Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2019 i Artists Magazine

“With an apple I will astonish Paris.”— PAUL CÉZANNE Sometimes an apple is just an apple. Other times, an apple is the perfect excuse for a bold splash of crimson in a painting or the perfect shape to bring balance and unity to a still life setup. Sometimes the familiarity of the subject allows artists to use it as a starting point for more daring exploration. And sometimes an inanimate object, like an apple, is a stand-in for something poignant. Artist Angela A’Court (page 54) recounts the time that she was painting a yellow rose on a red background. Only at the finish did she realize that the flower she’d been painting was essentially a “portrait” of her uncle who had recently passed away. “It was him—always sunny and happy,”…

to describe the painting of Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836–1904) as refined is an understatement. His sensitivity to tone and atmosphere was exquisite, yet it was braced by a precision of eye and hand. He appreciated strong value contrasts and a well-placed sharp edge, elements that lend bite to delicacy. Fantin-Latour’s best-known paintings are divided into two genres: floral still life and Parisian portraiture. The former sometimes features surprising bursts of color. The most notable canvases of the latter are several large group portraits that place the artist at the center of the avant-garde while adhering to a rather staid vision. “It seems to me that a painter may congratulate himself on having made great progress when he sees that the beautiful is quite close to him. From that moment, he…

It can be intimidating to incorporate all five principles of design at once into an abstract painting. As a starting point, work with colored paper and magazine cutouts to organize your thoughts and composition. Using paper will eliminate some of the pressure. This practice will allow Materials • 6 to 8 different pieces of colored paper • several old magazines that will be the source of images, patterns and colors • craft knife or scissors you to focus on the overall design quality without being distracted by the technical concerns of painting. PREPARE Gather six to eight differt pieces of colored paper and cut them into different shapes and sizes. Be sure to make some curved and organic, and others straight and more geometric. Look through magazines and tear out…

Figure 1: Keylines describe structure, not outlines. Can you draw a stick figure? We all drew them as children. If you can create a stick figure, it’s not a big step to figure 2. Figure 2: Take your stick figure and simply include lines for the shoulders and hips, and add key points for joints. Figure 3: Take your figure a step further in figure 3 by making the head more egg-shaped, suggesting a rib cage and using two ovals for the hip area. The body parts and rough proportions penciled in lightly on the far right of the drawing are based on the head length as the initial measurement. I tend to slightly elongate the legs to stop the figure from looking stubby. Some people, including children and the…

Ot’s hard to look at a Robert C. Jackson painting without smiling and delighting in his playful, witty, yet thoughtful approach to color, composition and narrative. That’s just as Jackson would have it—a self-confessed realist painter of “still lifes with a pop, nostalgic and humorous twist.” The unconventional and largely self-taught Pennsylvania artist says, “Laughter is worth pursuing. If art is to feed our souls and assist us in encountering our humanity, then a balanced part of our diets should be humor.” This mindset is well reflected in Jackson’s art, which, like his path to becoming an artist, is far from ordinary. The one-time electrical engineer left his job as a radio systems designer for a five-year stint as an assistant minister. He subsequently left that calling in 1996 to…

“During his time in Paris, Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890) painted still lifes of shoes and boots. He returned to this favored subject in Arles in the late summer of 1888. In this painting, he depicts two shoes on the red tile floor of his beloved Yellow House, creating a portrait of companionship, perhaps with Paul Gauguin, who would join him in the Yellow House that autumn, or with his always longed-for brother, Theo. On close inspection, there appear to be two left shoes, not a pair, and the lace of one shoe drapes affectionately over the other. Every brushstroke is filled with dazzling artistic intent and exquisite sentiment.”STEVEN NAIFEH Artist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author (with Gregory White Smith) of Van Gogh:›The Life and Jackson Pollock:›An American Saga…

