Born in Spain, this 17th century artist, Josefa de Obidos, was one of the most successful and revered women in the field of art during her lifetime of 1630-1684. She was proficient in many mediums but mostly famous for her still life and religious themed oil paintings. Like several of the women I have researched for this project, Obidos never … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part Two in Portugal with Josefa de Obidos
Chiaroscuro and Other Oil Painting Techniques
Chiaroscuro is from the Italian language and the root meaning is chiaro, light, and scuro (obscure), dark. It is a perfect technique to use in oil painting to achieve drama of contrasts such as that used by the 17th Century Dutch. Another technique that helps attain this look is impasto oil painting, which is used freely in the main focus of the composition and then to a lesser degree in the shadow areas. It is very effective in all sizes and subject matter such as oil paintings of flowers, still life, and even landscape. Fumed Silica gel is a great medium to use for getting texture in oil painting. It is a combination of linseed oil and silica mixed together which forms a fluffy clear medium. When mixed with paint, the consistency retains its shape and stays put with no slumping.
Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part Two; Cliff Notes Version of Color Sleuthing
Many of you have asked about the pigments used by the featured women artists in Part Two of Dancing Backwards, More Lessons from Fred and Ginger. This is where my Mad Scientist Pigment Nerd Self gets itchy. For decades now, I have been delving into the historical materials and techniques side of painting. This is as interesting as the actual … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels Part Two; Cliff Notes Version of Color Sleuthing
Sofonisba Anguissola; Dancing to Deh Fussi La Cui Meco Backwards in High Heels
Sofonisba’s pearls swayed with the rhythm of the dance while the movement of her satin dress made little crackling sounds. The guests sat awe-struck in the opulent drawing room of the villa in Cremona, windows wide open offering relief from the heat of the fire. The pairing of Sofonisba the dancer and Maddalena Casulana the lutenist accentuated the … [Read more...] about Sofonisba Anguissola; Dancing to Deh Fussi La Cui Meco Backwards in High Heels
Berthe Morisot; Painting Plein Air Backwards in High Heels
Berthe Morisot was one of the lucky ones. She had both parental backing to pursue her artistic talent and a substantial inheritance from her father. Born in 1841 in Bourges, France, Berthe began art classes at age 16 at the encouragement of her family. Her rebellious independent nature was sustained by the money left to her by her … [Read more...] about Berthe Morisot; Painting Plein Air Backwards in High Heels
Dancing Backwards in High Heels: Lessons from Fred and Ginger, More Stories of Forgotten Women Artists of the Early and Current Years of Art
Part Two Back by popular demand! The celebrated partnership of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers rustled up a rousing dos-a-dos to come back to life with more stories of women artists. Again, this series will feature select paintings, specifically focusing on colors used in the compositions. Part One of this series presented at Bronze Coast … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels: Lessons from Fred and Ginger, More Stories of Forgotten Women Artists of the Early and Current Years of Art
Finished Images Unveiled
Recap. One painting from seven artists was chosen. I echoed the palette from each painting as I painted my style in my composition. All seven are now unveiled and posted in the order the blogs were initially presented. Keep in mind, the colors from print to print and on the Internet are not identical to real life images. And they also differ from … [Read more...] about Finished Images Unveiled