Drawing With Charcoal, the Oldest Medium in the World

When you hold a piece of charcoal between your fingers you are doing exactly the same as the mysterious people, or even person, who created the works of art in Chauvet's cave, southern France. The cave paintings depict all kinds of animals hunted at the time in a fabulous three dimensional detail which would subsequently vanish from art until the renaissance as much as twenty thousand years later!

In this article I will not discuss the mystery of Chauvet's cave, it's purpose is to give beginners a guide to charcoal as an artist's medium. The best charcoal is usually willow, it is made by heating the wood in a kiln, when the wood starts to burn the amount of oxygen supplied is reduced by covering the wood with sand, it is a delicate process that is much dependant on mother nature being kind with the right weather conditions. When you hold charcoal it has a slippery feel, you will find that it will break easily into smaller shards and when you work with charcoal I recommend that you break pieces up so you have a variety of chunks, some thin and pointed, others stubby with flat sides.

Work on good thick, cold pressed, medium to heavy textured paper. The paper will need to absorb the charcoal, hence the requirement for a rough surface. Now you are ready to draw. With charcoal you are looking for the source of light on your subject. This is the paper your charcoal will never touch. It is the most important element of any charcoal drawing and provides the strange glow that no photograph could ever reproduce. Work around the light. I personally start with fine lines to contain shapes and then shade these in. As your work progresses let the lines become less evident, on portrait work charcoal is an excellent medium for capturing the texture of skin. A lot of work can be done with your finger tips. For example draw a heavy line and then see what effects can be obtained with your fingers. You can smudge the line one way only, thus keeping a sharp edge with the other side fading into the light, or you can gently smudge both sides, this give the effect of a recess where the light cannot reach. You can dab at the line with your fingertips. This will give a dappled undulating effect. Always remember, as you work, the effect of the light on your subject.

You will find that charcoal is a forgiving medium. If you are not happy with an area of work it can be almost completely erased using a normal rubber eraser. I say almost because you should always try to keep the pure white areas completely untouched. When working fine detail of tone I recommend a blob of blu tack. This can be used as a very fine point eraser. You can for example highlight the light reflection in an eye just by gently dabbing with a pointed blob of blu tack on an area you have shaded. If you wish to show reflected light on skin then very gently sweeping a larger piece of blu tack over the area will achieve the desired effect by gently lightening an area.

Finally you should alway fix your work. Fixatives can be bought from any art supplier. It is basically an aerosol can which you use to spray a thin layer of fixative over your work. This gives a fairly good resistance to smudging or loss of tone. Fixing does not stop you working on your picture but it will make you have to work a bit harder with the eraser!

As an artist there is so much to learn. I do not think you can learn about light and dark with any other medium better than charcoal. It is also good to know of the very ancient footsteps you will be following with your burnt willow stick.

Mark Robb is a practising artist based in Haworth. If you have enjoyed the article above then he invites you to browse the website http://firstforart.com/ where you will find all kinds of art materials, art prints and further advice and tips to help you become a better artist

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Van Gogh's Works

Van Gogh's works are covered in full within this article which attempts to bring you the most significant contributions from a Dutch painter who has become much loved right across the world. Vincent Van Gogh himself produced hundreds upon thousands of works at an incredibly prolific rate as he went about staving off his mental illness problems through artistic obsession which helped to drive the incredible achievements which he managed.

Vincent Van Gogh created works in many different genres such as landscapes, portraits, self-portraits and still life. Many of his still life works were of flowers such as his Sunflowers series which is regarded as part of his finest paintings of all. The artist consistently captured nature within his paintings, from still lifes of poppies and daisies to full scale landscapes scenes based in France where he commonly covered Cypress trees and irises amongst many others.

The famous works by Van Gogh came about towards the end of the 19th century when he had finally discovered his preferred method and technique for which he was later to be best remembered. The painter came about post-impressionism, after the achievements of the likes of Claude Monet had been well established and it's legacy still very strong.

Having been highly underrated during his own lifetime, the works of this artist have become amongst the most reproduced of all paintings from the past 500 years, with regular art print, poster and stretched canvas reproductions being made of Van Gogh's original works, with the most frequent including Sunflowers, Starry Night, Irises, Almond Branches in Blossom, Self-portrait, Church at Auvers and many more.

