Archive for Art

Ceiling Art

Art

We often think of art as paintings or photographs hanging on the walls around us, or perhaps as statues freestanding on the floor. A lot of art is more or less at our eye level. If it rises above, it at least starts at our eye level. However, some of the most gorgeous art in the world has been created to be high above our heads, where we have to crane our necks to see it.

People tend to be focussed on what they can see immediately around them, and what is above is often forgotten. It takes an individual with a unique outlook on the world to create a work of art that requires a special effort to be seen and appreciated. Here are a couple of beautiful examples of ceiling art, as well as an idea to create your own special ceiling.

• The Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo in the early 16th century, is the most famous example of ceiling art in the world.

Along with the artwork on the walls of the chapel, the ceiling illustrates many of the scenes from Christian doctrine. The best-known part of the chapel ceiling shows the Creation of Adam, depicting the hand of God and the hand of Adam reaching towards each other.

• The ceiling of Grand Central Station’s terminal in New York City was painted by Paul César Helleu in 1912. It was restored in the 1930s after years of contaminants from tobacco smoke darkened it beyond recognition. A dark patch of grime was left on the ceiling to let viewers know how much work was done on the space. The original painting depicts the constellations of the Zodiac, though the stars are painted backwards. This unique view was perhaps the mistake of the artist, though when it was discovered the backers of the project insisted that Helleu got the idea from a medieval manuscript that depicted the stars as they would be seen from outside the celestial sphere.

People sometimes use fabric to form draping ceilings for different purposes. It might be to cover an unattractive existing ceiling, or to create a sense of sky indoors. No matter the purpose, a fabric ceiling has the potential to be a work of art in your own home. Choose fabric patterns and textures that both complement the space and evoke that special sense you are looking for. Let the fabric drape naturally to show off its flexibility and fluidity, and the space will instantly be transformed into your own amazing artwork.

Art Competitions

Art

There are many art competitions out there that as an artist, you can enter your work. These competitions are a good way of showcasing your work and gaining some recognition. It is expensive to set up an exhibition for your work as a struggling artist. The art competitions can save you money and give you the exposure you need and the cash prizes are not so bad as well. There are things you should consider while preparing for art competitions.

The picture you take for your art pieces represents you to the judges in a certain light. This will increase or reduce your chances for winning art competitions. You should read the instructions on the format photos that need to be submitted. The era of films is coming to an end and digitals are taking over. Most entries in digital forms have specific criteria mostly to be submitted and depend on the number of pixels.

Framing your art is important in art competitions. The frame you present your work in speaks volumes about your piece. Scratched and cheap looking frames lower the quality of your work. Most buyers want to buy pieces and hang them immediately in their houses. If it has a bad frame they might think it is not worth the cost or time to wait. Frame your work creatively though within your budget margin. If the painting doesnt win the art competitions you can always re-use the frame.

If the art that you want to enter in the art competitions needs to be framed in glass, it is important to take this into consideration. You might decide to use the regular glass or a more expensive non-reflective glass. The best glass is the non reflective glass. This type of glass does not reflect any other objects to your piece. The regular glass will reflect anything that the light falls on. As a result of this, your true image will not be displayed to buyers. You might lose the art competition due to this. People might miss out on the real image.

If you want to enter a competition in other areas you might need to ship your pieces. Consider the cost of shipping and other costs needed. You have to buy a sturdy box to ship your pieces. In addition to this, an agency that is designated by the competitions organizers will also need to be paid. It should be within a budget you can afford.

Modern Art

Art

Modern art is something that many people do not understand. There are many a contemporary oil painting that features modern art that could find places in our homes, but the majority will choose landscape oil paintings rather than the more contemporary oil painting. This is because a lot of people don’t really understand modern art and will look at it as just a series of shapes or colours that don’t ‘look like’ anything, and which they could recreate using their current art abilities. However this is a big injustice and it really misses the point of modern art.

The idea behind landscape oil paintings or oil paintings of objects or subjects is to look like that thing. With impressionism it is to ‘suggest’ that image with less detail. However in either case, the painting is very simply of something that the artist has seen. This does not really take that much imagination arguably and for fans of modern art it can seem almost bland to just recreate something that is already there.

