Category: Artist Blog

Art appreciation is an understanding of the qualities that identify what great art is. It goes beyond the enjoyment of mere aesthetics. Art appreciation also involves having a knowledge of art movements, art history, and art styles or techniques.

Art Movements

An art movement is a distinctive style of art characterized by a group of artists practicing or adhering to the same creative concept, philosophy, purpose, style, or method within a specified time frame or region. Each art movement is subtly or distinctly different from another. Other art movements, however, have influenced some movements as they show obvious similarities, while others seem to defy them. It is fascinating to study the differences between art movements and art periods.

Art History

Art history is the study of the development of artworks in painting, sculpture, drawing, architecture, and other visual arts. The history of art spans from the earliest cave drawings to the present. The two primary goals of art history are to determine (1) who produced a particular work of art and when, and (2) understand the stylistic approach or school of thought that the artists used to create the piece.

Art Styles or Techniques

The style or technique of a particular artist, school, or movement. It is that ‘thing’ that makes you recognize a specific painting as being by a particular artist before you’re close enough to see a signature or to read the image label. A painting style refers to: (1) the technique or brush strokes used to paint; (2) the subject(s) chosen; (3) the range of colors used in a painting; or (4) a specific color used in every painting.

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FROM THE EDITORS: We hope you enjoyed this blog about art appreciation and found it’s information to be useful. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the fine art paintings below too. For more information and details, click or tap the thumbnail link.

Art Gallery Quick Links

Flowers     |     Landscapes     |     Marine     |     People

Space Art     |     Still Life     |     Wildlife

Additional Reading

What is Fine Art?

Visual Art in Bible Scripture

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Some creative ways to decorate your home with fine art.

Decorating the walls in your home with fine art can significantly elevate its visual appeal and reflect your personal style. Fine art offers the flexibility to create a focal point, add color, or simply express your tastes, making it an adaptable and valuable component in the design of your living space.

Let’s explore 10 creative ways to incorporate fine art into your home’s decor:

1. Create a Gallery Wall

Create a dynamic gallery wall by mixing artwork of different sizes and shapes. Combine large-scale paintings with smaller prints, photographs, and decorative mirrors. Display them in a seemingly spontaneous yet harmonious arrangement to achieve an eclectic and visually interesting look.

2. Experiment with Frames

Integrating various frame styles, such as pairing sleek, modern designs with more ornate ones, creates a dynamic visual contrast that can captivate and add an element of surprise to any space.

3. Fill Awkward Spaces with Art

Odd corners and narrow walls make ideal spots for art displays. They can be used to showcase smaller pieces or to create a mini gallery.

4. Create a Focal Point with Statement Art

Transform a bare wall into a conversation starter with an eye-catching statement piece. A piece of large-scale art can serve as the focal point of a room, drawing the eye and anchoring the decor. Be it a striking painting, an eclectic gallery wall, or an avant-garde sculpture, let it command attention and set the tone for the space.

5. Showcase Fine Art on Easels

Accentuate a distinctive painting by displaying it on an art easel. Easels add a touch of sophistication and highlight specific artworks.

6. Lean It Against a Wall

Leaning large canvases or framed artwork against the wall offers an effortlessly stylish look, infusing your space with a casual, laid-back atmosphere. It’s an ideal choice for those who favor a straightforward and relaxed aesthetic.

7. Display Fine Art Behind a Sofa

Rather than positioning artwork squarely above the sofa, you might opt to set it slightly askew or even position it behind the sofa. Such an unconventional arrangement can introduce an element of surprise and add depth to the room.

8. Layer It on a Bookshelf

Incorporate art into your decor by tucking it behind vases, stacking it atop bookshelves, or allowing it to peek from among your cherished books. This blend of art with different items generates a visually stimulating environment and piques curiosity.

9. StairWay Displays

Maximize the potential of the wall area along your staircase by thoughtfully arranging art pieces at different levels within the stairwell. This approach will craft an engaging visual journey, whether you’re ascending or descending the stairs.

10. Hide Your TV Screen with Art

Hide your television within a bookshelf, ingeniously designed to let a favorite painting slide or swing shut over it. This clever solution seamlessly blends practicality with visual appeal.

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FROM THE EDITORS: We hope you found this blog on decorating with fine art both informative and useful. We believe you will also appreciate the fine art oil paintings featured below. For additional information and details, please click or tap the thumbnail link.

