How to create colours

How to create colours

Today we can buy tubes or tubs of paint in just about every colour you can imagine. But over six hundred years ago artists had to mix up their own colours. They would buy the paint in form of a coloured powder or pigment that may mix it with a liquid binder. These are some of the pigments that may have been used to create the illuminated manuscript -

Orange

The mineral cinnabar was crushed to make the orange- red colour. This contained mercury, which is now known to be slowly posionous.     

Blue

The deep rich blue colour called ultramarine was more expensive than gold because the rock lapis lazuli was imported from Afghanisthan. It was reserved for painting the regal gowns and the amount to be used was specified by the patron of the work in the contract.

Gold

Gold was the most expensive colour after ultramarine. It was beaten into very thin sheets to make gold leaf. Gold leaf was applied to the picture and then made shiny by burnishing it with a stone.

Green

 When copper is exposed to air over time a brilliant green coating forms called verdigris. This coating was used by artists in their painting. To make verdigris, artists left a real copper coin in a dish of vinegar. The copper was melted, cooled and the separated into shavings to ground into powder for pigment.

                                                          

White

The brilliant opaque white of the white garments was painted in lead white. It was a very common pigment manufactured from metal. The lead content made it poisonous if a person was in contact with it for a while. It has now been replaced by zinc or titanium.

Pink

The purple-red colour came from a plant dye made from the root of a plant called madder. The madder roots were dried in the sun and then ground into a powder.

Purple

Crused sunflower seeds made the lilac shade of the colour purple.

                                        

Black

By burning animal bones in a sealed container, a pigment of deep blue-black to brown-black colour was produced. This was called bone black.

                                          

Tempera Colour

Artist's workshops in the Middle Ages were busy places. The apprentices would prepare the materials and colours, while the main artists painted.

1. The dry pigments were ground and mixed with water to form a paste. This was skilled work as grinding some pigments too much could spoil the colour.
2. Egg yolk was separated from the white, pierced and collected in a container. A little water was added before the yolk was mixed with the pigment paste.  

                                    

Porcelain Vase

Porcelain Vase

                                               

Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating materials, generally including kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between 1,200 and 1,400 °C. The toughness, strength, and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises mainly from vitrification and the formation of the mineral mullite within the body at these high temperatures.
Porcelain was first developed in China around 2,000 years ago, then slowly spread to other East Asian countries, and finally Europe and the rest of the world. Its manufacturing process is more demanding than that for earthenware and stoneware, the two other main types of pottery, and it has usually been regarded as the most prestigious type of pottery for its delicacy, strength, and its white colour. It combines well with both glazes and paint, and can be modelled very well, allowing a huge range of decorative treatments in tablewares, vessels and figurines. It also has many uses in technology and industry.

Porcelain is also referred to as china or fine china in some English-speaking countries, as it was first seen in imports from China. Properties associated with porcelain include low permeability and elasticity; considerable strength, hardness, toughness, whiteness, translucency and resonance; and a high resistance to chemical attack and thermal shock.

Chinese Art

Chinese Art

Chinese painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world.  Traditional painting involves essentially the same techniques as calligraphy and is done with a brush dipped in black ink or coloured pigments; oils are not used. As with calligraphy, the most popular materials on which paintings are made are paper and silk. The finished work can be mounted on scrolls, such as hanging scrolls or handscrolls. Traditional painting can also be done on album sheets, walls, lacquerware, folding screens, and other media.

The two main techniques in Chinese painting are:

1)Gongbi , meaning "meticulous", uses highly detailed brushstrokes that delimits    details very precisely. It is often highly coloured and usually depicts figural   or narrative subjects. It is often practised by artists working for the royal   court or in independent workshops.