With modern art and many contemporary oil paintings, the idea is to paint something that isn’t there, and that you can’t see. Here shapes, lines, splashes of paint, or sometimes ‘proper’ likenesses of objects – are used to convey an emotion or a feeling. Often the purpose of modern art is not straight away apparent to the viewer and in this sense it can be something of a challenge to them to try and work out what it is that the artist was trying to convey. In some cases the modern art will be ‘open to interpretation’ and this way the viewer can project their own ideas onto the canvas this way making the painting almost collaborative. As they convey emotion or ideas, then they can evoke a far more emotional reaction than just a landscape and can be thought provoking, uplifting – even sometimes disturbing.

The great thing about this then is that it makes you think – you look at it and you have to decide what it says and what statement it’s making. At the same time some of the modern art that you find on display involves incredible imagination – combining images and ideas, even different styles of painting that you would not have elsewhere. If you have a painting of some fruit on your wall, then people won’t notice it. However if you have a painting of modern art then this will attract attention and probably start a conversation.

Sumerian Art

More than 4000 years ago the Sumerians settled in the valleys of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. The Sumerians were the first human race to form a settlement and brought to an end the nomadic existence of humans till then. With settlement and forming of cities, the Sumerian inventions changed the way all of us live today. Things that we take for granted today like farming, calendar, wheels were all Sumerian inventions. Writing was discovered and the Sumerian art and culture was sophistication in itself. The Sumerian art can be easily separated into ritual objects, state objects and personal objects.

Dating from 2400 BC, archaeologists have found smooth, perfected and idealized features of the classical period in Sumerian art. Some of the portraits are in marble and others in black-gray diorite. Excavations have unearthed great skill and artistry in Sumerian art.

Sumerian art was complex and ornate with clay being the most abundantly used material. Stone, wood and metal had to be imported into Sumer. Painting and sculpture was the main median used and art was primarily used for religious purposes.

Sumerian art had Three-dimensional statuettes made of marble with an obvious hierarchy of size. The tallest statues were of the vegetation God almost about 30 inches in height. A number of statutes and sculptures were religious and depicted the mother goddess. Mother goddesses were worshipped in the hope of bringing fertility to women and crops. These were the next tallest statues. Smaller than these were the priests and the smallest were the worshippers. All statues have their heads uplifted and hands clasped with cylindrical bodies devoid of any gender differentiation.

The clasped hands are the pose of supplication or portraying ‘wanting or waiting for something’. In Sumerian art the entire body of the statues is simple except the faces. This reinforces the power of the face with dominating eyes. The vast eyes would be inlaid with colored stones or enamel making them stand out.

These figures were stand ins used during religious rituals. The rituals involved leaving the stand-ins at the temple when a person died. These large eyed statues seemed to speak as they stared open eyed offering supplication to the gods on behalf of whoever donated them to the temples.

Interstitial Art

Art

The concept of interstitiality

The word interstitial means “between spaces,” and is commonly used to denote “in-betweenness” in several different cultural contexts. Architects refer to the leftover gaps between building walls as “interstitial space,” being neither inside any room nor outside the building. Medical doctors have used the term for hundreds of years to refer to a space within the human body that lies in between blood vessels and organs, or in between individual cells. Television station programmers refer to any short piece of content that is neither a show nor a commercial, but is sandwiched between them, as “an interstitial.”

How art can be interstitial

Take fiction as an example: If a librarian isn’t sure where to shelve a book, that may be because the material is interstitial in some way, not fitting comfortably into a single, conventional literary category.

For instance, when novelist Laurell K. Hamilton first began writing and publishing romances featuring vampires and fairies, bookstores faced a dilemma: How do you file these stories when you’re working in a system that clearly labels one shelf for romances, a second shelf for fantasies, and a third shelf for tales of horror? There’s no single, obvious answer, because such a novel is interstitial fiction, its essence residing somewhere in between the boundaries of these genres.

