8 Works of Art You Need to See

Who Is Getting Noticed in the World of Acrylic Painting?

The pace of the art world is fast and operates in so many different ecosystems. We are inundated by imagery, events, exhibitions, new techniques, old techniques, new artists, old artists, gossip, drama, and an energy that pulses non-stop, day in and day out. Even for all of us, whose jobs and passions put us right in the middle of the action, it is, well, a lot. That’s why I celebrate the exceptional when it comes my way. So here’s to the noteworthy in acrylic painting of today–right now. With a smile I write that because I know tomorrow is a whole new beast, but stopping to say, “hey, look at these–they are awesome” is one of the best parts of my job. So, hey, look at these–they are awesome.

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Enjoy these eight artworks and why they are exceptional, directly from the artists themselves. And if you happen to be an acrylic painter, and love it as much as I do, AcrylicWorks 4: Captivating Color is ready and waiting for you. It features a collection that reminds artists why they paint, and gives art lovers a real appreciation for the breathtaking possibilities of this most versatile medium. Enjoy,

Courtney

 

Body Electric by DebiLynn Fendley, acrylic painting.

Details to Note

I use a standard palette for each of my portraits, with skin tones made of a combination of surprising colors layered in tiny strokes. I use heavy body acrylics and larger strokes for the background and fluid acrylics applied with tiny brushes for the foreground and the hair.

 

Quiescence by Kevin Kohlman, acrylic painting.

What’s Noteworthy?

I chose to use a subdued monochromatic color scheme. I basically used mixtures of only four colors—Payne’s Gray, Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White and Unbleached Titanium White—for everything except the eye. I feel that this change supported the calm and soothing mood that I was trying to create.

 

Las Parades de San Miguel by Robert Merrill Sweeny, acrylic painting.

 

What’s exceptional?

By using acrylics produced here, which dry completely flat, I am able to go into my works with pencil and create the texture effects for which I have become known. I work in layers, finishing with glazes of color mixed with medium and applied with sponges, often ten to twelve layers on a piece, producing a work of great depth and richness.

 

Morning Glow by Mark E. Mehaffey, acrylic painting, detail.

Timing Isn’t Everything

I took great liberties with both the value (increasing the contrast) and with the color (using the near complements of blue-violet and orange) to add interest to an already visually pleasing scene. Simplifi cation of the value plan and shape relationships was done with pencil in my sketchbook. I tossed local color in favor of violet, red-violet, blue-violet and orange to add interest beyond reporting what I saw. I used a large brush (Rosemary and Co Ivory short fl at, size 10) and heavy body acrylics (Holbein and Golden) and attacked the painting with aggressive brushwork. Start to finish the painting took less than an hour to complete and I think captured energy and essence of what I felt that cold winter morning.

 

 

Elder Plant by Marzena Oberc-Habzda, acrylic painting.

Paint Choice

My painting medium is Golden OPEN acrylics. They offer slower drying time, therefore an ability to be manipulated with ease to create a desired effect. Colors are brilliant, pure and easy to mix. I fi nd acrylics very compliant and eager to accommodate the approach dictated by the subject and artistic style. Quicker drying time offers instant visual results.

 

Up by Nadyia Duff, acrylic painting.

Solving Puzzles

I feel any given person’s face has an abundance of color, so I paint portraits with the
colors I personally see in the subject. To fi nish off the painting and create emphasis, I highlighted the face with dark and thick neutrals. I chose bright yellow as the background to bring attention to the portrait while giving it a whimsical mood. In the end this acrylic painting came together as a vibrant completed puzzle

 

Inner-State by Val Robert, acrylic painting.

No Rules

I try to use colors that are real in nature, but I don’t always paint in a realistic style. I paint what moves me—sometimes using realism, sometimes surrealism, and other
times abstract, like with Inner-State.

 

Tricolor Cat Asleep by Yael Maimon, acrylic painting.

The Familiar Made Unfamiliar

I celebrated pigments, with the dominance of orange and blue, to create a striking effect with an abstract quality in the end result. Since the subject is sleeping, I didn’t want the painting to be way too overwhelming, so for the background I used neutral tones to balance the painting.

 

 

 

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