in selling your art to the cafes customers. This is a win-win situation. You will bring in money once your art sells. And the cafe will not only have wonderful art hanging on their walls, but--obviously--they will benefit financially from the sale of your art. It is important that you negotiate a fee that you will pay to the cafe for each sale.

Flea Markets & Other Festivals Obviously, this is the most expensive route, but it also might possibly be the most financially lucrative. Flea markets or other festivals--such as municipal arts and street fairs--will bring thousands of people by your booth each day. And if only a fraction of the people decide to purchase your art, you will still make good money. Even if few sales come from the market, you will have increased your exposure to the community. Even if sales are not made initially, fellow community members might search you out in the weeks following to purchase your art.

Making money by selling your art is incredibly feasible. The number one thing that you need to do though is take action! No one can see your pieces if they are sitting stacked in your studio or in your garage. You need to get these portraits and statues in front of potential buyers in order to make a sale!
Author : J.R. Shanley

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Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - The Art of Raku

Raku is derived from an ancient Japanese method of firing ceramics. A technique that creates unique patterns on the glaze. The unique pattern of colours and metallic finish comes from the interplay of flames, smoke and rapid cooling. Raku is strictly decorative and may not be used as food ware. No two pieces are ever alike. Each raku potter uses the same type of firing techniques, but individual styles are vastly different and each piece is certainly one of a kind.

The Raku firing technique differs from almost all other pottery techniques. Unglazed bisqued pottery is glazed and put into a raku kiln. The kiln is custom built in most cases as it will be opened at peak heat of the firing. Unlike traditional ceramic firings in which the pieces are loaded in a cold kiln and slowly fired until the desired temperature is reached. Then the kiln is shut off and cools down until the pieces can be removed.

Most kilns are built or jerry rigged to work. By that I mean custom built to open at the high temperature needed to accomplish this method of firing pottery. The kiln is loaded and fired between 960 and 1020 C depending on the glaze, technique and application. This is the temperature point at which the glaze reaches a mature state. Experienced Raku potters are able to visually know by glaze melt that the firing is achieved. Now things get exciting.

When the firing is completed, the pieces are immediately removed from the hot kiln, with the glaze still molten. The pieces are then placed in a fire proof container. The container can be steel or concrete and should be as air tight as possible. The container is lined with your combustible materials sawdust, paper, straw, leaves, pine needles, hay, peat moss and or newspaper. When the kiln is opened an instant draw from the kiln, the thermal shock will provoke cracks which will be revealed with the smoke produced by the burning sawdust etc. Carbon is driven into the crackle patterns of the glazes created during cooling
in the can.

The can containing the hot pottery is quickly covered allowing reduction to begin. Leaving your piece in this state for up to 20 minutes will produce very different effects throughout the process. It takes some experimentation to achieve what you are hoping. Each piece is unique to the next. When the piece is removed again it can be left in the air to cool slowly which will continue to apply effects, or placed in a water bath to arrest the effects and cool.

When the pottery is cool enough to handle it is washed. If there is tough carbon you can rub softly with a very watered down grog or fine wet dry sandpaper.

Current experiences with raku have only led to more questions. How much reduction is good? What combustibles do I need to use? How much material at a time? The potters answer to all of these questions. Whatever you need to accomplish the finish you are looking for. So I continue to experiment.
Author:J McEachern

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Paint to express your innermost desires, beliefs

Almost all of us have at sometime in our lives wanted to pick up a brush and just paint whatever came to the mind. But it is the inherent fear of criticism that prevents us. However, have you wondered why people while looking at the work of an artist don’t laugh? All one gets to hear is: “Oh, it is an artist’s expression of what is around him/her.”

The same applies to us. Just because we don’t belong to the category of ‘artists’ doesn’t mean we can’t find an outlet. After all colours are all around us and make our lives beautiful. While many take up gardening, pottery, or even cooking as an outlet there are many who pick up brushes, paints and a canvas. With an intention to provide an expression, Habitat Centre has organized a workshop that is being conducted by Kavita Jaiswal. While most workshops follow a set pattern and each person is made to do the same thing. Jaiswal’s workshop breaks away from the routine. Each person chooses his/her own style and medium.

And the interesting part is that none of the people who are in the class has any drawing background – they are absolutely raw. The only binding factor among the students (homemakers, teachers and even lawyers) is that that want to paint/draw. As a person can choose his own style and set his/her own work pace, a person can join the class any time of the year. Also, as each student has her/his own unique style and medium there is no competition. After all they are there to find an outlet of their expression and not to imitate the other.

