Open Art Space

by Open Art Space

Apr

How to Become a Better Artist

Being a great artist requires a lot of creativity, determination and the ability to make a vision come to life. Whether you are a tattoo artist, paint on a traditional canvas or create art via design software why not work on your skills. Even if you create beautiful art, there is always room for improvement. There are things that every artist should do to improve as an artist. Here are a few tips on how to become a better artist.

1. Encourage honest critiques.
Honest feedback from those who view your art is crucial to growing and striving to be a better artist. Receiving critical feedback can provide you with tips on what to improve on. You can benefit from this substantially and possibly pick of a few new techniques.

2. Surround yourself with more experienced artists.
Being around artists with way more experience than you can help you become a better artist. Surrounding yourself with brilliant talent is inspiring. Artists belonging to the professional community have higher standards, which will rub off on you.

3. Decorate your workspace.
The place where you work should be functional yet inspirational. When trying to create art is a dull environment, creativity and ideas will not flow as freely. When your workspace is full of ideas, you will be able to produce amazing work.

4. Take classes and do tutorials.
Some may disagree, but education is very important in terms of art. Aside from creativity, technique is needed. Skills and technique are what separates the professional artist from beginners. Alot of cities like San Francisco offer photography lessons and other lessons including painting, drawing and others.

5. Experiment
Trying different techniques along with different forms of art can help you find your niche and can help you become aware of your strengths and weaknesses.

6. Practice.
The best way to improve as an artist is to practice. Every time your practice you grow as an artist.

Overall, learning how to become a better artist is simple. In order to become better all you need is a little determination and some time. Create a workspace that is inspiring, practice, grow from critiques, and educate yourself. Small improvements can help any artist make the transition from beginner to professional.

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by Open Art Space

Apr

Where are some great places to vacation and paint?

Anyone who loves to paint gorgeous scenery will want to spend some time on the Oregon coast. It is truly amazing with all the rocky cliffs, green shrubbery and tall pines. This combination mixed with wild flowers and large rock formations make it a one of the kind place. It is the perfect backdrop for someone who wants to recreate this beauty spot with a paint brush. It can be wet and foggy though with large storms all through the year, so when vacationing, plan on staying somewhere that has lots of windows and a clear view of the coastline. It is easy to get to this great destination by plane because the Portland international airport is only a short drive from the Pacific ocean. The Oregon and Washington coastline are noted to be one of the best destination spots for both young and old artists.

San Francisco is also an artist’s dream spot. The historical trolley cars, the bay bridge and even the famous Alcatraz are just waiting to be recreated on an easel. Artists can be seen throughout the city, painting and recreating the sights and sounds of this special area. The golden gate bridge has been the focus of many brush strokes and although it can be difficult to capture the beauty of this amazing structure, it would be something most painters would love to try.

The Amish county around Lancaster, Pa. is some of the most beautiful farmland in the county. The quaint little burgs and villages are fun for tourists, but offer artists a chance to create a true picture of days gone by. The Amish live in a very quiet and separate way and it is possible to see a farmer with his plow out in the field that is a reminder that in some places, things never change. There are great bed and breakfast units that are reasonably priced and allow a chance to not only paint, but enjoy a different cultural without leaving the country.

Of course there are many great areas for painters to take a vacation and paint to their heart’s content, but some of the most amazing spots are often right in someone’s neighborhood. There are pictures everywhere just waiting to be captured. So, if you like to paint and want to spend some time sightseeing and vacationing at the same time, think outside the box and see if there isn’t something right in the state where you live that is just waiting to be put on an artist’s easel.

Tags: painting, scenary painting
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by Open Art Space

Mar

Smartphone Apps for Artists

From a simple drawing to a full painting, today’s digital world has opened up many new ways for artists to do their work. The following list outlines helpful smartphone apps for the modern artist. These free apps can all be download easily online.

Sketchbook Mobile
AutoDesk scaled its popular Sketchbook Pro product down to the mobile level, but did not skimp on features. The app allows the user to sketch, erase and zoom by swiping the screen with a finger. Recent upgrades include the ability to export Photoshop files, extended functions for layers and many others. Sketchbook Mobile makes it quick and easy to create art at any time, anywhere the artist finds inspiration. This app can be purchased for $2.99 in the iTunes store.

