Artistic Styles and Definitions

~ as collected from different sources

Abstract - Action painting ~ attention to mainly colour, design, rhythm and new ways of applying paint - 20th century

Baroque ~ 17th century Italy. When the term was first used it was meant to describe art of the bizarre or bad taste. Now used to describe art it only means a period of European art from 1600 - 1750 (between the end of the Renaissance in 1500's to the beginning of Modernism in later 1700's). The style of Baroque art varies between countries.

Cubism ~ founded by Picasso & Georges Braque - 1908 - 1920's. Cubism paved the way for the Futurism style.

Dada ~ Dadaists set the stage for the style of surrealism. They wrote nonsense poetry and created nonsense art to express their beliefs that traditional values had become meaningless.

Expressionism ~ Began around the 1880's. This period style reveals the artists inner feelings through paint and steers away from a realistic representation of objects and scenes. The paintings were also constructed to arouse emotions of the viewer and subject matter often included distorted shapes, figures, vivid colours and frightening scenes.

Impressionism ~ Began the first phase of the Modern art movement. Painters used lighter, cheerful colours and subject matter was informal compared to the art people were use to at approx. 1860 in Paris. Artists would dab pure unmixed pigment directly onto the canvas and not mix it first on a palette. At the beginning of the Impressionism movement this painting style was not liked by many until much later.

Neoclassicism ~ placed great importance on power of reason & as a way of discovering the truth. Often called the Age of Reason. (1750 - 1800)

Realism ~ a style representing the external world. In the 20th century Realism means a style that is moving away from abstraction and toward representational art. It can also mean art that sees reality as the inner truth.

Renaissance ~ means rebirth in Italian. The early part of the Renaissance period is sometimes called the Middle Ages. During this time Italians became interested in the arts of ancient Greece and
Rome and their beauty. These scholars of the rebirth interest were called Humanists meaning culture. Renaissance artists used nature for inspiration. (as early as 1420 - 1600)

Rococo ~ refers to a decorative style of art during the 18th century in France - up to about 1760's. Rococo comes from the French word meaning 'bits of rocky decoration'. In this period painters used pastel colours, quick & delicate movements and intricate decoration.

Romanticism ~ Came about as a reaction to Neoclassicism in Europe. These artists wanted to emphasize the power of imagination (18^th & 19th centuries). Their subjects were often taken from nature, biblical or supernatural ideas. Radiant colours and curved lines were used but Romanticism in different countries meant something different.

Surrealism ~ This style of painting is based on fantasy and the world of dreams. The style first a appeared in 1924 by a poet and caught the interest of painters. The style is influenced by the theories of Sigmund Freud who believed many important thoughts and feelings were buried deep in the unconscious mind. Surrealism influenced the abstraction expressionism movement.

Realism vs Impressionist

The brain to hand communication is sometimes not what you’d expect. Most times, for me. However, I understand how my brain works – I think in realism. Painting in realism also comes easy for my hands. I’m fairly good at painting what I see not what I think I see. But when I enjoy a painting it is another story. I enjoy the beauty and artistic-ness (?!?) of the Impressionists.

I so would like to be able to think in the impressionist style. Trying the style out, to me, feels like learning a new language – slow and incomprehensible
to say the least.

I copied a painting of the House of Pere Lacroix by Paul Cezanne. At first the idea of colouring the roof of the house green, blue, orange, yellow, teal, Indian red, etc. etc. was REALLY weird. (This is how thinking “impressionist” is very difficult). Slowly, step by step I painted and stood back and the picture seemed to work. The more I painted, the more I truly enjoyed this free (wild-thinking) style. By the time I was done I was so amazed that I had “done” it!

It was so free, so un-anal, so loose, so fun……………..

I also think painting like the impressionist would suit me because I love to dab little brush strokes.

My goal is to paint in the Impressionist Style!

I’ll continue to study and try this new style -- and loosen up and break out and enjoy a new way – the way I felt very comfortable with once I got going!

What a great surprise to find it wasn’t as difficult as I thought.

Now I have to do it again!!

*Smiles

What makes a bad painting?

I’ve just completed another oil painting. Each and every square inch, observed separately, I’m happy with. I paid attention to composition, value, colour, same family colour mixing, detail, etc. Yet when I stand back something is amiss. It’s confusing. I can’t lay my finger on it. This is so frustrating! If I only knew what was wrong with the painting, I could work on it. Why doesn’t it grab me?

Experiencing Art

Experiencing & Explaing Art...hee, hee
.....NOW ..... YOU ..... KNOW !!!

video link

Being Born to Canvas

Composing: Some of the oil paintings I do can take weeks to finish. I usually spend a couple of good days on the composition and arrangement. I layer the oil paints and each layer can take a week or two depending on the thickness and colour to cure enough to paint over with another layer. My favourite stokes are dry brushing and impasto. I mix almost all my colours from the primaries. Its so exciting to watch the movement and emotions come alive on canvas giving each scene its own essence and liveliness. Starting can feel slow with little visual progress.