This artist is just one of many across the past few centuries whose works have not really been understood within their own lifetime but has been academically accepted some years later with the general art public also following suit.

We can conclude that the works of Van Gogh are amongst the most important and popular to have come from any artist since the Middle Ages and it is unsurprising that so many of his paintings have become well known because of the high level of quality which he consistently achieved in his later years as a painter. It is well worth taking the time to look further into the works of Vincent Van Gogh because he did create large numbers of charming paintings which go well beyond just the well known paintings that most people are aware of.

You can find Van Gogh works at Vangoghworks.org.

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Knowing The Frustration of Being An Artist

The progress of an artist is a continual self- sacrifice, a continual extinction of personality. - by Eliot, T. S..

Know what you do well.Know what inspires you.Know that small changes in your habits make small changes in your art.Know that big changes make bigger changes.Know that you are an artist.Know how you feel about your subject.Know what your art means to you.Know that the more time you put into it, the more it grows.And, know that you are not alone.

We've all heard about the artists' world having so many ups and downs. It's not just in the world of shows, acceptances and rejections or selling a painting or not, it's also in the emotions of making of our art. We have good days and bad days in creating. Some days go so smoothly, we approach the easel with confidence and turn out a wonderful painting with ease that we are proud of. The next day, we feel like we step up to the easel with a lack of confidence and have to wipe that canvas off a couple of times. On those days it seems as though we'll never get where we want to go with our art.

As artists we always strive for perfection, but know that we will probably never achieve it. But, you mustn't admit that, then you surely will never achieve that ultimate goal. Once you admit that you will never create the perfect painting, you will have stopped or at least limited yourself as an artist. So, how do you come to grips with the idea of knowing that you will probably never achieve what you aspire to and be happy with the work that you do? I have always had a tough time with this. It seems as though I am happy with my completed painting for about three days, then I look at it thinking I can do better or I would do it differently now. I find it really difficult on the paintings that I set aside for a show to ship off later. I always seem to find myself thinking, "If I did such and such to the painting, it would be a better painting. I now box them up so that I am not tempted to touch them.

I keep wondering when the time will come that I will be completely satisfied with my paintings or does that time never come? I know that I have to accept my paintings for what they are or I would never be able to move on and paint the next one. And that is what keeps me on the road to improving as an artist and striving for that perfection that I know I will never achieve. I have come to the conclusion that I have to look at each painting and know that it was the very best that I could do at that moment in time and that is a good thing.

Becky Joy is a nationally recognized artist specializing in sunsets, landscapes and still life oil paintings. Becky shares art tips, painting demonstrations and art business tips on her blog. http://beckyjoy.com/

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Artists - How to Sell Your Work to Galleries

Although this is primarily about gallery dealers, much of the information and advice and most of the perspectives and views are also applicable to people in other arts-related occupations, including art consultants, curators, critics, administrators, collectors, and artists. Some of my impressions and characterizations might seem severe, but it is not my intention to throw all of the blame for the ills and injustices in the art world on dealers, curators, and the like. Artists must also accept responsibility for the way things are, mainly because most artists, overtly, covertly, or inadvertently, participate (or try to participate) in the dog-eat-dog system. Few are trying to change it.

If I had my way, I would replace commercial galleries with a system in which artists exhibited work in their studios and sold it directly to the public. But such a system could work only if artists acquired enough self-confidence not to need gallery validations, and if the public, likewise, had the self-confidence necessary to buy work without gallery validation. Since there is a very remote chance that these events will occur in my lifetime, the next best thing for changing the system is to regulate the business practices of galleries nationwide, including policies affecting commissions, discounts, insurance, payments to artists, and the use of contracts. For the time being, since the gallery system is still very much intact and is virtually unregulated, the following opinions, advice, and observations are aimed at helping artists acquire more business savvy, more control over their careers, and more control in their relationships with those who are currently running the show.

Artists are constantly bombarded with erroneous, irresponsible, and unethical advice about the art world and art galleries. While some adv ice is exchanged through word of mouth, much of it is disseminated through articles in trade publications. Some of these articles are written by well-meaning but naive individuals who are connected to the art world in some capacity; others are written by less-than-well intentioned art-world figures whose motives are self-serving. For example, in an article from Art in America, a dealer assures readers that "a minority of dealers are strictly concerned with commercial success." However, he then condones the greedy practice of awarding dealers a commission on all studio sales.