Art Gallery Quick Links

Flowers     |     Landscapes     |     Marine     |     People

Space Art     |     Still Life     |     Wildlife

Additional Reading

Choosing the Perfect Oil Painting for Your Home or Office

Taking Good Care of Your Oil Paintings

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Proper care of oil paintings is essential for their preservation.

Oil paintings bring an element of beauty to any living space, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. When you bring home oil paintings, it’s crucial to take good care of them. Often times, people overlook the easy steps needed to maintain their artwork. It’s important to remember that you need to take good care of your oil paintings.

Ways to Care for Your Oil Paintings

Taking good care of your oil paintings involves several key steps to ensure their longevity and beauty. Here are some things you can do to protect the beauty of your oil painting:

HANDLING YOUR PAINTINGS

Oil paintings should be handled with care and individually to prevent damage. Do not stack paintings when moving or storing them, as it may cause damage. Additionally, avoid leaning a painting against any sharp objects or surfaces that could scratch it. Always carry a painting by its frame, and make sure your hands are clean before handling to prevent soiling the artwork. For safe transportation, lift the painting with both hands, placing them securely at the center of each side of the frame.

DISPLAYING YOUR PAINTINGS

When hanging a painting, it’s essential to use hooks specifically made for that purpose and secure them into a wooden stud in your wall. Avoid hanging your painting directly on drywall, even if using wall anchors; a heavy painting might cause the hook to rip out and the painting to crash down. Using the right hooks will help ensure your artwork stays put, protecting both the painting and the wall from damage. Moreover, avoid using just any nail or screw as a hanger, as they could inadvertently damage your painting. Always opt for the appropriate hanging hardware to safeguard your painting from harm.

PRESERVING YOUR PAINTINGS

To preserve the vibrant colors and structure of your oil painting, it’s best to avoid exposing it to direct sunlight. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can cause the paint pigments to deteriorate over time, leading to fading and a loss of vibrancy.

Position your oil painting away from sources of high heat such as radiators, hot water pipes, or fireplaces to avoid paint cracking and blistering. An ideal room temperature for preserving your artwork is between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit (21-24 degrees Celsius).

Protect your oil painting by keeping it away from areas where there is a lot of humidity and moisture. Areas such as damp basements, attics, bathrooms, or kitchens. Humidity and moisture can lead to mold growth on your artwork, necessitating professional cleaning. Strive to keep indoor humidity levels within the range of 40% to 60%.

CLEANING YOUR PAINTINGS

Dust your painting at least twice a year using a natural-hair or Japanese brush to keep it top condition. Avoid using feather dusters or abrasive cloths, which can scratch the surface. Also, steer clear of water, sprays, and cleansers that could cause damage to the varnish or paint.

In conclusion, if your painting should ever become heavily soiled or damaged, you should have it professionally cleaned and repaired. A professional will be able to restore your artwork to its original beauty without diminishing its value. Additionally, they can provide you with invaluable information on how to properly store or display your paintings at home to preserve their condition.

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FROM THE EDITORS: It is our hope that you found this blog on oil painting care to be both enlightening and beneficial. We believe you will also appreciate the oil paintings displayed below. For additional information and details, click or tap on the thumbnail link.

Art Gallery Quick Links

Flowers     |     Landscapes     |     Marine     |     People

Space Art     |     Still Life     |     Wildlife

Additional Reading

The Importance of Varnishing Oil Paintings

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Fine art represents the visual manifestation of human creativity, encompassing both the technical expertise (skill or know-how) and the innovative imagination required for the conception of new ideas.

It’s important to understand that the term “fine” does not refer to the quality of the artwork but rather the purity of the discipline. Thus, fine art encompasses practices like calligraphy, drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture, distinguishing itself from applied art, decorative arts, and crafts.

Types of Fine Art

• Drawings—chalk, charcoal, colored wax pencil, crayon, graphite pencil, inked brush, marker, pen and ink, pastel, stylus, or various metals like silverpoint.
• Paintings—acrylic, aerosol paint, enamel, fresco, gouache, hot wax, inks, oils, pastel, tempera, or watercolor.
• Printmaking—engraving, etching, foil imaging, Giclée print, lithography, monoprint, monotype, screen-printing, stenciling, or woodcut.
• Sculpture—clay, glass, metal, plastic, stone, or wood.
• Calligraphy—the art of beautiful handwriting or fancy lettering. (See Calligraphy for more information.)

