Even the latest technologies have been utilized to create marvelous pieces of glass art. They include 3D printing and a few other technologies. Here are some of the artists who are well-known for their fantastic creations of glass art:

1. Thaddeus Wolfe

Wolfe creates his colorful pieces of glass art using plaster-silica molds. He realized long back that shaping glass freehand in a glassworker’s room didn’t give him the desired control. The artist realized that plaster-silica molds can be destroyed during the cutting and polishing of glass.

Instead of working across different materials, Wolfe chose to learn the craft of glass and remain faithful to it. According to him, the material is both challenging and inspiring. It seems to have many limitations, but also possesses endless possibilities.

2. Amber Cowan

Her pieces of glass art either have a gentle gradient or they’re completely uniform in color. Cowan uses deadstock and vintage scrap from the glass factories to creates exuberant sculptures. They sprout from a table or wall like the corals. She recycles the material, which allows her to know the history of the industry of pressed glass. It also enables her to engage with her audience’s personal histories.

Many among her audience recognize the pieces or colors in her works. It is because their parents or grandparents had collected pressed glass. She gets old or broken pieces of glass objects from different parts of the country. Cowan then uses these glass pieces in her sculptures.

3. Flavie Audi

The glassworks of Audi appear like ‘fluid rocks’. Blown glass, precious metals, and pigment are used to make these series of blobs. Many among her audience wonder how an object can be so rigid despite appearing fluid. Audi’s blobs seem to come alive in her video work. It was titled ‘Landscapes of Mass Replication’. She had collaborated with the artist Samantha Lee for this work.

Audi is also exploring 3D modeling and rapid prototyping besides this video work. What truly interests her is how one can combine traditional hand-making techniques with new technologies. She constantly explores the possibilities of creating new forms of glass sculptures with such tools.

4. Bryan McGovern Wilson

Wilson’s projects often involve integration of glass into performances. He uses the material for exploring the connections that exist between science and alchemy. His works are based on the premise that an advanced technology is just like magic. For ‘Trinity Pilgrimage’, which was the title of his 2009 performance, he traveled to the Trinity Nuclear Test site.

He went there dressed as Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer. This nuclear physicist was among the ones responsible for creating the atomic bomb. The purpose of his visit was to find and collect a radioactive type of glass called trinitite. This visit resulted in his ‘Trinitite Reliquary’ series.

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Many of these establishments are home to some of the fascinating and renowned paintings in the world. Now, you might wonder what paintings have to do with casinos. Well, such establishments are places where many wealthy individuals arrive to show off their wealth. Not many casinos have the same class. It is mostly the high-end casinos that would spend colossal amounts for impressing their wealthy and affluent clients.

They create a healthy environment for their clients to play by displaying such rare and expensive paintings. It is, in a way, a marketing strategy of the casinos to attract a certain class of customers. Here’s a list of some elegant casinos for you that are home to famous paintings:

1. Bellagio

Owned by The Blackstone Group, Bellagio is a luxury hotel, resort, and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip. It is also famous for its art gallery, which is the ultimate venue in Las Vegas for high-end exhibitions. Many paintings and other works of art can be seen in the art gallery of Bellagio.

Among them are the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh, a world-renowned Dutch painter. The works of artists such as Claude Monet and Edgar Degas can also be found here. After Bellagio showcased these artworks in its gallery, the trend began catching up with many other casinos as well.

2. Wynn Las Vegas

This charming resort and casino is a property of Wynn Resorts and is spread across 215 acres. Located in Las Vegas, this resort houses many paintings that are from the personal collection of Steve Wynn. When the Wynn gallery closed in 2009, he housed his private artworks in many of his properties.

Among the notable paintings in his collection is Tulips by Jeff Koon and Full Fathom Five by Tim Bayington. Today, this casino is like a grand art exhibition, though still pretty much focused on gambling. You’ll find the paintings and other works of art strategically placed in areas with high customer traffic.

3. Palms Casino Resort

Located near the Las Vegas Strip, Palms Casino Resort was owned originally by the Maloof family. Today, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians owns and operates this hotel and casino. It is yet another popular casino in Las Vegas, which houses a vast collection of art.

This collection includes a famous painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat. It has been placed in a private suite. Another famed work of art in this collection is an artwork by Damien Hirst.

4. Live! Casino & Hotel

Located in Hanover, Maryland, this casino hotel opened in 2012. The hotel is Anne Arundel County’s tallest building at 17 stories. There are more than 3,900 slot machines and electronic table games in the casino. It also features 52 poker tables and 189 live table games.