                                                 

2)Ink and wash painting, in Chinese shui-mo also loosely termed watercolour or brush painting, and also known as "literati painting", as it   was one of the "Four Arts" of the Chinese Scholar-official class. In theory this was an art practiced by gentlemen, a distinction that begins to be made in writings on art from the Song dynasty, though in fact the careers of leading exponents could benefit considerably.[2] This style is also referred to as "xieyi"or freehand style.

                                                   

Landscape painting was regarded as the highest form of Chinese painting, and generally still is.[3] The time from the Five Dynasties period to the Northern Song period is known as the "Great age of Chinese landscape". In the north, artists such as Jing Hao, Li Cheng, Fan Kuan, and Guo Xi painted pictures of towering mountains, using strong black lines, ink wash, and sharp, dotted brushstrokes to suggest rough stone. In the south, Dong Yuan, Juran, and other artists painted the rolling hills and rivers of their native countryside in peaceful scenes done with softer, rubbed brushwork. These two kinds of scenes and techniques became the classical styles of Chinese landscape painting.

Mosaic in The Dome of the Rock IN Jerusalem

Mosaic in The Dome of the Rock IN Jerusalem 

Dome of the Rock, Arabic Qubbat al-Ṣakhrah , shrine in Jerusalem built by the Umayyad caliph ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān in the late 7th century ce. It is the oldest extant Islamic monument. The rock over which the shrine was built is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. The Prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, is traditionally believed to have ascended into heaven from the site. In Jewish tradition it is here that Abraham, the progenitor and first patriarch of the Hebrew people, is said to have prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Both the Dome and Al-Aqṣā Mosque are located on the Temple Mount, the site of Solomon’s Temple and its successors, an area known to Muslims as Al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf. The Dome’s structure and ornamentation are rooted in the Byzantine architectural tradition, yet its construction in the 7th century represents an early stage in the emergence of a distinct Islamic visual style.

The interior and exterior of the structure are decorated with marble, mosaics, and metal plaques. Although the mosaics are similar in technique to those found in Byzantine public buildings and churches, the Dome’s mosaics exclude any representations of human or animal forms, instead featuring Arabic script and vegetal patterns intermixed with images of items such as jewels and crowns. Arabic religious inscriptions run around the octagonal arcade.

The original function and significance of the Dome of the Rock are uncertain. The building is not a mosque and does not fit easily into other categories of Muslim religious structures. After the advent of the ʿAbbāsid dynasty in the 8th century, some Muslim historians began to report that ʿAbd al-Malik built the Dome of the Rock as a substitute for the Kaʿbah in an attempt to relocate the site of the Muslim hajj from Mecca, then under the control of rebels led by Ibn al-Zubayr, to Jerusalem. Modern scholars have questioned this interpretation, citing the strong anti-Umayyad bias of ʿAbbāsid historiography as well as evidence that Mecca remained the destination of the hajj throughout Ibn al-Zubayr’s revolt.

the Christ Deesis Mosaic in Hagia Sophia

the Christ Deesis Mosaic in Hagia Sophia

Probes beneath the surface of the existing mosaic and cornice show that there was an earlier mosaic in the spot now occupied by the great Deesis. A number of gold tesserae made of darker glass were found beneath the cornice and these appear to be of sixth century manufacture.

The Deesis must have been completed in one summer season, from May - September, since there were two undercoats of plaster that had to dry before the final layer was applied on which the mosaic was set. The two under-layers were pretty straightforward. The first layer contained crushed brick, lime dust and chopped straw. The second layer was finer and upon this layer rough outline of the design of the mosaic was painted. The plaster on the Deesis panel was finely done with large trowels and has some variation in it on purpose. A slightly uneven surface would reflect gold mosaic in a lively, glittering way. When Justinian built the church in the sixth century the plaster work was fast and a bit sloppy - they had huge areas to cover - imagine the vast vaults to be done - in gold mosaic and not much time to get it finished. The uneven surfaces and joins of Justinian's time have given those mosaics a much admired, but unintended shimmer. It was much easier to lay plaster on a flat surface and fortunately, that's what our workmen had to cover here in the south gallery.

