17.12.12

The World From The Perspective Of Water Color Artists

By Amber Winters


Water color artists have been around for a long time. There is evidence of this medium as far back as ancient Egypt. However, it was not until around the 1400s that real development started. Paintings done on a larger scale became more widely used by Albrecht Durer.

He was the first one to see the potential of painting large watercolors. This artist highlighted his work by making use of washes. Washes are flat areas of color that have been watered down. The more water used the lighter the wash becomes.

Every country can boast of having painters that have created beautiful pieces using this medium. Some of them have become known worldwide. They each have captured something that reflects their culture and its people, and this is the perfect paint to use.

Visual artists choose this way of creating landscapes more often than any other. They could produce other paintings they had done much more quickly, and it was not hard to do. In fact, the general population sought out this kind of painting more often.

Some of the best landscape artists came out of this golden age of painting. One such artist is Claude Lorrain. Born around 1604 his work is herald as masterful. In fact he is referred to as being the master of the perfect landscape.

Richard Wasike is a Ugandan artist who makes his home in Nairobi, Kenya. He was born in 1963 on the Ugandan border of Kenya. At the age of five his father discovered he had a natural talent for art. He was encouraged by his father to create beautiful African landscapes.

He spent a lot of time painting the Maasai and their lifestyle. He showed through his pieces the majestic beauty of the Savanna plains and the people who lived there. Maasai at Sunset is just one of the works that showcase his talent.

Cheng Knee Chee is considered one of the best contemporary watercolor artists in America today. He is a professor Emeritus at the University of Minneapolis. His techniques include traditional watercolor, ancient Chinese dry brush, and a technique that is uniquely his own.

He has also developed a technique that is simply called splash color. This method employs the wet process that lets the artist pull shapes out of the negative areas of the work. His specialty include painting Koi and birds. His work translates the richness of color and the depth of the image.

The base for watercolors is water soluble. In the past the way they were made caused them to lose some of their brilliance over time. The pigments that held them together were not strong enough to keep the color. It was because of this issue that many people lost their desire for them.

Over the years this problem has been eliminated. The modern versions are more stable, and they are able to keep their brilliance throughout. In addition, they can produce a variety of very interesting finishes. This gives the modern day artist variation and limitless possibility.

There many more water color artists than can be described here. Every artist at some point has tried his or her hand at this forgiving and powerful medium. These artists are always finding new ways to express the world as it is seen from their perspective.




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