Color Harmony for Artists

A really good article on color harmony was compiles by Ann Radley, an artist who took the time to combine a series of talented artists who's paintings best represent how to use color when working on art.

And it goes further than that - just in case you are a non-artist reading this wondering why it applies to you...and it does! If you are a collector, or even looking to buy art for your home - or better yet - looking to decorate your home, then this is an article for you. It gives the basics of choosing good color, how color theory works and the basic components of composition.

Recommended reading!! Enjoy!
Here is the link:
http://www.squidoo.com/artfulcolor

And if you are just clicking around looking for view art - then the pages along the side of this blog feature all of my artwork from over the years. Available pieces of art and prints are both linked to their proper "buy here" pages as well as listing starting prices.

Ascension!

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/ascension-laura-swink.html

One of my first ventures into painting was this piece entitled "Ascension."
Fascinated with light and many of the pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope I began to paint pieces with astronomy as a main subject.
I learned to love this genre, although it's been mis-labeled as "science fiction"
Prints for this item are available, as the original sold as soon as it had debuted.

See more Space Artwork here!

Art In Its Raw Planning Stages...

So a new week has commenced and I've been looking about for inspiration on color and spent some time on numerous art sites this morning.
And I think I've got it!!! In fact, I'm quite certain of it!!!
I am moving forward on a piece, a new floral that will follow in the manner of "Wild Sun" which is an available original - created with a layer of acrylic base colors where the actual subject matter is in Oils....
So I'm thinking, as I ramble this morning, that this might be a really good idea for most of my art going forward. I like the way I can manipulate the acrylics with just a little bit of water and their fast drying time allows me to make quick corrections and move the piece forward at a faster pace than usual. But the buttery texture of the oils cannot be underestimated. I've found that the oils give the flowers a really soft feel as if they just jump off the canvas at you.
Yes, this is a good idea indeed - here's hoping that in the next few weeks, I will have a final image posted. In the meantime, please enjoy "Wild Sun"
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/wild-sun-laura-swink.html
Or sunflower art at this link, Click here

 

Additional important links related to sunflowers:

Click here for Sunflower Art

Sunflower Paintings

Sunflower Canvas Prints
Sunflower Prints 
Sunflower Framed Prints 
Sunflower Greeting Cards 
Sunflower Posters

New Journies....

I haven't painted in a while, I just haven't had a lot of time and my doctor wants me to stay away from painting of ANY kind...thanks, that's just what an artist wants to hear - right?

So I'm thinking that maybe I'll get a proper breathing mask so I can get back to what I love the most, wet paint on canvas.

But that's not the subject of my blog today, it's just the reason that I've not had the chance to do much posting. Me thinks I'm at the cusp of a new journey in my life, one that's both exciting and a little scary altogether. I'm not certain if it's possible.
I will post more on my new journey once I'm certain that it has officially begun...in the meantime, I have finally processed the electronic file for "Apples, Peach and Pear" It's a good piece, it photographed beautifully and the color online looks fantastic.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/apples-peaches-pear-laura-swink.html

Sponsored Links for floral artwork:

Flowers Art

Trees Paintings

Trees Canvas Prints

Trees Prints

Trees Framed Prints 

 

Sponsored Pages.

One of the best ways to get your work seen is to make certain that there are lots of people linking into it. This is not as easy as one would think...the internet is like a very large power strip with millions of things plugged into it. If your site happens to have it's own power strip and people are plugging in, well then the search engines put you into the top of search results. Funny how it works.

So I've taken the time to list a number of my best sponsored pages. Boring subject, I know, but it is a necessary part of properly marketing yourself online.

So here is my best list - you should see all of my available artwork within the first few pages.
Abstract Canvas Prints
Synergy, Fire & Ice, Stratos (NEW!) and others.

You can also find these pieces under "Contemporary Art"
Wild Sun, Fade into Light

Landscapes:
Some of my most moodiest work is in cityscapes. Don't miss these paintings and  landscape canvas prints:
Blue Trees,
Landscape Prints
Landscape Framed Prints
Landscape Greeting Cards

Other links to originals and prints:
Sunflowers Paintings
Sunflowers Canvas Prints 
Sunflowers Prints 
Sunflower Framed Prints 
Sunflowers Greeting Cards 

Cityscape Links, Originals and Prints:
Cityscape Paintings
Cityscape Canvas Prints 
Cityscape Prints 
Cityscape Framed Prints 
Cityscape Greeting Cards
Cityscape Posters 

Abstract Art Links, Originals and Prints:
Abstract Art Paintings
Abstract Art Canvas Prints 
Abstract Framed Prints
Abstract Greeting Cards 
Abstract Posters 

Space Art - An under estimated genre

It's sad, really - people love picts from the Hubble Space Telescope but when it comes to artwork and paintings that depict images that much like the Hubble pictures, people tend to bypass the art and dismiss it as "Sci-Fi"

Not an easy spot to be in when you're creating this kind artwork and when you do a search on Fine Art America, you can see quite a collection of really good space scapes.

Maybe I'm being to hard on the viewers, really - it is a matter of proper subject matter when you are going to decorate your home with art. Seriously, who picks a nebulous piece called "Threnody" to place over their Queen-Anne style poster bed???

Oh well, such is the unfairness of it all.
In the meantime, take a look at this great  - and often fun collection of pieces:

Space Canvas Prints

A New Year.

I can't believe that a new year has started and I've only a few scant ideas for new paintings. It's sad, really - trying to find time between work and home and with the dark days of winter it seems that the day is over as soon as the clock hits 5pm. My evenings seem so short.
So I bought a couple of Frederix board-backed canvases in hopes of producing a few new Oil Pastel pieces. I love Oil Pastels, but admittedly, they are a thorn in my side as I can never seem to master them in the manner in which I want them to be. Makes it difficult to justify going out and buying a Sennelier set of pastels costing $300 when I can't make the $50 set do what I want....grr!
I have ONE piece that is hanging on the wall that really turned out exactly the way I wanted it to. I call this piece "WaterMusic" Now I have to find a way to have it photographed without the actual original being ruined. Hmm....we'll have to wait on that one - maybe I'll buy a Digital SLR this summer.

So here's one piece I enjoy sharing:

Red City is available on FineArtAmerica's site - click here:
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/red-city-laura-swink.html