Tag Archives: Paint by Number

Art that Sells Broadway

Segmation - Art that Sells BroadwayThe versatility of art is not easy to define. Art is an umbrella term that encompasses different mediums, genres and styles. Each medium of art is attractive on its own, but when several types of art come together, a fresh, deep, enriched level of art is born. For instance, this is the case when music, dance, storytelling and graphic design collide. You may be wondering where these diverse art mediums intersect. On Broadway, of course.

Erick Pipenburg (@erikpiepenburg) has one of the most interesting jobs in America; he is the senior theatre editor at the New York Times. Recently his job has taken him away from Broadway stages and into the studios of graphic designers and photographers who create promotional posters for hit shows.

Behind the Poster” is a category on the New York Times blog, Artsbeat. In this genre of his professional art medium, writing, Pipenburg interviews the talented visual artists who are on the front lines of theatre show productions. He has gone behind the curtains of shows like “The Visit,” starring Chita Rivera; “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” starring Neil Patrick Harris; and a new play, “Stage Kiss,” which is promoted by an abstract poster that is made up of lipstick kisses on paper. Each time, Pipenburg’s interview reveals a story that goes beyond the script and into the lives of all the artist who create and promote the play.

To better grasp what Pipenburg does, read the response from freelance illustrator Julie Furer Knutson, who created the poster for “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” playing in Seattle, Washington:

“I wanted this to scream ’60s. That blue is very of that era. When I was a kid we had a couch that color. It seems everybody had that couch back then. I guess it was Danish-designed and had that very plain but textural fabric to it. The characters keep drinking to hide what’s going on in their lives. They are outward with their rage, but they are hiding behind the alcohol. I thought white for the title really exposes things.”

Here is the New York Times article that contains this poster review and five others: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/arts/posters-the-fine-art-of-selling-theater.html.

Erick Pipenburg is revealing another element of art that goes into creating shows that grace Broadway stages each night. He is showcasing the tapestry of art mediums, styles, and genres that go into producing show-stopping productions. In a way, he is identifying the many parts of a fulfilling, multi-dimensional work of art.

Art is often made up of several pieces. No art program knows this better than Segmation. Paint-by-number has been allowing people to become artists for years. Now, Segmation is making paint-by-number a digital phenomenon, too. By putting together the pieces of artful imaging, you can be an artist. Have you tried SegPlay PC or SegPlay Mobile yet? Click here to learn more about the software that can transform you into an artist: http://segmation.com/. Piece by piece, you can, like Erick Pipenburg, expose a beautiful picture.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Paper Quilling – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Can Elephant Art Save the Species?

What Is True About The Color Blue?

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Franz Marc German Expressionist Painter

Franz Marc (1880-1916) was a young man who spent much of his life at the crossroads of war and peace. Even though he would never return from the battlefields of World War I, a sense of peace echoed in his paintings. However, the serenity infused into his artwork did not come from the vibrant colors he used or the subject matter (mostly animals) he featured. His masterpieces had a place in the Expressionist movement because they revered the wisdom of artists who came before him and leveraged the collaboration of fellow artists from his era. But the first artist to influence the work of Franz Marc was his father, a landscape painter. To some, Franz Marc is one of the greatest animal painters of the 20th century.

However, the serenity infused into his artwork did not come from the vibrant colors he used or the subject matter (mostly animals) he featured. His masterpieces had a place in the Expressionist movement because they revered the wisdom of artists who came before him and leveraged the collaboration of fellow artists from his era.

Marc’s art was characterized by his use of bold and vibrant colors. In fact, by the age of 30, which was near the pinnacle of the young artist’s career, Marc had laid out a set of principles to guide his use of color. In a letter to artist August Macke, Marc wrote, “Blue is the male principle, astringent and spiritual. Yellow is the female principle, gentle, gay and spiritual. Red is matter, brutal and heavy and always the colour to be opposed and overcome by the other two.”

When looking at Marc’s work and reading his biographies, it becomes clear that he valued the wisdom of fellow artists. However, nothing proves this more than the “Der Blaue Reiter” almanac, which Franz Marc spearheaded in 1911. The title, which translates to “The Blue Rider,” represented a group of artists who rejected Neue Künstlervereinigung München, which was a strict form of art principles set forth by Wassily Kandinsky in 1909. The Blue Rider artists exhibited under this name until 1914.

In addition to color, Franz Marc was known for painting animals using distinct angles. He frequently featured animals in their natural habitats. Portraying members of the animal kingdom with bright color and sharp angles allowed Marc to enhance the emotion of the being and its setting.