An artist may on occasion sell a work directly from his studio to a friend or to a collector he has known before his gallery affiliation. It is the artist's ethical obligation to report such transactions to his dealer and to remit a reduced commission, commonly 20 percent, to compensate the dealer for a work he cannot offer under the usual terms of their agreement.

Another dealer advises that the fastest track into the art world is to work for a famous artist. A political scientist cum art collector encourages beginners to exhibit only in "small" places when he writes in American Artist, "Begin building your career at smaller local or regional galleries of good repute. It is too bruising to try the larger galleries in major art centres'." An arts administrator encourages artists to retreat if they are rejected by galleries, advising, "If your first search is unsuccessful, wait a year or two and try again." And a career consultant to artists states that the reason it is important to dress presentably is "so that you give the impression that you're making money somehow, presumably through your artwork.

Artists also give each other peculiar and bad advice. For example, in a book profiling contemporary artists, an artist discusses how she uses sex to get ahead: "I've been propositioned a lot: 'I'll give you a show if you sleep with me.' It happens often. Would I do it for a show? Now I would, but when I was younger I wouldn't. I wouldn't because I was a jerk." And another artist tells beginners that "one of the necessary qualities of being an artist is to not expect an awful lot, to be somewhat dense about any thoughts of what you will get out of being an artist."

If you believe everything you read you would conclude that, in order to find a gallery and succeed in the art world, you must sleep with dealers, and dress as though you have a lot of money. You should work for a famous artist, and when beginning your career, you should have low expectations and exhibit in small, local galleries. You should avoid large cities at all costs. And if you are rejected from galleries, you should retreat and wait a year or two before trying again!

Although in composite form these recommendations sound very silly, many artists, unfortunately, believe the advice to be true.

Successful artists such as Doug Hyde and Rolf Harris seem to have it easy, but they too were once struggling artists who had the same concerns and worries we all do.

Fineartshopper, stockist of Rolf Harris Prints

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Do I Need to Know How to Draw Before I Begin Painting?

I am often asked by beginning artists: Do I need to know how to draw first, before I learn how to paint oil paintings? A great question and here is my answer...

Learning how to oil paint is much different than learning how to draw, although both enhance and benefit the other. As with all skills, the art of oil painting and learning all the different nuances of using oil paint as your medium takes time, effort and practice, as do learning how to draw.

Drawing in and of itself is an 'art' and many times my art patrons have requested commission works of a 'graphite' rendering, which once done I can then turn into an oil painting, if I choose. The basis of that painting will be drawn from the work that was done in pencil or graphite; something of a color version of the black and white rendering. But there are many times that the preliminary work that is done in creating an oil painting doesn't necessarily have a pre-requisite of a drawing or even a sketch.

Depending on your skill level, many artists just simply see something they want to paint and begin! But, other times the oil painting that you wish to create is more complex or the desire is to work out a specific composition that maybe problematic.

Sometimes, it can be beneficial to render a loose drawing of the subject of your painting, thus allowing you the opportunity to fine tune some of the more intricate details of the subject matter. Other times the artist may want to work out the best composition, this is often done when drawing your inspiration from real life. It is helpful to eliminate the frills of the surrounding area of your subject matter and make the composition more simple and less cluttered to allow the subject of the oil painting to be seen in it's clarity. This type of drawing is often thumb nail size and without attention to detail. The point is to get all the objects in your painting in the right location, size and perspective and even a sense of the light and dark that maybe used, thus giving the artist a sense of where the placement of things should go on the canvas.

I find that many artists drawing skills are not as good as their painting skills, but most of us are fairly decent. I think it helps to know how to draw, but is not always a pre-requisite nor does it always make for a better painter. However, learning to draw is a skill that should be mastered as it can definitely enhance your skill as an oil painter!

Morris, J is an award winning self taught artist and invites you to get our free e-book on 'Element of Drawing' by John Ruskin just for joining us at:

http://paintinginstructions.net/

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What Is Acrylic Paint and How Can It Best Suit My Artistic Style?

