Note: This post, 5 Awsome Art Techniques Using Various Mediums is a guest post by, Madeline Dudziak . You can learn more about Madeline at the end of this post.
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When you are considering learning more about visual arts, you first must understand what that means. Visual arts are a discipline that results in a finished piece that will remain until it is destroyed. Unlike performing arts which only exist during a performance, the visual arts are able to be owned. There is a large market for exemplary art in homes and private collections.
They have lots of unique art galleries for different audiences.
There are many different techniques and mediums that are popular in the visual arts and while you may think a museum’s collection looks widely similar there are significant subtleties between every piece. No matter what kind of visual art you prefer, there is an artistic style that will speak to you.
If you aren’t sure which technique of art you may want to find more information about read below for 5 awesome art techniques using various mediums. These art forms are sure to get you excited about visual art and expanding your growing art collection.
1. Painting
Painting is likely one of the first art forms you encountered in your life. There are multiple techniques when it comes to painting and many styles to choose from depending on if you are going for a realistic representation or a more abstract art piece. Painting is a broad term used to describe applying paint to canvas, paper or other material, referred to as the support.
Painting describes both the act of creation as well as the final product which is unique to the visual art world. What type of paint used and how it is applied can greatly affect the finished outcome of the artwork. While paints are often applied with brushes many other options such as sponges or knives can also be utilized.
Oil painting uses pigments on a canvas and then uses a drying oil as a binder. Traditional oil paintings take one to three weeks to dry completely though more modern oil paints are available that can dry in as little as a day. Oil painting has long been preferred by artists because they could return and finish their work at a later time without disrupting the process since the paints took so long to dry.
Another famous painting technique is watercolor painting. Because the paints are mixed with water, these paintings are most often completed on paper with a high percentage of cotton. The paper can absorb the excess water so the final image isn’t distorted. Long regarded as a surprisingly complex technique, it is also often a popular painting choice for children.
There are many unusual painting techniques as well. Some abstract painters enjoy filling balloons with paint and popping them to release large paint splatters. Other artists connect with their inner child and finger paint or even use their entire bodies to paint a large canvas. These many options for paintings lead to a wide variety of finished looks.
2. Mosaic
Mosaic is a technique where an artist creates a picture or image from many small colored items called tesserae. When viewed up close they may not look like much but from a distance, the full design becomes apparent.
Mosaics are time-consuming to produce, each artist needs to have an idea in their head of what they’re trying to accomplish before beginning. There are many different mediums for mosaic works of art. You may be familiar with tile mosaics. Using multicolored tiles arranged in specific patterns, it’s possible to create decorative pieces.
One of the most commonly thought of mosaic styles is zellige, the Moroccan tile mosaic technique. For zellige, individually cut geometric tiles are set into wet plaster to create beautiful wall decorations, floors, fountains, pools among other uses. Due to Islamic law, zellige mosaics are colorful patterns that don’t represent other living things.
Apart from ceramic tiles as tesserae, mosaics can also be created with paper, beads, glass, shells or other found materials. It isn’t the medium or material that is important to a mosaic, rather the collection of tesserae together creates a new image or pattern.
Mosaics have been around since the third century in Mesopotamia and are found throughout history since. While today there are few professional mosaic artists, there are craft kits available for purchase to express your own creativity and some homeowners also decide to have their kitchen backsplashes be artistic statements featuring mosaics.
Related Post – How To Hang Ceramic Tiles
3. Sculpture
When it comes to three-dimensional art or sculpture there are really two technical styles to choose from. In additive sculpture, materials are brought together to form a new piece. For instance, different pieces of wood could be nailed together to create a sculpture.
Another style of sculpture is subtractive art, the material is removed from the main piece to create a new look. For instance, when a woodcarver removes pieces and shavings of the same block of wood to create something that visually looks nothing like a block when completed.
One of the most commonly thought of sculpture materials is stone. Whether it’s marble, granite or limestone from the Italian Renaissance or jade sculptures in Asian art using stone to create a sculpture has long been a sign of opulence. Because each slab of stone is different, sculptures made from stone can never be identically replicated.
Stone sculptures are always an example of subtractive art since stone is shaped into its new form by carving away what is not needed. Since stone is so durable, the earliest sculptures were created by one stone chipping away at another. The discovery of iron led to more complex stone sculptures and now artists today can use water abrasion or diamond saw cutting.
Glass sculptures are also commonly found in homes and museums. Glass sculptures are typically created on a much smaller scale than other mediums because it is so fragile, but there are larger glass sculptures created. Glass is created by a process known as glass blowing which works by heating sand to extreme temperatures and then working with the material.
4. Collage
While it may seem similar to a mosaic, collage is a separate art form. The major difference is that with a mosaic, small pieces are collected and put together to create a new image, design or pattern. In collages, the overwhelming goal is to just capture the individual pieces and group them together, their final image may not look like anything.
Decoupage is a popular collage option, where paper cutouts are applied to the surface of materials like a table, wooden box or picture frame with a glue-like substance. Sometimes special paint effects like gold leafing are also applied to make the collage pop or shine.
One of the newer art forms today is the art of digital collage. It works the same way as traditional collage, a collection of material is group together to create something new, only it is done on a computer and then printed out. Digital collages usually give the artist a chance to say something about the world and they use their finished collage to do so.
5. Fibers Art
It may not seems as though knitting or crochet could truly be considered an art form, but in fact, it falls under the category of fibers art. With fibers art, the finished product is created using materials created from natural or synthetic fibers such as fabric or yarn.
Tapestries are a traditional example of fiber art. The woven decorative fabrics are hung on walls to decorate in the same way a painting would but can also be used to create pillows, of furniture coverings. Other weavings are also considered fiber art and the process to create them can be quite time-consuming.
Many fiber artists take the time to spin their own wool yarn and even hand dye their creations to their own color specifications. Other fiber art techniques include cross stitch and felting projects. Fiber arts are commonly thought of as hobbies but can certainly be elevated by professionals and included in private collections.
Conclusion – 5 art techniques using various mediums
With many art styles and techniques to choose from it can be hard to narrow down your favorites. The best way to see what kind of art you enjoy is to look at as many different artists and varieties as possible. These 5 art techniques using various mediums will help you narrow down your focus and you will discover art that you can enjoy for a lifetime.
Madeline Dudziak is a lifestyle writer who enjoys covering many different topics.
She’s currently a writer for Macfineart.com. Also, a busy mom who has somehow found time to cultivate a love of research and writing that she often gets to express in guest posts like these. Madeline is especially skilled in writing about topics related to e-commerce and marketing. Madeline’s also a freelance theater reviewer for the River Cities’ Reader, which combines her passion for writing with her passion for theatre.
Also a huge fan of reading – perhaps a natural result of being named after the famous children’s book – Madeline’s Kindle is always crammed with more books than leisure time allows. Among other ways, she spends her free time doing fun activities with her husband and young children, volunteering, and participating in two book clubs.
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