понедельник, 17 декабря 2012 г.

How Water Color Artists Contribute To Culture

By Celia Hall


Water color artists contribute significantly to culture because they practice a difficult art. Pigments that are dissolved in water can wash about on a paper surface rather meaninglessly. However in the hands of a skilled artist the inexpensive materials can be composed in wonderful works of color and form. The use of light is particularly important in some of the most important works in this genre. Traditionally paper is use for the color white.

Westerners are not always aware of the great works of Chinese art produced well before the most famous western water colors. Two main techniques of 'gong-bi' and ink and wash painting use brush strokes, often very meticulously. Although oriental art is usually in a very different style to western art and is influenced by calligraphy exquisite works exist, often painted on silk. Traditionally they tend to be flat.

Traditionally Chinese works tend to be more flat. In the West greater use is made of perspective. Contemporary Eastern painters in the twenty-first century adapt easily to water color techniques from the West. As techniques evolve some are tending to introduce more perspective into their works, drawing from western traditions but retaining the precision and calligraphic effects of the East.

Thomas Gainsborough was a famous eighteenth century painter. In those times the major demand was for portraits but Gainsborough preferred to paint landscapes and works such as 'The Watering Place' illustrate his easy brush strokes and love of light colors. He is said to have painted portraits to put bread on the table but landscapes out of love. It was not usual in his time for people to love landscapes so much because nature was often seen as being hostile.

Between 1775 and 1851 J. M. W Turner lived and contributed hundreds of great paintings, earning himself an important place in the world history of art. A prolific artists, he produced works which form important parts of many great collections. He worked in oils and water colors. He is said to have laid the way open for Impressionism through his skillful use of light.

Turner enjoyed steady patronage throughout his life. This enabled him to develop his talent unhindered by the problems that afflict some other artists, such as poverty. An important work was exhibited by the Royal Academy when he was only fifteen, in 1790. He continued to work steadily throughout a long and productive life.

In the eighteenth century the environment was not viewed as it is in the twenty-first century. It was not viewed as something benign that is under threat but as a violent and destructive force, an obstacle to mankind. Turner captured this perspective of the natural environment. He seemed to be fascinated by the power of natural forces and as he developed this fascination was expressed largely by means of light.

In the twenty first century many water color artists continue to work around the Globe. Beautiful paintings are produced by artists like Cheng-Khee Chee who draws from both East and Western traditions, melding them into works that are globally significant and exhibited in both terrestrial and online galleries.




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