To impress its customers, it has some incredible artworks on display. Among them are the paintings from artists such as Andy Warhol. The fabric sculptures from Nick Cave are also among the works of art on display in this casino hotel.

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It gives you the power to make colorful, dynamic, and unique works of glass art. Unlike many of the other glass forms, this process gives you sufficient time to bring your designs to life. This is because you’d be working with the glass when it’s cold.

The art of fusing glass

You can fabricate tiles, jewelry, plates, bowls, wall hangings and other objects by fusing glass. For making a finished fused piece of glass, you’ll need a kiln and a few simple tools. To make glass vessels and other objects that you can’t create easily in a kiln, use glass blowing. You’ll need a large furnace and other equipment to melt the glass and complete the process.

Three-dimensional sculptures can be created with glass casting using a mold. These objects are fired in a kiln before cold-working with the right equipment for grinding and polishing. You need to use a torch for creating a finished glass piece in glass flame-working. However, the size in this case is limited to small objects.

The process of fusing glass

Once you have a studio and the right equipment, you’ll have endless possibilities. You’ll be able to create any functional object or art with fused glass. Either you can fuse it flat or add texture and other things. Glass fusing is also the first step towards creating slumped artworks of glass. Here are a few steps in glass fusing that you need to know:

1. Readying your workspace

Gather the tools and materials that you require for cutting glass. Using a kiln wash, prepare your kiln shelf. You can also use a firing paper to line the shelf.

2. Preparing the glass

Cut your glass into the shapes that you want. You can also grind down the edges for creating cleaner lines. The glass must be clean without any fingerprints or smudges. If there’s dirt or any other substance on the glass, it can leave a mark on the piece.

3. Assembling the glass

You must ensure that the piece is not too close to the edge of the shelf or adjacent projects. Tack the pieces together with glue if you’re assembling the glass into a complicated design. Make sure you don’t apply too much so that it doesn’t leave any residue after firing.

4. Firing your piece

Maintaining the right temperature and firing schedule in the kiln, fire your piece. Don’t forget to check whether the glass is completely cool before removing the piece from the kiln.

Glass slumping as an option

If you need to slump your fused glass, check the edges. See whether there are rough or sharp points. If there are any sharp edges, they’ll need some grinding. In case the piece needs slumping, place it on the mold carefully and fire it to slumping temperature. If the piece doesn’t require slumping, it means that it’s ready for use.

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It can be used as a great addition to the brush while creating a brilliant work of art. In some cases, palette knives can also be a replacement for brushes for creating strong and compelling artworks. They are made using thin steel blades that are fixed on to wooden handles. Palette knives are also available in a variety of sizes and shapes.

Although each of these shapes serves a different function, you need not invest in buying many different palette knives. You can even have one with a flexible blade measuring two to three inches. It would help you in creating a wide range of marks and effects.

Given below are the different uses of palette knives for artists in creating their fantastic artworks:

1. Applying patches

If you’re using a palette knife, there’s no need to dilute your paint with the medium. Because of this you get a more vibrant color when you use a palette knife for its application. These knives are extremely useful in applying clean patches of color on a blank canvas. Patches can also be applied over a dry layer of paint using palette knives. The blade makes it easier for you to apply a layer of color on to the canvas.

You’ll notice that the action resembles a baker swiping a frosting over a cake. You can use the edge of the palette knife’s blade to scrape off an extra-thick patch of paint. This removes excess paint without weakening the statement of color made in the painting.

2. Making lines

You can make straight and crisp lines like the ones drawn with the help of a ruler. This is done by taking the paint on the blade’s edge and drawing it across the canvas. This technique is generally used for depicting certain man-made elements in a painting.

Some of these elements include fence posts and the straight edges of buildings or furniture. You can make these lines into zigzags and sinuous curves. This is done by manipulating the angle and pressure of the knife’s stroke.

3. Creating texture

Palette knives can be excellent tools for creating and reducing texture. You can use them to create texture in a painting as well as the illusion of a texture. When you apply the strokes thinly, you’ll replicate patterns such as grasses or grains of wood. Marks that look sculptural and protruding from the canvas can be created using thickly loaded strokes.

You can effectively emphasize the physicality and lushness of the paint with the help of this appealing extra dimension. The paint’s textured brushstrokes can make an area too busy. If this happens, you can lay the blade on the wet paint and massage gently to flatten it. This can also be a great way of mixing colors directly on the canvas.

