Donna Liguria Art

Abstract Art is meant to NOT represent a realistic depiction of anything in particular. It uses color, forms, shapes, and gestural marks. Abstract Art is not my style of artwork although I appreciate what others have created. An example of abstract art to the right - Photo by Mayur Deshpande on Unsplash

Acrylic Paint is my current favored paint medium. It is a water-based fast-drying paint that is easily thinned with water, or used thickly. It is typically applied with brushes or knives.

*Easiest for beginners to learn.

*Easy cleanup with water if paint is still wet.

*Fast drying, versatile, durability once its dry and is affordable.

An example of an acrylic painting to the right by Donna Liguria called "Great Falls"

AI art, or artificial intelligence art is a controversial subject. AI art is created (or generated) by a machine learning process.

Art Need to Know. An ongoing list I created on my blog of all the things an artist needs to know about when he or she decides on a career in art. See Art NTK

Art prints, or fine art prints can be known as giclee prints which are made with very high resolution inkjet printers specialized in their quality, longevity and value in photo paper and image rendering.

There are particular directions when packaging art prints in a professional way when offering prints for sale including archival clear bags and a backing board that fit to the size of the print to help protect it. Signing the print, numbering or limited edition, a business card, a Certificate of Authenticity are other options to learn more about.

I currently am working with 5x7, 8x10, 8.5x11, 11x14, 12x12, 12x16 for the most part in my art prints. Please see my Donna Liguria Art Etsy Shop and the category Prints or ask for availability if you don't see the size you would like.

Foreground is closest, mid-ground is between the fore and the background. The background part of an artwork lies in the distance and appears to be behind objects in the foreground. Depth is achieved when layering the composition.

A principle of art and design concerned with the arrangement of one or more elements in a work of art so that they appear symmetrical (identical compositional units on either side of an axis) or asymmetrical (not identical) in design and proportion.

This is a painting process where the artist roughly establishes the composition and structure of the subject with colors and shapes. It’s a popular technique used mostly with oil painting, and portrait artists.

Bookcase Art is what I call small artworks of about 4x4x1.5 on gallery wrapped canvas that are great for setting on a bookcase shelf, a ledge, or a side table. I do not wire the works for hanging.

A Call for Art, or Call for Artists is an opportunity sent out by art galleries, art shows, art contests and fund raisers that are requesting artists to submit there art for consideration to their proposed art display. Many art calls have a fee to enter and a theme to follow, and guidelines that they expect you, the artist, to strictly follow.

A closely woven, sturdy/heavy cloth of hemp, cotton, linen (more expensive), or a similar fiber, frequently stretched over a frame and used as a surface for painting. Less expensive back stapled canvas does not cover the staples used to fix the cloth to the frame. Gallery-wrapped canvas has the cloth very nicely folded, tucked and has the staples hidden, leaving the sides available for painting as well. Gallery wrapped canvas is my preferred painting surface and does not necessarily need to be framed.

Although most artist's moms could be considered a young artist's first "collector", the title identifies someone who buys, or collects, art. Anyone can be a collector and he or she could start their collection with an unframed photograph or print, and go from there. 

• An art collector is someone who acquires artworks for personal enjoyment or investment.

• They often focus on specific genres, periods, or artists to build a cohesive collection.

• Collectors may attend galleries, auctions, and art fairs to discover new pieces.

• Many collectors research the art market to make informed purchasing decisions.

• They may also engage with artists and art communities to deepen their appreciation.

• Some collectors donate or lend pieces to museums for public display.

​The perceived hue of an object, produced by the manner in which it reflects or emits light into the eye. Also, a substance, such as a dye, pigment, or paint, that imparts a hue.

The word commission can mean 2 very different but important things to artists.

1. A potential client sends you a request for the production of an artwork is one form of a commission. Typically, a contract is necessary and upfront percentage of the payment is paid before work begins - 1/3 to 1/2. The deposit should be nonrefundable. Reference photos could be sent to or taken by the artist for some subjects. Great communication is needed between the person requesting the art and the artist so that expectations are met. See my Commissions Page.

