Tag Archives: artist kirt tisdale

Covered Bridges: Exterior and Interior

Today I’m sharing three prints of covered bridges. The first two showing exterior aspects and the third one interior. We see so many captures and prints of covered bridges showing the exterior which I clearly understand from an architectural aspect…they are beautiful structures. I have shared a number of my own prints on this blog in various forms of painting styles. Today I’m sharing three different bridges where I used a more abstract watercolor technique (sharper lines and distinct borders).

All of these prints are covered bridges located in the south central portion of Oregon where off the beaten path you can find numerous covered bridges. I’ll start with the Neal Lane bridge. The viewpoint of the art print shows the perspective highlighting the shortness of the bridge.

Short Covered Bridge

Next up is the Stewart Bridge. This bridge is slightly longer than the prior one and doesn’t have any windows as many of them do.

Stewart Bridge

And then the third one is the interior perspective of the Grave Creek Bridge. The amount of windows and the openness of the interior really caught my eye.

Inside a Covered Bridge

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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A Setting for Wine Tasting

The setting for these prints was a winery in Northern California. No actual wine here (sorry), but I wanted to present another group of prints that were created off of the same photographic capture. I am posting four art prints each with a slightly different presentation method. I was working with two photographs (one horizontal, one vertical) of the same setting using different digital art techniques.

I’ll start with one where I used a basic watercolor technique.

The Gathering Spot

Using the same capture as the above print, I created the next print using an Impasto style of painting. The impasto style uses thick paint to create a texture that is almost 3D.

Enjoy the Afternoon

And then continuing with the same technique, I used the other “shot” I had taken which was more horizontal showing more of the area to the right of the table. Again, the same impasto style.

Wine Tasting

Then sticking to this particular horizontal capture, I used a fauvism style which was an art movement established early in the 20th century. This style focuses on bold colors, textured brushwork and slightly surreal depictions.

Lunch in the Wine Country

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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Fauvism

I have done a number of my digital art prints using a fauvism technique and I thought I would share what that means. The “fauvism” technique was introduced in 1905 by a group of artist. It used bold colors, strongly textured brush strokes and non-naturalistic depictions. I like the style as it created more freedom in depiction of subjects versus just straight forward presentations. In my opinion it works well with certain subjects and not so well with others. Unfortunately that still comes back to the eye of the beholder versus any hard set rule, but actually that’s the case with almost all art. Having said that I am sharing three prints that were created using a fauvism digital art program.

Orange Bud In Fauvism

This is a good example of shape, color and texture in that the bud is painted in a slight surreal shape and the colors and brush strokes are very strong.

Fauvist Vase and Pitcher

This particular print highlights the brush strokes and bold colors with just a slight abstract shape element.

Orange Flame Rose

Again, slight shape element, but very bold brush strokes with surreal background colors.

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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Same Picture with Four Different Looks

I thought it would be fun to share different styles of digitally altering a single photograph. I’m starting with the original photographic capture. The setting is an outdoor “kitchen” in Los Angeles. (I call it a kitchen as it has different grills and ovens for a variety of barbeque experiences which are not included in this photo). So starting with the print below….

Original Photograph

I cropped it eliminating unnecessary aspects to keep it focused on the table, fireplace and wood door. I then took the cropped picture and started playing with different digital techniques. After trying numerous looks, I settled on the four following prints to keep in my gallery.

The Fireplace, Table and Door

I’ll start with this colored sketching presentation. This technique re-creates the look of an art print that was sketched by hand, using colored pencils.

The Garden Kitchen Sketched

From there, I pulled all colors and created the same sketched picture in a black and white format.

Patio Dining

With this presentation, I used a fauvism technique of oil painting. Fauvism creates somewhat abstract shapes, bold brush strokes and surreal colors creating this look.

Garden Table

In this final print, I used a gothic style of oil painting using earthen colors creating that old world look and feel.

All four created totally different looks and some will appeal to your eye and others not so much as we all have different tastes and preferences in art. I just wanted to share how I go about taking one photo and create various digital versions to end up with the final look or looks of any one photographic capture!

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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The Continental Divide in Colorado

For anyone that follows my blog, you know I like to try various styles and methods in my art prints to compliment the subject matter. This week, I’m featuring 4 prints I created using a sketching technique. The subject matter is the continental divide in Colorado due west of Denver. If you follow interstate 70 west from Denver you end dealing with the continental divide in one of two ways. One option is to get off the interstate and go over the pass on a two lane highway that climbs to the top and then down the other side. Some of these prints present that aspects. The other option is to go through the divide in the Eisenhower tunnel. Both methods bring you on the western side by Lake Dillon. The setting is beautiful and these prints display that.

The Colorado Continetal Divide On Loveland Pass

This view represents the top of the pass over the continental divide.

Single Sailboat On Lake Dillon Sketched

This depicts a single sailboat on Lake Dillon.

The Mountain Range Behind Lake Dillon Sketched

Looking west at the next range of mountains from the east side of the lake. Similar perspective as the prior sketch with the sailboat only further down the same mountain range.

The Lake Dillon Marina

Then to finish up, I did a sketch of the boating marina that sits on the northern side of the lake.

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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Three Lighthouses – Different Presentations

I love lighthouses as I have a high appreciation of architectural features, especially the uniqueness in these types of structures. For this post, I am sharing three different lighthouses that I created using different techniques.