“Most of the people who come to the workshop have had no previous experience of painting. All that they are looking for is a way to express themselves. There are many who come to the class having problems in drawing a form. I tell them to turn the picture upside down and then draw. Because then it is not as form, it is just another object that they need to draw,” said Kavita. The students on their part finding that they can paint whatever that comes to them, express themselves better. Looking around the work, the same is evident. The painting of each student has its own story to tell. Take the example of two identical drawings. One was in pencil and the other was water crayons. The artist was only experimenting with different mediums and get a feel of each.

Held every Friday at the Experiment Art Gallery from 10 am to 1 pm, the workshop is the right place if you want to play around with colours. After all, there are not many places where a teacher will teach you what you want and not the other way round.

The author is an entertainment news editor and works for many websites related to event, bollywood, music, movie, concerts and theater. Visit one more interesting article of author: Big B - Play or http://www.buzzintown.com/?112271

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Everyone Can Benefit From the Arts

Sometimes it simply takes being exposed to something to realize you have an aptitude or passion for it. When you look at professional sports players, musicians, or actors, do you ever wonder if they would have found their profession had someone not put a bat in their hand or shown them how to strum a guitar?

That question is debatable, but what isn't is the devotion many have to the arts. While loving pottery wheel clay may not get you a multi-million dollar contract, it's something that brings inspiration and beauty to many every day. So it makes sense that sharing this gift with as many people as possible is a goal of some of those that love the arts.


Whether you enjoy putting paint on canvas, writing poetry, sculpting, or using a raku kiln, there are many out there that have never experienced what you do. That's why offering up your time on a volunteer basis or teaching a course at a local community college might be a great way to get the word out. There are all sorts of establishments looking for volunteers, from nursing homes to daycare's. Sure, it might not be a way to earn extra income if you're volunteering, but you could be furthering the reach that your passion has. Wouldn't it be great if you inspired the next great painter or writer? If there aren't those that share what they know, these seed may never be planted or bear fruit. However, it isn't just looking for that next great artist. It's simply knowing that you introduced someone else to something you love. Isn't that enough?

Of course, if you have children, one of the best things you can do is expose them to many things and let them decide what they love to do. Sure, if they excel at one thing head and shoulders above the rest, it might be wise to let them concentrate on this. But how many of us know at an early age what we love to do and are good at? Instead, many parents find themselves giving their children ballet shoes and slump molds and seeing which activities they take to. Once the kids get old enough to choose for themselves, the activities they're not so crazy about are dropped, replaced by the things they truly enjoy. No matter what, make sure your kids at least get exposed to some part of the arts. You won't be sorry that they did!

Participating in the arts is great, and AMACO is there to make sure you have the supplies you need if arts and crafts is your thing. From pottery wheel clay to a raku kiln, you can find pretty much whatever you need at AMACO. Need slump molds? Then take a look at what AMACO has to offer online. Feed your passion with quality supplies from AMACO!
http://www.amaco.com
Author : Alice Lane

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Photography Tips for a Great Pet Painting

So you have decided to get your favourite pet immortalised in pet portrait or oil painting and now you want to prepare your photographs to be submitted to the chosen artist and you are wondering how best to photograph your fine feathered or furry friend.

Paramount to the success of any painting is the foundation work of understanding your subject, so having good reference photos from different angles is keyto achieving a great likeness of your faithful companion.

If you decide to commission an artist remotely located, then you are goingto need a good quality photo of your pet, as artists who work remotely don'thave your pet in real life to sketch from.

So in order to prepare a great shot then there a few tips you should follow, that will set you on the right path. Remember the better the photos you supply the better image the artist is going to have in their mind. Naturally any kind of special personality traits or favourite habits or tricks are also going to prove to be helpful as the painter needs as much information as you can supply to truly capture the spirit of your pet.

Make sure you do not use flash photography unless your pet has dark fur. Camera flash tends to flatten details, so it is best to photograph your pet outside in natural sunlight.

Also make sure your pet is close up for a few shots or head shots so that the facial detail is as clear as possible as well. Just like humans, animals havea different left side of their face when compared to the right side. Differences may be minimal, but this is the sort of important information the artist needs to be aware of, if a good likeness is to be portrayed.
Author : Greg Gillespie

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Female Photography - What Makes a Good Nude Female Photograph

People generally agree that the nude female form is more beautiful than the male. The arguments generally cited for this include that women have more curves and less obvious musculature, or that male bodies are more 'functional'. Whatever the reason, couple it with the fact that (particularly historically) most artists are male, and you have a large preference in photography for nude photographs of women rather than of men.