4. Creating paint layers with small openings

You can create a paint layer with window-like small openings that reveal what lies underneath. This can be done by loading the palette knife with paint and moving it gently across the painting surface. The size of the openings would depend on the texture of the painting surface and pressure of the stroke. You’ll get larger windows if the surface is coarse canvas rather than a smooth panel or fine-grained canvas.

5. Edges

Edges are the places in a painting where two or more colors or shapes meet. Palette knives can be one of the most excellent tools for creating a wide array of edges. Some of the edges can be blurry and ambiguous while the others can be crisp and defined. They can be places for the artist to reveal his or her expression. They can provide a hint to the viewers about what the artist wants to emphasize.

A hard edge is instrumental in drawing the attention of the viewer towards a particular area. On the other hand, a soft or ambiguous edge allows the eye to travel ceaselessly from one shape to the next. Some of the edges alternate between clarity and ambiguity, which causes the viewer to keep changing focus.

For getting a crisp edge you’ll need to lay the knife loaded with paint flat on to the canvas. Then take a pause before moving the stroke away from the edge you’re creating. This helps in depositing a larger volume of paint.

You can get a soft edge by slurring the paint together at the place where the two colors intersect. Then press the palette knife and move it back and forth on the boundary. This allows you to work the patches of wet paint into each other.

6. Mixing paint

If you want to mix paint on your palette by not wasting any pigment, palette knives are the best. When you’re mixing using a brush, the paint collects in its bristles. When you dab it into a clean pile of color, it deposits some of the paint on the pile. This causes the pile’s contamination.

When you’re mixing paint using your palette knife, wipe the excess paint off the blade. You must do this before dipping it into a new color. This keeps the piles of paint on the palette clean and usable.

7. Placing color on the wet paint

There’s a possibility of disturbing the lower layers of the painting when placing clean color notes on a wet painting. You can prevent this from happening by using a palette knife. Simply load the knife with a generous portion of paint and dab it on the painting’s surface gently. The paint will just sit on the top without mixing with the wet paint below.

8. Scraping

Your palette knife can also be a reliable scraping tool. At the end of a painting session, you can use the knife to clean your palette. This can be done by scraping off the mixtures of paint with your knife. Then you can use a paper towel to give its surface a final wipe.

If your painting isn’t working, you can scrape it down to the canvas with your palette knife. This will remove the volume of paint and leave behind a ghost of the image. You can then use the faint image as a guide to paint again.

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The origins of watercolor go back to the Paleolithic period. This is evident from the traces of this medium in the cave paintings. Watercolor art is perhaps the most simple among the art forms to create. It just needs a paper, brush, some paints of different shades, and water.

You might know some of the greatest painters who were famous for their watercolor artworks. Among them were William Blake, James Whistler, and Georgia O’Keeffe. Now, let’s know more about some contemporary artists who have create watercolor paintings:

1. Larry Bell

Although Larry Bell is famous for his sculptures, he is also known for his watercolor paintings. The inspiration for these paintings come from his interest in Abstract Expressionism. He is also credited for introducing ‘mirage works’ and ‘vapor drawings’.

PET and laminate film strips, coloring sheets of paper, and thin film deposition technology were used in these works. Known as ‘Cube Sculptures’, these works depict geometric compositions in a three-dimensional form.

2. Sukran Moral

She is quite popular in the world of Turkish art in recent times. Sukran Moral has no fear of the conservatives and even shocks them at times by speaking her mind. Although watercolor art only forms a small part of her practice, it’s enough to cause some provocation.

Her works deal with everything that’s not in accordance with the acceptable norms or order. Transsexuals, immigrants, the mentally ill, and prostitutes are some of them.

3. Cecily Brown

She is a painter who mainly works on paper and canvas. Cecily Brown also produces prints. Her works are highly abstract and representational, incorporating nudes and figures with rich colors and expressive strokes of brush. You might not readily understand what you’re seeing when you look at her works of art.

It is mainly because of a constant flow of forms, colors, and lines. Her watercolor paintings focus more on nature and are simpler with regards to color. However, they’re less figurative in terms of depiction, which gives a sense of ambiguity or chaos.

4. Don Bachardy

Don Bachardy began his career during the times when Abstract Expressionism was in vogue. He guided his art of making portraits towards figurative painting, which had a great visual impact. He has managed to transmit some powerful emotions through the faces of many individuals ever since. These were the ones who were willing to sit for him despite their inconveniences.

He used watercolors rather boldly, which turned him into one of the best artists in the field. Often when someone mentions his name, many think of his collection ‘Hollywood’. It comprises portraits of the most familiar faces from this world-renowned film industry.

