The field of illustration once had a period of time called “The Golden Age.” This 40-year stretch began in the 1880’s and continued into the 1920’s, coming to fruition because of advances in image reproduction technology. Once the public got a taste of graphic art, there became an insatiable demand for it. American illustrator Howard Pyle was […]
Author: Sara Barnes
Minimalist Tattoos That Say a Lot with Just a Few Lines
The art movement known as minimalism is ubiquitous today, but it only emerged to prominence about 60 years ago. Established in the United States, it initially referred to artworks comprising geometric shapes. This approach, which included painters like Frank Stella, Donald Judd, and Agnes Martin, implores the viewer to respond to “only to what is […]
There’s Beauty in Everything: An Interview with Peony Yip
Peony Yip, also known as The White Deer, inadvertently focuses her illustrative work on themes that make some people uncomfortable. One of her most popular series called “To Bloom Not Bleed” is described by her as “A series that portrays the fine line between the grotesque and beauty of death.” To Yip, you can find […]
Artists Who Use Their Sketchbook as Handheld Galleries
The sketchbook is a special place for an artist. It’s like a playground—a place where they can try out new techniques, imagery, and generate new ideas and ways of working. The pages can even offer a place to emotionally heal. The work done in a sketchbook is often incorporated into an artist’s larger, more finalized […]
10 Inspiring Photographers Celebrating Light and Life
Light is an integral part of photography, in both a technical and creative sense. Illumination has a dramatic effect on how we interpret a photograph. Even the slightest change in its tone can alter a mood to feel warm and nostalgic, or on the conversely, cold and dark. This powerful ability enhances the themes within […]
Painterly Tattoos by Aleksandra Katsan
Aleksandra Katsan creates body art that recalls the carefree fluidity of a watercolor painting. Focusing on florals and nature, the Ukrainian tattooist convincingly mimics the flick of a brush or splatter of pigment on the skin. Although it appears haphazard, the technique represents an incredible restraint on the part of Katsan—to make something that looks […]
Delicate Tattoos Mimic the Natural World by Marta Lipinski
Tattoo artist Marta Lipinski started her career in the sciences and was trained as a chemical and biology lab assistant. Never intending to be in that profession for long, she eventually learned to tattoo and became obsessed—it was a way she could share her artwork with others. “I never thought that I [would] find a […]
10 Artists Who Have Produced Remarkable Skull Tattoos
As humans, we’re intimately tied to the skull—it’s not only a part of us, but it represents something much greater than ourselves. The ultimate symbol of death; a stark reminder of our own mortality. Throughout history, artists and writers have meditated on this passing with the skull as the introductory point. Shakespeare’s Hamlet famously does […]
Sketchbook Tattoos that Vibrate on the Body by Luca Testadiferro
Italian tattooist Luca Testadiferro creates lively body art. The dynamic, energetic lines look as though they’re made with haphazard scribbles, but it’s the opposite—Testadiffero’s refined and steady hand is what allows them to have this vibrating effect. As a result, the pieces look as if they’re rumbling on the skin. It’s an aesthetic that Testadiferro […]
Typography Bursts Through Abstract Embroidery
Did you ever expect embroidery to encourage you to “Rise up!” or “Give Hell”? Valeria Molinari’s typographical hoop art fuses the power of language with bright and textural abstract designs. Colorful non-representational shapes—created with thread as well as beading—are carved away by empowering script. “Most of my work is inspired by my activism and the […]