I’ll start with the Cape Meares Lighthouse along the Oregon coastline. For this print I used a basic technique which focuses on traditional watercolor, but uses a precise drawing technique that creates sharp pockets of color in an almost abstract manner.

Abstract Cape Meares Lighthouse

Then moving up the coastline to the state of Washington, I have the North Head Lighthouse. For this print, I used a more abstract approach with stronger lines drawn to create the shapes with strong pockets of color.

North Head Lighthouse in Abstract

And then for the third lighthouse we move further north into the Seattle area to the West Point Lighthouse. This lighthouse sits on a piece of land that juts out into the Puget Sound and marks the northern end of Elliot Bay which lines the downtown waterfront of Seattle. For this art print, I created it using a color pencil sketching technique.

West Point Lighthouse Sketched


Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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My art gallery: TheWallGallery

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Hot Air Balloons in Abstract Style

I not only love flying in hot air balloons, I love the look of them. I’ve done a number of posts over the years on them and today’s post is of a couple different abstract techniques I used depicting them.

The first one was created using a fauvism (Fauvism: a style of painting with vivid expressionistic and non-naturalistic use of color that flourished in Paris from 1905) technique. This technique uses abstract shapes and variations of colors to create a unique look. The event is the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival in Avondale, Arizona (Phoenix metropolitan area). The balloon envelopes are inflated in the early morning hours for flights and races. After that series of events, the balloons are deflated until the evening hours when the envelopes are again inflated, but this time they stay on the ground. As evening turns into night with the darkening sky, the balloon operators shoot large flames up into the envelope of the balloon illuminating the brightly colored balloons.

Hot Air Balloons Night Festival In Abstract

Using a minimalist watercolor and drawing technique of the same evening event is the next one.

Night Glow Hot Air Balloons In Abstract

Then using that same technique depicting a single hot air balloon preparing for a day time flight.

Fully Inflated

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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Pointillism in a Variety of Settings

Pointillism is a unique method of using small dots of paint that collectively form a subject. It was developed in 1886. Click Wikipedia for further detail. With the onset of digital art, it is a style that can be replicated. I have created a few art prints with this technique and have shared some of them in the past. Today, I wanted to share 5 prints where I used this technique. The prints represent a variety of subjects and I thought it was interesting to show all five to see how this technique works with the different perspectives. Pointillism generally softens and lightens almost any subject it is applied to.

The first two prints are fall based subjects.

The Tracks by the House

The Tracks Through the Trees

The setting in the next print switches gears from these subtle fall colors as it’s a farm setting in Iowa during the winter months. No snow, just earthen tones.

The Family Farm

The next print takes us to a mountain meadow lake near Whistler, British Columbia. The color mixture (still softened) brings in natures basic colors

Mountain Meadow Tranquility

The final two prints move us into the heart of Denver, Colorado with two famous landmarks in downtown Denver. The first one is the D&F Tower which sits on the 16th Street Mall. This pedestrian mall connects the State Capital on one end of downtown to Union Station on the other end with lots of office buildings, stores and hotels in-between.

D&F Tower In Pointillism On The Mall
Denver Union Station In Pointillism

This technique creates a very unique visual experience.

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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A Week For Thankfulness

This week the United States celebrates Thanksgiving. The time together with family and friends on the specific day makes me pause and think about all of the things to be thankful for. We live in an imperfect world fill with blessings and challenges….some random, some self created. In my opinion, this is the time to take a step back and focus on all the beauty of life as we live it. It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity of the world we live in, being reminded of it daily via news and online access.

I start with being thankful for all of the people in my life that I love and enjoy. Whether it be family or friends. Think about how many people you have come to know and love throughout your life. Be thankful for the love that comes from those relationships as well as the guidance we receive from others experience.

Seattle Street Scene

Think about the beauty of the world we live in and how inspiring nature is in its natural state.

Mountain Lake

From that overall view point, I come down to those quiet, peaceful moments with those closest to you albeit a parent, spouse, child or very close friend. In those moments we help each other grow and find peace within.

Beach Tranquility

And that brings me back to my faith and trusting in His faithfulness and being grateful for it.

His Faithfulness

Again, I’m not saying there aren’t issues and challenges we all face daily, but I do believe it’s good to take a step back and think about the people and things that we are blessed with.

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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Gothic Style Art Prints – That Old World Look

Within most of my art galleries you will see this style of art print. It’s created using a digital technique that uses deep earth tones for color…..lots of brown hues. I got hooked on this style when I saw it used in an old historic mansion from the 1920’s. This style was used to create a warm and old world look. I have featured it before, but have attached some prints that represent different geographies in North America.

We’ll start in a New England village on the east coast with a scene of a village street using the gothic style.

Back Streets

We head south to New Orleans for the next couple of prints.

Gothic New Orleans

St Charles Line Two

And then up to Whistler, British Columbia for the final one.

Elderly Couple

So even completely changing the subject matter, doesn’t really change that old world feeling because of the style and color hues used.

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

Follow my work:

My art gallery: TheWallGallery

Facebook: TheWallGallery.KirtTisdale

Instagram: instagram.com/kirttisdale/

Twitter: KirtWallGallery