Eye on the Salon
D. Eleinne Basa believes in the importance of artistic interpretation of the subject. "One important difference, in my opinion, between an artist and a painter is that an artist will take a subject, often overlooked, [...]
How to Use Color to Express Feeling
Well-handled color has emotional impact. In Karen Margulis’s pastel painting “Frozen in Time), above, the artist takes a composition composed of predominantly cool-hues (a wintry sky and snowy foreground) and shoots it through with a [...]
Emotion & Interpretation: Salon Winners Are In
Award-winning artist T. Allen Lawson has revealed his selections for the winners in the March 2024 PleinAir Salon. First place will receive a cash prize, plus all winners will be entered into the judging for the annual cash [...]
Let Your Style Find You
By Guest Contributor John Pototschnik “Don't worry about your originality. You couldn't get rid of it even if you wanted to. It will stick with you and show up for better or worse in spite [...]
What’s Great about This Painting?
Sanford Robinson Gifford (July 10, 1823 – August 29, 1880) was an American landscape painter and a leading member of the second generation of Hudson River School artists. A highly regarded pioneer of what’s now known as Luminism, [...]
Magnolia Still Life
See how a watercolor still life painting that includes leaves, crystal, and some unexpected challenges comes to fruition, step by step. BY MATTHEW BIRD One aspect of still life painting that I enjoy most is [...]
Mirrors, Photos, and Taking a Walk down the Hall
By Guest Contributor Barb Walker Do you ever wonder if the painting you are working on is heading in the direction you want it to? Is it ok? Does it need something? At some point [...]
3 Inspiring Tips for Artists
1. LISTEN TO THE PAINT Maintain a dialogue with your painting. Many artists begin with a precise underpainting and proceed carefully and accurately apace, and many do not. Some painters have a definite endpoint in [...]
Zoom in to a High-Res John Singer Sargent Plein Air
Last week we took a close look at a few landscapes by John Singer Sargent, but we didn’t get THIS close! In fact, most ordinary mortals will never get this close to a painting by [...]
The Universe in a Box
Today we’re turning aside from painting to visit a popular form of sculpture called assemblage. An assemblage is a sort of 3-D collage, wherein an artist puts together (assembles) various elements to create a new [...]