But what makes a good nude female photograph? There are three main principles.

#1: It should be interesting to look at

Nude photography is synonymous with that branch of photography known as 'fine art'. Fine art photography can be defined as 'photography created for no other purpose than because it's interesting to look at'. As such, nude female photography is about presenting the femaleform in a way that is interesting. In order to make an interesting image, nude female photography tends to favor black-and-white images that are full of light, shadow, shape, and contrast. There are usually carefully composed and lit in order to achieve this.

#2: It should be anonymous

Nude photography is not 'about' the person that is in the photo - in fact, the face of the model is often not even included in the frame. Contrast this with portrait photography, where the idea is to reveal or display something about the subject's life or (more often) their personality. Nude photography is really the opposite of this, because it's about the female form in general, not this person in particular. In nude photography, the person in the photo really serves only as an example of a category, with the category being 'women's bodies'.

#3: It should be non-sexual

While any heterosexual man would enjoy looking at nude photographs of women for reasons that not entirely dispassionate, there is still a difference between nude photography and erotic photography. While the difference might be a slight one, it's all about intent. Nude photography fits that fine art definition of intending only to produce 'something interesting'. Erotic photography, on the other hand, is intended to titillate or arouse the viewer, and might not be all that interesting.

Given that what is 'non-sexual' to one person might be sexual to another, it is of course impossible for a photographer to know whether their intent to produce a nude photograph rather than an erotic one will be recognized by the audience. For this reason, at least in Western countries, certain conventions (such as leaving the genital region in dark shadow) are followed to provide an indication of the intent behind the photograph.
Author:Tobias Sterling - Clivir Team

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Tips on Making it As an Artist Or Actor in This Competitive World

The terms struggling artist and starving actor have been around for years and with good reason. Not many artistic people make it into the big time where they can actually make a living off of their craft whether it is making horse pendant and equestrian jewelry or becoming a movie star or Broadway actor. Most young adults are told to follow their passion and they will be successful in this world but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about following your particular passion. More artists fail than succeed in this industry and this article will describe why and how you can be successful as an artist. Today more than ever with the struggling economy it is important to market yourself in the best way possible whether it is your paintings you're selling or your magnificent presence you have on stage.

The first step you need to do is trying to get noticed for your artwork or your acting skills is to meet as many people in that industry as possible. Join artistic networking groups and always have a sample of your work available for viewing. This could be a photo of your artwork or a DVD of clips of your acting. Have all of your contact information on these items as well so the people you give it to know how to get in touch with you. As in any business, the more contacts you have and create, the better your chances for success are. Another idea is to go to where the successful artists and actors go. Find out where the Broadway actors go after a show for coffee or what charity events and gallery viewings are attended by the most successful artists. This too is another great way to market your work. Remember that you are your own best salesperson and if you do it aggressively while still being likable your chances are great of making an impact on someone.

It just takes one person to maybe take a chance on you and you are on the way to success. Another great idea for an artist is to go around to high end shops and boutiques and galleries that sell a variety of artists work and see if they would be interested in carrying your jewelry or sculptures. Offer them a favorable percentage of the sale. That investment could pay off for you in the future. For the actor sign up for workshops and classes to always improve your craft. Quite often the instructors of these classes have great pull at the area theaters and in the entertainment field and will see your talent and your will to improve. For the actor, getting the best agent to represent you is a huge factor in your success. The bigger the name the better it will be worth your investment in the long run.

All of these ideas should help the artist get their foot in the door and hopefully become the biggest jewelry designer, painter or actor that they can be!
Author: Chuck R Stewart

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Are You Still Confused in Choosing Canvas Painting, Oil, Acrylic, and Even

There is a great picture waiting to get outside from each of us. The problem is that people get stuck with what they want to express within themselves.

Having the urge to paint or draw a picture is not the same as having a vision in mind. It can be a big waste of time, effort and materials if you do it without an idea in mind.

Another problem is what materials to use?

You have so many mediums to select from. You can choose to use a pencil, ink, charcoal, or you can do a canvas painting.

Drawing with a pencil or a ball pen is one of the easiest things to do. However, it fails to create much impact on the viewers, it could even look boring, therefore try your hand at canvas painting.

