Halloween

Even on halloween I had to find art that has an All Hallow's Eve feeling, and the most famous work that I could find was "Skull of a Skeleton by Vincent Van Gogh."  Van Gogh is one of the world's most famous artists.  He didn't start painting until later in life, and then painted for 10 years (most of which was in an insane asylum) and then he commited suicide.  At the time he only sold one painting and now his artwork is some of the most expensive in the world.

Skull of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette

1886

Vincent Van Gogh

 

Happy Halloween!!!

 

 

Photo depth

I ran across the photography artist David Reeves today and I think his pictures are unique and interesting.



I love the depth that his photos create.  They bring out that saying that a picture is worth a thousand words by creating a story that is left up to the viewer.



The are usually on the violent side, but at the same time they are great images done with a camera.  Also would it help if I mention that they are made out of black construction paper and trick lighting?

  

Do you feel different knowing that they are just cutouts?  Can you think of a scene that you would like to create?

Well placed

Sometimes just placing the right objects in the right spots can create a very simple, but unique and intriguing work of art.



Can you think of other objects that could create a work of art like this?  How much time do you think this took to plan out?

Linocut

A technique of creating art is called a linocut.  A linocut is a piece of linoleum, usually applied to a block of wood and then cut into with carving tools.  When you are carving a linocut you cut out the negative image so that the positive image will show when you are done making a print.








What kind of design would you like to do?  Would other colors make a difference in these pictures?

TMNT

The teenage mutant ninja turtles were a huge hit in the 90s, and they are trying to make a comeback today.  But do you know where they got their famous names?  They actually come from the four famous artists of the Renaissance. 



These men were the most brilliant of their time not only in art, but in a variety of sciences and technologies.  They were the men that changed and challenged what we knew at the time.  They were painters, architects, geologists, astronomers, military experts, engineers, and sculptors.

If you have actually read this article and can name me these four men of genius I will give you two weeks of points.

Tricks of the light

Some of the most fun you can have is at night with a camera and a glow stick or lightbulb.  You can create fun and unique works of art with the simplest things.







So is this type of photography art?  Is it something you would be willing to create or even buy?  What do you think would work as the best type of light source?

Glass Mosiacs

One of the oldest forms of art has been making a comeback in the art world.  More people and especially home artists are creating glass mosiacs that they can use in their homes or in their gardens.

They use tiny pieces of glass or colored stone to create these masterpieces.  So the smaller the pieces and the closer that they are put together, the more detailed the project.







As you can see some are small and some can cover whole walls.  Would you like to do a mosiac?  What would you cover, a small table or a whole wall?

Max Zorn

I found this artist named Max Zorn that uses only brown packaging tape, clear plastic and lights.  He places the tape in layers on top of the clear plastic and then uses lights behind the whole project to backlight the piece.  So the areas with less tape become lighter and the areas with more tape become darker.

What do you think of this type of art?  Would you have the time or patience to create this art?  Can you think of other types of mediums that this style would work with?

Stolen!!

Yesterday seven famous works of art were stolen from a Dutch art Museum.  Police are currently looking at friends and family of the museum employees since the heist went so smoothly.  They are positive that it was an inside job.

The thiefs got away with a Picasso, two Monet's, a Matisse and a Gauguin.  The estimated value of these seven paintings is in the 10s of millions which makes it one of the biggest heists in recent years.

To read more about the theft go to http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57533929/dutch-museum-art-theft-an-inside-job/



 

The hidden

Some of my favorite types of art are the ones where there are hidden objects in the paintings.  Sometimes they are very obvious and sometimes they are harder to find.







So what is the first thing you see in these images?   Did you eventually find the other object or objects?

Giacometti

When of the sculpture artists of the the early 20th century was Alberto Giacometti.   karolisbikinas.blogspot.com

Alberto Giacometti was a Swiss sculptor, painter, draughtsman, and printmaker.  He is best known for his unique sculpture style that used wire and clay to create almost haunting figures.

 

 

 

 

What do you think of his surrealistic or dream like sculptures? 

 

 

Simple

Art doesn't always have to be complicated.  Sometimes the simplest pictures can have the most impact.  I found this picture called "so lonely and so lost" by the artist Meme.  This simple black and white picture with its little watercolored areas and perspective points create an interesting picture.



What do you think of this picture?  What do you like or dislike about it?  Did you find the most interesting feature?

Smile

Today is World Smile Day!  What would be an art project that you would like to create that would make someone smile?  It could be small or large, but I would like to challenge you to find a way to make someone smile and then tell me about it.



SMILE!!

Food for Thought

What do you see??  How was this picture photographed?


What do you see if this photo? 


So what or how is he doing his photography?  What if I told you that all of his props are food.  The above picture where it shows him working is entirely made out of meat.  In fact it is mostly bacon.

The photographer/artist is Carl Warner and he has found a unique way to make food into art that will last a long time.  It takes several days to prepare for a shoot and then a morning at the market to buy all of the fresh ingredients.  Most of his art has to be done in one to two days top, otherwise it spoils. 

Now go back to the top two pictures and see if you can guess what foods he used to create the props for his photos?  Can you think of other foods that he could have used?  What foods would you think would be the most versatile?


By the way, here is the finished "meat" photo.

Fall Art

The colors of fall are by far some of my favorites.  So many different variations on golds, oranges and reds.  Even though the temp is getting colder the colors are always so warm and inviting.



This is an example of fall art.  This oil painting was entirely painted with a pallette knife.  That is what gives it the large strokes of solid color, but it is the overlapping of the solid colors in an impressionist style that gives the feeling of depth and richness of color. 

Would you rather paint with a brush or are you willing to try a pallette knife?  What is your favorite time of year if you had to paint only one season?  Why would you paint that one?