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2. Another form of a commission is what an artist is charged for the sale of their artwork when it is in a gallery or other sponsored art shows. In other words, the percentage charged by the venue, group, or show organizers deducted from the cost of the artwork when sold. An art group may charge as little as 15% or 30%, while a gallery may charge from 30% and as high as 50% or more depending on the location, the city the gallery is in. A check is cut for the remainder that then goes to the artist. Price your artwork so that venue commissions are accounted for.

The arrangement of the individual elements within a work of art so as to form a unified whole. There are varying numbers of composition "rules" or techniques (especially used in photography), here is a list of many of them:

1. Rule of Thirds

2. Centered Composition and Symmetry

3. Foreground Interest and Depth

4. Frame Within the Frame

5. Leading Lines

6. Diagonals and Triangles

7. Patterns and Textures

8. Break the Pattern

9. Rule of Odds

10. Fill the Frame

11. Leave Negative Space

12. Simplicity and Minimalism

13. Use Black and White

14. Isolate the Subject

15. Shoot from Below

16. Shoot from Above

17. Look for Particular Color Combinations

18. Rule of Space

19. Left to Right Rule

20. Balance Elements in the Scene

21. Juxtaposition

22. Golden Triangles

23. Golden Ratio

24. Let the Background Give Context to the Subject

25. Let the Eye Wander Around the Frame

26. Use Layers in the Frame

27. Add Human Interest

28. Wait for the “Decisive Moment”

Use of opposites near or beside one another (light and dark, rough and smooth).

​The Cool Colors are mostly green, blue, violet (purple). Think snow, ice, cool water, big blue sky, deep blue ocean, green grass.

​CAA is a nonprofit 501(c)3 art group based in Haymarket in Prince William County, Virginia. They were founded in 2023 and their website is https://www.crossroadsartsalliance.org/

​A curator is someone whose job is to create and run exhibitions or look after a collection. Curating a show means putting a show together: liaising with artists and deciding where the works go on the walls.

A CV is the acronym for Curriculum Vitae, which for an artist is a very extensive resume with the purpose of being read by Grant Juries, Gallery Owners, and Curators. The CV is used for artist opportunities when applying for residencies, grants, publications, and some exhibitions. Included in a CV are:

1. Contact Info

2. Education

3. Artistic Skills

4. Exhibitions

5. Notable Projects and Commissions

6. Residencies

7. Grants and Awards

8. Publications

9. Collections 

10. Relevant Work Experience

11. References

​Digital Art is any artistic work or practice that uses digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process - computational art. AI Art and Digital Art are not the same things.

Two panels (or canvases) that typically present a singular artwork, sometimes hinged together. Some artists sell them together as a unit, but not always.

I started my blog in October 2020 and it is called "Donna's Cave Paintings" - found at https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/ I show my art in progress and have lots of art information, articles, art tips, pictures of art shows and so much more. Please give a follow, share, and comment.

A work of art made with a pencil, colored pencils, pen, crayon, charcoal, or other implements, often consisting of lines and marks.

An edition is a predetermined number of prints at a specific size from a single image. An edition print should be of exhibition quality and will be individually numbered (examples: 5/10 or 5 of 10), signed and dated, either on the print itself or on an accompanying certificate. Often an ‘Artist Proof’ will exist separate to the edition and is usually the first or last to be printed. Editioning is more common among contemporary photographers and gives the collector an assurance of authenticity.

​The basic components which are put together to make a visual work of art. They are color, line, shape, texture, space, form and value. All works of art are composed of these basic elements. 

​Principle of design concerned that stresses one element or area in a work of art to make it attract the viewer’s attention first.

My Etsy Shop is found at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com where I have some of my original artwork up to about 16x20 and and various sizes of giclee prints.

This is the part of a piece of art work, usually a two-dimensional piece like a painting or photograph, which is the central focus of a piece, and where the eye is drawn to first.

​As opposed to the background, this is the part of a two-dimensional piece of art which appears closest to the viewer.

Form is an element of art; the three dimensional structure of an object. In two dimensions, a form is represented as a shape.

​A giclée print, rather than a limited edition, is a method of printmaking using an ink-jet printer to produce photographic images of artworks.

A water-based matte paint, sometimes called opaque watercolor, composed of ground pigments and plant-based binders, such as gum Arabic or gum tragacanth. The opacity of gouache derives from the addition of white fillers, such as clay or chalk, or a higher ratio of pigment to binder.