Basically, oil paint and acrylic paint are the best for canvas. There are advantages and disadvantages for each type of paints. Centuries ago, artists did their masterpieces in canvas.

For beginners though, canvas painting can be daunting. There are so many materials to use like brushes, paints, canvas, etc. Oil on canvas has been a very popular choice for many artists over the years. They are best for extended projects because the oils don't dry fast.

Artists paint by layers because applying a thick coat of paint will eventually crack when it dries. Artists can put off painting for the next day, and they just rejuvenate oil, artists use mineral spirits and turpentine.

Also, it is easier to correct mistakes because of the time it takes to dry up.

Brushes used for oil painting have a shorter life span because these brushes need to be thoroughly cleaned and in the process they lose their shape.

Canvas painting using acrylic paint is different from using oil paint because acrylic paint dries fast. Paintings are finished as quickly as they are thought of. If you are in a rush or are impatient, use acrylics because painting by layers will only take you hours.

To avoid smearing, some artists can use masking tape on the dried acrylic paint.

This cannot be done with oil paint. Like oils, acrylic paint can be mixed and the possibility for color is endless. Unlike the brushes used for oil paints, you can clean brushes for acrylic paint with soap and water. These brushes retain their shape and have a longer lifetime.

Watercolor is not restricted to using watercolor paper anymore. Just recently, there are some companies that released canvases for watercolor painting. This allows artists to create paintings that appear like oil paintings.

Using watercolor canvas helps artists achieve the distinctive look that is made by using canvas. Watercolor canvas will be something different from the traditional watercolor painting on paper, especially on the techniques, methods and the end result.

Watercolor on canvas will have a longer lifetime than if it is done on paper. Paintings might take longer because the watercolor on the canvas dries longer.

Some claim that it's difficult to use canvas with watercolor because moving painting around the canvas sometimes lifts the paint, or it's difficult to form pools because the canvas can't absorb the paint.

Using oil, acrylic or watercolor on canvas will always have its advantages and disadvantages. Pick the one that works for you. Paintings on canvas sell for a higher price than if they are done with paper.

These paintings can easily be hung on walls without having to look for a proper frame or putting it under the glass. Have fun and experiment until you recreate the vision in your mind!
Author:Murtaza I. Habib Cool Media Artist here!

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Top 10 Tips To Start Oil Painting Like a Pro

LEARN HOW TO DRAW

You will be amazed at how much learning how to draw will help improve your oil paintings. In fact, years ago art students were not permitted to paint until they learned the fundamentals of drawing. Drawing gets you more in touch with value, line and form without the distraction of color. Find a good book on drawing fundamentals and start there.

LEARN ABOUT COLOR

Nothing can confuse a beginner more than color. You need to have a good understanding of color theory if you intend on producing high quality paintings. Concepts like color temperature, hue and intensity are very important and should be studied. Once you have a good understanding of color theory, you must then learn how to mix your colors. There is much more to color mixing then meets the eye. For instance, you cannot mix any old blue with any old yellow and get the perfect green. Certain blues and yellows behave differently than others, so you must learn about the properties of each color.

PERSPECTIVE

Perspective in painting is one of the biggest hurdles for beginners. Sometimes a painting just looks "wrong", and often it is because the perspective in the painting is off. Learning about perspective will teach you how to properly translate a 3-dimensional world onto a 2-dimensional canvas or other support. Learning perspective is a necessary ingredient toward producing convincing oil paintings. There is of course an exception to this, if you are producing an abstract work and your intentions are to warp the perspective.

MATERIALS

Materials to an oil painter are like what a guitar is to a guitarist. A guitarist cannot play without his instrument nor can he play without understanding how his instrument works. Your painting materials are your instruments. They are what enable you to express yourself, so learning more about them is an absolute must. Learn about the different kinds of brushes and what they do. Know your paints. Not all colors behave the same. Some are more transparent or opaque than others. Know your supports and the difference between them. The list goes on.

TECHNIQUES

There are a plethora of oil painting techniques that you can learn to create your paintings. Techniques like wet on wet, glazing, alla prima, knife painting, etc. should all be explored. Working with various techniques will help you develop your own unique style and help you to produce more interesting paintings.

