Watercolor Paintings – Why You Should Try It

Paintings add up to the beauty of homes, offices, and business establishments. If you have the skill to paint, you should try to develop it. Learn more about painting by enrolling in painting classes or you can research about it online. Whether you're an adult, teenager, or a kid, learning how to paint is not that difficult especially if you put your heart into it. While you're trying to find a media to use, perhaps you might want to try watercolor paintings.

You can express your chosen subject matter through the use of watercolors. In fact, there are many advantages in using this media over other types of media. It is also a beautiful way to convey your feelings through your painting.

Here are some of the best reasons why you should try watercolor painting.

1. It is easy – as compared to other types of painting, watercolor painting is really easy and you can expect better results in a very short time.

2. Fast – there are certain techniques that you should learn in watercolor painting. Once you learn such techniques, you can do quick washes and spontaneous strokes. This is the beauty of watercolor painting and you can finish your piece in less than an hour and the greatest thing is that you will get satisfying results.

3. Great for people who are always on the go – if you travel often, carrying watercolor kits is not a problem. The kits are lightweight and come with compact boxes that you can carry around with ease. The paper used in watercolor painting can be purchased in blocks so you don’t need a lot of space. Preparing the papers needed is also not required.

4. Does not smudge – as compared to charcoal and pastel, watercolor painting doesn’t smudge.

5. Dries quickly – in several minutes, your art piece is already dry. But if you use oil paints for your painting, it would take days or even weeks before the piece dries up completely.

6. Watercolor is also a fluid – because of its nature, with only a few strokes, you can already fill large areas.

7. 'Accidents' can contribute to your creativity – you don’t have to worry about accidents during watercolor painting because it can magically develop into something beautiful. You can even pour the watercolor on the paper as you start your painting and see what designs it can create.

8. Watercolor painting is versatile in look and style – you can do illustrational works as well as abstract arts. You can experiment in some designs that you haven't done before and it will all depend on your skill and creativity.

Experts say that using watercolor is hard because the artist or painter can't control it easily. For beginners, here’s a good advice – let the watercolor's magic work. Don’t interfere at first and see the designs it can create and start painting from there. Allow endless explorations and you can surely enjoy your creativity for the rest of your life.

As an art lover, you already know that sometimes beautiful paintings come as accidents. But this should not be the reason to stop practicing. If you frequently practice, in time, you will be able to control your strokes and create more artistic and unique watercolor paintings. Never stop learning because by doing so, you can develop more interesting and artistic ideas that you can use in your paintings.
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Nature Paintings: A Great Addition to Your Living Room

Do you live in a condo or in a city where a single tree is a very rare sight? Do you want to get out of your concrete world and visit a place where nature is unspoiled and that the view is fantastic and awe inspiring? If you are, then the next best thing to do than pack your bags, leave the city and your work is by getting a nature painting hanged in your living room or in your office.

You have to face the fact that in today's world, going on trips to a secluded and unspoiled spot in the world is very expensive. Also, with today's hectic lifestyle, you will find it hard to go on vacation and leaving your work. Surely you wouldn’t want to go on vacation with your laptop with you just to work, would you?

If you want to experience the sight of nature every single day, the best thing that you can do is by purchasing a painting that depicts the wonder of nature. If you have a knack for painting, you can try painting nature yourself.

The great thing about painting nature by yourself is that you will be able to paint nature that way you want it to be. This means that you will be able to have your very own special place in your living room or in your office.

The great thing about most nature paintings is that it is very relaxing. The sheer beauty of the view of a waterfall and lush rain forest is something that cannot be compared to a smog-filled air in the city or a view of skyscrapers and cars bustling around the highways.

Whether it is winter nature paintings you want or the view of the ocean and even the Grand Canyon, you can be sure that there are quite a lot of depictions of nature in paintings.