The same plastering method is found in Byzantine churches from Greece to Italy, Russia and Georgia. This technique remained the same for almost 800 years, until the end of the empire.

Before the mosaic artists began work, a huge number or mosaic tesserae had to be assembled in various colors according to hue and intensity of color. Each color might which require dozens of shades. Some mosaic was stone and other was glass. The stone tesserae included cubes of semi-precious stones, such as lapis lazuli and porphyry. However, it was the glass tesserae that had the strongest and most brilliant color combined with the subtle effects on light penetrating the cubes. A significant amount of the gold glass was from the 6th century and was 500 years old. The tones of gold ranged from deep yellow to a sun yellow and in many cases include what appears to be red gold and white gold. These variations are caused by the various colors of glass under which the gold leaf is laid, by the gold used, and sometimes by paint applied under the tesserae. In the background of the Deesis, silver is also found. Great care was taken with the selection of the gold. Our artists were experts at using various types of gold tesserae to create dazzling effects.

Byzantium was still one of the world-centers of glass production and its factories could produce tons of mosaic a year, which was exported throughout the empire, Western Europe and the Middle East.

Once the plaster had dried and set properly, work began on the topmost layer of lime and marble dust where the mosaic cubes would be set. This fine layer of plaster was applied in a patchwork of sections just large enough to be completed in one day's work. The plaster joins were easy for the restorers to see and record. It gave them a good understanding of how the mosaic was created. On this layer a detailed colored painting was prepared as a guide for the artists.

The Large floor painting in the Great Palace of Constantinpole

The Large floor painting in the Great Palace of Constantinpole

The Great Palace of Constantinople (Greek: Μέγα Παλάτιον; Latin: Palatium Magnum, Turkish: Büyük Saray), also known as the Sacred Palace (Greek: Ἱερὸν Παλάτιον; Latin: Sacrum Palatium), was the large Imperial Byzantine palace complex located in the south-eastern end of the peninsula now known as Old Istanbul (formerly Constantinople), in modern Turkey. It served as the main royal residence of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine emperors from 330 to 1081 and was the center of imperial administration for over 690 years. Only a few remnants and fragments of its foundations have survived into the present day.



When Constantine I moved the Roman capital to Constantinople in 330, he planned out a palace for himself and his heirs. The palace was located between the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia. It was rebuilt and expanded several times during its history. Much of the complex was destroyed during the Nika riots of 532 and was rebuilt lavishly by the emperor Justinian I. Further extensions and alterations were commissioned by Justinian II and Basil I. However, it had fallen into disrepair by the time of Constantine VII, who ordered its renovation. From the early 11th century onwards the Byzantine emperors favored the Palace of Blachernae as an imperial residence, though they continued to use the Great Palace as the primary administrative and ceremonial center of the city. It declined substantially during the following century when parts of the complex were demolished or filled with rubble. During the sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, the Palace was plundered by the soldiers of Boniface of Montferrat. Although the subsequent Latin emperors continued to use the Palace complex, they lacked money for its maintenance. The last Latin emperor, Baldwin II, went as far as removing the lead roofs of the Palace and selling them.
Consequently, when the city was retaken by the forces of Michael VIII Palaiologos in 1261, the Great Palace was in disrepair. The Palaiologos emperors largely abandoned it, ruling from Blachernae and using the vaults as a prison. When Mehmed II entered the city in 1453, he found the palace ruined and abandoned. As he wandered its empty halls and pavilions, he allegedly whispered a quote from the Persian poet, Ferdowsi:[1]
The spider spins his web in the Palace of the Caesars,
An owl hoots in the towers of Afrasiyab.
Much of the palace was demolished in the general rebuilding of Constantinople in the early years of the Ottoman era. The area was initially turned into housing with a number of small mosques before Sultan Ahmet I demolished the remnants of the Daphne and Kathisma Palaces to build the Sultan Ahmed Mosque and its adjoining buildings. The site of the Great Palace began to be investigated in the late 19th century and an early 20th-century fire uncovered a section of the Great Palace. On this site prison cells, many large rooms, and possibly tombs were found.