START WITH A CONCEPT

I remember not too long ago, what a frustrated painter I was. I had 10 or so incomplete paintings collecting dust in the corner of my small studio. I would attempt to complete these paintings over and over again, until finally I had to take a step back and try and understand what I was doing wrong. The reason I lost interest and was unable to complete these paintings, was because I did not have a concept in mind before I started. I would start haphazardly without a clear vision of what I really wanted to accomplish. Concepts are methods for solving problems in a painting. What do you want your painting to be about? When you have a blueprint or roadmap in mind before you start painting, there is no room for diversion. You must stick to your plan.

MASTER YOUR BRUSH

A very important part of oil painting is having control over your brush. Without good brush control , your effectiveness as a painter is limited. Make sure you have the best possible brushes you can afford. One of the biggest mistakes artists make, myself included, is not reloading the brush enough. Make certain you always have enough paint on your brush so that there is always a layer of paint between your brush and the canvas. Do not try and scrub the paint into the canvas. Paint your strokes and leave them be. Don't over work your brushstrokes.

FAT OVER LEAN

Follow this rule and you will reduce the chance of your paint cracking. Each layer of your oil painting should have a higher oil content then the one below it.

ORGANIZED PALETTE

Having a clean organized palette is an essential part of good painting. Get into the habit of laying out your colors the same way every time you paint. Arrange your colors along the edges of your palette leaving a lot of room in the center for mixing. Don't be afraid to squeeze out a good amount of paint, especially your whites. You will be more productive if you aren't continuously stopping to squeeze out more paint. Make certain to include all of the colors you think you will need to complete that session of painting. It's a good idea to continuously wipe your palette clean during the painting process. Keep some alcohol handy so that you can keep the mixing area of your palette clean.

INSPIRATION

If you are ever feeling uninspired don't get discouraged. Try taking a walk outside, breath in the air, look around at the beautiful earth God created. Try playing music while you are painting. You will be surprised how music can affect your painting. Visit a museum or local gallery. Viewing other works of art can really get your creative juices flowing.
Author:Ralph Serpe

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Fashionable Art - Choosing Paint Colors and Styles

Color is so constantly in evidence in our daily lives that we are inclined to give it almost no conscious attention. We merely accept color, failing not so much in our appreciation of its beauty - for we all like cooler - as in a full realization of what an important part it plays in our daily lives.

Browns
From taupe to deep chocolate, brown paint color schemes are a terrific choice to cozy up a space. Brown not only provides richness to a room, but also is a perfect contemporary backdrop when mixed with aqua blue or purple. For another dramatic room treatment, try brown on a ceiling, mixed with neutral side walls. When choosing a shade of brown, think hot chocolate, rich coffee beans, or a favorite tweed jacket.

Purples
Purple has long been considered a fickle color; in one season and out the next. Today’s purple paint color palette is regal and can provide a living space with stimulation. Not quite ready for an entirely purple room? Use purple on one wall or within a niche area for high-impact color and excitement. Combine purple with earthy green for a harmonious blend with the outdoor environment.

Oranges
Orange continues to grow in popularity and has changed its personality over time. No longer bright and playful, this season’s orange paint color schemes are more organic in tone and depth. Pumpkin and ginger hues offer a solid setting when teamed with a metallic shade, or black accents or trim.

Reds
No season is complete without brilliant reds! Cranberry, crimson and claret are wonderful festive hues that provide punch to dining rooms, kitchens and foyers. Coupling red paint colors with gold or mustard creates a harmonious combination, and provides excitement and flair for fall and the holiday season.

Especially during the last century or two have physicists, physiologists, and more recently, psychologists studied the problems of light and color and the processes of vision. Nor have the chemists been idle in the meanwhile, for under them a sound advance has been made in the discovery and perfection of pigments. The colorists in various fields have done their part by putting these pigments to all sorts of uses, seeking at the same time laws regarding their harmonious application.

Our world indeed would be poorer if we did not have the outstanding qualities given to it by color.
Author:Carolina Maria

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Online Art and Modern Trends

One might well ask how much further can art go in modern trends? It appears that there may well be no limit to it.
Not so long ago art meant pictures on canvas, walls, plates or such. Now, however, it can also mean images created by a computer, digital camera or an event. It can incorporate any item we would care to name and virtually any medium we can use to express an idea, an emotion, or a feeling.

Art has virtually taken off and even web sites can be described as such. Certainly the goods available through the Internet, such as any form of craft, is definitely within that category. So photos juxtaposed over blankets, shirts, wallpaper, books and so on are within the range

It has given artists new challenges as many paint portraits and design canvases from photos. They can turn 2D images into 3D pictures. They can add shadows, shapes, images, and all forms of design over the original to create better impressions that people love to hang on their walls or carry on their person.

