art history -

Archive by category "art history"

Rococo Techniques for Painting and Drawing

In this article, I explore the techniques of the Rococo painters by examining the stylistic choices in their idyllic works. Through the patronage of the French aristocracy, artists like Watteau, Boucher, Fragonard, and Vigée le Brun formed the flamboyant imagery that we know Rococo for today. Then I demonstrate how to create your own Rococo works in painting and drawing media. Articles in the Techniques Series define the meaning and context of art making processes and give practical tutorials on how to work with them. Rococo Techniques for Painting and Drawing Definition: Rococo describes the opulent ornamental style of late Baroque art and architecture popularised by the French aristocracy. The word originates from the French for rock or broken shell – ‘rocaille’, referring to artificial shell-covered grottos. In fine art, it appears as a distinctive collection of overwhelmingly sweet aesthetic choices – from pastel blues and pinks to floral flourishes, theatrical costuming, powdery skin, and flirtatious gatherings. What is the Effect of Rococo? Rococo didn’t just populate the paintings of its time, but flooded whole rooms, furnishings, and ceilings with swirling patterning. It’s a movement of loud luxury, communicating the wealth and status of those with the …

The post Rococo Techniques for Painting and Drawing appeared first on Jackson’s Art Blog.

Art Through Symbols: The Skull

Skulls may arouse our morbid curiosity – with the knowledge each of us carries one hidden beneath the surface – yet their enduring symbolism extends far beyond anatomy. As memento mori, they remind us that we all meet the same end, but throughout art history, skulls have also embodied power, served as instruments of satire, and even become emblems of beauty. The Art Through Symbols series explores the interpretation of symbols throughout art history – be they cultural, religious, folkloric, or personal. Each article analyses a series of artworks before detailing an art-making tutorial inspired by the symbol for you to try. Art Through Symbols: The Skull Interpreting Skulls “The skulls were there and I could say something with them. To me they are as beautiful as anything I know. To me they are strangely more living than the animals walking around…” – Georgia O’Keeffe When we look at skulls, we are confronted with our own mortality – perhaps welcoming in an existential dread – or giving us the steadying reassurance that, aside from birth, death is the one experience we all share. For artists living through times of crisis, amid plagues, famines …

The post Art Through Symbols: The Skull appeared first on Jackson’s Art Blog.

Anatomy of a Painting: Jean-François Millet

By Jerry N. Weiss For much of his career, artist Jean-François Millet (1814–75) displayed an unwavering interest in French farm life. The subject was essential to Millet’s being; he was born into a farming community in Gruchy, Normandy, and was diverte…

Art Through Symbols: The Moon

The moon doesn’t just move our seas, and mark time through its phases, but is an ever-evolving symbol in the visual arts that has collected a broad net of meanings. From rebirth to madness, and introspection to immortality, our fascination with the moon is imbued with the reassurance that it’ll be in our sky as long as we are. The Art Through Symbols series explores the interpretation of symbols throughout art history – be they cultural, religious, folkloric, or personal. Each article analyses a series of artworks, before detailing an art-making tutorial inspired by the symbol for you to try. Art Through Symbols: The Moon Interpreting the Moon The moon has hung bright on our collective visual consciousness throughout history. Perhaps we are so enchanted by it because it’s our closest planetary neighbour in an endless universe, or that its cycles plainly mark the passage of time. The moon has always been associated most broadly with eternity, appearing to every living being for as long as our planet has existed and will remain. Our tides roll because of its constant tugging, and folklore and mythology both suggest the full moon pulls people into madness or beastly …

The post Art Through Symbols: The Moon appeared first on Jackson’s Art Blog.