How to paint like the Old Masters using modern materials
It once happened that I spent twenty years in the American army as a part-time reservist,
often carrying a sketchbook in my rucksack along with my issued gear, to be yanked out at a lull
in activity. I scribbled images of Humvees, weary soldiers, dusty mountains— even the
occasional comic strip for entertainment’s sake. …
Big thanks to all Old Masters Academy Art Competition participants and voters!
In nominating a winner, we considered how many votes participants have received from other people.
And the Winner is…
I’m already an artist, and I’m teaching art at University. At the same time, I’m taking private lessons from my master. For me, it’s never late to learn the secrets of painting from masters, although I’m not a newbie in art. For me, an artist has to progress, and shouldn’t stop and repeat herself. Colors and art are extremely important in my life, and they are giving warmth to our world, like sunshine on a cold winter day. Without colors, our life would be void and monotonous. …
When I was five years old, my first ambition was to become a painter. As I grew older, my interests shifted, but they were always art-related, whether I wanted to be an art teacher, a comic artist, or an illustrator, for example. I had my first opportunity to learn to paint when I was in second grade, but it was unfortunately cancelled after two sessions due to low enrollment.
My second artistic opportunity came in the ninth grade. I was overjoyed at first, but quickly became disappointed. The teacher only showed me how to trace and provided no traditional skill training. My parents were unable to afford the class fees, and I was once again forced to leave. …
Hello, my name is Dejona, and I am an Albanian artist. Art is one of my many passions, the most important one, and I practice it with great dedication and pleasure. I have been drawing since I was seven years old, and in February of last year, I started painting too. It has taken a huge part of my daily life and routine and perhaps, part of my spiritual side. Traditional figurative art has indeed given a nuance to my lifestyle, my experience and appreciation in school, at home and in many occasions where I engage with people. As an artist though, I face many challenges, some of which come from my own thoughts and doubts. However, I have learned to accept my progress and seek further improvement every time I create a new piece.
Long ago, I took an art history class to fulfill a general education requirement for an associate in arts degree in nursing. On the first day of class, the instructor told a story about a friend of his who had retired. The man had been a dentist for all of his working life and at the retirement party, someone asked him, “will you miss your work? The man replied, “no” every time I had to look in someone’s mouth, I cringed…I hated my job and now that I am retired, I look forward to doing what I really love…painting. Of all the classes I have taken, this was by far the most enjoyable, I can still remember the portrait of Van Eyck- with his “red turbine” at the entrance, the detail stunned me- and I remember thinking it was the most beautiful painting I had ever seen. This story has always stayed with me, whispering silently throughout my own career.
