March 30th marks the 169th birthday of one of the most famous artists that people still enjoy today, Vincent van Gogh.
There aren’t many painters that have stood the test of time like Vincent van Gogh has. Although his fame grew after he had died, he’s consistently been regarded as one of the greatest artists ever since.
As art-lovers, we grew up learning about Van Gogh and his bright and colouful paintings, and to do this day we still hold many of his works close to our hearts.
A brief history of van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890), was born in the Netherlands and started painting when he was around 20 after trips to London and Paris where he was employed in a variety of different fields.
He’s famous – although not during his lifetime – for his post-impressionist painting styles that exploded with bright colours. He had a life full of trauma and mental health struggles, of which art was his escape.
Some of his most famous paintings include The Starry Night, his Van Gogh Self-Portrait, Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers and Bedroom in Aries.
Van Gogh’s signature technique
Van Gogh was known for expressive colours and confident brush strokes that create incredible pieces of art. His most signature technique was his use of impastoed paint, this is a style where canvas is heavily built up with layers of paints.
Using this technique the brush strokes and palette knife marks are very obvious, creating a beautifully textured effect.
He’s known for mainly creating art based on subjects such as figures, landscapes, and cityscapes and is able to create a feeling of movement in all of his pieces that makes it seem like it’s alive.
Art/artists that are inspired by Vincent van Gogh
Throughout the years, many artists have been inspired by the beautiful works of Vincent van Gogh, including some of our own artists at Art2Arts.
From artists that have embraced the expressionist styles, to those who have found similar inspiration in the landscapes that surround them, you can see Van Gogh’s touch in many pieces of modern art.
One of our favourite pieces in our gallery that has been directly inspired by Vincent Van Gogh is Nora Nikolova’s Sunflowers reproduction. A mixed media reproduction of the famous artwork that has been recreated in original size using recycled beads and other materials – it would make Van Gogh proud!