Some new trends are outstanding enough to warrant special mention. High among these are such things as wallpapers that cover windows but through which one can still see outside. The magnificent scenery in modern art and the techniques used allows one to greatly enhance their environment. The uses for such are enormous as different abodes require different treatment to make them livable..

Art has also entered the realm of images that glow in the dark or enhance a room with extraordinary touches of color that serve no other purpose other than to hide a blank wall, tizzy up a dull room or carry a color or shape of a feature piece of furniture. No matter its use art is certainly a greater entertainment medium than in the past.

Whatever the occasion there is now art to fulfill virtually every need and the Internet is fast becoming the best place to search for it.

My online shop here caters to most of the trends mentioned in the article with specialist artists featured.

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What Do We Need to Understand of the Art Surrounding Us in Order to Help Us Appreciate It?

Art abounds nowadays universally in so many unique guises. Therefore, fascinatingly enough there ought to exist something to agree with everyone. Personal good taste is a matter of outlook, so in truth it does not matter if you are knowledgeable or a beginner to art.

As a race the Chinese and Japanese commonly make use of black and white to communicate themselves. They create their appealing works by means of a brush in addition to ink so skillfully applied to form these drawings.

Brushes,indeed, made of hair including a very fine tip, perfect for their delicate work, with a bamboo handle.

How fantastic then were the actual paintings of Zen. We ought to gaze no further to encompass an approval of this nature of art. When they draw and paint they brush on a wash before they paint later carefully with ink.

Not only do they appear very true to life, they often give the feeling of actual movement in the creation. How sensitively they have to apply their brushes to acquire this fragile result. Even so these identical brushes are used for Writing. .

If you are looking for true to living type art I do not sense you would probably decide on Expressionism. To many this might appear pretty crazy as it comes in very peculiar representations. All in all letting your thoughts go outrageous and approach to give an unusual outlook on subjects.

So many odd shapes which also often appears extremely curious and difficult to figure out. Van Gogh seemed to get it totally expressing his strange outlook on any amount of distinctive subjects.

How repeatedly we all marvel at the works of Monet and his superb landscapes amid additional pictures. Fascinatingly enough they come into view as a succession of dots and dashes which subsequently shape the image. This is called Impressionism.

These certainly are appreciated universally. His motivating flowery and water scenes are a characteristic case and where the light in reality reflects on the painting. Interestingly enough they become visible as a series of dots and dashes which then appear to join up. This style of painting is Impressionism which heralds from the 19th Century.

If we go back to the 17th Century on the other hand with the Dutch Masters, about this age, I believe Still Life was born. This technique was very straightforward to identify with as customary items were portrayed. I cannot help weigh up how well ahead some of these artists were in their thoughts.

Even though we might understand the subjects chosen, normal objects are not always easily achieved, such as dishes of fruit, tables and seating as examples, as to begin with you require an interesting background. What a rich talent these artists possessed.

We have all admired the intimate lifestyle enjoyed in Paris and captured by the likes of Toulouse-Lautrec. He had a really good life with the other artists, dancers, theatre artistes, in fact the entire Paris scene.

What about Monet who shaped such intensely coloured and outstanding landscapes, and natural creative scenes. In spite of that he did not halt at this seeing that he also loved doing incredibly comical caricatures largely of his acquaintances.

Then again, there are so many fine celebrated artists. Take Renoir, Paul Klee, J.W. Turner. Pablo Picasso, these are just a few and there are many more up and coming artists we are nonetheless to learn about.

For individuals who enjoy art, first-rate examples to be recommended are to be seen all over Barcelona in the works of Salvador Dali, which seem to spread all over this city. To look at these one surely feels his brain must have been overloaded. Today we have expressionism in so many art forms from landscape paintings all the way through to sculptures!
Author:Anna Meenaghan

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Ancient Greece Art - Cycladic Sculptures in the Greek Islands

Cycladic sculptures are thousands of years old and yet look eerily modern. A face with no facial features, except the nose, is not exactly how we think of ancient Greek art. Cycladic art came to prominence during the twentieth century. Unfortunately that started a period of looting, which destroyed the possibility of putting the sculptures in any kind of location or archeological context. To this day we know very little about Cycladic art. A measure of its growing importance is the existence of the Cycladic Museum located in the heart of Athens, Greece.