Or consider the performance artist Laurie Anderson: She might go onstage and sing, tell a spoken-word story, project shadow puppets on a screen, and play a hacked violin whose bow is strung with audio tape. Is she a singer, a monologist, a puppeteer, or some kind of tinkering instrumentalist? Classifying such an act as interstitial performance art would be imprecise but efficient and accurate.

The interstitial arts movement

In the mid-1990s, Delia Sherman, Ellen Kushner, Terri Windling, Heinz Insu Fenkl, Midori Snyder, Kelly Link, Gavin Grant, Gregory Frost, Theodora Goss, Veronica Schanoes, Carolyn Dunn,Colson Whitehead, and other American writers interested in fantastic literature found themselves commiserating over the common perception that the genre-oriented publishing industry found it difficult to market truly innovative fiction involving unusual, fantastical, or cross-genre elementsecause the mainstream literary fiction field demanded stories based in realism, while the fantasy field demanded stories that mostly followed the standard conventions of sword and sorcery or high fantasy. Yet it seemed to the authors that some of the best literature was that which didn’t quite fit tidily into either category but instead was being discussed in terms of more amorphous, “in-between” descriptors such as “magic realism,” “mythic fiction,” or “the New Weird.” Further, the idea of interstitiality applied to other kinds of “in-between” fiction (unrelated to fantasy) and other “in-between” arts.

Art supplies

Art

If you love to indulge in a spot of painting or sketching then obtaining the right art supplies is essential. It does not matter if you are a professional artist or just like to create lovely images as a relaxing pastime as you need to be sure that your end portrait or landscape drawing turns out as perfectly as possible. Art supplies which are of a shoddy, substandard quality will set you back somewhat, and will leave you out of pocket and back to square one. If you have a creative flair then it is integral that you express yourself in the most productive and proficient way possible, and the best art supplies really make pictures come to life! If you choose to procure top notch art supplies then it truly makes a difference to the end product.

Paintandart.co.uk specialises in the most sought after art supplies which are affordable to boot! It is impossible not to be tempted by our lovely art supplies as they are so widespread and extensive.

We all know how important it is to get your personality across if you are creating a masterpiece, and these art supplies reflect this individuality perfectly as they are extremely diverse, and we will alter and modify all art supplies in order to cater for any specific personal preferences and requirements. From pastels to paintbrushes, pencils to easels – there are art supplies for everyone!

Indeed, you will be completely spoilt for choice when you see our fantastic art supplies, and we can absolutely guarantee that you will not walk away empty handed. Our client care is truly exceptional, and we design all our art supplies with the greatest care and attention to detail. Who could ask for more? We even have children’s art supplies which will encourage your little ones to be as inventive as possible, and they will be entertained for hours! Our relationship with our ever-expanding customers is excellent, as we know exactly what is required to ensure that you return time and time again in order to secure these fabulous art supplies.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated, as we always strive to update and modernise or collection of art supplies and art materials in order to adapt to ever changing modes and trends. Visit us today at http://www.paintandart.co.uk and pick up a bargain! Let your imagination run wild!

Sun Art

Art

Sun art is one of the most fabulous summer gift options around. Would you like to learn more about how sun art can brighten your day or the days and lives of someone you care about? There are so many fabulous ways that you can use sun0inspired decor to make the most of a great room, add some sunshine in your life or give a great friend something they will always remember.

For many centuries people have marveled at the beauty of the sun. Sun art was created by our people hundreds of years ago as a way to pay tribute to the heavenly body that shines upon us every day. It was drawn in ancient caves, painted on rocks and walls and much more. It has been sculpted from clay, glass and even metal and used to design many different types of art and home décor.

What are some occasions when you might enjoy giving sun art as gifts?

• Birthdays

• Anniversaries

• Beginning of summer

• 4th of July

• Easter

• Any occasion

Sun art isn’t just for gifts.

It can make a great addition to any room in your home. Whether you are decorating a new room or renovating an existing room, there are many great options for you that also work with many types and styles of home decor.