Just keep in mind that great nature paintings don't last really long with the artist. With the popularity of this type of painting continuing to rise, it will be quite hard for you to get your hands on one. You will see that many people like you will also be looking for the similar nature paintings that you are looking for. So, you might want to visit the art galleries where shows are being held regularly in order for you to choose the painting you want before someone else purchases it.

You might want to take a look at some of the works of artists who paints nature through the internet. You will see that in order to sell their paintings, most artists will use the internet to advertise their paintings that is available for sale. You have to remember that most professional artists will only make the painting once. So, before it is too late, you might want to purchase the painting you want right away.

So, if you want a great addition to your home that will truly relax you and give you a piece of nature, you might want to purchase a nature painting. With this type of painting, you will be able to enhance the appearance of your home and you will also have something that will be able to take your imagination away from the busy city and into the heart of nature.
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Oil Painting – To Collect or to Invest ?

There are many styles and techniques used in painting. Painters also use a variety of media like pastel colors, water colors, natural colors, oil, and many others. You can paint in any surface such as rocks, walls, cardboard, canvas, paper, and lots more. However, there are only a few valuable paintings that exist and among them are oil paintings. At present, you can still find original classic paintings done by famous painters.

Precious oil paintings can be found in private collections and museums and these original classics are worth millions. Museums are the perfect place to see these art works and you can always visit them during their business hours. Private collectors on the other hand are sometimes hard to find. But with the use of the internet, you can get in touch with them online. There are different reasons why some people collect art works. It can be for investment purposes or for personal enjoyment. Whatever the reason, you too can start collecting or investing on oil paintings.

Original paintings are very expensive but now you can purchase oil paintings that are a replica of the original ones. Now, this is a more affordable way to collect some of your favorite paintings. At present, there are many big companies that sell reproductions of the original paintings. The company simply asks the customers of the painting that they want to purchase. The company then commissions a skilled oil painter to do the work for them. The customer can choose the material and size of the painting.

Aside from the famous original classics, you can also have your favorite photograph or cherished painting translated into an oil painting. There are some companies that commission portraits and other art works. If you don’t know what to purchase, you can visit the galleries of the companies online. There you can browse the different pages by genres or themes. After that, you can now choose the painting that you like. Some companies allow price negotiations while others have already set their prizes. Find a suitable company who can cater to your oil painting needs and most especially, one that will suit your budget.

If you want to learn more about oil paintings, you can visit art museums and join the educational tours. You will learn many things like how to take good care of your oil paintings and how to give value to them. You see, oil paintings are easily damaged if you don’t provide enough care for them. Things like excessive humidity, extreme temperatures, and harsh sunlight can destroy your paintings.

if this is your first time to collect oil paintings, you must read books about oil painting. Visit galleries and museums to learn more. If you want to invest and make money out of your collections, you can consult investment firms because you may be able to find an investment portfolio. The portfolio includes precious oil paintings, and you can either keep them or sell them.

Oil paintings are still in demand at present. With the increasing demand year after year, one can't really tell the value of oil paintings in the future. So if you want to invest and at the same collect your favorite oil paintings, you should start browsing the net now and learn more about oil paintings. With more knowledge about oil painting, it will be a lot easier to invest or even collect the paintings.
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Useful Ideas for Face Painting for Beginners

There are many styles and techniques used in painting. Some painters paint over canvas, stones, walls, paper, and many others. But did you know that face painting is gaining popularity over the years?

Face painting started many years ago. In fact, ancient people already practiced face paintings like the Egyptians and many other tribes. Today, people love face painting. It gives them pleasure and at the same time, they are also having fun. If you want to learn face painting, you should make use of these ideas for face painting.

If this is your first time to do face painting, you have to gather much information about the topic. You can read a face painting book or you can also watch videos that teach beginners how to do face painting. If you want, you can also search the net for useful information regarding this particular work of art. Study the information you've gathered.

After that, go to an art shop and purchase paints, paint brushes, sponges, and other materials that you will use. If you want to improve your skills in face painting, you will have to practice. As the saying goes – practice makes perfect. If you simply leave the paints, brushes, and all your other art materials lying around, you will not learn anything. During your vacant time or when you're just relaxing and doing nothing, pick up your brush and start painting.