5. Dima Rebus

Born in Russia, Dima Rebus is famous for his works of art that move between reality and the surreal. Besides creating artworks for himself, he works on illustrations for publishing houses and magazines. His works are accompanied by cheeky titles, depicting humans and their strange situations.

One of his works was even chosen for the image of the film Saints & Strangers from National Geographic. At times, his Russian roots inspire his technique. His works have some amazing details and are extremely impeccable and thought-provoking.

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So, it won’t be wrong to state that wall art plays an important role in interior design. You might wonder how something that seems rather insignificant can influence design to such an extent. Well, here we’ll try to explain how wall art improves the interior design of your home.

1. It acts as an inspiration for your color palette

While designing your interiors, the most daunting thing would be choosing a color palette. You’ll find great variety in shades of paint available at the home improvement store in your neighborhood. In fact, you’ll feel that the number of varying shades is endless at some point.

This would make it difficult to select the appropriate colors that suit your preferences. Here, the best thing to do would be to keep the paint shades aside and focus on wall art. Once you’ve chosen a painting or wall hanging, you can use it to decide your final color palette.

2. Wall art creates a focal point

A great piece of wall art can easily become a focal point of the room. Among the most basic principles of interior design is that every room requires something that attracts attention instantly. A single design element such as a wall art can immediately catch the eye of a viewer. An example of this would be your favorite work of art placed above the mantle of the fireplace.

Another example is a painting above the bed in the master suite of your home. You can also improve the look of a traditional dining area with the help of a creative gallery wall. The seating area will get a cozier feel to it with the use of a few hanging tapestries.

3. It can bring a sense of texture

Some pieces of wall art are in the form of paintings that are two-dimensional or something similar. Others are available in the form of wall hangings. To include certain variations in texture into your space, you must consider art in different mediums. It would be great if you try pieces like shadow boxes or sculptures.

Using them in addition to paintings and prints can add a certain level of depth to a room. If you prefer a more avant garde style, consider including digital art and screens.

4. It gives the room a finished look

Wall arts can act as finishing elements. They can be of immense help in pulling a particular space together and giving it a finished look. For instance, think about your first adult space after finishing school or a college apartment. You can also think about a college apartment.

Such spaces feel a bit unfinished or a little rough around the edges. It’s also highly possible that they’ll have white walls. The inclusion of wall art can add an extra touch to such spaces. As a result, they appear more attractive rather than simply looking functional.

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It was, in a way, a reflection of the desire of the early abstract painters. Their desire was to free their works from all restrictions. In a way, they wanted their imaginations to run wild on the canvas. You’ll come across abstract paintings in a variety of forms and shapes.

They are usually a complete departure from an actual representation of reality. It is an amazingly versatile genre that utilizes shapes, colors, forms, and symbols to create some unique aesthetics. Abstract paintings trigger an emotional response from the viewers in many cases.

Origins

Elements of abstract art can be traced back to the early 19th century. However, it rose to fame through the works of renowned Cubist masters such as Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso. Most of the theorists are of the opinion that the year 1910 was when abstract art was born. It began with Wassily Kandinsky creating his celebrated work of art Untitled (First Abstract Watercolor).

It became the first and among the most famous works of abstract art ever painted. Since then, abstract painting has come a long way. It beccame a versatile field of art for the artists to experiment and develop new styles. Helen Frankenthaler’s soak and stain paintings and Jackson Pollock’s innovative dripping technique are a part of this genre.

Here are the three classic abstract paintings that continue to delight art lovers:

1. Untitled (First Abstract Watercolor)

In the year 1910, Wassily Kandinsky became the pioneer of abstract art as a genre. This was because of his work Untitled (First Abstract Watercolor). It set his artworks free from the limitation of subject matter. This work of art by Kandinsky is considered to be the first abstract painting ever created.

It uses vibrant colors as an expression of emotion. This was his purpose behind using colors. He never used them as tools for describing reality faithfully.

2. Tableau I

Eleven years after Wassily Kandinsky created the first abstract painting, Piet Mondrian created Tableau I in 1921. He used thin black lines to separate panels of paint. Mondrian thus created one of the most famous abstract paintings in his own defining style. This painting by the renowned abstract artist was characterized by geometric shapes.

They were aligned in the painting with mathematical precision. This work of art varies greatly from the untamed and expressive paintings created by his predecessors. It was a great inspiration not only for painters and sculptors but also for fashion designers and architects.

3. La mancha roja (The red spot)

This abstract painting created in 1925 by Joan Miro falls somewhere between Abstraction and Surrealism. It represents a playful, childish, and somewhat frightening piece of art. Miro never really saw himself as an abstract artist. He said that he only painted images that were inside his head on what was otherwise an exhausting day.