How to make a Mosaic

How to make a Mosaic

Byzantine mosaicists would have placed the tesserae directly into a bed of lime cement working a section at a time because the cement would quickly dry.

1. Have a go at  making a mosaic yourself. Draw your design onto a wooden base. The Byzantines had to work quickly, but give yourself more time by applying the tile adhesive bit by bit.
2. Use special tile cutters to shape each piece of tessera so they fit together well and follow the curves of your design. Tilt each one a little so it will catch the light.
3. Byzantine mosaics were never grouted ( filling the spaces between the tiles with fine cement ), but a fine layer applied to your design will seal it and make it stronger. 

Mosaics

Mosaics

Mosaic is the art of creating images with small pieces of coloured glass, stone, pottery or other hard material. These small tiles or fragments  are called tesserae. From the first pebble designs, to the glittering effects of the Byzantine art, to the textured modern abstracts, mosaics have covered the insides  ad outsides of buildings with stunning effect.

  

           

Byzantine style

Glass tesserae in many different colours, including gold and silver, were used on the walls and ceiling during the Byzanite period (330-1453). This art was mainly based on religious Christian themes and by tilting the tesserae, light would reflect from the haloes and faces of holy people.

 Byzantine art, architecture, paintings, and other visual arts produced in the Middle Ages in the Byzantine Empire (centred at Constantinople) and in various areas that came under its influence. The pictorial and architectural styles that characterized Byzantine art, first codified in the 6th century, persisted with remarkable homogeneity within the empire until its final dissolution with the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453.

A brief treatment of Byzantine art follows. For a treatment of Byzantine architecture, see Western architecture: The Christian East. For a treatment of Byzantine painting, see Western painting: Eastern Christian.

Byzantine art is almost entirely concerned with religious expression and, more specifically, with the impersonal translation of carefully controlled church theology into artistic terms. Its forms of architecture and painting grew out of these concerns and remained uniform and anonymous, perfected within a rigid tradition rather than varied according to personal whim; the result was a sophistication of style and a spirituality of expression rarely paralleled in Western art.

The earliest Byzantine architecture, though determined by the longitudinal basilica church plan developed in Italy, favoured the extensive use of large domes and vaults. Circular domes, however, were not structurally or visually suited to a longitudinal arrangement of the walls that supported them; thus, by the 10th century, a radial plan, consisting of four equal vaulted arms proceeding from a dome over their crossing, had been adopted in most areas. This central, radial plan was well suited to the hierarchical view of the universe emphasized by the Eastern church. This view was made explicit in the iconographic scheme of church decoration, set forth in the frescoes, or more often, mosaics, that covered the interiors of domes, walls, and vaults of churches in a complete fusion of architectural and pictorial expression. In the top of the central dome was the severe figure of the Pantocrator (the all-ruling Father). Below him, usually around the base of the dome, were angels and archangels and, on the walls, figures of the saints. The Virgin Mary was often pictured high in a half-dome covering one of the four radial arms. The lowest realm was that of the congregation. The whole church thus formed a microcosm of the universe. The iconographic scheme also reflected liturgy; narrative scenes from the lives of Christ and the Virgin, instead of being placed in chronological order along the walls, as in Western churches, were chosen for their significance as feast days and ranged around the church according to their theological significance.

   

Dreamtime Art

Dreamtime Art

For thousands of years, Aboriginal people have been creating art, including body and bark painting, clay and wood sculptures, and rock art. Some surviving rock engravings are about 40,000 years old.