The Greek islands of the Cyclades are located to the South East of Greece and to the North of Crete in the Aegean Sea. There are more than two hundred islands approximating a circle around the most significant island Delos, the birthplace of Apollo, Greek God of music and light from Greek mythology and of Artemis, the huntress. The Greek name for the Cyclades is Kyklades, an obvious reference to a circle. During the period between 3200 and 2000 B.C. the small Cycladic islands in the Aegean became home to a flourishing culture. The most prominent craft in Cycladic culture was stone-cutting, especially marble sculpture. The abundance of high quality white marble on the islands encouraged its use for the creation of a wide range of artifacts. Among these, Cycladic Figurines are the most distinctive Cycladic creation because of the style, the great numbers in which they are found, and the significance they held for their owners. The majority of Cycladic Figurines show women, nude with the arms folded over the belly and the long feet, soles sloping downwards. We do not know whether they were meant to show mortals or deities, but probably symbolized the worship of the 'Mother Goddess'. In this case, the figurines may have been conceived as representations of the Goddess, or companions to her. Many figurines have been discovered in relation to burials as the Cycladic civilization flourished and burials became more elaborate to reflect status.

There have been recent discoveries (in the last five years) of piles of buried and broken statues and pottery, as if the breaking of the statues was a feature of some unknown ancient ceremony. This ritualistic behavior appears to be centered on the island of Keros in the Cyclades. Also, hidden deposits of broken pottery and figurines have been found on islands around Keros, many fragments brought there from other locations. Why would the Cycladians do that? To what end? The mystery surrounding Keros, the Cycladians and their art deepens as archeologists sift through clues of human history and behavior. To this day Keros and surrounding islands are home mainly to archeologists attempting to explain one of those mysteries of human behavior and human art that drive us with a 'need to know'. Art, in all forms, leaves behind a legacy of a civilizations history, behavior, values and intrigue. Fortunately for us it also provides beauty that only human civilizations can produce.
Author:Art Twomacs

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Aboriginal Art May be the Last Great Art Movement Ever to be Discovered

Without a doubt, Australian Aboriginal Art is a form of art with huge significance. Renowned art critic and long time writer for Time Magazine Robert Hughes described Aboriginal Art as “the last great art movement”.

What makes his statement so significant is Australian Aboriginal Art in fact is one of the oldest forms of Art anywhere on the planet yet as an commercially art style it happens to be one of the newest.

Ancient Rock Art in remote parts of Australia dates back approximately 30,000 to 40,000 years. However, as a saleable commodity, this form of art has only really been available since the 70’s.

The union between ancient custom and practice and the originality of Aboriginal Art emerging on the international art market, has brought a huge reaction through the art world as it is realized as a discovery that will never be seen again.

Aboriginal Artists have actually been selling their unusual artwork since before the 1930’s, not yet known to the international market it remained contained within Australia seen only by those who happened to be travelling through the remote parts of the country and discovered it for themselves.

Generally back in these days the Aboriginals created their artwork on bark. It is generally accepted that Aboriginals began painting on canvas in an organised manner in the early 1970's when a school teacher and graduate of the National Art School by the name of Geoffrey Bardon took up a posting to teach at the primary school at Papunya, a remote Aboriginal settlement 250 km west of Alice Springs.

Bardon noticed that the Aborigines at Papunya would tell their stories by images and stories in the sand. He persuaded young as old to do the same but to record it various materials, such as paper, the doors at the school and eventually canvas.

Bardon worked alongside the Aboriginal painters and, in the early 70’s, the Papunya Tula painting movement was founded. Bardon dedicated many years of his life to recording and supporting the art he respected so much. He had an active role in setting up the art centre at Papunya and with and it is from here that the last great art movement began.

The artistic movement unleashed at Papunya spread over Central Australia as well as the Kimberley region of Western Australia and throughout the north of Australia in Arnhem Land as well as the Tiwi Islands. Now recognized all over Australia, Aboriginal communities all over the country share their history and culture through art to anyone who is interested.

There is a huge difference in Aboriginal Art styles as each area of Australia is distinctive and totally separate from other parts of the country, each community has their own unique history, traditions, culture and stories to tell.

Aboriginal Art is not only the leading art style in Australia today, but also one of the most significant globally with major works of art by Aboriginal artists hanging in famous art galleries, auction houses and private collections.

Since its emergence commercially in the 70’s, Aboriginal Art has burst onto the international Art landscape.