Brushes
This app was created a former employee of Apple and sports a powerful user interface, which is why it is considered the top app for those who paint in digital format. The toolbar, located at screen bottom, features brush, paint bucket, color picker, eyedropper and eraser tools. Undo and redo actions are available, along with access to all layers of work. Geared toward painters, the brushes are impressive and accurate, and work much as they would on a large screen. The Brushes app is $4.99.

Palettes
Color is is a big priority for artists, and this app makes it simple and fast to create palettes at any time. It enables the user to get colors from a website or photo, or to use one of the native color models. It works smoothly with programs such Photoshop, GIMP, OSX Color Chooser and Adobe Illustrator to allow for import and export of color palettes. While very helpful to painters, the tool works well for web and graphic designers, too. Palettes can be found in the iTunes store for $5.99.

Whether a user paints, draws or designs, the above apps are always available to drive the imagination, regardless of time or place.

Tags: drawing apps, ipone apps, painting apps
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by Open Art Space

Mar

An Artist’s Website

An artist’s website should be a true reflection and representation of their style and tastes. Not only should it represent the art but it should represent the artist. Aside from simply presenting their work, the site should in itself evoke a certain emotion or feeling that could be associated with the artist.

Content shouldn’t include anything other than information about the artist and his or her work. This especially holds true for any form of outside banner ads or similar campaigns. Banner ads, whether static or animated, are an unsettling distraction when the visitor would certainly prefer to be focused on the artist. This applies to banners linking to software that has been used to program the site. As important as the applications used to build websites are, there is a time and a place to display their logos.

Consistency is critical in this type of website. Whether style sheets or other methods are used, it is a fundamental necessity to keep a clean linear flow throughout the site. Fonts, colors, graphic elements, and navigation should all be carefully designed to help pull all the pages together. Having a custom logo for the site that matches the artists personal style will show viewers right off the bat what the artist is all about. Consistency throughout the site will give a great impression to viewers.

Content, aside from the artist’s work, should be minimal. An in depth biography, a brief summary of periodicals the artist may have appeared in, and upcoming shows are certainly appropriate. Any significant exposure an artist has been given would merit being part of the site’s content.

The work, regardless of the medium, should be presented with the best possible detail affordable.
This is what visitors are here to see, after all. Pages should not be cluttered with thumbnail images. Present the guest with 2-4 thumbs per page which link to larger images. Slide shows work well, but should be subtle.

In the end, the artist will certainly determine the mechanics and feel of their site. So long as the work is accessible and the quality is a good representation of the art, the visitors will be happy.
Keep it simple. You can never go wrong using those three words.

Tags: artist portfolio, artist website
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by Open Art Space

Feb

Most Famous Paintings in the World

Most people enjoy art and visiting museums. Paintings are probably the most popular form of art. Often travelers plan their vacations to see the most famous paintings in the world. Sometimes famous paintings can be seen in art books. Different individuals have preferences for their favorite paintings. However, generally the same paintings are considered masterpieces by everyone.

Top on most lists is “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci. This painting has been a subject of discussion for a long time. It is a portrait painting. Thousands of people travel to Paris, France each year to see it in person.

Jan Van Eyck painted “ The Arnolfini Marriage,” in the Netherlands in the 1400’s. This painting still retains it’s bright colors and images. People are drawn to the image of the married couple. This painting hangs in London at the National Gallery.

“The Last Supper,” is another painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The painting has been analyzed and studied to understand it’s hidden secrets. Even though the painting is in poor condition due to time, thousands of people make an appointment to see it in person at the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.

“Girl With a Pearl Earring,” by Jan Vermeer is also easily recognized by people. Many people have speculated about the girl in the painting. A movie was even created to have a story about the subject in this portrait painting.

Sandro Botticelli created the “Birth of Venus,” in the 1480’s. Most high school and college students study this painting in art classes. To be seen in person visit Florence, Italy and stop at Uffizi Gallery.

“The Scream” by Edvard Munch is in Norway at their National Gallery. It has been stolen and returned to this gallery. There is actually a series of prints and paintings by Edvard Munch with this theme.