Dreamtime 

According to traditional Australian aboriginal belief, the world was created during a magical period known as the Dreamtime. To aboriginals, the dreamtime is not in the past but is a parallel stream of of time running though past.present and future. In the dreamtime, ancestral beings rose from beneath the Earth and wandered across the landscape, creating the mountains, valleys, and rivers we see today.

 

Technique

Ancient Aboriginal painters used earth colours- reds, browns and yellows, black and white- made from natural plants and minerals. A variety of ways were used to apply the paint. Some pictures were painted using fingers, the palm of the hands, sticks or feathers, grasses, chewed twings, narrow strips of stringy bark or palm leave were also used to make brushes. For, stencil designs, the paint was blown out of the mouth  around an object. Aboriginals make paints from natural plants and minerals such as red, yellow and many other colours of ochre. They grind it to powder, mix it with liquid, then paint using barks or sticks.

   

St. Ignazio Church Ceiling Fresco

St. Ignazio Church Ceiling Fresco

Andrea Pozzo, a Jesuit lay brother, painted the grandiose fresco that stretches across the nave ceiling (after 1685).[8] It celebrates the work of Saint Ignatius and the Society of Jesus in the world presenting the saint welcomed into paradise by Christ and the Virgin Mary and surrounded by allegorical representations of all four continents. Pozzo worked to open up, even dissolve the actual surface of the nave's barrel vault illusionistically, arranging a perspectival projection to make an observer see a huge and lofty cupola (of a sort), open to the bright sky, and filled with upward floating figures. A marble disk set into the middle of the nave floor marks the ideal spot from which observers might fully experience the illusion. A second marker in the nave floor further east provides the ideal vantage point for the trompe l'oeil painting on canvas that covers the crossing and depicts a tall, ribbed and coffered dome. The cupola one expects to see here was never built and in its place, in 1685, Andrea Pozzo supplied a painting on canvas with a perspectival projection of a cupola. Destroyed in 1891, the painting was subsequently replaced. Pozzo also frescoed the pendentives in the crossing with Old Testament figures: Judith, David, Samson, and Jaele.

Andrea Pozzo's painted ceiling

Pozzo also painted the frescoes in the eastern apse depicting the life and apotheosis of St Ignatius. The Siege of Pamplona in the tall panel on the left commemorates the wounding of Ignatius, which led to the convalescence that transformed his life. The panel over the high altar, Vision of St Ignatius at the Chapel of La Storta, commemorates the vision that gave the saint his divine calling. St Ignatius sends St Francis Xavier to India recalls the aggressive Jesuit missionary work in foreign countries, and finally, St Ignatius Receiving Francesco Borgia recalls the recruitment of the Spanish noble who would become General of the Company of Jesuits. Pozzo is also responsible for the fresco in the conch depicting St. Ignatius Healing the Pestilent.

Sistine Chapel Ceiling Painting

Sistine Chapel Ceiling Painting 

The Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, is a cornerstone work of High Renaissance art.

The ceiling is that of the Sistine Chapel, the large papal chapel built within the Vatican between 1477 and 1480 by Pope Sixtus IV, for whom the chapel is named. It was painted at the commission of Pope Julius II. The chapel is the location for papal conclaves and many important services.

The ceiling's various painted elements form part of a larger scheme of decoration within the Chapel, which includes the large fresco The Last Judgment on the sanctuary wall, also by Michelangelo, wall paintings by several leading painters of the late 15th century including Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Pietro Perugino, and a set of large tapestries by Raphael, the whole illustrating much of the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

Central to the ceiling decoration are nine scenes from the Book of Genesis of which The Creation of Adam is the best known, having an iconic standing equalled only by Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the hands of God and Adam being reproduced in countless imitations. The complex design includes several sets of individual figures, both clothed and nude, which allowed Michelangelo to fully demonstrate his skill in creating a huge variety of poses for the human figure and which have provided an enormously influential pattern book of models for other artists ever since.