La mancha roja was based on subconscious feelings of humans. Through this painting, he opened the door for his dreams and visions so that they could enter the canvas.

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Once you get a hang of watercolors, you’ll realize that they’re a complex but amazingly versatile medium. Now, let’s take a look at some of the creative water color techniques that are used in paintings:

1. Working dry to wet

When you’re painting using watercolors, you must consider the wet and dry factors. You can manipulate the saturation and darkness of the pigment depending on the amount of water that you’re adding. There are many ways, in which, the artists paint using watercolors.

Upon trying watercolor painting by adding water to the paint, you’ll know how much water to use and when. You can have more control by working dry to wet.

2. Working from light to dark

This is yet another fantastic technique worth considering. Anything in your watercolor painting that you’re keeping light or white needs to maintain its shade. It must stay this way for the entire duration of your work. Add the layers one upon the other in order to arrive at the desire effect. Of course, this would take much planning, but the results would be worth the effort.

3. Splattering the watercolors

Using the splatter watercolor technique, you can add some element of fun to your painting. Some of the examples are a water spray or floating dust. You need to hold your paintbrush between your thumb and middle finger. Then, pulling back on the bristles with your index finger, let them snap forward.

Although this technique is a bit unpredictable, it can yield good results. As it’s not completely reliable, you can use it as an experiment.

4. Bleeding the colors into one another

Also called blooming watercolor technique, it involves adding a good amount of water to the pigment in your brush. It is then applied to the paper. While the stroke is still wet, add another color with the same quantity of water. You can then make the necessary changes to move the colors to where they need to be. When this dries, you’ll notice the presence of simple gradients throughout the stroke.

5. Layering the colors

Watercolor is a thin medium and this gives it certain advantages. You can build up color gradually and mix colors right on the paper. Take a color and allow it to dry upon laying it down. Then add another shade. When they overlap, you’ll see a different color as the pigment mixes. This technique would be ideal for building flesh tones.

6. Scumbling

This technique involves layering the color in soft and indirect layers. It creates the hue and look that you want. You need to simply lay in strokes of paint that are partially wet in watercolor. When you’re adding more color, make sure you keep adding water as well.

This will make the colors blend and stay soft. Many of the oil painters use this watercolor painting technique in the process of creating soft hues of light and layered pigment.

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It shocked the audiences who were mostly conservative, but became more acceptable later on. Colors and shapes often find a generous usage in abstract paintings as central motifs. The birth of this form of art was a crucial moment in modernism. Later, Abstract Art was made popular by many pioneering artists.

They were of the belief that the emotions in an artwork was its most important aspect. Here, we’ll try to know more about the three abstract artists who were born in the 19th century:

1. Wassily Kandinsky

Born in 1866, Wassily Kandinsky was the pioneer of the Abstract genre. This Russian painter had studied economics and law, but turned to painting after giving up academics. When he was 30, he began his painting studies, which included sketching, life-drawing, and depictions of anatomy.

He became famous during 1910 when he created the first abstract painting called Untitled (First Abstract Watercolor). He became the first modern artist in the genre of Abstract Art. Within the artworks that he created later on, he used pure abstraction with complete freedom. Today, many consider him the most renowned Abstract artist of all time.

After 1913, he began pursuing figurative art. Art lovers will always remember Kandinsky as a prominent figure in the development of Modern Art. His other remarkable paintings include Composition VII and Farbstudie Quadrate.

2. Piet Mondrian

This Dutch artist was born in 1872. He began pursuing painting when he became an adult, initially experimenting with figurative art. After the end of the First World War, he embraced Abstract Art. The artworks of Mondrian were more recognizable owing to their unique grid style. He never depicted any of the religious figures.

Upon transitioning into an extremely abstracted style, he started using solid geometric shapes in his paintings. Among his famous works are Broadway Boogie Woogie, and Composition with Red, Yellow, and Blue. When the Abstract Art movement was at its peak, Mondrian was among the most famous artists in the genre.

3. Kazimir Malevich

He was an influential Russian artist of Abstract Art who played an important role in defining the movement. Born in 1878, Malevich became famous as an artist who popularized Suprematism. This field of art focused on basic forms of geometry such as lines, squares, rectangles, and circles. They were painted using a limited number of colors.

While experimenting with Suprematism, he started developing radical abstraction. As a result, his paintings became important works within the genre of Abstract Art. During his painting career, he mostly explored Suprematism despite experimenting with a variety of styles in art.

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