With art festivals in full swing during the spring, summer and fall seasons, it's a good time to discuss how to buy fine art paintings. Does not knowing what to look for in a painting cause you to walk away because you do not know the questions to ask the artist?
The following information will enable yo to be an informed collector:
If you go to any fine art festival there will be many different styles of paintings to choose from. Ask the artist if the painting has been produced with archival materials. When did the artist paint this picture?
Do you know the style of painting that speaks to you? It may be a romantic style, abstract or any where in between. The colors may be muted and soft or a bright composition, with the artist using many colors to create the design.
Consider how your home or office is decorated. Will you need to use heavy, ornate frames or a more informal wood frame?
Oil paintings lend themselves very nicely to either the ornate or wood frame. For a watercolor painting, choose a light, narrow frame. It can be ornate but narrow. Personally, I like a metal frame with watercolor. There are many beautiful colors that coordinate with the painting.
Oil paintings may be painted on canvas, linen or boards prepared especially for oil paintings. Ask the artist how the ground for this painting was prepared.
Watercolor paintings may be on hot press paper or cold press paper. The paper weight is important also. It can range from 90lbs to 300lb or more. A popular weight is 140lb.
A question to ask the artist is how environmentally friendly are the materials used in the painting.
You may fall in love with a painting that is not oils or watercolor. It may be a pastel, or other medium that needs to be framed in a special way.
If you would like more information on this subject, or to comment, I would like to hear from you, just contact me at http://valleofyellowcreekartstudioblog.com. I will get back with you within 24 hours.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ellene_Breedlove_Davis
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Abstract Art You Can Finally Understand
Ever take a look at abstract art and walk away scratching your head? Believe me, if you haven't understood abstract art you're not alone. But you'll see that it really is so simple that you'll wonder why you didn't 'get it' to begin with! Read on.
I was enjoying some abstract paintings one day and decided to show one of the pieces to my husband. We proceeded to have a very, very short conversation about abstract art. "What do you think of this" I asked? He summed up his feelings about abstracts in one short sarcastic comment, "What's to get?" I had to laugh. He clearly could not see what was so blatantly obvious to me! He was totally clueless! I could have told him that abstracts are a study in color, composition and texture; but I didn't. I could have explained that an abstract is often an expression of emotion put to canvas, but I spared him. I could have said that abstract art is all about design and movement and depth, but I knew better than to try explaining. "Either you get it or you don't", I've often heard people say. But that answer would never do for me, because I knew that abstract art needs no words at all. I knew that the ultimate way to 'get it' was to see it in action for oneself. And I knew exactly how to show him without saying a word! I simply showed him a picture of the exact same painting in a lovely setting, "Check this out." His whole face lit up with surprise. "Wow! That looks really nice! I never would have thought of hanging that painting, but it looks really good. It's almost like it was made for that room!" Bingo! Instantly the lame duck became a beautiful swan when it was shown in the context of interior design. No words. No lengthy explanation. Just one powerful image that even my husband could understand!
But there is more to the story than meets the eye. Most abstracts are wonderfully gender neutral. And it's easy to see why. When you start dealing with things like emotion, composition, texture and design you're in gender neutral territory! That makes them perfect for spaces that you want to appeal to both men and women alike. Even more surprising yet, many of them are design style neutral as well. Abstract art can blend beautifully into a country style setting and equally well in an upscale modern loft. Abstract art is truly a design chameleon! Why do you think interior designers use them so much? They know that it's impossible to go wrong with an abstract that captures the colors, the feeling and the texture of a room. They know the secret. They know that an abstract will take on a different vibe according to its surroundings. And they understand the power of abstract art to enhance the feeling that they are trying to capture in a room.
Understanding abstract art is not rocket science. You don't have to be some kind of a meditative art guru to get it. You don't have to be sophisticated, well read or have a master's degree to get it. If you can appreciate the random pattern that Nature uses to plant her trees or the colors in a fish's scale or the amazing textures found in a common river rock, then you have all the tools you need to understand abstract art. So go ahead, take a second look, imagine them in context and enjoy the new perspective!
Cathy Robertson is an Artist and content editor for Fine Art Castle, an e-commerce store specializing in Fine Art Prints, Canvas Giclee Prints of Paintings. We are always on the look out for new Artists. To learn more, visit us at http://www.fineartcastle.com/artists.aspx
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Robertson
I was enjoying some abstract paintings one day and decided to show one of the pieces to my husband. We proceeded to have a very, very short conversation about abstract art. "What do you think of this" I asked? He summed up his feelings about abstracts in one short sarcastic comment, "What's to get?" I had to laugh. He clearly could not see what was so blatantly obvious to me! He was totally clueless! I could have told him that abstracts are a study in color, composition and texture; but I didn't. I could have explained that an abstract is often an expression of emotion put to canvas, but I spared him. I could have said that abstract art is all about design and movement and depth, but I knew better than to try explaining. "Either you get it or you don't", I've often heard people say. But that answer would never do for me, because I knew that abstract art needs no words at all. I knew that the ultimate way to 'get it' was to see it in action for oneself. And I knew exactly how to show him without saying a word! I simply showed him a picture of the exact same painting in a lovely setting, "Check this out." His whole face lit up with surprise. "Wow! That looks really nice! I never would have thought of hanging that painting, but it looks really good. It's almost like it was made for that room!" Bingo! Instantly the lame duck became a beautiful swan when it was shown in the context of interior design. No words. No lengthy explanation. Just one powerful image that even my husband could understand!
But there is more to the story than meets the eye. Most abstracts are wonderfully gender neutral. And it's easy to see why. When you start dealing with things like emotion, composition, texture and design you're in gender neutral territory! That makes them perfect for spaces that you want to appeal to both men and women alike. Even more surprising yet, many of them are design style neutral as well. Abstract art can blend beautifully into a country style setting and equally well in an upscale modern loft. Abstract art is truly a design chameleon! Why do you think interior designers use them so much? They know that it's impossible to go wrong with an abstract that captures the colors, the feeling and the texture of a room. They know the secret. They know that an abstract will take on a different vibe according to its surroundings. And they understand the power of abstract art to enhance the feeling that they are trying to capture in a room.
Understanding abstract art is not rocket science. You don't have to be some kind of a meditative art guru to get it. You don't have to be sophisticated, well read or have a master's degree to get it. If you can appreciate the random pattern that Nature uses to plant her trees or the colors in a fish's scale or the amazing textures found in a common river rock, then you have all the tools you need to understand abstract art. So go ahead, take a second look, imagine them in context and enjoy the new perspective!
Cathy Robertson is an Artist and content editor for Fine Art Castle, an e-commerce store specializing in Fine Art Prints, Canvas Giclee Prints of Paintings. We are always on the look out for new Artists. To learn more, visit us at http://www.fineartcastle.com/artists.aspx
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cathy_Robertson
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