How to make a Roman fresco

Here's How t make a Roman Fresco

After preparing the wall with a layer of rough plaster, the Roman Fresco artists would create the painting bit by bit as the pigment need to be applied onto wet plaster.

                                                   

1. Crushed pigaments made from rocks and dried plants were mixed with lime water to form the paste.
2. A small patch of fine wet plaster called the intonaco was put on the wall.
3. The paste was painted on straight away . As the plaster was still wet, the pigment would bond with the plaster.
4. Once the picture was completed, wax was put over the surface to protect the picture and make it shine.

Portrait Of Terentius Neo and his wife

Portrait Of Terentius Neo and his wife

1st century- Fresco from Pompeii, Italy

1. In,the dry climate of Italy, some Roman frescoes have survived. The ones at Pompeii were preserved when the volcano Vesuvius erupted and buried the city in 79ce.
2. The owner of the house, Terentius Neo was a baker who wanted himself and his wife as successful and clever. He holds a scroll to show he can read.
3. The wife holds a stylus (a writing tool) and an open diptych (an ancient writing tablet) and looks as if she is about to finish off some writing.
4. The strong red colours were made from sienna, a hard red rock found in Italy. 

Frescoes

Frescoes

Fresco is one of the method used for painting a picture onto a wall or ceiling. Pigaments,the materials that make the colours, are painted onto a surface covered in plaster. Frescoes have been found on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs and used to create amazing effects on the ceilings of cathedrals.

                                       

Roman style

The Romans used a techinuqe called buon fresco (true fresco) to decorate the walls of their buildings. Powdered pigments such as Natural brown and red earths were mixed with water and painted onto the surface of wet plaster, made from lime and sand. As the surface dried and hardened, the pigment 

blended in to colour the plaster. The artist had to work very quickly before the plaster dried.

                                               

How to Make Papyrus Paper

Papyrus paper
Ancient Egyptians were the first to make paper, using papyrus, a plant  once found along the banks of the River Nile. Papyrus was also used to make ropes and baskets.

How to make Papyrus paper
To make paper, the green skin of the papyrus stalks was removed and the stalks cut into long strips. The strips were flattened out and then some were laid horizontally on a cotton sheet. Other strips were placed vertically on top. This gave the criss-cross pattern found in papyrus paper. Then the strips were pressed. The natural juice of the papyrus plant acted as a glue to seal all the strips together, creating a single sheet of paper.

                            

Nebamun

Nebamun

Nebamun was a middle-ranking official "scribe and grain accountant" during the period of the New Kingdom in ancient Egypt. He is thought to have lived circa 1350 BCE and worked at the vast temple complex near Thebes (now Luxor) where the state-god Amun was worshipped. His name was translated as "My Lord is Amun", and his association with the temple, coupled with the importance of grain supplies to Egypt, meant that he was a person of considerable practical importance, though not of the highest rank.
Nebamun is known today because of the 1820 discovery of the richly-decorated Tomb of Nebamun on the west bank of the Nile at Thebes. Although the exact location of that tomb is now lost, a number of wall paintings from the tomb were acquired by the British Museum where they are now on display. They are considered to be one of that museum’s greatest treasures.
                        

Fowling in Marshes

Nebamun's tomb painting
Nebamun was a official in ancient Egypt. Around his tomb was a large wall painting.This scene showed Nebamun with his family hunting birds in the marshes of the River Nile. This type of scene, showing the deceased doing something they enjoyed, was very common in tombs. Nebamun wanted this wall painting in tomb so that he could have lots of birds and fishes to hunt in his after life, a place for the dead yo live.






