Drying or pressing flowers has long been a popular pastime. However, there is a new spin on this old tradition: hammering flowers. This artform works by choosing flowers, placing them on paper, and hitting them with a hammer.... The result is actually quite lovely. This YouTube Channel: HammerFlower shows many examples of the artform, with… Continue reading Video: HammerFlower
Category: Visual Art Techniques
Article: Italian Renaissance Art: Tempera Painting
Even though it's not as famous as oil paint, tempera paint was a very popular medium in the Italian Renaissance. Traditionally made by combining egg with pigment, tempera is a bit more forgiving than watercolor, but much more delicate than oils. For this reason, it has been the medium of chose for many artistic masters… Continue reading Article: Italian Renaissance Art: Tempera Painting
Article: “Self Healing” Concrete May Have Preserved Ancient Roman Structures
Do you ever wonder how ancient Roman concrete buildings still look amazing, while our concrete sidewalks quickly crack? If so, then this article will help answer your questions. The Smithsonian talks about the innovations the Romans included that has allowed a number of their concrete structures to survive through to today. link to "Self Healing"… Continue reading Article: “Self Healing” Concrete May Have Preserved Ancient Roman Structures
Video: Figures in Red: Red-figure technique in ancient vase painting
This video from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston presents a fun take on the process the Greeks may have used in making red-figure pottery. If you're interested in pottery or ancient Greece, then you may find this both enjoyable and helpful. link to Figures in Red: Red-figure technique in ancient vase painting
Website: Suminagashi: The Ancient Art of Japanese Marbling
Marbling paper or other materials can be fun, but the process can also be surprisingly complex. This website discusses the process and shows many examples. If you’re interested in either marbling or Japanese art in general, this site is a good place to start. link to Suminagashi: The Ancient Art of Japanese Marbling
Article: Lithography and Relief Printing
Video: MOMA In the Studio
When it comes to Modern Art, it sometimes makes more sense if you can see how an artist made his or her particular works. In this YouTube playlist from the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), you can watch artist and conservator Corey D'Augustine show you how painters such as Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and… Continue reading Video: MOMA In the Studio
Video: Shimmering Silk from France
Video: How Was It Made? Silk Painting
Video: How Was It Made? Micromosaics
When most of us think about mosaic art, we probably imagine something fairly large. Micromosaics take the mosaic artform and miniaturize it. In this video from the Victoria and Albert Museum, you can see how a micromosaic is made as they recreate a historical example. link to How Was It Made? Micromosaics
Website: My Modern Met
Video: In Search of Forgotten Colors
Website: Rise Art-Art Guides
Article: The Basics of Hand-Building Slab Pottery
When most people think about the process of making pottery, they think about a potter using a wheel. While that is a very common way to make a pot, the art of making slab pottery is ancient in its own right. This article gives a good overview of the art form, and it includes links… Continue reading Article: The Basics of Hand-Building Slab Pottery
Website: The Spruce Crafts
Applied (or Practical) Arts are those that exist in the space between Craft and Fine Arts. Depending on your point of view, they can belong to either category (or maybe both categories). If you're interested in learning a about papercraft or fiber arts, then this site is one that you should visit. link to The… Continue reading Website: The Spruce Crafts