http://robertjsimone.com Online Gallery and Personal Blog of Florida's Gulf Coast Artist Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:06:43 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en [caption id="attachment_568" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Me on a blue run called "Maverick""][/caption] I haven't posted in almost two weeks because I was on vacation with my wife, snowboarding in western Colorado.  We went to small, largely uncommercialized, resort called Powderhorn which is on the edge of the Grand Mesa not far from ... http://robertjsimone.com/uncategorized/how-to-paint-water-part-ii [caption id="attachment_555" align="alignleft" width="540" caption="A View of Grand Canal Venice - Antoine Bouvard (1870-1955) French"][/caption] There is a lot of conflicting information about Antoine Bouvard out there.  Seems his birth, if not his life and work are mixed up with his father's.   Probably the most reliable biographical information I found is ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/how-to-paint-water-in-oils-part-1 [caption id="attachment_543" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="L'Amoure et Psyche, Enfants by William Bouguereau"][/caption] In honor of St. Valentine' s Day this is William Bouguereau's depiction of Cupid and Psyche.  The mythical story of Cupid and Psyche first appeared in Lucius Apuleius' The Golden Ass in the 2nd century A.D.  Enraged by jealousy, the ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-as-therapy/valentines-day-william-bouguereau-and-stobart-retrospective [caption id="attachment_531" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="The Meagen Garrett by Robert J. Simone 8 x 10, oil-linen"][/caption] This small plein air painting was posted in a previous blog.  I keep it in my studio because I enjoy it's company.  It was painted during the Crescent Beach event in October 2009.  There's a funny ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/composition-in-a-plein-air-painting [caption id="attachment_521" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Warrior by Robert J. Simone"][/caption] This is a pencil sketch of a tug I'd like to paint.  Although her scars are not evident in the sketch she is aptly named The Warrior and is docked at Bayboro Harbor in St. Petersburg, Fl.  I post it because ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/values-in-plein-air-painting [caption id="attachment_504" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Old Florida Marina - Wekiva River by Robert J. Simone - 10 x 12"][/caption] Especially true for landscape artists is the idea that one must have the ability to centralize interest.  By creating a center of interest the artist brings his viewers' attention to bear on a ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/centralizing-interest-in-landscape-paintings Composition, in fine painting, is the coordination of shapes, values, colors and edges into a harmonious whole.  The point of composition is to pull the viewer in and lead him/her to the central idea of the picture.  According to John F. Carlson, " The central idea  is surrounded by  auxiliaries ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/composition-in-fine-painting Christmas lights and Holiday decorations are being repealed in neighborhoods everywhere, while news anchors and ESPN analysts wax nostalgic about the end of a decade which really doesn't end until December 31, 2010.  Bellies plump from holiday indulgences seem ripe for the resolutions of a New Year.  The obvious thing ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/473 Today our Joy is complete!  The Savior is born!   "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, " which means "God is with us." (Mathew 1:23) [caption id="attachment_465" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="La Vierge aux Anges - The Virgin with Angels"][/caption] Above is ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-as-therapy/have-a-bouguereau-christmas [caption id="attachment_459" align="alignleft" width="230" caption="A Road Less Traveled by Robert J. Simone oil-linen 14x11"][/caption] With squinted eyes we study our subject, comparing   shadow to shadow, light to light.  We use a visual vocabulary and time passes, virtually unnoticed, as we put brush to canvas, expressing emotion through the constructs of ... http://robertjsimone.com/art-instruction/wisdom-from-dead-people/what-is-art