The Color of Light

Authored By Christy Olsen. When it comes to 'hue' or color, lighting is everything. Without some form of light, we cannot see color. When lighting conditions are low, we only see 'value,' the lightness or darkness of an object, not the 'hue' or color. Color of...

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Shape, Form & Pattern

Shape, Form & PatternArtwork by Christy Olsen Are all related concepts but have nuances that set them apart within the visual ar...

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Visual Elements of Design

The "Visual Elements of Design," also known as the "Elements of Art," are essential building blocks to translate an idea or message into a visual concept, design, or composition. In visual arts, these elements can be found in drawing, painting, mixed media, photography, or any other two-dimensional (2D) visual communication methods, and the list depends on the sour...

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Writing an Artist Statement

Authored By Christy Olsen.Every artist dreads the thought of writing an artist statement. Think about it. We are "visual artists," not literal ones! We would have been in literary arts if we wanted to write text! That said, whether you are self-represented or showing in multiple galleries. You...

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Why We Like Charcoal!

Authored By Christy Olsen. Charcoal is a dry drawing material used much in the same way as graphite, but it has a few advantages. Charcoal, like graphite, varies in hardness and is also available in pencils or powder. Shading may be produced by smudging the marks made using a stump (made with...

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Shape Hunting

Authored By Christy Olsen. Working from general to specific is an excellent approach to representational painting. It will help you stay focused on larger shapes to get the proportions accurate first and map out the value relationships before you hone in on the details. Using a large brush at the...

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Limited Palette Experiment

Authored By Christy Olsen. Sometimes, if you experiment on a painting at home and it goes terribly wrong, it may discourage you. In the beginning, when you are trying to learn a skill, that's not necessarily what you want. The great thing about experimenting during a class or a workshop is supervision,...

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Why Learn to Draw in the Digital Age?

Authored By Christy Olsen. We are bombarded with images from morning until night via the internet, television, advertisements, and newspapers. As we move into the 21st century, our world becomes more and more driven by visual images. Drawing is a much-needed skill in the world of today and tomorrow. Drawing...

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Blue & Orange, What a Combo!

Authored By Christy Olsen. Blue and orange are such a great combination. They are complementary colors, meaning they are opposite on the color wheel. When mixed, they will cancel each other out and produce a neutral. Without contamination, i.e., straight out of the tube, placed next to each other,...

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