The Hare by Graham Kemp

Every artist is different and that is why art is subjective and unique. When you consider well-known artists throughout the centuries, they have all had their unique methods and ways of painting and that is why their work stands out.

The great thing about art is that there is a wide range of media available and that means that artists are able to work creatively using a media that is best suited to them. When they have the ability to work in this way, it enables them to create pieces that capture the image and it provides them with the chance to put their own stamp on every piece.

The Different Media Available

The great thing for artists looking to explore techniques and ways of working is that there are many different types of media available. While some artists like to work with different media there are those that might prefer to work with just one.

Take a look at this piece from Peter Williams titled “Domain”.

Domain by Peter Williams
Domain by Peter Williams

He has opted to use pastel in this image and that has enabled him to capture the vibrant colours that emerge from the sky, the surrounding landscape as well as the leopard. It enables him to bring the piece to life. This is possible because pastel is made from pure pigment and that gives it the intense, luminous colour.

Another media that many artists choose to use is ink and as this drawing from Carmen Tyrell titled “At The Dressing Table 2- Female Nude” shows, it really does create a dramatic impact.

At The Dressing Table 2- Female Nude by Carmen Tyrrell
At The Dressing Table 2- Female Nude by Carmen Tyrrell

 

The artist has chosen to use the ink in a less detailed way but it captures the essence of the scene and what the artist is trying to achieve. Despite there being no colour in the piece, the thick lines and shading created by the ink deliver a deep and meaningful piece that captures the imagination. Ink can come in a number of different forms such as graphic pens, drafting pens and even your usual ball-point pens. When drawing with ink, there are no real boundaries because of the many different types of ink available.

There are some artists that choose to use acrylic, enabling them to create pieces with a level of versatility that maybe other types of media cannot achieve. Take a look at the two pieces from Kaluram Tamang below titled “Himalayan Bird Dafee’ with Mt. Everest” (left) and “Street” (right).

Himalayan Bird 'Dafee' with Mt. Everest
Himalayan Bird ‘Dafee’ with Mt. Everest

 

 

Both of these images have been created using acrylic and both are immensely different. The image on the left of the Himalayan bird is intricate, detailed and it consists of an amazing vibrancy that perhaps many wouldn’t expect from acrylic. However, the image on the right, depicts a street setting but it is not as refined or as detailed yet it manages to capture the scene perfectly but in a completely different way. The range of colours, strokes and styles that are available with acrylic makes it a great choice for artists who like to add different levels of depth to their work as well the style they want to use on each piece.

Street by Kaluram Tamang
Street by Kaluram Tamang

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many artists choose to get creative with mixed media and as the name suggests, they use a mixture of media to enable them to create their piece. This can involve them using two different types of media or as many as they wish. How many they choose to use is down to the discretion of the artist but of course, they will want to capture the scene or setting in the best way possible and that can sometimes require mixed media.

California Dreaming by Robert Andler-Lipski
California Dreaming by Robert Andler-Lipski

The piece of art above is from Robert Andler-Lipski titled “California Dreaming” and the use of mixed media has enabled the artist to inject a range of colours but also a depth that cannot be captured by other forms of media. The artist can choose what they use as the work progresses and that gives them a greater flexibility over the way in which the process unfolds. They can choose to draw with ink and then paint over that with watercolours before adding highlights with pencil.

Watercolour is another popular media that many artists choose to use. Watercolours offer artists a great way to get creative quickly as it is easy to use and easy to clean but it also provides artists with the chance to create small-scale studies of complex paintings that they do on a large scale. It gives artists the chance to show self-expression in their work, such as this piece from Graham Kemp titled “Mr Hare”.

Mr Hare by Graham Kemp
Mr Hare by Graham Kemp

It captures the features of the hare in vivid detail despite the painting lacking any refinement, yet the colour and style of the image bring the animal to life.

There are many different media that artists can choose to use such as oil, graphite and pencil but all offer something unique. This is what makes art media so important to artists when they begin to capture an image or a scene.

Michelle Gibbs director or Art2Arts Online Art Gallery

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