You have to have someone who you can practice with but just make sure that you practice with an older child or an adult. Having small children around is not a good idea as they have shorter attention span. They will only be fidgety and you can't do a good job. By having an adult or a much older child, you can practice without any complaints. The person should also be interested in face painting so that you will not encounter any problems and difficulty.

When you're already face painting, apply only thin coats of paint. Don’t apply a think coating or layer otherwise, the design will tend to crack and cake.

If you need to apply two or more layers of paint, let the first layer dry first. Once the first layer is completely dry, you can now apply the second layer. To outline the shapes you're making, you can make use of makeup pencils. You can also purchase this in art shops.

Don’t try difficult designs like symmetrical ones. You can do this if you're already experienced. For starters, you can do animals because it is not very detailed when it comes to the designs on both sides of the face. Painting a butterfly is difficult because it is a symmetrical design. You have to wait until you're ready for that.

Try to use your imagination. You can create small tattoos or stamps like spiders, snakes, lizards, and many others. You can use temporary tattoos as reference but make sure that you choose one that is appropriate for face painting.

The internet offers many possibilities. If you're really artistic and you came up with unique ideas for face painting, you can make your own collections and build your own site. This way, you can create your hobby into a business.

Face painting can remove stress and tension. Practice this excellent work of art. Once you've developed the skill, you can try the more difficult techniques or styles.
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The Cave Paintings of Trois Freres

Helpless romantics dream of traveling to France for a number of reasons. The country is quite well-known for its romantic places and atmosphere. But did you know that there's more to see in France aside from the lovely romantic places? Yes, that's true and one is the cave paintings of Trois Freres.

Not all individuals appreciate paintings. Oftentimes, it depends on the person's taste and interests. If you're interested in cave paintings, you can also find some of them in France. Trois Freres shows fascinating images about the people of prehistoric times. Visiting the cave is like exploring the world many years ago. You can learn a lot from the paintings, but only if you appreciate them.

Though people lived primitively thousands of years ago, they seem to know quite a lot. They knew about the different patterns and seasons of life. The seasonal variations and their food supplies are the determining factors between living or dying. The cave paintings in France show this great knowledge about the ancestors of the French people.

Translated in English, Trois Freres means Three Brothers. The paintings on the cave show indistinct images of animals and certain figures which experts believe to be a shaman. Trois Freres attracted international attention because of the depictions in the cave. The paintings are found in the far corners of the cave and so you have to go deeper to be able to get a good glimpse of such a work of art.

The paintings have a graphical nature and was skillfully drawn. You can easily make out the figures to be beasts and cattle surrounding a high figure that reaches the cave roof. This central figure is about 70 cm or 2 1/2 ft tall and appears to be half human and half animal. The figure has deer antlers and wears a mask with an eye of an owl. Below the mask is a beard and the hands are hidden within bear paws or lion paws. The back of the figure can be compared to that of a certain animal and somehow it appears that the figure is wearing an animal skin of some sort. The figure has an erect penis covered by a fox tail.

Experts called the figure 'Animal Master' and if you want to see the picture of the cave painting, you can go to France or you can search the net and simply type the words 'Trois Freres'. Find a link that will show you the painting itself. You can use any of the popular search engines in order to get a glimpse of the cave painting.

If you try to conduct a research on the net, you can read many speculations and comments about the cave painting. The painting is like the sketchpad of the prehistoric people. Animals or beasts were drawn on top of one another. Experts believed that the paintings are more than 14,000 years old or even longer.

Today, painters and other artists treat art as a process. It is the expression, recording, and reflection of the divine or inner nature of the artist. But did the primitive artists view art in the same way? Perhaps there's more to their drawings that what modern experts and artists can understand.

You can find other cave paintings in Asia and in Europe. To better understand the paintings, just allow your imagination to take over. Read more...