This Painting shows the life of the people of Ancient Egypt and the small details in it. Some of the details are-

1. The eyes and shoulders of Egyptian figures were shown facing the front, but all other parts of the body were shown side on.
2. Can you see the cat balancing on to reeds trying to catch birds? Cats were family pets in ancient Egyptian times but also used as hunting partners.
3. The artists of this wall, Nebamun have managed to show the scaly and shiny skin of the fish.    
4. If a scribe though an illustration needed more explanation then hieroglyphs would be used such as these. Hieroglyphs literally means "sacred carving ". Each symbol represents a different letter or sound. In this painting such symbols are shown which represents different meanings

• The Horned Viper represents the letter F.
• The Egyptian vultures represent the letter A.
• The Eye is said to mean the word I.
• The Quail Chick represents the letter W or U.

Egyptian scribes

Egyptian scribes
Hey Guys! This is Akarshan Mondal and you are in Guernica. Today we are going to discuss about one of the most historic and dangerous artform. It started from the Pahroahs till now. It is god's own art to express sacrifices and love.
Egyptian scribes
For the ancient Egyptians, art had a specific purpose rather than decorations. In general, most art designed to ease the journey though the afterlife or to worship the gods. Egyptian scribes has a very strict set of rules to follow when painting. Erwin Panofsky, a German art historian, discovered that Egyptian scribes used a mathematical system of grids to make sure all figures were drawn in proportion

                                    

Book of the Death
The ancient Egyptians were often buried with their own Book of the Death to ensure they passed safely through the Underworld, yo be reborn into a new life. The book would contain a range of texts, including spells and small illustrations known as vignettes. The vignettes were very important as they showed what would happen in the afterlife.

                         

Rocky Beginnings

Rocky beginnings
Hey!Guys.This is Akarshan Mondal and you are on Guernica .Today we will see and know about cave paintings .And the start of a new Painting Era.
Rocky beginnings
In the beginning, there was cave art- the markings of prehistoric man. Although thousands and thousands of years old, the drawings are beautifully preserved often found deep inside a mountain or underground,safe from being worn away by the weather. Imagine in the dim glow of flickering fire,caveman using burnt sticks or dirt mixed with a little water to create their beautiful paintings.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                European cave art

The impression cave art found at the Lascaux caves in France is known as the "prehistoric Sistine Chapel."The caves were discovered in 1940 by four teenagers, who said to be chasing their dog, robot. No one knows what the paintings were for. Maybe as decoration or graffiti, or for ceremonies on Information ?

African cave art 

The walls of desert caves in Libya, Africa, are covered with pictures of giraffes and other grazing animals. These paintings suggest that in 12,000 BCE, when they were created, the non-barren Sahara Desert was a lush,tree-filled landscape.

Black marks were made using charcoal. This is wood that has been buried under sand and then burnt.

American rock art

This art is found at Newspaper Rock in Utah, USA. It was created by native American Indians before 150 CE. Rather than painting the rocks and the marks gradually washing away over time, the people scratched the oily surface to reveal the lighter sandstone underneath for a lasting image.These images are called petroglyphs.

What is Art?

What is art?
Hello Guys! I am Akarshan Mondal and this is Guernica. I am back with my new blog.
Before I start I have a very interesting question in my mind-
What is art?
Here we are again.This is a very tricky question to answer because art can be so many things.Once Leonardo da Vinci said ''Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt..."Now a days we can't define art.
It's not just a drawing .... but also be collage,mosaics,prints,photography,sculpture,video,painting,and many other media.
It's not just happy.... but can also show anger,pain,wonder,sadness,and many other emotions.
It's not just in galleries.....but also be in churches,public buildings,in parks and on the streets,in magezines and in fact there's art all around you .
It's not just an image....but can also be a meaningful idea and a historical source,informing us about the lifestyle of people in the past and present.
It's not just aceeptable....but can also be religious,conversational,dramatic and spiritual.
It's not just pretty....but can also be horrifying,scandalous and challenging.
It'snot just realistic...but can also be abstract,symbolic,imaginary,distorted or a fleeting impression of a  moment in time.
It's not just for art lovers....but also for all people of all ages to react to.                                                        

 Art is everything . So first feel it then draw it.