I love to include watercolors in my art journaling because they’re a portable, convenient medium—and because they allow me to include highly pigmented color anywhere I go. I prefer not to buy premade art sets, and this especially applies to watercolors. If you’re like me, you may find that a premade set of paints contains many colors that aren’t in your personal palette. Using a vintage tin, tubes of watercolor and empty watercolor pans, I created a watercolor set that complements my personal color palette. 1 I gather my tube watercolors and small sqares of watercolor paper to sample the colors I’ve collected. 2 I paint a small amount of a color on a square of watercolor paper. Using a pencil, I write the name of the tube watercolor on…

Drawing should be enjoyable. Sketching, in particular, should be about catching a quick moment that can be further developed or captured simply for the joy of it. Most people think of drawing as a linear outline, starting at the top and continuing through the full silhouette. The reality is that there are many ways to draw. In workshops, I ask people to work through a series of exercises based on a variety of approaches. This generates ideas for beginners who are hesitant to explore and gives students with more experience additional ways to use their skills. Try a different subject for each of these five techniques, as I’ve done; or, try picking one subject and working on it through all the exercises.…

1) I pick a point on the statue—the tip of Edward’s hand. Using a pencil, I stretch out my arm to connect the tip of his hand to the top of the horse’s head, effectively creating the same angle with my pencil. I then sketch in a line at that angle. I repeat the process with another point to form a line to the horse’s hock (bend in the back leg). This is point 3, which I connect back to point 1, to make a triangle. I continue to use the same system to place other key points and start to sketch in the statue. 2) I add shading and start drawing lines from key points on the statue to key points on the surrounding buildings. As I have the…

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Surfaces: Blick Studio ⁷/₈-inch thick wood panels in various sizes; Art Alternatives ¾-inch thick cradled wood panels in various sizes; Art Alternatives flat ³/₁₆-inch thick MDF panels in various sizes; Canson canvas paper Oil Paints: UTRECHT: permanent white; Gamblin: chromatic black, Portland gray deep, burnt sienna, radiant turquoise; Winsor & Newton: cadmium orange, cadmium red, cadmium yellow, cobalt blue, permanent green, green gold, raw sienna, cadmium green pale, cerulean blue, cobalt turquoise light, sap green, Naples yellow light, dioxazine purple, yellow ochre, ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson, flesh tint, olive green; Daniel Smith: selection of quinacridone colors Mediums: Liquin: original and fine detail; Gamsol; mixture of Gamvar and Cold Wax Medium for varnishing Brushes: UTRECHT mixed synthetic filberts and rounds, sizes 2 to 10…

Step 1 Often my sketchbook looks like the physical manifestation of a train of thought,; I just let my mind roam while I write and sketch everything, hoping that something will stick and work. When I made the preliminary sketch of Phases of the Milk, I considered using chocolate milk or half gallons, but eventually came upon the theme of phases. I was looking at the sketch when I scribbled, “Phases of the Moon Milk!” Step 2 A big component of my art is color play. I want the viewer’s eyes to dance around the canvas. The vintage crates I use allow for such beautiful blocks of primary and secondary colors. This drawing is one that came before the final drawing—before the crates with their labels were chosen. Once I…

California GAUGUIN: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY THE FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO • SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.FAMSF.ORG • THROUGH APRIL 7 “Gauguin: A Spiritual Journey” will display more than 60 works by Paul Gauguin (French, 1848 – 1903), including oil paintings, works on paper, wood carvings and ceramics, and will be shown in conjunction with art from the Pacific Islands. “The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco have the largest repository of works on paper in the Western United States, including numerous works by Gauguin,” says Melissa Buron, Director of the Art Division. “Putting these works on view with Gauguin’s stunning oil paintings provides an unprecedented opportunity for our collection to shine and take its place in the larger historical narrative.” The exhibition will dissect the relationships in Gauguin’s life…

A studio isn’t the only place to make art; a creative space can take the form of a front porch, a table at the local café or a thousand other places. Therefore, the intentional act of being prepared at all times can make all the difference to day-to-day creativity. You don’t need much to build a functional (and beautiful) go-anywhere studio. Your collection of tools will look different than mine, but I hope this shows that you don’t need as much as you may think to live a more creative life every day. ASSEMBLE A TACKLE BOX STUDIO Having a portable studio on hand has made one of the biggest impacts on my creative practice and growth as an artist. Selecting the right tools to fit into a small tackle…