Japanese Paintings: Adding Elegance in Your Home

Japan is known for its extraordinary customs and traditions. In everything the Japanese people do, there are rituals that look so elegant. Even the art of painting in Japan has its very own distinctive style. Influenced by the Chinese, you will see that Japanese paintings will give elegance and grace to any room. Even if the paintings aren’t really that realistic, the colors used and the details look so exquisite.

In the past, Japanese houses, especially houses of noblemen were adorned with paintings. You will see that the masterpieces of Japanese paintings are very popular nowadays that some can even reach millions of dollars in its price tag.

The great thing about Japanese paintings is that it creates a certain grace to any room you put it in. It is very elegant to look at and the colors are fantastically well balanced that it provides harmony to the room that it is hanged on.

Although some paintings in Japan are now influenced by Western style painting, it is still very distinctive and majority of the style comes from Japan and other eastern influences.

If you want to add a certain elegance in your living room or in your office, Japanese paintings are the way to go. With it, you will be able to entertain your guests and also introduce the eastern culture.

Because Japanese paintings are very rich in color and uses a distinct style, you will be able to see that the natural colors are so well-blended that it will have great effect on any lighting situations.

Japanese paintings use warm colors and mix it with vibrant ones.

Also, the great thing about Japanese paintings is that the lines are also very balanced accordingly that it will provide a great effect to the environment. Whether it is a nature painting or portrait that you want, you can be sure that Japanese paintings will be able to awe and capture its audience.

Japanese paintings are so well made that it has captured the hearts of many people. By taking one look at a Japanese painting, you will see that it will create a sense of space and aesthetic beauty to any room you place it in.

Popular types of Japanese paintings have subjects, such as landscapes, famous Japanese places, spectacular scenery, and everyday activities of Japanese people in the past as well as beautiful geishas or women.

Japanese paintings will provide you with a sense of harmony and space. Just the sheer beauty of Japanese paintings is enough to capture your heart and will definitely make you want to own one.

These are the things that you have to remember about Japanese paintings. If you really want an authentic Japanese painting, you will want to try visiting Japan. Here, you will see that there are a lot of paintings to choose from made by real professional Japanese artists. However, there are also some Japanese artists who make their work in the United States. Some can even make it in Japan and is available for sale online.

Whichever you choose and whatever your taste is, you can be sure that Japanese paintings will have the right painting for you. With a Japanese painting hanging in your living room, you can be sure that it will not only awe your guests in astonishment of the sheer beauty of the painting, but also provide harmony and elegance to the room you place it in. Read more...

Take the Country to your Home with Landscape Paintings

Not many of us are fortunate enough to be able to have a magnificent view of Mother Nature’s work, the hills, mountains, forests, and other exotic natural wonders that are awe-inspiring and simply breathtaking.

If you live in the city, especially a big one, then it’s highly likely that when you look around you all you see is concrete, steel and glass. A tree may be visible here and there but it’s incomparable to the unspoiled and pure beauty of nature.

To experience this, some people spend thousands of dollars to go to an exotic place and have a solemn vacation just relaxing and absorbing the beauty of nature around them. Unfortunately though, not many of us have the money or the time to do this. One consolation or alternative would be having landscape paintings in your home.

Generally, having a landscape painting inside your home is a great way to add up to your interiors aesthetics. Depending on the kind of atmosphere you want to bring inside your home, there are numerous types of landscape paintings that you can choose from. If you are concerned about the money you are going to spend, there are reproduction paintings that you can purchase that are every affordable, but they don’t really exude the same class and quality of an original.

Not all original landscaping paintings have high prices. There are landscape paintings from new yet very talented artists from all over the world that you can purchase and who knows, in the future that artist may become big and famous and your painting can be a classic.

Once again though, the choice you make when purchasing a landscape painting depends on you. Are you an avid fan of a certain exotic landscape? You may have gone to Japan and saw Mt. Fuji, then you were greatly impressed by its cone shape, you may have a Japanese landscape painting done and put it in a Japanese themed room.