Shaping: I turn the music up to volume 10 and really get into the shapes and colours. Large arm movements help define areas. Sometimes several passes are necessary to establish the right look.I can spend a few days in this stage depending on the subject.

Highlights: This is where I putter, tinker, doodle. I love to dab and detail! Every stroke has a meaning and is a significant part of the story being told. Give me 24 hours uninterrupted or more and I’m in painter’s heaven. I don’t stop to eat. It takes a lot to drag me, emotionally, out of the painting itself. I can only describe it to immersing and drowning oneself into a well written book. You become part of the story, part of the painting. You are attached as one.

Which way is yellow stripe moving!

Barnett Newman
Yellow Edge c. 1968

http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/artwork_e.jsp?mkey=36083 - image

acrylic on canvas
238.4 x 193.2 cm
Gift of Annalee Newman, New York, 1990
National Gallery of Canada (no. 35591)

Barrett Newman 1905 – 1970

Now I wouldn't have thought to ask: Which way is yellow stripe moving!

Deep thought!

Is the yellow stripe being pushed off the canvas by the black or is the yellow stripe pushing the black off the canvas?

That’s exactly what a group of students were learning about when I walked into the gallery. Too Bad I never got to sit in on the whole lecture!

The Demented

I’m a big fan of demented art forms.
reaching into the dark corners at the bottom of the soul
the mysterious
the twisted
the movement
the distorted emotions
bizarre
broken
deep
dark
grabbing
hidden
alive… let it out and one can easily be attracted to the art form - yearning to understand, who want to learn to touch and feel their own, to agree, who continue to want to find a part of themselves who seem lost somewhere within the demented work of art you show (my favourite form: music)

..that’s not to say I prefer it all the time, the most beautiful natural art is a woman’s body.

Connect to the Viewer's Senses

One who gets recognized is the person:
who shows off his ideas first (even if it is shoes lined up and you think anyone can do that!)
who makes you hesitate and stick around for more
who makes you question
who makes you stop and think and start relating

Same goes for titles of paintings. Some artists say their paintings should speak for themselves and should not be titled. Do you find “untitled” paintings as “grabbing” as titled paintings? I believe that a painting with a boring title or obvious title will not get as much “attention” as one with a title that connects with the viewer’s emotions and senses or makes him/her question. For example: take the “Voice of Fire” – acrylic by Barnett Newman 1967 in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada - (with no discussion as to media, advertising etc) if this painting was called Red Stripe – I can see myself passing over it quicker and thinking it initially boring than if it was called Voice of Fire. Why, because I hesitate at reading the title. I start to think: “why would the artist call this painting Voice of Fire?” Then I start to ask myself why would I call this painting Voice of Fire? Then I think “what does this mean?” Already I’ve spent more time in front of this painting.

Maybe grabbing your audience at the title can be the first step at making them stay longer at your painting. I think the longer they stay the longer they look, the more they think and hopefully find something they can relate to (emotions, senses). The more people relate to a painting (even knowing the history of how it was made, or feeling like they “know” the artists from meeting him/her, or having been to the same place in the painting etc.) the more they connect. The more they connect, the more likely they will purchase. Do you think?

The Shoes Haunt Me

I remember one time, years ago, I viewed “modern” art at the Toronto Art Gallery. {where as I’d much prefer to look at the masters’ paintings for hours}
This exhibit was literally a pair of shoes and work boots of different sizes lined up in a straight line together. I think it was tallest to smallest if I remember correctly. I don’t remember the artist’s name.

I laughed at it. I critised it. “That’s not ART”, I commented. “This is stupid. Why would anyone do that and get recognized for it.”

Well years later – I’ve thought about that piece of art a few times each passing year.
I’ve thought about how I can relate to that piece of art,
how I’ve also had shoes and boots lined up in my own house much the same way,
how I can relate to the senses that this piece of art arouses in me:
feeling of tightness when I wear shoes, hardness of the boots protective layer, soft leather on the outside of the shoes, the sweaty dampness inside them and on my socks after a day’s wear, the odour I smell after the closed off closet is opened up,
and about how I could ‘CONNECT’ with this art exhibit!

I’ve since realized that this piece of art was well done. I could relate to it. I didn’t forget it. It made me hesitate to stop and look more at it the first time I saw it (even though I thought at the time that I didn’t like it). It made me THINK. ART DID IT’S JOB.

What is Art?

What is art to you?

A piece of art makes you think, lets you connect and relate (even it is not in an understanding way but in a constantly-thinking-about-it way).