Metal suns, sun clocks, wall hangings, wall decor, mirrors, night lights and much more are all available when you shop online. These items allow you to brighten the room and make your walls feel extra special. Allow a little sunshine in to smile on you each and every day. These clocks and wall hangings make great décor for an office, kitchen or even a bathroom. Virtually anywhere in your home that you can use a little extra sun now and again, sun decor gets the job done.

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metal sun decor (1)

Art school

Art

The United Kingdom has a tradition of art and design education which is many hundreds of years old, and based on this tradition, continues to offer a wide range of courses of the highest quality, in an environment which gives excellent support to every aspect of study.

For complete details about study in uk, visit abroad education corner.

Subjects and Levels of Study

Post-school art and design courses are offered in a range of subject areas, and at three levels. Foundation, Access and Diploma courses accept students directly from school or college at ages between 16 and 18. Degree and Honours Degree programmes accept students who already have Foundation or Diploma qualifications, and also accept the transfer of students into the second or third year of courses if they have appropriate diploma or higher diploma qualifications.

Further study is offered at post-graduate level, ranging from taught Masters degree programmes, through Masters by research, to Doctoral qualifications by research or practice, or a combination of the two.

Foundation level courses are usually one year long, degree courses are usually three years in duration, and post-graduate programmes last between one and three years, depending on the qualification and subject. Many courses allow professional placement opportunities, and a variety of part-time and flexible learning possibilities exist.

Art and design education in Britain is remarkable for its diversity. Broad subject definitions include Design, Fine Art and History, and Theory of Art and Design. Design based courses are offered in a huge range of disciplines from craft based areas such as Furniture Design, Ceramics, Textile Design, and Silversmithing and Jewellery, through Fashion, Graphic Design, Product and Automotive Design, to areas such as design for Multi Media and the electronic environment, including digital graphics and animation. Fine Art provides courses ranging from those in traditional disciplines such as Painting, Sculpture and Printing, through courses concerned with Performance and Installation, and those which relate to lens-based and electronic media.

Courses in the History and Theory of Art and Design range from those dealing with Art History, through courses in Curatorship, Conservation and Museum Studies, and those which combine the study of theory with other practical subjects such as painting, or with study of other disciplines such as philosophy, sociology or history. Most courses contain vocational elements which assist graduates in progressing to appropriate professional destinations, though these elements range in type and delivery from simple business and professional study elements to specific subject-focused live projects.

Buying Art

Art

What does buying art mean to you? Visiting art galleries and museums, enjoying reproductions of your favorite painters in the living room? Let’s imagine you are an art collector who has infinite amount of money and you want to buy an artwork you have been dreaming about all your life. To do this, you decide to wear your best lounge suit and visit the world’s biggest art auction houses. Below you will find some brief information about the five biggest art auction houses in the world.

Christie’s

Christie’s, one of the world’s leading art business and global auction houses, is named after its founder James Christie, who conducted the first sale in London in 1766. Private sales in 2009 totaled 2.1 billion/$ 3.3 billion. Christie’s has 53 offices in 32 countries and 10 salerooms around the world offering over 450 sales annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. In November 2006, May 2007, and June 2007, the company hosted the five highest grossing art auctions of all time.

Sotheby’s

The firm of Sotheby’s, established in 1744, is another of the world’s leading auctioneers of fine art painting, antiques, jewellery, sculpture and precious objects, with a global network of over 100 offices and salesrooms. In 2000, Sotheby’s became the first international art auction house to hold auctions on the Internet. By using MySotheby’s you can easily track lots and create wishlists that can be automatically updated as new works became available. In addition, Sotheby’s opened its traditional saleroom auctions to Internet bidding through the eBay Live Auctions service.

Currently the most expensive painting ever sold, No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock, was sold by private sale via Sotheby’s, in 2006.

Bonhams

One of the world’s fastest growing auction houses, it is also the world’s oldest and largest auctioneer of fine art and antiques still run by auctioneers, established in 1793 in London. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries, and sales are held in the UK, United Sates, Sydney, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Dubai. In May 2007 Bonhams launched a twice yearly South African Sale, becoming the first international auction house to hold a sale of South African art outside of the country.

Dorotheum

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