Fine artists should always be aware of the foundations of good design. The five core principles of design are balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis and unity. Certain art disciplines, such as graphic design, require a more literal approach to these principles in order to convey their message. Artists working abstractly, however, often hope to do much more than just relay certain information. They may wish to evoke emotion, trigger memories, tell a story or even raise questions and express opinions. It’s important to respect the five principles of design; however, it’s more important to respect your own artistic aims. With this in mind, the five elements should serve as a basic guide, but shouldn’t hinder or constrict your vision. THE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN 1. BALANCE Balance in art refers to…

1) First, reduce the proportions and shapes of your subject to a series of rectangles and circles, considering perspective if the subject is at an angle. For the pony, I indicate a line halfway down for the belly, a little above for the elbow, and then halfway down from the elbow for the major leg joints. Three overlapping circles indicate the chest, belly/ribs and quarters. 2) I add ovals for the knee joints and the joints above the foot, and then sketch the legs. The hooves are triangles; the chest is a rough wedge shape; and the neck, shaped as a cut-off cone, connects to the center of the chest. A cheek circle, ear triangles and a diamond shape suggest the head. Now, I can sketch the neck, back, belly…

Glass is among the easier surfaces to clean, which makes it an ideal material for a palette. You can use the glass from an old picture frame—although you might want to tape over those sharp edges. Inner Glow Lightboxes can greatly aid lettering, drawing and composition development. They can also be expensive. Here’s how to trace your work without breaking the bank: ● Fill a clear, flat-lidded plastic storage container with white holiday lights (or whatever other decorative lights you might have—the brighter the better). ● If your holiday decorations are stowed for the season, use the screen of your laptop or tablet as an impromptu lightbox. These offer the advantage of displaying images directly—no need to print them first. ● Go au natural: Tape your work to a window…

The most commonplace sights and objects that surround us in our daily lives are sometimes the most mysterious. Made almost invisible by familiarity, we take them for granted, ignore them completely or simply don’t see them at all. And yet, when something occurs to make us look at these things with fresh eyes, we may find ourselves encountering unexpected treasures. Thus it is for New York-based British artist Angela A’Court, whose pastels of domestic objects launch us into a world of vibrant color, gloriously animated shapes and unexpected encounters. Simplified, flattened and sometimes gently distorted, objects like coffeepots, bowls, spatulas and glasses inhabit a lively space that seems to emerge from pure color alone. “I’ve had to move quite a bit in my life,” says the artist, “and in doing…

Matthew Mattingly AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS Three Women oil on linen, 40x46 “Three Women depicts three generations of women, suspended in a moment of existence: The daughter is bursting to take flight, the grandmother is soon to leave this world, and the mother is fully occupied, trying to hold their world together. Each has her gaze fixed on her own future, and an approaching storm has different implications for each of them.” Marian Vida BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA Diverse Visions I mixed media on canvas, 39²/₅x39²/₅ “As the title suggests, my inspiration comes from diverse visions; therefore, I want to leave the explanation open so that everyone can see something different in the painting. I admire everything that is beautiful—nature, art and, of course, women. They are my endless inspiration.” Tracy Frein CHICAGO, ILLINOIS…

FEED THE SPIRIT Drawing is more than making a picture—it’s a tonic for the inner you. Create a sense of calm, a boost of energy, a shot of confidence and more with Draw and Be Happy: Art Exercises to Bring You Joy (Chronicle Books), written by Tim A Shaw and illustrated by Cachetejack. Feeling doubtful, confused or unfocused about your art? Battle the blahs with Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad (Workman Publishing). These engaging essays by New York Times best-selling author Austin Kleon offer smart, practical advice—sprinkled with quotes, visuals and tips. In Awakening Your Creative Soul: A 52-Week Journey to Artistic Discovery (North Light Books), Sandra Duncan Wilson presents seasonally arranged exercises involving art, writing and meditation that are designed to refresh,…