Some translated titles of Franz Marc’s artwork include: Dog Lying in Snow; The Yellow Cow; Deer in the Woods; Tiger; The Lamb; and Fate of the Animals. Actually, Fate of the Animals is known throughout Germany as Tierschicksale. This piece is arguably one of Marc’s most profound works of art. Today, it is displayed at the Kunstmuseum Basel in Germany, where, on the back of the canvas these words appear: “Und Alles Sein ist flamed Leid” (“And all being is flaming agony”). He painted Tierschicksale in 1913. Shortly after, Marc volunteered to serve the German forces in World War I. While in service, he explained the painting in a letter to his wife, saying, “it is like a premonition of this war –horrible and shattering. I can hardly conceive that I painted it.”

The concept of war pressed heavily on Franz Marc’s soul. He was distraught by the realities of World War I but still volunteered to fight. In the end, he never returned home. Franz Marc died at the young age of 36.

Despite his short life and abbreviated career, Marc influenced the world of art and advanced the Expressionist art movement. To this day his art is appreciated for its uplifting, emotional value. Even though it was painted in the midst of a dark era, the work of Franz Marc continues to master the art of tranquility. To some, Franz Marc is one of the greatest animal painters of the 20th century.

However, this post is meant to recognize his artist style and some major pieces. For those who want to read more of Marc ‘s story, visit this link: http://www.segmation.com/products_pc_patternset_contents.asp?set=FZM . Also, Segmation is proud to offer 31 digital Marc patterns. By downloading these paint by numbers masterpieces, you can emulate one of the most fascinating artists who ever lived.

Enjoy the 31 Franz Marc – German Expressionist Painter. Segmation has for you and continue to learn and celebrate the life of a great artist.

Read more Segmation blog posts about other great artists:
Jan Gossaert – A Great Flemish Painter of Antiquity”

Émile Bernard – Making Ideas Art

Alfred Stevens – A Life Immersed in Art

Sources:

Franz Marc

Franz Marc Artchive

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Paint by Number – The Original DIY Project

Do-it-Yourself (DIY) projects are all the rage. With craft shops and hardware stores popping up on every corner, any idea seems within reach. More and more people are jumping on the DIY bandwagon, expressing their enthusiasm for projects like homemade crafts and home remodeling. This is evident on television and social media networks, where creative décor and practical construction are encouraging the inventive spirit. Nowadays, there is less desire to hire contractors or buy assembled decorations; instead, many people opt to do these things themselves.

With this new surge of independence, we easily forget that DIY projects have been around for ages. In fact, before industrialization, it could be said that life was completely “Do-it-Yourself.” However, even in the 20th century, when manufactured products became readily available, people still chose to do some things themselves. Now, in the 21st century, the DIY craze is sweeping the United States and much of the world.

The Original DIY Project

http://mocoloco.com/art/archives/020982.phpWhen exactly did DIY (as we know it today) begin appealing to the general public? “DIY Painting,” a new WordPress blog, reminds us of the history of DIY by pointing to paint by number.

Paint by number first appeared in 1950 and boasted the tagline, “Every man a Rembrandt.” In fact, the greatest benefit of paint by number—in addition to its stress relieving nature and low cost—is that anyone can produce amazing artwork. In this regard, it was the original do-it-yourself home decorating option, as well as gift and craft project.

The Evolution of Paint by Number

Today, paint by number is still around but its appearance is different. Computer technology makes virtual paint by number sets available on personal computers and mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. With Segmation, it is possible to become an artist in minutes by downloading virtual paint by number software and patterns.

Nevertheless, the heart of paint by number is the same. As the DIY Painting blog accurately points out, “Everyone can participate, using the usual leisure time, painting a beautiful picture [with] paint by number kits.” Paint by number is an enjoyable activity that makes any person an artist within minutes. In this sense, paint by number is still the epitome of do-it-yourself projects. The only difference between paint by number and other DIY projects is guaranteed success.

Segmation – Paint by Number for the Digital Age

SegPlayPC 1.8 screenshotSegmation makes it easy to create artistic masterpieces. Each month they release paint by number patterns that allow you to paint like the greats, including Leonardo da Vinci, Henri Rousseau, and Vincent van Gogh. They also produce fun patterns for holidays and special celebrations (see Halloween Spirit and Amigos). By releasing new paint by number pattern sets regularly, Segmation satisfies that itch many people have to take on DIY projects.