Oil paints and watercolours have been used as an art medium for centuries now, while acrylic paint being invented in the 20th century is a fairly new medium. It only became available on a commercial basis in the 1950's after a gentleman named Otto Rohm; a Doctor in fact, invented acrylic resin. This acrylic resin quickly developed into the paint form we know it as today. The paint itself was very soon adapted to become water-soluble allowing for artists to explore various techniques within the medium, as the paint may be thinned using water. Once dry though it is not possible to rehydrate any washes applied. Its water-soluble nature means acrylic brushes can be washed with water before the paint has had any time to dry. This helps in keeping the costs low, as no cleaning fluids, for instance turpentine, need to be used.

Acrylic paint can also be diluted as much or as little as preferred, for a budding artist this is perfect in keeping material costs low as the dilution means you are using less paint. If you dilute the paint a considerable amount it can be used much like watercolour paint, again this is great practise for a beginner exploring the versatility of art mediums. It is also handy to note that acrylic paint dries very rapidly indeed, normally in around 20 minutes or so, given the surrounding environment. So the medium itself is not for everyone especially those who like to take considerable amounts of time over their work. On the other hand the drying time is favourable when building up paint layers and is also great if you enjoy working quickly. Another important factor to bear in mind when actually utilising acrylic paint is that it does darken upon drying so it is important to consider this when mixing colours.

In general most surfaces will suffice when it comes to using acrylic paint. Although it does adhere well to surfaces with a hint of texture and for best results artists usually prefer to stick to this method. Hardboard, canvas and textured paper are considered good options and there are many variations available for amateur and professional painters. Obviously another item to consider is the brush you will use to create your work of art. Brushes are available specific to acrylic paint and it is usually advisable to choose these options when working with that medium. Acrylic brushes are typically firmer in comparison to say watercolour brushes, and they tend to be made up of synthetic fibres rather than horse hair. It is recommended to have a general brush and a fine detail brush when you initially delve into the world of acrylic paint as this will give the best results.

iArtSupplies are established suppliers of high quality acrylic paint and other art materials.

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The Paint Is Cracking on My Painting!

"What causes the cracking in oil paints that is often seen in antique paintings?" is one of the most common questions that I am asked.

This phenomena of small cracks within the oil paint is known as crazing and is usually caused by drying times and the environmental conditions that the art has been subjected to.

It's only been in the 20th Century with our current heat and air conditioning methods that have allowed us to live within a fairly consistent indoor temperature and humidity. Prior to this, fireplaces were the most common method of heating a home and an open window was the way to cool it. This fluctuation in the environment puts stress on a work of art. The oil paint and supports, whether it is canvas or wood, actually expands and contracts.

Another factor is that artists usually create oil paintings by layering the colors. This layering process means that the paint has different drying times. Also, it was not until 1841 that paints were available to artist in metal tubes. Prior to this, the artists had to grind the pigments and mix them in the oil which meant that the oil to pigment ratio was not necessarily consistent from one color to the next which also affected the drying times.

Now, think about these different layers as similar to the tectonic plates of the earth. These plates are always expanding and contracting depending on the stress that it encounters. This shifting over the centuries have caused mountains to be formed and earthquakes to wreck havoc. This is what happens to the layers of paint, but instead of a "paint quake" you see a maze of cracks within the painting. These cracks might appear over the entire painting or just within a localized area. It is just a natural process of antique paintings.

The value of the art is not impacted by crazing unless it is very severe, with large cracks and paint loss. Restoration can usually remedy a severe problem. Most of the time, crazing stabilizes when the art is in a modern home or business.

If the area of cracked paint has a center and expands out similar to a spider web, then the canvas has experienced trauma such as being hit or poked. The canvas many not have been punctured, but over a time period the stress of the changing environment will expose the hidden damage. A good restorer can help to stabilize and support this area.

Enjoy your antique painting and the history that it represents!

Melanie Smith is one of the owners of Seaside Art Gallery which has been established since 1961. She is an accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers with a specialty in fine art and animation art.

Seaside Art Gallery specializes in original works of art. You can visit them in Nags Head, NC or on their website at http://www.seasideart.com/.

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