Fine Art Skills

The creation of fine artworks requires an understanding of art theory, a mastery of design techniques, and proficiency in the use of the tools of the trade necessary for the creation of fine works of art. The essential skills can be honed through various methods. These include, but are not limited to:

• Undertaking apprenticeships with accomplished fine artists.
• Attending college courses at all levels.
• Participating in workshops and classes led by fellow artists.
• Becoming a member of artists’ collectives.
• Studying the works of the Old Masters as well as contemporary fine artists.

Creative Imagination

Creative thinking is the ability to form a mental image of new ideas or concepts not previously conceived or encountered. It involves: (1) visualizing familiar objects or notions in a new light; (2) digging down beneath the surface to discover previously overlooked patterns; and (3) finding connections between seemingly unrelated attributes.

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FROM THE EDITORS: We hope you enjoyed this blog about what fine art is and found it’s information to be useful. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the paintings below too. For more information and details, click or tap the thumbnail link.

Art Gallery Quick Links

Flowers     |     Landscapes     |     Marine     |     People

Space Art     |     Still Life     |     Wildlife

Additional Reading

What is Art Appreciation?

More information about this topic and many others can be found in My Artist Blog Index. Check it out!

Your Feedback

“I think you should be complimented for the definition [of fine art] you came up with – it reads as thorough and yet completely understandable to readers who don’t have much experience with fine art.  Based on all the sources I checked prior to, and after finding, your website that is quite an achievement. “ — Robert (RA) May, Berkeley CA

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Why We Cherish Wildlife Art

Our affection for animals is what makes wildlife art so popular. Everyone has some type of fondness for animals, and even if they don’t love all types, there’s usually at least one favorite animal on everyone’s list. People from all walks of life find joy in the variety of creatures, great and small, that grace our planet—a gift from God to both the Earth and humanity.

Some are drawn to the exotic wildlife of distant lands, others by the wide array of birds flying overhead, while many have a deep appreciation for fish and other marine life that live in our waters. And of course, we mustn’t forget our beloved farm animals and pets!  Our endearment for animals is what fuels the popularity of wildlife art.

Wildlife art appeals to everyone because it:

1. Connects Us with Nature: Wildlife art connects people with the natural world, evoking emotions and fostering a sense of wonder. Whether it’s a painting of a majestic tiger, a soaring eagle, or an endangered aquatic species, wildlife art resonates with our shared love for the planet’s diverse creatures.

2. Enhances Living Spaces: Animal paintings add a touch of nature to your home or office, complementing nearly any décor. They offer a beautiful way to bring the outdoors inside, especially for those who can’t venture outside as much as they’d like. These artworks provide a sense of being in nature, even from the comfort of your own space.

3. Spark Conversations: Paintings of the animal kingdom can be a great way to start a conversation. Animals are so interesting and there is such a variety of life in the animal kingdom that you will never lack something to discuss. When visitors come calling, your animal art can be a great way to get a good conversation going and keeping it going for hours. What a great way to pass the time!

4. Relive Adventures: For nature enthusiasts, wildlife art offers a wonderful opportunity to reminisce about memorable trips to the zoo, safaris, or other outdoor adventures. It allows you to relive those cherished moments spent among wildlife.

5. Diverse Artistic Expressions: Nature offers a vast array of creatures to depict in wildlife paintings, from mammals and birds to fish and insects. And domestic animals like pets or livestock are portrayed too. Artistic depictions of animals can vary from realistic to abstract, to whimsical, or anything in between, catering to any décor style or personal taste.

Conclusion

Wildlife art provides a unique opportunity to admire the natural beauty of animals and their environments. It appeals to people of all ages and backgrounds, offering something for every enthusiast to enjoy. So, the next time you’re searching for a gift for someone (or even yourself), consider the timeless charm of wildlife art.

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FROM THE EDITORS: We trust you found this blog on wildlife art to be informative and helpful. We’re sure you’ll enjoy the animal and wildlife paintings below too. For more information and details, click or tap the thumbnail link.

⇒ See More Wildlife Art Here

Art Gallery Quick Links

Flowers     |     Landscapes     |     Marine     |     People

Space Art     |     Still Life     |     Wildlife

Additional Reading

Sunset Paintings, Why I Love Them

More information about this topic and many others can be found in My Artist Blog Index. Check it out!

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