DIY is not new but the technology encouraging and spearheading today’s projects is novel. If you crave a project that allows you to express your creativity and produce successful art, explore the original DIY. Explore Segmation paint by number software and patterns.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Professionals Integrate Paint by Number Into Their Careers

“Paint by Number” Kits Create Thousands of Artists

Museum Curator Elevates Prestige of Paint by Number Art

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Graphic Designer Creates a Different TYPE of Art

What do you call a graphic artist who does not need a computer?

A typewriter artist.

Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Álvaro Franca is often called a graphic designer but may be better known as a typographer or type designer. He creates fonts.

What is your favorite font? You might use Calibri, Arial, Tahoma, or Times New Roman. Franca develops fonts that are seen online and in print. He has developed fonts for reading purposes and as parts of advertisements. He even designed labels for beer bottles.

Franca uses a computer to craft font types, but it is what he creates with a vintage typewriter that makes the 22-year-old artist most impressive.

In a collection of work titled, Typewritten Portraits, Franca creates portraits by using a vintage typewriter to strategically placing single characters on a blank sheet of paper. To deepen the complexity of his work, he defines, shapes, and shades the faces of infamous authors so they are recognizable and, in some cases, may be mistaken for sketch art.

The method for creating Typewritten Portraits was conceptualized by Franca in 2013. While he might be the first person to use a typewriter to recreate portraits of Jose Saramago, Charles H. Bukowski, J.D. Salinger, Jack Kerouac, and Clarice Lispector, he was not the first artist to use a vintage typewriter as an art medium.

In 2012, Segmation wrote a blog about vintage typewriter collector and artist Keira Rathbone. Rathbone lives in London and uses over 30 typewriters to create original works of art.

While both artists use typewriters, Franca and Rathbone have contrasting approaches to creating art. Using his computer, Franca created a method that allows him to know exactly where to put characters on a typewriter page. For instance, from the start, he maps out where to add the letter “m,” which is the character he uses to add depth and dimension to portraits.

Rathbone, on the other hand, does not sketch or outline any of her art. With a well-trained eye, she is able to create scenes from her imagination and recreate images she sees. By going over parts of a picture multiple times she produces the perfect amount of shading. This gives her images the level of depth and dimension that Franca factors in from the start.

These two artists live a world apart but both use typewriters to create masterpieces. Rathbone truly needs no computer while Franca uses his for precision. Watch the artists at work and let us know which approach you like better. Leave us a comment at the bottom of this page.

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/90642350″>Typewritten Portraits</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/alvarofranca”>&Aacute;lvaro Franca</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

 

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Retire in Style with Artistic Flair

Childhood Stories of Paint by Number

How to turn your Passion into Profit

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Robert Delaunay, Blazing a Colorful Trail

There once lived an artistic trailblazer named Robert Delaunay. He had a unique perspective, a countercultural technique, and a desire that drove him to be different.

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Parisian born Delaunay greatly influenced abstract art. He was one of the first nonrepresentational painters who advanced the style of cubism. The cubist painter added bright and bold shades of color to his work and was on the front lines of a style called Orphism.

In fact, the name Orphism didn’t exist until 1912 when a French poet by the name of Guillaume Apolliniare declared that work of this style (and especially work by Robert Delaunay) had musical qualities and ought to be named after Orpheus, the singer from Greek mythology who was often inspired by magic and ideals that were anything but ordinary.

Receiving great recognition for his innovative art style juxtaposed Delaunay’s early life. He was born in 1885 and very little information was published about his early training. However, it has been reported that his uncle, who became his primary caregiver after Delaunay’s parents divorced, sent him to art school after he failed an important school exam. As a result, Delaunay was able to influence the development of abstract art in France and throughout the world.

As Delaunay blazed a trail with his knack for colorful cubism, he was mimicked and challenged by his contemporaries. He and Jean Metzinger often painted together and hosted joint exhibits. In 1907, while in his early 20’s, Delaunay and Metzinger shared an exhibit where they were dubbed as “divisonists.” Divisionism is another word for pointillism. Calling them divisionists was the best way critics could describe their foreign use of “mosaic-like ‘cubes’ to construct small but highly symbolic compositions.”

With such recognition, a new branch of Neoimpressionism was born. The very style Delaunay and Metzinger were thought to originate went onto appear in works of Piet Mondrain, The Futurists and Gino Serverini.

Some people say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, which might have been so for Robert Delaunay too. However, he probably would have appreciated some financial attributes during the early rise of his career. At the time, he was not able to support himself on his artwork alone so he designed theatre sets full-time and painted in his spare hours.