As demand rises and international art fanatics start to understand its unique history as one of the oldest and youngest styles of art at the same time, the realization that it just may be the last great art movement ever discovered is remarkable.
Author:linker456

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Visual Arts Is Important In Schools

Visual arts are a class of art forms that include: painting, sculpture, photography, and other disciplines that focus on the creation of artworks which are primarily visual in nature. Visual arts are said to be important in schools since they tend to develop the intelligence, as well as the overall personality of students. In fact, studies have shown that students who are exposed to visual arts tend to display above average intelligence when it comes to mathematics and science.

Likewise, students who are greatly exposed to visual arts have been observed to exhibit refined manners and develop a much-matured outlook on life. Most educators have also noticed that students perform better in class when visual arts are incorporated in their curriculum.

Moreover, visual arts provide meaningful self-expression of all students. This is also the reason why a great number of educators have integrated visual arts in some of their subject areas in the curriculum. Visual arts educators make use of rich arrays of content to design curriculum that will enable students to be able to meet various standards at different grade levels.

In order to meet the standards, students must be able to learn vocabularies as well as some concepts that are associated with diverse types of work in the visual arts. Likewise, students are expected to exhibit their competence in various levels in visual, oral, and written form. As early as kindergarten, children are taught how to make choices that would enhance the communication of their creative ideas.

Students that are in the middle grades are expected to apply the knowledge as well as the skills in the visual arts to their ever-expanding personal world. Students at this level tend to consider visual art works within its historical concepts that creates in them a deeper appreciation of their own values, and likewise appreciate the values of others and somehow discover the connection of visual arts to the universal needs of people in terms of their values and beliefs.

Students in the higher levels are expected to create more complex and insightful works of visual arts that will reflect the maturation of their creative as well as their problem-solving skills. And although, visual arts classes make use of varied tools, techniques, and processes, students are expected to understand the relationship of different types of media, styles, forms, techniques as well as some of the processes involved in the creation of their own form of visual art. Students are also taught how to recognize the intrinsic value of visual arts and what makes it important in the lives of all educated persons.

Visual arts are also used in therapy procedures for aiding child development. Visual arts assist in educating disabled children, especially those who are blind and have hearing problems. Aside from that, visual arts also help in building communities, mural projects, and are also used to provide education for mentally ill individuals.

At present continuous studies are being conducted to discover more benefits derived from incorporating visual arts in educating students.
Authors:Johnny Modal

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Burning Man: Annual Arts & Expression in the Simmering Sun

Every year in late August, thousands of people gather together to form a community, or rather, a community of sorts. A temporary community is founded in a matter of days, and disappears a week or so later in about the same amount of time. The event is called Burning Man. It's a festival that prides itself on self-reliance, self-expression, art and community. To someone who has never heard of Burning Man, it's hard to explain. However, here are the facts about Burning Man:

What is it?

In 2009, the festival is happening from August 31st to September 7th. There isn't such a city as "Black Rock City", that is, until Burning Man starts. People from all over the country and perhaps even all over the world come to this piece of desert, called a playa. People must bring their own shelter, food, water, comforts, supplies, basically everything they will need to live for a week. People set up art installations and different types of theme camps. Others bring vehicles or costumes that they have made just for the event. On the final night of Burning Man, a giant sculpture of a man is burned during the Nevada night, creating a spectacular display of light and symbolism.

What's the point?

People gather to create a temporary community, but also to make friends, have fun, party, visit art installations, display their own art and participate in events or other activities. Some people may run a radio station, some people ride around on their bike all day, some people create and display their own art, everyone is welcome and can do their own thing. One of the central themes of Burning Man is that it is all inclusive, everyone is welcome, everyone has something to offer and you are welcome to be yourself. If that means getting completely naked and painted from head to toe in body paint, so be it. There are no vending machines or booths with things for sale, commerce is generally not accepted at Burning Man, with the exception of the coffee and ice available at the Center Camp area.

How did it start?

In 1986, two men at Baker Beach in San Francisco built a wooden male figure and burned it in honor of the Summer Solstice. This is generally regarded as the first Burning Man. The event grew each year and in 1991 the event in Nevada started taking place. That first Burning Man had about 250 participants. This first event was a far cry from the 2008 event which had nearly 50,000 participants. There was over 240 art installations or art projects. Heavy dust storms almost canceled the burning of the Burning Man figure, but they let up with enough time for the figure to be burned and the event to end on a good note.
Author:Lydia Quinn

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