Maybe you want to have the Grand Canyons adorning your living room; this can also be a great idea for a room enhancer. Whichever landscape you want, even your own backyard, you can have an artist do it for you.

But it doesn’t end there. Even if you don’t have an idea of which landscape painting you want, you can easily find many different landscape paintings in art galleries in your area, or if you don’t have the time,. You can just go online and find the numerous websites that offer this type of paintings.

Many artists and art galleries have already put up their websites and are showcasing their work in their sites. Here you will be able to browse their uploaded works of art and be able to choose the size, theme and medium of the landscape painting that will perfectly fit the mood that you are aiming for.

It doesn’t really matter if the landscape painting you got is priced low or is a work of a famous painter, what you need is the depth of the painting that can give life to your room. Remember, what you design in your home reflects your taste and your character. A landscape painting may indeed become the focal point of a room, but it is you who will decide how this is presented. Read more...

Important Information on Paintings for Would Be Painters

Man, as its essence of his or her humanity, is constantly fascinated and curious in all sorts of things. Because of this, man was able to create many wonders in this world and he can use them to his own advantage. Many years ago, man also took interest in painting. In fact, you can see paintings all over the world.

During the prehistoric times, painting was already being practiced. Many cave paintings were found in Mexico, India, and France. Today, the cave paintings in Adamgarh and Bhimbetka are still clearly visible. Even the colors used by the prehistoric people look lively and fresh.

Surrounding regions such as meadows, moors, rivers, hills, clouds, skies, seas, people, birds, and animals reflect human disposition. The vibrancy and colorfulness of the entire surroundings served as man's inspiration to recreate nature's magic on caves, rocks, canvas, walls, paper, cloths, and many other surfaces. Paintings are given variety through the use of various media such as water colors, oil colors, pastel, and a lot more.

Paintings are considered as an art forms. Through the years, the works of outstanding artists were considered phenomenal. Great painters included Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, M. F. Husain, and Pablo Picasso. These painters had their own specializations and they used different styles as shown on their paintings.

Paintings have existed for thousands of years now and people have witnessed the emergence of diverse painting styles. Very few painters became popular but this does not discourage other ordinary painters to stop making works of art.

Here are the recognized painting styles – Fauvism, Constructivism, Abstract Art, Classicism, Aestheticism, Aboriginal Art, Art Nouveau, Art Brut, Byzantine Art, Baroque, Cubism, Dragging, Dada, Encaustic, Expressionism, Gothic, Impressionism, Marbling, Mannerism, Modernism, Minimalism, Neoclassicism, Primitivism, Stippling, Ragging, Realism, Surrealism, Spattering, Symbolism, Wood Graining, and Theorem.

A lot of artists love folk and tribal paintings because of their distinct touch. The natural colors, simplicity, and the local themes being used attracted many art admirers. If you visit India, you will find a lot of folk and tribal paintings dating hundreds of years. When you get the chance to travel to India, try to visit Bihar and Mithila's Madhubani paintings, Maharashtra's Warli paintings, Orissa's Pata Chitra, and Rajasthan's Phad paintings. If you ask tourist guides, you will find out that there are still many painting art works that you can check out.

Whether you're a painter or simply an art lover, you will surely find peace and serenity by just staring at the paintings. You can only appreciate the beauty of paintings if you know a true work of art. Sometimes, it's quite hard to understand the meaning of paintings. For instance, not all individuals appreciate an abstract painting. It will depend on the individual's taste and perception.

Some people love to collect paintings. It can add to your home's beauty and overall design. You can find expensive paintings, as well as cheap ones. If you want, you can shop for paintings online because you will have a wide range of choices there. There are also local painting shops that you can visit. But if you're really into painting, perhaps you might want to try it on your own. Find a suitable medium and work on your own painting.

Paintings are already part of human existence. People should learn to appreciate it. Research more about paintings online and see how they have developed and evolved for thousands of years. Read more...