In 1908 he met a woman by the name of Sonia Trek. Sonia, an artist, would become his wife and influence Orphism alongside him. They would work on many projects throughout their relationship, but before they got to producing joint works of art, Delaunay would go onto create some of his most famous pieces.

Delaunay began painting colorful, cubist inspired cathedrals and the Eiffel Tower in 1910. He painted several series that are still discussed today for their dynamism and bold coloring. These series include the Saint-Sévrin series (1909–10); the City series (1909–11); the Eiffel Tower series (1909–12); the City of Paris series (1911–12); the Window series (1912–14); the Cardiff Team series (1913); the Circular Forms series (1913); and The First Disk (1913).

As his style evolved, he separated himself from other abstract painters with an interpretation of cubism that was anything but traditional. In fact, by the time he moved onto his “Windows” series, he was solely creating nonobjective paintings. Still, many contemporaries and artists of his time, like the group of Expressionist painters from Munich by the name “The Blue Rider,” gravitated to his style and adopted some of its traits.

Throughout his remaining years, Delaunay and his wife worked together on theatre designs as well as a large mural for the Paris Exposition of 1937. These years were checkered with war and financial struggle. For instance, when Delaunay did not fight in World War I he was labeled a deserter. Then, when the Russian Revolution took place, the Delaunay’s were severed from the financial support they received from Sonia’s family.

By the time World War II broke out, Robert Delaunay had cancer. He and his wife tried to avoid German forces by moving to Auvergne, but Robert’s health deteriorated quickly after the move. In 1941, at the age of 56, he died in Montpellier France.

A lot can be said about Robert Delaunay, but rarely do people discuss his desertion from the military or tragic death. Robert Delaunay is known for infusing color into cubism. In doing so, he created a nonobjective approach that would influence art and aspiring artists for years to come.

However, this post is meant to recognize his artist style and some major pieces. For those who want to read more of Robert Delaunay’s story, visit this link: http://www.segmation.com/products_pc_patternset_contents.asp?set=DEL. Also, Segmation is proud to offer 25 digital Thomas Delaunay patterns. By downloading these paint by numbers masterpieces, you can emulate one of the most fascinating artists who ever lived.

Enjoy the 25 Thomas Delaunay Landscape patterns. Segmation has for you and continue to learn and celebrate the life of a great artist.

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Sources:

Robert Delaunay Wikipedia

Robert Delaunay

Read more Segmation blog posts about other great artists:

The Reluctant Educator and Revered Artist, Emil Carlsen”

Thomas Moran – American Landscape Painter

William Merritt Chase – American Impressionist Painter

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Color Icicles without Going Outside

Color Icicles without going outsideWinter is quickly approaching. Some appreciate this season but most people seem to dread cold weather. With blustering temperatures, leaving the house is hard and developing “cabin fever” is likely. To ward off such an effect, it is important to remain creative.

Fun, artistic activities are great for cold weather. If snow skiing and sledding don’t sound appealing, making a snowman ought to be enjoyable. Or, try this cold weather craft: color icicles.

The best news about coloring icicles is that this activity can be done outside or inside. Segmation SegPlay PC offers a variety of icicle pattern sets. This program can be played in the comfort of a warm home.

Another option is to bundle up, go outside, and dye actual icicles. Here is how it’s done:

Coloring Icicles

Icicles reflect the world around them. As weather causes snow to fall, melt, and freeze, icicles form. Sometimes, even when snow is all gone, icicles stick around to remind everyone that winter is still in the air.

These natural creations beautifully reflect the world around them. But there is a way to make them even more special. Once icicles form, color them with food dye.

The blog slowwatermovement.com shows readers the fascinating process of coloring icicles.  According to this blog, food dye can be applied to the top of an icicle and move throughout the piece of hanging ice – even in its frozen state.

Watch it work:

How is it Possible to Color Icicles?

As the blog name suggest, this author is fascinated by the movement of water. Upon purchasing food dye, the blogger went in search of moving water in unlikely places. When discovering the food coloring moves throughout icicles, the author credited it to diffusion.

Diffusion is a natural transport phenomenon. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, diffusion is “the process whereby particles of liquids, gases, or solids intermingle as the result of their spontaneous movement caused by thermal agitation and in dissolved substances move from a region of higher to one of lower concentration.”

Using this definition, it becomes clear to see why a highly concentrated liquid, like food coloring, would slowly color the water molecules that exist inside an icicle.

