As you sit round the pool of your holiday property in Marbella, you can ponder on all the great artists that Spain has produced.

One of the best known of them has to be Pablo Picasso, one of the founders of Cubism. Although he originally started out by trying several different styles of painting, he is most famous for his Cubist works, dissecting and analysing their shapes and forms.

El Greco (the Greek) was also very well known. Although of Greek origin, he produced many of his best works in Spain, such as the Assumption of the Virgin, his very first commission after he moved to Spain, an elegant and regal painting in pastel colours. (more...)

When you think artist, you often imagine a stereotypical Toulouse Lautrec figure, half mad but very talented. No pennies to rub together to pay the rent or the mortgage on their top floor dark and dingy Parisian apartment.

There is something romantic and appealing about the artists of the last few centuries, they do not even seem to belong to the same category of human beings as us!

Monet, famous for his pastels and his water lilies; Van Gogh who we all know for his madness and his sunflowers; Gauguin's brown skinned Tahitian beauties; and Renoir's classic style and iconic portrayal of people. (more...)

Many people aspire to make their full time career as an artist but few realise their dream even if they are very talented. There is huge competition and you really have to stand out from the crowd to be able to make a living from it. There is no regular salary and payments can be few and far between. So what are the alternatives?

There are careers in art and design that can provide a more secure career. That is not to say that they are easy to get into, but with talent and some determination and hard work, it is possible. Jobs like graphic designers and animators are examples of what I am talking about. They may not sound as glamorous as a painter or a sculptor but you still have to be talented.

Another alternative if you love art but need a secure job is a career in the art industry such as working in an art gallery or an art museum curator or guide, although you would have to keep your creative side for your spare time. (more...)

The most enjoyable part of gardening, apart from sitting out in the evening with a glass of wine, is getting it to that point where it looks absolutely wonderful. The mixture of colours and shapes, forms and textures make the borders and containers into real works of art.

The different heights of the flowers, helped with trellises and a tumbling Flower Tower makes the garden a visual delight. It is also an olfactory delight with its mix of both powerful and delicate smells. The gorgeous smelling stock and lavender and the herbs such as mint, rosemary and sage.

Some like their garden to be wild and powerful. They draw the beauty from the disorder and wildness of the flowers and plants. Others prefer a more formal approach, with neat borders and each plant and flower in its place. (more...)

When you think art you imagine maybe a classic painting by Botticelli or a sculpture by Michelangelo, the real traditional forms of art. However, our modern age has blessed us with a much wider meaning to the term 'art' as it now encompasses a much broader range of skills. Let's take the art of cosmetic dentistry as an example. It is certainly not the first thing that springs to mind when talking of art. And yet the orthodontist can take a mouth of misshapen teeth and turn it into a gleaming set of gnashers. Then you have the art of tattooing. A little more like the classic type of art but with a very different canvas, using the body instead of more traditional materials!

Then you have art forms in all manner of unexpected everyday tasks. The art of interior designing, the art of painting and decorating; and the very real art of gardening.

There is also the art of sewing and dress making, as it takes skill and an eye for design and beauty. Knitting too is intricate and should be considered an art form. (more...)

Though not nearly as famous or influential as the painters of the Italian Renaissance, early English painters had their own styles and traditions. Because portraits were the easiest and most profitable way for a talented artist to make a living, most of the early English painters started out as portraitists.

By the 17th century artists like Isaac Oliver and Nicholas Hilliard were painting full-sized portraits. At the same time, talented English artists began to specialise in landscape painting. Although it was not nearly as profitable as portraits, it soon became a respected specialty.

By the 18th century, English painting was focused almost entirely on landscapes and portraits. While a few of the more audacious artists like Sir James Thornhill did experiment with Baroque styles, they did not have much success with art book publishers or collectors. (more...)

While it is true that most early Roman artists imitated their Greek and Egyptian predecessors, there is one particular form of art where the Romans reigned supreme. We are speaking of course about architecture. In this brief article we will discuss a few of the most important architectural innovations the Romans gave to the world.