Pablo Picasso depicted the carnage of war in his painting “Guernica.” This painting hangs in Madrid, Spain at the Museo Reina Sofia. Painted in 1937, it is considered one of the first paintings of the school of modern art.

“The Starry Night,” by Vincent van Gogh is easily recognized by most people who see it. It even has a famous song inspired by the title. Visitors can find this painting at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Famous paintings are a great incentive to travel around the world!

Tags: famous paintings, favorite paintings
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by Open Art Space

Jan

Must Have Items for a Painter

Artists need many tools, but, from paper to paint, choices abound. Whether you are looking for a gift for a painting friend or an artist just starting out, here is a list of must have items for every artist.

First, a painter must have something to paint on. Different varieties of acid free watercolor paper are generally considered the best. Many artists enjoy experimenting with different weights and finishes to see how those slight variations create different looks. For instance, hot-pressed watercolor paper is extremely smooth, but cold-pressed paper has a slightly rough and grainy finish.

The next must have item is the artist’s medium. Some artists prefer oils, while others like acrylic paints, pastels, or even mixing different mediums. Whatever the medium used, a clean palette is necessary for mixing colors, and all artists love having fresh brushes to create different styles.

Painters also use several other small items during the artistic process. For example, fine water spray keeps paint fresh and moveable, so the painter can continue changing and blending the colors even after short breaks. Paint rags are small bits of cloth used to blend, smudge, and remove bits of color when the artist decides it’s too strong, while a scraper can be used to scratch off unwanted color almost completely.

Obviously, painting is always a bit messy, so cleaning materials are important to an artist. Simple paper towels are great for removing paint from the skin. Comfortable paint clothes and a small studio area where paint messes are encouraged allow the artist to focus on his or her art instead of worrying over keeping things clean and paint-free.

Other must have items include a sketchbook for jotting down ideas quickly and an easel for holding artwork in process. Easels should be sturdy enough that they won’t collapse mid project, but they should also be light enough for easy transport. People who spend a lot of time painting often purchase more than one easel – a heavy duty easel for studio use, a lightweight and decorative easel for display purposes, and a sturdy but movable easel for painting in different settings.

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by Open Art Space

Jan

Artistic Wedding Locations

With the wedding industry ever-booming, brides-to-be are always on the lookout for the newest trend in weddings. More often than not, brides are creating weddings that are more and more exquisite. Wedding planners are forced to use their imaginations beyond their comfort zones and brides are forced to get creative.

One of the newest trends in wedding event locations is all about setting. Art-filled settings, that is. Here are a few examples of locations bursting at the seams with unique artistic options.

From the church steeples placed beautifully in the sky to the hand-crafted iron work of the 18th century, cobblestone roads, beaches and historical landmarks, most of which are free and easily accessible, Charleston, South Carolina ranks as one of the most beautifully photographed cities in the United States. Whether you prefer to travel by horse drawn carriage or float in a boat in a gorgeous garden, the options are limitless. With the new South Carolina Aquarium at her fingertips, a new bride can choose to wed in the candlelight beneath the beauty of the oceans in the aquarium.

If the Southern Hemisphere is a little too warm for your liking, head to New York, New York. With art galleries abounding, there are so many artistic options that will inspire the perfect setting for any bride. From the metropolitan area, inspiring bold statements of Times Square to gallery-filled neighborhoods such as Manhattan, romantic inspiration is abundant. From mansions to sculptures to the beauty of the ocean, New York offers a blank canvass for a bride planning her wedding.

Boasting beautiful sites on the west coast is San Francisco, California. With the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, viewable on the skyline from so many places, Hallidie Plaza filled with charm, romantic cable cars and the beauty of Point Reyes National seashore, the options in San Francisco are endless. The de Young Museum in Golden Gate park, in itself, is enough to challenge any wedding planner to jump out of their comfort zone and take some chances! If abstract impression is more along your lines, then head to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Whether a bride chooses to exchange vows at home, or travel abroad, one thing is for sure. She is sure to capture the most exciting day of her life, with all of it’s artistic beauty, wherever she chooses to go!

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