This is a great art project to try in the cold of winter. Although, when it’s too chilly to step outside, consider coloring icicles while curled up in a blanket. The only paint-by-numbers software has icicle patterns that need to be colored. Click here to view Segmation’s variety of icicle pattern sets.

Read more Segmation blog posts about Cold Weather Art Activities:

Create Beautiful Wintertime Memories by Building a Snowman

Icicles

Knitting Is More than an Art, It Is a Cause

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FEATURED ARTIST: OMASTE WITKOWSKI

Beach Stick by Omaste Witkowski

Beach Stick by Omaste Witkowski

“My work varies between painting & photography, and I love working with vivid colors, varied textures and unique compositions.”
-Omaste Witkowski

On Omaste Witkowski’s website owFotoGrafik.com, you will find a large variety of Abstracts, Landscapes, Wildlife, Florals, Antiques, and Architectural Studies. She welcomes the opportunity to discover beauty in every subject she comes across no matter how large or small. When she creates, she is always attempting to make something that is unusual. It is essential to me to display her images as uniquely as she can. To express a moment or object in a new way. To make it her’s and share her vision and imagination. Visit Omaste’s website owFotoGrafik.com to learn more about Omaste and her work, including commissions and prints. Contact Omaste directly at owfotografik@gmail.com.

Stop by SegPlay Mobile on iPhone/iPad and Android to see Omaste Wilowski’s fascinating abstract images of dogs. You’ll enjoy using the imagination that these patterns provide as you color your new canine friends!

Read more Segmation blog posts about Art:

Art Therapy Treats more than the Heart

Extracting Art from Science

What does a Good Art Teacher Look Like?

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Stare by Omaste Witkowski

Stare by Omaste Witkowski

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Waiting by Omaste Witkowski

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Resting by Omaste Witkowski

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Sunset Pose by Omaste Witkowski

Vehicle Safety and Car Color

Vehicle Safety and Car ColorDid you know Volvo was the first car to incorporate seat belts? Advanced safety features come standard in many cars now. Some are even required by law. One way to make a car safer is to choose its exterior color wisely.

When looking to purchase a new vehicle, do you ask how safe its color is? This seems like a far out question but, as of late, studies are circulating about what happens when vehicle safety and car color collide. From a scientific standpoint, there is not enough research to back up these studies yet. Regardless, all research points to silver as the safest car color.

Car Color Safety Studies

  • Daimer Benz found that lighter car colors are more conspicuous than darker shades. This has to do with the way light colors draw attention from other drivers when on the road.
  • The University of California claims color influences how well individuals can judge distance between vehicles. Bright cars seem closer while dark colors appear further away. Light car colors are most accurate.
  • The University of Auckland in New Zealand made a connection between how the color of cars correlate with “rates of injury causing accidents.”

Silver is the Safest Car Color

Silver cars rank highest on the list of safe car colors, but light color cars are safer than darker vehicles. Lighter colors reflect more light than darker colors do. This means white and silver cars are easier to see from farther distances. They are more visible on the road.

The Role of Color Psychology

Did you know other vehicle colors on the road may impact how you react while driving?

Because colors can encourage a wide range of emotions and spur on energies that range between aggressive or calm, it makes sense that colors of surrounding cars may enhance our moods to some degree.

While no one is certain if car color is the newest safety feature, studies show darker color cars are involved in more accidents that lighter color cars. From this research, we can draw the conclusion that it is easier to notice light cars than darker ones.

How important is vehicle safety to you? Would you choose to drive a white or silver car based on this information?  What is your favorite car color and why?

Read more Segmation blog posts about Car Colors:

Car colors: An Artistic Expression?

The Color Popularity Contest: Cars, Weddings, Sports Teams, and Much More

The Benefits of Making Art Outside

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The World’s Favorite Color

The World’s Favorite Color 1People love to travel both near and far. They enjoy taking in new scenes, exploring diverse cultures, eating eccentric food, and more. Visiting different places throughout the world adds richness to life and makes one fact clear: it is impossible to escape color.  Then again, who would want to?

Every country has unique colors that travelers seek and citizens delight in. Plush green hills line Germany. Vibrant reds decorate China. Blue waters surround Greece. White sands dust the United States.

With an endless array of varying shades, it is hard to list the world’s color preferences. Still, every person has an answer to the question, “What is your favorite color.” Therefore, is it too much to ask, “What is the world’s favorite color?”