Unlike most other art forms, architecture has always been about practicality. The art and style of the design often only emerges after the utility of the structure has been realised and perfected. Never was this more important than in ancient Rome where architects were the world's first urban planners and builders. Because the empire of Rome was spread over such a vast area, these incomparable artists were asked to develop methods for building huge cities in foreign lands.

Of course, these architects also completed massive buildings at home, like the Colosseum and the Pantheon. Using concrete, brick, plaster, stone, and marble, they were able to raise the most impressive buildings and monuments the world had ever seen. Architects even used gold-gilded polychrome as an obvious example of the wealth and the power of Rome. (more...)

So you are a lover of fine things. Indulging in art is no trait to be embarrassed by -- quite the opposite. A person who possesses the finer things in life has a story to tell, and their aesthetic, custom creations tell their stories for them. When the opportunity arises you know how to take it to make the most of your life; your intimate Christmas decorations are the focal point of your home during the holidays.

Possessing prints of world renowned works of art are not intended to fool the person who sees them. The person who is lucky enough to get inside your private dwelling and gaze upon your stories will get a first hand impression of your taste, as well as the stories of the artists who inspire you. Seeking out original works you love from hard up artists is tantamount to supporting the arts.

When it comes to custom Christmas ornaments why deck out your home with tasteless tat? You like exceptional things, you love the unique, the hard to come by in a world possessed with mass produced possessions. Why change your style, why accept ordinary Christmas ornaments when your home screams original art. (more...)

If you or your kids have always wanted to create your own cartoon characters, but perhaps lack that little bit of artistic flair when it comes to pen and paper, then perhaps there is a solution. Make your own art character online, using a whole array of templates and colours, leading to almost endless possibilities!

Once you have made your character, it can then take part in an online game, or alternatively, you may just want to save your character as a picture on your computer to show off your artistic skills to family and friends.

The internet has never made being artistically creative so easy, and you can create fun and bizarre characters using all the free online tools available. You don't just need to create the one - you can create dozens and all of them can be inserted into certain games. All colours, shapes and sizes can be used when making your character. (more...)

The right piece of art can be a great investment. Over time, a well-chosen painting or sculpture can accumulate in value. For most people, however, art doesn't serve a primarily financial purpose, but an aesthetic one.

If you are looking for a piece to hang on your wall, the chances are good that you'll be interested, first and foremost, in what it looks like. Indeed, most people in this situation are happy to buy prints of famous pieces, or to choose something from the selection at Williams Antique Mirrors.

If you are set on having something with a little more credibility – a genuine piece of art – then you need to find yourself a good, reputable dealer. Prepare yourself, also, to be confronted with a series of hefty price tags: original paintings are never cheap. (more...)

If you are looking for some art to brighten up a drab interior wall, and you have little experience making this kind of purchase, you will more than likely find yourself a little overwhelmed. Buying something of this nature is more complex than it might initially appear, however, with some help, you should be able to find the right piece to suit you.

To begin with, it is important that you decide what the purpose of purchase is. If you are simply looking for something to look attractive on your wall, you will doubtless be happy to buy a print of something famous, or even a mass produced painting that is cheap but lively and effective.

However, if you are looking for something that will make for a good investment over time, you will need to prepare yourself to fork out a little more cash, and to take your search for the right item a little more seriously. Whether you go for a collection of photos or for an oil on canvas painting, in the end it needs to be something that suits your personal tastes and fits into the right budget category. (more...)

There is nothing more special than a gift that has been made with your own hands for someone you love. Sure, there are millions of commercially produced products out there, but they can never say what a unique and hand created personalized gift can.

We are all capable of creativity, but rampant commercialization of almost every aspect of our lives means that most of us never even consider using our artistic and creative capacity to make something. There is no dearth of ideas out there, and you can truly personalize something when you create it yourself.

For those of us who wish to find a gift which is artistic and unique but do not want to make it ourselves, there are some good options out there. Good quality, artistically made Christmas ornaments are a good gift. Personalized Christmas ornaments can be used for years to come, making them all the more special. (more...)