The Question

Three global marketing firms didn’t think so. Once posed with this question, they set out to find an answer. Cheskin, MSI-ITM, and CMCD/Visual Symbols Library conducted a survey that determined BLUE is the world’s favorite color.

The Answer

In the global study, 17 different countries were polled. Roughly 40 percent of the survey participants listed blue as their favorite color. Perhaps this has to do with the impact blue has on emotions; blues are often associated with tranquility. Varying shades of the color cause people to feel at peace. Blue is also the color most often associated with nature (blue sky, blue water). Could this be a factor why people everywhere share the same favorite color?

Other Findings

  • Purple came in a distant second as the world’s favorite color with only 14 percent popularity.
  • The world’s least favorite color is white.
  • Other non-related studies show people are more productive when they are surrounded by blue.

Is your favorite color blue? Why? If not, what is your favorite color?

Why do you think blue is favored among the rest of the colors throughout the world and in many cultures?

Also, Segmation is interested to know, what is the most colorful destination you’ve experienced? Share your story by leaving us a comment below or sign onto the Segmation facebook page to upload a picture.

Isn’t it a joy to live in this colorful world?

Read more Segmation blog posts about Favorite Colors Around the World:

The Most Colorful Cities In The World

The Stories Behind Holiday Colors

Blue Trees in Seattle

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Thomas Moran – American Landscape Painter

www.segmation.comThe interesting life of Thomas Moran started with humble beginnings and ended in the Whitehouse.  Moran was no politician though; he was an artist who raised the bar for American painters and illustrators. More so, Thomas Moran was responsible for making America what is it today.

Like many history makers, Thomas Moran immigrated to America from England in the 19th century. He was born in Bolton, Lancashire in 1837. Early in his life, his entire family moved to a suburb of Philadelphia.

The four Moran brothers, (two being older than Thomas) were all artists, either by profession or hobby. Thomas’s artistic nature and innate talent began to show at the age of 16 when he apprenticed for a wood engraving firm. In this role he was diligent to develop abilities in illustration and watercolor. By 1860, Thomas sought to infuse his personal art with fresh inspiration.

He traveled to the Great Lakes to paint their landscape. After returning to Philadelphia, he was able to sell lithographs of his work. This encouraged the growing artist to travel and further his skill in drawing and painting landscapes. Moran found himself in London next, studying the works of J. M. W. Turner. It is noted that Moran appreciated the esteemed artist’s choices of landscape and color usage.www.segmation.com

Between his time in London and his next adventure, Thomas Moran’s landscape art appeared in numerous publications. With some notoriety and industry connections, Moran was asked to be one of the first artists to document The West with the United States Geological Survey. Throughout a forty day journey, Moran kept a diary of drawings reflecting the various landscapes he and the team encountered. As a result of his art, and the team’s work, Congress was persuaded to name Yellowstone a national park. In 1872, it was the first park of its kind.

This voyage created a good amount of recognition and wealth for the artist. Yellowstone inspired Moran’s infamous piece, a 7′ by 12′ oil painting appropriately titled, The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The United States government purchased this for $10,000 that year. This is the same amount paid for another large painting inspired by a different survey that took place two years later.

The Chasm of Colorado was the result of a survey that sent Moran and Army General, John Wesley Powell from Salt Lake City to, what would soon be known as Zion National Park. The results of this survey were numerous illustrations, publications, and growing notoriety of both the artist and America’s unseen west.

Throughout the course of his United States travels, Moran grew a strong affinity towards the Grand Canyon in Arizona. In fact, every year for the last 25 years of his life, he would visit this source of inspiration. Of the natural wonder, Moran wrote, “Of all places on earth the great canyon of Arizona is the most inspiring in its pictorial possibilities.”

At the age of 89, Thomas Moran passed away in Santa Barbara, where he lived out his senior years. His legacy, on the other hand, continued to live. The oil paintings bought for $10,000 by the government were later featured in the Smithsonian. In addition, Mount Moran in Grand Teton National Park was named after the artist. There are many other landmarks and museums that have collections or pieces of his 1,500 oils paintings, 800 watercolors, and countless illustrations.

Thomas Moran’s portrayal of the magnificent West united the states of America. With that honor comes recognition that transcends time. On a wall in the Oval Office hangs Moran’s The Three Tetons. His place in American history has been solidified; his legacy lives on a Whitehouse wall.

Read more Segmation blog posts about Art and Science:

Art and Science – A Genius Combination

Custom Art Made from Your DNA

Color Advances Science

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